The Witch with No Name

Expression still holding that awful hardness, Trent turned to Bis. “If he moves, claw his eye out for real.”

I knew Bis would never do such a thing, but after seeing Trent bluff his way to a confession, the gargoyle hissed, claws scraping lines in the stainless steel.

“I told you Landon was going to use us,” I said, then softened as I saw Trent shaking. He’d waved off my concern, but I’d known something like this was going to happen. Cincinnati had gone to her knees when the masters had merely fallen asleep. That Landon would try to kill them again wasn’t surprise. The surprise was that I kept thinking he was sane.

Trent splayed his fingers to gauge their shaking. “We’ll be okay. There isn’t a safe way to bring all the souls back,” he said as he made fists of his hands. “Ellasbeth hasn’t called me in over six hours. You told her to call back in four, yes?”

His voice had hardened, and I nodded. He thought Ellasbeth and Landon were working together? Maybe, but Ellasbeth wouldn’t destroy an entire demographic to further herself. Would she? “But you told her if she ever did anything like this again . . .”

My words trailed off. I’d really thought she’d play nice if she had a shot at something normal with the girls. Logic said she was working with Landon, but my gut said different. I’d seen her with the girls. She was Lucy’s mother and loved Ray as if she were her own. She wouldn’t risk them like this. Not now. Not if there was another way.

“Maybe I should tell her killing me won’t give her Lucy,” Trent said.

My shoulders tensed. “Quen gets custody first? That’s a great idea. No one can kill him.”

Trent made an embarrassed sound. Glancing behind me to the cowed vampire, he winced. “Ah, not exactly. I made you Lucy’s legal guardian if I died or was missing for more than six months. If we both go, Al gets her. Ellasbeth probably doesn’t know about that clause.”

Shocked, my head snapped up. “A-Al?” I stammered. “Why not Quen?” But what I really wanted to know was why Al?

Trent was swooping about the kitchen, jamming charms and Ivy’s bottled water into my bag. “Making Quen Lucy’s guardian would make him a target, and I won’t risk Ray. Al being Lucy’s guardian will create a custody battle long enough for Quen to run off with both Lucy and Ray. Besides, if Al has custody, no demon will dare touch her. Or Ray.”

I dropped back a step as I looked for the logic. It made sense—sort of.

Trent handed me my bag. The sill was empty, and I looked in my bag to see Al’s chrysalis among the rest. Really? “I’m sorry,” Trent said, jaw tight. “We have to go.”

Crap on toast, we were going to leave them the church. I started as Trent took me in a quick embrace, my arms pinned between us as he gave me a squeeze. The vampire was watching, but Bis gouging the counter with his nails kept him unmoving.

“I should have seen this coming,” Trent whispered, his breath making tingles against my neck. He sighed, his grip beginning to loosen. “I thought that by bringing Landon in close, I could out-think him. You were right. Is Ivy okay?”

Jenks darted in, his dust telling me everything I needed to know. They were advancing. “She was when I called,” I said as I reached behind me for my splat gun. The vampire’s eyes widened when I smoothly pulled it out and shot him. He started to rise . . . then fell back, slumping all the way to the floor in a tangle of arms and legs.

“Jeez, Rache!” Jenks complained as he rose up and down. “Give a pixy some warning!”

If there hadn’t been umpteen more coming our way, I would’ve shoved the window open to air the place out. Frustrated, I faced Trent. “We need to get the girls. Both Lucy and Ray.”

Trent shook his head. “We need to play dead.”

“Huh? Why?” I said, taking the tablet Trent was handing me and shoving it into my shoulder bag.

Frowning, Trent stepped over the vampire to look out the window. “If we play dead, Landon will have to admit he can’t bring their souls back. Support for him will fall apart. All we have to do is wait.”

“Let the vampires bring Landon down.” And Ellasbeth, I added silently, knowing Trent was upset she’d taken this drastic step. God knew I was disappointed. He must be crushed.

“But the church . . . ,” Jenks said, and Jumoke and Izzy flew in, each of them holding a bundle and looking tragic.

I swallowed hard. If we were going to play dead, something was going to get busted up really bad to sanction it. “It’s just a pile of rock, right?” I said, voice breaking. “Is Rex outside? Belle?”

Jenks nodded, scared. “Belle won’t leave. Rache, we shouldn’t either.”