by Rain Oxford
“Instinct.”
“You have to give me more than that. I don’t trust you as much as Logan or Vincent do, so I’m not going to let him walk into just anything.”
Flagstone was with Hunt and Vincent when they saved my mother and me from the council. Although both wizards acted like it was no big deal, they put their trust in me multiple times. Flagstone, on the other hand, regarded me with respectful distance. He didn’t like me, but he didn’t seem to dislike me, either.
“There’s a seven-year-old named Luke in there. It sounds like he came into a lot of power very suddenly a month ago. It wasn’t anything serious, but a week or so ago---” I stopped as blackness swarmed the space beside the shifter and Logan Hunt appeared.
“Did he hurt anyone?” the headmaster asked, obviously having listened in through Flagstone.
“You didn’t let me finish. It was all child-like tricks at first, but then a week or so ago, things changed. I just talked to him and he’s been contacted by something in his closet. This something only comes out of the darkness, can speak to him on the phone without anyone else listening in, and wants him to leave the protection of his room.”
“Protection?”
“His aunt taught him some stuff. She’s a witch.”
“Wiccan witch or paranormal?”
From what I learned at the university, the difference was genetic. Any human could study witchcraft, but they didn’t have the same genetic predisposition as “paranormals.” I found the distinction to be very vague. “Wiccan, but I think Luke is a paranormal. He doesn’t seem to understand what’s going on.”
Hunt knocked lightly on the door.
“Go away!”
“Luke, I am the headmaster of a magic school. Can I come---” The door burst open and Luke stepped back to let Hunt in. The door slammed shut as soon as the headmaster was inside.
I looked at Flagstone and he shrugged. “This happens quite a lot. Most kids trust him immediately. You were one of the few exceptions. During the entire trip across the country, you never once let him sit next to you.”
“Well, the council did send him to kill me.”
“He would never have hurt a child.” Darkness spread from the corner to engulf the shifter until he vanished completely.
Cindy came to investigate then. “Were you talking to someone?” she asked.
“Yeah.” The door opened then and Hunt came out. “How is he?”
“Powerful. He needs to learn to control his wizard magic.”
“Who are you?” Cindy asked. Meg came up behind her and the hallway was getting very crowded.
“My name is Logan Hunt. I am the headmaster of Helena’s Academy of Supernatural Arts, a school for children with paranormal abilities or who have paranormal parents.”
I made a mental note to ask him later what the story behind the name was.
“I’ve heard of you, but I thought you ran a university,” Cindy said.
“What are you talking about?” Meg asked. “Luke is normal.”
“I’m confused,” Cindy said. “I thought these things were genetic. Meg and Luther are the least magical people I know.”
“It can skip a generation. He has caught the eye of a very powerful and dangerous entity. It is in the middle of the school year for the children’s school, but I think he should start now.”
“Luke isn’t going anywhere,” Meg said.
“In that case, we will get out of your hair,” Hunt said, motioning for me to leave the hall. As we headed for the door, Cindy argued with her sister. They ignored us as we went out the front door.
“You can’t really drop it that easily.”
“His mother will get the final say whether we argue with her or not. Right now, her concern is driving her to hold him close. Thus, trying to scare her with the truth will only make her hold on tighter.”
“But the one who’s been talking to him? It’s Krechea, right?”
“It is, yes. I believe he plans to recover from the loss of his makeshift familiar by stealing the power of children, particularly those who recently discovered their magic. Luke told me his father hit him only once and a moment later, all the glass in the house broke. He has been learning on his own since to focus and visualize by playing pranks.”
Henry joined us silently and the headmaster didn’t seem surprised that the shifter was with me. “So someone’s magic can be dormant until a traumatic event?”
“In some cases. Many wizards are raised with paranormal parents and are taught how to control their actions before they even know they have magic. Of course, most wizards have to focus to control the energy and that takes years. Luke is like you; his magic is powerful enough to react to his state of mind.”
“And Krechea was drawn to that?”
“I suspect he was drawn to Luke’s magic before it was realized and that he provoked Luke’s father.”
“And you can protect Luke at the school?”
“My wards are stronger over the children’s school and all of the teachers are trained and prepared for this kind of situation.”
“So you’re just going to let Meg turn you away without explaining anything?”
“Of course not. Rosin will explain the situation. He has a talent for assuring concerned mothers.” We stopped in front of Cindy’s house. “Where are we?”
“Oklahoma.”
“I will get you back to your apartment.”
“Maybe we should go back by plane,” I said. Henry nodded his agreement, reluctantly.
“If you are going to attain the last key, you should get used to the shadow pass. You may need to use it suddenly.”
“How safe is it?”
“It is not safe at all, but do consider how little magic it takes to interfere with electronics.”
As often as my own phone got fried from sparks of my magic, I should have realized that it was the cause of the trouble we had on the plane. I just hadn’t considered that my magic would affect something as massive as a plane. The scary truth was that it could have been a lot worse. “You’re right.” That didn’t make the shadow pass any less unpleasant.
Hunt made a motion with his hands and the streetlights all died. The darkness was unnaturally obscure, though. I felt him take my arm right before the air changed. The gravity was stronger, the air was cold and stale, and the ground was soft and uneven. My instincts warned me that I was in a very dangerous place and surrounded by very dangerous creatures.
I wasn’t startled when a cold, slimy, and clawed hand grabbed my arm, since I knew creatures were reaching out and I knew to stay quiet. However, I wasn’t expecting the bright burst of light, followed by a harsh hissing.
Henry shoved me back. I could sense something moving very fast right in front of us. Claws dug into my right shoulder and shoved me forward, into Henry. We both fell… onto a solid and carpeted floor. Light returned, revealing my apartment.
Chapter 2
“Where is Hunt?”
“I couldn’t see him.”
“I thought your vision was perfect in the dark.”
“That was not normal by any circumstance. We should not worry; Alpha Flagstone will know if he is in trouble and be able to help him.”
“You’re probably right, but I’m going to call Maseré tomorrow and make sure Hunt got back to the school all right.” I had no idea how the wolf shifter who couldn’t use magic was able to contact the headmaster who couldn’t use a cellphone.
“Are you okay? Is your heart okay?”
I nodded. Henry sat down on the couch and I started to head for the kitchen for some coffee when there was a knock on the door. I restrained myself from groaning as I expected trouble, but it was Clara standing there. “What’s wrong?” I asked.
She frowned. “No snarky remark about me being a vampire?”
“I guess you being the daughter of the vampire king isn’t the first thing I think of when I see you anymore.” Before I started at Quintessence, I would have shot first and aske
d questions later. Of course, then Stephen would have hunted me down and torn out my entrails. I would have made a terrible, terrible mistake. Since I did know her and expected the sensation of her vampire aura, I was more focused on her short, wild, emerald green hair with bright blue streaks.
“Actually, now that I think of it, you do look a lot like Astrid,” Henry told her, as if that were the only reason I wouldn’t shoot Clara on sight. “Well, aside from your hair.”
“Speaking of Astrid, my father sent me for two reasons. The first is because Astrid is missing.”
“You just realized that?”
“No. We’ve been looking for four months. My father wanted to ask you as soon as she disappeared, but Headmaster Hunt told him to leave you alone. We figured you had something to do with her disappearance. You’re not exactly subtle about wanting her dead.”
“I don’t want her dead,” I said.
“You shot her.”
“That is their way of flirting,” Henry said.
“Astrid is missing, but I will find her.” Unfortunately, despite knowing where she was, getting to her was proving to be difficult. The only person who could open the door to Dothra was Langril, and he wouldn’t open the door unless I made a deal with his daughter, which I couldn’t do because she suddenly stopped appearing in my dreams.
I also stopped having dreams of Astrid, but I hoped that meant she was safe and not that she was unable to contact me. Astrid was strong and a survivor; if she needed me, she would find a way to contact me.
“The second reason my father sent me was that he wants to hire you to spy on the wizard council and get information from them. If we do it, it’s apparently a breach of the peace treaty, and we can’t trust other covens to do it.”
“And your peace treaty means what to you?”
“The treaty just means my coven won’t kill except in self-defense and their wizards can’t hunt us. It doesn’t mean we trust them. We know the council is about to entomb itself in a world of trouble and we want to know what they plan for vampires before it’s too late.”
“I’m not taking any more cases for the winter.”
“You can go to the university and still spy on the council. I know your uncle is a member of the council.”
Henry looked at me, obviously waiting for my lead. “Your information is wrong.” My uncle actually retired from the council when they arrested Professor Nightshade and planned to kill her just for being a dragon, so Clara was technically wrong.
“So you’re just going to let the council tear apart the peace between the paranormals that took decades to build?”
“Devon is not responsible for the council,” Henry said, glaring at her. It was an expression of warning, though, not anger.
“Every wizard is responsible for the council.”
“I will do some investigating into the council while still studying at the school. When I know for sure what to do about them, I’ll do it.”
“I’m surprised. I thought you would---”
“Carmilla, do shut up,” Darwin said. We all turned to see him standing behind Clara, wearing a black hoodie with Love Comes With Four Paws printed across the front in white and pink letters.
“You know, Charles, if you want to nickname everyone, you should at least use modern references,” the vampire responded.
“Is there a bisexual teenaged vampire on modern television?”
“I’m older than you. And I’m heading back,” she said, turning to me. “If you won’t let my father hire you to investigate the council, at least promise you’ll warn us before they decide to send out a mandatory hunt on my coven.”
“If I find out about any move against the vampires, I’ll warn you.”
“Thank you.” She left.
“I don’t dig the green and blue,” Darwin said, closing the door. “So I take it Stephen wanted you to investigate the council?”
“Yes.”
“And you refused? Good, ‘cause Dad sent me to ask you to stay out of the council business. He says they’re gonna fall flat on their faces and he’s afraid of you getting more enemies if you do.”
“Why does your father care what happens to me?”
“He’s my dad and you’re my friend.”
“It must be a wolf thing,” Henry said.
“It’s a pack shifter thing, bro,” Darwin corrected. “I take it you’re here to make sure Devon doesn’t blow out his heart?”
“Actually, I came to work for him.”
“Killed your parents then, did you?”
“Not yet.”
“Not until you find your kid? I can help.”
I went into the kitchen to start something for dinner while Henry argued that it was too dangerous with the council trying to take over and Krechea after us. I pointed out then that Krechea wasn’t after us. Once I got the key or even got close to it, he would be after me, but they didn’t have to be a part of it.
“We’re in this together,” Darwin argued. “Speaking of…” He pulled something out of his and handed it to Henry. “Maybe this’ll help you.”
Henry scowled, holding out the mood ring. “Is this a joke?”
“Nope.”
“Then thank you.”
I studied the single green apple, bottle of mustard, and Tabasco sauce that made up the contents of my fridge, then shut the door and turned to my friends. “I think we’re going out for dinner. Before we do…” I pulled out the envelope from the interior pocket of my jacket. I knew exactly what it was. How Marcus knew I would visit Cindy was a mystery, but that was just him. “This is the results of a paternity test.”
“Astrid is pregnant?” Darwin asked.
“Shut up. I think Vincent might be my father. There was a thing with my mother and Vincent that I didn’t tell you guys about. Basically, she was married to him first.”
“Oh,” Darwin said. “That’s sucks. I take it John used his power to take her?”
“Yes. I got a sample of Vincent’s DNA and ordered a test under a fake name.”
“Well, don’t leave us in suspense.”
Instead of answering or opening the letter, I stared at it awkwardly. “I don’t know if I really want to know. Vincent is so certain he isn’t my father that I can’t help but wonder if it’s wishful thinking.”
“Vincent cares a lot about you,” Henry said. “When you were recovering from the fight with Gale, he never left your side until you woke.”
“But if he isn’t, then that means John is.”
“That doesn’t make you a monster,” Darwin said. “You have the same power as him whether he was your father or Vincent was. Besides, from what I’ve seen of Vincent, he isn’t that much better than his brother.”
“He is, though. Sure, his assistance is spotty at best and I have no doubt he’s killed people, but I saw into his and John’s head. They’re nothing alike.”
“Well, do you want to be like John?”
“Of course not.”
“Then don’t be. What’s the problem? Vincent already teaches you and cares about you.”
“I’m thirty-one; I’m not looking for a father. It wouldn’t change anything between us. I do trust him more than I did before seeing his past, but I’m fine enough having an uncle. I just don’t want John to be my father. His power was like sewage, if that makes any sense, and every time I use my magic, I’m using that same sewage.”
“It makes perfect sense,” Darwin said, looking abnormally serious. “My dad, the kindest man I know, was forced to rape my mother in order to save her life. I was conceived in an act of cruelty, which was trapped in my blood. Because of that, I can’t touch anyone or I’ll suffer. So, yes, I get it.”
“I’m still reeling with the knowledge that my parents aren’t my real parents,” Henry said.
Darwin grabbed the envelope out of my hand. “In that case…” He tore the envelope open roughly and sat down on the couch before unfolding the note with exaggerated motions. After a few seconds, he rai
sed an eyebrow. “Larry Berry? Seriously?”
“Shut up and read it.” He took his dear sweet time, so I started pacing.
After a moment, he looked up at me with a despondent expression. “Are you sure it would be so bad if John was your father?”
“Damn it. Don’t tell me.”
“Okay, I won’t tell you.” He folded the paper and tossed it onto the coffee table. “By the way, have you asked your father— I mean Vincent— what he thinks you should do about the council?”
My heart skipped a few beats, which was pretty dangerous considering its condition. “It’s positive? Vincent is my father?”
“Well, according to this, Larry Berry is your father.”
Henry smacked him in the back of the head.
* * *
We decided, since the full moon was on the twenty-fourth, the day before school started, that we would go to the university a few days early for Henry’s peace of mind. Darwin stayed with us since his parents were going to the U.K. on business. In an effort to save my apartment from being trashed, I put him to work finding and putting together a new office computer that would hopefully have a chance of withstanding my magic. He came up with a Japanese laptop called a Toughbook, which he tore apart and stuffed with anti-static padding and other stuff. It had a handle built into the computer and apparently, I could drive a Hummer over it.
But who the hell drives over their laptop?
Meanwhile, Henry and I organized the office for two people, did our taxes, and attempted to cover up any tracks Marcus might have left behind at his house. I hadn’t expected the state we found the house in when we went there on Wednesday. I thought he meant “blown up” as in it was locked down and gassed, which was his normal home defense for intruders. Instead, we found the house in splinters with two metal shelters left standing. Both of them were open and the electronics inside were destroyed. Obviously, Marcus smashed his computers when he didn’t plan on coming back.
“Your friend is rather similar to Darwin, don’t you think?” Henry asked, picking up what was left of a hard drive. “I detect a familiar scent.”
“Is it a person or a substance?”
“A person, but I can’t place it.”
