Half an hour later, when Ethan came in, Lydia, Zack, Luca, and a few other vampires were sitting around a large table at the Immortal Ale laughing and having drinks like they had known each other for years.
Ethan had a muscular build with long blond hair, full sleeve tattoos, and a motorcycle cut with the same logo as his tattoo. As soon as he came in, his expression said, “shit, I’m in trouble” and he looked surprised to see the assembled group of people, but Luca nodded to him and he pulled up a chair.
“Ethan,” Luca said, “this is Lydia and Zack. They came to give us some valuable information on a current murder investigation in the city.”
“What kind of information?” Ethan asked, fidgeting in his chair.
“Well, for one, your meeting with someone from the Mayor’s office,” Luca answered.
Lydia swallowed. She came here to clear Ethan, not get him in trouble. She held her tongue, though.
“It’s not what you think, boss,” Ethan said.
“Enlighten me, then,” Luca said.
Ethan’s eyes darted around the table as he shifted uncomfortably in his chair. “It was stupid. A friend of mine got hit with a noise complaint. I went to lean on the pencil neck. That’s all.”
“Did you kill him by accident?” Luca asked.
Ethan blinked and then panic washed over his face. “What, me? I didn’t kill anybody.”
“The cops are looking for you, Ethan,” Luca continued. “Right after they caught you on their security footage visiting this guy, this pencil neck. Well, he turned up dead. I’m afraid that’s too much of a coincidence for them to ignore.”
Ethan sat up. “I told you. I leaned on him and then I left. I didn’t kill him. I didn’t even know he was dead.”
“In that case, it’s very lucky for you that these guys got to me first.” He indicated Lydia and Zack. “Before I found out what was going on. Or I may have killed you by mistake. But I know that you’re telling me the truth. I know you didn’t kill him.”
Ethan looked confused. Luca nodded at Zack, who showed Ethan the photo of the mayor’s aide’s body.
Ethan looked at the picture then looked away.
Luca nodded at Lydia.
“Ethan, when you were there, did you see anything out of the ordinary?” Lydia asked. “We could really use an eyewitness. Anything would help.”
“No. I didn’t see nothing that would do something like that.” He pointed at the phone. “I leaned on the guy and then I left. End of story.”
Luca turned to Lydia again. “I guess my only question now is why the Mage Council sent you two here to warn us. It’s not like I’m on speaking terms with anybody over there.”
“She was sent,” Zack chimed in. “I came knowing absolutely nothing about what was going on here.”
Lydia shot Zack a look before turning back to Luca. She held up her hands. “Just for the record, I wasn’t sent. I put two and two together when I saw the crime scene photo. I thought you guys deserved to know. I only said the part about the Mage Council to get your attention.”
Luca looked at Lydia and laughed. “I like this one. She’s crazy.”
That reminded Lydia that Luca seemed to know a lot more about the magical murder suspect than she did. “Okay, Luca. It sounds like you have an idea of what this creature is. Spill, please. What is it, what does it look like, and how do I kill it?”
Luca sat back. “Let’s see. I told you it was evil and summoned by dark magic. What else do you need to know?”
“I’m guessing you’re not going to go after it, so I have lots of questions. Like the fact that it can’t pass through walls, right? Because it had to break the glass to get into a sixth-floor window. Can it teleport or disappear? If magic summoned it, does that mean it’s a phantom or a spectre? What about bullets? It would be great if we could shoot at this thing from very far away.” Lydia peppered Luca with questions while Zack nodded furiously, especially at the shooting it from a distance part. “Oh yeah, and what does it look like?”
Luca was clearly entertained by all the questions. He seemed to fight off a smirk. “Ethan, go to my library and get the big leather book, the one from the old country. It’s locked in my study.” He reached into his pocket, brought out an old, rusty key, and held it out for him.
Ethan nodded, got up, and took the key. He wasn’t gone long. He came back with a hefty leather book that looked ancient and tattered. It didn’t just look like it had seen better days; it looked like it was about to completely fall apart into a cloud of dust. There was a power about it that surprised Lydia, though. The only way to describe it was that the book itself had some sort of a presence.
Luca unlocked the book with a creak and then opened it.
Lydia gasped. On the inside, the pages were in pristine condition and the edges appeared to be lined with gold.
Luca shook his head. “I see that you judged my book by its cover. And yes, the book’s enchanted or it wouldn’t have lasted this long.”
“What is it? Some kind of ancient big book of monsters? First edition?” Lydia asked.
Zack snorted, trying to hide a laugh.
Luca scowled at him and shook his head. “This generation.” He glanced at the ceiling as if imploring a higher power to commiserate with him before turning his attention back to the book. “Laugh if you will, but this book has wisdom that goes back thousands of years.” He turned to the back, maybe looking at an index. Then he flipped the pages purposely until he stopped, flipped the book around, and pushed it over to Lydia. “Look, but do not touch the page,” he said gravely. “There are ancient curses on this book you would scarcely believe.”
This made Lydia frown. A big book of monsters was one thing. Why would it need curses? In any case, Luca had gone out of his way to be helpful and nonviolent, so she wasn’t going to push her luck.
Lydia read the page. Or at least she intended to, but she got distracted right away when she saw the frightening wasp-looking creature pictured in full color on the page. She tore herself away from the image in order to read the information, out loud for Zack to hear. “Five feet in length, several feet high, not as much buzzing noise as you’d think. These things are great at sneaking up on you.” Perfect, she thought. “Its nickname is the soul sucker. It doesn’t just suck out blood, it feeds on all the internal body fluids of its victim until only a husk remains.” Ick. “Once summoned by magic, it remains physical until killed and rarely strays more than a few miles from where it was spawned. It says here that they are often used as assassins.”
Lydia swallowed and looked up at Luca. “This is not good.”
Luca nodded. “Indeed.”
“Often used as assassins ... Does that mean the mayor’s aide was on some sort of hit list?”
“Presumably.”
“It also seems to imply that there are going to be more victims.” Lydia thought about it. She remembered yesterday when that thing attacked her at the edge of the forest. She wondered if whatever that creature was had a page somewhere in the book of monsters.
Luca fixed her with a severe look. Was he reading her mind?
“I can sense that you have another question about the contents of my big book of monsters,” he said. “I will let you ask it, but only because the book is already open. Then you will leave my bar and never come back, yes?”
Lydia nodded. “That works for me.”
“What is it you wish to know?” he asked.
It was Lydia’s turn to shift in her chair. “Okay, well, hypothetically, I saw something at the edge of the forest. It was tree-sized, had glowing eyes, and used its hands and feet as swords, that kind of thing. Any idea where in this book I should look for something like that?” She reached for the book.
Luca grabbed the book first. “Curses!” he reminded.
Lydia started wondering if the whole curses thing was just made up to keep her from trying to flip through the book herself, which she very much wanted to do. Then she realized that Luca was stari
ng at the recently healed gash on her arm. Turns out it was a bad day to wear a tank top.
Luca again tapped a fingernail on the table. It must be his tell for being deep in thought. A moment later, he waved a hand and all the vampires left the bar, including the bartender. That left the three of them alone. It was creepy. Lydia wondered what was going on. She watched a sweat bead make its way down Zack’s chiseled jaw.
“What is it, Luca? I’m sorry if I offended you, it’s just that you said I could ask one question, and…”
Luca held up a hand to stop her. “You are a lot of trouble, fae. And you came bearing bad news. Nobody has time for that, especially me.”
“What is he talking about?” Zack asked.
“I have no idea,” Lydia answered.
He ignored them both and flipped through the book. When he was done, he turned it toward Lydia so that she could see the page. “Are you referring to this?”
“Yes!” Lydia said. She speed-read the page, and it checked out. All the details matched what attacked her at the forest. When she got to the very end of the page, though, she looked up at Luca wild-eyed. “Is this true?”
Instead of answering, he glared at her, took the book back, and flipped to another page. Again, he showed her.
The page showed an evil looking fae with glowing eyes and a flaming sword battling a horde of what looked like tree goblins, which is what the book called them on the previous page she was looking at. “Why are you showing me this?” she asked.
“Why indeed,” he answered. “If you find this person, then your problems are solved. Both of the creatures you just happened to walk into my bar inquiring about are incredibly rare and both originate in another dimension entirely. Either we’re all about to be up to our eyeballs in shadow monsters, or somewhere around here, there’s a Shadow Slayer.”
Lydia swallowed hard and got up from the table. She couldn’t take another minute of it. “Hey Luca, thanks for everything. Like not killing us and letting us see your old haunted book of monsters. Oh, and by the way, you should keep Ethan here at the bar. Preferably on a live internet feed. If he’s got an airtight alibi when the next victim pops up, then the cops will have to look in another direction, like it or not.”
“How does that help?” Zack asked. “They’re certainly not going to move their suspect pool into the direction of an ancient monster assassin summoned by an evil magician.”
“Well, it clears Ethan for one. And two, you don’t think they’ll listen to you?”
“No,” he answered. “They’re not going to listen to me. In fact, if I tell them a theory even slightly more exotic than death by vampire, I guarantee you they will place me on another psych hold and then I’ll be fired. And it’s not my buddies at the police department we should be talking about. If this thing was summoned by magic, then we should be talking to your guy at the Mage Headquarters.”
Shit. He was right. There was no reason for her to suffer alone, though. “Zack, I think it’s time you met Kade, the leader of the Mage Council.”
“Oh no,” he said, “I’m not going into that freaky place.”
“You said it yourself. A magical creature other than a vampire just became the prime suspect in the murder of the mayor’s aide. I assume you’re going to want to hear what he has to say for himself and ask your own questions. You’re the detective, here. Not me. Am I right?”
“Fine,” he said. “Now we’re both unhappy. Happy?” he asked her.
“Yes,” she answered.
Then Lydia and Zack got out of there quickly, leaving Luca alone with his cursed book.
Ten
Once the two of them were back in Lydia’s car and speeding away from the Immortal Ale, Zack stared at her. “Why did you look so happy when you talked me into going to the Mage Headquarters?”
Lydia smirked. “Because they never, ever allow humans in there under any circumstances.”
Zack shot her a new worried look. “First you trick me into going into the vampire gangster biker bar when you intended to start trouble and now you’re dragging me into another place I’m not allowed?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
Lydia unloaded. “Because they’re stupid and their rules are stupid. I’m trying to goad them into joining this century, engaging with the culture, and actually using their power for good.”
“It sounds like you have a history with these people,” Zack said.
Lydia nodded.
“Didn’t you say you work for them?” Zack persisted. “If you do succeed in pissing them off, then you’re out of a job, right?” he asked.
“It would be totally worth it,” she answered. “But it will never happen. That vampire biker gang has evolved more than the people in the magic human club we’re going to.”
Zack palmed his face with his hand. “I think Luca’s right. You are crazy.”
“Sure,” she deadpanned. “Side with the vampire biker crime lord. I have to hand it to you, though, Zack. In all seriousness. You were cool under pressure back there.” Whatever else happened, at least she trusted him now, otherwise she would never drag him in to meet Kade. In fact, his bravery in the face of certain death, and backing her up when she needed it most made him even hotter than he already was. Too bad he was human. She glanced in his direction, and their eyes met. She looked away. “And I’m sorry I wasn’t honest.”
“It’s okay,” Zack said. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Shoot.”
“What did you see in Luca’s book of monsters? After the soul sucker and the tree monster, I mean. Because it clearly freaked you out.”
Lydia took an extra sharp corner while she thought about the question. She decided to answer it, he had earned at least that much. Plus, it was bothering her, and sometimes when you talked something through it helped. At least that was the idea. “It was a Shadow Slayer. I think Luca was trying to tell me something.”
“Tell you something? What, like a secret code?” he asked.
“Not like a secret code,” Lydia answered. “I don’t think he trusts me. I think he thinks I am that particular monster.”
Zack did a double take. “He thinks you’re a monster? Rude. I mean, come on, what’s this Shadow Slayer thing look like, anyway?”
“It’s an evil fae with dark magic and a flaming sword. Apparently, the Shadow Slayer’s job is to dispatch creatures from the shadow world.”
Zack thought about it. “Luca mentioned the shadow world. You’re right, that’s too much of a coincidence, but hey you don’t have magic, right? Plus, you’re not evil.”
“I do have a flaming sword. It’s been in my family for generations. To tell you the truth, I don’t even know that I’m fae. I was always told that I was fae. But fae have magic, and I have been rejected my whole life because I don’t have it. When I was a kid, I’d have given anything to be like the others, to be trained in magic. You know what it’s like to be turned away like that? You know what they called me? The dud. I was the dud fae who couldn’t do magic. I don’t know what’s worse, being the dud fae or being a monster.”
They rode in silence for a while. Lydia was thankful for that. She was trying to think through all the issues she now had to talk through with Kade. A few minutes later, she screeched her car to a halt close to the mage mansion.
“Um,” Zack said. “You’re in front of a fire hydrant.”
Lydia shot him a look. “Don’t start with me.”
“There’s an open spot right there.” He pointed. “And then you won’t get another ticket.”
She scowled and pulled the car up into the open spot.
“There,” he said with a smirk that made him decidedly less attractive. “Now we’re both unhappy again.”
Lydia got out and led Zack to the front door. “It’s not as exciting in here as you would think,” she said. “It’s basically just old guys sitting around sipping Scotch.” She knocked on the door and waited. She could feel the familiar hum of magic. She
waited some more. That’s odd, she thought. Usually a knock on the door is the most exciting part of their day. She wondered where Lurch was.
She knocked again, then she opened the door cautiously. Right away, she could hear footsteps. And something else. The noises she heard sounded like some kind of zapping. It sounded like magical duels. Odd. She was curious, so she closed the door. The moment she did, the noises stopped. It was quiet.
“Hey,” Zack said, drawing his weapon. “What was that?”
“I don’t know,” she said, opening the door again. Again, she could hear the sounds. “Wow, I had no idea how soundproof this place was.” She took a step inside past the magic barrier and looked around. Zack moved to follow her and she stopped him.
“What?” he asked.
“There’s a magical force-field. Some kind of barrier across the door. I’m not sure what it’ll do to you.”
“You went in just fine,” he said.
“I’ve been here a million times. They know me. I had to get special permission.”
“Well, it sounds like there’s a fight or something going on in there,” Zack said, his gun still drawn. “Whatever confrontation is going on right now, I’m guessing they probably weren’t invited either. I’m going in.”
“Okay,” Lydia said, opening the door wider for him. She grinned. “I just hope whatever magical weirdness befalls you can be undone.”
“Not funny,” he said. He sucked in a quick breath and then ran through the door in full cop mode.
Lydia had to admit, she was a little disappointed when nothing happened. These mages really were useless. She knew that nothing catastrophically bad would happen to him. She just couldn’t resist messing with him.
“It was brave of you to come in,” Lydia said. “But aren’t you worried about whatever is going on here that is causing a bunch of trained mages to run around panicked?”
“I’m obviously worried,” he said.
She decided to tone it down. He looked pretty stressed. And truthfully, she had no idea what was going on.
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