Hell's Bell (Lizzie Grace 2)

I scrambled out of bed, ran through the living room, and hauled open the sliding door. My leg twinged a reminder to be careful, but I ignored it and went out. The bell had fallen silent, but an ominous hunger now filled the air.

A hunger that ran with frustration.

Which hopefully meant Ashworth’s magic was holding the spirit at bay, preventing it from doing its task.

I ran back inside, locked the door, and then grabbed my phone. Aiden answered on the fifth ring.

“Liz.” His voice was croaky with sleep. “Sorry I didn’t ring, but—”

“The soul eater is on the move again. The church bell just tolled.”

“Fuck.” Sheets rustled and bedsprings squeaked, and I once again fought images of him climbing out of bed naked. “I can be there in ten.”

Meaning he was up at the O’Connor compound again rather than his own home. “Have you got Ashworth’s contact details?”

I hadn’t thought to grab them myself, and maybe I needed to—especially if the soul eater eluded us yet again.

“Yeah. I’ll ring him and get him to meet us at the café.”

“Make sure you wear that agate charm I gave you.”

“I haven’t taken the thing off.”

“Good,” I said, and hung up.

I continued on into my bedroom. Once I was dressed, I grabbed my agate charm and Aiden’s keys, and then clattered down to the reading room. I gathered four silk pouches, some ribbon to tie them up with, and a number of herbs—including angelica root, ivy, rowan, and blackberry—that had serious warding properties against evil spirits. Once I’d boosted those properties with a spell, I placed them in the silk pouches, and then charged each satchel with an incantation asking the Air, Earth, Water, and Fire to protect the souls of those who were wearing them.

I placed one around my neck and tucked it out of sight under my shirt, then gathered my backpack—it still held the silver knife on which I’d placed the containment spell, and a couple of warding potions—and headed out of the room. I left a pouch on the counter for Belle, along with a note to tell her to put it on as soon as she got home, and then walked over to the front door.

Aiden appeared a few minutes later, flowing from one form to another as he neared the café. He wasn’t even breathing heavily, despite the fact he must have run all the way here. “Have you got any idea of location?”

I hesitated, reaching psychically for the foul caress that ran through the night. “It’s not close.”

“Suggesting it’s not attacking Larissa.”

“No.” I handed him a silk pouch. “Wear this.”

His nostrils flared as he accepted it, and only the slightest hint of trepidation touched his expression. “What is it, besides being rather pungent?”

“Oh, sorry—I forgot about your keener sense of smell.” I wrinkled my nose. “It’s a herbal mix that will help counter an attack by our dark spirit.”

“Then I’ll put up with the smell.” He slipped it over his neck, tucked it under his shirt, and then glanced past me. “Here comes Ashworth. You ready to go?”

“Yes.” I stepped back to grab my coat from the inside hook, and then slammed the door closed.

“What makes you think the soul eater is on the move?” Ashworth said, as soon as he got within talking distance. “I haven’t felt anything along the energy lines.”

I frowned. “You can’t feel the foul frustration in the air?”

“No.” He fell into step beside me as Aiden led the way around to the building to the parking lot.

“Then I suppose you didn’t hear that church bell tolling at twelve thirty, either?”

“No, lassie, I damn well did not.” I could feel his gaze on me, but I studiously ignored it as Aiden opened the truck’s passenger door and ushered me inside. Ashworth climbed into the back seat, and then added, “But the fact you did is not a great sign.”

Once I’d dumped my backpack at my feet and put on my belt, I twisted around to face him. “Why? We can’t be dealing with a Nachzehrer, because they supposedly only go after the souls of their kin.”

His eyebrows rose. “And how would you know that if you’ve done no formal training?”