The Last of the Red Hot Vampires - By Katie MacAlister Page 0,86

I said, moving to the nearest glass archive case. "What does it look like?"

"I have no idea, but since it is one of the most valuable records in existence, I assume it will be found in one of the more elaborate cases."

I quickly examined the books contained in the climate-controlled case in front of me, but nothing had a title even remotely similar to Akashic Record. I skirted a giant library-sized dictionary opened on a book pedestal, and started for the next case.

Something tickled at the back of my head. I looked back at the dictionary, giving it a closer examination.

Ofaniel, also known as sefira Wisdom. Primary residence: Court of Divine Blood, Grand

Apartments, second floor. Mundane residence:

Marseille, France. Mundane name: Clementine

Massier.

Oglien, demon third class, servant of Bael, twenty-second legion. Mundane residence: none. Mundane names: Will O'Bannon,

William Bannock, Will the Decapitator.

I closed the dictionary to read the title. The Akashic Record: Being a List of All Immortals Possessing Membership in the Court of Divine Blood and Abaddon.

"Theo, I found it. It's very large."

He hurried over, frowning slightly. "They keep it out here in the open?"

"Evidently. I thought it was a dictionary. F, G, H...ah. Here it is: Hope, originally internuncio, later designed virtue by request of holder. Primary residence: Court of Divine Blood, Grand Apartments, third floor. Mundane residence: Seaton. Seaton?"

I looked up at Theo.

"That's near Newton Poppleford."

"That would explain why she was around the faery ring, then. Mundane name: Hope Campbell. Is that ink blotch covering another name, do you think, or is it just a blot?"

Theo bent over the book, squinting at the black area next to Hope's name. "It's hard to tell. It could be either."

"Hmm. I'm willing to bet she covered up her mortal-world name on purpose."

"She could have." Theo looked thoughtful as he tapped his chin. "If she thought she was in danger, she might have destroyed any proof of her name as a safety precaution."

"That's lovely. Is there anywhere else we can go to find out what name she is using now?" I asked, miffed that our lead had fizzled out.

"Not that I know of."

I sighed. "Well, at least we have one of her names and a town to go on."

"Indeed you do. That was very clever of you to think of consulting the Akashic Record."

I spun around at the sound of a man's voice coming from the doorway.

Terrin leaned against the door, a slight smile on his face. "I particularly liked the fog. Very effective. Hello again. Is that your friend guarding the other side of the door?"

"Yes, she is. She wasn't supposed to let anyone in," I said, trying to come up with an excuse for being in the Court when I'd been forbidden entrance.

"Good morning," Theo said, giving Terrin a little bow. "You have us at a disadvantage. It is somewhat disconcerting to be caught breaking and entering into the Court."

Terrin's smile widened. "And yet you managed it with such ease. A very admirable feat."

"Is my friend all right?" I asked, a bit nervous about Sarah.

"She is right where you left her. I'm afraid I had to obscure her vision for a moment or two while I slipped past her, but she is unharmed."

I relaxed a little bit. I was willing to take responsibility for my own actions, but I hated for anyone else to suffer on my behalf. "I suppose you'd like to know why we're here when we were told to leave."

"I assume your purpose is two-fold: to consult the Akashic Record, and to conduct your final trial." Terrin strolled over to the window, looking out at the still-dense fog. "Yes, a very clever use of your Gift. Quite effective."

Theo and I exchanged glances. "You're partially correct: We did come here to see the Akashic Record. But as for my trials...well, even if I hadn't been disqualified, I would only have been on trial number four, not seven."

"No, that cannot be correct." Terrin frowned, walking over to a desk on the other side of the room and sitting down to access the computer there. "You have completed all the trials but the last one, I'm quite sure."

"I'm afraid not. Trial number four got put off. I skipped ahead to five, which I did when I was in the Akasha. The two women who did my first trial came back earlier this morning for the fourth trial, but I...er...I failed it."

"How very odd." Terrin's fingers tapped out a few words on the computer's keyboard. He perused the resulting screen, a puzzled