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No, because I didn’t want to make it obvious I was checking out the joint. But it was a dark blue Mercedes, and the plates weren’t Victorian.
Which would hopefully make it easier for Aiden to track down—after all, how many blue Mercs with interstate plates could there be in the reservation?
Were you contracted to kill only the two witches? Belle asked.
Yes. What happens to me here? Is this the afterlife?
I’m afraid there is no afterlife for the likes of you. Not the type you’d appreciate, anyway.
So what am I?
A ghost. One destined to haunt the location of your death for eternity.
His anger surged. What? That’s fucking unfair, isn’t it? Can you help me? Move me on or something?
I could, but I won’t. You killed people for a living, Trent, and you deserve exactly what you’ve gotten. She paused, and a warning note crept into her mental tones as she added, If, however, you make life difficult or in any way interfere with the residents of this building but especially the children, I’ll send your soul to purgatory. And trust me, you wouldn’t want that.
His anger boiled over, sweeping over the two of us like a tidal wave. Belle pulled briefly on my strength to resist the wash of it then bid him never to enter this building and dismissed him. He was forced out, howling in fury.
She took a deep breath to re-center, then squeezed my hands and released them. “Right,” she said. “He’s gone.”
“Brilliant job, Belle,” Aiden said. “At least now we’ve got an address—”
“Which you won’t be going to alone,” I cut in, as Ashworth began dismantling his protection circle. “If our heretic is there, then you could all be in deep shit.”
He frowned. “Won’t the charm you gave me offer some form of protection?”
“Against all manner of ghouls, spirits, and vampires, yes. Against a heretic or blueblood witch—no.”
“Ah.” He glanced over to Ashworth. “You up to it?”
“Yes, but Liz will have to come with us, as backup.”
Because he knew he wasn’t strong enough to counter such a powerful witch alone, I thought. And because I could summon the wild magic, and that might just be our last line of defense if we did encounter the other witch.
Aiden grunted. Whether it was acceptance or annoyance, I really couldn’t say. “It’ll probably take us a few days to process the apartment, which means you won’t be able to stay here—do you want me to book you a room somewhere else?”
Ashworth shook his head. “I’ll contact Eli and get him to book us another place. He’ll have to come up here anyway, thanks to my arm situation.”
Aiden nodded and returned his gaze to me. “Do you need to stop at the café to grab anything?”
I shook my head. “Belle came here fully prepared.”
“Good—then let’s go before these people escape us again.”
I scrambled to my feet, exchanged the backpack for the car keys, and followed the two men out the door.
Be careful, Belle said. The spirits aren’t liking the way things are developing.
Oh fab, something else to worry about. I helped Ashworth with his seat belt—much to his chagrin—then jumped into the front passenger seat of Aiden’s truck while he continued on toward the rest of his rangers. I don’t suppose they care to elucidate on what’s causing them concern?
No, but whatever they’re sensing is coming from the Argyle area. Wouldn’t be hard to guess it’s got something to do with our heretic witch.
No, it wouldn’t. Make sure you lock the doors when you go home, Belle, just in case.
Always do. She paused. Well, aside from that one occasion, anyway.
I half smiled but didn’t reply as Aiden jumped into the driver seat, reversed out, and then headed for Argyle.
