Vaewolf: Damn the Darkness: The Prophecy's Promise (Hearts of Darkness Book 3) (13 page)

“In wh-at fashion?”

Did the drop dead gorgeous woman know she made him nervous? Not in a good way.

“Surprised. Wary.” She checked her lipstick in the visor mirror. As if there was something she could improve. He’d never observed a hair out of place or anything less than perfection in her appearance—not that it had ever affected him.

“Ah well, you did show up out of nowhere. I
was
surprised. So, why are you here?”

“Where are you going?” she asked.

“I asked you first?”

She gave him her disgusted expression implying the conversation was below her. Okay, she was right. He admired her taste and could use her opinion, too.

“I’m going to the Witch’s Brew to meet Cassie. Tanya picked up a few stones I want to look over for Caitlin. I could use another woman’s opinion.”

Simone grinned, looking especially pleased to be included. “I’d love to accompany you.” She turned in her seat and asked, “Will you also be going to see Detective Delavega?”

“You were eave-dropping?” Dylan did a double take. “Ye-e-s. Why do you ask?”

“He interests me,
cherie
.”

“How? Why?”

“A-ha. He is mysterious for a human, no? I sense even you cannot penetrate his blocks.”

“Really? You can’t get through them, either?”

“No. Not with my powers as a succubus.” She granted him a small knowing smile. “Nor as a dark fae. But I will try, this time as a woman, to determine his life force. Perhaps a different approach will be more effective. You think?”

“Go for it. Personally, I don’t like prying, but I am curious. He’s all yours. If he falls for it, I want to know what you find out. Deal?”

“Today, how do you say...? I will merely ‘warm him up’.”

“Great. Don’t mess with him too much, I have questions, and I want him to cooperate with me, later.”

“Since Caitlin is unable to help him, he and I have been stealing files for the investigation. He said he likes the way I work.” The concept of the cop in cahoots with the succubus—stealing government files from the FBI—what next?

“Really? When did this start?”

“After we closed the demon portal. Before Caitlin was attacked she assigned me to retrieve her FBI files. You know how subtle I can be.”

“You don’t say.” The dark fae was a succubus. She fed off sexual energy in other peoples’ dreams. In order to remain in Dylan’s district, she’d learned how to control herself, but he never forgot she could be deadly. One of her useful talents was the ability to fade into the shadows. No one ever knew when she was present or not. Except when she materialized out of nowhere. Dylan sensed her, usually before he saw her. For defensive reasons, he was very in-tune to her thought patterns.

The area witches ran the local coven from the upstairs of a very old building, and had restored the businesses below after the last hurricane. One business was the Witch’s Brew, stocked full of potions, herbs, and remedies. The soap and sachets, oils and aphrodisiacs, candles and Tarot cards were situated on the corner next door, beside the jewelry store with precious stones and gems, chakras and talismans.

He looked for parking place out front, but he’d never been one who was comfortable sharing his personal business, so the back alley would allow him to enter the building without drawing attention.

He pulled around behind the building where the coven headquarters was housed, found a place quickly, and got out. “Are you coming?” he asked Simone.

“You go ahead. I’ll join you.”

The painted pentagram over the back door forced him to knock. In all the years he’d been in the area, he’d never been inside the witches’ store. He would need to be invited in.

~~~~

Less than an hour later, Dylan’s head was ready to explode with all the women and their opinions. If only he could block their mouths as easily as he blocked their thoughts. Years on the battlefield never prepared him for jewelry shopping in the presence of three women. Hell, he’d researched the type of stone he intended to give Caitlin. How many more opinions did he need?

Within five minutes, several black velvet trays filled with necklaces and rings appeared on the glass counter. Nothing fit what he had in mind, but it didn’t stop the women from pulling out what they liked, shoving the items in his face, and oohing and ah-ing over the most horrendous items he’d ever seen. Nothing looked remotely like the stone he’d considered giving Caitlin.

“I want something from the old world, something sturdy but delicate looking, antiqued metal, perhaps gold with a rainbow moonstone embedded within it. What we used to call a mind stone in the old times.”

“Aren’t you the particular one,” Tanya quipped, putting the ring she tried on back in place.

“I’m—”

Simone interrupted his rebuttal. “He is a man who knows the value of the woman he wants and is not afraid to show her.”

The smile Cassie kept turning on for Dylan, faded at Simone’s reminder. He still wasn’t sure how the witch felt, but it made him uncomfortable to think she might have an ulterior motive for repeatedly finding reasons to meet with him—like being attracted to him. Until Caitlin brought it to his attention, he’d always thought her interest in him was to further the coven’s position on the council. Caitlin emphatically told him he was very much mistaken.

Didn’t the witch understand his special bond with Caitlin prevented him from ever having an interest in any other women again?

Cassie’s smile turned into a frown at Simone’s words, and she shrugged. “I might have an old amulet or two in the vault where I keep Niccolai’s treasures, with the coven’s Grimoire and the Scrying mirror. Why do you need a specific moonstone?” Cassie asked Dylan.

He lowered his voice. “I first heard of this particular kind of moonstone’s power when I was in the islands off Ireland for a few years. The druids used the mind stone to enhance their psychic abilities and to see the future. Some moonstones hold certain properties of light and healing.”

“If I have what you’re looking for in the vault,” Cassie said, “how are we supposed to know if it’s a match for Caitlin?”

“I brought a lock of her hair. I thought you or Tanya could do your magic...whatever...and see if you had a match.”

If he found the right one, it would become one with the owner—calm her when she needed it, protect her, and bring her good fortune. He had more than a few strands of Caitlin’s hair in an envelope. The witches could tell him if the stone and Caitlin were a match.

“Show him the one Jackson confiscated from the demons.” Simone suggested.

Cassie gave Simone a strange look and nodded before excusing herself. After she went into the other room, Tanya kept babbling about items on the list Dylan had ordered ahead of time, questioning him about details he had no interest in.

“You choose, Tanya. I’m sure I can trust your judgment to find the correct scented candles and oils to help soothe Caitlin after her metamorphosis.”

“I know the right mix.” Tanya beamed with self-confidence as she gathered up items from around the store, and Cassie returned with several decorative boxes. They looked old and expensive. Some were in metal cases and the cases themselves were inlaid with colored stones.

She placed the boxes on velvet cloths covering the glass counter and laid out the contents. “Do you have the hair?” she asked holding out her hand.

Dylan handed Cassie the envelope, thinking Simone had gone quite silent for a change. Strange, her image seemed to fade and strengthen periodically.

“Are you all right?” he asked.

“Fine, thank you. If you don’t mind, I need a breath of air.” She waved her hand boldly and made a dramatic exit saying, “I’ll meet you back at the car.”

Cassie turned back and touched Dylan’s arm sending a shiver up his back. “Are you ready, Dylan? I’m going to need to concentrate.”

She placed Caitlin’s hair in a stone bowl and added a few herbs and oils. “Tanya, come here. I may need your help. This is an extremely exhausting spell.”

After the two witches spoke an incantation over the ingredients, Cassie held the bowl over each necklace. There were five of them. The ones on each end were almost exactly what he envisioned for Caitlin. The other ones didn’t look like they’d flatter her. She should have something as lovely as she was—but it had to blend with her aura.

As Cassie held the bowl over the first stone, nothing happened. Nothing on the second, either. He felt the air sizzle when she passed it over the next. Was that the reaction they were expecting? She moved the bowl on.

Guess not.

Nothing on the fourth one had him feeling disappointed, but when Cassie moved to the last, the contents in the bowl burst into flames—multi-colored flames of fire and ice—the color of the stone.

“This...this is the one.” Cassie pointed to the filigree necklace filled with a number of moonstones and one large one in the center. “How did Simone know?”

“Is this the one the demon’s wanted for those herbs?”

“Yes, but how—”

Dylan thought it would do Caitlin’s beauty justice, but just to be sure there wasn’t more to all this he asked, “If you aren’t too taxed, will you cast a protection spell on the stone for Caitlin?”

Cassie cocked her head to one side giving him a look of disbelief. “She is a vampire, Dylan. Immortal. What more protection will she need?”

“The demons had a reason to target her, and until we know why, I’d be reassured if this moonstone held a spell to enhance her strength.”

“Tanya, bring me the Grimoire. Let’s see if I can find something suitable.”

Dylan took her hand in his and thanked her. She smiled and sighed, but when he released her hand, he saw weariness in her eyes. It worried him. “Are you too tired?”

“No. Tanya will help...” she paused then started to speak again, “but...” She began to say more then stopped. She glanced around to make sure no one else heard. “You never knew how I felt, did you?”

Dylan’s gut twisted. Should he pretend he didn’t know what she was talking about or face her question honestly?

He looked away and shook his head. “No. No, I didn’t until just now. ’Tis best is it not? It would have only brought us pain. Caitlin is my life mate, Cassie. There could be no other.”

“Are you certain she is the one?” Cassie asked, hope in her voice and sorrow filled her expression.

“Aye, I am—”

Tanya entered the room carrying the coven’s Grimoire, and to Dylan’s great relief, interrupted their conversation. Cassie visibly shook off her disappointment and stepped away putting distance between herself and Dylan. She took the book from Tanya, placed it in a book holder on the counter, and began flipping pages.

“Ah, now where is the spell I’m looking for? Here?” She turned pages. “No. Here. This will call on the four elements to protect her against any unnatural matter.”

“What are those?”

“Any object or dark magic from the Underworld, and those beings who wield the power. Demons. That’s what you’re worried about, right?”

“Right. How will the four elements protect her?”

“There are many ways the elements can be used. Air, fire, water, earth—she will be able to call on the elements if she needs them. As we do.”

“If she calls on them, will there be consequences?” He’d been around the occult long enough to know nothing came without a price.

“There are always consequences...but she is wise and good. She will not use the power for evil, so you needn’t worry.”

After she returned the necklace to the case, Cassie handed the case to him. “I will be willing to advise her.” Her gaze directly met his, no hint of the longing he’d seen earlier.

Did he trust her? He tried to brush her mind without actually invading her thoughts, but her words felt genuine when she added, “We’ll keep her safe.”

She smiled then picked up the necklace and handed it to Tanya. “Would you wrap this for Dylan?”

After the younger witch took the necklace into the other room, Cassie glanced up at him and whispered, “If you find this isn’t the bond you’d hoped for, remember me. If it is...I wish you both eternal happiness.”

Before Dylan mentally formed a response, Tanya returned with the nicely wrapped box holding the necklace and another bag filled with the special items he’d requested. Not acknowledging Cassie’s comments, he paid what she’d asked and thanked both women for their help.

Finally, clutching his purchases, he breathed a sigh of relief and stepped into the back alley.

Gods, he hated shopping.

“Ready?” The voice behind him startled Dylan, and he jumped. Simone materialized beside him outside the door. Standing impatiently with a hand on one hip she reached for the bag. “Did you find the perfect gift? Here, let me take it for you.” Apparently not expecting an answer, because before he could utter an answer, she turned and quickly strode toward the car.

“In any particular hurry?” he commented, snidely.

“Don’t we have other errands to run?” she shot back.

“Aye, we’re finished here.”

“Where’s the list?” The withering gaze she delivered with her words shut him up. He waved the paper at her as she entered the car on the passenger side…without opening the door. The familiar chilling cold—the sensation of approaching death—swept through him. He shuddered every time she used dark fae magic in his presence.