“Your yacht, I know. Listen, I appreciate the free boat rides, but I’m not on your payroll. I’ll make my own way there.”
“Seems unnecessary when I have a boat at my disposal.”
“I have one at mine too.” That was a lie, but I could commandeer one if I had to. The ferry wouldn’t get me there fast enough.
“Fine. Meet me at the corner of Jones and Lincoln in an hour.”
“See you then.” I catapulted myself out of bed and straight into the shower before my body had a chance to object.
Jones Street was atmospheric art;a narrow ribbon of brick and shadow tucked beneath a canopy of live oaks with moss-draped branches that arched overhead like cathedral vaults. Gaslight glowed soft and amber against the black latticework, blurring the line between past and present. The air smelled like damp earth, old iron, and something faintly sweet. I sensed old magic here. It hummed beneath my feet and all around me. It was a good sign.
Cowboy and Vale loitered on the corner next to a black pickup truck.
“We were beginning to think you’d changed your mind,” Vale said.
“It took me longer than expected.” In truth, the first boat I “commandeered” already had passengers, so I had to scramble to find another one. Island problems.
“Which house is it, boss?” Cowboy asked.
“Harriet wasn’t sure. Her spell only identified the block.”
And quite a block it was. Planters and vibrant green ground cover bordered the area between the street and the walking path. The red brick sidewalk bore the smooth polish of thousands of footsteps, eventually giving way to more modern concrete. We took our time, appraising each building with a critical eye, as though one might display a flashing arrow with a sign that read:Soul-Sucking Faerie This Way.
My magical antennae pinged when I passed an extensive garden wall and a gate. I stopped at the next corner in front of a moss-covered three-story brick house. “It’s this one.”
“How can you be sure?” Vale asked.
“This magic is strongest here.” And inside the building was the source of the magic I’d felt on arrival. No wonder Harriet identified the whole block. I could feel it pulsing like a mystical heartbeat.
“You’re like one of those metal detectors,” Cowboy said, suitably impressed. The vampire’s gaze flicked to Vale. “Makes you wonder what other abilities she has, doesn’t it?”
“Yes,” Vale said, still looking at me with a curious expression. “It certainly does.”
“I don’t see what the big deal is,” I said. “Detecting magic is part of my job. If I couldn’t do it, they’d have to hire someone else to handle security.”
“Your boss—the one who died—was he able to detect magic?” Vale asked.
“No, Judd was a werewolf, which is why they need me.” Strictly speaking, I was full of shit. The Neighborhood rules forbade unauthorized magic, that was true, but Justine didn’t send me around the island to sniff out rogue spells. We had far more important concerns than Meemaw’s magical edibles. Of course, maybe if the HOA took unauthorized magic more seriously, Darlene Garvey would still be alive. If there was a way to strike a balance between overbearing and underreacting, I’d yet to discover it.
We contemplated the grand staircase that led to a shiny black door.
“I should speak for us,” Vale said, climbing the steps. “She might not resist if she knows who she’s dealing with right from the start.”
“She’s been operating under your nose for weeks and probably longer,” I replied, hurrying behind him. “What makes you think she’s going to respect you?”
He rang the doorbell. “Not respect me.” He faced the door. “I expect her to fear me.”
The door opened. I couldn’t see past Vale’s broad set of shoulders.
“Good morning. We’re looking for Leanne,” he said.
“Who’s we?” a voice replied. Soft, feminine, lilting.
Leanne.
I poked my head around Vale so that Leanne appeared in my line of sight. The faerie was every inch as beautiful as her dream version. If anything, she was even more stunning. Shock glinted in her eyes, so fleeting I might have imagined it.
“My name is Vale, and these are my associates, Maya and Cowboy.”
