Infernal Enchantment (Firebrand Book 2)

by Helen Harper

  Lukas crossed his legs. ‘We have been tested. In fact, we often submit ourselves to all sorts of tests and studies. It’s the easiest way to keep the government off our backs.’

  ‘I told him that but he didn’t want to know the truth. He’d already got his own version that he believed. Nothing could persuade him otherwise, no matter what facts I presented. He spent hours on the internet poring over conspiracy theory forums. He’d never write anything himself because he didn’t trust the internet any more than he trusted anything else, but he read what others believed. And then he found the book.’

  ‘The book?’

  ‘Some ancient heavy piece of crap called Infernal Enchantments. He carried it everywhere with him. He must have read the damn thing from cover to cover a dozen times. It was his prized possession and no-one else could touch it – if I went near it, he’d yell at me.’

  I sneaked a look at Lukas’s face. If he’d heard of this book, his expression wasn’t giving it away.

  ‘We visited his house,’ I told her. ‘It was quite … sparse.’

  Maggie looked unsurprised. ‘Yeah. He started to get rid of all his stuff. He reckoned his possessions were controlling his life and that he’d have a clearer mind if he had a clearer home. He tried to make me do the same.’ She wrinkled her nose. ‘He could be quite manipulative. He wanted me to think the same way that he did, and when I didn’t agree with him he’d argue. It’s hard when you’re involved with someone who becomes consumed by darkness.’

  My body stiffened. Yeah. But at least Maggie had been aware of her boyfriend’s taste for darkness; with me and my boyfriend Jeremy, I’d been completely ignorant about his real character. It had cost me my life. Twice.

  Lukas’s foot nudged mine underneath the table. It was a small movement of reassurance but it was surprising how much it helped. ‘Was he violent towards you?’ he asked Maggie.

  ‘No, quite the opposite. Violence frightened him. The whole world frightened him. He was strange and argumentative, but he wouldn’t have hurt anyone.’

  I thought about the array of weaponry in Nappey’s garage, and his attacks on Moira and then on us. He might not have been violent once, but he certainly was now.

  ‘And yet,’ I said, keeping my expression bland, ‘you’re not surprised that we’re here asking about him.’

  Maggie took her time before answering. ‘The longer I was with him, the worse he became. He would get really … obsessive. Part of me thought he’d end up running away to join a cult – or that he’d start one himself. It didn’t help that he took our break-up hard. It was a long time before he stopped contacting me out of the blue, although it’s more than a year now since I last heard from him.’

  She drew in a breath. ‘Truthfully, I was expecting to hear that he’d got himself killed by approaching the wrong person and spouting off his usual nonsense. It was only a matter of time before he made a move towards the supernaturals,’ she said quietly. ‘Getting in a vamp’s face and blasting off your conspiracy theories is asking for trouble.’

  ‘We’re not all bad,’ Lukas said with a slight grin.

  Maggie smiled wanly. ‘Try telling that to Ted.’

  Chapter Eighteen

  ‘So he’s not typically violent but he dislikes supes immensely,’ I said.

  Lukas put his hands in his pockets. ‘It sounds less like dislike and more like jealousy. He doesn’t have the power or the health or the prowess of a supe. He wants what we have.’ He tapped his mouth. ‘I’ll get someone to look through our petition records. If he’s ever made an application to be turned into a vampire, we’ll have his details.’

  ‘It’s worth checking,’ I agreed, ‘but it doesn’t sound like his style. He wants the skills of a supe, but I don’t think he wants to be a supe. Not from what I’m hearing.’ I chewed the inside of my cheek. ‘There’s something else I should tell you. There’s a slim chance that Ted is the one who’s been stealing werewolves’ bodies from their graves.’

  Lukas started. ‘What?’

  I told him about the shark’s tooth.

  ‘There’s more than one shark’s tooth necklace in the world.’

  ‘I know. I don’t like the coincidence, that’s all.’

  Lukas scratched his chin, musing. ‘St Erbin’s is in the middle of Soho. How on earth could anyone dig down to a grave without someone noticing? The place is teeming with humans and vampires at all hours of the night and day.’

  ‘Bad weather,’ I said. ‘Every time there was a grave disturbance recorded at St Erbin’s, there was bad weather.’

  ‘Even in the worst weather it would still be risky.’ He grimaced. ‘But then we already know Ted Nappey likes taking risks. We both have the bruises to show for it.’

  I made a face. ‘Yeah.’ I paused. ‘I have a confession to make.’

  Interest flashed on Lukas’s face. ‘Oh yes?’ he enquired silkily. ‘What might that be?’

  ‘I might have suggested to Reverend Knight that I’d encourage you to visit him. He’s finding things … hard. I thought you and he might have a chat.’

  ‘Me? Have a chat with a vicar?’ He shook his head. ‘That’s not what I was hoping your confession would be, D’Artagnan.’

  I wondered what he’d been hoping for. I slid my gaze away. ‘It might be worth paying the church another visit. When we do, if you could talk to Knight I’d appreciate the gesture.’

  ‘How much?’

  I blinked at him.

  ‘How much will you appreciate it?’ There was an edge of teasing to his tone. And perhaps something else too.

  I swallowed. ‘A lot.’

  I felt Lukas watching me. ‘Very well,’ he said finally. ‘It won’t hurt. First, however, we should track down this book that Nappey was so enamoured of.’ His mouth curved into a predatory smile, his fangs suddenly visible. ‘And I know exactly where we can find a copy.’

  I looked up. ‘The Carlyle Library?’

  Lukas’s smile stretched. ‘None other.’

  ***

  Located close to King’s Cross Station, the Carlyle Library is a mammoth building. It was created by an old philanthropist back in the eighteenth century. His idea had been to open an institution that would give the general public greater access to rare books and guarded knowledge. Sort of an old-fashioned version of the darker corners of the internet. Unlike its more modern counterpart, the British Library, the design and arrangements of the Carlyle Library are hopelessly disorganised. Unless you know what you are looking for, finding a title can be a gargantuan task. But when the book happens to be related to the supernatural, it is slightly easier. Far down in the bowels of the main building, there is an entire section dedicated wholly to supes. Contrary to Malcolm Carlyle’s wishes, access to the Arcane Works room is restricted, even to most Carlyle Library staff; there is all manner of dangerous books in there, the contents of which have to be protected. When you were Lord of all vampires and the detective in charge at Supe Squad, however, gaining entrance was a piece of cake.

  ‘You can’t take any of the books out,’ our grey-suited guide told us, as we followed him down to the room. ‘But you’re at liberty to peruse any of the books for as long as you like.’

  ‘It’s one book that we’re interested in,’ I said. ‘It’s called Infernal Enchantments. If you have records of anyone who’s requested a copy, it would be most appreciated.’ It wouldn’t help us track Ted Nappey down, even if he’d come here, but it would help to confirm what Maggie Tomkinson had told us. We might not be any closer to finding Ted, but we were certainly building a strong picture of him.

  ‘I’ll look into it,’ the librarian promised. ‘It shouldn’t take long.’

  Good. ‘How many people request access to the Arcane Works room?’

  He frowned. ‘Not many. Would you like a list of them? I’m sure I can print one out.’

  ‘That would be great. Thank you,’ I said.

  He certainly was very eager to be help, though I wasn’t convince
d how much use such a list would be. Devereau Webb had suggested that he’d conducted his own research here before he’d approached the clans; any number of people could have visited. The information might still be useful, however.

  The librarian nodded happily, then led us down a narrow spiral staircase. He pointed at an ornate door, barred by an elaborate iron gate designed with twisting curlicues and fleur-de-lis. He produced a large key from his pocket with a flourish and unlocked the gate. ‘Arcane Works is all yours.’

  I peered inside. The Arcane Works room was probably what people thought of when they imagined supes. Instead of laptops and Wi-Fi and shabby police headquarters, they had a picture of grand rooms with ancient fireplaces and flickering candles, and shelves upon shelves of old books,. I shivered. It might be reasonably warm and sunny outside but in here it was chilly.

  ‘No electricity?’ Lukas questioned.

  ‘We considered it several years ago.’ The librarian, who had remained on the threshold and seemed genuinely afraid of stepping into the Arcane Works room, chuckled slightly. ‘But this collection is rarely visited. Besides, to bring it up to date would mean disturbing the old texts.’ He gave us a meaningful look. ‘Words have power. Books even more so.’ He said the words with such a flourish that I almost expected a drum roll to follow.

  When neither Lukas nor I commented, he bowed. ‘I’ll check the request records for the book in question and get back to you.’

  ‘Thank you,’ I murmured. I picked up a box of matches and walked from candle to candle, setting each one alight. Rather than exude a comforting glow, the flickering flames gave the room an even more eerie atmosphere.

  Lukas opened the old-fashioned cabinet near the door and started to search through the antiquated filing system. I joined him. ‘Anything?’ I asked.

  His brow creased as he pulled out a grubby index card. As he did so, a faint breeze arose seemingly from nowhere. The candle flames wavered and the shadows lengthened. ‘Relax, D’Artagnan,’ he said softly. ‘It’s just a draught.’

  I swallowed and nodded. Of course it was. ‘Is that it?’ I asked, gesturing towards the card. ‘Is that the book?’

  ‘Infernal Enchantments,’ he read. ‘An Encyclopaedic Compilation of Magicks.’

  ‘Magic doesn’t exist.’

  ‘No,’ he agreed. ‘But this book does.’ He squinted at the shelves. ‘I think it should be over there. Come on.’

  I tiptoed behind him to the section, not sure why I needed to keep my footfall silent. The surroundings seemed to demand it somehow. Give me a criminal gang over this creepy room any day.

  The shelves were stacked high with leather-bound books, some of their spines worn and barely readable. Others looked like they’d never once been cracked open. Lukas looked up. ‘I think it’s there,’ he said. He jumped, his fingertips snagging on one of the heavier books. It slid out easily. He landed silently and held it up so I could see.

  I gazed at the faded red cover, its gilt letters still visible. ‘That’s the one,’ I said grimly. I pointed to a desk near the exit. ‘There’s enough light over there.’

  We sat down side by side. I reached for the book at the same time as Lukas and our fingers brushed against each other. I drew back as if stung.

  Lukas allowed himself a faint smile. ‘Let me.’ He blew off a thin layer of dust and opened the book. I half expected fluttering moths to escape, or to hear an ominous crack of thunder, but nothing happened. I was letting my imagination run away with me.

  ‘Breathe,’ Lukas told me.

  I hadn’t realised I’d been holding my breath. I expelled the air in my lungs in a whoosh. It was only a book, I told myself. There was no reason to feel scared.

  We leaned over and read the list of contents. The chapter headings weren’t particularly helpful: Distilled Concoctions. Blood Works. Forest Herbs.

  ‘Try the index at the back,’ I suggested. ‘Start with Vampires.’

  Lukas flipped to it. There were dozens of cross-referenced entries for vamps. At this rate, we’d be here for hours. ‘We have to narrow it down,’ he muttered.

  I chewed on the inside of my cheek. ‘Corpses,’ I said. ‘Try that.’

  He glanced at me sideways then flicked the pages again. There were only four referenced notes relating to corpses. My fingers twisted in my lap as Lukas turned to the first entry.

  ‘A human corpse in the correct stage of decomposition,’ he read aloud, ‘can be used for numerous purposes. The fingernails of a female who has been dead for fourteen days contain properties which…’

  I shuddered. ‘Not that one.’

  He nodded and turned the pages again. ‘Ghouls gain nourishment from…’

  ‘No. Not that one.’

  Lukas grunted in agreement and leafed through to the next section. ‘The corpse of a werewolf is very useful indeed. The skull can be utilised as a vessel for mixing potions and, should you wish to divine the future, the clipped fur of a transformed wolf can be burnt with a selection of carefully chosen herbs.’ He paused and looked up. ‘I’m beginning to think that this book is a pile of horseshit.’

  I wasn’t going to disagree. ‘Keep going anyway.’

  ‘The bones of a young werewolf,’ he read, ‘can be ground down to brew the Elixir of Fortitude.’

  A chill descended down my spine. ‘That one,’ I whispered. ‘Cross-reference that one.’

  Lukas did as I asked and located the right page for the elixir. We stared at what was written there.

  ‘Finely ground bone dust from a werewolf newly dead. A cup of holy water, held in an oak bowl away from sunlight. A pinch of dandelion pollen harvested on Good Friday.’ Lukas exhaled sharply. ‘This Elixir will strengthen both body and mind, curing physical disease and solidifying psychological spirit. The successful recipient of this Elixir will possess the strength to match any being, living or otherwise.’ He pushed the book away in disgust. ‘It’s mumbo-jumbo claptrap.’

  I leaned over and continued reading. ‘If the desired effects are not achieved, the Elixir can be enhanced. Three cups of blood from a still-breathing vampire will—’

  Lukas sucked in a breath and yanked the book back. He scanned the words. ‘Fuckers,’ he bit out. ‘Surely this isn’t what Edward Nappey is trying to do? Brew some crappy potion from an old joke book? He’s crazier than I thought. This is a wild goose chase, D’Artagnan.’

  ‘The book doesn’t have to be true for Ted Nappey to believe in it,’ I said. I rubbed my palms together in a vain bid to generate some heat. Instinct told me that this was what he’d been doing all along: Ted wanted to play witch and mix up a magic potion that would put him on an equal footing with any supe in the country. I was convinced that we’d found his motive. Unfortunately, that didn’t help us find Ted.

  ‘Cooeee!’

  Lukas and I jumped.

  ‘I’ve got the information you asked for,’ the librarian called out. He waved a wad of paper. ‘I printed out the list of everyone who’s tried to access this room during the last ten years.’

  I blinked. That looked like a lot of names.

  Lukas pushed his chair back and got to his feet. I gazed at the open pages of Infernal Enchantment for another frozen moment, slid out my phone and snapped a photo. We had what we’d come for. I closed the book. Something occurred to me and I opened it again. There had been four entries for corpses. We’d only checked three of them.

  I found the final corpse reference towards the back of the book.

  As much as it may be wished otherwise, reanimation of corpses is not possible. Death cannot be cheated and, sooner or later, we all must meet our Maker. The only creature able to evade death temporarily is the elusive phoenix. Although this particular being lives a natural life span, it cannot be killed through unnatural means. Any attempts to destroy it will only result in the phoenix rebirthing in fire. While able to produce progeny, it should be noted that the magicks of a phoenix are unique. There can only ever be one phoenix in existence at any one
time.

  ‘Is everything alright?’ Lukas enquired from over my shoulder.

  I slammed the book shut. ‘Yep.’ I sprang up to my feet. ‘Yep. Everything is fine.’

  He shot me a curious look. ‘Our librarian friend has dug up three names. In the past forty years, only three people have sought out this book.’ His mouth flattened. ‘None of them are Ted Nappey. According to the library records, Mr Nappey has never visited.’ He paused. ‘But there’s something else. There used to be two copies of Infernal Enchantments. During the last Arcane Works audit a few years ago, it was discovered that one of the copies had gone missing.’

  I shook off what I’d read and focused. ‘From what Maggie Tomkinson said, Ted had his own copy. He could have picked it up anywhere – a second-hand bookshop or a charity shop. Maybe someone’s attic.’ I grimaced. ‘Or he used false ID to sneak in here and steal the copy that’s now missing.’

  ‘It’s certainly possible,’ Lukas agreed. ‘Although we can’t prove anything.’

  I chewed on my lip. ‘I’d be curious to hear why those other three people were interested in it.’

  ‘I’ve got their details.’ Lukas held up a printout. ‘At least it might be more useful than this list of wannabe supe scholars.’ He waved the thick wad of paper at me. ‘Do you still want this? There are a lot of names here.’

  I stared at the copy of Infernal Enchantments.

  ‘Emma?’

  ‘Mm?’ I realised Lukas was frowning at me. ‘Oh. Yeah, I’ll take the list. It might prove useful later.’ I reached for the book, my fingers tingling when I touched its cover. ‘I’ll put this back on the shelves.’

  Lukas watched me. He knew something was up but he didn’t know what. ‘What aren’t you telling me, D’Artagnan?’

  I raised my chin and met his intense gaze. ‘That I can’t wait to get out of here,’ I said simply. And then I turned away to avoid looking at him any further.