“Your collection,” the warlock smugly provided. I had never had any doubt that he was aware of my basement hideaway. I just prayed that he wasn’t entirely aware of its unique contents. There were things down there that shouldn’t be in anyone’s hands, and the council would definitely prefer that they weren’t in my hands in particular.
“Yes,” I said with a slight hiss. “I had to tell her something and I was tired of lying to her.”
“Lying would have kept her safe.”
I stalked angrily back toward the guardian, instantly throwing to the winds my earlier decision to try to win Gideon over with logic. “Are you threatening her?”
Gideon stopped me easily with an absent wave of his hand. An invisible force hit me in the chest, slamming me against the wall. I tried to push off, but I was pinned. “I wasn’t threatening anyone, boy,” he said a tad wearily. “I’m only stating the obvious. Anyone who knows about you is a potential liability. You risked her life when you told her about your past, and you know it. Your conscience should have overlooked the so-called discomfort of a lie in favor of sparing her life.”
I stopped struggling and leaned back against the wall, letting his words soak in past the anger and fear. There were a few rare moments when I dealt with Gideon that I felt as if I was back in the Ivory Towers. But with him, it was never about learning how to use magic, it was learning how to manage life. While Gideon was persistently on my ass about using magic, he was at least careful to see that I didn’t kill any innocent bystanders as I attempted to commit suicide by thumbing my nose at the council.
“She deserved to hear the truth,” I said with a sigh.
“She needed to have her memory wiped.”
“I respect her more than that!” I shouted, losing my grip on my temper. “You’re not a god! You don’t have the right to manipulate their lives with impunity.”
Gideon surged toward me, pressing his forehead against mine so that I couldn’t escape him. “You can try to wrap yourself in all these pretty ideas that you have, but they aren’t going to protect you from reality. If you care about this woman, then you need to start taking some responsibility. Take a good look around yourself, Gage! You’re not protecting her by telling her about our world.”
The guardian jerked away from me, one hand propped on his hip while the other rubbed his forehead as if he had a headache. His eyes were clenched shut and I could see a muscle ticking in his jaw. I had succeeded, as usual, at pushing Gideon’s buttons. But I didn’t understand it. He seemed more peeved that I had told Trixie about my past than about my very public fight with Simon. The man made no sense, but then I also didn’t know what was going on in the Ivory Towers. He could have received different orders from the council, or he could be getting some other kind of pressure regarding me. Politics were a bitch.
I forced myself to suck in a calming breath. I had Simon chomping at the bit to rip off my head, I didn’t need Gideon hunting for me as well.
“Look, I’m sorry about Trixie. I was raised to believe that honesty is the best policy. I’m seeing now that it doesn’t apply to . . . our world,” I began, using his choice of words. I didn’t see myself as part of the magic-wielding world any longer, but I guess I was if I was going to be policed by the guardians and carry a wand in my sock. Even if I never cast another spell for the rest of my life, I would still have to answer to the Ivory Towers, making me a part of that world despite my best attempts to escape. “Can you just tell me why Simon has a renewed interest in seeing me dead after so many years of ignoring my existence?”
Gideon dropped his raised hand back to his side and turned slightly to look at me. Some of the tension had eased from his jaw and he watched me speculatively, as if he were weighing my words against my sudden change in temperament. “I think you’re the one who can best answer that question. Have you done anything recently that might catch his attention?”
I bit back my angry denial and waited until I knew I could speak calmly. Yelling at each other was getting us nowhere. And in truth, if Simon had somehow found out about my mess with Tera, then he would have a very good reason to be after my head. I just didn’t think that he knew about Tera’s newfound immortality. If he did, Simon would want the angel feather before he killed me. Right now, the bastard seemed focused purely on my gruesome and painful death.
“I’ve been a good little boy,” I said sarcastically because I simply couldn’t help myself. “I haven’t done anything that would have caught his attention. I mix potions, tattoo, and sleep. Life is pretty dull. Nothing to interest an all-powerful warlock like Simon or even you.”
A wicked smile slashed across his face. Gideon seemed to take great pleasure in stepping closer to me. “Then I guess I can’t help you.”
I snorted, trying once again to push away from the wall, but the warlock’s spell continued to hold me in place. “Help me?” I laughed when I finally stopped struggling. “Since when have you done anything to help me?”
The grim smile disappeared from Gideon’s face in a flash and I was left with a cold weight in the pit of my stomach as I stared, unblinking, at his dark expression. “You’re alive, aren’t you?”
And I had the sickening feeling that he alone was responsible for the fact that I still breathed. I didn’t know why when he obviously hated me, but I had a dark suspicion that Gideon had more scruples and honor than most of the warlocks and witches I had met combined. For that, I was grateful, and I didn’t want to be.
Gideon stepped back from me, brushing his hands together as if trying to wipe away all evidence of this distasteful conversation. “While I’m sure I’m wasting my breath, I’ll tell you anyway in hopes that something will sink into that thick head of yours. If you want to live longer, keep your head down, out of trouble, and away from Master Thorn.”
“I didn’t do anything in the first place to attract his attention.”
The guardian raised one eyebrow at me in disbelief, but he had to know better. In all the years he had known me, I had never gone out of my way to attract the attention of anyone in the magic world. I didn’t want the attention. The few puny little spells that I bothered to weave were generally beneath his notice. What in the world could I have done that would attract Simon’s sudden attention? Other than the Tera mishap, which I still adamantly believed he didn’t know about.
“Can’t you at least look into Simon? See what kind of bug suddenly crawled up his ass?” I asked. Gideon pinned me with a mirthful look and I dropped my head back against the wall, rolling my eyes skyward. “That’s right. Silly me. I’m on my own in dealing with Simon unless it means using magic and then you’re up my ass.”
“I think that’s a correct assessment of things,” Gideon said, sounding as if he was trying to stifle a laugh. Bastard.
“Thanks for the help,” I muttered as he started to walk toward the mouth of the alley and back onto the street.
Gideon paused, turning partially back toward me. “You want my help, then heed my advice and put that damn wand back where you had it hidden. Wave it once and I won’t give you a chance to worry about Simon Thorn.”
My heart felt as if it had stopped in my chest, only starting again when he rounded the corner of the building. The spell he had created to pin me to the wall disappeared and I collapsed to the ground, landing hard on my ass. I barely noticed, my eyes locked on the last place I had seen him. I was vaguely aware of the cars resuming their way down the street, the chirp of the birds, and the hot breeze that swept down the alley, carrying with it the rancid scent of rotting garbage.
Fuck. He knew.
The warlock had known that I was carrying my wand. Hell, he could have hauled me up before the council for just possessing it. I didn’t have to wave it about to get my life revoked. And for some reason that I doubted I would ever understand, Gideon had just walked away from the perfect opportunity to get me permanently out of his hair. I would never understand that man, and I honestly didn’t want to.
Leaning
my head back against the wall, I closed my eyes and tried to will my heartbeat to slow to a normal pace. Simon Thorn wanted me dead. The grim reaper wanted me to clean up my mess or I was dead. But the one man assigned to kill me if I stepped out of line had walked away from the perfect opportunity to make me dead. I didn’t know if he was hoping that Simon would take care of the job or if Gideon had other plans for me.
I reached down and patted the wand shoved in my sock, making sure that it was still secure. I was sorely tempted to grab the second chance that Gideon was giving me and put the wand back in the box in the basement. But I couldn’t. Without it, I was dead if Simon attacked again. Of course, there was a chance I was dead if I continued to carry it. I was damned no matter what I did, so I might as well fight for my life.
Chapter 13
The taxi let me out at the end of Berkman Street in Over the Rhine, barely pausing long enough to allow me to pay the fare and give him a generous enough tip to make it worth his while for coming into this part of town. As the yellow car sped away, heading back into the secure bosom of downtown, I reached into my pocket and pulled out the leather thong with the scrying stone that held a drop of my blood. It was still bright red, and had begun once again to swing, as if a breeze had pushed it despite the relative quiet of the air.
I was more concerned with the dozen or so people watching my every move. Out of the corner of my eye, I could pick out groups gathered on street corners and on small concrete stoops that served as front porches for dilapidated houses. They whispered at the sight of me and wondered about the crystal I was holding out. Others didn’t bother to speculate in so low a tone of voice. I had no doubt that some of the inhabitants of this part of town thought I was insane, convinced that this little bit of stone could protect me against any attack that might come my way, while others were smarter and warier. Only someone well-acquainted with magic would be brave enough to pop into this part of town waving around a bit of useless crystal. I might not look like a warlock, but then, as everyone knew, appearances were deceiving.
Keeping my gaze glued on the stone as I slowly walked down the street, I reminded myself that I had a handgun shoved down the waistband of my jeans and more than a few tricks up my sleeve. I already had Simon pissed at me, and Gideon wasn’t in a much better mood, so what did it matter if I started throwing around some magic in hopes of preserving my life a little while longer? It also helped that the sun was still high in the sky. The vampires were still abed and the trolls were lurking in dark homes, waiting for the sun to finally set. While goblins could come and go during the day, they preferred to wait until at least dusk before showing their ugly mugs out of doors. There were a few other faerie folk that could be a nuisance, but I wasn’t likely to find them here unless they were really down on their luck. OTR was way too far from anything that resembled forestland or even a small park, which would help to rejuvenate their meager powers.
In the end, it turned out to be a creature just as much of a pain in human form as it was under the caress of moonlight that finally stopped my progress down the street. I was passing by a sagging chain-link fence when a hand shot out to grab the crystal from where it dangled in front of me. Instinct took over. I jerked it away at the last second and took a quick sliding step back. At the same time, my free hand went to the gun at my back, but I didn’t pull it free. I stopped in time to take in my surroundings, but the damage was done, as everyone gathered knew what I’d been reaching for.
Leaning on the fence was a large, bare-chested man with long brown hair and deep-set brown eyes. His thin lips curled into a smile, revealing a set of white teeth that possessed a pair of long canines, leaving me wishing I had paid more attention to the BEWARE OF DOG sign. The rest of his pack rolled off the nearby porch and fluidly moved across the small trash-strewn yard like a set of wolves loping across a verdant field toward an unknowing buck. Werewolves. Of course, I’d run afoul of werewolves because I wasn’t paying attention. I could have given them a wider berth as I trekked down the street toward Sparks’s place, but no, I had to be completely lost in what I was doing. Idiot.
I eased my hand away from the gun at my back and allowed it to hang limply at my side while I tightened my grip on the crystal. I had lowered it so that it was hanging near my waist, glittering in the afternoon sunlight.
“Afternoon,” I said, meeting the werewolf’s narrowed gaze. “Is there some way I can help you?”
“Just wondering what you’re doing in our part of town,” he said in what seemed to be a friendly tone, but I wasn’t convinced, as his companions joined him at the fence. One even went so far as to open the gate and stand there. “I can’t say that I can recall your face.”
“I’m not from this part of town. I’m Gage, owner of the tattoo parlor called the Asylum, on the other side of town. Maybe I’ve done some work for one of your friends?”
This gave the leader pause, as he actually looked around at his companions for confirmation of whether any of them had gotten ink in my shop before. Unfortunately, every last one of them shook their head no before the leader turned his attention back to me.
“Hmm. That’s a shame.” I slowly reached into my back pocket with my empty hand, sending them all back a step in surprise and wariness before I withdrew a business card. Experience had taught me that it was always good to have some cards on hand because you never knew when you would meet someone who needed a little help. “Stop in sometime. Let me handle some ink for you. I’m one of the best in the city, ask anyone. If I’m not there, my coworkers are just as talented.” I handed the leader the card. He didn’t bother to even look at it, but immediately ripped it into two pieces and dropped it on the ground. I just gave him a little, indifferent shrug. “Trixie will be disappointed.”
“Trixie? Trixie Ravenwood? Dark hair and eyes? Tits?” demanded one of the other pack members as he held his hands out in front of his chest to simulate Trixie’s ample endowments and appearance under the influence of the glamour.
“Yes, that would be her.” It was a struggle to keep my voice light and indifferent when I wanted nothing more than to plow my fist into the man’s face.
“Damn, she’s fine!” he whistled, nudging one of his companions. “I’ve seen her and her work. She’s good.” He would have continued his praise, but one dark look from the alpha quickly shut his mouth.
“So, Gage,” the alpha resumed, seeming to chew on my name before spitting it out. “What are you doing in this part of town? Scouting for new customers?”
“Actually, I’m looking for someone in particular. Maybe you’ve seen him around. He would be an old man, in his sixties, with gray hair and pale skin, going by the name of Sparks. He could be working as a tattoo artist.”
“That’s interesting,” the alpha said with a nod, mocking me. “Unfortunately, information doesn’t just rain from the sky in this part of town. You’ve got to pay for it.”
“You’ve seen him?”
“Maybe.”
“What do you want?”
“Oh, I think you know,” he murmured.
My hand tightened on the leather thong that was attached to the quartz and I clenched my teeth. “It’s useless to you, just a bit of stone. You can’t even sell it for anything.”
“It must be worth something if you’re unwilling to let it go.”
I had two reasons for being unwilling to release it. First, it was my only chance at reliably locating Sparks. And second, it held my blood. In the world of spells, potions, and warlocks, a person’s blood was just a step down from having a piece of their soul. It was bad enough that Simon had ripped out a hunk of my soul already today, did I really need to give up a drop of my blood as well? I liked to think not.
“The crystal is not for sale. If you can’t help me, then I’ll be on my way. No harm, no foul,” I said, my voice growing more clipped. I knew that I was letting my temper get the better of me, but it had been a rough day and I wasn’t in the mood to be pushed and bullied by a pack of cani
ne assholes.
“It’s a little late for that. You’ve already trespassed into our domain and now you have to pay.”
I smiled broadly at him as I shoved the crystal into my pocket. “No.”
As I expected, he tightened his grip on the fence and launched his body over it with a ripple of muscle and more ease than I could have shown. I didn’t move from where I was standing. Instead, I raised my right hand and palmed his face, stopping him dead in the air. Gazing deep into his brown eyes, I smiled as I quickly whispered a set of magic words. I swallowed a laugh at his look of shock and pain before I pushed him backward. When he landed in the yard, he had turned from a six-foot, muscular bully with a cocky attitude to a two-pound white Chihuahua.
The rest of the pack went into a frenzy of panic. Half of them immediately backed away from me, pulling toward the porch, while the other half must have stopped thinking because they moved toward me. The pack member in the lead immediately stopped as I pressed the muzzle of my gun to his forehead before he could react. I cocked the gun, capturing his full attention while the rest of the pack members came to a complete halt.
“I don’t think you want to do that,” I said calmly.
“What the fuck, man!”
“He’s fine.”
“Jack’s not fucking fine!” he said with an almost desperate whine.
“Jack? That the name of your alpha? Jack?”
“Jack, yeah. You turned him into a fucking Chihuahua!”
“Yes I did, but if you’ll recall, you really didn’t leave me much choice. I could have killed him, but I didn’t. I could still kill you, but I’m not going to because Jack will need a keeper for a few days.” It was all I could do to keep from laughing. This was the most fun I’d had all this long day.
“But he’s a fucking Chihuahua, man!” the werewolf continued to complain.
I shoved him a couple of steps from me with the gun and then put the weapon back in the waistband of my pants now that everyone’s attention seemed to be on the shivering, yapping Jack just inside the fence.
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