"Bodyguard?" I hissed, breathing heavily, turning to face Nathaniel in complete shock.
"I don’t get it. Why would you need a bodyguard, Mr. La Caz?" Dad asked, frowning.
"I hired a bodyguard a few months ago to keep an eye on Julia," he said with a much softer voice. I chewed my bottom lip, my chest heaving with annoyance. I couldn’t comprehend how he had left me but hired someone to keep an eye on me. I was ready to slap him, and I didn’t care that my dad was here.
"And now he’s dead," Dad said, obviously annoyed. "We’re going to need to take your statement down at the station, Mr. La Caz."
"I can’t believe that you hired someone to look after me. Why would you do that?" I flapped, pissed off and ready for a long complex argument in front of everyone here. Nathaniel didn’t respond because Ella started moving.
"Dad, quickly, the spell—you can’t let her remember," I said, but he was already whispering the incantation. I hated spell casting, but now I was embarrassed that I sucked at magic. Ella’s eyes opened for a moment before she passed out again. Dad had years of practise so he knew how to deal with exposed humans.
"We don’t have time to come up with a story, hon, the medics are here. Ella needs to be taken to the hospital," he barked and drew his eyes to Nathaniel again. "Stuart, please take Mr. La Caz to the station."
“It's all right, Mr. Taylor, he doesn’t need to escort me anywhere. I’m aware of the seriousness of the situation."
The medics were coming through the door; they were healers, part of the National Elf Service, so Ella was going to be in good hands. Once they patched her up as much as they could, she was loaded onto the trolley and escorted through the door.
I followed her, ignoring Nathaniel who looked out of place. I flushed, thinking of how I’d lost control so easily with him in the small room while my best friend was next door witnessing a murder. We all walked through the corridor; I took one last glance at the dead troll, wondering why he’d been killed tonight. A group of forensic officers were rushing around him. The event had been postponed and the hotel locked up, so the police could try to catch the killer. I doubted very much that he or she was still in the building.
"How are you getting home?" Dad asked.
“I'm not going home, Dad. I need to make sure Ella is all right."
"Roberto is here; he’ll take you," Nathaniel said with an odd raspy voice. I met his eyes with a loud sigh. My dad scowled and stepped between us.
"No need, La Caz," he said curtly. "Hon, you should go home. Ella went through a lot and she shouldn’t see you in the hospital. She won’t remember anything anyway."
My dad was right; the healers were going to cast a memory spell on Ella and then someone was going to take her home. That was the standard procedure in the hospital; Ella wouldn’t remember where she was. She freaked out earlier because of the magic and I didn’t want to confuse her even more.
"Mr. Taylor, I insist.” Nathaniel then turned to my father. “I have a driver ready to take your daughter home. It’s too dangerous to send her in a taxi after someone was murdered."
Dad scowled again, obviously fighting an internal battle with himself. Nathaniel was right; he shouldn’t send me in a taxi, but he also wasn't happy that I had to use Nathaniel’s limo.
"Fine, tell Roberto that I’ll wait outside," I said quickly, hoping to avoid further complications. I could see that my dad was itching to take Nathaniel to the station; he was on duty tonight along with Stuart.
I didn’t have time to talk to Nathaniel. I was angry he tricked me into thinking that we were through. I tried working out a clear plan in my head. After my dad was calmer I would ask him to tell me everything that went on at the station with Nathaniel.
My head pulsed with pain when Roberto pulled up with the limo outside. I got in, still shaking.
"Where to, Miss Taylor?" Roberto asked.
"Home, please, just take me home."
The excess magic in me was making me grievously worried. I had to calm my mind. Thinking about the terrible evening I’d had wasn’t helping. The static electricity pressured my whole body. Although I hated to be dependent on anyone, right now, I wanted to be in Nathaniel’s arms. Despite everything that happened tonight, he still cared about me.
Chapter 3
Side effects of magic.
That night I didn’t sleep well, continuously tossing and turning. Nathaniel’s scent was still wrapped around my skin. In the morning I was furious that I’d let him kiss me again. He was my addiction; my body constantly needed him and if he wasn't around it seemed like I became dehydrated and dead.
Ella was probably at home. She shouldn’t remember anything, but I wanted to know what the hell she was doing at the Hilton for the networking event. I called my dad straight away; it was just after eight when he picked up.
"Are you all right?" he asked, alarmed.
"Dad, did you find out what happened last night? I asked him, massaging the nape of my neck.
"Julia, you know very well that I'm not suppo—"
"Dad, come on. That troll was there to keep an eye on me and now he’s dead. I’ve got a right to know," I complained.
"What were you doing with that vampire anyway? I thought you two broke up?"
"He was supposed to be in Switzerland; I didn’t know he would be back so soon. Now, stop changing the subject and tell me what’s going on."
“It's still not clear. The troll died suddenly. It was probably a very skilled wizard or witch, possibly a giant. Elves and fairies can’t produce that kind of magic. The lab will bring the details shortly, so I should know more," he explained, pausing. "The vampire was cooperative. He hired that troll a few months ago. It hurts to say it, but he told me he wanted to make sure that you would be all right, especially after what happened in the agency."
"He had no right to follow me. We’re through," I said quietly. Dad was silent, so I decided to change the subject. "Did you know that Grandma came to see me the other day?"
"She mentioned it to me."
"She found out about me and Nathaniel. She went mad and blew up the glass in my office."
"She has a reputation to maintain, hon. She called a couple of days ago and gave me a lecture. As long as you stay away from that vampire you should be fine, although... I’m glad that someone kept an eye on you the past month."
"This was bang out of order! I can take care of myself!" I said, raising my voice. "Now, do you have any suspects?"
"No, no suspects. We managed to speak to a few people, but no one saw anything suspicious."
"All right." I sighed. "Promise to call me when you know something?"
"Julia, I’m not going to get you involved. Leave this to me. I told you before that you need to start your driving lessons. I’m not allowing you to wander the streets of London in the middle of the night."
"Fine, Dad, I’ll look into it. I gotta go."
I sank back into my bed and closed my eyes. He was right; I needed to get a car, so I wouldn’t have to worry about transport. That troll was now dead and gloomy thoughts flashed through my mind. Someone must have known I had a bodyguard, someone who was planning to kill me. I called Rufus, hoping to tell him about last night, but his phone went to straight to voicemail again.
I took the tube to work, cautiously watching my back. Surprisingly, Sara was already there filing; Kate was in the process of registering a candidate. I tried to put my mind at ease, but I couldn't focus. My thoughts were filled with speculations. At lunch, I told Kate about last night while Sara was out of the office, skipping the part about Nathaniel.
"A murder? And your best friend witnessed it?"
"Yeah, she was hysterical. I need to check on her later." Kate kept chewing her pen for a moment. "She can’t handle magic and I want to keep her out of this mess."
“That's understandable," she agreed. "Something is up; it’s not easy to kill a troll. They’re pretty much immortal."
"What? No one, apart from vampires, is
immortal," I said, remembering Jasper and the way he nearly killed that troll who was trying to chat me up in the bar.
She shook her head. "Well, maybe immortal is the wrong word, but they’re strong and they heal quickly—that’s why I’m surprised."
We discussed the case until Sara came back. If Kate was worried, then that meant I was in serious trouble.
The day dragged until two o’clock. I managed to post an advert for a Curse Breaker for the Bank of England; I also managed to persuade Lucinda to take on another person for a quality control team. She complained that the last two vampires I sent her were useless and slow. I apologised, as usual, and got on with my work; we were quite busy until four o’clock. Then I got an email that boiled my blood. The email was from—him.
Dear Julia,
I need to talk to you. Please let me apologise for last night. I shouldn't have behaved so recklessly, but when I’m around you, I can’t control myself.
I owe you an explanation. I’m organising a business dinner so you can meet a few people who are involved in the steel industry. I’m certain that some of my partners will be looking to take on a few paranormals. I would love to have you.
We will discuss the details shortly; I’ll call you soon.
Take care,
Nathaniel
Managing Director of La Caz pharmaceutical
PS. Roberto is still at your disposal—please don’t argue. He will drive you whenever you want.
I exhaled, reading the email again.
I started furiously typing my reply, but after a few seconds, I realised I was melting the keyboard. I needed to calm down. I sat back and took a few deep breaths to get my magic under control. There was no point in writing back to tell him to go to hell. He was right; if he hadn’t interrupted, I would’ve had those paranormals in the palm of my hand. My sales skills were excellent. I should go out with him just to piss him off. A wide smile spread across my face as a magnificent idea passed through my mind.
Dear Nathaniel,
You owe me big time, so, yes, I would love to be at that dinner. I’ll bring a plus one.
Take care,
Julia
Recruitment consultant
Paranormal Personnel
I didn’t have to think about this twice; he needed to know I wasn't dying because he wasn't around anymore, that I’d moved on. I waited for a reply, but nothing came. Despite him offering me the use of his driver, Roberto, I didn’t want to be the woman who still relied on her ex, but I knew there wasn't any point in arguing about that. He was going to use emotional blackmail, or my father, so that battle was already lost.
I left work in a bad mood, wondering why Nathaniel still wanted to control my life. It was just before six and I normally finished work before five. Roberto was waiting for me outside the office and I jumped in, thinking about the sweet revenge I had planned for Nathaniel. I stood outside Ella’s house, hoping she was all right, when her mother opened the door.
"Julia, how nice to see you," Mrs. Jenkins said. "How are you?"
"Fine, thank you. How are you, Mrs. Jenkins?"
"Good, good. I’m just getting to ready to go to work. Ella is upstairs. Lovely to see you again, dear."
I went upstairs straight away. Ella’s brother was nowhere to be seen and I was glad I had her to myself. My stomach rumbled; I was planning to take Ella out for a dinner.
I knocked quietly and went in. My best friend was sitting at her desk, staring intensely at her laptop screen; her long red hair a mess.
"Hi, girlfriend. What are you up to?" I asked, flopping on the bed. She turned around swiftly, staring at me with a serious, tense expression.
“I'm having trouble concentrating today." She sighed.
"Have you taken your medication? You know you aren’t yourself when you miss your course."
Ella was diabetic, and her mother always had to remind her to take her pills. Mrs. Jenkins was against Ella’s diet, but her daughter was stubborn, and she didn’t listen.
"Yeah, I took them this morning. I don’t seem to remember what happened yesterday," she muttered, her green eyes looking away toward the window. She must have finished early today because her work uniform was hanging by the door. Ella normally looked glamorous with her spray tan and full-on makeup, but today her bubbly personality wasn't there. She seemed distracted and quiet, staring at me like she knew I wasn't being honest with her.
“Don't worry about it. Are you hungry? I came to take you out."
"Not really. I don’t feel like doing anything."
"Come on, it’ll be fun. I can tell you all about my meeting with Nathaniel yesterday," I blurted, making sure she heard me. Ella had never met him, but she was already on his side, trying to convince me I should still give him a chance.
As soon as the words left my mouth, Ella flinched, her eyes widening, and, for a split second, she looked like she was going to scream. Then she exhaled, staring at me in confusion. "I was out yesterday," she said after a long moment. I tried to keep it together.
"Out? What do you mean?" I asked, but my voice was uneasy.
"I was at the Hilton hotel; I was wearing my favourite dress," she continued.
"You were at home, Ella. What are you talking about? You were watching movies. We talked yesterday on the phone," I said quickly, plastering a smile on my face. The memory spell had probably worn off, but her memories couldn't have come back.
I swallowed hard. I couldn’t allow her to see that whatever she said had any effect on me, but she still seemed anxious and out of place. Maybe Ella wasn't one of the brightest, but she wasn't stupid.
“It's odd, but I keep seeing a bright light. When I try to concentrate, it sort of disappears."
"You need a good night’s sleep, darling. Come with me to yoga tomorrow and I’m sure you’ll feel a lot better," I suggested, chewing my bottom lip. She narrowed her eyes and rose.
"Maybe you’re right. I think I’m making things up."
"Okay, cheer up, and tell me if you have any hot dates coming up?" I asked the question, trying to sound as if there wasn't any tension in my voice. I brought up the subject of men, hoping to distract Ella from dark memories. I needed to speak to my dad urgently; she couldn’t possibly remember what happened yesterday. My best friend had no idea about magic—she was just an innocent human. She didn’t deserve to be this way. It was my fault Daniel had used her as his food supply; the same vampire who nearly got me killed.
Ella gave me a faint smile, still staring at me like she wasn't thinking about yoga tomorrow. "No, I decided to take a break. After Daniel, no one seems to be interested in me," she explained with sadness in her voice. The hair on the back of my neck rose as soon she mentioned that name.
"You needed a break anyway and, to be honest, he was an arsehole. Christina told me he flirted with her when you went to the toilet."
"Maybe, but I thought that he was the one."
"There are plenty more fish in the sea. Prince Charming is waiting for you out there somewhere."
She just shrugged and switched on the TV. I wasn't going to dwell on this conversation, but I was already worried. Ella didn’t do sad faces and whenever she was depressed about something, she turned to food. We both loved to feast on crap food when we were in a bad mood. I doubted very much that she was in love with Daniel; the bastard who tasted my precious elf blood.
Later, I went out to get some take away and stayed with her until late. She was still quiet and absent. Tomorrow I was planning to ask Kate about memory charms. I’d never heard of a human who could resist it, but something told me that Ella remembered bits and pieces from last night. Not everything, of course, but she probably sensed that I lied to her.
Chapter 4
In Nathaniel’s shadow.
When I arrived at the office on Thursday, I knew that the media had sniffed out the paranormal murder case. All of the sudden, Nathaniel’s handsome face appeared next to the picture of the Queen and other famous celebrities. I was
n't sure how, but the press found out the troll who died worked for La Caz. I wasn't linked to that mess, at least for now. The ordinary world assumed that Nathaniel was involved with some dodgy business and the death of the troll was supposed to be a warning. Of course, none of the humans knew who the troll, named, Ludwig Spencer, was part of the paranormal world. Nathaniel hadn't released any kind of statement, and I didn't believe that my ex-boyfriend was doing anything illegal. All supernatural creatures kept low profiles. Humans weren't supposed to know about "our" cases, but sometimes stories got out. We had our own special department in the government that dealt with that sort of thing, making sure the media didn’t sniff out the unusual crimes. That department took care of all leaks, but last night someone talked, and the story was all over London.
I refused to get a lift with Roberto this morning. He wasn't too happy, but I needed to feel normal today, so I took the tube to work instead. A group of witches were glancing at me from time to time, like they knew what I’d been up to last night. The male elf sitting next to me shifted away a few times and, when I looked at him, he pretended he was reading the paper. For some reason, everywhere I went, I was seeing paranormals reading about Nathaniel. My internal voice told me that this was just the beginning.
It was odd walking to the office alone. Sara was late, as usual, and Kate wasn't working today. In the past few weeks I’d been getting all the day shifts. I think my dad had some kind of influence on Rufus. They both agreed to keep me close and only working when they could both keep an eye on me. When I checked my emails, there was nothing from Nathaniel. It wasn’t that I was expecting something, but I wanted to talk to him about the dead troll.
It started raining just after ten and a few minutes later, Sara walked in.
“I'm sorry, Julia, my alarm didn’t go off and then I got stuck in traffic."
A Nightly Howl: The Witching Hour Series Book 2 Page 4