The park was empty. It was quiet and serene, with a large pond in the center. They sat on a bench nearby, and Kevin grew excited when she not only didn't let go of his hand, but rested her head on his shoulder. He did the same, and she squeezed his arm with her other hand. Very simple touching, but it sent shocks through his body. The simple things were always the best.
There was a single light-post on the other side of the pond, throwing light across the water. Leese looked up as the glow slowly flickered, struggling to stay on, before going completely dark.
"Holy crap," Kevin said.
"Yeah. It's almost spooky."
"This is how horror movies start."
"Probably not the best thing to say. I've lived enough horror."
"What do you mean?"
"Let's put it this way, I haven't been to a baseball game in two years."
He put the clues together. Baltimore. Two years ago.
"The terrorists at Camden Yards?" he asked.
"Yeah. I was there. But it wasn't terrorists."
Kevin nodded. He'd seen the grainy Internet videos, and knew from Victoria what really happened. Wild, out of control vampires.
She squeezed his arm once again, shivering slightly.
"I hate to sound like a girl, but I'm scared."
Kevin thought for a moment, then stood up and looked around. They were completely alone. He reached into his coat.
"Let me see if I can help."
He grabbed a handful of mothballs along with a potion and poured a few drops on them. He tossed them in the air. They stopped just when gravity began to pull them back down. Leese held her hands up to protect herself, but didn't need to.
The mothballs floated in mid-air, each glowing a different color. White, blue, orange, purple. Leese grinned and stared in amazement.
"Shit."
"Yeah. Pretty cool, huh?"
She stood up and reached out to touch the lowest one. It wasn't hot to the touch. It felt like a regular mothball.
"Go ahead and grab it. They'll float for ten minutes or so, but you can hold them."
She did so, and couldn't stop smiling. She gave it a light toss, just a few inches from her hand, and marveled when it stopped and floated. The mothballs illuminated the entire area around them.
"Did you make these?"
"Nah. They're just mothballs." He tucked the potion away and wiggled his fingers. "But I've got magic hands."
"After you touching my foot last night, I'd say you're right."
"Really?" he said, then shook the thought of her bare legs from his mind. "It's what witches do. We touch things, change them, make potions, all kinds of fun stuff."
They were quiet for a moment as Leese simply had fun. She grabbed several more mothballs from the air and tossed them around, giggling when they floated. Kevin watched her, and all his problems faded away.
"I've got something for you," he said.
"A present? Aww, you shouldn't have."
He smiled as he pulled the item from his coat, and her reaction was just as he'd expected.
"Uh, it's a rock."
"It's a magic rock."
"What's it do?"
"I'll tell you later."
She laughed, still unsure, but shoved the rock in her pocket. She couldn't know how meaningful of a gesture it was. Kevin had only given one other rock out before.
He was staring at her lips, wondering what it would be like to kiss them, when the words popped in his mind.
"Vitamin C. Water."
"What?"
Feeling the outside of his coat, he realized he had no pen and paper on him. Leese left her purse back in the car. He grabbed a loose rock on the ground and started writing on the sidewalk in his language.
"Chili powder, olive oil, baby powder, vitamin C, water."
Leese glanced back and forth from Kevin's strange writing to his face. "Uh, that sounds a little weird."
"They always do. It's a spell, a potion. It comes to me in pieces…."
He trailed off as the knowledge grew in his head. He saw how the potion was used, what it did, and his breath hitched in his chest.
The potion was complete, and it was a big one.
He tried to grasp the complexity of it, what it would allow him to do, and it didn't seem natural. Of course, very little of his magic seemed natural, but the potion that came to him in the company of Leese went far beyond anything he'd ever done.
"Kevin?" Leese said, putting a hand on his shoulder. "Are you okay?"
"Yeah, yeah. It's just…this is a crazy potion."
He stood up and smiled at her. He wouldn't let his magic get in the way of their good time.
She returned the smile and stepped toward him, wrapping her arms around his neck. It was the closest they'd ever been. All of Leese's bad nerves were gone. Kevin saw no harm in resting his hands on her hips.
"What else do you have in that coat of yours?"
"A lot of weird stuff," he said. A thought struck him. "Ah, you might like this."
He pulled out his feather and lightly gripped it with two fingers.
"Okay, stay close to me, and stand on my feet. Don't think I'm trying to make moves or anything, but you're gonna have to keep holding on to me."
She laughed as she followed his instructions. "Magic is fun."
He gripped the feather tighter, adding two more fingers, but leaving his index finger free. Slowly, they started to lift from the ground.
Leese let out a startled cry and clung tighter to him. Kevin smiled and let another finger loose from the feather. They hovered three feet from the ground.
"Are you kidding me? You can fly, like Alex?"
Kevin couldn't fly. But he'd come a long way from simply hitting his head in the basement. His feather gave him magical agility. Depending on the grip, he could rise, fall, jump around weightless. Anyone holding on to him would enjoy the benefits, just like he was enjoying the benefits of Leese being so close.
"Nah, I can't really fly. But I can do a pretty good impression of a monkey."
Leese admired their magical surroundings. The park went from spooky to romantic. The colors of the rainbow hovered around them as they held each other, defying gravity.
"Would you drop me if I kissed you?" she asked.
He put a hand on the small of her back, pulling her closer, squeezing her tight. "I think we're good—"
She cut him off with a kiss. He wasn't expecting it, and they dropped a few inches. It was over far too quick.
Leese pulled away, but didn't go far. She simply looked into his eyes, trying to figure out if he enjoyed it as much as her.
"Sorry," he said, glancing down. "I'm a little out of practice. I haven't kissed—"
She interrupted once again by kissing him. They both lost track of time as they held each other, and the kiss deepened. A few stray thoughts tried to swim through his mind. He couldn't believe Leese's lips were touching his. He couldn't believe not only that Leese knew he was a witch, but she was okay with it.
That was always a big problem of his. He didn't believe.
He had to start listening to Victoria. He could do anything.
Leese tried to hold his hand with the feather, which was pinned between their stomachs. His grip on the feather slipped, and gravity claimed them. It was a short drop, but Leese nearly slipped out of his grasp. They stumbled awkwardly before looking at each other and chuckling.
"Oops," he said. "Kind of lost my hold for a second."
"I see that," she said. She embraced him and stopped an inch from his lips. "You're gonna have to keep a tighter grip this time."
Kevin nodded confidently. He could do that.
CHAPTER 15
Jack was so close. He had his glimmers of hope over the past two centuries. There was the witch Victoria and he encountered that told him about needing a full-blood to lift the curse. Victoria killed the only full witch they found after that, all in the name of saving a tiny town. That put their friendship on hold for ne
arly a century, but they were close once again, arguing and laughing like they always did.
Victoria had made a habit of killing witches, but she'd spared Kevin. Hope was alive once again. It was frustrating to think his chance at salvation was probably shaking in his jeans at the thought of the blonde touching him.
"It couldn't have been someone older. A wise, mature witch. One that can toss magic around like a softball. Nope, not my luck. I get the one with no direction, who can't even tell when a woman is looking at him. I get Glinda."
Victoria said nothing.
Jack gave her another sideways glance as they drove into the city in her Porsche. She'd been quiet ever since leaving the house. Jack was sure he said something to upset her. As perceptive as he was, he said so many inappropriate things it was difficult to pinpoint the offending remark.
"Okay, what did I say?"
"Why? So you can be a dick, and not apologize?"
"You never know. I might surprise you."
"Yeah, right. Tell me something. Are you really glad that Bradley is dead?"
"No, not glad. But I'm not upset, either."
"The world's lost a good man."
"Please. He had his end coming, sooner more than later. Let me guess, were there sluts in his hotel room? He thought he was invincible, that nothing could hurt him. He thought he was me."
"Jack—"
"Besides, I would have killed him soon."
She gave him a dangerous look. "Oh, would you now?"
"He wanted to kill Glinda. Now, whether Glinda nails Leese, lives happily ever after, raises little broomsticks and cats on the countryside, I don't care. But until he comes up with a cure, he'll be the safest witch in all of Oz."
"Bradley wouldn't have killed Kevin. You know why? I would have talked him out of it. Words, Jack. You should try them."
"Ah, I've missed this."
"Missed what?"
"Me being right. You being naive. Us, fighting. Good times."
Victoria managed a small smile. "So, she's Leese, and not the blonde?"
"I don't want Glinda getting all upset at me."
Her expression relaxed somewhat. She never stayed mad at him long.
"Oh, and I guess you're right," he said. "I'm not apologizing."
She navigated Baltimore's streets, and found a parking spot on the seedier side of town. Jack raised an eyebrow at the street scenery. Men and women drifted in and out of strip clubs, two men disappeared into an alley, women stood on the corner, trying to attract attention.
He had a feeling it would be a fun night.
They left the car and walked halfway down the block. He wanted to ask where they were heading, but was content to let it be a surprise. He laughed and shook his head when she turned into a strip club.
His senses immediately took over, almost a habit now. Three women danced on stage, each one using a different pole. Men drank and admired from the bar. One couple made out passionately near the far end. Several bouncers slowly toured the place, keeping an eye on everything. Five of the patrons were armed, four men and one woman. A set of stairs in the corner led to a second floor, and he could guess what went on up there.
"Oh, Victoria, you shouldn't have," he said. "I didn't bring enough singles."
"We're not here for you."
"You are gonna climb up there? Now, I'd honestly pay to see that."
"I dance for my own entertainment, not others."
"You should see Erica dance. Damn. She does this little twist move—"
A woman wearing very little clothing approached them, interrupting his thought. She gave them both a flirty smile.
"Hi, can I get you something to drink?"
"No, thank you. Is Rhonda or Samantha working tonight?"
She froze for a moment. "Let me go check."
"We'll wait right here."
She vanished, and Jack leaned over Victoria's shoulder. "Who the hell are Rhonda and Samantha?"
"No one. It's a code."
"Oh, wow. This is just so cool."
"Jack, please, for my sake, behave. Okay?"
"I'll be a perfect gentleman. Hey, you've seen my place. Do you think I could get a pole in the kitchen?"
"You want a dancing pole? That would be wonderful for Tiffany to see."
"She'd think it's just a toy. I just want to see Erica spin on it."
Jack eyed the scenery as they waited for the woman to return. He wondered how many disappointed parents were associated with the place. He didn't find it likely that any of the women came to work, danced on a pole, and then went home to their loving families. A young lady took her turn on stage, and he tried to push away his cynicism. Compared to him, these women were all angels.
The nearly naked woman serving drinks approached them once again. "Come with me."
They followed her across the room, pushing their way through the crowd. She flashed both of them a smile several times, gazing at Jack a few extra seconds.
"Are you two together?"
"No. I picked her up in an alley two blocks away," Jack said.
Victoria scowled at him. "Very funny."
"I don't know what your plans are, but I get off at two, if you both wanted to hook up—"
"Please, don't say another word."
She looked genuinely hurt.
"Jack," Victoria said, and turned her attention to the woman. "We're flattered, really, but—"
"No, we're not flattered. Go away."
She said nothing else as she led them to a door near the stairs. She knocked twice before letting them in, and then disappeared back through the crowd.
"I think you really hurt her feelings."
Jack shrugged. "I don't care."
Victoria closed the door behind her, getting the attention of everyone. They were in a game room. A pool table stood in the middle, where two men played a game. Three more sat on a couch with a naked woman dancing in someone's lap. A man sat alone in a recliner, holding a beer while using a laptop.
All eyes went to Victoria, like they always did when she entered a room. Jack studied everything, noticing everyone was armed except the man with the laptop. He loved working with Victoria. She was nearly as dangerous as he was, but masked it in a beautifully wrapped package. Jack had a hundred ways to deal with a threat, some more violent then others. Victoria could do it with just a smile.
"Hello," Victoria said, waving politely. "I'm looking for Darren."
The man with the laptop closed it shut and stood up. He crossed the room as everyone went back to their activities, but kept their eye on Victoria.
"I'm Darren," he said, brazenly admiring her. "Are you here to audition?"
"Audition? I'm not a dancer, I'm afraid."
"No, I meant audition for something else."
Jack couldn't help it. A quiet laugh slipped out, and he lowered his head.
"Is something funny, friend?" Darren asked.
He stepped forward to stand next to Victoria. "We're not friends."
She stopped him with her arm, giving him a stern look. "Jack."
He calmed himself, for her sake. She flashed that sexy smile of hers.
"This is my overprotective little brother, Jack. And I'm Victoria. Friendship is actually what we're looking for. I need information, and I hear you're the man to go to."
Darren smiled. "You want to tell me how you heard about me?"
Victoria ignored the question. Instead, she pulled a wad of cash from her purse. She counted out ten hundred-dollar bills and slipped them into Darren's palm.
"Do you know anything about the attack at the hotel last night?"
"The one all over the news? Sorry, Vickie, I can't say I do. But…" He eyed her again. "I may be able to find out."
"You're so sweet. Would you keep your eyes open for me? Any information at all, I'd really appreciate it."
He took a step forward, invading her personal space. Jack wanted to kill him, but Victoria was more than capable of handling her own business.
"What kind of payment are we talking about here?"
Victoria smiled and counted out more money. She slipped it into the front pocket of his jeans.
"That's five thousand, just to start. I'll be in touch. Oh…" She gave him a light slap, loud enough to draw everyone's attention. "My name's Victoria, please."
They left, going from the quiet game room to the noisy strip club. Victoria winced for a moment, uncomfortable. Jack knew loud environments were sometimes rough on her senses.
"Setting up different watch points," Jack said.
"Yeah. He was telling the truth. He doesn't know anything."
"I know."
"See what happened there, Jack? He'll find out information for me now, and I didn't have to beat him, didn't have to break any bones. Just some harmless words and some cash."
"And your tits," he said, pointing at her shirt. "I don't have those."
She smiled. "True, they sometimes come in handy."
Jack went to walk through the club, but Victoria didn't follow. He followed her gaze to two men and a woman heading toward them. Woman might have been too strong a word. She barely looked old enough to legally be in the place. She mostly stumbled her way along, nearly tripping a few times. The two men walked at her sides. They laughed and joked, and one of them felt the woman's ass. She simply laughed and nearly stumbled again.
They helped the woman up the stairs. When they were on the fifth step one of the men slung her over his shoulder and carried her the rest of the way.
Jack watched the entire scene, and noticed the look of concern on Victoria's face, but didn't understand where it came from.
"What's wrong?" he asked.
"That girl, she was drugged."
Jack laughed and gestured around them. "Of course she was. Look around you. That shit probably happens every night, in every alley."
"We should help her."
"I've got a better idea. Let's go get something to eat. I'll have a nice, juicy steak, and you can feed from the hot waiter like you always do."
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