by Jamie Davis
He didn’t turn around as he acknowledged her presence. “You’re up early, Quinn. Did you want to train a little before breakfast?”
“No, we can do it at the usual time. I’m up because I couldn’t sleep any longer. I can’t shake the feeling that there’s something I need to be doing.”
Clark turned, a grim smile on his face. “Welcome to my world. There’s never enough of me to go around. People are dying because of it.”
“You can’t hold yourself responsible for being unable to do the work done by dozens of hunters in the past.”
Clark looked like he was about to say something but changed his mind.
Quinn kept going, trying to encourage him. “At least you’re not alone anymore. There are two of us now, three if you include Taylor in our clan. If I can figure out how, we’ll find others and expand the clan even more.”
He chuckled as he gathered his gear and started toward the door. “I’ll give you one thing, Quinn—you don’t let go of an idea once you get it into your head. This huntress clan of yours is real to you.”
“Of course, it is. I don’t know why, but something feels right when I think about it. Plus, on the few occasions when we’ve had words with our enemies, the very mention of it seems to get under their skin, as if they know something we don’t.”
“There is that, I guess,” Clark said as he left the training room and walked with her toward the kitchen. “Anything that gets them off-balance is a plus. Maybe I’ll feel better once I eat some food. I smell something. Did you start breakfast already?”
Quinn shook her head. She smelled it, too. “I was heading that way when I heard you training and came down to see. It’s Taylor,” she said, chuckling. “She was out cold when we got back last night. The shifter thing and controlling her change two days ago must be taking a lot out of her.”
They found Taylor standing at the large institutional stove, cooking bacon and eggs. She turned when they came in. “Hey, guys. I woke up super-hungry and had to get something to eat. I’ve got enough going here for all of us if the two of you want to get drinks and plates.”
“Long night last night, T?” Quinn asked. “I noticed you fell asleep fully dressed with your door open. You’re not pushing yourself too hard, are you?”
“I’m fine. I’ve got some things to talk to you both about but help me finish up first, and then we can talk while we eat.”
Quinn nodded and helped Clark get the table set. She poured drinks while Clark stepped over to the stove to assist Taylor. Quinn had to give him credit; he didn’t get locked into making them do certain chores just because she and Taylor were women. He lent a hand with anything that needed doing. She appreciated it.
Soon the three of them were sitting at the table and started their meal. Taylor waited until they’d all settled and said, “I’ve made a breakthrough. I think I’m close to getting the VR rig back up and running.”
Quinn glanced at Clark. He was as surprised as she was. She asked, “What kind of breakthrough? Did you find a way around needing magic to enable the transfer into the system?”
“No, even better. I found a way to cast the spells.”
Clark’s jaw dropped. “How? You were getting nowhere with that the last time we talked about it.”
Taylor paused and shifted her gaze between them before she answered. “Okay, this is going to sound weird, but I had help.”
“From who?” Clark and Quinn asked together.
The voice from the doorway startled the pair.
“From me.”
Quinn spun, staring in disbelief, unable to stop herself from gawking at the glowing form that stood behind them.
Clark handled it better, but Quinn could see he was a little rattled, too. He tried to laugh it off, saying, “I figured you’d find a way to come back and haunt us.”
“Miranda, how?” Quinn asked.
“My work here wasn’t finished, I guess,” the woman said. The glowing image of the witch’s ghost, dressed in a pale yellow dress with a floral pattern, drifted around to the other side of the table and sat beside Taylor. “Sometimes, the higher powers endow spirits with the ability to return to finish tasks left uncompleted. In my case, I think I am supposed to help you three.”
Quinn shook her head, trying to process the emotions swirling through her. She opened her mouth to speak, tears welling in her eyes.
Miranda held up a hand to stop her. “Quinn, you don’t have to apologize. There was nothing you could have done to stop what happened to me. It was my time.”
“How can you say that?” Quinn asked. “You just told us you had unfinished business.”
“I did, but the thread of my mortal life was only so long, and that was the end of it, at least in that form. I’ve returned in this form to continue my important work.”
Clark smiled and nodded. “You’re here to cast the spells again and help us activate the VR system. We could’ve used you last night, but better late than never.”
Miranda shook her head. “I’m limited in how I can interact with your world. I cannot physically touch any part of the mortal realm. That includes the magic that is present here. What I can do is help Taylor realize the power within herself so she can do it in my place.”
Quinn didn’t understand. “Taylor, you can do magic now?”
The other girl nodded. “I made a big step in the right direction last night. It was why I was so tired. Using magic takes a lot out of you.”
“I want to know more about how this happened, but in any event, that’s great news,” Clark said. “We’ll need to get the rig up and running tonight. I want to take the fight to those bastards and get some payback.”
Miranda shook her head. “Taylor’s not ready for that. She only just learned to see the energy flows last night. I think she’ll learn fast because of her programming experience since it takes that kind of analytical mind to do a complex spell, but she won’t be ready by tonight. No way. It’s not safe for her or for Quinn.”
Clark grumbled something under his breath Quinn couldn’t make out. She jumped in to let him work through whatever he was thinking. “It’s still great news, both the magic and knowing you’re still here with us, Miranda. At least in some form.”
“I think Miranda’s right about me picking it up fast. I have been thinking about the notes written by the VirSync developers in the program. I think I understand what they were going for and can’t wait to start trying stuff.”
Miranda held out a hand, cutting Taylor off. “But we’re going to be careful because any mistakes can cause catastrophic consequences for both the caster and the subject of the spell.”
“I get it,” Quinn said. “We’ll try to be patient. Right, Clark?”
“Uh, yeah,” he replied. He pulled out his phone. “I need to check and see if Joshua answered my message. At least if we can meet with him, we won’t feel like we’re doing nothing. No offense, Taylor. I just lost a good friend last night. If we’d had the rig up and running, he might still be alive.”
“I understand. I’ll work hard and try to learn as fast as I can. I want this as much as you do. I have a score to settle on Miranda’s behalf if nothing else. Plus, I’ve got this werewolf thing hanging over me now. They have payback coming for that too.”
Clark interrupted Taylor, looking up from his phone. “Joshua got back to me. He wants to meet downtown at the public library. I’m supposed to come alone, but something about his reply makes me think he’s in some sort of trouble,” he said. He glanced at Quinn. “I want you to come with me. We need another set of eyes on this and he doesn’t know you, so he won’t know you’re watching my back if he spots you.”
“You’re expecting trouble?” Quinn asked. “He’s a bookkeeper, right? How dangerous could he be?”
“Oh, Joshua’s harmless. He wouldn’t hurt a fly. I’ve seen him catch a spider in a cup and set it free outside rather than step on it. It’s everything else that’s going on right now. I worry about another slayer t
eam catching him before we get there or showing up at the meeting.”
Quinn grinned. “You know I’m in. When do we leave?”
“Now. I want to check out the library’s surroundings and then drop you off to go in early and be in place before he arrives. That way, we can see if anyone is watching him. You’ll have to look like you’re doing research or something. Can you look like a bookworm?”
Quinn paused, and Taylor laughed. “Don’t worry, Quinn. I have an outfit that’ll work for you, and even an old pair of plain-lens glasses. They just block screen frequencies, and they look nerdy as hell, so they’ll be perfect to complete the outfit.”
“If you say so. I’ve never been much of a student.”
“You only have to look like you belong in the library,” Clark said. “He wants to meet me in the basement where the antiquities section is located. That’s where the moldy old books are kept, so you have to look the part, or he’ll figure out you’re with me for sure.”
“I can fake it.”
“Good, then go get changed. I’ll tell him that I’ll be there.”
Quinn got up, as did Taylor. Miranda followed them from the room while Clark tapped his response into the phone.
Chapter Nine
Quinn stood in front of the mirror and shook her head. “No way, T. I look like a girl from a freaking private school.”
“Exactly,” Taylor said, smiling. “You look like someone who’d rather be locked in a basement with a bunch of moldy old books than be outside getting fresh air.”
“If you say so.”
Quinn stared at the image in the mirror again. She wore a gray wool skirt that came down to her knees. Black tights and flats completed the bottom half of the ensemble. She had a white button-down shirt with a collar, a plain cardigan and her hair braided in two pigtails that hung down her shoulders.
“Where do I keep my Bowie?”
Taylor handed her a backpack. “Keep it in here.”
“How am I going to get it out if I need it in a hurry?”
“With this outfit,” Miranda said, “I doubt anyone will consider you a threat, so you’ll have plenty of time. Hopefully, you won’t need it. This is supposed to be a peaceful meet-up with a friend, not a full-on fight with slayers.”
“I hope you’re right,” Quinn said. “I can’t run in this skirt, let alone fight anyone. It’s too tight.”
“You’ll be fine,” Taylor added. “Stop obsessing about it. You’ll be back in no time, and you can change back into your ass-kicking gear then.”
Quinn gave herself one last look and started toward the stairs. Clark was probably fuming at having to wait so long.
Taylor raced behind her. “Don’t forget the glasses. They complete the outfit.”
Quinn took the dark-framed glasses and slipped them on. “How’s that?”
“Perfect. Completely non-threatening.”
“Thanks.”
Taylor laughed as Quinn continued down the steps and walked toward the entry. Clark was waiting in the car with the engine running. He checked his watch as she came out.
Quinn moved as fast as she could. She wasn’t kidding about the skirt restricting her speed. It was going to suck if she had to get anywhere quickly.
She sat down in the passenger seat, not missing Clark’s amused expression. “Don’t say a word. I know how ridiculous I look.”
“I wasn’t going to say anything of the sort. You’ll blend in perfectly. Knowing Joshua, he’d consider you the perfect woman.”
“Ewww, I don’t need some old guy drooling over me.”
“Don’t worry,” Clark said as he drove out of the parking area and onto the lane leading to the main road. “You just have to find a spot where you can see the meeting. There’s no reason for you to interact with him.”
“You’d better be right.” Quinn paused and checked the backpack in her lap. Taylor had found some old medical textbooks somewhere in the building and stuffed them in with her Bowie knife and phone. She closed the backpack and set it on the floor at her feet.
Clark said, “Let’s go over the plan and see if there’s anything we’re missing.”
“What’s to miss? It’s a meeting, right?”
“Maybe. There’s just something nagging at me. When I told Joshua I wanted something that contained information on how to fashion an amulet, he initially put me off and told me he didn’t have anything I could use. Then he came back suddenly and requested the meeting, saying he’d found something he forgot about.”
“You said he’s old. Old people forget stuff.”
Clark frowned. “It’s not like him to forget. He’s the freaking keeper. They don’t forget anything left in their care. It’s in the genes or something.”
Quinn thought about it and asked, “Could it have been someone else answering? Maybe they’ve already gotten to him. It could be a trap.”
“That’s what you’re there for. Watch my back and make sure.” Clark glanced her way while he drove. “You’ve got that, right?”
“No worries. I can do that.”
“Good,” Clark said as he sped up and merged onto the interstate heading into town.
It took them half an hour to reach the main branch of the library downtown. Clark circled the block once and then pulled over to drop off Quinn. “Be careful. If you need to, use your hide in shadows ability to get to where you need to be.”
“I’ll be fine. After all, I’m wearing library camo.”
Her comment made Clark laugh.
She laughed, too. “See you in a bit.”
Quinn climbed out and grabbed her backpack, swinging it onto her back and slipping both arms into the straps. She figured that would look the nerdiest. She leaned down and looked into the car. “The meeting is supposed to happen in about an hour, right?”
Clark nodded. “I’ll go find a place to park and walk back. The extra time will give you plenty of room to get settled in place before Joshua arrives.”
Quinn nodded and shut the door, then headed up the broad steps out front as Clark drove away. To her amusement, on her way inside, she spotted two other women dressed in very similar outfits. She’d have to tell Taylor.
Inside, she followed Clark’s instructions and turned just inside the main entrance and headed for the first stairwell. Taking the steps down two flights to a sub-basement level, she pulled open the heavy fire door and walked into a musty room with rows of tall bookshelves that nearly reached the low, dropped ceiling.
Clark was supposed to meet Joshua near a research area on this floor. Clark had met him here before and told her it had glass walls so she would be able to see into it from all around the tables and study cubicles situated facing the center of the room.
Quinn walked down a row between two floor-to-ceiling shelves filled with old books until she reached the end of the shelf and entered an open area. She spotted the small room in the center with its glass walls. As Clark had told her, there were many tables and a few low-walled study cubicles situated around the room. Any of them would afford her a view of what was going on in there.
Glancing behind her, Quinn decided to locate the other exits and entrances to the room before she found her seat. She didn’t want to put herself in a position where anyone could sneak up behind her, and she also wanted to ensure she knew where the nearest escape route was.
She found another stairwell opposite the one through which she had entered. There was also a main entrance to the floor, with a bank of elevators. That was where both Clark and Joshua would probably arrive. She decided to pick a place where she could see the main entrance and also keep an eye on the spot where the bookshelves led to the stairwell entrances. This would give her the best option to keep an eye on things all around.
She took a seat in one of the cubicles and made sure she could look over the top of the cubicle wall to see the rest of the room. It was perfect, and would keep her mostly hidden from view.
She pulled out one of the two books Taylor had pack
ed for her and opened it. Leaving the book open, she pushed her backpack to the side and made sure the hilt of her knife was right inside the pack so she could grab it in a hurry if she had to. She glanced down at the book. It was some sort of surgery guide with anatomy drawings, along with descriptions of medical instruments from a long time ago. The more she looked at it, flipping the pages, the more she realized it was interesting.
Quinn checked her phone for the time. The meeting was to take place in about forty-five minutes, so she settled in to wait with her book. Maybe she could learn something to help her cause more damage in her next battle.
Chapter Ten
The textbook drew her in as she thought about matching up the anatomy in the illustrations with the lessons on specific injuries caused by certain attacks. Before she knew it, twenty minutes had flown by. Because she had her nose down in the book, she missed the arrival of the others.
Her amulet scar warned her once again with a slight twinge of cold against her chest. Absently rubbing it to remove the dull ache the chill caused, Quinn looked up and scanned the room for trouble. The presence of four individuals she hadn’t seen before surprised her. When had they come in?
Cursing silently, Quinn peered over the top of the cubicle and studied the newcomers. Clark hadn’t arrived yet, which was good. None of them matched Clark’s description of Joshua, either. That didn’t ease her mind, though. Something had caused that twinge of cold.
The woman and three men all wore ordinary street clothes and stood in different places around the room. The men pretended to look at books they’d pulled from the shelves nearby.
She could tell they were pretending because the one closest to her hadn’t bothered to check what he was looking at. From the book’s cover, it was obvious it was upside-down. He held it open as if he was reading it up close so he could peer over the top in the direction of the elevator.