Chapter 20

I trudged down the road to the subway entrance, cursing my luck. Of all the stupid things to do, I had to show off and get myself busted. I'd been surrounded by beautiful people—shifter people, people I felt a deep kinship with—and in my rush to impress them, I completely fucked everything up.

Well, at least no one had seen me naked this time.

I stopped and closed my eyes, wishing I could rewind and change what happened. Why wasn't there a spell for that? Not like anyone would teach me if there was.

The fire had felt so close, so hot. I scared myself, and I opened my eyes to make sure I was okay. I should've just released the spell. But when I opened my eyes, the faces around me had gone from gleeful to horrified.

Because I wasn't one of them.

The Chicago streets were just kicking into high gear, street lights flashing on as the night fell over the city. The smell of greasy food hit me, and my stomach rumbled against my neglect to eat at the party. Okay, and yeah, I'd had a few too many cups of beer. Clearly that had been a mistake.

I continued forward again, wishing I had anywhere to go but home. What a shit show. I didn't want the night to end this way. Pivoting on my heel, I turned back the way I'd come.

Maybe I could change their minds and fix some of the mess I'd made. And I hadn't even gotten to spend any real time with Arya. What a shitty friend I was turning out to be. Maybe—

Wait. What's that?

I stopped and looked at the sidewalk, my brows furrowing. Why did it look so strange? Seriously, had I really had that much to drink?

Several people passed by, a few murmuring that I shouldn't be standing in the middle of the sidewalk. And finally, I realized why everything looked wrong.

There were no shadows.

In the dying evening light, it was hard to tell, but I was right next to a street light. That, at least, should've been casting a shadow.

My mind raced with possible causes, but only one would explain this unnatural phenomenon.

A vampire was near.

I actually knew more about vampires than I did about shifters, thanks to Gram's paranoia on the subject. The surest sign of a vampire's presence was the lack of shadows. Only older vampires had this ability, to use shadows to cloak themselves.If you ever see shadows disappear, you run, Gram always warned me.

The hairs on the back of my neck stood up, feeling like a hundred miniature daggers on my skin, imploring me to do just that. I resisted the urge to look around me.

Shit, shit, shit! I really did have the worst luck. Of course, I'd be hunted tonight of all nights. It just keeps getting better.

I calmed myself, slowing my breathing and balling my hands into fists. I was on the street, and it was relatively busy. No sane, self-preserving vamp would attack me in front of dozens of people. Right? I had to be smart about this.

Of course, there was always the off chance that I wasn't the target. But after what happened to Arya's mom, I wasn't going to risk it.

Arya.

I sniffed my shirt, wondering if Arya's scent had rubbed off on me. Not that I'd be able to tell—I wasn't a vampire.

I rolled my eyes and shook my head. I was being ridiculous.

I turned around again, trying to appear casual as I walked briskly in the direction of home. I kept looking on my flanks, peering in store windows for reflections of anyone following to avoid looking over my shoulder.

I hoped I wasn't being too obvious. Staying cool and aloof was usually my thing, but I'd never been tailed by a vampire before. Could he smell my fear? Hear my racing pulse?

I began to flex my wrist as if stretching it. The spell Gram had taught me was the most complicated I'd ever learned. Not only was the incantation more than one word, there were also hand gestures that went with it. If I missed one step in the process, I might as well be wearing a sign that said "all you can eat."

I looked down at the pavement, and my shadow was still creepily missing. I was definitely being followed. I continued to roll my wrist as I whispered the words under my breath, "Wi di sa."

Spotting an empty alleyway, I ducked into it, straightening my spine and holding my head high. I wasn't about to cower to a damn bloodsucker. The isolation of the alleyway made my heart rate spike, but I had to make sure I was far enough away. I'd already done enough damage with public displays of magic tonight.

"Ma'at sheut asfet."

I darted behind a dumpster, hugging my back against the brick wall. The trash stank to high heaven, and I wrinkled my nose as I finished the spell, this time at full volume. "Hekah meh."

I thrust my hands out in front of me toward the part of the alley that was more shrouded in shadow than the rest. A gust of wind swept through my hair, a flash of light momentarily blinding me before the night returned.

But in place of the darkness stood a man.

No. A vampire.

Panic surged through my veins but intermingled with something else. Something…disarming.

He didn't look nearly as monstrous as I was expecting. No bloodshot eyes or bared fangs. In fact, he was actually kind of beautiful, in a completely off-limits kind of way.

Holy balls, there was something seriously wrong with me if I was checking out the vampire that was stalking me and probably about to kill me! But, come on, were all non-human creatures just blessed with stupidly good looks?

He didn't look like he was about to kill me, though. If anything, he looked more surprised than I felt.

We stared at each other for a long moment, sizing each other up. The spell worked in three parts—dispelling the shadows he used to cover himself, slowing his blood to weaken him, and binding him to where he stood. The darkness part obviously worked—thanks, Gram—but the other two I wasn't so sure of. Though, as intricate as the spell was, chances are the whole thing held or none at all.

What do you ask a bound vampire? I hadn't thought that far ahead with the whole trying-not-to-get-eaten thing. But now that I had him at my mercy, I couldn't help my curiosity. Maybe I had some sort of morbid death wish after the rejection I'd just endured at the hands of shifters, but I wasn't ready to walk away just yet.

"Why are you following me?" I asked, my voice displaying more confidence than I actually felt. It seemed as good a place as any to start. I had to be sure he wasn't after Arya.

His glistening eyes made me feel almost mesmerized as they bore into me. "You're a witch." It was more a statement than a question, and I instinctively stepped back like it was an accusation.

"Wait, don't go!" he pleaded, something about the sheer desperation in his voice lowering my defenses.

I crossed my arms and jutted out a hip, admittedly enjoying the rush of power at ensnaring such a powerful creature. "Why? Afraid your dinner is going to skip out on you?"

The vampire flinched. "I don't drink fresh blood. Not if I can help it."

I cocked my head, debating whether I believed him or not.

"Besides, if I wanted to kill you, you'd already be dead. Not a smart move, luring a vampire into an alley."

I bristled at the insult but put on a smug smirk. "And yet you're the one stuck to a wall like a fly in a web."

His features smoothed. "I'm sorry. I don't get out much, and clearly, my manners have suffered for it. My name is Julian."

He fluttered his fingers in greeting as his hand was currently incapable of waving. And, was that an attempt at a smile?

"Ooo-kay." No way in hell was I about to give him my name in return, no matter how surprisingly charming he was turning out to be.

"It's just, you don't come across many witches anymore. Especially not ones as powerful as you. You remind me of someone I used to know..." His gaze momentarily darted away from my face for the first time since our encounter began. "...a long time ago."

I narrowed my eyes on him, trying to figure him out. The haunted look in his eyes as he studied me, like I was a ghost, made me almost believe him. Almost.

"Are you friends with shifters?" Julian continued. "Their smell is all over you. Maybe you go to that school?"

I sucked my lips between my teeth, trying not to respond. I didn't trust this vampire. If it weren't for the binding spell, I was sure I'd be dinner. And even if the shifters did hate me, there was no way I'd betray them to a vampire.

But I must have shaken my head.

"But you want to go to the school." His knowing eyes snagged on my greatest weakness.

I hissed out a breath between my teeth. "I appreciate the small talk and all, but it's past my curfew, and my carriage is about to turn back into a pumpkin. And if you're just stalling so your vampire buddies can come rescue you, I've got a whole lot more magic where that came from."

"No. I'm... alone. And I believe you. Your magic, I can sense it."

That caught my attention. He could sense my magic? Did he have any idea how powerful I was? Hell, I didn't even really know.

Julian licked his lips, his voice taking on a more desperate tone. "This... friend of mine, she died. Many years ago. I've been searching for a way to...bring her back."

"From the dead?" I blurted. Was this guy on some vampire drug I wasn't aware of? "What was her name? Bella?"

"Alice."

I closed my mouth, looking at the vampire a little closer. I was pretty good at sniffing out bullshit, and the sincerity on his face was genuine. "I couldn't raise the dead if I wanted to."

"I might have a way."

I gave him a sidelong glance. "Oh really? And how is that?"

"I have a grimoire."

I scoffed. "How does a vampire get a grimoire?"

"—and it's very old. It may have a spell in there to help. My friend, she used it to help me once."

The tension in my body eased, my snark falling away as I truly considered his words. A witch had helped a vampire. "You didn't kill her, did you? This isn't some guilt trip or revenge or something?"

"No! I didn't... I could never hurt her. It's a long story. But if I give you the grimoire, maybe you could—"

"No." I shook my head, unable to believe what he was actually asking me. "You're a vampire. And you're lying."

I was done with this game, done entertaining his sob story, or whatever this was. I had no idea how long my spell would last. I had made sure he wasn't looking for Arya, and I had no further reason to be here.

"Khet," Julian said, but there was no power behind the word. "I can't do magic, not like a witch, but I've seen some of the grimoire."

I took another step backward. "Only some?"

"The book itself is spelled, making much of its contents unreadable to anyone...to those without magic."

That sounded about right. Witches were known for their secrecy, so it made sense they'd lock the magic, especially the higher-level spells, to ensure it didn't fall into the wrong hands.

"I can get you into that school," Julian continued, his gaze lighting with something—maybe determination? "I know the director."

I spit out a laugh. "I've met him. Real charmer."

"Caesar can be blunt. And stubborn. But he owes me."

I shifted my weight to one foot, putting my hands in the back pockets of my jeans. The fact that I was even entertaining this vampire was beyond me. I should be gone by now.

I shook my head, turning to leave. "No. I'm sorry. I can't trust you."

A ping on the pavement caught my attention, and I whirled back. I expected any number of things—a gun, a knife, maybe some brass knuckles. Instead, a piece of jewelry glinted in the dim light from the street. Some sort of pin or brooch or something.

Julian's fingers were outstretched as if a magnet pulled them toward the pin. "It's the only thing I have left of her. Please. You have to believe me."

I stared at him, long and hard. Maybe he'd gotten out of the spell. Maybe he was trying to lure me in for a bite. I wanted to believe him, wanted desperately to have someone—anyone—on my side. But that was a leap of faith I just couldn't take. Not tonight. Not after so many mistakes. And certainly not with a vampire.

"Keep it," I called, backing away.

"Please."

The look in his eyes was so desperate, so clawing, my own heart began to break for him. I swallowed. "I can't. You've got the wrong girl."

"If you change your mind—"

"I'll slit a wrist or something. I'm sure you'll come running."

Julian paled—if that were even possible. "No. Don't do that. Alice had a spell she could use to speak to me over long distances. Sedjed ka."

I repeated the words in my head as I walked away, not wanting to lose them. I was nearly to the street again, but I hesitated, torn between fleeing and running back to him.

I went with option one, probably the smartest choice I'd made all week.

I knew people were staring as I darted down the sidewalk, wondering what the rush was. But I didn't care. I wanted to be long gone, out of sight, far enough away to not be stalked or followed with superhuman speed. My heart struggled to keep up with my pace, and even if I wasn't still scared witless, I needed to get all that energy out of my system.

Sedjed ka. Sedjed ka. Sedjed ka,I thought with every thumping step, committing the phrase to memory. If the spell worked, that could come in handy. I might try it sometime when my curiosity got the better of me, which it usually did.

I began to sing softly between pants, the song Gram had taught me to mask my scent from vampires. The tune worked to ease my nerves as the words of the spell scrubbed my scent from any nearby vampires. It was just a precaution. No sense leaving a bread trail to my doorstep—no matter how hot he was or sincere he seemed.

"Yemen sen, yemen sen, wab ka, yemen sen." I breathed easy as I repeated the words of the spell, which was thankfully more forgiving than the binding spell I'd used on Julian.

I slowed to a walk, satisfied that the song was doing its job—at least as far as I knew.

I found the subway entrance and skipped down the steps, sending furtive glances to the shadows that lurked behind me. None seemed deep enough to hold a vampire.