Awakening the Fire (Guardian Witch #1)

CHAPTER Twenty-Four

The bell jingled over the shop door, and Ari paused in the doorway. Claris let out a squeal, rushing to grab her in a tight hug.

“I am so glad to see you. Coffee’s made,” Claris said, releasing her hold and searching Ari’s drawn face.

“How’s the cat?”

“He’s adjusting, but he misses her. He sits in the greenhouse and watches the birds from the kitchen window. He doesn’t come up front much.”

Ari ducked into the back room. Claris frowned, watching her, but Ari was glad her friend didn’t follow. Hernando lay curled in the sunny window. He lifted his head, considered Ari with listless eyes, then tucked his head back under his tail. She patted his head.

“Buck up, old fellow. We’ll make it.”

When Ari carried two mugs of coffee into the shop, Claris was helping a customer. Ari pulled up a stool and looked around, sniffed the fragrant herbs. It was all so familiar. She’d been here often enough; it was like a second home. Yet today it felt different. Then again, maybe it was Ari that was different.

The sound of the front door closing as the customer left nudged her attention, and Ari shifted her gaze to Claris. The puckered brow said her best friend was still worried.

“How are you…really?” Claris asked, perching on another of the tall stools behind the counter.

Ari handed her a mug of coffee. “I’m angry.” Her voice was flat, emotionless.

“You don’t sound angry.”

“When I’m not angry, I don’t feel anything.”

“It’s part of the process, I suppose. My mood’s all over the place. Sometimes I feel fine for a while, then I remember. I know we’ll get better.”

“I don’t want to get better. That’s the problem.” Ari didn’t bother to hide the confusion she felt. “I want to stay angry. Need the anger. I’m going to find them and kill them.” Ari looked at her friend’s shocked face. “Does that make me as bad as they are?”

Claris reached out a hand and grabbed Ari’s fingers. “No, not at all. There’s nothing wrong with feeling angry, or even hating them. It’s what you do with it. You’re one of the good guys, honey. You know—white hat, white horse.” She gave Ari a soft smile. “You’ll do the right thing.”

“Will I? I’m not sure I know what that is.”

“You will.” Claris slid off the stool when the shop bell tinkled again. “You’ll figure it out.” Claris turned her attention to the customer; Ari took the empty mugs to the kitchen.

She stopped just inside the kitchen to lean against the wall. This was the first time she and Claris had been seriously out of step. Claris didn’t get it. Ari didn’t want to be a white hat, the good guy. Or the one who did the right thing. She wanted vengeance. Her friend’s words only made her feel more alone.

Hernando chose that moment to bump against her leg. Perfect timing? Cats have a way with that. Ari picked him up, cuddling his soft fur against her cheek. He rewarded her with a rhythmic purr. She wished she could take him home, but with her hours, Hernando would lead a lonely life. At the shop he was surrounded by company. Besides, he fit the cozy atmosphere.

Before leaving the shop, Ari stuffed her pockets with ingredients from Claris’s shelves. Last night’s hours of mixing potions and spells had depleted her supplies. Whatever happened next, Ari would be ready this time.

* * *

As Ari climbed the steps of the police station annex fifteen minutes later, Ryan exited the double doors. He stopped, questioned her with his eyes, and then continued down the stairs as she turned to walk with him.

“Tell me what you know about the attack,” she said before he had a chance to ask the inevitable questions.

“You sure you want to know?”

“Of course I’m sure.” Ari sounded irritable. No surprise. “We have a case to solve.”

Ryan’s sigh conveyed his doubts, but he answered her question. “At least five assailants. CS techs found trampled footprints behind the bushes, where they must have waited. Looks like they took her by surprise, but we found two patches of lycanthrope blood. Recovered a silver stiletto.”

“Yana’s stiletto,” she said. “She would have fought back.”

“Yes,” he agreed. “Canine hairs all over the area. We’re trying to match DNA, checking against the names you picked up in Toronto. But Sheila Montgomery’s profile isn’t in the system. They compared hairs from this scene with those from Angela Raymond’s apartment. Found color matches. No proof yet, but, of course, the Canadian wolves are our primary suspects. I reissued the BOLO, upped the charges and priority.” Ryan stopped next to his police cruiser and stared across the street as if he didn’t know what to say next. “I’m headed to the eastside. Want me to drop you somewhere?”

Ari shook her head. “No, thanks. Wrong direction.” She planned to head deeper into Olde Town, waiting for the vampires to wake. She could think of only one person who might help her in a no-holds-barred hunt to eliminate the wolves.

“OK, catch you later. We’ll find them, Ari. I promise.” He shuffled his feet, suddenly uncomfortable. “It’s possible this was a reaction to your trip.”

Ari nodded dully. She’d already figured that out. “Yeah, they blame me for Molyneux’s death. I suppose they’re right. I dropped his name to Sebastian. The bastard must have thought we’d already linked them.”

“If it’s revenge they’re after, they won’t quit now. And I bet the girlfriend’s leading the charge.”

“Yeah, Sheila. But damn, she needs to come after me—not my friends.” Ari blinked back sudden tears. Not from grief, but a flash of overwhelming rage. For a moment, her body felt on fire.

“Ari, are you all right?”

“No, Ryan, I’m not,” she snapped. “I just lost one of the most important people in my life, and I’m pissed.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s not talk about me. I just want to find her killers.”

“Sorry, but I—”

“Don’t be,” she interrupted. “Just drop it.” Ari knew she shouldn’t take it out on Ryan, but being bitchy felt better than being empty. “I know you’re worried, but you have to stop. What I need is to solve this case. Have you heard from Andreas?”

“We talked once or twice.”

“And? What did he say?”

“Not much.” Ryan looked away.

Guess that meant they’d mostly talked about her. How she was coping or not. Great.

“Anything about the cases?” she prompted. “Marcus or Gordon?”

“Nothing new. Marcus’s recovery is slow, and I guess Gordon’s doing fine. Andreas hinted about problems at the vampire court. He’s not very talkative. Seemed on edge, but I don’t know him that well. He’s been out of touch so much, I finally got his cell number.”

Ari’s lips parted in surprise. She didn’t have Andreas’s personal cell number. The boys had certainly gotten chummy in the few days she was out of commission.

Ryan smirked at her obvious surprise, dug in his jacket pocket, and pulled out a slip of paper. “Here, he said to give you the number if you asked. I won’t need it now you’re back.”

* * *

It was still too early for the vampires, even Andreas, so she headed for her office at the Cultural Center. She kind of liked the idea of her own place to conduct business and make private calls.

The custodian smiled when he saw her unlock the office door. She must have passed some test when they didn’t destroy his building that first night. He nodded as if her presence was a daily occurrence, which might not be such a bad idea.

She looked at the office with a different perspective than before. Her world had changed: scarier, more serious, maybe more grown up. Those terms weren’t quite right, but close enough. Ari knew she’d changed. And the things around her need to change too.

The desk currently stood under unprotected windows. Bad idea. She pulled and tugged until the setting was reversed. Physical activity made her feel good, the best she’d felt in days. She tried out the desk, her back now against the inner wall. Perfect. Not paranoid, just careful.

In response to a chat with the custodian, two strapping weretigers delivered a pair of file cabinets. Ari began to feel like a business professional with her own desk and file drawers. The fact they were empty didn’t bother her. She had stacks of reports and folders in her apartment that would take care of that.

Satisfied for the moment, she plopped into the swivel chair, put her feet on the desk, and dialed Steffan’s number. Voice mail. She left a message. Undeterred, she tried reporter Eddie West with better luck.

“Ari, how you been?”

“Fine.” He hadn’t known Yana, so she didn’t need to get into all that. “I’ve been out of touch a couple days. Heard anything new about the drug traffic?”

“Not much. The drug’s still available, but I’ve heard complaints it’s being cut. Less potent. Seems to be a good thing for the Otherworld version. Less fights.”

“Huh, that’s interesting. Lt. Foster didn’t mention that.”

“Doubt if he’s noticed. No one talks to the cops about drugs.” He changed the subject. “Any news on Angela’s killer?”

“Nothing we can prove. But a Canadian wolf pack is up to their bushy tails in it. And a whole lot of other bad stuff. I’m going to end this, Eddie. Trust me, it’ll happen.”

“When it does, you’ll call me?”

“You betcha.”

She hung up, slowly tapping a forefinger on the desktop.

So the drugs were still circulating. Would the wolves be able to continue their drug trade with the wizard dead? Had they changed the formula again or were they cutting the amount because their stock was low? With the drugs here, it was a good bet the wolves were still in town. That was a plus. She wouldn’t have to chase them to Canada. On the other hand, their continued presence meant Louie’s original scheme wasn’t finished.

She tried Steffan again. This time he answered on the second ring.

“Ari, just got your message.” She braced for what was coming next. “I’m really sorry about Yana. I know you were close.”

“We were, and it’s been awful. But if you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about it.”

“Yeah, it’s been a year since my brother died. It takes time. Are you calling about the fight last night?”

“What fight?”

“Tigers versus lions. No one seriously hurt, but the weretigers were using Fantasy. The stuff appears to affect lycanthropes too, but less than the vamps. More like an irritant.”

“I heard the dosage or purity had been cut. Maybe they can’t get new supplies.”

“I hope you’re right, because they’ll eventually run out. And we can get past this, unless they find a new cook. I’m not taking any chances. We’ve renewed the warnings in the lycanthrope community. What’s Andreas say about the vampires?”

“Haven’t talked with him since…well, you know. Ryan says there’s a vamp problem, but I don’t know if it’s related to the drugs or not. Maybe it’s more fallout from the attack on Prince Daron. I’m going to drop by the club and find out.” Ari sighed. “How long do we keep putting out fires?”

“As long as it takes,” Steffan answered. “What’s the alternative? If a major disturbance breaks out in the Otherworld community, all of us are in trouble. Humanity’s fears hover just under the surface. And that’s on a good day.”