He stuffed his pockets, slipped a couple of stakes into the tops of his shoes, under the pant legs, then jumped down by grabbing the loft edge and dropping off. I thought of imitating him, it looked so cool, but my coordination wasn’t awesome even in daylight. I climbed down the ladder.
42
Wade had set out the cat food. Gideon gave me a peach. Fulco had just stepped out onto the porch with only fireflies lighting up the night. Adam was already arguing with him.
Apparently, in repeating his plan to gather undead—which Fulco was generously allowing us to help him achieve—Adam had said something to the effect of, “And then we’ll torch the place.”
With a curled lip and sneering sarcasm, Fulco reiterated the planned move to Atlanta.
I was still thinking of Vel and demons as we met them and gathered before the porch. It pissed me off that I’d spilled my guts to someone I should have stayed guarded around—as if he’d be a sympathetic shoulder to cry on—and he’d had the gall to speak the obvious. Of course there wasn’t anything as important as reclaiming my curse. Of course it mattered more than anything else I could be working on. But it was easier to avoid facing that fact when no one was pointing it out.
Fulco strode past me when he’d had enough of Adam. Wade jumped aside. Vel hissed softly at him, eyes narrowed. Fulco shunned all, climbed into the front passenger seat of the Volvo, and slammed the door.
Wade and Vel rode in the back. Gideon and Adam followed us.
I wanted to head back into town, tackle a manageable house. Fulco ordered me right instead of left on the county road—toward the lake. I knew exactly what house he had in mind. The sort where no one can hear you scream. It must be another vampire hotbed, so whatever.
Someone else would be doing the work tonight. I could cast a circle and think. They could start the undead cattle drive.
Aside from Fulco’s directions, delivered in a disgusted tone, no one spoke on the fifteen-minute drive through newly settled darkness.
The stately Victorian had once been a premiere lakeside home, a local mansion. I didn’t know who had owned it, or who did now. Only that it was empty and Midway City locals had swapped yarns about how haunted the place was for generations.
Even the driveway was so long it made me wonder how anyone could have thought such a location was a good idea back in horse and buggy days. The only visible lights from the front yard came off houses across the lake, and a few down this shore, visible as distant orange reflections in black water.
Bullfrogs sent a grup-grup-grup cacophony into the night.
Muggy air and suffocating heat had scarcely lessoned with sunset.
Gideon and Adam climbed off their motorcycles, coming over with stakes and flashlights ready to go. Wade stayed close to me. Vel angled to keep himself at Fulco’s back. Fulco strode up steps for the porch.
“Wait.” I stopped on the weedy path. “I’m going to cast a circle. We all should be part of it.”
“All of a sudden?” Fulco turned back, glaring.
“A circle?” Gideon asked.
“A basic field of protection and grounding. It’ll just take a minute.”
The wolves inched away.
“You won’t feel a thing. Sheesh.”
“We all have to join hands, amigo,” Vel said under his breath, gaze fixed on Fulco.
“We do not,” I said. “Just stand around.” How did one cast a circle? Vague memories. I glanced at Wade, who smiled at me encouragingly in the light of flashlight beams aimed at the ground. “Want to do one?” Returning his smile.
“Go ahead. You’re the boss. I’m sure you’re better at this than me.”
Yeah, right.
“Come on.” I waved Fulco back down the stairs.
He scowled but finally condescended to move to a couple of steps up. That would have to do.
“Uh… Okay…”
The bullfrogs croaked. The last firefly glowed and died. I chewed my lip.
“So… This might help against the vampire telepathy and other blocks for—”
“You won’t have that trouble here,” Fulco interrupted.
I paused. “How do you know?”
“There are no vampires here. How would they exist so far from town?”
I stared at him. We all did.
“How in Moon’s name are we supposed to round up blood-suckers if you’re bringing us places where they ain’t?” Adam demanded.
“How are you supposed to clean up Midway City if you don’t start with the biggest mess?” Fulco crossed his arms.
“So the house is troubled?” I asked.
“Of course it is. One of the most vicious infestations in the region. Of spirits. Not vampires.”
Vel tore his gaze from Fulco to look at me, eyebrows raised.
I looked back, so horrified I couldn’t remember what I was supposed to be working on.
I had to face them sometime—with no reason to think I would be any better off trying the next day or a week from now. I had to finish what my parents had started. If it came down to it, I might even be the next to die trying. But I wasn’t ready to let that happen.
We’d had our trial. Okay, we’d failed, but we were still here. In twenty-four hours I’d grown my team from one to six. Maybe I’d have been safer without certain members of this team at my side. Others I loved already and wasn’t sure how that had snuck up on me. I’d take my chances with all of them over being alone.
I’d found them. I could find spirits. Somehow, I could reclaim my curse and show this haunted house who was boss.
I cast the circle, tightened straps on the daypack, switched on my flashlight, and started up the stairs.
Dear Reader
I hope you are enjoying this new adventure with Ripley and the guys! The next book, House of Chaos, is in progress and should be out soon.
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Until our next hunt,
K.R.
House of Darkness Page 21
