Sound's Familiar (Terra Noctem Book 1)

by Dana Marie Bell

  The moment she moved away, he wanted to pull her back, but they were on the job and Ian would be joining them soon. “Let’s get these interviews over with and go home, maybe order a pizza, and watch a movie.”

  “Yeah.” Carol shivered. “I have a bad feeling about this.”

  That stopped him cold. “What are you sensing? A wither?”

  “No, not that. It’s just…” She glanced around. “Something is seriously off on this campus, and it’s getting worse every time I come here.”

  “You think the campus is the focus of the spell?” Jonah hadn’t thought of that, but mass murder on such a scale would be monumentally bad. That was the only thing he could think of as to why the campus, and not the baseball field, would be part of the spell.

  “I’m not sure. What do you sense?” She gazed up at him as if he held the answers to life, the universe, and everything.

  Jonah closed his eyes and focused. Their magic began to swirl together as he adjusted their bond to suit his needs. He opened his inner eye and stared around him, searching for something out of place.

  Everything was tinged with gray, the gray of death. The gray of Terra Noctem.

  “Shit.” This was overwhelmingly bad.

  Chapter 30

  “I wonder how much of this Dean Anthony is in charge of.” Carol gazed around, noticing that they were in the same area as Chief Rivers. Now that she had a moment to look around, she read the various plaques as she walked through the corridors. The doors were labeled with such things as Greek Affairs, Community Services, Off-Campus Services, and Veteran’s Affairs.

  “Dean Anthony deals with campus life experiences,” a familiar voice responded behind her. Carol turned to find Dean Anthony’s secretary standing there, her expression haughty. “For instance, campus security reports to him.” Her tone was pointed, as if she were mere moments from calling Chief Rivers and having Carol thrown from the building.

  Carol held out her hand. “FD Carol Voss, LAPD.” She flashed her shiny badge and watched the woman sniff somewhat disdainfully. “I have an appointment. I’m here to talk to Dean Anthony.”

  The secretary “This way, Ms. Voss.”

  Carol ignored the way the woman pointedly did not call Carol “Detective,” instead opting to quietly follow after her. They passed Chief Rivers’s office, which seemed closed, continuing down the hall. “And you are?”

  The woman ignored her question, keeping her pace brisk, as if Carol couldn’t keep up with the taller female. “Dean Anthony is an extremely busy man. He’s also in charge of returning veterans, assisting our students who live off-campus or on, and student activities such as the student government and our various clubs. He has men and women under him who deal with the day-to-day governing of these offices, but they all report to him.”

  Carol stopped, remembering suddenly something the secretary had said when they’d first met, that the murders happened off-campus. “You knew about the murders beforehand because of your connection to the dean?”

  “That is correct, Ms. Voss.” Her brisk pace slowed as they neared the end of the corridor.

  “But how did you know that the murders were committed off-campus? We hadn’t released that information yet.”

  The woman stopped, pointing toward a door marked Dean Frank Anthony, Ed.L.D. Just outside the double doors was a desk where the name plaque Laura Butler sat. The secretary sat there, picking up the phone. “One moment, please, while I make sure the dean is ready to see you.”

  Carol took one of the two seats next to the secretary’s desk, going over what had been bugging her about the secretary. The fact that the murders were done off-campus had been kept from the press, but it was possible that Chief Rivers had figured it out and informed Dean Anthony. But why would the dean tell his secretary? Was it just an official line, or was there more to it? She’d have to ask both Dean Anthony and Chief Rivers about it. It was possible that the homicide detectives who’d first been there had let slip the fact that the body had been ditched on home plate.

  “Ms. Voss? The dean will see you now.” Firmly in her place of power, Ms. Butler was serene as she set the phone back in its cradle.

  “Thanks.” Carol stood and went to the door, pulling it open.

  “Ah, Ms. Voss.” The dean looked behind her, obviously expecting Jonah to be right behind her. “So, my secretary was correct. I was surprised to hear you were the one to come and interview me.”

  Carol sniffed discreetly, surprised to find that the room smelled…odd. Sooty.

  The dean smiled. “Caught that, did you? I’m afraid I had a bit of a run-in with a djinn, and, well, you know how their tempers are.”

  Huh. Having never pissed off a djinn she wasn’t sure of that. Then again, she’d never smelled a djinn before either. Carol nodded her greeting rather than shake hands with the man. Something about him made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end, an instinct she’d thought set off by the wither the last time they’d met.

  He seemed to be your average, badly dressed professor. So why did she instinctively want to snarl at him?

  Carol took a seat. She pulled out her recorder and showed it to the dean, turning it on. “Dean Anthony, we wanted to speak to you because Chief Rivers reports to you, and you are in charge of campus life.”

  She discreetly sniffed the air again, ignoring the scent of papers, wood, and dust. It wasn’t just the room that held the scent of soot. Dean Hill smelled like ashes. “Did the djinn try to take a bite out of you?”

  He seemed startled for a moment before he replied. “Yes, actually. Your nose is quite acute, Ms. Voss.”

  “Thank you.” She glanced around, taking mental inventory of the room around her. “Can you tell me when Chief Rivers spoke to you about the murders?”

  “I was aware that a body had been found almost as soon as Chief Rivers found out,” Dean Anthony replied. His demeanor was calm, as was his tone. His gaze remained steady on her.

  “But Mr. Reeves’s familiar informed your office that his sorcerer was in trouble, yet he says that you dismissed his concerns without investigating. Shouldn’t that have been looked into before it led to his death?”

  Dean Anthony frowned, appearing concerned, but something about his demeanor didn’t sit right with her. He shifted in his seat, his gaze darting away from Carol and back again so quickly she almost missed the movement. His cheeks were turning red. Perhaps he was embarrassed by his lack of action?

  “Yes, well, sometimes we have new familiar-sorcerer pairs where the familiar senses distress and tries to report it, only to find out that the sorcerer in question was simply late for class that day. It happens more often than you think.”

  That answer didn’t satisfy Carol. Ronnie Stewart hadn’t struck her as the type to run off half-cocked, no pun intended. “So, because you felt he was overreacting, you refused to send anyone to investigate his report?”

  “That wasn’t my call, it’s policy.” The dean sighed. “If we inspected every report of a distressed sorcerer we’ve gotten from a familiar, Chief Rivers would never get anything else done.” His gaze returned to Carol, his expression sorrowful. “I’m sure you understand what I mean.”

  Carol’s brows rose. This was exactly why she’d chosen law enforcement, to better the plight of familiars, and here was a prime example of the system not working. “Do I?”

  The dean studied her expression for a moment before clearing his throat. “Pardon me, but our familiars are quite young, and usually in the throes of their first bond. Most familiars I’ve met are emotional during that time. I’ve noticed that, after more than one partner, their emotions tend to settle down. Bird shifters, especially someone like Mr. Stewart, are a little more…flighty than their counterparts. You must remember how it was with your first bond, am I correct, Ms. Voss?”

  Carol didn’t, as Jonah was her first bond. She decided to change tacks to discover whether or not she could surprise the man. So far, he’d been pretty unflappable. “Sir, wha
t can you tell me about your secretary?”

  “Laura?” Dean Anthony stiffened, his brows lowering. “Why would you need information on her?”

  There was a not-so-subtle warning in his tone that had Carol’s hackles rising. “Well, she was the first person on campus we spoke to the day we found Mr. Reeves’s body, and she said some things that made us curious.”

  The dean sat back slowly, his movements cautious. It was more than obvious he didn’t like Carol’s change of inquiry. How close was he to his secretary? “She’s been with me for several years now. She knows the ins and outs of campus life almost as well as I do.”

  “Can you tell me whether or not she’s a sorcerer?” If she was, they’d definitely have to research her background more thoroughly.

  “I… Yes, she is.” The dean’s hesitation didn’t go unnoticed. Something fishy was definitely going on between the dean and his secretary. “She has an Associate of Applied Science in Administrative Assisting. I believe she uses her magic to help keep the office running smoothly. She’s not a strong sorcerer, but she’s discovered a way to make it useful in her everyday life.”

  “Does she have a familiar?” Carol would like to speak to that person.

  “She does, though I’ve never met her.” The dean was slowly relaxing as Carol continued asking innocuous questions.

  “What does her familiar do for a living?”

  He seemed to think about that for a moment before giving a reply. “You know, I have no idea. As I’ve said, I’ve never met her, and Laura doesn’t speak much about her. I’m not certain how long they’ve been together, but I’ve been given the impression that it’s been years.”

  Carol nodded. She’d need to confirm whether or not Ms. Butler was a fairly weak sorcerer or not. She glanced behind the dean and saw a picture of him, his arms around two women, one around his age and one much younger. She smiled at the big grin on the younger female’s face. “Is that your family?”

  The dean tensed again, barely glancing behind him. “Ah. Yes.”

  Carol tried her best to get him to relax once more. “They’re lovely.”

  “Thank you.” He must have still been upset about something because he fisted his hands before hiding them below his desk.

  “I’m sorry, I seem to have brought up a sore subject.” Perhaps he was divorced and didn’t get to see his daughter—obvious from the shape of their eyes—as often as he would like.

  He sighed, his shoulders relaxing as he slumped in his chair. “My daughter, she’s…not alive anymore.”

  Carol’s ears perked up. As much as she didn’t want to poke at an open wound, they were looking for someone who might want to bring someone back from the dead. A beloved daughter would certainly qualify. “I’m sorry to hear that. You have my sympathies.”

  “Thank you, I appreciate that.” He took a deep breath and straightened, a tight, fake smile on his face. “Was there anything else you wanted to ask?”

  “How closely do you work with Chief Rivers?” She was certain that Jonah would be interested in the answer.

  “We meet once a week to go over campus security, along with the heads of the other departments.” He returned his hands to the desktop, clasping them loosely. “Normally, it’s a boring meeting dealing with campus drinking and the occasional young man or woman who complains about noise in the dorms. I have a great deal of respect for the man. He’s gone through the same sort of loss I have.”

  Carol blinked at that bit of news. “Chief Rivers has lost a child?”

  “Indeed, though his son was a suicide while my daughter was lost in an accident.” He shook his head, his face sagging in misery. “We go drinking together on the anniversary of each of their deaths. He’s been a comfort to me in times where I think I can’t endure the pain anymore.”

  “I see. While the circumstances are horrible, you must be happy to have such a good friend working with you.”

  The first genuine smile she’d seen crossed his face. “Indeed.” He glanced at the clock on his wall and grimaced. “I’m afraid I’ve given a little too much of my time. I have an appointment in a few moments.” He stood and held out his hand. “If you have any more questions, I’d be more than happy to answer them.”

  She stood as well, shaking his hand. Again, it was just a tad too firm. “I appreciate the offer. I’ll let Jonah and Ian know, just in case I missed something.”

  He chuckled and let go of her hand. “As a teacher, I’m glad I was able to aid you in your endeavors to become a detective, Ms. Voss. I’m certain you’ll do just fine.”

  “I’ll see myself out, Dean Anthony.” She turned for the door, only to be stopped by his voice.

  “Ms. Voss? Please be careful if you talk to Chief Rivers about his son. It has been years, but the topic is quite painful for him.”

  “I’ll handle it as delicately as I can, I promise.” Carol would do what needed to be done, but the dean didn’t need to know that. “Thank you for your time, Dean Anthony.”

  “You’re more than welcome, Ms. Voss.”

  Carol headed into the hallway, waving farewell to Ms. Butler, who was on the phone. Ms. Butler ignored her, but Carol didn’t care.

  She had two dead kids, both of whom had parents working in campus security. Could one of them be the killer?

  Chapter 31

  It had been a couple of days since they’d questioned the professors. While Jonah wanted to talk to Chief Rivers and was planning on doing just that, Carol had bigger questions since hearing the results of his own interviews. “This has been bugging me.”

  “What has?” Jonah was trying to catch up on emails, something she was supposed to be doing herself.

  “The entire campus is being, what, dragged into Terra Noctem? How?” Carol had tried her best to digest what Jonah was telling her, but she just couldn’t imagine it. The kind of power needed for something that humongous would be staggering. The people without the power to walk the realms would be destroyed by the denizens of Terra Noctem. Of those that could, the weaker ones would fall within an hour as they were swarmed by withers and other denizens of the dead realm for their magic. “That doesn’t make sense. Apep doesn’t dwell in Terra Noctem; he lives in Terra Caelestes, the realm of the gods, doesn’t he?”

  “I’m not sure that’s what’s happening. I think it’s more that the ritual the perpetrator is conducting is somehow…bringing Terra Noctem closer to the campus, not sucking the campus in. It’s thinning the veil between the realms, making it easier to cross over. But the problem is, we don’t know what is crossing over, or which way it’s going.” Jonah shook his head. “Everything about this case is giving me hives.”

  Her tablet pinged, signaling that she’d gotten an email. She returned to her desk and opened the email, gasping as she read the contents. “Jonah? We got something from the Egyptologist.”

  “Oh?” Jonah scooted his chair around their adjoined desks so he could view her monitor. “Oh.”

  Carol shivered as she read the text. “Apep, spirit of darkness, he who devours the twelve souls, who coils around the barque of Ra. Child of Neith, cast your eye upon this vessel that darkness has created.”

  “That darkness has created?” Jonah scowled. “What the fuck does that mean? And cast your eye upon this vessel? The spell calls for Apep to watch, then to devour the sacrifices.”

  “Devours the twelve souls. Does that mean there will be twelve victims?” Carol bit her lip. “We need to forward this to Dr. Ramsey.”

  “Agreed.” Jonah gestured toward Ian, who was just coming into the room, munching on an apple he’d probably gotten from the break room. “C’mere, Matsumoto.”

  “Whatcha got?” Ian leaned between them. “Holy crap. Is that the first part of the spell?”

  “More than likely, since it was the writing you copied from Reeves’s body.” Carol started to forward the email. “Any specific questions for Dr. Ramsey? Other than whether or not this gives her a better idea of what’s going on.”
<
br />   “Not that I can think of.” Ian rubbed his nose. “This is more your gig than mine.”

  “Nope, not really. This is priest bullshit, which is a hell of a lot worse.” Jonah started backing up, forcing Ian to move. “Have you gone over all the case notes?”

  “Yeah, I’m all caught up. Also, I got something from that campus cop you might be interested in.” Ian pulled out a notebook from his jacket pocket. “It seems that the cameras around the baseball field have been destroyed.”

  “What?” Jonah stood. “Has CSI been out there?”

  “No. Rivers says that it was cleaned up before he even found out about it.” Ian flipped through his notes. “The campus custodians cleared the debris before they reported the vandalism. They must have thought it was kids and not our perp.”

  “Shit. Someone doesn’t want us wither-watching again.” Carol sighed. “Maybe if we go over there, I can get a scent.”

  “Or we can go establish whether or not they got anything on tape.” Jonah grabbed his jacket. “Let’s go.”

  The three of them headed for Jonah’s car. “Can I drive?” Ian pleaded, his hands clasped over his breast in a dramatic pose that made Carol giggle. “My old partner would never let me.”

  “Why?” Jonah drawled as he opened the driver’s side door.

  “I have no idea.”

  Ian was so bad at faking an innocent guise that Carol couldn’t help but laugh again. She really liked Ian. The man had a great sense of humor and seemed to fit in with them seamlessly.

  “What?” Ian climbed into the back seat, winking at Carol with a conspiratorial expression.

  “Nothing.” Carol got into the passenger seat, and they were off on the now-familiar route. “Lunch after this?” She was beginning to get hungry.

  “God, yes,” Ian moaned. “I call Mexican.”

  “That’s two votes.” Jonah beamed. “Not far away, there’s this fabulous little Mexican food place that has the best burritos. Instead of ground beef, they use roast beef. It’s incredible.”