by Gina LaManna
The snarl identified the jaguar as she tackled the vampire hunter, Zin’s teeth gnashing mercilessly at the hunter’s throat—not quite touching him, but close enough that her teeth glinted in the reflection of his eyes.
“Zin, stop,” I said, breathing heavy. “Don’t kill him—yet. We have to find out who sent him. Stay there, and I’ll get Diana. Poppy, are you okay?”
A familiar crack of magic sounded as the Master of Mischief appeared in the corner of the room. Gerry stood looking quite ruffled in his pajamas: a two-piece outfit designed from cotton material, but still decorated to look like a suit. His eyeglass hung from around his neck.
“What’s the disturbance?” Gerry looked around the room, displeased. He examined the furniture first, then the shattered window, and then finally the man trapped beneath the snapping jungle cat. “I thought Diana didn’t allow pets.”
“She’s not a pet!” I pointed to Zin. “She’s a Ranger and my cousin, and her Uniqueness is that she’s a Shiftling—she can shift into anything. Her name is Zin, and she just saved Poppy’s life from this vampire hunter.”
“She’s not supposed to be in the district yet.” Gerry frowned, fear spreading across his face as realization struck. “There’s been a breach! But how?”
I toed the vamp hunter’s shoulder. “I don’t know how he got in, but he claims to have walked in.”
Gerry’s face paled further. “Something evil is upon us.”
Our gazes locked.
“They’re here,” I said finally, and at the sound of my voice the world shook. It trembled and roared, as if the very ground beneath our feet was breaking apart. Thunder clouded the sky, winds whipped into a tizzy beyond the window.
“No,” Gerry whispered. “Is there any chance you have more of that potion you used on me?”
“Amuletto Kiss? Why do you care?” I watched his quizzical gaze, followed his line of sight as he glanced down and saw the travel belt affixed to my jeans. The golden hue of Amuletto Kiss burned bright. “Oh. You want me to read the hunter’s thoughts to find out how he got in—and who else might be here.”
“Yes.”
The earth shivered beneath us, and I figured I didn’t have much of a choice. I had several more vials of the Mix and the suspect directly beneath me. There wasn’t time to waste in debate. I knelt beside the hunter and spoke in a frosty whisper. “If you want to live, if you want me to forget your name when I tell my fiancé what happened—”
“Fiancé?” Poppy shrieked. She had carefully pulled herself up from the floor of broken glass after Gerry’s arrival and stood next to me. “You got engaged and didn’t tell me?”
I gritted my lips. “Sorry, but—”
She burst into tears. “Congratulations, Lily. I knew it. I knew you loved him, and he loved you, and...” She stopped at my stern look. “Right, right. Hold it together, Poppy, you can do it,” she coached herself.
“If you want to live,” I continued to the hunter, “you better hope you were telling the truth about how you got in here.” I prodded the hunter’s shoulder as I snapped a piece of his shirt off with a quick Slicing Spell. “Otherwise, I’m going to let the cat take a bite out of you.”
His eyes widened in shock, and he nodded in understanding.
Then I sat back, uncorked the vial, and took a sip.
The sensation was more familiar this time as the spell slipped over me; it had become easier to switch into and out of my own thoughts and put on someone else’s—like a good winter coat or a pair of well-worn jeans. As I let my thoughts, worries, and exhaustion fade away, I prepared myself to enter a whole new mind.
I closed my eyes and waited. The visions began, the feelings, the sentiments along with it. As it did, Lily faded away, and I became the hunter—utterly and entirely him.
Images of Poppy appeared. I was tracking her. My earliest memories of Poppy were attached to an emotion resembling anger, frustration. She was standing in my way of a job well done. I had only one task remaining: kill the vampire.
My memories fast-tracked a few weeks, and I watched Poppy again and again as she went about her daily routine. Poppy sung and danced as she picked ripe strawberries in the garden. She packed a huge floppy hat and went to the beach, plopping onto a towel as she read a book for hours and hours on end. I felt myself stiffen as I watched her. The feelings of anger and frustration were replaced by ones of curiosity and fondness.
I continued to hunt her as she read a novel by the fire at night, knowing my time was drawing to a close. She needed to be ended, I thought, but the very notion was accompanied by horror as I watched her sleeping peacefully through the window.
Finally, my thoughts ripped forward to earlier this afternoon. I had followed Poppy here—tracking the car at a great distance. I’d arrived successfully in Olympia—or at least to the sign outside the tunnel. Then the car had driven straight through the tightly knit trees, and I’d tried to follow but couldn’t.
Then a man appeared down the road in front of the tunnel. He drew a circle in the air and muttered words from a foreign language. The circle burned licks of green fire, and without hesitation, the man stepped through. I had no time to think; I simply acted. I leapt through the hole and found myself here.
Then my heart raced as I caught sight of Poppy and Lucy hugging goodnight outside the inn, and I knew the time had come. A horrendous, gut-wrenching sadness followed, a forlorn hatred, and then...
I opened my eyes, shuddering back into the mind and body of Lily Locke.
“Holy smokes,” I said, startled as I looked to the hunter—understanding settling onto my shoulders with complete clarity. “You love her.”
“Who?” Poppy asked mindlessly. “Who loves who?”
“He,” I said, pointing to the man on the floor, “has fallen in love with you.”
Poppy gave me one look, then laughed. “Well that’s the craziest thought I’ve ever heard. He just tried to kill me.” She turned to me, waited for the punchline, but at the severity in my face, she shook her head. “You’re serious.”
I gave a hesitant nod, but when the hunter merely closed his eyes in response, I followed it up with a more decisive one. “He hated to do his job. He’s bound to kill you, but...he doesn’t want to do it.”
“Holy smokes, Lucy was right,” Poppy said, then keeled over in a dead faint.
“How’d he get in here?” Gerry demanded. “Did you see? Lily, what are you babbling about?”
“Yes, I saw. He followed another man inside, but I couldn’t see who because it was dark and he wore a cloak. This man drew a hole before the tunnel in the road—burning green flames—and stepped through.”
Gerry’s face, already pale, died a little more.
“Do you know what this means?” I pressed. “Gerry, talk.”
“Come,” he whispered. “It’s already too late.”
To punctuate his statement, the earth trembled, rattled, and then went still.
Chapter 26
THE KNOCK ON THE DOOR startled everyone.
“Hello, guests—I just wanted to check on y’all. Do you hear the thunder out there?” Diana called through the door. “Not sure what that storm’s all about, but if you need anything, just holler.”
I strode across the room, twisted the doorknob and pulled, revealing Diana. “Actually, we could use some help.”
Diana’s jaw dropped wider and wider as the door creaked open and she peeped over my shoulder. “Oh, ah, I see you have visitors. Gerry? What are you doing here?”
She caught sight of him over my shoulder, but my body was blocking the rest of her view. As I stood back, Diana took in the sight of a jaguar’s gnashing teeth with a surprisingly calm demeanor. It didn’t seem to startle her, nor did the strange man on the floor. Only Poppy’s tear streaked face as she moaned and regained consciousness drew a concerned look from the innkeeper.
“What is it you needed me to do?” Diana’s voice was riddled with curiosity, but the woman was cool as a cucumbe
r under pressure. “I see we have a, ah, domestic sort of dispute here.”
“This vamp hunter tried to kill Poppy,” I said in a quick explanation. “My other cousin is a Ranger—she’s the jaguar. This storm?” I held my hands out and gestured to the sounds, wincing as a particularly loud clap of thunder rocked the inn’s foundations. “There are intruders in Olympia, and the Master of Magic’s life is in danger.”
Her eyes flicked briefly around the scene once more, then she nodded, accepting everything. “What can I do?”
“Any chance you can take care of him for us?” I kicked a leg in the direction of the vamp hunter. “Gerry and I will need to look for the Master. He’s in danger, I’m sure of it.”
“Of course.” Diana clapped her hands and rubbed them together. “I have some magical handcuffs somewhere behind my desk. People leave the strangest things in hotel rooms. I’ll be right back. I’ll transport him to our holding area after that; he won’t get out of there.”
Poppy giggled, almost hysterically. “Handcuffs. Who leaves handcuffs behind?”
I turned to Gerry as Diana left. “Let’s go—we can’t waste any more time here.”
Gerry nodded, still pale in his faux-suit pajamas. “How? Where? I don’t understand.”
“Focus, Gerry. I need you to get me something of the Master’s—an item that belongs to him, something he’s touched or used recently. Can you do that?”
There was a crack as Gerry disappeared without a word.
“What can I do?” Poppy whispered. “Don’t you dare tell me nothing, Lily Locke. I’m sick of being protected. I’m here to help.”
“You can...” I shrugged. “I’m sorry, I don’t know. I don’t know where he is or what we need to do. I didn’t even see the intruder’s face. All I know is that whatever that man wants—it’s not you. It’s me. I need to help, and I won’t have you getting hurt on my account.”
“You’re not going in alone.” Poppy’s jaw was set, and Zin whined in agreement. “So, whatever your plan is, add two more to it. Probably three, since that Gerry fellow seems to adore the Master.”
I was spared agreeing with her by the return of Diana. With assistance from Zin’s paws, the two turned the vamp hunter over and slapped the cuffs onto his wrists. For good measure, I added a powerful Stunner Spell that’d last at least an hour, maybe more.
“You said you can transport him?” I asked her. “You have a prison or somewhere he’ll be safe to keep?”
She nodded. “With that Stunner Spell, this guy ain’t going anywhere for a while. I’ll call Brucey and let him know we’ve got a pickup. He’s got muscles.”
Brucey seemed to have a lot more than muscles, based on Diana’s dreamy sigh. She left once again to find Brucey just as a resounding crack signified the Keeper’s return.
“Here,” Gerry said, breathless. “It’s the belt from his robe.”
“Did he wear it today?”
“It was strewn on the floor of his home—the living room. So, yes,” he clarified. “I can’t be positive, but I believe this is what he was wearing when he was taken. He’s nowhere to be found. I checked everywhere—that’s why it took so long.”
Gerry had only been gone a few minutes, but I didn’t mention it. Instead I took the cloth and settled onto a chair in the corner of the room. “Be back,” I said, raising the bottle of golden liquid to my lips. I drank.
My memories, my fears, my tensions disappeared more rapidly than ever before. I sat, patiently waiting until it wasn’t me alone in my thoughts any longer. I was him; I was inside the Master’s mind. Eventually even that realization slipped away as I became him and Lily was gone.
I stood at home in my robe, shuffling through the house—waiting. Runes and drawings and spells filtered through my brain; figures and fact swimming in colorful patterns as ideas flicked through me at the speed of light. My guest would be here soon.
Finally, a knocking sound drew my attention. I wasn’t surprised, though a sense of exhaustion filtered through my old body. I dropped my robe to the floor, knowing it would be needed later in some way. It was essential I leave something behind for her.
My hand reached for the door, pulled it open, and I met—face to face—with her father. Lily’s father. He’d come for me—and for her. He’d discovered the contents of the prophecy, and this evening, a piece of it was coming to fruition.
Underneath, I’d dressed in black, solemn robes for the occasion.
“I see you’re ready.” Lucian’s voice spoke softly. “Good of you not to argue with me. Now, it’s time we join your ancestors.”
Wordlessly, I watched as Lucian raised his hands and murmured the curse he’d concocted for the sole purpose of paralyzing me. There was no use fighting fate, so I closed my eyes and accepted the spell. It connected with my heart, my mind, and my soul. My body collapsed, sunk into the blanket of darkness.
And then it was done.
My eyes—Lily’s eyes—flew open. “It’s him,” I mumbled, disoriented. “It’s him, my father. Lucian has the Master—”
“Where?”
“I-I don’t know.” I closed my eyes, thinking back for any clues. “The Master wanted me to see this—he left his robe behind on purpose knowing I’d be in his memories. He let himself be taken. I don’t know why, but he did. He knew he couldn’t stop it, so he went willingly.”
“Why didn’t he prevent it?” Gerry bounced with agitation on his toes. “I don’t understand. He can control the universe, he could’ve—he could’ve prepared if he’d seen this coming. It’s my job to protect him, yet he told me nothing about this!”
“This needs to happen,” I said, slowly. “For one reason or another—fate, a prophecy. I don’t know why; he didn’t show me why. I think we need to trust him.”
“He’s in duress! How can we trust him?”
“He’s not in duress,” I said, slowly. “He felt no panic. He didn’t feel much of anything except calmness. He knew,” I said again. “He might even have left a clue, I just need to find it.”
“What happened while you were in the potion?” Poppy asked. “If you tell us, maybe we’ll be able to help.”
“There were a lot of equations floating around. For a time, I understood them. I had his mind—now, they’re gibberish. It wouldn’t be the runes.” I shook my head, remembering the dropping of the robe, the preparedness of his clothes underneath. He hadn’t been ready for bed despite the robe, so that must be a clue. I squeezed my eyes shut. “Lucian said something about us—er, he and the Master—going to see my—his—ancestors.”
Poppy frowned at my slip in point of view. It was too easy to get carried away, to feel like I’d been there, to feel as if I’d been him, existed in his shoes. I hadn’t, I reminded myself. It hadn’t been me there, it had been him, and I needed to remember that.
“That’s it!” I raised a hand. “Is there some sort of private room in the Hall of Masters?”
Gerry looked confused. “Are you talking about the ancestors bit? I thought that was just a death threat.”
“I’m positive.” With astounding clarity, I knew this was what the Master of Magic had wanted me to hear. “Yes! That’s our clue. Lucian said it’s time for us to go meet your ancestors. If he’d wanted to threaten the Master, he would have said it’s time for you meet your ancestors, or something of the sort. He distinctly said us. I think they’re waiting for us—for me—in the Hall of Masters.”
Gerry hesitated, then nodded. “There is something, a small...” his face paled. “You don’t think they are waiting for you?”
“What?” Poppy pressed. “Where are they?”
“There’s a small dungeon underneath the Hall. It used to be where the Masters would keep those who’d...” He swallowed. “Whose crimes against the world were unforgivable. A prison underneath the weight of all the Masters of Magic. Not one has ever escaped such a prison.”
“Then that’s where they’ll be,” I said grimly. “And that’s where I’m headed
. Poppy, Zin—help with this one.” I nodded at the hunter. “Gerry, can you—”
“Nope,” Poppy said. “We’re in this together.”
I exhaled a breath. “It’s only me he wants. It’ll do you no good to come along.”
“Well, it just so happens that the three of us are a package deal,” Poppy said with a grin. “Ain’t that right, Zin?”
A snarl from the jaguar signified her agreement.
“Fine,” I said, as Diana returned with a huge man by her side. “But I can’t promise what we’ll find. And I can’t guarantee your safety.”
“This is Brucey,” Diana said with a pat on the shoulder of a massive man. “He’s in charge of prisoner transport. He also runs the bakery.”
We all stood in stunned silence, watching as a man who appeared to be part giant ducked into the room.
“This him?” Brucey grunted, tapping the hunter with his toe. “Lucky little fellow.”
When I nodded, Zin backed away and began to slip back into human form as Brucey bent over and slung the hunter over his shoulder like I might carry a sack of potatoes. Except much less gently. The vampire hunter’s head swung wildly as Brucey stood, his figure still immobile due to the Stunner Spell.
On his way out the door, Brucey stopped to give Diana a huge kiss on the lips. Her cheeks bloomed red. “Well, thanks,” she said, and then cleared her throat with a tinge of embarrassment. “What else can I do to help?”
“Go with Brucey,” I instructed her. “Continue on as normal. We can’t risk anyone else’s lives with this.”
“All lives are already at risk,” Gerry said, a whine to his words. “The Master is in danger.”
“Lucian wants me,” I said firmly. “Nobody else.”
Diana nodded. “I’ll...I’ll wait for further instructions, and I’ll alert the protectors.”
“They’ve been alerted already,” Gerry said. “They’re gathering forces, but it’ll take a few minutes. I don’t think we have the time.”
I shook my head, agreeing with him. Then I glanced to Zin, the golden glint still in her eyes, her hair shaggy and mussed as it returned to its short, severe bob. I turned my attention to Poppy, who watched me with glittering eyes. Gerry had a sense of determination about him as well, despite his nervously wringing hands.