Page 111 of Sigils & Spells

“This is Detective Kelley.”

“Leesa Lang, L-E-E-S-A, has been stealing animals to fuel black magic spells. I’ll send you a video clip from Olivia’s cameras.”

“Marin?”

I rushed on. “I know it isn’t courtroom-worthy evidence, but I’m sure the person on it is Leesa. I don’t know if she’s the black magic practitioner or if she’s working with them. Either way, she is connected to Raven and Jonah and possibly Clancy, but Clancy’s more of an educated guess.”

The apartment entrance loomed ahead of me.

“Whoa. Whoa. Whoa. Back up.”

The card swipe to enter the building either didn’t work or it was a sham. The door opened with a simple push.

“All I wanted to do was help. But I keep screwing up. First, I wanted to make sure you guys hadn’t missed one of my spells inside that building and wound up finding a torture chamber.”

Two corridors branched off the empty lobby.

“Marin,” Aidan shouted.

“Then, I learned about Jonah’s blood and saw the video.” My gaze skated over a bank of locked mailboxes and a stairway before landing on an elevator flanked by ceramic pots containing some kind of enormous palm plants. “Well, I saw the video first.”

Since I had no intention of hiking up three flights of stairs, I hurried over to the elevator and jabbed the call button. Repeatedly.

“But I swear to you all I wanted was her name, then the police, you and Harding, would have someone to question who actually was a criminal instead of me, and then you could find Jonah. I really hope he’s still alive.”

“Where are you?!”

“I got her name all right.” A bitter laugh wrenched out of me. “Congratulations, you’re right. Where my business and reputation are concerned I am self-centered and shallow. Although, I never thought I’d be forced into a situation like this. I want you to know I’m not proud of myself and I’m not doing this voluntarily.”

“I’m in my car. Tell me where you are. Now.”

The elevator door opened.

I gave him the address. The button marked ‘three’ lit up when I pushed it. “I’m getting in the elevator so this call might drop.” The door slid shut. “I’m not usually so stupid. But I was hyper-focused on finding out Leesa’s name and I talked to Vixen, who is one of Rafi’s blood bunnies. I don’t like that description but she is a conniving—no, never mind. She showed me pictures of a grimoire and told me, Franz—he’s a vampire scholar—probably found a potion that increases a vampire’s power. They think it’s in the grimoire. Rafi wants it. And what he’s doing is basically blackmail.”

“Marin, listen to me. We’ve confirmed there was black magic used on the basement door. Don’t do anything.”

“Can you put out an APB on Leesa Lang and Franz? Pick them up? Question them? Leesa is with a guy from Rafi’s blood crew. I don’t remember his name.” The elevator door opened. “I don’t know where they are. She has platinum-blond hair though, great skin, a lip ring, and wears a blood-red ruby. It’s huge. Franz is at the University.” I scanned doors for apartment numbers. Guns ‘N Roses blared through 310’s door. “You should question him about Jonah. Crap! He’s working with my dad. Will you call my father and warn him about Franz?”

“I just left your dad. He’s the one who confirmed the black magic. I’m on my way.”

I could hear someone’s TV through the door marked 313.

“Marin, are you listening to me? Meet me in the lobby.”

“315.” I stood in front of Leesa’s apartment. “This is weird.” I didn’t sense my magic. Had she paid another witch to ward the door?

“Do. Not. Go. In. That. Apartment,” Aidan ground out.

I didn’t want to go in there. Staring at the door, I disconnected the call, then silenced my phone. What if I didn’t find the books? What would Rafi do to me then? And if I found them? Thinking about the grimoire in Rafi’s possession terrified me. At least when I’d broken into the other apartment building I’d done it for a worthy cause.

That thought parted the storm clouds of dread with a shimmering thread of light. I could still help Jonah. Somewhere inside this apartment, there might be a clue as to where he was or what happened to him. Holding onto that promise with a death grip I focused on the door once more.

Unsure of what protections were on it I cast my first spell. I froze when the deadbolt snicked open. That was too easy.

Tension hummed through me. What if this was a setup? My imagination served up the faceless body, depleted and withered like a mummy, crumpled upon a concrete floor. Was I walking into a trap? Could I be the next Raven?

This was insane.

---