The Blood Alchemist (The Final Formula Series, Book 2) (18 page)

“Hardly,” Rowan reassured her. “You’re just out of practice.”

“If you say so.”

“Are you okay?” Cora stopped on Lydia’s other side, her brow wrinkled with concern.

“Just drained.”

“We’ll take you home.” Rowan said.

“You’re needed here. Besides, I drove. My car—”

“I’ll drive it home for you,” Cora said. “Rowan can pick me up when he finishes here.”

Lydia finally relented and let Cora lead her from the garage.

The PIA’s photographer was taking pictures of the bloody message on the closet door.
Nice job, Amelia
. Was the killer congratulating me for finding the clue or did he admire the killing power of my bullets?

Someone from the coroner’s office was loading the body in a heavy black bag. I’d seen enough.

I left the garage and wandered over to the front yard. A porch swing creaked in the slight breeze. Had mother and child sat there on a warm summer evening? It felt wrong to sit there now, so I took a seat on the porch steps. I propped my elbows on my knees and covered my face with my hands. My mind spun in useless circles. With so much wrong, I didn’t know where to start. Maybe I should call a cab and head back to the lab. If there were any answers, that’s where I’d find them.

The scuff of a shoe preceded a creak from the stairs as someone sat down beside me. I caught a faint whiff of Rowan’s cologne.

“What are you doing out here?” he asked.

“Thinking.” I dropped my hands and glanced over. He was smiling. “What?”

“I got a text from James.”

I gripped his forearm where it rested on his knee. “And?”

“He found Era. She’s at Lydia’s.”

“Oh, thank God!” I threw my arms around his shoulders and hugged him. It wasn’t until I pressed my cheek to his chest that I realized what I’d done.

I was already pulling away when I caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of my eye. Xander stood on the sidewalk in front us. He grinned, and I was grateful that the shadows hid my blush.

“What do you need?” Rowan didn’t bother to get up.

“Douglas and I are leaving. There is nothing else to be done here.”

Rowan rose to his feet and offered a hand. “Thank you for the assistance.”

“You have only to make a call.” Xander shook his hand.

“Now that we have a name, I hope we can end this soon.”

“Don’t you have a convention next month? A city full of Elements would be quite a temptation.”

“It’ll be resolved by then.”

“Let us hope.”

I glanced between the two men, wanting to ask for details, but decided to wait until Xander wasn’t around.

Doug stopped at the edge of the yard. “Father, are you coming?”

“Be right there.” Xander waved him on before turning back to Rowan.

“I saw the news this morning,” Xander continued. “Articles in the paper. Messages written in blood.” He waved a hand toward the garage. “Your association with alchemy is creating a bad impression.”

I rose to my own feet.

“What’s your point?” Rowan asked, his tone cool.

“Just an observation. I assume you made an example of that reporter?”

“Her superiors have been contacted.”

Xander pursed his lips, considering the answer. “Docking her pay is not an acceptable punishment.”

“She’s my problem, Xander.”

“You represent us all. Don’t make me look bad. Your Grace.” Xander nodded, then turned and walked away. A black Mercedes rolled up to the curb, Doug behind the wheel.

“Did I booger up your relations with the necros again?” I watched Xander get in the passenger seat.

Rowan kept his eyes on the car. “I don’t believe this booger is yours.”

“Elegant, Your Grace.”

He glanced over.

“So, what’s up with him?” I asked. “Is he afraid you’re spoiling your reputation being seen with me?”

“Perhaps.” Rowan turned toward the street. “Come. Let’s find Donovan and get out of here.” He was no doubt eager to get to Era.

I fell in step beside him. “What would Xander consider an acceptable punishment? Did he expect you to execute her?”

“Probably.”

I stumbled trying to turn quickly enough to see his expression. “Are you serious?”

“There are those, within Old Magic and New alike, who would prefer to rule rather than submit to the
human
laws we have now.”

“Good thing necromancy doesn’t lend itself to world domination.” Though a Fire Element certainly had enough magical power. “What about you? Ever consider ruling the world?”

“Cincinnati is enough.”

I smiled. I’d seen Rowan
rule
. His authority was anything but absolute. “But you could.”

“Elemental magic is about balance. I could not do it without my brother and sisters.”

“You mean magically? The four of you…need each other?” Era had said something about that, too.

We reached the edge of the driveway and Rowan stopped. “Now where did he go?”

Apparently, that was all the information he was going to offer about his Elemental family.

Rowan pulled out his phone and composed a text. A short pause, and he got a response. “He had to move the Suburban to the next street. He went to get it.”

“Ah.”

We stood in silence, watching the PIA agents pack up their gear.

“And what about you?” Rowan asked, breaking the quiet.

“What, rule the world? I’m not even magical.”

“Since when have you ever let that stand in your way?”

I decided to take that as a compliment.

“Well?”

“It sounds like an awful lot of bother. All I want is a lab that I don’t have to rebuild from scratch every couple of months.”

“A lab. That’s all you want?”

“I can do a lot with a well-stocked lab.”

A soft snort came from his direction, but Donovan pulled up to the curb before he could comment.

Chapter
13

T
he ride to Lydia’s house was a quiet one. I expected them to discuss all that we’d learned, but no one seemed in the mood to talk. Instead, we let the faint country music playing over Donovan’s radio take up the silence.

We were almost to Lydia’s when Rowan’s phone rang. Oh God, if there had been another murder—

“Yes, she’s here,” he said after answering.

To my surprise, he passed me the phone. “Hello?”

“Miss Daulton? This is Dr. Albright.”

My heart rate sped up. Why was he calling so late? “Hello, doctor. What—”

“The latest batch of salve proved ineffective.”

I sat up straight. “What? No. That’s not possible.”

“I’m sorry, Miss Daulton, but I can no longer depend on the effectiveness of your product. I’m going to have to terminate our contract.”

“No. Someone’s done something. Contaminated it.” I’d made that last batch personally. I’d also made the first batch that failed, and the compass. My heart thumped in my ears, and I had to focus to catch Dr. Albright’s next words.

“Unlikely. We’ve applied it the same as in the beginning.”

I could feel Rowan watching me. “Let me try again.”

“No, this is for the best. The attention our institution has garnered hasn’t been good. Then there is your altercation with that reporter, not to mention that incident at the hospital.” He referred to the Huntsman brothers’ attempt to abduct me.

“Neither of those incidents were my fault,” I told Dr. Albright.

“You were seen in both cases attacking someone with an alchemical potion. That’s not good for the image we’re trying to portray using your products. It’ll be fortunate if those you gassed don’t sue.”

Donovan pulled the Suburban to a stop in front of Lydia’s little farmhouse and shut off the engine.

“I know them. They won’t sue.” They weren’t smart enough.

“So, this was a personal matter that played out on our doorstep? I’m sorry, Miss Daulton, but we no longer have need of your services.”

The line went dead.

I slowly took the phone from my ear. “The salve didn’t work. Again. I’ve been fired.”

Rowan turned in his seat. “I’ll talk to him.”

“You already put your name on the line for me once. It would be stupid to do it again.”

“It would be stupid to let those people suffer when you can do something about it.”

“Don’t, okay? I screw up everything I touch.” I handed him his phone and climbed out of the truck. It wasn’t until I stepped out onto Lydia’s gravel drive that I realized I had nowhere to go.

Rowan circled the front of the SUV to join me. “Addie, stop.”

I did as he asked, though more because I was stuck here, than a reaction to his command.

“Your salve has the potential to save a lot of miserable people,” he said. “You’ve already helped some.”

“I raise hopes only to dash them.” Time to end this argument. I went right for the jugular. “My salve isn’t going to bring them back.”

“Who?” His tone was low, intense.

I met his eyes. He knew I referred to his family.

The front door opened and Cora walked out. I couldn’t deal with her right now. I turned away, but didn’t know where to go.

Rowan stepped in front of me. “So that’s it? You’re just going to give up?”

“Let me help fix this bullet problem, then I’ll get out of your hair.”

“I thought the salve was more than just a paycheck to you.”

I didn’t get to respond. The front door opened again and Era and James walked out, followed by Lydia.

“Look who’s back,” James announced.

Era descended the front steps and walked out to join us. She stopped in front of Rowan. “See? I don’t need a babysitter. I can survive just fine on my own.”

I saw red. Literally. Before anyone could speak, I stepped between them. “How dare you!” I fisted my hands, shaking with fury.

Era took a step back. “What?”

“Did your car break down? Was your phone dead? Was there any reason beyond your childish pouting that you failed to let anyone know where you were?”

“That wasn’t my—”

“Intent? You just wanted to prove what a big girl you are? Well, guess what? You proved just the opposite. Did you know there was another murder today? Did you know the gunman actually took a shot at us and hit James?”

She paled.

“That could have been you.” I wanted to grab her and shake her. Instead, I took a breath, trying to rein in my anger. “Era, they treat you like this because they care. My God, they’ve been through hell. So what if they’re a little overprotective. Stop being so damn selfish and see it from their point of view.”

A tear rolled down her cheek, but she didn’t look away.

“Come on, they gave you James as a bodyguard. Like that’s any kind of hardship.” I knew firsthand how much fun he was to hang out with. “God, Era, don’t you understand what you have here?”

She covered her face with her hands and broke down.

Cora stepped forward and took her in her arms. She gave me a frown, but didn’t say anything. It occurred to me that no one had spoken—or tried to stop me.

I turned, and Donovan and Rowan were standing directly behind me. “Excuse me,” I muttered.

They both stepped out of my way without a word.

I didn’t want to return to the Suburban, so I headed for the little side porch that opened off of Lydia’s kitchen. My breath came in ragged gulps and my eyes burned, but I refused to cry in front of them.

No one followed me, yet I still wanted to break into a run when I reached the corner of the house. I forced myself to walk, though it was a fast walk. I reached the side porch and considered collapsing in one of the Adirondack chairs beside the kitchen door.

“Addie?”

I closed my eyes. James. Of course it was James. I never heard him creeping up behind me.

“I shouldn’t have done that,” I whispered. “It wasn’t my place.”

“I think it needed to be said.” He moved closer.

“Maybe, but not by me, and not like that.”

“What’s done is done, and can’t be undone.”

I looked up, meeting his eyes. I couldn’t think of anything to say.

He stepped past me and pulled open the kitchen door. “Come inside. Era made cookies.”

I frowned. “How long has she been here?”

“I suspect all afternoon.” He walked inside.

I studied the door a moment, then released a sigh. My curiosity got the better of me, and I followed him into Lydia’s kitchen. It smelled like cookies—just like the last time I was here.

“Lydia didn’t know she was here?”

“Lydia was at work.” James stopped at the island across from the sink and picked up a spatula. “Shortly after I left you, I remembered that Era had a key.”

“Did you see Xander drive up?”

“Cora had sent Rowan a text, letting him know who was giving her a ride from the memorial.” He used the spatula to transfer a few cookies from the cookie sheet on the stovetop to a half-filled plate.

I stopped on the other side of the island. “I’m glad they watch out for you.”

James grunted. “Have a cookie.”

“I’m not hungry.” I sat down on one of the stools beside the island, then came right back to my feet as Lydia walked in.

She joined us at the island, her eyes sweeping over the cookies and the clutter. “Era loves baking in my kitchen.” She sighed and dropped onto the other stool. “I don’t know why I didn’t consider it.”

James began to gather the dirty dishes and carry them to the sink.

Lydia’s gaze shifted to me.

“I owe you an apology,” I said before she could speak.

“No, you said what I was afraid to.”

Her confession silenced me.

“Era can be a bit headstrong—and spoiled. No surprise since she was raised by three people who have lost so much.”

I frowned. Era had told me about Rowan’s losses, and I knew Donovan had some darkness in his past, but I’d never heard anything about Cora.

“I guess I should say four people,” Lydia continued. “I had just as much of a hand in raising her as the others.”

“Raising her?” I knew Era had come to live with the others at a young age, but I hadn’t gotten the full story.

“Rowan found her at an orphanage in Nebraska. He recognized her for what she was.”

“An Element?”

A vehicle fired up outside. Donovan’s Suburban?

“I told them to go back to the manor,” Lydia said. “Get themselves sorted out. You can use my car when you’re ready to head back.” In other words, after everyone had a chance to cool down.

“Thank you, but if James is staying, we don’t need a car.”

She gave me one of those grimace-smiles, then got to her feet with a grunt. “I see we have cookies. How about a glass of milk?”

“You don’t have to wait on me. Besides, you’re exhausted.”

James began filling the sink with water.

“Leave those, James,” Lydia said. “I’ll get them later.”

“It’s no problem.”

Lydia shook her head. “He’s such a good boy.”

“Yes, he is.”

The corner of James’s mouth curled upward, but he didn’t comment.

I picked up a towel and walked over to help dry the dishes as he set them in the drainer.

“Good idea about mimicking the killer,” Lydia said.

“I’m sorry it drained you. I didn’t realize—”

“It was worth it, especially since you recognized him.”

“What’s this?” James stopped scrubbing the cookie sheet and turned to face us.

“Addie found where the killer had been hiding.” Lydia smiled at me. “Then she suggested I use a lost hair to mimic him.”

“And you knew him?” James asked me.

“It was one of Lawson’s liches, Frank Liles. The one with the crooked teeth we first met the night the Alchemica burned.”