Still, he couldn’t bring himself to walk away. “Give it twenty-four hours,” Orano said.
One corner of Phoenix’s mouth turned up. “You’re going to have to explain to me sometime how this nutcase got under your skin. I’ll give it a day, but only because that new kid in training is a pain in my ass, and I’m not real excited to get back.”
Orano couldn’t be sure which pain in the ass his partner referred to, as all three of the new recruits fit that description, but he didn’t care. All that mattered was giving Gracey the chance to make her case.
“Give me a minute with her.” Orano left Phoenix in the living room, made his way to Gracey’s bedroom, and knocked. “Can I come in?”
“It’s open,” she said.
The room matched the others in the apartment as far as tidiness went. The sheets and comforter were all but torn off the bed, and clothing lay scattered across the floor and along the top of an antique dresser.
“I guess I’ll see you when I see you.” Gracey sat on the extra wide sill created by a large picture window, her arms wrapped around her knees. She didn’t tear her gaze away from the view of the parking lot below when she spoke.
“We’re not leaving just yet,” he said.
Gracey turned to him, letting her feet fall to the floor. “You believe me?”
“Of course not, you’re obviously a loon.” Orano crossed his arms over his chest but allowed a slight grin to soften his expression.
Gracey stood and sauntered toward him. “I see you’re still a dick, but thank you. I may not be able to prove it yet, but I’m telling you the truth. Tori is up to something. Something bad.”
********
Tori Houlton slammed her small fists on the desk, rattling the ornately carved glass bowl sitting in its center. Her short blond hair fell into her eyes, and she angrily brushed it away.
After the unsuccessful search of Gracey’s apartment, she’d spelled every room to allow her to hear all conversations. She knew Gracey would be released from the institution eventually—even the strongest of spells wore off—and needed to find those pictures. They were a loose threads that required snipping.
The sound quality left much to be desired. Unlike those captured by a microphone, these voices warbled and echoed as they rose from the bowl. But the security of knowing there would be no evidence of her eavesdropping was well worth the inconvenience. Especially given Gracey’s visitors.
She’d known Gracey would call the authorities, but she hadn’t considered the two government guys would actually believe the far-fetched rants of a mental patient. They should have written her off as crazy and been on the next flight home by now. One of them, though, seemed to have a history with the girl. Apparently, their connection remained strong enough for him to give her the benefit of the doubt.
Tori rose from her chair and stepped to one of the bookcases lining the wall of her home office. Although most of her books and supplies remained at the shop, she kept a few of her more prized possessions at her house. Dozens of grimoires from covens all over the world filled the shelves along with several scientific journals and texts. It had taken her years of studying every tome to formulate the plan that would finally bring her coven founder’s dream to fruition.
Over the centuries, many of the Sherwood Coven’s leaders tried, and failed, to do just that. The Spanish Flu pandemic of 1918, orchestrated by one of Tori’s more ambitious predecessors, killed nearly fifty million people, yet still didn’t have the desired effect. At the time, the coven leader assumed that magically altering the virus to attack only mundanes in the twenty- to forty-year age range would cause such a weakening of the ruling bodies as to allow witches to rise. She’d been partly correct.
Although she’d definitely left the governing bodies weak, she’d failed to understand that the witches of the time couldn’t offer the one thing the huddled masses required—a cure for the disease—and therefore, they didn’t have a platform from which to ascend.
Tori’s plan didn’t make that mistake. When she struck, the mundanes would be begging witches to take over. And she would be happy to oblige.
The smile that spread across her face quickly fell as she glanced back at her desk. Before she could relish her victory, she needed to ensure she had the opportunity to make it happen. With the addition of those two government men, Tori would need to up her game.
She grabbed a crystal from the uppermost shelf, rolling it between her slender fingers. This should do the trick.
Chapter 6
They’d decided to stay clear of Gracey’s apartment on the off chance that her allegations of a break-in were true, and checked into a small hotel near the beach. Orano grabbed the keys from the front desk clerk for the two rooms. The minute they’d arrived, Gracey dropped her overstuffed bag at his feet and rushed to the lobby restroom.
“So, one of us is going to have to stay in the room with her, you know,” Phoenix said, wearing a lascivious grin. “I have no problem making that sacrifice. After all, her doctor did say she needed twenty-four-hour supervision.”
“Not that kind of supervision.” Although he wanted nothing more than to spend the night in quiet solitude, the thought of Phoenix alone with Gracey for an entire evening irked him more than it should have. “I’ll share the room with her.” Orano stared down his partner.
Phoenix raised both of his hands, palms out. “Sorry, I didn’t realize you had something going with her.”
“I don’t!” Orano answered a little too quickly and a little too loudly.
“Sure. Then you wouldn’t mind if I took a crack at her?” The glint in Phoenix’s eyes almost matched the brightness of his smile.
“I’m starving,” Gracey said, returning from the restroom. “Any chance we can grab some dinner? I know a really great place not far from here.” She glanced first at Orano and then at Phoenix. “Am I interrupting something?”
Phoenix’s thousand-watt smile grew as he wrapped one arm around her shoulder. “Of course not. Orano was just telling me how much he’s looking forward to sharing a room with you tonight. You two must have a lot of catching up to do.”
“Uh huh,” Gracey said with one eyebrow raised. “And next you’ll tell me he can’t wait to spend the entire night chatting about old times.”
Phoenix laughed as he pulled his arm back and eyed Orano. “Wow, she really does know you.”
Orano’s brow furrowed. “Let’s put our stuff in the rooms and go get dinner.”
“Yes, sir,” Gracey said, giving a comical salute.
********
The small restaurant wasn’t much to look at, but the food exceeded Orano’s expectations. They’d each polished off enormous portions of home-style Southern fare and waited for Gracey to finish her dessert. Orano couldn’t imagine where she would put the triple decker ice cream sundae she’d ordered after watching her eat a dinner that would have been difficult for him to finish. Nevertheless, her spoon clattered in the bottom of the bowl after the last of the caramel sauce had been scraped up.
“I’ve never seen a woman of your stature pack away so much food. How are you not four hundred pounds?” Phoenix asked, apparently just as surprised as Orano.
Gracey twisted her mouth into a lopsided grin. “What can I say? I love food.”
“You’ve got a little ice cream on your cheek.” Phoenix pointed to a spot just beside Gracey’s lips, and she wiped it with her hand. “Nope, not quite—”
“There’s nothing there,” Orano grumbled.
Phoenix used his thumb to gently rub Gracey’s cheek, and she blushed at the contact.
“Can we please get down to business now?” Orano asked, feeling the need to quash his partner’s practiced seduction. “Without any proof to back up your claims, we’re not going to be able to stay much longer.”
Leaning back in her chair, Gracey took a deep breath. “Okay, though I’m not sure how to get you the proof you want. The day before the solar flares blacked out that town in California, I
saw a slip of paper on Tori’s desk. I couldn’t make out everything written on it, but I did see the words ‘Diablo Canyon.’ It didn’t mean anything at the time, but when I saw the news about that nuclear power plant, I knew she’d done it.”
“Any chance that paper is still there?” Phoenix asked.
“I doubt it. I asked her about it after I saw the news and she claimed she had no idea what I was talking about. That’s when I broke into her shop and called Robert. That’s also when Tori put the ‘crazy curse’ on me.” Gracey stared off into space for a moment as though figuring something out. “I think it’s worn off. I haven’t had an outburst in a couple of hours.”
“Even if we believed every word you said—and I’m not saying that’s the case—we’ll need a lot more than a slip of paper to convince our boss that there’s a threat. Is there anyone in your coven who you still trust? Someone who could do some snooping for us?” Phoenix asked.
“Yes and no. There are lots of members who I trust, but no one in Tori’s inner circle. The only reason I got as close as I did was my lineage.”
Orano raised his eyebrows and waited for her to explain.
“Tori’s been our leader for years, but she’s always been worried that I might use my bloodline as a way to take her position. My family has led the coven for most of its three-hundred-year existence. Unless no magical Sherwoods live in the area, we’re always at the helm. Not many of the original Grace Sherwood’s descendants wield magic, so when one does, it’s expected that she’ll be leader.”
“Then, why aren’t you?” Orano asked.
“Because I don’t want to be. At least I didn’t before all of this. Don’t get me wrong—I love being a witch, but I’ve never felt qualified to be a leader. I didn’t grow up with witchcraft. My father was Grace’s descendent through his father, and the men in our bloodline have never wielded magic. I didn’t even know I had it until my senior year of high school. And let me tell you, that’s a prom I’ll never forget.” Gracey let out a snort at the memory. “Tori’s always had her sights set on being the coven leader. We were counselors at a kids’ camp after we graduated high school, and it’s all she talked about the entire summer. She freaked a little when she found out about my Sherwood blood. She’s got this thing about lineage. I guess her father is some rich guy who never married her mom. And her stepdad and half-brother don’t exactly measure up. I’ve never met any of them, so I have no idea, but suffice it to say she’s a bit touchy on the subject of bloodlines.”
Orano tried to rein in her rambling and get her back on track. “So, Tori’s threatened by you.”
“I don’t think so. I’m pretty sure I convinced her I had no ambitions for the high priestess position,” Gracey said.
“But now you do want to be leader,” Phoenix said. “And discrediting Tori would facilitate that.”
“What? No! That’s not what I meant at all. I considered being the leader now because of what she’s done and is going to do.” Gracey sent Orano an imploring look. “You have to believe me.”
Orano was saved from having to respond by the waitress bringing their bill. After checking each of the charges, he handed over his credit card, being sure to avert his gaze from his childhood friend.
“Gracey,” Phoenix continued. “You seem like a nice person, but look at this from our perspective. You say you have magic but you can’t show us any. You say your magical leader is behind the solar flare activity, but every scientist has deemed it a natural occurrence. You say you’re not crazy, but we found you in a mental institution. What do you expect us to believe?”
Orano’s heart clenched as Gracey’s eyes glistened over, but he couldn’t disagree with his partner’s appraisal of the situation. “I’m sorry but, without anything solid to back you up, we’ve got nowhere to go with this. We’ll be heading back to Jacksonville in the morning.”
“And what about me?” she asked.
“You’ll have to go back to the institution to wait for your hearing.” Orano kept his gaze on the floor.
When the waitress returned, he quickly signed his name to the ticket and stood. “We should go.”
The night air outside smelled of salt and seaweed. Though they weren’t directly on the beach, Orano could hear the surf crashing against the shore in the distance. The restaurant exited into a small alley. No one was around, but that would change once they arrived at the main street. Thirty yards to their left, throngs of people strolled by on their way to whatever social gathering they had planned.
For the first time that he could remember, Orano actually looked forward to getting lost in a crowd. Anything would be better than enduring the silent accusations flowing from a very disappointed Gracey.
A noise to his right, like a Dumpster being kicked, drew his attention. One of the streetlights illuminating the alley exploded in a shower of glass, blanketing the area in darkness. The hairs on the back of Orano’s neck stood at attention while he scanned for movement.
“Phoenix,” he said.
“I’m on it.”
Without the benefit of night vision goggles, their human eyes had no hope of penetrating the shadows. Phoenix, on the other hand, didn’t need to rely solely on his own eyes. His ability to share his consciousness with birds allowed him to use their senses at the same time. It also happened to be the only power between the two of them that could be used in front of civilians without them being aware of it.
“Will one of you please tell me what’s happening?” Gracey asked before being shushed.
“All right. It looks like we’ve got a few gang bangers planning on relieving us of our wallets,” Phoenix whispered. “Three behind the Dumpster and two in the alcove.” The bird he’d connected with fluttered just above their heads.
Orano grabbed Gracey above the elbow and pushed her toward the restaurant’s door. He’d already ruined her day by announcing their departure and didn’t want a mugging to be the icing on the cake. He grabbed the handle and pulled, but it refused to open. Another tug, this time with the force of his substantial muscles behind it, produced the same results.
“Hang on,” Phoenix said. “There’s more of them. They’re covering both ends of the alley.”
“Keep trying this door,” Orano said to Gracey. “Bang on it as loud as you can until someone comes to unlock it.”
“But what about you?” she asked, eyes wide with fear.
“We’ll be fine. They’re just some punks who picked the wrong targets,” Phoenix said with one corner of his mouth curling up.
They turned their backs on Gracey, Phoenix angling to the left and Orano to the right. Until she could get through that door, they would have to stand their ground in order to protect her.
“They’re moving in. Be ready,” Phoenix said.
Orano strained to hear any movement, as he still couldn’t see their soon-to-be attackers. They’d remained quiet since the initial kick to the Dumpster, which seemed odd considering their vocation. He’d expected to be on the receiving end of taunting at the very least. Silence just didn’t fit the situation, especially since Gracey should have been banging on the door behind them.
Orano turned to chastise her for not following his orders, but instead saw her doing just that. Her tiny fists pounded against the metal door, yet no sound erupted with the contact. Like some surreal mime acting out a futile scene, her face contorted in fear and pain as she continued to assail the door.
********
Tori pressed the crystal between the palms of her clasped hands and leaned over the age-tarnished mirror lying on her desk. Although the mirror had been created almost seventy-five years ago for the purposes of catching a thief amongst the coven members, Tori utilized it as her own private surveillance system.
Using it allowed her to peer down from above on anyone or anything she chose. There were, of course, limitations. No matter what spells she tried, she’d never been able to see images of anything more than a few miles away. She’d travelled with the mirror m
any times to overcome that particular shortcoming. This evening, however, her subjects were close to home.
Her three closest allies—her inner circle—stood on the other side of her desk, hands joined. She’d given them the responsibility of shielding the alley and its occupants from outside interference. Tori needed their combined power so she could focus on orchestrating the attack.
The crystal warmed in her hands as the action began. Each of the gang members had been under her temporary control at one point or another since she’d connected them to the crystal through wax totems two years prior, but this was the first time she’d controlled all of them at the same time.
Excitement bubbled through her as the thugs surrounded Gracey and the government men. Soon three more fatalities would be added to the growing victim list of Virginia Beach gang violence.
********
Orano felt a wisp of air on his arm and spun around in time to block the amateur wielding a switchblade. Grabbing the guy by his wrist, he pulled the attacker in and landed a clean right jab to his jaw.
The next thug tripped over his fallen comrade, landing hard against Orano’s chest.
“Gun! By the Dumpster!” Phoenix yelled.
Orano jerked the clumsy gang member around and held him as a shield while stripping him of his blade. “Where?” he yelled.
“Thirty feet down, three feet from the wall.”
The newly acquired blade flew from Orano’s hand, flipping end over end into the blackness. He heard a muted gunshot as his human shield slammed into his chest and became dead weight, collapsing to the ground. A low grunt from the direction of the Dumpster followed a second later as the knife presumably hit its target.
“I don’t think they’re after our wallets,” Orano said.
Phoenix held his extendable baton in his right hand and was in the process of cracking a skull as he answered. “They’re after our heads, and they won’t be stupid enough to come at us one at a time for much longer.”
Chaos (Book 4) (The Omega Group) Page 5
