White Witch, Black Curse

"Jenks!" I complained as Al snickered and Pierce looked appalled, but Jenks—the only one who could really hear whoever it was—had become serious.

"Where?" he asked, and a bad feeling trickled through me, chilling me though the heater was cranked and sending my hair to tickle my face. From the back came an unearthly, satisfied chuckle. All I could see in the rearview mirror was a dark shadow with red goat-slitted eyes. Fear slithered through me. Shit, I have a demon in my backseat. What in hell am I playing with?

"Good witch," Al said, his voice coming from nothing, and I stifled a shudder. "You're starting to understand."

"I'll tell her," Jenks said, then stomped on the "end" button. I jumped when Pierce snapped the phone closed, then jerked the car back into the proper lane when a horn blew.

Jenks rose up, looking eerily dark in the chill car with no dust slipping from him. "That was Ford," he said, surprising me; I had thought Edden, or maybe Glenn. "He's at a coffee shop downtown with Mia. She wants to talk to you. I think Ms. Walker gave her a good scare."

Oh God. It's starting. "Where?" I said, tension knotting my gut. Ivy. I had to call Ivy.

Jenks laughed, filling the car with the sound of bitter wind chimes. "You're not going to believe me," he said.

I checked behind me, then in front. "Junior's place, right?" I said dryly, then did a U-bangy. Pierce reached for the dash, his long face going white, but Al didn't shift an inch, ramrod straight, dead center, in my tiny backseat. The car swung wildly, finding its new direction as another horn blew. "That's past Edden's blockade, isn't it?" I asked. "How does she do that! The woman must have a way with the force." I'm not the banshee you seek. I may pass.

Jenks walked Pierce through calling Ivy to tell the FIB as I made my way back over the bridge into Cincy and down to the shopping district. I doubted very much that Mia was giving up. More likely, she was sacrificing Remus to buy her way out of trouble, and my tension ratcheted up as we pulled into Junior's place.

It was packed, but Al did something involving Latin and what looked like the same gesture I occasionally used on people who cut me off in traffic on Vine, and the Buick ready to pull into the last parking spot changed its mind. My pulse quickened when I spotted Ford's gray car three vehicles down. Ivy. We should wait for Ivy and the FIB, but that might be too late.

"Both of you stay in the car," I said as Jenks dove for my bag and I zipped it up. I didn't even see the demon get out. One moment, I was snatching up my bag and slamming my door shut, and when I turned, he was there—standing way too close. The security lights shone on his hair, carefully styled and ridged, his jaw tight and his demon eyes almost glowing in the dim light. He didn't say a word. Waiting. On the other side of the car, Pierce got out and gave me a worried look.

"I'll get you a coffee," I said as I pushed around Al. "Then stay out of my way." I didn't hear Al following when Pierce took my elbow as I slipped in my heels, but he was there.

The door jingled a welcome, and the four of us entered, me in my Carew Tower restaurant finery, Al in his usual velveteen and lace, Pierce in jeans and a stolen coat, and Jenks in my bag. We didn't get as many looks as one might think. It was New Year's, and there was a wide span of dress. Junior's wasn't far from Fountain Square, and the place was busy, voices fast-paced and excited because of the fire downtown and the blockades. If Mia was here, I was sure she was soaking up the excitement.

"Rachel, if I could have but a moment."

"Not now, Pierce," I said as I let Jenks out. The pixy rose, not a speck of dust coming from him as he flew heavily to the nearest light fixture and parked himself beside the hot bulb. He gave me a thumbs-up, but it was obvious he was suffering as he put his elbows on his knees and hunched over. I was on my own till the FIB got here. Worse, I was babysitting Al.

I shoved my gloves in my pockets and scanned the floor while standing in line. A spike of adrenaline shot through me when I found Mia smack in the middle of the place, Remus on one side of her, Ford on the other. Holly was on her lap, the infant resting, her eyes closed and at peace with the world. I met Ford's eyes, and he nodded before getting up and trying to find a chair for me. That table looked too small to talk to two serial murderers.

Pierce brushed my arm, and I jerked. "Mistress witch?"

"Don't call me that," I muttered, conscious of the people around us. There were too many people in here. Someone was going to get hurt.

"Rachel, I'll allow that my situation looks dire, but I'm of a mind to help you."