Blood and Kisses - By Karin Shah Page 0,54

to draw the police.”

“Where were Cole and Poole attacked?”

At the top of the wobbly stairs leading to the black hole that was the cellar, Gideon scented the musty air. He could detect every molecule of aroma in the room. He sorted past the revolting smell of rancid blood floating down from upstairs, the odor of the people who had passed through the room, familiar and unfamiliar, the myriad scents that composed the reek of an abandoned house, rotten garbage, fly dirt, mildew. He identified urine, drugs, and fast food, as well. There had been squatters in the house at one point. “He’s gone. The only woman here before us was Cole.” Unless she’d stayed shifted the entire time she was here, which he doubted, Inanna wasn’t the rogue.

He ventured down the stairs. Somehow Thalia’s small hand had become lodged in his. It felt good, right. He should pull his hand away, but couldn’t seem to find the will power. He could see well, but Thalia shuffled along behind him, feeling her way. “There are no windows. I think we can risk a light.”

Thalia muttered a few words and light flared. She moved forward to examine their surroundings and dropped his hand. His hand felt more than empty; it felt cold. The chill seemed to travel up his hand to his arm and invade his chest, centering in his heart. He longed to have her hand again.

He rubbed his palm against his chest to dispel the feeling and swept the cellar with his keen gaze. “There’s nothing here.” Disappointment pressed against his chest. He’d hoped to find some clue that would lead him to his mysterious enemy. Being close to Thalia day after day, smelling her unique fragrance, feeling the heat of her body, and yet being unable to make love to her was constant torture.

“We’ll have to go back to watching the B.B. and C., but it’s not going to be easy to dodge the police.” As Thalia walked back over to the stairs, her cell phone rang.

“Hello.”

He recognized Mina Shaw’s mature voice on the other end.

“Thalia. I’ve called a meeting. The council requests your attendance.” Her tone implied it wasn’t a request at all. He couldn’t see Thalia’s face. Her back stiffened.

Distress seemed to pour off her in waves, but her voice was steady as she answered tersely, “I’ll be there.”

Chapter 16

Thalia was too nervous to ask how Mina had rented a hall on such short notice, or at such a late hour. The building was little more then a huge room with a cement floor and a small kitchen. It didn’t look like a gallows, but the decisions made that night could spell the end of her life as she knew it.

Gideon placed a hand at her back, lending her his strength. She smoothed her features. She wouldn’t give them the pleasure of seeing her nerves.

He’d fed before they came. Feeling another confrontation with the rogue was imminent, he’d found several energetic youths playing basketball under the lights at a nearby park and gorged himself on their potent young blood, making sure to take just enough to leave them dazed, but otherwise healthy.

Thalia eyed her wristwatch. Almost midnight—the witching hour. She’d never felt its approach so acutely.

The thirteen-member council occupied seats behind a long laminate table at one end of the vast room. Metal folding chairs had been set up auditorium style in front of the table. The seats filled rapidly; most of the witch community was present. Thalia had been offered a seat to one side of the table, but the butterflies dog-fighting in her stomach wouldn’t let her sit.

Refreshments were available, and Thalia could see people drinking punch and could hear the occasional burst of laughter. She felt like a guest at her own wake. Voices blended together, bounced off the high metal ceiling and formed a low hum, reminding Thalia of flies buzzing over a rotting corpse, further enhancing the sensation.

Mina clapped her hands for attention like an elementary school librarian, which oddly enough was what she’d been for thirty years, and a hush fell over the room. Heath stood. He paced in front of the crowd like a lawyer addressing a jury. Drops of perspiration adorned his bald head.

Why was he so nervous?

He glanced back at Mina before beginning to speak. “Those of you who attended the preliminary discussion at my house know why we’re here.” He gestured toward Thalia who struggled to keep her expression composed while her stomach twisted and her throat