At the Behest of the Dead (34 page)

Chapter
Eighteen

I headed for the backyard and grabbed my fork on the way. Doc had been kind enough to send an apprentice to pick it up by South of Heaven the night before.

Peaches groaned when I picked her up for the ride.

“Thou aren’t serious?” she croaked.

“How else did you plan to get there?”

“I shall meet you there.” And then the damn beast veered into a shadow and was gone.

I stuck around long enough to close my mouth.

I snuck into my shed and dug out an old can of Rockin’ Witch. If Glenda saw me drinking the stuff she’d never stop giving me crap. It helped restore some energy, but like an energy drink it would wear off soon and probably leave me feeling shaky. Making the running start while buzzed was a hell of a lot more fun than gimping over my backyard.

Houses were murky thanks to a low fog. Luckily I was used to flying in less than ideal conditions and found the freeway a few minutes later. Then it was just a rush to reach the city.

Here I was, a child of the cusp, about to do battle with a demon in one of the wards and I was traipsing off to meet a woman that seemed to have me wrapped around her little finger.

But I had two very good reasons: One, I nee
ded something from her. And two, I was, indeed, wrapped around her finger.

I hit Pioneer S
quare and then it was almost straight down until I made a running stop a half a block from the Starbucks that Ashley worked at. I tucked my fork into the corner of a building and drew a quick glyph to hide its presence. With potions splashing and spell components clinking in little bottles, I moved toward the coffee shop.

“This is not the cusp,” Peaches
said, making a reappearance.

“Stop talking. You’ll freak people out.”

“Conversation should be pleasant without scurrility,

witty without affectation, free without indecency, l

earned
without conceitedness, novel without falsehood.”

“Seriously?”

“Why are we here?”

“I need to see someone. Now be quiet or I’ll leave you. Maybe you’ll meet a nice Rottweiler named Spike.”

“Rottweiler sounds a delightful
meal.”

I moved across a street that was coated in a light sheen of water. Oil reflected off the surface in rainbow patterns under the wan light. I avoided a broken beer bottle and then ste
pped onto the curb in front of Starbucks. There was a bar next to it and a party was in full swing, complete with pulsing lights and pounding music. I had the crazy urge to just go inside and drink the night away. To hell with this hero bullshit.

The store was being put back in order. A piece of plywood had been placed over two of the shattered windows
, but one was still intact. Over the entryway was a huge sign that read “Open during construction.”

My stomach sa
nk when I thought of the changer I’d chased in here and then killed. Balkir had been at work in a complex plot to kill me. Or get my blood. Or get my blood and body parts. I was still a little foggy on how deep his treachery ran.

But all of that faded to the back of my mind when I saw her.

Ashley sat, still dressed in her work clothing, with an apron draped on the table in front of her. She had a textbook open but she wasn’t paying attention to it. Instead she had her eye on the door before glancing down at her watch. It was then that I made a decision to just turn and leave. It wouldn’t be right to drag her into my plans. I could just go ahead and fly to the cusp, and if I didn’t survive then she would never have to worry about me.

Yeah. This hero bullshit had truly run its course.

“The woman you wish to lay with resides here. Is that the plan? To mate with her and then attack the demon that is below?”

“I’m not mating with her tonight
, and if I don’t play it cool I’ll never mate with her again.”

But it was too late. Ashley picked that moment to look outside and meet my eyes. Then she frowned and I almost left.

Before I could make a run for it, my feet decided to start moving toward the front door.

The store was back in one piece, more or less. Huge chunks of ceiling were still covered in plastic and some wires hung down in bundles. Most of the chairs had been replaced just as the tables had.

I had a moment of vertigo when I remembered the face of the man that had died by my hand. The changer that had gone rogue and tried to kill me in the Seattle underground. I wondered what Andrews was up to since I’d gone missing. Since we’d closed the door on the mystery of the dead tourists, I hadn’t heard a word from her. That included a distinct lack of medals or payment of any sort. Then again I hadn’t exactly checked my mail in the last few days.

A barista stood behind the counter
, but she didn’t pay us any attention. She had a magazine open in front of her and earphones jammed into her ears. Her head bobbed. At least Mr. Scruffy wasn’t here to scowl at me.

The coffee shop was working on getting the smell right. The scent of burned beans didn’t have much of a chance of overpowering the undercurrent of flames that had tried to devour the building a week ago
, but it was a start.

“Oh my god.” Ashley
came to her feet and took a step toward me.

“Yep. I made it, just as promised.”

“Phineas, what happened to you?”

She stood a foot away and her hand came up to brush the hair out of my face. She touched a cheek and poked my forehead. Each one hurt from the bruises
, but I didn’t mind so much.

Ashley was beautiful. I thought of our night together, of our bodies intertwined
, and wondered how in the hell I’d gotten so lucky. If I wanted anything like that to happen again I better watch my step.

“I went to hell, got my ass kicked. But that’s not why I’m here. I wanted to apologize, Ashley, for a few things. Please just let me.”

“Is hell a metaphor for hanging out with that detective?”

“It was just one job
, and that job was the only relationship we had. Look, Ashley, I’m sorry I didn’t get back to you but I was really kind of tied up. Actually I was tied to a sacrificial table.”

That earned
me a stony look.

“Why are you here, Phineas? You got what you wanted from me
. Now leave me alone.”

“Ashley, it was nothing like that
, and I’m sorry you got that impression. I loved our night together and want to spend more with you, or at least days. Just give me a chance.”

“A chance. L
et’s see. I’m free for lunch tomorrow.”

“Tomorrow might not be good for me. I may be gone for a few days.”

Another stony look.

I decided to take a more direct route and probably get smacked upside the head. I took Ashley,
who somehow still smelled like raspberries with a strong undercurrent of coffee, and folded her into an embrace.

“If you think you’re going to march in here and smile, offer me a hug
, and flowers … Wait, where are the flowers?”

“I forgot.
” I smiled. “The detective, she’s nothing. Really. We just worked together the one time and I think she is a nice enough person, but she carries a gun and she’s not really my type. You’re my type, Ash. You’re strong and beautiful and you study law. You’re more level headed than any woman I’ve met in years and I just want to be with you. Okay? I just want you.” I shot for the outfield.

“Phineas
Cavanaugh.” She said my name and stepped back.

Oh great. I’d come on too heavy.

“I don’t think this is going to work. You have too many issues and too many attachments. I’m just a normal girl that wants a normal boyfriend. I can’t deal with someone who disappears for days on end, doesn’t call, works with the cops, and plays with magic.”

“Just let me explain, Ashley.”

She sighed heavily and stood.

“That’s what I’m talking about right there.”

I was at a loss for words.

“I’m sorry. I swear that if I could stay I would
, but there is something I have to do. Something important. Something huge.”

“Just go do whatever you have to do, Phineas.”

I took the key out of my robe and pressed it into her hand.

“One last thing.
Hide this. Keep it safe. If I’m not back in a few weeks, take it on a ferry trip over the Puget Sound and drop it.”

“What is it?”

“Just please do this for me? I promise I’ll be in touch soon.”

I leaned over and kissed her forehead
, but I didn’t give her a chance to say no. I walked out the door and went to find my fork without a word to Peaches. She followed in my wake and wisely shut up for a change.

It wasn’t until I was on my way back to my place that I realized I had probably put Ashley in great danger. I considered going back for the key but we did not have time.

**

They were already in the room when I arrived.

My summoning stone was old and small compared to the one back in Salazar’s room. I’d dragged the heavy rock here about fifty years ago and buried it. I left the top chunk flush with the ground and then set about salting it.

I was no demonologist
, but it was convenient to call on things from the netherworlds when the job called for it. The ley line wasn’t the strongest, but it was better than most in the county so I stuck around. The glyphs had to be hand carved then there was the matter of precious stones to provide a catalyst. I didn’t expect to do any crazy feats with the stone so I stuck to the classics, rubies and sapphires.

It didn’t get a lot of use nowa
days, but I was fairly certain that I could send Peaches back to at least the first ward if the butthead pissed me off.

I envisioned the glyph that
Salazar had taught me and then let it do its things. Razor blades slashed through my mind and then there was a great pop, as if I were flying at ten thousand feet.

I appeared in what I hoped was a puff of smoke.

Three shocked faces greeted mine.

“
Hiya!” I said and hopped off the stone in Salazar’s room.

“Fuck me,
” Glenda said.

“So that was easier than I thought it would be. We’re going to use the same method to head to the ward. Sound good?”

“No!” three voices echoed.

“It’s safe. I’ve done
it a few times already and I’m still in one piece. Although the first time my robe was inside out when I arrived.” I lied.

Collin sniffed and looked at his own freshly pressed robe.

“What the hells? I’m game.” Doc grinned through his bushy mustache.

“He does possess
the skill of travel,” Peaches said with something approaching respect in her voice. “The wards are not as safe a journey, but I suspect I shall survive the trip. Thou three before us may be turned inside out.”

Gl
enda fumed and Collin shifted from foot to foot.

“Oh come on
ya bunch of pansies,” I said and went to study the stone.

Salazar’s room had been repaired. The busted window
was replaced and most of the broken furniture, crushed desk, and spilled spell components had been disposed of. I didn’t risk a glance toward the shelf where his knick knacks had lain. Not that I was singling out my companions. I didn’t trust anyone.

We had a shifter, a witch, an
arcanist, and a demonically possessed Pomeranian. As far as armies went, it was only slightly on the pathetic side. I gestured for them to join me and they did, but only Doc looked excited. Peaches soaked up a nervous pat from Glenda.

I was so tired I could barely stand
, but I fought against my aching joints and throbbing head. If I wavered it was all over, and Glenda would have me back in bed before I got my first argument in.

“As soon as we get across
, I’ll start trying to pick up a trace of Salazar.” I said.

“A trace?” Collin looked skeptical.

“It’s what I do. You keep the peace and I follow the dead.”

“Will it work? In the cusp, I mean?” Glenda asked.

“Sure it will.” I tried to put as much conviction as I could into my voice. “What do you think us necromancers are up too all night?”

“Playing with dead things,” Glenda
said.

“Oh shush, you.”

“I wish we had a better plan than marching in there, but I can’t think of anything. Is this the part where I say yippy-ki-yay?” Collin said.

“If it makes you feel any better. Maybe you can sniff out some of that blood magic you talked about a few
days ago?” I said with more than a hint of bitterness in my voice.