Arcane Solutions (14 page)

“
After two demon attacks, I’m still upright. Other than that, today has pretty much sucked. I did get to yell at the elf. That part was fun.” My lips tried to smile, but it hurt, so I made them give the idea up. “How about you?”

“
Not nearly as exciting. I wanted to talk to you about your car, but it doesn’t sound like it’s a good time.” There was noise on his end, voices and other sounds. “Are you all right?”

“
I’ll live.” I wanted to see him, which had to be wrong, considering that the guy I was sleeping with had saved my life less than an hour ago. “Um, I’ll give you a call later, if that’s okay? We have a meeting about to start.”

“
Sure. Talk to you then, and take care of yourself, Discord.”

“
I’m trying to. Bye.” Ending the call, I wondered what the hell was going on with me. I’d never consciously drooled over another guy while involved. Nick stopped outside my door, and I forced a smile, shoving thoughts of Logan way into the back of my mind.

“
Ronnie’s doing her thing and Mr. Whitehaven is waiting on us.” His eyes traced the burn on my face, and a slight frown appeared. “I still think you should go to the ER.”

By morning, I’d be fine, as long as I had a huge dinner and time to concentrate on healing the rest of the damage.
“I only go there when something’s broken or there’s spurting blood.”

His frown turned into a lopsided grin, and the shifter put a hand over his eyes for just a second.
“You’re one of a kind.” Rubbing his face, he said, “Burned Cordi doesn’t smell as sexy. Just sayin’.”

“
Pervert.” I left my seat and we walked down to the boss’s office.

Mr. Whitehaven sat behind his desk. Elbows propped and fingers
steepled, he gazed at me until I had to repress the urge to squirm. “What? I told you it wasn’t my fault.”

His lips parted, teeth flashing in a brief smile.
“I’m merely thinking. You’ve had a vision and two demonic contact events.”

“
She’s also had a contact event with vampires,” Nick pointed out, from his position by the door. Kate was sitting in the chair next to mine, Percy at her shoulder.

Two, actually. Of course, he didn’t know about the second one, because he hadn’t called me back and there hadn’t been a chance to tell him yet.
“That may be personal.”

Whitehaven leaned back, his chair creaking a faint protest.
“Kate, what have you uncovered in regard to Derrick?”

“
Damn little. He seems to be relatively unknown, which I find highly suspicious, if he’s as powerful a telepath as Jones believes.” She scowled, obviously miffed over the lack of information.

“
Very well. I’ll visit the Barrows myself as soon as possible, and attempt to meet with him concerning his interference.”

I wondered how well that would go, while nodding in agreement. Eight feet of anything is impressive. If the boss could get the vamp off my back, that was cool by me. Then again, he was elderly, regardless of whatever he was. Plus, I wanted to know why Derrick was after me. It felt too determined to be just over a little spying.
“As long as I sit in.”

“
Me too.” The shifter crossed his arms. With a tiny smile playing over his lips, Whitehaven agreed. I got the impression he didn’t really need any back up.

“
Very well. Now, it’s apparent that steps must be taken to provide Discordia the means to combat any future demonic encounters.”

“
Why? They’ll leave her alone if she quits the case.” Nick was scowling when I looked.

“
I can’t quit.”

He dropped his arms.
“Of course you can. Tell that damned elf to shove his book up his…”

“
I can't stop hunting for the book. I have to find it.” Raking a hand through my hair, I said, “I have to clear it out of my mental files or it'll interfere with every case I take from here on out.”

Mr. Whitehaven spoke.
“I am extremely sorry to have placed you in this situation, Discordia.”

“
It's not your fault. It's his—that damn elf's. He lied to you, to me, ooh!” Furious, I stood up and began pacing.

“
He hired you. What if I kill him? Will that break this compulsion to find the book?” Nick’s face was a mask of unconcealed rage when I spun around to look at him, mouth inviting flies by falling wide open in shock.

Kate waved his questions away with a calculated coolness.
“Alive or dead, the elf has no bearing on her need to track down the book.”

“
I can't protect her from demons.” He turned away, his hands clenching into tight fists and shoulders turning rigid. “If things had gone differently, we’d both be dead.”

Though touched by his obvious distress, I felt a flutter of anger. How many times would it take before he realized I wasn’t some weak little damsel in distress?
“I'm not completely helpless, Nick.”

“
Cordi, Cordi, Cordi,” Percy warbled, flicking his wings. “Blood shines through.”

“
What?” Kate turned a sharp look on her familiar. ‘What do you mean, Percival?”

The parrot chuckled in response. Her frown promising a decrease in his cracker allowance, Kate continued regarding him while telling Nick,
“She isn't helpless and she has us. My coven. We're not entirely impotent against demons, Maxwell. I believe we have provided proof of that.”

Thank you, Kate. I was going to buy her a new pair of shoes for that vote of confidence.

“I can also help.” Whitehaven rose, heading for the full-wall display case to the left of his desk. It was crowded with a collection of things I’d never quite had the time to peruse.

Nick turned back, expression grim and set.
“How?”

“
I've collected many unusual items.” Our boss waved a hand over the lock, which clicked in response. Reaching inside, he informed us, “Some of them enjoy the taste of demon blood.”

He removed a short sword, holding it out for our inspection. The hilt was a dragon's head, the wavy blade supposed to be the flame issuing from its open jaws. Whitehaven offered it to me.
“I don't know how to use that.”

“
I do.” Thorandryll's voice shocked us all for a moment, but then Nick snarled and went for him. They disappeared through the door and landed with a thump somewhere down the hallway outside.

“
Wonderful!” Kate leaped up from her seat. Not sure if she was going to get popcorn or attempt to stop them wrecking the remains of the reception area, I rushed after her with our boss following on my heels.

The shifter and elf were trading blows. Not really thinking it through, I dove into them, but an elbow to the ribs knocked me away. Mr. Whitehaven stepped over me and pried them apart by means of one large hand around each neck. Dangling both a foot above the floor, he shook them and roared,
“Enough!”

It went quiet, and Kate and I exchanged wide-eyed looks. I wondered what had happened to the sword while I climbed to my feet, gingerly testing my ribs with shaky fingers.

“You may fight later, once this threat is past,” Whitehaven snapped, dropping them to their feet. Both men reeled away from him, and each other, gasping for air. “Now, come into my office, so that we may discuss this in a civilized manner.”

No one argued. We filed back into his office, though Nick didn’t take a seat. He stood behind my chair, glaring at the elf.

“I didn't realize you'd be compelled to complete this task. I'd planned to dismiss you once the location of the book was determined.” Thorandryll seemed to have recovered his composure nicely.

“
You don't give a damn about the danger you've put her in,” Nick accused, his hands dropping to my shoulders.

“
Hush.” Kate shook a scarlet-tipped nail at him, and then pointed it at the elf. “You may speak. What's so important about this book?”

Thorandryll frowned, but answered.
“It's Olven's grimoire, and contains the spell that separated the realms.”

Mr. Whitehaven froze, his eyes slowly turning to blazing rubies. I tried not to stare, but it was a new and disturbing sight.
“Someone wishes to work the spell again?”

“
I believe someone wishes to alter it to meld the demon realm with this one,” the elf corrected. “Why else would demons be attacking her?”

“
All right, now I need a drink,” Kate announced, sinking into a chair. Percy fluttered to her, an anxious croon attempting to erase her concern as he rubbed his feathered head on her cheek.

“
I knew this was bad,” I muttered, feeling a headache bloom behind my eyes. Just the topping to the rest of my aches and pains.

“
It's worse than 'bad'. It's the end of this world we've only begun to build.” Thorandryll glanced at Nick. “No sacrifice is too great to prevent it.”

“
Don't be too sure about that,” the shifter growled back.

“
He's right.” I cleared my throat. “No one's that important, not with billions of lives at risk.”

“
He can find another psychic. Once someone finds the damn book, you'll be free.”

“
There isn't another available with her abilities. Other psychics can only claim one, or at the most, two talents.” The elf shook his head, blonde hair waving. “I had no choice. Our magic can't penetrate the dark shroud of demon magic.”

“
Human magic can—at least to a certain extent.” The witch sighed and stood up, one hand on Percy's side as the parrot continued crooning softly. “I'll call in the cavalry and see what we can come up with to keep Jones breathing.”

“
If you'll allow me to wield that blade, I'll guard her life with my own.” The elf nodded at the dragon sword on Whitehaven's desk.

“
No, you won't.” Nick's voice was so cold that I twisted to look up at him, but he was glaring at Thorandryll. “You’re going to stay away from Cordi. This is your fault.”

“
Yes, and I must do something to rectify that.”

“
I have a few other weapons that have proven effective against demons. One is a small dagger and you,” my boss focused his newly bejeweled gaze on me. “Will carry it.”

“
No argument from me.” No, I wanted something sharp and hungry for demon blood in hand when the next one appeared. Nick’s hands tightened, so I looked up at him again. “And I’m with Nick. I don’t think I want you at my back, Mr. Pants On Fire.”

The elf’s expression could have been carved from ice, when I checked to see how he’d taken that.
“Would you accept another’s help, should I bring it?”

“
Maybe. I’d have to think about it. Trust issues? I have them where you’re concerned.” A grin fought for release, and I gave into it, even though it hurt. “When I find this damn grimoire of yours, I’m going to destroy it. It’s dangerous.”

He rose from his seat, eyes narrowing.
“It is my possession.”

“
If I remember my dips into magical history correctly, Olven was a human warlock.” Kate smiled. “Humans have the right to destroy dangers created by their own.”

The elf transferred his glare to her, but didn’t dent her Cloak of Smugness.
“It was entrusted to my keeping.”

I couldn’t keep my mouth shut, not with an opportunity like that dangling in front of me.
“And you lost it. Way to go. No wonder you specified ‘discreet’. What are all the other elves going to think, if they hear how you lost such a major magical artifact?”

“
You wouldn’t dare.” His face was beginning to flush dark rose. “We have a contract.”

“
Damn, things do slip out by accident. I’m only human, you know.” From the smile Kate aimed in my direction, I’d just gained major brownie points.

Whitehaven spoke, his lips suggesting a smothered smile.
“Though I’d have to reprimand her should something slip, I think you’d be far too busy with damage control to pursue any action against my agency.”

There’s nothing better than a boss who backs you up. I’d never hugged him before, but as soon as the elf was out of sight, it was so happening.

“Very well. I’ll provide protection for her safety, in recompense for my mistake. Will that be acceptable to you?” Thorandryll’s eyes were on Whitehaven, who nodded. “I’ll return in the morn, then.”

With that, the elf left the building, and Percy snickered.
“Elf in the penalty box.”

“
I have a question.” Everyone’s eyes turned toward me. “A spell like this one, what kind of ingredients does it need?”

Kate shrugged, settling back into the chair she’d just vacated.
“I don’t know. We would never attempt one remotely like it.”

“
Spells of such world-changing power require quite a few ingredients,” Whitehaven said. “Something like this will need the most powerful one of all: a sacrifice.”