Revenge of the Witch

by K E O'Connor

  “Angels never listen to demons. When I arrived, I had to assume the angels and the leather-clad cretins were trying to kill Axel.” He lifted Axel closer and tucked him under an arm. “I will take him with me.”

  “Stop him,” Dazielle croaked from her position on the ground.

  “You have got to be kidding,” I muttered. “He came to help.”

  “He’s a wanted demon,” Dazielle said. “Tempest, do your job.”

  My gaze ran over Kroni. Here was a problem. Technically, when I see a demon who’s doing bad things, I bag the demon and stop him, but Kroni was helping Axel.

  “The angels have you on a hit list,” I said.

  A slow smile spread across Kroni’s face. “What number am I?”

  I arched an eyebrow. “I have no idea.”

  “He’s number three,” Dazielle muttered.

  “Be quiet, angel.” Kroni blasted a flame at her, and she covered her head with a wing.

  I took a step toward Dazielle, but her wings were flame retardant, and the fire faded quickly.

  “Hmph. That is disappointing news. I must try harder.” Kroni used a talon to scratch the end of his nose.

  I turned to Kroni. “At what?”

  “Becoming number one on the angels’ hit list.” Kroni’s smile widened. “When I achieve that lofty goal, shall I expect a visit from you, witch? Will you gobble me up like that devil hiding inside you?”

  I did not fancy my chances against Axel’s dad. He was a mean son of a demon. “If you’re lucky.”

  Kroni raised his head and chuckled. “Then until we meet.”

  “Perhaps when you next visit Axel in Willow Tree Falls. You can always come in quietly if you’re bored of life as a fugitive. I can get you a nice place in our prison.”

  “I doubt I will return.” Kroni sniffed the air and scowled. “I do not like the neighborhood. It has not been welcoming during my short visit.”

  “It could have something to do with you blowing up the place.”

  Kroni looked around. “I have done worse.”

  I looked at Axel, who was still unconscious. “I hope he’ll be okay.”

  “He will recover. I will make sure of it. Axel is not as strong as me, but even a half-demon recovers much faster than mere mortals. You will have Axel back if he desires to return.” Kroni stamped on the ground. A flash of flame flared and engulfed him and Axel.

  As I blinked the image off my retinas and wafted away the sulfur stench, I saw they had gone.

  Wiggles trotted over, his tongue hanging out and his tail up. “That was epic. I’ve never seen such an incredible fight. Axel’s dad is awesome. How come Axel is such a jerk when he has such a cool father? Hey, I wonder if I can do that stamping on the ground and vanishing trick. Hellhounds and demons aren’t so different.” Wiggles bounded around, stamping his stubby legs on the ground and trying to make flames appear.

  “You’ll have to ask Kroni how he does that trick.” I walked to the first downed angel, who was just coming round. One of her wings was bent at an unnatural angle, and she had blood on her face.

  “We’d better get more help out here.” I checked on another angel. “Wiggles, go to the hospital and get some medics.”

  Wiggles looked around. “Everyone looks okay to me. It’s just a bit of blood and a few torn feathers.”

  “Get out of here, you lazy hound. They need our help.”

  He grumbled for a few seconds before running off.

  I knelt next to Dazielle and lifted the wing that covered her face.

  She blinked up at me. “You let him go?”

  “The big, bad demon has gone, and he’s taken his son with him.”

  She stared at me. “His son?”

  “Yes, that was Axel’s father. Didn’t you know Kroni was his dad?”

  “I don’t spend any time with Axel.” Dazielle let out a sigh. “I knew he had a demon father, but that was it.”

  “Kroni was protecting his son from what he thought was a joint attack by angels and bikers.”

  “How did he know Axel was in danger?” Dazielle tried to sit up but only succeeded in moving an inch before slumping back and lying in a cloud of white feathers that drifted around us.

  I cleared my throat. “Don’t get mad, but Frank summoned him.”

  “Tempest!” Dazielle said weakly. “We do not summon demons to Willow Tree Falls.”

  “If there had been any other choice, I’d have done it,” I said. “It was a case of saving either Rhett or Axel. Frank discovered where they’d been buried, but there wasn’t time to uncover them both. You were fighting with the gang rather than doing your job, so I had to do it. I make no apologies for wanting to keep my friends alive.”

  Dazielle finally managed to get up onto her elbows and looked around. “He’s destroyed my angels.”

  “They’ll recover. They’re hardy.”

  Jimmy Blackmouth emerged through the trees, limping heavily. Supported on his arm was Rhett.

  I jumped up and hurried over. “You found him!”

  “Your hellhound told me where he was,” Jimmy said. “I slipped away from the fight to make sure he was okay.”

  As I got closer, I realized Rhett was unconscious. “Did he say anything when you found him?”

  “Only a few dozen curse words. The effort of getting up off the ground knocked him out again.”

  I sighed. It looks like the curse had really messed with Rhett.

  Dazielle hobbled over slowly, wincing with every step. “That curse will have exhausted him. The best thing is rest and some magic juice at the hospital. We’ll arrange to have him taken there.”

  “Rhett hates hospitals,” Jimmy said.

  “He’s unconscious, so he doesn’t get a say in what happens to him,” I said. “I’ve got medics coming. They’ll be here soon.”

  “Good,” Dazielle said. “I’ll need statements from everyone. This will take a while to process.”

  “You can have my statement later.” I needed to get to Cloven Hoof and confront Izzie. I glanced at Dazielle. Should I tell the angels about my suspicions? Axel had been taken by Kroni, and Rhett was unconscious, so they couldn’t reveal who the curse killer was.

  If Izzie was involved, I needed to know why she’d done it. What had Serath, Dewey, Rhett, and Axel done to her that meant she’d cursed them and buried them alive as punishment?

  “When Wiggles gets back with the medics, tell him to meet me at Cloven Hoof.”

  “You’re leaving?” Dazielle looked alarmed. “You’re one of the few people left standing.”

  “You’ve got a handle on this, and the medics won’t be long.”

  Dazielle sighed. “I want you at the station first thing tomorrow. Full statement, no compromise.”

  I took a step away. I had to get to Izzie. “Sure, whatever you need.”

  Dazielle glared at me. “What are you up to?”

  “Nothing. You’ve got everything in hand. Rhett and Axel are safe, and the demon has gone. You don’t need me here. I’ll only get in your way.”

  “What about the curse killer?” Dazielle asked. “We still don’t know who it is. She’s still out there.”

  “We’ll have to catch her tomorrow,” I said. “You can get information out of Rhett when he wakes up.”

  Dazielle lifted Rhett’s head and dropped it back so it flopped against Jimmy’s shoulder. “I doubt he’ll be awake for some time. What about Axel? When is his father bringing him back?”

  I continued to creep away. “He didn’t say.”

  “Which means we’re no closer to finding our curse killer.” Dazielle watched me with narrowed eyes.

  I bit my tongue. I didn’t want the angels involved, not yet. Not until I knew the truth and the reasons Izzie had done this.

  “Get out of here,” Dazielle said with a sigh. “But I want to speak to you soon. We’ve got a killer to find.”

  We! When did I become an official member of Angel Force? Still, I had no time to argue w
ith Dazielle over that. “You know where I am.” I turned on my heel and ran through the forest.

  It was time to confront Izzie and find out how she was involved in this mess.

  Chapter 19

  The sun was dipping below the horizon as I reached Cloven Hoof. I pulled open the door and hurried through.

  Merrie looked up from behind the bar, and her mouth fell open. “Tempest! What have you been doing?”

  “Where’s Izzie?”

  “She’s out back, unloading a delivery,” Merrie said. “Is something wrong?”

  “You could say that. I just helped the angels save Rhett and Axel. The curse killer got them. We almost lost them.”

  “That’s terrible,” Merrie said. “But wait, what has Izzie got to do with this? You can’t still think she’s involved.”

  “That’s what I need to ask her.” I hurried to the storage room at the back of the bar and found Izzie unloading boxes from a cart.

  Her smile faded when she looked at me. “Gosh, Tempest. You look like you’ve been mud wrestling.”

  “Leave that.” I caught hold of her arm and pulled her away. I didn’t want to do this. Everything in my gut told me this was wrong. I knew Izzie. She was fun and clever and great with the customers. What had gone so badly wrong that she’d curse Rhett and Axel and kill the others?

  “What’s the matter?” Concern filtered across Izzie’s face. “Did a customer make a complaint about me?”

  “Our customers love you. It’s not that. What happened between you, Axel, and Rhett?”

  “I know they’re missing,” Izzie said slowly. “People have been looking for them. Is that what this is about?”

  “When did you last see them?”

  Izzie chewed on her bottom lip. “I saw Axel in Cloven Hoof about five days ago. You were chatting to him. As for Rhett, I’m not sure. We don’t mingle in the same circles. What are you getting at?”

  “Have either of them done anything to annoy you?”

  “No! Axel is a bit of a flirt, which can be distracting when we’re busy. I don’t know Rhett all that well. If we do speak, he usually asks after you.”

  “Did you recently visit either of them in their homes?”

  “Never! I don’t understand why you’re asking me these questions.”

  I let out a sigh. Honestly, neither did I. It couldn’t be Izzie. She couldn’t be the curse killer. “Rhett and Axel were taken by the curse killer.”

  Izzie’s hand flew to her mouth. “I had no idea. Are they okay?”

  I narrowed my eyes. She seemed genuinely surprised. “We got them out in time.”

  Izzie let out a sigh. “That’s a relief. The poor guys. Why were they targeted?”

  “I was hoping it was a question you could answer,” I said.

  “Me! I have nothing to do with this.”

  I rubbed my forehead with my fingers. “I don’t want to believe you’re involved. You’re great at your job. I consider you a friend.”

  “But? What aren’t you saying?”

  “You did date Serath, and I saw you when he came to Cloven Hoof that first night. He said something to offend you. I’d never seen you react that way with a customer.”

  Izzie’s eyes narrowed. “You’re right. He was rude to me. I was shocked to see Serath and reacted badly. He made some smug comment about his friends having me because he’d already sampled the goods and didn’t want to go there again.”

  I scowled and shook my head. “That’s disgusting.”

  “It was. And, to be clear, I never got that friendly with Serath. We had a kiss and a cuddle but nothing else. He was so crude. The only way I could stop myself from slapping him was to take a step back. I was relieved when Merrie came to my rescue. I didn’t want to cause a scene, but Serath was an idiot. That doesn’t mean I wanted him dead. And I have no problems with the others. I like Rhett and Axel.”

  “Can you do curse magic?”

  Izzie glanced away. “If I want to, which I don’t. The worst magic I used on Serath was that belching spell, and I’ve already told you about that. It was a little revenge. That’s all I did to him.”

  I really wanted to believe Izzie. I wanted her to be innocent.

  “Tempest, you must believe me. I’m not the curse killer. I wouldn’t do that. I love being in Willow Tree Falls. I have friends here, and this place is great. You can’t think it’s me.”

  I tipped my head back and looked at the ceiling. Maybe the warnings Rhett and Axel had given me were about something else or someone else.

  “Who else can do curse magic here?”

  Izzie scratched her head. “Well, apart from me, Merrie, I expect. Paula, not a chance, nor Niall. I don’t know Ginger and Blaze that well, but they don’t seem like strong magic users. I’ve seen Blaze do fire magic, but nothing stronger than that.”

  “Is everyone here tonight?”

  “No, Paula is off.” Izzie stared at me. “You don’t think someone here is the curse killer, do you?”

  The door to the storage room banged open. Merrie, Blaze, and Ginger walked through. They pulled up short when they saw me holding onto Izzie.

  Izzie gripped my hand. “Tempest, I don’t know how I’m going to convince you that I’m innocent. These curses have nothing to do with me. You have to believe me.”

  “I do.” I sighed and loosened my grip on Izzie. “But Rhett and Axel said Cloven Hoof isn’t safe.”

  “What are you talking about?” Merrie walked over with the others. “Cloven Hoof is a safe place. We keep it safe.”

  “I don’t think it is, not anymore. Rhett and Axel said it’s not safe. It’s because somebody here is the curse killer.”

  Merrie gasped and shook her head.

  Ginger’s cheeks paled, and she took a step back. Her hand reached for Blaze, who looked equally as shocked.

  Blaze shook his head. “None of us are involved. We were working when the killings happened.”

  “That’s not proof enough of innocence. The curse isn’t the thing that kills. It immobilizes its victims. Whoever placed the curse on these guys buries them in a shallow grave. They suffocate to death. The curse holds them in place while they die.”

  “That’s a terrible thing to do,” Merrie said. “None of us would do that.”

  Ginger inched backwards toward the door, dropping her hold on Blaze, her hands clenched. “I’m not feeling so good. It’s too gross thinking about what’s going on.”

  “Ginger, wait! I’m not finished. I have to know for sure why Cloven Hoof isn’t a safe place.” I stared at her hard. I didn’t know much about Ginger, but that didn’t mean I didn’t trust her. She had a great resume, loads of experience, and she’d been nothing but brilliant with the customers. I had no reason to believe she was involved any more than I did Izzie or Blaze.

  “I’ve already told you I’m not involved. I feel faint. I need air.” She turned on her heel and raced out the door.

  I exchanged a surprised glance with Merrie. “Is she running because she’s guilty?”

  “Ginger wouldn’t waste her magic on cursing people she barely knows.” Merrie stared at the swinging door Ginger had run through.

  “You don’t run unless you have something to hide.” I raced into the bar. There was no sign of Ginger, but the bathroom door was swinging shut.

  I hurried over and peered inside. “Ginger, what do you know?” I inched inside. She wasn’t by the basins.

  I checked the first three toilet cubicles. All empty. “If you’re involved, it’s better if you come clean. Rhett and Axel are safe. They’ve seen their attacker. If it was you, the angels will know soon enough.”

  The next door swung open. A stranger stared back at me, her dark eyes wide with surprise. “Oh! How did you get in here?”

  The woman blinked. “I just needed to use the bathroom. Am I in trouble?”

  I studied her before looking away, realizing I was staring at a woman sitting on the loo. “Sure. Have you seen a redhead come in here
?”

  “No, I’ve only been here a minute. I didn’t hear anyone else come in.”

  I glanced back at her. She wasn’t a stranger, but I couldn’t place her face. That long, dark hair and those dark brown eyes were familiar. “Do I know you?”

  She tugged at the door. “No. If you don’t mind, I’m right in the middle of something.”

  I let the door swing shut but remained outside. I knew that face.

  “You’re still there,” the woman said. “I can hear you breathing.”

  “I’m going.” I walked to the door leading back to the club and pretended to leave, holding my breath as I did so.

  After a minute, the toilet door opened. The woman poked her head out. As our gazes locked, I gasped. Her eyes were black, and dark magic oozed from her like sticky treacle.

  She grimaced and shook her head as she emerged from the toilet. “I knew you wouldn’t leave this alone.”

  “I know you.”

  “We’ve already established that’s not true.”

  “No, I do.” I recalled the clippings I found in Serath’s bag. “You’re Sandy Bishop!”

  She tilted her head. “So what if I am?”

  I shook my head. My vision was playing tricks on me. One second, I saw Ginger and the next Sandy. But Sandy had been missing for five years. How was she suddenly in the bathroom of Cloven Hoof?

  Sandy stepped closer, her fists clenched. “Mind if I leave?”

  Before I could answer, she blasted me with a knockback spell and fled out the door.

  My stomach throbbed from the sudden attack, but I hurried after her.

  I skidded to a halt in the bar. Sandy was smashing bottles of whiskey on the floor.

  She ignited a fireball in the palm of her hand when she saw me. “You come any closer and this whole place goes up.”

  “Why are you doing this?” I stayed where I was, not wanting to see my beautiful bar go up in flames. “Do you have something to do with what happened to the dead guys? Did you put those curses on them?”

  “You won’t understand. You’ve always had it so easy. It’s not that easy for everybody. I had to protect myself.”

  I risked taking a step closer. “What are you talking about? Did Serath do something bad to you?”