Spellbound (Otherworld 12)

Ahead I saw Cassandra's back as she crept through a second doorway. I could hear voices, too. Cassandra disappeared, heading in the direction of the voices.

"Hello, Cassandra," Anita's voice said. "I'm so pleased to meet you."

I froze.

"Anita Barrington," Cassandra said. "I've heard a great deal about you. Good to see you're alive and well after your brush with death. It's rather nasty, isn't it?"

Anita laughed. "They're right. You are a cool one. Good. That will make our discussion much easier. Would you take a seat, please?"

I crept along until I was behind the open door and could see through the crack into the room. A young man faced Anita, who was at a table. The guy stood by the table. Eloise was over at the window.

Cassandra had sat at the table, her back to me.

"I see Savannah didn't follow you," Anita said.

"She wasn't curious. I am. The curse of a long life. Anything interesting intrigues me."

"A long life indeed. You're the oldest living vampire. Your life must be nearing its end."

"If you're asking me to give my body to science, I've misplaced my donor card."

Anita smiled. "That would be very rude of me, and I can assure you, this is a completely respectful conversation, Ms. DuCharme. I have a proposition to make. I'd like to offer to extend your life."

"Ah."

"That's interesting, isn't it? It intrigues you?"

"Perhaps." Cassandra folded her hands on the table. "First, Ms. Barrington, tell me about Matthew Hull. He admitted to killing you. Clearly he didn't. He simply wanted the council to think he had, so if anything happened to him, his work could continue. You were working with him, not against him. And now you're working with Gilles de Rais?"

"You have it all figured out."

"Another curse of old age. I have no patience for prevarication or pretense. I presume you'll indulge me in that?"

Anita didn't answer. I tensed, ready to . . .

Ready to what? Run in and shout, "Leave her alone, you bad people!"

I took out my cell phone and texted Lucas. Potential situation. Bring backup. I gave my location and told him to call from the back door when he arrived. He texted back immediately, saying he was ten minutes away and Troy was with him.

As Anita and Cass faced off in silence, I ran through ideas. They knew I might be nearby, so I could sneak out, make some noise, and lure the guy out of the room. But that would still leave Anita and Eloise.

"Yes," Anita said finally. "I was collaborating with Matthew Hull. When I learned who he was, I made contact and we discovered we had a mutual interest."

"Immortality research."

"When the werewolves began getting close, he suggested faking my death to distract them. I went along with it. But I had no idea that he planned to take those babies and kill Zoe Takano. I'd never have allowed that. They're lovely girls, Elena and Zoe. I was relieved to hear they survived the attacks."

Truth or bullshit? I couldn't tell. Anita's sweet old lady routine was as convincing as Cassandra's unshakable doyenne.

"I'm glad to hear that," Cassandra said. "But you have continued Hull's work, have you not?"

"I've incorporated it into my own. Being presumed dead does have its advantages. I've been able to continue my work in peace."

"Without your granddaughter to look after. I'm sure that made it particularly peaceful."

"My granddaughter is still with me. I know Elena made inquiries after my death, checking on her, and I appreciated that. As she discovered, Erin was in the care of a witch friend, who kept her until it was safe for me to take her back."

"So now you're continuing your immortality work with Gilles de Rais."