Bittersweet Magic (20 page)

“Jessica,” Roz murmured.

She hadn’t thought the body under the sheets could get any tenser, but it was as if she were made of stone. Roz glanced behind her at Ryan and Maria and waved a hand toward the chairs. For a second, Ryan hesitated, but then he went obediently and sat down. Maria followed him.

Roz walked around the bed so she could see Jessica’s face. Her eyes were open, but she was staring, unblinking, at the bare wall opposite.

Roz crouched down so she filled the girl’s field of vision, but there was no reaction. “Jessica, you asked to see me. I’m the one who found you.”

Jessica blinked, some life returning to her gaze—a flicker of hope. She struggled to sit. “You came.”

Roz straightened then perched on the bed beside her. “How can I help? What is it you need?”

“When you touched me, back in that room, it was like you chased away the dark. Now it’s back, and I can’t see through it, and I’m scared all the time.”

Roz bit her lip, wishing she understood more about her powers. She had always worked on instinct, but she’d had nothing else to go on. What if she damaged Jessica’s mind? But studying the girl, she realized Ryan had spoken the truth. Jessica couldn’t be any worse than she was now. Living in constant fear. Roz understood a little of what that could be like, and she wouldn’t wish it on anyone else. “I’ll try,” she said. “But you must tell me if I hurt you. If anything doesn’t feel right.”

Jessica nodded.

Lord, where did she start? What was she supposed to do, and how would she do it? The questions and doubts were whirling through her mind, and she clamped them down. Closing her eyes, she searched for the place inside her where her power dwelt and found it at the very center of her being. A warm excitement filled her. This was a part of her that she had denied for most of her life. She’d believed it something bad, kept it hidden, but she knew in her heart that it wasn’t evil. It could be if used wrongly, but it could also be a power for good.

She rested her fingers lightly on either side of Jessica’s forehead; felt the tension, the fear, the hope. “Relax,” she murmured. As she had all those years ago, she found the door in her mind. There was a key, but she didn’t dare unlock it. Instead, she placed a hand flat against the wood and felt the pulse of power.

Jessica’s eyes widened. Roz could feel the power flowing from her mind into the girl’s, pushing away the darkness, cracking open the walls, healing the pain and fear. Filling her with light.

Roz held nothing back. Always before, she had feared using her power, had believed it would be a beacon that would draw her enemies to her. Show her for the evil creature she was. Now, for the first time in her life, she felt whole, complete, at one with herself.

It was good.

Finally, she pulled the power back into herself and drew back from the door. From now on, she wouldn’t be ashamed of what she was; she would embrace it. She looked down at the girl and saw that Jessica was smiling. She smiled back.

“Thanks,” Jessica said.

“My pleasure. Do you feel better? Can you remember?”

A shudder ran through the girl’s body. In the photograph, she had appeared slightly plump, but that was gone. She was thin to the bone now. But her expression was serene.

“I feel better. Better than I’ve ever felt. I’m still afraid, but it’s not so dark anymore.”

“There are bad things out there,” Roz said. “But there are also things that stand in front of them, fight them off, keep the world a safe place. Most of the time. Can you talk to Detective Ryan now?”

Jessica nodded and glanced past Roz’s shoulder. Roz twisted her head and saw that Maria and Ryan were standing right behind her. An expression of wonder filled Maria’s face. “You’re an angel,” she murmured.

Roz scowled. “Piss off.”

Ryan laughed and it broke the tension. “That’s the Roz we all love.”

His words warmed her, but she kept the scowl on her face as she stood up. “Make it quick, Ryan. I’m on a schedule here.”

She sat in one of the chairs as Ryan questioned Jessica, letting the words flow over her without taking too much notice. She knew what Jessica would be saying—she had seen what the girl had gone through.

It occurred to her that maybe it would be better for the Order if Jessica didn’t say any of this stuff. That they must work hard to keep under the radar, maintain the lie that their kind was nothing but a myth. But it was too late now. And anyway, she doubted that anyone would believe Jessica. They would probably conclude that Jack was some sort of vampire wannabe freak rather than the real thing.

Eventually Jessica went silent. “That’s all,” she said.

Ryan sat back. “Nobody is going to believe this.”

Which was exactly Roz’s opinion, and just as well.

He sighed. “Oh well, it’s not often I get to write up a report about vampires.”

“Just don’t mention me in it.” He opened his mouth, but she continued before he could speak. “A deal’s a deal.”

“You know I won’t.” He rose to his feet and stretched. “Okay, that’s it for the night. I might think of some more questions tomorrow. But for now, I’m beat.” He looked down at the girl. “You think you can sleep now?”

“Actually, I’m hungry. Is there any food?”

“I’m sure they can find you some. I’ll send someone in.”

Jessica called to them as she opened the door. “Roz, will you visit me again?”

“Of course,” she lied.

After all, who knew where she would be tomorrow.

Ryan appeared deep in thought as they left the hospital, and from the expression on his face, his thoughts weren’t happy ones. She couldn’t help him there. A twinge of guilt jabbed her in the gut. She had gone to Ryan that first time, had brought him into her world, where he had no right to be. Now he was getting in deeper, and that could only be bad news for him. Tara had said that one of the functions of the Order was to keep their kinds’ existence a secret. So what did they do with people like Ryan who just got too close? Maybe nothing worse than a bit of that mind control. She could only hope.

The parking lot was almost deserted. She and Maria followed Ryan toward where his SUV was parked.

He was putting the key in the lock when something slammed into her from behind, and she crashed to the floor. The air left her lungs with a whoosh and all she saw were flashes of blackness. A small scream came from beside her—Maria. Roz tried to drag herself up, but a weight pushed her down into the ground, crushing her face so her teeth were rammed against the inside of her mouth and she tasted the sweet metallic tang of her own blood.

She stopped struggling, held herself very still, and the pressure eased slightly. A few seconds later, she was dragged to her feet, wincing as pain shot through her. She’d maybe cracked a rib in the fall, but it wasn’t too bad. She could still function.

They were surrounded. One man had a hold of Sister Maria, two held onto Ryan, and at least five others stood around, all dressed in dark jackets, the hoods pulled over their faces. But beneath the hoods, she could see the gleam of crimson.

A man stood in the center of the group. He was dressed in dark pants and a black shirt. She recognized him in an instant.

Jack.

Shit.

He leaned in close and sniffed the air around her. “Who are you?”

“Mind your own goddamn business.”

He studied her speculatively, and she braced herself for pain, but instead a slight smile curled his lips, and he nodded to the man who held Maria. He twisted her arm viciously behind her back, and Maria let out a little shriek of pain before she managed to bite it back. Her gaze held Roz’s, and an expression of acceptance filled her eyes. She fully expected to die here. In that moment, Roz decided that no way was that going to happen. Not if she could help it.
She
would die first.

She must have tensed because Ryan spoke from beside her, his tone urgent.

“Roz!”

Two men held him, gripped by his upper arms, though she’d felt their inhuman strength and knew they weren’t men. From the crimson glint in their eyes and strong stench of sulfur that hung around them, she’d guess they were demons. Blood beaded on Ryan’s mouth but his eyes were clear. When he saw he had her attention, he shook his head slightly. He was telling her not to do anything. It was good advice—they were way outnumbered. Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to relax. If Jack had wanted them all dead, they would already be dead. He had kept them alive for a reason. She only hoped that reason wasn’t so he could feed on them all later at his leisure.

But she didn’t think so. She actually had a good idea of what he was after. She only hoped she could use that to save her friends. A shock ran through her at the thought. But she realized it was the truth—they were her friends, however much she tried to reject the idea. Ryan had been her friend for a long time. And Maria. She couldn’t deny that she was coming to care about her in a weird sort of way.

She nodded at Ryan, and some of the tension went out of his figure.

“So shall we try again?” Jack said. “Who are you?”

“My name is Rosamund Fairfax,” she replied. “And I’m a Seeker.”

His eyes widened slightly. “Really? Who do you work for?”

“No one. I freelance.”

“And you found my Key. Why were you seeking it?”

“Money. I was offered a great deal of money—”

“By whom?”

“I don’t know. In my line of work sometimes it’s better not to know.”

He pursed his lips. Was he deciding whether to push her? “So how did you find me?”

“I was at the convent the night you attacked.”

Shock flared in his eyes. “Go on.”

“After you left, I decided my only lead to the Key was Piers Lamont, and so I went with the sister to deliver your message. Afterward, I went to the police, said I had seen you with the missing girl, and gave them a picture.”

“So that’s how they found me,” he said, almost to himself. “I knew I hadn’t been careless.”

Well, bully for you
. But she kept the words to herself. See, she was learning tact.

“So you have the Key? If you’ve handed it over already, I’m afraid things aren’t going to end well for you and your friends. Though I might keep you alive for a while. My mistress likes novelties.”

“Super. But maybe I’ll pass up on the introduction. I have the Key. Obviously, not on me. But if you let us go, I’ll get it for you.”

“Of course you would. Why do I get the notion that if I let you all go, you’ll vanish without a trace?”

“I have no idea.” She tried a smile. “How about if I promise?”

“Does your word mean anything? Somehow I doubt it.” He considered her for a moment. “You care about them?” He gestured to Ryan and Maria.

She gave what she hoped was a casual shrug of her shoulder. “Of course not. They were a means to an end.”

He smiled. And it wasn’t nice. “Give her to me,” he said to the man holding Maria.

The man shoved her toward him. She stumbled, but Jack caught her in his arms. He turned her so she was held against his chest, her back flush to his body, her face staring straight at Roz. Panic and fear filled her eyes.

Roz tried to take a step forward but couldn’t move.

“I fancied a taste that night at the convent, but I didn’t have the time. If you don’t care about her, it won’t worry you to watch me drain the little nun dry.”

He clasped a hand in Maria’s short hair, tugged her head to the side. Roz saw the flash of fangs before he buried them in the sister’s throat.

Maria convulsed in his arms, but he held her too tightly against him. She gave Roz one last pleading glance and clamped her eyes tight shut.

She’d felt Piers’ bite, endured the pleasure it could bring, but it was clear there was nothing pleasurable about this embrace. And she knew he would drain her, suck her blood until the life force left her. Maria’s struggles were weaker already.

“Stop,” Roz said.

Jack didn’t pause, but his gaze lifted to hers, and she was caught in that crimson tinted stare.

“You kill her, and I swear I’ll die before I give you your fucking Key. I mean it.”

His eyes darkened, but she saw him bring himself back under control. He stroked his hands down Maria’s arms then slowly raised his head. His mouth was stained scarlet, like some parody of lipstick, and he licked his lips with obvious relish.

As he released his grip, Maria collapsed to the ground. Roz struggled to free herself. “Let me go,” she snarled.

Jack nodded, and the arms holding her released their grip. She knelt on the concrete beside Maria and felt for a pulse. It was there, but weak and thready. Roz would rather not show her powers in front of Jack, but Maria needed her help. She sent out a little pulse of power, and Maria’s eyes flickered open.

“What did you just do?” Jack asked.

“None of your goddamned business.”

“Oh, I think everything you do is my business until I get my Key. But we’ll leave it for now.”

“So how do we do this?” she asked.

“You tell me where the Key is, and I let your people go.”

“Yeah, right, of course you do. Because you’re such a
nice
guy.”

Once he had the Key, they were all as good as dead—or wishing they were dead.

“Okay, but your friends stay with me until I have my Key.”

She couldn’t see any way out of that. What she needed was time to devise a plan. Her mind worked furiously. While she hated to leave Ryan and Maria with the vampire and his demon friends, what choice did she have?

“We’ll be all right.” Ryan spoke in a low voice from behind her. She scrambled to her feet and turned to face him. “Go do what you have to do. We’ll be fine.” He gave her a weak smile. “At least now I know I’m not going mad and that vampires do exist.”

“Or maybe you’ve gone mad and this is all in your mind.”

“Wouldn’t that be nice? But I mean it—we can survive this.”

She somehow doubted that. She doubted there was any way they were all coming out of this alive. But there was a way she could survive; she could lie, arrange a handover, and just disappear. But even as the idea flickered through her mind, she knew it wasn’t an option. Mere survival was no longer enough for her. She wanted to live, but not at any price. How ironic that she should develop a conscience just when she really didn’t need one. But there was no going back.