Demon's Vengeance The Complete - Jocelynn Drake Page 0,29
black mass gave a high-pitched scream of frustration that scraped across my eardrums before diving back into the symbol. The creature in the circle pounded on the wall of its cage a couple more times, but with less force, before disappearing as well. The water and fire were spent. All that was left was a fine ash hanging in the air. Sadly, the killer’s features had never fully resolved, so we couldn’t make a positive I.D.
Fuck. While the effort hadn’t been a waste, it certainly wasn’t as fruitful as I was hoping it would be, particularly considering that we had nearly been killed in the process.
With a groan, I rolled onto my side so that Serah could move free of me, while being careful not to press the open wound on my back into the dirt. Dirt was good for spells; bad for gaping, bleeding wounds. Serah didn’t move. She stared up at me with wide, stunned eyes; her face was stark white except for a smear of dirt across her cheek.
I tried to smile, but I was suddenly too tired. Muscles twitched and trembled from exhaustion. It had taken a considerable about of energy to summon the creature and hold it within the circle. A second helping of energy had been required to shove my so-called guard dog back in its kennel. I was ready to sleep right where I lay. “Sorry about that,” I mumbled, trying to pull myself together for the poor human who was having a rough night.
“Yeah . . . ummm . . . thanks.” She sounded shaken, but was holding it together a little better than when she first discovered that I was a warlock.
Clenching my teeth, I pushed to my feet, struggling to ignore the pain that was screaming across my back. “No problem. I’m sorry we didn’t get a better look at the face, but I think it’s a pretty safe bet that the killer is a human female.”
“Maybe. Were the eyes supposed to be red? Is she possessed?”
I stood staring at the circle where I had cast the spell. The ash was starting to settle, but there was still a smell hanging in the air, part burnt ozone and part . . . something else. “No, they shouldn’t have been, but she’s not possessed. She wouldn’t have looked human if she had been, but more like the creature possessing her. The red was a reflection of her soul, her rage. I’m guessing that the potion Kyle tattooed her with has only amplified her strength and her anger.”
“Are you sure she’s human?” Serah took a step closer to the circle and then appeared to think twice about it as she rocked back on her heels. “There are a number of races that look very similar to humans but technically aren’t. Sirens and succubi. Maybe even an elf.”
“Maybe.” I shrugged and then winced as pain cut across my wounded back. “But there’s something about the woman. Just feels human. I’m sorry I can’t explain it.”
“You sure it doesn’t have to do with her boobs?”
I glared at Serah and she glared right back. Sure, I’d noticed the creature’s boobs, but then I’d been shocked that they were there in the first place. That’s what I got for being sexist when it came to acts of violence.
“Anyways . . . I think we’ve got a start, though not as big of one as I’d hoped.”
“I’m not sure what we can do next.” Serah shoved one hand through her mussed short hair. “It’s not like we got a good look at her face to get an ID. I also don’t think you want me going to the police, describing how I know that it’s a woman we’re after.”
A stiff grin twitched on my lips. “I’d prefer it if you didn’t.”
“Then what do we do?”
“I need you to do two things. One: try to get another sample of her blood. I want to see if I can come up with a tracking spell.”
Serah nodded. “I think I can come up with an excuse to get my hands on another sample. Two?”
“Use your contacts with the police to keep you in the loop on this.”
“With the crime being a murder, they have jurisdiction. Not TAPSS.”
“I know, but you’ve still got plenty of friends on the force, right? You can pull some information out.”
Her eyes narrowed and she slowly shook her head at me. “That’s why you told me. You need me to give you the information that the