Spirit Sorceress: Spirit Sorceress: Book 1 (13 page)

The music was loud, the lights low, but of course it was
like daylight for me.  The crowd was pretty impressive, even more than
last night with the weekend closing in.  Eustice led me into the back
stock room, and grabbed a cardboard box.  He pulled out a shirt and handed
it to me.

Eustice asked, “Are you sure you want to do this?”

I questioned, “I have to do something Ice.”

Eustice laughed, “You’re already dealing with the pack for
construction, and assisting the guards with investigation.  That’s more
than what most do, and your adding a whole other job on top of that.”

I pursed my lips in thought.

“Yeah, but those other two jobs won’t always be happening
will they?”

He smirked, “You’d be surprised how often our establishments
get damaged.  And with Ceara here rogue activity will only go up.  It
might settle if she creates a new council.”

“If?”

He nodded, “There aren’t that many old ones over a
thousand.  So far she’s had no luck getting them to join, if anything they
want to take over and make themselves king.  She might wind up having to
do that at some point.”

I grinned, “Except queen.”

He rolled his eyes, but they also sparkled with humor, “You
got it.  Let’s hope not, if she does the rogue tide will never end. 
I won’t stop you though, if you want to do this too it works for me.”

I snorted a laugh, “Oh, thanks for your permission great
one,” I noted with great sarcasm.

He mock growled, “No backtalk woman, I’m the boss,” and he
left me to get my shirt changed.

I considered what he’d said, and decided to stick with it
for a while.  If nothing else, it would help me become more social. 
I was wise about a lot of things, but I’d be the first to admit I was kind of
clueless about dealing with others.  Though, I seemed to be doing okay
with that so far.

I had on a comfy two-inch heeled pair of sandals, short jean
shorts just shy of scandalous, and the uniform shirt.  It seemed to hang
on me a little loosely, so I tied one side of it to make it a bit more
conforming to my shape.  It still covered everything, but I was sure to
get more tips.  On the bad side, also more attention from drunk men, but I
supposed I needed some experience with that as well.

I pulled on the waist apron, grabbed a tray, and got to
work.

The bartender I was working with was Tammy.  She
accepted me right away in a professional way, which I was glad of.  A
waitress needed a good working relationship with the bartender or things
wouldn’t go very smoothly.  She looked about twenty-six, had curly golden
blonde hair down to her waist, and light blue eyes.  She was also the only
other vampire working this section.

The other two waitresses by me were Sally and Cindy, a
redhead and blonde respectively.  They were both humans, and had been
working here for almost two years now.  They seemed friendly enough as
well, but there wasn’t much time for talking.

I realized using spirit magic to help waitress a club was an
inane use for it, but it was also great practice.  I had perfect recall,
much like other sorcerers or sorceresses, and practiced just pulling a person’s
name, and if they wanted a drink, from their soul.  Instead of reading
their entire lives, which took focus and effort.  Ironically, it was a lot
easier to take it all than cherry pick information.

Of course, I still had to ask them what they wanted to
drink, otherwise it would freak people out if I just showed up with what they
wanted.

My power was also good for dodging drunken hands, it was
easy to shift my body to dodge and avoid a pinch or pat on my ass.  It
also let me know when to cut people off, and that night I only needed the
bouncers to handle one particularly belligerent man, since doing it myself
would stand out.

I wasn’t totally aloof though, and did my best to smile and
banter with the customers, although that was limited with the loud music.
 I’d also never been called so many endearments in a few short hours
before.

There were a couple of strange vampires that came in, but I
quickly determined they were just passing through, and weren’t related to the
current rogue issues.  Still, I kept an eye on them anyway, as did
security, but they left a little after midnight after a subtle blood snack in
the corner.

In all, it was really hard work almost constantly, all night
I was trying to keep ahead of the demand for alcohol, but it was kind of fun at
the same time.  Maybe that would get old, but not tonight.  I still
enjoyed myself and worked out some subtleties in my power until last call was
served around one thirty.

The club closed at two, but by the time all the customers
got out, we settled the tips, and got done chatting it was closer to three when
we left.  I’d actually made some good spending money.  Eustice was
always last to leave, so I waited with him and the guards, as we made sure
everyone else got safely to their cars and on their way.

It was rather warm out, sticky, and there was a light
drizzle coming down.

That’s when I felt them coming, out back in the alley with
Eustice, Tammy, Jerry, and a couple of other guards I hadn’t really met
yet.  Thankfully, the human waitresses and the rest of the vampire staff
was gone.

“Incoming,” I said grimly, “They must have waited until
there were only a few of us left.  I count ten moving fast on foot.”

Tammy looked confused, Eustice’s eyes hardened, and Jerry
cursed under his breath.  The other two guards pulled knives, and I wished
I’d had my sword with me.  Still, it was ten on six, perhaps bad numbers
at a glance, but Eustice was much older than the rest of us, and none of the
attackers were over a hundred and fifty.  I just hoped none of these
fought any better than the last one I’d faced.

Of course, this time I got to use lightning. 
Unfortunately, I couldn’t use anything until they attacked me
specifically.  Those rules chafed more than ever, these were my friends,
some of them anyway.  It made me wonder if this is how it started for my
uncle, but I dismissed that.  I’d either work around it, or live with the
consequences.

“Tammy, I don’t want to insult you, but if you can’t fight,
stand in the middle of us, the rest of us should form a circle of sorts. 
We have about three seconds.”

We all shifted, Tammy did step in the middle of us, and we
all faced away from her.  They paused as they reached either side of the
alley.  I reached out with my power to my full ability, a half mile
radius, and grounded myself in the peaceful nature of the spiritual
plane.  I didn’t want to make any mistakes and attack someone who wasn’t
after me, so I slipped threads through their magic to read them.  It
wasn’t even that hard.  Oh, it wasn’t easy either, but much easier than
five days ago.

I wasn’t any more powerful, I just had a greater ability to
use what I’d already had because of all the practice.  Splitting my focus
came almost naturally.

Eustice said sternly, “What is it you want here?”

One of them laughed without humor, “Death.”

I said flippantly, “These morons bow at Mark’s feet, their
plan is to kill a few of us, keep us off balance, until their idiot master can
come up with a new plan.”

My insult worked, especially since it was true, and they
charged.  I read easily that two were coming straight for me, which meant
I didn’t have to wait until they closed in to be sure.  I raised my hand
and blasted them both with spirit lightning.  They collapsed to the
ground, unconscious, not dead.

One more assessed me as the greatest threat, and switched targets,
to me.  I grinned and rushed him with an insane smile to make him believe
I was taking him head on, only to gracefully dodge at the last second, and kick
the side of his knee as he flew by.  Mark really did need better trained
fighters, but I wouldn’t complain.  Faster didn’t count when they couldn’t
fight worth a crap. 

He went down hard and face planted, and I cringed as he slid
a good ten feet and got road rash on his face.  It would heal, but it
would take days at his age.  He moved to get up, but I kicked him hard
behind the ear, knocking him out.

Yes, I could have used spirit lightning for the third as
well, but that’d been so much more satisfying.

Then the hard part happened, I had to watch as the last two
on our side attacked Jerry.  I also watched the other five attack Eustice
and the other two guards with my power if not my eyesight.  It was an
ugly, brutal, and short fight.  Eustice and the other two guards took down
their five fast, Eustice taking three by himself as the most powerful vampire
here.

Jerry took one down fast and hard, but the second managed to
score a few wounds before he too was taken down.  It hurt to just stand
there and watch it.  It’s why I really didn’t want to be a guard, what
kind of guard could I be if I had to just watch?  Yes, I got to take out
three, but I could have taken them all, before they’d even reached us if I so
desired.

Any vampire over fifty was faster than me, but as a spirit
sorceress, anyone less than five hundred just wouldn’t get to me, without surprise
and a dose of luck anyway.  But I suppose that was the point of the
tenets.  It would be too easy to become corrupted with that much
power. 

I also didn’t need to get cocky, there were plenty of things
out there that could kill me, and they all could, even the youngest vampire, if
I let my guard down at the wrong time.

I asked, “Load up the trunks with the survivors?”

My three were alive, as were a couple of others.  The
rest of them were dead.

Eustice laughed, “Good plan.”

“You okay Jerry?”

He nodded, “Fine,” and picked up two of the bastards and
walked toward the cars.

“What do we do with the bodies.”

Eustice clapped one of the guards on the shoulder, “He’ll
stay and call a cleanup team.”

I sighed, picked one up and followed Jerry.  I’d
thought about asking what a cleanup team does to get rid of corpses, but then
decided I really didn’t want to know…

Ceara asked deadpan, “You attract trouble, don’t you?”

I hoped she was kidding, though it was hard to tell. 
After we’d dropped off the garbage in the cells, we’d come straight up
here.  I had a strange thought, I wondered if Ceara ever slept.  She
was always in this room except that brief time she’d gone after Mark.

I took a chance and said in faux shock, “Me?  A rogue
magnet?  Never.”

She smirked, “What happened?”

I explained the sequence of events from my point of view,
and then added, “They had similar orders.  Kill and disappear, and wait
for a phone call to come in.  This time he was at a Holiday Inn in Mount
Vernon.  Though, I doubt he’s still there, the guys that attacked us
thought he’d be gone again like last time.”

Ceara sighed in annoyance, “Tina is still working on
modifying one of her finding spells.  So far she hasn’t hit the right
combination to track a maker bond.  Go ahead and get some sleep, I’ll let
you know if I have more questions tomorrow.”

I nodded, and she turned to Eustice to get his account as I
walked away.  I groaned when I looked at my phone, it was almost four in
the morning, and I had to be at B and B by eight in the morning.  I set my
alarm for seven thirty when I got to my condo, stripped down to my underwear,
and then passed out in bed.

Just a few days, and I already wondered how I’d gotten by
without coffee, as I took a large sip on my way out the door at almost quarter
of eight.  I wore a pair of black jeans, sandals, and a red halter top,
with a white blouse over it only half buttoned, and let’s not forget the ever
present sunglasses. 

I wondered if I’d gone too casual.  Originally I was
tempted to put on a sundress and makeup, and may have overcompensated when I
realized how desperate that would be in my attempt to catch a wolf despite the
odds.  I was willing to be shameless, but not desperate.

The sundress had looked good too, but it just didn’t match hanging
around to watch the construction work going on.  Apparently someone from
the coven needed to be there to let them in, and then stay, I guess to make
sure they didn’t run off with the building.  Of course, I was happy to
volunteer and make that sacrifice on behalf of my coven.  I smirked at my
own thought, I was running on three hours of sleep, coffee, sugar, and desire
for someone I couldn’t have. 

It was also my third day since I’d drank any blood, and no
matter how often I sipped my coffee that thirst wouldn’t go away.

I’d take care of it later.

I walked quickly, almost a jog.  I didn’t look too out
of place, there were other speed walkers, and even joggers at this time of
morning on the city streets.  As long as I didn’t blur past people, I was
good.  I walked into the alley behind the pool hall about two minutes to
eight, which I was particularly proud of.  I felt him immediately in the
truck, along with his beta Ted and his enforcer Bob.

They sat in the cab eating what looked like breakfast burritos
and they all held a coffee.  I smiled and saluted them with my coffee as I
opened the door, and used the bar to keep it open before I moved inside. 
I felt them follow.

Bob said, “You’re a strange little vampire.”

He said it in good humor though, not like an insult.

“Why’s that?”

“Vampires are arrogant, and never smile,” he said in a faux
wise voice.

I shook my head sadly, patted his arm, and my lips twitched
as I suppressed a smile, “It’s just you Bob, we smile all the time.  Maybe
you have bad dog breath, and my nose is just broken?”

He barked a laugh.

Ted walked in and glared at me, but Jared actually winked
from behind him.

Is it pathetic that my heart skipped?

Jared said in a very loud mock whisper, “He does have bad
breath.”

Ted grabbed some spackle and some other crap and went over
to the hole in the wall, clearly not interested in bantering with a
bloodsucker.  Bob and Jared started to work on the bar, taking out the
broken section.  I gravitated over toward the bar, but left enough space
so I wouldn’t get in the way.

“Just you three?”

I looked away, when I realized I’d been staring at his
well-defined arms, and his huge hands made me blush as my imagination... 
Never mind.  It even troubled me a bit, I hardly knew him, and right now I
must be more in love with the idea of being in love with my soulmate, than any
actual real feelings.  Well, real feelings besides lust I mean.  I
needed to get a grip.

Yeah, that, and I was insanely attracted to him on a purely
physical level.

I offered, “Let me know if you want a drink.”

Ted growled from across the room, “We don’t drink on the
job.”

I nodded, “Right, but I meant soda, or water.  We have
cola, seven up, or the clear stuff.  Is it just you guys?”

Jared replied, “Thanks, we’ll let you know.  And no, we
got a couple more coming with the bar piece and the front window glass.”

Jared grunted, and then he and Bob pulled up on the bar
piece pulling it free.  Was it getting hot in here?  My gaze wandered
to his neck, and my fangs dropped.  Crap.  I really needed to feed
soon.  I made a strategic retreat to the office and grabbed a bottled
water, and tried to calm myself down.

I was hot, and all I could think about was sinking my teeth
in his neck, and all the interesting things that might happen after that, which
he could introduce me too.  I wasn’t sure what exactly, but whatever it
was I’d let him do it.  His scent was delicious, he smelled of the
forest.  I’d been attracted to him yesterday, but nothing like this. 
It had to be a combination of him, and my blood thirst, that had me all hot and
bothered to this extent.

I sighed and took a long drink of water, and then headed
back out there with a firmer grip on my emotions.

Bob asked, “Smell get too bad for you?”

I laughed, and blushed a little.  How could he be so
wrong and so right at the same time?

“Just thirsty, but maybe we should get a cross breeze in
here.”

Actually, it really had been getting warmer in here, maybe
they kept the air conditioning at a higher temp during the during the hours
when the pool hall was closed.  It wasn’t me, or rather, not just me, that
was feeling hot.  I thought about putting the air conditioner down a bit,
but there was no point.  Jared and Bob moved toward the front and started
to remove the frame with power tools to take out the big front window.  I
was about to get that cross breeze I’d mentioned, at least for a few minutes.

A white van pulled up with a frame off the side to hold
glass, and two guys got out.  Definitely more of the pack.  My mouth
dropped open when I saw them, they were twins.  Both at least six foot
two, black hair, and green eyes.  The only difference I could see was one
had a smile on his face.

Jared unlocked the front door, opened it, and called out
sarcastically, “Cade, Harris, glad you could make it.”

Harris’ face pinched, but Cade grinned, “Sure thing boss.”

Jared waited while the twins unsecured the window from the
van, and then he came back in.  I watched as Bob and him lifted the window
and turned it sideways to walk it right out of the store.  The twins
grabbed the new one and tilted it to get it inside, and then set it in the
frame, while Jared and Bob put the cracked one on the van.  It looked
almost choreographed, obviously these guys had been working together a long
time.

Once they secured the window to the van, they opened up the
back and pulled out the replacement piece for the bar and carried it
inside.  I finally looked away, I was really having trouble not staring at
Jared.  I looked at the twins instead, they were almost done reframing the
window already.

I felt a little disappointment, that this was all happening
so fast.  The idea we had to go to two other places cheered me
though.  It didn’t take long for the five of them to finish up, another
ten minutes and the bar and front window was fixed.  Even Ted seemed to be
done with the wall.

Ted said to Jared, “I’ll have to finish up tomorrow, need to
let this dry.  Then we need to sand and paint.”

Jared nodded, “Alright, why don’t you go back with Harris
and Cade.”

Ted narrowed his eyes, “Why?”

Jared shrugged, “I don’t think Miku drove, and I’ve got to
work up two estimates.  Joe will make sure she doesn’t make off with me.”

I wondered if joe could be bribed.

Ted looked mutinous at that idea, but couldn’t hold eye
contact with Jared for more than a few seconds.  Jared was clearly the
alpha here.

Ted grunted, “Alright, let’s go Harris, Cade.”

I waited until they were gone, then I said, “I could’ve just
walked, it isn’t that far.”

Jared shook his head, “Vampires make our wolves tense, but
Ted turns into an absolute asshat around them.  It was just an
excuse.  Just give us a minute to clean up and we’ll go to Legends first.”

I was curious to ask why Ted was that way, but held my
tongue.  I also wondered why I hadn’t read any of the wolves yet,
especially Jared.  Was it because he was my soulmate?  It was my
power, and sometimes even my responsibility to read souls, but mostly I didn’t
care what I found out.  Maybe that’s why I hadn’t, because in Jared’s case
I would care very much.  Which would make it feel wrong, like
eavesdropping, or crossing a line.

Maybe I was just nuts.

I watched them pack their truck, and clean up a bit where
there was plaster dust, and then I locked up, and we went out back. 
That’s when I realized the flaw in the plan, as I got into the cab of the truck
and was sandwiched between Jared and Bob.  Not that I even noticed the Bob
part. 

I was too focused on the scent of Jared’s skin, the forest,
fresh air, and the undeniable call of his blood.  I’d never even kissed
anyone before, much less been intimate, but I wanted to run my hands on him and
sit in his lap.  I clasped my hands tightly before my hands could betray
me, and my heartbeat jumped as I blushed at the skin to skin contact of our
legs.

This was impossible.  Note to self, always feed before
meeting the werewolves when I’m thirsty.  It was harder than I’d expected,
this was my first full third day.  Last time I’d fed had been after two,
and I couldn’t even remember it since I was so drunk.  It kind of made me
wonder if I didn’t have to feed more than a normal newborn, maybe every other
day, simply because I was as powerful as a fifty-year-old.

The theory is the elemental air magic that makes us what we
are increases slowly, and at the same time the blood craving decreases with
time.  It occurred to me that taken in those two parts, it didn’t make any
sense at all.  Increased healing and speed should mean more blood, not
less.  So what if the magic also changes the body, makes it able to tolerate
more magic over time.

That means I have the magic of a fifty-year-old vampire
running through me, with the body of a five-day old vampire.  Which…
implies it would take a higher toll on my body, so more blood.  I’d have
to talk to Lisa, or maybe Ceara about it, I might really have to drink blood
every other day, for probably a long time until my body can catch up to my
power.  After all, nothing is free, especially power.

Either that, or I was a wimp, and this level of thirst was
normal on day three. 

Bob asked, “Do we make you nervous little vampire?”

I shook my head as my pulse raced, “Nope, not at all,” I
lied.  Sort of, it was the truth too, because he clearly didn’t mean that
question in the way that Jared made me nervous.

Thankfully they rolled the windows down, and some fresh air
blown in my face cleared some of the irresistible scent from my nose as we sped
down the street…

I managed to survive the short drive to Legends, and we
piled out to both my relief and disappointment, I was so nuts.  I was
barely paying attention as I tried to calm myself down, but before I made it to
the thumb pad at the back door I felt another vampire, and one with an
unfamiliar soul.  He was on the rooftop across the street.  He was
about three hundred and it took me a few seconds to thread his shields, then I
read him.

Bob and Jared were staring at me wondering why I stopped
moving.

I held up a hand and said, “Hold on, we have a problem,” and
pulled my phone out. 

I dialed Lisa, she answered on the third ring.

She said quietly, “I’m on shift, what do you need?”

I sighed, “Is Ceara there too?”

Ceara said, “Yes, I’m here, what is it?” and I had no
problems hearing her from across the room.

“Remember that magnet comment?  The rogues, I’m
guessing no one has been at Legends since the fire?  They set up some
explosives, and there’s a three-hundred-year old vampire across the street on a
roof.  He plans to blow us up.  The plan is to kill Jared, the pack
alpha, and cause a war of sorts between us here.  Just another trap and
distraction.  Mark was actually here, in the city an hour ago, but he’s
long gone now.”

Ceara asked, “Can you take him out?”

I chuckled, “Absolutely, he plans to blow me up, so it’s all
good.  Umm, can you send someone to pick him up, he’ll be asleep.  I
don’t have a car.”

I was already inside his shields, it was easy to start
wrapping him in spirit energy, and manipulate his soul to put him to
sleep.  It only took a few seconds, and the bastard passed out.  I
kind of wanted to fight him, but even with my training a three-hundred-year old
vampire was probably fast enough to compensate and be out of my league. 
Plus, this way the explosives didn’t go off.

Joe asked, “How did you know?”

“I’m not just a vampire.  I was a sorceress when I was
turned by a piece of shit rogue against my will,” I flashed a genuine smile,
“But I’m not bitter or anything.  Anyway, I could sense him up there when
we got out of the truck.”

Jared grunted, “That explains it.”

I tilted my head, “Explains what?”

Jared coughed, “That you smell like a vampire, but don’t
feel like one.”

I smiled, couldn’t help it, I was so setting myself up for a
world of pain.  Hope was evil that way.

“Be right back.  It should be fine now, but please
wait.”

Jared didn’t look happy about me going in there alone, but
he conceded with a nod that it was a vampire issue.  I didn’t read too
much into it, werewolves had a protective streak a mile wide, especially an
alpha.

I thumbed the pad and went inside.  There were four
sets of charges, two by the doors, and two on the load bearing beams. 
Thanks to reading the guys soul, they were simple to disarm.  Just a
switch to disable the remote detonator, and then pull out the blasting
caps.  Easy or not, they still made me nervous.  In my defense, they
were my first bombs.

I threw all the stuff in an empty box, and set it by the
back door, it would make a nifty gift for the security guys.

I popped the door back open, “It’s safe, it’s also a mess.”

Bob whistled when he got inside, “That’s a lot of water
damage.”

They both went in, and started to examine everything, and
give each other opinions back and forth.  It sounded like most of the
stuff even in the main room had to be ripped out and replaced, and the
bathrooms would need to be torn out as well, including what remained of the
walls, and completely rebuilt save the plumbing.