Page 90 of Malice

Xavier pulls me gently toward the sink and grabs a washcloth, carefully wiping the dried blood from my face before inspecting my arm.

“This is going to hurt tomorrow,” I mutter. “Movies make it seem like you can just stab someone with a needle and get blood. You actually have to hit a vein. You would know,” I add, glancing at him with a faint smile.

For a second, no one says anything.

“Do you have what you need for the locator spell?” Xavier asks. “You went out for supplies.”

“I have just enough to do it one more time,” I say. “The cops showed up to investigate a robbery. I didn’t think it was a good idea to, uh, keep shopping.”

“Where is it?”

“In the parlor. Still in the bag.”

I move to grab a glass of water, but Xavier beats me to it, handing it to me like I might break. I let him.

“I’m guessing Leo got the message through?” I ask.

“Yeah,” Antonio says. “Vivian moved fast. All Ryder had to do was make sure the right people overheard.”

I take a drink, giving myself a second to process. Part of me wanted Ryder to fail. Part of me wanted a reason to keep hating him. It’s stupid.

Because if he fails, we all lose.

“So Vivian thinks Antonio is a vampire,” I say, setting the glass down. “And that he took something from Marcus Henry.”

“Do you know where she’d go?” Xavier asks.

“The locator spell will give us the exact location,” I say. “But if they move, it won’t keep tracking.”

“She thinks I hid it in the warehouse,” Antonio says and I look at him. “That’s where she’ll go.”

Our eyes lock across the room.

He’s good at compartmentalizing…but going back to the place where he died? That’s something else.

Scrambling, we set up so I can cast the locator spell. If this guy is bringing fresh blood to Vivian at the warehouse, he should be arriving just about now.

I’m working fast—too fast—and I’m worried I’m going to make a mistake.

Forcing myself to slow down, I take a breath and close my eyes for just a second. A vision of my mom flashes in my mind.

I snap my eyes open, pushing it away. I can’t think about her right now. She would be so ashamed to know I’m about to free the demon our ancestors trapped.

The herbs shift, sliding across the surface and settling on a location almost instantly.

The warehouse.

We all stare at it, waiting—making sure it doesn’t jump somewhere else. It doesn’t.

“We have to go now,” Antonio says. “If they’re there, we don’t have time to waste.”

Xavier and Devon exchange a look.

The sun hasn’t fully set yet. We still have at least half an hour before it drops low enough for Xavier to even consider leaving the house. But this isn’t an opportunity I can pass up.

They’re there at the warehouse. And they have the key.

I inhale slowly, steadying myself, then meet Antonio’s eyes and nod.