Solving the Vampire Murders

eight

Guaranteed acceptance. No student debt. And it wouldn't be a handout. He'd have earned the money. Solving Davey's murder would make it that much better.

But, he would also have to snoop on vampires, which didn't sound as easy as Jay made it out to be.

Davey had died. Others had died.

He had seen enough vampire movies over the years to know the basics—they were fast and strong, and lethal. Was he really willing to put his life on the line to earn a free ride to law school. That wrongness, that double beat in his chest pulsed, like his heart wanted to escape.

Guaranteed acceptance. No student debt. A chance to chase down the people responsible for Mr. Laytham's death. It was everything he had ever wanted.

The bright lights dotting the Boston skyline seemed to twinkle, just like the card Jay had shown him with his name on it. The one that said he was magic.

"What'll it be, Torren? Will you accept membership into the Guild and find out what the vampires are up to?" Jay had silently crept up next him, extending Torren his hand. Torren stared down at it, hesitation collecting in his chest. "This is the part where you shake my hand and say yes."

"I want a contract drawn up. One that will stand up in civilian court. I want it to state that upon completion of this task, you will pay me for my time in the form of a scholarship fund. Just like you promised."

"Done," Jay said. "I'll call my assistant and have him draft something up right away."

"And I want one other thing, too." Torren added. He clasped Jay's hand, meeting the man's steady gaze with as much authority as he could muster. "I want some way to keep the spirits and ghosts away. I—I don't think I'm ready for all that."

Jay shook his head. "I'm sorry, Torren. There's nothing that can be done to stop the inevitable."

"You can't do anything? There's no potion or spell or something you can do to keep them away?"

"You know, I might know something that could help. It wouldn't stop them forever, but..." Jay pulled a silver medallion from his pocket, then set it down on the metal rooftop. Kneeling over the necklace, he started muttering an incantation in a language Torren suspected was Latin, causing his fingers and the medallion to glow. It was an angry orange light, like flames licking dry timber.

The still air around Torren came to life, rustling his jacket as a wild wind rushed towards the medallion.

Without warning, Jay tilted his face towards the sky and let out a cry that sounded like a vulture's lament, then he brought his fist down on the medallion. The Practitioners mulling around the rooftop bar fell silent.

Once the medallion stopped glowing, Jay scooped it up and handed it to Torren.

"A Practitioner of the Guild always wears a medallion. I've put an enchantment on it to help ward off angry spirits. The spell will provide you an extra level of protection while you're working on your first assignment. I can't promise it will last longer than a week, so you'll have to face them eventually."

"Thank you," Torren said. It was better than nothing.

Jay adjusted his shoulders under his suit coat. "Never, and I mean never, take it off. That medallion means you always have a place among Practitioners. That you always have a safe haven and that you will always have a friend."

Torren fastened the chain around his neck and the metal burned with warm white light.

Jay wrapped his arm around Torren's shoulders and wheeled around to face the crowd. Every Practitioner on the rooftop was on their feet. Bright smiles on their faces. Medallions burning with different colors of light. Some were amber like Jay's, others were white, or blue, or red.

For a moment, it looked like the roof was studded with stars—a sea of heavenly light that illuminated the roof of The Prudential Center. Something that felt like pride swelled in his chest.

"This has been real, but you should probably get going. Remember, the app on your phone will tell you how to work any spell, including how to set a drop point. If you ever get stuck, I'm just a phone call away." Jay guided Torren back to the rooftop hatch that led down to the men's room.

Torren pulled open the metal door and lowered himself down onto the ladder. "Jay, you didn't tell me where to find these vampires."

"Good point. The leader of the coven is named Clint. He owns a club called Medea's Sin. I suggest you start there."

Jay tossed up a peace sign before lowering the hatch, leaving Torren to climb down the stairs alone. The weight of the task seemed to press down on him with each step.

Medea's Sin.

The club Zach warned Davey about. Torren's first instinct was to call Zach and ask him more questions about the club, but Zach had been through a lot tonight and he didn't seem like the most reliable Practitioner. There was one other person who might know something about the club.

His best friend Mandy.