by Ann Denton
“What?” He ushers me out the door. “Now, get outta here, woman. I have a case to solve.”
“You’d better.”
“What?”
“Solve this case. I do not wanna go back to the dungeon.”
His hand is on my cheek. “I promise, Ly. You won’t.” Then, Mr. Shovey-hands pushes me out the door.
Chapter 19
It’s three a.m. I gave JR as long as I reasonably could, given that I wanted to call her at like ten.
But my insides are about to bust into outsides with the way my anxiety is pushing on them. Of course, the single vamp I’ve looked at in almost a decade had to check to see if I put a love spell on him. Then he knew about some secret kid Georgina had. . . And to top it all off, I just had the world’s hottest makeout session with a dragon whose photo used to serve as my drunken dart-board. My libido is cheering. But my head is spinning. I need someone to talk sense into me.
I sneak down to the District Attorney’s floor which is two flights below Ben’s office. I creep down the hall to check the paralegal’s room. Arnold’s in his office. The door’s shut, but I’d recognize his yell anywhere.
I keep my body hidden, but peek around the corner. “JR!” I whisper-yell.
She doesn’t look up.
I creep over to the recycling bin. It’s locked, because you know, everyone is so fascinated by legal documents that they want to come up to our office to steal them. I stick my hand into the slot we use to feed the paper in. Normally the thing is filled to overflowing. Of course, I have to pick the one day it’s not. I lean over farther. I just need enough to make some spitballs. My foot slips.
My arm slides farther into the hole and I feel the pinch of plastic. “H-E-double hockey sticks!” My arm is stuck. Of course it is. Because that’s my shit luck in life. Damn it all.
I reach for my phone.
I dial JR. The call goes to voicemail. I dial again. And again. And again.
“This better be you frickin’ calling from the hospital,” she whispers into the phone. “Alfred’s having apoplectic fits about all the cases we’re going to have to reschedule and all the defense motions to dismiss we have to respond to. There have literally been like eighteen of those just tonight—because of this whole Saffron thing. It’s made the entire office crazy.”
“Ben said he loved me and Luke had a witch doctor check to see if I put a love spell on him and my arm is stuck in the recycle bin around the corner,” I rush to get it all out before she hangs up on me.
Silence.
“Hello?” I check my phone to be sure she hasn’t hung up.
“I’m looking at the list of excuses I’ve used the last couple months on my phone. Do you think he’d buy that my mom was in a Broomer accident?”
I fight tears and a smile. “Might be a bit of a stretch. Danny drunk?”
“Used that one last month when we went shoe shopping.”
“Vet called and said your dog ate someone else’s dog.”
“That doesn’t even make sense.”
“It would if your dog was a zombie.”
She laughs. “I can always go with the stereotypical female standby.”
Together we chorus, “Lady problems.”
“I’ll figure it out. Try to get your arm out. I’ll meet you in the restroom.” JR commands.
I pull on the recycling bin. “It’s pretty stuck.”
She sighs. “Turn it on its side. Then you don’t have to fight gravity.”
I slowly lower what feels like a million pounds of paper to the ground, praying that no one walks up behind me. I can’t even imagine what they’d think.
JR is a genius. I’m able to slip my arm out. I leave the overturned recycling bin and run for the restroom. I skid to a stop inside.
JR is there two seconds later. I open my mouth but she holds up a hand. “I called my brother and told him we’re meeting him at Wanda’s Brews.”
I pout. “I thought we were getting lobster.”
“I thought I’d get to finish my work instead of lying to my boss.”
“Fine.” I still cross my arms and stomp my foot two-year-old style.
JR laughs and leads me out the door.
We grab a booth at Wanda’s and soon have our Salty Bird cocktails in hand.
“Ok, spill those guts, woman,” JR commands as she takes a drink.
I do.
Her jaw almost comes unhinged. I think it might hit the table.
“Why the heck do you get two epic selfless guys tripping over themselves to get next to you? This is so unfair. You should have to share.”
I cock my head and look at her. “Perhaps you didn’t hear the part where Luke thought I might have put a spell on him or where Ben told me to get lost and I believed it for two years.”
“Yeah, he was totally dead to you. That’s a hard reality to change.”
“No kidding. And the supposed gang thing, not really sure if Ben’s making that up. But what if Luke is in the Crypts? Lots of vamps are.” I remind her.
“Okay, I guess I’m not one hundred percent jealous.”
“You can’t be. How can you possibly be when you have the world’s sweetest satyr? With that Spanish accent and that black curly hair…”
“Okay. I’m not really jealous.” JR smiles at the thought of Danny.
“Good. Because we have more pressing needs than jealousy. Tell me what to do.”
“Whoa. I am not drunk enough for that kind of responsibility,” she shakes her head.
“But … how do I know who to pick?”
“You’ve been on one date. Had one kiss! Slow your roll. Priorities, lady. We need to solve this case first.”
“True. So true.”
We toss ideas back and forth for awhile. But don’t have any major revelations before Liam shows up.
He pulls open the door with drama. Wham. Hair toss. Enter. But that’s Liam. He’s always wanted everybody looking at him. Youngest child syndrome maybe? Or just a drama queen. Who knows.
Liam orders a drink at the bar and then struts to our table. His crisp three-piece suit and sunglasses that cost more than a month’s groceries scream ‘I’m important!’ I stick my finger down my throat in the universal gagging gesture. JR swipes my arm and forces it down as Liam sits.
“I have the most unbelievable news!” Liam begins.
I put a hand on my chest. “You’ve been accused of murder, too?”
Liam rolls his eyes. “Lyon, don’t be ridiculous.”
“Oh, but I’m not. I really have been. Arraignment in a week and a half. Spent a night in the dungeon and everything.”
Liam looks at JR. “She’s trying to rain on my parade isn’t she?”
JR nervously sips her drink. “Maybe. But she’s telling the truth.”
Liam raises an eyebrow at me. “I knew I didn’t like you for a reason. Just shows I’ve got good judgment.”
“Careful what you say, I’m a hardened criminal now.”
We have a stare down. I think it’s kind of fun, but JR looks so nervous that I stop out of pity for her.
“Fine. What’s your news?” I sigh dramatically, as if listening to Liam is the most boring thing in the world. Which possibly, it is. Because I don’t want to.
“I’ve been promoted to … Vice President of Marketing,” Liam announces proudly.
“That’s great!” JR gushes. “I’m so proud of you.”
“Wait,” I hold up a hand. “I’m confused. Weren’t you a vice president already?”
“Of Operations, not Marketing,” he rolls his eyes as if I should understand why this is such a big deal. But I don’t.
“Well, then how is it a promotion? It’s more like they got sick of you in Ops and shoved you into a different department.”
I can see him grit his teeth. I feel a little thrill run through me. I think I’m like five inside right now. I totally am just riling him up. But it’s so damn fun.
JR disagrees. “Obviously, Marketing ma
kes more sales, so now Liam’s responsible for the growth of the company, right?” She always has to appease him. Big sister soothing baby brother.
I focus back on my drink while Liam preens and tells JR all about his new job. We order and I do my best to keep my tongue from wagging. Partially because JR has her heel grinding into my foot.
“If you’d just move away from here, Juniper, you’d be able to do so much more for yourself.” Liam cuts into his steak and his sister at the same moment.
“Can’t go one evening without picking on her?” I ask.
“I just want what’s best for her.”
“You just want her to leave Tres Lunas like you. So she’ll be stuck in the human world? Pretending to be something she’s not? That’s what’s best for her?”
“You maggies are all the same,” Liam uses a derogatory word for magic-bearers. “The human world isn’t bad. It isn’t a sham. It’s part of what we are.”
“She couldn’t grow her plants out there.”
“She doesn’t need to grow plants.”
“You don’t know what she needs.”
“Magic isn’t a need, Lyon.”
“I know that.”
“I don’t think you do. Everyone in this little town is stuck in their little bubble. So dependent on magic—wouldn’t know how to solve a problem without it if their lives depended on it.”
“E.S.A.D.” I retort, downing the rest of my drink and waving over the waiter to get me another.
“What was that? Did you just curse me? See … case and point,” Liam purses his lips.
JR chuckles. And then busts out laughing. “She just cursed you. But not like that. It’s an acronym for eat shit and die.”
I don’t hold back my laughter. Liam turns very very red. JR and I fall into one of those laugh cycles—where eye contact with the other person just sets you off again. My ribs hurt by the time we’re laughed out.
“OMG. That was hilarious,” I wipe my eyes on my napkin.
“Glad you find me funny,” Liam chips at me.
“Oh, I do. Ranting on about magic. Because every time you get a date it’s pure freakin’ magic.”
“That’s it. I’ve had enough of your anti-human superiority.”
He tosses a bill on the table and glares at JR. “Next time don’t bring her.”
JR waves goodbye feebly. “Congrats again.”
Even pissed, Liam manages to strut out and make eyes at the waiter on his way. God, he’s such a diva!
I turn back to JR. “Sorry if I ended the evening too soon.”
She tosses back her drink and sighs. “Why is family the hardest to get along with?”
“Dunno.”
She pulls her hair out of bun she had it in, and sits back, combing through it. “I mean, he’s done well for himself. Considering he has like almost no magic. I always felt bad for the kid—”
“Wait,” I hold up a hand to her. “What did you say?”
“I said I felt bad for the kid—”
But I cut her off, already standing up.
“WTF. I just figured it out. I gotta go!” I grab my phone and sprint out of the restaurant. I call Ben. He doesn’t answer. “Ben—call me back asap! I know who killed Georgina!”
Chapter 20
A Broomer drops me off at home. I check downstairs, but no lights are on at Mrs. Snow’s. Hopefully Jacob escaped back up to my apartment.
I’m buzzing with nervous energy. I stare at my phone, willing Bennett to call me back.
I climb the stairs. I search my purse for my keys but don’t feel them. “Oh no! Not now! I know I had my keys on me—” I check my pockets. There! Thank goodness. I do not want to have to wake anyone up so close to dawn.
I unlock my door and step inside. The balcony doors are open. Maybe Jacob’s outside?
I shiver. I need to close the door, but there’s no moon tonight. It’s pitch black in here. And freezing. How long has Jacob been out there? I hope he’s not sulking—
I shuffle forward toward a lamp. Dammit! I slip. I think on a house key I lost two days ago. I right myself, pull the chain on my reading lamp, and it flickers to life.
I gasp.
Alec Knight sits on my couch with a vicious dagger in his hand. Twenty-five-years-old, blonde curls and plush lips, just like I remember. But he’s human, not vamp anymore. Older. Angrier. Much much scarier.
My heart hammers in my chest. It's my worst nightmare come to life.
I can't handle the fearful silence. So like an idiot, I try to break the ice. “Is that a dagger in your hand, or are you happy to see me?”
He doesn’t laugh.
A nervous titter slips out of my lips. "Is this a joke?" I can tell by the grim determination in his eyes that it's not.
He slowly stands. "The only one making bad jokes is you.”
I get defensive. And that's good—that's better than vulnerable. "Well what do you want me to do? Welcome you into my home? Sit down right here so you can slit my throat a little easier?"
"That would be nice, yes."
"Which one?"
"You know which one." He stands.
“They said you were in Europe.” I try to make conversation, while edging behind the love seat. Is Jacob here? Jacob can’t be here. I hope he didn’t come up here. I keep my eyes on the knife as I try to put distance between Alec and myself.
“Nope.”
“Never?”
“My sister liked her little stories. Liked to flesh out my absence. Did you know she even wrote herself postcards and told people they were from me? Her little human brother, who traveled the world.”
“She did what?” I act outraged on his behalf, hoping that somehow that will make me seem less murderable. If that’s a thing. Damn! What I wouldn’t give for ESP or telekinesis or something! Why didn’t I tell Ben everything in that damn voicemail! Why did I have to wait and try to be all dramatic and shit! Idiot!
Alec smiles, like he knows what I’m thinking. Like he enjoys watching the panic take over my limbs. He takes another slow step closer.
“I came by your house every day for two years after I accidentally—you know—changed you.” The confession isn’t intentional. I don’t know why I say it. It just comes out.
He tilts his head. “I know.”
“You know? Wait. You were there?”
“Mm-hmm. Having a vamp turn human is shameful, you know. Losing power. Made the family look vulnerable. They never reported me. They locked me up. Wouldn’t let me leave the house. Not for nine years. Can you imagine nine years locked up, Ly?”
“The runes were for you.” Tears start to fill my eyes and I swipe them away. What are you doing, stupid? Keep your eyes on that knife! Pity and fear fight for control of my body.
“Yeah, until big sister decided to keep me at her place. Then decided keeping me was too much trouble. She was gonna use some unicorn horn to wipe my memory and send me on my way. Elected officials don’t have time for shameful family secrets.”
“How’d you escape?”
He laughs. “Mommy dearest didn’t want her baby boy to forget her. She let me out that night. Expecting me to run.”
“So, it was chance that you happened to find me and Georgina at the same place?”
“I like to think of it as divine retribution. You took my powers. You helped me take hers.”
“So, we’re even.”
Alec gives a slow scary smile. “Oh no. We’re not. I might have let you go. I knew you were sorry about everything that happened. But you had to keep pushing. Asking my mother questions when I’d just used that powdered unicorn horn on her. Do you know how inconvenient that is?”
“I—what about your dad?” I try to turn the subject away from me. Accusing me of things is a bad, bad topic. It makes him way more likely to jump the couch and kill me. How do the movies do it? Keep the bad guy monologuing? Look intrigued. Ask questions. “Why’d you kill your dad?”
“He knew it was me. Came after me. Found
me. Like a human ever has a shot against a vamp.”
“Well, you do. Apparently.”
A small smirk crosses his face.
“Apparently. He was too arrogant. That was his mistake. He took me to Georgina’s place. But he didn’t check the runes. My powerful, idiot sister, forgot the rune for silence.”
“The neighbors heard you.”
He nods.
“Did they have keys?”
“One did. A little old lady shifter.”
“She unlocked you.”
“Couldn’t believe that Georgina was into ‘draining humans.’”
“Then what?”
“Then it was just a waiting game until he came back. I got him close, cuffed him. And that was that.”
“It was you on the fire escape. You were fast.”
Before I can blink, Alec demonstrates his speed. He leaps over the loveseat.
I've never felt full-body paralysis before. But watching Alec jump toward me, death in his eyes, my body just freezes.
This is it. The end—my end. My mind doesn't go into instant replay. Instead, everything I've never done flashes before my eyes. I'll never get married. Never have kids. Grandkids. I'll never make it to Moontop Mountain. Never kiss Bennett again. Never get another date with Luke.
The knife touches my neck. It snaps me out of my daze. I try to focus. I see the key I tripped on—it shimmers in the lamplight. And gives me a startling revelation.
Alec caresses my neck with the knife.
“I’ll make yours fast. You didn’t mean it. Not like her.”
I turn slightly so I can look Alec in the eyes. “I’m sorry for what happened. But I can’t let you kill me.”
“You don’t get much choice.” He digs the point of the knife into my neck, just to the side of the artery.
I take a deep breath, hoping against hope that I’m right. “Alec. Get lost.”
He disappears. Just like my keys.
The knife clatters to the floor.
I bend over, letting out a rush of air. My right leg burns for some reason. Stress reaction? The emotions are too much. Tears start. I’m brushing them away and hugging myself and shaking like a leaf. I sink to the floor and see a feather. Did Alex stab my pillow?