Christine Warren: Huntress

As I reached the top buttons I touched my bare neck, wondering if Warren still had my cross necklace or if he’d dropped it in the park. It seemed a trifling thing to worry about, considering everything else that had happened. Still, it was one more thing that I’d had yesterday that I didn’t have today.

As I was tying my hair back at my nape with a thick black satin ribbon, I heard Devlin and Justine leave their room, murmuring to each other as they walked down the hall. I closed my eyes and imagined Michael standing behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist, his lips kissing my neck. It was what he always did before we went out. This evening I wrapped my arms around myself instead.

“I will get you back,” I said to the empty room. “I swear I will.”

Warren had just arrived, and in fact was still standing in the foyer arguing with Ginny, when I came downstairs. He looked up at me and his mouth fell open. While I was walking down the stairs the coat did little to hide my boots, breeches, or the sword I was wearing, but I was certain that my clothing wasn’t entirely responsible for the expression on his face. Ginny, however, conspicuously cleared her throat and Warren swiftly regained his composure.

“I can’t believe it,” he said. “Last night I saw you with a sword sticking out of your chest and now you look completely healed.”

I shrugged. “Already being dead sometimes has its advantages.”

“I suppose so,” he murmured.

“Have you had any luck talking this hardheaded girl into leaving the house for the night?” I asked.

Ginny glared at me, but I ignored her.

“I’m afraid not,” he said, holding up a large canvas sack. “But I brought crosses. I’ll stay with her until you return.”

Ginny rolled her eyes and I tried not to laugh, for he was so earnest.

“If I don’t check the pot boiling on the stove,” Ginny said, “I’m liable to burn the whole house down, and then we won’t have to worry about it. Warren, make yourself at home in the parlor. I’ll return shortly when supper is ready.” She turned to me. “And you be careful with yourself.”

“Yes, ma’am,” I said in my best imitation of her southern drawl.

As Ginny headed toward the kitchen I leaned over and whispered to Warren. “Of course, you realize that this means you’re going to have to marry that girl, don’t you?”

He smiled. “Oh yes,” he said happily. “But she hasn’t realized that yet.”

Hearing my voice, Devlin and Justine emerged from the parlor and the three of us headed for the door.

“Mrs. Craven!” Warren called out. “I almost forgot.”

I turned to see him reach into his coat pocket and pull out my necklace.

“I sent it to a friend of mine who’s a jeweler this morning and had the clasp fixed for you. It’s good as new now.”

Seeing him pull the chain and pendant from his pocket triggered a memory from the previous night. The demon had taken something off the dead body, hadn’t he? I had been in so much shock, I’d entirely forgotten about it until this moment.

“Warren,” I said, “did you see Michael take a gold amulet on a chain from the dead body last night? Or was that a hallucination?”

Warren thought for a moment. “No, I remember. I couldn’t see it clearly, but he did remove something from the body that shined in the moonlight. It could have been an amulet.”

That was why my magic hadn’t worked. I closed my eyes as I felt the anger rise inside me. The Ripper had a charm to protect him against magic. The last time I’d seen such a thing, I’d taken it off Sebastian’s neck.

“Damn that man to everlasting hell!” I shrieked.

“You don’t believe in hell,” Justine said dryly.

I glared at her. “That’s hardly the point.”

Living in such close quarters for so many years, it was easy to pick up each other’s phrases. It also meant that we knew each other well enough that when I turned and strode purposefully to the front door, they followed me without question. I jerked the door open just as Warden Grady raised his hand to knock. His eyes widened in surprise. Then he caught sight of the look on my face and took a hasty step back.

“Just the man I wanted to see,” I said, reaching out and grabbing him by the collar of his coat.

“What’s going on?” he asked as I dragged him back to his carriage.

“You’re going to take me to see the Regent,” I replied as I opened the carriage door.

Grady stopped and shrugged one shoulder, dislodging my grip on his coat.

“Wait just a minute now,” he said indignantly. “I’m not taking you anywhere until I know what’s happening. You said very specifically in Paris that you had absolutely no wish to see the Regent.”

I felt Devlin’s looming presence at my back. “The lady’s changed her mind, mate,” he said in that low, gravelly voice that could, on occasions such as this, be utterly terrifying. “Get in the carriage.”

For a moment, I thought Grady might challenge him, but wisely he gave in and nodded to the driver.

“Take us to the Regent’s estate,” he said, and we all climbed in.

The carriage lurched forward and we rode in silence until Justine leaned over and said softly, “I trust your judgment, Cin, but you are going to tell us at some point, are you not?”

I glanced sideways at her and then looked across the carriage at Devlin and Grady, who were regarding me expectantly.

“I have the answer to problem number three,” I said. “My magic didn’t work against the Ripper because he was wearing a talisman to protect him. A gold disc with what I’m sure we will find to be a ruby stone set in its center.”

Looks of comprehension dawned on Devlin and Justine, but Grady was at a loss.

“I still don’t understand,” he said, glancing at each of us in turn. “You saw the Ripper? Do you have this talisman? And where is Michael?”

“Do not,” Justine said, putting her hand up, “go any further with that line of questioning.”

For a few moments Grady looked even more confused, but when the expressions of disbelief and sympathy crossed his face, I knew he’d finally figured out what had happened. I was thankful for that because I truly didn’t want to have to say those words again.

“We have to figure out a way to get that amulet out of his possession,” I said.

“If we do that,” Grady asked, “then what?”

“Then I end this,” I replied.

Relief washed over him. “If that’s our objective, then why are we going to see the Regent?” he asked.

“Because Sebastian is responsible for this,” I said. “I’ve known it in my heart from the beginning.”

“You believe this because of the amulet?”

“First of all, that demon is in possession of a talisman that once belonged to Sebastian. Secondly, the Ripper said, and I quote, ‘Witch. He said you would come.’ ”

“Everyone knew you were coming,” Grady argued. “Any vampire he crossed paths with could have told him that.”

“Cin,” Devlin interrupted, “the warden does have a point. Perhaps we should allow you to cool down a bit before we proceed with this.”

“I won’t kill Sebastian. Not yet,” I said flatly. “But I know what he’s done. And he knows what he’s done.” I turned back to them and let them see the determination on my face. “And whether any of you like it or not, he and I are going to have a reckoning.”

Devlin’s eyes locked with mine, and we stared at each other for a long time. Finally, he nodded. “All right.”

When the Ripper had started killing vampires, Sebastian and his court had moved from their London townhouse to a small estate just outside the city. The carriage ride was reasonably short, but infinitely longer than I would have liked. When we arrived, the drive to the manor house was lined with carriages, making it appear as though a society ball was in progress. I looked questioningly at Grady.