High Stakes and Vampires (Pandora's Pride Book 2)

by Annabel Chase

  I looked away. “We’re not a couple, but I agree that Saxon is very attractive.”

  “Saxon is what?” The hybrid craned his neck to look at us as Liam returned to the roof on Maisie’s back.

  Damn vampire hearing. “Saxon is attentive,” I called. “He’ll be able to figure out what happened to the missing amulet.”

  “Not just Saxon,” Liam chimed in. “We’re a team, remember?” As he slid off her back, his expression was one of pure joy. Once again, I was treated to a different side of the werevamp, just as when he’d mentioned Mr. Cuddles.

  I offered a rueful smile. “How can I forget, Liam? We’re always together.”

  “You say that as though it’s unappealing.”

  I shook Broward’s hand. “It was great to meet you.”

  He motioned to the pegasus. “You’re not interested in taking flight?”

  I hesitated. I didn’t want to be the reason we delayed our return to Atlantica City.

  Saxon seemed to sense my dilemma. “We won’t be back until late either way, Callie. Like Liam said, it’s a rare opportunity.”

  I wasted no time mounting the pegasus. It was trickier than I expected given the creature’s height, but thankfully I was an agile climber.

  “Hold on tight,” Liam said. “She likes to dip to the side. I think she tried to have a little fun with me.”

  Saxon smirked. “Like Mr. Littleton said, Maisie is an excellent judge of character.”

  I held on to Maisie’s broad neck and she leaped off the roof, expanding her wings in the process. My stomach dipped as we climbed higher, as though attempting to reach the clouds. Up close her white wings appeared surprisingly delicate, despite their apparent strength. They shimmered with a coat of silver that I hadn’t noticed on the rooftop. The ride was nothing short of exhilarating. With the wind in my face and a lush forest below, I felt like I was back on a mountaintop with my dad. I didn’t realize how much I missed the Rocky Mountains until now. We didn’t have a house there, but if we did, I would have loved one like Broward’s—complete with a landing strip for my pegasus.

  Reluctantly I returned to the roof and thanked Maisie for the amazing experience.

  We returned to the car, where I promptly curled up on the backseat. Between the cocktail and the thrill of the pegasus, I was ready to sleep through the long ride back to Atlantica City.

  “I hate going back with no leads,” Saxon said as we drove along the dirt road that led out of the forest.

  “We have a lead,” I said, stifling a yawn. “The feather.”

  “We don’t know that it’s a lead,” Saxon said.

  Liam stared out the window at the passing scenery with a smile on his face. “I got to ride a pegasus today.” He shook his head, seemingly bemused. “Every time I think I’ve seen it all, the world shows me something new.”

  Chapter Six

  The next morning, I chowed down on a high stack of soy pancakes at the Salt breakfast buffet before my morning training session with Lloyd. I enjoyed a solid night’s sleep with no dream walking or nightmares and woke up in such a good mood that I voluntarily smiled at Oren on my way to the exit.

  When I arrived in the training room at Pride headquarters, I was surprised to see Rhea and Prunella deep in conversation with the wizard. Although I’d met the matronly assistants in passing, most of my training sessions had been limited to agents or the inner circle.

  “Good morning,” I said. “Have we enlisted the aid of helpers today?”

  “No, no,” Lloyd said. “They were just leaving. Have you met Rhea and Prunella?”

  “Not officially.” I extended a hand to Rhea first and then Prunella. “I’m Callie.” According to Tate, Rhea was a mage with a bleached mustache and Prunella was a werewolf with an unbleached one. Up close, I could see that she wasn’t wrong.

  Prunella gazed at me with round, adoring eyes. “It’s so wonderful to see you.”

  “Uh, yeah. Nice to meet you too.” I began to feel awkward under the weight of her stare.

  “We’ll speak later, ladies,” Lloyd said.

  They took the hint and exited the training room.

  Lloyd handed me a deck of tarot cards. “Sounds like you had quite the adventure in Virginia. How is my old friend Lothar?”

  “Well, we came away with no good leads, but Liam and I got to ride a pegasus, so we still consider it a win.”

  A faint smile touched his lips. “They are incredible creatures.”

  I stopped shuffling through the tarot cards. “Have you ever ridden one?”

  “No, but I have been fortunate enough to see one up close.”

  “When?”

  “Not long after the Plague broke out,” he said. “I was sent on a mission to eradicate a gang of nuisance demons that were wreaking havoc in San Francisco. The vampires believed they’d be able to handle any outbreaks in that territory.” He sniffed. “Grossly overconfident, as always.”

  I smiled. “Don’t let Natasha here you say that.”

  “Natasha is different.”

  I cast a critical eye over him. “You realize you’re bumping up against ‘my one vampire friend’ territory, right?”

  The wizard ignored me. “The pegasus was rather wild, probably from years in confinement. It can’t have been pleasant in the pocket dimension.”

  “Did it attack you?”

  He recoiled. “Gods, no, but it acted as an unruly steed for one of the demons. I do believe that particular demon was unceremoniously dumped into the Pacific Ocean during the fight in a move that was completely unrelated to our efforts.” His expression turned dreamy. “I’ll never forget those wings. Everyone should be so fortunate to lay their eyes on such true beauty at least once in a lifetime.”

  “Broward Littleton gets to lay his eyes on it every day,” I said. “Lucky guy. Do you know him too?”

  “No, only Lothar, though we’ve not been in contact for quite some time. We lost touch after the Plague.”

  I hesitated to ask my next question. “Were you actually friends with Lothar or you just knew each other from some magical social circle?”

  Lloyd squinted at me. “Why do you ask?”

  “He was meh.”

  “Meh? In other words, you disliked him?”

  I shrugged. “I mean, I didn’t drive there to befriend him, so I guess it doesn’t matter.”

  “No, we don’t always like the ones we’re committed to help. That’s part of the job we must accept.”

  “I liked Broward. Unfortunately, he didn’t have any useful info.”

  Lloyd’s thick white eyebrows lifted in surprise. “You learned nothing of interest?”

  “What do you think of an angel with dream walking abilities as the suspect?” I asked.

  “What makes you suggest that?”

  “I found a feather at the scene.”

  He perked up. “An angel feather?”

  “No, too small for an angel, but still a feather.”

  “Then why ask about an angel?”

  “Because Lothar was the only one able to open the door to the outbuilding without detection and the dogs didn’t freak out. Maybe he did it without realizing it if someone was manipulating him while he was sleeping.”

  “I suppose a mage or a witch could perform a similar act,” Lloyd said, considering the idea. “A spell that controls his actions while unconscious.”

  “Except he’s a warlock. Would a mage or witch have enough power to control a warlock? He didn’t seem to think so.”

  “I’m inclined to agree.” Lloyd produced an apple from his pocket and bit into it.

  “You’re allowed to have food in the training room?”

  “I’m old. I can do what I want.” He took another bite and chewed.

  “Abra will have your head if we have to fight an army of ants.”

  Lloyd cracked a smile. “I’d like to see her try. Her aim isn’t what it used to be.”

  I stretched my arms over my head to limber up for tr
aining. “What about the angel theory?”

  “I think you need an angel first.”

  “Good point. We didn’t interview any angels.”

  “Well, be mindful if you come across any during the investigation. Maybe then it will be a viable option.”

  “Then it’s possible?” I asked. “It’s not a completely ridiculous idea?”

  “No, I think it has some merit…in a vacuum.”

  I felt oddly proud.

  “We should get started on your training so we can tick Abra’s boxes.”

  I gave him a healthy dose of side-eye. “Hey, if you want to tick Abra’s box, that’s your business.”

  Lloyd maintained his dignified composure. “Have you been practicing with the tarot cards?”

  “In the comfort of my hotel room,” I confirmed. “I think Ingemar is going to charge me extra for disturbances.”

  “Ingemar Halpain will give you no trouble at all and that’s a promise.”

  My gaze fell on The Lovers card and my thoughts immediately turned to Saxon. I flipped to the next card. “Why is Ingemar so willing to work with the Pride? Do we have juicy info on him that we’re holding over his finely coiffed head?”

  “Ingemar is a sensible vampire. He understands the delicate dynamics of the city and that we are important supernaturals to please.”

  “How bad is the rivalry between the Potestas and the Opulentia?”

  Lloyd drew a breath. “You don’t want to find yourself stuck between them. Ingemar and Kingsley are equally vicious. You don’t create the two most powerful vampire families in the region by being soft.”

  “No, I guess not.”

  The wizard eyed me closely. “Why the interest in the vampire families?”

  “Because I live in Ingemar’s casino now and I’ve had margaritas with Kingsley, and I don’t want to find myself on the wrong side of either one of them.”

  “A reasonable plan. And here Evadne thinks you have no common sense.”

  I balked. “Is that what she said?”

  The wizard seemed unconcerned. “She raised a good point. You bolted across the country in search of a killer you didn’t know existed. Turns out—he doesn’t.”

  I stroked the poker chip around my neck. “Have you ever lost someone you loved?”

  His eyes softened. “Isn’t that a natural part of life? Losing someone you love?”

  “At my age? I’m a twenty-five-year-old orphan, Lloyd.”

  “A very capable twenty-five-year-old orphan.”

  “I noticed you didn’t say mature.”

  Lloyd suppressed a smile. “Well, I don’t think we’ve spent sufficient time together to pass judgment.”

  “Who did you lose?”

  The wizard blinked in rapid succession. “You’re here to train, Calandra, not ask probing personal questions.”

  “Fine. We’ll keep it professional.” I looked down at the poker chip. “If I wanted to enchant this chip, could I do it?”

  Lloyd pursed his lips. “I suppose you could, but why would you?”

  “It’s always around my neck. It could come in handy.”

  “It’s a poker chip.”

  “So what? How is this any different from a tarot card?”

  “Tarot cards possess a certain innate power,” Lloyd said. “That chip is simply an object one plays to take his chances.”

  I handed him the cards. “I want to enchant the chip. It feels right.”

  He studied the makeshift necklace. “Very well. What kind of spell do you have in mind?”

  “Something I’d need to access regularly, like a defensive spell.”

  Lloyd contemplated the chip. “We need to choose wisely.”

  “Always.”

  “I’ve always found an inertia spell to be a good defensive technique.”

  I gave it some thought. “Sounds like it could be used offensively too.”

  “That it could.”

  I perked up. “Let’s do that one.”

  “You must take care when using it. Depending on one’s resistance, it could have a stronger or weaker impact.”

  I frowned. “When you say stronger or weaker…?”

  “Inertia could result in knocking an opponent unconscious versus merely stunning them for a brief moment.”

  “Could I accidentally kill someone?”

  He shook his head. “Not unless you knock them unconscious in a body of water or over the edge of a cliff.”

  I shrugged. “It could happen.”

  “A poker chip doesn’t have the same intrinsic magical qualities as a tarot card, so the spell will need more overt activation.”

  “No internal connection. Got it.” I unhooked the necklace. “Let’s do this.”

  He showed me how to enchant the chip so that when I touched it and said “inertia,” the target would collapse—hopefully.

  “Can I practice on you?” I asked.

  “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

  “How do I know that it works?”

  “It works.” Lloyd smiled. “But feel free to test it on Evadne later. Just be sure she’s standing somewhere with a pillow behind her.”

  “Or a brick.” I fastened the poker chip around my neck. “So you’re a wizard, right?”

  Lloyd tugged on strands of white hair. “I believe the beard speaks for itself.”

  “I hope you don’t mean literally.” It wouldn’t surprise me to learn that the older wizard had enchanted his beard. “Do you know of any magic that allows the user to adopt other supernatural traits?”

  The wizard resumed eating his apple. “Are you asking about mimicry magic?”

  “I guess so.”

  He reached the core of the apple and tossed it into the nearby trashcan. “There are spells that allow a magic user to mimic another’s traits, but it’s a rare ability.”

  I fingered the poker chip. “Does it have to be a higher-level witch or can it be a mage?”

  Lloyd scrutinized me. “You seem to have a specific situation in mind that you’re reluctant to share.”

  “Okay, hypothetically, is there magic that would enable a mage to sprout angel wings and fly?” There. It wasn’t the exact question, but it was close enough.

  Lloyd stroked his beard. “I believe there are spells that allow this, but they’re not able to be conjured by any magic user. You must not only possess the gift of incantatio, but the ability to perform the most advanced forms of it.”

  “Can you do it? You’re a top shelf wizard.”

  “Does that make me an Ardbeg Traigh Bhan?”

  I shifted my hands to my hips. “I don’t know what that is. It sounds like you just performed a spell.”

  “It was my poor attempt at humor. Ardbeg Traigh Bhan is an excellent single malt. A favorite of mine before the Plague.” He smacked his lips as though he could taste it in the air. “No, to answer your question—I cannot mimic traits with magic.”

  “What about Abra?”

  “You’d have to ask her.” He regarded me carefully. “Which trait did you mimic? The angel wings?”

  “This is hypothetical, remember?”

  “Yes, of course.” He retrieved the tarot cards from his pocket and shuffled through them. “You do realize, Calandra, that magic users generally can’t accidentally conjure a powerful spell. It isn’t the same as inadvertently summoning a demon in your kitchen. If you were performing mimicry magic, you’d know it.”

  That ruled out mimicry magic then. I decided to ask the other question that had been on my mind. I had a captive audience with no one else around—might as well make the most of it.

  “Is it possible for humans to learn magic?”

  He was quiet for a long moment. “Your mother was human, yes? Is that why you’re curious?”

  “Yes.” It was a partial truth anyway. I liked Lloyd; I didn’t want to lie to him.

  “Obviously you picked up abilities from your father’s mage side. Your mother’s human side is irrelevant.” />
  “What if…?”

  I didn’t get to finish. The door burst open and Nita came running into the room with Saxon close behind her.

  “Result!” the werewolf declared.

  “Result?” I queried. “Did you actually just beat Saxon in a race because I find that hard to believe?”

  Nita hunched over to catch her breath, resting her hands on her thighs.

  “You’re a werewolf,” I said. “I don’t think you should be winded from the elevator to here.”

  Saxon laughed. “We took the stairwell. She even elbowed me out of the way. It was pretty impressive, actually.”

  Nita straightened, ready to share her exciting news. “I analyzed the feather you gave me.”

  I looked at her expectantly. “And?”

  “You were right,” Nita said. “It’s from a black-legged kittiwake bird.”

  I punched a fist in the air. “Yes! I knew it. In your face!”

  Nita squinted at me. “Yes, you are in my face. Please remember the concept of personal space.”

  I backed away. “It didn’t belong there, did it? The bird, not my fist.”

  Nita shook her head. “Nope. That species of bird lives nowhere near Virginia. In fact, they spend most of their lives over the open ocean. The closest land where they might come to nest is Cape Cod, Massachusetts.”

  “Is there anything you can tell us about its origin?” Saxon asked.

  I tapped my chin thoughtfully. “I’m going to go with an egg.”

  “I would suggest that you check with Lothar and see whether he has any connection to the bird,” Lloyd said. “He has certain eccentricities…I wouldn’t rule out an exotic bird collection.”

  “He had Great Danes,” I said. “No birds.”

  “It could even be from bedding that’s stuffed with feathers,” Lloyd said.

  “I’ll call him and find out,” Saxon offered.

  “And if it’s none of those things?” I asked.

  “Then this feather could be connected to the burglar,” Nita said.

  “Did you check it for prints?” Lloyd asked.

  Nita’s hand swung to her hip. “Do I look like an amateur to you? If there’d been something useful, I would’ve started with that.”

  Saxon looked at him. “Maybe you could provide more insight with a little magic. Is there a spell that could tell us more about the feather?”