Chapter 8 #2
Lu maneuvered into the space next to them.
I whistled. “This is nice.”
And it was.
White subway tiles accented in dark green, gave the garage the distinctive Art Deco style that used to be more common back in my day. Accents of dark wood gave another hint at the care taken in building this place.
Pamela and the others got out of the car, and so did we, though I was stiff and groaned a bit.
“Everyone still in one piece?” Elmer asked.
“Never better,” I said, trying to ignore the headache.
“Was this military?” Lula asked.
“Intelligence services,” Josie said. “Lots of spy stuff happened here.”
“For the world wars?” I asked.
“To begin with,” Elmer said. “After that, it was decommissioned. The last keyholder passed those keys on to some local monster hunters. Ever since…” He made his way across the space and up a short set of metal stairs. “Ever since, it’s been in the family. The hunting family.”
He used a key to unlock the door and slapped the inside of the wall. Lights came alive in the room ahead of him. “Come on in,” he said. “Family’s always welcome.”
“We’re part of the hunting family, right?” Abbi asked me.
“Dunno, Pumpkin. Ask Pamela.”
“Of course you are.” Pamela draped the strap of a duffle over one shoulder and hefted two others out of the back of the car. “Family are the only people allowed. Come on this way. I’ll show you your rooms.”
Josie shut the car doors. “You’re gonna love the showers. Hot water for days. Nice watch, by the way,” she said to Lu. “Antique?”
The magic pocket watch that could stop time, and the winged key to open the book, hung from separate chains around Lu’s neck. She usually kept them hidden, but our run through the storm had dislodged them so they were on the outside of her shirt.
“Yes,” Lu said smoothly, tucking it away. “It’s very old.”
“Well, old fits in here.” Josie strode across the room. “You won’t believe how far back the library goes.”
Abbi took a step, then turned back.
“Maybe I’ll stay out here in the truck.”
“Why?” Lu asked. She had grabbed our bags and handed me mine.
Abbi rocked up on tiptoes and pointed at the tool box. “Hado will miss me.”
Lu frowned.
I leaned on the truck. “Let’s find out what kind of magic they have on this place. See how safe it would be for Hado to move away from the book. If it’s not good enough or safe enough, we’ll all sleep out here with Hado together.”
“A sleepover?” Abbi asked.
“Yup. A sleepover.”
Lu’s gaze darted up to mine, and she smiled.
“We might be part of the hunters’ family now,” I said, “but we’re our own little family first.”
“Yay!” Abbi said. “But I’m going to stay here with Hado.”
Lorde woofed and put her paws on the bumper.
Lu scrubbed Lorde’s ears. “You stay here and look after Abbi, okay, girl?”
Lorde wagged her tail.
“In you go.” Lu pulled down the tailgate, and Abbi and Lorde jumped in.
“I’ll put out all the blankets just in case!” Abbi opened the storage bins and dragged out the quilts, sleeping bags, and pillows, shaking them with wild abandon while Lorde barked and nipped.
“That leaves me and you to see if the living situation works.” I took a step.
Lu put her hand on my arm and tugged.
“What…?”
She stepped around and into me, her body pressing against mine, as if I were shelter from a storm and she was freezing.
I wrapped my arms around her. “Hey now,” I said. “What’s this? Are you okay?”
She nodded, then pulled back, her hands on either side of my face.
“I’m fine. How badly are you hurt? Tell me the truth. I thought the storm was going to tear you to pieces.”
“I have a headache,” I said, “but vision and hearing are good. It was a knock on the head, not a concussion. I might have bruised my ass when I fell, but I’m fine, Lula. I’m still on my feet. Still standing.”
“I won’t lose you, Brogan Gauge. I won’t.” She moved just that much more into me and drew my head down.
Then she kissed me, harder than I’d expected, urgent, needful.
I met her intensity, then slowly gentled my embrace, running my palm down her back and up again, threading my fingers in her silky hair.
I gentled my mouth too, easing the kiss, soothing her with slower, softer touches, my breath even and calm.
She relaxed by inches, but did not take her hands off my face, holding me just where she wanted me, keeping me, claiming me.
I tasted salt as her tears caught between our lips.
Finally, finally she pulled back, her gaze searching my face, making sure I was still there, still holding her.
“As if I would ever leave your side. Not even death can keep me from you.”
“I know,” she whispered, “I know.” She released my face and rested her head against my shoulder.
“I love you,” I said.
“I love you,” she said.
“I love pie!” Abbi announced, and I could feel Lula’s smile.
“We’ll find you a carrot,” I offered.
“Yay! I like carrots!”
Lorde barked.
“And a bone for Lorde.” Abbi wrapped her arms around the dog’s neck and pulled her down beside her, making Lorde squirm and wag her tail.
“Sounds like we have our orders,” I said.
Lu leaned back. “She’s not the boss of us. We don’t have to listen.”
“I can hear you!” Abbi said.
Lu moved to the stairs, her body language shifting into high alert.
“You think we’re in danger?”
She shook her head. “Still. I walk into the room first.”
There was a reason she took point in unknown situations. Even though I was a big man and a strong man, she was thrawn. Being half-vampire meant she was stronger than me, faster than me, and could heal a lot quicker than I could.
It didn’t make her invulnerable, but with her reflexes, she could respond to an attack before I even knew what hit us.
The hallway at the top of the stairs was well lit, built of dark wood with a deep green-and-gold wallpaper. Fixtures in the ceiling gave off a warm light, and the hall branched in two directions.
“This way,” Pamela said from where she was waiting for us on the left. “Figured you’d want to pick out beds first. Where’s Abbi?”
“Truck,” Lula said. “We need to know what kind of magical and practical protections you have in this place.”
“Sure thing. We’ll head to the control room instead.”
She crossed to the right hall, and after a few turns (I was mentally mapping how the hall worked as a defensive structure), it spilled us out into a beautiful room.
I whistled again. “This is very nice.”
More of the dark wood accented the space, with dark green subway tiles at the bottom half of the walls, wallpaper on the top, and wood inlaid floors.
The walls were high enough to cover two stories, but instead of an upper floor, exposed brass staircases led to a loft which lined the entire well-lit upper space.
Bookshelves racked back from the open loft rooms and a handful of padded chairs littered the area.
But the main room, the control room, was set much like I would expect a military space to be arranged. There were maps on one wall (marked with push pins), and a mix of wooden and metal storage cabinets, with doors and drawers, set at strategic positions.
Centering the room was a large wooden table that could seat twelve, matching chairs drawn up tight.
The table held a variety of crystals, small tokens, silk bags, and other magical bits and twigs on one side, looking as if they’d been dropped there after a treasure hunt. A few leather-bound books were stacked at the far end.
“Don’t mind the mess,” Pamela said. “We left in a hurry last time we were here.”
“I’ll get these out of the way.” Josie scooped up the books. “Be right back.”
She took the nearest staircase to the upper level.
“Kitchen’s that way,” Elmer pointed at the door on one end of the room. “Bedrooms back that way. Main library there,” then to another door to a room set at what I thought was west, “and various other rooms that way, including a safe room. So. Think this will do for you?”
“What magical defenses do you have?” Lula asked. “How hidden is this place, really?”
“You won’t find anywhere with more magical wards or spells,” Pamela said. “Nothing can find us here. No gods, monsters, or humans can cross our trip lines without us knowing it.”
“How do you know someone’s crossed the trip lines?” Lu asked.
A mechanical snap cracked the air, and every light dimmed. Red emergency lights flooded the place.
An alarm wailed.
The line had been tripped.
The hunters pulled weapons.
Josie, from above said, “Entrance.”
Lu drew her knives.
“Abbi,” I said. I pivoted and ran back to the garage, Lu on my heels.
Abbi stood in the back of the truck, her magic mortar and pestle in her hands, Lorde on guard next to her.
“Are you okay?” I asked, reaching over the side of the truck to touch her arm.
“Someone’s out there,” she said.
“Good evening, Gauges,” a male voice echoed through the garage, the halls, the rooms. “We need to talk.”