The Long Way Down (Daniel Faust #1)(29)

“No way! I tell you that, you’ve got no reason to give me the contract back!”

“All right,” I said, nodding, “we do it the proper way, then. We invoke an Unbreakable Oath. You’re an expert magician, you know how those work, right?”

“O—of course I do!”

“I pledge,” I intoned gravely, “by the Unbreakable Oath of the Great Brotherhood, in the knowledge that I will burn in eternal hellfire should I break my word, that I shall trade you this contract, unharmed in any way, in exchange for the recording of Stacy Pankow’s murder. I further vow that no harm will come to you from me or mine, and that there will be peace between us for the rest of our days. Do you accept this pledge?”

“I…I do,” he said, his head bobbing like a metronome.

“And so the Oath is sealed, by our magic and our word, forever and unbreakable. Now then, as you know, since I made the pledge, it’s tradition for you to fulfill your part of the bargain first. Where’s the video?”

“Under my mattress, in my bedroom! But it’s yours now! It’s yours, okay? Take it, I don’t need it! Just…give me the contract? Please?”

“Before I do,” I said, “there’s one thing you need to know. Something you absolutely must understand.”

“What? Say it!”

“I lied,” I said and held the contract to the flame. It went up like flash paper, blazing with a crumpling implosion of sound and the stench of brimstone. The last remnants of blackened ash tumbled from my fingertips like cherry blossoms on a gentle wind.

Caitlin smiled as she sauntered across the kitchen floor, taking her time. She paused to stand over Carl. He blinked, staring blankly from glassy eyes, bleeding out and barely conscious.

“You, I’ll see in hell,” she murmured, taking hold of his head with one hand and wrenching it with a sickening crack. She dropped his corpse to the floor and looked at Artie. “He was in shock. Torturing him wouldn’t have been any fun at all. I’ll fix that when I get home.”

Artie pressed himself against the refrigerator, cornered, blubbering.

“But as for you…oh, you. Artie, Artie, Artie. Your ambition was admirable. I don’t fault you for it.” Caitlin’s Scottish brogue grew harder as she took hold of his trembling arms, pulling him into an embrace. “But you humiliated me. Did you think the bill for that would never come due? Did you think you could leave the restaurant without paying the check?”

He struggled against her, helpless, weeping. “I’m sorry! I’m sorry!”

I closed my eyes. Part of me wanted to make a run for it, a mad dash to the door just to escape being any part of this, but Caitlin was too quick, too strong. I knew I’d never make it. I stayed in my little circle of salt, hoping it would be over fast.

“Do you know,” she told him, “that with every slap, every insult, every indignity, I was taking solace in thinking about what I was going to do to you for all of eternity? No tears now, Artie, this is just a taste of what’s to come. Just my little way of saying ‘goodbye for now, see you again soon.’”

I held my breath.

“Little magus,” she said, and I realized she was talking to me. I opened my eyes. She held Artie in her arms, coiled in a parody of a seductive embrace.

“You should watch this,” she said, flashing a smile lined with shark teeth.

Then she bit into his cheek. Slowly.

I don’t know how long it lasted. Two hours? Three? I had my eyes shut for most of it, standing on wavering legs, listening to Artie scream in pitches no human throat should be able to reach as Caitlin painted the walls with his blood. In the end it was just choked gurgling and chewing noises.

At some point I realized I didn’t hear anything but the distant hum of air conditioning. I opened my eyes. Caitlin stood there, watching me, her pale skin and emerald gown drenched in gore. She wore a thoughtful smile. I glanced toward the corner of the kitchen and immediately wished I hadn’t, struggling to keep my stomach under control.

“Now then,” she said, “what are we going to do with you?” She strolled around the edge of the circle of salt, eyeing it, looking for a break in the pattern.”It was a good bluff.”

“The Unbreakable Oath?” I said. “Yeah, no such thing. Still, you can toss anything to a drowning man. Tell him it’s a life preserver and he’ll probably take it.”

“Not that bluff. This one.”

She slid one foot effortlessly across the line of salt and stepped inside the circle with me.





Fifteen



I tried not to tremble as I looked into Caitlin’s copper eyes, her teeth a heartbeat from my throat. The scent of her perfume mingled with the stench of gore, becoming some new and unearthly scent that whispered of charnel houses and night-blooming flowers.

“I was trying,” I said, swallowing hard, “trying to make a real circle, but it was dark, and I didn’t have much time—”

“Shh,” she said, putting her finger to my lips. I tasted Artie Kaufman’s blood.

So there it was. I should have listened to Bentley and Corman. I should have done a lot of things that I didn’t. In the span of a second, a thousand regrets flashed before my eyes.

At least I had something to be proud of. Artie and Carl would never hurt anyone again, and Jud could rest easy knowing he’d gotten some justice for his little girl. Not much of a balance against my life of crime, but I’d done a little good in the end. Caitlin rested her hand against my chest, feeling my heart pound, drinking in my fear. I raised my chin and looked her in the eyes. If nothing else, I could go out with a little dignity.