Blood and Blade (Goddess with a Blade #6) - Lauren Dane Page 0,73
spells have been unique. It’s like no magic I can remember seeing before. But still, familiar in some sense. Maybe related to something else I might have briefly seen at some point. Like it’s on the tip of my tongue.” And if she could just piece it all together, she’d be able to structure a homing spell. Patrizia was part of this, but not the head of whatever was going on. A cog.
Just ahead a small log house sat on a rise. Perfectly situated to keep an open viewpoint to all directions.
“She’s there. I don’t even need you to know that. I can feel her,” Rowan said.
“Yes. She doesn’t know we’re here. Yet. I don’t want her to until we knock on her front door like civilized people.”
“And then what? Because between you and me? She’s not going quietly. She’s going to fight. Maybe she’s bothered by whatever she did for the Blood Front, but I doubt it. She could have come to you at any time and she didn’t. That says a lot. It says all I need to know to go pounding on her door expecting a battle.”
“Always so quick to fight,” Genevieve said.
“Oh fuck that. Should I feel guilty that I understand how the world works and react appropriately? The price of me ignoring reality is people dying.”
“You’re right. I apologize for being so flip about it. I find her fascinating. Not because I agree with her crimes or that I find it acceptable that she’s done what she has. She has power, Rowan. Talent. These wards are so well done and I look at her life and wonder why there’s a disconnect. What happened to her that she’s made the choices she has? Even if the magic she used to make the wards was stolen magic, she put it all together. Part of me admires that and I let that get between us for a moment. Yes, she’s going to fight us. She’s got talent so please be careful.”
They drove right up to the house and parked out front. Every few steps Genevieve paused to rip the wards down until Rowan knocked on the front door.
“I’m bummed she doesn’t have a doorbell,” Rowan muttered as she kept knocking.
Patrizia opened up, anger all over her face.
“Who are you and how did you get to my doorstep?” she demanded before she paused to really see just exactly who and what waited for her. She froze and that’s when Genevieve did something with her hands that froze Patrizia in place. Nifty.
Once they were inside, Genevieve closed the door.
“I’m Genevieve Aubert. This is Rowan Summerwaite and Star.” The dog pressed against Rowan’s side, on full alert. “Let’s talk about how you know Roderick Haigh, shall we?”
“Get the fuck out of my house!” Patrizia screeched.
Rowan rolled her eyes. “Not gonna happen. So let’s talk, because once I’m convinced talking is fruitless I’m going to move to punching. So much less fun. For you anyway. I like punching a lot.”
“Who the fuck are you?”
Rowan got in Patrizia’s face. “I am your worst nightmare, Pat. See, I’ve got all sorts of stuff on my plate and here you are making things worse for me and adding items to my to do list. I’m not a fan. I’m here as a representative of Hunter Corp. and Genevieve here is representing the Conclave.”
“What’s that got to do with me?” Patrizia’s tone had changed as the reality of what was happening began to set in.
“See?” Rowan demanded of Genevieve. “Not so fascinating now, huh? Just annoying as hell. Look, Lisa, Pat, Trish, whatever you want to be called, here’s the thing, I know what I know. Which is that you’re involved with this whole Blood Front situation. Selling siphon and energy power trap spells. What’s your place in this? You someone’s main squeeze so you run spells to the black market on their behalf?”
Rowan figured that was bullshit, that Pat was the one doing the spells and selling them to the Blood Front herself, but why miss an opportunity to offend someone? People got sloppy when they were offended.
Especially someone like this crusty fucking witch who needed her ass kicked from now until Sunday.
“You have no right to be here. I did not say you could come in,” Patrizia said.
“We’re not in a Vampire movie. We don’t need your permission to come inside. But you can call the cops. We’ll wait.” Rowan tossed herself onto the couch.
Genevieve rolled her eyes. “Patrizia, I am here as an