Two for Mirth (Black Crow Chronicles Book 2)

by Jen Pretty

  "She is just coming into her powers. She isn't invisible," Nick said.

  Crow chose that moment to join our happy little gathering. His wings flapping across the room until he landed on the table between us.

  "Oh, my!" Mara said, her hand rising to her chest. "Does he always just pop in like that?"

  "I'm afraid so," I said, cutting off a strip of steak that was just big enough to keep the bird busy without giving away my whole dinner. I set it on a napkin and slid it to him.

  Crow pecked at it and shook it a bit, trying to break it into smaller bits, but I knew better than to cut him bite-size pieces. He would be back looking for more in a heartbeat and I'd leave the table hungry. I learned that lesson well.

  Crow's efforts seemed to at least distract everyone from the conversation about Nick, so there was that.

  "Where are you heading tonight?" Amon asked.

  Nick didn't seem inclined to answer, so I spoke up. "To a party. The victims have all been killed at or after a party, so we'll check it out."

  "I suppose that explains the clothing choice," Amon muttered.

  Dinner remained awkward, but Falcor and I ate quickly. I was hoping to get the heck out of there, but I thought Falcor was just enjoying the dinner. It was excellently prepared and so delicious. The meat practically melted in my mouth.

  As soon as I set my cutlery down, Nick pushed his chair back. "Thank you for dinner," he said to his father. "We need to get going."

  "Very well," Amon said with a sigh. "I expect to see you at least once more for a meal."

  "Yes, father," Nick muttered before offering his mother a smile and leading us out of the dining room.

  The tension dropped from Nick's shoulders as soon as we stepped out the front door of the house.

  "Can you get us downtown somewhere?" Nick asked Falcor. "Somewhere, private?"

  "You are never going to let me live that down, are you? It was an accident," Falcor complained.

  "Fine," Nick replied. "It was an accident. We need to get downtown though."

  Falcor grabbed my arm and then Nick's. "Your wish is my command."

  In the blink of an eye, we were in a dirty alley, deep base of a night club thumping through the brick wall beside us.

  "Thank you," Nick said, taking my hand and pulling me from the alley. His shirt glittered in the street lamps as the sun fell below the horizon and the city came alive.

  Groups of young people gathered around entrances to nightclubs and bars, waiting in line and talking excitedly. Their clothes were more toned down than Nick's, but still tight and bright. Nick pulled me to the subway entrance, a set of wide, cement stairs dropping under the street. The noise of the cars passing and people talking hushed as we drooped further down until the only sound was our boots in the stairwell.

  At the bottom, Nick fished out some tokens from his pocket and dropped them in for us as we moved through the turnstile and forward to the edge of the platform.

  The rumble of an oncoming subway train echoed through the cavernous space, and I took a step back to stand beside Falcor. Nick stayed where he was and as the rumble got louder, he took a small step forward into the red-painted area that proclaimed danger.

  "Nick, what are you doing?" I called, but the sound of the train drowned me out as the train entered the station going much faster than I expected. It was barely a blur as it flashed by. It whipped Nick’s hair and clothes around. He extended his arms at his sides and the wind lifted his shirt to display a patch of skin above his tight jeans, the sparkles on his shirt caught the reflections of the lights on the train, turning him into a disco ball as my heart raced. I took a step forward, but Falcor's steely hand wrapped around my arm. My magic rose, fighting with me to spill out and get Nick back from the edge as the train passed inches from him.

  Finally, the train passed taking the noise and lights with it and dropping us into the silence of the underground again.

  "What the fuck is wrong with you?" I yelled, ripping my arm out of Falcor's grasp.

  Falcor let me go and when I looked back at him, he was just shaking his head, his eyes fixed on the stupid ass vampire.

  Nick turned and looked at me, a ridiculous grin on his face. "Calm down, Selena, I'm immortal remember?"

  "Jesus," Falcor said under his breath.

  The next train was coming, this one much slower, and I was still speechless because of the idiot in front of me when it screamed to a stop and the doors slipped open. Nick hopped on and collapsed in a seat like everything was hunky-dory.

  I sat across the aisle from him, but couldn't bring myself to look at him, so instead, I kept my eyes forward and my mouth shut. Nick was a very different person in Phoenix. One that I wasn't so fond of.

  Maybe I didn't know him as well as I thought. Maybe this was the real Nick. And maybe I was an idiot.

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  As soon as Nick flung open the door at the bottom of the parking garage, the sound of music and people rushed into the stairwell. Nick's face lit up, and he stepped through into the abandoned garage. Falcor and I followed him out. The area was lit with floodlights that barely made it bright enough to see where you were going, but the music pumping out of the speakers was loud and fast, moving the hundreds of bodies that danced to its beat.

  Before I could catch up with him, Nick was up on a small stage, behind a table crowded with speakers, a couple of actual turntables and a laptop. All of it was lit in multicoloured lights that flashed off Nick's sparkle shirt, making him a rainbow of colours. The same bright coloured lights swept over the dancers revealing a lot of bare skin.

  I was about to step into the mess of bodies when I heard my name called out behind me. I knew who it was, or rather the fire in my stomach did before I even saw his face. Turning, I found Zander, dressed down. Way down.

  "Whoa, look at you!" I yelled, leaning in close to him. He was shirtless and wearing fluorescent skater shorts. Quite a change from the tailored suit.

  "Thanks, I asked around, I've never been to one of these before," he replied. His mouth inches from my ear so I could hear him. "Oops."

  I followed his eyes as he looked up at the small stage. Nick's eyes were trained on us and he looked pissed. I rolled my eyes.

  "Come on," I told him, stepping into the mix. The temperature in the middle of the dancers was at least ten degrees higher and I was glad I had chosen the skimpy dress. My old Friend Georgia had dragged me to a few raves, so I wasn't a complete newbie. Did people still use that word? Whatever. I let myself get lost in the music.

  Maybe there was a monster on the loose draining people dry, but surely, I could take a few minutes and just chill. I caught movement out of the corner of my eye and tracked it to find Crow was flapping around in the dark corners, landing and scooping up random garbage off the ground. It was a wonder that the bird didn't get sick with all the garbage he ate.

  A young girl dancing beside me reached over and took my hand. Her hair was bright pink, and she was mostly covered, if you could call it that, in fishnet. She put a small pill in my palm, a radiant smile splitting her face and she closed my fingers over it, never losing the rhythm of the music. For a few minutes, she danced with me, her arms wrapped around me like a lover. Her laughter whispering in my ear over the sound of the music. She had probably taken whatever pill she had handed me. It looked like fun, but I was never really into the whole party-drug scene, so I was thankful when Zander slung his arm around me, pulling me away from the very stoned Young woman.

  I watched over my shoulder as a group of girls swallowed her up in their dancing frenzy; her face flashing between other brightly clad bodies.

  I dropped the pill on the ground, making sure I stepped on it before Zander and I danced to a different area. My fun over, I needed to look around for anything suspicious. There would be tons of places private enough for a killer to strike in the underground parking garage. There were four more levels above them according to my count on the long climb down in the stairwell. />
  "Hey, Phoenix. How are you doing tonight?" Nick called out over a microphone from his stage.

  The crowd screamed so loud the sound rattled the teeth in my head and made me cover my ears. I had lost sight of Falcor but assumed he had wandered off as he usually did.

  "Let's have some fun," Nick called out, followed by more cheering. Then the music kicked up into a deep and heavy rhythm that got everyone dancing again.

  Zander and I danced for a while, the music trying to pull me away from my objective that night. I still scanned the surrounding faces, hoping whatever monster was killing people in Phoenix would show himself, but I admit, the music and company distracted me.

  Zander was fit. It was hard not to notice his body, despite me possibly being in a relationship with Nick. I glanced up at one point and Nick's eyes were on me. His face was less excited than it usually was when he was DJing.

  When I'd had enough, I took Zander's hand and pulled him out the back of the dancing crowd. It wasn't much quieter, but I leaned in close and yelled in his ear. "We should go look around."

  I looked up at Nick, planning to indicate we were going, but he was looking down at the turntables as he spun records, his head moving to the beat.

  I turned away and Zander followed me. Once we were around the bend in the parking garage and up to the next level, the music was quiet enough that we could talk normally.

  "This place is a maze." I was holding my cell phone, with the flashlight feature on, scanning the dark corners.

  "There are probably other raves happening tonight too," Zander said.

  "I know, but Nick was invited to this one, and he has a pretty good view from up on the stage. I'm sure if he sees anything suspicious, he will let me know... if he notices, anyway."

  Zander huffed. "He always like that?"

  "I don't know," I whispered. "What's that?" I held the flashlight to the corner of the parking garage where a dark lump caught the light. I knew what it was as soon as I took a step closer. "Fuck." My magic spilled out and I let it go. There was a dead body in the corner, beneath a blanket.

  I watched as the blue sparks slipped across the crumbling cement, congealing on the body like ants at a picnic. Then a young woman stood over the body, her face etched in fear and horror. I couldn't make myself step forward.

  "Selena," Zander said. "Aren't you going to do your thing?"

  I shook my head as the young man's mouth opened in a silent scream. I needed Crow, but I couldn't tear my eyes from her to look around for him. My heart was racing as fear slid down my spine in a cold sweat.

  "Selena?" Zander's hand landed on my arm.

  "No," I whispered, feeling all the blood drain from my face. I needed Crow and Nick.

  "Do you need a knife?" Zander asked.

  Of course, I needed a knife. There was nowhere in the dress for a pocketknife, but I was not raising that wraith. Not with the way, her body writhed in agony and her face showed her terror. As terrible as I felt for abandoning her, I couldn't stand to look at her either.

  "I have to find Crow." I turned on my heel and ran back the way we came. My boots echoed on the cement.

  "I'm going to call it in," Zander yelled after me, but I didn't even slow down. My legs kept pumping. I rounded a corner and slipped on the wet cement, crashing off my high-heeled shoes, and scraping my leg along the pavement. My cell phone dropped with a clatter. Of course, it landed flashlight side down, dropping me into darkness. I reached around for it, cursing the sting down my leg. When my hand finally landed on the phone and I flipped it over, creating enough light to see by, the wraith was suddenly right in front of me.

  Her mouth was still open in a scream of terror, but now blood ran from her eyes, like a weeping statue of the Virgin Mary.

  A scream tore from my mouth before I could stop it. My heart was pounding in my chest so hard I thought I would pass out. Finally, I heard Crow call. His wings sent a gust of wind across my face as he landed in front of me with a flutter. Immediately the wraith's face smoothed out, and she stood there calmly, even though blood still ran from her eyes. Crow turned and gazed at me, tipping his head expectantly.

  "Took you fucking long enough," I whispered, wiping the tears that had run from my eyes. "Asshole."

  He crowed loudly at that, then turned his back on me. As if he had any reason to be upset when I was the one who was just chased down by a murder victim.

  Another gust of wind and suddenly Nick was beside me. "I heard you scream," he said, his eyes filled with worry. He reached down and lifted me to my feet, his eyes raking over the scrape on my leg with hunger.

  I pushed away from him, but his hand was steely on my arm. "Nick!" I said, startled by the look of longing in his eyes.

  He shook his head, his eyes rising to mine. When he caught a glimpse of my face, he had the good grace to at least look guilty. Great. All I needed was a hungry vampire to make this night that much better.

  "I'm sorry," He muttered, letting go of my arm. His eyes turned to the wraith. "Does this one have a body nearby?"

  "Yes, a couple of flights up, Zander is with her." I took another deep breath, studying the face of the young woman in front of me. "He's calling the police."

  "Oh shit. I should go tell these kids to get out of here." Nick turned to go, but this time I grabbed his arm.

  "You can't, there could be a witness. I need to know if someone saw her leave with anyone. It could be important."

  Nick ran his hands through his hair. "This will be a cluster fuck. You know how many of those kids have drugs on them?"

  I felt bad for them, but it couldn't be helped. The city would be safe until whoever or whatever was killing people was caught... or killed. "I need to know. The other two wraiths didn't see the killer, and this girl was so high, I doubt she will be any use as a witness."

  Nick sighed. "All right, let's go see what she has to say while we wait for shit to hit the fan." Nick's arm circled my waist while his hand came up to cup my cheek. His thumb traced the tear stain on my face, wiping it away. "I'm sorry. About all of this and about how I've been acting." He pulled away but kept his arm around me while we walked back to the place where Zander was standing, his cell phone to his ear.

  His eyes slid from me to Nick and back again, then he turned away, talking into the cell phone.

  The wraith appeared above her body again as we approached, Crow hopping along beside us.

  "Just don't touch her," Zander said.

  I nodded to him and stepped forward. Nick slid his pocket knife into my hand before he let me go. I took the sets forward slowly. The woman stilled, her face softening, though bright red still stained in rivers down her cheeks. Her body was stark white, even her lips had lost all colour.

  The gash on her neck was more violent than even the last woman. The monster had mauled her. Most of her neck was torn away, though it lacked even the slightest red stain. There was no way a vampire could have licked her that clean. I knew it had to be even more supernatural than a simple vampire. I crouched closer to the woman's body, her wraith waiting patiently above me.

  As the light on my phone moved up the length of her neck to where her hair lay, tangled, I saw a faint mark behind her ear. Her hair was partially covering it.

  I glanced back at Nick and Zander who had their heads together in low conversation then slowly reached out and moved the strand of hair out of the way so I could see the mark.

  It was almost the same as the one I had seen on the male victim while in the morgue as Crow. This one was slightly bigger, hinting that it was the star of the local witch coven. I could almost watch it fading before my eyes.

  After switching my phone from flashlight to camera, I took several photos of the mark, ensuring that they were clear before returning to my flashlight and taking another deep breath.

  I set the phone against my foot so I would have my hands free but aimed it at the wraith so I could see her. It sure would have been handy to have a damn warlock to light the place up. />
  Just as I thought that Falcor came striding around a corner, from the opposite direction of the rave, tossing a ball of light up and down like a baseball.

  "Miss me?" he asked before lobbing the yellow ball at me.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  I ducked to avoid the ball of light, but it lifted towards the ceiling and stopped dead right above me.

  "You asshole," I said as I picked up my phone and flicked the light off now that I could see. "Where have you been, anyway?"

  "While you were bumping and grinding with the vampire, I was off chasing after our murderer."

  "There was no bumping or grinding, thank you very much." I took a peek at Nick who was scowling. Great. Just what I needed.

  "You caught him?" Zander asked.

  Falcor turned on his heel to face the vampires. "No, he disappeared into a crowd on the street."

  "Did you get a look at him?" I asked.

  Falcor turned back to me, with a grin. He loved being the centre of attention. "Only his back. He was pretty tall and lanky, with short hair. Unfortunately, I don’t know this area well enough to shift ahead of him, so had to chase him on foot. He's fast. Probably faster than a human should be, but not faster than a vampire." He eyed Nick and Zander with a sly grin.

  Before I could ask more questions, the police arrived. It was an entire swat team in tactical gear and dozens of police officers screaming at us to get down.

  I scooted back from the body and did as they instructed, annoyed at being yelled at by police again on this trip. I was never coming to Phoenix again.

  Zander identified himself, pulling his badge out of the pocket of his shorts. He didn't have to lay on the disgusting parking garage floor, and I was pissed. I needed a freaking badge. My next call to Niri would suggest something like that might be prudent considering the work I did.

  The voices and shuffling moved further down the parking garage and finally, the music cut out. The echoes of voices drifted up from the busted rave, but one voice spoke to me from close by.