She unwrapped the chain from her wrist, opened the clasp, popped off the ring, then slapped it into my open palm. And the whole time she scowled at me.
“Now go,” I told her. “You need to stay away from this, Faith. Carver Spellsword is very dangerous. This whole investigation is very dangerous. I promise I will look for your brother, and I want you to promise me you will stay out of this.”
She hit me with a sharp, angry glower. “I can’t do that. I thought you understood.”
“I do understand. I know you want to save your brother. But you have no experience. You’ve never worked a single, simple job as a bounty hunter, and now you’re jumping off the deep end and going after a dark angel? You’re going to get yourself killed.”
She gave me a look of complete and total disappointment. “I guess everyone is right about you. You’re just one of them now.” Her gaze flickered to Colonel Fireswift, then back to me. “You’re an angel now. You don’t remember anymore what it’s like to be human, to love, to care about others. And you always think that you know best.”
“Go.” I sank a lot of magic into the word. “And stay far away from this investigation.”
Faith’s eyes went blank. She pivoted around and walked out of the barn.
When she was gone, Colonel Fireswift turned to me and said, “Finally, you used your magic and commanded as an angel should: with force.”
I didn’t tell him how much it had pained me to usurp the girl’s will in order to protect her.
“But you should not have told her she may go,” said Colonel Fireswift. “She interfered in a Legion investigation.”
I sighed. “She’s just a child, Colonel.”
But that child’s words had cut me even deeper than all those protestors and reporters. She’d called me out for exactly the sort of behavior that had put a wedge between me and Nero.
“Child or not, she broke the law,” said Colonel Fireswift. “And she did not deserve your kindness. You saved her life by compelling her.”
“She’ll be back.”
“How can you be so sure?”
“Because in her place, I wouldn’t give up. I’d keep going until I found my brother. And until I’d taken down the person who took him from me.”
“Then you are both fools who allow silly sentiment to override good judgment.”
“Maybe we are,” I agreed with a resigned laugh.
His eyes hardened. “It’s not like you to give up so easily. You’re usually so…prickly. Like a starving dog on the streets.”
I made a soft, noncommittal noise. Compelling Faith had taken the fire right out of me.
Colonel Fireswift pulled out his phone, and his eyes panned down the screen. “My Interrogators just finished questioning the barn owner.”
“And?”
He looked up from his phone, meeting my eyes. “When he discovered the two dead witches in his barn earlier today, he swept up the potion bottle glass. He was going to hide the bodies too, but one of his employees came into the barn before he could do that. The employee reported the crime to the local sheriff, who reported it to the Legion.”
“Did the barn owner say why he was trying to cover up the crime?”
Colonel Fireswift frowned. “He didn’t want anyone to know the supernatural-killer had struck again and killed two people here. Apparently, he believes death is bad for business.”
“I was right.”
“So it would seem.” His frown deepened. He really didn’t like it when I was right.
Colonel Fireswift squared his shoulders. “In any case, I will be taking that ring now,” he said smoothly. “It’s a magic artifact, and it belongs to me.”
What a stellar subject change.
“No way, Colonel. This ring belonged to Dante Drummoyne, the rogue vampire, and I promised his widow that I would find it for her,” I told him.
“Drummoyne stole it from me last year. Neither he nor his widow have any claim to it. It’s mine.” He extended his open palm to me. “So hand it over.”
“Not a chance. This investigation spans several Frontier towns. It’s mine.” I closed my fist around the gold trinket. “And so is the evidence.”
“This is outrageous.”
“Wow, you really want this ring.” I smirked at him. “Funny, I never took you for a gold-lion-ring kind of guy.”
“I am a what-is-mine-is-mine kind of guy,” he growled. “Now, return my property. Or suffer the consequences.”
“Put your magic away, Fireswift. I’ll check up on your claim. If it’s valid, I’ll give you the ring. After the investigation is over.”
A gold-and-silver magic storm was building up inside his eyes.
“I’m perfectly within the rules, and you know it,” I told him. “I can quote you the relevant Legion regulation if you want.”
One of the wooden storage crates in the barn exploded.
I calmly brushed the wood shards off my clothes. “That’s nice. Now if you’re quite done blowing things up, let’s collect the witches’ bodies so I can bring them to Dr. Harding.”
18
Gypsy
Nowadays, each day felt longer than the last. Finally, I arrived back home. After I had the witches brought to Nerissa’s lab, I walked to my chamber to settle down for another lonely night by myself.
Gypsy was waiting for me in my room.
“How did you get in here?” I said, yawning.
“Your cat let me in.” Gypsy petted Angel’s head.
My cat purred and weaved between Gypsy’s legs. Apparently, they’d bonded. Taking on a bunch of thugs together had a way of forging friendship.
“You were supposed to hold the fort,” I scolded my cat.
She stretched her long, white body out in front of the fireplace, then closed her eyes and went to sleep.
Sometimes, I envied the simplicity of her life.
“Why are you here, Gypsy?” I slipped my gun out of its holster.
“Not to fight,” she assured me, her eyes locked on the gun. “You won’t need that.”
“You really think I’d shoot you for trespassing?”
“No, you’d probably stab me instead. Or use your magic.”
I slid my gun into a magic security case, then I fell onto the sofa. “After what I’ve been through these last few days, I don’t think I’m up for shooting, stabbing, or using my magic on anyone.”
“Good. Especially on the not-using-magic front.” She shuddered.
“You aren’t overly fond of magic, are you?”
“Being hurt or otherwise controlled by forces outside my understanding and power? No, I’m not overly fond of magic. And most people who have magic are arrogant assholes. Present company excluded, of course. You’re normal.”
“At least I try to be.” I patted the cushion next to mine. “Why don’t you sit down and tell me why you’re here?”
“You’re depressed.”
“Yep.” I slouched against the back of the sofa. I knew angels weren’t supposed to slouch, but right now, I didn’t give a damn about what angels were and weren’t supposed to do.