“Because why?” I snapped. “I have this chance staring me in the face. The chance that I might find out who killed them. The chance to know exactly what happened to make them targets. You and Mario were working on the same thing.”
He was silent.
“I didn’t get closure, Levi. I was four when it happened. I didn’t know what was going on. I just knew that I lost my parents, and then I was thrust into a world I didn’t know and felt didn’t want me.”
“Samuel put the order in to kill you parents.”
“I know that. We both know that. But he’s not the one who killed them. Whoever it was is back and is going after others associated with the bullshit reason they were killed.” I stood. “This is my job. I can’t turn my back on this case.”
Levi sighed. “We have this fight almost every time vampire politics come up.”
“No, it’s not vampire politics. It’s your past. Ira. Samuel. It’s like a never-ending cycle.” I lowered my voice and sat back down on the couch. “You have to tell me why you’re so scared of them.”
He laughed a little. “I’m not worried about Ira anymore.”
I was going to say something sarcastic, but I caught myself. “Samuel, then.”
“It’s about time you understand why I fear him, other than his control over me.” Levi looked toward the stairs like he was expecting someone to come down them. Maybe he was hoping we’d get interrupted.
“Other than the fact that you are a perfect hybrid and that tablet could have accomplished everything Ira and Samuel wished for in their utopia.” He closed his eyes. “I’ve seen what Samuel does to witches. I’ve seen the hate he has for them. The torture he’s capable of. I hate Samuel with all that I am, and he knows that.” Levi took a deep breath. “He also knows that I have a soft spot for witches. Long before your mother, long before she was even alive, I fell in love with a witch.”
CHAPTER TEN
I stared at him for a moment. That was the most information he’d given me about his past ever. Once, I’d asked him what he was like as a human, but he pushed it off, telling me it wasn’t the right time to talk about it. “What happened to her?”
“Samuel killed her. It wasn’t long after that I rebelled against him completely. He’d ripped away what I thought was my only chance at happiness. He forced me to watch him torture her.” Levi closed his eyes and hung his head. “When I left, I set the house we all shared on fire. I thought both him and Ira were in it, but they escaped.”
“How did you end up back with Ira then? If you left?”
Levi chuckled. “He tempted me. A utopia where we could all live in peace, where we were all monsters and no one was human. Of course, it wasn’t that simple. I didn’t know that Ira was still in contact with Samuel. Had I, I wouldn’t have joined Ira.”
“On the other hand, it led you to my mother,” I said softly.
“To Elizabeth and Tobias. Elizabeth stole my heart almost instantly. Originally, she was Ira’s witch. You know that. Ira threw it in your face a few times.” Levi sighed. “Elizabeth was blinded by her past and the horrors that lie there. She was convinced that there was some way we could all live together, and at the time, Ira’s theory was sound. Change everyone to monsters, then there would be no normal people to hunt the monsters down.” Levi laughed. “Now it sounds absurd, but forty or fifty years ago… longer even… it was a dream.”
I didn’t agree, but I stayed quiet. He was sharing with me, and that was rare.
“Elizabeth found out something about Ira that made her turn to me completely. She never said what it was or who it was. But we left together, with Tobias. Ira was angry, of course, because we took the research that Christof, your mother, and Tobias were working on.”
I stopped him there. “Ira had access to that research?”
“Only parts of it. He knew that we were working on it, but I don’t think he fully understood the implications of what was on that tablet.”
I shook my head. “No, or he would have had Hannah try to perform it. He would have had her helping with the experiments. He wouldn’t have needed my blood.”
“Exactly, he didn’t have enough of it. We left him before he got the chance to get all the information.”
My mind spun a little. “Which meant he didn’t know you guys solved it. So Samuel couldn’t have known either.”
Levi stopped for a moment. “You’re right.”
“But that wasn’t what the Cult killed Tobias and mom for.” I put a hand to my head. “They were killed for summoning the demon.”
“A demon who is now dead,” Levi reminded me.
I shook my head. “It doesn’t matter, I guess. Samuel put the order in, and cult members killed them. I knew most of this, though. Why is Samuel back?”
“Because he felt Ira die. What I don’t know is how much Samuel knows about you. That’s what scares me. Your meetings with him have been brief, yet terrifying. He’s proven how fast and how strong he is. I don’t want to see him torture you, Abigail. I don’t think I’d survive him killing you in front of me.”
There was genuine fear and worry in his voice.
“He’s threatened so many times that he would make me watch. He’s sent me dreams of what he intends to do to you now that he knows the truth. He’s sworn to change you, to make you his fledgling. If he does, there’s nothing I can do to protect or save you from him.”
I hung my head. “He won’t get me. I’m not alone in this fight.”
“You are right now. Two of the people who protect you most have disappeared. Oliver is running around like a lovesick puppy, and as much as I’m happy he doesn’t seem as obsessed with bringing your mother back from the dead, he’s almost useless right now.”
“Liz still has my back. Working the case with her keeps someone with me. Eventually Samuel is going to understand that you’ve tucked me away somewhere and he’ll demand you tell him where I am. Hell, I’m surprised he hasn’t demanded you to hand me over.”
He sighed. “It’s a game to him, he rather play with you as prey than have me hand you over to him.”
“Lovely. So if I play my hand right?”
Levi hesitated for a moment. “He’ll continue to play as long as he thinks there’s a chance he will win.”
I didn’t like that idea. Maybe I could give him the illusion of having the upper hand. “Let me go about as normal, as if I didn’t know he was around and trying to petition for his land back.” I pressed my lips together. “Actually, give him his land back. There’s no reason not too, right?”
“By our rules, correct, but we already went over why that’s a danger.”
“Yes, but unless he invites you back home, there’s no reason for us to go there. Unless there’s proof that he tries to continue Ira’s work. And I don’t think he’d be stupid enough to do that in his primary territory. Just like Ira wasn’t.” I leaned back on the couch. “So, let him think he won that battle, let him have his home back. It might just buy us a little freedom from him.”
Levi was silent for a moment. “Yes, I think it would. He’d be busy restoring it to what he needs. It’s a calculated risk I’m willing to take.”
“We just have to figure out where he might pop up labs. If he was in contact with Ira, then he probably has the information, but if he’s been in hiding for years, he doesn’t have the allies yet.”
Levi nodded. “No one will trust a vampire that’s been in hiding, except maybe the underground.”
“The underground weren’t fans of Ira’s either. Remember? They thought he was king and that he needed to be taken out. They won’t work with Samuel.”
“You’ve thought about this before?”
I shook my head. “No actually, it’s just something I thought about. I was too busy trying to figure out how to kill him instead of how to outsmart him.”
Levi chuckled. “Back to the field, then. We’ll give him one victory for now and then show that you aren’t afraid of him.”
�
��Let the games begin.”
#
Mario and Levi left me with Oliver and Liz with the promise I could return home and they would drop the Hummer off at the house for me.
Oliver raised a brow. “Mario was pacing the room the entire time you two were talking. I’m not sure what he heard, but I’m assuming that it wasn’t good.”
“He’s not going to agree to the plan, and I don’t expect Levi and the council to agree either, but it’ll keep them out of my hair for a bit so we can focus on the case without them looking over my shoulder.”
Liz shrugged. “Hopefully it keeps them busy long enough. Balin called while you guys were talking, they’ve brought in another suspect. He’ll be doing the questioning and doesn’t want us there.”
“Suspect’s name?”
“An Annabella Louise Bantam.”
That was a hell of a name. “Annabella Louise, huh? Doesn’t sound familiar. Let’s get back to my place and then we can do some more research. Balin has to tell you if anything comes of the interview. He should upload his notes to the PIB data base. It’s a requirement on cases that we work with the cops.”
“It’s also highly recommended that we sit in on the interview. Balin isn’t playing fair.”
“Balin is a jerk.” Oliver crossed his arms. “He always has been. He says he plays by the book, but he’s not like Mason. Mason learned to adjust, Balin never did.”
Liz and I looked at him. “Why do you know this?”
“Balin investigated a crime that I was a suspect for. He has a deep-seated hate for me I can’t explain.”
I opened my mouth to ask and Oliver shook his head. “A human crime, not a paranormal one. Vandalism specifically.”
I couldn’t see Oliver vandalizing anything. He seemed to have too much class for that. “Huh, wonder if he knows we’re related? Because he hates me.”
“He doesn’t like witches or anything supernatural.” Oliver shrugged. “So good luck with him.”
“I wish Mason wasn’t on vacation,” Liz muttered.
Me too. “Okay, we’ve worked with crappy support before, we can do it again. If need be, we go over his head and go to O’Donald and have him talk to Balin’s higher ups.” There’s a chance that could make it worse, but it would work as a last resort.
“Okay, let’s get back to work then. I’ll have Oliver take me back to PIB to get my car. I’ll meet you at your house.”
That would give me a chance to clean up my things and get ready to go back home. For the first time in a few weeks.
I closed my eyes. I was excited to be surrounded by my things again. Sleep in my bed. Tomorrow, we’d go up to Black Hawk and try to find Simon. We’d get home and things would be good again. Liz and I could solve the case, Simon could come home and heal and lead the pack…
You wish for a storybook ending?
I didn’t know the female voice that popped into my mind. I stood there for a moment wondering if I had even heard it, much like the magic I had felt a few nights ago.
Bad witches don’t get storybook endings, Abigail.
I swallowed and ignored the voice and started packing up my things. I hadn’t spread out much, and I didn’t have too much stuff, so it wouldn’t take long.
But I froze again when magic brushed against me.
Abigail, Oh Abigail…
The way she said it reminded me of Oliver.
You can’t ignore me, Abigail. I know you. I know your fears, your powers, your weaknesses.
I swallowed. “Who are you?”
You’ll find out soon enough, young witch.
An instant later the magic disappeared, and I stood in the living room confused, still wondering if I was hearing things or if the woman’s voice was real.
Oliver reappeared. “You’re pale, are you having spells again?”
“No, I just…” I shook my head. “Never mind, don’t worry about it. Let me finish getting my things and we can go home.”
Maybe the magic at home would block the voice. Part of it made me think vampire, but the magic with a vampire rare, and it didn’t feel or sound like Hannah. It felt more like someone was trying to test how I’d respond.
“You felt that magic again, didn’t you?” Oliver spun me to look at him.
I shrugged him off. “Yes, I did. But because I don’t know if it’s just something lurking or if it’s real, I don’t have time to deal with it.”
Oliver shook his head. “If someone took advantage of the hole in your aura, they could still be connected to you. We should go back to Melisandra.”
“No. I want to go home. I need to help Liz on the case, and I need to find Simon and Merick.” I sighed. “Look, if it gets worse, Melisandra can come see me.”
Oliver shook his head. “She doesn’t like to leave her home often.”
I frowned. “Why?”
He shook his head. “That’s her story to tell. But if it continues, you will go see her.” He left no room for argument.
“Aye aye, captain.” I gave him a fake salute. “Now, can we please go home?”
“Missing it?”
“I miss the comfort of my magic,” I admitted. “And my bed.”
He chuckled and put a hand on my shoulder, taking me home.
#
Oliver and I appeared in the house and we both paused as we heard crashing. “I should have secured the house first.”
“Probably,” I muttered, and another crash came from the kitchen. I drew my gun and slowly inched toward the kitchen. I rounded the wall and aimed my gun. Merick was leaning against the counter. Things were scattered on the floor. Sugar container, a couple coffee mugs, napkins.
Merick looked up, pale, blood running down his face. “Abigail…” He collapsed. I took a few quick steps to keep him from hitting the ground completely. Oliver came over to help me support Merick. Together we got him to the couch and laid down.
His eyes were pinched shut, and his breathing labored. When he put a hand to his side, I saw more blood.
“Fuck, we need to get him to a doctor.”
Oliver moved Merick’s hand and lifted his shirt. He cringed. “No time, he’ll bleed out before we can get him somewhere.”
That said a lot, seeing as Oliver could transport us back and forth.
“I’ll heal him. Go get me a bowl.” Oliver rolled up the sleeves of his shirt and sat by Merick. Merick groaned and whispered something to Oliver while I went to the kitchen to get a bowl of water. I came back and Oliver dipped his hands in the water and laid them over the wound on Merick’s side.
I’d seen his magic work on me a few times, but I’d never seen it from a third-party perspective. I knew that as soon as Oliver lifted his hands there would be nothing left but a shiny pink scar. He lifted his hands and there it was.
Merick let out a breath of relief and opened his eyes. He tried to sit up, but Oliver pushed him down. “Now, your head.”
Merick touched the bleeding wound like he hadn’t even realized it was there.
Oliver dipped his hands in the water again. Red swirled around his hands and seemed to disappear in the water. Laying his hands on Merick’s head, he muttered a couple things, and this time there wasn’t even a pink scar where the gash was. The only sign of either wound was the dried blood.
Oliver took the bowl and headed to the kitchen. Merick sat up slowly and let out a deep breath. “Abigail, I’m glad to see you’re alive.”
“I’m glad that you’re alive too. I’ve been trying to get a hold of you since I woke up from my magical attack.”
He cringed. “I had business to take care of that was Cult-related.”
“You guys are trying to figure out who killed Seth, aren’t you?”
Merick nodded. “We haven’t been able to figure out much. They attacked me the same night as you and Nick, but I was able to fend off the attack, but since then…”
“Since then, you’ve been hearing a woman’s voice and a brush of magic?” I guessed.
H
e nodded. “Her magic can’t get through our circles here though.”
“That doesn’t explain why you’re all busted up.” I crossed my arms. “Hunting a killer without me?”
He shook his head. “No, a few days after I heard you were okay, I was attacked, physically. Out of the blue.” He frowned. “I don’t remember sensing anyone around, or how it really happened. I just know it did, and then everything went dark. When I woke up, I was in a basement of some sort. Damp, dark, just a couple lightbulbs hanging off the ceiling. I sat in a cell of some sort. Shadows of people would walk up and down the pathway in front of me. Across from me was an empty cell.” He shook his head. “There was this man and this woman…” He stopped. “Abigail, the things they were doing. They were asking.” He gagged.
Oliver came back in. “And how did you escape?”
“They didn’t know I was Cult. I saw my way out.” He closed his eyes. “And I’m exhausted from it.”
“Do you know where you were?” I wanted to push about what the people were asking, but it seemed he didn’t want to talk about it. Now was probably not the time to push.
Oliver crossed his arms and watched Merick fall asleep.
“You don’t think he escaped on his own, do you?”
Oliver shook his head. “If he’s talking torture and interrogation, there’s no way they didn’t know who or what he was. They let him escape.”
“Fuck.” I closed my eyes. “So?”
“So it’s just a matter of time until they show up here.” Oliver glanced around the house. “Assuming they haven’t already. Let Merick sleep. I’ll watch over the house while you and Liz work.”
I nodded and went upstairs to my room. Oliver followed me, and I tried not to get irritated with him. “I’m just going to take a quick nap while we wait on Liz.”
He checked his watched and raised a brow. “At seven o’clock at night?”
“I’m tired,” I muttered.
“I heard what you said with Merick, about the woman’s voice and the magic. Have you talked with Nick and seen if he has experienced the same thing?”
Something Wicked (Here Witchy Witchy Book 11) Page 13