While there is no doubt how entertaining the night was, it should be clarified that it was days ago, my sweet succubus, the wraith informed me.
My body grew ice cold. Days ago? There was no way that happened days ago. I scrambled from bed in search of my cell. I needed to know the date. The day of the week. Something.
Two days ago to be precise, the wraith tacked on.
I spotted it on my dresser and practically lunged to scoop it up. Pressing the button along the top, I lit the screen to reveal the date and time. Coldness snaked through me, and I knew it had nothing to do with the wraith.
He hadn’t been lying. Apparently, I had been asleep for two days. Nine missed calls, and twenty-two text messages had compiled on my phone. I scrolled through, skimming the list of those who had attempted to contact me. There was only one name I was searching for. When I didn’t see it, I backtracked to the edge of my bed and sat. Disappointment crashed through me as the realization Randal hadn’t contacted me still settled in. Arabella had called though.
I wondered if she had any news on him.
A glimmer of hope slipped through me as another thought surfaced in my mind: What if she found him, but he wasn’t able to call because something was wrong? Icicles of panic twisted through my veins as I tapped on her name and called her back.
“Kenna, hey.” There was a wild note whirling within the pitch of her tone. She was shocked, yet relieved to hear from me. “I’ve been trying to get a hold of you.”
“I noticed. I’m sorry.” An explanation burned at the tip of my tongue, but I swallowed it. “Have you found him yet?”
She didn’t answer right away, and because of it, I knew in the span of a few seconds what her answer would be. “No. Bianca and I have been in contact with everyone in Newvale and the surrounding cities we know, but there hasn’t been any sign of him. We were also in touch with some close friends in L.A., but there is still no word on his whereabouts. It’s almost as though he vanished into thin air.”
I didn’t know what to say, how to respond, until abruptly a thought came to me. “Could it be some sort of cloaking spell hiding his disappearance? Wouldn’t that make him seem to have vanished?”
“It’s possible.” I could tell from the tone of her voice gears were already spinning inside her head. “If someone were to have seen him taken, a cloaking spell would hide the knowledge within his or her mind until he was found, or until someone countered the spell.”
My heart kick-started as excitement for the idea gave me new motivation and hope. “How do we do that? How do we counter a cloaking spell? How do we figure out if there is one? Where do we even start?”
“We start in the Red River parking lot where his car is sitting without any signs of struggle.”
“Or so we think,” I added.
“You are absolutely right. Cloaking spells can be fine-tuned to only include a certain square footage if need be.”
“What about the cameras? Could a cloaking spell affect those as well?” I asked, knowing there had been nothing on the footage. We were on to something; I could feel it.
“The only problem is.” Arabella sighed into the phone. “I’m not sure where to find a qualifying witch able to help with a cloaking situation.”
Jasper. He’d given me a card the other night. Glancing around my room, I spotted it lying on top of the pile of clothes pushed against my dresser. I slipped off my bed and crossed the room to retrieve it. “I think I know someone who can help.” I bent at the knee and picked up Jasper’s business card. I flipped it over and read his number while wondering if what I needed was something he would consider doing, or if he even knew how to.
Chapter 9
I paced in my kitchen, waiting for Arabella to show up. We were supposed to meet with Jasper soon. A knock sounded at my front door. I rushed to answer it. Arabella stood on the other side. She was dressed in a dark leather jacket, skintight jeans, and black heeled boots.
I motioned for her to step inside. “Hey.”
“Hi.” Her dark waves were pulled away from her face and secured in a low ponytail. I had never seen her appear so dark and mysterious before. Normally she dressed sweet and sensual, matching the air of her character. Not tonight. Tonight Arabella was ready to get down to business and find her brother.
I was ready to do the same. Time was running out. I needed to find Randal, even though I did not intend to let him go through with sacrificing himself for me. All I wanted was to spend as much time with him as I could while I was still me.
“Ready?” Arabella asked.
I scooped my keys and purse off the little catchall table beside my front door. It was five after nine. We had twenty-five minutes to get to Red River. “Yeah.”
While I was glad Jasper had agreed to work with me again so soon, I wished we had been available to meet with him earlier in the day. I was sure someone had cloaked the cameras at Red River, and the anticipation of what we might find had been killing me. Even though Arabella was an older vampire, and sunlight didn’t limit her movements during the day like it did others, daylight wasn’t comfortable for her. Therefore, we’d agreed to wait until nightfall to meet with Jasper.
“Are you driving, or do you want me to?”
I blinked. It was the first time a vampire had given me the opportunity to drive them somewhere. There was something about vampires and speed I couldn’t comprehend, but Arabella was the first to offer any slack when it came to it. “You can drive.” Unfortunately, I didn’t think I could handle being in my car after what happened in the backseat, especially not while we were planning to meet with Jasper. “I’m sure you’ll get us there faster than I would.”
“Okay, let’s go then.”
After leaving my apartment complex in her dust, I realized Arabella was a vampire who harbored an aversion to driving the speed limit as well. This didn’t surprise me.
Fifteen minutes later, we were pulling into the parking lot of Red River. I glanced around, searching for Jasper’s black truck. It wasn’t here yet. My eyes drifted to Randal’s car. It was still parked in the same place it had sat for days. My insides caved in. Where was he? I hoped we would find out soon, but most of all, I hoped he was okay.
A small part of me toyed with the idea that he might have decided he wasn’t as willing to give up his life to save mine as he had initially thought. I wondered if seeing the wraith responsible for his sister’s death blink out of existence was a motivating factor for him anymore. He did leave when he’d first learned I’d been infected; maybe the same fears had propelled his feet elsewhere. I chewed my bottom lip as my thoughts twisted my insides.
No. I paused my train of thought. Randal wouldn’t do something like that. He was loyal to those he cared about. Someone had kidnapped him. There was no way he would have disappeared of his own freewill. Not at a time like this.
Jasper’s truck turned into the parking lot. I watched as he slowed to a stop, letting a mixture of supernaturals walk toward the entrance of Red River in front of him. Bianca had insisted that, even though Randal was missing, the club still needed to stay open. His disappearance wasn’t common knowledge, and she intended to keep it that way. Apparently, when you were as old as Randal, people freaked out when they learned something bad had happened to you, even in the supernatural world. It reminded me of the way some humans took it to heart when they learned their favorite actor had passed.
My eyes skimmed Jasper’s truck as it neared us. There was someone sitting in the passenger seat. A female. I couldn’t make out much about her, but I wasn’t sure whether I felt comfortable with her presence.
“How do you know Jasper again?” Arabella sounded as uneasy as I felt.
I cleared my throat. I’d been waiting for her to ask. “Dex introduced me to him the other night.” I left off the why and how, praying Jasper was professional enough to do the same. I didn’t want Arabella knowing what I had done. I didn’t want anyone knowing. Dex, Jasper, and my mother were bad enough.
“Okay.” Arabella sounded skeptical. “And what was it you mentioned he specialized in besides cloaking?”
“Nothing. That’s all he does actually.” I relaxed a little, thinking it had been perfect timing we’d met when we had.
There’s the silver lining, my little succubus. I was waiting for it. You always seem to find one, don’t you? the wraith mocked me.
I pressed my fingertips to my forehead, wishing I were able to put up the wall I used to rely on when it came to separating myself from him. I missed those days. Remembering the vial of liquid I had placed in my purse before leaving tonight, I dug it out. Since the wraith seemed to have so much control now, I refused to leave the house without it. Maybe it was a habit I should have adopted a hell of a lot sooner, but I couldn’t live in the past. What happened to Christopher Moore would not happen to another. I was determined to make sure of it.
“Which means he should be able to do as we need him to, correct?”
Arabella’s question pulled me from my thoughts. “Yeah. He created a business based off the need for cloaking spells is what I’ve been told.” Why I elaborated so much I wasn’t sure. Hopefully, it wouldn’t lead to questions of how I had been given the information.
“Here he comes,” Arabella whispered. “Who is the young girl with him? An assistant?”
Jasper and the female he had brought with him were walking our way. I glanced at the girl, but didn’t recognize her. “I have no clue.”
We started forward and met them halfway. There was a warm breeze in the air, but I felt a chill sweep through me the moment Jasper’s eyes locked with mine. I wasn’t sure if it was the wraith stirring at the sight of him or my nerves getting the best of me.
“Hello, ladies.” Jasper nodded to us, and then motioned to the girl beside him. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’ve brought along Piper tonight. She’s in training.”
I shifted my gaze to Piper, catching sight of her sage green aura right away. She was a witch, same as Jasper. I continued to stare at her, wondering if her only ability involved cloaking things as well. She had long reddish hair that fell past her shoulders in sleek strands. Dressed in a dark denim jacket, a black T-shirt matching Jasper’s with the words Sight Unseen printed on it, and a pair of dark jeans, she looked ready to kick some butt. Her serious expression and observant brown eyes added to the theory, making me overlook how young she appeared to be. Appearances could be deceiving in the supernatural world, but I still pegged her to be around seventeen.
“Hi.” Piper flashed us a small smile. It helped to soften her serious features and allowed her nerves to shine through. I wondered if this was her first time on the job.
“Hey, I’m Kenna, and this is Arabella,” I introduced us since it seemed as though Jasper wasn’t planning to.
“Nice to meet you,” Piper said.
“Okay.” Jasper had his game face on. Introductions were over, and it seemed as though he was ready to get down to business. That was one thing I enjoyed about him—even in the short time I’d known him—he didn’t come off as the type to screw around. I could respect that about a person. “You called because you wanted me to check the area and see if there were any cloaks put into place recently. Correct?”
I nodded. “Yeah. We think there was one put in place a few days ago that may have affected the cameras for a chunk of time, blocking someone’s abduction from view.”
“Also, we would like for you to check the area surrounding a specific car parked in the lot, please,” Arabella added. “We believe there may have been something placed there as well.”
“This all pertains to Randal Vincent’s disappearance, am I right?” Jasper’s gaze shifted to Arabella. “You’re one of his sisters, aren’t you?”
Arabella nodded. “Yes. I am. How did you know about my brother’s disappearance?”
“I heard about it through the grapevine.” His tone was mellow and sympathetic. “Rumors travel fast when it comes to the big-time celebrity supes. Anything we can do to help you find him, we’re more than happy to do.”
“Thank you,” Arabella whispered.
An uneasy silence bloomed between the four of us. I was unsure if Jasper was purposely holding a dramatic pause in respect for Randal, or if he had actual sympathy toward the situation. Where had that been the other night when he was dragging Christopher Moore from the backseat of my car?
“All right, let’s get down to business.” Jasper rubbed the palms of his hands together and turned to survey the area where Randal’s car was parked. “This is his car, correct?”
I wondered how he knew. Were his cloaking abilities already picking up on something, or was it common knowledge the type of car Randal drove?
Arabella started forward. “Yes. I would like to find out if there is a cloak in place that might be hiding signs of a struggle.” Her voice wavered when she spoke. I wondered if she was afraid of what Jasper might reveal. I was.
“The security footage from the night of his disappearance has already been looked at, but it didn’t show anything,” I added, feeling the need to contribute something to the conversation.
Jasper continued rubbing the palms of his hands together as though he were warming them up. It seemed a little OCD to me, but maybe it was something magical? “Piper, I’m going to assess the area first. When I’m done, you do the same, and then we’ll compare notes. Got it?” He arched a brow at the girl.
While I was glad he saw fit to train someone else in the ways of his business, I wasn’t sure I could handle the slow pace her learning called for in this situation. My lips pressed together in a thin line as I watched her rub her palms together too. Apparently, it was some sort of preparation for them.
Jasper stepped forward, causing my attention to slip to him. I watched as he moved closer to Randal’s car with his hands extended in front of him, as though he were feeling the heat of a fire. He circled the car, and I noticed his eyes had closed. His tongue darted out to lick along his bottom lip a couple of times, but his face remained relaxed. When he made it back to his starting point, his hands fell to his sides, and his head cocked as though he were curious about something.
“The anticipation for results is torturous,” Arabella whispered.
I had forgotten she was standing beside me. I’d been too consumed in studying Jasper, searching for any clues his expression might give as to what happened here. He wore a mask, which meant I hadn’t gained a single thing. This irked me to no end. “Me too.”
“Piper, your turn.” Jasper stepped to the side and motioned for her to move in front of him. “Take your time. Feel it out.”
I wanted to scream for her not to take her time. The desire to jerk Jasper behind Arabella’s car out of Piper’s earshot and interrogate him about his findings twisted through me, but I remained where I was. I crossed my arms over my chest and watched.
Jasper didn’t look at either of us, his gaze remained focused on Piper the entire time she mimicked his movements around Randal’s car. She went in the same circular fashion with her eyes closed and palms facing the car. She even licked her lips every so often, same as Jasper had. I wondered if it wasn’t a concentration tick of Jasper’s like I had thought, but a necessary part of sensing a cloak. Were they tasting it?
When Piper finished, she paused at the edge of Randal’s car and turned to lock eyes with Jasper. “This is different. I don’t know why though.”
A large smile erupted on his face as he reached up to stroke his chin while keeping his gaze on the girl. “Explain to me what you found to be so different; describe it.”
“It’s darker.” Piper licked her lips again, tasting the remnants of whatever she’d found. “Earthy and it’s not something one of us would have created. Am I right?”
“You nailed it, little sister,” Jasper confirmed.
The second he’d said the wor
ds ‘little sister’, I knew that was exactly who Piper was to him. I could see a family resemblance now. It was in their shared hair color, and the shape of their noses.
“Its origin is hoodoo,” Jasper muttered to Piper. “That’s the earthy darkness you tasted.”
Hoodoo? My heart beat triple time at the mention of the word. I knew close to nothing about hoodoo, but if it was similar to voodoo, then I was positive it couldn’t be anything good. Images of the Halloween I had spent in New Orleans flickered through my mind. The Midnight Cauldron floated front and center. I thought of all the creepy masks and potions, of Kalisa.
No, if hoodoo was involved in Randal’s disappearance, I was sure things were a hell of a lot worse than what any of us had thought.
Chapter 10
“Hoodoo? My brother was taken by a hoodoo practitioner?” Panic whirled in Arabella’s tone.
“No.” Jasper waved off her words. “I didn’t say that he was taken by a hoodoo practitioner; I said the origin of the cloaking spell used here was hoodoo.”
“Will undoing it reveal what happened to him on the video?” Finding out if there had been magic used had been at the top of my list, but now that we knew a definite answer, I needed to continue with finding out more. No matter how much I wanted to freak out at the mention of hoodoo, now was not the time.
“It’s possible, but not guaranteed. They could be two separate spells,” Piper spoke up. She cast a nervous glance at Jasper, as though seeking his approval. He gave her a nod of encouragement.
“That’s right. Anything that happened in this parking lot might not be on the surveillance tapes once we remove the cloak,” Jasper confirmed. “There is a possibility two cloaks were used: one to hide signs of a struggle and one to block the cameras.”
“How long will it take to remove the cloak placed here?” Arabella asked before I could.
“Hoodoo cloaks are tricky. They aren’t based on the same type of magic as ours.” Jasper started toward his truck. “I can’t give you an exact timeframe. It could be minutes, or it could be hours. We’ll have to wait and see.”
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