Take Neely to force me out. Take her family to force Sue in. Problem solved. All neat and tidy.
“They were lying,” Midas said with certainty. “They wouldn’t give up leverage to control their puppet.”
Fresh tears sprang to her eyes. “I didn’t know what else to do.”
Under the circumstances, I couldn’t blame her knee-jerk reaction. “You came to us for help.”
Our meeting outside the Faraday was her cry for help. She had tried. For them, she had done her best.
Fueled by his fidgeting, Midas got to his feet. “Did the vampires give you any way to contact them?”
“No.” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “They told me they would be in touch.”
Cold comfort, but that was more reassurance than they had given us with Neely.
“Can I…?” Her throat bobbed. “What about my family?”
Rather than answer, I dialed Bishop. “Hey, I’ve got Sue here. She’s asking for a status update.”
“Hello, Sue.” She might have missed the edge of ice in his voice, but I got chills. “We located your family in an oxygenated bubble in Lake Lanier. We’ve requested assistance from a tactical witch coven to extract them. There’s a fail-safe on the ward keeping out the water. Trip it, and the pocket floods. It’s a truly nasty piece of work that will require time to finesse.”
“Dear Goddess.” Sue sank to her knees where she stood. “What can I do?”
“Put on a brave face. Train. Act like everything is fine.” I crossed to her. “We can’t tip them off we’re on to them without putting your family—” and Neely, “—in greater danger.”
The puffiness in her face resembled Midas’s earlier swelling. “Can they tell what you’re doing?”
“The coven has already decommissioned three trip wires,” Bishop told her. “They’ll be as careful as they can be, but the work is top-notch. There’s a good chance they’ll miss a trigger and set off a chain reaction that alerts the black witches, or their employer, to their presence. That’s why the coven have their aquatic rescue team on standby.”
Oh, yeah. He was hot under the collar. Otherwise, he would have fed her that information with a buffer.
I was torn on how to react to the turmoil Sue’s arrival had stirred within the city and within the OPA. For the most part, I was reduced to a puddle of mush at the unflinching support shown for me. Part of that was earned, was mine, but Linus had paved the way for me. He endorsed me, supported me, and stood by my decisions. His transference of trust got my foot in the door with the public, so to speak.
But I worried that, in a city full of predators, a person might let that loyalty tip them too far in the wrong direction. Yet another reason for having the OPA track Sue’s every move. For her own safety.
I didn’t want my reign to begin in blood. I wanted a peaceful transference of power.
But I learned long ago we didn’t always get what we wanted in life.
“You’ve laid the groundwork.” I cupped her elbows and helped her rise. “You covered your tracks well.” I wouldn’t have gotten as far as I had unraveling her trail without my team, not within the time allotted. “You only have to hold it together a little longer.”
“I was surprised when Linus Lawson appointed you as his apprentice. You’re Low Society, right?”
Behind me, Midas flinched, his hackles rising at the perceived slight.
“I didn’t mean…” Her face mottled with embarrassment. “I’ve never met a Low Society necromancer with as much magic as you. I’m impressed.” She nodded to herself, as if confirming a suspicion. “I thought the wraith must be for protection, but it’s an amplifier for your power.”
“Yes.”
There was no other answer I could share that wouldn’t give away too much. Even if it stung to hear she thought a necromancer of my station could only hold this position with help from a bonded wraith to act as my bodyguard. The fact she was right didn’t help my pride.
“I was also surprised to hear he was stepping down after such a short tenure,” she treaded more carefully. “His power is legendary within the Society. Any city would be fortunate to fall under his protection.”
“His fiancée is the Potentate of Savannah,” I reminded her. “He’s got this thing about three-hour commutes. Not a fan.”
“Ah.” Another flash of understanding flickered over her face. “I see it now.”
Raising my eyebrows, I waited for her to take the hint and explain herself.
“He chose you for your heart.” She studied me. “I should have seen it sooner.”
“Yes, well, I do keep it hidden in my chest.”
Her lips quirked. “You’re funny too.”
“Ha.” I whirled on Midas. “Told you so.”
Midas rolled his eyes, but his cheek was twitching.
“Hadley has to go to bed now,” he told Sue. “She has to train at dusk, barring any new developments.”
“I understand.” Her gaze swung back to me. “I will do anything to save my family.” Her eyes held shadows. “Anything.”
The warning hung there, and Midas heard it too. The steady growling kind of gave him away.
Sue would play nice with us, she would help where she could, but she would stick a knife in my back if it meant the difference between getting her family back or living with a lifetime of could’ve, would’ve, should’ve if we failed them.
“I have to go.” She turned toward the door. “Please let me know if you learn anything else.”
“I’ll have a member of my team loop you in on the updates.”
“Thanks,” she rasped, letting herself out into the hall.
The elevator came and went, leaving me alone with Midas, who I filled in on the call from Lockdown.
“Now we know what they want.” He raked a hand through his hair. “The question is why they want you to start the gauntlet if they don’t want you to finish it.”
“What happens in the gauntlet stays in the gauntlet?”
Accidental deaths happened in the gauntlet, along with a whole host of other injuries.
They might want me to go in so that I didn’t come back out again.
That ensured it was Sue or nothing. With chaos the alternative, she would be voted in.
“That’s not comforting.” He tipped his chin, eyes hard. “Still, you might be onto something.”
“I’m going to bed,” I announced, savoring the shock written large across his face. “Care to join me?”
“I don’t trust this.” He scanned the room, sniffing the air with narrowed eyes. “Where’s the trick?”
Really, he only had himself to blame for showing me how well I slept after we practiced mattress gymnastics. It wasn’t my fault he knew how to stick his landings.
“No trick.” I held up my hands. “I have a feeling tonight is going to be a doozy.”
Eyes narrowing on me, he searched for signs of subterfuge, but he found none. “Okay.”
We climbed up to the loft, which still saw more action than our bedroom, and flopped onto the futon.
And by that, I mean I threw him onto the futon then flopped onto him.
With no small amount of glee, I stripped him out of his jeans and tasted the skin over his hipbone. As my mouth drifted lower, I dedicated the early-morning hours to cataloguing my favorite of his groans and sighs before allowing him to return the favor.
I fell asleep sweaty, exhausted, and stupidly happy all over again that Midas was mine.
Mine. Mine. Mine.
Yup.
I had definitely been spending too much time with gwyllgi.
Nine
Bishop met me at the door with a café mocha in one hand and a chocolate croissant in the other.
“Hello, best friend in the whole wide world.” I snatched them from him. “You’re too good to me.”
“Yes,” he grumped. “I am.”
“What’s with the mood?” I bit into my breakfast. “I thought you’d be flying high
on success.”
The mystery of Sue had been solved and her family found. Now if we could say as much for Neely.
“The bubble sprung a leak.” He leaned against the doorway. “We plugged it, but it could have been bad.”
“Goddess,” I breathed. “Anything I can do?”
No snark in sight, he nodded to Midas, who exited the bedroom dressed for the night.
“Yeah.” He held up his phone and mashed play. “You can listen.”
“I have been notified of a threat against our future potentate,” a cultured voice poured into the room. “I must request to remain anonymous for the safety of my clan and our commerce.” He paused as if to give us time to erase the message or keep listening. “Clan Jefferies has availed themselves of my services unbeknownst to me.”
The temptation to roll my eyes twitched in my lids. “I bet.”
“You arrested Dean Richards and Wesley Proctor, both clan members of mine, as I’m sure you’re aware by now. As well as three others. The job they took was a standard no-contact contract, and it was accepted without any knowledge of the politics involved.”
“As in,” I interpreted, “they didn’t think twice about targeting humans but now regret their life choices.”
“That is a point in their favor.” Bishop shrugged. “They, at least, had the sense to realize they kicked a hornets’ nest. Whether it was intentional or not, we haven’t determined yet.”
With a lead-in like that, I had to ask, “As opposed to…?”
“There’s that call, from Van de Berg’s ambassador—I mean, some random and totally anonymous vampire whose voice I would never recognize after countless meetings with him and the others at the AA—and then there’s this one.”
Bishop mashed another button, and a smoky voice rasped over the line at a volume I strained to hear.
It struck me as familiar. The caller from the Lockdown board? Maybe. Maybe not. I couldn’t tell.
“Van de Berg’s people took Neely Torres and assaulted Cruz Torres.” Somehow, he managed to get even quieter. “They also trashed the POA’s obstacle course.”
There was no mention of Sue or her family, so that was interesting.
Curious what else he might say, I waited a second or two, but that was it. “Short and sweet.”
“That’s Clan Jefferies for you.” Bishop thumbed the screen. “But wait! There’s more.”
I groaned as he queued yet another voicemail.
“This is Franco Morton, Master of Clan Morton.” His title was spoken without hubris, which interested me. I hadn’t met Morton himself, only his ambassador. “I am aware of the disadvantage our people face, given your relationship with shifters in the city, and I do not wish to see my clan punished for the petty actions of a zealous few.” He gave us a moment to absorb that. “I left a gift for you at the Faraday. I hope it will convince you of my commitment to the Atlanta Alliance and my dedication to peaceful cohabitation with other Atlantans.”
A low growl pumped through Midas at the news of a gift, and he stepped aside to call Faraday security.
“The masters have spies within the other clans.” Bishop put away his phone. “When one made a call, the others stepped right up to do the same. No one wanted to be the odd man out.”
“You don’t think Morton’s offer is genuine?”
“He’s smart enough to see two clans eager to take down one another. He’s hoping to emerge on top when the dust clears. With a new potentate BFF, if his gift pans out.” He frowned. “The gauntlet is tomorrow night. He cut his act of altruism close to the wire.”
Meaning he didn’t want the other clans to have time to figure out who tattled on them prior.
The gauntlet.
Tomorrow night.
Goddess knows I had all but forgotten the date.
Midas ended his call with a tight expression and rejoined us. “We have a guest in a holding cell.”
Rubbing my hands together, I set out for the elevator. “Let’s go see what my potential bestie left me.”
An urgent call from HQ distracted Bishop, who waved us on ahead and promised to catch up with us later.
Down in security, a young male escorted us through a reinforced steel door into a dim observation area with one-way mirrored glass overlooking a mini prison-style pod with two levels of cells that extended into the basement alongside the garage.
There were four cells on each floor for a total of eight. The top row was outfitted with metal bars, two in silver and two in bronze. They were meant to accommodate shifters. Gwyllgi and wargs in particular. The bottom row were solid gray boxes of undetermined material outfitted with clear polycarbonate doors to contain vampires, humans, and fae offenders until their faction leader arranged for their release.
That was where we headed now.
Within minutes, I pitied the volunteer, who had looked so proud to be of service only seconds ago.
“Why wasn’t I notified?” Midas kept pace with our guide. “How long has she been here?”
“Apologies, sir.” The male kept his head down. “She was shoved out of a car onto the sidewalk in front of the Faraday about an hour ago with no ID. She was unconscious, so we took her to the infirmary. As soon as Abbott got her eyes open, she attempted to hex him. He drugged her, and we brought her here. Maybe ten minutes ago? We were about to call, but you beat us to it.”
“Thank you.” I smiled at the enforcer. “Can you give us a moment alone with her?”
“Of course.” Eyes on the floor, he retreated. “I’ll be right outside.”
The woman in the cell wore leggings, fuzzy socks, and an oversized tee. Her hair was caught up in a messy bun, and she wore no makeup. There were bright stains on her top from where she had wiped her fingers clean after snacking on cheese curls or another orange-dusted snack.
Clearly, she had not been expecting to get dragged out of her house this time of night.
An intercom was mounted to the wall, and Midas mashed the button.
“It’s about time,” she groused, rising from her cot. “What the hell is wrong with you people?”
Given the vampires hadn’t breathed a word about the Billiards, I decided to lean on their witch instead.
“We have reason to believe you’re involved in a plot to kidnap and/or contain the Billiard family.”
“I can’t confirm or deny that accusation.” She huffed limp strands of hair out of her face. “Literally.”
Understanding spread across Midas’s features. “Magically enforced NDA?”
“You know it.” Her smile was tired, as if she had been preparing to go to bed. “I do what I’m paid to do. No more, no less.”
Her laid-back attitude grated on me. “Even if it means imprisoning children beneath a lake?”
“Even if.” She spread her hands. “Now, I assume I’m here for a reason?”
“You were delivered to us, actually.”
“Morton,” she growled his name. “I should have known better than to leave my coffee alone with him.”
Morton must have drugged her to avoid getting himself—or more likely, his henchmen—hexed for their trouble.
Midas zeroed in on her anger. “Do you often perform services for Morton?”
“He handles his business in-house.” She curled her lip. “He’s not a fan of witches. That’s why I took the meeting. I figured he must have seen the light. He was losing ground to his competition because of old prejudices. Contracting our services could have opened a whole new revenue stream for my coven.”
For us to get around the NDA to any valuable intel she possessed, I would have to test its boundaries.
“If you don’t work for Morton,” I began, feeling her out, “then why would he give you to us?”
“For that exact reason. I don’t work for him. None of us do. I have no dirt on him whatsoever.”
“Does that mean you do work for the other Atlanta clans?”
“I do work in Atlanta,” she said carefully. “There are fact
ions in Atlanta who employ black witches.”
“What do you want in exchange for your cooperation?”
“Full immunity.” She yawned, as if she didn’t have a care in the world. “Give me that, and I’ll tell you who ordered the Billiard family dunked in the lake.”
“What about the NDA?”
“Well, I didn’t mean me. I meant my sister. She can speak freely.” She twisted a ring around her finger. “She might have accidentally overheard the terms and conditions from the next room. Since she wasn’t in the room, or technically present for the reading, she wasn’t required to sign the papers.”
Which explained why she wasn’t sweating us holding her. She held the upper hand, and she knew it.
“We’ll send someone by shortly to collect your sister’s contact information.” Once we had two of them, I would let the enforcers play them off each other while questioning them about Neely. “She can come in, give her testimony, and once her information is verified, you’re both free to go.”
The black witch scrutinized me. “How do I know you’ll hold up your end of the deal?”
“You’ll have to roll the dice, just like us. We’re risking a lot more in trusting you than you are in us.”
Sulking, she padded back to her cot and flopped down to wait.
I switched off the intercom and dared to hope we had finally turned a corner in this case.
“We wait for the sister,” Midas said, proving he could read my mind at times. “We see if their stories match, then we drill them for information on Neely’s whereabouts. The voicemails, and Morton’s special delivery, are enough to turn them on their employers, if they need more motivation.”
“Yeah.” I had to believe that. “Do you mind if I call in Bishop to handle this?”
He was right upstairs, and he had a knack for getting people to talk.
“I’ll handle it.” He stared through the glass at her. “Personally.”
“Thank you.” I rose on tiptoe to kiss him. “I’m heading to HQ.”
Bishop and I could share a ride there then put out whatever fire had held him up in the apartment.
“I’ll call you as soon as I’m done here.”
As I drifted into the lobby, I noticed Hank, who waved me over to him.
The Epilogues: Part I: Badge of Honor (The Potentate of Atlanta Book 6) Page 10