Well, when she put it like that…
Nathan edged toward us as he grabbed a bar rag from behind the counter. I fell silent, not wanting him to overhear our conversation. “Did I hear you guys say something about Juno’s dog?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I had to go talk to her about him. He’s freaking people out. Have you heard the rumors going around? People are starting to say this place is haunted. If this keeps up, we’ll only be left with vampires as customers.”
He winced and turned away. “Well, we definitely wouldn’t want that.”
“Sorry,” I said quickly. “I know it’s a sore issue for you, but—”
The door slammed open and hit the wall with a loud crack. Three girls piled into the room, their faces white and their hands clutched into fists by their sides. Once again, the entire bar fell silent. Only this time, I didn’t try to turn up the noise.
“This place really is haunted,” one of the girls said, her voice wobbling. “And someone’s been murdered.”
Chapter 2
Everyone piled onto the sidewalk in a giant wave, Laura and I caught up in the current of frantic bodies. Half of the crowd wanted to flee faster than their feet could take them. The other half? Well, they wanted to take a good look at the body, particularly the vampires. Because Daywalkers tended to feed from willing humans they liked to dub blood bags, they didn’t usually feel the need to kill. But a fresh body? I shivered, not daring to imagine how tempting that would be.
Laura and I shoved our way to the front of the crowd. The body was in the alley behind the bar, and the small space was far too cramped for all the rubberneckers to fit. The two of us managed to squeeze our way in, but once I got a better look at what had happened, I almost regretted the decision. It was a girl. Young from what I could tell, but she was in such bad shape that I couldn’t be certain of her age. The body reeked of death and blood. Both of her eyes had been gouged out of the sockets, and deep claw marks were raked across her neck.
Nausea bubbled up in my throat as I stumbled back, horror filling my gut. Since becoming involved in coven business, I’d seen my fair share of dead bodies but none like this. This…this was something else. Several shades past violent and more gruesome than I’d ever seen. Whoever had done this hadn’t just meant to kill the woman. They’d meant to destroy her.
“Holy shit.” Laura gasped. She pressed her hands against her stomach and turned away, her face the same shade as the white blonde streaks in her hair.
My throat choked around my words when I finally found the will to speak. “We need to call the police.”
“I don’t think it’s the police we need to call, Zoe.” She took a deep breath and turned back toward the body, inching closer to the gruesome display. My voice bubbled up in my throat to warn her to stop, but I was far too full of horror to do anything but watch. Kneeling down next to the body, she took in a sharp breath and squinted at the neck where the wound was oozing blood.
For a moment, I thought she might be gazing at the carnage the same way she’d gazed at Dorian’s blood bags. As a blood mage, she was intrigued by the bright red liquid in a way I would never understand, though I imagined it was similar to the way I felt drawn to the darkness.
“We need to call Dorian,” she said in a whisper. “This isn’t just any murder, Zoe. This girl here? She was a blood mage.”
The words clanged against my skull as if they were in a foreign language, one I was unable to speak. How could that even be possible? For one, there were very few members of the Blood Coven in the area. For another, why the hell had she ended up here, of all places? The Blood Coven and the Daywalkers had an alliance, just like we did, but the two of them were still mortal enemies. The feud went back centuries to when the Blood Coven created Slayers with the intent to destroy all vampires, not just the Nosferatu. If it weren’t for the shaky alliance, they’d still be creating them to this day. And the Daywalkers knew it. Other than Laura, a blood mage wouldn’t be caught dead at a bar where vamps hung out on a nightly basis.
“Listen,” I said, turning toward the crowd. First things first, we needed to get all these people out of here. Otherwise, this situation could escalate in a way we wouldn’t be able to control. “Everyone just go on home. This is a crime scene, and this many people will just get in the way.”
And destroy the evidence, if there was any.
Anastasia was at the front of the crowd because of course she was. She didn’t strike me as the type to miss out on a dead body in an alley. She crossed her arms over her chest and gave me a glittering stare. “You aren’t a cop. Why should we listen to you?”
“No, I’m not a cop.” Narrowing my eyes, I lowered my voice so that only Anastasia and the rest of the vampires could hear my next words. “But I am an Enforcer for the Bone Coven, and they would say the same. Everyone needs to go home. Now.”
It took awhile to clear the area, but the crowd finally thinned until there was no one left but me and Laura. Even Nathan had gone home, probably freaked out by what had happened. He hadn’t recovered enough to handle day-to-day life very well, much less a murder at his place of work. I should call and check in on him, but that would have to wait until later. First things first, we needed to take care of the body.
“Zoe.” Dorian shook his head when he joined us in the alley. With the sun down, he had no need to don his trench coat, his hat, or his sunglasses. So, instead, he wore a tight black t-shirt that rippled as he moved, his thick muscles straining against the thin material. “I thought we’d left all your dead body finding days behind us.”
“Yeah, well.” I crossed my arms and jerked my head toward the body. “Hard to leave something behind when there are so many asshole murderers in this world.”
He gave me a sad smile and moved closer to the body, letting out a low whistle at what he saw. “I have to admit, I didn’t quite believe it was as bad as what you told me on the phone. Unfortunately, it’s worse.”
“She’s a blood mage,” Laura said, her eyes glistening with tears. “Or was, I guess.”
Dorian nodded and knelt down to examine the wound. I couldn’t help but notice how his body reacted to the sight—and probably scent—of so much blood. Every muscle in his back and neck went tight, and he pressed a white-knuckled fist against his nose, the bottom of his chin trembling. Even though his vampire nature had been cursed upon him, he still craved blood like any other bloodsucker in the world. And he had to drink it in order to survive. Sometimes, I thought he even desired it, but if he did, he’d never admit it, least of all to me.
“That’s a Blood Coven mark, alright.” With a deep sigh, he pressed his fingers to his forehead. “They’re not going to respond well to this.”
“Why?” I asked with a frown. A long time ago, the covens had been enemies of each other. Battles were fought and wars were waged. But there had been peace for so long that the fighting was only a distant memory written in books. There was no reason to assume they’d get angry about this, at least not toward us.
Dorian stood and moved back to my side, his body relaxing now that he’d put some space between himself and the body. “Things have been tense since we captured Ivan Wagner. They want him returned to them unharmed, particularly since they believe he was merely coerced by Vincent. They think he should be given a reprieve and let off with a slap on the wrist. Plus, they aren’t particularly happy that Laura has chosen to stay within Bone Coven territory. They feel like we’re stealing their members in an effort to get our own numbers back up after the Daywalker attacks.”
“That’s crazy. Professor Wagner came after us. We should have the right to deal with him as we see fit. Innocent?” I barked out a laugh. “Yeah, right. He knew what he was involved with from Day One.”
Vincent might have found himself on the receiving end of my dagger, but Professor Ivan Wagner had been found and captured by the council. They’d decided to sentence him to forty years in the Bone Coven’s magical wards for conspiring to upend the current
council, as well as assisting in the murder of two innocent humans. In effect, he’d been found guilty of treason due to the unspoken peace agreement between the two covens. An attack against one is an attack against us all. Unfortunately, the Blood Coven didn’t agree with the verdict.
“It appears he did,” Dorian said with a frown. “But he isn’t talking, so it’s impossible to prove anything. And since they think that’s an aggressive move? They might suspect we went a step further and murdered one of their own. Don’t forget that word is out about Zoe’s kill. Some think she’s capable of so much more.”
Laura’s eyes widened, and she stepped in close to weave her arm around my back. “That’s ridiculous. I know that’s the furthest thing from the truth, and I’m a member of their coven. Surely they’d listen to me if it came to that.”
“Except, they aren’t happy with your decision to stay here. They’ll question your loyalty,” I murmured. Truth was, Dorian was right. A blood witch had shown up dead outside the bar where I, the mage who killed, worked. And there was no doubt whatsoever that she had been murdered by supernatural means. I could see how it might look.
This was starting to feel a hell of a lot like September all over again.
“Well, I’m not the only blood mage in the United States who decided not to move to Edinburgh.” She lifted her chin, refusing to back down in her typical Laura way. It was something I loved most about her. “There are some others in Boston. They’ve formed a small group, so to speak. About ten of them. I wouldn’t call it a splinter coven because they are still full-fledged members of the original coven, but they sort of operate as their own thing here. So that they can have a support system without moving abroad.”
I lifted an eyebrow. Clearly, she’d been doing her homework. Again. “How’d you find out about this splinter coven?”
She elbowed me in the side and quirked her lips. “I took a page from you and dug around in some internet forums. I haven’t met any of them in person yet, but I’ve talked to a few online. Asked some questions. Even though I don’t want to move to Scotland, I want to know how my magic works, you know?”
I did know, a thought that sent a pang through my heart. Despite all the terrible things I’d heard about shadow mages, I wanted nothing more than to learn more about my powers. Not to use them, because I would never ever use them again, but to understand how to control them. Grams was the only person in my world who I could turn to about that, to find answers to all the questions I had. But, even though we’d broken her curse, she was still as sick as she’d been before. Maybe even more so. She didn’t have the strength or the stamina to truly teach me about my magic.
“So, you’re in contact with these people?” Dorian asked.
“In a way.” Laura cocked her head. “Why?”
“Take me to them.”
Chapter 3
“So, give me a briefing on these mages,” Dorian said when he cut the engine. The three of us had piled into his black sports car, sealed in by tinted windows. The trek from Blue Moon Tavern to the home of the blood mages had only taken fifteen minutes. I could tell by the pink that dotted her cheeks that Laura hadn’t had time to wrap her head around the fact she was about to meet witches and warlocks from her own coven.
She nibbled on her lip and stared up at the building, a small squat industrial space that was home to a tattoo parlor on the ground floor. Several of the mages lived together in a loft above it, running the place in between the practicing of spells. Frankly, it sounded like a pretty cool set-up and a hell of a lot better than the stiff and formal ways of the Bone Coven. All ceremony and no action, I always said. Of course, after most of the Bone Coven’s council had been killed in September’s vampire attack, all that ponce and circumstance had gone right out the window.
“Well, I don’t know all that much,” Laura said. “There’s ten of them. Well, nine now, I guess. Most are relatively young. Probably around our age and up to mid-thirties. I think only one or two are over forty.”
“So, some of them would be mages who didn’t fight in the demon war,” Dorian said with a nod. “Makes sense. Do they know much about their powers? Are they training? And are they in contact with the headquarters in Scotland?”
“Question overload,” Laura said, holding up her hands in a laugh. “As far as I know, they do train, but we didn’t get into how far they’ve developed their magic. And yes, they’re in contact with the headquarters, but they operate as their own unit.”
“So, they live by the Blood Coven’s laws, but they don’t have to check in with them every time they want to make a decision?” I asked.
She nodded. “Yeah, I think that’s how it works. For example, if one of them were to get killed, they would investigate it since they’re here. Scotland would have nothing to do with it.”
“Well, then it sounds like we’ve come to the right place.” Dorian tapped the steering wheel and stared up at the mages’ floor. Dim lights shone through gauzy curtains, highlighting the silhouettes of those inside. “They’re home, and they’re awake. Laura, I’m going to need you to come with me and perform introductions. Zoe, I need you by my side as backup.”
My stomach warmed as I tapped the blade hidden in my sheath. “I’ve always got your back.”
The door swung open to reveal a dark-haired witch holding a dagger. She frowned out at the three of us, the expression emphasizing the deep lines around her eyes and mouth. A light breeze blew past us, and the witch’s long flowing dress billowed behind her as her hair fluttered around delicate shoulders. But despite her flowing locks and her small frame, one look into her piercing eyes told me this was a witch not to mess with.
Laura stuck out her hand and shot the woman a smile. “Hi, I’m Laura. I’m the witch who has spoken to a few of you online.”
“Laura.” The woman’s face brightened, and she shoved her dagger into the sheath that circled her waist. “You finally decided to come and pay us a visit. Does this mean you’re considering joining us? We could use another mage here in Boston.”
Laura flicked her eyes my way. “No, not exactly. We came about something else…”
“My name is Dorian Kostas,” Dorian said as he stepped forward, his tone all business. “I’m an Enforcer for the Bone Coven. Unfortunately, I have some bad news to share with you all this evening. Would it be fine if we came inside? It’s not a discussion for the streets.”
A hint of alarm played across the woman’s soft features. “Does this have something to do with Ivan Wagner?”
“Why would this be about Wagner?” Dorian frowned.
The woman shook her head and shot Laura a glittering stare. “I knew we shouldn’t tell you where we lived. I told the others you’d just sell us out to the Bone Coven. Look, Wagner is one of us, and he didn’t do anything wrong. None of us will say a damn word against the guy, so you’re wasting your time here. If there’s anything else you need, you’ll have to take it up with someone else. I’m sorry I won’t be able to help you any more than that.”
She began to shut the door, but Laura stuck out her foot to block it from closing. “Wait. That’s actually not what we’re here to talk to you about. Please let us come in. It’s important. I swear on the blood of our enemies.”
I frowned at the last bit, but I didn’t dare say a word. Over time, the covens had adopted all manner of quotes and sayings, and they tended to be on the creepier end of the spectrum. May the bones ever give you power. My power will crush the bones of my enemies. That kind of thing. Laura must have picked up some of the Blood Coven’s sayings along the way, and using them now might convince this woman that we meant no harm.
The witch stared long and hard before letting out a tired sigh. “Fine. Come on in. If it’s that important, then I’m sure the Blood Hunter Coven would like to hear what you have to say.”
The Blood Hunter Coven? I glanced at Laura, who just shrugged. It seemed this splinter coven had forged forward on their own even more than they’d let on if they’
d come up with a unique name for themselves. How far did this extend? Was it just the ten of them here or were there more? And what did that mean for their powers?
Once upstairs, Dorian clasped his hands together under his chin. We stood before a cluster of five mages who sat curled up on couches scattered throughout the large space that had been decorated in a minimalistic style of sleek white and splashes of bright red. Only half their number lived in this loft while the other half lived on their own in the city. Kind of like this was their council, and the rest were mere members. Despite their insistence that they weren’t like other covens, they’d adopted most of the inner workings and structure that the others had.
“Right,” Dorian began, addressing the woman who had answered the door. We now knew her name was Piper Maddow, and she called herself the Magister of the Blood Hunter Coven. “There’s no easy way to put this. Tonight, a blood witch was discovered murdered in the alley behind Blue Moon Tavern, the bar where Laura and Zoe work.”
A ripple went through the mages. Audible gasps and cries of alarm that felt like stab after stab in my heart. No one should ever have to hear this kind of news, especially coming from a group of people who were one wrong move away from becoming an enemy.
“It must have been Sylvia,” one of the warlocks said. He stood from the couch and began pacing, his bare feet slapping against the concrete floor. “She’s been missing since last night. We were supposed to go out for a few drinks at Descent, and she never showed. I thought maybe she’d met up with someone. A date or something, but…” His voice choked as the last word cut off.
“Let’s not jump to any conclusions,” Magister Piper said, holding her hands up as a rush of whispers filled the air. After the room quietened down, she turned back to us. “You said you found this mage in the alley behind a bar. Can you take me to her body?”
Witch's Storm (The Bone Coven Chronicles Book 2) Page 2