by Ally Shields
“Then let’s go.”
The Riverdale Airport was small by big city standards but handled a steady traffic. Its carpeted floors were a bluish-gray, the walls a paler, nearly white version of the same shade. Modern, clean, well-lighted. Functional. But it wasn’t often asked to help with police investigations into suspicious passengers. The security officer who met them at the entrance was a young sandy-haired man who’d spent hours going through the passenger lists and scanning film.
He flashed an eager grin and shook hands with Ryan. “Glad to help, Lt. Foster.” He nodded toward Ari. “Ma’am.”
“Ari Calin,” she said. “Guardian for the Magic Council.”
“Officer Thomas McCade,” he responded. “Whatever’s going on must be big. I’ve never met anyone from the Magic Council before.”
“We appreciate your help, Tom.” Ryan smoothly took command. “Can you show us the tape?”
His eager gaze moved to Ryan, then back to Ari. “Sure can. Right this way.”
He took them up the escalators and down the hall to a small office. The film was already on his computer screen. “I think the guy you’re looking for came in three days ago.”
Ryan and Ari leaned forward to study the screen, and they watched passengers enter the airport from a Chicago flight. “There.” Ari pointed to a blond man with a dark blue carryon bag. “That’s him.” She watched as Gerhard strolled down the concourse.
He stopped to look directly at the camera and smiled.
Ari made a rude noise in her throat. “Arrogant jerk.” She straightened. “He knew we’d check, and he doesn’t care if we know he’s here.” She gestured toward the screen. “That’s incoming. Has he purchased a return ticket yet?”
“Not that I can find.”
Ari nodded at the confirmation. He was still here. What was he planning next? Possibilities began to run through her head. She grabbed Ryan’s arm. “We should go.”
“OK.” He frowned, but turned to Tom and handed him his card. “Great work. This man’s real name is Gerhard Kirsch. If you see him again, call me, day or night. Do not attempt to apprehend him, but don’t let him leave. Stall the plane if you have to.”
“Yes, sir, I’ll do that.”
Ari pulled on Ryan’s arm again, then left him and walked down the hall. She whipped out her cell phone and called Claris. It rang five times before her friend answered.
“Are you OK?” Ari demanded.
“Of course. Is something wrong?”
“I want you to leave there right now.”
“It’s after ten o’clock at night. What’s happened, Ari? You’re scaring me.”
Ari took a deep breath. “Gerhard Kirsch is in town.” She heard Claris’s gasp, but she didn’t stop. “He may go after my friends, and he probably knows who you are. I want you someplace safe. Go—”
Ryan came up beside her. “To my office. Tell her to go to the police station.”
“Did you hear that?” she asked Claris. “Ryan says to go to his office.”
“Now?”
“Now. We’ll meet you there in a few minutes.” She clicked off.
They ran toward the airport entrance, by-passed the revolving doors in favor of the crash bar entrance, and jumped into Ryan’s cruiser doubled-parked at the curb. He revved the engine, switched on his flashers, and drove as fast as the icy roads would allow.
Ari spotted Claris climbing the front steps of the station and let out a pent-up breath. Before Ryan had turned off the engine, she bounded out of the car and into the building. Claris was standing at the information desk. Ari slowed to a walk now that she had her friend in sight. Ryan came in behind her, and they hustled Claris to his office.
Ari perched on the corner of Ryan’s desk. Claris sat in a wooden visitor’s chair, and Ryan stood frowning at them both. Ari told her everything that had been happening.
Claris’s eyes grew wide. “You mean Brando’s murderer has been in Riverdale for three days? Are you guys going to kill him this time?”
Ryan frowned. “You know it’s not that simple. There are—”
“Yes,” Ari said. She met Claris’s direct gaze. “I promise.”
Ryan sighed heavily.
Ari ignored him. “But we have to keep you away from him. Gerhard is angry, and he wants to hurt me. I’m afraid he’ll target my friends, which means you’re not safe.”
“I get that.” Claris wet her dry lips. “But how can you fight him without your witch fire?”
“He’s mortal. That makes him vulnerable to regular weapons, like guns and knives. But before I take him on, I have to know you’re safe.”
“Well, I can’t go to my parents. That wouldn’t work. I doubt if they’re even in town. Rarely are.”
“He’d look for you there anyway.” Ari wrinkled her brow. “You can’t stay at our house, Gerhard is sure to go there. I don’t want you in the middle of the fighting again. Perhaps Steffan knows someone. It’d only be a week or so. Until we have the situation under control.”
“Among the werewolves? I don’t know…” Claris sounded doubtful.
“I have an idea,” Ryan said. “She can stay with my mom.”
“Oh, I can’t bother her.”
“You won’t be a bother. She’s used to a big family and likes having guests. She’d love to have you. And you’ve met her.”
“It’s the perfect solution,” Ari coaxed. “Gerhard wouldn’t expect to find you there, and you’d be comfortable surrounded by a normal human family.”
“Well, I don’t know how normal they are,” Ryan said with a laugh, “but they are human, except for my sister-in-law, Sira, who’s an elf. But I think you’ve met her too.”
“OK, if you’re really sure she won’t mind.”
Ari gave Claris a reassuring nod. She’d met Mary Foster several times—the most motherly person Ari knew. “So let’s go to your place and pick up whatever you need.” She urged Claris to her feet. “Come on. The sooner you’re safe, the sooner I can hunt Gerhard.”
“You won’t go after him alone, I hope.” Claris’s expression gave away the depth of her concern.
Ryan lifted a brow. “Not as long as I’m her partner.”
* * *
A half hour later, Claris and her white Siamese, Hernando, were settled in with Ryan’s mother.
“Now that that’s taken care of, what’s next?” Ryan asked. “Do you need to do some witchy thing to find him?”
“You mean scrying?” She cocked her head, considering the idea. “I could try, but if he’s really using the knowledge and power in the Maleficus, he’d easily make himself invisible to a probe. But I don’t think we’ll have to wait long for him to turn up. If we don’t find him soon, he’s going to find us.” She lapsed into silence until they reached the PD.
They took the elevator to his office on the third floor, and Ari slumped into a chair while he sorted through the messages on his desk. She noted the worry lines, the darkness under his eyes.
“You should go home and get some sleep,” she said. “But watch your back. He might come after you too.”
“Yeah, that occurred to me.” Ryan looked up. “I told my mom I wouldn’t be around for two or three days. If Gerhard’s watching us, I don’t want to lead him there.”
Ari closed her eyes for a moment. She hated that her friends were in this position. Too restless to sit still, she stood and went to the window. “Andreas suggested I leave town for a while. It wouldn’t be a bad plan if I could be sure Gerhard would follow me.”
Ryan slammed his hand on the desk. “OK, I’ve heard enough. Andreas certainly wasn’t suggesting you set yourself up as bait. That isn’t the answer. Not this time. You don’t have your fire magic to defend yourself. We need to go after him together, take him down before he can do more damage.”
She’d spun around when he’d hit the desk. “Ryan, I wasn’t trying to be some kind of hero, just practical.” Her cell phone rang, and she answered it, still focused on Ryan. “Hey
, Samuel. What? Anyone hurt? I’ll be right there.”
She disconnected and headed for the door. “Gerhard’s back in action. There’s been an explosion at our house.”
CHAPTER FOUR
A smoky black haze hung over the front entrance of the Victorian mansion. The yard lights were on, highlighting the eerie scene. The door, a metal facsimile of its 1800s counterpart, had been ripped from its frame, the siding charred. The snow-covered lawn was dotted with wood debris and shards of glass, including colorful sections of the stained glass window that had been over the door. Samuel and three weretigers armed with assault rifles stood in a semi-circle guarding the entrance. The wrought iron gate, usually left on automatic, was currently guarded by another weretiger. He glanced at Ari and waved them through.
She twisted in her seat and watched a fire truck race up the street. It came to a halt and the gate guard went out to talk to them. “Who called them? I doubt if our people did.”
“Probably a neighbor. There’s a lot of smoke, but I don’t see any flames. The fire must be out.” Ryan stopped his police cruiser well clear of the debris field. Samuel came over to meet them.
Ari sniffed the air. Sulfur. Not gunpowder, magic. “How’d the warlock get this close?”
“You’re sure this was him?” Ryan asked.
“Oh, yeah. Remember the magic spell that exploded on Barron’s boat a year or two ago? This was similar.” She did a quick inspection of the area and frowned. “But less damaging. He’s screwing around with us.” She turned back to Samuel. “Describe what happened.”
“The house wards went off, then the door bell. I checked the front surveillance camera but all I saw was a sack on the doorstep. Whoever dropped it off was already gone. I used the side door to go around the house, but before I got there, the sack exploded.”
“He teleported in and out.”
“If he can go anywhere he wants, why not drop it inside the house?” Ryan asked.
“The wards. He couldn’t get past them.” Ari’s smile was grim. “At least that’s something.”
Andreas stepped through the demolished front door and jumped across the debris. “I presume this is the work of our warlock.”
“I’m afraid so. Thank the Goddess no one was hurt, but the house…”
“It can be fixed.” He reached out and linked his fingers with hers. “The important thing is that everyone is fine. But we need to do something about Gerhard. He may kill the next time.” At the sound of voices coming from the front gate, he turned his head. Two firemen were walking toward him. He squeezed her hand and let go. “I will deal with the fire department.”
Ryan frowned as Andreas walked away. “He doesn’t seem very upset, not like he was when the club was torched by that demon a while back.”
Ari sighed, also watching Andreas. “We’ve been through a lot since then. Crisis has become a way of life.” Was this her fault? Why did she have this guilty knot in her gut? Maybe she should have killed Gerhard in Germany, but was there no mercy left in this world?
She waved an encompassing hand at the house and yard. “This is all pretty minor in comparison to what we’ve seen the last year or two.” She heard Andreas’s phone ring, then hers rang a minute later. She snatched it. Gabriel.
“Dammit! Injuries?” She listened a moment, then clicked off and glared at Ryan. “Gerhard dropped off a present at the vampire compound too.”
“Anyone dead?”
She shook her head. “The vamp who answered the door was injured, but he’ll recover.
“But Gerhard didn’t get in?”
“I guess not.”
Andreas walked up and answered Ryan’s question. “The magical wards held firm. Gerhard was locked out.”
“Isn’t that kind of odd?” Ryan looked back and forth between them. “I’m not doubting Ari’s magic, but I thought he was supposed to be so all-powerful now.”
“An interesting observation.” Andreas turned to Ari. “How skilled was Gerhard before he got his hands on this book of demon lore?”
She pressed her lips together grimly. “Not very. Other than his witch fire, he was average or less. He acted as if other witchcraft was beneath him. With the help of the Maleficus, he’s wielding tremendous power, but without a lot of expertise. His ordinary stuff should still be ordinary.” She looked at Andreas. “I need to think about it, but I just might have an idea.”
“What kind of idea?” Ryan insisted.
“One that calls for witchcraft. I’ll do some research first to see if it’s possible.”
“Then I’m calling it a night.” Ryan covered a yawn. “Eight o’clock in the morning is going to seem awfully early. There’ll be a mound of paperwork. See you later.” He waved and started toward his cruiser.
“Ryan.”
He looked back.
“Be careful.”
He waved again, climbed into his car, and drove away.
Andreas’s arm slipped around her waist. “Want to share your idea with me?”
“It’s not so much a solid idea as a direction for research. If I can’t get my own powers back right away, I might be able to return the favor by limiting his in some way. I’ll know more tomorrow after I’ve been to the lab.”
He glanced at the debris. “In the meantime, I will start the cleanup here, then head for the compound.”
“What about the club? I’ve warded it too, but is there more we can do to protect it?”
“I called them about the explosives, and we’ve moved snipers into the area to secure the perimeter.” He shrugged. “It is hard to guard against someone who can teleport.”
They stepped through what was left of the mansion’s front door.
“What a mess.” She leaned over and picked up a couple of small boards.
“Leave it.” Andreas took them from her and tossed them to one side. “I have a crew on the way.”
She wiped her hands on her jeans. “Then I’m going to bed before I fall over.” She pulled his head down and kissed him. “Watch your back. I love you.”
She met his eyes, making sure her feelings showed. If the last months had taught her anything positive, it was never to put off telling someone you love them.
* * *
“Cara mia, wake up. I must talk with you.”
Andreas’s voice brought her upright in bed. “What? Oh, you’re back.” She rubbed the sleep from her eyes and peered at him. He was splattered with blood.
A small wounded-animal sound slipped from her throat, and she sprang out of bed. “What happened?” She ran her hands over his arms. “Are you all right?”
“I’m fine.” He caught her hands. “Careful. You’ll get all bloody. I wouldn’t have woken you like this, but it’s almost dawn, and I did not want anyone else to tell you about the attack.”
“What attack?” She pulled her hands free and threw her arms around him, resting her head against his chest. “I don’t care about the mess.”
He kissed the top of her hair, wrapped his arms around her, and sighed. “Bounty hunters. Three Asian assassins with silver throwing knives. I was on the way home from the compound when I heard the first blade slice through the air.”
She hugged him tightly, unable to speak past the lump in her throat.
“From now on, we must keep bodyguards with us. That particularly means you, Arianna. My body can recover from such an attack, but if it had been you…”
“As long as the bodyguard is Lilith.”
“And Russell.” His voice was rough.
“OK.” Her own voice was shaky as she pushed away enough to study his face. “Who will be with you?”
“A couple of the tigers, perhaps Oliver at night.”
She stepped back, recovering her composure. “I’ll arrange it while you’re asleep. Samuel and I will have the weretigers outside your bedroom by three o’clock.”
“I love a masterful woman. I would show you just how much, but I barely have time to jump in the shower and still beat the s
un.” He leaned down and kissed her mouth. “Keep yourself safe, my love.”
Ari closed her eyes, emotions welling again. Apparently she wasn’t the only one worried that each parting could be their last.
* * *
Once Andreas was in the shower, Ari ran down the hall to the Chantilly Suite and used her own shower. All hope of sleep was gone. Gerhard, the assassins. She had to figure out how to head off this trouble. It wasn’t just about Andreas and her. Their friends and all of Riverdale were at risk with killers hanging around the city.
She toweled off, dressed and headed for the coffee pot in the kitchen. Lilith, a werelion on Andreas’s security staff, sat at the kitchen table. Her mate leaned against the counter.
Ari came to a halt in the doorway. “He called you before he told me.”
“Yep. Your safety comes first with him.” Russell grabbed another cup, filled it, and held it out to her. “Get used to it. He won’t change.”
She flashed him a wry smile. “After two hundred years, I suppose he is rather set in his ways. But thanks for being here. Who’s watching the club?”
“Off duty shifters from the compound’s security staff. What’s on our agenda?” Russell asked.
“Talking with Samuel to arrange bodyguards for Andreas. I want them outside his room and with him 24/7 from now on.”
“I can pick out some names for you,” Lilith said. “After being in charge of the household last fall while Samuel was gone, I know the weretigers pretty well. What else?”
Ari sipped her coffee and sat down. “The lab. I have research to do. And then there’s Ryan.” She checked the clock on the wall. Six-thirty. “I won’t call him yet. It was a late night for him too.”
Lilith pushed away from the table. “I’ll find Samuel and catch up with you at the lab. Russell?” She gave her husband a stern look. “Stick with her. Don’t let her convince you she can run just this one errand without you. She’s sneaky that way.” Lilith flashed a smug grin and left.
Ari made a face, and Russell shrugged. “She’s worried about you.”
“She may have reason this time,” Ari admitted. “But I’m more worried about Andreas. He seems to think he’s bulletproof.”