Poison and Potions: a Limited Edition Paranormal Romance and Urban Fantasy Collection

by Erin Hayes

  “Don’t bother coming back. I gave you a job to do, and you’re leaving. Ross is going to hear about this.” Fisher shook his head, turning to the guys standing by the whiteboard, waving one pudgy hand. “You hear this? She’s gotta leave in the middle of all of this.”

  Jessica was already shrugging into her jacket, shoving the cell phone into her pocket, taking out her keys. And without knowing why, she grabbed the call list from her desk, jamming it into her pocket. “I’d try to explain, but I don’t think you’d be interested in listening. So, you know…”

  Out of the corner of her eye she saw Derek staring at her, frowning, every question he was thinking, clear in his eyes. She shrugged, and shook her head.

  Yeah, I know, I’m throwing away my career.

  But Euros knew what was happening, and there was no way in hell she could explain any of this to Fisher, or Derek. Not even he would understand magic, or random meaningless stolen pictures. Euros understood, and it was clear to her what she needed to do.

  “I have to do this, Derek.”

  Euros better be right about this, or heaven help him. And me.

  Chapter Eleven

  Euros closed his eyes, and chanted the spell he had used more times than he could remember. It took only a moment to send himself through space, to the parking lot behind the precinct. He appeared next to Jessica’s car, just as she clicked the fob to unlock the car door. She jumped, her free hand going for the butt of her gun. For a split second, he wondered if he could dodge bullets, but then she relaxed, and to his relief, took her hand away from her gun.

  “Jesus, Euros. You scared the shit out of me. How do you do that?”

  She unlocked the car, and he waited until he heard the click of lock on his side. Opening the door, he slid inside.

  “Practice.” His heart was still beating at a rapid-fire pace, and he took a deep breath. “Sorry for scaring you. That wasn’t my intention.”

  She started the car, then turned to him. “Wait. We’re driving? No magic? Do you even ride in cars?”

  “I’m not Amish. Of course, I ride in cars.”

  She pulled out of the parking lot, signaling. “Do you even know how to drive?”

  “No. You know that.”

  She grinned at him, as she pulled into traffic. “I didn’t know for sure. Just thought you liked being driven around. Are we going to Parnell’s penthouse?”

  “Yeah.”

  “So, there was something stolen from Parnell’s? Does it have something to do with the art that was taken from Lansing’s?”

  He hung on to the dashboard, as Jessica took a corner at what felt like warp speed. He’d forgotten she drove like a maniac when she was stressed. Maybe good old-fashioned magic would have been a better plan.

  “I talked to Mixt about what was taken from Lansing’s home. It’s what’s called a Materia Magica. Basically, a list of materials to do magic.”

  “Are you saying the Lansings were into magic?” She turned to look at him and he cringed, almost willing her to watch the traffic flowing around them. “Would that be why you sensed magic and I felt something weird?”

  To his relief, she looked back to the road, braking hard, then swinging around a slower moving car.

  “No. I don’t think they knew what they had. I’d guess they found the page somewhere, thought it was interesting, and put it in a frame. The language was Latin-based, but an ancient form used primarily by those in my world.”

  “So, no one would have been able to really understand what was on the list? But how did they find it? Why was something from your world just lying around here on Earth? I would think you guys would be careful about that kind of thing.”

  “For the most part, we are. But this page came from what’s called a grimoire, a book of spells. It was the original Prima Magica, the original book of magic. It was the spell book used to seal the portals many centuries ago.”

  “Oh, fuck.” She braked for a red light, and turned to him. “So, what the hell is that doing here, in this world?” Someone behind them honked a horn. Jessica hit the gas, and they flew through the intersection. The next turn landed them on Michigan Avenue. Traffic was heavier here, and Jessica was forced to slow down.

  “That magic thing would have been helpful here, Euros. Really.”

  “There’s danger in having you appear and disappear too often. Someone would get suspicious if you leave one place, and suddenly appear somewhere else, don’t you think?”

  “Thanks for thinking of me.”

  I’m always thinking of you. Banishing that rogue thought, he pulled his mind back to the issues at hand.

  “After the portals were sealed, the Elders wanted to get rid of the grimoire, but they discovered that in using the book, in casting the spell, the grimoire took on a life of its own. It became imbued with magic, and they found it refused to be destroyed. The most they could do was remove the binding, tear out some of the pages, like the one stolen from the Lansings, and then throw all the pieces into the mortal world. They thought no mortal would be able to understand what they had, especially if the pieces weren’t found together.”

  “But someone knows about the power of the grimoire, and is planning to reassemble it so that…”

  “They can cross into my world through the portals, whenever they choose. Yes, at least that’s what it appears to be. All that is needed to restore the power to the grimoire so that the portals can be opened, is the binding, the particular spell page, and the buckle to close the book.” This was what he loved most about Jessica, the way her mind worked. He regretted that he hadn’t told her about his magic sooner, back when they were together. That he hadn’t shown her the amazing, beautiful things in his world.

  “We can’t be sure of anything just yet, Jessica, but I know whoever is responsible for this isn’t human. The dark magic at the scene… I’ve never felt that before. Not in your world, or in mine. And it’s female.”

  “How do you…”

  “I can sense it.”

  “Really? Female? Okay, let me think. So, we’re looking for something taken from Parnell’s…”

  “Right. A part of the grimoire. Likely the body, or the silver buckle that sealed it.”

  “Silver buckle?”

  “Yeah. It has a binding, a leather strap that went around the book, and was held closed with a silver buckle that was bound by an Elder Fae. Many spells rely on silver, and having a piece as part of the book would have enhanced its magical properties.”

  “Okay. Great. So now all we have to do is figure out where in Chicago to find someone with a silver buckle.” Her disappointment was almost palpable. “That’s like looking for a needle in a haystack.” She made a face. “And the body of the grimoire? Did I pronounce that right?”

  “Yeah, you did. Just think of it rhyming with armoire, and you’ll be fine.”

  “Okay. So, a buckle, or a book…oh, my God. The curator…he’s very concerned about the latest shipment of books Parnell bought at auction. He was a book collector.”

  Euros was flung against his door, as Jessica changed lanes. To his relief, the Marchland Building loomed in the near distance.

  “Is the book shipment at the penthouse?”

  “Yeah, the curator said it was. Shit…” The car lurched to a stop at the curb in a No Parking spot. Jessica set the flashing light on the dash. She glanced out the window. “There’s still CSI on the scene. Fisher’s back at the precinct.” She turned to Euros.

  “I’m putting my job on the line here, Euros. I’m done, if I’m caught here.” She shrugged, a disarming gesture he found endearing. “I’m done anyway, you know. I left without permission from Fisher. Ross will hear…probably already knows. I’m sure Fisher ran to his office. So, you know…”

  He reached out, put his hand over hers where it rested on the steering wheel. “I know this is hard for you, on so many levels. I can’t tell you…”

  “Then don’t. Not now. Okay?” She didn’t pull her hand away, but he
felt the tension in her fingers. “This isn’t the time, or the place. Maybe later…”

  She slid her hand out from beneath his, then opened the door and stepped out. She was right. This wasn’t the time for anything other than finding out what the hell was going on.

  Jessica stood with her hands on her hips, looking at the door inset into a little alcove beside the main lobby of the building. There was a keypad beside the door, smudged with fingerprint powder. The door itself was non-descript, but the edge was dusted with gray powder as well. Something was off. Then he realized there was no handle on the door. Jessica nodded at the door.

  “That’s the public entrance to the penthouse. I don’t know the code, but even if I did…”

  “Your prints would be all over the keypad.”

  “Yeah. The other entrance is in the back…” She bit her lip, staring into space. “It’ll be open, I’m sure, but probably still crawling with forensic guys.” Finally, she turned to him, shading her eyes against the sun. “What the hell. Let’s just go in, guns blazing. You can do that magic thing again, right? Go invisible, make them think I’m supposed to be there?”

  Her trust in him was touching. He nodded. “Lead the way. I’ll be right behind you.”

  As soon as they stepped off the sidewalk and under the red canopy that extended over the sidewalk that ran along the side of the building, the wave of magic that hit him almost knocked him back a step. It was the same heavy evil feeling, the smell making him almost physically sick. It crept into him, bringing those terrible violent urges to the surface. The sensation was distinctly disturbing, although he’d anticipated how he’d feel. Still, he slowed his pace, letting Jessica move a few paces ahead. Even having her close set his teeth on edge, and he hated how this dark magic affected him.

  At the end of the sidewalk was another door and another keypad, but he saw the door also had a traditional keyed lock and a handle. The door was propped open, the edges covered with fingerprint dust. Jessica hesitated, not turning as she spoke.

  “Okay. I don’t think the forensic guys know I’m off the case, but just in case…do that thing you do, okay?”

  “You got it, sweetheart.”

  Euros cast a simple spell, and rendered himself invisible. He thought he saw a subtle change in Jessica, something that told him she knew what he’d done, that she sensed his magic in the air.

  They went through the doorway. To Euros’s surprise, he found himself in a furnished lobby, with flowered décor everywhere. The walls were covered with striped paper, a vivid backdrop for the ornate gold ormolu tables lining the walls. The whole thing was overdone, to the point of being garish. He heard Jessica make a noise, something between a cough, and a laugh.

  “Parnell certainly had unusual taste.”

  A flight of stairs led upward, and to the right was an elevator. He waited for Jessica, as she made her way up the stairs ahead of him. Above, he could hear voices, the sound of metal against metal.

  “Dr. Greene…”

  Euros heard the surprise in Jessica’s voice. He glanced up. A white-haired man stood at the top of the steps, looking down at Jessica. What the hell was he still doing here?

  “Detective. I’m so surprised to see you here.” Dr. Greene frowned, bushy eyebrows drawing down. “You disappeared…”

  Euros entered the man’s mind, redirecting his thoughts so he could read them. For a moment, Euros was impressed with the man’s intelligence. Being in this man’s mind was fascinating, but the invasiveness of the process bothered him. As Euros manipulated the man’s thoughts away from the fact that Jessica was off the case, and wasn’t supposed to be there, Dr. Greene’s expression softened, and he smiled.

  “…but you had other commitments, I imagine. They’ve just taken the body, there was some mix up…Detective Fisher…wait, he said you were…”

  Euros intensified his control over the man’s thoughts as Dr. Greene’s voice faltered. He’d found highly intelligent people were usually strong-willed, and Dr. Greene was proving to be no exception.

  Euros pulled the man away from his current train of thought, momentarily blocking out the memory of him witnessing Ross telling Jessica that she was off the case. With Dr. Greene’s thoughts under Euros’s control, the medical examiner started talking freely to Jessica, just like he always did.

  “If you’re interested, I would love to share my thoughts with you. I was just on my way to do the post, but I have a few minutes to spare, if you do.”

  “Of course, Dr. Greene.”

  Jessica and Dr. Greene continued down the short hall, and Euros listened intently to their conversation, keeping Dr. Greene’s thoughts under control. They walked down the short hall, turning right, and down a much longer corridor, where the floors were lined with dark red carpet. Suddenly, Euros paused by an open door, his attention caught by what looked like a shiny object that hung from a table in the adjoining room. Looking more closely, he saw that it was a small bronze plaque, held to the table with tiny screws, identifying the gallery where the piece had been bought.

  He followed the sound of Dr. Greene’s deep voice, turning down another hall with walls covered with garish paintings. Again, each was marked with the name of the gallery where they originated. Euros stopped. The name of one gallery seemed to be prominent: Galerie d’art Manifique.

  The hall finally ended with a large double door, and they walked through. The room beyond was clearly the master bedroom, and it was beyond lavish. The king-sized, four-poster-bed dominated a room so overly masculine that it made Euros cringe. Without even looking, he was sure there was going to be a mirror on the ceiling.

  But as soon as they entered the room, Euros was no longer focused on the over-the-top décor. What caught his attention was the dark magic that pooled on the floor, swirls and tendrils floating through the air, as Dr. Greene moved around the room. Jessica suddenly stopped talking, and Euros was certain she could feel it, too.

  As with the Lansing house, the carpet was cut, and a piece of the floor was missing. Euros listened to Dr. Greene, as Jessica found her voice, and asked him questions.

  “Yes, I’d say it was the same cause of death. Severed aorta, massive blood loss, the same situation as with Mayor Lansing.” The man looked troubled, and Euros tapped into his mind just a bit deeper to see what Dr. Greene was thinking. It was what had to be an image of Lansing’s body during the autopsy. Euros saw the damage done by the blade, the lack of blood in the corpse.

  Then Dr. Greene’s mind threatened to regain control, and Euros removed himself, leaving just enough magic in place to keep him from realizing that Jessica wasn’t supposed to be there, and that he shouldn’t be talking to her about his findings.

  “Has anyone said anything about a motive? Since he was found in the bedroom…”

  Euros knew that Jessica was deliberately avoiding the mention of robbery as a motive, letting Dr. Greene offer his thoughts instead. Euros sensed there were many ideas swirling in the man’s mind, but the innate professionalism of the doctor was keeping him from speaking all of them. Euros gave him a mental nudge. A troubled look crossed Dr. Greene’s face, and Euros felt momentary resistance. He nudged harder.

  “There was a mention of robbery. One of the employees was here, wanted access to a storage room, he seemed rather worried about a shipment of books. That’s about all I know regarding that…” Dr. Greene’s words were coming out more slowly, against his will.

  Jessica glanced at Euros, her expression telling him that she knew exactly what he was doing, and it was clear she wasn’t happy with it. Reluctantly, Euros eased back, and Dr. Greene snapped his mouth closed. They had all the answers they were going to get from the doctor.

  “Thanks, Dr. Greene. I don’t want to keep you.”

  Dr. Greene was already moving toward the door, nodding. “Yes, yes. I must be going. The rest of the team will want to finish up here for the day.”

  The man hurried out of the room, absently rubbing his hand over the back of
his head. Euros felt bad. The man would have a headache for the rest of the day, that was for certain.

  “Euros? The guy who was looking for the books…we need to find the storage room. One of the CSI techs said Parnell’s collection was strange, that she thought he collected odd books, or something to do with the occult.”

  Someone in a white plastic suit suddenly walked by the bedroom door. The tech didn’t stop or take notice of them, but instead continued down the hall, back to the entrance. As far as he could tell, they were packing up and leaving, now that Dr. Greene was gone. Reaching out, he gently touched Jessica’s shoulder.

  “Hang back here, let them leave. Then let me see what I can do once I’m not invisible anymore.”

  Jessica melted into the deeper recesses of the bedroom, looking completely out of place among the overdone masculine decor. Another stray memory came, being at Jessica’s apartment, the clean lines of her room, the cool sheets—plain white, not brightly colored—beneath her body. Euros knew that he would trade everything in the world—both his and hers—to go back in time, and have a chance to make it right.

  But that wasn’t going to happen, at least not today. He turned away from her, struggling to gather his thoughts, when all he could do was think about the time they had shared.

  Suddenly, everything changed, and he felt the dark magic swirling around him, clashing with his own magic, threatening to consume him. The darkness tugged at his mind, wanting to invade his memories, and he felt his concentration slipping, his body wavering in and out of invisibility. There were no longer CSI people in the penthouse, so he allowed his body to materialize. At least in this state, when he wasn’t focused on staying invisible, it would be easier to fight against the malignant evil that hung in the air, threatening to wrap its darkness around him.

  He turned, to find Jessica staring at him, her jaw dropped in surprise and confusion.

  “Euros? Are you sure that you really should be visible?”

  “Yes. They’re gone, or rather they are leaving. I can hear them going down the elevator. It’s safe.”