Chapter 11

Chapter

Eleven

A s we were catapulted high into the air, I reached for my inner wild magic and imagined it forming a protective ball around the three of us. It flowed from my skin without its usual force and wove a net around us, though it wasn't exactly spherical in nature. It nevertheless provided a buffer between us and the ground as we hit hard and then rolled in an ungainly, tangled mess toward the street. We stopped just shy of the three-foot drop onto the pavement, but none of us moved as bits of wood and brick, roof tiles and glass rained all around us. None of it pierced my barrier, though. While it didn't hold any of its usual force, it certainly saved our lives.

It seemed to take forever for the deadly rain to ease, and every bit of me was shaking with exhaustion and pain by the time it did. I released the net, detangled myself from Belle and Monty, but didn't immediately move. I simply didn't have the energy to sit up, let alone stand. I sucked in a deep breath in an effort to stop the inner shaking, but the thick stench of smoke caught in my throat and made me cough. The pain in my head immediately intensified, and I closed my eyes, groaning. A heartbeat later, Belle was in there, dialing the pain sensors back to a survivable level.

"Better?" she asked.

I nodded weakly, but didn't open my eyes. "What about Ashworth and Eli? Anyone seen them?"

"I've contacted both and they're fine," Belle said. "Ashworth's gone to grab the SUV, and Eli is just about to call in the fire brigade."

"I imagine the neighbors have already done that," Monty said. "There's plenty of them peeking through curtains right now to see what the hell is happening."

"I'd rather them be peeking than confronting," I muttered. I really didn't have the energy or the patience to be dealing with questions from curious onlookers right now. "What about the house? Anything left of it?"

"The fireball hit the kitchen, and there's nothing left of it or the living room," Monty said. "But most of the bedrooms remain intact. I guess we were lucky that Marie didn't throw a fireball as big as the one that destroyed the ranger station. Otherwise, even with the wild magic protecting us, we might have been toast."

"She probably wasn't capable of throwing another fireball that big," Belle said. "Those things take blood and energy, and even a vampire has a finite amount of either."

"I doubt she's using her own blood." He glanced at me, something I felt more than saw. "You able to move yet, Liz? Because what remains of the house is on fire, and the grass is starting to catch. We need to move."

I finally opened my eyes. The night was bright with a mix of orange and purple fire, and the smoke rising from both smothered the brightness of the stars. Instinct stirred briefly, and I had a bad, bad feeling it was a phenomenon we would see again, and soon.

I pushed into a sitting position, waited until my head stopped spinning, then turned around on my butt and carefully slithered down the embankment to the pavement. Then, finally, I looked up at the house. Monty had been practicing the art of overstatement when he'd said most of the bedrooms remained intact, because that entire area had no roof, and two of the rooms were missing internal walls. The blast had also taken some tiles off the roof of the house behind, and there were bits of wood and bricks embedded in the sheds of the property next door. Overall, though, there hadn't been a lot of fallout damage—not when compared to the destruction surrounding the ranger station, anyway.

As our SUV turned the corner and headed toward us, my phone rang, the tone telling me it was Aiden. I dragged out my phone, hit the answer button, and said, "I'm fine."

"Fine as in alive, but the weariness in your voice suggests you're also dead on your feet." He hesitated, his concern evident. "Perhaps you should go to the hospital and be checked out. I know the Fenna said our daughter would indeed be born, but let's not take any chances."

"The last thing I need right now is to be sitting in the Emergency Department for hours. Trust me, there's nothing wrong that a good meal and twelve hours' sleep won't fix. How's things there?"

"Obvious change of topic, but I'll play along. The fire's under control, and two of the brigades that were here are now on their way over to you." He paused. "What happened to Jaqueline?"

"Well, she's still alive."

"Did you call in Maelle?"

"Yes, and she's the reason Jaqueline lives. We're about to head home—how far away are you?"

"Another hour, at least. Don't wait up for me."

"I doubt I could even if I wanted to." I hesitated. "Just be careful, okay?"

"As someone is prone to say, always."

I laughed, told him I loved him, and hung up. Ashworth stopped the SUV in front of us, and Monty opened the rear door and waved me in. I scooted all the way over so that he and Belle could sit next to each other. Eli climbed into the front.

"So," Ashworth said, once we were underway again, "what the hell happened inside that house?"

I quickly updated them and then added, "I had no idea it was possible to regain humanity after becoming a vampire."

"That's because it's generally not," Eli said. "But then, there are few witches or mages in this world that would have the power and the demonic contacts that Maelle obviously has. I suppose what magic gives, magic can also take away."

"And I'd place money on the fact that the registrar are well aware it is possible to undo vampirism with magic," Ashworth said. "They are undoubtedly the reason there's very little information about the possibility out in the wider world."

The registrar was a private vampire organization that supposedly held the record of every vampire created and which insisted that all vampires report a location change to ensure there was no overlap of territory. "Maelle mentioned the existence of the registrar, but I was under the impression few people knew about it."

"Few do, but the RWA has by necessity had some interactions with them." Ashworth grimaced. "They are not an easy organization to get information from, however."

"I'm surprised you get any information from them," Belle said.

"A rogue vampire is no more in their best interests than it is RWA's," Ashworth said. "For the most part, they deal with the situation well before whispers of vampire troubles ever reach our ears."

"To which the sane amongst us can only say, thank God," Monty said, voice dry. "I only wish they'd step in and take care of this situation."

"Maelle wouldn't want them here," I said.

"Doesn't mean we shouldn't contact them. Maybe they could help."

"And maybe that would just tip our insane vampire over the edge."

"She leapt over the edge a long time ago," Monty said. "But that being the case, it might be best if we all bunk in together for a couple of days at the café until we sort this mess out."

"Laddie, aside from the fact the café is not big enough for all of us, I'm way too old to be sleeping on the floor."

"Besides," Eli added, "it's unlikely she'll come after us before the three of you, or Aiden. As far as that lot are concerned, we're the spares rather than the main event."

"But," Ashworth said, flicking a glance my way, "we'll nevertheless ramp up the protections again, just in case."

"Good," I said, even though I suspected they were right about us being the targets more than them. If Marie or Maelle was going to kidnap anyone in order to take me out of the picture, it would be either Aiden or Belle, and instinct was leaning more to Belle. Maelle was well aware that she was my familiar and, thanks to her telepathic raid of Roger's mind, so was Marie.

Ashworth dropped us off at the café with the promise to return the SUV later that morning. Belle made the three of us a strength and revitalization potion, which I gulped down without really tasting, then I staggered upstairs, grabbed a quick shower, and all but fell into bed. I was asleep almost before my head hit the pillow.

Dreams came and went, fragile wisps that held neither warning nor substance, but rather the desperate need to find Jaqueline. She was probably our biggest hope of ferreting out Marie's location before an all-out, all-consuming war started. Because that's what was coming if we couldn't find a way to stop it. We needed to find her. Had to find her.

As that thought echoed through my dream state, something within me shifted, and I once again found myself on the astral plane. This time, I caught a glimpse of my sleeping body first, before my astral being was swept away, not to a forest clearing, but rather a house. It was a two-story building with a steeply pitched roof and two dormer windows on the front side of the building that rather resembled eyes. Dark, broken eyes—as broken and as dark as the people who sheltered inside. It was surrounded by ancient trees that kept it shrouded in shadows despite the brightness of the sun, and the song of cicadas rode the air. There was no car, no van, and nothing to indicate anyone actually lived here, even if every sense I owned said there were at least three inside.

A flicker of movement through the trees to my right had me looking around.

A figure stumbled out from the trees, her clothes torn and dark with sweat, her copper-colored hair no longer in a ponytail but floating around her face like glimmering snakes.

Jaqueline.

My gaze darted back to the house.

This had to be Marie's lair. Had to be. And that meant this time, for the first time, I hadn't been called onto the plane, but had stepped onto it of my own free will. Excitement pulsed through me, but I resisted the urge to move. Jaqueline showed no sign of sensing my astral presence, but I wasn't about to risk changing that or drawing Marie's attention.

Jaqueline staggered toward the house and up the steps. The door must have been locked, because she raised a fist and hit the old wire screen several times. The sound echoed and, a few seconds later, the main door opened, and a man appeared, though I was too far away to see anything more than a vague, largish outline.

They spoke for a few seconds and then the door was opened, and Jaqueline stepped inside. I wanted, so wanted, to follow but caution held me in place. Better to be safe than sorry, even here on the astral plane.

A few seconds later, voices rose. One angry and yet oddly amused, the other bitter and filled with hurt. I had no idea what they were saying, because they were speaking French, but it was very definitely Marie and Jaqueline.

Then magic rose and, a heartbeat later, Jaqueline came flying backward out of the house. She hit the ground hard and rolled several times, then simply lay there, sobbing and cursing.

Maelle had been right. Marie had no use for Jaqueline now that she had lost her magic and regained her humanity. To be honest, I was surprised she'd simply been evicted rather than dined upon.

Jaqueline lay there for a few more minutes, then rose, brushed the dirt and blood from her hands and face, and raised a fist, yelling something in French at the house. Something that very much sounded like a threat. Then she turned and limped away.

My gaze returned to the house. Dark silence had returned.

As tempting as it was to go closer, I resisted, and instead tried to follow Jaqueline and get some idea where this place was.

But tiredness pulsed through me, and an awareness of danger rose. I was draining what little remained of my strength and if I was on this plane when my strength failed, then it was possible I could be stranded here. I closed my astral eyes and imagined my room, my bed, and my sleeping body, then expressed a wish to return.

In an instant, I had, but I didn't wake. I simply sank deeper into sleep and finally got the rest I so desperately needed.

I woke to the realization Aiden hadn't made it home, and panic surged, even though I knew there were a dozen different and very logical reasons why he might not have, including him simply not wanting to disturb me. Logic played second fiddle to fear, however, when there were two angry vampires prowling the reservation.

I reached for my phone and called him. The phone seemed to ring on forever, which only increased my tension.

He did finally answer, though.

"Sorry," he said, sounding tired. "Didn't hear the phone over the noise."

Said noise was evident in the background—sirens, men shouting, the crackle of fire. "God, don't tell me we've been hit with another fireball?"

"No, just a regular old bushfire this time. It's in the heart of the old forest behind the Eureka Reef area."

"Meaning the smoke we smelled when we were up there was the start of it?"

"I don't think so, because we did send a drone aloft and couldn't find anything." He paused, and a voice in the background said something I couldn't quite catch. "And now we've got some fucking tourists sightseeing up on one of the fire roads. I'll have to go and guide them out."

I hesitated, wanting to tell him about what I'd seen on the astral plane, then simply said, "Okay."

"What, no ‘be careful out there'?"

I half smiled. "You always are, aren't you?"

He laughed. "See you soon, love."

He hung up. I drew in a deep breath and released it slowly. It didn't help ease the inner fear any, but at least this time, it was due more to the unpredictable nature of a bushfire rather than a vampire.

I scrolled through my contacts and rang Jaz. It was pointless ringing the station, because the station no longer existed. She answered immediately. "Hey, Liz, it's a bit hectic here right now—is the reason you're ringing pressing?"

"Could be."

"Then give it to me."

I described the house and then said, "Do you know of any place resembling that?"

"Not offhand, but I can get Maggie to ring around the real estate agents to see if they know anything. Why?"

Maggie was the station's receptionist and a ranger in training. "It's the current lair of one of our vamps."

"Well, that's definitely a pressing matter. I'll get Mags to call you if she uncovers anything."

"Thanks, Jaz."

"No probs. Gotta go."

She hung up before I could ask where they'd temporarily set up. Not that it really mattered, because Aiden would no doubt tell me later. I tossed the phone onto the bed, then got up and quickly dressed before heading downstairs. The magic buzzing around the reading room told me Belle was in there with a client, so once I'd checked with Penny that everything was under control, I headed back upstairs, made myself something to eat and drink, then settled down to do some more paperwork. When it came to running your own business, it was a never-ending task.

Belle came up a few hours later, carrying two bottles of water and a plate stacked with sandwiches. I hit the save button and closed the laptop. "How'd the readings go?"

"There were tears, and they weren't all the client's." She half shrugged. "Readings involving kids are always the hardest. But I do have some good news."

"So do I. Well, sorta."

She handed me a bottle of water then placed the sandwiches on the coffee table. "Define ‘sorta.'"

"I astral traveled last night and discovered Marie's lair. Unfortunately, I have no idea where in the reservation it is."

"Of course not, because your dreams aren't always the most helpful of things, so why would your astral traveling be any different?"

I reached for a sandwich half—which was thickly sliced ham and cheese—and bit into it. "I called Jaz—she's asked Maggie to contact the real estate people and see if they can place it."

"Why Maggie?" she asked, taking one of the sandwiches. "And where's Aiden?"

"He—and just about everyone else—is dealing with a bushfire—a regular one rather than one caused by Marie—out Eureka Reef way."

"Well, let's hope they get it under control before the wind kicks up again and blasts it toward the town."

"Amen to that." I lightly touched my half-eaten sandwich against hers. "What's your news?"

"My spirit guides finally came through."

I frowned. "On what? Because it's not like you've set them any task of late."

"Oh, how quickly you forget. Remember the telepath who attacked Roger?"

"Don't tell me they've actually gone and found him?"

"Indeed. He is, apparently, staying in the Colonial Motel no more than five minutes away from here."

"Why did it take the guides so long if he's only a few minutes away?"

"Because he's only just driven back into town. They felt his resonance when he telepathically stepped into the mind of the hotel's receptionist and altered her memories, making her believe a couple had registered into his room rather than a solo."

"Why would he do that when no one here knows who he is?"

"Marie does."

"Yeah, but if he was afraid of her, he wouldn't have come back here."

"I guess it depends on why he's back and how much he's actually being paid." She finished her sandwich and reached for another. "I'm thinking we need to go talk to him."

"I'm thinking you're right." I paused to lick the excess pickle spread from my fingers then reached for another sandwich. "I wonder if he's been brought back in an attempt to take you out?"

"My guides suggested the very same thing, and then laughed at his gall."

Well, at least we finally agreed on something. "Are we going to confront him directly or hit him from a distance?"

She hesitated. "Probably best to maintain a distance until we've got him snared and are sure it's not a trap."

"Given we're dealing with vampires who use magic to step from one place to another, it's probably safer to just presume every situation from now on could be a trap."

"There has to be a limit to how often they can use their transport spells, though. It's not an easy magic to perform, and Marie, at the very least, has to be running out of blood donors."

"She had two with her last night," I said.

"Two is better than ten."

"Yeah, but it's not like she needs human blood for blood spells, and the roos are almost in plague numbers in the reservation at the moment."

"I still think that, with all the fireballs she threw last night, she has to be riding low on the energy scale. Hopefully, this damn telepath might give us some information so we can capitalize on that."

"Hopefully." I finished the last bit of my sandwich. "Where's Monty?"

"He, Ashworth, and Eli are researching a means of tracing the mage balls back to the point of origin."

"How, given the mage balls and their fires are both out?"

"The ranger station one is, but the one at the house burned into the morning, and Monty was able to snare a lingering bit of flame and keep it activated."

It was worth giving it a go, I guess, although I personally hoped we'd seen the last of those goddamn mage balls.

Belle dug her phone from her pocket and brought up Google Maps. "The motel is here on Barker Street, with an exit into Campbell, and it basically sits between two old churches. Our telepath has the room situated at the back of the lot, right next to this church." She pointed to the red brick building in Campbell Street. "According to my guides, the church sits higher than the hotel, so there are no fences between the two. We just have to scoot through the church grounds and drop down into the service walkway that divides the two properties."

"He'll sense us coming though, won't he?"

Belle smiled. "You forget just how good a telepathic range I have these days. That man will be under my control before he knows what has hit him."

"Excellent." I rose. "Shall we go?"

She hesitated, her expression slightly unfocused as she talked to her spirit guides. "He's there, so yes."

I walked into my bedroom to grab my phone, then followed Belle downstairs and out to the rear parking area. Ashworth had returned the SUV a few hours earlier, as promised, and had even cleaned the thing, which, considering all the bullet holes, wouldn't have been an easy job.

The hotel was only three blocks away, but in the afternoon heat, it was way too far to walk. Belle parked several houses up from the red brick church and then climbed out and raised a hand, shading her eyes as she studied the motel's rooftop.

I walked around the back of the SUV and stopped beside her. "He still there?"

She nodded. "According to my guides, lounging on the bed in his underwear drinking a beer."

"Oh, that's going to be a sight to behold."

"You have no idea. Hang on while I grab him." She narrowed her gaze, and, through our link, I felt the fierce wash of her mental energy as she reached out and snared the other telepath. After a few seconds, she nodded and pushed away from the SUV. "Right, got him. Let's go."

We hurried down the street, cut through the churchyard, and then dropped down into the small service lane. There were three units along this side of the property, and rather handily, all three had back doors. Our target was the last in the line, nearest to the street. I pressed my hand against the door and raised a quick unlock spell. The door also had a chain latch, but that was even easier to undo.

I pushed the door open, waved Belle through, then followed and locked the door behind us. The room was small, consisting of little more than a queen-size bed, a small wardrobe, a bathroom, and one of those old-fashioned meal hatches to the left of the main door. There was a small TV on a swinging arm thingy to the right of that, and on the wall on the other side of the door, an air conditioner.

The gentleman was lying on his side, his head propped up on one hand and a beer clutched in the other. He looked to be in his mid to late thirties and was well-built despite the slight belly he was developing. He was also extremely hairy. With a rug that thick covering his front, back, and legs, it wasn't any surprise he'd stripped off to his boxer shorts. Especially since the old air conditioner, while running, didn't seem to be doing a whole lot.

I walked over to the front window, crossed my arms, and leaned against the frame to keep watch. Belle squatted in front of our captive, plucked the beer from his hand, and placed it on the bedside table.

"If you answer our questions honestly, you will be allowed to leave this reservation without harm. Attempt to lie, shout, break my hold on your mind or in any other way attack me, and I will turn your brain to mush." She smiled sweetly. "And you know I have more than enough power to do that. Understood? You may nod if so."

The man obediently nodded.

"Right," she continued, the force of her telepathic control easing a little, no doubt to allow him to speak. "Why have you returned to the reservation?"

"I was reengaged to neutralize a woman named Isabelle Kent." He eyed her for a second. "That's you, I take it?"

She raised an eyebrow. "You don't know?"

"I was told you were the dark-skinned woman who ran a place called The Psychic Café. She said I shouldn't have any problems, that you were a Sarr witch and therefore underpowered in both magic and psi skills." He grimaced. "They lied, obviously."

"Obviously," Belle intoned dryly. "Who reengaged you?"

"Marie Bouchier."

That Marie had made direct contact was a little surprising. She'd seemed the type to let her underlings handle this sort of stuff—but maybe she was simply running out of them.

"How did she get in contact with you?" Belle continued. "And when were you supposed to ‘neutralize' me?"

"How else does anyone contact anyone? Via a phone, of course." It was crossly said, though he seemed to be taking the whole situation rather well, considering. "And it was supposed to happen this afternoon, right after closing time, when you were heading home."

Meaning Marie isn't aware you and Monty are staying at the café, I said. Which surprises me—I would have thought she'd have a watcher on the place.

Maybe you're right—she's simply running out of manpower. To our captive, she added, "You've got her number?"

He reeled it off and then asked, "Who are you, really? Because I'm one of the strongest registered telepaths around, and you snared me like I was a babe."

"The key to your question is registered . I'm not. What, exactly, did Marie want you to do once you'd ‘neutralized' me?"

"I was to bundle you into my car and take you to the address I was given."

"And that is?"

He gave us map coordinates rather than an actual address.

"And do you know where that is?" Belle asked.

"Up in the Muckleford Nature Reserve, near the Red, White, and Blue Mine, according to Google. I'm supposed to take you there and hand you over."

I couldn't help snorting, and he looked at me. "What?"

"Have you met Marie? Face-to-face, I mean," I asked.

He frowned. "As I said, all our dealings have been via phone, so I've never actually met her. But that's not unusual when it comes to this sort of job. Why?"

"Because," Belle said, "Marie Bouchier is a very old vampire, and you, no doubt, would have provided a nice little snack once you'd handed me over."

His gaze flicked between us for a second, disbelief evident. "If that was her inclination, she could have killed me the first time I was here."

"When you mushed Roger's mind, the war between vamps was only just ramping up," I said. "At this current moment in time, both Marie and her opposite have lost multiple people, including vital feeders, so they're on the prowl for new blood."

"Well, that's fucked." His mouth twisted. "I guess I should thank you ladies for intervening, even if it is decidedly unpleasant to be captured like this."

"You might want to remember that next time you're employed to ensnare someone," I said.

His smile flashed. "When there's gobs of cash in the offing, memory tends to go AWOL."

"And is there?" I couldn't help asking curiously. "Gobs of cash in memory smearing or mind-napping, I mean."

"Nah, them jobs are rare, and I don't often take them anyways. I only did this time because the cash offered was off the charts." He sniffed. "Memory theft is my gig. You know, bank details, corporate secrets, stuff like that."

"Maybe you should stick to that in future," I said. "But I'd advise you to do so a long way from here."

"Oh, you can be sure of that." His gaze returned to Belle. "At least in my own patch, I'm in no danger of being mind-napped, however politely it was done."

"I won't be so polite next time, so make sure there isn't one," Belle said. "What time were you supposed to take me up to the meeting point?"

"At dusk tonight. She said I just needed to keep you knocked out until the exchange is made."

"Was she meeting you? Or was one of her people?" Belle asked.

"I was supposed to meet a gent called Hank." He shrugged. "She said he'd be arriving in a white van, and I was to help transfer you over."

"And that's it? That's all you had to do?"

He nodded. "The rest of the payment would be handed over—cash, rather than transfer this time—and I would be allowed to leave." He paused. "That wasn't going to happen, was it?"

"Unlikely." Belle's telepathic grip on his mind tightened a fraction. "I would suggest you have no further contact with her. I'd also suggest you get dressed, check out, and leave this reservation within the next hour. Otherwise, the next time we meet, I won't be so pleasant."

He half smiled. "Well, it's not like you've given me a choice in the matter, is it?"

"A gentle compulsion is very different to an overt command, as you well know. Call it a professional courtesy that will not be extended again."

"Understood." He paused. "What of Marie?"

"We're dealing with her."

"As in, she's one dead vampire once you track her down?"

Belle pushed to her feet. "That is definitely the plan."

"Then I will hold off on the refund."

"You'd offer a refund for an incomplete mission?" I asked, surprised.

"Of course." He looked and sounded offended. "Reputation is everything is this business."

"Yeah, well, you and your reputation have an hour to get off this reservation once I release you," Belle said. "Don't waste it."

"As soon as I finish my beer, I'm out of here."

You had to admire the man's nonchalance, if nothing else. I walked over to the back door, waved Belle through, and followed her down the service lane. We were back at the SUV when I felt her release him.

"You think he'll actually leave?" I asked once we were both back in the car.

"While he's probably strong enough to break the compulsion I placed on him, he's not really the type to invite trouble, despite his shady business. So, yes, I do think he'll leave." She started the SUV, then glanced at me. "What's our next step?"

"I think you and I should make that meeting."

"It could be dangerous."

"It could also be our one chance to snare Marie and stop this rot."

"She's not going to be there—Hank will be, whoever he is."

"Yes, but you can sneak into his mind and steal her location information before he actually shows himself."

Belle waited for a few cars to pass, then did a U-turn and headed down the street. "If Hank is a fledgling or even a feeder, she'll feel me in his mind and kill him before I can steal too much information. Or, even worse, she'll flick another goddamn fireball at us. She's got a penchant for doing that, remember."

"I could hardly forget, but I still think it's worth the chance."

"Are we telling Monty and Ashworth? Because I don't think it's wise to do this without backup."

"I agree." If only because very little so far had gone to plan. "They'll need to be far enough away that the vamp can't hear their heartbeats, though."

"Which will be difficult when we're in the middle of a forest and we have no idea which direction they'll be coming from."

"True." I tugged my phone from my pocket and googled the mine he'd mentioned. "Okay, the mine is basically one of those metal tower thingies, but there are a couple of old dams not all that far away. The satellite image has a car parked close to the largest and shows some people in the water, so it's obviously in use as a swimming hole."

"Handy cover, given the heat." A smile twitched her lips. "Though Monty's lily whiteness might just blind Ashworth at the wrong moment."

I laughed. "They don't have to strip off and actually go in."

"But he will, because under all that whiteness, he is a fish. Shall we head over to Ashworth's and update them?"

I nodded and sent him a text to let him know we were on our way.

I'll put the kettle on , he sent back, making me smile.

It only took a few minutes to get over there. Once Belle had parked behind Monty's old station wagon, we made our way through the front gate and up the path. Eli opened the door and ushered us into coolness, and Ashworth had the promised cup of tea waiting on the table.

"Any luck with the tracer spell?" Belle asked, dropping a kiss on Monty's cheek before sitting beside him.

"Yes and no," he replied. "The bit of mage fire I snared flamed out before we could test the spell, but we think we can apply it to active mage fires. Its reliability will, of course, depend on how soon we notice the mage fire."

"Given we've tended not to notice them before they're almost on us, that's not sounding too hopeful."

"No, but it's better than nothing, which is all we would have otherwise," Eli said. "To what do we owe this unexpected honor?"

"We found the telepath that mushed Roger's mind," Belle said, "and had a quiet chat with him."

"Did you now?" A smile twitched Ashworth's lips. "Was it a willing chat or a forced one? From his point of view, I mean."

"It was a pleasantly compliant one, so a bit of both," she replied. "He was given a big cash incentive to come back, kidnap me, and then hand me over to one of Marie's people at a prearranged time and place. Liz and I believe we should keep that meeting."

"We've nothing to lose by trying," Monty said. "Whereabouts is the meeting set up?"

I gave him the coordinates then added, "It's apparently up near a metal thingy over the Red, White, and Blue Mine."

Monty pulled the location up on his phone. "According to my longitude and latitude app, it's actually the intersection of two tracks a few hundred yards away from the poppethead—the metal thingy you mentioned—which means it should be far enough away from the meeting point that they won't hear our heartbeats or sense our presence, but close enough for us to ride to the rescue should the shit hit the fan."

"They would surely do a check of the area before they revealed themselves, though," Ashworth said. "We are not dealing with stupid vampires, unfortunately."

"What other choice is there? We could do an invisibility spell, but they're likely to sense it," Monty said. "Besides, a lone car or a truck isn't going to cause too much alarm, and surely they'll be anxious to get the exchange over with quickly, given they'd know Liz and Aiden would be pulling out all stops to find Belle."

"Speaking of Aiden," I said. "Has anyone heard how the fire is going? Is it under control as yet?"

Eli shook his head. "Not according to the Vic Emergency app."

"Is Castle Rock in any danger?"

"If the wind changes, it might be, but right now it seems centralized in the forest above Eureka Reef."

"That fire happened at a very convenient moment, if you ask me," Monty said. "It's certainly kept the rangers busy."

"There's no indication it was deliberately lit, is there?" I asked sharply.

"No, but there's no indication it wasn't either." He tapped his phone screen. "Dusk is around nine tonight. Our main problem is the fact that these vamps will be expecting a man to bring Belle in, and they're familiar with all of us,"

"I'd normally suggest we grab a ranger," Ashworth said. "But aside from the fact they're all occupied, there's a good chance they know them by sight, too."

"What about Levi?"

I glanced at Monty. "What about him?"

"He has a van, and he'll be able to scent anyone approaching long before we could magically. And, as a bonus, by werewolf standards he's built like a brick shithouse. That could come in handy if things kick off into a fight."

While that was true, the last thing I wanted to do was put someone else in the path of danger, especially when that someone was Jaz's husband. "He's not protected against magic?—"

"We can make another band easily enough," Monty cut in. "Hell, I'll even give him that telepathic protection band I have sitting around. Between both of those, he'll be better protected than any of us."

"We could ask," Belle said, glancing at me. "The worst he can do is say no."

I hesitated, then dragged out my phone and made the call. Levi didn't say no. In fact, he was surprisingly enthusiastic. But then, werewolves were never shy about stepping into a fight, and Jaz had no doubt kept him updated on everything that had been going on over the last few days. I just hoped that the shit didn't hit the fan, because if he got hurt, Jaz might never forgive us.

"He said he'll meet us at the Muckleford Community Center at eight fifteen."

"Should give us plenty of time to set everything up," Monty said. "In the meantime, we should get down to the business of constructing the protective charm for him."

We finished our teas and coffees first, then Ashworth pulled out everything we needed to construct the charm for Levi. By the time we'd finished layering in the multiple protective spells, it was close to five.

After arranging for Ashworth and Eli to pick us up at eight—Ashworth's truck was probably the lesser known of all of ours—we headed back to the café. As we climbed out of the SUV, a luminous thread of power drifted toward me—it was from Katie's wellspring rather than the main one.

"I'll be in in a minute," I told Belle, and held out a hand to the thread.

As it wrapped around my wrist, Katie said, You need to step into our wellspring. Now. Today. The Fenna are saying it is urgent, that the danger is reaching its culmination and you are not ready.

I frowned. Did they say why they believed the danger is peaking? Because, aside from the fireballs Marie has thrown our way, there's been no overt sign of the fight ramping up.

Even if my dreams did seem to be suggesting otherwise.

They say the darkness is growing, that it is staining an ever-wider area.

If that's the case, why haven't they contacted me and given me the location? We can't deal with what we don't know about.

They say they have not mentioned it because you are not ready. That what you have seen in your dreams is only just the beginning.

They were in my dreams? Well, fuck. I don't know, Katie ? —

We have to take the chance. Whatever these vampires are raising is foul ? —

Wait—what?

Something is being called. There is blood staining the ground, and it feels foul. I do not know what it is beyond evil, and Gabe is by no means a master when it comes to such things.

Is it just the one evil? Or are there two? Meaning, was it just Marie raising evil, or had Maelle well and truly leapt off the sanity bridge and was now calling something even worse than her punch monster?

She hesitated. I can only sense the one, but that is not a guarantee there is not another. The Fenna do imply there is more than one.

I wearily rubbed my eyes. This wasn't what I needed right now, especially given our plans for tonight. Okay, I'll head up there now.

Thank you.

Her thread unwound from my wrist and floated away. I glanced around, looking for a thread from the older wellspring, but there was nothing. Maybe they simply didn't want me questioning them any more than necessary, and that thought only had the doubts ramping up.

It's better to take the chance than not came Belle's thought. In the end, whatever else they're up to, they need you to survive so that your daughter can become one of them.

If stepping into Katie's spring affects me as badly as stepping into the main wellspring did, I'm not going to be in any fit state to help tonight.

"We've got four witches, a telepath, and a werewolf," she replied, coming back out the door with a small chiller bag and my backpack. "If all of us can't cope with a solitary vamp, then this reservation is doomed."

I accepted the bags and tossed them both onto the front seat. "Given what Katie just said, it might not be just the one vamp."

"If either of them are conjuring the mother of all supernatural nasties, then they're not going to waste them against us."

"I hope you're right."

"Even as you fear I'm not."

Her voice was dry, and I smiled. "Just remember that Maelle seems to be following our every move with unnerving ease, so it's always possible she'll send something nasty up to the meeting point to kill whoever Marie sends."

"Then we will need to be well prepared." She motioned toward the front seat. "Make sure you drink the revitalization and strength potions I made."

"Potions? Plural?"

She smiled. "One for before the hike up Katie's mountain; one for after the immersion."

I groaned. "Seriously? Two in one day is just cruel."

She laughed. "You'll be thanking me if you come out of the wellspring in a less than pristine state. I've added a few special herbs."

I raised my eyebrows. "That's sounds ominous. Maybe even illegal."

She laughed. "If this meeting goes like every other one you've had with Katie, you'll somehow lose time, so it might be an idea if we simply meet you at Muckleford."

"Hopefully I won't be that late, but…" I hesitated, wanting to ask them to wait for me but also knowing how important it was that we gained whatever information we could from this Hank.

"We'll be fine," Belle said gently. "If it's a trap, well, we'll deal with it. You'd better get going, before the older wellspring starts getting shitty with you again."

"I've a feeling shitty will be the defining word of our relationship over the next sixteen or so years."

Belle grinned. "Well, they signed you up as caretaker until your daughter is old enough; now they have to suffer the consequences."

I laughed, jumped into the SUV, then reversed out and headed toward the wellspring. The roads were reasonably clear, but smoke filled the air, cutting visibility down. Right now, the wind wasn't strong, and I couldn't help but hope it remained that way. The last thing we needed was the wind changing and Castle Rock coming under threat … although it was always possible that, if this fire had been deliberately lit by our vamps, that might be their intent. After all, if the town was evacuated, then we'd lose the one place we were generally safe from their attacks. Fireballs aside, of course.

When I reached the parking area at the start of the track up to Katie's wellspring, I gulped down the first of Belle's potions, then washed the foul taste away with a bit of water. After locking the SUV, I grabbed the backpack—mainly so I could throw the second potion, a bottle of water, and my keys into it—then headed up the mountain. Smoke tainted the air, scratching lightly at my throat, and the day was still but not quiet. The waves of noise coming from the cicadas just about drowned out all other sounds, but in this heat, it wasn't like there'd be much moving about anyway. Even the snakes would have found somewhere sunny to bask rather than moving about in the shadows haunting the tree-lined path.

I was about halfway there when the wellspring's luminous threads appeared. Their gentle song surrounded me, creating a harmonious wall that at least went some way to muting the wretched cicada song.

The clearing, while not large, was noticeably cooler than the rest of the forest, despite the fact a good percentage of it was baked in sunshine. It was also strewn with rocks due to the distant landslip that had taken out a good portion of the cliff directly opposite. At the base of the slip was an ankle-deep rock well. The water bubbling up from a seam near the cliff's base lapped over the edge of the basin, then wound down the gentle slope, eventually joining the larger streams farther down the mountain. Unlike many other tiny streams in the area, though, this one had not evaporated in the heat.

But that tiny well was the source of the wild magic, and the air above it shimmered with its force. Its output had increased further since I'd last been here, and was now a gently swirling vortex of rainbow brilliance taller than me and at least five feet wide.

And I had to step into it.

Unease stirred, but I tried to think of the positive—at least this time, I didn't have to step into a goddamn mine and drop who knows how many feet into the earth to reach the heart of the spring.

Katie stood next to the spring, her form solid rather than ghostly, although if you looked hard enough, the wellspring's shimmer was faintly visible through her figure. She was a typical O'Connor in looks—tall and rangy, with short blonde-brown hair and a sharp but pretty face. Gabe stood next to her, his figure wispier, but his scarlet hair glowing in the rainbow wash of light coming from the wellspring.

What I didn't expect to see here were the luminous wisps from the older wellspring. The Fenna were here to watch.

I motioned toward them. "How long have they been here?"

"Little more than an hour" came Katie's response. "Just before I contacted you, in fact."

"And the weight of that spell?"

"Grows heavier."

I frowned. "It's very unusual for a spell to take more than an hour to develop. They must be doing something else."

"It started when the fire started," Gabe said. "We believe they might be feeding it."

"Which would explain why it has been stubbornly hard to put out." I swiped at the trickles of sweat running into my eyes. "Why didn't you mention it when we talked earlier? Monty or Ashworth could have gone out to check and maybe mute its force."

"Because we believe the fire is a distraction—a means of taking the rangers and perhaps even some witches out of the equation," Katie said. "If they intended true harm, they would have swept it toward Castle Rock, but it remains in the hills."

Meaning Monty's suspicions had been right on the money.

"However," Gabe added, "the weight on the earth suggests there is more to that spell than merely feeding a wildfire, because it deadens the earth underneath it."

I frowned. "Why would they want to do that? That makes no sense."

A silvery thread from the old wellspring wound around my wrist and the whispers of the Fenna filled my mind.

Wild magic could not be called from dead earth. They were creating a cage for me, one that I couldn't call the wild magic into.

Which, while scary, also suggested they didn't know about my inner wild magic. Didn't know it was a part of my being rather than something I could simply use and control. Would that matter in this dead zone they were creating? I didn't know—and hoped like hell that we could stop them before it ever became necessary to find out.

"I still don't understand why it's become so urgent that I step into the wellspring," I said. "Even if they successfully prevent me calling on the wild magic through the earth, I've always been able to gather it from the air, and what deadens the earth shouldn't affect that ability, should it?"

Again, the whispers ran through my mind. They believed that what I gathered from the air, even when combined with my own, would not be enough to fight Marie and whatever remained of her coven.

The key words there being "they believed."

But did that mean I dared discount it?

I swiped at another trickle of sweat and glanced at the shimmering pool. Dread surged, but so too did determination. If stepping into this wellspring meant not only my survival but that of everyone I cared about, then really, I had no real choice.

I returned my gaze to Katie, though I aimed my question at the Fenna. "How does my stepping into the wellspring affect Katie? She and Gabe gave their lives to protect this place, and I don't want to do anything to jeopardize that."

The whispers rolled again, this time including Katie and Gabe. My stepping into the wellspring could usurp her control, but this was not something that had been done before and was not a certainty.

"It is a risk we must take," Katie said. "Too much is at stake."

I studied her for a minute and then glanced down at the thread on my wrist. "What if Katie and I step in as one?"

The Fenna's whispering rose in a wave that spoke of uncertainty and doubt. I waited and, after a few seconds, the wave died back to understandable levels. While in theory it should heighten her control as much as it did mine, it was a risk, with an unpredictable outcome.

"For me, or Katie, or your plans?"

The wave rose again. They were displeased with my distrust.

Tough.

I glanced at Katie again. "We do this as one or not at all."

"Merging takes a toll on your body, and you can't afford?—"

"Stepping into the wellspring will take an even greater toll, but maybe if I'm sharing body space with you—the spring's guardian—those effects will be lessened."

Katie looked at Gabe for several seconds, and I had a feeling they were conversing. Finally, she nodded. "We can but try."

I stripped off my backpack, tugged off my boots and socks, and, after placing them beside the pack, held out a hand. "Let's do it."

She placed her fingers in mine a heartbeat before her energy swept into my body and two became one. The surrounding light became bright and fierce, the wellspring a kaleidoscope of not just color but sound, and Gabe flesh and blood rather than merely corporeal.

This was the world as Katie saw it—beautiful, colorful, fantastical.

We took in a deep breath, then walked toward the shimmering wall of raw power. It burned across our skin, sharp and yet comforting, a force that both welcomed and warned. There were no voices singing within this powerful river, but the danger it represented to life and limb nevertheless echoed through the raw energy of its song. This was the same sort of force Mom had confronted when she'd been unknowingly pregnant with me. This was the force that had fused to my DNA and forever changed my life, even if I wasn't aware of that fact until years later.

And here I was stepping into this one, in much the same manner as Mom had so long ago, binding my daughter to not one wellspring but two.

I hoped to God she understood why.

We are sealing all our fates, not just hers. Katie's voice echoed through me, as gentle as a summer breeze. We do this, and the three of us will be forever linked, for as long as you live on this earth. And even after you have passed, I will be here, not just for her, but for all her children and grandchildren.

You can't be sure of that, Katie.

I can.

The Fenna?

No, I can hear it in the spring's song. This will be our spring, not theirs.

I drew in a deeper breath. Then let's do this.

We moved forward, into that stream of energy. It flowed around us, through us, a song as bright as the day and as deep as the earth itself. It streamed through blood and bone, through muscle and nerves, electrifying and empowering, taking the connection that was already there and forging it into something far stronger, far deeper. Something that could not be broken by man, woman, or magic. It filled us with its music and energy, and it made our entire body vibrate to its sound.

This spring, unlike the older one, rejoiced rather than rejected, and there was a part of us that wanted to dance forever within its song. But enough awareness remained to sense the danger in that desire and force us out of the spring.

Two became one.

That one staggered forward several steps, then fell. I landed on my hands and knees, my breath ragged gasps that tore at burning lungs. Everything hurt—even my goddamn hair seemed to be on fire. I closed my eyes against the pain in my brain and concentrated on breathing slow and deep, trying to calm the racing of my heart and the painful ache in my chest.

It seemed to take forever.

But as the pain subsided, awareness increased. The earth was warm under my fingers, and her gentle music swam around me, a soft vibration that was both oddly comforting and one I suspected was now forever inescapable. It was a force that was mine to call, in a way the power of the older spring never would or could be.

Why, I had no idea, and I wasn't quite ready yet to ask that question, if only because I suspected the answer had more to do with the Fenna's wants and needs than my own.

Movement brushed past me, and I opened my eyes. It was Katie, moving with speed into the trees that surrounded the clearing and briefly disappearing before quickly returning, her expression a mix of wonder and joy. I tried to speak, but the words got stuck in my raw-feeling throat. I crawled over to the backpack, pulled out Belle's second potion, then sat back on my haunches and drank it. Apparently, my body was so desperate for sustenance that I didn't even notice the taste. But, as Belle had promised, I did feel better once I'd finished it. Those herbs, whatever the hell she'd added, were indeed magic.

I tucked the empty bottle away and noticed sunset was beginning to paint the sky with flags of pink and yellow. Once again, time had slipped past way too fast in this place, and the urge to get up and race back to Muckleford rose. But Belle was right—Marie had no reason to expect a trap, and they were more than capable of handling one lone vamp, however capable at witchcraft he might be.

I still couldn't help mentally crossing all things that neither of us were wrong, that this time, for the first time in a long time, things went as expected rather than ass up.

I turned and spotted Katie and Gabe standing next to the wellspring, their hands clasped, and her expression filled with wonder.

"I'm free," she was whispering. "Truly free."

I frowned. "What do you mean, "free"? You've always been free."

Her gaze came to mine, her blue eyes shining. "Not in the sense that I could wander where I wanted at will. My spirit has always been restricted to this clearing; the only means I had of stepping into the greater reservation area was via the wild magic. It was my eyes and ears. But the barrier that bound me here has now gone."

"Because you've now got a deeper connection to the wellspring?" I hesitated then added, with just the slightest bit of trepidation, "Or because stepping into it with me destroyed your connection?"

Her smile was really all the answer I needed. "Our actions here this evening mean I am now truly one with the magic of this place. I can move through the reservation unhindered, and I can use the wild magic to defend, as we always intended."

"Defend, not attack," I said.

She nodded. "The rules do not change—the wild magic cannot be used to kill, nor can it touch that which is killed."

I scrubbed a still shaking hand through my sweaty, tangled hair and glanced at the waiting threads that were the Fenna. "While I'm pleased Katie's restrictions no longer exist, what the hell was the whole point behind me stepping into the wellspring if I remain unable to do anything more than defend? Defending isn't going to stop these vampires."

A luminous thread floated over and once more wound itself around my wrist. Even though Katie and I had bound ourselves to each other and the spring, it obviously had not deepened the connection to the Fenna. At least for me.

This spring is an outlier thanks to the spell performed here on its emergence , the voices said in unison, clearer this time than they ever had been . It is not part of us. Not until your child is of age and able to make the full reconnection. Until then, you will be able to use it as a Fenna would.

Which was why they'd been so insistent I come here. By forming a direct connection to this spring—giving me the ability to use its power without the danger of drawing too much from the other and risking the life of both me and my child—I'd given them a means of eventually drawing the spring back into their main network. There was a part of me that wanted to be mad about their duplicity, but in truth, how could I be truly angry when Katie was so filled with joy? When my daughter and all those who came after her would have Katie as their guardian, at least while they lived in this reservation.

"That still leaves one major question you haven't answered—what is the point of containing either of the vampires or whatever they might currently be conjuring if I can't kill them within it?"

You cannot be directly connected to the spring's wild magic when the death occurs , came the answer. But that doesn't mean death cannot occur within its boundaries or that you cannot create your own barrier around theirs.

"And what of my inner wild magic? Isn't that basically connected to the wilder stuff twenty-four seven?"

Unless you form a direct connection—which you have done subconsciously in the past—no. Like your native magic, it is a separate power .

Which was good to know. I glanced at Katie. "I guess this means you'll need to be my co-pilot when it comes to the wild magic when we're dealing with these vamps."

"And I am more than happy to do so." Her smile flashed, but quickly faded. "What develops may take both of us and more to stop, however."

Which once again brought me back to what I'd seen in those dreams and the clearing I'd entered alone, without the wild magic or the people that had followed me through the forest. Perhaps the reason they hadn't was the deadness the Fenna and Katie had mentioned earlier.

"How do I feel the location of this stain?"

Press your hands and feet into the earth, as you did earlier, the voices said, then close your eyes, and allow the veins of her energy to flow through your being. You will be able to both feel and see the blight—it will be a shadow within the glowing network of energy.

I bent and pressed my fingers into the ground. Though it was hard thanks to being baked under countless days of summer heat, it gave way to my touch, allowing my fingers to easily sink knuckle deep. As my toes also slipped into the soil, a deeper connection formed; in my mind's eye, the wellspring's magic was a heartbeat that ran through the ground, a stream of power that flowed from this clearing, a network of bright fingers that merged into a deeper river that spread out through every corner of the reservation and then beyond.

And in that river, I saw the distant blot of darkness. It was a tiny paint splat of black in the rivers of moonlight.

"Katie, where is that?" I whispered.

She placed her hands over mine, her skin warm and real rather than ghostly—a sensation no doubt due to our wellspring-forged bond—and a heartbeat later, her energy slipped into the streams of power beside mine. Which was interesting, because I'd thought Gabe's spell meant she was permanently connected. I was obviously wrong.

"It lies in the forests above Sandon," she replied. "The rivers that flow from both this wellspring and the main one follow the topography—if you concentrate, it should become more like a map than a mere network."

I narrowed my gaze and concentrated, but saw nothing other than the glow of power.

"Maybe with time and a deeper understanding of the reservation's geography it will, but right now, I don't think we've the time to waste. We need to get over there and stop whatever they're currently attempting." I paused as a vibration ran across the bright rivers and echoed through my fingers. Something dark was on the move … I frowned, staring at the network, trying to gain some sense of what it was.

"There," Katie said, mentally directing my attention to the left. "Whatever it is, it touches the ground lightly for something that feels so dark."

I glanced to the area she meant and caught it—faint splashes of black pulsing across the network of power, dark footprints that faded as quickly as they appeared. "Is that coming from Castle Rock, and moving up this way?"

She hesitated. "It seems to be moving directly west rather than toward us."

Directly west … My pulse skipped, and fear surged. "Would the Red, White, and Blue Mine be considered directly west of Castle Rock, by any chance?"

"It lies here." She pointed to an area directly ahead of the dark footprints. "This monster cannot be one of Marie's, as she surely wouldn't be in Castle Rock when Maelle's lair lies there. Or has Maelle been lying all along about knowing her maker's location?"

"Oh, she's undoubtedly been lying, but I'm not sure if she's lying about that."

"But you think this darkness is Maelle on the move?"

"No," I said, pushing to my feet. "It's possibly worse."

"What could be worse than a mage vampire?"

"A monster that punches holes through flesh and blood with the ease of a knife through butter." My voice was grim. "And it's heading straight for Belle, Monty, and the others."

"And Aiden?" Katie asked quickly.

"No." I swept up my boots and backpack. "He's still dealing with the fire up past the Eureka Reef."

"That's under control now, is it not?"

"Not the last time I heard."

"Odd," she said. "Because the heat radiating from it suggests it has been confined."

"Maybe it is then, and they're just monitoring it in case the wind changes." I strode out of the clearing and hurried down the path. It was lit by multiple streams of luminous threads—not just those in the air, but also those under the ground. They pulsed under every step, sending warmth echoing through the souls of my feet.

Katie appeared beside me, her pace matching mine, though her feet never truly touched the ground. "Why on earth would Maelle send her monster to attack Belle and Monty? She still needs your help, doesn't she?"

"She's probably sending her monster to attack Marie's messenger, but I fear everyone in the area may become collateral damage in the ensuing battle."

"Maelle's mind might not be what it once was, but surely even she can't be that far gone."

"She came very close to attacking me at the house," I replied. "Without Roger, she seems to be reverting to baser instincts. Even if her control over her monster remains absolute, I can't help but worry that her need to kill Marie's people will flood over to any others there once the bloodshed starts."

"Then I'll go protect them."

I stopped abruptly and glanced at her. "You can do that?"

Her laugh ran across the dying light of the day. "Were we not discussing our merger gifting me the ability to protect the reservation only a few moments ago?"

"Yes, but—" I half shrugged. "I guess I hadn't thought the implications of it through enough."

"Obviously not." She hesitated. "You should perhaps warn Belle I'm on the way. They'll no doubt sense the wild magic, and she will definitely see me, given her strength as a spirit walker, but best to be safe."

"I will. Thanks Katie."

As she nodded and left, I couldn't help but turn and stare back at the clearing. Gabe remained at the very edge of the trees, his hands in his pockets staring down at me. Katie might be free, but his ghost remained bound to the clearing where death had claimed him.

I lifted a hand to acknowledge him, then ran on down the bright path and reached out to Belle. There's a big problem headed your way, I'm afraid.

I wouldn't call one lone vamp in a van a big problem, she replied. Unless, of course, you're sensing something I'm not.

Got it in one—Maelle has sent her punch monster out to take care of that one lone vamp.

She told you this?

No, the wild magic did.

Well, if that's the fucking case, we need to retreat ? —

Maybe not. How far away is the vamp? Is he close enough to snare telepathically?

There was a brief pause. A few more minutes. How far away is Maelle's monster?

Hang on, I'll check. I stopped and pressed my fingers into the ground again; the network of rivers jumped back into focus, and I swept my gaze across it until I felt the dark footprints. My stomach dropped. I'm guessing he's about three minutes away at the speed he's moving.

Three minutes will make it tight . She paused. What did you mean by "maybe not"?

I pushed up and ran on, moving so fast down the trail that the trees were little more than a blur. The wild magic was boosting my speed while somehow ensuring I didn't stumble or fall. Katie is on the way down to protect you.

Meaning the wild magic she directs?

No. Long story, but Katie's no longer restrained to the wellspring.

Your merging with the wellspring extended to her?

Kind of. I leapt over the small fence dividing the track from the parking area, threw the backpack and my shoes into the back of the SUV, then jumped into the driver's seat and started her up. Can you tell the others what is happening? I should be there in ten or so minutes.

By which time, all the fun should have happened. She paused. Katie's here. Physically, I mean. How the fuck did that happen?

She's still a spirit ? —

One who is extraordinarily solid. She stopped again. The vamp is within reaching distance. I'd better go.

Be careful.

Always.

I didn't smile. I just concentrated on keeping the SUV on the treacherous dirt road. When I reached the highway, I hit the accelerator and tried to reach Aiden again. The call rang on, then switched to voicemail. Worry stirred, partially fueled by Katie's surprise that the fire wasn't yet under control, and I rang the ranger station's number instead. The station no longer existed, but the call would be switched through to whoever was currently taking them.

Tala answered. "Castle Rock ranger station, how may I help you?"

"Tala, it's Lizzie—is Aiden there?"

"Last I heard, he was heading toward the O'Connor compound to deal with some problem there. Why?"

"Because he's not answering his phone."

"Odd, because he rang here twenty minutes ago to check in."

"Are you able to ping him on the radio and get him to call me?"

"Is there a problem?"

"Our vamps have something big brewing, from the feel of things. Depending on where it is exactly, we might have to arrange a local evac."

"I can do that?—"

"I know, but I still need to talk to Aiden."

"I'll ping him, but he may not answer immediately, as he should be at the compound by now and may be out of the truck."

"Thanks, Tala. I'll be back in contact when we know more about what's happening."

I hung up and returned my full attention to the road and getting to the mine as quickly as possible. I was belting down a dirt road, only a kilometer from the mine site according to Google Maps, when Belle reached out again.

You can ease up on the speed and the worry. We're all fine.

What happened?

I can hear the SUV, so you're nearly close enough to see for yourself.

Well, that sounds ominous.

And it would have ended badly if not for Katie.

Well, fuck.

Her laughter rolled through me. That was definitely said a few times over the last few minutes, and not just by me.

I slid around the last corner and then slowed down. Before me lay carnage. Trees were down all over the place, the wooden railing fence that surrounded the mine tower was smashed in several places, and there were deep trenches dug into the side road on the left.

There was also a body in one of the remaining trees in the section to my left. A body that was so damn large, the tree was bowing under its weight. A body that had one arm longer than the other and a fist the size of a stockpot.

Our punch monster. Or rather, Maelle's punch monster.

She wasn't going to be pleased. Not at all .

Belle, Monty, and Levi were all standing next to a truck parked to one side of the intersection directly ahead, the latter looking somewhat bemused. In the middle of the road in front of them was what looked like a pile of black tree limbs. What I couldn't immediately see was the vamp they were supposed to be meeting, or either Ashworth or Eli—though the thought had barely risen when the two appeared out of the tree remnants to my left, dragging another bit of black wood toward the pile.

I stopped the SUV and climbed out. That's when the smell of death hit; it was so damn strong that I briefly gagged and had to switch over to breathing through my mouth. It did help, though the scent coated my tongue with a foul taste.

I grabbed my phone from the backpack, then walked toward them, the warm streams of wild magic running across my toes telling me that Katie was no longer in the area. I couldn't help but hope she was heading toward the compound, looking for her brother.

The closer I got to the pile of sticks, the more evident it became that it actually wasn't wood, but rather some form of creature. Or rather, creatures . I skirted around the pile to get out of the wind's path and stopped close to Belle.

Levi greeted me with a nod. "Hell of a show you invited me to."

"Glad you enjoyed yourself."

He grinned. "I wouldn't call it fun, per se, but it was interesting to finally witness some of the weird action my wife has been spouting about."

I smiled and motioned toward the pile of wood. "And what the hell are these?"

"Stick golems," Monty said cheerfully. "And nasty little creatures they are too. They got transported in when Belle read the vamp's mind and Marie subsequently melted him."

"I've heard of heard of stone and mud golems, but never stick."

He pointed toward the tree holding Maelle's now dead monster. "These sticks did that, so don't you be dissing them."

"Anything raised by Marie is nothing I'm going to diss." I glanced at Belle. "Did you manage to get anything from the vamp before Marie melted him?"

She shook her head. "His van is around the bend ahead, but I'm thinking there's not going to be much left of him to pull any clues from."

"What about the van itself?" Levi asked. "The rangers should be able to at least pull some location data from the GPS."

"Trouble being, the rangers are all caught up in that fire event," Monty said.

Levi frowned. "No, they're not. Jaz called just before we met and said the thing was under control. Duke and Ric are remaining up there to monitor the roads and stop sightseers, but the rest of the team has either returned to base or are out on patrol."

Monty glanced at me. "Then you should contact Aiden and get?—"

"Aiden's up at the compound and not answering his phone at the moment."

He groaned. "God, what has his witch of a mother gotten up to now?"

"Hey," Ashworth said, as he and Eli threw the stick golem on top of the others. "Don't be insulting us witches by such a comparison."

Monty laughed and motioned to the odd-looking pile of wood. "You want to do the honors, old man, or shall I?"

"This old man will box your ears if you don't start respecting your elders." The sharpness in Ashworth's voice was countered by the smile creasing his eyes. "And the fire is all yours, given we did most of the hard work killing these beasties."

Monty snorted but quickly crafted a fire spell and flung it onto the pile. The golems went up with a whoosh, and a thick column of black smoke rose skyward.

I frowned. "Hadn't we better ring the fire brigade and rangers and let them know?—"

"Already done," Monty said. "They've asked us to hang around until the fire is out."

"Which won't take long, given how quickly the fire is consuming the golems," Eli commented.

My phone rang sharply, the ringtone telling me it was an unknown number. I was tempted to ignore it, but trepidation and instinct were stirring. I tugged the phone free, put the call on loudspeaker, and then warily hit the answer button. "Liz Grace speaking."

"Elizabeth, how pleasant it is to hear your dulcet tones."

My stomach dropped. Marie. It was Marie.

"Ah, fuck," Monty said softly. "This can't be good."

"What do you want, Marie?" It came out flat and cold, which was surprising given the thick knot of fear that had settled in the middle of my chest.

"I want you to bring Maelle to me tonight. I will accept no more excuses or delays."

"And if I don't?"

Though I asked the question, deep in my heart I already knew the answer.

"If you don't," she drawled, "your wolf dies."