Blood Magic by Laken Cane

Chapter Eleven

“I’m afraid,” Lucy said.

I helped myself to another slice of chocolate cake. “Why?”

“I keep seeing that demon.”

I sucked a morsel of cake down my windpipe and when I could finally breathe again, I glared at her. “Where?”

She waved a hand impatiently. “In my memory.”

I nodded. She’d been particularly subdued after I’d gotten home, and I saw that she hadn’t gone out to find a date. She’d baked a couple of cakes, though, and three pies, and I was currently enjoying the fruits of her frustrated labor.

“I can’t shut out the way he felt inside me, Kait.” She put her plate in the dishwasher. “I’m afraid he’ll find me again. I mean, he’s after you—or that knife, or whatever—and I’m right here for him to use again.”

“He can’t get in this house.”

“I do go outside occasionally, you know. At least I do when you’re with me. Even when I walk to work, I’m thinking the entire time that he’s going to grab me again.” She sniffed and sat down across from me. She took a drink of her wine. “I’m afraid to have a guy in or go out to find one because what if he’s possessed?”

I reached across the little table to squeeze her arm. “Luce, I told you the demon can’t come into this house—not even if he’s inside someone else. At least when you’re here, you don’t have to worry.”

“I don’t want to be afraid. I want to walk Ash without freaking out. I want to have some fun. I haven’t even been to Jade’s since the demon. You have to help me, Kait.”

I put down my fork. “I’ll be right back.”

“Where are you going?”

“To see a man about a horse.”

“Huh?”

“I’ll be right back.” I went into my bedroom and called my favorite tat girl. “Hey, Kassandra. I have a girlfriend who needs you.”

“How soon?”

“Like three weeks ago.” I explained what she needed. “Do you have an opening?”

“Anytime for you. Bring her to the shop. Eight a.m.?”

“Ugh.”

“Three p.m.”

“Perfect.”

“Tenderfoot?”

“So much yes.”

“See you tomorrow, hon.”

I smiled and ended the call, then went to tell Lucy the news. She was less than thrilled. “Can’t I just get a necklace or a sticker or something? You know I don’t want a tattoo. I’m not a fan of pain, Kait.”

“You put it off long enough. You’ll be fine. Kass is incredible. You won’t feel a thing.”

She cocked an eyebrow, unconvinced. “I’ll probably pass out. I have this thing about needles.”

“You also have this thing about demons, and I promise you, the needles will hurt way less.” I grabbed my phone and sent Kass’s shop address to Lucy’s phone. “If by some chance I’m called out and not able to take you, make sure you go. You’ll feel so much better knowing you’re protected.”

Kass had done my anti-possession tattoo, as well as most of the rest of them. She was going to have her hands full with Lucy.

She nodded. “I’ll go,” she said reluctantly. Then she took a deep breath, blew it out, and forced herself back to her normal brightness. “How did it go at Long Shadow? You were looking a little pale when Joe dropped you off.”

I carried my plate to the dishwasher. “I didn’t find out much.”

“But you did dig up a vampire?”

I know she wanted the distraction, and usually, I would’ve been more talkative about the situation. Right now, though, I felt too…raw. I’d put alcohol on the scratch he’d given me. I’d even slapped a bandage over it—not because it needed it, but because I wanted to bury it.

Before I could speak, my phone rang. Relieved, I snatched it up. It was the detective. I strode to my bedroom, Ash at my heels. “You’re there?” I asked him.

“We’ll be there in ten minutes,” he said. “If you want to call Remy, you should do it now.”

“Thanks, Detective.” I ended the call and tapped in the number Sara had given me. I wasn’t looking forward to calling Remy Simon. I didn’t know him, but I knew of him. And what I knew made me nervous.

Remington Simon believed supernaturals were a direct threat to humans, and it was his goal in life, his purpose, to rid the world of them. It didn’t make me nervous that he was anti-other. It made me nervous that he was good at killing them. Us.

He answered. “Simon.”

I swallowed as fear clutched at my stomach. He didn’t sound the way I’d thought he’d sound. His voice wasn’t harsh and deep and dangerous—he sounded relaxed. Nice, even. “Hello, Mr. Simon,” I started. “I’m a paranormal investigator who communicates with spirits who have trouble crossing over. I—”

He sighed. “Ma’am, I’m a little busy and don’t have time to chat with psychics.” He said “psychics” like he might have said “roadkill.” Apparently, his intolerance extended to anyone who wasn’t straight human. Weird, considering that in order to hunt and kill supernaturals, he had to have something a little extra inside him. He just had to have. “How’d you get this number?” And now he was sounding a little less good old boy and a little more…scary.

I was beginning to get angry at my reflexive nervousness. That asshole couldn’t hurt me. He couldn’t know I was a wolf and hunt me down and infiltrate my pack and destroy us all. I’d kill him first. I lifted my chin and glared at the wall. “Your sister gave it to me.”

He was silent for a few seconds. “Fuck you,” he said, his voice low, gentle, and silky smooth. “Who are you?”

“I know this is a shock,” I told him, “but there’s no time. She wants you to be there when they find her body. I’ve already called the cops, and they have a team heading there now. You’re in Jakeston, aren’t you?”

He said nothing.

“I’m texting you the coordinates. She’s in the woods of Huntersburg.” I took a careful breath. “Mr. Simon, she knew you wouldn’t believe me, so she told me about Paul and the bayou in Louisiana.” Then I clarified. “She didn’t tell me about it, just told me to say those words.”

When he spoke again, his voice sounded no less dangerous, but there was a shaky grimness to it that made me shiver. “How did she die?”

I swallowed. “Vampires,” I murmured. “She said to tell you the fucking vampires got her.”

He disconnected the call and I stood there for a good five minutes, holding my phone and staring at the wall.

Remy Simon was going to find out who I was. One way or the other, he’d find out. What happened then was anyone’s guess, but he was human. I was not. I could kick his ass. I could make him disappear. I could kill him. I had no reason to worry.

Why, then, did Mr. Remy Simon scare the absolute crap out of me?