The Halfblood's Hoard (Halfblood Legacy Book 1)

by Devin Hanson

  The last of my clothing was in a pile on the floor with my thong sitting on top. The air in the studio was slightly cool and I could feel my nipples were hard. I brushed them, then cupped my breasts. Well, if Francois wasn’t feeling the lust yet, I would give him a bit of a show. I stretched, turning slightly, only just keeping the camera in the corner of my eye.

  Still nothing from Francois. I sighed and gave myself a little shake. Maybe this whole thing was just a bad idea after all.

  Francois lowered his camera, sensing I was done, and wordlessly handed me a silk robe from a hook. A tap at his tablet brought the studio lights back up to normal and he tilted his head at me, inviting me to follow him.

  In my admittedly brief time knowing Francois, I hadn’t ever seen or heard him be solemn. Wondering if I was about to be thrown out for wasting his time, I followed the Frenchman across the studio to an alcove where a computer was set up. He plugged his camera in and started transferring files before turning to me with a small frown.

  “You have not modeled before?” he asked seriously.

  I shook my head. “Sorry. No, I thought I had mentioned that. It wasn’t good, then?”

  He tutted and shook his head before turning back to the computer. I was about to ask if I should just get dressed to leave, but stubbornness made me hold my silence. I could do another strip for him if he didn’t like that one, and put more effort into being sensual next time.

  The files finished transferring and he opened some software to look at the whole album at once. One by one, he clicked through the several hundred photos he had taken, and I watched over his shoulder in silence.

  I almost didn’t recognize myself. The silk backdrops added a hint of complexity to the photos, just enough to make me stand out in contrast. The lighting scheme he had set up had me all but obscured in darkness. The highlights along the outer edges of my clothing and hair painted a suggested form, and secondary lighting pulled contours from my face and curves.

  The still shots of me getting undressed somehow managed to capture an essence of sensualism and grace. I hadn’t done anything special beyond going slow, but somehow the images held more raw sexuality than anything I had seen in the bookstore photo albums.

  It certainly helped that Francois was working with the best equipment money had to offer. He stopped on a shot of me discarding my bra and leaned back with a sigh. There was just enough light to show my nipples were hard and the smooth sweep of my stomach muscles caught a soft highlight from a side light.

  Finally, I felt a pulse of energy from Francois. He was feeling lust at last; not from seeing me naked, necessarily, but from the artistic expression captured by his camera. Eventually he clicked past the shot and we made it to the end of the album in silence. The last shot was me stretched out on my tip-toes, reaching for the sky, with one hand cupping a breast. The definition of muscle in play was beautiful and the soft gleam of backlighting along the arch of my back and swell at hips and breast was perfectly captured.

  Francois rubbed his face and settled his glasses back. I looked down at him and was surprised to see the shine of wetness. He was crying?

  “You have given me a gift today, Alex,” he said. “Never in my life will I surpass this pinnacle. Twitter is not good enough for you, ma chéri. I could sell tickets in Paris for five thousand dollars a head to experience this collection. They would dedicate a wing of the Louvre to you.” He took a deep breath and let it out with a rapturous sigh.

  I grinned, uncertain if he was joking or not. “All that, huh?”

  He sniffed, affronted. “We can fulfill your purpose with but a few of these. The right images, cropped just so, will set the unwashed masses into a frenzy over you.”

  “That’s what I want,” I confirmed. “What you do with the rest of the shots is up to you.”

  “You would just sign away all that you would make?” He made a gesture at the screen, with the last shot still full screen on the monitor. “I don’t know what this single photo shoot would make, but thousands, certainly, even after my usual fee.”

  “Keep it,” I shook my head. “Consider it a down payment on future business.”

  I felt regretful at losing that potential income, but I was too afraid of Raveth. If he sensed any greed from me at all, he could find me. A few thousand dollars might solve my immediate problems, but being able to afford rent on a house would do me no good if I was gunned down in the street by a squad of rednecks.

  “Ah… this isn’t a one-time shoot?” There was a sudden light of fearful hope in Francois’ eyes.

  “Unless you object, I want to do many more. But remember, besides an image now and then to keep people interested, you must only release the photos when I say.”

  “Yes! I would like nothing better! The contract!” Francois stood up with sudden energy. “I have it for you to sign. I should have done it earlier, but I was too excited. Alex! This is going to be exquisite working with you!”

  There was the Francois I knew. “Great! Um. I guess I can get dressed now?”

  “Yes, yes. There’s a changing room in the back. I will go and get the contract. Don’t go anywhere!”

  It felt a little strange to go into a changing room to get dressed after stripping naked for Francois, but I used the curtained room as instructed and left the robe hanging on a hook. By the time I came back out, Francois had returned with a stack of papers.

  “The contract!” He waved it at me when I came out.

  I accepted the papers and sat down in a chair to read it. There was a lot of legal stuff, but it faithfully laid out the stipulations I had made, as well as including a clause that Francois was responsible for making a suitable album available to drop on Twitter at the requested time, and that he would be available to take my requests at any time of the day or night.

  There was an additional clause that after a photoshoot was used in such a drop, the remaining photos were available for his use at his discretion, providing my privacy was protected at all times. It was pretty much exactly what I wanted.

  “It is a curious arrangement,” Francois mused as I read. “I do not understand why you would be interested in generating a horde of lustful followers. You have the body for it and the natural poise to accomplish it, but no matter how good our efforts at privacy are, someone will recognize you in an airport or a shopping mall eventually. It might take years, but it will happen. And then you will have hundreds of thousands of horny men knowing who you are and where you live.”

  “I know.” It was an eventuality that was worrisome, but I felt confident I could handle a stalker or two. I flipped back to the beginning of the contract and started signing the clauses and pages.

  Francois shrugged. “It is your life, of course. But there are other routes to take if you wish to make an ex-lover jealous.”

  I grinned up at him. “It’s nothing like that. You’re sure this will work, though?”

  “Oh, ma chéri, it will work beyond your wildest dreams!”

  “I hope so. You’re an amazing photographer.” I handed the signed contract back to him and he accepted it with a little bow.

  “I will send this to my lawyer. You will have noted the stipulation that if either party is unsatisfied with our arrangement, we can cancel after a year?”

  I nodded. “You’re not backing out on me, are you?”

  He shook his head fervently. “Not at all! I had it included if you decide to change your mind about the money.”

  I touched his arm and gave him a smile. “I appreciate it, Francois, but I meant what I said. I’m not doing this for money.”

  “Then after a year we can continue as usual.”

  “Great. So, when do you think you’ll have this first drop ready? Do you think it could be prepared by this afternoon?”

  He looked scandalized. “Such a debut needs an audience, Alex! This is the peak of a generation of art, whether those heathens out there know it or not. It would be a travesty to release it without proper preparation!” H
e took a deep breath. “But I suppose I could be rushed into it. No earlier than four! I will need that time to build the anticipation. I have many contacts I must inform, so they can motivate their followers. This will be explosive, Alex! A million people will know your intimate curves before the day is out!”

  “Perfect. I’ll send you a text message when I have a time set.”

  “Then I must escort you to the front door,” he said, with a glance back to his computer. “I have much work to do!”

  “I think I can find my way, if you don’t mind.”

  “Truly? You are superb, Alex! Just you wait. Today, we will make history together!”

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  When I got back to my hotel, Ilyena was gone once more. She had left a note this time. I picked it up and read her cramped handwriting.

  Alex, Caradoc has requested my presence once more. I feel no more confident in my gift than I did yesterday, but I cannot refuse him. I have taken his phone with me, and will hide it as you asked.

  Fair is fair, and you have given me another night to remember.

  We go to meet with the bishops of the local dioceses. It will be long and tedious, with much ceremony. I will pass the time thinking of you. If the meetings end before it is too late at night, I will return here.

  Until next we meet, Ilyena

  I felt my heartrate pick up. This was it. The opening Elaida was hoping for. The focus would be in place and David was going to be out of the suite. I grabbed my phone and called Elaida.

  “Alexandra, how are your preparations?”

  Straight to the chase. “We have our window. The focus will be hidden within Caradoc’s rooms, and he will be out and about until late at night.”

  “That was fast work.” There was a muffled question in the background. “What time will Caradoc leave?”

  “I’m not sure, really. The impression I got is that he’s already out, or will be soon.”

  “Can’t you call and verify or something?”

  I took the phone from my ear and glared at it. When I spoke again, I tried to keep the impatient sarcasm from my voice. “If you were betraying David Caradoc, would you appreciate a phone call from your co-conspirator while you were in his company?”

  There was a pause. “Understood. How quickly can you get here?”

  I glanced at the clock. It was just after ten in the morning and traffic should be light. “Give me an hour.”

  “Good. I will see you then. Bring the skull.”

  She hung up and I grimaced at the screen. The more I had to work with Elaida, the less I liked her. I still wasn’t sure what I intended to do. David had made it clear that he didn’t want me to stop her from stealing the Shroud, but also that he expected me to protect his wealth. Either way, I wasn’t about to go through the door in David’s bedroom, regardless of what Elaida wanted. Not when he had an insane archangel guarding it. Nope. No fucking way.

  I unlocked the safe and took out the skull. After a moment’s hesitation, I left the journal behind. What had Elaida called it? The Nazarian Papers? The journal made me curious, but I had no time to read it right now. Not that I would even be able to without learning Latin.

  I put the skull in a little black trash bag I pilfered from the bathroom and headed back downstairs to my scooter. I was starting to get excited. Soon this whole mess would be over with. Not to mention, I was going to get first-hand experience with some serious magic.

  Frederick and Elaida’s attitude toward the coming ritual had been so matter-of-fact I hadn’t given it much thought. But I was about to witness some of the truly old-school magic, rituals that hadn’t been widely performed for thousands of years. That alone would be worth all the trouble and danger of the last week.

  Traffic to the wrecker yard was lighter than I had expected, and I arrived twenty minutes before my estimated time. Elaida was waiting for me when I got there, her arms folded impatiently. The frown on her face didn’t ease as I got off and pulled the trash bag from under the scooter seat.

  “This is it?”

  “Take a look.” I tossed her the skull and panic flashed over her face as she caught it and almost fumbled. I tried not to grin as she got a solid grip on it and stared daggers at me.

  “You’re not funny, girl,” she growled. She tore open the trash bag and pulled out the skull. A flood of relief washed over her face. “You did have it!”

  “Eh? Of course I did.”

  “Eric thought you were lying. That you had never acquired the skull from Raveth, even that you were a plant from Caradoc to counter our attempt.”

  I scoffed. “Was that before or after I nailed him in the nuts?”

  “Before,” Elaida smirked. “You did yourself no favors with that, by the way.”

  “What would you have done?” I demanded irritably.

  Elaida rolled a shoulder. “He does not hold romantic aspirations toward me.”

  “Lucky you. Can we go inside?”

  The garage area had been completely transformed in my absence. A ten-foot diameter circle in brilliant white paint had been laid out on the floor. What looked like Cyrillic lettering had been painted in a tight ring outside the circle. Further detail of smaller circles, larger runes and curving scrolls of script surrounded the lot. Within the smaller circles were enshrined items I vaguely identified as being ritual focuses.

  Frederick was on the far side of the room on his hands and knees, using an oversized protractor to paint yet another circle onto the floor. He was spattered with white paint and his eyes were rimmed dark with exhaustion.

  Dimitri sat up alertly when we walked in, then relaxed when he saw who it was.

  “We have the skull!” Elaida announced, holding it up so the others could see it. “Our plans do not change.”

  Frederick sat back on his heels and rubbed the back of his wrist across his forehead. Paint was smudged on his face and had gotten it in his hair. “Good. I am nearly complete. When will Caradoc be out of his rooms, Alexandra?”

  I waggled my hand uncertainly. “He had a meeting over dinner, and it sounded like it was going to be an all-afternoon and -night affair. We should be clear now, but the later in the afternoon we attempt it, the better chances we will have.”

  He nodded wearily. “All right. That gives me time to prepare. Eric, bring me the censer.”

  Eric got up from the table where he had been sitting with his feet propped up, playing with his phone. He grabbed the censor by its chain and brought it over the Frederick, careful not to step on any of the paint.

  I edged around the circle until I got close enough to Frederick to see what he was working on. He set the censor into the center of the circle he had just painted and adjusted it several times, like he was OCD and had to get it just right.

  “So,” I said quietly. Of all Elaida’s crew, Frederick seemed to hate me the least. I wasn’t sure I liked him, but he was the least repugnant. I also might have felt bad about breaking his nose with my helmet. “What are you working on?”

  “It’s a focusing circle. It helps gather my mental energies and concentrate them. The focal elements are designed to capture the senses.” He pointed at the circle to his left where a beaten copper bowl held a heaping pile of brilliantly yellow powder, then pointed each item out around the circle as he spoke. “Curry, for taste. A dagger for touch, an airhorn for sound, an optical illusion book for sight, and this, the censor for scent.”

  “It seems pretty complicated.”

  “A thousand years ago, this type of spell could have been cast without these aids. But the centuries of casual breeding have weakened my power to where I must have these focuses to accomplish the spells.” He spoke absently, his attention focused on adjusting the censor just so.

  “I’ll leave you to it then.”

  “Please.”

  I retreated across the garage to the table, the only remaining place to sit down. Eric went back to playing with his phone. Dimitri settled back into his watchful lounge next to the doo
r and Elaida left to go farther into the building, taking the skull with her.

  We had a lot of time to burn, and I was stuck here with nothing to do. I watched Frederick fiddle with the censor, feeling a little let down. If this was magic, I was glad I had no ability myself. I had envisioned something more like Gandalf calling down lightning in the Lord of the Rings. Spending the day painting on the floor was a lot less romantic.

  Eventually Frederick seemed to be satisfied. He got up stiffly and rubbed at the small of his back. “The circle is prepared. I shouldn’t have to tell any of you this, but do not touch anything.”

  I gave him the thumbs up. “No problem.”

  “Good. I’m going to go meditate and prepare. Do not disturb me.”

  “You want lunch first?” Eric asked.

  Frederick looked a little nauseated and shook his head. “I will pass this time.”

  “Suit yourself,” Eric shrugged.

  I watched Frederick leave. “Well, I know what he does,” I said quietly. “I know what Dimitri and Elaida do. What are your skills, Eric?”

  “Why do you care?”

  I sighed. “Because in the next few hours, my life is probably going to depend on you, and it would help if I knew what you were bringing to the table.”

  “I could say the same for you,” he returned. “What makes you so special, other than having a nice rack and being a bitch?”

  Dimitri turned his head to look at us, but his expression stayed neutral.

  I rolled my eyes. “I also have an amazing ass.”

  Eric scoffed, but he glanced toward my chair, as if he could see my ass while I was sitting down. “Won’t do us much good against Zerachiel.”

  “She is lilin, Eric,” Dimitri rumbled. I think I heard a note of amusement in his voice.

  “Big deal. She hasn’t accepted the bargain, so she’s just a human with a fancy heritage.”