by Pond, Simone
“We need to call Ezra,” Julian said.
“Yeah, for some of his banner ‘guidance’ that usually comes in the form of a painful lesson?” I jeered.
“Ez? Can you hear me? Hey, Ezra!” Julian yelled to the ceiling like that might help expedite our Guide.
Nine times out of ten, Ezra didn’t show up when I called on him, so I wasn’t too worried that he’d make an appearance. That usually happened at the worst possible times and when I didn’t need him. I let Julian shout all he wanted while I started gathering up his dirty plates.
A flash of violet light filled the room and Ezra stood before us. “You two okay?” He sounded a bit concerned.
I was floored that he had actually shown up, but I kept my mouth shut, refusing to let him into my head. Julian was the one who invited him in, so my thoughts were still safe. Clearly I was still angry about him taking Asher to see the Monarchy.
“We’re fine, but something’s up.” Julian pointed to the laptop and replayed the video. “Fiona’s been doing research. Found a bunch of messed up shit. Like bodies hanging upside down. Blood drainage. I’m thinking Cags,” Julian boasted.
Damn traitor was giving away all of my secrets. In the future, I’d be sure to keep my business under lock and key. You really can’t trust anyone. Not even homeless surfer dude-bros leaching off of your generosity.
“Were you planning on sharing this with me?” Ezra’s violet eyes glared in my direction.
I hesitated on how to answer that question because if I spoke that would be an invitation into my thoughts. Also, I didn’t want him to know I was working with Somer Barrett. The Monarchy wanted me to focus solely on my responsibilities as a Protector of Light. But screw that. Besides, I had already told Somer I’d write the piece for Lifting the Fog. And I didn’t want any supernatural interference.
“Fiona?”
“She’s still pissed at you for the whole Asher thing,” Julian said.
“Yeah, well, she’ll have to get over it. I have nothing to do with Asher and the Monarchy. I was just the messenger.”
“Messenger, my ass! You could’ve told them you couldn’t find him—” I slapped my hand over my own mouth.
“Thank you.” Ezra’s voice filled my head and so began the scanning of my thoughts. Now he’d know what I was up to.
“These murders are definitely related. But it’s not Cagliostro’s MO. No, these have the markings of vampiric ritual killings,” Ezra said after sifting through my mind.
“But they’re all happening west of the Divide; don’t vampires keep their shit relegated to the East Coast?” Julian asked.
“That’s the deal, according to the treaty they have in place. So this is a bit perplexing,” Ezra said.
I decided to join the conversation. “The night I returned from Glimmer City, I encountered a bloodsucker. She was stringing up some poor guy. I just figured it was a random vampire mugging.”
“Dude. Do you think this has anything to do with the bat tornado?” Julian asked Ezra.
“The what?”
“We were attacked by a crazy swarm of demon-bat things. We took them down though. Used that Logos stuff you mentioned,” Julian explained.
Ezra stood by the window, gazing toward the park. “The vampire faction must be testing the waters out west because Cagliostro is off the radar. We’ve been looking into things at headquarters, and this seems to make the most sense.”
Nothing was making sense to me. According to my notes, vampires never went up against the Shadow Order. Sure they were incredibly powerful beings, but they wouldn’t stand a chance in an all-out war against Cagliostro and his aligned confederacy of supernatural factions. The treaty was more for the benefit of the vampires, so the Shadow Order wouldn’t encroach on their turf.
“How does this make sense?” I asked.
“We’ve tracked the other missing Scroll to New York. That’s where Lucius Diamond is located.”
“Who?”
“He’s one of the most powerful vampires. The head of the AOV.”
“The what?”
“The Ancient Order of Vampires. They oversee the northeast territories. We think Diamond might have the Scroll,” Ezra explained.
“So you might’ve tracked a potential lead on the Scroll. And it could possibly be with an extremely powerful vampire who’s making his way out west … When were you planning to share this information with Julian and me?”
“When were you planning to tell me about the story you’re working on?” Ezra asked.
The silence was so heavy I immediately got nervous and resumed picking up junk around Julian’s bedroom to avoid eye contact with Ezra. “I just wanted to see if there was an actual story first. And I wasn’t a hundred percent sure it was supernatural,” I tried to lie.
Ezra got out of my way as I ripped the sheets off the bed. I threw them into the hallway next to the stack of dirty dishes that Julian had been collecting. I could relate to the mess. Was it too much to want a normal life? To fulfill my dream of becoming a journalist? This damn Protector job kept getting in the way.
“You both need to get to New York and follow up on the lead. Fiona, I know I’ve said this on several occasions, but I’ll say it again since you seem to have the thickest skull of any Protector I’ve ever known. It’s time to start using your gifts for the Monarchy.”
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“Use your investigative skills to find the missing Scroll. When you arrive in New York, you’ll meet up with a more seasoned Protector who works for the NYPD. Detective Rocco is his name. The three of you will work together to locate the Scroll and figure out what these murders are all about.”
Julian nodded like an obedient little Protector of Light, but I stood there with my arms folded across my chest.
“So, this Rocco character is allowed to have a real job in the real world?” I know I sounded like a brat, but I couldn’t help myself. I had worked so hard to become an investigative journalist; I didn’t want my degree to go to waste.
“Detective Rocco’s been around for a while now. He understands his priorities,” Ezra explained.
As tough as I wanted to appear, tears found their way into my eyes; it was frustrating not being heard.
Ezra came over and smiled, forcing me to look him in the eyes. “Trust me, Fiona. Your time will come. You’re new at this and it can be overwhelming. Just stay the course.”
“I get it. By making this supernatural business the priority we actually do rid the world of bad things and keep humans from getting totally screwed.”
Ezra grinned and patted my shoulder. “See, you catch on.”
“What about Asher?” I asked.
“What about him?”
“I’d like to see him before I take off. Can you arrange for a conjugal visit? They even allow those in prison.”
Ezra shook his head, closing his eyes for a moment, until he finally conceded. “I’ll see what I can do. But in the meantime, I’ll get some money into your account and you two get to New York.”
Julian high-fived Ezra. “Totally, radical.”
“Before we go anywhere, you’re cleaning up this mess,” I told Julian.
six
After I finished purchasing tickets and booking hotel rooms, I went to my room and started packing a bag for the trip. Julian didn’t know it yet, but I was making a quick pit stop in Eagle’s Nest, New Mexico to follow up on that story about the woman’s body found hanging upside down, drained of blood. Something in my gut told me it was the right thing to do, despite what Ezra and the Monarchy thought. It was just a quick jaunt, and then I’d be on my way to New York.
“So, what time do we jet?” Julian’s voice startled me, causing me to drop my bag.
“Please don’t sneak up behind me.”
“Only people who are hiding something think people are sneaking up on them. What’s up?”
I handed him a couple pieces of paper. “You’re on a redeye heading to th
e Big Apple tonight. I printed your boarding pass. And here are the hotel details.”
He snatched the paper and scanned it. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not going to NYC?”
“I am. But I have to make a quick stop along the way. Catch up with a friend.”
“Does your friend happen to be a rather handsome sheriff in Eagle’s Nest?”
“Maybe. But don’t fret, little buddy. I’ll be in NYC by tomorrow night. Hopefully.”
Julian pushed back his bleach blond shaggy hair like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulders. “Dude. Don’t fuck this up.”
“I’m not fucking up anything. It’ll take a few hours. You can check out the sights while I’m gathering information. Trust me, it’s going to benefit us. I’m doing what Ezra suggested: using my gifts. The more information we have, the better prepared we’ll be.”
He turned and stalked out of the room. “Whatever, dude. I’ll see you at the … what? I’m not staying at the Howard Johnson.”
“Ezra didn’t transfer a ton of money into my account.”
“Well, cancel this shit. I’m booking a suite at The Plaza. Okay?”
“It’s your money.”
***
I drove my rental car from the Santa Fe airport into the small town of Eagle’s Nest at eight o’clock the next morning. The place looked like a scene from one of those old Western flicks, only much more charming. And there weren’t any cowboys shooting off guns and getting tossed out of saloons. I drove down the main street, checking out the well-kept historical buildings with colorful awnings and old-fashioned shop windows. It could be a nice place to retire, if I ever got old enough to do that.
Pulling into the parking lot of the police station, I noticed Sheriff Padilla standing outside under a shade tree, puffing on a cigarette. He stubbed it out under his dusty cowboy boot as I approached.
“Good morning, Sheriff,” I said.
He extended his hand. “You must be Fiona.”
In his firm grip, I felt a slight wave of something, but it might’ve just been the exhaustion from not sleeping on the redeye. Either way, Sheriff Padilla was a handsome man who stood over six feet and had a strong shake.
“I guess I stand out, huh?” I looked down at my boots and designer jeans.
“Well, it’s my job to know everyone in Eagle’s Nest.” He smiled, and though it was genuine, a chill rushed through me. And not a good one.
“So, your email said the woman didn’t have any identification. Any thoughts on why she was here in Eagle’s Nest?”
He lifted his hat and scratched his dark curly hair. “My theory is she was recruiting.”
“Recruiting for what?”
“It’s not something I like to discuss with young ladies such as yourself.”
I laughed. “Oh, I’m fine. I have a strong constitution.”
He grinned and motioned for me to follow him into the building, where he took me to his office in the back.
“This is the only thing we found on her.”
He handed me a card.
I studied it carefully. It was for Diamond Escorts, NY, NY. Which is probably why Padilla jumped to the conclusion that the young woman he had found dead was recruiting. But why on earth would she be recruiting other young women or customers in some dinky town north of Santa Fe? That made no sense.
Under the name of the company was a pentagram symbol that sparkled like a diamond. Clever. My magical helmet sent a shiver down my spine, then I had a flashback of that exact insignia. It was on a necklace worn by that back-stabbing succubus, Lilith. I wouldn’t put it past Lilith to be hiding from Cagliostro in a fancy New York escort agency, but her twin sister Charlotte would definitely be out of her element. Thinking about that made my insides blench. If Lilith was forcing my best friend to do her dirty work, I’d come down hard on the succubus.
The only other clue was the phone number. No address though. The name Diamond rang a bell. When Ezra assigned Julian and me to go to New York to find the other missing Scroll, he had mentioned Lucius Diamond—the head vampire in New York and leader of the Ancient Order of Vampires. A spike of heat shot through me, either from the helmet or my own investigative discernment. I was definitely onto something. There are no coincidences in the supernatural world. That I knew for sure.
“You’ve heard of them?” Sheriff Padilla asked, curiosity glinting in his eyes.
I shook my head, not wanting to share the speculations stirring around. But I was almost certain this piece of evidence would lead back to Lucius Diamond in New York. Possibly Lilith. And hopefully my dear friend Charlotte. I had to get out of Eagle’s Nest and to New York immediately. I needed to find Diamond Escorts and track down Charlotte. Once I knew she was safe, I’d hunt down this king of the vampires, Lucius Diamond, and retrieve the Sacred Scroll. I knew it wasn’t going to be easy, but I was prepared.
Padilla patted his pocket for his pack of cigarettes and took out one, not lighting it, but fiddling with the thing. “My initial thought was this had to be drug cartel related. But all the pieces didn’t fit their MO. My gut tells me this is something more sinister. Maybe an occult-affiliated prostitution ring? That’s out of my wheelhouse. As you can see, this is a mildly sleepy town.”
I considered the prostitution ring angle. That made the most sense on a strictly non-supernatural level. The card. Escorts. It could work. But why were these slaughters happening in the Southwest? Unless Lucius Diamond was sending a message to Cagliostro.
“Well, I appreciate you meeting with me and sharing this information. I’ll see if anything comes up in my research,” I told the sheriff.
Before I handed back the card, I took a couple of photographs, assuring Padilla I wouldn’t share the information with anyone else. For some reason, the guy trusted me.
“I better get going. Flight to catch.”
“If you figure out anything about who might’ve done such a horrible thing, let me know. But keep me out of your story, Miss Farrow. I don’t want a bunch of news folks coming into my town and mucking up the place.”
I shook his hand. “Of course. I don’t share my sources with anyone. Thanks for your time.”
I left the police station and raced back to the airport in Santa Fe to get the next flight to LaGuardia.
seven
I had been to New York once when I was a kid. My grandmother had taken me on a trip to the Big Apple for my ninth birthday. She celebrated a lot of birthdays with me because my parents were either traveling for work, or taking down some supernatural bad guys. That trip was etched in my memory forever. Grandma and I stayed at a boutique hotel, strolled around Central Park—during daylight hours—and went to a Broadway show. I remember her stepping away to take care of some Protector business a couple of times, but we didn’t discuss anything. I looked the other way and watched the street vendors shouting at pedestrians. Grandma had always put duty first, just like my parents, although she never discussed our family line and responsibility. She must’ve known I’d rebel, probably because she had done the same thing when she was my age. I had tried to ignore my destiny for years, but when I turned twenty-one a few months back, I no longer had a choice in the matter. I was born a Protector of Light. Just like the generations before me. I missed my grandmother dearly, but I carried her with me and hoped I’d make her proud.
But at the moment, I was still getting used to the fact that I’d be fighting against the forces of evil the rest of my life. So when I stepped into LaGuardia, my heart cringed. I had never seen so much supernatural interference. It was like rush-hour for demonic beings. The variety of supernatural odors punched me in the face and was overwhelming at first. Had my olfactory senses grown in the last few weeks? Was this some sort of supernatural gift? Because it didn’t seem like it. The competing bouquet of scents—some rancid, others sticky sweet—was making me a little nauseous, so I was hoping I’d either get used to it or tone it back.
Among the “normal” people rushing to catc
h their planes or waiting at the gates, the place was teeming with supernatural dark forces. There were a handful of neutrals, like faeries entertaining young children and muses standing over the shoulders of writers on their laptops. But the shadow creatures, electric pulsating blobs, shifters of all sorts and scaly-skinned witches outnumbered them ten to one. Let me tell you, evil witches are a freaking grotesque bunch without their beautifying spells.
Some of the innocent bystanders were being influenced by the evil forces, and started yelling at the workers or other people nearby. I witnessed a fist fight break out at one of the sports bars. Was I supposed to intervene? I had no clue, so I just kept walking toward the exit, trying not to notice any disruptions on the human side of things. It was clear just how easily they welcomed evil into their hearts without even knowing it. I didn’t think it was fair and I’d definitely take that up with the Monarchy if I ever had the chance. Even after months of training with Ezra up in Glimmer City, I still had so many unanswered questions.
I noticed some of the supernaturals wandering in the pandemonium, and because the humans could see them I assumed they were of the vampire variety. They looked like typical people going about their business, only they were far more stunning than the few I had encountered in San Francisco. They exuded an alluring charm that drew in those around them, like sugar water to a hummingbird. They left behind a trail of sweet tuberose that lingered in the air, almost like poisonous perfume. These vampires were magnificent, like super vampires. Most of them looked like Wall Street bankers, high-end models and the untouchable elite. They didn’t sparkle, but they did shine. Or maybe it wasn’t a shine, but more of a sheen, almost like a glowing aura.
“Don’t stare too long, you might draw their attention.” A familiar voice warmed my ear.
Jumping away, I turned to see Julian in all of his surfer bleach-blondness, standing next to a rugged man wearing a leather jacket; deep wrinkles lined his forehead, like he had seen a lot of shit in his day. I assumed it was Detective Rocco—all six foot three and two hundred and twenty solid pounds of him.