"That's a lot of blood."
"I think this was probably where our victims were attacked. There's no sign of the boy though." Levi shook his head and continued to walk forward.
"For his sake, I hope he's still alive, and if not, I hope he went quickly." Mario bent down and touched a blade of grass. "Those teenagers did not. They suffered because no one could stop the bleeding and the pain."
Levi turned and looked at where Mario was. "I'd hate to think of a child going through that."
"I texted Oliver to come out. He said he'll be here soon, but that we owe him."
Levi pressed his lips together. Of course they owed him. Because Oliver rarely did things for free. "We'll figure out payment later."
Mario stood and walked back through the veil blocking the scene. Levi followed him. "While we wait, let's mark the area where the scene changes, so we have a reference when Oliver gets here."
Mario snorted. "What I want to know is how Oliver missed this."
"We also missed it." Levi pointed out. "We never really questioned how the boys just appeared. We assumed that a creature dropped them off and not that they stumbled out." Levi paused for a moment. "Maybe the teens weren't set free. Maybe they escaped."
"If only they were alive to tell us." Mario shook his head. "The only way those kids will speak now is if we get a necromancer involved."
Levi shook his head. "Not an option. Tomes is the only one I know of, and he's being held for his crimes." Tomes had raised zombies and used them to kill. Something was keeping him from earning a death sentence right now, so he was just being held. Levi started picking up rocks and pebbles that he could find to put them in front of the barrier. "We should have time before Oliver gets here. I'd like to talk to the doctor about the teens. See if maybe they mentioned anything that might give us some insight into this."
Mario nodded. "Go talk to the doctor, and I'll mark the path."
Levi nodded and took himself to the clinic.
Levi appeared in front of the clinic door and walked in. The same receptionist that he'd seen the night before was at the little desk. "I need to speak to the doctor."
"He's with a patient right now, so you'll have to wait. I'll let him know that you're here." She stood up and walked down the hall, leaving Levi alone in the waiting room.
Levi had half expected the clinic to be closed this late, but in a town of supernatural creatures maybe it kept different hours than a town that was majority human. He sat down in one of the chairs and crossed his arms to wait. After an hour the doctor finally came out, following him was the woman Ira had bitten.
"I'm sorry, until we can find a witch that can cleanse the power from you, there's nothing I can do for the vampire bite."
She growled. "So this monster owns me, more or less, because he fucking had me kidnapped and fed from me?"
Levi pressed his lips together. Ira didn't do anything without a purpose, so what was his purpose for doing this to the woman? Why her out of all people, and what did he want to accomplish? Her eyes shot to Levi,
and she growled at him. "Stupid bloodsuckers."
Levi refused to try and defend himself. There would be no changing her mind as long as Ira had his power in her. He waited for her to walk out the door before he stood and greeted the doctor. "I'm sorry to interrupt your night, but I wanted to ask you about the teenagers we found."
"I told your friend that they died of blood loss."
Levi nodded. "I wanted to know if maybe they had said something to you before they passed. Anything, no matter how odd or insignificant it may seem."
The doctor met Levi's gaze. "They were rambling nothing more than a dying man's prayer before their lives left them. There was no hint, no clue, nothing as to what happened to them."
"What were they praying about?"
"Going home, a lady in white, the such that suggest they see a bright light." He shrugged. He tucked the information away and nodded. "Thank you, doctor."
"Are you making any headway?"
"We are working on a couple theories." Levi turned away from him. "Have a good night. Thank you for taking a moment to talk to me."
"Of course. We want this solved just as much as you do. We need to find Laura's brother."
They did, but currently, everything seemed like a dead end or had very little promise. Levi left without another word, going back to the park to find Oliver standing there with Mario.
"What do you make of it, Oliver?" Levi crossed his arms as he approached the two.
Oliver glanced at him. "A really well-done glamour spell."
Levi raised a brow. "So good you didn't realize it was there?"
"I didn't come this far in. I watched from afar. Trace spells are hard to control, and they take a lot of energy. I was able to view the park through it, but I didn't wander."
Levi locked his jaw, and it was Mario that answered. "Had you wandered, we could have found this place, and you could have figured out what happened beyond the glamour spell. Could the whirlwind have been a spell?"
"Possibly, if the witch or warlock is this skilled at magic they could have caused an illusion like a whirlwind." Oliver put his hands in his pockets. "I don't have the energy right now to do another trace spell, tomorrow night I might be able to."
Levi thought for a moment. "What if you had another witch or warlock to help you?" Abigail had managed it with help, and she was untrained in the spell, surely Oliver could do it with help.
"I could find a witch or warlock to help, but it would have to be a local one because Lauren threatened to murder me if I brought anyone else in." Oliver's voice showed no real concern over the threat.
"You failed to mention that. Could Laura help you?"
Oliver was quiet for a moment. "She could. Her emotions and close proximity to the situation could help fuel the spell and make it stronger."
"You sound unsure," Mario said.
"Well, when it comes to sharing my magic with a stranger, I'm unsure, because I don't know what the result may be. But I will ask her. Only because I know a little boy is missing. I will let you know what her answer is." Oliver turned and walked past the vampires, back towards the town.
Oliver stopped. "Oh, Levi, I have a bit of information for you." He looked over his shoulder. "I know who the target of the bombing was, and it wasn't Abigail."
Levi stiffened. "I never thought it was her."
"I'm pretty sure that it was Nikolas."
Levi frowned. "Why would he be the target?"
"Abigail's cased turned up a man working for the lab. She's pretty sure that there's a witch in PIB working with him."
"Ira planted the person?"
Oliver nodded. "That's my theory."
"To kill Nick?"
"Because that would leave Abby without a partner." Oliver shrugged. "Just a theory, but I suppose it's none of my business since you want me to back off."
Levi kept his growl in. "I'll look into it." He had never considered that Nick could be keeping Ira away from Abby during the day. Even if Nick wasn't aware of it, he had been more useful than Abby or Levi had considered.
Oliver continued walking without Levi responding. Mario crossed his arms. "That was an interesting little tidbit."
"Yes, it was. I hadn't considered it at all." Levi shook his head. "Ira hasn't been making direct attacks on Abigail, every attack on her he's used his flunkies."
"So how long until he makes a direct attack?"
"I don't know." Levi pressed his lips together. "But we have a little boy to find, let's focus on that, and then I will see if I can talk to Abigail."
"I think we are done here tonight. There's the ex to talk to, and Oliver is talking to Laura. There's nothing more we can do." Mario shrugged.
He spoke the truth. Levi bowed his head and disappeared, taking himself home.
Ira looked up when his
informant walked in the door. "You better have good news for me."
"The explosion has distracted PIB, and it killed the intended target. Abigail is being moved to the north building now, but she is working with an Agent Melody Grace to finish up her current case."
Interesting, Tomes old partner. "And Jerry?"
"Still a suspect in the current murder case. Hopefully, his lies and fake alibis will keep him out of trouble." She picked at her nails. "I don't see why you don't just kill Jerry. He's screwed everything up."
"No, his test subjects are showing good results. What of the vampire PIB caught?"
"Still being held. I'm assuming PIB will assign him a death sentence. Levi came to visit him and the blood-starved according to the records. That's all I know. They won't let me near containment as a receptionist." She shivered. "Not that I want to go there."
"Have you been there before?" Ira raised a brow. "Anything you know that I should?"
"No, but I've heard stories about the precautions that they take there. That it's enough to drive people insane."
Ira leaned back in his chair. He'd known a few people to visit containment, but no one who had actually stayed there, courtesy of PIB. "Then I suggest you don't get caught by PIB."
She tossed her hair behind her shoulder. "I won't. I'm too sneaky, and like I said, they are distracted by the explosion. They lost a few good people as well."
Like Abigail's partner. Of course, if Abigail were anything like her mother, she'd still go right ahead on her case. "Keep me informed of anything else that might come up, like Abigail getting a new partner, or pulled off the case. Anything like that."
The woman bowed. "Of course."
He shooed her out with a hand and watched as she left. If Levi had been bothered by the explosion, he hadn't made any moves to show it. Abigail didn't suddenly get put into hiding, and there were no new guards suddenly at her side. Maybe he didn't care for her as much as Ira thought. No. Levi wouldn't have gone through all the cautions to hide Abigail from Ira and keep her from knowing who she really was. Levi and Elizabeth had it all planned out from step one. It was time to do a little instigating. Ira smiled. He knew where Abigail was now. He'd visited the house and seen the obnoxious yellow Hummer there.
Levi looked up from his book when Mario walked into the library. "Yes?"
"Did Oliver call you yet?"
Levi glanced at his watch and then back to Mario. "No, and it's close to dawn, he'll most likely call me at dusk." Or the bastard would wait until the middle of the day just to interrupt his sleep. "Unless he has other news."
"He texted me that he and Laura were going to do the trace spell, but I haven't heard from him since." Mario sat in a chair near Levi. "I hate to admit it, but I am actually worried about him."
Levi shook his head. "He'll be fine. He's probably just resting after the spell."
"Alright. And if he doesn't call you by nightfall?"
"Then I will call him and ask for an update." Levi put his book back up to read.
"Have you heard from Abigail?"
Levi sighed and lowered his book. "No. She needs her space right now. She's still angry at me about lying to her, I'm sure. Nick was killed, and the grief from that will hit her. If she needs anything, Clarissa is right there for her, and if she's in trouble, someone will tell me."
"You're too calm about this right now. You've been gung-ho about what's been going on the last couple nights, to see you calm is unnerving."
Levi locked his jaw. "I was trying to enjoy the rest of the night reading a book and not stressing about Abigail or the little boy we have yet to find."
Mario stood, seemingly having taken the hint. "I shall let you be then. It's about time that I went to bed anyway."
Levi nodded and pulled his book back up and settled in to read, but Mario's words were sitting in his head. If Oliver were in trouble, the warlock probably wouldn't ask for help. However, Levi should check on him just in case. Oliver was, after all, Abby's uncle, and if he were to die under mysterious circumstances, Abby would most likely blame Levi.
He put his bookmark in place and rubbed his eyes. Apparently, kings weren't allowed to relax. He put his book down and pulled out his phone and texted Oliver. "Do you have an update? Mario said you texted him."
Levi shoved his phone into his pocket and stood up. If the wizard were in trouble and daylight fell, there would be nothing that Levi could do. Just as he walked into his bedroom, Levi's phone started ringing. He pulled it out of his pocket and answered it. "Levi speaking."
What he heard was voices that would have sounded far off to anyone else, but thanks to being a vampire, he was able to hear them.
"Your own brother?" Oliver asked. "Why would you do that to him?"
Levi's stomach clenched. Was he speaking to Laura?
"Because you don't understand. He would never survive here. Not in this town." Laura's voice shook. "He was too strong to be controlled."
"Then why invite Levi and Mario to investigate if that was the case? Why not simply sweep it under the rug?" There was a rustle against the phone that sounded like fabric.
"Because we were worried about Ira, and we figured having a territory vampire around would help. We didn't think he'd actually manage to figure it out. Now, if you'd excuse me, since you're the only witness here, I need to take you out."
Levi glanced at his watch. He still had time to get there without risking too much sun exposure. Assuming he could guess right on Oliver's location. He disconnected the call and took himself to Laura's house. In the living room, he found Oliver tied to a chair with heavy chains, but in his hand was his phone. Levi wasn't even going to question how it got there. Honestly, his best guess was magic.
"Hello, Laura." Levi gave a wicked smile. "Do you want to tell me what it is that you did to your brother?"
She snarled at him and threw a hand up. Magic rushed by his head, nearly knocking him to the side. "That was a warning. Get out. Leave this town."
"I'm not leaving without the warlock."
"You have two minutes before the sun rises." Her lips curled into a sinister smirk. "You'll be a crispy vampire by the time you manage to get Oliver." She circled her hand in the air, and a red ring started to surround them. Like hell Levi was staying to fight. He turned and grabbed Oliver's shirt and took them back to Levi's mansion.
CHAPTER NINE
Levi reappeared in his living room with Oliver still chained to the chair. "What on earth happened?"
Oliver tugged on the chains. "Would you mind unchaining me first before we get into this discussion?"
Levi grabbed the chain and crushed it in his grip. Luckily for Oliver, vampire strength came in handy. "Not silver."
"She knows I'm not a vampire. There would be no point in using silver on me. However, they were hexed, so I couldn't use my magic."
"Elemental abilities?" Levi offered and crossed his arms.
"Dry fucking desert. I might have managed some movement of water, but not before she would realize what was going on and decide to kill me." Oliver put his phone back into his back pocket. "I was lucky I could pull my phone out and call you."
Levi nodded. "You would have been dead. Now, do you care to share what you've learned?"
Oliver rubbed his wrists. "Laura willingly gave her brother over to a secret coven. They had the teenagers killed because they happened to be with the boy."
It seemed too simple. "Who is this secret coven?"
"They are a dangerous one. They rival the Cult of Ra."
Levi sneered at the name. "Rival them how?"
"Power, cruelness. Where the Cult of Ra follows a code-" Oliver raised his hand before Levi could interrupt him. "This one has no code. No morals to guide them. They only take in the most powerful, typically as children."
Something wasn't adding up right. "Text me the name of the coven, and I'
ll start on research. Something doesn't sit right with me, and even if Laura did willingly turn her brother over, we need to get him back, because I doubt the mother was in on it." At least he hoped not. He couldn't imagine a mother simply letting strangers take their child.
Oliver nodded. "Now, if you would excuse me. I need to get home." He dusted his pants off and straightened his shirt. "I'd like to get some sleep before my day officially starts."
"And just how are you going to get home?"
Oliver grinned, and he just faded into the air.
Where did that nifty trick come from?
Levi shook his head at the warlock. Levi knew a spell like that took a lot of energy and talent, but he shouldn't have been surprised that Oliver held the ability. Levi stretched and groaned as his body urged him to go to bed for the day. His phone dinged, and he assumed it was Oliver's message about the coven. Levi walked to the office instead of his bedroom. He had time to do some research before he had to sleep.
He sat down in his chair and pulled his computer close. He grabbed his phone and looked at the name of the Coven. Night Snake Coven.
He typed it in and waited for search results to come up. The first few links were nothing but links to fiction stories, but about a half of a page down, he found an article on a missing child. He clicked on it and read through the text.
The article mentioned how a child simply disappeared, and the local authorities ended up bring the mother in on charges. The article didn't list what charges, but the woman swore up and down that her husband had sold the child to Night Snake Coven. The authorities looked into it but found nothing.
Levi leaned back in his chair and thought about it for a moment. Laura had said that her brother would be better off with the coven, but maybe there was a selfish reason that she would give her brother over to them. Money? Power? No, she had plenty of power. Money was an option. Husband maybe? Mario and Levi had yet to actually meet the husband.
Wasn't that strange? He hadn't been around to console his wife. He'd just conveniently been there to murder the barkeep. He pressed his lips together. He could risk going there at dusk, but he did not doubt that the moment Laura laid eyes on him, he'd be dealing with a magical trap.
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