I felt a bit better knowing I hadn’t been just being a wimp earlier. I was pretty sure anyway, but it was good to actual know for sure. Three more trays clattered down, and Eustice, Daniel, and Ethel sat around the four of us.
Eustice asked, “Can I come along?”
Ceara replied, “If you wish. We’re leaving soon.”
We finished lunch in silence after that, and then headed down to the lobby to greet a witch…
Chapter 26
There weren’t that many of us, just Ceara, Lisa, Eustice, and myself. The rest of the guards would be staying behind to watch the buildings just in case. She never said so, but I had a feeling Melody was just hanging around for free food, in case the coven was attacked with Ceara out.
To be fair, with Ceara along, it wouldn’t matter how many minions Mark had. She was just that scary, and I was glad to be on her side.
We didn’t have to wait that long, Tina came in the front door and exchanged greetings with Ceara. The rest of us she acknowledged with a single nod, and then we were headed down the stairs to the cells.
We picked an empty one, and without a word Tina knelt down and started to draw a circle on the ground, with arcane symbols around it. I barely restrained a giggle, because she was using pink chalk. It just seemed wrong to me for some reason. It was very complex, amazingly so, and she never once paused or faltered. She finally finished, and stood.
Tina said, “Bring me one of his turns, he can be unconscious.”
Ceara zipped out and back, and held one of the rogues by the neck with one hand. He was gasping for breath, or trying to at least, it didn’t take long for him to pass out. She carefully placed him inside the circle without harming the chalk lines.
Tina said in a monotone, already slipping into a trance of some kind, “This shouldn’t take long,” and she took out a crystal. I had no idea what kind of crystal, but it was yellow and about the size of a walnut.
She started to chant in Latin. I don’t think anyone else could see, not even the witch, but I watched as elemental fire, air, and earth magic twisted together and formed before my eyes. I guessed water wasn’t necessary for this spell. The air magic supported by fire magic dug into the vampire’s body, as if searching for something as the chant went on. Then it backed off, and the magic was sucked into the crystal, like a fisher reeling in a line. Lastly, the earth magic wrapped around the crystal, sealing the spell within.
Tina looked suddenly drained, and held out the crystal to Ceara, “This will give you a direction only, though I got the sense while casting he was in Tacoma, and the spell is pulling mostly south.”
Ceara took the crystal and held still a moment, “Thank you, I can feel it, a subtle pull.”
Lisa picked up the vampire and threw him back in his cell, and we waited while Tina cleaned up.
It was time to go and end this…
We were in a black BMW heading south on route five going at least ninety. Ceara looked impatient in the passenger seat, as if Eustice was going way too slow. Granted, if she’d gone alone she’d have been there by now. Right before we reached Tacoma, Ceara directed his driving as we tried to triangulate exactly where he was. It took a little while, but we eventually figured out he was in an industrial area, inside a warehouse. We parked a few blocks away.
It gave me a bad feeling, “Does anyone else think this is a trap?”
Lisa asked, “You think he knows we’re coming for him?”
I nodded slowly, “He likes nice hotels with good amenities, and he always takes the best room, the penthouse if it’s available. He doesn’t usually slum it like this.”
Ceara sighed in disgust, “Maybe we have a leak?”
“Maybe,” I didn’t want to jump to conclusions, “Or a good spy, electronic bugs, or a hacker to invade our own security systems. I’ll find out when I read his soul. Another thing, he’s only got one other person in there with him. That feels wrong too.”
Ceara nodded, “Nothing to do but spring his trap.”
That’s what I was afraid of. We got out and approached the building cautiously. I tried to thread through his shields with a tendril of spirit magic, but as I suspected there was just no way through. When I was more powerful I’d be able to punch a hole, but until then I’d have to not get into an argument with any vampires that old.
Considering my life lately, somehow I doubted I’d be that lucky.
The second person, a female vampire, I’d had no luck with either, though she was younger than Mark, more like James maybe.
Lisa took point and carefully pulled on the door. It was unlocked. Alarm bells were going off in my head, but I didn’t feel anything other than a very old vampire, and his one companion. We walked into an empty warehouse that looked to have seen better days. There was some trash on the floor, and empty beer bottles. They were at least fifty feet away from us, if not more.
Mark said enthusiastically, “Wonderful, I’ve been expecting you.”
There was some truth in what he said, but I got the idea he hadn’t been expecting us to find him this soon.
Ceara said sternly, “That won’t help you, surrender peacefully and I’ll make it quick.”
Mark laughed, “I think it’s you all who will die,” and turned to the woman vampire, “Now my dear.”
The old vampire female started chanting in Latin and I cursed. If there can be a vampire sorceress, why not a vampire witch? At least he’d threatened my life, I didn’t need to hold back. I raised my hand and hit her with spirit lightning, I’d been holding my full power since the car had stopped. It didn’t do any good, the lightning coruscated around her body without touching it or her soul, some kind of ward or shield.
She finished the chant, it had been very short, and I felt magic rise around us, wards that had been quiescent, undetectable until she’d just activated them all. Ceara ran forward, but too late, she only made ten steps and then tripped and fell on her face. I could see right away what the witch had done, she was warding against elemental air magic.
The wards couldn’t get passed my shields of spirit, but they didn’t need to, our souls were cut off from the actual plane of air which fed our vampire natures. The only good thing was that both of them were cut off as well. I nailed them both with lightning, but again I was denied, the witch still had her witch magic, and was protecting the both of them.
Mark chuckled, “Bet you haven’t felt this helpless in a while Ceara, I have to admit, it’s rather disconcerting. However, it was the only way to put us on shall we say… equal footing?”
Then he pulled out a grenade, pulled the pin, and tossed it in a high arc across the floor toward us. In desperation, I pulled a throwing knife from my boot and flicked it at the grenade, trying to knock it off course.
Of course, I totally missed. I did say desperate didn’t I?
Ceara got up and we all ran forward, we passed the grenade as it angled down and landed behind us. It exploded a moment later and threw us all forward. My back was on fire with pain, and I was a little dizzy from my head bouncing off the concrete floor when I’d landed. I looked up angrily, and Mark had a smile on his face, and he drew a nine millimeter Beretta from behind his back.
I didn’t bother trying to hit them with lightning again, might as well just bang my head on the floor for all that it would do. Instead, I studied the cage of magic around the building. It was mostly elemental earth, with water and fire mixed in.
While I studied the magic Mark said, “No more council, finally. As soon as I put you down, we will be free to do as we choose.”
I had no idea what to do, I thought maybe if I could figure out a critical spot to hit with raw elemental magic of spirit, it would break the ward. Then I could take a nap and let Ceara kill them all. But I really had no clue where to start. Maybe the answer wasn’t magic at all.
I drew another knife from my boot, we were much closer to them now, and I threw it at the witch. Unlike the grenade, I didn’t miss, the knife took her in the center o
f her throat. Apparently I wasn’t the only one to have this idea, because she was taken with two other blades right after mine, one stuck her in the heart and the other one right below mine. She gasped and started to bleed out, and then fell to the floor like her strings had been cut.
Even with the witch gone, the wards stayed, but I suspected the shield wouldn’t.
Mark’s eyes widened, which told me I was right about the shield, and he turned the gun on me instead of Ceara as the greater threat, but I was faster. I blasted him with spirit lightning again and rolled as he pulled the trigger. I felt a sting on my leg as his soul flew from his body, and his body dropped where it stood. I smiled, I’d never have been able to do that if he had his vampire powers. I wrapped his soul in my power so he couldn’t escape, and stood up shakily.
My leg was okay, just a graze. I wasn’t sure about my back yet.
Ceara looked at me a little nervously, and I realized that for the moment, I was the strongest person in the room. I shook my head, the idea of killing her just because I could hadn’t even entered my mind, at least not until I saw the unsure look on her face. I ignored it, she wouldn’t thank me for pointing out her momentary weakness, even to just reassure her. Instead, I went to retrieve my knife, cleaning it on the witch’s clothes before I placed it back in my boot sheath. I was a little dizzy, where was my other knife?
I found it, and we all made for the door, my head was killing me. It was ironic, I’d hated being turned to a vampire against my will. It was unnatural. But a sense of relief settled in my mind as my power rushed back to me as soon as we crossed the thresh hold, and the air magic started to heal my injuries, while I helped out with spirit. I wondered how bad my back was, it still stung like anything, but my head was already clearing so I probably didn’t have a concussion.
Eustice said, “Well, you were right, it was a trap.”
Lisa and I exchanged looks and giggled at the understatement.
Ceara asked, “What about that ward?”
I frowned, “I think it will just die out in a day or two, without a witch to recharge it.”
I wasn’t positive, but it sounded right. Magic wasn’t free, it had to come from somewhere. I turned to Mark’s ghost and read his life, and then I released his memories, and let his soul go. I had no interest in hurting his soul, his life was ended, and that was enough. I hoped it would be quiet for a while, although I was sure he was only the first rogue bent on stupidity that I’d have to help face.
I shook my head, despite not being a guard. Maybe Ceara’s playful joke was right, I was a rogue magnet.
Ceara looked a little shaken, and I had to admit I was right there with her. If Mark hadn’t stopped to gloat and grandstand like a jackass, we’d all be dead right now. I was also glad I’d packed knives, if I’d depended on my vampire abilities for physical protection, we’d be dead. Spirit magic was powerful, but it didn’t do crap against the physical.
It was why I’d been so well trained with blades and other weapons by my mother, and I sent her spirit a silent thank you, though she probably didn’t hear me. It’d been two years, she might have been reborn by now. Maybe I’d go see Tina sooner rather than later about some kind of invisibility or a don’t notice me spell for my sword. My back burned, and I could feel the wind against my bare skin, I imagined I was missing part of my shirt. The shorts for some reason seemed to have escaped damage.
Either way, I was going to need a third shower today, and more clothes.
We all piled in the car, and headed back north. Lisa called for a cleanup team, none of us wanted to go back in there. Everyone was quiet for a few minutes, no doubt thinking of their mortality. At least, I knew I was.
Ceara asked, “What did you learn?”
I composed my thoughts, “There was no spy, and he had no contingencies. He planned to make a mistake on purpose in another attack tonight, this time on the coven itself not the businesses, which would have led you to the warehouse outside of Tacoma. The trap wasn’t really ready yet, it wasn’t supposed to just be him and the vampire witch, they were going to have more people and guns.
“So he didn’t know we were coming at all, or at least, not yet. I don’t think the attack will happen anymore, his vampires must have felt their compulsions fall, they’re probably running for it. If they’re smart. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to prepare just in case.
“None of this was really about the coven at all, he just wanted to take you out and stop a new council from forming. He didn’t care about ruling our kind outside of his own coven, he only wanted to be free to do what he wanted, which was to control governments, and make lots of money without interference.
“Oh, and he had hundreds of millions in off-shore accounts. I have the account numbers and passwords, as well as the websites. I’ll type it all up later and send you a report?”
She nodded, “Good, you’ll get five percent in a recovery fee,” she turned to Lisa, “I know your tired, but make sure the guards are ready for an attack tonight, and then go back to the normal schedules tomorrow.”
Lisa nodded, “Will do. I’d also like to troll the cells for anyone willing to join our coven and the guard, with your approval. We really do need more.”
Ceara agreed, and then we were all left to our own thoughts. Me? I was speechless, five percent of half a billion dollars would go a long way…
Chapter 27
My back was still sore as I got out of the shower, but the skin had healed over already, just as flawless and smooth as it was before, no scars. Call me crazy, but I still planned on working at Pulse after this insane day. Just because I was about to be a millionaire, or had almost died, didn’t mean I wanted to be bored with nothing to do.
I did have plans though after this latest adventure, to go to the store and buy more boots tomorrow, I never wanted to go bladeless again. Options were important if I wanted to stay alive, and worth not being able to wear comfortable sandals. I’d have to figure out something else for when I went out to have fun, I couldn’t wear boots with a dress after all. Maybe a thigh sheath?
I also decided I’d go by Tina’s tomorrow morning, and see if I could make a deal to figure something out for my sword. I knew that wouldn’t fall under the ally deal she had with the coven but I was determined.
I’d probably wind up owing the witch a personal favor, but it would be worth it.
I grabbed another pair of black shorts, a dark red tee, and a pair of red boots. I was able to get the blood out of my other shorts, and black boots, but they were drying. As I suspected, the shirt had been a total loss with burns and a few holes, and wound up in the trash.
It was close to dinner, so I headed downstairs to eat. This time after gathering my tray I sat alone, Lisa was probably in bed, and no one else was around that I really knew. I didn’t stay alone for long though. Tammy, Matt, and Jerry came in, grabbed some food and sat by me.
Tammy asked, “You working tonight?”
I nodded, “You all too?”
Tammy nodded, “They’ll protect us, although I hear things are settled now?”
“Yeah, the rogue is toast.”
She smiled, “Good, and thank you. I never got a chance to thank you last night when you helped to fight off those rogues.”
Matt and Jerry nodded firmly in agreement, and I nodded back in acceptance, not really sure what to say. I was there after all, and I only stopped the ones after me. Although I suppose I put her in the middle so they’d attack me first.
She said, “Tonight should be even busier, but there should be more of us on staff too.”
We chatted some more about the club and what to expect. It also became apparent to me during the conversation that Tammy and Matt were an item, and a new one at that. Perhaps his thanks were a little more personalized? I was happy for them.
Tammy was down to earth, and actually really sweet, it also appeared that she just didn’t thank me as the thing to do, I’d made a friend last night. I’d thought being associated wit
h the guards would make most others wary to befriend me from what Lisa said, but apparently I also belonged to the bartender crowd, and saving her life hadn’t hurt any either.
We finished dinner and the four of us walked downstairs together, and got in the same car. Something else I’d need to buy one of these days. Considering I had twenty-five million to work with I could certainly afford one. We were pulling out when my phone rang, I looked at the screen and it was Jared. I froze for a moment in surprise, and then answered.
“Hello, this is Miku.”
His tenor voice was like a drug, “It’s Jared, I just got the approval for the work on Legends and Pulse. It’s going to be a lot of work, so I thought we should work out a schedule. Maybe over dinner, tomorrow night?”
Dinner, tomorrow night, with Jared? My mind froze and the silence dragged on a little too long.
Jared said, “Hello?”
I cleared my very dry throat, “That sounds fine. Good idea.”
Jared’s voice held a smile, “Good, I’ll text you with the details, or we can talk about it in the morning, I assume you’ll be at B and B for the sanding and painting at eight?”
I nodded, and then remembered he couldn’t see me, “Yes, I’ll be there.”
He said rather warmly, “See you then,” and hung up the phone.
James looked at me as if I were a puzzle, “Did you just make a dinner date with a werewolf?”
“I… don’t know.” I really, really, really hoped so though.
“Maybe?” I hedged, “Most likely he just has a full day tomorrow, and Legends will take weeks of work, at least. It’ll take time to work out a schedule we can both commit to.”
Yeah… that was it. There was no way he was interested in me, was there? But my traitorous hopeful heart, and something else much lower, disagreed. I guess I’d find out.
James shook his head in bafflement, well, it was going to be interesting either way.
Spirit Sorceress: Spirit Sorceress: Book 1 Page 15
