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“Add it to my bill,” Alexei grated out, finally turning away from the corpse.
Thibault’s dark, predatory eyes watched Alexei. “Did you discover what you needed from Cooper before you killed him? Whatever it is you’re looking for…” he pondered, waiting for Alexei to fill him in.
Alexei merely shook his head. “Unfortunately, this proved to be an utter waste of time. Now, my companion and I must be going. We’ll leave out your side entrance to avoid any talk, but I would appreciate you sending any information you have on Luca Castillo to Henry. I’ll reach out to the vampire myself.”
“You are reckless, Alexei.” Thibault shook his head. “You’re opening Pandora’s box, and I doubt you’re prepared to deal with the consequences.”
“Let me worry about that. Come, Jade. It's time for us to leave.”
As we returned to the land of the living, I had more questions than ever. Questions about Alexei, about the vampires and their long-stemmed hatred of my kind, and about myself. I wondered if I was prepared for the answers.
My hand brushed the chain of the amulet, knowing it wouldn’t be safe to remove until I left Alexei’s presence. A brief tendril of pride brightened my mood as I realized I had walked myself off the ledge, avoiding another mishap with the amulet’s power. A small step closer to utilizing the magick within and finally learning how to break the corrupted curses for good.
Whatever Genevieve knew about talismans, I could only hope it would be enough for me to uncover the truth before I lost myself to the dark world of vampires that lured me closer.
16
Though I longed to wallow in bed the next morning, I forced myself to bathe and dress with detached efficiency. Liliane and Tabitha had already left for town, but a stack of spellwork awaited me in the kitchen, under Liliane’s strict orders.
Practicing my spirit magick would have to wait.
I sent a text to Genevieve, asking her to meet with me, and she responded immediately with her apartment address. For a moment, I pondered if I should bring the amulet, but after the close call the previous night, I kept it hidden deep in my suitcase.
Genevieve’s small brownstone apartment overlooked an overgrown patch of woods at the edge of town, as far away from the wharf as she could reach without leaving the city. I walked up the wood exterior stairs silently, the distant screams of a crow shattering the otherwise pleasant afternoon.
Genevieve opened her door before I could knock. “Jade, you made it! Come on in.”
“Thanks.” I followed her inside, taking in her eclectic collection of artworks and other magical paraphernalia that covered every available surface. It had a cozy charm I immediately felt drawn to, though dark magick emanated strongly throughout. “How long have you lived here?”
“Not long,” she replied with a shrug, showing me around the cluttered apartment. “I was staying with Willa, but it was time for my own space. I’m sure you can understand, living with three sisters.”
Wistful for the years long since past, I muttered, “It wasn’t so bad. Now that it’s just Em and I, I miss having the house full of magick and laughter.”
The small kitchenette loaded with tea bags and glass jars filled with spell ingredients and tonics led into an only slightly larger living area that doubled as Genevieve’s altar space and library. The TV stand held only stacked books and half-melted candles that gave the air a musty, wax scent.
Genevieve walked to the only window in the room and opened it to allow in some sunlight and fresh air. She gave an unselfconscious shrug. “I don’t sleep much. I’ve tried some sleeping tonics, but they make me groggy. So, I study and practice my craft instead.”
“No judgement here. I was merely admiring your collection of grimoires.”
She gingerly lifted two emptied mugs smelling strongly of bergamot tea from her wooden workspace and placed the perfume bottle among the rest of the small artifacts there. “The talismans I’ve discovered amongst the shipments we get in are my most prized possessions. They’re the only remaining link I have to my family back home in Romania.”
My heart stuttered at the detached note in her voice that hid a deep well of pain.
“I don’t mean to pry—” I started, but she cut me off with a laugh.
“You don’t have to beat around the bush, Jade. Everyone else in the Coven already knows,” she said, her hands clutching the mugs tightly. “My mother is alive and well. She still studies dark magick, but she has to move around incognito after the vampire king caught wind of her research.”
“Dark magick like the talismans?” I hedged.
She huffed a laugh, and it lit up her entire face. “That’s not the only kind of dark magick. You know that, right?”
My mouth opened and closed with a litany of other questions, but she was already ahead of me.
“I forget your Coven has a weird history with dark magick. It’s understandable. In fact, several large Covens had their fair share of run-ins with it, but everyone handles a brush with magick unfettered from Hecate’s control differently.”
I took a breath, lifting my hand to stall her next words. “I’m afraid I’m a bit lost.”
Genevieve pursed her lips thoughtfully. “How about we get comfortable then? It’s a long story, but I’ll offer what I know.”
