Hell's Bell

  Ashworth swore and pushed away from the table. “It appears that whoever placed this spell on this girl has something in common with you, young Elizabeth.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “Meaning they’re underpowered?”

  “No, because there is a greater sense of power in the threads that twist through her flesh, but there’s also every indication that we’re dealing with a witch who hasn’t been trained. And that makes their magic even more difficult to deal with.”

  “Ha,” Molly commented. “I told you—you’re getting jack out of me.”

  “I said difficult, not impossible, young woman.” Ashworth glanced at Aiden. “I’ll have to get my kit and take all the usual precautions. There’s also a risk that removing the spell could break her mind. It just depends on how deep the roots of it go.”

  “I had no idea this sort of magic was even possible,” Aiden muttered.

  “Most people don’t.” His gaze returned to Molly. “I don’t think it wise to attempt anything until daylight. Spells like this are often fueled by the night and the moon.”

  “I don’t like the prospect of wasting yet more time,” Aiden said. “We need to track the witch behind all this down before the soul eater finds its next victim.”

  “Tracking him down won’t actually stop the soul eater. It won’t stop unless we stop it; even when all those who have been targeted by the witch are dead, it will simply start killing random members of the public.”

  “Which means it’s even more important we find this witch ASAP,” Aiden growled.

  Ashworth blew out a breath, the sound one of frustration. “While I don’t believe it’s the right choice, I’ll go home and collect my gear. It’ll only take half an hour, at most.”

  “You know, there is another option besides magic.” As the two men glanced at me, I added, “Belle’s telepathic. Why risk breaking Molly’s mind if we can simply raid it? I can’t sense any form of magic that would prevent her thoughts from being read, and she’s certainly not wearing an electronic means of doing so.”

  “They’ve invented a device to stop telepaths?” Aiden said.

  I nodded. “Those two IIT officers were wearing them when they were here investigating the vampire rampage.”

  “Huh. I’ll have to make inquiries. It’d be nice to know Belle just can’t wander through my thoughts anytime she damn pleases.”

  “That’s presuming she thinks you have thoughts worth investigating.”

  He blinked, and then laughed. “That sounds very much like something she’d say.”

  “We have been hanging around together for a long time. Sometimes these things bleed over.”

  “Concentrate, people.” Ashworth’s voice once again held a note of censure. “I don’t believe the spell placed on Molly is in any way designed to stop her thoughts being read, so if Belle’s available, it would certainly be worth her trying before we attempt anything else. Is she home?”

  “No. She’s out with Zak.” I got out my phone and called her. While Aiden was aware we could share thoughts, I had no desire for Ashworth to discover it. He was suspicious enough of us.

  Her response was immediate—and direct. The phone? Seriously?

  It’s camouflage, so just pick up the damn call. When she did, I added, “Where are you?”

  “Not far out of Castle Rock—why?”

  “Can you come to the ranger station? We’ve a mind we need you to read.”

  She talked softly to Zak, and then said, “We can be there in ten.”

  Thanks. I repeated her comment and avoided looking at Aiden. He wasn’t saying anything, but my ruse with the phone would certainly be ramping up his own suspicions about us.

  The older man pulled out his phone and then sat down opposite Molly. “I don’t suppose you have any decent coffee in this place, do you, Ranger?”

  “We have coffee. Whether you’ll consider it decent or not, I can’t say.” Aiden glanced at me. “Would you like something to drink?”

  “Tea, if you have it.”

  “We do.”

  “I’ll have mine with milk and three sugars, thanks,” Ashworth said, as Aiden headed for the door.

  “I’ll help you.” I dumped my backpack on the nearest chair, and followed him down the hall to a small lunchroom.

  “Why didn’t you tell him the truth about you and Belle?”

  “Because of that whole conversation we had about running from Canberra and my parents. I don’t want them knowing where I am, Aiden.”

  He flicked on the coffee machine, and then bent down to get three mugs. “I would have thought not telling him the truth would be even more dangerous. Surely if you intrigue him enough, he’ll just make inquiries about you.”

  “He might.” He would. “But I don’t think he’ll uncover much, given we’re not registered.”

  And then there was the whole fact that we’d changed our names and magically covered our tracks to ensure we couldn’t be traced.

  “There has to be a register for half-breeds,” he said. “Especially if, as Ashworth said, they’re considered dangerous.”

  “There is.” I paused and frowned. “I wonder if Molly’s half brother is registered? If he is, then we’ll at least glean some insights as to what he’s capable of.”

  “I suspect that’s the reason Ashworth asked for a coffee. He wanted us out of the room while he rang the appropriate authorities.”

  “Which is why you didn’t stop recording when we left the room.”

  He glanced at me, eyebrow raised. “That’s very perceptive of you, Ms. Grace. Let’s hope Ashworth didn’t notice the same thing, otherwise we’ll be no wiser as to what secret witch business he wanted to discuss.”

  “Given they’re an uncommunicative bunch of bastards at the best of times, we probably won’t learn a whole lot.”

  “Obviously that’s one skill you did learn in the brief period you were at witch school.”

  “Or I simply have good reasons for keeping certain secrets.”

  “Which I’m hoping you’ll trust me with one day.”

  I half smiled. “I’m hoping to be given the time for trust to grow, and not be shunted off the reservation because of some misplaced belief that witches are bad and the magic in this place will cause no harm.”

  He grunted and poured boiling water into one of the cups. “As I’ve said, I don’t believe you’ll be evicted.”

  He handed me the mug and a green tea bag, and then made the two coffees—which smelled slightly burned and had me wrinkling my nose. “You need to turn the water temperature down a little on that thing to avoid scalding the coffee.”

  “We can do that?”

  “On most of these types of machines, yes.”

  “Huh. I’ll get the service guy to look at it. What temp do you suggest?”

  “Ninety-three degrees Celsius generally avoids burning but still makes a hot cuppa.”

  “You are a font of information.”

  I grinned. “Of useless information, mostly.”

  “I didn’t say that.”

  “You didn’t have to.” I turned and headed back out into the hall. As I did, a bell rang out in the main room. “That’s Belle.”

  He handed me Ashworth’s coffee. “I’ll go let her in.”

  I nodded and returned to the interview room. Ashworth was just putting his phone back in his pocket.

  “Any luck in Canberra?” I asked casually, as I handed him his mug.

  He raised his eyebrows. “Why would you think I was ringing Canberra?”

  I smiled and perched on the edge of the table. “Because that’s what I would have done—contacted the records office and see if they have any record of Molly Brown’s magical half brother.”

  A smile touched his lips. “Unusually powered you may be, but dumb you are not.”

  The fact he now considered me unusually powered rather than underpowered wasn’t a step in the right direction as far as my ambitions to remain undetected went. Footsteps echoed in th
e hall, and then Belle stepped into the interview room, all silvery glamour and happiness.

  “And here I am to save the day.” Her bright grin faded as her gaze fell on Molly. “Whoa. There’s a nasty piece of work if ever I saw one.”

  “Yeah, and she spits, so don’t get too close with that dress on.”

  “Huh.” She stopped beside me, her gaze narrowing a little. “I’m not going to have much trouble with this one. What do you need to know?”

  Ashworth didn’t answer. When I glanced at him, he was staring at us, his expression one of disbelief.

  “What?” I said, as trepidation stirred anew.

  He opened his mouth, shut it again, and then shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

  What the fuck is he on about? Belle asked.

  I have no damn idea, and there’s a part of me that really doesn’t want to ask.

  Trouble looming, you think?

  For certain.

  Well, it’s not like we can avoid it now. Out loud, she added, “Like what?”

  He drew in a deep breath and then shook his head. “Now is neither the time nor the place for that conversation. Not in front of a suspect, anyway.”

  “Okay,” Belle said, with an uneasy glance my way. “But you still need to tell me what you need to know.”

  “The name of her half brother, a description we can use so our ranger can put out an APB, and her brother’s current location if she knows it.”

  Aiden glanced at Ashworth. “Didn’t you ask the records office for a description and name?”

  “Yes, but despite emphasizing the urgency of the situation, I was told it had to go through the approval process before I’ll get answers.” He shrugged. “They did say the request would be fast-tracked, but this way will be infinitely quicker and easier.”

  “And fucking illegal!” Molly piped up. “You can’t just read people’s minds willy-nilly—it’s against the law.”

  “Actually,” Aiden said, “in circumstances that involve a noncompliant witness and a situation that is unresolved and dangerous, all law enforcement officers have the legal right to use telepaths if the witness has been given ample opportunity to answer questions. Which you certainly have. Belle, proceed.”

  “Right.” She cracked her knuckles and then got down to the business of mind reading. After a moment, she said, distaste heavy in her voice, “Oh my God, he’s your damn brother, girl—what the hell are you thinking?”

  “It’s none of your damn business what we do.”

  “In that, you may be right, but it’s still damn disgusting. And illegal.” Belle’s gaze narrowed as she dug deeper into the other woman’s thoughts. “His name is Jack Lea, and he lives off the money his sister makes working at Émigré.”

  “Sounds like a right charmer,” Aiden murmured.

  “What’s her address?” Ashworth asked. “If we could get this creep caught tonight, it will make the task of tackling the soul eater that much easier.”

  “Hang on.” Belle’s gaze narrowed again. “Okay, she’s attempting to confuse matters by throwing random addresses at me mentally, but they’re living in the new terraces on Kennedy Street. Number three.”

  “It’s interesting that Marlinda, Aled, and now Molly all live in houses that are worth well over six hundred thousand, and which both Marlinda and Aled, at least, bought outright, with cash,” Aiden said. “They’re obviously paying bartenders and waitresses a whole lot more than they did back in my day.”

  “Because you’re so old and they were only paying pennies back then,” I commented, voice dry.

  His grin flashed, despite the tension I could sense in him. “We were paid the award. What I meant was, I couldn’t have lived in the type of accommodation these two are on what I was earning. I certainly couldn’t have afforded to support a second person.”

  I’m sure Molly wouldn’t have been able to if she’d only been on bartender or waitress wages. But she’d been one of Maelle’s feeders, and as such had been well looked after. At least until she’d allowed her inner bitch loose.

  “I’m guessing,” he continued, “you wouldn’t have a theory about their apparent wealth, would you?”

  “Rich parents, perhaps?”

  He raised an eyebrow, annoyance evident. All he said, however, was, “Can you get a description of her brother, Belle?”

  She nodded and, after a few seconds, said, “He’s got Sarr blood in him, though his skin is more a light brown than the black of mine. He’s got their black hair and silver eyes, though.”

  “Build?”

  She hesitated. “Thin. He’s got a rather large nose, and big hands and feet.”

  The latter being the reason she was first attracted to him, she added silently.

  She’s got a foot fetish?

  Belle nudged me lightly, sending the tea I’d all but forgotten about slopping over the edge of the cup. Thankfully, it hit my jacket more than my fingers.

  No, idiot. Remember what they say about men with big feet? Well, apparently it’s true in this case.

  Eww. And he’s still her brother, big dick or not.

  She doesn’t appear to have the same sensibilities as you or me.

  Wonder if the same could be said about the rest of them, given they’re willingly feeding and fucking a vampire?

  I think you’d have to be more than a little left of center to even consider becoming a vampire’s food source.

  “Which gives us more than enough to go on. Interview suspended at,” Aiden glanced at the clock and then said, “two forty-five. Suspect to be held until more secure arrangements can be made.”

  “I’m not going to fucking prison,” Molly growled. “I haven’t done anything.”

  “Including not answering questions.” Aiden walked around the desk and hauled her upright. “Let’s go find a nice little temporary cell, shall we?”

  “I’ll add an exclusion note to the magic protecting this place,” Ashworth commented. “Just in case the bastard gives us the slip and attempts to free his sister.”

  Aiden nodded and led Molly out the door. I put my cup down and quickly followed, as did Belle. It seemed both of us were desperate to avoid the looming confrontation with Ashworth.

  There were only a couple of cells in the station, and all of them had silver-coated bars bracing the doors. A werewolf might well be able to smash through regular metal cell doors, but they wouldn’t go near ones braced with silver.

  “How do you rangers get around the problem of the silver?” I asked.

  “Special gloves.”

  He shoved Molly through an open door, placed her on the very basic bed, and retreated. Once he’d plucked what looked like a thick oven mitt from a holder to the side of the doorway and tugged it on, he then closed and locked the door.

  “Ashworth,” he said, raising his voice so that the other man could hear him. “You can release her.”

  He did, and she immediately launched at us. She didn’t get very far—cells designed to hold werewolves were not going have much trouble containing a troubled young woman—but her language was thick, foul, and filled with threats.

  I blinked. “Well, I’ve certainly learned a few new curses in the past couple of seconds.”

  “As have I.” He lightly touched my back and guided me down the hall. “You two need to go home. Ashworth and I will go search her apartment.”

  “Neither of them are going anywhere until they explain what the hell is going on.” Ashworth came out of the interview room and propped in front of the exit door.

  I stopped and tried to ignore the sick sensation growing in my stomach. “With what? I don’t understand—”

  “I meant with the two of you, and you’re well aware of it.” He shook his head. “Taken as separate entities, you are, at best, very weak witches—”

  “A point that’s been well established, so what’s the problem?”

  “The problem isn’t a problem, as such,” he said. “But it’s certainly something
I’ve never seen or even read about.”

  “If this has any sort of point,” Aiden said, “can we get to it? We have a dark practitioner to capture and time’s a-wasting.”

  “The point,” Ashworth said, his gaze once again gaining that sense of wonder, “is that these two might be separately weak, but together, they’re as strong as any single witch I’ve ever come across outside of Canberra’s confines.”

  It was a comment that had relief stirring. At least he wasn’t saying we were all-powerful—that would have been the quickest way ever to have Canberra scrambling to investigate us.

  “That’s impossible. No witch—not even those from royal lines—can blithely share powers.”

  Except that we’re not ordinary witches, and we can and do share our physical energy, Belle commented. In fact, we’re something that’s never happened before—a witch who has a witch familiar. Your parents and the council were so busy bemoaning your lack that they didn’t even check what our situation might have meant for us jointly.

  But if Ashworth can see the immersion of our powers so clearly, why wouldn’t have my parents, our teachers, and everyone else up in Canberra? Once you became my familiar, we were constantly together.

  Perhaps it’s been a gradual thing. It’s been the two of us for such a long time that maybe this is simply a development of the trust and friendship that lies between us.

  Possibly. Though it still didn’t explain why my parents wouldn’t have seen the possibility, given they were considered to be amongst a mere handful of the most powerful witches in Canberra.

  “So the High Council would have everyone believe,” Ashworth said, dragging my attention back to him, “but there have been rare occasions where it has occurred, even if on a temporary basis. This, however, isn’t temporary. It’s full-time, and it’s something that has developed over time. Your separate energy outputs flow and combine in a way I’ve never seen. It makes the whole greater than the two parts.”

  Which basically confirmed Belle’s thoughts, even if it didn’t explain why no one else had noticed it before now. Anna certainly hadn’t mentioned it, nor had any of the other witches—some of them powerful, most of them not—that we’d come across over the years.