“A fez.It’s a hat that a number of fraternity orders wear.Never mind, it’s a frog wearing a hat and clothes, and it’s staring at me like I’m lunch.”His words were becoming increasingly more strangled.
“We’re on our way.”I knew where Chase lived, and given the time, rush hour traffic shouldn’t be too bad.“Meanwhile—try to keep it at a distance.”I slammed the phone down and whirled.“Chase is in trouble.We need to get over to his house.”
Delilah was on her feet immediately, the bag of Cheetos scattered all over the floor.Iris groaned and began picking them up as Delilah raced toward the stairs.“I’ll change in two shakes.”
“Never mind the mess for now,” I said.“Iris, come with us?”
“Of course,” Iris said.She slid into her shoes, following me as I hurried into the study, or parlor, as we chose to call it.I grabbed the silver swords my father had given to Delilah and me.Menolly couldn’t touch silver or it would burn her, given she was a vampire.
I looked around, trying to figure out what else we might want to take.We had our gear spread out in the parlor, we had yet to figure out a good place to leave it.I grabbed a length of rope and stuffed it in a tote bag, along with a length of silver chain and a pair of handcuffs.What good they might do, I had no idea, but we might as well be prepared.
“Ready?”Delilah returned, in jeans and a hoodie.She fastened her dagger to her belt, and we headed out to the drive.Iris had put her hair back up so it wasn’t dragging at her heels and we headed over to Delilah’s Jeep.Delilah drove like a maniac, but right now that’s what we wanted.I gave Iris a boost into the back seat, then jumped in the front.Delilah fired up the engine and we were on the way back down the driveway, without another word.
Seattle at nightwas a glittering expanse of lights overlooking the waterfront.It was gorgeous, though like all big cities, it had its problems.As we sped toward Chase’s house, I felt a nervous twitch in my stomach.We had only dealt with a couple beasties since we’d come over from Otherworld, and while I was used to being on cases that were dangerous, that was at home.We were here, now, and the rules were different.
I glanced in the backseat at Iris.“You going to be okay?”
She gave me a sly smile.“Camille, you have no idea just what I’m capable of.Remember—I was a priestess of Undutar.”
We weren’t sure of what all had entailed her leaving the order, but Iris could use magic.I just wasn’t sure how strong her powers were.
“Yell if you need help,” I said.
“I will.”
“Have you ever heard of a dog-sized frog creature?”I asked.
She thought for a moment, then said, “Maybe a kappa?They’re frog-demons, though what one would be doing so far from the water, I don’t know.They usually inhabit the banks and shores next to bodies of water.”
“Kappa…We don’t have those back in Otherworld.At least, not by that name.Do you know what can dispatch them?”I had learned long ago to find out an enemy’s weaknesses before going after them.
“I’m not sure.I think iron, but I’m not sure what else,” she said.
Delilah grunted as she shifted gears and moved into the left lane.The streets were wet, rain puddles shining under the dim lights.The I-5 freeway was fairly clear, most of the gridlock was over and done by sevenPM, unless there was a game or concert at the stadium.
“That leaves us out.We can’t touch pure iron.Steel, we can handle, but iron?Not so much.”
“Me either,” Iris said.“Very few of the Fae can manage it without getting burned.”She paused, then asked, “Have you ever met the great Fae Queens?”
I shook my head.“I’ve heard tales that Aeval is hidden away behind a cloak of mist and shadow, and Titania…last I heard she wanders the woods in mourning.The Great Divide shook the world, and even though it’s been millennia, the Fae still argue over it.”
“We’re almost there,” Delilah said.
Chase lived in a small apartment near downtown Seattle.He was looking for a new place, but Seattle was pricey and his salary didn’t go that far.At the moment, he lived in a high rise called Shenine Towers, which was on Dexter Avenue North, near Thomas Street.As we pulled into the parking garage, I grabbed my tote from the Jeep and jumped out.Iris slid out the back, managing the drop without a problem.Delilah armed up as we sprinted to the elevator.
“What floor?”Delilah asked, hovering her finger over the buttons.
“12-D.”I sucked in a long breath, then let it out slowly.We’d fought a nasty creature on our property when we’d first bought it six months ago, but since then, life had been quiet.
“Ready for this?”Delilah asked.
She was so athletic that she made me look like a sloth, but we were just different body types.I was curvy and padded, she was tall and muscled, and Menolly… Menolly was petite with the strength of her vampire heritage.She had been a jian-tu, a natural acrobat, but like me and my magic, and like Delilah who couldn’t always control her shifting, her powers failed her on occasion.And they had failed her at the worst possible moment thirteen years ago.The moment changed her world and her future forever.
Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I slipped into the hallway and glanced at the nearest door.12-G on the left.I turned right where the first six apartments were and headed to the door marked 12-D, hoping that Chase was still in one piece.As I approached the door, I saw that it was the slightest bit ajar.
I slowed, focusing on listening.As I sorted through the background noises of the air currents coming from the building’s core heating unit, I could hear a couple behind the door next to Chase’s place.They were arguing over money.And I could hear somebody down the hallway playing music loud enough I could have sang along with the lyrics.
And then, I heard Chase.