“Honestly, Ryker. You’ve totally fucked up here,” Gigi said. All the rebels had discarded their masks, and this woman was the very definition of a Sun Coven member. Long, flowing blonde hair with the lightest of eyes, and constellations of freckles covering her skin. “Your intel was way wrong about the weapon.”
Weapon? Frowning, I glanced at the stock room door. No wonder Ben was keeping his mouth shut. If a weapon was involved, it could mean serious trouble. But, I couldn’t help but think, how the hell had a weapon ended up in Blue Moon Tavern of all places? Like I’d told everyone repeatedly, I’d been here almost non-stop this week. I would have noticed if someone had snuck a magical bomb into my bar.
“My source is reliable,” Ryker insisted. “He said the weapon would be here, so we just need to keep looking.”
“Did your source also mention those Blood Enforcers? Or how about the fact a vampire would be lurking around?”
“My source isn’t psychic. There was no way to know when the Enforcers would get wind of it. And the presence of vampires here is pretty common knowledge. I’d say we got lucky that there was only one, and it’s the girl who has a soft spot for Zoe’s friend.”
“We need that weapon, Ryker,” Gigi said. “It’s the only way we can launch our attack against the covens. Without it, we don’t stand a chance.”
Heart hammering hard in my chest, I eased back into the stock room. Dorian and Laura frowned from where they perched on either side of the door.
“What’s going on?” my partner asked. “Why didn’t you create the diversion?”
“Well, I overheard their conversation and thought you all might want to know what they said.” I levelled my gaze at Ben. “They said they were looking for a weapon. Is that true, Ben?”
With a sigh, he nodded and closed his eyes. “Guess the cat’s out of the bag. At least you didn’t hear it from me.”
“Mind telling us what it does?” Dorian asked as he edged toward Ben. “I understand and respect your determination to keep classified matters private, but we need to know what this weapon does, Ben. Especially if you’re still convinced it’s somewhere in this bar.”
Ben hesitated but then let out a long and tired sigh. “You three are always getting me into some difficult situations, aren’t you? Well, I hate to tell you, but I have no idea what the weapon does, just that it’s dangerous and shouldn’t fall into enemy hands. After today, I’d definitely consider the rebels our enemies.”
“Well, they haven’t found it, and the Blood Coven Enforcers didn’t find it either,” I said. “Maybe it isn’t here. Who told you it was?”
“Belzus.”
I almost choked as my eyes widened to the size of dinner plates. “Belzus told you there was a weapon being smuggled through Blue Moon Tavern?”
“After that unfortunate incident when we falsely charged him with murder, we extended an olive branch to the fae. Somehow, one thing led to another, and he’s been providing us with intel here and there in order to help us track down Wagner. So far, everything he’s given us has proven to be true.”
“This is the fae we’re talking about,” Dorian said with a frown. “I’m surprised the council would agree to work with them again.”
“Belzus will have ulterior motives,” I said. Out of everyone here, I should know. Years before, I’d been an unmarked witch and blissfully unaware that there was anything even remotely off about my magic. Sure, I’d felt the pull of darkness and shadows deep within my gut, but I had thought it was normal. Something every living person—mage or not—felt from time to time. At the time, I’d dipped my toes into being a mage for hire—someone who banished demons for cash, though half the time there weren’t any demons to take down.
To make a long story short, Belzus ended up hiring me to banish a demon from a crypt in his cemetery. Ever since it had happened, I’d had a niggling feeling in my gut I couldn’t shake. There was no way to prove it, of course, but I was certain that there’d been more to the whole thing than what was merely on the page.
For whatever reason, I had the feeling that Belzus had somehow put that demon in his crypt on purpose. Just so he could hire me and force me to use my powers with enough intensity to trigger my coven mark. After all, he’d been the one to tell me how to conceal it from the world. Now, I had a fake mark on top of the real one to disguise the truth, and if it weren’t for him, it wouldn’t be there.
He’d orchestrated everything. Why? I had no idea.
So, to hear that he’d been helping the coven track down this mysterious weapon? It did nothing to soothe my unease. If Belzus was involved, there was no telling what was truly going on here.
“The council is aware of the risks involved, but fae cannot lie,” Ben said. “If Belzus said the weapon would be here, then it must be here somewhere.”
“They can’t lie, but they can certainly twist the truth,” I said. “What exactly did he say? In his own words.”
Ben’s eyes sparked as he levelled his gaze with me. “He said, ‘Blue Moon Tavern is being used to smuggle dangerous weapons for the enemy. If they fall into the wrong hands, the demon war will be the least of your worries. I recommend keeping your eye on Zoe Bennett. She’s not as innocent as she seems.’”
Irritation stormed through me, and I fisted my hands by my sides. “That’s absolute horse-shit, and you know it. Why would I be smuggling weapons? Is this why I’ve been sidelined all these months? Because you think I’m trying to supply weapons to the enemy?”
Ben’s face was a mask of calm as he listened to me rage on, and when he finally answered, his voice betrayed no emotion. “I’ll admit, that was definitely part of it. We cannot trust someone to actively work on cases when they’re also suspected of weapons smuggling.”
Our argument was interrupted by the sound of Anastasia’s light laughter. “He’s playing you all like fiddles, the way fae do. If you were paying attention, you’d realize that he wasn’t accusing Zoe of anything. He merely stated that she’s not an innocent, which I think we’re all aware of. This?” She waved her hand around at the stock room and toward the door where the rebels were searching. “The fae wanted all of this to happen, and he wanted Zoe to be here.”
“But why?” Laura asked, trying her best to mask her smile. There was a glint of admiration in her eye as she stared at Anastasia. The vampire did always seem to be one step ahead of us. All her extra time on earth had given her some added wisdom, and she understood the supernatural world better than all of us combined—except maybe Dorian. Laura had been drawn to her from the start, and all their time together had only heightened the affection between them.
“That, I don’t know.” Anastasia shrugged and grabbed a bottle of cheap wine from a metal shelf before unscrewing the cap and downing half the liquid. When she pulled the glass away from her face, a light smearing of red liquid covered her mouth like lipstick. “If I were to guess, I’d say he wanted Zoe to come into contact with these idiot rebels. There must be something we can gain from them.”
“What about the weapon?” Ben asked. “I can follow your reasoning when it comes to Zoe, but he flat-out stated there was a weapon. And that’s not something we can ignore.”
“Maybe he meant Zoe herself,” Laura said, raising her eyebrows. “Shadow magic has been considered a weapon in the past.”
“That would explain why no one has found anything yet,” Dorian said with a nod. “They can’t, because the weapon isn’t a thing. It’s a person.”
“You know, I feel like I should find all this a little bit insulting, but I can see the logic in it.” With a sigh, I slumped against the shelves. “I’m a fucking weapon.”
“If you’re a weapon, then I’m a weapon.” Anastasia puffed out her chest. “It just means we’re badass.”
For the first time since I could remember, I turned to smile at Anastasia. Sure, she was a sometimes terrifying and often violent supernatural entity who enjoyed blood more than she enjoyed a good cocktail, but she was quickly
becoming one of the only people I trusted in the world. Life sure does take strange turns sometimes.
But when I shifted toward Laura, I found she didn’t share my lighthearted outlook on the situation. A troubled frown pulled down the corners of her lips, and she twisted a long strand of blonde hair around her finger. “If we were able to figure it out, they might put the puzzle pieces together, too, especially if they keep us prisoners at their base for awhile.”
Dorian matched Laura’s frown. “You’re right. If they notice anything off about Zoe’s powers, they could come to the conclusion pretty quickly.”
Laura stood. “We need to make a move now before we arrive at their base.”
Chapter 5
“Anything I can get anyone?” I chirped as I swung open the stock room door and strode into the main room like I owned the place. Because, at this point in time, I pretty much did. Ignoring the looks of surprise and alarm, I crunched my way over broken shards and grabbed a shot glass from behind the counter, pouring an expensive whiskey that had survived the onslaught of magic. In one gulp, the soothing liquid was down my throat, and I slammed the glass onto the bar.
Liquid courage was the best.
“I definitely recommend this bottle,” I said with a satisfied sigh. “I’ve been saving that one because no one who comes in here wants expensive booze. Hell, no one has ever ordered it. But since I figure this bar is never making it back to Boston, I might as well crack open the good stuff.”
Ryker narrowed his eyes and stomped toward me. “How the hell did you get out of the stock room?” His eyes scanned my body. “We took away your daggers and your chalk. It’s impossible for you to cast a spell.”
“Well.” I shrugged as I tipped the liquid into another glass. “I decided I wanted to come out here instead. Lucky for me, I have a few non-magical tricks up my sleeves. Like the ability to pick a lock. You would have known that if you’d done your homework. Want to try the whiskey?”
With a smile, I slid the shot glass across the bar top. Ryker’s scowl stayed frozen on his face, but his curiosity got the better of him. He snatched the glass and tipped it back into his mouth. When he’d finished drinking, an appreciative smile lifted his features. “You’re right. That’s some pretty nice booze right there.”
“Ryker!” one of the other rebels yelled, a tall tank of a man with harsh and weathered features. “Honestly, what’s gotten into you today, man? First you fuck up the mission and now you’re drinking with our prisoner.”
“And what harm is it causing, huh?” Ryker shrugged as he turned toward his fellow rebels. “There’s nothing she can do to stop us. She could try casting a spell, but we’ve got her blade and her chalk.”
“Well, actually, there is one thing I could do,” I said, tapping my chin. The truth was, I could toss spells left and right if I wanted. While most mages relied on runes and daggers to cast their spells, shadow mages didn’t experience those limitations. A part of me had always wondered why. What made our power so different? What made our magic that much stronger? But I had a feeling the answer to that question wasn’t one I was prepared to hear yet. Whatever it was, it involved darkness.
Ryker quirked his lips as he poured himself another shot. “If you think you can beat me in a fist fight, then I welcome you to try.”
“Not that,” I said with a wicked smile as I edged closer and closer to the front door. “Though I’m a hell of a lot stronger than I look. I’ve been training with the best, you know.”
“Dorian Kostas,” Ryker said with a nod. “He’s good on his feet, I’ll give you that.”
“So you’ve heard of him,” I said.
“He’s well-known in the supernatural world,” Ryker said. “And yes, I know he’s been training you and that you have a history of con artist behavior. I’m just telling you now, sweetheart, you don’t stand a chance up against me, especially not with my crew by my side. You may know how to fight, but my strength and power will at least double yours. Not to mention the fact I still have my blade.”
I shrugged and pasted a mock frown on my lips. “You’re probably right. How horribly disappointing. In that case, I guess I don’t have much to live for since there’s no chance I could ever win. You’ve really left me with no choice. You know what I should do? End it all right now. Open up this door and jump out into the bright lights of your travel magic.”
Slumping my shoulders, I turned toward the door and rested my fingers on the handle. Ryker let out a cry of alarm and dropped the shot glass on the bar. He was by my side within seconds, and his hand wrapped around my wrist as he yanked me sideways, alarm and fear raging across his face. Several of his crew members followed close behind him, their blades raised toward my chest.
“Are you crazy?” Ryker asked. “If you jump out, it’ll kill you. Hell, it could end up killing us all.”
“Luckily, I don’t think it’ll come to that,” I said with a smile as I pounded my fist hard against the wall. Once, twice, and then three times for good measure.
At my cue, the stock room door burst open. Dorian led the charge with Anastasia and Ben flanking his sides. Laura covered the rear, her eyes darting the room to find the table where they’d stashed our blades. While Dorian focused on the physical attack, she’d grab the weapons and turn this situation around.
Realization dawned in Ryker’s eyes when he heard the commotion behind him. He gave a slight shake of the head, but instead of growing angry, he merely smiled, a reaction that was pretty much the opposite of what I’d expected. “I should have known. They warned me about you. Said not to take anything you said at face value. Well, good job on your little diversion. Unfortunately for you, it’s not going to work.”
“Shields!” Ryker called out as he turned in unison with his rebel crew. Dorian and Anastasia rushed forward, but a blast of pure white surrounded them before they got even halfway across the room. Their bodies slammed into the wall, and they were knocked back as if they’d hit a sideways trampoline.
In a shimmer of magical energy, the wall stretched around the room in a circular motion, capturing both Laura and Ben as well. The ends of the wall finally met, creating a circular jail cell that flickered with a pure brilliant light. Dorian growled and slammed his fist against the wall, but his hand only bounced back from the impact. They were trapped. And I was stuck out here with some rebels that looked pretty fucking pissed off.
Ryker twisted to face me once again, his eyebrows raised. “See? We had our runes ready in case one of you attempted to escape. Now, what were you saying about jumping out of the door?”
All I could do was scowl at the rebel. He’d called my bluff, which meant he’d won this round.
For now.
Chapter 6
“That’s what I thought.” Ryker shot me a gap-toothed smile. This guy was clearly the rebel’s leader, at least of this particular group. He radiated confidence, ease, and determination, his dark eyes reflecting a deep intelligence. “So, here’s what’s going to happen. You and your friends here are going to return to the stock room where you’ll be guarded until we arrive at camp. Another wrong move, and we’ll be forced to knock you out. I hear it isn’t a pleasant sensation.”
His smugness made my blood boil, but I had no choice but to follow his orders. I shuffled back into the stock room while the rebels took each of my friends out of the shielded wall one-by-one. Once we were all back inside the room, irritated and grumpy, Ryker motioned for his rebel crew to spread throughout the room.
“While we’re in here, we might as well continue our search. Hand over your bag.” He held out a hand and shot a glance at the messenger bag beside me. I usually kept it in the stock room during my shifts, and it was jam-packed full of Wagner-related Enforcer research, since I’d planned to head straight to Dorian’s apartment after work for some training. The council may have taken me off the case, but I hadn’t stopped searching on my own.
“Yeah, I don’t think so.” The last thing I wanted was for Ryker the r
ebel to get his meaty paws on my research into demons. “No way in hell am I letting you go through my shit.”
He furrowed his eyebrows in irritation, and then jerked his finger toward the rebel by his side. “Gigi, put your knife to the throat of…” He scanned the group before settling his gaze on Ben. “That one.”
Gigi swung her long hair over her shoulder. With a no-nonsense nod, she stood behind Ben and placed the cool, steel blade against his neck, right on his Adam’s Apple that bobbed as he swallowed hard. His face went stark pale as he clutched his cargo pants in his fists. Ben, the youngest, frailest, and skinniest council member in the Bone Coven wasn’t cut out for this sort of thing. He tried. He really did. But he was much better behind a desk than being threatened by a blade.
“Give me the bag, or Gigi here will be forced to make the cut.”
Narrowing my eyes, I crossed my arms over my chest. “You wouldn’t. Don’t forget, I was watching you out there when you attacked us. I couldn’t help but notice that you took great care not to kill any of those Enforcers, even though they weren’t holding back in the slightest. If you wouldn’t kill any of them or us, even when you were in the middle of a serious fight, then you’re not going to kill Ben over a fucking bag that has nothing of value in it.”
“Hmm. I chose wrong.” The rebel’s eyes flashed from my heated face to Dorian’s scowl before landing on Anastasia and Laura. “Time for a change of scenery, Gigi. Try the girl here instead. The witch. Not the vampire.”
My heart jerked in my chest when Gigi slid her knife away from Ben and shifted it toward Laura, sending my calm exterior crashing to the ground. I froze, keeping my eyes focused on the rebel’s face instead of the knife at my best friend’s throat. I couldn’t let him see my panic, my fear, my alarm. If I did, he’d know he won.
The Bone Coven Chronicles: The Complete Series Page 45