by D. N. Hoxa
“If you find a comb or a brush, grab a string of her hair for me, will you?” A finding spell was next on the list. Dena Waldorf could run, but she couldn’t hide forever.
“Why did she kill him?” Lynn asked when we were alone, and she sat on the table again. It was so strange to have a conversation about a case with a kid. A kid who knew how to fight relatively well and who could put two and two together better than many adults—but a kid nonetheless.
“I don’t think she did. She asked me to beat him, not kill him.”
“But she ran away,” Lynn said.
“Probably because of what she asked from me, and she thought I’d eventually point my finger toward her.” I flinched. Would I have done it if the situation had been…simpler?
“So who killed Blake Powell?” Lynn asked. Now that was the million-dollar question. The right question to ask.
When I looked at her again, she looked different to me somehow. Almost as if she’d physically transformed, when she looked exactly the same—only dirtier and bloodier.
“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m going to have to tell your uncle about this, you know.”
Visible shivers washed down Lynn’s back. “You can’t,” she whispered.
“I have to. He trusted me with you, and if I don’t tell him, he’ll never forgive me.”
“He’ll want to send me away to Washington, too. My parents can’t wait to get rid of me. If he doesn’t stop them, I’ll be gone,” she said.
Her voice sounded angry, but when I looked just a little deeper, I realized that the anger served to hide the pain that seemed to completely consume her. I opened my mouth to object, but no word came out. Had I gone mad? Was I seriously considering keeping this from Bender?
“Please, Winter. If I leave, everything I’ve worked for, for so long will be gone,” Lynn whispered, turning back to the teenager I knew she was.
“I’ll think about it,” I said reluctantly. She really had put me in a tight spot. “In the meantime, you’re going home, and you’re staying there until I call you. Okay?”
When Lynn nodded, it was obvious that the gesture required all of her willpower. “Okay.”
Ten
Since Lynn had taken a cab all the way to Westbury, she had to ride with us back to Manhattan. With her hands under her thighs, she rested her forehead against the window and just looked out, never saying a single word. I kept looking at her through the rearview mirror, as if trying to convince myself that she was really there.
“Why were those fairies in her house?” Julian asked.
I would have rather talked about this when we were alone, but since I had no clue how to answer his question, it couldn’t hurt to talk about it, right?
“I don’t know, but I’ve never seen fairies who can fight like that.” Those fairies hadn’t been strong by any means, but they were stronger than others I’ve met. Come to think of it, I never really fought against a fairy before. How the hell would I know how skilled in battle the rest of them were?
“They were looking for the things,” Lynn said from the backseat. “The things Dena’s grandfather left her.”
Goose bumps covered my arms. Did she know about the dragon blood? “How do you know?”
Lynn shrugged. “What else could they be after? You saw the house. Nothing in there said that Dena had any money. Not one valuable item. The TV in her living room cost practically nothing and some of the clothes she left behind were second-hand, too.”
Now, how on earth would she know that?
“There were three of them. Usually, on Earth, fairies work alone,” Julian said, though it sounded more like he was thinking out loud.
“You think they’re working for someone?” I asked halfheartedly.
Julian flinched. “Could be. Did Dena tell you what things Powell stole from her or what else she had?”
“Nothing. I didn’t ask. Didn’t think it was important.” If I’d known what would happen last night, I would have definitely interrogated her properly.
“We’ve got her hair. We’ll find her,” Julian said.
“Let’s just drop Lynn off with the driver first.”
Lynn didn’t seem to like that one bit, but to her credit, she didn’t argue.
***
“Do you mind doing it?” I said to Julian when we were back at my office, and Lynn left with her driver. Dena Waldorf’s hair was on the desk. He’d taken three strings from her brush—enough to keep us going, even if she was very far away, which I doubted.
Julian’s now blonde brows raised in surprise. “Why?”
“Because I’ve never done a finding spell before.” And because the magic I put in all of my spell stones kind of took a mind of their own and deformed. I hadn’t forgotten what those stones had done to the Hedge witches, and though that had worked in my favor at the time, messing with magic when you didn’t know what you were doing could take a turn for the worse, real fast—and I wasn’t even talking about death.
“So do one now.” Julian leaned back on his chair and watched me as if he couldn’t figure out if I was kidding.
“There’s no need to wear your disguise here,” I mumbled because though this new face he wore became him—which face wouldn’t?—I still wanted to see the real him, pointy ears and all. “And you can use that magic to find Dena.”
“Winter, you can—”
“Time is wasting. You better start now if you want to find her today.” I didn’t want hear about can and can’t. I didn’t want him to see that I hadn’t gotten any better at my magic since I left him in the fairy realm, either. I just wanted him to do the damn spell.
A blink later, Julian became himself again. His thick brows missing an arch made him look confused, but in this case, he really was. He just stared at me for a second, and the intensity of his pure violet eyes was too much, so I ran in the bathroom and locked myself inside like a fucking coward. I couldn’t figure out what was wrong with me, why I had so little control over my body and mind. Splashing some cold water on my pale face, I made myself take in a deep breath and stop hiding like a little girl. This was Julian Walker, the guy I’d delivered dragon blood to, the one who’d saved me countless times, and I’d saved him in return. We’d kissed. We’d fought. We’d chosen to go our separate ways. There was no reason why I couldn’t behave like a normal witch around him, and I was going to keep that in mind from now on.
Julian had already conjured the finding spell. He held his hands in front of him and looked at the empty space between them. I could only imagine it was the spell telling him where to go. When I’d used my finding spell stone to find him all those months ago in Harlem, the Pretter had dissolved to tell me the way. Now that he was conjuring the spell himself, only Julian could see the directions.
“West,” he said after a second. “She’s going west and she’s moving fast.”
“Car fast or plane fast?”
Julian flinched. “Probably car. We need to get going.” Bringing the palms of his hands together to finish the spell, he stood up and took the two remaining strings of Dena Waldorf’s hair.
My phone rang before we made it to the door. It was Bender. Reluctantly, I ignored the call and put the phone back in my pocket.
“You can answer it,” Julian said, watching me lock the office door. “I don’t mind.”
I rolled my eyes. “I don’t want to answer.” And it had nothing to do with Julian.
Well, it did, but not in the way he thought. I just didn’t want to have to lie to Bender again, and if I picked up the phone, I was going to have to. I just hoped that all of this would be over before I was forced to ruin our friendship.
Eleven
We found Dena Waldorf. She was dead.
Julian conjured the finding spell in the car one more time, and it directed us to Newport. As soon as I saw an ambulance and witches with ECU uniforms around the Green Park—where the spell said Dena would be—I knew enough to leave Turtle far away and continue on foot. Julian mus
t have thought the same thing because he put on his disguise without me having to ask and didn’t make a single sound. I could see the layers of sweat on his forehead, though, and that said enough.
People had gathered around the entrance of the Park. Police tape all over. Human police officers walked back and forth without having a clue what the hell was going on while ECU officials with their black suits and black sunglasses took notes, and others investigated the body. Shivers washed down my back at the sight of it.
It was Dena Waldorf, only the last time I saw her, she didn’t have a bullet hole in her forehead.
When Julian wanted to go through the small crowd of people and straight to the ECU werewolves in front of the police tape, I stopped him.
“It’s not worth it,” I whispered. If anybody saw me there with a stranger they’d never seen before, that would raise questions. We couldn’t risk it because we could already see Dena. We could see her green eyes wide open, looking at the sky, and her already blue lips slightly parted. In fact, that face of hers was going to stay with me for a long time—together with the guilt that came with it. If I’d taken the job she’d offered, maybe I could have avoided it. Maybe she’d still be alive. Maybe Blake Powell would still be alive, too.
“Do you see anything close to her?” Julian said, but I’d already checked. Nothing but a small white purse was close to the body. Not even the suitcase Lynn was so sure Dena had packed and taken with her. If her grandfather’s things had been with her when she left her house, they were now gone.
“There’s nothing for us here,” I said reluctantly.
“Winter, we need the blood. We have to stop him before it’s too late.” There was no hiding the fear in his voice.
“I know, but this place is packed with the ECU. If we even get close—”
Julian cut me off.
“The ECU,” he whispered, then looked down at the ground. “Who did you give the dragon blood to?”
“Erick Adams,” I whispered. I’d never forget the face of the witch who’d met me in Finn’s office. His thin lips and that smile of a snake were impossible to forget.
“The board members,” Julian said and met my eyes. His were wide open and full of excitement now.
That’s when it hit me. “No.” He’d lost his fucking mind. If he really was thinking what I thought he was thinking, than that Galladar guy must have hit Julian in the head pretty hard.
“We don’t have a choice,” he hissed.
I turned around and walked fast back to Turtle, my heart hammering inside my chest. This was crazy. Was he really thinking about breaking into the ECU to get back the dragon blood?
Before I could get in the car, Julian grabbed my arm and spun me around to face him. “Winter, listen to me. Without that blood, we can’t get to the fairy realm. If Galladar gets here…” He shook his head. “He ruined my home in the first three days. He’ll ruin yours in three hours.”
Goose bumps covered my arms. I wanted to call bullshit on his words, but even if I didn’t know Julian well enough, I knew he’d ever lie to me about something like this. What would be the point?
“Even if we find where they’re keeping the damned blood, we’ll be dead before we get there. This is the ECU, Julian.” He’d worked for them. He knew exactly what they were capable of. It wasn’t fair that he was making me even say this because he knew.
“If we don’t get that blood, we’re dead anyway,” Julian said. The mask he wore couldn’t hide the pain in his eyes.
“Goddamn it,” I hissed and turned around to get in the car.
Resting my forehead against the wheel, I waited for Julian to get in, too, and continue to tell me how we were going to be dead soon. Because we were. If we tried to break into the ECU—into any of their bases—we were as dead as dead got. I’d been in their custody before. It had only lasted for a couple of hours and it had taken all coven leaders to get me out of there, but I’d seen their security system on the way out. I’d seen the soldiers. The cameras. I’d smelled the spells. There was no way in hell we could get away with this, and I told him so when a minute passed and he refused to speak.
“They have too many werewolves. Too many witches willing to die to protect them. Their weapons, spells—everything they have is better than what we have. I shouldn’t have to tell you this, Julian.”
“I know,” he whispered.
I sat up straight and looked at him, confused as fuck. “You do?” Didn’t he just say that there was no other way?
Julian nodded. “That’s why I’m going to go in myself.”
Real fucking smart. I rolled my eyes and made sure he saw. “Fuck you, Julian. I’m not afraid of this. I just know for a fact that we’re going to die if we do.”
Half a smile took over his face. “I’m not saying that you’re afraid. I’m saying that I’m going in by myself because it doesn’t matter if I die.”
“Don’t ever say that again,” I hissed before I could help myself. Just the thought of him…never mind. That was not an option, no matter what his stupid brain thought.
“It’s the truth,” he said, rather sadly.
“I’m going to hit you, I promise.” And I meant it.
“If you’d seen what I’ve seen, you wouldn’t have thought twice about it,” he said, raising his voice.
“You’re not going in there, Julian.” If he thought I’d stand by and watch him go commit suicide, he was in for a surprise.
“How are you going to stop me?” A daring, mischievous smile stretched his lips.
My beads were already in front of his face, buzzing with excitement, eager to taste his blood again. I grinned widely.
“For starters, I’ll put some holes in your body. Then, I’ll hold you down with a spell I’ve rehearsed a thousand times—and I can guarantee you, it works wonders.”
I wasn’t kidding. After the fight with the Hedge witches, I’d perfected a Bone holding spell my aunt had found for me until it became second nature to me, the same as my shield. This way, I made sure that I’d never be in the same position I’d been in when we tied the green-eyed beast in William Peterson’s basement in the Green coven community.
“And then, I’ll tie you in my room, using rope and chains and spells and everything else I can think of.”
“You underestimate me, Winter,” he whispered, that sneaky smile still on his face as he shook his head.
“You’re the one doing the underestimating, oh mighty fairy Prince,” I mocked. I was willing to go to great lengths to make sure he didn’t get himself killed.
“I’m no longer a Prince, remember? There’s nothing left for me to rule.”
Pain flashed in his eyes. It was so intense, I could almost feel it myself. Way to ruin the fucking mood.
“And there will be nothing left of you, if you try to get that blood back.” It was sad, but it was the truth.
“So then how do I get back to the fairy realm?” he asked.
To that I had no answer. When my phone rang, I almost laughed with joy. Perfect timing. I could use a break from that conversation. Death was in every word we spoke.
Finn’s number filled the screen of my phone. Even better. I’d thought it was Bender.
“Hello, ya old wolf,” I said, my fake excitement probably very obvious, even through the speaker.
“Bone, I’ve got a job for you.”
That stopped me from making another joke. “What job?”
“A dead body—what else?” Finn said, as if I’d offended him by asking. A lump formed in my throat. I couldn’t even bring myself to ask the next question, so I just let him speak. “The ECU put in the order just now, but I don’t have anyone available right now. You in?”
A sigh escaped my lips. “No, Finn. I can’t.”
“C’mon, Bone. It’s about time you quit that I don’t work for you anymore bullshit. I know you’ve got nothing else on your plate,” Finn said.
He was right. I’d told him before that I wouldn’t work for him becaus
e the people who hired him were exactly the people who I didn’t want to work for. Like the ECU, and rich paranormals who thought the world belonged to them and their money. Unfortunately, this time, that was not the reason. The reason was the dead body not fifty feet away from me.
“What’s the girl’s name?” I asked Finn, though I already knew his answer.
A second of silence. “I never said it was a girl.”
Pressing my lips together, I kept myself from saying anything more.
“How are you involved in this?”
“I’m not,” I mumbled. “I just heard about it.”
No point in telling him that I was there, right where Dena Waldorf had been killed.
“Something doesn’t smell right, Bone. What are you up to?” Finn asked.
“Nothing good.” Unfortunately.
“You’re going to get yourself killed one of these days,” the werewolf said and made me smile.
“No promises,” I said. “Bye, Finn.”
I hung up before he could convince me. Working for Finn to solve Dena Waldorf’s murder would sure have its benefits. Unlimited access to information. A lot of spell stones at my disposal. A lot of weapons, too.
But this involved Julian. If I took the case, he’d be exposed. No, that couldn’t happen.
“Can you find out where they’re keeping the blood?” Julian said as soon as I hung up the phone.
“No.”
“You won’t or you can’t?”
“Does it matter?” Even if I knew where they kept that blood, I’d never tell him.
“I’m going to do this, whether you like it or not.” Julian’s blue eyes turned violet and the anger he felt was perfectly conveyed in the darkening color. It sure sounded like a threat to me.
“You’re not—” The ringtone of my phone cut me off. This time, it was Bender.
I still didn’t want to lie to him, but if I could get another second to think about how to convince Julian to drop this crazy idea, I’d take it. So I reluctantly answered.
“Why aren’t you answering my calls?” Bender said, without even bothering with a hello. He was pissed, too.