Jonas (Darkness #7)(24)

A crew of mostly hippies and older women followed him like a flock. They tittered and looked around with wide eyes, many staring at that field as if their gazes would eventually penetrate the magical defenses. If Paulie got double-takes, the witches and warlocks (there were men now, too) got open-mouthed gawks. We had the largest collection of human magic-workers in the entire world. Seriously, the whole world—unless someone was hiding their humans, that was. Cato didn’t think so, though. We were an anomaly and often laughed at within the Council.

Of course, being that the Council was a broken-down wreck, and since my clan’s united status was producing a larger next generation as well as increasing our magical ranks, we cared not at all. And not only that, Toa said we were finding traits in magic they thought were long extinct. Tarot cards, crystal balls, palms and ghosts acted as a medium for many humans to foresee the future, or work intricate magic that bent the elements in different ways. Toa was setting up a residence within the Mansion so he could spend more time analyzing. He’d come up with some crazy things, mostly forgotten magical relics, working with the rudimentary magic the humans used.

“He hasn’t figured out the notes you gave him, obviously,” Charles said as we walked toward Cato.

My mouth turned into a thin line. I had hoped that giving Cato the directions over the phone that Emmy had given me would have opened some magical door and we’d arrive to a battle already in progress. Or at least with a gate we could storm. No such luck.

We wound between the cars and slowed as we neared Cato’s cluster. He looked up and met my eyes, as if he’d seen me coming even though he’d had his eyes closed. And he probably had, since I was always connected with magic. Just like him.

“Sasha, ah. Lovely to see you. Thank you for those notes. So very helpful.” The group around Cato split down the middle, opening a path for me to walk closer.

“Have you made any progress?” I asked, half-turning so I could watch Stefan organizing his men with Dominicous, who stood slightly removed from the waiting warriors.

“We’ve cleverly masked and then dismantled the spells. They are extremely intricate. The notes have been invaluable, though strangely cryptic.”

“I don’t think the person who gave me those works with magic. She’s half-human. I get the feeling—“

“Ah yes. Emmy, if I am not mistaken. She would be the only one with intimate knowledge of Nathanial’s spell-working—who has surely set all this up. He assumes, incorrectly, that humans cannot understand the working of magic. He would be more open around her. No one but him could have. Yes. Emmy has a rare and sought-after blood type. It is like a drug for those going into battle, I have heard. Nathanial guards her religiously, though his treatment of her…” Cato looked out over the cabbage field in thought. “I wonder how she was able to get his phone without being subdued immediately.”

“I get the feeling she’s into Jonas. Or using him to get out. He seems into her, at any rate. He thinks she has a tracking thing on her person.”

Cato nodded slowly as his eyes lost focus. He stared at me without actually staring at me for about thirty seconds. I shifted both in impatience and from being extremely uncomfortable. When his eyes honed back in, he gave me a slight smile. “One more down. Only two to go and then we can start working on the disillusionment charm.”

Impatience won out. “Are you serious? Holy crap, Cato, this is taking way too long. Jonas is in there.” I glanced around and caught sight of Delilah hobbling up the road. Her man was holding her hand and glaring at everyone around them. Birdie was right beside her with new ink on her arms, a dagger at her back, and dressed in a Karate gi that didn’t fit her huge bosom quite right.

“Let’s get this show on the road. I’ll get all the witches assembled. We’re either going to take these down or blow them up.” I made a circle in the air with my finger as I connected eyes with Paulie. He nodded and turned to the crowd of humans at his back. With only a head flick, he had them all walking to me with nervous smiles and wringing hands.

This was the first time most of them would see a real battle. I had a feeling they thought it was like watching Shakespeare in the park. I wasn’t planning on spoiling the horrible, shocking surprise of what it would actually be. I needed them here too badly.

“They’re like a pack of children,” someone said from Cato’s crew. I could see a few members of the Clutch, the mages to the Council members, shift uncomfortably. They were supposed to be backing Cato—thinking humans in their fold was a good idea. It didn’t seem like they were really on-board with that idea, though.

Didn’t matter. We’d prove them wrong. Hopefully.

“Delilah, how are you?” I asked, looking worriedly at the heavily-pregnant woman.

She smiled. Irritation ate away at her features, though. She was about ready to pop. “I’m fine if everyone would stop hovering over me. We have a four-wheel drive and know of the closest hospital. I’ll be fine.”

“Great. Paulie is bringing around your chair. We’ll sit you in the back. All we need is to get 90% through the spell, and then we’ll get you out of here, okay?”

“Fine, fine.” She waved her hand in impatience. “Let’s do this.”

She was so ready to be done with pregnancy. I knew exactly how she felt.

I ignored outraged murmurs from Cato’s crew regarding Delilah’s condition as I turned to the humans. Just as I was about to tell them to call the corners—they insisted I use that terminology so they could be a little different in their approach than Stefan’s people—Toa glided out from between two cars and stopped directly at my side. He glanced over the gathered humans and then honed his unblinking, blue stare on me.