Chaos Burning

by Lauren Dane

  “I remember all right. Have dinner with me. Mid-shift for you. Come by Heart of Darkness and spend some time with me.”

  “Don’t think I don’t know you’re just trying to keep tabs on me. It’s sweet, which is why I’ll play along.”

  Maybe she’d let him go with her to the vampire nest too. He’d be sure to have all her favorite things on hand. He knew women better than she claimed he did. And this one could be lured into his way of thinking if he had Mexican food waiting.

  “You’ve caught me.”

  “See you at nine.” She sailed out after a kiss and a wave.

  SHE smiled all the way in to Seattle as she drove his ridiculous car. She couldn’t even hear the engine. It drove like a dream and he’d filled the tank for her. He did stuff like that. Not because he thought she couldn’t, but because he seemed to love to take care of her. And how could she not grin about that?

  Simon was amazing. Frustrating. But he made her happy so why would she pretend otherwise?

  She grabbed a latte on her way up to the office and poked her head in down in Research to see if they’d found anything out.

  They hadn’t so she went on up to her office where Gage had put a stack of things on her chair, including the tapes from her interrogations the night before. She watched them and took notes on what she missed and things to follow up on.

  “Hey.”

  She looked up to catch sight of Nell standing in her doorway.

  “Hey yourself! Come in and sit. What are you doing here?”

  “We had a doctor’s appointment and it was just a few miles away. Because we got to see an ultrasound of the baby and all is well, William was in a good mood and agreed to drive me here to visit. Tell me what’s new.”

  “Not a lot since we spoke earlier. I imagine you got the interrogations to watch?”

  “Yes. Gage sent me the videos this morning first thing. Nice job.” She paused. “I want to thank you for being brutal.”

  Startled, Lark paused, not knowing how to take the comment.

  “We need it here. For a long time we’ve held this land and been able to do so with a minimum of violence. I know it’s not always the same for Gennessee. Hell, it wasn’t always that way here either. We fought hard to gain this land, this power we have.”

  Nell took a deep breath and then blew it out. “I was talking to William about the shooting last night. At first I admit I felt a little uncomfortable. And he said to me, these people are plotting your genocide. She gave them warning and they didn’t listen. He was right. They need to know we won’t take any more of their bullshit. We need you here. To help us be more brutal so we can make a point that we’re no one’s prey. So thank you for doing the hard thing.”

  Lark relaxed as she understood. “I know this is a huge change of perspective. You’ve had peaceful territory for a very long time. It’s not a crime to view the world from a different perspective because of that.”

  “It is now. Because they’ve declared war. We need to adjust that headspace and wage it right back.”

  “Yes. Yes, you do. I was in Cyrus Pasqual’s head last night, Nell. He would kill every last one of us if he could. And he’s working for something who seems to be just fine with that as the outcome.”

  “Gage told me about the weather-system thing. Good thinking.”

  “So far they haven’t found anything unusual. So it may be a dead end.”

  “It’s more than what we had yesterday. The more we know, even if it’s what isn’t involved, the better.”

  Lark totally agreed. “The Magister wants us for something. But it’s not because it’s addicted like the mages.” Lark dug through the desk until she found a ponytail holder so she could twist her hair up and out of her face. “So what is it then? Why is it taking Others?”

  “It’s building up power is the nearest I can guess.”

  “Yes. Like a sponge maybe? Just draining Other after Other like bags of chips? But why? What does it plan to do that it needs even more power?” Lark was driven by this question.

  “Whatever it is, it can’t be good.”

  “We need to know. So we can end it.”

  “You’re meeting with the vamps tonight?”

  “Yes. Simon will most likely come along.” She blushed. “He…”

  Nell laughed and rubbed a hand over her belly. “I know. He’s a bossy one. I’m familiar with that kind of male. Not on your scale. I don’t know how you do it without going crazy. Then again, he must look insanely hot without clothes.”

  Lark fanned her face. “Oh yes. He befuddles me. But he’s got connections here in town and he’s big. Big enough to be backup just for his size alone. He’s going to try to wheedle me into it when I go have dinner with him later. I doubt I’ll be resisting. He’s very convincing.”

  Lark met with what seemed like a hundred different people, briefed the governance council and spoke with her father once more before she managed to escape the office to do some sweeps of the city.

  Chapter 23

  SHE liked being outside. Liked using her othersight in the city. So many Others she never would have noticed otherwise. But their auras were clear to her this way. Weres, witches, vampires and that sort of magick she’d come to realize belonged to all those who came from the other side of the Veil.

  Thinking of the Veil, she wondered what was up with the Fae. She’d petitioned them through one of Simon’s contacts for a contact. They had some Fae stories told via other cultures and Others. But she wanted to ask them herself.

  They existed in a different state of being. Time was not the same. So she had no real idea when she’d hear back, though she did hear from Calder that several of the Fae he knew had gone back to the other side of the Veil once they heard about the Magister.

  Which only scared her more. If the Fae were running, they were seriously in trouble.

  The Fae would have something about the Magister, she knew it. She just had to wait and hope they assented and came to her before it was too late to be of any help. In the meantime all she could do was what she could do. Which right then was to continue sweeping her part of downtown.

  SEVERAL hours later, she’d input some data into her map system. Noting the spots where she’d detected the energy from dark rituals. They had to either be around here, or one of them had a favorite café or stalking spot nearby. The one she’d seen in Jonathan’s memories had been far too dingy to be in downtown, though. What she knew was that these were hunting grounds. Predators liked their places, so why were they there? Another question to be answered. She hoped.

  By the time she strolled into Heart of Darkness, she was ready to admit she really needed to see Simon.

  SIMON knew when she came through the pass from the human part of Heart of Darkness to where he waited. Her energy was bright. She emanated menace all while glowing with her magick and a sort of healthy aura that he’d come to believe only happened when the person was on a just path.

  She brought happiness everywhere she went. She smiled and waved to his bar staff and stopped to chat with some witches who’d been standing at the bar. The character of the room changed whenever Lark Jaansen entered it. And there she was, moving to him, her smile altogether different than the one she’d worn for her friends.

  “Hey you.”

  He didn’t bother pretending he didn’t want to touch her. He pulled her close, kissing the top of her head and then when she tipped her face up, most likely to complain about PDA, he laid a kiss on her. One designed to melt away any of her resistance. It apparently worked because when he finished she had a dreamy look in her eyes.

  “Right on time. Dinner is here. You want to eat out here or in my office?”

  “If I said your office, you’d try to put the moves on me.”

  He laughed. “Of course. It’s one of my favorite pastimes.”

  “Come on, I need to talk with Gage and some of the others and as everyone seems to hang out here now, we’ll eat at your table so when I see them I c
an grab them.”

  He didn’t let go of her hand, drawing her back to his table. He knew one of the servers had seen her arrive and would bring the food to them along with drinks so he settled with her, close enough to touch whenever he wanted. And to send a message to anyone else out there, including that Were she went out with once. Lark Jaansen was his.

  “Sara made crepes for you.”

  As he’d hoped, Lark’s eyes lit. “Really? I figured you’d score some Mexican food to sway me. Crepes are even better.” She arched up to kiss his chin. “Thank you.”

  They’d gone out to brunch when she’d first come to town and he’d made the discovery that she was weak for crepes. He’d tucked that away, not really planning to use it for any romantic purpose at that time. But now? Well, he was a smart male and he knew that with a woman like her, he had to use every tool he had at his disposal. Canny, was his pixie, so he had to be as well.

  This back-and-forth between them was rather like foreplay. It kept him on his toes at the very least.

  Sara was one of their cooks and when she’d heard that she could cook real food, not just bar snacks, she’d jumped on the chance. And she liked Lark, which was helpful too.

  Soon fresh crepes, both sweet and savory, arrived with a fresh carafe of coffee and some juice. Lark didn’t drink any alcohol while she was on patrol.

  “When do you go to see the vampires?”

  “You know.” She paused to eat some of her crepes. “Damn, these are good. Anyway, up until this very moment you had a super-smooth thing going. The kiss when I first arrived. The crepes. All that manliness turned in my direction. You have a lot of finesse for a guy as big as a tree. And then you rush right to the vampire topic. You’re slipping.”

  She made him laugh at the oddest of times. Certainly their lives would never be boring.

  “Well, what’s the purpose of pretending when you know what I’m going to ask?”

  “Hm.” She polished off the crepes and before she could sit back, another platter arrived. “Damn, even your staff is conspiring against me.”

  “I clearly need to pay them all a bonus. So?”

  She heaved a sigh. “Only if you keep quiet. I’m not joking. They’re having one of their open houses tonight. They’ll be on their best behavior because humans are around. But I need to break them to my… guidance and I need to do it my way.”

  “Why do you scare me so much? You’re making me old before my time.”

  “You can stay here if you like. It will get bloody. You know how they are.”

  “No. No, I don’t. When I’ve dealt with them, there’s never been blood.” He sure as hell didn’t get into any blood play with the two vampire females he’d dallied with. “They come here and behave most of the time. Sometimes they have to be tossed out, but they haven’t raised blood here.”

  “We’re going to their nest. I’m new in town. Just let me do my job and keep your annoyance to yourself. If you get attacked, you can defend yourself. Fuck them up if you have to. Just don’t kill anyone and don’t do it in front of any humans.”

  “How come we have to play Fight Club? Why not just go over, have a chat and leave?”

  “Because, they have to admit I’m capable of helping them. I’m not a vampire. I’m a witch. We’re not always the best of friends. I have to assert dominance. They have to assert dominance and then we can get down to business.”

  He heaved a sigh and prayed for patience. “All right.”

  LARK tied the back of the collar-style necklace she’d brought. Hiding the skin at her throat and yet accessorizing it all at once. She’d dealt with vampires enough to know how to approach them. They were bloodthirsty in most ways. Insular. They didn’t like outsiders, especially Others. They generally stayed in a city, left the other paranormals alone and did their thing. There was only one group who fetishized rules more than witches and that was vampires.

  And she needed to tell them they were a target.

  The local nest was a rather large home in Madrona in a quiet neighborhood with great views. They walked up the sidewalk and stairs to the front door where there were two vampires in jeans and T-shirts checking who was entering.

  They were having an open house, which made her visit timely and also probably more fraught with tension from the vamps. They had open houses for humans considering converting to Vampirism. They came and mixed, got to know the local vampires and their rules. And if they decided to go forward they needed five sponsors and approval from the local guild. Their version of government. They checked mental health status, criminal and financial background and they had to go to classes for a certain period of time and live as a vampire for a year before they were converted.

  It kept out the fame whores and the spur-of-the-moment humans and policed the population quite well. It was a good system and it had kept them on the edge of being outed for several years because by the time a human was allowed this far, they’d gone through several levels of security.

  The local master was not as old as Toril, the master in Los Angeles. But this one was politically well connected and feared as well as respected.

  They paused at the door as the guards took them in. “This is a private event.”

  “My name is Lark Jaansen, I’m with Clan Owen and I have an appointment with Franco.”

  One of the vamps must have recognized the name because he stepped aside to make a quick call and then turned back to them. “I’ll take you through. Do you have weapons? If so, you need to leave them up front with us.”

  “Yes, I have weapons. No, I won’t be giving them up.” She jerked her head at Simon. “He’s a weapon too. Not giving him up either.”

  “I can’t let you in with a weapon. That’s the rule.”

  “Look, I don’t care. I’m not leaving my weapons with you. In any case, I could still use my magick if I chose. It’s not going to happen so get permission or we can play this for a while and your boss will still let me in.”

  That’s when he made his move. A move she was ready for so she stepped aside, kicking out to knock him into the doorway. The other one moved to intervene, but Simon growled. She gave him a quick glare and he glared right back. Damned man.

  The vamp she’d kicked got to his feet. She knew he wouldn’t be falling for that trick again any time soon so she had to change her tactics. She wouldn’t use her weapons. Couldn’t use her weapons or she’d be acknowledging their need to take them from her.

  “You’re going to be sorry for that, witch.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Let’s get to it.” She rolled her head on her shoulders to loosen up. The vampire at her back wouldn’t do a thing, not with Simon there. He did come in handy. She could take both vampires, but she’d rather not if she didn’t have to.

  He used his speed and got in a solid right to her gut. As she struggled to get her breath back, she called her magick. He got another solid punch to her kidney. She’d feel that one tomorrow. But his balance had shifted enough that she was able to give him a hard jab to the solar plexus and he reeled back, wheezing.

  Her magick built, filling her, and she breathed in deep, letting it. Closing her eyes and giving over to it. Lark turned off all her other impulses, just letting her magick be in charge. Her speed kicked up, as would her strength.

  One of his shots ducked and she responded, delivering her own punch. The very satisfying crack of a nose sounded, followed by the cool spray of his blood on her hand and arm.

  She leaned to the left, avoiding his upper cut and ducked into a kick that knocked him to the ground. She opened her eyes, put her boot on his neck and held a ball of fire in her palm where he could see it. “Your nose will heal. But fire, well, that’s a different story. You see I’m lethal without my weapons.” She slowly removed her foot and stepped back.

  He got to his feet, begrudging respect in his gaze. “Come on then.”

  Part one was over.

  He knocked on a door and opened it, revealing the sumptuous room on the ot
her side. Vampires did know how to live large and comfortably, she gave them that.

  “Your guests.”

  “What happened to your face?” Franco Pendergast stared at Lark as he spoke to his minion. “Her wounds aren’t fresh. Yours are.”

  “We had a difference of opinion about giving up weapons at the door. We solved it.” Lark shrugged. “A turned witch did this to me yesterday. He’s working with the Magister.”

  Franco’s already pale face got even whiter. “Come in and sit down. You too, Lycian.”

  Simon waited for her to sit before he did. Adorable really, but she had to keep her attention on the situation and not how lucky he was going to get later.

  “I haven’t heard that name in a very long time. And even before it was as a ghost of a memory. A story told to frighten children. First you tell us the turned witches and mages have begun to attack the vampire ranks and now this?”

  She told him most of what they knew.

  He thought awhile. “We’re not joiners. We’ll protect our own, naturally, but I’m not sure about anything more. The convocation is still in session, as I’m sure you’re aware.”

  The vampires had gone to the extraordinary step of calling a convocation. A group meeting with all the top guild members across the nation. Their main topic had been to discuss coming out fully to the humans. But once the kidnappings began to include them, they’d also put the topic of the mages on the schedule. And now this. It had been going on for nearly two months. She could only imagine what the delegates were up against. She’d go insane if she had to go through two months of daily meetings where all anyone did was preen and argue.

  “Naturally, you’ll have to address them on this matter. It’s why I came to you instead of attempting to go directly to your guilds.” It would also give him some measure of power to take the issue to them himself and it would mean he’d owe her a favor. They both knew it as they sat in his office.

  “But the bottom line is that I’m protecting my people. If yours don’t wish to unify over this matter, you’ll be less protected.” She shrugged. “It’s up to you.”