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bastard, when he smiled like that. He had a face that I could only describe as aristocratic all arrogant
lines and proud angles and I swore to make him smile like that more often.
"So that's how you tracked Tina to the park. Kalimus propped his left leg on his right knee. When
Jenson hired you, I knew you had to be the best."
Normally I love compliments, but thinking about Jenson put a sour taste in my mouth. I decided to go
back to our previous subject.
"So Tina ... what is she, exactly?"
"Tina belongs to the fey."
A freakin fairy. Fairies don't exist."
"Says the witch who's deep in conversation with the vampire. Kalimus flipped a longish lock of dark
hair out of his face. I assure you, fairies are all too real. If you don't believe me, try telling Tina she's just
a myth and see what happens."
Just thinking about taking Tina on gave me the shudders. I went for subject change number two. So this
place ... did it belong to your family, or what?"
"In a manner of speaking, yes."
"And Jenson has no idea you're here?"
Kalimus shook his head. Other than Tina, no one knows of its existence. She's cloaked the entrance
with a spell to keep mortals at bay. Fairy magic isn't quite as powerful as yours, but it gets the job done."
It hit me then, just how much Kalimus was trusting me by bringing me to his little bolt hole. The
knowledge did weird things to my stomach. Either I had a major case of gas or I was falling for the guy.
I stood up, suddenly restless. Not that I'm dissing Tina's skills, but I could add some wards, if you like.
You know, sort of back up the protections she's already put in place."
"Why?"
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I shrugged before realizing he couldn't see it. It'll make the door more "
"Why are you helping me? For the first time that night, Kalimus was starting to sound every bit his age.
Weary, like he was damn tired of fighting. Jenson paid you a great deal to kill me. Why not finish the
bargain you made?"
"I told you, I don't kill innocents. I went to the door and started weaving the wards, more because his
unseeing scrutiny was making me nervous than for any other reason.
"How do you know I'm innocent? he said after a minute.
It was a damn good question, but since I didn't have a ready answer, I kept silent.
Kalimus seemed to take that as answer enough. He rose from the settee. You should be going. The sun
will be up soon."
I knew when to take a hint, but there was one thing I had to know before I left. Why does Jenson want
you so bad?"
"That's one mystery you'll have to solve on your own, Carter Denton. Kalimus made his way to the bed
and lay down. I thank you for the wards."
"This isn't over, you know. I looked away from the bed, half afraid I'd give in to the irresistible urge to
crawl up there beside him. You and I, we aren't done."
Kalimus's smile was slow and dangerous. I know."
* * * *
Not surprisingly, I started dreaming about him the second I fell asleep. This dream, though ... this one
was different. The others had all held an erotic charge. I won't say there wasn't an underlying element of
sexual tension hell, Kalimus was sex walking but this one held a new importance I couldn't ignore.
Kalimus and I were standing in an honest-to-god throne room, the kind you see in medieval castles. As
in all my dreams, he was staring at me with clear green eyes, and even though I know he can't see, it
seemed natural for him to be looking at me.
He bent his head and kissed me, then moved across the room to remove a jeweled dagger from the
wall. With the dagger held in one hand, Kalimus came back to me, removing my shirt with one fluid tug of
the hem. Without hesitation I knelt before him, keeping my body rigid so that my chest was fully exposed.
A look passed between us, and then Kalimus was thrusting the dagger straight toward my heart.
I woke in a cold sweat, my breath coming in ragged gulps. In all the dreams I'd had about him, Kalimus
had never once hurt me. Now it seemed he was intent on cutting my heart out.
I got dressed as quickly as I could, then grabbed my keys off the nightstand. I might not have known
what the dream meant, but I bet I knew someone who did.
Born witch dens are different from Wiccan covens. My mother was a born witch, my father a plain ol
mortal. When it became apparent that I'd followed in my mother's footsteps, she'd immediately inducted
me into her coven, Guild of the Light. I'd never thought much about the place worshipped there only
sporadically but now I was damn grateful I had my fellow members to call on.
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I drove to the outskirts of town, to where Guild of the Light was housed inside an old Christian
monastery. I parked my car a fair distance away, then walked up the winding path and through a pair of
ten-foot iron gates.
Walking on hallowed ground is always a heady experience for a born witch. I was forced to stop and
catch my breath as my powers surged and rose.
"Intoxicating, isn't it? someone said from behind me.
I knew that voice. It belonged to just the man I'd come to see. I turned to find Thad Beldan, coven
historian, standing behind me.
"You knew I was coming, I accused as I clapped the older man on the back.
Thad shook his head. No such thing. He smiled. I was up in the observatory tower and saw you pull
up."
I didn't argue, but deep down I suspected Thad was something of a psychic. He always seemed to
know things before they happened, but he would never cop to having a sixth sense.
We walked in silence through the courtyard, past a group of novices practicing their earth magic on a
pitiful patch of tomato plants. Thad chuckled as one girl overshot her spell and exploded a nearby
pumpkin all over her instructor's feet.
"I love to watch the young ones, he said as he led me into the building. Such vitality and vigor. He
started down the hall toward his office, with me right behind. I remember when you first came to us,
Carter. You had the same determination and drive."
I knew well enough how the coven felt about my profession. It wasn't hard to read between the lines and
discern Thad's disappointment.
"I didn't come here to talk about me. We stepped into the office, and Thad closed the door behind us. I
sat down on the sofa. I came because I need information."
Thad settled into a chair and held out his hands. I am at your disposal."
I hesitated, unsure exactly how to begin. Finally, I said, I've been having these dreams."
Thad raised a brow. I thought you said you didn't come to talk about you?"
I shook my head. The dreams are about a man a vampire, that is named Kalimus Roche. Ever
heard of him?"
"I can't say I have."
"What about Ortolon? Ever heard of a family by that name?"
"Ortolon. Thad frowned. Now that does ring a bell, although... He went to the bookshelf dominating
the back wall. After trailing his fingers across some of the spines, he came back with a dusty leather
book.
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Thad sat back down and started thumbing through the pages. Ortolon ... Ortolon. Ah, here it is. Thad
pointed to a spot near the middle of one page. Paul Roche de Ortolon."
"That's him, I said. That's the guy I'm looking for."
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