Dragons gift the protect.., p.16
Dragon's Gift: The Protector Complete Series: Books 1 - 5, page 16
part #0 of Dragon's Gift: The Protector Complete Series Series
He was a good guy to have on our side, and Del was hardcore smitten with him. And he with her.
“Hey, guys,” I said.
“Hey,” Cass and Del said in unison. Roarke and Aidan got their greetings in slightly behind.
“Did you find out anything helpful?” Cass asked.
“Yeah, thank fates.” I gestured to Ares. “But first, some introductions.”
Ares made the rounds, introducing himself first to my deirfiúr, who gave him suspicious looks.
“We’re not letting you take Nix back to your Vampire Court,” Del said.
“Just so you’re aware,” Cass added.
Ares nodded, but didn’t say anything. What could he say, anyway? He turned to Aidan and Roarke. “It’s been a while.”
“You know each other?” I asked.
“Not well. We’ve met once,” Aidan said.
I had to imagine it was through Aidan’s security business or his limited involvement with the Alpha Council.
“Twice for us,” Roarke said. “Both through work.”
“But we second Del and Cass’s sentiments,” Aidan said. “You won’t take Nix to your Vampire Court.”
Annoyance flashed in Ares’s eyes.
Shit. Apparently he’d bite his tongue once, but maybe not twice. I grabbed his hand, squeezing hard. The action surprised me. What was I hoping to do? Control him?
Yeah right.
Ares only said, “It is not fully in my control. But I’m committed to proving Nix’s innocence.”
It was the best I could hope for. I glanced at him, but his gaze remained on Roarke and Aidan.
Fortunately, everyone seemed satisfied with that. Even better, Claire arrived to break the tension.
“What’ll you have?” she asked Ares and me. Her British accent was as thick as Connor’s.
I turned to her. She was still dressed in her fighting leathers, but had tied a black apron on top. Fortunately, her clothes were blood-free. “Did you just get off a job?”
She nodded. “Failed though. Another merc nabbed the bounty. So I’ll finish the night helping Connor.” She grinned. “Pay’s not as good, but it’s less deadly.”
Her brother was behind the bar, quickly filling drinks, though not quickly enough. There was a line of supernaturals eagerly awaiting their weekend fuel.
“Thanks for coming over,” I said. “Could I have a latte and whatever cheesy thing you have left over from today? A pasty or whatever?”
Claire and Connor were from Cornwall original, home of the Cornish pasty. Food was usually only a simple breakfast and lunch thing here. Easy things that could be made in their small kitchen, and the pasty fit the bill. The savory delicacies were Cass’s favorite, but I liked them too.
“Sure thing.” Claire looked at Ares. “And you, handsome?”
“A coffee,” Ares said. “Black. And a pasty if you have another.”
Claire nodded and hurried off, weaving expertly through the crowd.
“Coffee on a Friday night?” Cass said. “Must be a fight coming up. You found your murderer?”
“Yeah.” I sat in one of the six plush chairs, immediately feeling every bit of my exhaustion from the day. I should’ve ordered a boost with my coffee. Connor specialized in adding unique potions to the coffees that would give you a bit of extra magical energy.
“Who is he?” Del asked.
“And where is he?” Cass added.
“Aleric. Member of some group of folks with dragon tattoos. And he’s in Magic’s Bend.”
“Dragon tattoos?” Aidan asked.
“Ever heard of a group with those?” Ares asked.
“I haven’t,” Aidan said.
“Neither have I,” Roarke said.
For some reason, it annoyed me that these jerks had dragon tattoos. I might be a FireSoul, but it wasn’t like I owned dragons. But it kinda felt like they were sullying something really cool with their lame criminal shenanigans.
“Well, they’re dedicated to their cause. Two committed suicide rather than submit to questioning,” Ares said.
I leaned forward. “And after they died, their bodies turned to dust.”
Aidan’s brows rose. “That’s an expensive spell. But a good one, if you don’t want anyone learning from your corpse.”
“Yeah. It was annoying.” They might have had wallets with info or cells with valuable contacts.
“So this Aleric lives somewhere in Magic’s Bend,” Cass said. “We can go get him. The six of us. Tonight.”
Her quick offer of support made me grin. I’d expected it, because it’s just how we operated, but I still liked hearing it. “Not sure if he actually lives here, but he’s here now for some reason.”
“We should go later.” Del glanced toward the window, where people strolled by, probably on their way to the Flying Wizard, the only other bar on this street. “It’s busy now. Better to go when there are less people around.”
“And he may have less backup if it’s late at night,” Ares said.
“Good plan. And I might even get a two-hour nap in,” I said. My tired bones rejoiced.
“Yeah, you look like hell warmed over,” Cass said.
I grabbed one of the magazines on the little table next to me and chucked it at her. She laughed and batted it out of the way.
“But it is a good idea,” Del said. “You need to recoup your power. Better than going into battle at half strength.”
We’d fought our fair share of battles in all kinds of conditions, so I couldn’t help but agree.
“We’ll rest for a couple hours,” Ares said. “Then we’ll go at midnight. By the time we find Aleric, it should be late enough that the town is quiet and he’s hopefully alone.”
It was a solid plan. I liked recon and adventure. A change from my time in the shop. It’d almost be fun if my life didn’t depend on it.
“Delivery!” Claire appeared at my chair with a tray, then set down cups and plates.
“Thank you.” The words had hardly left my mouth before I dug in. After swallowing a bite of cheese and potato pasty, I looked at Cass and Del. “Did you learn anything about Informas? How they work?”
Cass nodded. “According to Dr. Garriso, they don’t normally kill to get the information they want. If they touch someone, they can suck it right out of their head using their magic. And they can interpret any language.”
“That’s useful,” Ares said.
“Very,” Cass said. “It takes a lot out of them, though, especially if they’re less experienced Informas. But here’s something interesting—if one Informa kills another, he will inherit all of the secrets that the other possesses.”
I leaned back in my chair. “Huh. That may be why Aleric killed Marin. He wasn’t able to get the secret at the Cathar castle, so he killed Marin for it.”
“It works out nicely. Very neat. Logical.” A thoughtful glint entered Ares’s eyes. “I’ll be right back.”
He rose and went outside, then disappeared.
“That was a quick getaway,” Del said.
“Only strong vampires can transport.” Aidan looked toward the window. “And that guy qualifies.”
“Is he giving you any trouble?” Roarke asked.
“Besides the collar?” I shook my head. “Nah. Not much. He doesn’t know what I am, but he’s suspicious.”
“That’s not good,” Cass said. “He’s government.”
“Not ours, at least,” Del said.
“No, but the Vampire Court would do well to curry favor with the Order of the Magica.” I leaned forward and whispered. “Turning in a known FireSoul would go a long way toward that.”
“We won’t let it come to that,” Aidan said.
“Thanks, guys.” I leaned forward, propping my elbows on my knees. “But hopefully this will be over soon, and I’ll never see him again.”
“Knock on wood.” Del knocked on her head.
I followed suit. I wasn’t superstitious like she was, but she got pissed if you didn’t appease the jinxing gods.
“You look a bit bummed, actually.” Cass gasped. “Oh my gosh. Will you miss him?”
“No.” I scowled at her. “He’s put my life at risk by snapping this collar on me. No way I every want to see him again.”
Lie.
Cass and Del shot me identical skeptical looks.
Fortunately, Ares returned at that moment, distracting them. Not that I was happy to see him. Nope. I was just ready for a nap.
“Any news?” I asked. “That’s what you went for, right?”
“Yes. I’ve told some of my Enforcers to meet us at midnight, here. And I’ve told the Vampire Court what you’ve discovered about Aleric.”
My heart leapt. “Will they take the collar off me early?”
“They’ve agreed to temporarily disable the magic, which has been done remotely. When you report to them tomorrow night, at the end of the three day period, we’ll remove it.”
“So at least it won’t blow my head off if the magic is disabled.” My chest squeezed tight. I didn’t want to appear in front of the Court. “Isn’t there a way to get it off without seeing them?”
“No.” Ares frowned. “It’s part of the collar’s design. All three must touch it to remove it. It seemed like a good idea when we built it. Now, I’m not so sure.”
Damn. Double damn. But I smiled and nodded, trying not to reveal the mini freak-out happening within me. “Okay, sure.”
I stood. “I’m going to go get some rest. We’ll head out at midnight.”
“I’ll walk you to your door,” Ares said.
“It’s okay.”
“Better safe than sorry.” He stood.
“Fine, but you’re not coming up.”
Cass and Del grinned. I scowled at them, then turned for the door. Ares followed.
The night was cold and dark as we made our way out. I couldn’t wait for a nap.
“We’re close,” Ares said. “Thanks to you.”
I pointed to the collar. “Just trying to save my own hide.”
“You want justice for Marin too. I can see that.”
I shrugged. “I don’t like murderers. And Marin seemed like a good guy. He was trying to protect that secret by taking it, according to the Order of Secret Stealers. Do you believe that?”
“Yes. I’m good at sensing a liar. And Marin’s intentions were good. He was likely sent to the Cathar castle to protect the secret from Aleric. And he almost did.”
“But Aleric killed him.” I clenched my fists. “I wonder what’s so important and deadly.”
“I don’t know. But maybe we’ll find out when we catch Aleric.”
We reached the green door leading to my apartment. I turned to Ares. “I hate this collar, you know.”
“I know. I’m sorry.”
My brows rose. “I wasn’t expecting an apology from you. You don’t seem like the sort.”
“I can be.” The corner of his mouth quirked up in a grin that was devastating to my good sense. I suddenly wanted to kiss him, and that was just plain stupid. I pressed myself back against the door, moving farther away from temptation.
“You’re special, Nix. More than anyone I’ve ever met.”
I opened my mouth to deny it, but something silver flashed out of the corner of my eye. A little sphere. I’d barely registered what it was by the time it exploded. The sonic blast threw Ares and me sideways. I fell, hitting my head on the stone stoop of the next door down. Pain flared.
The last thing I saw through my fading vision was Ares, sprawled on the ground ten feet away, and six figures running toward us.
I didn’t recognize a single one.
13
Pain shot through my skull as I opened my eyes. My vision was blurred, revealing only shadows and massive shapes. But I was definitely indoors. And tied to a chair. My wrists were bound behind me with thick rope.
If the soreness in my shoulders was any indication, I’d been here a little while. My feet weren’t bound, which was a blessing. It kept the panic from overwhelming me.
I shifted my wrists uncomfortably, feeling a new metal bracelet around one wrist.
That wasn’t mine. I wasn’t big on jewelry.
Shit. It could be a concealment charm so that my friends couldn’t find me. Immediately, I called my magic to me, attempting to conjure a blade but I was so woozy from the head wound that it was impossible.
I needed to get it together enough to conjure a blade. I didn’t have a lot of magic left, but I should be able to manage that. I drew in an unsteady breath and blinked, trying not to move my head too much as I took in my surroundings.
A warehouse. Or a factory.
And Ares was nowhere to be found. What had happened to him?
The ceiling soared four stories above me, with wrought iron stairs in the corners leading up to a walkway built around the walls of the building, about fifteen feet in the air. There were more stairs leading up to higher walkways, as if factory overseers had liked to walk up high, surveying the workers down below.
Massive pieces of rusted iron machinery crouched along the walls of the huge space. They looked like steam machinery, so this place likely hadn’t been used since the nineteenth century.
This had to be one of the abandoned factories in my neighborhood that had never been revitalized.
“Aleric!” a masculine voice shouted. “She’s awake!”
Shit. That was enough recon. And my head was feeling clearer. I needed to get the hell out of here.
Unfortunately, a dozen men drifted out of the shadows that surrounded me. Then another dozen. An even twenty-four. Most had been leaning against the machinery, if I had to guess, snoozing until I woke up.
They circled me like hyenas, keeping their distance.
I caught a variety of magical signatures. There had to be at least a couple Fire Mages, an Ice Mage, several demons, and who knew what else among the motley crew. A few had the dragon tattoos, but I’d bet more had them underneath their clothes.
Losers like these didn’t deserve the dragon as their symbol. And who the heck were these guys, anyway?
“Aleric!” I called. “Come out and chat!”
Carefully, I tried calling on my magic again. This time, I was able to focus and it worked. A tiny blade appeared in my hand. If I were careful, I could saw my way out of these bonds without anyone noticing.
Fortunately, none of them seemed to notice the little blade appear, but as soon as I started sawing away at the thick rope, I realized it was going to take a hell of a long time.
I kept at it, eyeing the man nearest me. He was slight, with a mean face and magic that smelled like old socks. Ew. I did not want to know what his gift was.
I met his muddy brown gaze. “Enjoying your sausage party?”
“Bitch.” He spat on the ground.
“Why thank you.” I fluttered my lashes at him. “Now where’s your pal Aleric? I’d like to chat.” And jump his ass as soon as I got out of these bonds.
“He’s coming. Said to call him when you woke.”
“Good. I’d like to see if he wants to play target practice with me.”
Little Man gave me a dull look.
“He’s the target,” I clarified.
“But you’re tied up.”
“My friends will be here any minute.” At least, I hoped they’d be. “So no, I won’t always be tied up.”
As I sawed at my bonds, I eyed the rest of the men. They stared at me, some with hunger in their gazes, some with violence. Only a few were apathetic. I guess I was the main entertainment? And why the hell was I here?
Sweat beaded on my skin despite the chill in the air, and I didn’t like the sign of weakness. But these dudes looked shifty as hell. If I’d been free, I wouldn’t have been quite so nervous. Tied up? That was another story.
At least they didn’t approach.
A metal door slammed in the distance. The noise came from behind me. I tucked the blade in my palm and stopped my progress, which was painfully slow.
“Aleric?” I called. “That you, taking your sweet time?”
Just like my friends were doing.
“Anxious to see me?” The voice was more pleasant than I’d have expected from a murderer.
But then, all kinds of folks committed murder.
I craned my neck. A man approached. Middle-aged, black hair, blue eyes. Scar across the chin and a nose with the tip missing.
Just like I’d memorized.
“Good of you to join me,” I said.
“I’d have thought it was the other way around.” He strolled to stop in front of me.
I immediately began sawing at my bindings again, keeping the movements tiny.
“Nah.” I shook my head. “This was all part of my plan to catch you.”
“Catch me?” He scoffed. “I caught you.”
“No. That’s just what it looks like. Fortunately for me, you’re wrong.” He’d be wrong if I could get through these damn bindings or if my friends would show up.
“Do you even know why you’re here?” he demanded, clearly annoyed with my lack of fear.
“I figure you want to try to frame me for the murder of Marin Olerafort. How close am I?”
His silence confirmed it. With him this close, I was able to sense his magic. It smelled like rotten fish and sulfur. Ugh. Beneath it all, there was the slightest hint of a papery smell. I breathed shallowly through my mouth, trying to avoid the awful scent of dark magic. This guy was evil to his core. He might be an Informa, but he was something else as well.
I’d almost guess he’d been enchanted, but his gaze was too clear. He knew what he was doing.
“What’s with the dark magic stink on you?” I asked. If I had to bet, his soul was rotten. But that was just superstition. “Is that why you killed Marin Olerafort? Couldn’t help yourself?”
His eyes flashed. “I killed Marin Olerafort because I wanted to. Because the old fool was in my way and slowed me down.”
“Bastard.” Rage burned away the chill of fear. He’d liked killing Marin. “You enjoyed it.”
It made my stomach lurch.
“Sure I enjoyed it. Everyone needs a hobby.” His gaze turned dark. “And no one takes from me.”
“He got to that secret before you did. Fair and square.” I shook my head, disgusted. “You’re pathetic. Murder. Just for a secret?”
