Maudlin's Mayhem (Bewitching Bedlam #2)(65)

“As well, heard and noted.” Essie held up the mandrake root and blew on it. A wisp of mist ran through the air and once again, it felt like time moved, and like we were part of the outer world again. “I’ll have Ruby escort you back to your vehicle. Thank you for accepting my invitation.” She pressed her lips together but I could tell she was smiling.

Ruby returned as Essie called for her. The vampire motioned for me to follow her. We walked back the way we had come. As we neared the stairs, Ruby tapped me on the shoulder.

“Listen…I want to apologize. I hope you aren’t still sore at us.”

I blinked. “You knock me out, kidnap me, and tie me up and you expect me to just shrug it off as though we were just meeting for coffee?”

“Look, I did what I was told. But I kind of like you. I know you’re a big-time vampire hunter and all, but I was thinking, if Essie doesn’t mind, maybe we could get together and go shopping? Or even get coffee? I don’t have many friends here.”

I was done and over with Essie and her minions, but Ruby sounded sincere and she had such a plaintive look on her face that I felt like a heel for being ticked that she’d even ask.

“We’ll see. Give me some time to cool off.”

“I get it.”

We drove back to my car. My bag was nowhere in sight. Great. I not only lost my purse, but my phone. Then it occurred to me maybe somebody had found it and turned it in. I motioned for Ruby to head out, and I went into the sheriff’s office, feeling decidedly worse for wear.

I glanced at the nearest clock. It was almost five a.m. Lovely. Aegis was probably worried sick. As I rounded the corner, Delia came barreling down the hallway, in full SWAT gear with several cops behind her. She skidded to a stop in front of me.

“Where the hell were you? We were just headed over to Essie’s to break down the joint in an attempt to find you. A couple people saw you being abducted into a black van and the license plate was traced back to someone at her house.”

I let out a long breath. This was going to be a long night and a long explanation, and given what Essie had warned me we were up against, I was going to have to convince Delia that we were better off with her in Bedlam than we were with her out of the city.

With the wistful thought of bed and sleep, I followed her into the office to give her the rundown on what had happened.





Chapter 18





SANDY DIDN’T APPRECIATE the early morning call, but she needed to hear what I had to say, and I really didn’t want to repeat it again. I was tired, hungry, and still feeling clobbered by the after-effects of the damned drug they had used on me. But she agreed to meet us and within twenty minutes, she showed up. Her hair was caught in a makeshift ponytail, she had no makeup on, and she was clutching two mega-sized lattes, but she was there.

By the time I finished, I had finally talked Delia out of staking Essie. And I had talked Sandy out of trying to pour massive amounts of coffee into me.

“I haven’t even been to bed yet. If I drink caffeine now I’ll be a nervous wreck. The Rutillite is just finally starting to fully leave my system.”

“You slept while you were drugged,” Delia said.

“That’s not the same thing!” I sighed, then shook my head. “So, what this comes down to is that if we try to evict Essie from the town, somebody bigger and badder will take her place. Somebody who might be in league with the Arcānus Nocturni.”

“Did she tell you where this vampire queen lives?”

“No. Nor did she tell me her name, but the picture…the picture was scary.” I stared at the doughnuts on Delia’s desk. I wanted a maple bar or three, and I wanted it now, but I also knew that sugar on top of the drug and all the adrenaline wouldn’t exactly make me feel my best.

“Who the hell cursed you, if Essie didn’t? And do you believe her?” Sandy slumped in her chair, nursing her drink.

“That’s what I’m wondering. Who the hell could have it in for me? Besides Essie and the Arcānus Nocturni, who have I pissed off in the past couple of months?”

“Ralph. You were in here three times complaining about him, twice which resulted in me serving him with a ticket. Once for the fireworks, and don’t forget the speeding.” Delia shrugged. “Granted, he deserved those, and I would have gone after him about Snow White, but I don’t think he’s feeling all that friendly toward you.”

I thought about it. Ralph and I were definitely rivals, but I took it in stride. Usually. Then again…something struck a bell. “Wait. I remember something.” I ran through when I had chewed him out about Snow—there was… “Honey. Honey! I wonder if she could be a Dirt Witch.”

“Who’s Honey?”

“A Daisy Duke impersonator. No, seriously, she’s one heck of a pinup girl who was at Ralph’s when I went over there to bitch at him. She’s his cousin, apparently. She was carrying a plant and a trowel, and something about her made me stop. I remember something about her energy set off my alarms, but I was too pissed to really pay any attention.”

“If he does have a cousin who’s a Dirt Witch, then she might have some wood nymph in her as well. They can be nasty when crossed and if she has any sense of family loyalty, he might have prevailed on her to cast a hex on your house.” Sandy shook her head. “What’s her name again?”