Blood Thief Box Set(48)

Maeve arched an eyebrow as she took a seat. "So you know where Trica is?"

Simon moved so he stood at the head of the living room between the chairs and couch. His dark eyes swept over us as he clasped his hands behind his back. "I do not know where he is."

"And you're sure you really want to know that?" Dolf spoke up.

Maeve frowned at him as he sat across the coffee table from us. "We can't let Trica get into that room, and we can't let Faith be killed by that careless curse."

Specter floated behind her. "Is this a curse you can lift?"

She pursed her lips and shook her head. "No. By the description Faith gave it's a very personal curse. That means only the caster can revoke it."

Dolf leaned back and frowned. "You guys gotta know this isn't going to be easy. I've heard some stuff about this Trica guy, and I don't like any of it."

Maeve turned to Simon. "What do you know about Trica?"

"He is a very old and-"

"Very dangerous vampire," Dolf finished for him. "I've heard that, but what else?"

Simon's red eyes fell on Dolf. "He dislikes werewolves immensely."

Dolf glared back at him. "What's that-"

"Cool it, Dolf," Maeve snapped at our hairy friend. "He's talking about Trica, not himself. Anyway, one vampire is easy to handle. I'm more worried about who's around him."

"You should be worried about the vampire," Specter spoke up. All eyes turned to him. Specter floated above the coffee table so he faced Simon. "I'm in."

Dolf sat up and arched an eyebrow. "You're in?"

Specter nodded. "That's what I said."

Dolf leaned his arms on his legs and studied our spectral friend. "What's the deal? It's not like you to jump into human affairs."

Specter's transparent eyes flickered to Dolf. "Let's just say I have a score to settle with his group."

Dolf smiled. He leaned back and shrugged. "I'm not going to say no when Spook Boy's so eager, so I guess I'm in."

Maeve turned to Simon and pursed her lips. "As much as I'm going to miss Certus scowling at me, I'd still like to know what we're up against. Knowing more means fewer of us are going to get killed."

Simon closed his eyes. I watched his shoulders slump. "Trica is the source of many of the organized crimes within the city. He controls numerous gangs such as the Skulls and the Night Prowlers."

Dolf frowned. "But those guys are rivals. Just last week they shot each other up."

Simon opened his eyes and his gaze fell on Dolf. "Trica pits them against each other to see which is the strongest."

Maeve wrinkled her nose. "How barbaric. Does he surround himself with these 'strongest?'"

Simon nodded. "Yes. Those humans and vampires deemed powerful are assigned to his personal retinue."

"But not werewolves," Dolf sneered.

Maeve rolled her eyes. "Jealous?"

He shrugged. "Even a dog's gotta have his pride."

Maeve returned her attention to Simon. "Anything else you can tell us?"

He shook his head. "There is nothing."

Specter floated over our heads. "Then why are we still talking here? Let's get going."

"Hold on there, Spook," Dolf scolded him. "We don't even know where he is, remember?"

Maeve glanced at Simon and smiled. "But I bet you know where to start."

Simon's sly smile slipped onto his lips. "I do, but first-" A great crash interrupted him.

We all turned our focus to the shut bedroom occupied by our deceased friend. Simon rushed to the door and broke it down with his shoulder. The rest of us crowded in the doorway and looked inside.

The room overlooked the streets below through a pair of large, floor-to-ceiling windows. Both windows were broken. Their shattered remains were strewn about the room. There was the bed on the left-hand wall and a dresser to our right.

I looked around the room. "Where's Certus?"

Simon flew to the window and grasped the jagged edge of one of them on his right. He leaned out. I followed, but kept my distance from the long drop. There was nothing but the clear night sky reflected in the lower windows.

I turned my head to Simon. His teeth bit into his lower lip and drew blood. "What happened?"

"Simon," Dolf called out. We turned to see that Dolf stood beside the bed. In his hand was a blood-red envelope with white lettering on the back. He held up the slip of paper. "This is for you."

Simon strode over to Dolf and snatched the envelope. I came up on his right and peeked around his arm. The lettering on the back spelled out Simon's full name. Simon slit the envelope open with one of his sharp fingernails and pulled out a small slip of paper. There was a short note written in an ancient style of cursive that I could barely read.





Dear Simon,



I apologize for not appearing to you myself, but this will be much more entertaining. I have taken a page from your own book and stolen your servant's body. You must retrieve it from me before daybreak, or I will submit his corpse to the sun for immolation. Don't fret. I will leave clues for you to follow.



You'll find me in a place of stone,

Where silence cloaks the ground,

Search through all the empty names,

And finally I'll be found.



Happy hunting. Respectfully yours, Trica.





Simon clutched the note in his shaking hand. He shut his eyes and growl reverberated from his throat.

Our three companions stood in front of us. Maeve stepped forward. "What does it say?"

Simon's shoulders relaxed. He opened his eyes. I'd never seen them look so old. "Trica has stolen Certus's body."

Dolf frowned. "Why would he do that?"

Maeve glanced around the room. "How did he do that? I set some of the penthouse barriers myself. They were supposed to at least alert us to intruders."

Simon shook his head. "Trica has at his disposal a great many powerful witches. One of them enchanted the intruders to break the barriers."

"But why did he want to do that?" Dolf persisted.

I looked up into Simon's face. "Basileus and Bentley?"

Simon nodded. "Yes. Trica no doubt guessed our involvement when he witnessed our interaction with Basileus's ship, and seeks to distract us with this hunt."

Maeve arched an eyebrow. "But is this really a distraction? I mean, Certus's body is going to disappear sooner or later. Why kidnap a corpse?"

"Maybe Certus can be resurrected?" Dolf suggested.

Maeve glared at him. "Don't you know anything? Once a vampire's soul is gone you can't get it back."

My eyes lit up. A sudden terrifying thought struck me. I whipped my head to Simon. His eyes, too, were wide.

I heard him murmur a few words. "The soul is then given to the one who cast the curse."

I grabbed his arm. "You don't think-?"

He pursed his lips. "What a fool I have been."

"What are you talking about? A fool how?" Maeve questioned him.

I turned to our curious friends. "Basileus told us that those Death Phantoms take the soul of the person who was cursed and bring it to the person who cast the curse."

Specter floated above the other two. "So Certus's soul is still floating around somewhere?"

Simon nodded. "Yes, and Trica has realized this. That is why he aims to use Certus's body as a distraction."

I furrowed my brow. "But how'd he know that's what happened to Certus? We were on the ship when it happened."

"Trica has many spies. I would venture to guess his were not on the ship, but on the mainland watching the ship," he surmised.

"This is all nice and fun, but what do we do now?" Dolf spoke up. He nodded at the crumpled letter in Simon's fist. "Do we follow this guy's game or do we ignore it and try to find it?"

"We will do both," Simon replied.

Maeve raised an eyebrow. "Like splitting into groups? I've seen enough horror movies not to like that idea."

Simon's eyes fell on her. "Are you able to furnish a better one?"

She pursed her lips. "No, but I still don't like it."

"But who would go where?" I asked him.

Simon nodded at our three strange companions. "You three will go to Sarpa and inform him of what has transpired, if his contacts haven't already informed him." He turned to me. "Trica expects me to play his game, and he no doubt is aware of your being my fledgling. That is a risk, so you will remain with me."

"And the Phantoms?" I reminded him.

Simon pursed his lips. "They have claimed one victim and lost one of their own. Their next attack may not come for some hours."

Maeve raised her hand. "I might be able to keep them away for longer than that."

Simon nodded. "Do so, and we will depart."

Dolf arched an eyebrow. "Wait a sec. We know where we're going, but how do you know where you're going?"

"You guessed the clue?" I suggested.

Simon held up the note. "Trica is not to be trusted, but he wishes for me to play his game, so he did not lie when he said the clue lay in the note."

"The Latin phrase?" Maeve guessed. Simon nodded. She furrowed her brow and tapped her chin with her long, black fingernails. "Where silence cloaks the ground? What's that supposed to mean?"

"It means a graveyard," Specter spoke up. He floated over to us. "Since that's my specialty I'll come with you. You know, as your guiding spirit."