Witch for Hire

by Shyla Colt

  The door opens. “What’s the next step?” Cristobal asks.

  Picking up the small scrap of paper, I hand it to him. “We go here.”

  “In the middle of the night?” Marcellus says skeptically.

  “What, are you scared?” I taunt.

  “Of you two breaking an ankle, yes.” Marcellus tosses back.

  “Your concern warms my heart. We’ll be fine.”

  “I’ll keep an eye out for Felicites,” Percival says. I bet you will, Perci.

  “It’s settled. Into the woods we go,” I say happily as Cristobal shakes his head and smiles.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Fel moves closer to me, pressing her now jacket-covered shoulder against mine. “Is it okay that I really don’t like this?” Fel speaks from behind the hand she’s cupped over her mouth.

  “Yes, girl, ’cause I’m right there with you.” A bone searing cold has sunk in, chilling me from the inside out as we move deeper into the forest. Flashlights illuminate the ground directly in front of us. We carefully avoid roots, logs, and critters skittering out of our way. Cypress trees dim the moonlight shining down. The buzz of insects and the croak of frogs are louder in the exaggerated silence. An owl hoots in the distance, and I tense. They can be an omen of death.

  The land slopes down and the cold intensifies. The pendulum swings faster. I make out a rock formation in the distance.

  “I think we’re here,” I state quietly, shoving my hands into the pockets of my jeans.

  “Couldn’t be a creepier spot, huh?” Fel asks.

  “I can’t sense anyone,” Cristobal says.

  I reach my hand out to Fel, and we send our power out, seeking every nook and cranny.

  “Something dark was here, not too long ago. A trace of her remains. There may be clues inside, but we’ll have to proceed with caution. The chances are she left behind some nasty spells.” Sensing something lying in wait, I nudge it with my power. Blue flame shoots high, surrounding the opening of the cave.

  “Yes on the traps,” Fel mumbles.

  “If you’d be so kind to take care of the flames.”

  “I’m on it.” Fel douses the flames with a cleansing rain, and I project the image of white light, dampening the negative vibes. We proceed as a group, pausing every few feet to sweep for curses. What should take no more than twenty minutes away, becomes an hour with curse breaking, and despelling. In the center of the damp cave, we see the carnage—jars of animals in various stages of lifeline, a makeshift shelf created from ledges in the cave. The metallic smell of blood is strong. Bones litter a makeshift altar along with black candles.

  “Blood magic,” I whisper.

  “I can smell that,” Cristobal places a hand on the small of my back as he peers around the cave, sniffing the air. “There’s more here than animal and human, but they’re so intermingled, pinpointing one would be impossible.”

  “I think she literally tossed jars on the ground before she left,” Fel says as a crunch forms under her feet.

  “There must be something here we can use.” I spin slowly. I smirk. “She’s not the only one who can haunt others. Regardless of her trash and run, she’s touched every inch of this room. Anything we take will link us to her. We’ve been the ones giving chase this entire time. I think we should give her a reason to come to us. Collect as many whole pieces as you can and let’s form a circle. I’ll need a black mirror.” I have one at the home I share with Sacha, but that would mean bringing her into this mess. I think of the scrying tools and their message. She’s family. “I need to place a call. Larkin, can you be an escort this evening? We have work to do tonight.”

  Cristobal’s hand is a manacle on my wrist. “Dark magic is nothing to play with.”

  I stare at his hand and into his flickering eyes until he releases me. “Black in color, not in magic. I’m only returning the presents sent our way. Think of it as marking a letter return to sender.” I wink. A sly smile appears, softening his appearance.

  “Clever cousin.” I sense Fel’s approval.

  “Let’s see if she can handle what she’s been dishing out in ample amounts. It’s going be a real bitch when that malcontent hits her three times harder.” I hum. “No sleep, no peace, and paranoia. She will slip up or break sooner rather than later.”

  I step outside the cave with Cristobal trailing me and place a call to Sacha.

  “Hey, girl, what’s up?”

  “Sach. I need your help with something important.”

  “Sounds serious.”

  “It is, and I’m going to need you to swear an oath that you won’t share what I’m going to tell you with anyone else.”

  There’s a pregnant pause, and I hold my breath. We’re still repairing ourselves. I wouldn’t blame her if she didn’t trust me.

  “It’s important, isn’t it?” Sacha asks.

  “Yes.”

  “I’m trusting you on this one, Lou. I swear.”

  “I need my black mirror. Larkin is coming to pick you up and bring you to our location. That situation I’ve been working on with Cristobal just got even more dire, and we need to take action now.”

  “Wait. A black mirror? Who’s cursing you?”

  “A witch using black magic. I don’t know who or how much. Tonight she invaded my space, brought me into the in-between, and issued threats.”

  “That takes some serious power, Lou.”

  I close my eyes. “I know. Maybe multiple witches.”

  “That’s almost a given.”

  “Now you see why I need you. Fel is already with me.”

  “We take care of our own rogues. I’m going to need to know why you haven’t brought the council in on that. But I can wait for an explanation.”

  It’s more than I deserve. From her perspective, I’m looking shady. “Thank you. Get dressed for a hike.”

  “When were you going to tell me you suspect more than one person?” His voice is icy and clipped.

  I slip my phone back into my pants. “I just did.”

  “Not good enough.” He steps into my space, and I step back. “How long, Louella?”

  “Just now, when I saw the specs of the circle, the size of her altar, and the sheer volume of things she’s collected. It would take one witch years to use it all, and probably longer to collect alone.” Sighing, I shake my head.

  “How many are we dealing with? A couple, or fully-fledged coven?”

  “I don’t know. But this witch is clearly the leader. You cut the head of the snake, and the body will fall.”

  “Or regrow more,” he mumbles. “She made a deal with a dark entity, why would she need more people?”

  “Well let’s hope it’s not a Hydra. To channel their energy. Because she’s a narcissist, who needs to feel worshipped? Who can say? I don’t make a practice of trying to decipher the decisions of the unstable.”

  He runs his hand down his face in frustration. “How can you be so flippant?”

  “I’m not. You should know by now I joke when I’m freaked out. If I break down, what good will it do anyone? She got inside my head, Cristobal. This is personal for me. They’re walking among me, pretending to be friendly. I won’t rest until we break this case. I’m every bit as committed and concerned as you. I have two families to protect, and right now I’m failing both miserably.” I run my fingers through my hair. Rage simmers under the surface.

  “Louella.”

  “This is what you wanted right? To get into my head, see my feathers ruffled?”

  He grips my forearms. “No, I want you to stop trying to be superwoman and be real with me.”

  “I can’t afford to do that right now. That will come later. Right now I need to be Teflon, and you need to respect that. I get that I hurt you, and it left scars, but this is about more than us.”

  “You called
my people family.” There’s a question in his words.

  “A group of people you inherit not choose, and love even if you don’t like them? Yeah, I did.”

  The corners of his lips curve upward, and I roll my eyes. Dramatic. People think vampires are icebergs, but they’re volcanos. They appear cool and unassuming on the surface, but capable of molten hot explosions at a moment’s notice, because there’s so much boiling underneath the exterior at any given time. Beautiful, flawed, infuriating beings warped and worn by time itself. They’re fascinating, deadly, and permanently tied to my own life. Which means I’m getting a crash course and learning how much I never fully understood about them.

  “Why did you send Larkin?”

  “I trust him, and so will Sacha. She has a talent for feeling people out. Of everyone, he’s raised the least alarms.”

  “That’s because you haven’t seen him in battle.”

  “Cristobal …”

  “Relax, querida. He’s on our side.”

  “Not reassuring after that statement.”

  “He’s solid. He contains his monster well.”

  “I’m feeling slightly better about sending him for Sacha.” I spin on my heel and return to the cave.

  ***

  “Thank you for coming.” I greet Sacha at the mouth of the cave. I place my hand on Larkin’s arm. “Thank you.”

  He nods before flashing forward to join the others.

  “We’re going to send this bitch back her mojo, and then I’ll fill you in on everything.”

  She hands me the black mirror, and I take a shaky breath as I distance myself from my emotions. We form a small circle with the mirror on the floor in the center. The artifacts we’ve managed to recover are arranged in a circle around the mirror, along with the scrap of lace I took from the in-between. Hands clasped and candles lit, we chant.

  What you’ve sent you shall receive

  From me to you this spell I conceive

  The imbalance you weaved

  What you set into motion now comes to an end

  Back you this spell I send

  This I make true by the power of three times three

  We raise our hand as the wind blows in the space as the spell builds momentum, gathering strength. The breeze becomes a force of nature, roaring through the stone cavern before it rushes from the cave. Silence descends and we lower our hands.

  “It’s done,” I whisper.

  “No we wait,” Fel says.

  “No. Now we tell Sacha what the hell is going on.” Sacha places her hands on her hips.

  “It’s a long story I’d rather not tell here.”

  She glances around and shudders. “Fair enough.” She loops her arms through mine. “You owe me a tale, and coffee since you dragged me from my bed.”

  “Do I need to feed you, too?” I ask sarcastically.

  “Well if you were a good date, you would.”

  I roll my eyes.

  “I’ll alert the cook,” Cristobal says.

  “You have a cook! Someone’s been holding out.”

  “I do not. They do.”

  “Which means she does,” Fel says.

  The banter is all bravado. Escape from the heavy mood that’s settled in the wake of the spell. I latch onto it, desperate for a distraction from the worries plaguing me. There’s nothing to do but wait and pray we made the right choice. This could tip her over the edge. There have been no murders since our last run in. I fear our dry spell is about to be broken.

  ***

  I groan as a knock on the door pulls me from slumber. I’m aware of two warm bodies on either side of me. We’d stayed up late in the room, passing out as the sky went from a sapphire blue to purple in a pre-sunrise display. I clear my throat. It feels like I just went to sleep.

  “Yeah,” I call.

  “Louella, we need you to meet us in the den.”

  Cristobal’s tone is grim. I pry my eyes open, stunned to see it’s still dark outside. I speak through our connection.

  What happened?

  A bad attack. No, that’s too kind a word. A massacre. We’ve been contacted by the council.

  How many?

  Ten dead. Ten more injured with the potential of turning.

  When are we meeting with the council?

  Today. The vampires plan to discuss it during equinox. It’s beyond blame, and about accountability and control. If they think some vampire in my territories caused this.

  He doesn’t have to spell it out for me. They’ve moved past framing to trying to prove incompetence. My heart is heavy. This just got complicated. I can sense the vamp haters will be circling their wagons with pitchforks and I told you so’s ready to wield as their weapons of choice.

  We need to document the cave. I want photographs, and a team to come in and block it out.

  I sent Miles and Rene as soon as I heard.

  Where did it happen?

  The Black Rose.

  The club was a popular hangout for college students. There’d be no sweeping this under the rug with all those concerned parents requesting information. As if on cue, the cell phones in the room begin to ring. Fel and Sacha moan and burrow farther into their pillows. I grab my cell.

  “You know.”

  “I just heard, Mémé.”

  “You’ve been keeping secrets.”

  “I’ve been trying to keep the peace.”

  “They want justice and order restored immediately, understand? There’s no time to be wasted. You’d best come up with a good plan, cher.”

  “I will, Mémé.”

  “The local council members are gathering to meet with you. It’s best to keep it that way. You get us all together, and things get uglier.”

  I close my eyes. “I understand, Mémé.” We hang up, and I slip out of bed, leaving the girls to sleep. No need to wake them just yet.

  I dress to impress in a pair of black leather pants, black booties, and a V-neck lace camisole I tuck in and pair with a lightweight black leather jacket. I add diamond earrings and a tennis bracelet before I slip off my ring and place it into the ring box. I take my time doing my make-up and hair. Stepping back, I admire the presentation. I look put together. I’m a wrecked, terrified, and slightly panicked mess on the inside. But the outside is fierce.

  My heels click on the marble in the bathroom as I make my way to the bedroom to deliver the bad news.

  “Wait. What?” Sacha croaks as she rubs her eyes.

  “I don’t know the details yet, but I’m headed downstairs to find out. I think your families tried to call you earlier. I know I already talked to Mémé. The local council members are assembling to meet with us this morning.”

  “What are you going to do?” Fel whispers.

  “I’m not sure, but we’re working on it. We sent a crew back out to the cave to document what we found. I know this is a lot to ask, but are you willing to say we took this case? I’ll take the fall for keeping it a secret.”

  “It makes sense. How could you involve them when you had no idea who you could trust?” Sacha says.

  I nod. “That was my thought.”

  “They’ll want to see it,” Fel cautions.

  “I know.” The thought of others rooting around in my brain makes me feel violated. “I don’t plan on lying, just editing my memories, and omitting. Lots of omitting.”

  “Against council members, though?” Sacha asks.

  “We’re going to find out how strong I actually am.”

  “If you’re caught—” Sacha grabs my arm.

  I place my hand over hers.“What other choice do I have?”

  They shake their heads. “None.” Sacha releases me.

  “Exactly. I’m going to join the others. You two are welcome to anything in my closet.”

 
; The walk downstairs is lonely and long. I find everyone close together, speaking in hushed voices.

  I come to stand beside Cristobal. “What’s wrong?”

  “The cave has been cleansed,” Cristobal says. He twines our fingers and squeezes gently.“It’ll be my word against evidence,” I whisper.

  He gives a tight nod.

  “Zephirin Dupeux will be dying to mention the incident at their nightclub, which will only work in our favor. As far as everyone here is concerned, this started then. Not before.”

  “Will you be able to uphold that truth?” Cristobal asks.

  I lick my lips. “I have to.”

  “How will you explain not reporting it?”

  “Rogues witches. I had no clue how high up the corruption went. And there’s no way of knowing how they controlled a vampire or which one to make baby vamps. Such a sad, impossible situation to navigate. The only people I trusted were my co-workers, Sacha and Fel, who were just brought on the case the evening before where we discovered … there was more than one witch at work.”

  “You work your council, and we will do the same for our people,” Cristobal promises.

  “You’re going to throw us witches under the bus during the equinox, aren’t you?” I ask wryly.

  “Yes, we are.”

  Chapter Fifteen

  Zephirin Dupeux, Meadow and Vale Blanchard, Roch Morel, and Rosemond Esçhete are elegant statues. Like Egyptian gods and goddesses, they stand in judgment over me. Dressed in their finery, they hold court in the cathedral-style chair with ornate wood backs and wide armrests.

  I’m standing in front of a panel of adults I’ve grown up respecting and obeying, and it makes my stomach ache. My palms are sweaty, and my brain fills, ready to burst. They’ve extended a courtesy to Cristobal today by coming to his home. It gives me hope that they’re open to listening. They could’ve forced him to play on their turf.

  “You are here to defend Cristobal Cortez today. Is that correct?” Zephirin asks. His dark brows meet in the middle, and I can feel the contempt coming from him. He doesn’t like vampires or me. I’m already at a disadvantage where he’s concerned.