“We haven’t had a lot of time to chat.” Which wasn’t entirely true. Zayvion had not told me he was a part of anything called the Watch. He had mentioned secret magic vigilantes. Maybe it was the same thing?
“The Authority is a private organization of people who do what they can behind the scenes to keep magic, and the people who use it, safe. Zayvion works for them.”
“And my dad was a part of this too?”
Kevin answered. “He was a voice in the Authority. He had influence and sway among the members.”
“Members like you?” I asked.
He nodded. “Members like me.”
“So you’re telling me there is a secret society of magic users, and that Zayvion Jones, and both of you, are involved in it to some degree.”
“Yes,” Violet said.
“Why tell me now? Why should I care?”
“I never agreed with your father keeping it a secret from you,” she said. “Some of the board members in Beckstrom Enterprises are also members of the Authority. I am not foolish enough to think you won’t eventually find out. I’m telling you now because your father’s death sent shock waves through that community.”
“But if I’m not a part of that community, what does it matter to me?”
“
“Whoa,” I said.
But Violet spoke over me. “And that is why we would like you to move in with me. With us, at the condo. The magical wards and locks are beyond compare, unbreakable, and Kevin is an excellent guard. Please, Allie. For your safety. Until this… confrontation blows over.”
It had been less than an hour since we’d admitted we might be family, and now she wanted me to move home with Mommy? There was no way she was talking me into coming home. That place had too many memories I would rather forget.
“No,” I said. “No thanks. Absolutely no.”
Violet gave me a hard look, and I raised my eyebrows, trading her stare for stare.
She finally looked away. “You are so like him. Stubborn.”
I let that slide. See how nice I was to the pregnant woman?
I looked over at Kevin. “Is Zayvion ‘watching’ me? Hunting me? Is Zayvion following me around to decide if I’m a danger to magic or to myself? Spying on me for the Authority?”
Kevin blinked. His eyebrows knitted and he leaned forward a little. “Why do you ask?”
“Just a yes or no will do.”
He didn’t smile, but he looked amused. “No.”
I watched his body language, which he patiently let me. He was hard to read. A lot like Zayvion, but without the Zen bit. Still, he didn’t smell like he was lying.
And if he was any good at reading body language, he just saw how relieved his answer made me. Hells, I had it bad for Zayvion. Something deep inside me feared his interest in me was nothing more than a game of who got to keep the magic. Something deep inside me wanted us, Zayvion and me, to have a chance for something more. A lot more.
“Do you know who is watching me?”
“No.”
Two for two.
“Do you know who Zayvion is watching?”
“Probably. If you want to know, you should ask him.”
Fair enough.
“But let me tell you this,” he said. “There are dangerous people and dark magics in this city, Allie. More than you can handle on your own. You should reconsider Mrs. Beckstrom’s offer.”
Mrs. Beckstrom? Wow, he was in serious denial. And he didn’t have to tell me about dangerous people-I had an appointment with Pike and the police to take down Trager today.
“I’ll keep it in mind.” End of conversation. “Thanks for the phone, Violet. And for breakfast. Call me if you need me.” I stood and put money on the table.
“Allie, I got it,” she said.
“No. I’ll pay my part.”
And instead of acting like my dad and refusing to let me stand on my own, pay on my own, she just nodded. “I programed my number into your phone,” she said. “Just in case.”
Just in case I said no and didn’t move in with her. See what I mean? Smart.
“Don’t forget to make an appointment with Mr. Katz,” she said. “His number’s in there too.”
“I’ll see what I can do.” The spiderweb tingle of the Mute spell brushed over me as Kevin deftly unwove it. I walked to the door without looking back.
Okay, that hadn’t gone quite how I expected. Violet was pregnant. And secret magic vigilantes-the Watch, the Authority-were out to get me because I was my father’s child.
If I believed Kevin and Violet.
And I did.
All the more reason to meet with Pike, go to the cops, and tell them about Trager attacking me and wanting Pike. Then the police could take care of Trager, and Pike could retire, and I could go on a date tonight and get information out of Zayvion so I could find a way to keep myself safe that didn’t involve moving in with my father’s widow.
I wondered if I could hire a bodyguard like Kevin. Wondered if Zayvion would be my bodyguard. Right, like I wanted him all over me every second of the day. A wash of heat flushed through me at the thought of that. Okay, maybe the idea had some merit. Even if he said no, he’d know someone I could hire, at least until this “confrontation” blew itself out.
I made my way along the sidewalk, careful over the rock salt and ice. I didn’t see any cabs.
The phone in my pocket rang. I jerked and almost slipped. I fumbled the phone out of my pocket, expecting to hear Violet’s voice on the other end.
“Hello?”
“Allie, this is Detective Stotts. I’ve been trying to reach you. I thought this number wasn’t working.”
“It wasn’t,” I said. “What’s up?”
“I need you to come down to the station as soon as you can.”
Dread knuckled into my stomach and twisted. “Why?”
“Martin Pike is missing.”
“Are you sure? He was helping a friend on the east side. Anthony Bell’s mother.”
“We contacted her. She hasn’t seen him for several days.”
“Days?” Hells, I’d seen Pike just yesterday. Home improvements, my ass. Unless Anthony’s mom had a reason to lie. Which she might. Crap. “I’ll be there soon,” I said.
I pocketed the phone and took three steps toward the curb.
A sharp pain snapped electricity up my thigh. The pain shot through my stomach and then sawed up beneath my ribs. Something solid clamped my breastbone and tugged like an iron hook, biting hard and finding purchase.
The pain faded, but I could not move, could not lift my feet. Could not swallow or blink.
The smell of sweet cherries wrapped around me, filled my nose, my mouth.
Blood magic.
“Come to me,” a man’s voice whispered.
A wash of sexual pleasure rolled beneath my skin, following the path of the pain. The pleasure blended with the echos of pain, creating a new sensation. Bitter and sweet. Oh. I wanted that. Wanted to feel that again. I didn’t know where the voice was, or who it was, but I would do anything to hear it again.
