by Tracy Sharp
Ezra
“She’s gone.” I stared in awe at the velvety dark sky that Candace had just vanished into. I’d seen many shifters before, but none so beautiful. “She shifted into an eagle and she flew away.”
“She will be back,” Strummer said, standing somewhere behind me. He must’ve seen it, too.
I couldn’t fathom it. Things were supernatural business as usual just two days ago. How could life have changed so much in two short days? “Why did this happen to her?”
“Because she was seduced into hell by the open portal at the bridge in Saint’s Hallow. She came out changed, and for some reason, after hell got a taste of her, they wanted her as one of their own.”
I still couldn’t understand it. “But why? Why didn’t the devil bargain with her?”
“He did,” Strummer said. “He sent her back as a vampire in exchange for no longer sending demons after her.”
“Well, then,” I said, putting false animated cheer into my voice. “I guess every cloud really does have a silver lining.”
“Ezra.”
I turned to Strummer, whose normally unreadable, even blank, face, looked pitying. It was alarming, coming from him. It meant that things really were as bad as I thought. Or maybe he just felt sorry for me. Sorry for Candace. Sorry for the whole damned situation. “What?”
He tipped this head slightly to one side. “You had to know this was inevitable.”
His words felt like a punch to my stomach. “That Candy would be turned into a vampire? No, friend. I didn’t.”
“That the darkness you fight would touch her.”
The punch now felt like a vice gripping my insides. I was incredulous. Did he think I wanted to hurt Candy? “You think I wanted this to happen?”
But even as I said my indignant words to him, I knew that in some way he was right. And he knew that I knew it.
He said nothing, only watching me in that patient, steady way he did.
The defensiveness went out of me. I lowered my head. Shook it slowly. “I didn’t mean for this to happen, Strummer. When she first came to me for help, I was only struck by how beautiful and remarkable she was. I saw that intelligent spark in her eyes, and the determined way she stood there in front of me. It took courage for a cop to even entertain contacting a supernatural investigator, knowing she’d be a laughing stock if anyone in her department found out. I was impressed by her, and amazed by her. The tenacity in those blue eyes. The unfaltering way she looked at me. It went right through me. She went right through me.”
Strummer gave a slight nod of his head. Just an acknowledgment that he understood.
“At the back of my mind, I knew that by helping her, by introducing her to our world, I might be putting her in danger. That I likely was endangering her. I was bringing her in front of evil. Part of me wanted to impress her. Part of me just couldn’t let her go.”
Strummer blinked slowly, giving me another slight nod.
“It was absolutely my fault that this happened to her, Strummer. Mine and mine alone. I didn’t need to include her in investigations. I didn’t need to let her get so close to this world. I could have dealt with it on my own. Just take the case from her and say ‘thank you, I got this,’ and just let her know when it was done. But I didn’t.”
Finally, Strummer spoke. “Do you really think that Candace would have been satisfied with that? Do you think she would have just given all of the ground work of the case to you and gone on her merry way?”
I thought about it. Probably not.
“I think you know better.” Strummer gave me a slight grin.
He was right.
“This was no one’s fault, Ezra. It was inevitable. I only want you to admit to yourself that you knew that she’d be pulled into the evil in some way, eventually. Now that it’s happened, you can figure out how to move forward.”
“How do I move forward? What’s next?”
“You be a friend to this woman you love so completely, and take her as she is.”
I was quiet as I let this sink in, and then another thought occurred to me. “Another thing, do you really know who I came from? Who my parents were?” I felt hope and trepidation twisting around each other in my chest. I had been adopted as an infant. Little was known about my mother, other than she was in her teens and had given me up.
She’d chosen my parents from a book of couples looking to adopt babies, left by a non-profit adoption group that worked with hospitals around the New York area to help make the dream of becoming parents come true for area couples.
My parents had been great. Regular, loving parents who had given me everything I’d ever needed, until they’d been killed in a car accident when I was twelve. I didn’t like thinking of it. I shoved the memory from my mind before the old wound opened up again. The pain of that wound, when it ripped open, as it sometimes did, left me breathless and weak. I didn’t want to feel that way.
Strummer’s voice was gentle. “No. I do not know that, Ezra.”
“What was the secret you mentioned to Baal?”
“You have magical powers that you would not have unless at least one of your parents had some kind of magic as well. I sense an enormous power in you. One that hasn’t yet awoken. There is a secret, I can’t quite see what it is.”
I let out a long breath. Relief washed over me. Not knowing caused its own agony, but knowing might be worse. “Baal seems to know.”
Strummer replied in a soft tone. “Perhaps. I was messing with his mind, banking on the probability that he does know the secret and fears it. But, then, he may have been messing with yours, trying to weaken you.”
I nodded. “Yeah. He probably was. I couldn’t trust anything he says, anyway.”
He walked over to small fridge I keep in my office and took out another beer. “I wouldn’t recommend it. Demons aren’t known for their honesty.”
Walking toward the window, I let my gaze roam over the darkness beyond the glass. “So, just take Candace as she is. We both need to get used to her being a blood sucker.”
Strummer came up beside me, and I saw his reflection in the window as he looked out into the night. Candace would never cast another reflection. Only the ones in my thoughts.
“You will,” Strummer said. “And together, you will kick evil ass.”
Amazingly, I felt a smile lightly touch my face. “Hells, yeah, we will.”
Candace
Her father was sleeping. She could smell the sickness coming off him in waves. He smelled like rotted chicken. As Candace looked down at him lying in the prison hospital bed, she was amazed at how little she felt. She’d thought that she would feel a wash of rage and disgust, or happiness that he was finally going to die. Even relief. Something. But she felt nothing.
It could have been that she was now a vampire, and maybe the way she felt emotions had changed. But she didn’t think so. So far, her emotions seemed to be working just fine. Maybe even too well.
She suspected that the truth was that her father had taken up so much of her emotions for so long that she’d just run out. He would go out without fanfare. There would be no big show down, as she’d imagined there would be. He’d just quietly slip away.
Candace was about to turn and leave when she heard a wet rattle intake of breath, and his voice croaking her name.
Damn it. She’d thought she’d get away clean, without having to look into those cold, lizard eyes ever again. No such luck. She turned back, fastening her gaze on him. He was shrunken and pathetic. Not the larger than life villain she remembered. Far from it. She said nothing, only waited for him to continue.
A smirk came over his age thinned lips. “I’m surprised you came.”
“That makes two of us.”
“Are you glad that I’m on my way out?” He asked, his smirk widening into a skull and crossbones grin.
Death flowed out of him on his breath. The reek of it almost knocking her back. But she wouldn’t let him know. She stood her ground.
Candace gave him a slow shake of her head. “Indifferent.”
He blinked, and the smirk fell away. “Come on. You don’t feel happy? Don’t you at least want to blast me for making your life a living hell? Tell me how much you hate me, Candace. Tell me I’ll burn in hell.”
Candace watched him, realizing what was going on here. He wanted to suck in her rage like a drug. One last hit before he popped off. “Nah. I’m good. Have a good trip, though.”
He stared at her, his face going crimson. The veins on his neck popping, and spit spattered his lips and chin when he tried to scream at her. But only a half bark came out, followed by a phlegmy hacking fit.
Turning, she headed for the door.
“Wait.” The word came out in a plaintive, desperate, urgent plea.
She let out a breath and turned on her heels, staying where she was this time.
“Candace, I know I’ve been a prick your whole life.”
Ugh. Was he really going to do this death bed, eleventh hour apology? “Think nothing of it. We’re good.”
“Candace.” Her name came out on a wheeze.
She lowered her chin and stared at him, wanting only to be gone.
“You’ve been to hell. I can smell it on you. And I can see it in your eyes. You’ve changed. He’s granted you eternal life, hasn’t he?”
She stiffened, said nothing.
“He has. He promised me, long ago, that if I did all the horrible things I did, he’d give me eternal life.”
“It looks the devil reneged on that deal. He does that, though, being the father of lies and all.” She found that she was enjoying this, more than she should. What do you know? She guessed she was still sore at him for being a mass murderer, and an all-around psycho.
“Why you? Why did he give it to you and not me? Did you make a deal, to screw me out of what I am owed?”
“Oh, I think you’ll get what you deserve.” It was her turn to smirk.
“I know what you are. It’s not too late. There’s still time, Candace. You can give eternal life. Just a little of your blood, a few drops, is all I need.” His face was pleading. He lifted a frail, trembling hand toward her.
“I think you’ve spilled enough blood,” she said. “Happy trails, dad.”
She turned and walked out of the hospital room and down the hall with the guard falling into step beside her. The guard, a stout woman in her forties watched her side-long for a reaction, and didn’t realize that Candace could see her clearly from the corner of her new vampire eyes. She could feel the woman’s sympathy for her and appreciated it. She could also smell that the woman was sick and didn’t know it. She had a cancerous tumor growing on one of her ovaries.
Her dying father tried to call after her, but each call dissolved into hacking coughs. In between the coughs, her preternaturally honed ears picked up several colorful names he called her.
Candace smiled. A fair use of his last few breaths on earth.
She thought of the last time she’d seen her mother, of the pills lying on the floor below her dangling hand. Of the sound of the water drops escaping from the faucet, plinking into the tub water. Candace’s ten year old mind couldn’t make sense of it. Even when she’d felt her father’s hand in hers, leading her away as his cold voice said, “Your mother’s gone. You’d best get used to it. There’s no room for weakness in this house.”
She’d gone numb then. Frozen. A part of her still was. She wondered if that part would ever thaw, and then thought that she didn’t really care.
Before she left the prison, she turned to the guard. “The cramps you’re feeling are not early onset of menopause. It’s cancer. Have your ovaries checked, as soon as you can. It isn’t too late.”
The guard stared at her, opened her mouth in surprise. “How––”
“Just go to the doctor.” Candace then spun on her heel and left the prison.
25
Ezra
I lay on the sofa in my office listening to one of Astrid’s old Ramones cassette tapes. I stared at the ceiling, thinking about all the damage my career had done to the people I was closest to. Astrid was gone. She was dead because of me.
Yes, she’d come to me for a job. She wanted more than anything to be involved, and she knew the risks. If I hadn’t hired her and taken her under my wing, she would’ve gone to another supernatural investigator. I had warned her of the danger.
All of this was true, but it did nothing to appease the guilt knotting my belly. Nothing would. I missed her. I missed her cheerful presence. I missed her mischievous grin
Maybe the thing to do was not to get close to anyone. Instead of hiring an assistant, I could work something out with Strummer and friends. We could work together. I’d even put his name on the door. Lord knew I could use the help. Things seemed to be kicking up in the supernatural world. There was a change in the air.
With these thoughts floating lazily through my head on the guileless, romantic sounds of The Cure, I drifted off. And as I floated away, one last thought, a feeling, of absolute and helpless love, filled my heart. Candace had almost ripped my throat out, and I loved her more than I ever had before. Crazy. Of all the uncertainties that now complicated my life that much was certain and true.
I came awake with morning light bright and merciless behind eyelids that felt as if they were glued shut. As I lay there trying to break free of the grogginess, I slowly became aware of two things. The first was that my entire body ached. Recent events had taken its toll on my body and I felt like I was fighting off a nasty virus. I felt like I’d lost a fighting match with a truck. The second was a sudden awareness that someone or something was in the room with me, and it was supernatural.
I felt a shadow fall over my face, blocking the early morning light, and my body broke out in goose flesh. I didn’t want to open my eyes. Not at all. In fact, I felt like it would be easier and less painful if whatever was in the room with me would just eat me or tear me apart and be done with it, than if I had to fight again. This monster slayer was officially out of gas.
“You must swallow a lot of spiders,” the familiar voice said.
My heart leapt and my eyes snapped open.
Astrid leaned over me, amusement in her eyes, a grin on her face. She was different. She looked preternaturally alive. Her eyes held an inner glow. She’d never looked so healthy.
“Astrid.” Her name came out of my mouth in an awed whisper.
“Ezra. Get up, you slacker. We have work to do.”
Seeing Astrid filled me with renewed energy. She was like a jolt of fuel. I swung my legs over the sofa and stood, wrapping her petite body in a bear hug.
She felt warm. Almost feverish.
I was coming back to life. Astrid was alive. Sort of. “You don’t know how happy I am to see you. Tell me I’m not dreaming.”
Astrid reached up and pinched my arm, hard.
The pain was sharp, just adding to my other aches. “Ouch!”
She grinned up at me. “You’re not dreaming. But you might wish you were after I tell you what’s going on.”
“Wait a minute. Slow down. You died. You were gone.”
“Yup. And now I’m back.”
“How? What are you?” I wanted to know what I was dealing with. I’d had enough surprises in the last few days. I thought I deserved a little break.
It took a half second for Astrid to change into her true form. Or maybe just for me to see it. Small, red horns sprouted from her pink hair and curved toward each other. Little leathery indigo wings rose from the middle of her back, and fluttered playfully. A mischievous gleam radiated from her eyes. Her skin had a faint glow about it, almost a glimmer.
“You’re an imp,” I said, a smile spreading over my face. “I’m not surprised.”
“I knew you wouldn’t be.”
“How did that happen? Please tell me you didn’t make a deal with the devil.”
“No, apparently it just happened because I was killed by a strong demon. I don’t t
hink it was intended. But, here I am anyway.” She fluttered her wings proudly, showing them off.
“Don’t take this the wrong way. I’m happy you’re back. But why did you come back here?” I raised my arms and swept them around the small, shabby office. “To this?”
“Because you helped me, Ezra, when I had no one. Now I’m going to help you, like I always wanted to, anyway. And I have some cool new tricks up my sleeve. Wait until you see them.” She smiled a proud, child-like smile that made my heart swell.
Amazing what getting a lost loved one back will do for you. I felt renewed. A little achy, but less so with every passing second. The broken hand still hurt like hell, but was strangely more tolerable now, with Astrid back. “Well, okay then. Let’s get to work. You up on current events?”
“I know that your crush is now a vampire.” She sighed. “Star-crossed lovers. So romantic.”
I rolled my eyes, even as a pang went through my chest. “Right. Any idea who her new dog friend is?”
“I know he was once a were-shifter, but that now he remains in wolf form.”
“Why? Is he hiding something?” I hoped this was true, because although I was both glad and jealous that he could help Candace, I still couldn’t help but be petty, and I wanted to know something shady about him that I could lord over him some day. Yeah. I can be a jerk. But he was stealing the woman I loved right from under my nose.
She shrugged. “I don’t know that yet. I came back just knowing certain things, but I don’t know everything.”
“Damn.”
“I do know a lot, though. Mostly about the Otherworld. What I don’t know, I can help you find out. I’ll make a fabulous spy. Watch this.” All at once she shrunk into a sleek, glossy black cat.
“Wow. That’s impressive, Astrid.” I crouched down and cautiously stroked her fur. “Huh. Within seconds of being around cats my eyes usually burn and my nose runs. But I’m not allergic to you.”