Solving the Vampire Murders

twenty-four

"Well, that didn't go as planned." Jones leaned in, a question forming in the crease of her brow. "Hold up--what the hell's wrong with your medallion?"

Torren propped himself up on his elbows, blinking his surroundings into focus. Austin was kneeling beside him, a concerned-looking Zach hovering over his shoulder. Jones was staring intently at the medallion around his neck, which was throbbing with crimson light.

"Jay musta put some charm on it. Protection or Repulsion. Maybe that's why Mazia's summoning didn't work." Jones gave a distasteful shake of her head. "Take it off and let me look at it."

"No!" Torren yelled. He rolled onto his feet, tossing the bloody dagger to the floor and nearly tripping over the southern crystal.

Jones tried to hide the laugh tugging at her lips. "Easy there. I'll give it right back."

Torren shook his head. "You don't understand. If I take this off..." Torren scanned each of their confused faces, his hand like a claw around the medallion. It was still pulsing like a warning light, the metal hot against his skin.

"I don't know what Jay told you Torren, but you can take it off," Jones said, letting the cheeky edge slip from her tone. "Nothing will change."

"Everything will change!" Torren said, taking a defensive step back. Panic's grip on his throat tightened.

He couldn't breathe—couldn't think. Admitting that he didn't want to see the ghosts, that he couldn't perform the most fundamental part of his job as a Seer would be mortifying. But the embarrassment wouldn't compare to actually seeing the ghosts floating around. Watching Davey's reflection in the mirror was about all he was ready to take.

Pacing back and forth in Jones's cramped living room, Torren fumbled with his shirt's collar, loosening the top buttons.

"Uh, T?" Zach asked carefully. "You okay?"

Torren held up a finger. "Yeah, just give me a second."

He needed to think. He needed to breathe. Was he ready to let Jones lift the protective enchantment from the medallion? God, he wanted to say yes. He wanted to be ready. The vision at Higgins Lake had felt so real--Mazia seemed like she was in trouble. Like she was struggling to get away from something. He could still smell the intoxicating scent of her perfume lifting in the wind.

"Davey used to take that thing off all the time." Austin sat down on the arm of Jones' couch, studying his bare feet. Torren stopped pacing long enough to process what Austin was saying. "I mean, he didn't really think it helped him focus his power or whatever."

Jones settled her hands on ample hips. "Amen to that."

"I don't know what you guys have against the Guild," Zach said, fuming. "They do a lot of good that you're not even giving them credit for. Especially with the vampires. I mean—it's only because of the covenant that they're not—"

"Savagely killing magicians?" Austin spat.

It was Zach's turn to study the carpet. "Bro, that's not what I meant."

"Ugh, I fucking hate magic," Austin mumbled into his hands. After a moment, he raked his fingers through the charred chunks of his shaggy blonde hair. "You know, Davey would sometimes wear a different amulet. His anting."

"I've heard of those before," Jones interjected. "Traditional Filipino magic."

Austin nodded dolefully.

The image of Davey's reflection in the mirror manifested in Torren's mind, an amulet around his neck. "It was gold. Handmade. Shaped like a triangle, right?"