Elemental Moon: The Eldritch Files, Book Three

by Phaedra Weldon

  "I thought it was better not to. The less he knows the less anyone can torture it out of him."

  "Torture?" Now the wolf dude came even closer. "No one said anything about torture."

  "We don't torture," I said. "Much. I think the Faerie still torture. They like things like that."

  You bet your ass they do.

  I relayed Grey's comment.

  "So what happens if you keep using this magic?" Jack ventured.

  The computer flickered on and I walked to it, waiting to see if Ivan was remotely accessing it. And he was. I saw the browser open and a local news story about the two mutilated bodies appeared. "Looks like Ivan's been searching."

  "The rumor is that Arcane Magic destroys Witches. It makes them crazy and they become destructive."

  "You mean like your dad's house?" Jack's eyes widened as he looked at me with a newfound fear and respect.

  "Yeah." I stroked Grey's fur as she leaned against my thigh. "Then there's no going back and the Witch Finders are set loose and your head is removed from your body." I gave Jack a half smile. "You know the old saying. Power corrupts. But absolute power corrupts even the incorruptible."

  TEN

  It was close to four o'clock that afternoon before Crwys got us into the morgue while Ivan and Grey stayed at the shop. It was the same one at the same hospital. But this time he got us in on a favor from the guard, who apparently owed Crwys for getting rid of two speeding violations.

  The same smells as before assaulted me as the elevator doors opened and Crwys led us back to the same storage room. But this time the gurney with the latest victim was out and ready. Crwys unzipped the body bag and stepped away so Bastien and Jack could move closer. They did their sniffing the body thing while I tried to keep that Chinese food down. Crwys stood close to Kyle and I. "Where's Ivan?"

  I snorted before Kyle leaned in to Crwys. "He had a date."

  "A date?"

  "He said he wanted to stay at the shop and work, but I'm pretty sure he's got a date somewhere else. He is allowed to date, Crwys." I gave him a hip-bump. Imagining Ivan actually having a girlfriend brightened my mood considerably. The weight of not knowing what was happening to me, being terrified of where that extra voice was coming from, compounded with Cromwell and his Hive asking too many questions about my dad's house…it all balled into a knot in the pit of my stomach. If I didn't watch it, I was gonna get an ulcer.

  But what bothered me the most was the house. How did they know? As far as I could tell, part of whatever it was I did included altering the memories of everyone those in the house were connected to. I wasn't surprised the neighbors' memories were hazy about the house, or about George Hawthorne and his wife Pauline. Cromwell Dryden was relentless in his search for the truth within the Witch community. He was going to find out exactly what happened, and he was going to keep an eye on me. Fred was going to see to that.

  "What's on your mind?" Crwys leaned in close.

  "Lots of things. I'll tell you about them later."

  Bastien and Jack stepped away in unison. Bastien pointed to the body. "Not frére."

  "He's right. It's not," Jack agreed.

  "Can you be a bit more specific?" Crwys moved to the gurney's edge. "Was he Lycan?"

  "It's the same as the girl. It's yes and no. Like Bastien said, this guy is stuck between, just like she was. And there is a smell."

  Now I ventured forward, but made sure not to look at the body. Eh…I didn't do well. I did smell Arcane, but I also looked down. This body had its face removed as well. In fact… "Crwys…can you grab the other body and wheel it out here?"

  He gave me an odd look but he did as I asked. Once the two gurneys were side by side and the body bags open, my suspicion was glaringly obvious.

  Kyle said it. "They were mutilated the same way."

  "It looks almost identical," Bastien said. He was really getting into this by leaning down, raising his hands to measure. "How does something eat in the same way?"

  "Because these bodies weren't attacked for food." I needed my dex. That would tell me something about what I was seeing. It might even help identify what these two people were. I still had the spell; I just didn't have the Elements to make it happen. But could I still cast the spell with just a little Arcane?

  "Sam…" Kyle was watching me. "Don't."

  "I have to know, and I won't be using it for any destructive purposes."

  "You might not, but we've seen what that type of magic prefers."

  Bastien looked at Kyle and then at me. "What is he talking about, chérie?"

  Crwys held up his hand. "I won't let it get out of hand."

  "Oh?" Kyle glared at him. "You mean like you didn't let it get of hand at her dad's house?"

  "Guys," I said and snapped my fingers. "Knock it off. Something attacked these two and tore them apart in precisely the same way. I think it would help if I could identify what they were. So stand back," I looked at Crwys. "Can you contain it?"

  "Yes," his eyes were red.

  "Diable," Bastien said and crossed his arms as he stepped back.

  Jack moved back as well and I caught just the hint of light surrounding Kyle's hands. Okay, so he didn't trust me all that much right now. But then again, I had destroyed all of our fountains in one blast. Still felt a bit guilty about that.

  I held out my hands and drew the pentagram in the air. It wasn't a necessary gesture, but it helped me focus and feel a bit safer. For the Witch, the pentagram was a symbol of protection, as it pertained to the five Elements. But making it with Arcane Magic…what would that mean?

  It appeared in the air, as usual, as I summoned the power, but instead of white it was a deep, sparkling blood red. And as I drew on the Elements, they felt as if they were there, but they weren't…right. It was like trying artificial sweetener right after sugar. It sweetened but there was this odd aftertaste. As I finished the spell in my mind, the pentagram split into five copies of itself just like it's supposed to as it diagnosed the two intended bodies.

  The results came faster than they usually did. And they came with much, much more.

  "Sam?" Kyle prompted.

  I realized I was standing there with red pentagrams glittering all around me as I read the information. "Ah…"

  Now everyone was looking at me. I could see them through the superimposed readout.

  I cleared my throat. "They're both showing as human, but with mangled DNA."

  Kyle and Jack looked at each other, but it was Bastien that spoke, "What does that mean?"

  "They've been…" I wasn't sure how to say this. "They've been purposefully transmuted. I can see bits and parts of a spell, half sentences of a ritual, and there are symbols marked on what skin is left that I can't identity." I moved the pentagrams to the side and another paragraph of information came up. This was more than I'd ever gotten from my basic dex. This was like dex deluxe. "Both of them have a symbol on their backbones." I moved the pentagrams again and this time a reddish diagram appeared with a bull's-eye on a particular bone. "Anyone else see this?"

  "I see it." Bastien moved in close to look, then he turned to the bodies. Without gloves or prep, he stuck his hands in the male and moved the skin away from the backbone. "Same here." He moved to the other body and did the same.

  I concentrated on the information in front of me. "Did whatever did this to them, mark them?"

  The five pentagrams spun. One of them stopped with a single word. "Transmogrification."

  Then the pentagrams vanished.

  Bastien left the room for a while and I hoped it was to wash his hands.

  "What does that mean?" Jack asked. He was just as white and pale as I felt after watching Bastien do his work.

  Crwys answered for me, and he looked worried. "It's a term used for forced shifting. These two were forced to change into what I can only assume would be wolves, and either the transmogrify didn't complete or it failed."

  "You think the person who did this mutilated the bodies to hide what
they did?" That was me. I'd been thinking it from the moment I saw the mutilations were the same, but I hadn't meant to say it out loud.

  Bastien came back in at that moment, wiping his hands on a paper towel. He tucked the paper towel into his jacket pocket when he was done. I thought that was a smart move, to not leave anything of himself behind. Being a shifter in this day and age could be dangerous, especially a known one. And given my lack of knowledge about them, they did a good job hiding themselves. "That is what I believe, chérie. We heard these poor victims' cries either as they mutated, or as they died when their attacker cut them apart."

  "That's a huge jump," Crwys countered. "First off, the mutilations aren't precise. The coroner already ruled the female as being attacked by a canine. The damage done to the flesh, the muscle and even the bone wasn't done by a surgeon's hands. I'll admit the similarity, and I'll go with there being someone behind this transmogrification. But as a cop I have to stick to what I can see."

  Bastien shook his head. "You are a strange diable. You have the power to know the truth and you don't."

  Now everyone looked at Crwys. He took in a deep breath and exhaled. "No, I don't, Mr. LeBlanc."

  Whew...at least he didn't use that dog word again.

  "I'm not what you think I am. And it's understandable your senses see me the way they do." He pulled his phone from his back pocket and moved in close to take pictures of the markings. "I'll take a closer look at these symbols. They look familiar."

  "Where is Levi?" I asked.

  "He's outside. Not much of a morgue guy. He's also calling his people to see if there were any other Leviathans in the area."

  Well that was news. "You think this was done by a Leviathan?" And of course I thought of my aunt. But I'd been pretty sure she was miles away. And that made me remember her house was still there, sitting locked up, with my name and hers on the deed, and with a dozen or more bodies buried in the back yard.

  Another one of those shit storms I didn't want opened up but I was going to have to deal with eventually.

  Kyle cleared his throat after he zipped both of the body bags. "There's one thing no one here has mentioned."

  "What's that?" Bastien asked.

  "We could ask my aunt. She might know someone who uses transmogrify in the area. And she's really good with symbols, Crwys. She might already know what they mean."

  "No," Crwys and I said in unison. I knew why I didn't want to dredge up any communication with Arden Vervain, self-appointed Witch Queen of New Orleans. She and I had been engaged in an exchange with the Obsidian Queen of Faerie, Brendi. In that exchange we'd learned key information in figuring out where the Changeling children had been kept. But Brendi had deferred her price from Arden, and that bothered me. I could be that price, since I'd already reneged on a deal with Brendi once before.

  I did not want to put myself in the line of fire again. Not with the Faerie Queen owed a prize.

  I could only assume Crwys didn't want to get involved with Arden for the same reasons. And Arden had been in the Magical Witch Press in the past weeks, now that she was running for the High Witch seat, the one the now deceased Mr. Higgins had filled, on the local council. She took the credit for finding those children, one of them being my former boyfriend's niece.

  But it was several of Arden's coven members and I who actually pulled them from the Coyote Flame. And I took a warlock intended for her. Had I heard an apology? No. Had I received even a thank you?

  No.

  I didn't want anything else to do with Arden. Ever.

  Kyle shrugged and moved away. Jack followed him and put his hand on Kyle's shoulder. I had an awww moment watching them.

  The door opened and Levi stepped in. He looked a little ashen from the sun as he removed his shades and stopped just inside the door. "You guys find anything?"

  Crwys filled him in up to us saying we didn't want Arden's help.

  "Good call," Levi folded his shades and stuck them his pocket. "Got in touch with a few kin in Atlanta. They both say there aren't any Leviathans or Revenants in New Orleans they know of. But," he held up a long, thin finger. "One of them did suggest getting a meeting with Edmund Blackwood."

  "Who is that?" Crwys said.

  I groaned. "He's a Ceremonial Magician. I've heard his name quite a few times. He's also a local philanthropist. Got a good reputation because Cowens don't know what he does in his spare time. Like cast spells and screw with the weather." I was tired. Like, really tired. My shoulder ached as well and I rubbed at it. I just wanted to curl up in my bed with Grey and get serious sleep.

  "Why would your people want us to meet with a Ceremonial Magician?" Bastien looked genuinely confused.

  Luckily, Kyle had an answer. "Transmogrification is a known Ceremonial trick. They're the ones that claim they can actually turn people into frogs, why not wolves?"

  "Ah," Bastien nodded. "Then Jack and I will speak with this Magician."

  "No," Crwys held out his hand. "The pack is not to get involved with police proceedings."

  "You're trying to impress chérie with your skills," Bastien winked at me. I blushed. I mean…he is good looking. "Because my pack will find the answers before yours."

  "First up, the New Orleans Police Department isn't my pack. And second, I think exposing your pack to anyone, local authority, Witch or any other unconventional in the area, is a bad idea. Are we clear?" Crwys put his hands on his hips. The difference in their height didn't sway either of their individual power. I had a hunch that Crwys Holliard was a lot more than met the eye. Big things always came in smaller packages. I just wished I knew what was gonna pop out of that package.

  Bastien smiled and I thought I saw canine teeth. "Oui."

  ELEVEN

  Kyle somehow managed to set up a meeting with Mr. Blackwood for eight o'clock at Café du Monde. The café was one of my favorite places, and having been without their beignets for several months, I ordered three and a café au lait. I knew why the Magician picked such a well-populated place—safety in numbers—and this particular café was the most visited café in all of New Orleans.

  For a Magician, their home is usually their place of power, and also where they are most vulnerable. I was pretty sure no one knew where he lived. And he would take that secret to his grave. One didn't rise to his place of power among the Magicians by blabbing secrets. And yet, giving up a secret was exactly what I wanted him to do.

  The sun had set and I was starting to feel a bit of warmth on my skin. Was it the fever? Or was it the air coming from the café's heaters as we shook Mr. Blackwood's hand? I was down to twenty-four hours before I would turn. The thought of being a Lycan, forever tied to Bastien's side as his mate, was starting to look not so bad.

  And that terrified me the most. More than being warlocked for the rest of my life.

  I could feel Bastien's apprehension and discomfort being in a crowded place so Kyle and I made it easy for him and Jack and told them to wait nearby. It was going to be hard enough to get this guy to spill secrets to two Witches. Add in two Lycans?

  And besides, they could both learn about the meeting if I opened the link to the pack. That door was getting harder to keep closed.

  Edmund Blackwood wasn't at all what I had imagined. Then again, I didn't know where my assumption came from. Might have been Ina's tales of bad Magicians eating babies and turning bad little girls into toads. I assumed he'd be tall, gaunt and look at lot like Christopher Lee as The Lord of the Rings' Saruman.

  Blackwood was my height, with dark skin and a very handsome face. He kept his hair close to his scalp, and it was sprinkled with gray along his temples. He wore a dark blue three-piece suit and a black trench coat, along with a matching fedora. His tie was red and in the center was a tie pin with a deep blue sapphire. Magicians coveted the sapphire. I assumed it was because it represented Water. But honestly, I had no idea. Ina sort of missed those pieces of my Witch training.

  Or I was daydreaming.

  Blackwood chos
e a table close to an exit and sat with his back to the wall. He could see the street outside but we couldn't. He removed his coat and his hat and set them in the empty fourth chair. "Well," he began in a deep voice. "It's a pleasure to meet the two of you. I've heard a lot about you both."

  Great way to put Kyle and I off-guard.

  "You have," Kyle said as he sipped his hot chocolate. "What have you heard?"

  "That you are the nephew of Arden Vervain and an accomplished Hedge Witch. Odd to be a male born to such a feminine magic, isn't it?"

  I watched Kyle's reaction. He didn't smile and he didn't blink either. He did clasp his hands together, which combined Air and Water. A breeze blew the sugar from the beignets all over the front of Blackwood's suit, making it look like a starfield.

  Blackwood took in a deep breath and smiled. "Nice. Subtle. Good control and direction. Perhaps you are as gifted as I've heard." He picked up a napkin and brushed at the sugar. That motion only smeared the dots and now it looked like his suit went into warp.

  "Mr. Blackwood—" I began.

  "Miss Hawthorne," he interrupted and gave up trying to clean the suit. "You are the daughter of Elizabeth Hawthorne. She was a fine Witch and Tracker."

  "You knew her?" I wished I'd brought Grey with me just to check this man's credibility.

  "I knew of her. She was very instrumental in bringing quite a few rogue and transient magic users to justice. She was also a formidable Elemental. As I hear you…were."

  Shit. He knew about the warlocking. I sipped my coffee. "Yes. I was. I soon hope to be again. But my perils and Kyle's Gifts aren't why we needed to speak with you."

  "Of course not. Please," he said as he leaned back. His eyes were a light brown with very distinct pupils. I felt like those eyes were trying to see into my soul. "What can I do for you?"

  I wanted to ask him why he agreed to meet with us, but I needed to get straight to the issue. "There have been two mutilated bodies found. Kyle and I were allowed to examine them and we brought in a few experts to take a look as well. The bodies were locked in mid-transformation. The experts explained they were half human and half animal. Transmogrify."