A Grave Spell (The Spellwork Files Book 1)

by Jenna Collett

  The entire town was talking about Professor Roberts’ death. An article had been published in the local paper and was reposted to the university’s website. A school-wide memorial was being planned in her honor. According to the paper, the police had finished their investigation and closed the case. Her death was nothing but a tragic accident. An unfortunate series of events that would likely be settled with insurance and private lawsuits.

  However, I had stumbled across a few rumors in the comments section of the online article. Not everyone believed the accident narrative. None of them were good leads though. A jealous lover. A Nigerian prince email scam gone horribly wrong. Someone with a ridiculous username even claimed they’d heard from a friend of a friend that Professor Roberts was involved with smuggling exotic birds and her death had been a hit job. Now, that was just crazy. Even crazier than demons.

  I punched the pillow behind my head and tossed my tablet to the side. No more jumping through Internet rabbit holes, even if they were the perfect distraction from my strange new existence.

  I’d gone an entire hour without thinking about Ivy or my infuriatingly handsome new partner. Was it weird that I was eager to hear from Caden? We hadn’t had any contact since I left the manor. Did he even have my number? It wasn’t like there was some kind of Spellwork phone tree.

  My phone lay silent beside me. I’d made an effort to get the screen fixed and keep the thing charged. I’d done my part, so why didn’t it ring?

  “Stop looking at me like that,” I said to Loki, who’d woken from his ghost nap. “This is not the same thing as waiting for a man to call about a date; this is business. It’s less desperate.”

  Loki snorted and rested his furry chin on his paws. He didn’t look convinced.

  The phone chimed, and I lurched to pick it up. My cup of ramen tipped, spilling noodles down my front. There was little dignity in my actions, and I refused to meet Loki’s gaze.

  So much for being less desperate.

  “Oh, hey, it’s you,” I said, answering the video call.

  “Don’t sound too excited or anything.” Tanya held the phone up to her face and shouted into the line. “I can’t believe I had to hear the news about Ivy secondhand! Why didn’t you call me?”

  I sighed and slumped farther under the covers. “I don’t know. It’s a lot to process. It doesn’t feel real.”

  “It’s real, Elle, and I’m sorry. I know you and Ivy weren’t as close as you were when you were kids, but you always looked up to her.”

  “Everyone idolized her. It was impossible not to.” My throat clogged, and I fought against a surge of tears. There was no way off this emotional roller coaster. The damn thing just kept looping around. “I don’t know what I’m doing, T. Everyone expects me to jump into her shoes and rise to the occasion like some witchy phoenix. It’s laughable.”

  “It’s not laughable. You’re smart, Elle. You’ll figure it out. And you’re not alone. You have a team now.”

  A snort bubbled in my throat. Should I tell her about my historical specter or the emotional support ghost dog? Maybe I should lead with my mysterious partner, who would probably throw me in front of a demon the first chance he got.

  I chewed on the side of my cheek as an idea formed. “Actually, T, I need your help.”

  “Of course. Whatever you need.”

  “It’s about my partner. He’s a transfer from another division out west. I’m not sure which one, but maybe somewhere near you. His name’s Caden Bishop.”

  Tanya wrinkled her brow, not placing the name. “Haven’t heard of him. Why did he transfer?”

  “That’s what I want to find out. They won’t let me see his file. It’s suspicious. Do you think you can dig around, see if you can come up with anything?”

  “Sure. I have a few connections that might help. I’ll let you know if I hear something.”

  “Thanks, and try to keep it quiet if you can. I don’t want anyone tracing it back to me. The last thing I need is for Caden to find out and end up hating me more than he already does.”

  Tanya scoffed and waved a hand in front of the camera. “I doubt he hates you. He hasn’t known you long enough. Give him a week at least.”

  “Ha, ha. I’m friends with a comedian. It’s complicated though. I don’t understand him. It’s like one second he’s cold as ice . . . and the next . . .”

  “Whoa. Are you blushing? Tell me that’s some new video filter and not you crushing on your partner.”

  “I’m not crushing, T, and you make me sound like I’m in middle school.”

  Tanya nodded and sent me an over-the-top wink. “Gotcha. You want to bang him, huh? Is he hot? Do you have a picture?”

  “Okay, we’re done here. I have very important mystical things to do now that I’m a first-class demon-hunter.”

  “You mean, like, take a shower?” She squinted and scrunched her features into the phone. “Is that a ramen noodle on your shirt?”

  “Goodbye, T.”

  Tanya waved at the camera. “Good luck not shagging your partner. I want all the details when you do!”

  I hit the end button and buried my phone under the pillow. Unbelievable. Could the day get any more embarrassing?

  Someone knocked on the door.

  Rolling off the bed, I shuffled across the carpet, swiping noodles from my T-shirt as I went. I peered through the peephole then slammed back onto my heels with a loud curse. It was Caden.

  The day just got more embarrassing.

  “Elle? You know I can hear you through the door, right?”

  Cringing like a fool, I swung open the door and leaned against the frame. I plastered what I hoped was an attractive smile on my face, knowing full well there was nothing I could do about my clothes.

  Caden had no trouble in that area, however. He was dressed in dark denim, a white T-shirt molded across his broad frame, and one of those worn brown leather jackets I wanted to steal and wear for myself. Zoe had thought he looked good in polyester. Well, she should see him in jeans. It was an experience.

  And he smelled freaking amazing! Like he’d walked off an Axe commercial and right into my dorm room. I regretted not showering today.

  Slowly, his gaze traveled from my messy bun, past the noodle stain, all the way down to my feet. That was the moment I realized he had dimples. Because of course he did.

  “Are you wearing fuzzy black cat slippers?”

  My gaze dropped to my feet. The supernatural gods needed to give me a break!

  I cleared my throat and met his gaze straight on. “Yes, I am. I wear witchy socks and witchy slippers. You should see me in my pajamas.”

  Awkward mic drop.

  His eyes did a slow sweep over my body again. The look on his face could have melted all the candles in my closet.

  Unfortunately, the heat from mine could have burned down the building. Who says something like that? You should see me in my pajamas . . . Oh. My. God. Kill me now.

  “Um, forget I said that. What I meant was, yes, I wear cats on my feet.” Not much better, Elle. “I mean, they’re fuzzy.” His eyebrows rose. I clenched my teeth and forced myself to stop talking about my furry footwear. “Why are you here? Did you get the file?”

  “I did. Can I come in?”

  With my back to my room, I tried to remember what I’d left out on display. Thankfully, laundry day was yesterday, so there were no pajamas, witchy or otherwise, lying about. My snacks, however, were another story. How many cases of ramen were too many? We were about to find out.

  “Sure,” I mumbled. “I distinctly remember saying to call when you got the file, not show up at my dorm, yet here we are.”

  Caden shrugged and picked up a heavy-looking duffel bag at his feet. I closed the door behind him and narrowed my eyes on the bag.

  “The file is in there?”

  “Yeah.” He dropped the bag onto my bed and turned his attention to Loki. The dog spun in a happy circle, thumping his tail clean through the bed frame.

&nbs
p; Traitor dog.

  “Must be a big file.”

  “No, not really.”

  With Loki satisfied, Caden’s gaze roamed my room. My closet doors hung open, clothes spilling out onto the carpet. The desk against the wall was stacked with textbooks, and a shelf above it stored my collection of energy crystals, one from a magic shop in each of the states I’d visited.

  There were six.

  A mini-fridge and microwave sat in the corner. Long plastic crates acted as a food pantry.

  My slippers tapped out a rhythm against the carpet. “If the file is so small, then why is your bag so big? It’s like you’re moving in.”

  Caden scrubbed a hand through his hair and gave me a look that had alarm tightening my stomach.

  “Wait—tell me that’s not the reason you didn’t call first.”

  He winced. “The thing is, I need a place to crash for a few nights. The place I had lined up fell through, and while I plan on fixing up the manor for the long-term, the utility guys can’t get out there until Thursday. Since I’m new in town, I don’t know anybody else.”

  I’d started shaking my head before he finished. “No. Absolutely not. You can’t stay here. This is a dorm room. It’s barely bigger than a walk-in closet.”

  “I don’t need much space. Plus, you saw the manor. There’s no running water or electricity, and there are rats. Oscar thinks it’s a good idea too. He said something like, ‘Strong teams are formed from strong bonds.’”

  My mind raced. “Get a hotel room.”

  “Can’t—too expensive. Gotta save my funds to fix up the manor.”

  I scrambled for a reason this couldn’t work. Partner or not, he was still a stranger, and he’d pissed me off. Being gorgeous didn’t get him a free pass. Though . . . No! I had principles. Standards. There were rules!

  Finally, I hit on something. Straightening my spine, I said, “There’s only one bed.”

  There was his grin again: sexy with a side of arrogance. “Yeah, I noticed.” His eyes narrowed with mischief. “Now that you so conveniently shared your preference for pajamas, I should ask whether you prefer boxers or briefs.”

  A pillow slammed into his chest, and I picked up one of my bedside novels to chase it. He held up his hands before the paperback took flight.

  “Okay, cease-fire. I’ll keep my pants on and take the floor. Scout’s honor.”

  As if he’d ever been a Boy Scout. There had to be another reason! I was losing this battle. Hands on my hips, I tossed my last grenade.

  “You can’t stay here because it says so in the university handbook.”

  “I see. I’ll bet you’ve read the handbook cover to cover.”

  He was goading me, trying to make me feel silly for being so bookish. It would not work. I lifted my palms as if to say, “Too bad, so sad.”

  “Sorry, it’s against the rules.”

  Crossing his arms over his chest, he dipped his voice into a teasing rumble. “Come on, Graves, don’t you ever break the rules? Even a little?”

  “Yes! I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I have a dog now. They’re strictly forbidden in the dorms.”

  “Loki doesn’t count. He’s a ghost. No one knows he’s here. Besides, I already cleared my stay with your resident advisor when she caught me loitering in the lobby. I told her I’m your boyfriend visiting from out of state and I’m surprising you for our anniversary. She let me upstairs and said she didn’t mind bending the rules just this once. For love, of course,” he said with mock seriousness.

  Oh, I’ll bet she didn’t mind. He probably charmed the socks off her. The lying wretch.

  I pinched the bridge of my nose. “The security in this building is shameful.”

  “That’s true. We may have to do something about your locks. Maybe an enchanted deadbolt, or you could move into the manor. I’ll let you have the east wing. There are fewer rat traps.”

  My glare should have killed him. At the very least, he should be writhing in pain on the carpet.

  “Look, I’ll be out of your hair in no time, and you’ll have the place to yourself again. It will give us a chance to go over the case and work through some leads on campus. The first of which we’re following tonight.”

  I hesitated. “What lead?”

  “Professor Roberts’ office. We’re going to break in and search for clues. Thanks to our informant at the police station, I even have an extra key. So, technically, it’s breaking-in lite. He also gave me something else that’s useful.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Professor Roberts’ cell phone. Trouble is, it’s completely dead and I don’t have the right charger, so we’ll need to get that tonight as well.” Caden bent over and unzipped his bag. He placed a cell phone and the file folder on my TV tray/coffee table. “So we agree then? I’ll crash here for a couple of nights, on the floor, while we work the case.”

  Loki barked, voicing his opinion. I could only assume he was in favor. I shrugged, trying to play it cool. Caden had already seen me with noodle stains and fuzzy slippers—why not add bedhead to the mix? Besides, if Zoe found out I had the opportunity and didn’t take it, she’d probably defriend me.

  “Fine. You can stay.”

  “Great.” He eyed the empty cardboard cup on my nightstand. “Got any more ramen?”

  Chapter 8

  “The autopsy report confirmed Professor Roberts died from blunt force trauma.” Caden poked a pair of chopsticks into his noodles and took a large bite. He sat on the floor, back against the bed frame, with the container of noodles propped on his knee. It was his second cup. So far, I’d been a generous host.

  I scanned the report, flipping through the pages. “The medical examiner didn’t find any tattoos or symbols on her body, which would suggest an outward affiliation with a supernatural element. However, there was a demon mark on the back of her neck. She crossed their paths somehow.”

  “Or she’s big into the occult and just hadn’t been to the tattoo parlor yet. Maybe she was scared of needles. How many tattoos do you have, Graves?”

  My fingers moved absently to the mark on my arm. “You know I have a Spellwork symbol. Everyone in the organization has one, yourself included.”

  “Yeah, but was it branded or magically infused?”

  I rubbed the skin, remembering the day I received my symbol. The choice had been mine: either sit for the fiery brand that scarred the tissue or have it applied with a simple spell. I was only nine and had just gotten my ears pierced. The memory of the hot needle puncturing my ear had made the choice easy.

  What I didn’t realize at the time was the choice came with a stigma. The look in Caden’s eyes proved the stigma was still alive today.

  “Magically infused.”

  “Ah, the painless version. No surprises there.”

  Outwardly, I ignored his observation. Inside, I felt the sting of his derision. I wasn’t about to convince him I was some badass hunter, which he so clearly expected me to be. Better to pick my battles. But he wasn’t getting any more ramen tonight. At least, none I hadn’t magically doctored.

  Gleefully imagining him eating tainted noodles, I turned to the last page in the report. “No toxicology, but it’s safe to say she had alcohol in her system. She wasn’t drunk though. I saw her in the hallway minutes before she was killed. Her hand gestures were angry, not tipsy. She definitely wasn’t drunk enough to hurl herself into the platform holding the sculpture.”

  “That thing probably weighed four hundred to five hundred pounds, and look at the way it fell.” Caden tossed his empty cup into the trash then spread the crime scene photos out on the carpet. “Her body isn’t directly beneath the platform. It’s as if someone threw the sculpture a couple of feet before hitting her.”

  “And we know it didn’t move by itself. I’m sure the police had the same questions, but how do you explain something impossible without sounding crazy?”

  “You don’t. You label it a freak accident and move on.”

 
“So we’re looking for a suspect with magic powerful enough to move a heavy object, or someone with superhuman strength. There’s also the why. Why Professor Roberts? What was she involved in?”

  Caden nodded and resumed his position against the bed frame. “You saw her arguing with a coworker in the hallway. Whatever the reason, it could have been the motive.”

  “True, but we have to consider that everyone at the party is a suspect. Even the waitstaff. Many of them go to the university and may have interacted with her. I’m in one of her classes now.”

  “What did you make of her?”

  “Brilliant. Well-spoken. She had a habit of pacing while she lectured. She probably wore holes in the floor. I never sensed any magic around her or on her possessions in the classroom. Can’t speak to her office—I didn’t attend office hours.”

  “And what about at the party?”

  “It’s hard to tell. I sensed your magic, but I wasn’t exactly looking for anyone else. Plus, it’s easy enough to cloak if you intend to murder someone. There could have been a demon in our midst, and we wouldn’t have known it.”

  “That’s true. Let’s not forget the murder could have been done for hire.”

  I groaned and reached for my water bottle. “There’s not much here we don’t already know.”

  “Which is why we’re going to start with her office.” He checked the time on his phone then gathered the items back into the file. “We should head out now, swing by the campus store to purchase the phone charger, then make it over to the building before it closes at nine. This late, most of the staff will have gone home for the night, and it will be mostly janitorial staff.”

  We stood, and I waited while he grabbed the key from his duffel bag. I twisted my fingers together, uncertain if I should ask my next question.

  “Should I bring my demon blade?”

  His lips formed a scowl. I shouldn’t have asked.

  “Yes. You should always have it on you. It’s your best form of protection.” The scowl deepened. “You know how to use it, don’t you?”

  “Of course. I—”

  “Read the books?”