Witch's Net

by Crystal-Rain Love

  “Yeah, but unfortunately, when he falls, he falls fast. And hard. Very, very hard. I don't want this… woman… ripping his heart out. Figuratively or literally.”

  They sat in silence for a moment before Jake yawned and moved his neck side to side, loosening a kink. “Did you tap into her visions of the murders?”

  “Yes. She saw the victims entering the places they were killed, and she saw the were-hyenas chewing on the bodies after they'd been killed.”

  “She didn't actually see the murders?”

  “No, and she didn't look through her own eyes.” A cold chill careened down Seta's spine as she met Jake's wide-eyed gaze. “She's viewing these scenes through someone else's eyes.”

  “Whose?”

  “I couldn't tell, and believe me, I searched. Do you know what a silver wall is?”

  Jacob blinked slowly. “No.”

  “A witch, even an untrained witch, has the ability to build defenses, to shield herself in different ways.”

  “I take it a silver wall is a wall of defense?”

  “Pretty much.” Seta narrowed her eyes on the witch sitting in the front pew, stroking her child's hair. “It's a wall that witches and talented psychics can build inside their mind to block out intrusion. It's an ideal place to keep your darkest secrets. Being a slayer, you were born with one surrounding your entire mind.”

  Jacob's eyes widened in surprise, then narrowed again as he zeroed in on the witch they were discussing.

  “Malaika had a silver wall in her mind?”

  “I think so.” She met Jacob's now confused gaze. “I couldn't see it, of course, but I'm powerful enough to sense when there's something there out of my reach. Any other witch probably wouldn't have suspected a thing. She did a very good job of erecting it.”

  “Does this silver wall have anything to do with her passing out?”

  “I was determined to find what she was hiding. She was determined not to let that happen.”

  “She used every last drop of her power to keep that wall up, until she pretty much shorted out and you had access to nothing.”

  “Correct.” Seta held Jacob's narrowed-eyed gaze for a long moment, then they turned their heads in unison to study the witch at the front of the church.

  “What the hell was she hiding?”

  SEVEN

  Adrenaline spiked as the man's lust turned into fear. It was dawning on the man that he wouldn't be experiencing pleasure with the woman who'd led him there. What he'd be experiencing was far from that…

  Malaika shot out of the pew, jerking to a stand. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw the others quickly rise, reacting to her sudden movement. Deja was tugging at her and, saying something. She tuned her out, focusing on the snatch of thought that had invaded her mind, tried to snatch onto it again, but it faded fast and the sense of death took its place. And the knowledge that Craig was out there somewhere. She felt the tug so strongly she took an involuntary step forward before being halted by the sharp bark of Jacob Porter's voice.

  “You see something?”

  She took a deep breath, tamped down the overpowering sense Craig was in trouble, and blinked her eyes to bring her surroundings back into focus. Jacob, Jonah, and Seta stood before her, their brows crinkled, eyes wary, suspicious. She expected those types of looks from two of them. Not Jonah. Then she remembered how he'd left her alone to be interrogated by the witch, and had easily, quickly, stepped away from her to allow his brother a better shot. She almost laughed, disgusted by her foolishness.

  “I asked you a question, witch.”

  Maybe it was from being mentally exhausted, or the hunger clawing at her belly. Maybe it was the way he said the word witch, making it sound like a racial slur, but she'd had enough. With no thought to repercussions, Malaika balled up her fist and rammed it straight into Jacob Porter's face.

  “How's that for an answer?” she snapped as Jacob's head jerked back. Pain ricocheted through her hand and she wrung it out while bracing the rest of her body for the blow she knew was coming.

  Jacob Porter righted himself, touched his cheek and checked for blood. She thought she heard Seta laugh, but didn't dare take her eyes off the man she'd just popped. Jacob looked at his blood-free hand, then raised his eyes to her. When they narrowed, she instinctively shoved Deja behind her.

  Jacob lunged, but didn't make it very far. Jonah stepped in front of her and blocked his brother with his arm. “You had that coming, Jake.”

  “What?” The slayer's eyes widened in disbelief. “You're taking up fo—”

  “Give her a little respect.”

  “That's rich coming from the man who led me to my own interrogation,” Malaika snapped. She ignored the look of surprise on Jonah's face. What? Did he actually expect her to be grateful he was defending her now? Not a chance in hell. She'd had enough of men walking all over her and not expecting her to bite their hand when they deemed to treat her nicely for one hot minute. Screw that. She was over it.

  The urge to locate Craig tugged at her again, stronger than before. She looked at the three people standing before her. A slayer, a vampire-witch, and a homicide detective. It would be stupid to refuse their help. People were dying and if she had any information that could help end the murders, she'd be evil for withholding it. “I've sensed another…” She glanced at Deja, then back at the trio before her. “I feel the urge to go. I can lead you to the scene.”

  Seta cocked her head to the side. Jonah's eyes widened. Jacob's narrowed. “Already dead?” he asked.

  “Probably. I never seem to make it in time.” And standing here isn't helping, she thought, and did her best to send the message with her eyes.

  Judging by the irritation in Jacob Porter's gaze, he got the message loud and clear. “Let's go.”

  Malaika watched as he walked over to the corner of the sanctuary where his wife was sitting with the vampire who ran the church. He kissed her goodbye and spoke sternly to the vampire. He was a slayer, and according to Seta, designed to kill supernatural beings. Yet, he was leaving his very pregnant wife with a vampire and from the looks of it, instructing that vampire to guard her. From what? And why would he entrust someone he obviously cared about to a vampire?

  When he turned away, his gaze met hers, and was filled with so much contempt, Malaika's palms sweat. As he neared, his gaze shifted to Deja. “Your daughter can stay here with Christian and Nyla. She'll be safe.”

  “No damn way,” she responded as Deja wrapped her thin arms around her hips. “My daughter stays with me.”

  He looked between Deja and her, and let out a very frustrated sigh before turning toward the exit door. “Fine. But no sleeping spells.”

  “What— ”

  Jonah's hand came down on her arm, halting her. “Trust him on this. Her energy level… You don't want to accidentally do any damage to her,” he said softly so Deja couldn't hear.

  Malaika looked at Seta and was met with a warning look before the powerful witch turned and followed Jacob toward the door.

  “What about her energy level?” She shook Jonah's hand off her arm, ignoring the tingle of awareness it caused.

  “Just… no more spells.” He turned toward the door. “Come on.”

  Malaika hoisted Deja onto her hip and followed, unease gnawing at her gut. The look on his face was one of concern. For her daughter. She glanced down at Deja, studying the little girl, and wondered what she wasn't being told.

  The worry still lingered with her as Jonah pulled his car over in the dark alley two blocks away from the building she sensed Craig in. It had been Jacob's idea that she and Deja ride with Jonah, and that he and Seta follow behind them in his Malibu. The ride had been tense, the only talking coming in the form of her giving Jonah directions.

  Jacob pulled his car to a stop behind them and got out, followed by Seta. He came up to them along her side of the car and opened the door.

  “You, out.” He barked the command tersely.

  She looked from Jon
ah to his brother, and folded her arms. “I don't jump at your commands,” she informed the younger Porter.

  She'd barely managed to finish the statement before Jacob's hand clamped onto her upper arm and she was tugged free of the car.

  “Hey!” Jonah quickly stepped out of his side of the car and slammed his door shut before rounding the hood. “Take it easy, Jake.”

  “I will just as soon as your girlfriend here cans the attitude.”

  “You don't have to be so rough.”

  “Can I talk to you for a minute?” Not waiting for an answer, Jacob released her arm to grab hold of his brother's and led him away from the car. Malaika rubbed her arm and watched as the two brothers spoke closely. She couldn't hear their words, but judging by their expressions and harsh tones, the two were clearly arguing.

  She heard a soft tsk and glanced over at Seta to see the vampire-witch shaking her head, her arms folded below her ample breasts. “And to think for hundreds of years, men ran everything.” She clapped her hands loudly. “Boys! We are working within a short window of time here!”

  Both Porters swiveled their heads toward Seta, gave each other one last glare, and walked back toward the car. “You remember what I said, little brother!”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah,” Jacob griped as he grabbed Malaika's arm and led her away. She looked back toward the car, concern for her child bursting through her chest.

  “Your little girl will be fine,” Seta said as she followed them toward the direction of the building. “Jonah will guard her with his life.”

  “I thought you couldn't read my mind.”

  “I don't have to. I am a mother, too. I know the constant worry.”

  Malaika's feet came to an abrupt stop, frozen by shock. There was a sharp tug on her arm and she was moving forward again. Jacob Porter was not a patient man. “How does a vampire have a child?” she asked as she was pulled along.

  “I wasn't born a vampire,” Seta responded in an amused tone.

  Meaning she'd had a child before she was turned into one. Chills crept along Malaika's spine as she wondered how long ago that was. And how many other vampires and beasts like the ones she'd seen in her visions prowled the streets.

  Her breath caught in her throat as they neared the back of the building. Craig was inside. She felt it with every fiber of her being. She also felt impending doom. Fear slithered through her body, squeezing tightly around her heart. Whatever Craig was doing in that building, it wasn't good. It couldn't be, because in that building dwelled death.

  Jacob came to a stop behind the building and cocked his head to the side. During that short period of time, the sense of Craig being inside evaporated. It was as if he'd simply disappeared.

  Jacob frowned and turned a questioning gaze toward Seta. “Well?”

  Seta shook her head. “Nothing. You?”

  “Something was here, and not that long ago. Like, a second ago, actually.” He narrowed his eyes as he turned them on Malaika. “Ready?”

  Malaika swallowed, or tried to. Her throat was bone dry. Jacob Porter couldn't possibly have detected Craig there. He only had the power to suspect supernatural beings. And why would Craig be hanging around with… those dog things? Were-hyenas?

  “Malaika?”

  “Imagine that, you know my name,” she said, fighting the waver in her voice. “And all this time I thought you'd assumed my name was Witch.”

  His facial expression didn't change, apparently stuck in annoyed mode. “You ready?”

  “For what?” Then it dawned on her. “Wait. You expect me to go in there?”

  “Why else would we be here?”

  “But it's a crime scene!”

  “Not until the police arrive, it isn't.” With that remark, he kicked down the back door and swept his arm out, indicating for her to precede him inside.

  Malaika held her breath, waiting for alarms to split the calm night air. They didn't. “Well, that was certainly discreet. Thank goodness there was no alarm.”

  “If the doors were armed, there'd probably be motion sensors inside, too. If there were motion sensors inside, it'd make it awfully damn hard for somebody to be killed inside without tripping them.” He swept his arm out again, his eyes lit with impatience.

  Malaika turned toward Seta, and could tell from the woman's stone-like expression, she'd get no help from her. She took a deep breath and stepped inside the building. It was pitch black inside and for that she was thankful. If the stench filling the space was any indication, she didn't want to see what was inside the building. Especially not when she knew a dead person lay in there somewhere. She'd seen enough in her visions to know the sight would be gruesome.

  “Why do I have to come in here with you? I'm not a detective.”

  “No, but you're connected with this somehow,” Jacob answered as he and Seta stepped in behind her.

  Alarm slammed into her gut at his choice of words, but before she could question his intent, energy pulsated in the air. She turned just in time to see the broken door magically rise and reconnect to the door frame.

  “How did you do that?”

  “Be a good student, little witch, and you will learn in due time,” Seta said with a hint of boredom, “and as for you, Jacob, kicking down the door really was unnecessary when you have two witches with you.”

  Jacob shrugged. “I suppose it'd be too much to ask you to use some of your witch skills to find the damn light switch.”

  “Well, since you asked so nicely…” The room suddenly flooded with light. Enough light to show Malaika the dead body lying six feet ahead of her on the concrete floor.

  A large hand covered her mouth to muffle the scream that erupted from her throat as she took in the man's body. More notably, the bloody and mutilated cavity where his chest should have been.

  She continued to scream and Jacob continued to muffle the sound, occasionally tossing in a soothing word or two. The realization of his concern broke through the moment of horror, surprising Malaika out of the fit of hysteria. Why would the slayer who'd shown nothing but distaste for her be so… nice?

  “You good now?” he asked as her screams died.

  She nodded once, and his hand moved away from her mouth. She breathed in deep, instantly regretting it as the foul odor of decay assaulted her. With a cry of disgust she bent forward, fighting back down the bile threatening to rise. It may have been her first time actually stepping inside a crime scene, but even she knew leaving her vomit behind for the police to find would be a bad move.

  “Whoa.” Jacob grabbed her, and helped her to straighten. “Breathe through your mouth, Malaika. You don't want to throw up at the scene of a murder, or for that matter, leave any other kind of DNA.”

  “Yeah, I figured that,” she managed to say into his shoulder. As much as she despised the slayer, leaning into him was better than looking at the dead man on the floor. “I want out of here.”

  “Not yet. Seta.” He nodded toward the witch, a silent command, and once again the pulse of energy filled the air. Stronger than before.

  “What is she doing?”

  “Reading the body.”

  “Reading the what?” Malaika turned toward the body and saw Seta kneeling at the dead man's side, her hands resting on his pants, just above the knees. She gagged and quickly turned away. “What can she get off a dead body?” she asked after getting her stomach back under control.

  “Last memories,” he answered, and gave her a little prod in the direction of the body. “I need to know exactly what you saw down to every minute detail.”

  Malaika took in a shaky breath, careful to only let air in through her mouth. “I can do that outside.”

  “Yeah, but I can't get the full picture outside.” He looked toward the body. “Tell me how that man died. Tell me who his killer is.”

  “I don't know who the killer is.”

  “Then feel around, dammit! You're a witch. You have psychic abilities. Use them.”

  “I don't know—”
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  “Put your hands on the body.”

  “Are you out of your damn mind?” Malaika looked at the body, then back at Jacob Porter's face. The slayer didn't blink an eye. Clearly, he didn't realize how crazy his suggestion was. “I am not touching a dead man!”

  “So you'll just let his killer walk?”

  “How am I supposed to stop his killer? I see visions, just snatches of the killings.”

  “And why is that? Why do you see the murders? Not Seta? Not a stronger witch, but you. Why in the hell do you suppose that is?”

  “I don't know!” Malaika raised her voice to match Jacob's tone and volume. Unlike him, tears formed in her eyes. Why was he pushing her so hard?

  “Come on, sweetheart. You know damn well why you're the one seeing these images.”

  “I don't—”

  He crowded into her personal space, his threatening nearness cut off her protest. “There's only one way an untrained witch would keep seeing these images without purposely casting a spell to do so. What's your connection?”

  Malaika gulped. Or tried to. It felt like a large stone was lodged in her throat. She took in Jacob Porter's face as she struggled to think of a response. The eyes slit so narrow she could barely see the color, the mouth set in a tight straight line, the jaw clenched harder than a vice. Looking at that face did nothing to help her think of an answer. All it served to do was scare her to near death. This was the face of a warrior, a killer hell-bent on taking her out if she dared say one wrong word.

  Something rustled behind her, and Jacob's gaze left her face to focus over her shoulder. “Well?”

  Malaika turned her head to follow his gaze, and saw Seta standing over the dead man's body, brushing her hands together. She carefully avoided the body on the floor, maintaining her focus on the vampire-witch instead. The woman's face was pale, her eyes tired looking. “I could only pull emotions, and a few surface thoughts lingering behind.”

  “And?” Jacob's tone reeked of impatience. He was not a man who liked to wait.

  “The man was overwhelmed with lust, sexual excitement. I believe he followed a woman here, anxious to have sex with her. Then his lust turned into terrible fear.” Seta glanced down at the man's body, her full lips turning down into a sad frown. “He experienced tremendous pain, and guilt.”