Ahhh... Almost better than a shower. But he couldnt wait to wash off the werewolf blood. Odds were he had it in more places than the smear across his cheek.
Closing the back doors, he punched a code on the digital lock to secure it. While he sorted through his trouser pocket for the van key, he whistled the chorus to the song that demanded he accept life as it was...thats life.
Maybe... No. Life didnt have to be this way for him. He was all-in for a change of scenery.
Before he slid the key in the lock, he saw the drivers door was unlocked. Had he forgotten? That wasnt like him. He was always on top of the situation. Which only further contributed to his need to run from this life as if a flaming werewolf were chasing his ass.
Tor slid into the drivers seat and fired up the engine. Another crazy midnight job. His final one. He would stand firm on that decision. And after getting a whiff of the dead werewolfs rangy scentsomeone please show him the way to his new office cubicle.
Adjusting the radio to a forties swing station, he palmed the stick shift.
When the person in the passenger seat spoke, he startled. Whoa!
Hey! Oops. Sorry. The woman let out a bubbly nervous giggle. Didnt mean to surprise you. Ive been waiting. And watching. Youve quite the talent, you know that?
Who in bloody He squinted in the darkness of the cab, but could only see glints in her eyes andabove her eyes? Hmm... Must be some kind of sparkly makeup. How did you...?
The door wasnt locked. You really should lock your doors in this neighborhood. Anyone could steal your van. Not that its very steal-worthy. Kinda old, and theres more rust than actual paint. But Im guessing you have important stuff in the back. Like a dead werewolf! she announced with more cheer than anyone ever should.
His eyes adjusting to the darkness, Tor could make out that she had long brown hair and big eyes. She smiled. A lot. He didnt get a sense about herwas she paranormal or human? But then, he didnt have any special means of determining whether a person was paranormal or not. Sometimes he didnt know until it was too late. But he did pick up an overtly incautious happiness about her.
Without letting down his guard, he reached across the console to offer his hand. Torsten Rindle.
I know! She shook his hand eagerly. Ive been looking for you. And now Ive found you.
If she knew who he was, then she probably knew what he did for a living. Which still didnt solve the issue of what she was. Humans hired him all the time to protect them from paranormals. But to find him, they had to be in the know, and also know someone who knew someone who knew him. Who, in turn, had his phone number.
He pulled back his hand and leaned an elbow on the steering wheel, keeping his body open, prepared to move to either defend or restrain. Who are you, and why are you in my van?
Its a rather beat-up old van, isnt it?
So youve said.
Doesnt really jibe with you in your fancy vest and trousers and designer watch.
The watch in question showed it was well past midnight. This had been a hell of a long day.
I dont need to draw attention by driving a sports car, Tor offered. And the van is as utility as it gets. A requirement in my line of work. Now. Your name? And why are you sitting in my van?
Melissande Jones. She fluttered her lashes as she pressed her fingers to her chest, where frilly red flowers made up the neckline of her blouse. My friends call me Lissa, as does my family. Im not sure I like the nickname, but I hate to argue with people. Im a people pleaser. Sad, but true. And Im here because I need your help. Your protection, actually.
Tor played her name over in his brain. The last name was familiar. And in Paris, it wasnt so common as, say, in the United States or London. He made it a point to know who all the paranormal families in the city were, and had good knowledge of most across the world. Blame it on his penchant for getting lost in research. And for needing to know everything.
Recall brought to mind a local family of witches. The two elders were twin brothers. And he knew the one brother had twin sons, so that left the other...
Thoroughly Joness daughter? A dark witch?
Yes, and mostly. She turned on the seat so her body faced him. Her bright red lipstick caught the pale glow from the distant streetlight. Her lips were shaped like a bow. And combined with those big doe eyes and lush feathery lashes? Can you help me?
I, uh... Shaking himself out of his sudden admiration for her sensual assets, Tor assumed his usual emotionless facade, the one he wore for the public. Im not sure what youve heard about me, but Im no longer in the business of providing personal protection.
Youre a cleaner. She gestured toward the fire truck that was pulling up down the street where the werewolf had been burned. Someone must have witnessed the fire after all. You also do spin for The Order of the Stake.
Two things that most might know about him. If they were paranormal. And again, knew someone who knew someone who
And you own the Agency, she said, interrupting his disturbed thoughts. A group that protects us paranormals.
That knowledge was more hush-hush. And not correct.
Not exactly. The Agency seeks to put their hands to weapons, ephemera, and other objects that might fall into human hands and lead them to believe in you paranormals.
You paranormals, she said mockingly and gestured with a flutter of her hand that made Tor suddenly nervous. A bloke never knew what witches could do with but a flick of finger or sweep of hand. Youre human, right?
That I am.
And she was a witch. A dark witch. Mostly? He had no idea what that meant. And...he wasnt interested in finding out.
Like Ive said, I dont do protection. And Ive handed off the Agency reins to someone located in the States. But of most importance is, I really do not want to get involved with anyone from the Jones family. I respect your father and his brother. They are a pair of badass dark witches most would do well to walk a wide circle around. Hed come this close to stepping into that dangerous circle a few years back. And he wasnt a stupid man. Lesson learned. If you need someone
But your Agency protects paranormal objects, yes?
It does. The Agency always will, but Im not doing that sort of
Then you can help me. She bent over and reached into a big flowered purse on the floor and pulled out something that blinded Tor with its brilliance. I have a paranormal object.
Tor put up a hand to block the pulsating red glow. It was so bright. Like the sun but in a shade of red. He couldnt see the shape or the size, yet knew that she held it with one hand. Put that away! What the hell is that?
She set the thing on her lap and placed a palm over it, which quieted the glow to a smoldering simmer. Its Hecates heart.
Tor didnt recognize it as a volatile object from any lists he had read or compiled, but that didnt mean anything. There were so many weapons, objects, tools, even creatures that were considered a danger to humans and paranormals alike. The most dangerous had to be contained, or Very Bad Things could happen in the mortal realm.
What does it do besides blind a man? he asked.
Hecate was the first witch.
I know that. But shes long dead. Is that her actual heart?
Yes. Melissande patted it gently. The object pulsed with each touch. Its said that should her heart ever stop beating, all the witches hearts in this realm would suddenly cease to beat. Ominous, right? The red glow softened her features and gave them an enchanting cast. Her lashes were so thick, they granted her eyes a glamorous come-and-touch-me appeal. But its pretty indestructible. I dropped it earlier. Got a little dirt on it. No big deal. Though it looks like glass, its not. Its sort of a solid gel substance.
You dropped it? Wait. Tor took a moment to inhale and center himself. And to remember his goal: normal. Im not doing this. Im no longer in the protection business.
Melissandes jaw dropped open. And those eyes. Why couldnt he stop staring at those gorgeous eyes? Was it the sparkly makeup that made them glitter, or did they really twinkle like stars? Maybe shed cast an attraction spell on herself before finding him. Witches were sneaky like that. And how had she found him? Tor prided himself on his ability to blend in, to be the classic everyman. That she had been able to track him down without a phone call...
He wasnt going to worry about this. Hed made his decision. Normal it was.
I need to get on the road and dispose of the remains, he said, turning on the seat and gripping the steering wheel. You can leave now.
Im not going anywhere. Did you decide just now youre not doing the protection thing anymore?
No, I
Or is it me? I get that my dad and his brother are a couple of big scary witches. Woo-woo dark witch stuff is imposing. But Im not asking you to work with them.
Ive been considering this decision for weeks. Months, Tor protested. And its final
Oh, come on. One more job? I need your help, Tor. Im just one tiny witch who has an ominous magical artifact stuffed in her purse that seems to attract strange things to it. In proof, on the way to finding you, I gave a zombie the slip.
Zombies do not exist, Tor said sharply. Revenants do. But the walking dead are a false assumption. Its impossible to have a dead person walking around, decaying, and actually surviving more than a few minutes.
Is that so? Thats good to know. Still not sure I believe you. But revenants... She cast her gaze out the passenger window.
And Tor couldnt help but wonder what it was about revenants that gave her pause. Damn it! He didnt care. He could not care. If he were going to make the transition to normal, he had to get rid of this annoyingly cute witch.
Yet the glow from the heart, seeping between her fingers, did intrigue him. Something like that should be under lock and key, kept far and safely away from humans. And should it fall into the hands of the Archives, whom her uncle Certainly Jones headed? The Archives wasnt as beneficent as they were touted to be. The things they stored werent always left to sit and get dusty. Tor didnt even want to think about all the nasty happenings that occurred because something the Archives had obtained had been used.
Yeah, so maybe he had stepped into that circle of danger with one of the Jones brothers. Whew! He knew far too much about the ominous power of dark magic. And yet he had lived to breathe another day.
You want me to protect you and that thing? he asked. You know the Agency would take that heart in hand and put it under lock and key? In fact, if you want to hand it over, I guess I could take it right now
No. She lifted the heart possessively to her chest. Tor squinted at the maddening glow. Cant do that. I need it for a spell that I cant invoke until the night of the full moon.
Which was less than a week from now. Tor always kept the moon cycles in his head. It wasnt wise to walk into any situation without knowing what phase the moon was in. Had tonight been a full moon? That werewolf would not have gone down so easily for the slayer. And burning it would have roused every bloody wolf in the city to howls.
Tor rubbed two fingers over his temple, sensing he wasnt going to be rid of her as easily as he wished. Why me? What or who directed you toward me and suggested I might want to help you?
If I tell you, youll think Im weird.
I already think youre weird. I dont think a person can get much weirder than stealing a dead witchs beating heart and then breaking into a strangers van to beg for his help.
What makes you think I stole this?
II dont know. Is it a family heirloom you dug out of a chest in the attic? Something dear old Granny bequeathed to you on her deathbed?
No. She hugged it tightly to her chest. Guilty of theft, as he could only suspect. And he had locked the van doors. He never forgot.
People only find me because someone has given them my name, he said. And I always know when someone is coming for me, because thats how it works. I want to know how you learned about me.
Fine. This evening, after Id gotten home with the heart and sat out on the patio to have a cup of teaI like peppermint, by the way.
Im an Earl Grey man, myself. The woman did go off on tangents. And he had just followed her along on one! You were saying what it was that led you to me?
Right. As I was sipping my tea, a cicada landed on my plate. It was blue.
Now intensely interested, Tor lifted his gaze to hers.
Cicadas always look like theyre wearing armor. Dont you think? Anyway, I didnt hear it speak to me, she said. Not out loud. More like in my head. I sensed what it had come to tell me. And that was to give me your name. Torsten Rindle. Id heard the name before. My dad and uncle have mentioned you in conversation. Cautiously, of course. I know you stand in opposition to them. And they know it, too. But they also have a certain respect for you. Anyway, I knew you could help me.
A cicada had told a witch to seek him out for help?
Tors sleeves were still rolled to the elbows. Had the light been brighter, it would reveal the tattoo of a cicada on his inner forearm. The insect meant something to him. Something personal and so private hed never spoken about it to anyone.
How did you know
A thump on the drivers side window made Tor spin around on the seat. A bloody hand smeared the glass.
Thats the zombie, Melissande stated calmly. The one you told me didnt exist.
Chapter 2
Melissande observed as Tor swung out of the drivers seat and darted into the back of the van. Heavy metal objects clinked. The man swore. His British accent was more pronounced than her barely-there one. He again emerged in the cab with a wicked-looking weapon. Actually, she recognized that hand-sized titanium column as one of those fancy stakes the knights in The Order of the Stake used to slay vampires. Was that supposed to work with zombies, as well?
Stay here, he ordered. Tor exited through the drivers door, slamming it behind him.
Crossing her arms and settling onto the seat, Melissande decided she was perfectly fine with staying inside the nice safe van while the hero fought the creepy thing outside. Zombies didnt exist? The man obviously knew nothing about the dark arts.