Page 29 of Practically Witches

He laughs like I’ve just said something funny. “A lot of people’s friends were here last night.”

“Jesus, Colt. You don’t always have to be such an asshole. Obviously, they’re here about the girl.” She slides out of the booth and glides across the floor toward us. She’s tall, too. Taller than I thought. She holds out her hand. When I take it, it’s frozen—like really cold. “My name’s Lacey. This is Colt. Since I met him ten years ago, I’ve called him AssColt. It’s a name that’ll probably catch on the more you get to know him. Don’t mind anything he says. He surrendered his humanity and his common sense.”

“And she’s hanging onto her humanity like there’s a bare-chested lifeguard waiting to save her from it.”

Oh, that’s about all I need to bear from him, and thank you, but not interested in knowing him. I inch closer to Zane. Aimee looks at Colt and nods. “You’re a vampire.”

She pays so much attention in Supernatural Beings class, of course she’s the one who recognizes him for what he is.

And just when I think I have it all figured out—or at least part of it—he shakes his head. “I’m a dhampir.”

“Sounds fancy. Means he’s the son of a vampire mother and a human father.” She rolls her eyes. “Takes his fangs a little longer to grow in.” She pulls her lip back to show hers off. “I’m about to finish turning.”

I nod because I don’t give a fuck. I want to know about Ariya Glover. “What happened here to the girl who was…syphoned?” It’s odd to say it out loud.

Colt shakes his head. “It was fucking crazy. She was minding her business, dancing with some chick. Not a chick like her, but a human chick.” He shakes his head and puts his hands up. “This other chick comes in.” He stares hard at me and I’ll kick my own ass before I back away, but he moves in closer until Zane pushes him back. When he steps back into place beside Lacey, he smiles. “She smells divine. You’re a lucky boy.”

I glower at him because a scowl isn’t enough. “What happened to the girl?”

Lacey rolls her eyes. “She was just dancing when this bitch came in and stood at the end of the bar. I was working so I saw her.” She shakes her head. “This woman scanned the room, like she was taking it all in. Her gaze stopped on the girl and the girl froze like she knew.” She glances atColt. “And then she turned and she walked toward the…syphoner.”

I’m starting to hate that word.

“It was like there were ropes of electricity connecting them. I thought it was some kind of light show at first, a gimmick from a band or something. But then I saw that girl’s pain.” Colt shakes his head and gives his own shiver. “Fucking weird, man.”

“Colt tried to stop it.” Maybe he had some redeeming qualities after all. “But as soon as the girl started toward the syphoner, there was some kind of shield around them. He couldn’t get into it.”

Yeah. I’ve seen that part up close and personal. I’m not interested in seeing it again. And weird doesn’t quite describe it. “The girl came toward the syphoner?”

“Yeah. At first I thought they knew each other.” Lacey continued. “But when the girl was about three feet away, the ropes of power just…” She glances at me then back at Colt. “When it was finished, the girl just fell into a heap on the floor and the woman walked out and left her.”

Colt nods. “Your girl fought though.” He looks at Lacey as if he either wants corroboration or he wants her to finish telling it. She doesn’t move. “Tried to throw a spell. But it was like the syphoner knew what to expect, how to react. And every time the girl tried to break free, the syphoner had a counter ready to go.”

“But it didn’t seem like they knew each other?” I look at Lacey because Colt has a strange glimmer in his eye.

“No.”

“You guys go to that fancy institute school for witchy witching?” Colt looks at Zane then at me when I nod. “Your library has a giant collection of information about the lastsyphoner epidemic. Maybe you should check there. Might be some battle information.”

It makes sense, and I don’t know why I didn’t think of it. The Institute has the largest magic library in the country. They would have records of the last syphoners and how the battles were won. Or maybe there would be a grimoire with information we could use—a spell or potion or glamour—to stop her.

“You said syphoner epidemic?”

Lacey laughs and nods. “Yeah. They tried to keep it all hush-hush, but your witchy numbers were depleted by a few thousand. Entire families were wiped over the course of a few months.”

“Was there more than one syphoner?” There had to be information somewhere. Even if they were hiding, the Institute would’ve collected information for whatever council oversaw and tried to create plans and spells and wards to prevent this kind of thing.

Now, on a day where I don’t have to be there, I very much want to be at the Institute.

“I don’t know how it works. It could’ve been one, could’ve been twenty or two hundred. They don’t teach a lot of witch history at the public high school.” Lacey shakes her head. “Colt’s right though. Your school should have all the deets.”

I nod, ready to go, when Colt takes me by the arm and moves in closer to me—like he wasn’t too close before. “Did you know that being bit by a vampire is a very sensual experience?” And then he brushes his hand under my hair so he can thumb the pulse point at my throat, and he leans close enough I can smell copper on his breath. “I would make it good for you.”

Zane shoves him back. “Get the fuck away from her.”But I don’t need him to say anything. I can feel the power in me. Stronger with Zane’s touch, and whatever the dhampir is promising is nothing compared to what Zane is doing to me.

His touch sends shivers to all the best places.

“Thanks for the information.” Zane grinds the words out and I look at him as we turn to leave the club.

---