When Ofelia didn’t immediately respond, Kim plowed forward.
“This is the part where you’re supposed to say we never met,” she noted. “We’ve only seen each other from afar even though you tried to follow me earlier today. Did you think I didn’t notice you, by the way? You weren’t exactly stealthy.”
“Actually, I did assume you didn’t see me,” Ofelia admitted, her mind working overtime as she tried to ascertain a way for her to take Kim out while incurring minimum damage to her patio. Not drawing attention to the situation was also a bonus. “Once you disappeared, though, I knew that wasn’t the case. Had I known then what I know now, things would’ve been different.”
“Oh, yeah?” Kim was uncomfortably chipper. “What do you know now?”
“Just that you’re one of the local girls who used to practice magic with Henrietta. Azalea Rivers, right? You did a good job of hiding your identity, but you were easily recognizable to a few people ... including Henrietta.”
It was obvious Kim was surprised by the declaration. Her forehead puckered as she ran the news blast through her head. “How did you ... ?”
“Figure it out? Actually, the information sort of fell into my lap. Someone saw you on the street before Henrietta died. He recognized you and was only too happy to share the information.”
Kim scowled. “Sebastian Gendry. He was looking at me funny, but I didn’t think he recognized me. I thought it was more likely that he was simply trying to place me … or maybe mount me because he’s a disgusting pervert. I guess that was a mistake.”
“You’ve made more than one,” Ofelia offered. From all outward appearances, she was relaxed as she reclined in her chair. In truth, however, she was ready to strike. “I am curious, though. Why did you kill Henrietta? Was it simply because she could’ve recognized you? I’m guessing it was something more.”
The noise emanating from Kim’s throat was disdainful. “Henrietta was only important in her own mind.”
“If that were true you wouldn’t have killed her.”
“What makes you think I did?”
“I’m not an idiot.” Ofelia didn’t raise her voice. She wanted to appear as if antagonizing Kim was the furthest thing from her mind. “You killed her in Pirate Alley, not far from the apartment you shared with her. Oh, yeah, the cops are aware of the location. They’re there now ... so I hope you didn’t leave anything important behind.”
Fury lit Kim’s features. “How is that even possible? Kim and Azalea are two different people.”
“You used the same Social Security number. Once we knew who we were dealing with, it wasn’t that hard to track you down. I guess that was another mistake.”
“I guess it was,” Kim gritted out, fury positively rolling off her in waves. “That’s good to know for the future, though. I thought I would be able to set up a new life here, but I guess that’s not the case.”
“Why did you come back?” Ofelia was honestly curious. “What did you think it would accomplish?”
“This is my home. I’ve always loved this city. I’ve also loved the magic associated with it. The only reason I left in the first place was because Henrietta forced my hand. She threatened to destroy my magic, not just bind it, if I didn’t leave. I didn’t see where I had much choice if I wanted to reclaim what was mine at some point.”
“You can’t destroy magic.” Ofelia was matter-of-fact. “It’s not possible. It can dissipate and wither, like a plant on a vine, but it can’t be destroyed.”
“I was young and naive when Henrietta told me that,” Kim explained. “I believed her because I was stupid. My education level has vastly increased in my time away.”
“Is that why you came back now?”
“Partly.” Kim obviously didn’t have a problem spilling her secrets. Perhaps it was because she desperately needed someone who could understand what she was saying to listen. Either way, Ofelia was more than happy to play the part of confidant as she decided how to handle the situation. She needed time to figure things out.
“I heard from my mother that Henrietta was dying,” Kim explained. “Apparently word was spreading fast. I thought, once that happened, the binding spell she put on me would die with her.”
And that’s when the final piece of the puzzle slipped into place for Ofelia. “You used your relationship with Brett to secure the trip. You didn’t have enough money to make it on your own, did you?”
“Secretaries don’t make much and even though I was working to become a paralegal that didn’t mean I had money at my fingertips. I had to date a lot of lawyers — and let me tell you, they’re no fun at all — before I found Brett. He was standoffish at first, but he was willing to share his money with me and he had good prospects for the future. All it took was a little magical push – which had to come from outside sources thanks to Henrietta – to get him to fall all over himself to do my bidding. He was easy.
“Unfortunately for me, he was lying about how much he was worth,” she continued. “I found that out when we booked this trip and he had to buy the cheapest flights imaginable. Let’s just say that his presence in my life became unnecessary once we landed simply because of that.”
Ofelia was mortified. “You killed him because he didn’t have money?”
“No. I would’ve just let him leave if money was all I cared about. People would’ve been less likely to point the finger at me if that were the case. No, I killed him for another reason.”
“And what reason was that?”
“Because she stole his essence,” a male voice announced from a location behind her.
Ofelia swiveled quickly, her heart giving a little jolt, and she wasn’t surprised to find Sully standing there. His weapon was drawn and aimed at Kim, but he didn’t pull the trigger. He looked uncertain.
“What are you doing here?” Ofelia gasped.
“She wants to kill you,” Sully replied simply. “She needs to kill the most powerful witch. She’s stealing essences. I saw her grimoire and it’s ... dark. The last spell is one for stealing the life force of others to prolong your own life and enhance magical abilities. That’s obviously her plan.”
“Oh, you’re smarter than you look,” Kim teased, cocking her head. “That’s good. There’s nothing worse than a hot man with an empty brain.”
“I’ll have to take your word for it.” Sully flicked his eyes between Ofelia and Kim. He didn’t like the configuration. “Ofelia, I would appreciate it if you would move in this direction. I know you’re angry with me right now — and you can flog me to your heart’s content later — but I need you to come to me.”
Kim extended a warning finger, a wisp of magic escaping from the tip. Her nails were long, almost claw-like, and painted black. Ofelia figured that was a deliberate choice. “She’s staying right there. If she tries to move, I’ll kill her.”
From Ofelia’s standpoint, that was bold talk. She wasn’t quite ready to move yet, though. She needed to lull Kim ... or at least derange her until she was completely erratic. Only then would it be safe to take her on.
“You’re not going to touch her,” Sully hissed. “I’m not going to allow it.”
“Oh, that’s cute.” Kim made a tsking sound with her tongue. “If nothing else, Henrietta’s death brought the two of you together. I guess I can take credit for that.”
“I don’t know why you would want to, but knock yourself out,” Ofelia offered. “I want to talk about Henrietta. If you killed Brett for his life essence — which actually makes sense because you had to fuel your magic through alternative means thanks to Henrietta’s binding spell — then why did you need to kill her?”
“I just told you.” Kim let loose a dramatic eye roll. “The only reason I came back to town is because I thought she was dying. It turns out, that was a big fat lie. She wasn’t even sick.”
“She was,” Ofelia countered. “She was dying up until a few weeks ago. Then she did something to change her fate. We’re still not sure what. We know she w
as selling hexes for money. Perhaps she made a trade with someone who could save her life. We simply don’t know the answer to that question right now … but I will find out eventually.”
“It’s intriguing to think about,” Kim admitted. “I guess I’ll have to track down that information later. It’s not important to the story now, though. I came back because I knew she was dying and would be free to use my magic without complications again. That’s all I’ve been able to think about for years now.”
“I bet.”
“Imagine my surprise when I arrived to find that not only wasn’t she dead yet, but she was healthy as a horse. She wasn’t even sick. I’ll tell you, that was a smack in the face. It was infuriating.”
“Did she know it was you before you killed her?” Sully queried. “Did she recognize you?”
“I didn’t give her the chance. I knew better. If she realized I was back she would’ve been able to hold me off. Instead, I lured her into Pirate Alley with a message on her website requesting a reading. The moment she entered the alley, she was dead. I slipped up behind her and ... well ... it ended very quickly. I think she knew she was in trouble the split-second before I got my hands on her, but it was already too late.”
“And then you left her in the alley to bleed out like trash,” Ofelia said angrily. “That was nice of you.”
Kim obviously wasn’t bothered by the statement. “She got what was coming to her. She never should’ve messed with my life.”
“I’m sure she felt the same way about you,” Sully said dryly. “That doesn’t change the fact that you killed her and you’re going to have to pay for it.”
Kim let loose a hollow laugh. “Do you really think I’m going to let you stop me after I’ve come this far? Don’t be ridiculous. I’m here for a specific reason. You don’t play into the narrative. You should’ve stayed away.”
“He can’t do that,” Ofelia offered, an idea forming. “He thinks he’s the city’s big, strong protector. He has to rush to the rescue of us simple females because we can’t take care of ourselves.”
“Oh, I never said that,” he protested. “Stop putting words in my mouth. You ended up getting your own way anyway. She’s here and we’re taking her down together.”
The laugh Kim let loose was chilling. “Do you really think I’m going to let you take me down?”
“I really think you don’t have a choice,” Sully countered. “I’m the one with the gun.”
“A gun can’t stop me.” Kim let loose a haphazard wave. “It’s as if he knows nothing about witches.” Her eyes landed on Ofelia. “You understand what’s to come, though, don’t you?”
Ofelia bobbed her head with affirmation. “I do. You want to kill me and steal my power. You figure, with the life essences you’ve imbibed, that should put you in a good spot to claim your rightful place in the New Orleans witch hierarchy. Now that Henrietta is gone — and you assume I will be, too — you believe there’s plenty of room for you.”
“There is plenty of room for me. This is my destiny.”
“I can’t allow you to claim that destiny.” Ofelia was matter-of-fact. “It’s simply not allowed.”
“I guess we’ll have to find out, huh?”
“I guess we will.”
“Then let’s do it.” Kim’s hands ignited in red fire. “Last witch standing wins.” She unleashed the fire before Ofelia could even blink.
The game was afoot and it was every witch for herself.
Twenty
Ofelia had been in enough fights that she reacted without thinking. She rolled out of the chair, hit the patio with her knees, and unleashed a bolt of blue magic in Kim’s direction all within the space of three seconds.
She could tell the magic hit the target when she heard Kim grunt. She shifted her eyes in that direction, looking for a weakness, but Kim had already disappeared behind the small tiki bar on the other side of the patio.
“Are you okay?”
Ofelia jerked when she realized Sully was at her side, his hands insistent as they roamed her shoulders and back ... and then her chest. He was looking for a wound, which was sweet, but it was still an uncomfortable situation.
“She didn’t hit you, did she?”
Ofelia made a face as she slapped his hands away. “She didn’t touch me ... and watch your wandering hands. My father will break your fingers if he catches you doing that. Trust me. I know. Just ask Lamont Spriggs. My father caught him doing the same thing in the backseat of a car when I was in high school and it didn’t go over well.”
“I’ll take your word for it,” he said dryly, lifting his head toward the tiki bar. “We can’t let her escape. She’ll hurt other people and regroup before attacking again if we don’t end this now.”
“I’m well aware.”
He cocked his gun. “You stay here. I’ll circle behind her and take her out from that direction.”
That was the most ludicrous thing Ofelia had ever heard. “She’s not stupid ... or blind. She’s going to see you coming.”
“Not if you create a distraction.”
She stilled, surprised. “I thought you wanted me to stay here and act like a good little girl. Isn’t that what you said?”
“I actually happen to like my girls bad.” His grin was flirty before he remembered he was in the middle of a fight to the death. “You have magic at your disposal. You can use it to distract her while I take her out.”
“I could.” She licked her lips. “You’ll be exposed if you go out there. She could attack no matter what I do.”
“I guess it’s good I have you watching my back then, huh?”
Her cheeks warmed at the way he looked at her. “I should just make you do it yourself after what you pulled earlier.”
“You mean trying to protect you? Yes, I certainly should be publicly punished for that. I’m a monster.”
“You cut me out of the action.”
“Look around. You’re in the center of the action.”
Ofelia heaved out a sigh. Arguing was getting them nowhere. “Fine. Be careful, though. I’ll do what I can but ... she’s powerful. She’s been juicing her magic for years. I have no idea how many people she’s killed, but I bet Chicago has a heap of unsolved suspicious deaths they can’t tie to anyone. Now that she has her real magic back from Henrietta, she’s more powerful than she’s ever been.”
“Fair enough.” He held her gaze. “Protect yourself. If it comes to a choice between you and me ... you’re the priority.”
“Oh, geez.” She slapped a hand to her forehead. “You and I are going to need to talk about this alpha thing you’ve got going. No, I’m being serious. Partners don’t prioritize one person over the other. They work together.”
His grin was lightning quick. “Fine. Be careful anyway. I have a feeling I would miss you if something happened to you.”
Ofelia had the exact same feeling and she found it frustrating. “Just be careful. I’ll do what I can. Make sure you get her with the first shot.”
“That shouldn’t be a problem.”
Sully fought the urge to give her a kiss — for luck, not goodbye — and rolled away from her before regaining his feet. He crouched low so Kim would have trouble seeing him from her spot behind the tiki bar and shifted to the east.
Because she understood exactly what needed to be done, Ofelia waited until he was a good twenty feet away from her before standing and drawing Kim’s attention.
“You can’t win this,” she announced, craning her neck to get a glimpse of Kim’s face. “You’ve already lost. You just don’t realize it yet.”
Kim’s voice sounded ragged when she finally spoke. “I’ve come too far to give up now. I have to take you down. I’m sorry.”
Ofelia was expecting it when the woman jumped out from behind her hiding place, her fingers extended as magic sparked off the tips. This time, Ofelia was the first to strike. She called down the thunder — much quieter than Thor, of course — and directed it toward Kim.
>
The fallen witch realized too late what was about to happen. She tried to raise a barrier, but she couldn’t muster the correct counter spell. At the same moment, Sully leveled his gun on her and pulled the trigger.
The bullet hit at the same time the lightning did. Kim was illuminated in a blinding flash of light as thunder rolled, her body going ramrod straight. Life left her eyes in an instant, and when the lightning finished flashing her body hit the ground with a terrific thud.
There was no need to check on her. She was obviously dead. She’d fallen too hard to ever get up.
“What did you do?” Sully demanded, finding his voice. “I told you I was going to take her out.”
“And I told you we’re partners,” Ofelia shot back. “What does it matter? She’s down and out. We won. Yay!” She sarcastically threw her arms in the air, causing Sully’s lips to twitch.
“You still should’ve stuck to the plan,” he argued when he’d regained control of his facial expressions. “I’m the cop here. That means I’m in charge.”
“Um ... no. That’s not how I play. In fact ... .” She trailed off at the sound of pounding footsteps and turned in time to see her father and Felix standing at the top of the stairs. They both looked wild, as if they were loaded for bear. It didn’t take either of them long to realize they were already too late.
“Is that ... ?” Felix moved closer to the body. “Do I even want to know?”
“It’s a long story,” Ofelia replied, wiping the back of her hand over her forehead. “I promise to tell you about it as soon as I can. For now, though, I need you guys to run the bar while Detective Sully and I deal with this little ... minor ... mishap.”
Oscar snorted. “Minor mishap? You have a dead witch up here. The daughter of one of your mother’s friends to boot. I wish I could be a fly on the wall when word spreads that you took out Azalea Rivers.”
Felix’s face was blank. “Wait ... Azalea Rivers? How did that happen?”
“I’ll tell you downstairs.” Oscar grabbed his son’s arm and tugged him toward the exit. “It’s a long story. After that, we can talk about your job prospects while you’re helping me with the bar.”
The Hexorcist Page 19
