“All of this activity, it’s a storm warning. The ghosts feel it. Anyone with a hint – or more than a hint – of power feels it. And the only problem is, we don’t know yet whether it’s a hurricane, a tornado or a volcanic eruption, so to speak. Until we have a better idea of what’s coming for us, we don’t know who’s behind it or how to fight it.” He paused. “But I’m certain of one thing. Someone with a lot of magic power is gunning for me. This isn’t random. It’s personal.”
I sat with that sobering observation for a moment without saying anything. “Other than Daniel Hunter showing up and the attack in Boston, what makes you think someone’s after you?”
Sorren looked more worried than I had ever seen him. “The Boston store was the second Alliance outpost I opened when America was still a colony. I thought it was protected. Obviously, I was wrong.” I could hear recrimination heavy in his voice. “Like with Trifles and Folly, that store has been in my partner’s family for centuries. Your counterpart is still in the hospital. Teag’s counterpart died from his injuries earlier today.”
I swallowed hard, and saw in Sorren’s face how much the failure to protect his people had hurt him.
“There have been scattered attacks at other locations. Antwerp. Vancouver. Some at the offices that hide other parts of the Alliance’s business. And something very personal.” He met my gaze. Looking into a vampire’s eyes will glamour most people, but I’m immune. “Three houses that I once owned have all burned down, just in the last month. Too many to be a coincidence.”
When I had given Sorren my recap, I left out meeting up with old Mr. Thompson at the nursing home, and the part about Chuck Pettis using some of his military-issue anti-supernatural equipment. That would require admitting that I had been at Palmetto Meadows when Sorren was there, and I didn’t want to let on, at least, not yet. I hadn’t meant to pry when I saw him with Mrs. Butler. And although I was dying of curiosity, if their relationship was as I suspected, it was decidedly none of my business. The nursing home was warded, so at least we didn’t have to worry about that.
“I know that look, Cassidy,” Sorren said. “Is there something else?”
I sighed and shook my head. “Just a lot going on. Even things like the Ghost Bikes that don’t usually pull me into a vision seem turbo-charged with energy. Now maybe I know why.”
“And those kinds of things are going to keep happening until we stop the storm,” Sorren replied.
“Do you know who’s behind this?”
He shook his head. “I’ve existed for almost six hundred years, Cassidy, and five hundred of those I’ve worked with the Alliance. I’ve made a lot of enemies in that time. Believe me, the Alliance is on the case, using their resources to figure out who and why. Right now we’ve got theories, but nothing solid. Too many possibilities, not enough facts to narrow things down. I’ve got calls in, but longer-lived people in the supernatural community have a very different sense of time. Urgency isn’t really part of their world.”
He paused. “I can only stay here in Charleston briefly. I need to help in Boston, and there are things I have to track down that might make a difference. I’m going to look into what – who – could bring a Watcher here and why, and see if there’s another explanation. But I wanted to warn you and Teag. There may be more attacks – especially if I’m right about this being a vendetta.” He got up to leave. “Until I get back, keep your eyes open and watch out for anything unusual. I’ll return as soon as I can.”
It wasn’t until he was gone that I realized I hadn’t mentioned the guy in the café.
You know, most people – female and male – would feel pretty lucky to have a guy that looks like that trying to start a conversation, I told myself. You look at him and decide he’s some kind of scary stalker. Maybe you’re just paranoid.
Maybe I was, but for good cause. And even though I still couldn’t figure out why, Coffee Guy made the hair on the back of my neck stand up. Personally, I don’t find that attractive in a man. I wasn’t giving him the benefit of the doubt, not when so