Fire Within

by Ally Shields

  “Can’t you take someone with you? Like Andreas?”

  Ari tapped a finger on the desk. Lilith was prying for information. “No, I haven’t seen him in months,” she said curtly. She hoped Lilith got the point this was an unwelcome topic.

  “Um, still like that, is it? Kind of hoped you’d worked it out, but I guess the rumors are true.”

  Ari almost asked, what rumors, but caught herself in time. Lilith never had been shy about saying what was on her mind, no matter how intrusive, and she was waiting for Ari to encourage the personal conversation. When she didn’t, Lilith let it drop. Of course, Ari would now continue to wonder what Lilith had heard. After all, there wasn’t much to know. Their split had been a very public affair. She had ordered Andreas to stay away from her in front of several witnesses.

  Lilith sighed. “Guess I better meet you somewhere. Can’t let you go into that place without backup.”

  The offer caught Ari by surprise. She and Lilith hadn’t been that chummy, and Ari hadn’t called in all these months. “Thanks, but you don’t have to do that.”

  “No, I don’t,” the lioness agreed. “But we were a team, and someone has to watch your witchy back. Say seven o’clock, outside the bar?”

  * * *

  Lilith lounged near the front entrance, her body illuminated by the bright, neon lights. “Ready for this?” she asked.

  Ari shrugged and strode toward the door. Once inside, she paused to let her eyes adjust to the dim interior. The Second Chance Saloon fit into a large, cavernous room with a bar counter on the left wall and upwards of thirty round tables sprawled over the remaining area. It swarmed with vampires. Ari spotted a dozen or two lycanthropes and two halfling demons scattered in the crowd. The tables were packed, and clusters of Otherworld patrons stood in the aisles. Black leather and chains were standard attire. Ari’s witch senses reeled with information: cigarette and cigar smoke—no bans in the Otherworld—spilled beer, the rancid smell of animal, the pungent odor of over-stimulated sex glands, and the almost overpowering presence of Otherworld energy. Sometimes sensitivity was a handicap, and Ari hurried to shut down much of her alert system.

  Lilith and Ari were dressed in simple jeans and shirts to blend with the bar crowd. Not that they would go unnoticed. Lilith’s size D’s always drew plenty of male attention. And management had been watching them from the moment Ari flashed her Guardian ID at the door. It had been the only alternative to giving up her weapons. A silver knife was concealed in her waist sheath, protective charms on a bracelet tucked inside her sleeve, and a derringer loaded with two silver bullets in an ankle holster. She liked to be prepared. The witch fire was reserved for only critical situations, and she never willingly surrendered her weapons.

  They mingled with the crowd for a while, occasionally approached by guys with a questioning eye. Each was brushed off with a hard look. Ari carried a beer in one hand for show; Lilith sipped at hers. The heavy metal music and crowd noise were deafening and escalating by the minute. They’d made it halfway around the room, when Lilith tugged on Ari’s sleeve.

  “There’s Rayden. Now what?”

  The vampiress she pointed to was talking with two male vamps. Rayden held a glass of red wine in one hand and was running her other hand up and down the arm of one of her male companions. The long, straight, black hair, red miniskirt, black blouse, and black boots gave her a rather Goth look. So original.

  When Ari stopped in front of Rayden, the vampiress looked her up and down with a neutral eye.

  “Are you Rayden?” Ari asked.

  “And you are?”

  “Arianna Calin. Is there someplace we can talk?” They were practically shouting at one another to be heard.

  “About what?”

  “Jules.”

  The vampiress scowled, vibrating with sudden tension.

  Hmm. Touchy. Rayden hadn’t made a hostile move, so Ari waited, keeping a bland face and minimizing her own reaction. Not that she wasn’t alert. Every witch sense was on fire.

  “Name’s familiar. You a cop?” Rayden finally asked. “I don’t talk to cops.”

  “I’m the Guardian for Olde Town.”

  “Same difference.” Rayden started to turn away.

  “No, it’s not the same,” Lilith said, stepping forward. “She helped us protect Prince Daron last year. Almost got herself killed to save him.”

  “Is that so?” Rayden looked at Ari with interest this time. “Lilith, I didn’t know you hung around with humans.”

  “I don’t remember doing so. If you mean Ari, she’s a witch. Something wrong with your nose?”

  “Watch it, kitty. She’s got human in her blood. I can smell it.” The vampiress sniffed and stared at Ari’s neck. “Makes me thirsty.”

  A big vamp dude suddenly appeared next to them. “Anything wrong here, Guardian? You got business in our establishment?”

  “Nothing wrong. You the management?” Ari said, standing her ground.

  He nodded. “Close enough. We don’t want any trouble.”

  “There won’t be any. Just having a chat. And I won’t be long.”

  He looked at the vampiress. “That how you see it, Rayden?”

  “Run along, honey. We’re not going to break any of your chairs.”

  She gave him an evil smile, but he acted reassured. He shrugged, ended his involvement with a brief, “Keep it civil,” and walked away.

  Ari turned back to the vampiress. “I didn’t come here to discuss my parentage. I’m trying to find out what happened to Jules. I thought you’d be interested.”

  “Human bitch’s brother shot him. What else is there to know?” Rayden’s voice was taut, angry. “And you got him locked up where I can’t reach him.”

  “What if that’s not what happened? But, if you’re not interested…” Ari turned to walk away.

  “Wait.” Rayden reached out a hand as if to grab her, but then seemed to think better of it. “Are you serious?” She sounded less certain now. And definitely interested.

  “Yes,” Ari said, giving her a direct look. “Want to talk now?”

  “How about we step outside?” Lilith suggested.

  Rayden’s gaze flitted back and forth between them. She nodded, set down her wine glass and led the way—long strides, hips swaying. Ari ignored the runway walk and followed her outside, Lilith close behind.

  Once on the street, Rayden lit a cigarette and inhaled deeply, letting the smoke roll from her nostrils. She didn’t have to worry about lung cancer, but being a vampire didn’t prevent her from looking ridiculous. Ari refrained from making a smart remark.

  “Now what’s this all about?” Rayden demanded.

  “It’s possible the man in jail isn’t guilty. Police didn’t find a gun. Without a weapon, I find it hard to believe a human could kill a vampire. Who else wanted Jules dead?”

  Rayden frowned, staring into the night. She gave a short laugh, a sound without humor. “Oh hell, are you thinking it was me? You’re so wrong.” Her voice lost its edge. “Not Jules. Never. He was my mate.”

  “A mate who chose another woman,” Ari prodded.

  “For now.” The vampiress gave her an arrogant tilt of the head. “I was pissed all right, but I got over it. The bitch is human. She’ll get old and die, and Jules would be back. I could be patient.” She drew the cigarette smoke deep into her chest. “Thought there was plenty of time.”

  “The threats didn’t sound like you got over it. I heard Jules had to tell you to stop.”

  “What threats?”

  “Writing in blood, harassing phone calls. I call those threats.”

  Rayden laughed again, dry, raspy; it caught in her throat. “A little fun. Jules asked me not to scare her, so I quit. That’s all there was to it. He knew I’d wait for him.” Rayden lifted her shoulders in a slow shrug.

  “Did he have other enemies?”

  “What kind of question is that? Everyone has enemies. But Jules wasn’t the aggressive type. We even argued ab
out it. He needed more backbone. You’re wrong looking for his killer among the vampires. We don’t use man-made weapons, especially guns. We take…a more personal approach.” She flicked an ash away. “If it’s not the bitch’s brother, then look for another human killer or maybe one of the lycanthropes. They like their guns.” She threw the butt down and ground it out with the toe of her shoe. “I’m really sorry I don’t know who did this. If you find out, give me a call. I’d be happy to dispose of him for you. It would give me something useful to do.”

  Rayden’s eyes flashed with the need for violent release. She was definitely angry enough to kill, but Ari wasn’t certain if the anger was fueled by Jules’s death or by his desertion.

  “Damn,” Lilith muttered as soon as Rayden stalked back into the bar. “Wouldn’t want to have a serious tangle with her. Happy I didn’t know Jules.”

  “She’s furious, but why?” Ari asked. “If Jules had turned Lorraine, made her one of them, she’d be around forever. Rayden would have been permanently out in the cold. She says she wouldn’t kill him, but I wonder.”

  Lilith shook her head. “She’s too possessive to let him go. Now if it was the human girlfriend who was dead…”

  No doubt about that. Ari wasn’t so sure Lorraine was safe even now.

  Chapter Four

  By dawn the next morning, Ari was concerned about her own safety. Not the physical kind, something much worse. Her fingers trembled as she dialed Rosalina’s number. She had woken just minutes earlier in a cold sweat. Disoriented. Heart pounding. Andreas had visited her dreams again, only this time he’d beckoned and whispered her name. Ari shivered, remembering how she’d reached a hand toward him, wanting to go. A part of her knew better, and the inner struggle had saved her, waking her in time.

  “Answer the phone, Rosalina!” She huddled on the bed; arms clutching her knees against her chest, phone trapped to her ear by one shoulder. This was beyond nightmare. Whether to be bound to him by magic or fate—it was unthinkable.

  Rosalina answered on the fourth ring.

  “I have to see you.” Ari heard the desperation in her voice and took a steadying breath. “Soon.”

  “Arianna? Is something wrong?”

  “I’m having dreams.”

  “Of a man?” Rosalina chuckled. “About time.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Oh? Then why are you calling me?” Rosalina asked shrewdly. “Don’t tell me Ramora’s story frightens you? Aren’t Guardians fearless?”

  “No. I don’t know. Just tell me when I can see you.”

  Rosalina stopped the questions, no more teasing. They agreed to meet that night at dusk, the night of the full moon, when the seer’s powers would be strongest. The best time to petition the Goddess for answers.

  Ari curled back under the covers, but sleep eluded her. She didn’t want to talk with Rosalina. But she had to know the worst, didn’t she? What if it was true and she was bound for life to a vampire? What on earth would she do then? She lay and thought about it for a long time.

  Maybe she could kill him.

  * * *

  An hour later, as dawn was breaking, she struggled into the shower and turned the water toward hot. The pounding heat gradually loosened her tense muscles. If only her brain were so easily soothed.

  With all day to kill, Ari made plans to stay busy. Brierly, the little town where Rosalina lived, was only an hour away. Rather than brood, she decided to interview witnesses in Eddie’s case and visit the magic lab for Gillian’s report. Lewis Hampton, the first witness to reach the parking lot, was at the top of her list. After that, Lorraine’s mother, maybe, for a different perspective on the situation. And, time permitting, she looked forward to quizzing Harold Shale about the counseling sessions. There had to be a missing piece to this puzzle. Although Ryan or his officers would have talked with all the witnesses by now, maybe Ari would ask something different or hear a different answer. After all, she wasn’t looking for more evidence to prove Eddie guilty. Ryan had enough of that. She was looking for something that didn’t fit.

  Lewis Hampton—pudgy, balding, and fidgety—waited for her beside Merchandise Mart’s customer service counter. They exchanged names, and Lew, as he introduced himself, led the way to a small office at the back of the store. When he’d turned away, Ari wrinkled her nose at the strong odor of his nervous sweat. What was making him so upset? His gait was awkward, his breathing labored. She hoped he wouldn’t have a seizure or heart attack during the interview.

  “Is something wrong?” she finally asked.

  “Only got 30 minutes,” he said, as he sat down, his trousers pulling tightly over his ample thighs. “We have quotas in Appliance. I could get fired if I don’t make my quota.” He craned his neck toward the front door as if he might be missing a potential customer. “The boss is covering for me. He doesn’t like to do that.”

  “OK, we’ll keep it brief. Tell me what you witnessed Saturday night at the Woodland Inn.”

  “The shooting, you mean. Well, I really didn’t see it happen. I was inside having a beer with my friend Marty, and we heard the shots.”

  “How many shots?”

  “Three or four. Don’t remember exactly. Anyway, I stuck my head out the door to see what was happening. It was already over.” Hampton ran his finger around the collar of his shirt and tugged, as if it was hard to breathe.

  Ari started wondering where the store’s defibrillator was. What would Hampton be like if he was the one in trouble? She wanted to get this interview over for both of them. “What did you see?” she prompted.

  “That vampire, Lorraine West’s boyfriend, was on the ground. Blood on his head. And her brother Eddie was there. The officer told me the vamp was dead. I mean, really dead. I didn’t know they could be killed.”

  Ari didn’t say anything. It was a normal misconception. In fact, there were three or four ways even humans could kill a vampire. Silver bullets was one. She didn’t enlighten him on the rest; the last thing she needed was citizens carrying stakes, flamethrowers, or swords to behead vampires. Even after the treaties, too many humans struggled with the concept of vampires-as-equals.

  “Did you see a gun? Or any other weapon?”

  “No. Funny, isn’t it? The cop asked me the same thing. Where’d it go?”

  “You tell me. Did you see anyone else outside?”

  “No, just Eddie. Maybe someone was hiding or escaped.”

  “Is that possible? How long did you wait before looking outside? Seconds or minutes?”

  He didn’t hesitate. “Seconds.” He wiped his forehead with one hand. “I was right next to the door. Oh, I see what you’re getting at. Should have seen somebody running away.”

  If the killer or accomplice was human, yes. Ari considered whether someone could have blended with the crowd and slipped away during the excitement. But she didn’t think that was the answer. Bar customers were a tight bunch; they would have noticed a stranger. Certainly one with a gun.

  “When you first saw Eddie, what was he doing?”

  “Nothing. I guess he was looking at the body. I yelled at him, asked what happened, but he didn’t seem to hear me. I don’t think he talked to anyone. Not ‘til the cops came.”

  “And, what did he tell them?”

  “Couldn’t hear. Too noisy. And the cop pulled him off to the side.”

  So the alleged confession couldn’t be corroborated by this witness and probably not by anyone else in the crowd. Maybe defense counsel could make something of that. Ari didn’t believe the officer had lied, but the defense lawyer could always raise the issue.

  Hampton glanced at his watch. Ari asked him about other possible enemies of the vampire, but he frowned and shrugged, looked at his watch again. She gave up and sent him back to work. The interview had been a bust, except for one small detail: the weapon had been missing before the bar crowd spilled into the parking lot. That meant none of them took it.

  That brought her up against the s
ame blank wall. Where had it gone? Someone else had to be involved. A different shooter or an accomplice. Whoever it was, Eddie was protecting him or her. But why? Fear for his own life, protecting a friend? Or was Eddie being paid for his silence? As for potential accomplices, Ari couldn’t imagine Eddie hiring someone to do the job for him, and if he had, why would Eddie be caught at the scene? Nothing about this made sense, including the fact this imaginary person had gotten away without being seen. Unless the killer wasn’t human, someone with supernatural speed. But why would Eddie cover for an Otherworlder?

  * * *

  When she called Shale & Associates to set up an appointment, the secretary said Shale wouldn’t be available until 2:00. That left sufficient time to speak with Mrs. West first.

  Just after the lunch hour, Ari rang the doorbell. Thelma West invited her in, offered coffee, and they were soon seated in her cozy kitchen, complete with colorful towels and a rooster cookie jar. For a moment, Ari envied the normal household Eddie and Lorraine must have had, until she remembered the alcoholic father. The home didn’t reflect any of that disruption. The thought gave her a new perspective, a reminder that sometimes appearances were only surface deep. If Mrs. West could successfully hide that flaw in their lives, what else was hidden behind her motherly mask? Ari picked up her coffee cup. Maybe she was getting too cynical.

  “Great coffee,” she said, after the first sip.

  Mrs. West smiled. “Thank you. I wish I had something else to offer you, but I took the brownies to Lorraine’s. She’s having so many callers.”

  Ari studied Eddie’s mother. The signs of a traditional lifestyle were written all over her and her tidy kitchen. The dark blue dress, nylons, and low-heeled pumps were conservative. Ari wondered if she even owned a pair of jeans. Tailored slacks, maybe, but no jeans. The faded auburn hair, turning gray around the temples, was styled in short, tight curls. The woman’s manner was gracious, and Ari assumed it rarely changed regardless of the provocation.