Solving the Vampire Murders

fifty

Clint lunged, fangs bared, but Torren didn't hesitate. He released the flames, fire dripping on the marble floors and smoke singeing the ceiling. A great wall of fire that burned blue as it left his hands. The heat burning chunks from his hair, but Torren didn't mind.

He was filled with a kind of recklessness he'd never felt before—the freedom to embrace the parts of himself that weren't perfect.

As he watched Clint's body succumb to the flames, Torren felt an unexpected wave of guilt. Clint might be a murderous asshole, but he had lived a tortured existence. Murdered young. Forced to drink blood to survive. Felt like magicians would never accept him.

Clint probably never had a Mr. Laytham around to teach him how to love and be loved. How to be brave. Now, after centuries of walking the Earth, Clint was nothing more than ash. His immortal body finally at peace.

Mr. Laytham, Davey, and India circled the room one last time before throwing their arms around Torren. Even though he couldn't really hug them back, he tried. Closing his eyes and letting their presence fill him with happiness.

When he opened his eyes, the ghosts were gone. Invisible once again. Torren imagined them all sitting in the rowboat on Higgins Lake. Fishing and swapping stories.

Torren wondered what would happen to Clint's shade—if the man would move on or if he would disappear into nothingness.

With care, Torren pulled the smoking amulet out of the pile of ashes.

It was over.

Slipping his phone from his pocket, Torren placed a call to Jay and let him know where he could find him. The Guild would keep the High Seer's Gift safe until someone could be chosen to carry it.

As soon as the call ended, a silvery pool emerged in the middle of the room, revealing Jay and Mazia. Her face was splotchy and red, and her chestnut hair tangled.

"I knew you could do it," she cried. Running into his arms. Torren held her tight. Wanting to hold her until the sun came up. Longer if she'd let him. Maybe they could spend a week in her Ann Arbor apartment, eating at all the places they had this summer during internship. Check in on Mr. Chambers and the firm. Watch some mindless Netflix show.

"I must say, you continue to surprise me, Torren." Jay adjusted his shoulders beneath his suit coat. "I can't wait to hear the story of how you scraped through this one."

Mazia untangled her arms from around his neck. "He was not believing you could have two Gifts inside one body. But I kept telling him you were special."

Torren kissed the side of her cheek, wishing Jay would leave the two of them alone.

"Ain't that something." Jay removed his deck of Practitioner cards from his suit coat, thumbing through the thick stack until he came across one in particular. "This card's been empty since I took over our chapter. Always wondered if it'd show back up. I suppose you must be the Worthiest of them all."

Mazia folded her arms across her chest. "You are thinking of giving Torren the title of Wunderkind, da?"

Jay smirked. "Let's not get ahead of ourselves. The kid needs to show me what he can do as a Fire Wielder first." Tucking the stack of cards back in his coat, Jay looked around the room. "So, do you have the amulet?"

"Yeah, it's right here." Torren dropped the blood magic amulet in Jay's palm, thankful that it would be safe.

A smile spread across Jay's face that seemed wider than should be possible. This skin almost glowing. "Well, I need to get this back to the Guild. But I'm sure I'll be seeing you around."

"Jay," Torren added. "What about the skin changers? Clint thought his buyer was one of them. Shouldn't we be worried?"

"Oh, we should definitely be worried. But, let's save that fight for another day. You've been through enough. Alright?"

Torren shook Jay's hand. "Yeah, I should probably get downstairs. The others will be looking for us."

Jay pulled a piece of chalk from his suit pocket and drew a circle on the floor. "I'm sure they are. Well, until next time." Jay flashed a grin and a peace sign before clasping the medallion with the High Seer's Gift around his neck and stepping into the shimmering mist.

Through the haze of the drop, Torren swore he saw a black cat leap on Jay's broad shoulder, tail swaying. But—that was impossible. He was just tired. Exhausted, really. But not too tired to wrap Mazia in his arms, drawing in a breath of her peppery scent. "I know you're not bound to me anymore, but I still want you as mine. Until the end."

Mazia let out a chuckle. The sound low and sweet. "Are you asking if I am wanting to be your girlfriend, Torren Jacobs?"

Torren took her face between his hands and pressed his lips to hers. Even though they weren't connected through some magical bond, a sense of surety rocked through him. Their connection had nothing to do with supernatural powers. He wanted to want more.

"That's exactly what I'm trying to do."

"It would be unheard of. The immortal and Practitioner. And, you know my time is rarely my own."

Torren pressed another kiss to her lips. Whispering over her mouth, "Then let me steal moments from you. Little bits of time."

"You are making a convincing case."

"You know I love it when you use legal terms."

Mazia laughed again. The sound as intoxicating as her kisses. She truly was a unique creature in the world—the brightest star in his sky.

"I am yours, and you are mine until I am no more."

"I like that." Torren rubbed his thumb along the line of her jaw. "Who wrote that?"

A sad smile crested her lips. "Davey."

Torren pressed his lips to hers again. Savoring in the taste. Not wanting to let her go. Not now.

"Oh, Torren," Mazia said around a gasp. Placing a hand over her heart, chest heaving. "No."

Torren watched as her honey brown eyes were wide with terror.

"Talk to me. What is it?"

Mazia's pupils stretched—but wouldn't stop—black consuming the iris. A moon eclipsing the sun.

"Until the end," Mazia whispered.

Torren grabbed her hand.

"What is it? What's happening?"

Just before the last of her honey brown irises disappeared, Mazia gasped, "A binding."

As if a tether was wrapped around her ankles, Mazia was pulled down and away from him. Slipping into the dark recesses of the Earth.

Torren stared at the place she disappeared. Unable to think or breathe.

Until the pieces slid into place.

Jay.

Jay had taken the Gift of the Seer for himself.

He was never Torren's mentor. He never wanted Torren to survive. He wasn't the good guy.

He was the buyer.

Torren clenched his fists. Fire rose like poison in his veins. He wanted to burn down this entire club, and he might've if he thought it would bring Mazia back.

No, he had to think rationally.

No one at the Guild could be trusted, that much was clear. He had to take matters into his own flaming hands.

But if he was going to find Mazia and hunt down Jay Kaegan, he was going to need a team of Practitioners that operated off the grid. Preferably with unsanctioned magic.

Good thing he knew just who to ask.