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I sent Monty a text and continued to watch the stranger. Though he didn’t turn his head or look at us when he neared our car, his expression twisted and his mouth moved, as if he was desperately trying to say something. But the creature that held his leash kept him moving forward.
My gaze slipped down to his hands, and after a second, I spotted a telltale shimmer. The spell had been concealed—that’s why I hadn’t seen it earlier. I narrowed my gaze and tried to push past the blockage, to no avail. But that wasn’t really a surprise; the magic of someone capable of bringing down half a mountain was never going to be easy to unpick—especially by someone as untutored as me.
The colorful stranger disappeared behind the fence line. Aiden’s phone beeped, and he glanced down. “Our suspect has stopped a few meters away from the cars and is studying the area.”
“The Manananggal is suspicious.”
“Which isn’t surprising now that she knows she’s facing at least one witch. I’m actually surprised she’s remained in the reservation.”
“As you’ve already noted, when has a supernatural nasty ever done the sensible thing here?”
“I keep hoping that one of them eventually will.” His phone beeped again. “Okay, suspect is now making his way toward the bridal car. Monty’s unable to see what sort of spell is involved from where he’s standing.”
At least it wasn’t just me. I studied the fence, wishing for X-ray vision or at least a lower fence.
Aiden’s phone beeped again. “The spell has been placed. The suspect is heading our way again.”
He’d barely finished saying that when our oddly dressed gentleman appeared in the driveway, did an abrupt turn, and walked back up the hill. I twisted around in the seat to watch him, instincts twitching. “I might follow him.”
“I don’t think it’d be wise to go alone—not after what happened at the ridge.”
“Monty has to check out the spell, and you have to touch the thing so it transfers to your hand rather than the groom’s. I’m all that’s left.”
“And you’re sure he needs to be followed?”
“My instincts are.”
He blew out a frustrated breath, then twisted around and grabbed a green windbreaker and a beanie from the back seat. “Take these. I’ll track you down once we’ve dealt with the spell.”
I grabbed the coat, beanie, and my backpack, then scrambled out of the truck. Our oddly dressed gentleman had already disappeared into what looked to be a pedestrian laneway between two houses. I chased after him, damn grateful for flat shoes rather than heels.
I swung into the lane, saw him at the far end, and immediately slowed. I had no idea how the Manananggal was controlling him or whether she had access to his senses, but the last thing I wanted was for him to look around and spot me. He’d seen me sitting in the truck outside the church, and while he might not think much about that, the Manananggal’s suspicions would rise if she noticed I was now tailing him.
He turned right and disappeared again. I broke into a run to close the distance, keeping to the grass that lined the edge of the old stone path so that my footsteps didn’t echo. I paused at the end and peered out from behind the safety of a scrubby-looking bush. My quarry was striding down the middle of the road, seeming oblivious of the footpath that ran along the left of the street.
I sent Aiden a quick text and then pulled on his coat, tucked my hair up into the beanie, and stepped out into the str
eet. The wind swirled around me, filled with the scent of rain and promising yet another cold evening. But it also held a thick thread of fear and uncertainty.
The stranger didn’t want to go wherever the Manananggal was forcing him to go.
The footpath gave way to rough stone and a steep hill. The shadows closed in, as did the silence. The houses on either side of the road were dark, seemingly empty of life.
I pulled out my phone again. Aiden might be able to follow my scent, but given the wind, I wasn’t about to take a chance. I really didn’t like the feel of this situation.
We continued on for another ten minutes, and I suddenly realized we were heading for Kalimna Park—the forest where I’d found the teenage victim of a vampire. The man ahead might be under the spell of a lesser-known type of vampire, but I seriously hoped the outcome of this hunt would be very different to that other.
The road ended in a T-intersection. The stranger hesitated, staring at the forest on the other side of the road for several minutes, and then turned right, heading up the hill on a no through road.
I paused at the corner, waiting until he’d reached the top before crossing over to the park side of the road, then continuing on. Dusk was closing in, but at least the odd silence had given way to the sounds of a normal evening—people talking, TVs blaring, kids screaming, and, in the forest itself, small rodents skittering away from my approach.
I reached the top of the hill. My quarry was nowhere in sight.
I swore and quickly looked around; how could anyone so brightly dressed disappear so quickly? Had he gone into the house? Or into the forest?
I eyed the latter uneasily. The last thing I wanted to do was traipse through the scrub in growing darkness. Not only was it possible that the Manananggal was now mobile, but it might very well be a damn trap.
I glanced back to the house. It was a rectangular-shaped, flat-roofed brick building that had been painted white. A large carport was attached to one side, with a small Honda parked underneath. There were no lights on in the house and no indication—
