“Helene?”
Her eyes flew open. “Sweet Mother Earth, you must have nine lives.”
“Can we cut the tether?” Janine asked.
“No, it has to be extracted. There can’t be any pieces left behind.” Helene frowned as her eyes landed on me.
I closed my eyes and listened to my heartbeat. Picturing the blue glow of the tendril, I imagined my strong hands gripping it. “Pull the tether, Helene.”
“It will break,” she insisted.
“Do it now!” I poured all my might into ripping the strand from my heart muscle.
A blast of light shot through my vision, and everything went dark.
I woke to yelling.
“You almost killed that boy,” Janine shouted at Grady.
“That was seriously sick.” Tyler ran towards the restroom.
Looking to Helene, I saw her guide the last anchor with the tether wound round it into her special box.
“Is that all of it? Is it done?”
“That depends on how you feel.”
“I feel better.” I raised my torso. “Lighter, warmer.”
“Normal warm, or fever warm?”
“Normal.” I sat up straight.
Grady had corralled Janine to the corner of the room, and they spoke in hushed tones. I wondered if she worried about Camille undergoing the same process. At least when Camille’s brand would be extracted, she’d have time to take it slow. We’d figure out something for the pain. Wanting to give them privacy, I spun my legs to the floor. After a few seconds, I stood and, placing one foot before the other, made my way upstairs. In the bathroom, I started the shower. Letting the warm water roll over me, I thought through what needed to happen next.
I dressed and sat on the bed in a cross-legged yoga pose, relaxing all my muscles. If the barrier spell needed to be in place for a month or more, I wanted to get it right. Remembering the words and repeating them out loud, I secured Helene to the main and basement levels of the structure. I packed my one extra outfit in my backpack and headed downstairs.
“Someone’s ready to go,” Helene commented.
“If they could sense my tether, they might be able to locate us.”
Grady rubbed the back of his neck. “Didn’t think of that.”
“What will happen to me if they come once you’re gone?” Helene inquired.
“You’re safe. I spelled you inside this house and created a barrier spell. We’re the only witches that can get in.”
“Could you at least go get my cat for me?”
“No time.” My eyes landed on Grady. “You arranged food for her?”
“Yes, and I have the plane tickets.” He held his phone in the air.
“We should move then.”
Wringing her hands, Janine stood and faced me. “My head is still spinning from you almost dying. You know your heart stopped. You had no pulse an hour ago. Maybe we should have you checked out at a hospital.”
I crossed to my shoes. “I’m fine. We need to go. You’re ready, right?”
“Come on, Mom, I’ll help you with your bag.” Tyler slung a pack on his back and picked up her bag.
A horn sounded. “That’s us.” Grady lifted his backpack.
I spun to face Helene, wondering if I could ever repay her. “Thank you. You don’t know how much your help means to me. I’m sorry I have to leave you like this.”
“It was an honor. You get that girl and bring her to me. I will take care of her.”
“I will. Thank you again.” I offered my hand to her, but she wrapped her arms around me.
“God bless you, child.”
The flight took over thirteen hours, but I was grateful it was direct. When we landed, the sun had passed its apex but still hung high in the sky. As we exited the airport, I stopped and closed my eyes, face to the sun.
“Happy to be home?” Janine asked.
“Yes, and happy to see the sun.”
We took a cab to my family’s safe house in the middle of the city. As we rode, I checked behind us to make sure we weren’t being followed. I directed the cabby to stop a few blocks from the residence.
“The city of angels. It’s good to be back,” Grady commented as we walked.
“Any significance for witches there?” I asked.
“It’s beautiful here. The vampires flocked here, and so did we.” He shrugged as I led them down the alley to a flight of stairs.
At the bottom, a thumb print and retinal scanner checked my identity, and the outer door opened. It slid shut behind us.
Tyler’s scanned the space. “Wow, this place is—”
“Smart,” Grady supplied.
“Oh, my heavens.” Nan’s hands went to her cheeks as Pop opened the door. “What did they do to you? You look so thin.”
“Nothing some home-cooked meals can’t fix.” I wrapped my arms around her, giving her a good squeeze.
“Let them in, dear.” Pop stepped to one side of the hall. “You guys must be exhausted. Come on in.” He ushered everyone to the main room.
After introductions, they showed us to our bunks.
“Only two rooms, but we had some extra beds brought in.” Pop opened the door to a room with bunk beds on two of the walls.
“The bathroom is down the hall.” Nan switched on the light. “Blankets and towels in the closet.”
“Thank you.” Janine set her bag beside one of the bunks.
We stowed our luggage and met in the main hall.
“Eager to get to work, eh?” Pop asked.
“We slept on the plane. Time is crucial.” I turned over my arm. “It took a week to get this off. We have to find these two special witches as soon as possible.”
Pop sat down on one of the sofas. “Well, how can I help?”
“Do you have connections? Witches you trust? Have you heard any rumors about anything out of the ordinary?”
“We’ve kept to ourselves for a long time. I wouldn’t know where to start.”
“Do you recognize the name Chalondra? She is a seer and posed as a fortune teller at a bookstore owned by vampires.”
“Chalondra?” Pop looked to Nan.
“She’s very old, survived the Salem witch trials,” I supplied.
“All of us new world witches that are still around did.” Pop chuckled.
“If we find the vampires she was friends with, maybe they’ll lead us to someone who knows where she is. Their leader is Fahim. He owned the bookstore. He’s the oldest vampire in the area.”
I grabbed the laptop from the desk and started a search for independent bookstores. Finding a website listing locally owned shops, I typed in Los Angeles and specified a ten-mile radius. The search produced twenty, but ruling out children’s and campus bookstores brought the count to fourteen.
“We can knock this out in a day if we split up.” I sent the document to the printer.
Grady shook his head. “We’re not splitting up. It’s too dangerous. It’s risky to be out at all.”
“We wore these special bracelets in Iceland. They blocked our magic. If we used those, we could wear hats and be anybody.” Clicking through several websites, I found a local store that carried the stone bracelets. “There’s a store that’s not far.”
Pop tapped his knuckles on the coffee table. “We have a delivery guy. He can get you anything you need in half a day. But, unregistered vampires are dangerous blokes.”
“I can handle a vampire or two. Here.” I wrote down what we needed from the jewelry shop. “Can you give the delivery guy this information? Maybe we can knock at least four off the list tomorrow.”
“You all have to be tired and hungry. Why don’t you freshen up, and I’ll make some dinner?” Nan rose to her feet.
The others retired to the sleeping quarters, but I followed Nan and Pop to the kitchen.
“You should go see your mom before you disappear again,” Nan told me, opening the fridge.
“Did you tell her I was coming back? I’m not sure I
can spare the time right now. I guess I could give her a call.”
“You know she doesn’t like to use technology.”
I leaned in close to them as they started to prep for the meal. “I know what she is,” I whispered.
“Well, then you know what challenges she faces.” Pop set six steaks on a grilling pan.
“I’m not sure I fully understand, but at least I get it a little more.”
Nan grabbed a pot from the cabinet. “They don’t know?”
“It’s complicated. Grady’s parents were killed by a group…” I let the words hang in the air.
“Well, it’s your story. We will honor that.” Pop closed the oven and picked up a couple of potatoes. “You need a coven though.”
“I was hoping I could join yours.”
Pop stopped chopping midway through the potato and set the knife on the countertop. “I’d be honored.”
We stood in a circle in the middle of the kitchen. Pop, then Nan, made a slice on their palms, and I followed suit. Letting the blood pool in a bowl, we took turns drinking. Pop recited the coven-binding incantation, and my chest surged with warmth.
“Thank you.” I hugged Nan and then Pop.
“I’m guessing it was a little different when they initiated you into Michael’s coven.” Pop went back to cutting the potatoes.
“It felt like a cold block of lead hung around my neck. I can’t fathom how Dad did it.” I found a pot and started to fill it with water.
Nan wound her arm around my shoulders. “He was protecting you.”
I’d never felt Dad thought about me in any decision he made. It always seemed like everything he did, he did for himself. Perhaps Nan was right. I prayed Dad hadn’t aligned himself with Sonia. Shaking off the thoughts, I pitched in, helping prep the vegetables and sear the steaks. Nan baked fresh bread, and the smell of the home-cooked meal reminded me how safe I felt with them.
As we sat in the living room after the meal, the lethargy from filling our stomachs getting the best of us, Pop spoke up. “So, you guys know anything about fighting vampires?”
“Who said anything about fighting vampires?” Janine stuffed her hands under her legs.
“Well, you’re going looking for them. They usually run in packs.” Pop moved to the front of his seat.
Tyler leaned forward. “Okay, so how do we fight vampires?”
“You do not.” Grady pointed at him. “You run, and Jude and I will fight them if things go south. Strong vampires have the power to rip your head from your shoulders, and their venom will incapacitate you in seconds.”
“Of course, vampires really have fangs and venom. Is there anything pop culture got wrong?” Tyler stood and paced to the wall.
“The sparkly thing.” Nan laughed.
“They’re fast and beguiling. Can never be too careful around them.” Pop put in.
“All I have to do is burst every blood vessel in their brain, swing a hatchet across their neck, run a post through a chest. Witch, one. Vampire, zero.” I crossed to stand beside Tyler.
“Until they heal. Plus—” Grady started.
Janine stood. “I can’t listen to this anymore.”
“Would you like a glass of wine, dear?” Nan asked.
“That would be wonderful.”
I pushed off the bookcase I’d been leaning on. “Tomorrow we’ll start with the list of bookstores. I need a workout.”
Heading to our sleeping quarters, I grabbed my clothes and changed. It’d been a week since I’d done any cardio, and I needed to be in shape. The bunker included a small room with a treadmill and a couple of weight machines, and I jogged until I couldn’t any more.
I rose early to run and lift before the others woke. After I showered, I made my way to the kitchen.
“I have eggs just the way you like them.” Nan held a plate out to me.
I kissed her cheek. “Thanks for hosting all of us.”
The eggs made me think of Camille and how she’d always save some for me when she had breakfast duty. I sat down at the table opposite Pop.
“The delivery man said he’d have your order by noon.”
“Great, thanks.”
I hated waiting. After a few hours of training with Tyler, I grew tired of sparring and retreated to the workout room again. When the bell rang, I ran to the entryway.
Pop shooed me away. “You get out of here.”
As soon as he closed the door, I approached again.
“Here you go.” He handed me the bag.
“Okay.” I turned to the group, who’d assembled in the hall behind me. “Wear one on each arm. Let’s get some lunch and head out.” I fit my bracelets in my pockets and handed the bag to Grady.
“You guys need to shower. You reek of magic.” Pop pointed at us as we sat around the table. “Nan has a special soap that will mask your odor.”
After eating, we cleaned up using Nan’s special oils soap and met at the entrance.
“Please be careful.” Janine straightened Tyler’s hat on his head.
Grady pulled on the oversized jacket he borrowed from Pop. “We’re finding a bookstore. It will be fine.”
Dressed in ball caps and wind breakers, we hailed a cab and gave the driver the address for the first bookstore. I longed to feel the warmth of the sun on my skin but sufficed to stare at the bright ball in the sky. As soon as we exited the vehicle, I knew it wasn’t the right store.
“This isn’t the one. There’s a coffee shop in front, we’re looking for a bar in the back.” I spun to tell the cabbie to stay put, but he sped away. “And we have no cab.”
“The next address isn’t far. Let’s walk.” Grady pointed east.
Not far ended up being a mile and took us twenty-five minutes with having to wait on the crossing signals. Frustrated, I stood in front of the next candidate. Seeing a lot of low-priced trinkets in the front, I huffed. “This isn’t it.”
“Just puts us closer to finding the right one,” Grady said and lifted his arm to hail a cab.
The next two took us an hour to get to, and with six o’clock approaching, we’d run out of open-store-hour time.
“We can still keep going and come back during store hours if we find the right one.” Grady pointed at the list.
“That’s a waste of time,” I snapped. “Let’s start again tomorrow.” I walked to the street, motioning for a cab. It’d been easier to not think about Camille the week in Italy with Helene. We’d been making ground, but since then we were spinning our wheels. Being lucid had me replaying every second of my decision to leave her in the tunnel.
The second day was a cookie cutter of the first, with us making it to eight bookstores and coming up goose eggs on finding Fahim’s.
“We’ve still got two more,” Grady said over dinner.
Leaving my plate half full, I pushed back from the table.
“He isn’t much on optimism, is he?” I heard Tyler comment as I made my way down the hall.
They didn’t get it. Every day I spent away from her, the hole in my chest grew. If one of my buddies had admitted he felt something like that, I would’ve told him he was going soft and to man up. I re-read Camille’s account of her visions, waiting for my food to settle enough to get in a workout.
The next morning, we set out before ten again. The space of the second shop on the list was empty, completely gutted. Approaching the door, I cupped my hands around my eyes to peer in.
“It’s not dusty.” I jiggled the handle.
“You planning on breaking and entering?” Tyler asked.
“I wasn’t until you said that.”
“Wait, there’s a number for a leasing agent.” Grady slipped his phone from his pocket and started dialing.
I took the device from him, waiting for an answer. When a Brad Smith introduced himself, I inquired about the former leaser. “They’ve been gone for about three months.”
“Can you give me a name?”
“If you want to know the history of the sp
ace—”
“Do you know a name?” I insisted.
“I never talked to the tenant directly, only to their lawyer. I could give you that number.”
“Thanks.” I waited while he pulled up the information and thanked him again once he’d given me the number.
Dialing the lawyer’s office, I knocked my hand on my thigh. “Coolidge and Frees, law firm,” a female voiced answered.
“Can I speak to Doug Coolidge, please?” I paced away from Grady and Tyler.
Doug picked up the call, and I inquired about the tenant. He told me the couple had grown older and couldn’t keep the shop, but he wasn’t at liberty to give me a name or any contact information.
“If you’re interested in the shop you should call the leasing agent,” he continued.
“Thanks.” I ended the call. “He’s not at liberty to give me any information.” I swatted the air with my fist.
“It’s a pretty derelict neighborhood, maybe we could snoop around, see if anyone knows anything,” Grady walked towards the end of the block. Approaching the alley, he turned to Tyler. “Stay behind us. Watch our backs.”
The back door was locked up tight, and I entertained showing off my strength and popping the lock. Before I could suggest it, Grady pointed down the lane to a couple of men gathered around a metal trashcan.
“Let’s ask around.”
The group of men claimed to not recognize Fahim’s name but pointed down the street to an empty building. Passing the remains of one burned structure, we entered a brick building through a door halfway off its frame.
“Stay outside.” Grady pointed at Tyler.
I slid my bracelets into my pockets and motioned for Grady to do the same. A few people lay passed out in the first room, and we made our way through the next few. A creak from above caught my attention. Pointing upstairs, I ascended to the second floor.
Three men sat around a table playing cards. The biggest one set his hand on the table. “Well, what have we here? Couple of dudes looking for some drugs? Pretty brave coming all the way up here. Or maybe you’re already high.”
“We’re just looking for some friends.” I flexed my fists.
“Well, unless you see any skirts in here, we don’t roll like that.”
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