A Little Street Magic (25 page)

Aha, so that was how the vampire council tracked people. Stone had fibbed a little, about them not keeping as close track of people leaving. Or had he? The Barrows was a mishmash of pocket realms. Maybe that many shoved together didn’t work as well as a single one.

He stepped up beside me, and we hopped down together. “If you’ll also think of the realm and its AI as a form of internet, then the blood binding creates a wireless connection.”

I hadn’t thought learning about pocket realms should be at the top of my list, but now that Logan was explaining it, it was fascinating as heck. “How far does that connection reach?”

Logan waved away a fly. “It’s capable of alerting us to security breaches or major malfunctions wherever we are. Other than those, we have to be inside the realm to receive messages from the AI.”

“That is cool.” Blood really was a powerful thing. I needed to be super careful about leaving any lying around.

We continued on, reaching Moira’s cabin several minutes later. She was outside, tying herbs in bundles for drying. “Well, hello.”

“Hi.” I waved, my other hand in Logan’s again. She smiled, dusting her hands off on her jeans.

“You two look happy. Things are going well?”

“They are,” Logan replied. “We dropped by to let you know we’ll be in the cave. Have the time to get Cordi hooked in.”

“All right.” She came to us, and gave each of us a hug. Stepping back, Moira placed one of her hands on each of our cheeks, a warm smile on her face. “I’m happy for you both.”

“Thank you.” I should’ve felt uncomfortable, but Logan was correct: the shamaness was a hard person to feel that way around. It didn’t hurt that her pleasure in seeing us together, and in accord, was radiating from our skin-to-skin contact.

Maybe one day, I’d be as good a person as she was.

She dropped her hands. “Feel free to take all the time you like.”

Okay, that caused a bit of face warming, but I pretended to miss her innuendo. “Thanks.”

We left her to return to her task, and walked around her cabin. Logan proved to know exactly where the entrance to the cave was, and we ducked inside. I again wondered whether he’d done any nude soaking with her, and tried to squelch the thought.

At the edge of the pool, Logan produced a pocket knife. “It only takes a few drops. Do you want to do it?”

I wished he had a needle, but held out my hand for the knife. “Yeah, I can.”

“You may want to sit down. It can be kind of overwhelming at first contact.”

“Okay.” I sat down tailor-style, and opened the knife. He sat down, sideways to me, with one leg bent and partially behind my back. “Does it matter which finger?”

“No.”

After a deep breath, I ran the pad of my thumb across the blade’s edge. Blood welled instantly, and I held it over the water’s surface. Logan took his knife, dipping the blade into the water, while drops fell from my thumb.

“That’s good.”

I pulled my hand back and applied pressure to my thumb. Once my “encouragement” had enough time to close the small cut, I rinsed off both hands in the water. Drying them on my jeans, I asked, “So when does...”

My vision went black, and I jerked away from the water, my back striking Logan’s leg. A series of images flew through my mind so quickly, I couldn’t make sense of any of them. Logan’s hand was on my knee, and he was telling me to relax.

The stream of images paused on one—us sitting in the cave, by the pool—and then faded completely. I blinked, and the water began bubbling. A figure formed, sliding up until it was facing us. “What the hell?”

Logan chuckled. “It’s the AI.”

The watery figure spoke, its voice rather bubbly too. “Discordia Angel Jones, clan member and queen. Processing.”

Just like a computer. I was suddenly grinning. “You could’ve mentioned this part.”

“And ruin the surprise? No way.” He rubbed my back.

“Processing complete. How may I serve you, Cordi?” The AI seemed to be looking at me, or at least, I could see my reflection in its huge, clear eyes.

“What do I do?”

“I’ll take care of it.” Logan stretched his hand out, and the AI laid a tendril of water on it. Solid water, none dripping. After a few seconds, the AI withdrew its tendril and gave a single nod.

“Your request is processed. The change will be made.” And with that, the AI lost all cohesion, becoming a column of water that splashed back into the pool.

“Done,” he said. His hand was dry.

“It called me Cordi.”

“You did ask all of us to do that. It hears people talking.”

I frowned. “Does it watch us when...”

Logan laughed, leaning forward to kiss my cheek. “It’s not a person, sweetheart, and it doesn’t spy on clan.”

“Okay.” I had floated naked in that pool. AI water had been in my hooha. “I don’t think I’ll be soaking in here again.”

T
here was plenty of daylight left to take care of grocery shopping and playtime with my pack. Logan received another cooking lesson, dinner this time, and after, we took a nap.

I had to be at the Blue Orb by eleven-thirty, for Tonya’s attempt to attract a familiar, and was. My car was the only one present on the street in the cul de sac.

Jo let me in. “She’s nervous, but she’s started preparing.”

“I came bearing many positive thoughts.” I’d never gotten to witness this kind of event before. Following her to the back room, I asked, “How exactly does it work?”

“She’s drawing the necessary symbols, and will do the usual to raise a circle. She’s picked her offerings over the past couple weeks, so will burn them while making her request.”

“Then poof! Her familiar appears?”

My friend grinned. “It’s more a slow reveal than a poof thing. Trixie took about twenty minutes to solidify.”

“Oh.” We’d reached the back room, so I didn’t have time to ask more questions. Tonya looked up from inscribing a wiggly symbol with chalk on the polished, cement floor. I gave her two thumbs up with a smile. “Get it, girl.”

The teen smiled back, and went back to work. We walked over to the seating area, where Damian, Kate, an obviously pregnant Ronnie, and David waited with their familiars. Kyra, Tonya’s Husky, was also present, and I sat down on the floor to scratch her neck.

“Having fun with the Feds?” I asked Damian, who grimaced.

“I liked Agent Kneller much better,” he said, naming the agent who’d been willing to listen to us, back when I had had my first retro-cognition, about Henry Wilkins. “Pacelli and Talbot are playing things close to the vest.”

Kate snorted. Her crimson hair coordinated with her red and gold makeup scheme, and really popped against all the black she was wearing. Black leather, from toes to neck. “They’re government goons.”

“Yes, I know.” His grin was crooked. “None of us has had a peek at their list, and believe me, we’ve tried.”

“Eh, we’re all on it, I’m sure.” David flapped his hand. “Doesn’t matter much. They can’t really do anything, now, can they?”

I could think of things they might be able to do, but wasn’t going to mention them while we were all focused on positive thinking for Tonya. Plus, they were kind of out there, aside from simply sneaking up and tazering people. Kyra began panting in my face, and I pushed her nose to the side. “Your breath leaves something to be desired, girl.”

“
Sorry
.” She politely closed her jaws. I began scratching her behind the ears.

Tonya called David over to check her work not long after that, and he approved. With a smile that stretched from ear to ear, he called us over and began arranging everyone outside the circle permanently etched into the floor. “You too, Cordi, and Kyra, you stand with her. We want all the positive energy we can get tonight.”

Once everyone was in place to his satisfaction, David moved to the spot he’d saved for himself. I realized that he and Damian were facing each other across the circle. I was facing Kate, while Ronnie and Jo were opposite each other. Everyone’s familiars were with them. I could just reach Kyra’s ear, and touched it when she softly whined.

“All right, Tonya.” David nodded at her. “Close your circle.”

She had a twig of some sort, and walked the circle with it pointed down, mumbling under her breath. When she reached her starting point, a clear half-bubble sprang into place. A few streaks of gold and silver flashed across its surface before fading away.

I concentrated on thinking about nothing but success for her, my fingers gently massaging Kyra’s ear. The only sound was Tonya’s voice, as she clearly intoned her request before kneeling and bowing her head over a small, white stone bowl. With a single word, she lit the bowl’s contents on fire.

Smoke rose and swirled around inside the bubble, changing colors. My quick peek around showed that everyone outside the circle was smiling, and appeared relaxed. That indicated things were going well.

Tonya lifted her head to watch the center of her workspace. I focused there too, holding my breath. What was she going to get?

Several minutes passed. Nothing else was happening. Another check revealed smiles fading, and the witches beginning to look concerned.

I looked back in time to see Tonya’s shoulders sag. “It’s not working.”

Kyra bumped my leg, and I looked down, feeling disappointed for the girl. The Husky looked up, her blue eyes glowing. “Uh, guys?”

I wasn’t loud enough, because David told the teen, “It’s okay. We’ll try again in a month’s time. It’s not unusual for the first try to fail, and has no bearing on how well...”

“Guys,” I said, much louder, while moving my hand away from the Husky, because a soft, blue glow had completely enveloped Kyra.

That got their attention. Tonya turned around, and nearly fell on her butt as her eyes widened. “Kyra?”

Kate let out a loud whistle, Percy echoing it, and everyone began clapping. While Tonya scrambled to her feet and broke the circle, I looked down at the dog.

Kyra grinned, her tongue lolling out, and gave the doggy equivalent of a shrug. “
I chose her years ago
.”

I
t was Monday morning, and I was in a great mood, considering the turmoil. Logan and I had spent all of Sunday together, and I’d stayed at his place again, after the weekly clan gathering. We were on our way to the station to see if the Feds had shaken anything loose.

Kethyrdryll had called, eager to tell me all about his new undertaking. I’d been shocked when he told me they’d already rescued over two hundred animals. Thorandryll had given him a staff of fifty elves to get the job done.

“It appears it’ll take time to find a property,” he said. “It seems to be quite important to find the right location.”

I’d hooked him up with my realtor, and family friend, Rita. “She’s right. One of the reasons adoptions weren’t high is the city shelter’s location.”

“They will be high now, because one of my teams will collect from the shelter daily.”

“You are fantastic.”

“It’s gratifying to have such a worthy task.” In a brisker tone, Kethyrdryll said, “You must come by when you’re able. I think you’ll be pleased.”

“I will, first chance I get.” After making that promise, we said good-bye. I put my phone away. “He’s having fun.”

Logan was smiling. “It’s the perfect job for a guy who was content to spend eight years of his life alone with his hound and horse. He loves animals.”

“Yeah.” I glanced at the empty back seat. Dane had begged off work today. He wasn’t getting to sit and brood though. Terra had tagged him to help take inventory of the clan store rooms.

“I’m confused.”

Logan had my full attention. “About what?”

“The Feds. How exactly do they plan to capture these guys?”

“Good question.” The agents were human. “And I don’t know. Maybe that’s why they haven’t completely shut us out.”

He glanced at me, waiting for a car to clear the entrance to the station’s parking lot. “How do you feel about going up against the killers?”

“The idea scares the holy hell out of me. But if Stone and Derrick are involved, and have any say in the planning, I’ll feel a lot better.”

“I would, too. You’re not a killer. They are.”

Did he mean the vamps, or the bad guys? “I’ve killed vampires, that cultist with the fake elf ears, and Rhaetha.”