Dark Debt (Chicagoland Vampires 11)

“They may have been torturers,” Jeff said. “But remember they were also scientists, at least to their minds. They collected samples. They ran experiments. If the ledgers survived, why not the samples?”

“So it was magic,” I said, thinking not just of the tricks “Balthasar” had done on Michigan Avenue, but the entirety of his “visit” to Chicago. “I mean, there was preparation, sure. He’d have done his research, his homework, read the ledgers, learned about the man. But it was mostly magic, and he was the prestige.”

“It was a con,” Ethan countered, and looked at Catcher. “Can you talk to your Order contacts? Find out if there are any rumblings about a sorcerer in Reed’s employ?”

Catcher nodded. “We can do that. Mallory’s forensic skills could also help there.”

I wondered if they could help with something else. I looked at Catcher. “I used to be immune to glamour, or at least a lot less sensitive to it. But after Balthasar attacked me, something changed. Everything affects me now. We weren’t sure how it was possible—but maybe the magic had something to do with it. Maybe that’s why it affected me.”

Ethan and Catcher looked at each other, expressions considering.

“Magic and vampirism can do weird things to each other,” Catcher said. “As we’ve seen. It’s certainly possible.”

I nodded.

“So if we’ve got all this right,” my grandfather said, “and we’ve got a sorcerer helping another vampire play Balthasar, where’s the real Balthasar?”

“According to Maguire,” I said, “faux Balthasar knew real Balthasar from their Memento Mori incarceration. That means real Balthasar survived the attack by Persephone’s family. And since Luc and Jeff managed to confirm some of what faux Balthasar told us about the rest of the real Balthasar’s history, he survived the Memento Mori, too. But we’ll have to go back to the timeline, those sources, to narrow it down any further than that.”

o;We can provide staff to assist you with that. I’d bet the Librarian would be happy to help.”

I looked up to realize Ethan was behind us, arms crossed over his chest.

You’re all right? I asked.

No. But I will be as soon as I wrench his head from his body.

Jeff nodded. “That would be good. It’ll go faster the more eyes we have.”

“For the moment, let’s think more broadly,” my grandfather suggested. “Reed knew about this vampire. How?”

I looked at Jeff. “You said the ledgers were at a library in London?”

“Not the ledgers themselves,” Jeff said. “Just the microfiche. A private collector owned the ledgers.”

“A private collector?” Ethan asked.

“On that,” Jeff said, diving into his tablet again. His response was nearly immediate. “Well, Odin’s balls.”

We all blinked, not sure whether to respond to the very creative curse, or the fact that he’d been excited enough to issue it.

He looked up, obviously exhilarated. “The Memento Mori’s ledgers were purchased at auction by a private investor. The collector was represented at the auction by LMN, LLC.”

“Odin’s balls, indeed,” I said, and glanced at Ethan. “That’s one of the Circle’s companies that paid for Balthasar’s condo. When were they purchased?”

He scrolled. “Looks like four years ago. Oh, this is something. I’ve got the text from the auction catalogue. The ledgers were described as an ‘intriguing exploration of the inner workings of a London cult, including references to monsters and vampires.’”

I glanced at Ethan. “Celina’s relationship with the Circle started seven years ago, and we guessed the Circle learned she was a vampire at some point. Maybe that point was four years ago.”

Ethan nodded. “He learns what she is, develops an interest in vampires, begins researching, compiling information. He then discovers our faux Balthasar, and proposes an arrangement to him.”

“It’s been a long con,” I said. “And Reed is very, very patient.”

“All right,” my grandfather said. “Research, possibly the ledgers, would have given him Balthasar’s history and enough about Ethan’s to fill in the gaps. But how did he match the face? The voice? He’d have needed help.”

Ethan nodded. “You’re right. The ‘Balthasar’ we’ve been dealing with is a Very Strong Psych. The extent to which he can psychically manipulate—that’s a level of vampire strength I’ve never seen, but it’s not an impossible level. But that only explains part of it. It wouldn’t explain his voice . . .”

Ethan looked away, nodded, considered. His gaze went distant, picking apart some faded memory. “It is the same. Precisely the same. The intonation. The intermingling of French.” He looked up at me, at Catcher. “How could he have done that? How could he have matched it so precisely?”