Like everything else Kye told me, his answer was vague. “What kind of arrangement?”

“The kind that is none of your business.”

“Oh but it’s okay for the entire population of Moon to know my business?” I snapped and rose from the bench. The air was cooler as the rain picked up.

“You have enough problems. Do you really want to add one more?” Kye tilted his head, a small smile on his lips.

I watched him for a few seconds and wondered who he was. I knew he was a warlock who was Holly’s go to man, but who was he? What was his life like, where was he from, and what kind of arrangement could he have that would be worth putting up with Holly? When I met people it wasn’t enough just to know the basics about them, my curiosity wanted to get to the root of what made them who they are. It was the only way I felt I could trust someone or at least anticipate their moves.

“Dorian says you’re a quick learner.” Kye changed the subject.

I shrugged. “I guess. I can sense death and summoned the ghosts Holly requested, but I’m still learning how to jump between realities and to recognize the shimmers, or safe spots as Dorian calls them.”

It’d been a couple days since I’d trained or even talked to Dorian. I suspected he was avoiding me because of our connection. The Angel of Death didn’t seem like the type to be in a relationship or buy a girl flowers. Could he even have sex? Sure he looked like a gorgeous human male, but was that just a glamour? Dorian could change his appearance like he changed his socks. When I thought about Dorian my curiosity jumped up and down in anticipation to learn about him. Not knowing what someone is capable of is dangerous. Dorian had shown a moment of anger when he grabbed me from bed, but the emotion fled as fast as it came.

“That’s pretty quick. Usually it takes a few months for spirit walkers to learn their abilities,” Kye said.

“No biggie, I’m learning them to make Holly happy. Once I’m back in Flora, I’ll return to being just another witch who owns a magic shop.” I meant what I said. I didn’t want anything to do with calling spirits from the realm of the dead or running into demons. I even had doubts about helping the Flora Police Department should they ever request my help again. The Bridget Downing case snowballed and left me with nothing but trouble. As much as I wanted a normal life, I didn’t think I’d have one again. Spirit walkers were few and far between and finding one that wasn’t insane was more difficult. Would I eventually end up like Kye’s sister, just a fragment of my former self?

“That’s what Irene said,” Kye mumbled.

I half turned to look at him, not sure what he meant. He was leaning his elbows on his knees and raised his head to look at me.

“Irene was scared at first, when she learned what she was, but the curiosity pulled her in and before long she couldn’t get enough of jumping between realities.”

I paused for a moment. “Why is she trapped? Why can’t she just slip into a shimmer and come back?” Not that a woman like her should be traipsing around town, but a nice mental institution would do her a world of good. It sure beat being stuck in the realm of death with demons.

“She can’t. Her magic has been stripped and even if it hadn’t, her mind is gone. She has no clue who I am or who she was. ” Kye’s voice was unsteady. He coughed to cover up his unease, “We should get back; Holly doesn’t like to be kept waiting.”

*****

I pushed through the large double doors that led to a parlor, my entire body soaked and dripping water on the antique Persian rug. Eleven heads turned in my direction, and I froze. All six of the VC members were in attendance as was Aiden, Dorian, and three of the NAWC members. Aiden’s lips twitched in an inconspicuous smile, but straightened out as fast as it came. Dorian looked away as soon as he saw me, and the six VC members stared at me like I was dinner—or at least a tasty appetizer. Some of their eyes focused on my throat while others raked their gazes up and down my body.

“Sorry to interrupt, Kye said you wanted to see me?” Looking away from the unsettling looks of the VC, I concentrated on Holly’s face.

“Yes, please sit down, Ms. Sparks,” Holly gestured towards an open seat. My shoes squished with each step until I sat down. The energy was overpowering and suffocating. I gripped the arms of my chair as I tried not to gasp. Vampires were capable of projecting an invisible energy that felt like prickles along my skin. Some say they use it to attract their prey, it snags our minds and peaks our interest. Aiden’s often felt like a soft caress against my skin, but the VC’s power was amped up like a horde of hungry lions. Glancing at the NAWC, they didn’t seem to be affected by the VC’s power. I dug my nails into the thick fabric of the chair to keep from arching my back and moaning.

“I believe you are causing Gwen unease,” Patrick said with a laugh.

Shit, they could tell? Had I moaned or spread my legs unladylike?

“Our apologies, we find ourselves intrigued by Ms. Sparks,” a woman with long honey locks said as she trailed a cherry red fingernail across her lips. I wondered if this woman was Alana, Aiden’s ex who also happened to murder his family.

The weight of their power receded, and I could breathe again. I kept my gaze down as I steadied my heartbeat and allowed the waves of desire to fade. I hated vampires had this power over us, although my council didn’t seem to be affected by it. Perhaps they bewitched themselves into being immune.

“Gwen, the VC has enlightened us of your deal,” Holly began. She did a good job of controlling the anger in her voice, but the tightness in her lips and hands gave her away—she was pissed. Here she was trying to stop vampires from drinking from us, and I offered my neck up like a happy meal. Patrick, Holly, and James stared bullets at me as they waited confirmation.

“It’s the only way,” I started. “As far as I know, no one can break a vampire bond without a death sentence from either the VC or the bonded vampire.” I looked up at Aiden, but he kept his gaze straight ahead. That was weird. Maybe he didn’t want to call attention to his feelings in front of the VC. Maybe Alana still carried a torch and would rip my head off just to spite Aiden. Whatever the reason, it made me uneasy.

Holly’s laugh drew my focus away from Aiden and towards her. “So you confide in vampires instead of your own? Did you not think we could protect you better or that you could trust us more than the bloodsuckers?” Her voice grew louder and louder, and when she was done, the energy in the room pressed down on me again. The so called bloodsuckers apparently didn’t appreciate Holly’s nickname. A quiet rumble echoed from Aaron’s throat, and the whites in his eyes turned black.

“We are royalty, and you will treat us as such, We came to you to settle this matter, not listen to your petty insults,” Aaron bit out. He may have looked like a seventeen year old boy, but there was nothing innocent or fragile about him. If he wanted to, he could rip Holly’s throat out before anyone would even notice he moved.

“You are royalty to your people, not mine,” Holly snapped back. A slight glow radiated from her palms as her magic rushed to her hands. Vampires eyes turned black when they are mad, but a witch has magic rush to his or her hands ready to defend ourselves if need be. The room filled with glowing palms and black eyes, and the air grew heavy as both sides adrenaline picked up.

“What’s your plan?” I asked the VC to help get back on topic; we didn’t need a mini war breaking out in the parlor.

The blonde woman shifted her head towards me, a slow devious smile curling her cherry red lips up. “We plan to use you as bait to capture Ian Despereaux.”

“What?” I shrieked.

“That’s absurd,” Patrick added.

“Fuck that,” Dorian growled.

“Maybe we should hear them out.” All eyes turned towards Aiden. My mouth hung open, and my heart stopped beating for a second. He thought it was a good idea? Dorian snorted and arched his eyebrows at me, a look that said “I told you so,” but I refused to believe Aiden was malicious or bloodthirsty as Dorian thought.

“My Gwen,” Aiden walked around the antique sofa and knelt beside my chair. “Ian is taken with you. We don’t know if it’s carnal or if it’s just for your strong blood, but you may be the only way to reach him. You’ll have backup, I promise I won’t let him hurt you.” Aiden rose and stood behind my chair.

“You guys are the VC, why can’t you capture him?” I shot towards Aaron.

“We don’t know where he is. You are bonded to him, therefore you can contact him anytime you want, even sense when he’s close. You are our best bet to finding him.”

The last time I was in Flora, Micah told me the VC killed those involved in the brew distribution. At the time, I thought they were just silencing the ones who’d been caught, but now I wasn’t so sure. Maybe they wanted peace between our races, or maybe their smokescreen was fooling me. In this game there wasn’t anyone who could be trusted until proven otherwise. It seemed everyone had their own agenda, and because my luck was shit, I was included in those plans. For Holly, I was the spirit walker who could control the spirits of our enemies’ victims. For the VC, I was the one who’d wiggle on the hook to catch the crafty Ian Despereaux. And for Dorian, well I was still in the dark about what role he played.

“You know,” I started and rose from the chair where I walked with confidence over to the large stone fireplace. “I’m not the only spirit walker in the world. Why do you all act like I’m your new favorite toy? I don’t have any other abilities than any other spirit walker would have. Why don’t you hassle them and let me get back to my life in Flora?” I’d gladly push the problems I was facing onto someone else if that meant I wouldn’t have to deal with Holly and the VC anymore. Of course, I’d feel guilty as hell for their new spirit walker.

“But you are different,” the blonde said, rising from the couch to walk over to me. Her body was thin and lithe like a panther, but her eyes were dangerous and deadly like a shark. The beads on the purple flapper dress she wore swished as she walked closer, and with a graceful hand, she tossed her long blonde hair over her shoulder. She was beautiful. The kind of beautiful that made me wonder what in the hell Aiden saw in me. I was pretty, but standing next to her, I looked like an awkward loser. The fact my clothes and hair were soaked didn’t help my appearance.