Linda Robertson - Arcane Circle

He thundered again and spread his wings as if to prove his might.

Reaching up, I stroked him gently from the neck to shoulder. He was so soft. He hadn’t resisted, so I did it again, ending in a reassuring pat. Then I jogged back to the driveway.

As soon as my car door shut, Johnny backed up the driveway. I momentarily got over the smooth leather seats and asked Maxine, “Who answered at the number Agent Brent gave you?”

“Department of Homeland Security.”

The idea of this government task force ruled my thoughts as Johnny drove us to town. One of their agents using the derogatory word “nonsters” signaled a lack of good intentions. They’d even coined a new word for offenses: xenocrime.

“As in crimes committed by those members of society deemed … strange,” Agent Brent had said. They were drawing the lines. Since SSTIX fell under DHS jurisdiction— under Homeland Security; Goddess, it sounds so possessive — this could turn into a firestorm.

Fire.

I didn’t pack a lighter for the candles. The thought hit me as we arrived at the edge of town. “Will anyone have a lighter at this meeting?”

“I don’t know,” Johnny answered.

“Make a stop at the drugstore up here, will you? I didn’t pack one.” Doing rituals away from home was new for me.

Maxine led me into the drugstore, and we walked briskly to the far side of the building where the candle section was located. After I selected a butane candle lighter, we headed to the register. On the way, I caught sight of the endcap display of Hallowe’en items, marked seventy-five percent off. I stared at a frog costume and a pair of fake cow’s horns.

Johnny suggested I wear a disguise to Beverley’s party …

While these wouldn’t work, maybe there was something here that would. I crept down the aisle where the Hallowe’en items and candy had been gathered.

A man stepped into the aisle next to me, and the urge to hide overwhelmed me. The guy’s aura exuded hostility. I kept my focus on the items before me while mentally reinforcing my own aural shielding. Then, from the corner of my eye, I checked him out. He was staring down the aisle—right at me.

Maxine pushed past him. “There you are.”

Her arrival caused the man’s attention to shift onto the sale items and that gave me an opportunity to make a quick assessment of him. I decided that this guy had no real business here. Though he scrutinized the cheesy plastic vampire teeth and ladies’ fake fingernails with spiders on the tips, his fancy suit, gold watch, and alligator shoes made me certain he wasn’t buying either item.

“What are you looking for?” Maxine asked.

“Just checking out the sale,” I murmured. Rotating on my heels, I checked the items on the opposite side of the aisle. The brief spin allowed me a second hasty appraisal of him. As tall as Johnny, with a military high-and-tight haircut, this man’s shoulders made Agent Brent’s broad frame seem comparatively narrow. The slight bump under his jacket—similar to the one Zhan had from her shoulder holster—told me the most.

Another special agent. Following me. And not very sly about it.

Maxine caught my evaluation of the man and made one of her own. She must’ve noted the gun under his jacket as well; she moved herself directly between us.

Hoping he would leave, I studied the discounted Hallowe’en items. Just as I picked up a blond wig, Maxine said in a clipped voice, “We’re going to be late.” She pointed down the aisle, away from the man. Maxine kept herself expertly between us as I carried the wig and lighter to the register. Remembering my thought about calling myself Mae West and Maxine lighting my hair on fire, I smiled to myself.

While Maxine and I were in line, Mr. Alligator Shoes left the store.

After paying, I exited and hurried to the Audi. Maxine practically pushed me into the backseat, but remained outside scanning the other parked cars.

Johnny twisted in his seat. “This thing has a built-in massage-and-ventilation mechanism!” His glee faded. “What’s wrong?”

“Did you see the guy in the fancy suit leave?” I asked.

Johnny said, “No. Why?”

“I think a special agent may be following us.”

Johnny’s bright mood darkened. “Are you certain?”

“Yeah. He was fairly obvious.”

“What makes you think he was a G-man?”

“Gun bulge under his coat.”

Maxine opened the door and got into the passenger seat. “Nothing,” she said, “but let’s get out of here.”

Johnny had us on the road in seconds. I kept watch out the back. He took an alternate route, cutting down side streets before returning to the main roads. “See anything?”

“No, but he may be more adept at road surveillance.”

“Or,” Maxine added, “he may have done everything he wanted to do.”

“What do you mean?” I asked. “He didn’t touch me or anything.”

“Yeah, but he smelled wolfy to me, and he got close enough to scent you.”

I met Johnny’s eyes in the rearview mirror. The last thing either of us wanted was to think that SSTIX had nonsters on the payroll.

Fifteen minutes later, we headed east on Abbey Avenue and turned onto West Fourteenth. When Johnny turned again, I had to admit, I was surprised by where this forced-change spell was going to take place. “The Cleveland Cold Storage building?”

“Yup.”

Long abandoned, or so I thought, and subject to disputes—the Ohio Department of Transportation wanted it demolished to make way for their new I-90 projects—it was legally still in limbo.

The twelve-story building had windows on the second and third levels only. In its heyday the upper floors were basically a series of big refrigerators and freezers. Now, the windowless upper levels served as a canvas for huge billboards seen from I-90’s current route. Theo had said they wanted to do this at the den, but it hadn’t hit me until now that this was the den. No wonder the disputes had been going on for years. The wæres were trying to work out a deal.

I checked the sky. The moon was still visible, and I was sure I would be able to see it from the west-side windows. “You’ll herd the wolves to the kennels after they change?” I asked as Johnny drove up a newer ramp and into the open lower level. We passed through the loading dock access and into what looked like another parking garage.

“I will.”

He parked. We all got out. As I retrieved my things from the trunk he told Maxine, “This is as far as you go. We have our own security.” His decision didn’t surprise me; she worked for Menessos, after all.

“Where she goes,” Maxine pointed at me, “I go. By order of the Regional Vampire Lord.”

“His orders mean nothing here.”

“You don’t want to cross him,” she said.

“And you don’t want to be a lone Offerling in my den.”

Her eyebrows lowered and her lips tensed: conflict turning to anger.

“Maxine, as your Erus Veneficus, I’ll take responsibility if Menessos is displeased.”

“I’m just supposed to wait here in the car?”

“Actually,” Johnny said, “I suggest you drive over there.” He gestured. “Just on the other side of I-90 is a place called University Inn. The best eastern European food anywhere. I recommend the Salisbury steak and pierogies. Eat slow. Have some dessert and strike up a conversation with someone. I guarantee you’ll learn something interesting.” He opened the Audi’s door. “Whenever you’re ready.”

Seconds later, she drove down the ramp.

Johnny said, “This way.” We entered the building.

There were twenty or so cars in this lower level. A stairwell sat next to a wide, open elevator. The lift was big enough for a car and had rickety wooden gates. The elevator in the vampire haven had struck me as unsafe and I’d been concerned about riding on it, but it wasn’t nearly as ramshackle as this one.