Spinning, Bancroft threw a hand up into the air. Beside me, Landon was still in thought. Trent was massaging his forehead, and Ellasbeth looked as if I’d spit on the Goddess, not offered up that she was real and touchable. My God. To actually talk to the divine?
But I’d already done that. I just hadn’t believed.
“This is appalling,” Bancroft spouted, face red. “I do not have to tolerate this!”
Trent shot me a look as he stood, but had he seriously expected me to sit here with my mouth shut? “Bancroft. Please. Rachel’s theories often draw on a multitude of practices—”
“They are outrageous and counterproductive!”
And they usually get the job done, I thought, taking a sip of iced tea.
“And because of it, they have a tendency to appear outrageous, but they often lead to flexible solutions,” Trent finished. “Please. Nothing she’s said is false. Don’t end the discussion because you don’t like it.”
I couldn’t help but feel good that Trent had stuck up for me, but my smug smile vanished when Landon noticed it. Bancroft finally sat down, grumbling as he tugged his ceremonial robe straight while Trent opened a new bottle of wine and filled Bancroft’s glass.
“Thank you,” Trent said, adding a drop to his own glass before giving me a tired look. “We’ve determined that the waves are attracted to Rachel. She’s not a mystic magnet. It’s simply because she made the line that they’re escaping from and her aura resonates at the same frequency.”
Still Bancroft frowned, his arms over his chest as he refused to take the drink Trent had topped off. From inside, I could hear Lucy singing, loudly and off-key.
Trent met my eyes and looked away. “I suggest that there’s a high likelihood that the Free Vampires knew that Rachel created the Loveland ley line, hence their choosing it and Cincinnati as their test case.”
Seeing Trent do his boardroom shuffle was kind of cool, and I tried to look more professional. “Which brings up something that you have all avoided like the emperor’s new clothes. Would a vampire faction risk humanity freaking out and attacking all vampires just to further their belief that the undead existence is a blasphemy to the soul? The stuff the living are doing right now without the masters to curb them is as bad or worse than what the masters do themselves. I’m not buying it. Free Vampires are involved, but they don’t know how to work with wild magic. Someone is helping them, and it’s not the witches or demons.”
Bancroft took a long swallow of wine. He looked up, and I could see the first hints of inebriation in his rummy eyes. He was tired, and I couldn’t tell what he was thinking as he played with the stem of his wineglass.
“Meaning . . .” Trent said into the silence, taking Ellasbeth’s hand above the table and giving it a squeeze when she reached for him in worry.
“The elves would benefit greatly from an end to the vampires,” I said, point-blank. And when diplomacy fails, you shoot first and run like hell.
Bancroft’s gaze darkened. “I don’t see that at all.”
“I do,” I said, and Trent shifted uncomfortably. “You’re balanced on species recovery, and taking out the vampires would solidify your foothold tremendously.” I sipped my tea, ignoring Ellasbeth’s shocked stare. “It’s no secret you met the masters dollar for dollar in the economic arena when you were hiding and almost extinct. The undead worked hard to make the ‘almost’ part go away on more than one occasion. The waves are putting those pesky witches in their place, too.”
Bancroft was incensed, sputtering like a boiling pot, but it was Landon’s cool lack of expression that struck me as being dangerous.
“Rachel,” Trent said, caught off guard and trying to keep things together. “I’m a loud voice in elven matters. If it was us, I’d know it.”
Would he? I wondered, looking at Ellasbeth’s utter disregard and wondering if it was her hiding knowledge or simply her dislike for anything that came from me.
“Elves would gain nothing from an end to vampires,” Trent said with a light laugh, but it was for Bancroft and Landon, not me, and I could see a sudden concern trace like a ribbon of muddy water behind his eyes. The thought had occurred to him, too.
Fine. Lips pressed, I pushed back from the table and crossed my arms. I’d aired my beliefs. Any disaster that happened from here out wouldn’t be because I’d played it safe and kept my mouth shut. “Perhaps you’re right,” I said sarcastically as Landon’s grip on his wineglass tightened and Ellasbeth frowned at me to be polite. Polite never saved anyone’s ass.
“Rachel,” Landon said, voice low and coaxing . . . and raising every caution flag I’d ever had. “I’d be very curious to see one of these FIB devices in action. To be able to track the thoughts of the Goddess would be a marvelous step in finding out who is really responsible. If they are indeed trapping mystics, then all we have to do is follow the trail to where it ends.”
Oh, if it were only that easy. “You don’t think the FIB tried that?”
“I have two,” Trent said suddenly, surprising me. “Edden asked me to put them on the outskirts of my property as part of their early detection.” His eyes went to Bancroft. “I’d be more than happy to show you how they work.”
“A pair?” Landon said, the scent of cinnamon growing stronger. “That’s even better. With two, we can ascertain if Rachel’s aura is glowing from repeated contact with the waves, or if she collects them simply walking about.”
“My aura is glowing?” I said, stiffening, and Trent raised a soothing hand.
“Not like when a wave hits you,” he said, but I didn’t feel any better. “It’s just got this silvery haze it usually doesn’t.”
Bancroft squinted at me. “Has your aura always had that black sheen? Or did that come with the mystics as well?”
Nope. Still didn’t feel any better. Ellasbeth made a little noise, telling me she hadn’t noticed till now. I took a breath to comment, then smiled as I felt a soft expanding of my awareness. The ley line running through Trent’s compound seemed brighter, more scintillating, and I exhaled as the chiming purity of the lines in the greater Ohio area became clearer. Bis was nearby.
“It came with membership to the demon collective,” I said, turning to the pool as, with the sound of sliding leather, Bis dropped out of the darkening sky, his red eyes wide and his pushed-in smile showing his black teeth. Ellasbeth gasped, and Bancroft choked on his drink. If the kid hadn’t been smiling, I’d be worried. Jenks had probably told him I might need a jump home.
“Bis. Everything okay?” I asked as Landon rose, going around the table to crouch beside Bancroft as the man whispered something to make Trent unhappy.
“The Hollows and Cincinnati are locked down,” he said, eyes darting between the people behind me. “I came to jump you home when you’re ready.”
I stood, wanting to introduce him. “Thanks. I think we’re just about done here anyway.”
Bis made the short flight to my shoulder, his bird-light weight hitting me just as I erected a barrier around my mind so I wouldn’t pass out from ley line overload. His lionlike tail wrapped round my back, tucking under my armpit for a secure hold that was a hundred times better than wrapping around my neck. He lifted his wings, touching their tips together in greeting as he looked at Trent, and the man smiled, helping Ellasbeth to her feet. “Mr. Kalamack. Ms. Ellasbeth,” he said with a formal stiffness, and Bancroft rose as well.
“Good to see you, Bis,” Trent said. “I’d like you to meet Bancroft and Landon. They study the Goddess.”
Bis nodded. “The lines are singing in step, but the music has changed,” he said, and Bancroft pressed close, intrigued. He could talk to any gargoyle if he cared to try, but getting them to talk back was harder.
Landon stuck out his hand, and the adolescent gargoyle giggled, ruining the solemn air as he carefully shook it. “Pleasure,” the younger man said. “Do you have some time? I’ve often wondered about the symbiotic relationship some of your people have with demons.”
I was kind of curious about that myself, but I was more concerned about getting home to Ivy. She was watching Nina like a hawk on cheese . . . or whatever.
“You’re welcome to stay the night,” Trent offered.
“Yes, please stay,” Ellasbeth echoed, and I quailed under her insincere smile.
Fidgeting, I looked back at my lounge chair where I had left my shoulder bag. “Ah, thank you, but no. I’d really prefer to be home tonight. Nina needs all the support she can get.”
Ellasbeth’s bristly mien softened. “Oh,” she said, expression closed. “Of course.”
“Nina?” Bancroft asked, and I went to get my bag, crouching carefully so Bis wouldn’t become unbalanced.
“She’s the unwilling scion of the only undead awake in the Cincinnati area,” Trent said.
Ellasbeth looped her arm in Trent’s to look like the perfect executive’s wife. “Rachel’s roommate is trying to break the vampiric addiction he has on her.” I glanced sharply at her. A delicate flush colored her, and if I didn’t know better, I’d say she thought it was a noble endeavor. “Rachel, is there anything we can do? Trent’s research is a hundredfold more sure now. Do you think she’d be willing to chance a reduction in her virus count?”
Shocked, I scrambled for words. “Ah, I’ll ask her, but she’s a living vampire. I don’t think it would help. But thank you. I’ll tell her you mentioned it.”
His arm still in hers, Trent looked sidelong at her in surprise. Ellasbeth was stiff, making me wonder. She seemed to understand, and that was . . . totally unexpected.
“Well,” I said, wishing the girls were still out here. “I’d better get going. Give Lucy and Ray a hug for me,” I said, and Trent nodded. Behind him, Landon and Bancroft were discussing something intently, their backs to us and the words flying back and forth fast enough to make me nervous.
“Thanks for coming over,” Trent said as he edged me away from Ellasbeth for a private word. The memory of our last kiss flashed through me, and I flushed, feeling guilty with Ellasbeth watching, but damn it, we hadn’t done anything! “I’ll see about getting your car to you tomorrow.”
“I’d appreciate that,” I said, seeing Ellasbeth watching me with a long face. “Dinner was great,” I added, waiting until Bancroft finished arguing with Landon before popping out.
Smiling, he ducked his head and Ellasbeth came close, asserting her presence. “Sorry about the hot dog.”
I made a snort of laughter, and Bis’s tail tightened. “I’m sure it was fine.”
Behind him, Landon took on an aggressive stance as he talked to Bancroft. “I think it worth finding out. When will we have another opportunity like this? It’s my risk, not yours!”
“Fine!” Bancroft exclaimed. “I’ll ask her!”
Ellasbeth took Trent’s arm and leaned in. “Was there something wrong with the hot dog?”
“I’ll tell you later,” Trent muttered, then turned to include Bancroft and Landon as they approached, the former slightly soused, the latter having a quiet urgency I didn’t trust.
“Morgan,” Bancroft drawled firmly. “Would you be willing to assist us on a matter?”
I could tell it was just about killing him to ask for my help, and I touched Bis’s clawed feet, his toes carefully spread so he didn’t pinch me. “Depends. What do you want?”
Bancroft glanced at Landon, then back to me. “My assistant wants to determine if the mystics currently coating your aura are from repeated contact with the waves itself, or if you’re picking up free-ranging mystics, and if that is the case, if they’re crossing the line to find you.”
Landon pushed forward. “If they are, then a simple way to end the waves and wake up the masters would be for you to temporarily maintain a presence in the ever-after.”
My first impulse to deny, avoid, and ignore swirled into simply avoid and ignore. I kind of wanted to know myself, but to voluntarily stay in the ever-after? “How?” I asked suspiciously.
“Ahh . . .” Bancroft hesitated, and Landon jiggled on his sneaker-covered feet.
“Rachel,” Landon blurted. “I’d like to take twin readings from, say, here to Cincinnati? One meter in reality, one in the ever-after. We could go cross-country and avoid roads.”
“At night?” Trent exclaimed, and Ellasbeth’s eyes widened.
“In the ever-after?” I said, as appalled as her. “Do you know what happens after sunset?”
“Demons.” Landon’s eyes were unreadable, but his voice held a thread of challenge.
“Sometimes, sure,” I said, tugging my shoulder bag higher. “It’s the surface demons I’m worried about. I know most of the demon demons, but surface demons are like big, smart, hungry rats. You walk anywhere for any length of time, and they’ll find you.”
Trent was shaking his head. “Bancroft, I see your reasoning, and I agree the information would be invaluable, but Rachel is right. I’ve been there after sunset, and if you’re not prepared, it is like, well . . .” He looked at me. “Like summoning a demon without a circle. It can wait until morning.”
“Twelve hours might make a huge difference,” Landon said, undeterred. “You have two meters. One team could travel through the ever-after, the other in reality. We’d take readings all the way, determining natural levels, her levels, and if the mystics will cross realities to find her.”