by Keri Arthur
But I kept my fears to myself and concentrated on getting to Monty’s as fast as possible. He was hobbling out his front door just as we pulled up. Eli flung the rear door open and then slid across to the other side of the seat.
“Where’s your crutches?” I said as Monty climbed inside and slammed the door shut.
“They’re too damn awkward in the bush. I’m better off without them.”
“If you fall over, none of us are stopping to pick you up,” Ashworth grumbled.
“I’m not going to fall over. I wouldn’t give you the pleasure of seeing me do that, old man.”
“One more ‘old man’ comment, and I really will clip you over the ear.”
“As will I,” Eli said, amusement evident in his voice. “Especially given I’m the oldest here.”
“Yeah, but you don’t look it. Ashworth is all weather-beaten and wrinkly.”
Their banter continued. I let it roll over me and drove on, pushing the SUV to its limits in an effort to get to the area that held the tree cave as fast as possible.
When we could take the SUV no further, we continued on foot. Monty managed to both keep up and not fall over, and we made good time through the trees. But we were not alone in the forest. My watcher was out there, in the distance, tracking our progress.
Vita.
It had to be. It certainly couldn’t be the tracer—not when the presence was ahead rather than behind. It made me hope that if we had caught one of the Empusae, it wasn’t the elder one. Belle wasn’t here, and the last thing we needed or wanted was to piss off our magic-capable White Lady by depriving her of the kill she’d waited centuries for.
We reached the clearing. Shadows wrapped the semicircular mound of rocks and dirt that supported the tree cave, and there was no immediate sense that anything or anyone lay within it.
Nothing except the smell.
It was ten times stronger now than it had been the first time we’d been here, and it was so damn putrid I started to gag.
“Fuck,” Eli whispered, a hand over his nose. “Why did no one warn me these things smell like—”
“Meat left too long in the sun and cheap, cheap perfume.” Monty hobbled past Eli. “Shame your partner didn’t think to bring nose plugs, like some of the smarter portions of this outfit did.”
Eli shook his head at Monty’s back and stopped several yards inside the clearing. “I take it the smell is confirmation that we have indeed snared one of the Empusae rather than some other kind of demon?”
“Not entirely, as the spell we set was a general demon snare rather than Empusae specific,” Ashworth said. “But there’s few who have this particular scent.”
“And isn’t that a good thing.”
I stopped beside them both. The glittering threads of wild magic that powered my spell moved in a lazy circle around the tree cave. Despite the fact I’d only set the spell to raise the alarm once, the underlying magic remained strong. It was yet another example of the wild magic changing the intent of my spell.
Monty stopped close to the edge of my spell and bent to inspect the cave. “I can’t see any movement—are you sure we’ve actually caught—”
Something flew out at him; something that was all flesh and talons and howling rage.
He jumped back instinctively, but lost his balance and would have fallen had Ashworth not lunged forward to grab him.
His naked attacker hit the invisible boundary of the snare and tumbled back into the darkness of the cave.
“I think that rather succinctly answers your question,” Eli said, his tone dry.
“Yes.” Monty nodded his thanks to Ashworth. “They’re rather fearsome-looking things, aren’t they?”
“That they are.” Ashworth swung his pack around. “Let’s create a double protection circle around the cave. We can then force her out and kill her.”
I handed Monty his pack. “How are you going to do that? A stake isn’t practical, because if you get within arm’s reach of that bitch, she’ll tear you apart.”
“The youngster here can freeze her. I’ll handle the staking and decapitation part.”
I raised my eyebrows. “Why both?”
“When it comes to demons, I always work on the theory that more is better.”
“What are you going to do if it’s the elder we’ve caught? Our White Lady isn’t going to be pleased if you steal her vengeance.”
“It’s not the elder,” Monty said. “It doesn’t feel that strong.”
“Agreed,” Ashworth said. “Which means if the other one does attack, you two are going to have to capture her rather than kill.”
“You do know how to spin a demon snare, don’t you?” Eli asked.
I nodded, and didn’t admit just how recently I’d learned or that my knowledge came from watching Monty rather than formal training. I didn’t think either he or Ashworth would appreciate that sort of information right now.
Ashworth began placing his spell stones onto the ground. Monty followed, weaving his in and out of Ashworth’s. It would double the strength of the protection circle when it was raised.
Once the circle fully encompassed the tree cave, the two men stepped inside. Ashworth looked at me and said, “Take your spell down. We can’t risk the wild magic interfering with what we’re about to attempt.”
I nodded and immediately dismantled my spell. As the threads faded and the wild magic floated away, the night seemed darker. More volatile.
I scanned the trees, unsure whether the inner tension was simply nerves or a not-so-subtle warning from my psi senses that things were about to hit the fan big time. And maybe part of that certainty rose from the fact that it had been a little too easy to snare this Empusae—especially after the death of the younger one. It would have warned them they were dealing with witches—even if the source of the magic for that first death had come from a dead witch rather than a live one—and it should have made them more cautious.
So why would this one have flown—or even walked—so easily into this trap?
I could perhaps understand it if dawn had been close and she was desperate to get undercover, but sunrise was at least an hour and a half away yet.
And that suggested the Empusae might well be using this trap against us. After all, it was doubtful they’d be aware there were four witches in this reservation rather than the usual one.
I flexed my fingers and resisted the urge to reach for the wild magic. I couldn’t use it against the demons, not if we were going to kill them. The wellspring might now be well protected, but we still risked staining it if it was used in such a way.
“I’ll set up on the far side of the tree. You watch from this side,” Eli said. “And keep alert. If the other one is out there and realizes what we’re doing, her attack will be hard and fast.”
I nodded and moved into the center of the clearing. After placing my pack on the ground, I drew out my silver knife and the charms and placed both on the ground in front of me. Then I carefully set out my spell stones and raised a protection circle, making sure I wove in exceptions that allowed me to throw spells or even my knife without shattering its magic. Then, finally, I wove the demon snare, fashioning it into a ball that could be easily thrown. But I didn’t completely tie off the spell or activate it; I just placed it on the ground, ready to be grabbed. There was nothing else I could do then but sit and wait.
And hope like hell that inner certainty and the growing sense of anticipation coming from Vita would amount to nothing.
Monty and Ashworth activated their circles. The intertwined threads were bright against the shadows of the night, but if the captured Empusae felt their magic or in any way feared what might be happening, she gave no sign of it. Maybe she’d been knocked unconscious when she’d hit the snare barrier. Or maybe she was simply waiting for the right moment to attack.
“Right,” Ashworth said, his voice loud in the surrounding hush. “Let’s contract the snare and force this bitch out into the open.”
&nb
sp; As the two of them picked up the outer layers of their containment spell and began to reel them in, I cast an anxious gaze skyward. There was no immediate sense of threat, no sign of any bird, no indication that there were any other supernatural beings in the area beyond Vita or the trapped Empusae. I felt no easier. We knew so little about these demons; we had no idea if they were capable of telepathic communication or simply had a sixth sense of when the others were in trouble. In reality, it didn’t matter either way. The elder would be up there somewhere, waiting for the right time to attack.
As the containment spell continued to retract, the spell’s energy grew. It stung my skin and made the small hairs on my arms stand on end. I risked a look at the cave. There was no sign of the Empusae as yet, and still no indication that she was aware of what was happening. Maybe she had been knocked out—
A scream of fury rent the air. It was a sound so fierce and otherworldly that goose bumps ran across my skin. It wasn’t anger; it was a call for help.
The other Empusae had to be close.
My gaze jumped skyward again, but there was nothing to see beyond stars and darkness. In the trees to my right, energy stirred, something I felt rather than saw. It wasn’t the Empusae. It was Vita. Coming closer and staining the air with her anticipation of a kill and her need to be a part of it. I wasn’t sure how she was going to achieve the latter without Belle here to aid the process. I was too well-protected for her to take me over, and Eli too canny to allow it.
I can catch a cab out there if need be, Belle said. The three of you should be able to hold her in a snare until then.
I hesitated. Best wait until we do actually catch her. Vita’s more powerful than she makes out, and I don’t trust her.
She gave us a guarantee she wouldn’t overstay. She won’t break that. She dare not.
We’re dealing with a spirit who has been seeking revenge for decades. I very much suspect she’ll say or do anything to get it at this point.
Perhaps. Belle’s mental tone was filled with doubt. But we have little other choice except to trust her, especially if she is as powerful as you suspect.
Which was also totally true.
The trapped Empusae screamed again. Dust plumed out of the cave’s mouth, and the thick stench of rotting meat sharpened abruptly. I could see the far edge of the containment net now, even though the Empusae remained invisible. She had to be using some sort of concealment spell, but any hope she had of convincing us of her absence was somewhat dashed by her screams.
The net contracted until it was roughly six feet high and little more than four or five feet wide. Dust swirled within it, briefly framing the feminine form.
“Right, Monty, freeze her.” Sweat gleamed on Ashworth’s bald head and trickled down the side of his face. “Then I’ll do the deed.”
Monty nodded and the tempo of his magic rose. However much he might jest, however much he might claim not to be powerful enough for Canberra, there was no doubt he was stronger than either Ashworth or Eli.
His magic reached a crescendo, and all movement within the snare stopped. The Empusae screamed again.
This time, the sound didn’t come from the one in the snare.
I swore and readied the demon net. Its light pulsed across the night, a mix of silver and gold that was both my native magic and the wild. It might have been a sleeping element of my magic until I’d come into this reservation, but now that it had awakened within me, there was no keeping it out of my spells.
I scanned the sky again. There was no shadow hiding up there; nothing to indicate she was near.
Nothing except the growing sense of danger.
The caress of Ashworth’s magic rose as he climbed to his feet, a silver knife in one hand. The Empusae might be pinned, but she wasn’t silenced, and her screams of fury now filled the air as she fought Monty’s hold on her, trying to get free, trying to attack.
Monty hissed, a sound almost lost to the noise the Empusae made, and the stink of his sweat stung the air as his magic rose another notch to counter her movements.
Then, from out of the trees behind Eli, shadows moved.
“Eli!” I yelled. “She’s behind you!”
He swung around and slashed with his silver knife. The shadow dodged away then a claw appeared, raking the air. Eli’s protection circle shimmered in response but held firm. The shadow melted away as quickly as it had appeared.
Tension pulsed through me. I scanned the trees, looking for some sign or sense of her. Then Vita’s energy surged, and a ball of light that was so damn bright it brought tears to my eyes shot out of the trees and arrowed past me. My head snapped around and I caught a brief glimpse of a shadowy, feminine shape before it dissolved into feathers and flew upwards, out of the path of the fiery ball. The bright energy didn’t follow. It simply melted away.
Vita’s frustration flooded the air, a force so strong it momentarily overwhelmed my senses. I gasped and slammed down more mental shields—and barely in time. My psi senses screamed a warning even as something hit my protection shield. As the threads of my magic bent and then responded, trying to keep the intruder out, countermagic surged, its feel foreign and dark. The Empusae’s claws broke through my shields and she swiped at me, forcing me to jerk back to avoid my face being shredded. I swore and reached for my knife; she swiped again, this time more desperately. Her claws raked my arm, drawing blood as I grabbed the knife. I twisted it up, lashing at her, slicing two bloody talons even as she screamed and withdrew.
Power surged again, this time familiar. Eli, casting a counterspell to force her away from me even as he threw his demon snare. She jagged sharply sideways, somehow avoiding it. I grabbed my net spell with a bloody hand and threw it after her; again, she sensed it, but not quite soon enough. One wing caught and, for a second, I thought we had her. Then she twisted away, tearing free from the net before it had the chance to spread across the rest of her body.
She disappeared into the night, leaving behind a drifting cloud of bloody feathers that burned away long before they hit the ground. The elder had obviously learned from earlier mistakes.
But why was she retreating? It made no sense— The thought stalled as my gaze went to the tree cave.
Ashworth stood alone within the snare. The other Empusae was dead.
I took a deep, shuddering breath and then looked down at my arm. Three of her claws had raked me, and the wounds were deep and bloody. I reached into my pack, grabbed a bottle of holy water, and poured it over the wounds. It immediately began to bubble, suggesting it was fighting either magic or infection, and it hurt like blazes. My breath hissed through clenched teeth, and tears stung my eyes.
Eli appeared in front of me. “Are you okay?”
I nodded and carefully dismantled my protection circle. He immediately took my hand and inspected the wound.
“Looks like the holy water is basically sterilizing the wound. Infection won’t be a problem, but the wounds are deep enough that you might need—”
“I’m not going to the hospital for stitches. Butterfly bandages will hold it together just fine.”
He sniffed. It was not a happy sound. “Can you wiggle all your fingers okay?”
I did so, and he nodded, his relief evident. “You, my girl, are damn lucky. Wait here while I go get my first aid kit.”
As he rose and moved away, I picked up my spell stones and placed them back into their bag. Then I used another bottle of holy water to rinse the blood from my knife. I had no intention of letting it stay on the blade—I had no idea if a demon’s blood was capable of either permanently staining the blade or maybe even rendering it unusable. Better to be safe than sorry, especially when I simply didn’t know enough about demons.
My gaze went to the trees. Vita was still there, but her presence was muted. Obviously, creating those energy balls drained her to the point of exhaustion.
Which is obviously why she wants our help, Belle commented. She might be able to interact with this world, but it’s an
ability that is somewhat limited.
Limited isn’t a word I’d use to describe those energy balls.
And yet it was incapable of adapting to the Empusae’s movements.
True. I took a deep breath and blew it out. Let’s just hope the trap Ashworth set around that cave produces results, because I have no idea how we’re going to capture the remaining bitch otherwise.
If she’s in any way sensible, she’d get the hell out of here while she still can.
Except that we’ve now killed two of her offspring. Would you?
She sighed. No. I’ll head into storage and collect more of Gran’s books. She’s got one on tracer spells, so we might be able to jury-rig something.
Worth a shot.
I glanced up as Eli returned. Behind him, Ashworth and Monty had dismantled their magic and were walking around collecting their spell stones. Both looked gray—containing and killing the Empusae had taken a lot out of them, and it made me wonder how in the hell we were ever going to cope with the remaining one, who was not only stronger but far older and cannier.
Eli insisted on spraying antiseptic over my arm, even though the holy water had erased any chance of infection, then placed a number of butterfly plasters over the wounds to draw the skin together. Once he’d bandaged my arm from elbow to wrist, he packed up, then rose and offered me a hand up. “You okay to drive?”
I hesitated, and then pulled the keys from my pocket. “You’d better—at least until we get to your place. I can manage the short distance from there.”
He accepted the keys, then glanced across to the other two men. “Ready to go?”
“Yes,” Monty said and then hesitated. “Should we set another trap around this place, just in case she comes back here?”
“I’ll do it,” Eli said. “You three start making your way back to the SUV. I’ll catch up.”
“You’re not staying here alone,” Ashworth immediately said. “That bitch is pissed off, and there’s no telling where she is at the moment.”
