The Banshee's Desire (15 page)

Could this day get any worse?

Probably.

Now he would have to go back to his father and explain how he'd managed to fuck up the whole operation. It didn't take a rocket scientist to know that Jonathan Spark was going to be extremely unhappy to hear he'd failed in getting Jacqueline and that now his name was linked in a murder investigation.

Still, maybe there was a way to spin the whole event in his favor.

But how?

As soon as he'd seen the cops, Finn had gone the other direction. A simple inquiry to one of the hotel guests told him what was going on. He had to get out of town, but with his rental car probably about to be seized, he didn't have a mode of transportation.

Magic was always an option, but he'd never been really good at traveling spells. It had been through blind luck that he'd been able to transport himself accurately to Toby's house. A longer trip was out of the question.

So what then?

A used car dealership across the street from the hotel caught his eye.

Without thinking twice, he strode over to it, scanning the lot for possible vehicles.

"Can I help you?" The salesman hurried out to meet him the second Finn stepped on the property. "That one over there looks like it has your name on it."

Finn laughed when he saw the man pointed at a beat up Dodge Caravan.

"No, that won't do," Finn said. "I need fast wheels, a slick ride that can get me out of this town."

"In a hurry, huh?' The salesman gave him a speculative look. "Got a black Trans Am that might do the trick."

"Does it run well?"

"It'll get you where you need to be."

They spent a few minutes in conversation until Finn was sure the car met his needs. Using a persuasion spell, Finn convinced the salesman that the trash he picked up off the ground was really cash and enough to pay for the car in full.

A few minutes later, Finn Spark was on his way home.

He smiled into the rearview mirror, a little of his old confidence returning.

The incident with Jacqueline and the hotel maid had just been a setback. Even if Toby contacted Finn's father, it's not like Jonathan would believe him. After all, Toby was the man who'd ruined his daughter and had conceived a freak wizard for a son.

And what was so special about Gabe anyway? He looked normal enough. Where were all the crazy powers he was supposed to have?

Dormant probably. Or maybe Derek had sucked the power out of him.

All Finn knew for sure was that he hadn't been impressed with his nephew.

Finn jumped at the sound of a cell phone ringing in the car.

He knew it wasn't his phone since he'd left the hotel on the run and hadn't bothered to grab it when Jacqueline chased after him. Yet is seemed to be coming from his pants pocket. He could even feel the vibration of it through the fabric.

Finn reached into his pocket and pulled out a small cell phone. The digital screen read Caller Unknown. Baffled, he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"About fucking time you picked up the phone, Uncle." Gabe's voice came across the line smoothly, almost as if he were in the car with Finn. "We need to talk. You hauled ass out of town before we could get to know each other better."

"I've got problems, thanks to your father's banshee girlfriend," Finn said, grimly. "How did you slip this phone in my pocket without me seeing?"

"I didn't. It's called magic and I know how to use it better than you do." Gabe laughed softly. "And as for my father's girlfriend, she's locked up in the one thing that can control her kind--the Box of Souls."

Finn sucked in his breath.

"Thought that would get you attention," Gabe said. "You know what that is then?"

"Yeah," Finn said. "How did you manage to get her in there?"

"Toby did it. I just convinced him that it was necessary."

"So why are you talking to me?"

"Because I'm willing to give you the box."

"What do you want in return?"

"The opportunity to be a part of the Spark legacy."

Surprised, Finn mulled the request over. He doubted his father would ever go for such any plan that brought Gabe into the family. Still, Jonathan Spark wasn't above a bit of trickery. If they could just get the box…

"Alright. I'll talk to him. I'll come back for the box."

"Don't bother. I'll bring it to you when grandpa agrees to my terms."

"Give me a day and I'll see what I can do."

"No. That's too long. Arrange a meeting for tonight."

"Can you get to
Atlanta
that fast?"

"Aren't you holding a cell phone that I created out of thin air?" Gabe laughed. "I can do anything, uncle. I'm not some wizard who is only good at one type of spell. Tonight. Make the meeting happen."

Finn jerked in surprise as the phone he'd been holding suddenly dissolved into dust.

But he didn't let the surprise distract him.

Nope. He had a new plan and he headed towards
Atlanta
with a smile on his face.

****

It was so quiet in the darkness.

Almost peaceful.

Almost.

The loneliness, the heartbreak, the unwanted opportunity to review her deeds--it was enough to make you crave release or even death. So far it had only been a few hours, but she couldn't imagine being stuck there for an eternity.

It hurt the most when she thought of Toby.

But she remembered the look on his face when he'd opened the box.

She'd seen his eyes, and though it infuriated and saddened her by turns, there was no doubt Toby had not wanted to put her in darkness. The man loved her.

And that reminded her…he'd been in the Box of Souls before. She'd accidentally put him there when she'd first learned about her powers. So how had he gotten out?

If there was one thing she'd learned about the world of wizards, it was that they were crafty, but each family was limited to their particular talents when it came to spell casting. If the box had been strong enough to hold Efa, it was unlikely that any wizard could get out on his own.

Gabe. The little rat.

He'd been in the box, too, setting a trap. Since he was more powerful than most, the rules of getting out of the darkness probably didn't apply to him.

She planned to have a little chat with Gabe when she saw him again.

If she saw him again.

As she plotted and planned and time ticked away, Jacqueline sensed a change in the darkness. It appeared to lighten a bit. Energy crackled in the air and it felt as she were being stretched and pulled up.

What was going on?

And then, with a pop, she was out of the box.

Her eyes blinked in the light as she tried to get her bearings.

It was an office of some kind. Very plush. Luxurious. TV screens covered one area of the wall, flashing ticker headlines from all over the world.

Two men stood nearby in front of a big picture window. Jacqueline recognized one as Finn Spark and anger flared in her. The man next to Finn had features so similar that she knew he had to be a relative.

"Hello, Jacqueline." Gabe stepped forward, but she was struck by the meekness in his movement, the heaviness in his shoulders. "I'm sure you're feeling much calmer now. A few hours in isolation can work wonders, especially in the Box of Souls."

"What do you want?" she asked, glancing around the room. "Where is Toby?"

"Well, you see that's the problem." Gabe shifted his gaze away, uneasy.  "Toby has been taken."

"Taken? What do you mean? Who has him?"

"The Brotherhood. I don't know if he is still alive."

The worry and fear in Gabe's voice disturbed Jacqueline. 

"Why is Finn here?" she asked, glancing at the other man. She could still see the shadow of the murdered girls around him. "He's a killer."

The older man stepped forward.

"I am Jonathan Spark, Finn's father. I'm here to help you."

"I doubt that, Daddy Dearest. From what I've seen of your family, you're all a bunch of liars." Jacqueline moved closer to him, pleased when he took an involuntary step back. Knowing that he feared her made her bolder. "You don't like Toby and would like to see him dead. I know all about the past relationship between the Spark and Williams families. I bet you called the Brotherhood to take him. You and Gabe probably have been working on this the whole time. You just needed to get me out of the way."

"You're right. I don't like the man. Never have. He violated my daughter, ruined her." Jonathan didn't bother to hide his bitterness. "Contrary to what you might think, I did not ask the Brotherhood to take him."

"Why would you help me? I know the rules to this kind of shit. You can't get something for nothing."

"You're right. I don’t want much. Just a bit of your blood."

"Blood? Why?"

"I want to study your DNA, find out what makes you tick. In exchange, I'm willing to walk you right to the front door of the Brotherhood. You won't be able to find them without me. The enchantments they use are too great to be located by just anyone."

"And if the Brotherhood is destroyed?"

"I'll be long gone, my dear." Jonathan smiled. "Do what you wish."

"How easily you turn on your fellow wizards. How do I know I can trust you?"

"Jacqueline," Gabe intervened, his face solemn. "This is Toby we're talking about. The more time we debate, the closer to death he could be."

"Oh please! You're the Great and Powerful Oz, right Gabe?" Jacqueline narrowed her eyes, suspicious. "Why haven't you taken care of this yourself?"

"Because I don't know where the Brotherhood is located," Gabe admitted. "And I figured I might need back up in case things go wrong."

"What is this? Some buddy-cop movie? I'm not your friend, Gabe. Don't forget that." Jacqueline took a breath, trying to calm herself. "Right now, I want to find Toby."

She turned to Jonathan.

"You want my blood? You got it." She held out her arm, unsurprised when he magically produced a syringe. "Be quick about it."

Did she imagine the glow of triumph in old man Spark's eyes?

"Thank you, Ms. Huston," Jonathan said when he was finished. "You've been most helpful."

"Take me to Toby."

With a wave of his hand, Jonathan illuminated one of the TV screens on the walls of the office. Toby's battered and bruised face filled it. Blood dripped from a deep gash on the side of his head, and as Jacqueline watched, the skin on his exposed chest ripped away as if someone were pulling it up.

"There he is," Jonathan said.

"Oh, god," she whispered. "Stop, please. You said you would take me to him."

"You are so trusting." Jonathan laughed cruelly. "It's sweet."

A voice spoke on the screen and Jacqueline guessed it immediately.

Gwydion.

"Where is your little half banshee whore?" Gwydion asked. When Toby didn't answer, another deep laceration occurred on his chest. Blood sputtered from it and a hint of white bone could be seen. His moan of agony made Jacqueline sway with anger. "I'll keep ripping away at the truth until I find it."

"Why did you let them take him?" Jacqueline's anger started to rise as she spoke to Gabe.

"Because he is an inept creature," Jonathan said, his eyes full of distaste and loathing as he met Gabe's gaze. "Not worthy of the Spark blood. There is no place for you here despite whatever deal you think you've made with Finn. I made plans with the Brotherhood to take Toby Williams the same day I sent my son to your town."

"What?" Finn turned to his father, surprised. "I thought you trusted me?"
"I'd like to trust you, but considering your nasty habits, I figured something might go wrong. In many ways, you are little better than Derek," Jonathan said, with a cruel grin. "Did you really think I don't know about the women and the sex games you like to play?"

"But you never--"

"I never said anything because it amused me not to." Jonathan shook his head and focused on Gabe again. "I've got my thumb on several members of the Brotherhood. They are loyal to me and have been on standby until today. They've been keeping tabs on you, Finn. As soon as they realized there was trouble, I ordered them to take Toby straight to Gwydion. I hope he kills him slowly."

Jacqueline barely heard his words. The anger at Jonathan's words, his callousness about Toby's life burned her.

"You know, Gabe," Jonathan sneered at his grandson's name as if it were a perverse word. "I'm surprised at how easy it was to get you to bring the half banshee to us. I had figured on her coming to us on her own to beg for the life of her lover.  But Toby couldn't have been gone more than ten minutes before you were calling up Finn and trying to make a deal with the Box of Souls. You really are an uncreative creature aren't you? Must come from the Williams side of your gene pool."