Chapter 9
Chapter
Nine
Iwas sitting on one of my garden chairs, a frosted beer bottle in one hand.
One of the many good things about this time of year was that dawn came early so I didn’t have to worry that any vampires would be nearby covertly listening in to my conversation, not with the sun already rising over the roofs of the houses opposite.
‘It didn’t smell,’ I told Thane quietly.
His brow creased. ‘What do you mean?’
‘What does She Who Commands Werewolves smell like?’
‘Kitty goodness.’
I suppressed a grin. ‘What does She Who Commands Werewolves’ breath smell like?’
‘It’s alright,’ he admitted. ‘Faintly fishy.’
‘What do I smell like?’
He answered instantly. ‘Danger.’
I rolled my eyes and Thane snickered. ‘Usually your top notes are jasmine and gardenia,’ he said. ‘Your middle notes are slightly musky but not unpleasant. Like cats.’
I nodded. ‘Good.’
‘And your base note is danger.’
I huffed faintly but he doubled down. ‘It’s true!’
‘And my breath?’
‘Mint.’ He tipped his head towards the bottle in my hand. ‘But slightly beery right now.’
‘Uh-huh.’ I cupped my hand over my mouth, exhaled then sniffed.
Thane had been generous with his description: I needed to brush my teeth.
‘The big scary monster with scales and claws and a huge mouth didn’t smell of anything.
Not a goddamned thing. Not when I was up close to its body and not when it roared in my face. ’
Understanding dawned in Thane’s blue eyes. ‘That’s how you knew it wasn’t real.’
‘If you’d been with me, you’d have worked it out far more quickly than I did. That monster was some sort of conjured creation.’
‘That sounds highly illegal.’
‘Oh yes.’ My voice was cheerful. ‘Very illegal indeed. But when did the law stop the good citizens of Coldstream?’
His expression darkened. ‘Conjured or not, it could have seriously hurt you.’
‘True – although EEL dabbled with such beasts briefly when I started working with them. No matter how strong the spell, magicked creatures like that can’t exist for long. Their lifespan, such as it is, is measured in mere minutes.’
‘Somebody was controlling it, Kit.’
‘And that somebody controlled it to walk away when I was easily defeated,’ I pointed out.
I pulled a face. ‘When I was about to smash poison into its mouth, I almost exposed myself and revealed what I’m capable of.
I yielded as soon as I realised what was really happening, so I think anyone who was watching will still doubt the extent of my capabilities.
I don’t want the vampires to think I’m strong enough to take down whatever comes at me.
They know I have skills – after all, I killed their buddy Brassick – but I’d prefer them to think of that as cat-lady luck. ’
‘So you think it was a test to see what you can do?’
‘Most likely. If they wanted me dead, I already would be.’
A deep growl rumbled in Thane’s chest. ‘If you were dead, I’d hunt every damn vampire down, rip their fangs from their undead mouths and stomp on their weak hearts.’
I smiled at him. ‘You’re sweet.’
He grinned. ‘I know.’
We shared a moment before my smile faded. ‘There’s always a chance that it wasn’t a test and it wasn’t an assassination attempt,’ I conceded. ‘Perhaps it was a warning.’
‘To stay out of the Understream and away from this investigation?’
I nodded. Thane frowned but didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to ask if I would heed the warning. My copper-haired werewolf was not stupid.
‘The most interesting part,’ I went on, ‘is that the esteemed Lady Penelope was not in on the plan.’
‘You’re sure?’
‘Positive.’ I lowered my voice even though we were alone.
‘As soon as she heard the noise before the magicked monster appeared, she was terrified. I know what fear looks like, Thane. I’ve seen it in the eyes of plenty of my targets when they realised what was about to happen to them.
Lady Penelope thought she was going to die. ’
Thane took a swig of his beer. ‘Now that is very interesting indeed.’
We both gazed at the pink and orange swirls lighting up the morning sky.
‘I can petition the vampires, Kit,’ Thane offered. ‘I can ask for permission to join you in the Understream.’
I thought about it then answered honestly. ‘I wish you could be there with me.’
‘Because you’re afraid of the big bad monsters? You want my protection?’
I punched his arm. ‘Because I like having you around, you wanker, and two heads are better than one in matters like this. But the vamps will refuse and the request will put them on edge. It’s better if I do this alone and keep them sweet.’
I thought about what Lady Penelope had said: Everyone deserves a safe space of their own. Until I knew more about who had staged the attack I had to take the vampires at face value and respect their wishes.
‘I won’t break the blood contract I’ve made with them.
’ Without appropriate magical protections in place, I’d be a fool to do so.
‘Besides, you’ve got work to do. Businesses to invest in, fortunes to make…
’ I waved a hand. ‘You have to keep She Who Commands Werewolves in the state to which she has become accustomed, and cat caviar isn’t cheap. ’
On cue, Thane’s ginger cat miaowed imperiously from her position on his lap.
‘You’re telling me.’ He clinked his bottle against mine. She Who Commands Werewolves miaowed again and he quickly started to stroke her before she decided to nip him into submission.
A voice drifted across from the house next to mine. ‘Are you having beer for breakfast?’ Dave called in a scandalised voice from his bedroom window.
‘That depends on what you consider to be breakfast,’ I called back. I’d not yet been to bed so technically this could be considered a nightcap.
Dave scowled and muttered to himself. I waved enthusiastically in return and he grunted and disappeared from view.
‘So,’ Thane said, ‘do you have any theories as to what’s happened to the missing worms?’
I replied in a prim tone of voice that would have impressed Lady Penelope. ‘Captain Montgomery says not to form theories but to wait for the evidence to speak for itself.’
‘Uh-huh. I’ll take that as a no. You don’t have a clue what’s happened.’
‘You know me far too well,’ I said. ‘And right now, when it comes to missing worms, I know nothing.’
I had a decent kip for a few hours then restocked my bag with a wider array of weapons and magical tools so I could return to the Understream with greater confidence.
I was due to meet Lady Penelope later that evening to regroup and restart my investigation but, useful as she might occasionally be, I wanted to spend some time down there on my own – especially after what had happened with the magicked monster.
‘Thank you for doing this, Thane,’ I said, kissing him before I left.
He’d agreed to stay late at my house to make sure the cats were cared for, and the next day he was planning to ask around the witchery stores about spells used to create attack beasts.
He was definitely a delicious ginger sidekick whose help might prove invaluable.
‘I know you’re busy with your own work.’
He dismissed my words. ‘All I do is offer investment and advice to failing businesses from time to time. Usually they run themselves.’ If that were true he wouldn’t have amassed a small fortune from his efforts but I didn’t argue.
I spent a few minutes speaking to each cat in turn. ‘I’m not abandoning you,’ I assured them. ‘I’ll be back later.’
They mostly ignored me, apart from She Who Loves Sunbeams who purred deeply and She Without An Ear who yawned and rose from her cushion. She stretched and jumped down to position herself by my bag.
I eyed her. ‘What do you think you’re doing?’
She blinked at me slowly.
I tilted my head. ‘Really?’
Thane ambled up beside me and slung an arm loosely around my waist. ‘What’s going on?’
I gestured towards the silent but clearly determined tabby. ‘She wants to come along.’
He raised an eyebrow and nodded approvingly. ‘Not a bad idea. The vamps can’t object to a cat.’
I thought about Lady Penelope’s reaction when I’d asked her about cats in the Understream. ‘I wouldn’t be too sure about that.’
‘You went through a traumatic near-death experience only a few hours ago.’
I grinned. ‘True. The vampires owe me.’
I regarded She Without An Ear; usually it was He Who Roams Wide who chose to accompany me on my adventures.
She Without An Ear was considerably less malleable than her sleek black stepbrother, and she’d never make an effective emotional support cat, but it would be nice to have her along.
And, as Thane had pointed out, she might prove useful.
‘Very well,’ I told her. ‘But you have to be on your best behaviour.’
She sniffed to suggest that the mere thought she would be anything other than perfect was outrageous.
She’d get on well with Lady Penelope. I picked up my backpack, swung it onto my shoulders and adjusted the straps.
The cat leapt up and perched next to it, adjusting herself until she was sure of her balance.
‘Take care, Kit,’ Thane said.
‘Of course.’
‘I mean it.’
I planted another kiss on his mouth and squeezed his arse. Mmm. ‘I’ve got this.’
He returned my arse squeeze with one of his own. ‘Love you.’
I exhaled and the last few lingering dregs of my post-battle tension ebbed away. I looked into his eyes. ‘I love you, too.’
Although clambering down the long ladder into the Understream was difficult with a cat on my shoulder, I reached the tunnels far more quickly than the previous night because I had a better idea of what to expect.
As soon as my feet landed on terra firma, I pulled out the witchlight.
It would provide enough light for now; I’d save my big guns for later.
‘I know where we’re going,’ I said to She Without An Ear. ‘We’re on the trail of a worm called Nicola so we’ll avoid the marketplace underneath Crackendon Square for now and…’