No Humans Involved

'You remember Murray, don't you?' I continued. 'He's right here.'

I described Murray. Several of the group members paled, but May's face remained impassive.

'You don't believe me?' I said. 'Ask him something. He can hear you.'

'Remind her of the time-' Murray began.

'If Murray says I tricked the others into killing him, he's lying.' She turned to Don. 'You found that-'

'Realtor's card,' I cut in.

'Card?' Murray sputtered. 'What card?'

'Or so you told the group, Don,' I said. 'But there wasn't one, was there? It was May's idea. She convinced you that Murray really was planning to leave the group, but that you needed some solid evidence to convict him.'

Don's expression answered.

'They lied?' Murray said. 'I was killed for a lie?'

He continued raging, but I focused on Don. 'May lied to you too. She wasn't convinced Murray was leaving. She thought he might, but it was only that-a possibility. What she saw, though, was the opportunity to cement your allegiance by making you an accomplice in Murray's murder. And, in killing Murray, she'd prove to the group that the pact was more than idle words. If they didn't believe the group would kill them, now they knew better.'

'She'll say anything to save her friend,' May said.

She lifted her hand to blow the ash at me. Don caught her wrist.

'Don't bother,' I said. 'You don't need that to cast magic. Or, should I say, May doesn't. Not that she was going to tell you that anytime soon. Better to keep you working for her, digging for better magic, killing for the group…'

They had all turned toward May. I searched for something else to say, to give that extra shove, then reconsidered before I overplayed my hand again.

So I waited as they moved toward May, blocking her in, questions rising, sharp with accusation. Then I began inching toward the door. Get out and lock it behind me.

One more step-

'Where do you think you're going?'

Tina swung into my path. I threw myself at her, fingers hooked, aiming for her eyes, but she moved at the last second and my nails scratched her cheek instead. She howled and doubled over. My knee flew up, aiming for her stomach-

Hands grabbed me and yanked me back. I twisted and struggled, but Don held me by the shoulders. He kicked my feet out from under me. As I fell, I saw May, pinned by the other men.

'Looks like we'll have a triple dose of new material,' Tina said, wiping blood from her face as she bent over me. 'Your parlor tricks don't interest me, Jaime Vegas. But if you and that girl are what you claim to be, that will add an extra boost to your remains, won't it? Truly magical ash.'

I twisted in Don's grip, but he held me tight. Behind me, the men were taking turns casting the weakening spell on May. After the third, she slumped to the floor. And there, with her, went my chance to escape. I'd turned them against the only person in this room who valued my powers. The only one willing to let me live.

I looked about wildly, searching the room. My gaze went up to the light. If I had a spell, I could break it, plunge us into darkness and escape. If I was a werewolf, I could fight my way out. If I'd worn the damned heels, I could at least stab Don in the knees. If wishes were horses…

Damn it, Jaime. Focus on what you do have, on what you can do!

I look across the room to see Brendan and Murray frozen in helpless horror, watching as Don pinned me to the floor and gave orders to the others to douse May with gasoline.

'Brendan! Murray!' I shouted. 'The door!'

Don frowned at me.

Murray's look said he didn't understand my plea any better than Don. 'But the spell. We can't get out.'

Brendan was already racing across the room. When he reached the door, he stopped short, as if hitting a physical barrier. Then he poked his fingers into the inch-wide gap. They passed through. He grinned.

'Good,' I said. 'Get out there and look for a ghost. A woman. My age. Long dark hair. Her name's Eve. Show her where I am.'

As I spoke, Brendan shoved his shoulder against the crack, but it stopped, as if the breach in the spell was only as wide as that gap. He kept pushing. Murray strode over to help.

'She's stalling,' Tina said. 'Cast the spell, Don. At least it'll shut her up.'

He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bag of ash.

Again, my gaze rose to the light. Then it shifted to that high shelf and stopped on a stuffed bat perched beside a legless dog. In my mind, I saw an image of the bird I'd accidentally raised in the garden.

But I couldn't. Not without tools. Not without time to prepare. Not without-

Don lifted his hand to his mouth, ash on his outstretched palm. He inhaled.

'Wait!' I said. 'You want magic? I can give you the most powerful magic of all.'

'She'll say anything-' Tina began.

'The power to raise the dead. I can do that.'

'Really?' Tina's overplucked brows arched. 'That'll come in handy in a few minutes… assuming you can do it to yourself.'

She motioned for Don to continue with the spell, but he'd lowered his hand. The other men watched me. Seeing their expressions, I bit back a burst of hysterical laughter.

Communicating with the dead wasn't enough to sway their intentions. But to raise the dead? To play God? No matter how strongly logic told them it couldn't be done, they couldn't help hoping.

'It's a trick,' Tina snapped. 'Can't you see that? Now she'll tell us she needs a body, so we'll need to take her outside-'

'No, you won't.' I waved at the ceiling. 'Plenty of bodies here.'

'And I suppose you want us to take one down, meaning we have to find a ladder, bring it back, give your friend time to recover-'

'I'll raise the bat. It has wings, right?' I flashed my best showbiz smile. 'No need to be carried down when you can fly.'

Even before the men agreed, I knew they would. Why not? In return for a few minutes' forbearance, I offered the possibility of a miracle. Who could refuse that?

Are you nuts? my brain screamed. Have you forgotten the minor fact that you can't do this without your equipment?

But I could try. At the very least, I'd stall them for a while. Maybe Hope would wake. Or Jeremy would find my trail.

And if that's all I hope to do, that's all I'd accomplish. Forget stalling. My only option-the only one I'd accept- was success.

Just yesterday, raising Rachel Skye, I'd theorized that the power lay, not with the instruments, but within me. If I truly believed that, then it was time to put it to the test. Under the worst possible circumstances, but maybe that was just what I needed. Last year, in Toronto with the werewolves, I'd controlled zombies raised by someone else-a feat I'd said was impossible. But when I saw Elena's life at stake, I'd found the will and the power to do it.

Now there was another life at stake. Mine. And, for once, I was going to be the one to save it.

I closed my eyes and recited the incantation to call the dead back to their nearby bodies. In my mind, I pictured the ritual setup, envisioned myself kneeling before the symbols.

When the chant was finished, I didn't open my eyes to see whether it worked. Didn't even take a breath. Just repeated it. Then repeated it. Then-

'Oh, my God.'

The reaction I'd been waiting for. I looked up to see the bat still perched there, motionless. But on an adjacent shelf, the crow's wing twitched.

'It's a trick,' Tina sneered. 'Even I can do that-like making a pencil levitate.'

'Rawr!'

The crow had managed to push itself upright. Its head wobbled, as if its neck was broken. It threw back its