Blood and Kisses - By Karin Shah Page 0,29

of a tiny slap.

“It was really scary! They got worse and worse until I couldn’t sleep at all. I was falling asleep at school. Do you remember when I overslept and missed the SAT’s? Finally, my mom took me to see Thalia. It was just after she became the Champion. She found out Kit Van Sant, you know that guy I wouldn’t date in high school, was manipulating my dreams to get back at me.”

“What a jerk! What happened?”

“She put a binding spell on him. He barely recognized me the next day. And then one time my older brother accidentally summoned that demon while attempting a spell.”

“Your brother is such a moron! Still, she’s not exactly on Gideon Damek’s level.”

“No one’s on his level. Anyway, I feel sorry for her...” A burst of music, the soft swish of the door, and the sudden quiet that followed told Thalia they’d left.

She studied her face in the mirror above the sink. Under the florescent lights, her features were taut and drawn, her mouth pinched.

Ashley felt sorry for her? The knot in her stomach swelled, doubling its size and another germinated in her throat. She preferred the others’ scorn. She could handle that.

She let a long sigh empty her lungs. They said eavesdroppers never heard anything good. It was amazing how often “they” were right. She took a small comb from her purse, brushed out her hair and put it back in her customary pony-tail, stalling to give the other women enough time to get away, then made her way back to the table.

She wished she were like Lily. Lily would have marched right out and made some witty comment. A virulent ache stung her throat.

As she sat down across from Gideon, she became abruptly aware of a malevolent energy present in her mind. It was subtle, a petty would never have noticed, but there nonetheless. She struggled to keep the strange entity ignorant of her discovery, focusing the surface of her thoughts on her grief, while at the same time scanning the crowd for the source.

Who, or what, was it? Was it the rogue or some new unknown threat? She took another sip of her drink, attempting to look oblivious. She didn’t dare try to get Gideon’s attention.

She shifted casually in her barstool, trying to get a look at the mirror behind the bar. She searched the faces of the patrons, all the time knowing it was probably useless. If it were the rogue and he was in the bar, he would cloak his appearance with an illusion of innocence, purity even.

She sent a tendril of magic into the room. A simple reveal spell intended to allow her to see through any glamour spells being used in the room. She prayed it would work against vampires.

She rechecked the mirror. Several mages across the room no longer sported full heads of hair. Numerous witches had had a sudden weight gain. Almost every magic user on the west side of the bar was just a bit less attractive than he or she had seemed a few moments earlier. She had had no idea glamours were so casually used. Still, she supposed everyone wanted to look his or her best on a Friday night. She touched her mark. If she had been an ordinary witch, she might have spared the energy to sustain such a spell.

The malignant being hovering in her mind began to fade. In seconds it was gone. Had it left the building, as well? Was it even now following a potential victim?

Gideon, Thalia spoke telepathically. With so many vampires around, it would be impossible to keep their conversation secret. Gideon gave no outward sign he had heard, but he dismissed the predatory blonde, who stalked off with a pout. He turned to Thalia.

What is it?

I just felt something. I don’t know what it was, but it was definitely evil. It’s gone now. If it’s the vampire, I think it may have gone after a victim.

Gideon stood. Let’s go.

He could feel the Butcher and the witch drawing closer. Perhaps his time had come?

He let the empty husk drop to the ground next to the corpse of her witch friend. These two he wouldn’t bother to move. They were well hidden among the trash bags and cans in the alley. Unless... An idea came to him. Yes, that would be perfect.

If he didn’t fulfill the prophecy tonight, he would come back later for one of the bodies.

He dragged the vast power of the Claiming