“Make what harder than it has to be?” I jump down the porch steps. “Acting like a decent human being? Not stalking me? Now that would be hard for you.”
Ruby holds out her hand, reading the spells I’ve used to cast a circle of protection around my house. “Don’t play dumb with me, Callie Martin.”
“It’s King now, and the only dumb thing around here is you, thinking you can just walk right through my wardings.” I put a hand on my hip and stare down Ruby. She’s dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, with her Academy-assigned robe over top. “And if you did somehow make it past the wardings, then you’re really stupid for thinking you could make it past my familiars.”
“Cut the bullshit,” Ruby spits out. “I’m here out of respect. Albeit said respect is just about out. So it’s more out of respect for the coven than for you.”
“What?” I curl my fingers in, nails pressing against my skin. I turn, looking at Kristy out of the corner of my eye. She shakes her head, not having the slightest clue what Ruby is talking about.
“You know what. And really, Callie, I expected more from you. First the trick with the book, and now this?”
“You’re not making any sense.” I go down the porch steps. “And I didn’t do anything with the book.” It’s true. I didn’t do a damn thing to it. The book won’t absorb my blood because I’m not a full witch.
“You know what doesn’t make sense? Why you’d let your vampire husband leave the bodies out to so easily be found. Unless you were trying to send a message.”
The blood drains from my face. Bodies? “What are you talking about?”
“Like I said,” Ruby goes on, holding out her hand. Magic sparks around her fingers, burning red in the night. “Stop playing dumb.”
“I’m not.” I move a few paces closer. “What bodies?”
Ruby arches an eyebrow. “Do I really have to repeat myself? Cut the bullshit. Three bodies were found, drained of blood.” She puts her hand on her hip. “You get removed from the coven and then what? Your little vampire husband goes on a murder spree?”
“There’s nothing little about Lucas,” I shoot back. “And he didn’t kill anyone.”
Not recently at least.
I turn, brows furrowed, and look at Kristy again. She shakes her head, letting me know she hasn’t heard anything about bodies being found.
“I am not in the mood for this, Ruby,” I go on, heart lurching when I see the fear in Abby’s eyes. “I don’t know what kind of game you’re playing, but you’re pissing me the fuck off.”
Ruby holds up her hands. “Ohh, I’m so scared.” She rolls her eyes. “Please. I knew you’d deny it, and I know the Grand Coven won’t go after you as they would have when you were a member of the coven. But I’m not stupid, Callie,” she says pointedly. “Bodies show up, drained of blood and torn up just enough to make it look like an animal attack, but I know better. That’s a classic vampire coverup, and I have to say part of me is disappointed your vamp husband couldn’t do a better job.”
“Ruby,” I start again and hold up my hand, creating a door for her to walk through. I’m pissed as hell at her for showing up unannounced, but Lucas didn’t kill anyone. If bodies really were found—drained of blood and torn up as if a wild animal was responsible for the killing—then we might have bigger problems than vampires in Thorne Hill.
Again.
“Lucas didn’t kill anyone. And until I know what the hell you are talking about, I can’t even level with you.”
I part the magic, and Ruby skeptically looks at the temporary door and then trains her eyes back to me. Pushing her shoulders back, she steps through the warding. I bring my hands together, sealing the circle again.
Wooden boards creak behind me, and Kristy comes down the porch steps, standing at my side. “I haven’t heard anything about bodies being found. People go disappearing often enough around here, but bodies drained of blood is still a big freaking deal,” she says.
“We were able to interfere before the nons got wind of it,” Ruby quickly explains, gaze darting from me to Kristy. She seems genuinely surprised neither of us know about this. “Joggers found the first body this morning in the state park.”
If she’s talking about the state park I’m thinking of, then it’s between Thorne Hill and Lake Michigan. Demons have flocked to the area before, finding it the perfect hiding spot, far enough from the Ley line not to draw unwanted attention, but close enough to suck up power from it.
“When the council went to investigate, we found two more bodies, and the deaths were ruled vampiric. So make it easy, Callie, and hand over your vampire or I’ll call the VC with an anonymous tip about a vampire draining humans…who also happens to be married to a witch.”