To Kill A Warlock

  Once the Ford started down the alley, I bolted for the Wrangler, pulling my keys from my jeans pocket as I did so. Knight was quick behind me. I beeped the alarm off and threw open the door, not waiting to see if Knight was seated. I didn't have time.

  I turned the key in the ignition, put it into drive and peeled into the street, madly searching for the Black Ford. At the base of the alley, red taillights disappeared over the crest of the hill on Magnolia Street, heading onto Periwinkle Street. Craning my head to the left, there was nothing in sight. Hoping the taillights belonged to the Ford, I followed them.

  I caught the Ford at a stop light and suddenly worried the creature might glance behind and recognize us. “Knight, drop down so it can't see you.”

  He did as I told him, thank God.

  I was careful to keep at least two cars between the Ford and myself as we drove down Periwinkle street and headed for Splendor's city center. When the Ford reached Main Street, it took a left, and I did the same.

  The Ford continued down Main Street, approaching Headquarters. When it was about thirty feet from Headquarters, it slowed down and made a left into the parking lot.

  “Why the hell are they going to Headquarters?” I asked as I drove past them, not wanting to leave any clues that they were being tailed. Instead, I took the first left onto Penelope Street, and then took another left into the alley that bordered Headquarters. I drove slowly as I navigated around the potholes and trash.

  Suddenly, it occurred to me why they might be at Headquarters. The illegal potions that were being stored in the vault. Maybe they hadn’t been destroyed on purpose? Maybe these bastards were going after them? The only thing I could wonder is how they would’ve gotten access. Maybe it was an insider job? But who within the A.N.C had access to the vault? It was basically top secret.

  I glanced at Knight. “Hey, who has access to the vault?”

  His eyes were closed, his arm out straight as he repeatedly pinched it, writhing in what looked like bliss.

  “For Hades’ sake, Knight!”

  He threw open his eyes and glared at me. “Why do you want to know?”

  I shook my head, wanting to keep my reasons to myself. I mean, I didn’t have the whole picture yet so no need to fill him on every little detail. “Just curious.”

  He shrugged. “Anyone management level and above.”

  “So, that means Quillan and you and who else?”

  “About a handful of people in the Relations Office.”

  I turned the headlights off and pulled up to a break in the wall separating the parking lot from the alley. Turning the car off, so as not to attract any attention, I watched the Ford sit idly in the parking lot, but my mind was still on the connection with the A.N.C.

  If a handful of people from the A.N.C had access to the vault, maybe one of them was involved? And only Quillan had access within our branch? Hmmm… No, it couldn’t be Quillan—I’d worked with him too long and knew him too well. There was no way he was involved. And as far as anyone from the Relations Office in the Netherworld? Well, I’d never met any of them and it’s not like the potions went back to the Netherworld—they were destroyed on Headquarters premises.

  That left just one person.

  Course, I’d thought he was guilty once before and that had resulted in my total humiliation so I wasn’t exactly thrilled with playing that card again.

  Knight got out of the car, so I followed suit and forced my attention from the facts that seemed to be pointing the finger at Knight to the Ford which was still idling in the parking lot.

  No one got out. No one got in. Maybe that killed my theory about the illegal potions and the link with Headquarters? Maybe Headquarters was just backlogged on destroying the street potions? I mean, who knew how reliable the cauldron delivery system was. Maybe my imagination was running away with me…Good thing I hadn’t said anything.

  “Why the hell would they come here?” I whispered, now at a complete loss.

  “Because it's the one place where no one would imagine they would,” Knight started, looking pained. He crossed his arms against his chest like he was restraining himself. From what, I had to wonder.

  I glanced at him and nodded, wondering if he were the criminal in question. “I guess so.”

  He took a deep breath. “That's exactly why they chose to come here. Because it's safe.”

  The breath caught in my throat as I watched another car enter the Headquarters lot. This one was a silver, Lincoln Towncar. It pulled up behind the Ford and a man I didn't recognize stepped out. I grabbed the binoculars.

  Holding them to my eyes, I watched the man. He was stout and short with a mustache and a sinister air about him. He waddled up to the driver's side of the Ford and had a conversation with the driver. I returned my attention to the Towncar when I glimpsed movement in the back seat. There was someone sitting back there but they were covered by the cloak of night.

  The stout man inspected the surroundings of the parking lot, as if alerted that someone might be watching them. I instinctively shrunk back, even though there was no way he or anyone else could see Knight and me. We were completely hidden in the alley. The man shook his head and returned to the Towncar. The Ford started for the parking lot exit, the Towncar behind it. Both disappeared into the lamp-less darkness of Main Street.

  “Get in the car,” I said as I went for the driver's side. I started the car and gunned it until we were out of the alley and following the creature and its master.

  EIGHTEEN

  I'd managed not to lose the Ford or the Towncar, and Knight and I were now following them out of the city center and toward the town of Estuary on Highway One. The farther we ventured from Splendor, the fewer cars on the road and the more I worried the Ford and Towncar would notice us.

  “This creature juice is giving me a serious upset stomach,” Knight said through gritted teeth. He dug his fingers into the armrests and shuddered.

  I didn't glance at him, entirely too focused on not losing sight of the two vehicles, which wasn't hard considering they were the only other vehicles on the road.

  At least his issues were going from erectile to merely gastrointestinal. Gastrointestinal I could handle. His erectile issues were just getting downright annoying.

  “Pull over, I feel like I’m going to be sick,” he said and sounded like a junkie going through withdrawals.

  “I’m not interested in you or your issues right now, Knight. We’ve got more important stuff to deal with. Just breathe deeply until the feeling goes away.”

  I had a mind to call Sam and find out what the hell went wrong. But, I knew what the answer would be—it wasn't her; it was Knight.

  “I feel sick to my stomach,” he hissed.

  I laughed. “That's called blue balls.”

  Knight just grumbled.

  The Ford took a right on an unpaved road with no sign. The only distinguishing landmark happened to be an old defunct mill, looming in the shadows like a nightmare. The Towncar turned onto the road, following the Ford, but I stayed on Highway One, not wanting to draw any attention to myself. Soon both vehicles disappeared down the road, trailed by a cloud of red-tinted dust from their taillights. I pulled a U-turn and started back after them.

  “Oh, God,” Knight groaned as he rolled his head back and forth.

  “Just don’t throw up in my car.” I gave him a meaningful glance. “I’ll kill you if you do.”

  Not waiting for a response, I pulled onto the dirt road and put the Wrangler into four-wheel-drive. With the potholes and the incline, I was surprised the Towncar made it up at all.

  “Where are we?” Knight asked, finally pulling his attention away from that which makes him male.

  “Some dirt road. I think we're in the city limits of Estuary but I'm not sure.” I paused to glance at him and noticed his erection raring against his khaki pants like a demon wanting out of Pandora's box. Course, in this case, Knight's demon wanted in.

  I shook my head. Once this ca
se was done, and if we were lucky enough to survive, a new type of torture awaited Knight—and that torture included me reminding him in vivid detail of every sexual notion to come out of his mouth.

  “Do you think you’re going to puke?” I asked, wondering if I should just leave him in the car and handle the arrests myself.

  “I’m not going to be sick,” he groaned and glanced outside. “You should turn off your headlights—otherwise, the lights are going to blow any chance we have at getting these guys.”

  The word “guys” struck me, being plural. “There are at least, what, four of them including the creature? And there are two of us,” I said, sounding like I was setting up the foundation for a math problem.

  “I'm easily as strong as three men,” my nymphomaniac passenger said calmly.

  “You were. Now I’m afraid you’ll just toss your cookies on them.” I fished inside the cubby hole below my CD player for my cell phone. “I think we need backup.”

  “No, no backup. We can handle it,” Knight insisted.

  I grabbed my phone and flipped it open. “Knight, we'd be stupid to go in there without anyone covering our asses.”

  I started to dial.

  “Hang up the phone, Dulcie, that’s an order.” The steel set to his jaw was warning enough and I flipped the phone closed and dropped it back into its designated slot. “We can handle this,” he continued. “I can feel my strength returning.”

  “Well, for our sakes, I hope you aren't exaggerating.”

  I turned the headlights off and struggled to locate the dirt road in the darkness. Luckily, the moon broke from the clouds every so often to highlight my path. If I thought I'd been driving slowly before, now I was proceeding at a snail's pace.

  Then I noticed the tire marks leading to a dirt driveway. At the top of the driveway was what looked like a house—a one story, modest house that stood out like a blemish against the otherwise barren landscape. Parked in the driveway were the Towncar and the Ford.

  I stopped the Wrangler and reached for the binoculars in Knight's lap. I grazed his anxious unit and when he grabbed my hand, I realized I’d reawakened his libido. Damn it all.

  I pulled against him but he held me rigidly. “Knight, for Hades sake, go stand behind the bushes and wank!”

  His eyes blinked open as they settled on me. “That won't help.”

  I sighed, knowing I was fighting a losing battle. I reached around with my other hand, grabbed hold of the binoculars and bashed them against the back of his head.

  He let go of my hand. “What the hell did you do that for?” he yelled and grabbed his head.

  Hmm, he didn’t seem to have enjoyed getting hit upside the head so maybe he was coming back to himself. “To knock some goddamned sense into you.”

  Knight continued to rub his head, glaring at me while I brought the binoculars to my eyes. No one was in the front, and it didn't appear anyone was in the back either. They must have already gone inside. Not wanting to make a drastic mistake, I continued watching the Towncar and the Ford for any sign of occupancy. After another five minutes, I was convinced they were empty.

  I dropped the binoculars into my lap, and put the Wrangler into drive so I could pull off the road. The engine groaned as it ascended the small hill. A grove of pepper trees looked perfect for hiding the car so I pulled behind them.

  “Knight, are you ready to go after them?” I asked, seriously suspecting he wasn’t.

  He nodded, undid his seatbelt, and as he was reaching for the door, I grabbed the lapel of his shirt, wanting to prove how serious I was.

  “You need to focus or you could get us both killed.”

  “You don't need to warn me.”

  I laughed at the irony in that, and grabbing the binoculars, opened the door, and jumped to the ground. My sneakers barely made a sound as I ventured to the back of the Wrangler and pulled my Op 6 from inside the spare tire. It was always good policy to keep an extra weapon hidden. Knight caught the flash of the gun in the moonlight and grinned his approval.

  “What are you armed with?” I asked.

  He pulled the waistline of his pants forward and revealed the butt of his weapon. I shook my head. “You know, one of these days, that's going to misfire and you'll be a eunuch.”

  He just chuckled and we started down the hill. At the foot of the hill, I crouched down and motioned for him to do the same. “I think I should go for the front of the house, and you go for the back,” I said.

  Knight motioned for the binoculars. I handed them over, and he positioned them on top of his aquiline nose. “Looks like you've got your choice of two windows toward the east end of the house. I think those are your best bet.”

  I motioned for the binoculars to double check, and decided he was right.

  “How are you going to get in?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Break the window. I'll use my magic so it won't make a sound.”

  Knight nodded, apparently satisfied. “I'll take the back and meet you in the middle. Try to keep them in the living room—easier to contain that way.”

  “Good luck.”

  Hopefully he'd have the stamina to do his job. I could just imagine him finding some secret spot to tiddle his widdle and where the hell would that leave me?

  “Knight, you aren't going to get...sidetracked are you?”

  He frowned when he got my meaning. “No, I won't.”

  “Okay, just wanted to check.”

  “Shoot to kill and ask questions later,” he said.

  I knew the real Knight was in there somewhere.

  “Understood.” I started forward but Knight's hand on my arm prohibited me. I turned to face him.

  “Be careful, Dulce.”

  I nodded with a smile. “Ditto.”

  Then I started forward and ran for the windows at the east end of the house. Reaching the windows, I tucked the Op 6 into my jeans and peered into the dirty bedroom window. It boasted nothing but an old mattress and a pair of even older sneakers. This looked like the best way in.

  Now, how to break the glass. I could bust it with my arm (wrap said arm in my sweatshirt first) and magic out the sound but that required a lot of energy. So, I decided to use magic entirely. Summoning a palm of fairy dust, I blew the dust at the window and focused on the pane of glass. I imagined it slicing down the middle and opening out like French doors. The glass obliged. Grabbing hold of the window pane, I hoisted myself up to the ledge, being careful not to make a sound as I dropped onto the stained carpet below.

  Facing the window again, I imagined the separated glass melding back together and smiled at my handiwork. Not bad.

  Pulling the Op 6 from my jeans, I cocked the gun and held it at eye level, starting for the hallway. The only light in the small house emanated from the living room where I could hear voices. Three were deep and one was a high-pitched, grating tone I knew only too well.

  Zara, the hooker.

  “Please let me go,” she said in an uneven voice, fraught with tears. “This ain't none of my business. I swear I won't tell a soul.”

  “Shut her up,” someone grumbled, followed by the sound of a slap and Zara's pronounced sobbing.

  I threw my back against the wall and sidled down the hall until I reached the threshold of the living room, but was still hidden by the darkness of the corridor.

  “Don't feed me to that thing!” Zara said in a voice made tight by tears, but her tone held an angry edge. I could only imagine the “thing” in question was the creature. So, they were planning on using her as a snack? Hmm, who knew what grisly chore they were designing for the creature in return.

  “It's hungry,” a deep voice said. “What would you have us feed it?”

  I'd heard enough.

  Hoping the deep voice was someone in charge, I honed in on it until I figured it was coming to the left of me, on the opposite side of the wall I was leaning against. Holding the gun out before me, I pivoted and stepped out of the darkness. I immediately held my Op 6 agains
t the temple of the perpetrator much to the shock of the other living room guests. He'd been exactly where I'd thought he was. Yay me.

  “Nobody move a finger,” I demanded as I wrapped my arm around the flabby guy's chest and secured the barrel of the gun against him. He was a human—I could smell his sweat.

  “Dulcie,” Zara said, gazing at me like I'd just ridden in on a white horse and was sporting the latest in shining armor.

  I returned my attention to the two men in front of me. One was a vamp—tall, skinny and had the general look of someone who hadn't eaten food in centuries and the other a gnome—small and angry. The vamp would be the harder to take down. He held a leash to the creature who was half in its human state and half...not. The upper part of its face was human, that of the redheaded siren, and the bottom part was hairy with those razor sharp teeth I'd come to know so well. Its body was covered in hair but its forearms and hands were human. It looked like someone hadn't separated their humans from their monsters in the wash cycle.

  Its eyes fastened on Zara who sat on the floor in front of it, mascara and red lipstick smudged across her face.

  “Zara, get out of here,” I snapped, resisting the urge to take my gun away from the human’s head in order to put a bullet between the creature's eyes. If I so much as flinched, the vamp would be on me. “Nobody touches her, got it?”

  They sullenly nodded, although I noted the twitchy composure of the vamp. He wouldn't stay immobile for long. Luckily, it seemed the human was the one in charge, otherwise they would've let me kill him by now and they'd both be working on putting my wick out.

  Zara didn't waste any time in flying for the door.

  “Hey, Vampy, throw her the keys to the Explorer,” I said, realizing it wasn't like she could get a bus out of here. He hesitated so I rammed the barrel of the gun further into Pudgy's head. “Pronto!”

  The vamp fumbled inside his pants pocket and tossed the keys to Zara who took them eagerly. The creature eyed her longingly, as if its peanut butter and jelly sandwich was about to escape with its glass of milk.

  “Zara, go find Quillan and tell him to get his ass out here asap,” I said, no longer concerned about Knight's insistence on confidentiality. Quillan was a great cop and as far as I was concerned, we needed him. I needed him.