“You tell me. You’re one of the assholes after me, aren’t you?” I said accusatorially.
A laugh escaped through his lips. “No, precious. I’m not on a mission to hunt you down like these others.”
“Then what is your mission, Branton?” I asked before realizing what he’d just called me. “And I’m not your precious. You’ll respect me enough to call me by name.”
I matched his stance, crossing my arms over my chest and widening my legs, needing to stand strong and not run from the mix of emotions stirring inside me. I wanted so badly to believe him, but he gave me no reason to.
“Fair enough, Kirsi,” he said, emphasizing my name. “And I’m only on a self-imposed mission. I saw that vampire leave last night. He’s not the only one after you guys, and he’s clearly on the wrong end of the sancti spectrum.”
“Thank you for stating the obvious, but we don’t need your help. We have it covered,” I told him, my expression hiding every bit of doubt I had about the statement. I still couldn’t help but wonder how he knew all of this without digging his hands deep into sancti filth. “And I’d appreciate it if you would never pull from me again. My mind is not an open book for just anyone to tap into.”
“You know what a pull spell is?” he asked, amazed at my knowledge. “Damn. You impress me more and more every day, Kirsi.”
I let my arms go free, straightening them to my sides and making fists of fury with my hands. “You don’t know me, so don’t you dare doubt my abilities.”
“True, true. But that doesn’t mean I don’t want to know you,” he admitted, catching me off guard.
I knew then, that was my cue to leave. I had to get away from Branton and fast.
Now I wished I’d taken Dean up on his offer to drive me.
7
The next couple days passed in silence. None of us could quite tell what was happening considering the vampire made a very clear threat that he wasn’t done haunting our lives. It was almost as if the silence was more unnerving than being stalked twenty-four-seven.
It didn’t have to be said I was thankful the others had the bar under control.
Finally. A night off. It felt like I’d been working for months straight with no break. You’d think I would go home and imitate a vegetable on the couch, but there was something I’d been dying to do for quite some time.
The streets of Relic were quiet tonight as I walked the twelve blocks. Each crack in the concrete sidewalks had me feeling a bit more excited about my venture, no matter how many spots of blackened bubble gum I had to dodge.
A mortali male whistled in my direction from across the intersection, less than a block away from my destination. Without another thought, I muttered, “Dream on,” and kept my pace strong in the direction I was headed.
Thankfully, the night was beginning to chill by the minute, making me feel like the dominant entity in the entire city. I still couldn’t help but cringe at the look of steam coming from the sewer grates. No matter how much I liked the cold or the city, I’d never get used to that image.
I looked up at the stars sprinkling the blackened sky, the neon sign causing some obstruction between me and oblivion, just before pulling the cold, metal handle on the glass door.
The atmosphere around me changed as soon as I stepped foot into the foyer. The power emanating from the old, brick building could be felt from the streets.
And I loved it.
“Kirsi!” a gruff voice boomed from the other room. He could feel me before he even saw me.
“Hi there, Bo. Business is booming, I see,” I said as my eyes roamed around the empty room.
Within seconds, he peeked from around the corner, sporting a big, toothy smile, and held out his thick, tattooed arms. “It always is! You just caught me at the right time, beautiful. It’ll be elbow to elbow in here before you know it.”
He didn’t give me a choice before he grabbed me up in his arms and squeezed me tight, making any chance of breathing a thing of the past.
“So what did I do right in this lifetime to be graced with your pretty face this evening?” he asked while finally placing me back down on my feet.
“Well, you’re the only being I’ll allow to touch this skin,” I said with a wink. “I’d like some additions.”
His eyes sparkled with delight at the fact I wanted more added to my tattoo.
Bo was one of my favorite creatures in the sancti community, and I had a feeling he knew it too. Ogres were so misunderstood. Bo was the perfect example.
While yes, he was big and not attractive in the typical human sense of the word, he had a heart of gold. Most ogres were stamped with the misconception that they were cruel and savage, but what people didn’t realize was that they were mostly empathetic. If a demon came within fifty feet of Bo, he’d be able to feel it, and his behavior would shift to the dominant emotions surrounding him.
In the case of demons, evil would fill his heart.
I’d only seen it happen once to him, and I couldn’t help but wish that memory would be wiped from my mind. It was so hard to see such a gentle giant struggle internally with his actions and thoughts.
“Enough of that. No stress is allowed beyond these doors,” he said with a smile, and I knew where I’d gone wrong.
“No stress,” I repeated with a returning grin.
He led me to a nearby room and clapped his big, monstrous hands together. “So, what’ll it be, gorgeous?”
“Well, see my pendant here?” I asked, holding up the pendant my daddy gave me on the day of The Shift. “I’d like to somehow incorporate it into the shoulder tat you did for me a few months ago.”
“Oh, that’d be perfect,” he said with excitement. “I know just the thing. Hang on.”
Without any more words, he disappeared from the room. I knew what he was doing. He was grabbing my sketches. Often times, Bo would go to another room where he’d sketch out his ideas away from his customers. But for me, he usually sketched his ideas right in front of me. Not that he needed to. I was easy to please and knew he was absolutely brilliant. But he said he could feel my excitement or disappointment as he drew—something he fed off whenever working with me.
His acceptance of my personality made me happy, and he knew it.
He wasn’t joking either. Within an hour, and just as he was finishing up my addition, the place became busier than I’d ever seen it. It wasn’t surprising though… he was the best tattoo artist in the area, and the only one who knew how to work on sancti, since all our biological builds were different in nature.
Just the thought of a mortali working on me and seeing purple, crystallized blood had me mentally chuckling. It wouldn’t end well.
With a flourish, he completed my tat and bandaged me up with gentle hands only an ogre could manage.
Before I could say my goodbyes, he looked me straight in the eye and I could see his demeanor change.
“You need to go, miss. Right now. Go!” he barked, and I knew someone threatening was after me at that very moment. He never called me miss. If I didn’t get away from Bo as quickly as possible, he’d turn on me too.
He knew it. I knew it. And the thought that a friend could turn against me so easily had me shaking in my boots.
Without hesitation, I bolted, screaming back to him that I’d pay him later. The look on his face as I left was one of frustration and hatred, and I knew his internal struggle was way more than anyone could ever understand.
If I was ever bold enough in the future, I’d ask him to tell me about the person who was after me.
But now was not the time.
Unless I wanted to die… or kill a friend to defend myself.
Neither was an option.
I relished in the dark outside as I pounded the sidewalk with my boots, each step echoing through the streets of Relic. I needed to get this malus away from Bo, if for no other reason than his sanity alone. The last thing he needed was evil snaking its way through his emotions, especially while he was try
ing to work.
So with determination, I increased my stride. I knew it was following me, and all I wanted to do was get to my property—cross the borders so I was no longer in danger.
But then I thought of my family. Surely, this thing that was after me wouldn’t stop at just me, would it? Or was I its primary target and my family just collateral?
I needed to stop running and face whoever, or whatever, was after me.
As soon as I thought I was far enough from Bo’s studio, I slowed and removed the glasses from my face, pocketing them and getting ready to take on whatever the fuck was on my tail. Adrenaline pumped through my veins while I continued to make my way into a vacant parking lot just on the outskirts of town. If only the damn lot had some lights, I’d feel so much more comfortable.
My necklace pounded against my chest as I ran, the heavy feel of it a comfort to me. It meant my daddy was with me, no matter what. I was also thankful it was a chilly night in Relic. Maybe then any bystanders wouldn’t question the snowflakes that began to form on my eyelashes.
That Branton guy was right… I really did need to learn how to hone in on my powers. But fuck if I’d let him know that. He didn’t deserve the satisfaction of knowing he was right about something.
With my boots still making a clopping noise along the pavement, I finally reached the far side of the lot.
I didn’t want to go any further.
I needed answers.
Abruptly, I stopped mid-stride, turning to face whoever or whatever was chasing me. I grabbed the lapels of my jacket, holding on tight, and even though I couldn’t see anyone, I heard the pounding footsteps as it approached.
“Well, well. I didn’t expect to see you here,” I said to Anwar, a Jinn who frequented the pub and I knew by name. Fuck, I knew his wife! This was going to be way more difficult than I’d anticipated.
“You have no idea what mess you’ve gotten yourself into, Kirsi,” he said, his voice much slimier than I’d remembered.
“I don’t think I’m the one who should worry about stepping in shit,” I retorted. I was very aware this wasn’t the same being I knew from the past. Someone… or something… had taken him over. It was going to be a bitch to fight him when I clearly knew he wasn’t in his right mind. “You need to rethink who you’re talking to, Anwar.”
“Curse that. All I need is The Relic and you can walk. You don’t have much time. So be a smart little girl and hand it over,” he said while approaching me, his hand outstretched.
“Humor me, Anwar. Who wants The Relic and what do they want it for?” I asked, still completely unaware of what they were referring to, but needing to get more information while I could.
“Time’s up,” he said in a calm, almost humorous tone. The wickedly evil smile on his face was deceiving for a split second before he lunged at me, reaching for my throat.
Without hesitation, I dodged his approach, using the momentum of my body to fling him to the ground with ease. As soon as his face scraped the asphalt, I cringed. I hated doing this to someone I considered a friend.
I had to keep in mind that he wasn’t the person I once knew. My life depended on it. Yet, I couldn’t help but think of his wife and how heartbroken she’d be if I killed her husband.
I was fucked, no matter which way you diced the situation.
The man growled as he made his way back to his feet, and I was ready. If nothing else, I could freeze him in place and run, letting the ice melt over time so I had a moment to escape. But there was only one problem with that plan… it was an awfully dry night and I was too far away from Lake Ontario to gather enough liquid to do it. My only option was to use the liquid from his body, which would essentially kill him.
Damn.
He lunged at me a second time, and I simply stuck my foot out to trip him so I could buy time. I mean, really, why send someone after me who couldn’t fight worth a lick? If he weren’t a friend, this whole scene would’ve been comical.
But because he was a friend, I had a sinking feeling in the pit of my stomach.
One of us wasn’t going to make it out of this alive. The knowledge it would be him killed me inside.
The next thing I knew, I was on my back, looking up at the stars filling the night sky. The motherfucker actually took me down while I was feeling sorry for his ass. The action fueled my fury even more.
With a quickness I didn’t know I possessed, I stood up, bracing myself for his advance. He wasn’t going to back off until he got what he came for, regardless of whether I knew what the hell that was or not.
The moonlit night revealed the man I once called friend and his otherworldly black eyes. He was clearly taken over by something sinister.
I stood strong, never letting my guard down as he slowly walked toward me. I didn’t know what my next move was going to be, but that would never stop me from defending myself, even though I was hoping it wouldn’t come to that.
“Back up. Give yourself some space,” I heard a voice say, and believe it or not, I recognized it to be Branton.
That little pissant better not be here right now, I thought.
“Seriously, Kirsi. I can’t do shit to help you with that amulet you’re wearing. So back up and give yourself some room to think.”
Of course, Anwar could hear him. So why he was telling me this was beyond me. Anwar wasn’t stupid.
Still, I wasn’t stupid either. Listening to the words coming from him, I took several steps back, faster than the steps Anwar was taking to advance on me. He’d probably noticed lunging at me wasn’t getting him anywhere considering I’d knocked him down twice in the process.
“Now, take off the bracelet and let me help you,” Branton said, his voice calm as Anwar continued to slowly walk toward me.
“Yeah.” I snorted. “You think I’m fucking stupid?”
“No, I think you’re smart enough to know you’re in trouble and need help,” he said, his words officially fucking with my head. I didn’t want to hurt my friend, yet I didn’t want to trust a man I barely knew who could clearly wipe us both out using his mind tricks.
Anwar took that moment to begin running full speed toward me, and, without hesitation, I stood ready. I didn’t want to use my powers on him. I just needed to take him down without injuring him.
Easier said than done.
Jinn were fast sancti—not nearly as quick as, say, a vampire, but much quicker than the average monster. Thankfully, I had good reflexes, commanding as much moisture in the air as possible to form ice on the street below our feet. I figured if it worked to keep the vampire in place, maybe it would work to put the Jinn in his.
I expected Anwar to slip on the ice and create an opportunity for me to dive in and knock him unconscious, but what I had forgotten were the exact abilities the Jinn possess. At that moment, I wasn’t even thinking of the bracelet. So when Anwar jumped over the sheet of ice and stayed in the air, coming towards me like a bullet, I wanted to slap myself across the face.
Jinn were like genies, except not as all powerful as Disney made them out to be. They were very strong and fast, and could use a particular amount of magic against others—be they sancti or mortali. One of their special talents was the power of levitation. It wasn’t exactly like flying, but it was the closest any wingless sancti could get to it.
I only had a split second to react as Anwar came right up on me. I dove to the side just as his hand reached for my neck, slamming my shoulder against the stone wall of the building we were fighting outside of in order to keep on my feet.
I spun just in time to see Anwar land on his feet and throw a haymaker boxing punch my way. I ducked under it, his fist colliding with the brick wall behind me. I couldn’t stop the grin that overtook my face. He had most likely put as much strength as he could behind that swing and probably did quite a bit of damage to himself by hitting the wall.
I had my chance.
“I’m sorry, Anwar, but this ends now,” I said, confidence oozing from my voice. I moved
to give him a nice clean uppercut—strong enough to knock him out, but not seriously hurt him. I brought my fist up directly into his chin, putting all of my weight behind it to deliver as powerful a punch as possible. I felt my knuckles creak from the impact, and I had to fight back a yelp of pain. How the hell did Veli make this seem so easy to do?
Anwar’s head snapped back, just as I had hoped, but his body remained solidly in place. My eyes widened as he twisted his head around to glare at me with as much malice as he could muster—which was a fuckton of a lot.
A grin spread across his tanned face, his black eyes twinkling in the moonlight. “That all you got?”
I gasped as he pulled his fist back from the brick wall, no sign of damage present on his knuckles. I glanced back at the wall to find a small indent where it had collided and felt my breath hitch deep in my throat.
“I don’t understand… you seemed so…”
“Learn your lore,” Anwar said, snark dripping from his tone. “Jinn are masters of illusions.”
He brought his hand above my head, his palm beginning to glow an eerie blue. Runes formed along the skin of his arm and I gasped again, not having time to look at my bracelet to see why the hell it wasn’t working. My eyes narrowed as I tried to read the glow of the foreign writing. It looked like Arabic lettering and sigils glowing the same color as his hand as he powered up his magic.
Jinn used illusionary magic primarily. It was their trump card. In the old texts, it was said they used their powers to hide from the mortali to live in peace, not letting themselves be spotted unless expressly desiring to be seen. In the modern world, they rarely used their old magic, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t still cause some trouble with it.
I hadn’t forgotten Anwar’s illusionary prowess. His wife made jokes all the time about how he liked to trick her around the house—a mouse in the corner, a bird at the window, the sounds of her phone ringing in the next room—but I didn’t ever think he would use them for malice. Or that he even could with my bracelet on. Why wasn’t his magic null like Branton’s?
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