"Several times tonight, but through a lot of dumb luck you got out of it," he told me.
"I think I need you to run by me exactly what happened tonight," I pleaded.
"Well, you already know the part where you left the car when you promised not to," he commented. I winced, but made no argument for or against my actions. "You escaped into a rough neighborhood for humans, mystic or not. The lamia and the other two demons were a team. They fool good Samaritans into helping the woman out, and bite the human's head off before they realize the truth."
"And the light? And the sword in the lamia?" I asked him.
Ian folded his arms and tilted his head to one side as he studied me. "The sword isn't important. Besides, you shouldn't look a gift horse in the mouth. What I'm trying to figure out is how you made that light come out of you. Only a really gifted and experienced mystic is capable of performing a Blessing."
I blinked at him. "Capable of what?"
"Blessing," he repeated. He paced around me and looked me over. "It's an ability to create a burst of light from one's tears or blood, and entrap or destroy any demon inside the burst, depending on their strength. It can also purify spirits."
I frowned and crossed my arms over my chest as I leaned towards Ian. "So you were trying to do what with me and this light?"
"I was trying to see how much control you have over the light," he admitted.
I leapt at him and tried to wrap my fingers around his neck, but he caught my wrists mere inches from my target. "You asshole! You scared me half to death so you could see me do that stupid shit again?"
"It's not-hold still-it's not some stupid shit," he assured me as we wrestled. "It's very important-will you quit that-to proving your worth."
"I'll prove my worth by strangling you!" I growled.
"That is enough," Cronus spoke up. His firm voice gave pause to our warring, and we both turned to him. He strode over to us and his frown deepened. "We do not have time for your childish play."
"You heard the man," Ian scolded me.
Cronus turned his judging eyes on Ian. "Nor yours," he added.
Ian frowned back at his partner. "I was just trying to see-"
"You saw nothing," Cronus insisted.
Ian pursed his lips, but dropped my hands. All the murderous rage inside of me was slightly cowed by Cronus' imperious look.
"Fine, I didn't see anything, so what do we do now?" Ian asked him.
"We follow the lead given by our new client. You do remember her, do you not?" Cronus returned.
Ian grinned and shrugged his shoulders. "How could I forget? She was pretty nice to look at, and the way she-ouch!" He rubbed his head where I'd smacked him. "What was that for?"
"Cecilia's right, you are nothing but a pervert," I snapped.
"Well, you didn't have to hit me so hard," Ian whined.
"Stop your whining. Your head broke bricks," I reminded him.
"Focus," Cronus commanded us.
Ian sighed and chewed on his cigarette. A trail of smoke floated into the air. "You make it sound like this case is going to be easy."
"What exactly did she tell you?" I asked him.
He frowned at me. "You sure you want to hear it? You weren't exactly around the first time."
"I wouldn't have been close enough to hear in the car, either, so spit it out," I pointed out.
Ian coyly smiled and bowed his head. "Touche. The client's name is Melissa Amos. An old friend of hers, Tiffany Mallory, was kidnapped from their apartment five nights ago by what she can only describe as a shadow."
"So a Phantom?" I guessed.
He gave a nod. "So it seems. Fortunately for us her friend was on probation for some drug dealing and had an ankle tracker on when she was kidnapped."
I frowned. "Then what does she need us for? Can't the police track that, too?"
Ian shook his head. "No. There's something interfering with the signal, but we have ways around that."
I raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"
He rummaged in his overcoat and pulled out a tablet phone. "There's an app installed on this phone that'll ket us to tap into the police tracking system. We'll hack that and follow the trail to her."
"Great! So how does it work?" I asked him.
He held the phone out to me. "That's for you to figure out."
I glanced from the phone to his serious face. "Say what?"
"Only a mystic can use the hack," he explained.
My face fell. "Seriously? Why aren't werewolves hooked up to it?"
"The hack was created by mystics for your own kind to hack into software. That makes you the only one who can use it," he told me.
"Shouldn't we be getting Cecilia to do this? I almost got killed the last time I tried something mystical, remember?" I pointed out.
"This hack isn't as dangerous as tussling with a monstrous spirit," he assured me.
I pursed my lips, but took the tablet in hand and looked at the screen. The app was already up with the map of the city and an identification number for the ankle bracelet at the top. I tapped on the screen. Nothing happened. I tapped a couple more times. Again nothing. My eyes flickered up to Ian.
"How do I get this thing to work?"
He sighed and pointed at the tablet. "Double-tap on the ID number at the top and focus on finding the person attached to it."
"Focus how? It's not like I know this woman," I pointed out.
"The ID is all you need to know to trace a person, now get tapping," he told me. I frowned, but did as he instructed. I took a deep breath, closed my eyes, and tapped on the screen. "A little higher. You tapped on the map."
My eyes flew open and I saw that my finger was indeed on the map. "Give me a break. This isn't easy concentrating when I don't know what I'm doing," I growled.
He snatched the tablet from me so fast I hardly saw his hand. "You're right, we should go see Cecilia. You're a little overdue for your training night, anyway," he agreed as he walked past me.
I spun on my heels and balled my hands into fists at my side. "That's what I tried to tell you!" I shouted.
"Come on, or the night'll be over before we get to her place," he called to me over his shoulder. Cronus didn't even give me a glance as he followed Ian.
"You two are such jerks!" I yelled.
Said jerks didn't acknowledge my yelling, but they did climb down the fire escape. I stalked after them and climbed down the stairs to the first landing. I paused when my head was eye-level with the top of the wall and to look back at the roof. The scorched hole in the ground stuck out like a store thumb. My mind wandered back to the sword that had pierced the creature. I had seen something, and I'd get to the bottom of that case, with or without their help.
CHAPTER 6
We reached the car and drove to Cecilia's place. Ian must've been impatient because he parked out front instead of the usual half a city distance. He and I hopped out, but Cronus kept to his seat.
I glanced over my shoulder at our frowning friend. "You coming?"
"He's scared of children, and he'll protect the car," Ian pointed out.
Ian led me to Cecilia's door, and a quick knock brought her opening the entrance. Her narrowed, empty eyes glared at me. "About time. You're overdue with your training."
"We just need a quick lesson tonight," Ian told her.
She pursed her lips and her eyebrows shot down. "Where's the books?"
Ian sheepishly grinned. "I hadn't really intended to come here, so they're still at the house," he admitted.
"Then no dice," Cecilia replied.
Cecilia proceeded to slam the door in our faces, but Ian placed his palm on the entrance and stopped her. His face took on a more serious tone.
"The Whisperers are after mystics," he warned her.
Cecilia raised an eyebrow. "Why?"
He shook his head. "I haven't figured that out, but you know it's only a matter of time before they work their way up the food chain and come for the more powerful ones. The ones
like you."
Cecilia's eyes flickered to me. "I see. Then get your butt in here and tell me what you need."
She stepped aside and allowed us entrance. The room was lit only by the light of the single lamp beside her chair. The door was closed behind us, and we gathered at Cecilia's chair where she took a seat. Ian placed the tablet in her hand.
"This has a hack only mystics can-"
"Don't baby me. I can sense it," she snapped.
She yanked the tablet from his hand and brushed her palm over the screen. The map app on the screen changed. A red dot appeared on one of the city blocks. Cecilia held the tablet out to him.
"Is that all you wanted to bother me about?" she questioned him.
"I was hoping you could show Enid how to do that," he returned.
Cecilia snorted. "This isn't worth teaching anyone about," she told him.
Ian pursed his lips, but tucked the tablet into his overcoat. "I'll bring the books tomorrow."
Cecilia jerked her head towards me. "Don't forget the idiot there."
I glared at her. "I'm not an idiot."
"I can do that," Ian interrupted. He looked down at her with an unwavering gaze as his cigarette smoldered in his mouth. "But why are you suddenly so anxious to take on a student?"
She frowned at him. "That's for me to know."
"It's my business if you're keeping something important from me about my assistant," he pointed out.
Cecilia pursed her lips and sank deeper into her chair. "Her aura's different."
Ian raised an eyebrow. "How?"
"It's brighter."
Ian turned to me and I noticed his nostrils flared as he took a big whiff of me. "I don't smell anything different."
"You hunt ghosts. Your nose wasn't meant to sniff out mystics, or their powers," she reminded him.
"Then enlighten me. How's it different?" he questioned her.
"It's bigger," she admitted.
I glanced down at myself. "I don't feel or look different," I spoke up.
"Don't argue with me. I know what I'm talking about," Cecilia insisted.
"So how big are we talking about?" Ian asked her.
"I'd say it's grown about a third since I last saw her," she replied.
Ian folded his arms and closed his eyes. "I see, but what's that mean for her? She can't even pull a simple hack like you did."
"I won't know what it means until I try some tests on her," Cecilia admitted.
I raised my hand. "Could I have a say in this?"
"No," came the reply from both of them.
I dropped my hand to my side and glared at them. "You two are worse than my mom. . ." I mumbled.
I felt a pang of remorse for my mom. She was probably worried sick about me while I stood here listening to these two plan my life without me.
"So any idea how this happened?" Cecilia asked us.
"Perhaps," Ian replied.
Cecilia's frown deepened. "Now you're keeping secrets from me about my apprentice, Mr. Ian," she scolded him.
"She had a run-in with a demon and emitted a Blessing," he explained.
Cecilia's eyes widened. She blinked as she glanced from one of us to the other. "Seriously?"
Ian nodded. "Seriously."
The little girl folded her arms across her chest and puckered out her lower lip. "How come I can't do that?"
Ian's face and shoulders drooped. "You mean you can't do one?"
She whipped her head to him and her familiar frown reappeared. "No. Want to make something of it?"
Ian grinned and held up his hands in front of him. "I think I've had my head beaten enough today, but do you think it could be connected to her increase in aura?"
Cecilia closed her eyes and shrugged. "Could be, but like I said I'd have to run some tests. They could take some time, too."
"We'll fit you into the schedule tomorrow," Ian offered.
"Thanks, Mr. Ian. I feel so honored," she retorted.
He grinned and bowed to her. "Now if you'll excuse us, we have a game of tag to perform."
"Don't let the tables turn on you, or let the door hit you on the way out," Cecilia quipped.
Ian led me from the apartment and out into the well-lit hall. He pulled out the tablet and glanced down at the screen. The map still had its red dot. His face wrinkled with worry.
"This is easy. Almost too easy," he commented.
I sidled up beside him and glanced at the dot. It was in a neighborhood I wasn't familiar with. "Why? What's there?"
"It's an abandoned glue factory at the northern part of the river," he told me.
"What's so bad about that?"
He pocketed the tablet and frowned. "Why would they be stupid enough to keep her ankle tracker on so she could be traced?"
"You said so yourself nobody could trace the ankle thing," I pointed out. "Maybe they knew that and didn't care enough to take it off."
Ian tossed his chewed cigarette into an ashtray near the elevator door and lit up another one. "Could be, but I suppose we'll find out. Let's go."
He faced the elevator doors, but I hesitated.
"Hey, could you wait here for a second? There's something I wanted to ask her," I pleaded.
Ian turned to me and frowned. "About what?" he wondered.
"About the Blessing," I lied. Or rather, it was a half-lie.
"Then I'm going with you," Ian insisted.
I held my hands out with my palms towards him. "I promise I'm not going to run away again."
"You promised the last time," Ian reminded me.
"Well, this time I really mean it." I caught his eyes and didn't waver from his gaze. "Really."
Ian pursed his lips, but gave a nod. "All right, but hurry it up."
I turned back to Cecilia's apartment and peeked my head inside. The lamp light was shut off so the room was completely eclipsed in darkness. The only light came from the grimy windows at the rear of the room, and even they didn't provide comfort because the marks on their glass cast shadows over the walls and furniture. I reluctantly shut the door behind me and stepped into the darkness.
"Cecilia?" I called.
"I'm still here," she replied from the darkness.
I clutched my beating heart and took a tentative step closer to her chair. The windows offered a glimpse of a small shadow on the cushion.
"There's something I wanted to ask you," I admitted.
"What is it now?"
"Do you-have you ever heard of a pointy sword killing a demon?" I wondered.
There was a moment of silence. "What kind of pointy sword?"
"Well, one side of the blade was jagged like the teeth on a saw," I explained.
I yelped when the lamp clicked on. Cecilia sat there with her hands clasped together in her lap and a deep frown on her lips.
"Why?" she asked me.
"I-um, well, as Ian told you I had a little run in with some demons with horns and a lamia," I admitted.
She raised an eyebrow. "A lamia? How did Ian handle her?"
"He didn't," I told her as I stepped closer. "We were trapped on a roof when this light appeared from my tears. That Blessing Ian talked about. The lamia kind of froze there, and then there was this sword stuck in her. She bled to death, sort of, and the sword was gone. I guess it must've melted or something, but I thought you could tell me something about it."
"That explains it. . ." I heard her mutter.
"That explains what?" I asked her.
She shook her head. "Nothing. Is that all you saw of it was the blade? Not the wielder?"
"Yeah," I admitted.
"Do you know how to read braille?" she wondered.
I blinked at her. "What does that-"
"Never mind. Stupid question to a stupid person," she quipped. She hopped off the chair and strode over to a bookshelf. Her hands followed the line of books along one of the shelves until it stopped at a slim volume. She pulled the volume from the shelf and held it out to me. "Take this."
I wa
lked over and took the book in hand. The title was in bold, red letters deeply stamped onto the leather cover. "Demons and Their Nemesis," I read aloud.
"Read it and learn it," she commanded me.
"Why didn't you give me this book sooner?" I questioned her.
"Because I didn't think you'd be getting into that much trouble this soon, but I underestimated your stupidity," she snapped.
I turned the book over in my hands and frowned. "Why do I have to read this? Why don't you just tell me what I want to know?" I asked her. She slapped me upside the head. "Hey!" I complained as I rubbed the growing bruise.
"I'm not going to do all the work for you! You have eyes, use them!" she ordered me.
"For a blind girl you sure do have a good aim!" I growled.
"I told you, it's because I can see your aura. So can even the weakest forms of demons and ghosts, and that's going to attract them to you," she explained.
"Does this aura help me at all, or should I get some aura-be-gone?" I asked her.
"Lose your aura and you lose your life," she warned me.
"In that case, can I hide it somehow?" I wondered.
"After some training, probably, but not as you are now," she told me.
My shoulders slumped and my face fell. "So I'm what? A walking target?"
"Pretty much," she agreed. She glanced past me and at the door behind me. "But it seems Ian's impatient. He's stalking the hall like-"
"A werewolf?" I guessed.
A small smile slipped onto her lips. "Exactly. But I'll see you tomorrow and we'll see if you've got enough skill or dumb luck to get you covered."
"Thanks. . ." I murmured as I tucked the book under one arm.
I walked to the door and opened the entrance. Outside in the hall stood Ian. His arms were crossed over his chest and his cigarette was chewed to ribbons.
"What were you in there so long for?" he asked me.
I shut the door behind me and shrugged. "Just some girl talk."
His gaze fell on the book under my arm. "Girl advice?" he guessed.
I covered the spine with my hand. "It's just some light reading material."
"Demons are rarely light anything," he commented.
"Isn't there a job we're supposed to be getting at?" I reminded him as I slipped past him to the elevator doors. "We shouldn't keep the kidnapped girl waiting."
Ian's lips pursed together, but he said nothing and we left.
CHAPTER 7
We found Cronus in his seat in the car. Ian and I took our positions, and Ian handed his partner the tablet.