Spell Bound

We’d parked in a lot a couple of blocks from the steak house, and had walked about half the distance back when Cassandra murmured, “Someone’s watching us.”

I started to glance back, then stopped, took out my phone, and angled it to catch a reflection through the glass. All I could make out was a few people waiting to flag a cab.

“Not them,” Cassandra said. “Someone else has been behind us since we left the steak house.”

“Yes, there is. I’m experienced enough at stalking to recognize when I’m the one being stalked. Now I would suggest—”

Once we passed the taxi-waiting group, I saw there was indeed someone behind them, following us. Someone I recognized. Anita Barrington stood in a delivery lane. When she saw us coming toward her, she didn’t retreat. Just lifted a hand, as if to motion us closer, then wheeled, staring down the empty street. Without looking our way again, she took off.

“You’re asking?” Cassandra arched her brows. “A little skittish these days?”

We made it to the end of the lane, then Cassandra lifted a hand to stop me.

“Let me guess,” I whispered. “She’s waiting right around that corner.”

She shook her head. “Farther down. She’s stopped. Someone else is approaching.”

“I’ll phone them,” Eloise said. “I’m sure if I ask them to meet me for a drink—”

“No. Subterfuge will only make them suspicious. I’ll find another way. Giles can’t see me meeting with her and he has spies everywhere.”

Their voices faded as they walked away. Cassandra motioned that we should follow. We did, only to find the alley dark and empty. We proceeded with caution until we reached a metal door. Cassandra stopped there, paused, then nodded.

The door wasn’t locked. We went through and found ourselves in a back hall lined with doors, ending with one that led onto the street front. Cassandra passed by all of them without pausing. Her goal was the last one on the right. Also unlocked.

She opened it. When I peered through, I saw what looked like the darkened stockroom of a restaurant. I remembered passing an Indian takeout that’d been closed for the night.

Cassandra crossed the dark room and reached for the next door handle. I hurried in and grasped her shoulder.

“Um, yes. Inside an empty restaurant. In the dark. Alone. Does this really seem like a good idea?”

She turned to me. “Timidity does not become you, Savannah. Has this loss of powers really had such an effect on your nerve?”

“No. I mean, yes, I’m a little more cautious. But having screwed up and gotten myself kidnapped had a bigger effect. It’s not nervousness. It’s maturity.”

“No, my dear, it’s not. But clearly this isn’t the place to have this conversation, so you will wait here, where I can assure you it’s quite safe. The one who is impervious to harm will continue on.”

Damn it. Now this wasn’t a matter of maturity. It was a matter of doing what was right, and protecting my partner.

I went through the door. Dark. I took out my phone and activated my new flashlight app. It cast a very weak light, barely enough to bother with. I could survive without magic, but it did make life easier. And safer.

I made it into the restaurant front—a counter for service and a few chairs for waiting customers. A sign pointed to restrooms around the corner. I followed it to a set of stairs. At the top were restroom doors. Farther down the hall, a door was open.

Ahead I saw Cassandra’s back as she crept through a second doorway. I could hear voices, too. Cassandra disappeared, heading in the direction of the voices.

“Hello, Cassandra,” Anita’s voice said. “I’m so pleased to meet you.”

“Anita Barrington,” Cassandra said. “I’ve heard a great deal about you. Good to see you’re alive and well after your brush with death. It’s rather nasty, isn’t it?”

Anita laughed. “They’re right. You are a cool one. Good. That will make our discussion much easier. Would you take a seat, please?”

I crept along until I was behind the open door and could see through the crack into the room. A young man faced Anita, who was at a table. The guy stood by the table. Eloise was over at the window.

“She wasn’t curious. I am. The curse of a long life. Anything interesting intrigues me.”

“A long life indeed. You’re the oldest living vampire. Your life must be nearing its end.”

“If you’re asking me to give my body to science, I’ve misplaced my donor card.”

Anita smiled. “That would be very rude of me, and I can assure you, this is a completely respectful conversation, Ms. DuCharme. I have a proposition to make. I’d like to offer to extend your life.”

“Perhaps.” Cassandra folded her hands on the table. “First, Ms. Barrington, tell me about Matthew Hull. He admitted to killing you. Clearly he didn’t. He simply wanted the council to think he had, so if anything happened to him, his work could continue. You were working with him, not against him. And now you’re working with Gilles de Rais?”

“Another curse of old age. I have no patience for prevarication or pretense. I presume you’ll indulge me in that?”

I took out my cell phone and texted Lucas. Potential situation. Bring backup. I gave my location and told him to call from the back door when he arrived. He texted back immediately, saying he was ten minutes away and Troy was with him.

As Anita and Cass faced off in silence, I ran through ideas. They knew I might be nearby, so I could sneak out, make some noise, and lure the guy out of the room. But that would still leave Anita and Eloise.

“Yes,” Anita said finally. “I was collaborating with Matthew Hull. When I learned who he was, I made contact and we discovered we had a mutual interest.”

“When the werewolves began getting close, he suggested faking my death to distract them. I went along with it. But I had no idea that he planned to take those babies and kill Zoe Takano. I’d never have allowed that. They’re lovely girls, Elena and Zoe. I was relieved to hear they survived the attacks.”

Truth or bullshit? I couldn’t tell. Anita’s sweet old lady routine was as convincing as Cassandra’s unshakable doyenne.

“I’m glad to hear that,” Cassandra said. “But you have continued Hull’s work, have you not?”

“I’ve incorporated it into my own. Being presumed dead does have its advantages. I’ve been able to continue my work in peace.”

“Without your granddaughter to look after. I’m sure that made it particularly peaceful.”

“My granddaughter is still with me. I know Elena made inquiries after my death, checking on her, and I appreciated that. As she discovered, Erin was in the care of a witch friend, who kept her until it was safe for me to take her back.”

“So now you’re continuing your immortality work with Gilles de Rais.”

Silence. I could tell Anita was thinking fast. Did she dare admit to collaborating with a notorious killer? She’d already insinuated that she wasn’t working with him.

Relief flooded Anita’s broad face. “As he should. He’s a fascinating and brilliant man.”

“Who has found the cure for mortality? Is that what you’re offering to share with me?”

“I’m speaking to you,” Cassandra said. “If you can’t supply the answers, then I trust you can bring him here to continue this conversation.”

Cassandra sighed. “Did I mention my age and lack of patience? As you’ve pointed out, my time on this earth is limited. I think my position entitles me to better treatment, and you can tell Mr. de Rais that I’m not impressed.”

The young man stepped forward. “No one means you any disrespect, Ms. DuCharme. I’m sure Anita can call him and explain the situation.”

Anita glowered at the interruption. But after a moment, she nodded, and said she’d try to get him on the phone. When she left the room, I pressed back against the wall behind the door. She passed without noticing me, and continued toward the stairs. Apparently she didn’t want Cassandra overhearing this conversation. I started to slip after her.

“Eloise,” I heard Cassandra say. “I see it didn’t take you long to contact Anita after speaking to us.”

“It wasn’t like that. Well, okay, I figured it wouldn’t hurt, right? I mean, she’s Anita Barrington. Of course I want to get on her good side, and when I called Brad here, he agreed we should do it . . .”

As Eloise chattered, Brad stepped behind Cassandra. There was a blade in his hand. A huge butcher’s knife.

It rushed in like a shock of electricity, so fast and hard my brain went into shock. My body kept moving, though, flying forward, my hands lifting, sparks flying from them, waves of energy pulsing from me, knocking everyone to the floor.

Brad started to leap up, butcher knife raised, gaze still fixed on Cassandra. I hit him with an energy bolt. I didn’t say the incantation. I just swung toward him, and thought the energy bolt, and it hit him so hard he smacked into the wall. He hit the floor, mouth opening and closing, eyes wide, hands clutching his stomach as he convulsed. After a moment, he went still.

“Brad made me do it,” she whimpered. “He’s the one with the knife. He’s the one who got Anita out of the room.”

“And who told him to kill me?” Cassandra advanced on Eloise as she cowered.

“N-nobody. It was his idea. I told him about Anita and he volunteered to help her speak to you. Then he said if we could get her out, he could kill you and you’d be worth a lot of money. Your body, I mean. On the black market. For immortality experiments. You’re going to die soon, right?”

“And if I could help others achieve their own immortality, it’s a good way to end my life. Sorry, but nobility has never been one of my virtues.”

“What’s going on here?” Anita stepped into the room. When she saw me, she blinked. “Savannah. Good to see you again. If you came to rescue your friend, I can assure you we were having a friendly conversation—”

Cassandra raised the knife. “I don’t consider this conducive to friendly conversation. Particularly not when it’s aimed at my neck.”

Had I done that? How? Even now, when I whispered an incantation, I could tell it wasn’t going to work. The power was gone, leaving me empty and numb.

Cassandra turned to Anita. “You may have had nothing to do with this, but your inability to ensure my safety does not bode well for a business relationship. Tell Gilles I said no.”

“Savannah.” Anita stepped forward. “May I at least speak to you? I know our last encounter wasn’t pleasant, but we’ve realized our mistake.”

“You know who I’m talking about. Larsen Dahl. And on the subject of children, if you go after the Danvers twins, you’ll end up like him.” I pointed at Brad’s body.

“I know they’re on Giles’s list of collectibles. And I know Matthew Hull wanted them, too. You’ve admitted to working with both.”

“Matthew wanted them for their value on the black market. To fund his experiment, not as material for it. The children are in no danger from me or Giles. I can assure you—”

“Don’t assure me. Just stay away from them. And return the boy and his parents.”

“So it seems your spells have returned,” Cassandra said. “And at a very opportune moment.”

I shook my head. “They’re gone again. I can feel it. I don’t know what that was. I didn’t even cast. Just reacted.”

“If my life being in danger invoked that response then . . .” She looked over at me. “Thank you, Savannah. It was unexpected and appreciated.”

I looked away, my cheeks heating. I tried to think of a clever comeback, but couldn’t, and settled for saying, “What you said in there, about negotiating with Giles . . . I know you’re getting to the end and . . . and that can’t be easy but . . .”

“It might be advantageous to us at a later stage if we haven’t ruled out collaboration.” She walked another few steps, then lowered her voice. “For the record, while I’m not overjoyed at the prospect of my life ending—I suspect there will be some very unbecoming kicking and screaming involved—I have accepted it.”