Payne ignored me as his gaze lingered on Puich. I knew that look. It was one that said he was trying to figure out why a two-foot-tall coroner's assistant pinged his 'something's not quite right' radar. Most assumed Puich was a little person. He was able to hide his height and appearance behind his glamour. Unfortunately, Payne picked up on more.
"The other victims," Dani said carefully. "Puich mentioned similar cases? Were they also students?"
Payne's eyes narrowed, and his mouth settled in a hard line that told me he wasn't planning to share details with a bunch of civilians. While he was focused on Dani, I muttered a lip-loosening spell under my breath. I wove just enough power to make him chatty but not enough to trigger his suspicions.
His expression softened slightly as the magic took hold. "No. The first victim was a local artist specializing in Quarter-inspired pieces. The second was a bookstore owner dealing in rare texts. Your studentmakes three."
"Any connection between them?" I asked, keeping my tone casual to avoid disrupting the spell's subtle influence.
His pen tapped against his notebook as he answered with unusual openness. "All women in their early thirties. They all had similar markings and masks. Their locations also seem significant."
"Significant how?" Phi pressed.
"Each body was placed near historical landmarks. The artist was by St. Louis Cathedral. The bookstore owner near the old Ursuline Convent." His eyes locked onto Phi. "Your student was found by Marie Laveau's tomb."
"The masks," Kota ventured quickly, while the spell still held. "Were they all the same?"
"Similar style, different designs. They were all Venetian with purple accents." He snapped his notebook shut, some of his natural suspicion returning as my magic began to fade. "I don't suppose any of you ladies have insight into the occult significance of these deaths?"
"Just what anyone would know about carnival traditions," Phi offered carefully. "The masks are popular, and it’s almost Mardi Gras."
He tucked his notebook away. "I'd like to know why all of you are here. Beyond Dr. Hodgins identifying her student."
"Like I said earlier, we came to support Phi," I explained.
"So you all decided it was a good idea to show up at the morgue and look at a murder victim?" He barked. My spell was completely gone now.
"She shouldn't have to do this alone," Dani told him.
"Of course not." He clearly didn't believe that was our only reason, but he also couldn't prove otherwise. "Well, now that you've confirmed the ID, ladies, I trust you'll be on your way. And try not to contaminate my evidence while you're... paying your respects."
Nodding, the six of us silently left the room. No onespoke until we had exited the building. There were ears everywhere now that people had begun arriving for their shifts.
"We need to call an emergency council meeting," Dre said when we reached our vehicles. "When you add this to Lia’s vision, this is big. We need to stop this killer from targeting more witches or other supernaturals."
"Marie needs to be there," Dani agreed as she typed on her phone. "She can verify if this involves her grimoire, even if it's been twisted."
"The whole supernatural community needs to know," I added. "Especially, with the masquerade coming up."
One hour and several beignets later, I was seriously regretting my resolve to limit my energy drink consumption to one a day. The sugar crash wasn't helping me focus on the grim discussion unfolding in front of me. The council chamber looked like a supernatural United Nations, and it had nothing to do with Dani's elegant decor choices. Representatives from every faction filled the seats around the massive table, their faces grave as they examined the crime scene photos.
"We called you all here to discuss the fact that there is a serial killer hunting supernaturals," Dre announced, spreading out more photos across the polished wood. "Three victims so far, all with ritualistic elements."
"These channeling marks," Marie Laveau spoke from her usual seat, her voice carrying centuries of power. At least now we knew Dani was right about where they had come from. "They're familiar. However, they’ve been changed. Twisted from their original purpose." The way her mouth tightened told me she recognized more than she was saying.
"I’d bet there is also significance to where the killer put them," Kaitlyn added. "St. Louis Cathedral,the Ursuline Convent, and Marie Laveau's tomb are all powerful locations. The question is, do they form a larger pattern?"
I found my gaze drifting to the new face in the crowd. With Viktor cooling his heels in Coldwater Creek's supernatural detention center, his replacement stood out like a diamond in a coal mine. The platinum-haired vampire's fluid grace made everyone else look clumsy in comparison. The calculating look in her eyes told me she was taking in every detail of the room's dynamics.
"If I may," the vampire said when she caught me studying her. Her smooth voice cut through the rising tension. "Allow me to introduce myself, as it seems introductions were... overlooked. Alexis St. Claire."
"And who exactly nominated you as top fang, Alexis?" Talindra's fae-enhanced voice carried clearly as she questioned the new vampire leader. "Last I checked, vampires were about as organized as a cat herding competition. Or did you just happen to be the first one to plant your designer heels in Viktor's empty chair?"
Alexis's smile showed just enough fang to be threatening, while her eyes held calculated amusement. "We had a vote, actually. We’re quite democratic. It turns out when you've got eternity, eventually you figure out that might doesn't always equal right. Viktor's traditional approaches were becoming a liability. The world is changing. So are we." Her gaze swept the room. "Though I suppose some factions prefer to cling to the old ways like security blankets."
"Lovely," Marie replied. Her voice cut through the tension like a steel blade wrapped in velvet. "Now that you've had your audience, we should move on and focus on the immediate threat. Someone is corrupting my family’s work for dark purposes. This cannot stand."
"We need to look into the timing of these murders," Phi added, spreading out a map marked with the crime scenes. "I’m betting that Kaitlyn is right, and we're missing a pattern here. Perhaps, it’s their positioning relative to the ley line intersections."
