Shade placed both hands on the detective’s head and closed his eyes. It was hard to see what was going on, but a light began to flow between his fingers—pale violet, the color of the Netherworld, the color of death magic, the color of shades and shadows and ghosts.
I moved a step closer to Delilah, and she reached out for me. I took her hand and felt the trembling fear flow off her. Morio and Camille had joined hands and were watching intently. We stood, silent, waiting, as Shade began to fade into the thin layer of smoke that began to rise around him. It was as if his body were breaking apart into minuscule dots.
Beam me up, Scotty. The thought appeared unbidden, and I would have laughed if we hadn’t been facing a crisis. Delilah gasped and clutched my hand tightly. The smoke that Shade had vanished into was infiltrating Chase’s body, filtering in through his nose.
“Shade’s going in search of Chase’s consciousness,” Camille whispered.
She looked up, silver scarring the violet of her eyes. Morio’s eyes were also gleaming. Shade’s magic was affecting them, bringing them in tune with what he was doing. Delilah began to waver, and her hand fell away from mine. One moment she was there, and the next, a large, sleek, black panther with a jeweled collar stood beside me. Quickly padding over to the bed, she rose up, front feet planted on the bottom of the sheets. I stepped forward, ready to grab her back if needed, but she just watched.
Camille and Morio began to whisper a soft chant, so soft I could barely hear it. Mallen stood back, watching and waiting. I forced myself to relax.
In through the shadows, in through the shade,
Slide through the inroads we’ve made.
Enter the psyche, open the door,
Your secrets will be secrets no more.
As I watched, a slow shimmer of silver light appeared from their breaths, flowing over Chase like a wave, rolling out to cover him fully, to settle in swirling clouds around and over his body.
After a moment, a faint voice cried out from the mist.
“I’m lost…help me…”
It was Chase, and he sounded frightened and alone. Delilah, still in panther form, leaned closer, surrounded by the swirling mist as well. Instinct made me step forward, take hold of her collar, and gently pull her away.
“You can’t help right now, Kitten. Let them work. Let Morio and Camille and Shade do what they can.” I knelt by her and wrapped my arms around the big fuzzy neck and crooned in her ear. She seemed anxious—hell, I knew she was anxious—but she listened to me and lay down. I patted her back, stroking her fur and scratching her between the ears. I knew better than just about anyone what Delilah liked when she was in cat form, and it wasn’t all that much different when she shifted into her panther form.
She rumbled a broken purr, then licked me on the face. I wiped the slobber off and kissed her on the nose. “It will be all right. We’ll find him. Just give them time and space.”
With a slight hiccup, she rested her head on her paws and waited. I turned back to the others. Morio and Camille were now by Chase’s side, their hands pressed on his heart and his forehead. Shade was still nowhere in sight.
“It’s waiting for me, I can’t get past it…” Again, the faint sound of Chase’s voice, echoing through the room, but it did not come from his lips.
I glanced around. Where the hell was he and how come we were hearing him? And what was the it he was talking about? Vanzir and I had munched the creepshow that was after him last night.
But…but…it wasn’t the thing that had hurt him. What I’d seen—and Vanzir had destroyed—was after him over on the Dream-Time, but it hadn’t touched him yet. I’d seen to that. No, something else actually got to him. And whatever that something was, it still had hold of him.
And then, I saw it—a motion, a whisper of something being forced out of Chase’s nose. He began to breathe hard, and I motioned for Delilah to stay where she was as I took a closer look. Whatever it was, it was wispy and wraithlike, and I knew it wasn’t Shade.
Camille and Morio turned their attention to it. They reached out, their hands joined, and plunged them into the heart of the creature. An unearthly shriek filled the air and the spirit vanished. A moment later, Chase let out a loud gasp and smoke poured from his mouth. It flowed over to the side of the bed and out of the dim shadow, Shade stepped forth.
Chase coughed, harshly, and then moaned. Mallen rushed over to him and checked his pulse and heart, then smoothed his hair back as Chase’s eyes fluttered open.
“Where…where…” His voice was ragged and hoarse.
“Quiet, Chase. Rest. You’re safe now.” Mallen injected something into his arm, and Chase fell back into a peaceful, deep sleep. Mallen looked up at me. “I’ve given him a sedative. He’ll sleep for a couple of hours and then wake. The drug is mild and short-acting.”
Shade looked pensive. His gaze fluttered up to meet mine, and he shook his head. “Not good. Delilah, we have need of you, my pet.”
Delilah began to shimmer, shifting back into her normal form. As she stood and stretched, eyes wide, Chase murmured in his sleep, but he was calmer and seemed to be resting peacefully.
“What the fuck was the thing that came out of him? And what on earth were you doing?” She gazed at him. “Is this part of your Stradolan nature?”
Shade nodded. “Partially, yes, and partially from my shadow dragon heritage. Come, let’s go talk in private, where we won’t disturb him.” He turned to Mallen. “Can you have someone set up wards, immediately? The entire building needs to be protected from the outer planes—the Netherworld, astral, Dream-Time, and etheric. There may be more ways for them to enter, but for now that should do.”
Mallen didn’t ask why, just nodded crisply. “Can you stay here while I summon more help? I don’t want to leave him alone.”
“Hurry, then.” Shade sounded worried, and when a dragon—half or otherwise—was worried, it was time for all of us to be concerned.
Mallen hurried out. Delilah was holding Chase’s hand. Camille and Morio looked as worried as Shade and I wondered what the hell they’d figured out. As for me, I was busy watching the walls for any sign of bloody ectoplasm or flying objects. Life was just too spirited anymore.
A moment later, Mallen returned with several medics and someone who reeked of magic. As I stared at her, she flashed me a quick smile, and I saw the fangs descending. Fuck, she was a vampire.
Mallen nodded for us to leave, but I wasn’t ready. I motioned for the others to go, but I hung back, sidling up to the elf and the vampire.
“So, you’re one of my kind.” I glanced up at her—she, like just about everybody else, was taller than me.
She gave me a brief once-over and shrugged. “We both drink of the blood, but otherwise, I wager we’re nothing alike.” And with that rebuke, she turned to Mallen. “You wish me to begin? Please ask her to leave.”
My feathers ruffled, I stood my ground. “I’m not leaving a vampire in here with my friend until I find out just who you are and what the fuck you’re doing here. If you don’t like it, we can just take it outside and shake it up, sister.”
She bristled, stepping forward. “Do not tempt me. Just because Roman made you his bitch doesn’t mean that you can’t have an accident. You stab your sire and sit in a place of honor? I spit on your hem.” As she jabbed me in the chest with her finger, I smacked her a good one, knocking her back on her butt.
Obviously, she hadn’t been expecting that. “I should rip open your neck.” She jumped to her feet and straightened her dress.
“Try it. See how far you get. I’ve got the blood of one of the most notorious vampires in history running through my veins. You really want to fuck with me?” And once again, I reached out and shoved her back.
She was just about to launch herself at me when Mallen stepped between us. “Enough. Charlotine, please—the wards.” He turned to me. “Come with me—no, stop now,” he added as I began to protest. “She will not harm him, I give you my word of honor.”
“Your word better be etched in gold.” I followed him out of the room. “What the fuck are you thinking, letting a strange vampire hang out around an unconscious FBH? Are you serious?”
Mallen took hold of my wrists as I smacked him—lightly—on the chest. “I have never seen you so hysterical. What the hell is going on with you?” His close proximity left me smelling his clean, leaf-green scent. The pulse of his blood raced through his veins; the gentle rise and fall of his chest bespoke the beating of his heart.
“Mallen, back off. Please.” I waited for him to move away and quietly willed my fangs to fold back up. This thirst I’d been feeling for my friends was disconcerting and I didn’t like it. “Chase is our friend. Practically family. You bring a strange vampire—who, I might add, acts like a sullen bitch—into the room with him. Not only that, but she reeks of magic. And you wonder why I’m upset?”
“That’s why she’s here. She’s going to set up the wards to protect him. She’s a very powerful sorceress and she works in Elqaneve for Queen Asteria. She happened to be over here on a vacation and I called her in. She’s old, Menolly, very old, and she can be trusted even if you don’t like her bedside manner.”
I shook my head. “You can’t trust any vampire. Not even me—not fully. Fine, let her set up her wards. But do me a favor and get your ass back in there and keep an eye on her.”
Before he could answer, I turned and left.
As I strode into the waiting room, Shade motioned me over. “I know what we’re facing and why Lindsey’s group is feeling so lackluster. Bhouts.”
“Bow-uts? I’ve never heard of them.” I looked over at Camille to see if the name meant anything to her, but she looked as confused as I was. Morio, however, was looking grave.
“Of course—I didn’t even think about them because they’re rare. But it makes sense. Bhouts…demonic ghosts. They’re not fully spirit, not fully demon. They’re from the Netherworld but can be used by someone from the Subterranean Realms.” Morio shook his head. “We’ll have to walk very carefully on this one. I seem to remember legends of Japanese emperors summoning demons to control the empire. I think we’re just skimming the tip of the iceberg.”
Shade sat down, elbows on knees, pressing his index fingers together. “Bhouts aren’t fully of the Netherworld, either. I don’t think anybody knows where they originated but they’re…they’re in the same class as doppelgangers—creatures that are conduits. They can take control of their victim. In turn, they’re controlled by their master. The master controls the bhout—and by extension, their victim. They can see through the bhouts’ eyes and eventually gain control over the target.”
“So, the bhout is an active force used to control another?” I wasn’t quite clear on the whole thing, but whatever it was, it didn’t sound good.
“Not exactly. The bhout is an entity. Bhouts, when directed, can be used to control others. But it gets worse. Bhouts focus on magical or psychic energy. They feed off the magical force, not the life force. If there is no master controlling the spirit, they can kill their victims by draining them dry. It will break the silver cord.”
“The elfin guards! That must be what happened to them.” It was beginning to make sense now.
“Yes. However, when someone’s controlling the bhout, they can command the spirit to siphon off just enough energy to keep their victim alive and under their command. That thing in there was trying to pull Chase under its control. If it had succeeded, he would have woken up and gone about his business, but he wouldn’t be under his own control.”
“Crap!” Delilah jumped up. “Mind control, then? Via ghostly demons?”
Shade nodded, grimly. “That’s about the size of it. The bhouts feeding on Lindsey’s group seem focused on trying to control them, so they’ve most likely been summoned in. Chances are, someone’s bringing in vast numbers of them and some get free—like the ones who attacked the guards.”
Camille jumped up. “Lindsey was very tired. And her coven is, too. Could these things be directly controlling them at this point?”
Shade thought about it for a moment. “Possibly. But there’s also another possibility. The bhouts must feed. Since someone is summoning them here en masse, then the spirits will need to strengthen themselves. Lindsey’s group is well known, but the primary targets are probably more important, like Chase. He runs the FH-CSI, and his newly awakened powers are growing, making him an attractive target.”
“So meanwhile, these things can eat their fill off the people of Seattle, both Fae and FBH.” Camille fell silent, then paled. “What about Morio…me? What should we be on the watch for? Can they attack…well, I guess they can attack the Fae, can’t they?”
“Yeah. They find them especially juicy, so to speak. I don’t think they can attack dragons or vampires, so Smoky, Menolly, and I should be safe, but Iris…you, Morio…all of the Fae out in Aeval, Titania, and Morgaine’s courts? You’re all in danger.”
Mallen joined us then. “Did you find out what was attacking him?”
Shade regarded him quietly. “No. But we should take him with us to watch over him now that he’s feeling better.”
I started to say something but then shut up. Shade had his reasons for lying.
Mallen narrowed his eyes, then shrugged. “If you wish, feel free. He’s not in any physical danger.”