Mother May I (Knight Games Book 4) (8 page)

“Got it,” Poe said.

Behind us, the door rattled. I motioned for Gary to open the window. He complied.

“Meet me where I was turned,” the vampire whispered, so quietly I had to read his lips. I nodded. He’d told me the story of Anna Bathory turning him months ago. I knew the place.

In one lithe move, he leaped from the window into the oak tree in my front yard, then onto the road, racing toward the woods. A single streak of platinum followed him. Hmmm. Not much of a distraction. The door to the attic cracked against the wardrobe behind me. I kicked off, folding myself to the branch to fit through the window.

My flight wasn’t nearly as graceful as I’d hoped. I jerked forward and side to side like a turbulent airplane. As I struggled to hold myself aloft, Poe glided nervously near my head. “Steady,” he whispered. “Don’t draw attention.”

“I’m trying,” I whispered. I succeeded in driving forward in one awkward thrust toward the stone bridge between my house and Rick’s. If I could make it to his place, I could borrow his car to escape.

An arrow whizzed past my ear. “Watch out,” I cried to Poe, looking over my shoulder. A sea of platinum heads had formed at the end of my driveway. The twang of drawn bows left me desperate to propel forward, but I lurched and stopped in frustrating bursts.

“Pointy-eared sons of bitches,” Poe cursed.

“Go. Go,” I said to Poe. “They’ll skewer you like a pheasant. Find me later.”

My familiar nodded and left me, soaring like a bullet toward Monk’s Hill Cemetery. Smart bird. No way would the goblins risk entering my hellmouth.

I changed course to follow him, but another round of arrows cut me off. Without Poe’s presence amplifying my magic, my control faltered. I dove and rolled, almost falling off the branch. Distracted, I dropped like a rock toward the pavement. The arrows cut through my hair, just missing my scalp. I landed on the bridge, breaking my fall with a desperate gust of wind that wasn’t enough to keep me from tumbling into the stone railing.

On quick and silent feet, the goblins left the end of my drive to pursue me. I sprinted for Rick’s. A silver arrow hit the road near my feet. I was too exposed on the bridge, but unless I threw myself over the side of it, there was nowhere else to go. Halfway across, the squeal of tires and approaching headlights forced me to scramble out of the way. I slammed into the wall to keep from becoming road kill.

Blinded by the headlights, I heard the screech of braking tires, and pebbles sprayed against my calves. The car stopped in front of me and the passenger door flew open.

“Get in!” Rick commanded.

Breathless, I dove into the leather seat headfirst, transforming the branch back into a wand as quickly as I could. Another barrage of silver arrows rained around us, impaling the hood of the Tesla. Rick threw the car into reverse and slammed on the accelerator, wheels spinning before jerking us backward off the bridge. A hair-raising three-point turn later, I was able to get upright, hook my hand into the passenger door, and slam it closed. A silver arrow crashed through my window, impaling the back of my headrest.

“When did you learn to drive?” I yelled to Rick.

“Tonight!” He floored the accelerator.

“What? How?”

“I Googled it!” More arrows pinged against the road behind us, but the Tesla was burning rubber out of Red Grove.

“When did you learn how to use Google?” I asked, staring at the mob of goblins growing more distant behind us.

“After you bought me the laptop,” he said.

I stared at his profile, the wind filtering through the broken window behind me and blowing my hair into my face. I gathered it in my hands and stared at him in awe. Had I underestimated Rick? Memory or not, he wasn’t helpless. He blew both stop signs on the way out of town, and I glanced nervously at the dash to find the speedometer topping a hundred.

“Don’t take this the wrong way, but I think you should let me drive,” I said.

He turned sharp gray eyes on me and flashed an unruly smile. “Not a chance.”

* * * * *

We arrived at the alley behind the Mill Wheel just before dawn. Gary motioned for us to pull the Tesla into one of those twenty-minute oil change places across the street. A group of vampires closed the garage door behind us. As soon as we were out of the vehicle, they covered the Tesla with a tarp

“This way,” Gary said. He unlocked a door in the back and held it open for me.

Against my better judgment, I squeezed past him and descended into a musty stone stairwell. Rick followed, pressing into my side and lacing his fingers into mine. I liked the handholding. Not only did it show a level of trust on his part, but there was a sense of protective instinct in the gesture. Rick was watching out for me. Hell, Rick had saved my ass tonight. My heart swelled.

When Gary closed the door, the darkness was absolute. I lifted my hand and blew against my palm, igniting a tiny blue flame.

“It’s too dangerous,” Gary said. He bent my fingers to close my hand, effectively extinguishing my magic. “Light carries, and magic light is detectable by other means.”

“I can’t see in the dark,” I said.

Rick tucked his arm under mine. “I can,” he whispered.

I turned my face toward his voice and hugged his arm to my chest. “Okay. Gary, lead the way.”

We descended into a passageway of darkness. Rick guided me, holding me up by the waist as I tripped on the uneven floor. “What is this place?” I asked.

“Prohibition tunnels. They were built in 1923 to aid in the smuggling of alcohol between the Carlton City speakeasies.”

“I’m surprised they’re still sound. Is the roof going to collapse on my head?” I asked.

“No. They’ve been maintained. They’re used today by my kind to get around during the day. Humans who come down here these days are usually lunch.”

“Nice,” I said flatly.

“Not to worry; you are under Julius’s protection. Your blood must be one hell of a treat. He’s threatened all of us with a thousand years in a silver-lined box if anyone damages a hair on your head. No vamp would dare touch you.”

I jumped when something scurried across my toes.

“Do not worry, Grateful. It was only a rat,” Rick whispered into my ear.

“That’s comforting.”

“This way,” Gary said.

Rick turned me by the shoulders. “There is a stairway. Allow me to help you.”

Before I could say a word, Rick swept me into his arms and jogged up the flight of steps. At the top, Gary opened another door. Jovial music, voices, and warm light flooded over us. I blinked to adjust my vision while Rick set me down.

Beyond a short corridor, I stood at the threshold of a grand speakeasy, windowless, as I’d expected a vampire bar to be, and furnished in dark wood, red velvet, and brass. The bartender wore suspenders and a bow tie in the 1920’s fashion. Waitresses buzzed between round tables at super speed in flapper dresses, stained-glass votives lighting their way. In the back, males and females danced to jazz music on a small dance floor. Most were vampires. A few were human.

Heads turned as we entered. Seated couples looked up from their drinks, and a few vampires paused their dancing to flash fang my direction. Vampire after vampire glared at me. I bristled, but no one backed up their threatening looks.

“What’s their problem?” I asked.

“It’s not what you think. It’s not because you’re a witch,” Gary said matter-of-factly. “Although, I’d ask you to keep your blade stashed. We don’t want to cause a panic.”

“Why are they all pissy?”

He paused and spread his hands. “You’re underdressed. There’s a dress code.”

I looked down at myself. I was still wearing my plaid sleep shorts and a T-shirt sporting a picture of a sock monkey with the caption
Nice Banana
. I ran my thumbs under the straps to the sheath on my back that held Nightshade. My face felt warm. “Uh. Do you have something more appropriate for me to wear?”

Gary grimaced.

“He doesn’t, but I do.” From the shadows, Julius’s radiant blue eyes became visible before the rest of him. He melded into the dim light and lifted his rocks glass of scotch in a little toast to me. “Pleasure to see you again, Miss Knight. I am relieved to learn that Gary got you out in one piece, although I don’t recall inviting the sidekick.” He glanced pointedly at Rick.

“Rick goes where I go.”

“Perhaps your caretaker can wait at the bar while you and I discuss business.”

I frowned. “What business do we need to discuss without my caretaker?”

“For starters, why the Goblin Trinate want you dead and how long you will need sanctuary in my safe house.”

When he put it that way, I did owe him something for saving me. My shoulders softened, and the vampire held out his hand, bowing slightly at the waist. Julius was ancient. I wasn’t sure how ancient, but I suspected he held a wealth of information about my new enemies.

I looked at Rick and motioned with my chin toward the bar. “Give me a minute?”

He nodded once and released my arm to do as I asked.

Once he was gone, I slipped my hand into Julius’s and allowed the vampire to lead me from the room.

Chapter 10

The Safe House

J
ulius guided me to the back of the speakeasy and up a flight of stairs to a wood-paneled hallway. The second door on the left opened into an expansive bedroom that reminded me of something from
The Great Gatsby
. The four-poster bed at the center struck me as larger than life, a piece of furniture of inhuman standards with red silk sheets and a velvet comforter. Clearly, the bed was meant to be the centerpiece of the room, but that was hardly the most impressive feature. The two-story walls were lined with books, old and new, with a sliding brass ladder attached to the shelves to ensure each of them was accessible. Along one wall, a break in the shelving allowed for a fireplace where a lively fire crackled and popped. Two oversized red velvet chairs hugged its warmth. I took one look at their plush cushions and curved backs and sagged with exhaustion.

“You need sleep,” Julius said. “You’re safe here. I’ll watch over you. Rest a few hours.” He gestured toward the bed.

I ran a hand through my bedhead and rubbed my sleepy eyes. “Eh, no, thanks.”

“A drink perhaps? While we talk?”

I nodded. He disappeared behind the massive bed, and soon I heard the clink of ice against glass and the slosh of pouring liquid.

“What do you know about the Goblin Trinate?” I asked.

He emerged from behind the headboard and handed me a scotch on the rocks. With a crook of his head, he led the way to the fire and folded himself into one of the red chairs facing it. “Join me,” he said. From my vantage point, all I could see was his foot draped across one knee and the scotch glass in his perfectly manicured hand on the armrest.

I hesitated. I was afraid if I sat in the cozy chair, I wouldn’t get up again. But Julius had information I needed, and I was exhausted. If I didn’t sit down, I would fall down. I joined him in the second red chair, curling my legs beneath me.

“Better?” He gave me a toothy grin. “The Goblin Trinate consists of masters of organized crime. They adore wealth and power and will do almost anything for the right price. Human precepts of morality are foreign to them, although they are usually neutral when it comes to other supernatural entities.”

“So, why do they want me dead?”

Julius sipped his scotch thoughtfully. “I don’t think it is the goblins. I fear your intended demise was the work of another witch, one who has potentially given them protection from your magic.”

“Nightshade’s magic was useless against them. I wasn’t able to judge the goblin. Believe me, I tried.”

“Another witch’s involvement would explain their sudden interest in you, your inability to sentence your attacker, and how they knew exactly where you would be. Perhaps a friend of Tabetha’s?”

I swirled the scotch in my glass, watching the ice cut through the thick amber liquid. I needed a drink, but I held off, worried the alcohol would make me too tired to think. “Or Mommy dearest,” I murmured under my breath.

The vampire froze. “Are you suggesting that the goddess Hecate might be behind the attack?”

“You heard that?”

He rolled his eyes. “I’m a vampire. I can hear what the woman at the bar downstairs is ordering.”

“You might as well know what you’re up against housing me here. Hecate may have given the impression tonight that she, um, might, maybe, want me dead.” I shifted my bottom lip to the side and shrugged as if being on the goddess’s hit list was a stroke of bad luck similar to missing the bus or running out of change at the Laundromat.

Julius narrowed his eyes at me. “Why?”

“She’s not happy that I accepted Tabetha’s grimoire in order to save Rick. I can control two elements—
control
being a generous word since I can’t even stop the roses on my banister from growing.”

He rubbed a small circle over one temple, peering at me through the corner of his eye. “Can you undo what you’ve done?”

“That’s the rub,” I said, straightening in my chair. “Hecate said the only way to complete a spell strong enough to remove the extra element is to unite all of the elements and then cast off the extra ones.” I sighed heavily. “Apparently, this would give me almost unlimited power, enough to potentially challenge Hecate herself. And, of course, the goddess does not believe that anyone would unite the elements just to get rid of them.”

Julius snorted. “Of course not. Who would?”

“I would.” I threw up my hands. “I just want my life back. I don’t want to be a goddess.” I swirled the scotch in my glass again, raising it to my lips, but lowering it before taking a sip. “Julius, you’ve been around for, what, a few hundred years, right?”

Pensively, he leaned his elbows on his knees. “Over two thousand now.”

“Two thousand years! Holy crow! When were you born?”

His blue eyes darkened, and he leaned back in his chair. “As rude as that question is, I find myself compelled to answer. Perhaps the bond I have to you means I must. My parents named me after Julius Caesar. I was born in Rome in the year 42 BC and turned to eternal life in 12 BC.”