No More Black Magic (22 page)

Yeah, like that would ever happen. I rolled over on my side. I hadn’t realized that I missed having a normal human life until this point. There was no reason to lament something I never really had. High school was as normal as it could be, growing up with a vampire and being a witch. Was it John showing up that made me realize that I wanted something different?

No, maybe Simon was right and I just needed a vacation. I smiled. Somewhere warm. I took a few deep breaths trying to clear my mind. I really needed to get more sleep. At this point, exhaustion was going to kill me before the Cult could decide if I had completed their mission or not.

I let my mind wander and take me to sleep. The silence of the house and the slight chill in the air made it perfect for sleep.

A knock on the door woke me up and I groaned. “What? I’m napping.”

“Levi’s here.” Simon’s voice called through the door. “Just thought I’d let you know.”

I sat up. “Okay, I’m awake. Thanks.” I stood and fixed my shirt and readjusted my pants. I holstered my gun and then walked out of the room. Levi and Simon were sitting on the couch discussing something, but they both went silent when I walked in.

“Secrets don’t make friends.” I teased. “I need to get to the mansion and do a tracking spell. Then I need to come back into town. There’s a warrant out for our killer, I need to be close to help take him down.”

They both nodded. “Then shall we go? We have a long drive.” Levi stood.

“Sure.” I grabbed my bag and went to the door. I went straight to the SUV and climbed in the front seat. Whatever the guys were talking about they didn’t want me around for it, so I’d give them a moment to finish it up.

They both came to the vehicle looking a little more upset. I looked out the window when Levi got into the car.

“Simon has some pack stuff he needs to take care of, so you’ll be without him for a couple nights.” Levi said without anything to ease into the conversation. He started the car and backed out of the driveway.

I nodded. “That’s okay, he’s not going to want to be there for the takedown anyways. It could get nasty.”

“More nasty than the car being blown up?” Simon joked.

I gave a small laugh. “Let’s hope not. I don’t think I can handle anything else exploding.”

“Did you kill the drug dealer?” Levi asked.

I nodded. “He’s dead.” It wasn’t exactly a lie, but if Levi was allowed to hide things, so was I.

“Good.” He said and the whole car went quiet.

I hated when things were like this. It was never good when Levi was overly quiet and I’m sure that Simon’s mind was on the pack business.

––––––––

W
e arrived at the mansion and I automatically headed towards the chamber. Levi followed me. “Abigail, I have something to give to you.”

I turned around and tried to keep my anger and frustration in check. “I have a three legged werewolf to find. Can this wait?”

“Not particularly. Please. I know you’re angry with me, but you need this.”

It wasn’t often that I heard a begging tone in Levi’s voice. I met his gaze. “Okay, but only because you said please.”

“Thank you, Abigail.” He motioned for me to follow him and I did. He led me through the main room and to the back where his office was.

“The day the murders started, I sent you to Clarissa to fetch a package.” He started and I nodded even though he was in front of me and couldn’t see. “You never asked what it was, which is what I taught you. To respect my business.”

Even though I was part of his business, I agreed. “I knew it was magical, that’s it. I could feel it through the box.”

“It was something your father had left for you. It’s meant for you and only you. It has been in storage and I sent someone to retrieve it. I was planning on giving it to you on your birthday, but, well, apparently things have changed from my original plans.”

I wasn’t sure I wanted to know what plans he was talking about, but I asked anyways. “What plans?”

“The plans for you to learn about your family, your genealogy, your abilities When you turned thirty. You’re a witch at your prime, but it’s time that you learned where you truly come from.” He opened the door to his office. On his desk sat an old leather bound book.

I didn’t remember the package being heavy enough to contain a book, but I wasn’t really paying that much attention to it when I brought it in. “Why have you been hiding so much from me? I thought we agreed when I turned eighteen that there would be no secrets between us.”

“This was part of your parents' will. I agreed with them that you needed to be introduced to things slowly. That being said, all of your father’s research that he did with those who have been killed along with your family history is in that book. Your father put a spell on it so only you could open it.”

That’s why I could feel the magic, because it was meant for me. “Clarissa acted like something would explode.”

He shrugged. “It's possible. I haven’t tried to open it, but many of the answers you seek are in there, Abigail.”

I walked over to the desk and ran my hand over the old cover. The magic seemed to reach out and caress me, call to me. I shivered and let my fingers explore the wrinkles in the cover. There were no words on it, nothing that indicated what was inside of it. Not even a rune. My father would have been smart enough to not put the runes in a visible spot. They were probably under the leather carved into or painted into the cover.

Placing my palm on it, I closed my eyes and let the magic engulf my hand. I felt comfort, love, and knew that it wouldn’t hurt me to open the book. I slid a finger under the cover and flipped it open. Nothing happened.

No grand explosion. No fire. No hex. I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding. “Thank you, Levi.”

“You’re welcome. Now go find your three legged werewolf and close this damn case.” He smirked. “I know you’ll bring him down.”

I nodded and took the book with me. “Shame I don’t have time to start reading this tonight.”

He chuckled. “You will soon, now go. I’m hoping it will help you with this case and your new abilities.” He waved me off.

I wrapped my arms around it, holding it to my chest. The feeling of comfort rolled off of it and I found myself wishing that I could just ignore the case and read the pages.

No such luck though. If I didn’t at least find the killer, the Cult would make sure their next hex worked. I needed the werewolf to make sure we had a positive ID on Devon and a witness to the first murder. The only way to do that would be a tracking spell and I needed to do it in the chamber, since that’s where everything was from the last one.

I made my way down the staircase and into the room. There was no residue of the magic that tried to kill me. Nothing unnerving, just the sense of home that came with it. Perfect.

I went over to the table and set the book there. I picked up the pendant that I had used for the last tracking spell and went to the circle. I took a deep breath and conjured the circle. The map was still where I had left it. Though it drove Levi nuts that I left stuff out, he didn’t dare touch it. He respected it as my space.

I muttered Latin words that I needed and the dry blood started to drip as if it was fresh. It landed on the map and moved to a location. I cursed as I realized it was in the mountains and marked as werewolf territory. I’d have to talk to the alpha and I’d have to be escorted. But if my three-legged wolf was there, he could be under protection, which might have worked to my advantage if I could trust the wolf pack to keep him safe.

I let my circle down and grabbed my phone to call Simon.

“What’s up Abby, I’m driving.”

I could hear the background noise that his hands free system picked up. “I need to get ahold of Greg, it looks like my three legged wolf is in your territory.”

“I was worried that you’d figure that out.” He sighed. “We’re having a pack meeting. Think you can make it tonight? Greg wants you there.”

I clenched my jaw. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Because chances are someone is going to die tonight and I don’t want to traumatize you.” He didn’t sound irritated, but worried. “It’s not the full moon, but there’s still a chance you could be attacked.”

I knew that. Luckily for me, magic and lycanthropy didn’t mix. I could never be a werewolf. If I studied, I could learn to shape-shift, but it wasn’t like the lycans. “I’m willing to take my chances to get my witness.” I paused. “What do you mean someone might die tonight?”

“I’ll pick you up at midnight, Abby.” He disconnected the call and I cursed. What the hell was going on here?

I picked up my stuff and grabbed my book. I texted Mason my plans for the night and told him I’d be in town until that meeting. I got a quick ‘ok’text back. I walked out of the chamber and towards the front of the mansion.

Levi was at the front door and I raised a brow. “What?”

“Are you coming back here tonight?”

I shook my head. “No, my house is clear. I just need to borrow a car until my insurance takes care of the investigation and gives me a new one.”

“Why didn’t your protection rune on the car work?”

I thought about it. “I honestly don’t know. I assume because Devon’s magic is much stronger than mine and more unwieldy so it can overpower my controlled magic.”

“Don’t blow this one up.” He tossed me a set of keys and I caught them.

“I’ll try not to.” I shook my head. “It’s not my fault that it blew up.”

He grinned and I could see fangs. “Keep telling yourself that. Keep me updated. I’ll let you know when I need you again.”

“Uh huh, thanks boss. I’ll stop by eventually.” I waved to him as I left. There was no hugging, no I love you, nothing that most kids would say when they left the house of a guardian or parent. It was just the way things were between Levi and I.

I grinned at the Hummer that he lent me. I loved the thing. It was a deep green, splattered with mud, which told me someone recently took it four wheeling, as it was meant to be. I climbed in, started it up and listened to the engine for a moment. For a split second, I wondered if I could get one to replace my SUV. 

I shook my head and pulled it out of the drive and onto the road that would take me to the highway.

T
here was no word from Mason for the rest of the night and I wasn’t going to go out hunting for Devon blindly. The coven didn’t try to contact me, and Clarissa wasn’t answering her phone, which told me that she still couldn’t talk to me. I spent my night poring over the book that my father left me. Names, family trees, abilities, everything was listed out starting from the 1500’s. I was so fascinated and drawn into it that I didn’t hear Simon knock.

Until he knocked on the window and scared the crap out of me. I ran around to the front door to let him in. He was dressed in a faded shirt and torn jeans and when I met his gaze he already looked tired.

“It’s not going to be a pleasant night, is it?” I asked.

He shook his head. “No, it’s not. I’ll catch you up on what I know while we drive.” He motioned to the car.

“Can’t I follow you?”

“No.” He left it at that and started to the car.

I didn’t like this change in his mood; I wanted my lighthearted Simon back. Not this grumpy one. I climbed into the passenger side and buckled up, throwing my bag on the floor by my feet.

“Have you ever been to pack territory before?” He asked. “Or one of our meetings?”

I shook my head. “I’ve hunted one of your rogues before, but nothing on your property. I know better. I don’t have a death wish.”

“Smart woman. Greg invited you, which is the only reason you’re coming. We’re interrogating the werewolf tonight.”

“He’s a victim.” Sort of... “Shouldn’t you hand him over to PIB?”

He shook his head. “No, this is werewolf business.”

Like vampire business. “You can’t kill him. I need him as a witness.”

“We won’t kill him, Abby, unless he refuses to work with us. Pay attention tonight and you might get everything you need to finish that case.”

I sighed. “We have our murderer, we just have to catch him. But to condemn him, I need a witness.”

“Can I ask you a question?” He pulled the car onto the highway and kept his gaze straight.

“Yeah.” I tried to keep myself in check and not panic. Hopefully Greg knew what he was doing and I wouldn’t end up dead nor would my witness.

“How do you handle being an agent and working for Levi? He works outside the law, you’re supposed to be upholding it.”

I bit my lip, trying to decide how to answer the question. It wasn’t something that was easy. “Growing up, I knew that there was only so much that the law could handle. It’s just recently that people have started taking paranormal crimes seriously and it’s only been in cases like this. They don’t care about the disputes between creatures. Levi does. In a way I’m still upholding a law.”

“But you don’t like to kill, Levi requires that if people don’t listen to the threats.”

I nodded. “I hate to kill. Normally it turns into them attacking first because they know Levi wants them dead. I’m not the first one he sends out. Mostly he has me do errands. The state doesn’t know that I work for him.”

“Tonight’s going to test that, so I want you to be aware. I’m not happy about bringing you.” He gripped the wheel. “I can’t allow you to take your gun because the pack gets nervous around them.”

I didn’t like that idea. “Then I want my blade.”

“Fine.” He agreed. “Keep it hidden and don’t draw it unless you have to.”

I knew the logic here. They moved faster than I did, they could easily stop the blade. The gun, however, was harder to stop. They were fast, but not all of them were fast enough to dodge a bullet. As a PIB agent, my ammo was the highest content of silver that could be used in a bullet.  The only creature it wouldn’t cripple was a Fae, and they were outside my scope of work even for Levi. No one messed with the Fae. 

“I’m not stupid.” I muttered. “To show my blade in a group of werewolves would get me killed.”

He chuckled. “Smart girl.” He was silent the rest of the way, but I let it be. I knew that he was worried and he knew I was nervous. He wouldn’t give me false promises or fake words of confidence. I appreciated that because I didn’t like being lied to. Chances were, I’d be lucky to come out of this unscathed and we both knew that. I touched the silver pentagram around my neck and said a quick prayer to the Goddess for protection.