“I’ll speak to them and get back to you. In the meantime, I thank you for sharing this information with me. We’ll take every precaution with our protected. And should we find ourselves confronted by one of these mages, I hope you won’t expect us to return the body.”
She smiled slowly. “Of course not.” She knew they wouldn’t feed from any of the turned witches or mages. It’d not only be toxic but also considered offal.
AS they walked back to the car, Simon remained silent, which was good because her phone rang right as they got to his car.
She noted it was Gage’s number. “I’m just leaving the nest now. What’s up?”
“It’s Nell.” His voice held panic. “They took her.”
Fear struck her heart. “Who did? When?”
“We don’t know exactly. I’m here with William right now.”
“I’m on my way. Don’t leave yet.” She looked to Simon, who was already making his way to his side, his keys out and ready.
“You’ll find her.” Simon didn’t race away from the curb, but he moved pretty quickly so she let herself at least relax in that knowledge.
She turned her attention back to the call and Gage. “Who is there? Have we put our hunters into play?”
“William just called me five minutes ago. Meriel is on her way here. I didn’t know what…”
“Hold it together, Gage. We’ll get her back. I’m going to let the team know to be ready to mobilize. Let me get there and we can decide the next steps.”
“We’ll be there in five minutes.”
She hadn’t been in Seattle that long, but she knew it was at least three times that to get from where they were to Nell’s. But she trusted Simon so she relayed the same to Gage before hanging up.
She called Quinn, who she would appoint lead investigator on this. Teo could help Gage with the work to be done here in town and Quinn would help her find Nell. She just had to hope they found her alive.
By the time five minutes had passed, they were screaming into the driveway, Lark halfway from the car by before they came to a full stop. Simon put a hand on her arm. “How about you don’t complicate matters and get killed while jumping from a moving car? We’ll find her. I have faith in you, Lark.”
She liked that he added that little bit at the end. Such a big grumpy wolf and yet, he took a moment to reaffirm his faith in her. She was fortunate in him. “I wish your faith was all I needed.” She turned to kiss his hand before getting out.
Gage rushed out to meet them.
“William is inside. Come on.”
William sat on a couch, fear all over his features. She moved to him, taking his hand and squeezing it. “I need to hear everything you know. No matter how insignificant it might seem.” She pulled her notebook out and he began to speak.
“She and I went to the doctor earlier today and then the office.”
Lark nodded having seen them both earlier that day.
“She convinced me.” He laughed, rueful. “Convinced me to stop and grab dinner at The Palace Kitchen. It’s one of her favorite places. We came back here around seven. She took a shower and we watched a movie. I had to go to the club to check on some things at nine. I texted her at ten to say I was bringing home gelato. She texted back. She said wheee! I got home at eleven thirty and she was gone.” He put his face in his hands. “Oh god, I shouldn’t have left her.”
“No, William. Nell wouldn’t want you to do this. She’s a big girl. A tough, badass witch and she’s fully capable of handling herself.” She looked around. “Was this mess here when you got home?” There were clear signs of a struggle. Bookshelves turned over. The screen door hung by only one hinge. The scent of Nell’s magick hung in the air.
“Yes. The front door was open. She’d never do that. First of all she’s a freak about how much electricity we waste by leaving the door open when the heat is on. I knew there was a problem when I saw the screen and then the mess in here. I called Gage. Shouldn’t we call the police?”
“We can’t call the police, William. They have no way of catching the people who have her. We do. They’d just get killed.”
Meriel came rushing in, Dominic in her wake. “Any news?”
Quinn arrived as well.
“I’m going to look everything over. Gage, with me. Quinn, you too. Use your othersight and let’s see what we can find.”
Simon stood. “I can help.”
She knew he could. He had a prime nose and senses. She nodded. “Appreciated.”
“Everyone else, please stay inside. It’s easier to track the different energies with you all in one place.”
She threw her othersight open and began to slowly look the scene over. By the door she saw the clear evidence of mage magic. How they got past the wards she wasn’t clear. But they had. Two of them had gotten up to the porch and into the house. She didn’t recognize the energy signature of the third at the scene, but maybe Simon would.
When she came back inside a few minutes later she sighed. “What we have is three attackers. Two mages. I don’t recognize the third energy pattern. Meriel, it’s in the drive, near the big planter near the tree. Can you look? See if you recognize it?”
It would give Meriel something to do, a reason to feel like she was being productive and that would help everyone.
Simon came back shortly after, tucking his shirt in. “They had a car. A van of some type. They took her in it. I followed the scent for a bit but lost it once it reached the main road. But they headed north. I could tell that.”
“Okay. Gage I need you to work with the hunters to get some search teams out. We can’t afford to take our eyes from the Magister situation and it seems pretty obvious to me that this is connected. Anyone else couldn’t have gotten past these wards. The Kellys are working on it. I spoke to the vampires earlier. Meriel has the wolves on it and the Lycians have also been alerted. We’re moving with that. Quinn, I want you investigating this. You have the skills and the connections. I’m going to track.”
“I’m with you.” Simon took her hand. “Don’t even try to argue with me. I’m the best tracker you’ll meet this side of the Veil.”
She huffed out a breath. “Yes, yes, fine. Thank you. Meriel, I know you’re upset but I need you back at work. I need you showing your witches that you won’t break, even over this.”
“She’s my best friend! She’s pregnant. How can I do my job knowing they might kill her at any second?”
Lark moved to Meriel and took her arms in her hands and held her still. “You have to. Nell will want you to. They’re trying to break you, Meriel. Your position as the Owen, holding the seat of the clan is what holds the clan together. Your magick is part of why they are so vibrant and strong. In fact, you’re a magickal ninja and I need that right now. We all do. We have to find out how to get rid of it. I don’t know anyone who’d be better to do that spell than you. You’re a badass.”
The fear cleared from Meriel’s gaze as she took on a stubborn face. Good. Get her mad, get her to stop thinking about how Nell could be dead.
Meriel nodded, standing straighter. “Yes, I can do that.”
Dominic put his arm around Meriel’s shoulders and kissed her temple. “We’ll kick this Magister’s ass. And we’ll find Nell.”
“I’m going to put the spell on the prisoner and let him go. The one from the first attack. If we can track him back to any location we’ll have something at least.”
“And risk them knowing?” Gage was normally smarter than this, but she got it. She loved Nell too, and they’d known her far longer. But she had to snap him out of his funk to get him on track again.
“Knowing what? They walked right into the house of the leader of your hunter crew. They killed someone in our custody. They aren’t afraid. The Magister is getting them through our wards. They’ll know he’s tagged, but I’ll set the spell to two hours. He won’t go there immediately. He’s not that stupid. But he will eventually and hopefully by the time they figure it out, or eve
n go to remove it, it will dissipate. Either way, we’ve got to try.”
“All right. You’re right.” Gage pulled himself together and stood tall.
Meriel turned to William. “You’ll stay with us. You’re at risk here. She’ll know to look for you through me if she gets away and comes back.”
Gage was on the phone, already organizing things on his end so Lark nodded to Dominic. “We’re off. You have my number if you need me or hear anything.”
“Quinn, with me. You’re going to be the one to let this dumbass go.”
Chapter 24
LARK did the spell from a distance, setting it to rest in his hair. An unusual enough place so they wouldn’t notice at first, though they would eventually if it was still on him when they realized the location. Quinn pretended to be worried they were going to kill the mage and said he was sick of all the death. He was marginally sympathetic and it appeared to work on the mage, who scampered from the car when Quinn dropped him in downtown Seattle.
“You will find her, Lark.” Simon was so convinced it made her believe it too.
She blew out a breath as they watched the prisoner pretend to go nowhere at all as he looked around to see if they watched him. Like she was an amateur? He’d never see her. Not until it was too late.
“If they kill her, I will burn shit down.”
His eyes lit with that feral glow she knew was his beast. “Of course you will. And they’ll come to find this out about you.”
She hoped that knowledge came from a beat down and not a fiery cataclysm after they murdered a friend and her baby.
“Finally.” The prisoner moved at last. Finding one of the last phone booths on Earth and making a call. She spoke quietly into the mic so Quinn could hear her up on his perch in a parking lot nearby, looking out over the street. “I want you on that phone booth when he hangs up and leaves.”
Quinn clicked the mic twice, acknowledging he’d heard.
Ten minutes later a car came and their bait got inside. But not before Lark spoke to her fingertips and blew the spell, landing it on the bumper. That one would only last about twenty minutes or so.
They’d follow in Simon’s car while Quinn dealt with the phone.
She didn’t tell him to stay back or keep out of sight. Simon appreciated how much confidence she had in his skills. She let him do it his way, all while she watched the car ahead, her lips moving as she did whatever magick stuff she did. He’d ask later, but for then he didn’t want to interrupt her concentration.
“This is the house I saw.” She said it suddenly. “When they turn, go straight. I know which house it is.”
He followed her direction and parked a few blocks away.
“I’m going to keep my magick use to an absolute minimum. If this thing is nearby, it may be able to detect it and then of course, us. When we get close enough, I’d be quite happy to use your hearing. I won’t get as much.”
“My skills are yours to use. You know that.”
“I do. Thank you.”
Neither of them needed magick though, as they crept through the alley running behind the houses. Dogs didn’t bark at a Lycian and all animals seemed to dig her like she was Snow White so they didn’t have much of a concern over that sort of noise.
She held up a hand and they stopped. He knew which house it was before she said anything. The darkness emanated from it.
They crept through the backyard as she used her othersight to avoid stepping into any traps that’d been set. Stupidly there didn’t seem to be very many and she disabled one enough to get them through and close enough to look through the windows.
He listened.
“You fool! What if you were followed? These witches aren’t just going to let you go out of the goodness of their hearts,” one of the ones in charge bellowed toward the prisoner.
“One of them was a bleeding heart. He said he felt bad about all the killing. Said he hoped letting me go would prove to me that they’re good people.” The prisoner sneered. “Stupid asshole.”
“The others?”
“A few are dead.”
“Check him for spells.” The one in charge waved a hand.
They paused as the prisoner was searched. His smart, smart pixie had been so right to build in that expiration. They found nothing and seemed to relax. This disgusted Simon. What a bunch of lazy dumbasses.
She pulled her handgun out and captured his gaze. “We need to go in.” Her voice wasn’t even a whisper but he heard it. He nodded and held up a hand with his fingers out, asking for five more minutes.
She nodded. They’d wait to see if anyone showed up. If not, they’d go in and get answers however they needed to.
“We took the hunter.”
The prisoner goggled at them. “The new one? I’d watch out, she’s fucking vicious.”
“No, even better. The pregnant one.”
The prisoner rubbed his hands together. “I’ve never tasted a pregnant witch before. Is it like a double shot?”
Simon’s lip curled as the rage began to boil in his belly. Lark tensed up next to him, he knew in reaction to what they’d just heard.
“You don’t get a taste. The helper has her and two others. Took them from us right when we arrived.”
“I’m getting sick of that weirdo stealing all our stuff. Who is he to do that?”
“You kidding? Have you seen him? In person? I don’t even want to be in the same room with him. Whatever he’s doing, whoever he’s doing it for is more than enough to keep me just fine with them taking our witches. Better than having them focus on us.”
That one was clearly in charge. So he’d probably know more than the others. Simon wouldn’t kill him. Not at first.
“Well, they don’t leave any for us!”
“You want to go up there to that spooky house and tell them so?” one of them said, and the one in charge punched him.
“What the hell is wrong with you? You can’t say stuff like that! You never know who might be listening. What do you think they’d do if they found out you helped the witches find the place?”
“It’d be bad if the witches found us just now too. This new one, she’s different. I heard tell she shot Marty. Right on the street. Once they learn we took the pregnant one, none of us is going to be safe. This thing we’re giving Others to isn’t going to protect us from the witches. Or the vamps or shifters either.”
“Then you better keep your mouth shut so they don’t find us.”
Beside him, Simon heard Lark thumb the safety off.
He turned to her and nodded. He’d take the back and she’d take the front. He took her and held her chin for a moment. “Don’t get hurt.”
She grinned, the anticipation a gleam in her eyes. “I’m sort of good at this. Anyway, what’s a bruise or two? They’re going to die. And they’re going to tell me where they’ve got Nell so I can’t use the special ammo. Yet.”
SHE crept around the house after checking to be sure all spells around the back door where Simon was going in were disabled. He’d shifted to his beast and would wait for the signal.
Not much around the door. The neighborhood was decent enough, lots of families by the look of it. They probably weren’t keeping witches or Others there, but just in case, she’d be extra careful when she entered.
She let the night air fill her lungs and center her focus before she got to the front door and used her magick to unlock it and then walked in as Simon crashed through the back, splitting their attention. Before they could do or say anything, she used a paralysis spell and they hit the floor. She shut the front door and turned to Simon. “We need to be sure the place is clear. Watch them while I search.”
He growled. Even arguing when he was a freaking wolf!
“It has to be me. I can use my othersight to be sure there aren’t traps.”
She could have sworn he groaned, but he moved back enough to let her pass.
Up the stairs and she found nothing but bedrooms she bet the mages had
been using. Back down and she found what appeared to be a holding room of sorts. Handcuffs and chains. Silver. They brought vamps and Weres here too it would seem. When she got back out, she called Quinn and gave him the address. He’d come with some of their crew to gather evidence while she and Simon interrogated their prisoners.
“Clear.”
Simon shifted back, but naked, he was just as scary. Though my goodness he was so big. He caught her looking and raised a single brow before they both turned their attention back to the prisoners.
She released the one who seemed to be in charge.
“Here’s how this will go. I will ask and you will answer. If you lie to me, I’ll shoot you. Not to kill you. At first.”
“Fuck off.”
She shot him in the right leg. In the thigh. He buckled on a howl of pain.
“Lots of blood to be lost with a wound like that. So, do you need me to go over the rules again?”
He kept whining so she shot him in the other leg.
Finally the fear seemed to get him thinking clearer and he managed to sit up against the side of the couch.
“Bitch.”
“You bet. And I’m really mad at you. So you know, oopsie and stuff. But I’ll shoot you again and again and you won’t die until I’m ready. I know a few things being a witch and all. So, how about you tell me about this house the pregnant witch has been taken to. Because if you don’t, I’ll get in your head and take it and then I’ll leave you to bleed out.”
“I don’t know anything.”
“Yes, you do. You see, I know the rest of you all act as small cells. This is a headquarters of some type. It was totally stupid of you to pick Tweedledum over there up and bring him back. Even if I hadn’t been following, he’s bound to get caught again and spill all he knows.”
“I don’t—”
But before he could say another thing she simply dove into his head, not bothering to be slow or careful. She didn’t give a shit if she broke his brain. She just needed the info and she needed it right then.
When she finally emerged, it was to find Quinn and Teo there with Simon. The others had been tied up. The one she’d been inside slumped to the side.