There wasn’t much Jack could say. Abi, Iris, Marin, and even Kaisermann were all on board. Head out to the site and hope that ward was still standing, that seemed to be the plan.
“Are we seriously all going?” Jack was sorry he asked, because three women turned to give him the stink eye.
At least Kaisermann wasn’t giving him hell for asking. The old guy just grinned and said, “I’m in. I don’t go out much these days, what with my Sanctuary responsibilities.”
Jack hadn’t actually meant Kaisermann when he’d said “all,” because the guy was a homebody. A professional, tend-to-a-supernatural-house kind of homebody. “Oh, I don’t know Mr. Kaisermann. Do you think it’s a good idea to leave Sally here alone?”
“Not a problem. A little of Sally goes with me wherever I go.” Kaisermann pulled out his key ring.
“Wow.” Iris reached out then jerked her hand back. “Sorry. It’s just hard to imagine how a house can fit into a key.”
Kaisermann frowned, turning the key around in his fingers. “No, she’s not in the key. She’s in the house…and under it and around it. I suppose it’s like a link.”
“Has anyone considered just locking up the aswang inside Sanctuary?” Abi asked.
Everyone turned to look at her, and Jack could see Marin working through the possibilities.
“Wouldn’t work,” Kaisermann said. “She can keep things out, but not in. She’s a creature who lives to aid others, not trap them.” Kaisermann’s bushy eyebrows pulled together as he addressed Jack in a quieter tone. “Don’t ask me to tell you how I know—I just do.”
The telepathic link between Kaisermann and Sally was a bizarre phenomenon and not well-understood in the magic-using community, so Jack could either trust the guy and take him at his word—about both this and the idea of ghosts powering a ward around Nate’s cage—or he could start questioning all of the magical wonders he encountered on a now daily basis.
Sometimes a guy had to have a little faith.
“Who’s driving? Jack asked.
Marin gave him a smirky smug smile, but she didn’t say anything.
“Oh, can we drive, Abi?” Iris asked. “Their rental is small for five people.”
Jack couldn’t help think as they filed out of Sanctuary that this outing felt more like a school fieldtrip than work on a case. He waited until they were already loading up to text Elliot with an update. He couldn’t handle one more tagalong.
As soon as everyone was settled in Abi’s SUV, Jack asked from the back seat, “Is there anything else you guys worked out while I was catching a few hours of sleep?” Much more quietly, he said to Marin, “Get your elbow out of my gut.”
Marin snorted, but she did tuck her arms closer.
“I was just wondering why Nate—that is what you’re calling him?” When Jack confirmed, Iris continued, “Why would Nate go back to his cage?”
“That’s something we need to sort out,” Jack said. “I’m not sure we’ve had any good thoughts yet.” Marin elbowed him. “Sorry, except to rely on his massive ego. According to Marin and her vast knowledge of egomaniacs, he won’t be concerned about returning because he probably considers himself invulnerable to us.”
Iris met Jack’s gaze in the rearview mirror. “That’s not what I meant. You do realize that you were both attacked not far from the crypt? That’s what Grandma Abi said. I was just wondering what brought him back into that area.”
This time Jack nudged Marin in the gut.
Marin leaned forward in between the front seats. “I guess I didn’t realize how close we were. I was injured and focused on landing safely, which required several passes. I do vaguely recall that we’d entered the area that had reported an exodus of their local rat population.” She sat back into her seat with a thoughtful expression. “What if he’s territorial?”
Abi made a disbelieving sound. “And his cage is tied to his territory?”
“Sure,” Kaisermann said. “Why not? If you consider that he’s been trapped there for decades or longer, he probably thinks of that area as his. He may not want to crawl back into the cage, but I can see him being proprietary over the area.”
“If they’re so territorial, then how’d he end up here when aswang originate in the Philippines?” Iris asked. “Seems odd.”
“Oh crap,” Marin said. “The liver.” She shook her head. “If he is territorial and another apex predator entered the area, maybe he would mark his territory?”
“Apex predator?” Iris sounded confused. She turned around and, with a frown, she said, “Is that what the fire is really for? So you can roast your meals?”
Marin grinned at her. “Don’t worry. It doesn’t work that way anymore. Dragons eat in their human form…mostly.”
Iris’s lips formed a silent, “Oh,” and she turned back to the front.
Several seconds passed then Abi said, “You guys do realize that if all of this theorizing is anywhere near accurate that we’re not just headed out for a little recon. We’re going to run into a seriously pissed off Nate. He may have been keeping things low-key in the mortal world so he can maintain his cover longer. But you’re on his turf—for the second time.”
“Oops.” Iris let out a long breath. “Now might be the time to tell you guys I’ve been practicing my ghost summoning.”
Since she hadn’t known she was a medium the day before, that was a somewhat surprising statement. Jack hesitated, but someone had to ask. “So how exactly do you summon ghosts?”
The car jerked to the side, swerving off the road.
If ghost summoning involved flat tires, then doing it in a car seemed like a terrible idea.
But then the door nearest to Marin was ripped away with a nasty screech of distressed metal.
Not a ghost summoning gone awry—Nate.