Industrial Magic
Page 140
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I tried to keep my voice steady, but Lucass gaze shot over the moment the words left my mouth. I mouthed, Its okay, and pointed at the road.
We were watching Benicio, Aaron said. Cass and I. He was on the dance floor. Couldnt miss him with that mask. Then Cass saw his bodyguard leaving. The one with the freaky blue eyes.
Troy.
Right, and she wanted me to follow him. She said he sticks pretty close to Benicio, and if he was taking off, something was up. So I went after him while she watched Benicio. I caught the guy sneaking out the back. Tried to get him to talk to me, but he wasnt in a talking mood. We scuffled and just as I took him down, Cass came running out. Said the guy on the dance floor wasnt Benicio.
My gut went cold. Wasnt?
It was a stand-in. With the maskFuck! We saw that mask and we were sure it was him.
So Benicios go
I stopped myself, but it was too late. Lucas veered the car to the curbside and hit the brakes so hard the seat belt snapped me back against the seat. I passed him the phone.
Aaron? he said. Let me talk to Troy.
Within minutes later, Lucas had the whole story, which he relayed to me as he drove hell-for-leather for the portal site. The Cabal researchers had found the ritual, so Benicio had always known that Edward could use Lucass blood to reopen the portal. Hed played along with us because it had seemed the best way to ensure Lucas would be at the masquerade, safely under Cabal guard. As a precaution, hed brought in a look-alike, who could take his place with that distinctive mask.
When Lucas and I took off after Jaime, Benicio feared the worst. And hed feared that calling in a full Cabal SWAT team could result in a California-like fiasco, which would only endanger Lucas yet again. This had to be handled delicately. Earlier that day Benicio had sworn to us that if his name was no longer enough to protect his son, hed do so himself; that was what hed decided to do.
Benicio had grabbed Morris, told Troy to stay behind in case we reappeared. Then hed left for the portal site, knowing that was where Edward had to end up. Troy, though, hadnt been about to let his boss take on a murderous vampire aided only by a temporary bodyguard. So he waited until Benicio was gone, then went after him. And thats when Aaron had intercepted him.
Now Benicio was indeed headed to the portal site, with only Morris for backup. But not for long. We were only a few minutes from the site. Aaron, Cassandra, and Troy were also on their way, and Aaron was phoning Elena to tell her to turn around and head over to the portal. In half an hour, wed have seven supernaturals ready to take on Edward. We only prayed wed get to him before Benicio did.
We parked as close to the site as we dared. As anxious as we both were to get there, we had to be careful.And there was very likely no need to rush. Benicio might have arrived ahead of us, but if Jaime had told Edward who he needed for the sacrifice, he was probably across the city by now, heading for the masquerade gala. The greatest danger we likely faced was Benicio himself. As Lucas said, it had been yearsif not decadessince Benicio had needed to defend himself. If we came flying down the alley, we might find ourselves on the receiving end of a lethal energy bolt.
Once out of the car, we hurried to the caf. I cast perimeter spells at the alley on either side, and across the rear door. That covered the east side. Now on to the west, on the other side of the dead-end alley where wed met Edward.
Wed gone only a few steps when Lucas lifted a hand to stop me. I followed his gaze down to the ground. A fingerlike puddle snaked around the corner, moving almost imperceptibly, expanding. The puddle shone black in the darkness. Without even casting a light spell, I knew it wasnt water.
As Lucas peered around the corner, I kept my gaze glued to his face, braced for a reaction I prayed I wouldnt see. His eyes closed in a soft wince, and my breath whooshed out. I slipped over to him, and looked.
Morris sat braced against the wall. He was dead. His shirt was ripped apart, and his hands still clutched the bloodied missing half to his throat, a frantic final attempt to save himself. Over the cloth I could see long jagged holes where Edward had ripped at his throat. Then hed left Morris to bleed out while he turned his attention to the secondary threat: Benicio.
Lucas darted around the corner, moving as quietly as he could. As I set out after him, the whisper of voices fluttered across the still night. We both froze and listened.
wont help a woman said.
I looked up at Lucas and mouthed, Jaime? He nodded.
You saidsacrifice. Edward, his words clipped with anger.
Had Jaime betrayed us? Had she been betraying us all along? I told myself there was no motivation, nothing to be gained by this, but nor did I have time to think it through. If I did, maybe I would find a motive. For now, we had a far more pressing concern.
As we crept forward, the voices came clear.
Im telling you it wont work, Jaime said. You cant use him. It needs to be a very specific sacrifice. I was trying to tell you that
You werent trying to tell me anything, Edward snarled. You said I needed a sacrifice. Any sacrifice.
Well, I lied, okay?
Oh, and now youre telling the truth?
Lucas motioned for me to pass him. I ducked down before peeking out, then cast a fast cover spell. Jaime knelt before a makeshift altarbound hand and foot. Beside her, Benicio lay on his side, also bound. His eyes were closed. My gut went cold.
We were watching Benicio, Aaron said. Cass and I. He was on the dance floor. Couldnt miss him with that mask. Then Cass saw his bodyguard leaving. The one with the freaky blue eyes.
Troy.
Right, and she wanted me to follow him. She said he sticks pretty close to Benicio, and if he was taking off, something was up. So I went after him while she watched Benicio. I caught the guy sneaking out the back. Tried to get him to talk to me, but he wasnt in a talking mood. We scuffled and just as I took him down, Cass came running out. Said the guy on the dance floor wasnt Benicio.
My gut went cold. Wasnt?
It was a stand-in. With the maskFuck! We saw that mask and we were sure it was him.
So Benicios go
I stopped myself, but it was too late. Lucas veered the car to the curbside and hit the brakes so hard the seat belt snapped me back against the seat. I passed him the phone.
Aaron? he said. Let me talk to Troy.
Within minutes later, Lucas had the whole story, which he relayed to me as he drove hell-for-leather for the portal site. The Cabal researchers had found the ritual, so Benicio had always known that Edward could use Lucass blood to reopen the portal. Hed played along with us because it had seemed the best way to ensure Lucas would be at the masquerade, safely under Cabal guard. As a precaution, hed brought in a look-alike, who could take his place with that distinctive mask.
When Lucas and I took off after Jaime, Benicio feared the worst. And hed feared that calling in a full Cabal SWAT team could result in a California-like fiasco, which would only endanger Lucas yet again. This had to be handled delicately. Earlier that day Benicio had sworn to us that if his name was no longer enough to protect his son, hed do so himself; that was what hed decided to do.
Benicio had grabbed Morris, told Troy to stay behind in case we reappeared. Then hed left for the portal site, knowing that was where Edward had to end up. Troy, though, hadnt been about to let his boss take on a murderous vampire aided only by a temporary bodyguard. So he waited until Benicio was gone, then went after him. And thats when Aaron had intercepted him.
Now Benicio was indeed headed to the portal site, with only Morris for backup. But not for long. We were only a few minutes from the site. Aaron, Cassandra, and Troy were also on their way, and Aaron was phoning Elena to tell her to turn around and head over to the portal. In half an hour, wed have seven supernaturals ready to take on Edward. We only prayed wed get to him before Benicio did.
We parked as close to the site as we dared. As anxious as we both were to get there, we had to be careful.And there was very likely no need to rush. Benicio might have arrived ahead of us, but if Jaime had told Edward who he needed for the sacrifice, he was probably across the city by now, heading for the masquerade gala. The greatest danger we likely faced was Benicio himself. As Lucas said, it had been yearsif not decadessince Benicio had needed to defend himself. If we came flying down the alley, we might find ourselves on the receiving end of a lethal energy bolt.
Once out of the car, we hurried to the caf. I cast perimeter spells at the alley on either side, and across the rear door. That covered the east side. Now on to the west, on the other side of the dead-end alley where wed met Edward.
Wed gone only a few steps when Lucas lifted a hand to stop me. I followed his gaze down to the ground. A fingerlike puddle snaked around the corner, moving almost imperceptibly, expanding. The puddle shone black in the darkness. Without even casting a light spell, I knew it wasnt water.
As Lucas peered around the corner, I kept my gaze glued to his face, braced for a reaction I prayed I wouldnt see. His eyes closed in a soft wince, and my breath whooshed out. I slipped over to him, and looked.
Morris sat braced against the wall. He was dead. His shirt was ripped apart, and his hands still clutched the bloodied missing half to his throat, a frantic final attempt to save himself. Over the cloth I could see long jagged holes where Edward had ripped at his throat. Then hed left Morris to bleed out while he turned his attention to the secondary threat: Benicio.
Lucas darted around the corner, moving as quietly as he could. As I set out after him, the whisper of voices fluttered across the still night. We both froze and listened.
wont help a woman said.
I looked up at Lucas and mouthed, Jaime? He nodded.
You saidsacrifice. Edward, his words clipped with anger.
Had Jaime betrayed us? Had she been betraying us all along? I told myself there was no motivation, nothing to be gained by this, but nor did I have time to think it through. If I did, maybe I would find a motive. For now, we had a far more pressing concern.
As we crept forward, the voices came clear.
Im telling you it wont work, Jaime said. You cant use him. It needs to be a very specific sacrifice. I was trying to tell you that
You werent trying to tell me anything, Edward snarled. You said I needed a sacrifice. Any sacrifice.
Well, I lied, okay?
Oh, and now youre telling the truth?
Lucas motioned for me to pass him. I ducked down before peeking out, then cast a fast cover spell. Jaime knelt before a makeshift altarbound hand and foot. Beside her, Benicio lay on his side, also bound. His eyes were closed. My gut went cold.
