Blood Legacy: Adult Urban Fantasy (The V V Inn Book 5) (22 page)

I breathe deeply near the doorway, allowing the fumes from old oil stains, cat urine, and garbage to enter my olfactory senses. Nothing. I rear up and slam a paw into the half-closed door, forcing it to open wider and allow my large wolf frame to pass.
 

Stepping into the dark space, I still and focus on my senses. Stale air, small rodents who’ve taken up residence, and the unwashed stink of a large predator who’s been covered in blood come at me from all directions. Like before, I don’t sense the creature here now, but by the smells it seems he’s been here since we tracked it earlier. Could that mean it’s killed again recently?

I trot into the darkness, nose down, looking for more clues to relay. In a few minutes I hear Magda join me. She enters the old building without fear.

“Long gone, is he?”

Not as long as she may think, but I chuff out a breath of air to indicate my agreement, continuing my investigation. Back in a dark corner, I find where he sleeps. A rank pile of newspapers, cardboard, old food containers, and scraps of cloth. And judging by the amount of territorial urine scenting he’s done, there’s no doubt in my mind this creature is a male. The original hombre in the name alludes to a male, but still, it doesn’t hurt to be sure.
 

There’s a narrow second door, one we didn’t see the first time we discovered the location. I trot toward it, my gums pulling back to reveal sharp teeth as I realize the cat scent is fresher here. This must be his preferred means of exit. I look over my shoulder, a low rumble of sound erupting from my chest. Magdelena pauses in her examination of the gato’s sleeping quarters, an eyebrow raised. “Found something?”

She joins me, leaning closer to see the slim, closed door. “Ahh… another way out. Let’s see where it leads.” She opens the door and sounds rush in. This exit leads to a much busier street, even at this hour, located on the opposite side from where we came in.
 

“Crap. He could be anywhere.” She sticks her head out, glances side to side, and then back down at me. “Any way you can make yourself less conspicuous? I doubt a dog your size will go unnoticed.”

I stare straight at her, unsure what the hell she expects me to do. I’m a freaking wolf. Changing back into a man—a naked man—will draw even more attention our way, I’m sure.
 

“Cat got your tongue?” she says with a crooked grin. “Just kidding. Okay….” She looks over my large frame. “How about we have you walk really close next to me, like you’re my pet? That might work.”

I cough once in agreement and we step into another alley, this one closer to the busy restaurant district than I’d like. We follow the trail onto what would be the thriving streets of a Buenos Aires’s shopping district. But at this time of night, approaching dawn, the sidewalks are empty of patrons, only delivery trucks and end of shift workers present.
 

How did Cat Dude travel unseen? Does it have some type of obfuscating abilities—meaning whoever sees it doesn’t see what’s really there?

With no way to voice my questions, I keep my head down and try to look innocuous as I track the old scent of the gato. After one block the creature strays away from the activity on the streets and takes another dark alley. We continue tracking for several blocks and soon find ourselves near the area where the witch coven lives.
 

Despite the bragging their magic is superior, could they have triggered the imbalance that allowed Cat Dude to come to life? I snort, happy with the thought. Would serve those stuck up bitches right to have caused all the problems the city is having, especially after they were so quick to place blame on another supernatural group.
 

Magdelena’s soft fingers weave through the fur at my neck, grabbing and gently tugging on the scruff. “What do you think, Jon? Has the trail gone cold?”

A small whine escapes me, indicating my frustration. She’s right, the scent markers have dissipated. But the ones here were fresher than any I’ve come across. Could the beast have another den he hides in? With that thought, I backtrack, breaking her hold on me, and retracing the last hundred yards. Come on… there’s got to be something here.

Magda catches up, her eyes scanning the dark roads, the infrequent street lamps our only source of illumination. She nudges me with her knee. “How about there?” She points to a partially visible basement window, deep within shadows. “Want to check?”

I trot over and sniff the sidewalk out front and then the old window casement. Nothing. I look back toward her then to the window, twice, almost shaking my head, to indicate negative.

“The damn thing didn’t disappear. It’s got to be around here somewhere.”

I think back to the invunche. It seemed quite at home within its cave-like sewer hiding spot. Could that be a possibility for Cat Dude, too? I move to the closest sewer and lower my head.
 

The scent of molding leaves, water runoff from the street, including gasoline, oil, and dirt, rush to fill my senses. No smell of the cat creature. Crap. Another dead end.
 

Magda picks up on my idea and points down the road to a subway sign. “How about the trains?”

I pick up my pace, trotting quickly to the stairs leading down. This time I smell something cat-like mixed with a man. Bingo. My ears perk forward and my tail goes up, a clear indicator to the female alpha that I’ve found something.
 

She rushes to my side and weaves her hands through my fur. “Good work, Jon.” She peers down the steep stairs and then looks up and down the street. “Let’s check it out.”
 

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Vivian

“Are we finally ready to activate the spell?” I try my best to keep the frustration out of my voice, but since his neighbor was found dead, Justin hasn’t exactly been very focused.
 

“Yeah, give me another minute.”

Rafe opens the telepathic link between us.
He’s been saying that for the past thirty minutes. I wish he’d finish already.

You and me both, dear. A little longer, that’s all.
I lay my hand on his and squeeze.
I thought for sure I’d be on the road before you two found the invunche.

I just bet you did. You’d have left me to track him on your own, wouldn’t you?

 
I look to my husband and raise one eyebrow.
Why ask if you already know the answer?

He cuts off our connection, his annoyance showing clearly on his rugged face. I’m not going to lie to him. If the tracker spell had been activated and he was not here, I sure as hell would have gone without him, and he knows it.

Justin’s agitated voice breaks into our silent standoff. “Okay, I’m ready for the spell’s binding and payment.” His dark blue eyes seek mine. “That means your blood, Vivian.”
 

He hands me a ceremonial knife, the hilt carved of bone and the blade wicked sharp. “The blood should go in the center of the other ingredients. No need to mix it, it should trigger at once.”

“How much do you need?”

“Depends on how strong your blood is.” He shrugs. “For me, I’d use about a teaspoon. But that was before. When my blood was worthy. Now I have no idea. Maybe five or six drops?”

I examine the blade carefully, sniffing it to make sure it hasn’t been covered with a poison or other substance. Justin scowls at my actions. Like I give a damn if I insult him. This is my life and my risk, the fool.
 

Pricking the end of one finger with the knife tip, I watch the thick blood slowly pool, forming a large drop. When enough gathers, I let it fall into the wooden bowl. A poof of magic wafts up from the bowl, dimming the light in the room for an instant.
 

Justin’s mouth drops open. “I’ve never seen a spell bind to activate
and
accept payment with only a drop before.” He looks to me, something akin to greed in his gaze.

Rafe clears his throat. “And don’t get any ideas, wizard. I’d kill you before I’d let you exploit my wife’s blood.”

Justin shakes his head. “Whatever, man. Don’t go thinking the worst of me. You don’t even know me.”

“I call ‘em like I see ‘em. What I know so far doesn’t impress me too much.”

The wizard mumbles something under his breath that sounds suspiciously close to
fucking bastard
, but continues assembling the last of the spell. “Sure, just forget I’m the one who helped you save your wife three weeks ago. Nice.”

“You pointed me in the right direction, saving me time. But you did not fight by my side. Don’t confuse the two.” Rafe rises from the table and goes into the living room. He says to me, “Let me know when you’re ready to leave.”

I sit quietly while the wizard assembles the activated ingredients into a leather pouch, unwilling to make matters worse with questioning him further on what he’s doing. In a few steps, Justin is done. He hands me the soft leather pouch, similar to what I’ve seen witches use for herbal talismans or to hold chakra stones.

“How does it work?”

“You hold it and think of the one you seek. Face a direction and when you feel the bag heat slightly, you’re on the right path.”

“Seems tedious and slow. Are you sure it will work?”

A scowl forms on his unlined face, disappearing as fast as it appeared. “Thanks for the doubt and back-handed insult. Yes, I know how to do my job. And I do it well. It will work.”

This is also the guy who wrought such a magical imbalance in the city we’ve had two mythological killers appear in a week’s time. But I refrain from pointing the obvious out. “Thanks, Justin.”

“Not so fast, lady. Don’t forget my fee.”

“The agreement was for
after
we find Rolando.”

The young wizard looks like he’s ready to argue, but quiets down soon enough. He nods sharply and starts to put away the unused ingredients.

I staunch the tiny feeling of dishonesty creeping up my spine. What the witch and Justin don’t know is I plan to remotely nullify my blood in a day’s time. Despite the reassurances I gave earlier, I have no intention of giving anyone unsupervised access to the power in my blood—maybe I’ll send payment in gold when this mess is all over.
 

One of the perks of being a master manipulator is divine connection to everything my blood infiltrates. Including the spell contents of the bag, which should make using the pouch to play a supernatural game of “hot and cold” much easier.

Rafe appears in the kitchen doorway. “Are we ready to roll?”

I nod and rise from my chair. “Thanks for your assistance with the tracking spell, Justin. We’ll keep you posted on what’s happening.”

“And will Jon let me know when they catch the gato?” Uncertainty clouds his expression, no doubt wondering how his whole livelihood could, literally, go up in a cloud of dust like it has.

“Sure thing,” Rafe answers, hustling me toward the back door. “We’ll make sure you’re notified.”

A thought occurs to me as we’re leaving. “And let us know if this latest spell left any type of imbalance—we don’t want another killer on the loose.”

Justin grimaces. “I’ll try, but I didn’t know when the imbalances occurred previously. Everything felt fine, just like during my other spells.”

The door shuts behind us and as we walk away I hear the wizard turn the lock. I wonder if it’s normal for him to not feel an imbalance when he completes a spell, assuming he created one by making the spell to begin with. That doesn’t seem right to me. How could a magic user be expected to correct the problem if they didn’t feel it come into existence?

“We’ve got a few hours until dawn, hon. Let’s get a move on,” Rafe says, one hand on the small of my back easing me forward faster. “I’d love to track that bastard down before the sun rises.”

“Is that so you can question him when I’m indisposed?”

A surprised grunt sounds next to me. “What, do I look stupid? He’s older than you. He may not need to sleep until close to noon, if at all—and if that’s the case, only an idiot would confront a cornered vampire.”

We journey to the car and slide inside. “Where should we start?” I ask. “The pouch doesn’t have a feel to it yet.”

“Hmm… maybe you should get out and hold it in your hands while facing different directions.”

Feeling dumb with the action, I comply, climbing out to stand on the sidewalk. Turning slowly, I pause at each cardinal direction, hoping the little bag will point me the right way. I allow my thoughts to center on Rolando and how much I want to find him. I wait a breath before turning again, hoping the extra time will help.

After a complete circuit, I’m annoyed. The leather feels the exact same—cold. Should I barge back in and call out Justin for his ineptitude? “Some fucking wizard,” I mumble under my breath.

Rafe lowers the passenger window. “Have you tried connecting with the blood in the charm yet?”

“No,” I answer, feeling foolish I hadn’t tried. Bitching is so much more productive.

Heeding my husband’s suggestion, I close my eyes, preparing to expand my awareness through my blood. Like my connection to the resort, I can trace my life source anywhere, and reach out beyond the sphere of it to whatever it connects.

I slow my breathing and wait. When I’ve cleared my head of all the negativity and disappointment from the charm not working instantly, I begin to feel something in my hands. My blood does indeed connect all the ingredients together. Combined with my desire to find Rolando, a reaction starts to occur.

I turn to the right once more, attuned to any change in the leather pouch. This time, I sense the components of the spell working. Heartened with the change, I turn again and wait. Before I have a chance to let my breath out, the leather warms in my hands. Bingo.

“This way,” I gesture, with the bag still cupped in my grasp.

“Toward the Tribunal’s neighborhood. I should have guessed.”

I return to my seat and buckle up. “Could mean anything. That direction covers a lot of the city, not just the Seat of Darkness.”

“Hmph. We’ll see.”

At every intersection I hold the bag to the right, left, and center, to see which triggers a reaction. Very soon, we’re turning back onto Independence Avenue, approaching the Tribunal’s townhouse from a different direction, one that will require us to pass all the other homes on the street first. The security ward doesn’t send a tingle over me, making me think it must still be down after George’s death earlier tonight.