“No. He won’t.”
“But—”
Matt rested his hand on the end of the cylinder, steadily lowering it to the ground. He shook his head. “He won’t.”
I met his eyes, and something passed between us. After I’d shot the paramilitary guy, Matt must’ve done something. I tried to feel something. Remorse, or some other emotion, but I simply couldn’t. I felt nothing.
“You’re bleeding,” I said.
“Perhaps a little.”
“We need to get you up to the ER.”
“I will manage, Dr. Stone.”
“Listen, Gillespie, I don’t know what’s going on with you, but if you were willing to help me, I don’t want you to die.”
“That’s sweet, Dr. Stone.”
“It wasn’t meant to be sweet. Come on. Let’s get you upstairs,” I said.
“No. He’s safe enough now, but you need to get him to the Icahrn family.”
“What about you?”
“Seeing as how you discovered my little secret, I’m going to move on to the next mission,” Matt said.
“How were you able to infiltrate the ER?” I had to ask him at least this.
“Not that hard. And I probably wouldn’t have, but when Jean-Pierre was brought in, I followed him. Figured it was the easiest to pretend to be an ER intern to be a part of his care team if only to keep an eye on what happened to him and where he was going.”
“How did they freeze him?”
“It’s a terrible weapon.”
“A weapon?”
Matt nodded. “Vampires are not easy to destroy. They are harder to turn. They came for his power, but he fought. And he nearly died.”
“So that’s the kind of thing you did, how?”
Matt shrugged. “Normally not on my own, but in this case, others on my team decided to go rogue, so I didn’t have a choice.”
“Will the others with you think you’ve gone rogue?”
“Don’t think so. I have collected enough evidence to keep me in the clear.” Matt leaned down, looking into the car. Jean-Pierre lay there, his eyes open, but not moving. “I think it’s time for you to get moving.”
“I don’t want to go to the Icahrn family by myself.”
“You won’t be harmed, Dr. Stone.”
“I’m not so sure about that. The last time I was there, they were plenty brutal.”
“The last time was different. This time, you have the Councilor with you.”
“Where are you going to go?”
Matt shrugged. “I don’t know. It depends on where the next mission is. Minneapolis is apparently far more active than I’d known, but generally, I don’t operate here.”
“Why?”
“Because the various magical factions generally keep things under control.”
“Unless your people get involved.”
“Apparently.”
“Thanks,” I said.
“You don’t have to thank me.”
“I’m just thankful you didn’t kill me,” I said.
“You were never in any danger from me.”
“You could have told me that. When you learned I was a hedge mage, you could have—”
Matt stood up, gritting his teeth. “I couldn’t. I worried you’d do something like this if you’d known... It’s lucky you’re alive, but a hedge mage doesn’t have the right kind of power to deal with all of this.”
“I thought you said you were a hedge mage as well?”
“I’m a hedge mage with training,” he said. “There’s a difference.”
“You know, you could stick around and train me.”
I wouldn’t be so helpless then. If I had some paramilitary training, some way of fighting, then I wouldn’t have to fear.
“I have to report back, but I’ll consider it.”
“Well, thanks for not killing me,” I said again.
Making my way around the car, I leaned inside, looking down at Jean-Pierre. “Apparently I get to be your chauffeur.”
“House calls and now driving? You really are an unusual doctor, Dr. Stone.”
“Don’t remind me. Now, buckle your seatbelt. And don’t do anything to make me regret helping you.”
21
The trip back to the vampire house didn’t go as expected.
By the time I pulled out of the parking garage, I found myself surrounded by Dark Council mages. I pulled to a stop, staying in the car until a pale-faced, but healthy, Barden appeared at the window. I looked out, worried there might be other attacks out in the city, but there were none.
“Dr. Stone. It seems you’ve survived.”
“Thanks, Barden. I’m not sure surviving is quite a compliment.”
“Perhaps not, but it is impressive. Considering what you were dealing with.”
“Yeah, I guess what I was dealing with was pretty terrible.”
“May I ask where you are going?”
“I intend to bring Mr. Rorsch to the Icahrn family.”
“Why is that?”
“Apparently, that’s where he was going when all of this started.”
“This isn’t your responsibility, Dr. Stone.”
“It’s not, but I am going to end it.”
“At least let me help.”
I looked up at Barden, wondering how exhausted he had to be after what he’d gone through. His had been only a magical fight but it had been a struggle to survive. “I’d like that.”
He made a motion, and a van pulled up, two Dark Council mages climbing out of the back, then hurrying over to the car to drag Jean-Pierre from the back seat. Barden took my hand, leading me from the car, and joining me in the van. Another of his Dark Council mages got behind the wheel of the car, preparing to move it. As we took off, speeding through the streets of Minneapolis, I looked back. The hospital lights grew increasingly distant.
“What happened?” Barden asked. “You hold a unique weapon, so I can only presume you took it from the paramilitary. Were you attacked by your colleague?”
“Not attacked. He helped me.”
“Interesting.”
“Quite. It looked like he was working against the others and infiltrated the ER to figure out why they’d attacked Jean-Pierre.”
“And where is he now?”
“I don’t know.”
“Do I sense some disappointment within you?”
“You know, Barden, I prefer men who are more honest with me.”
We drove a while, and I stared out at the city lights. At night, with the darkness and the twinkling lights all around, I couldn’t help but find Minneapolis to be a beautiful city. The wind whistled, and I was thankful I was in the van, heat blowing upon me, keeping me from the cold of the parking garage.
Spinning in my seat, I looked back at Jean-Pierre who sat alone in the back seat. His back looked stiff, and his eyes locked straight ahead. Somehow, he still made it look as if he was completely comfortable, as if he wanted to be there.
“Who are the other two who were injured?”
“They were my escorts,” Jean-Pierre said softly. “They have served me for over a hundred years.”
I glanced to Barden before turning back to Jean-Pierre. “I’m sorry I wasn’t able to save both of them.”
“Dr. Stone, you have done more than enough. You need not apologize for any failing.”
I sat in silence for a moment.
“Did you determine who the man at the house happened to be?” Barden asked.
“One of the paramilitaries,” I said. “Matt took him down, and I guess I should’ve connected it. He was not a vampire, and from what I understand, the elders don’t take familiars.”
“We do not,” Jean-Pierre said, from the back. “It would be viewed as favoritism and seeing as how we serve a very important role in vampire society, I must do everything in my power to avoid that perception.”
“What role do they play in vampire society?” Barden asked, looking at me.
I shook my head.
“Not now, Barden.”
We fell into more silence and eventually pulled down a long tree-lined street before the driver turned and took us up a long driveway. I recognized it from my last visit and wondered how the Icahrn family would receive us this time? Would they know we had the Elder with us?
“Is it safe for you to go in here alone?”
“Perfectly safe, Dr. Stone.”
“Why didn’t you go to them before?”
“As I wasn’t sure who planned their attack, I didn’t know if this was a play for Council power.”
“Has that happened before?”
“Never.”
“Someone would’ve had to tell them you were here,” I said as we pulled up to a stop in front of the building.
Jean-Pierre opened the door, sitting there a moment. “I am aware I have been betrayed, Dr. Stone.”
“Who do you think did it?”
“Ah, but that is a question best left to my people.”
“I thought vampires didn’t harm other vampires.”
“We do not, but when there’s evidence of betrayal, we’ll root it out. Do not fear for me, Dr. Stone.”
I stared at him. He had been through a lot over the last week. He’d nearly died at least once and was lucky to have survived a second time. That, and we’d nearly not survived the paramilitary attack.
“Good luck,” I said. There wasn’t anything else for me to say. This was well beyond my capabilities, and I had no interest in getting deeper and deeper into the vampire realm. I’d already gone deeper into the magical world than I’d intended, though after having talked with Matt, I thought I’d keep a foothold within that world. Now I knew I had magic—and knew I could use it—I wasn’t sure I wanted to abandon it.
He got out of the car, and people raced out of the home, hurrying over to him. Jean-Pierre paused, leaning down and reaching his hand into the car. “You may not want to see me, but if you ever need anything, you have but to call.”
I took the item, realizing it was a triangular piece of metal with symbols on each side, and I held it in my palm, gazing at it.
Barden tapped on the driver’s seat, and we started off.
“Should we just leave him like that?”
“That is not our fight, Dr. Stone.”
I continued to stare at the strange item.
“You were given an incredible gift.”
“Why?”
“Because an elder vampire owes you a favor.”
I regarded Barden, shaking my head. “You don’t get to use that favor.”
“Whoever said I would try?”
“I recognize that look on your face.”
“Ah, Dr. Stone, perhaps you’re right. I can’t deny I’d be intrigued by the idea of seeing what a favor owed by an elder vampire would be.” He smiled, his eyes twinkling. “Where are we taking you?”
“Home. I’m exhausted. I want to sit back and watch TV. And I have to feed the cat.”
“Very good. And then what?”
The question was more than it seemed. I turned my attention to look out the window, staring at the city as it blurred past. There was so much more to the world than I had ever known, and more to myself than I had ever known.
I understood the appeal when Kate had begun to embrace her magical side. She had disappeared from medicine, choosing magic—at least for now. I didn’t want that for myself. I wanted to continue to practice medicine, to continue to be the healer and the helper, but that didn’t mean I wouldn’t work at uncovering what I needed to know about magic as well.
“I want to learn,” I said.
“Good.”
I turned and looked at Barden. “Good?”
He shrugged. “You might have an elder vampire who owes you a favor, but that does not mean you will be completely safe. Quite the opposite, I fear.”
“Great.”
“You already said you intended to learn.”
“I’d like to have the choice in the matter.”
“You had the choice. You made it. But I still think you will need to learn everything you can.”
I stared at the piece of metal, my gaze lingering on the strange symbols marked on it.
I took a deep breath before slipping it into my pocket.
Thanks for reading! Book 2 of Hedge Mage and Medicine: Open Fracture.
A hedge mage with a tie to a vampire elder. What could go wrong?
Nearing the end of my ER training, I should be spending my days getting ready for my first real job. Instead, now that I know I’m a hedge mage, I study magic, trying to figure out how I can use it and whether I have a specific talent. When one of my new magical friends comes to me for help with a murder, somehow I have the connections necessary to figure out what happened—and why they were killed.
Solving the mystery brings me deeper into the magical world, but is that what I want? When someone close to me nearly dies, my knowledge of medicine isn’t enough and I have no choice but to chase the magic in me.
If I can discover my talent in time, I might be able to survive what’s coming—and stop another from gaining power no mage is meant to possess.
Have you read the other series in this world? Start with Flatline. Looking for something more traditional urban fantasy (without the medicine)? Check out Taker of Spells. You can start any of the series separately.
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Author’s Note
Thank you so much for reading Frost Bite. I’ve really enjoyed writing Jen and her magical adventures and hope you’ve enjoyed reading about her.
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SA Magnusson
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Also by SA Magnusson
Medicine and Magic
Flatline
Postmortem
Malignant Magic
Hemorrhage
Anaphylaxis
Paralyzed
Hedge Mage and Medicine
Frost Bite
Open Fracture
Heat Stroke
The Tattered Veil
Taker of Spells
The Silver Chalice
Wand of Despair
Frost Bite Page 22