Damn. I’d have to be careful not to injure the seethe lord, and also not to let Calista draw power from the pool water. This might be a tricky takedown, but even though I was super skinny right now, since being injected with Brock’s alpha blood, I felt like I’d drunk three Red Bulls.
I rummaged through my bag, and pulled a couple spells I thought would help in this situation. One was a sunlight spell, in case shit went sideways with the vamps.
After showing Cass the texts, he nodded. “It’s payday, baby.” Sort of. It was either take down Calista, or owe Mack money neither of us had anymore.
I smirked. “Let’s be in and out. Have her on a helicopter in an hour, and wash our hands of this.”
We jumped out of the Jeep, and I pulled my coat over my badge and gun. Cass was a master of illusionary magic, but it would make it easier on him if he had fewer things to hide.
We walked right up to the back fence, where a vamp was keeping guard. He took one look at us and nodded, opening the gate. “Welcome, sir.”
We walked on through, no problem. When we were out of earshot, I leaned into my vertically-challenged friend. “Who did he think we were?”
Cass grinned. “Croft.”
Great.My lawyer wasn’t going to like that very much. I prayed he wasn’t here tonight for real. Though, maybe since he owed Gran, he wouldn’t mind too much.
Cass opened his little hands, and his demon magic crackled to life between his fingers. “Ready?” he asked.
I nodded. “Let’s get her.”
He sprang from the ground and shot into the air, his small wings only able to lift him a few feet off the ground. Still, it was enough to make him a bit higher.
We turned the corner and I spotted Calista in all her siren glory standing near the pool, just as Molly said she’d be. Her green hair, the color of sea foam, hung to her bare waist. She wore what amounted to a bikini top to cover her breasts, and a long flowing skirt with slits down the sides. If I didn’t know better, I’d say she was feminine and beautiful. But I knew the slits in her skirt were so she could run away easily, and her allure was only skin deep.
I pulled my badge in one hand, and my gun in the other. “Calista Pearl, you’re under arrest!” My voice boomed as Cass launched himself at her.
The second she spun around I knew something was wrong. Her eyes blazed a furious ocean blue, and the large and powerful vampire next to her zipped toward me with terrifying speed.
Shit. They’re working together.
Plan B.
I popped off three silver bullets into the vamp’s chest, which slowed him enough for me to move out of the way. Calista threw a tidal wave of water at Cass. The six-foot wave slammed into his little body, knocking him backward with the force of a car. The pool looked half drained, which meant she was pulling power from it.
“Look out!” Molly yelled, and I spun to see the other vamps on the patio gunning for us.
Double shit.
Dropping my badge, I threw the sunlight spell against the ground. The glass vial smashed as a redheaded female vamp slammed into me and threw me backwards. My hand shot out behind me, to catch the brunt of my fall and I felt my wrist snap. Then the rest of my weight fell on my ass as sunlight burst upon the outdoor space. A hundred hisses rang out as pandemonium rained down on the back yard.
Vamps clutched their faces and screamed, running inside for cover. It was 10 P.M. and it looked like mid-afternoon outside.
Thank you, Gran.
Spots from the sudden burst of light still swam in my vision, but I knew I had no time to waste. I’d cleared the yard of vampires, but the siren still needed to be dealt with. Molly was standing there, with her purple hair and wide expression, looking at me in awe. Jumping to my feet I spun around, my gaze tracking the siren as she bolted across the lawn with Cass flying behind her, flinging demon magic at her back.
She was more powerful than I remembered. Had she done something to increase her ability since we’d last met?
I started running, and a quick glance over my shoulder told me Molly was right behind me. Crazy kid, she wasn’t even armed.
Calista was as fast as Cass and I, tearing across the open courtyard lightning-quick in her bare feet. Sirens hated to wear shoes, a telltale sign you were on to one if they were ever in disguise.
Cass threw some crackling demon magic at her retreating form, managing to hit the back of her calf. She yelped, went down to one knee, and I dared to hope we had her.
When she whirled her head around to glare at us, it was clear by her grin that she believed that she had us as well.
Not good.
