Straightening his purple suit jacket, Maxwell pulled the door open and marched down the steps. Justina followed, her gun held by her side. I was next, my dagger resting just behind my leg. I didn’t want anyone to see it. If it burst into magical flames, it could cause some panic. Not only that, the warlocks who had raided my home had been aware of it, and they would be in attendance.
“What’s going on here?” Maxwell’s voice boomed.
As we stepped into the small room, the people scattered. There was a small bar along the far wall with a few round tables in the middle. The chandeliers were dim, setting the mood for a sexy evening.
“Freeze!” Justina held out her gun, her shout carrying across the area.
The same people we had seen at the meeting stopped in mid-movement. The creepy twins with their pale skin still sat at a table. One of them shrugged when the other whispered something. The ringleader, the tall black man who always wore a long coat, stepped forward, holding his hands up in surrender.
“Maxwell, it’s a surprise to see you. What are you doing here?”
Oh, interesting. It seemed that the man might well plead ignorance. It was a good job I had heard his plan myself.
Maxwell pulled himself to his full height. His rotund stomach poked out from between the lapels of his jacket, but he stared the man down.
“Sit down,” he ordered those who still stood.
They did as they were told, lowering themselves into the nearest chair. There were roughly ten of them altogether. Five witches, five warlocks.
“Why are you meeting with witches, Barry?”
It was interesting to see Maxwell act diplomatically. My own heart was beating in my throat, my skin tingling where my magic tried to push up through my body from the ground. And yet, I didn’t want it. I wanted my pure witch magic.
Barry didn’t sit down. He stayed standing, facing Maxwell. His long thin body was poised, ready to fight. And, yet, Maxwell remained calm, still.
“Are we not allowed to socialise with other beings?”
It seemed that Barry would play the innocence card. As far as I could see there was no evidence to prove what the group had been planning. There were no beds, no sex implements. In fact, it did just look like they were having a little get together.
“Is that the card you’re going to play?”
Surveying the room as they spoke, I tightened my grip on the handle of my dagger when I caught sight of a curtained area at the back of the room. Now, that looked suspiciously like a bed could be behind it.
“What do you want me to say?” Barry held his arms to the side, his fingers moving slightly.
Maxwell threw up his hand, releasing a ball of dark blue magic. It puffed out in the air, right above Barry’s head. The threat was real, but it had extinguished before it did any harm.
“I’m the leader of this coven, not you. If you don’t tell me exactly what’s going on here, I’ll have you arrested by these agents.”
One of the witches scoffed as she glared at me. “You have the cheek to berate what we’re doing when you have her by your side.”
Before another word could be spoken, Barry flung his arm, sending a stream of fiery red magic into the girl’s chest. She jerked as if she’d been electrocuted and then fell forward, her head banging on the table.
Justina shot her gun in the air when a commotion broke out. Maxwell dove at Barry as he went to release more magic, wrestling the smaller man to the ground.
“Find evidence,” Justina said to me as people slowed their movements, watching her.
They knew that if they went against an agent, they would be imprisoned indefinitely. And, bullets killed, even more accurately than magic most times.
Keeping an eye on the group as they sat in their seats again, I stalked backwards, my blade still clenched in my hand. The curtain was a light gold to match the walls of the bar.
“Get up!” Justina ordered Barry as he tried to crawl out from under Maxwell. “You’re under arrest for the murder of that witch.”
Well, at least Barry would be locked away for good. He had always given me the creeps, so that wasn’t a bad thing.
My skin tingled as I reached my goal and flung the curtain back. The young teen who had been in my apartment with his dad was sitting on a sofa, a witch beside him. They were half dressed, their bodies completely still. They had obviously heard us enter the room and stopped what they were about to do.
“You’re under arrest for the attempt to pro-create inter-breeds. You-”
A bang behind me made me spin. Fire was dispersing as Justina handcuffed Barry on the ground. A warlock legged it towards the door. It swung open just before he reached it, smacking him straight in the face.
Gerard and Kurt rushed in, their weapons drawn. They started to round people up, daring them to use magic. No one did.
My palms sweated as I glanced at the teen and his new friend. “Stay here. If you move, I’ll use this on you.”
Holding up my dagger, I smirked when the teen’s eyes widened. He knew exactly what it was. The light blue flames that danced off it showed him that what he had been searching for was real. And, it was mine.
“The Essex dagger.” The gasp came from the young witch.
Gritting my teeth, I indicated that she stay where she was. I couldn’t think about her claim right now, I had to secure the area.
Maxwell called for silence, but hurried conversations and fizzing energy buzzed too loud in the air. They weren’t going to back down without a fight.
“Incendia!” a witch shouted as she surged out of the group.
Fire ignited the curtains that hung near me. I jumped back, my arm outstretched. Whispering an extinguishing spell, I heaved a sigh of relief when the fire puffed out.
Spinning, I joined the others in the main area. Gerard had caught the witch who had attempted to escape. Maxwell was on his feet, his arms in the air. The problem with warlock magic was that it was always physical, which meant there was no controlling an environment safely.
Coming in line with Gerard and Kurt as the witches and warlocks started to push and shove each other, I almost missed the slight movement behind the bar. I knew that hair. It was long, dark and lush.
“Lucia Camos!” I shouted to Gerard and Kurt, gesturing to her disappearing through a staff entrance.
“Go!” Kurt shouted.
I didn’t need to be told twice. Our power had been halved because she’d linked us.
Darting across the floor, I jumped, vaulting over the bar. Wow, that was pretty…
“Ouch!”
Instead of landing on my feet on the other side, my arse hit the hard ground. Okay, my ninja move had failed slightly, but I was still over the bar.
Scrambling to my feet, I thrust through the door and followed the narrow corridor to an exit.
“You bitch!”
The shout came from Lucia as I slammed open the back door. It rebounded off the wall, almost knocking me back into the building. The exit led out to a side road. My target was disappearing down it, the dark almost swallowing her. My legs would have to pull out all the stops to catch up. I wasn’t about to let her go.
Huffing in my breath, I ran as fast as I could. My muscles screamed at me as my arms pumped by my side to give me more momentum. My hair flew back from my face as I gripped my dagger in my hand. She was quick, too quick.
About to raise my hand to release warlock magic, I paused when the dagger lit up the way. It was full of magic. If I pulled more from the ground, I would be putting my witch magic at risk. I would be endangering my life. But, she was getting away.
Her laugh reached me as she gained a burst of speed. She was about to disappear down another street. I couldn’t let her. Holding my arm high, I threw the dagger as hard as I could, praying to mother earth that I wouldn’t kill her.
My breath stopped as the dagger spun with such force, it went flying straight into Lucia’s shoulder. She fell to the ground, the force of the blow sending he
r crashing to the concrete. Okay, so I hadn’t wanted to hurt the witch, but she was our biggest lead. She knew the leader of the slave trade, I was sure.
“That was cruel!” she spat as I came up to her.
The blade was lodged deep, blood seeping onto her pretty white top. The magic had gone, leaving the dagger a normal silver colour. Where had it…?
“I can’t move!”
Ah, it had sunk into Lucia and paralysed her. Well, my magic was good enough to bring someone to their knees. Or, flat on their face in this case.
“Lucia Camos, you’re under arrest for… many things.”
I looked around for something to tie her arms with, just in case she regained feeling in her legs and decided to run. There was nothing around. The dark, quiet street was clean, unlike a lot of London.
Screwing up my face as I thought, I almost jumped out of my skin when a cat appeared out of nowhere. It made me think of Kingsley.
“No,” Lucia cried. “Sammy, go home!”
My stomach churned as I watched the familiar cat come over to its witch counterpart. Justina would want to bring the cat with us. A familiar held a lot of a witch’s power, just in case it was needed. In fact…
Swirling my hand in the air, I dragged warlock magic through my feet and into my hand, forming a line of glowing pink string. Bending down, I tied Lucia’s hands behind her back. Her scream of pain from the blade still lodged in her shoulder didn’t make me feel sorry for her.
“I’m sorry, but your cat wants to give you your power. And, I can’t let it.”
Going over to the approaching creature, I sunk to my knees, holding my fingers out to the cat so she could sniff me. She realised that I was no threat and rubbed herself against my hand.
“Please…” Lucia’s plea was pathetic, but it hit me in the heart.
Kingsley was my best friend. For a long time, he was the only reason I still lived. I couldn’t let Justina take the cat away.
“Lucia, you’re going to prison.” My flat statement made the witch sob.
I glanced over my shoulder to where she lay deadly still on the ground. A teardrop fell from the corner of her eye, tracing down her cheek and onto the cold hard concrete.
“Please, take her to my mother. Let her live.”
A feeling of sadness crept into my chest as my phone started to ring. It was Kurt. Answering it, I picked up the cat.
“Are you alive?”
If I didn’t have a moral dilemma waring in my mind, I might have laughed.
“I’m alive. So is Lucia, although she’s currently…”
“Fucked!” Lucia’s shout made Kurt chuckle.
Turning to my captured pray, I tilted my head to the side. “She’s promised to tell us everything.”
Lucia tried to shake her head, but I held up Sammy, her beautiful familiar. She quickly understood exactly what I’d do if she didn’t comply.
“Good. Make sure she stays alive long enough for her to do that. Where are you? Justina and Gerard are cleaning up in here. There were some… casualties.”
Clearing my throat, I cringed as the cat clawed my arm, ready to see its owner. I only just held on to her as I told Kurt where I was. Maybe I could sneak off just before he got there. He wouldn’t understand why I had to protect the cat.
“Oh, and Kurt, when you say casualties, does that mean-?”
“Fatalities, Devon, yes.” He hung up before I could reply.
Shit, what had happened when I left? If word got out that witches and warlocks were killed by the agency, it wouldn’t be a pretty picture.
“So…” Lucia’s face was still planted against the ground. “If I spill my guts to you lot, you’ll take my cat to my mother? Is that what you’re suggesting?”
Crouching next to her, I swore under my breath when the cat tried to get to my prisoner. “Yes. I understand what it’s like to have a best friend.”
Lucia’s eyes blinked as tears clogged them. “Thank you.”
Well, the witch had a heart after all. Maybe her information would finally lead us to the person we needed to catch.
Footsteps made me jump. Grabbing my dagger, I yanked it out of Lucia’s shoulder. She screamed as blood flowed from the wound. Kurt was a healer, he’d patch her up pretty quickly.
“I need to leave now if you want me to save Sammy.”
The cat still clawed me, scratching my whole arm. Tucking my bloodied blade away, I backtracked away from Lucia.
“Devon?” Kurt arrived just before I could run. “What do you have there?”
Cuddling the cat to me, I watched Kurt over its head. His gaze narrowed on me, understanding crossing his face as he noticed the sobbing witch on the ground.
“Really?”
The harshness of his tone was countered by the wave of his hand. He had just given me permission to break agency rules. Yet again.
Instead of rushing off, I bit my lip as a lump came to my throat. I was about to speak when Lucia looked up at Kurt.
“Thank you,” she whispered, saying everything I wanted to.
The mountain of a man ran a hand through his blond hair and stared at me. “If you don’t go now, I’ll stop you.”
My hesitation was gone in an instant. I knew that he would keep his word. Which meant I had to hightail it out of there. The cat struggled as I ran away from the woman who might solve the biggest crime the Hunted Witch Agency had ever had to face.
But, at least the cat’s life was saved. She might not ever see her owner again, but she would live.
Chapter Thirteen
“You agreed to take the linking spell off us.” Justina paced.
Lucia was sitting at a metal table in the interrogation room. I stood on the other side of the mirrored glass with Gerard. My stomach churned with excitement as I watched my boss try to intimidate the prisoner.
“I did, and I will, once I’ve spoken to Devon.”
Oh, I didn’t see that one coming. If the silly witch said anything about what I’d done for her, I would probably get into a lot of trouble. In fact, they would probably fire me.
Justina waved a hand in the air. I glanced at Gerard, unsure of what she was doing.
“She wants you to go in,” he said, grinning when my mouth dropped open.
“Really?” I couldn’t help the hop that sprung from my feet as I moved to the door.
My partner shook his head when I threw a thumbs up in his direction. The fact that Justina was allowing me to enter the interview room meant that she must trust me. Maybe she wasn’t as clever as I’d originally thought.
Kurt let me into the room, his expression a warning. He had also kept my little secret a secret. Which meant it was in everyone’s interest to forget it ever happened.
“Devon, Lucia wants to speak to you.” Justina lowered herself onto the chair opposite her.
Moving closer, I worked on my poker face. I would not let Lucia get the better of me. Even if she tried to…
“You wanted the truth, but I’m not sure you’ll be able to handle it.”
Her words made me almost frown as I sat next to my boss. I caught myself before the emotion showed on my face. What was she talking about?
“We know you’re friends with the leader of the slave trade ring. Why are you protecting her?” I kept my hands folded on the table in front of me.
Lucia’s eyes looked to the ceiling as she heaved air into her lungs. “These people are dangerous. You’ve seen my power. You know full well I’m connected to them. You found our…”
“Supply?” Justina spat. “We rescued them, you mean.” Leaning forward, Justina slammed the metal surface of the table with her palm. “How could you use those witches for your own gain? Are you so weak and pathetic, you need to drain others of their power?”
I leant back in my chair, waiting for Lucia to answer. Nothing she said could justify her actions. She was a wicked witch. In fact, it was a shame she wasn’t a warlock. The pure magic that they were using would be tainted by the way the
y were stealing it from others.
“They’re a threat,” Lucia bit between her teeth. “They will harm us in any way possible.”
Erm… now I was confused. Who was a threat? Warlocks? The slave trade leaders? Nope, my brain had obviously switched off at the moment she thought she was making sense.
Justina cocked her head. “You really believe that getting rid of the warlocks will make witches lives easier? If that’s the case, why were you at that underground orgy?”
My grin failed to stay hidden when Lucia choked on her reply. It was a shame she didn’t choke for real, she kind of deserved it.
“I was there to spy for my friend. She knows everything. She takes most of the magic from the witches before she sells them on. You’ll never beat her.”
A part of me wanted Lucia to give me a good enough reason to forgive her. However, the more she spoke, the harder it was to feel any sympathy.
“We will,” I said, sitting forward. “And, when we do, there’ll be no trial. Only justice.”
The energy in the room changed as Lucia slumped in her plastic chair. Her arms were still tied behind her back, but instead of my magic, handcuffs held her firm. Her dark smooth hair hung over her face as she breathed deeply.
“My brother got me involved with the group. I didn’t want anything to do with it at first, but when he gave me extra magic, I was able to make a life for myself.”
“How?” I was genuinely interested in how having extra magic made life easier. It certainly hadn’t been the case for me.
As my question fell away, a huge burst of energy exploded from Lucia, the invisible bubble throwing us from our chairs. My back hit the mirror before my body slid to the ground, the air vanished from my lungs.
“That’s how.” Lucia’s smirk made me clench my fist.
She was lucky we were in a safe place, or I would’ve gone for her. Kurt thrust the door open as I picked myself up from the floor. My jeans, which had already been ripped, were almost in shreds. But there were no marks on my skin. The bitch really had gone for it.
“Justina?” Kurt questioned his partner.
Scrambling up, Justina gestured for Kurt to leave before she brushed dust from her leather trousers. Her blonde hair was in disarray, the tips pointing out at all angles. Sitting back down, she indicated that I join her again.
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