Magic Edge (13 page)

She wanted to ask him about the Dragon Born, but she had a feeling his answer would be the same. Besides, she knew what had happened to her kind. The evil overlords of the Magic Council had killed every last one of them. The
Convictionites weren’t the only ones who hated what they didn’t understand.

“Whatever
Convictionites can or cannot do to the Orbs, the fact remains that we can’t let them have the others. And we need to take back the ones they’ve stolen,” she said.

“The Convictionites are a danger,” he agreed, pouring himself another glass of wine. “They could disrupt the entire supernatural order. I’ve heard things. Whispers of terrible things.”

“What terrible things?”

“They capture and torture supernaturals. But the cries do not travel far. They are quickly silenced.”

“What do they want?”

“To rip magic from the face of the earth,” he said. “I don’t know how they plan to do it. Perhaps they think the Orbs will help with that. All I know is the seed of hatred they planted in Europe is spreading. The poison of their cause is spreading.”

“What can we do to stop them?”

He gave her a tired smile. “You are already doing it. You are fighting the monsters of the magical world, the vile beasts that attack the humans without reason or restraint, turning them against us. It’s a long battle. A hard battle. And Zurich has been hit especially hard. You’ve seen it?”

“There are more monsters here than back home,” she agreed. “And more supernaturals who should know better than to misbehave.
”

“It’s already changed the humans’ attitudes toward us,” he said. “In most of the world, they aspire to be us. Here, many of them fear us. And that fear is spreading. Deep down, all humans fear what they do not understand. Us. So far, the fear has been covered up by their desire to be like us. Hope is a powerful thing, but the charade is already wearing thin, no small thanks to people like the
Convictionites.
Soon the awe and wonder humanity feels for the supernatural will wither and die, and only the fear will remain.”

“You think the battle has already been lost,” she realized.

He sighed. “It is not a single battle. It is a war against human nature. And it will not be won easily.”

“We can’t give up,” she insisted. “If we lose—if the haters win—then the real war will begin. And millions will die.”

“We’ll do what we can.” He patted her arm. “Alexandria, I need your help. You are making a difference here.”

She let out a pained laugh. “It doesn’t seem that way. Every day, there are more monsters. And they are getting tougher. Like the hybrids.”

“I will hire more people to handle the monsters, but there just aren’t any other mercenaries like you. You’ve been here for two months. None of your predecessors lasted more than two weeks.”

She swallowed hard. “Killed in action?”

“Some of them. The others quit. I picked the best of the best, mages and fairies and vampires who had the highest combat magic ratings in the world. And do you know what I found out?”

“That combat magic ratings are complete bullshit?”

He chuckled. “Precisely. I should have known better than to blindly trust the system. I helped set up that system, and I knew there were flaws. There are always flaws. These mercenaries had flashy magic and impressive resumes, but not one of them has your willpower.”

“Some call it stubbornness,” she said.

“Stubbornness. Willpower. Endurance. The fact remains that most powerful mages burn hot, then flicker out. They don’t have what it takes to keep going, even when the end is nowhere in sight. Not one of them knows what it’s like to fight every single second of every day to survive—to not stop no matter what. They’re not the right soldiers for this war. You are. I need you to stay here awhile longer.”

“Is this the right time to ask for a raise?” she asked, grinning past the heavy lump in her stomach.

“If we all survive the coming war, you can have anything you want.”

“Deal,” she said, scraping the yogurt container clean.

“You should stick with the assassin. The two of you are good together.”

Strawberry yogurt squirted out of her mouth. “Sorry.” She wiped down the countertop with a napkin. “Uh, what do you mean?”

“Slayer is like you. He knows how to survive, and he doesn’t give up.”

“I’ll pass along that you think he’s a stubborn masochist too.”

Gaelyn smiled. “He knows. A few months ago, back before you came here, I tried to hire him. He turned me down.”

“Really? Why?”

“He gets paid seven figures for single kills. He said I couldn’t pay him enough to make it worth his while.”

“Well, he’s working for you now. What changed?”

Gaelyn tipped his glass to her.

“Me?”

“He likes you.”

Alex rolled her eyes. “He’s an ass. He tried to convince me to come work for him instead.”

“I’m not surprised.” Gaelyn chuckled. “The assassin has an eye for talent. And he’s smitten with you.”

“Assassins don’t get smitten. It’s against their holy code book or something.”

He gave her an indulgent smile. “Of course. Well, then,” he said standing. “It looks like the firemen have finished their assessment. Holt is waving me over. Do try to get some sleep, Alexandria, while you still can.”

Gaelyn joined Holt and the firemen standing beside the front door. Alex watched them for awhile, while she licked her spoon clean. Lights spun atop the emergency vehicles parked on the driveway, the red and blue beams bouncing off the bald vampire’s shiny head. Burnt magic hung heavy in the air—the residue of the spent enchantment thick on her tongue, the vile stench of hatred clogging her lungs. Clearing her throat, she snatched up the phone and dialed home.

“Hey, Alex,” her sister’s voice answered.

“Sera. Did I wake you?”

“No, I just finished breakfast and was about to head out for a run.” Awkward silence. “How are you?”

“Busy.”

“Are you still in Zurich?”

“Yep. Look, things are super crazy right now,” Alex said.

Assassins, hate groups, magic orbs with apocalyptic tendencies. No, there was no reason to burden Sera with that. She’d want to come to Zurich too, and then who would keep Riley safe? Their little brother was a magic chemist, not a fighter.

“Will you and Riley be all right for awhile without me?” Alex asked.

“Sure. I’ll try to remember to feed him when he gets hungry.”

Sera sounded upset—or, at the very least, on edge. Alex was too. This was the longest they’d ever been apart, and it felt just wrong.

“After I get back, we’ll go hunt down some nasty monster who’s wreaking havoc on the city,” Alex told her.

“Nasty monsters. Sounds like fun.”

“Is Riley there?”

“He’s in the shower.”

Holt was wiggling his little finger at her. Oh, joy, he wanted to talk.

“Give him a kiss for me,” Alex said into the phone. “I’ll give you a call again soon. I have to run now. ”

“Take care of yourself, Alex.”

“You too.”

She set the phone back on the stand, then took her time placing the yogurt container neatly into the garbage and washing her spoon. By the time she joined the vampire by the door, he was positively seething.

“You did that on purpose,” he growled.

“Me?” She licked a speck of yogurt off her thumb. “I’m just being orderly.”

“Orderly? Who do you think you’re talking to here? I have to send entire crews to clean up your carnage. And my friends have told me stories of your exploits. In detail.”

“It sounds like you’re hanging around the wrong sort of friends.”

“They’re not monsters.”

“Of course not. If they were, they’d already be dead.”

“You spend one day with the assassin, and you fancy yourself the world’s biggest ass kicker.”

“I’ve always kicked ass. I don’t need an assassin for that.”

“Then what do you need him for?”

“Why, Holt! Are you jealous?” She puckered up her lips and blew him a kiss. “I’m flattered.”

The fat vein in his temple bulged. Maybe the sight of her pouty lips had given the vampire an aneurysm. Weirdo.

“But I’m afraid I’m not interested in blood suckers,” she finished.

“Oh, really?” He drew in a deep breath, a smile curling up his lips. If he’d had a curly mustache, he would have twirled it around his finger. “Because that’s not what I smell.”

“And what do you smell?” she asked, against her better judgment.

“Arousal.”

Yep, her instincts had been spot on. Bad idea.

“It clings to you like a second skin.”

Stupid assassin. She’d have to clock him the next time she saw him.

He only seduced you with his crafty hands in your dreams,
the voice in her head pointed out helpfully.

There’s more than one way to seduce.

True. And I’ll bet he knows them all.

“Hush,” she said aloud. Oops.

Holt grinned, showing off some fang. Oh, for pete’s sake!

“Prudish, are you? Hmm. I wouldn’t have guessed it. Not with the way you dress,” he said, licking his lips. “Full body leather.” His gaze slid up her legs. “You seem like the type who gets off on men talking dirty to you.”

“As with all things, vampire, it’s all about the execution. And yours, I’m afraid, is lacking.”

He stiffened.

“Maybe you can ask the assassin to give you some pointers,” she suggested.

A low growl rumbled in his chest.

“You might want to get that cough checked out,” she told him. “In case you haven’t heard, the apocalypse is upon us. You wouldn’t want to have to sit out our fight with the techno-zombie horde because you came down with a case of the sniffles.”

“You watch too much television.”

She shrugged. “There are worse hobbies.”

“Like spilling blood?”

“Or drinking it,” she shot back.

“Mmm. How about just a nip?” He set his hand over his heart. “I promise I won’t tell anyone.”

“No, you won’t. Because I’m not letting you drink from me.”

“Oh, you misunderstand. I wasn’t asking.” He grinned. “I was offering.”

“You want me to drink from you?”

He purred. Gross.

“Wrong again, buster. That’s not my scene.”

Some humans got off on being bitten by vampires—and biting them back. These were the same people who kept chains in their bedroom and thought horse whips were a fashion accessory.

“I smell vampire,” he said, sniffing her neck.

“I’ve fought a few of them since the last time I showered.”

Nowadays, showers were practically an endangered species. She was too busy fighting monsters. And apparently allies. And sexy assassins…

“I heard one of my cousins bit you,” Holt said, moving in for another sniff.

Alex punched him in the nose, and he pulled back, roaring.

“You broke my nose!”

She crossed her arms against her chest and tapped her foot. “You’re a vampire. It’s already healed,” she said calmly. “Besides, that’s what you get for trying to sniff people.”

His hand lowered to his knife.

“Unless you’re planning on chopping onions, I highly recommend you don’t draw that knife. I don’t want to have to explain to Gaelyn why I killed his butler.”

“Head of the Household Guard,”
he ground out.

“Whatever.”

Holt’s shiny head turned shiny red.

“That’s nice,” she said. “Are we done here? I anticipate fighting at least a dozen monsters tomorrow and really need my beauty sleep.”

“I can see why they call you the
Black Plague,” he said.

“Yep, that’s me.”

He’s not all that bad looking
, the voice in her head said as she turned and walked away.
Maybe you should have taken him up on his offer.

“He’s disgusting. He has blood stains on his collar,” Alex muttered.

So do you.

She looked down at her shirt—then realized that she’d just changed it. And that it didn’t even have a collar.

Made you look!

Yeah, so she had a twelve year old stuck inside of her. Awesome.

“Vigilante!” Holt called out as she reached the door.

Alex turned around. The vampire was running toward her.

“You’ve been bitten,” he whispered. “You can’t go through that without a scratch.”

She lifted her hand to the scar on her neck. Except the scar was gone. Her skin felt as smooth as it had ever been.

“I’m immune. Gaelyn cleared me.”

He shook his head. “That’s just what he told you.”

She laughed. “You’re messing with me.”

“No, I’m not. Gaelyn doesn’t want you to have a mental breakdown.”

“A breakdown? From what?”

“From finding out the truth.”

“This is ridiculous.”

He caught her arm as she turned away. “You’re being turned.”

Alex tried to get a read on her own magic. It was agitated—weird, somehow—but it didn’t feel like vampire. Still, she had to ask.