That boozy haze inside the pottery place would only extend so far. The soul dealer’s screams were muffled, but her block-heeled boots banged against the van.
“Little help here.” Beck huffed between each wrenched word.
Callie shoved the flask back into its snug pocket. “Sure,” was the automatic answer, but could she actually assist him? How many souls were in that van? How many were in poor containers ready to split? How many were vile, broken souls? How many would claw for escape? How many would scratch her?
Beck dropped a heavy forearm at the woman’s temple. She groaned, but her hands continued to dig at his side and the back of his arm, the open van door exposing the struggle to the sidewalk. “Any time now, Callie.” His raw words raked the air.
She’d stepped to the curb, but couldn’t make herself move closer. Snow seeped into her sneakers. The canvas shoes sinking into the packed snow enough to let the chilled moisture soak her socks. It wasn’t the potential souls holding her back. It was the woman at the door of the van. Kidnapping was depraved. Only she’d done it before. She’d taken Tess to the Charmer. Now here she was again with another “enemy.” Could she really be a party to another kidnapping? She wasn’t supposed to be this person. A couple men crossed the street to avoid the ruckus. Their privacy wouldn’t last long. Mobile phones in hands meant the police would be on their way soon.
They needed this lead. They needed this woman. They needed answers. They needed to protect Gem City from the tainted wares she was peddling. Callie needed to find another way to do this without allowing Beck to beat up on the dealer, though. If she could erect a barrier to block souls and she could shove souls to get space, could she do this a better way?
Callie focused on the snapping of magic beneath her skin. She grasped the radiating warmth in her chest and called it to the forefront. Magic pooled in her palms. The shimmering white nebulas were only for her. She lifted her gaze to the dealer. “Beck, let her go.” She sounded so far away.
Beck’s death glare was legit, but he staggered when he saw her. The sharp line of his jaw blurred, and the rosy red of his cheeks chilled. He didn’t look to her open hands; he couldn’t see the power in them.
“Move,” Callie reiterated.
He acted immediately.
The Anonymous Souls employee levered herself upright, muscles tight and ready to bolt.
Callie whispered so quietly the wind itself couldn’t hear her words. “Sleep. You’ll have to speak the truth soon, but now sleep.”
Swirling streaks of white stretched toward the dealer and slipped around her neck, up her nose, and into her mouth. The woman coughed twice, and then fell back against the van’s thin carpeted floor with a heavy thud.
Callie blinked, and the world slapped back against her mind. The street was too loud, her skin was too tight, and the nighthawk on her wrist vibrated in a steady hum. Beck’s eyes were still wide, and his lips were parted just enough to let her know whatever she’d done had scared him. Same here, dude.
“We need to get out of here.” Playing this off as normal was the only option. She could freak the fuck out later. Each day soul magic was becoming easier. While that was convenient in the moment, she wasn’t sure it was a good thing. Actually, she knew it wasn’t a good thing; any act that brought her in commonality to the Soul Charmer couldn’t be a good thing.
Beck’s hesitation burned off quickly. He tucked the woman’s feet inside the van, and slid the door closed.
“How do you want to do this?” Where his eyes had offered challenge before, now only deference could be found.
Again she was in charge. She could picture her five-year-old self dressed up in Zara’s heels. Playing the part of an adult. Beck’s focus said he didn’t see that. Playing along was the only option. “I’m not sure I can go in the van,” she said truthfully. “Can you drive it over the Charmer’s? We can regroup there.” And I can ask Derek what the fuck we’re supposed to do now.
“Yep.” He tossed her the keys to his car. “You can drive a stick right?”
“I’m good.”
At those two words, Beck turned and hurried around to the driver’s side door. If he wasn’t going to wait for more instructions, she shouldn’t either. The wail of a siren in the distance had her pulling her feet from the snow bank and heading down the street. Beck pulled away, and she doubted he looked back.
Callie tucked her chin inside the lush scarf until the fabric grazed her nose. She focused on getting back to Derek and hurried down the street. She wouldn’t try to guess if those wails were a fire engine or Gem City PD. She didn’t need to be anywhere near them.
She tugged her phone from the front pocket of her jeans, and shot Derek a quick text of warning. If Beck arrived before her, she didn’t want to risk the two getting into another blow-up over this. Derek wouldn’t be bothered by the dealer being brought in for questioning, but Callie suspected Beck arriving alone was going to result in a broken bone. That was, if he got there first. Callie jumped into the muscle car, and didn’t even bother tinkering with the thermostat. She gunned the engine and set out to make record time back to downtown.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO
Callie’s phone drilled a steady plea in her pocket. She stopped for a red light. Beck’s car lurched. New brakes were touchy as hell. She checked the phone screen. There were
