Circle of Blood (9 page)

“That’s . . . that’s not very nice,” Samantha managed to say.

“I do magic good.”

“Well,” Samantha unconsciously corrected the girl.

“Better than Mama.”

Samantha stared at her. “You’re better at magic than your mother?”

The little girl nodded and Samantha’s mind raced. Her mother had been a fearsome witch, a powerful practitioner, second only to one or two people in the entire coven. Only the high priestess and possibly Mr. Black, who did a lot of the teaching, were stronger. Both had figured prominently in her nightmares, although it wasn’t until she started regaining her memories that she’d remembered Mr. Black’s name. His face and voice had featured in her nightmares for years, though.

“You’re stronger than your mother?” she asked again.

Three nodded.

“Show me.”

“Not supposed to.”

Samantha thought about arguing with her, trying to convince her that it would be okay, but she heard Anthony shouting again from far away. She didn’t have time to argue with the little girl. She had to move on.

“I’m sorry,” she said, and turned to the door marked .

She pushed the door open and the little girl who came out looked very sad indeed. The eyes that she turned on Samantha made her want to cry.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

“Mother did a spell. Took my magic for a while.”

Samantha blinked. “She did that to you?”

The child nodded and Samantha felt sick inside. Had she not been so afraid, had she started with the younger children back when she was hunting witches in Salem, she would have known that was possible and she might have been able to spot the high priestess of the coven in time to save so many people.

She closed her eyes, hot tears burning them. Her fear had caused untold pain and suffering.

“What’s wrong with you?” Two asked.

“Nothing, nothing, Desdemona,” Samantha said.

“No! I don’t like that name. That’s not my name. That’s not what my Daddy used to call me,” Two said.

Samantha blinked in shock. “You . . . you remember your father?”

Two nodded. “He had to go away. He said I could go, too, but then something happened. Mother wouldn’t let me go. She told me to forget about him. I forgot most. All I remember is that he wanted me to go with him and he never called me Desdemona.”

“What did he call you?”

“I don’t know. It was pretty. Ask her.” Two pointed toward the door marked .

With a shudder Samantha realized this was truly the door she’d never wanted to open. There was a secret behind it that she never wanted to learn.

The shouts got louder and louder. Anthony was going to die. It would be all her fault.

Crying harder, she stepped forward and pushed open the first door. Out toddled an adorable little girl with pigtails who looked up at her with huge, innocent eyes. Suddenly she spat fire out of her mouth and it set Samantha’s pants alight. She hastily put it out as the baby giggled.

Magic had always been part of her, she realized with a shiver. Destructive, harmful, dangerous. “What’s your name, sweetheart? What does Daddy call you?” Samantha asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking.

The baby sat down and looked up at her. “Samantha.”

It felt as if the entire world shuddered to a halt.

Samantha fell, landing flat on her back. She stared blankly upward as memories roared through her head. She heard a man’s voice calling her “Samantha.” She’d always thought she’d chosen that name for herself because of Samantha on
Bewitched
and how she’d wished she’d had her for a mother instead of her own. But the name Samantha had always been in there. It’s what her father had called her. It’s what she had called herself when she was very young.

She was Samantha long before she embraced the name of Desdemona, the name her mother gave her. She was Samantha when she was young and innocent and used magic as if it were nothing, breathing fire as though it were air.

“It’s not true!” she wailed.

And above her she saw all the little girls, circling her in a ring.

“It is,” Five said.

“How am I supposed to live with this?”

Five knelt down beside her and conjured Freaky Kitty, who leaped onto Samantha’s chest and began to knead her shirt.

“By realizing that the power isn’t bad, it just is.”

“It’s what you do that’s good or bad,” Six said.

“Be good,” Three said.

One giggled and then opened her mouth to spew more fire. Samantha quickly blew on it, a mighty gust of wind that she forced out of her lungs, and the flame was snuffed out. One clapped her hands in delight.

Samantha hadn’t known she could blow out the fire. She hadn’t remembered that she could breathe fire like some sort of insane dragon. “This can’t be happening.”

“It
is
happening, and you know it. Choose what you will do about it,” Seven said.

From the distance she heard a scream of agony. Anthony.

“I have to go,” she said.

She closed her eyes, opened them again, and she was back in control of her body. Anthony was lying on the floor, Freaky the panther pinning his chest down with a massive paw.

Samantha waved her hand and Freaky shrank down until he was once more an adorable little kitten. He mewed and looked up at her. Then he jumped off Anthony and bounded over to her, where he made himself busy wrapping around her ankles.

“Are you okay?” she asked, readjusting to the feel of using her vocal cords.

Anthony sat up and eyed her suspiciously. “That depends entirely on who’s asking.”

She went to him, careful not to step on Freaky, and dropped to her knees next to him. “It’s me, Samantha. It’s always been me.”

There were tears streaming down her face.

“I don’t understand, and right now I don’t want to. I’m just glad you’re back,” he said, relief shining in his eyes.

He grabbed the back of her head and pulled her close and kissed her. She closed her eyes, savoring the taste of his lips against hers. She had missed him, more than even she had realized.

“I can’t do this without you,” she whispered as she pulled away.

“I know. That’s why I’m here,” he said grimly.

“I wasn’t the witch who killed your mother.”

“I know that, too.”

She grabbed his hands and squeezed them. “I have my memories back now, almost all of them. I didn’t kill her, but I did see her killed.”

He went completely still. Fear rushed through her. Would he be able to accept her knowing the truth? Silence stretched between them. She could see the emotions colliding within him. She so desperately wanted to take a peek inside his mind and see what he was thinking, but she refrained, trying to respect his privacy.

“Did she suffer?” he asked.

“She was terrified, but she was killed so quickly there wouldn’t have been any pain,” she said.

Silence again. His features began to harden and she fought against her own despair. He had to know the truth, though, deserved to know it. She couldn’t be with him if he didn’t know, because she could never fully be herself, and for his part there would always be wonder, doubt.

“I understand if you don’t want—”

He grabbed her and kissed her again, harder this time. She let go of his hands and he wrapped his arms around her, nearly crushing her in his grip. She kissed him back, hoping, praying that this meant he would be able to forgive and accept.

“Is it okay?” she asked, breathing the words against his lips.

“Yes. Anything you did, it’s in the past. I want you, want to be with you.”

“I want that, too.”

Suddenly she felt a disturbance in the air, and a moment later, the front door slammed open with a crash and a woman’s body flew into the room.

With a shout Samantha leaped to her feet. She called fireballs to both hands and was about to lob them through the air when she realized that it was Claudia’s corpse that was standing in the center of the room, teetering on the balls of her feet.

She crashed to the floor and was still.

“She’s dead,” Anthony said as he moved closer. “And I’m no expert, but it looks like she’s been dead for more than just a couple of seconds.”

“She died last night,” Samantha said. “The witch killed her in front of me. She was one of my spies, a girl that I spared up in Salem.”

“That’s too bad,” Anthony said.

“Whoever dropped the body off is already long gone,” Samantha said. “And I have a feeling there’s no use giving chase.”

“There’s a note taped to her chest,” Anthony observed.

Samantha leaned down to read it. “Next time don’t send one of your flying monkeys to do a witch’s work.”

“Cute,” Anthony said with a growl.

“Whoever this woman is, she has a sick sense of humor and she’s really starting to piss me off,” Samantha muttered. “I need to figure out who she is and stop her before more people get hurt.”

“I think I know someone who can help you put the pieces together and figure out who’s behind all this,” Anthony said, “a guy with a real analytical mind who’s good at this sort of thing.”

“Who?”

“There’s someone else here in town who wants to help, who wants to see you,” Anthony said. “Ed.”

“Ed?” she asked, stunned. “As in my former partner in the Boston Police Department?”

“One and the same. He came down with me. We’re both staying at a hotel not that far away. I convinced him that it was a good idea that I come alone first since you might not be really up to receiving visitors.”

“Good thinking,” she said, reeling slightly from the news. Ed was the last person she would have expected to come down here in an effort to help capture a witch.

“I had a feeling something was really wrong, and I wasn’t sure what he could handle if it was.”

“Certainly not that,” she said, with a shudder. “I can’t even imagine what would have happened if he’d seen me like that. Frankly, I’m surprised he’s even here.”

“Well, truth be told, I think his wife’s been haranguing him about how he treated you. Plus, I have a feeling he hates his new partner.”

Samantha smiled. “And there it is. Better the devil you know . . .”

Anthony shrugged. “Maybe. Anyway, he’s here, and I know it took a lot. But he wants to help and I think you need to let him.”

“It’s dangerous.”

“He knows that. He’s here anyway. He’s a cop. Maybe he can actually help you figure this all out. You know, solve crimes like the two of you used to do together. I kind of think that would be good for both of you right now.”

“You’re probably right. I’m just . . . I’m embarrassed to see him.”

“Why? You did nothing wrong. You did your job, like he and the captain and everyone wanted you to do. It’s he who should be embarrassed about how he treated you afterward.”

She nodded, but she still felt hesitant. In many ways she had felt that Ed’s betrayal was inevitable. That didn’t mean that it didn’t hurt like the devil, though.

“So, what do you say? Are you ready to go see him?” Anthony asked.

“Not really, but I’m getting the feeling that I don’t have a choice in the matter,” she said.

He bent forward and kissed her. “No, you really don’t. I’ve been letting you make too many of the decisions in this relationship, and it’s been bad for both of us.”

She smiled at that. “I like the new Anthony, even more assertive than the old Anthony.”

“Hey, that’s what love will do to a guy.”

She felt her heart skip a beat.

He smiled at her. “Yes, you heard me right. I said it and now you just have to deal with it.”

Before she could even respond he kissed her again. “Okay, let’s go. Time for you to stop playing the Lone Ranger and call in the posse to help.”

“If you say so,” she said.

“I do. Now let’s get going so we can find this witch and put her down. Then we can all go home.”

He stood up and held his hands out to her. She grabbed hold of them and let him pull her to her feet. “Sounds good to me,” she said.

“Come on, Freaky,” Anthony said as he led her toward the door.

The kitten scampered along, running in and around their feet, threatening to trip both of them.

“He is a rambunctious little guy,” Anthony said.

“He stays,” she said.

“As long as he’s like this and not a big, scary panther trying to rip my throat out, I’m good with that,” he said.

She smiled. For just a moment she let herself forget everything that they were facing, the witch that was waiting, the impending apocalypse that was sure to be coming. It was just her and Anthony and Freaky, together. A family.

She blushed to think of it. She’d never really thought she’d have one of those. Her mind was filling with images of her and Anthony and Freaky and maybe someday children as well. She wasn’t sure what had happened to her, but she felt more peace than she’d ever known. She couldn’t help feeling that her five-year-old self must be nodding in approval.

It made no sense. When she left Salem she’d thought that she wasn’t ready to deal with a relationship with Anthony, that there was too much baggage, too much history. In a moment, though, it all seemed to be coming so clear. That history didn’t have to tear them apart. It could bind them together. They understood each other more than anyone else could ever understand either of them. If he was willing to risk everything to be with her, she’d be a fool to push him away again.

She took a deep breath. She wouldn’t. He had seen her at her worst. She just prayed that they’d both live for him to see her at her best.

They got into Anthony’s car and Freaky settled himself on her lap, purring. As she petted him she got the distinct impression that he also preferred this form to the panther one. That was fine by her. A little ball of fluff was much easier to handle, and softer, too.

The drive was over faster than she would have liked. Anthony parked near a small hotel with classic charm. There was a small coffee shop right next door.

They climbed out of the car and Samantha took a deep breath as she faced the hotel.

“I think it’s better if you do this without me,” Anthony said. “I’ll be waiting in the coffee shop when you guys are ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. Freaky, want to come with me?”

The kitten looked up at Samantha. It was probably best. Of course, the easiest thing would be just to dispel the energy and then reform him later. It did no harm to him and was one of the reasons having an energy kitten was far more convenient than a flesh-and-blood one. She couldn’t bring herself to do it, though. Maybe it was because she was feeling so insecure. Maybe it was because she was tired of having him go away.

“Go with Anthony,” she told Freaky.

The kitten walked over and rubbed against Anthony’s leg. Anthony stooped to pick him up. “He is a soft little guy. You’d never know . . . well, you know.”

She hid a smile. Even he was having issues with saying the kitten wasn’t real. Freaky had his own kind of magic, it seemed.

“See you soon,” she told Anthony.

“He’s in room twelve,” Anthony said, before tucking Freaky inside his coat, turning, and walking into the coffee shop.

Room twelve. Samantha shook her head. All the memories that she had regained and yet she was still missing the memories from the day her coven was slaughtered. Twelve had terrified her and now it eluded her still.

Samantha steeled herself and then headed into the building. Room twelve was the last room on the third floor as it turned out. She knocked on the door and a moment later Ed opened it.

“Hey,” she said, feeling incredibly awkward.

“Hey, yourself,” he said.

They stood for a moment and then he stepped back, opening the door wide. “I invite you in,” he said.

“I’m not a vampire,” she snapped.

He winced. “See, there’s the smart-ass partner I miss.”

“I miss you, too,” she admitted.

“You know they’ve got me partnered with Jackass Jackson right now?”

She did know, but he probably didn’t remember that. “Seriously?” she asked. “And you haven’t shot him yet?”

“I’m getting close to it,” he grunted.

“I’d pay to see that,” she quipped.

“Yeah, I’m thinking a lot of people would. Actually I’m starting to think of that as a possible retirement plan.”

She smiled. She had missed Ed more than she’d ever wanted to let herself think about. The three years they were partners had been great, comfortable, easy, and they had always been a good team.

“Well, if you decide to go that route, be sure to let me know so I can get a front-row seat.”

Instead of laughing, he dropped his eyes and heaved a sigh. “Look, this whole thing is screwed up,” he said, staring at the floor. “Everything that happened back in Salem. It was bad, you know?”

“I remember,” she said. He had pushed her into going undercover in the coven, pushed her into using her powers. Then, when it was all over, he had shut her out, saying he couldn’t be around her after knowing the things that she had done. It had hurt, but she had respected his wishes and left. Now, standing in front of him, she didn’t know what to do—apologize, tell him to forget it—so she decided to stay quiet and let him take the lead. After all, he had come down here to help. That had to mean something, didn’t it?

“Look. I was a jerk. You saved my life. You did your job. You did what I’d demanded you to do. I should have listened to you, cared more about what you were saying, not pushed you.”

“So many more people would have died if you hadn’t. I was just afraid of what it would mean for me, for my life, for everyone around me. Using magic, it’s a slippery slope. Once you start, it’s hard to control yourself. In the end, though, you pushed me into doing the right thing.”

“Yeah. Then I pushed you away. That was total crap.”

“Is that you or your wife, Vanessa, talking?”

“Hell, if I was a smarter man and not a pigheaded bastard, I’d let her do most of my talking. She’s one smart woman.”

“She loves you very much.”

“God only knows why. I’m just grateful that she does. And, yeah, she’s been riding my ass on this, calling me on my shit. But she’s right.”

Samantha bit her lip, not wanting to interrupt, but daring to hope that this might end well after all.

“Listen, you were the best damn partner I ever had and I miss that—I miss you. I’m here to apologize. I’m sorry for the way I treated you. You didn’t deserve that from anyone, least of all me.”

“Thank you,” she said, throat burning with the emotions she was trying to hold back.

“We get this whole mess finished down here and I want you to come back. I talked with Captain Roberts and he said you could come back. We could be partners again.”

“What about everyone else in the department?” Samantha asked, remembering the way everyone had looked at her, the fear and accusation in their eyes, just before she’d been forced to leave.

Ed raised his eyes. “To hell with them. If anyone gives you any crap for even a second, they’ll have to answer to me.”

She hugged him.

“We don’t hug,” he said.

“We do now, moron,” she said.

He laughed and hugged her back. When they broke away a moment later, they were both wiping at their eyes.

“Okay, now that all that’s out of the way, let’s figure this case out so we can get out of here. New Orleans gives me the creeps.”

“It would,” she said with a chuckle.

“Yeah, I figure your witch-dar is working overtime, because even I’m feeling it here,” he said.

She sighed. “It is, but it’s not helping me find the one witch behind all of this.”

He gestured to a table and a couple of chairs in the corner of the room and she sat.

“Fill me in,” he said as he took the other chair.

She told him what she could, bringing him up to speed. When she had finished he whistled low.

“That’s a wicked mess.”

“Tell me about it.”

“So the key is figuring out who this black-haired chick is, since she’s probably behind all this?”

“That’s what I’m thinking.”

“Okay, so let’s think rationally. We might be dealing with witches, but they still have human motivations. Nothing special there. Lust, power, revenge, there’re only so many things that can be coming into play here.”

“Okay, good. Where do we start?”

He rolled his eyes. “Come on, you haven’t not been a cop for that long.”

“Humor me. I’m a little too close to this one,” she said.

“Okay, this all seems quite personal and whoever’s behind this has been targeting you from the start. They knew who you were before. Now, not many people could have known that. You have to think. It has to be someone from your past, someone who knew you, who’s doing all this,” Ed said.

“I know, but I can’t think of anyone. Besides, how can it be? Everyone’s dead.”

“Your whole coven? Are you sure?”

“Positive. I saw their graves.”

“Could one of them be empty, like yours?”

“No, I could feel the bodies in there.”

“Okay. Creepy, but okay. So you alone escaped.”

“I was the only one who escaped the massacre,” she confirmed. “I’m the only member of my coven to survive.”

“Could it have been a witch outside your coven who was somehow wronged or denied entrance or something?”

“If that was true, I’m not sure how they’d even know about me. My mother worked to keep a very low profile outside the coven itself. And it’s not like it can just be a random victim or the son of one, like Anthony. Whoever’s behind this has powers.”

“Did anyone in the coven have young kids who wouldn’t have been there that night? Someone looking for revenge maybe?”

“No, my mom was one of the youngest in the coven and I was the youngest kid.”

He grimaced. “Anthony told me there were other kids in the coven who were killed that night.”

“Yes, Billy was a year old than me, and Destiny was about four years older. She was being raised by her grandmother after her parents died. The only other one with a kid was Mr. Black.”