Questions that weren’t helping him get any closer to getting home with an empty van.
Hilario cleared his throat. “Dear lady, is it perhaps time you could grace me with our destination?”
They had been driving along this road for nearly an hour. Going around the edges of the city. Avoiding the freeways and major thoroughfares. Staying to shadowed streets with few streetlights.
Or none at all.
And now, the van labored up a steep road on the hill at the far north side of the city. A spit of jagged land that jutted out into the ocean. The upper arm of Korbahn Bay.
He searched his memory. There was something up there, he knew, but his tired and food deprived brain refused to serve up the information.
The road had grown narrower the further up they climbed. The van’s weak headlights showed the edges crumbling into gravel, the yellow lines down the center faded almost to invisibility.
On the right side of the road thick pine trees stood in close formation. The front line of a dense and dark forest.
There were probably more pine trees on the other side of the road. Somewhere below the sheer drop off of the road’s edge. All he could see, besides acres and acres of darkness, were the distant, twinkling lights of the city.
The Sapphire Witch hadn’t been forthcoming with a destination. A curt, turn here, clown, or continue along this road, clown, was as much as he had been getting.
At some point the journey had to end. Didn’t it?
And the Sapphire Witch granted his wish. Sort of.
“We are nearly there, clown,” she said, “Have patience.”
His thick sausage fingers clenched the wheel. Patience. His night had been hijacked and he was supposed to just be patient?
A moment later a wave of shame washed over him. Everyone in the van had their night hijacked in some way. None of them were willingly there. In theory, he, at least, would be able to go home and go about his normal life. Assuming the night didn’t end with an ax in the Sapphire Witch’s hands.
As he had dimly foreseen.
He let out the breath he’d held in his clenched lungs. Let in a fresh breath of cool, pine scented air. It would have been cold in the van if the Sapphire Witch wasn’t sitting there. Heat came off her like a furnace. Even with the cold air blowing in, he could still scent her leather coat and the nutmeg-like spice musk of her.
He made himself focus on the road. An excellent idea, actually. Considering the sheer drop off just a lane away.
As the van rattled and groaned up the steep road, he spotted lights in the forest.
Pairs of lights, small and moving. Disappearing as the van past.
Forest animals?
Or different kinds of animals?
He tried to extend a tendril of conscious out into the night.
Only to have it slapped back. So hard he was stunned for a moment. Almost lost control of the van.
The van swerved. Dipped toward the edge.
Detective Marco let out a burning streak of profanity.
Hilario jerked the wheel back. Got the van back under control.
“No,” the Sapphire Witch said, “Not here.”
“What the hell!” Detective Marco said.
“Be quiet,” the Sapphire Witch said, “This area is quite…alive at night.”
A chill ran through Hilario.
Oh dear.
“Dear lady,” he said. He tried to make his voice as meek as he could. “Why are we here if there is such danger?”
“Danger?” Marco said, “What the fuck? Are there terrorists? Survivalists? Eco nuts? I’ll fucking blast ‘em.”
A glance back showed a gleam of metal in Detective Marco’s hand. Oh poopity pooper doodles.
Yeah, right, pussy man, the gun said, you been talking big all night. But I still ain’t shot nobody yet. All I got was scratched up.
Marco brought the gun up to his face. “You shut up,” he said.
Still gonna file a grievance, the gun said.
“How are you going to file a grievance,” Marco said, “You don’t have any fucking hands! How you gonna do the fuckin’ paperwork, you stupid chunk of tin?”
BLAM! the gun shouted.
Marco yelped and dropped the gun. It clattered to the metal floor.
By a stroke of luck, it didn’t go off.
Pussy man, the gun said.
Hilario eased the van around a hairpin turn. The gun slid over by the Sapphire Witch’s seat. With a languid motion, her arm dipped down and took it.
“Hey!” Marco said, “That’s city property lady! You can’t just–”
“Be quiet,” she said.
“Or what!” Marco said.
She turned in the seat. Pointed the gun at his face.
Hilario glanced at the rearview. Marco’s eyes were wide as saucers. His jaw clenched so hard his teeth should be exploding in his mouth.
“Outside is the Helvenair Wood. The walls between worlds is thin here,” she said, “The unseen world crowds close. It is forbidden by the coven to use magic in this place. A spell cast wrong, a injudicious use of power, could tear the fabric. And unleash things upon your world that would laugh at your silly weapon and feast upon your bones.”
I like this chick, the gun said, Hey baby, how about you and me hook up? I bet we could do some real damage.
Detective Marco glared at her.
“You don’t scare me,” he said, “Not of this magic shit is real. I’m either fucking hallucinating, or you’re all pulling some kind of gag. Either way, I’m going to take you in.”
“Your belief, or lack of, will not make any difference,” the Sapphire Witch said, “But your actions may have consequences far beyond what you intend tonight. Tread carefully.”
“Go fuck yourself,” Marco said.
“Marco. Stop,” Rachel said.
He jerked his head around.
She had lifted her head up. But her arms were still held tight
