On the top floor, lights were playing through the windows.
In my attempt to help, I’d done the exact opposite. I had woken something that had been long asleep and now I had to find a way to put it back on ice. I couldn’t just leave it.
I hurried back through the secret garden, walking sideways as I kept one eye on the building. I still didn’t trust that whatever was in there couldn’t come after me, but I made it to the chain-link fence and climbed over without further incident.
As I jogged down the side street, I wondered what the hell I was going to do. I couldn’t go back there alone. Whatever it was, was too big for me to handle. I could ask Trinity, but I wasn’t sure just how much he could take care of things on the spiritual level. No, I needed more help than that. I’d have to tell Kipa what I had done. And I’d probably have to approach Ember and the gang. Dreading admitting my mistake, I made my way back to my car and sat for a moment, trying to calm down before I headed back home. I clutched the steering wheel the entire way.
I stopped by the Sun & Moon Apothecary on the way home. It was nearly two. Kipa would probably be back by now, but before I talked to him, I wanted to see if Llew might have a trick or two that I could pick up.
Llew was finishing up with a customer so I wandered over to my table and sat down. I leaned back, looking around the shop. I had taken care of a possessed doll for Jordan—Llew’s husband—a few months back, and now the shop was fully warded and cleansed. Llew had been adamant about checking anything that came into the shop for psychic cling-ons.
When he finished he came over and sat opposite me. “I didn’t know you were coming back today, or I could have booked you a couple clients.”
“I’m not here to read the cards. Llew, I have a ghost problem.”
“Isn’t that your department? I don’t mess with spirits if I can help it.” He leaned back, crossing one leg over the other and wrapping his hands around his knee. Llew was cute, in a way, and just about the most loyal friend I could have.
“Yeah, but this… Llew, I stumbled onto an abandoned property last night and made contact with a spirit who is trapped there. Today I went back to check it out and…” I paused, frowning. I hated admitting my mistakes, but the fact was, even though my intentions were good, I had basically stirred the cauldron and now it was bubbling up and over the sides.
“What did you do?” Llew gave me a sideways glance, as though he already knew the news was bad.
“I think I unleashed something that… I don’t know if it’s a ghost. It might be demonic. It might be something else. But whatever it is, it chased me out. It can manifest on the physical level—I felt its hands on my shoulder.”
“Oh shit. That’s not good. Where is this place?”
I frowned. “Have you heard of the United Coalition’s Home for Wounded Veterans? It was founded during World War II, and closed after a massive scandal revealed over three hundred unnecessary deaths, and a slew of other problems.”
Llew paused for a moment, frowning. “Wait a minute. I’ll be right back. Watch the counter.” He disappeared into the back, behind a curtained-off doorway. I kept an eye out for customers until he returned a few moments later, holding a book. He was flipping through the pages, looking for something.
“Here it is—I thought so.” He sat down and slid the book so that I could see it, too. “This is a book of local hauntings, written by an author who lives close to me. She’s investigated all over the state and I can guarantee you, she’s the real deal. She’s a medium.”
I jerked my head up. “Medium? She works with the dead?”
Llew met my gaze. He knew what I was worried about, with the rise of the dead. “I’ve warned her to be on her guard and I’ve outfitted her house with a massive number of wards and charms. I also talked her into buying a security system for the house. I check in with her at least once every other day. If Pandora or her goons are on the lookout for more victims, I won’t let Lynn be one of them.”
Relaxing, I leaned back. “I’ll forever be watching over my shoulder, I think. At least until I grow into my full power. I talked to my mother the other night—she called. She’s coming for a visit. I told her what happened and she was pissed out of her mind that I didn’t let her know earlier. But she said once I reach my full power, even Pandora won’t be able to stand against me. That’s going to take quite a long time, though, given that I’m barely of age in my world.”
Llew blinked. He had met my mother. He knew what she was like. “Give her my best,” he muttered. “I hope you don’t mind, but I’d rather skip any parties you throw for her. She kind of freaks me out.”
I laughed. My mother was Queen of the Bean Sidhe, head servant to the Morrígan, and she freaked out a lot of people. “I’m not offended. She scares me, too, but then, I’m her daughter. She should be able to scare me. Anyway, what did Lynn have to say about the building?”
I leaned forward again, eyes glued to the page. There were pictures of the United Coalition’s Home for Wounded Veterans in its heyday, when it was running at full capacity. Even then, there was something about the pictures that bothered me. Something that felt off.
“Lynn says here that she went in with a full investigative team. By the way, she’s not one of those investigators who tries to get a rise out of the ghosts. She respects the dead, and the forces she’s working with. But she does a thorough investigation both before going in and then while she’s there. Anyway, she says that the building is one of the most haunted in Seattle, and that she counted at least fifty separate apparitions and handfuls of spirits there. Let’s see…here it is.” He adjusted the book so we could both read.
The nightmarish quality of the atmosphere struck me more than anything else—even more than the spirits I caught on camera, and the ones who were trying to communicate through me. I felt like there was something bigger hiding beneath the surface, a dark force looming behind all the spirits, keeping them trapped. I tried to tune in, but whatever it was wouldn’t show itself to me. I didn’t want to hold a séance because it felt like the entity was old and treacherous. Once brought to the surface, it might break through and I wouldn’t be able to undo the damage. But I highly caution people: do not attempt to visit this facility. Leave it alone, and let the dead rest, even though I highly doubt they’re at any semblance of peace.
Llew looked over at me. “She felt it, too. Whatever Clown Face is, she picked up on it, but she didn’t try to contact it.”
“Somehow, I brought its attention to myself. I wonder—maybe it’s because I’m one of the Ante-Fae? I have an innate power that is noticeable by anybody who works with energy. If this creature either feeds on magical energy or is attracted by it, maybe my mere presence caught its attention?” I frowned, trying to think over the creatures that I knew fit that description. “I highly doubt that Stephen King’s Pennywise has taken up residence in the building.”
“Huh?” Llew asked, looking up from the book.
“You know, the clown face? I doubt it’s really a clown of any sort.” I paused, then sighed. “All right, I’ll head home and tell Kipa. And meanwhile, can you call your friend Lynn and ask her—off the record—if there were any experiences that didn’t make it into her book? I’m pretty sure there are a number of humans out there who, if they fully opened up about everything they had seen or experienced, would be locked away in the loony bin. And if she’s a medium, chances are she may have picked up on things she didn’t want to talk about.”
“I’ll do that in a few minutes—I’m overdue for a talk with her, anyway. I’ll call you later tonight.” He waved as I grabbed my bag and headed toward the door.
“Hey, if you think of anything I might need for exorcising this creature, let me know? Jot it down, pack it up, and charge my tab?”
“Will do. Bye, Raven!” He waved as the door swung shut behind me.
All the way home, I tried to shake off the fear I was being followed. But whatever it was that I’d run across, it was no Pa
ndora, and I wasn’t going to be fooled again. As I pulled into my driveway, I saw Kipa’s truck, so I leaped out of the car and headed for the door. The weather had shifted and it was muggy and hot, so sticky that my clothes were plastered to me. Grimacing, I unlocked the door and strode into the living room.
“Hey,” Kipa said, glancing up from where he and Raj were wrestling on the floor. Kipa was letting Raj win, that much I could tell, and both of them were laughing. When he laughed, Raj got this big goofy grin on his face and he had a nasal laugh, a lot like a male Fran Drescher. It was lovable and sweet and did my heart good to hear him giggling.
They rolled to their feet, and Kipa leaped over the back of the sofa to give me a kiss. His hair was askew and falling out of his ponytail, and his shirt was sweaty, but at that moment, I threw my arms around him.
“I love you, you know that? I love that you take time with Raj, and that you…well…I love you. I’m so glad I can say it now without being afraid it’s going to burst out without me realizing it.” I kissed him, the funk of his sweat both enticing me and making me want to shove him into the shower. Say what they want, men didn’t perspire—they sweated, and when they sweated, it was fun-ky.
“I love you too, sweet cheeks. How did things go?”
I dropped my bag on the console table back of the sofa, then hustled around to give Raj a hug. He smelled too. It had been too long since I had ordered him into the shower.
He grinned. “Raj loves Kipa. Raj loves to wrestle. Raj no wrestle with Raven or Raj would hurt Raven.” He leaned back on his haunches, his eyes wide.
“Oh Raj, I know. Raven doesn’t have the strength to wrestle with you. Hey, how about Raj take a bath? Get all flower fresh? Raven will turn on the water for Raj.” Usually I made him bathe outside. The cold water never bothered him, but now and then he would beg to use my violet-scented bath wash. I usually said no—he could happily use an entire bottle in one go, and I’d be cleaning up bubbles for hours. But I wanted to talk to Kipa without Raj listening in.
“Raj can smell like violets? Raj loves violets—they’re so pretty and delicate.” He wiggled with an excited little butt-dance.
“Yes, Raj can smell like violets.” I glanced at Kipa. “Why don’t you take a really quick shower in my bathroom so we can talk afterward. I’ll get Raj into the bath.”
I motioned for Raj to follow me and he bounced along happily by my side. Gathering the bath gel and a massive bath sheet, I led Raj into the hall bathroom and filled the tub with bubble bath. Then I tossed in Raj’s toys—a plastic baby doll named Sally, a rubber duck, and a rough-and-tough plastic tank. It was an odd mix, but he somehow managed to work them all into a play session. He had recently latched onto Sally, which I had found in the thrift store. I had planned to use her for a magical project, but Raj had fallen in love with the auburn locks and princess-pretty face, so I gave him the doll and now he carried her around with him everywhere.
Raj took my hand with his as I balanced him so he could step up and over into the tub. He leaned back in the warm water, grunting with delight as the bubbles popped and frothed around him. I handed him his toys, and he hugged Sally to his chest as he leaned forward.
“Raj be good,” I told him. “Raven will come back in a while to help Raj out of the bathtub.”
“Raven shouldn’t come back too soon, because Raj wants to destress.” He closed his eyes and sighed happily.
Where he had heard that term, I wasn’t sure, but Raj picked up the weirdest crap at times. Once in a while, you’d think he was Confucius. Other times, he sounded like a deranged mix-tape of rap, slang, and gibberish. I patted him on the head, heading for the door.
I turned, glancing over my shoulder. “Don’t splash too much water on the floor, and don’t drink the bathwater.”
I had no fears he’d drown. Raj couldn’t swim, but he was strong enough to pull himself out of the bathtub, so I didn’t have to worry about him slipping under, and he never fell asleep in the bath. But I knew that when I returned, the bathroom would be a complete mess. All that mattered, though, was that Raj was happy, and that I had some time to talk with Kipa without Raj hearing. Because a worried gargoyle was a handful to deal with.
Chapter Eight
Kipa was out in five minutes, wearing my bathrobe. It came up to just above his knees, and the black silk looked good on him. His hair was wet, but he had brushed it back into a neat ponytail, and he gave me a quick kiss before taking a seat at the table.
“Let me get my laptop,” I said. “We have some research to do. Can you pour us some wine and fix a plate of cheese and crackers to go with it?”
“Sure thing.” He eyed me carefully. “Something happened, didn’t it?”
“Yeah, but nothing to do with my flashbacks. I almost wish it was that. I screwed up, Kipa. I’ll tell you in a moment, but I think I’m going to really need some help on this one.”
Kipa smiled and for a moment I thought he was going to say, “I told you so,” but he merely headed into the kitchen while I dashed down the hall to my office. I grabbed my laptop and my e-reader. If Lynn’s book was in e-format, I wanted it and I wanted it now.
I peeked in on Raj before heading back to the table. He was splashing away, talking to his toys, and didn’t even seem to notice me.
“Zinfandel all right? There was an open bottle in the fridge and I thought we could finish it off before opening a new one.” Kipa had brought out the cheese, crackers, a bowl of grapes, and a package of bite-size salami rounds. He spread them on the table as I plugged in my laptop. Then he returned to the kitchen and brought back the wine and two goblets.
“Zinfandel’s fine,” I said, powering up the computer. I logged in and brought up a browser before helping myself to the food. Popping a grape in my mouth, I spread the port-flavored cheese spread on a handful of crackers, added salami, and then settled in for an afternoon’s research.
“So, what happened?” Kipa asked as he emptied the bottle into our goblets.
I took a sip, then sighed and sat back, staring at him. “I woke something up.”
His eyes narrowed. “What do you mean, you woke something up?”
“I mean, I woke something up.” I told him about Trinity showing me the secret garden, and then about what had happened when I broke into the place, and the book that Llew had told me about. “So yeah, there’s something that’s come out of hiding over there. Before you ask any questions, I want to see if I can get Lynn’s book in e-format.” I brought up E-Z Books, a digital bookstore, and typed in the title, which I remembered as Haunting Seattle. Sure enough, it popped right up and I clicked on it, then opened my e-reader and synched it to download the book.
When it finished, I searched through till I found the chapter on the United Coalition’s Home for Wounded Veterans. I handed the reader to Kipa. “So, here’s a picture of the place.”
He glanced at the picture, then skimmed the entry. “Something old and treacherous, huh? I take it that’s what you woke up?”
“Yeah, I think so. And whatever it is, it’s mad as a hornet.” I frowned, then began to search online for mentions of any atrocities that had happened in the area where the buildings were standing. “I’m not so great with researching,” I said after a moment. “Do you think I should call Herne and ask if Yutani can give it a go? Or Talia?”
“I think so, if you want accurate information. I’m heading over there this evening—the agency is having an evening meeting on Typhon. Let me ask if you can join us.” He pulled out his phone before I could respond. A moment later he stuck it back in his pocket. “You’re welcome to come, Herne said. While you’re there, he can talk to you about Ferosyn. I sent him a text when you agreed to talk to him.”
He had acted fast. I must need more help than I thought I did. But I had asked for assistance, and I wasn’t going to be angry when someone obliged.
“What time do we have to be there?”
Kipa glanced at his watch. “An hour. Why don’t we head ou
t now and we can stop for coffee on the way. Rush-hour traffic starts early.”
“Let me get Raj out of the bathtub,” I said. “I’ll have to mop the floor, too.”
While I attended to Raj, Kipa got everything together that we would need. When I came out of the bathroom, followed by a squeaky-clean gargoyle, all I had to do was make sure the wards and the security system were working and armed, and follow Kipa out the door.
The Wild Hunt Agency was on First Avenue, in the Old Town section—which had once been known as the Pioneer Square area. The place was like a gracious lady once rich, who was now old and poor. An echo of gentility and beauty was still there over the grimy underbelly, like a pretty painting covering up a dark, ugly blotch.
A series of fetish brothels and small takeout places lined the street opposite the brick building in which the agency was housed, and the wide staircase had been painted by graffiti artists. The superintendent had given up trying to fight it, Ember had told me, and finally paid the kids to do one hell of a gorgeous depiction of the staircase ascending through the clouds.
There was a side ramp offering handicapped access—that was new—and at the top of the stairs, old double wooden doors led into the first floor. The elevator was near the urgent care clinic that took over most of the main floor, but from what I remembered, it was in and out of order. Not feeling like getting stuck in a small car, we decided to take the stairs to the fourth floor, where we rang the buzzer that led into the waiting room.
Angel was sitting at the desk, reading. She glanced up and waved. “Raven! Hey, I didn’t know you were coming with Kipa.”
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