“You’ll need to use a glamour,” Sadie said, glancing at Leigh, who was wriggling uncomfortably. “We can’t let them see our true faces. It’s too dangerous.”
“I’ve only done a glamour a few times,” Leigh confessed nervously. “What if I mess up?”
Newbie nerves, there was nothing quite like them. “You’ll be fine. If you solidify the image in your mind and focus on the magic, it’ll hold. No worries.”
“Easy for you to say.” Leigh sighed and reached for the sun visor above her head. A light came on, allowing the vampire to see her face. Unlike most legends depicted, vampires could see their reflections. A good fucking thing. Otherwise the coven would look mighty unappealing when they went on the town in search of a meal. “Here goes nothing.”
The shift in Leigh’s face was slow but her hair color quickly went from mahogany to blonde. Sadie bit back a grin when Leigh’s nose shifted, her full lips became thin and her eyes changed from blue to brown. When she finished and looked at Sadie, Sadie gave her a smile instead of a fist pump. No need to make more of the situation. Leigh had to learn to appreciate her abilities and accept them.
“My turn,” Sadie murmured.
Years of practice meant she didn’t need a mirror. She called on her magic, imagining herself with a long face, dark hair and brown eyes. She felt the energy washing over her, changing her features. She knew when the spell was completed, the tingle of electricity fading away.
“Are you sure we can do this?” Leigh squirmed in her seat, suddenly restless.
“Absolutely.”
Leigh stopped moving, looked at her and grinned. “Then tell me what you want me to do.”
Sadie adjusted the weapons under her arms, nodding when she found everything was as it should be. “I want you to approach them. Appear confused and nervous, like you’ve lost your way. While they’re distracted I’m going to phase behind them and take them out. We’ll have to move their bodies to the alley before we go inside.”
“Then what?” Leigh sounded excited. When Sadie peered over she discovered the young woman looked eager as well.
Thank Goddess. Excitement trumped fear any day.
“I’m not sure.” That was the problem. She didn’t know precisely what they were dealing with. “Make sure you’re veiled. I’ll do the same. We have to move quietly and efficiently. The longer we remain inside the higher the risk. I want you to stay hidden. If things get out of hand you’ll need to phase home and tell the coven what’s happened.”
“You want me to leave you here?” Leigh looked and sounded appalled.
“I want you to warn the coven. They’ll need to know. If something happens to me they’ll have to take over my duties.”
“You’re willing to risk your life for him?”
Leigh’s innocent question made Sadie squirm. Vampires didn’t fall in love with shifters. Yet here she was, ready to put her life on the line. Once word of her misadventures spread through the coven, she’d probably lose her importance. They’d remove her from duty, keeping her in their home only because they needed her physical prowess to protect them.
Isn’t that the rub of it? The coven was powerful magically but most of the females were weak fighters, resorting to hair pulling or open-hand slapping when they had to defend themselves.
Sissies.
“If I have to,” she confessed, the words softer than she intended, putting it all in the open. Surprisingly, it felt good to say it aloud and come out of the closet. “I won’t leave him here.”
“I understand.” The young vampire ducked her head. “I was in love before I was changed. I didn’t want to leave him behind but I didn’t have a choice. If you have the chance to be happy, you should take it.”
Sadie frowned and looked at the fragile young woman next to her. No wonder she kept to herself, with an infinite sadness about her. “You never mentioned that.”
Leigh shrugged, although Sadie could tell the memory pained her. “It was out of my hands. Dwelling on what might have been won’t change things.”
“I’m sorry.” The words were sincere but they fell short, Sadie knew. Leigh was right. Unless she changed the human she loved, they could never be together. And since Leigh experienced only the worst parts of the transition from mortal to vampire—the bloodlust, the sexual drive and the magic that came along with it—Sadie was sure the young woman didn’t want to place the same burden on someone she cared for.
Leigh looked out the window, ending the conversation in her usual quiet way. Again Sadie was reminded of the horrible way the girl was transitioned, of her lack of choice. It had been nothing short of rape. In fact, some of the coven whispered that perhaps Leigh had been assaulted in that way but kept the truth to herself. No one blamed her.
Sadie reached for the handle on the door. “Are you ready?”
Taking a deep breath, Leigh nodded and opened her door.
They exited the car quietly. After Sadie collected her sword and slid it into the sheath at her back, she immediately veiled herself. The car was parked far enough away that the men didn’t see them coming. A few of the Shepherds she recognized—the men who tried to blend in with baseball caps, blue jeans and sneakers. True to her word, Leigh approached them like a terrified girl, wringing her hands and glancing from side to side. When the men noticed her, they reached under their jackets for their weapons.
Please let them go for this, Sadie thought to herself. So much is riding on this first part.
One of the men stepped forward. “Stop right there.”
Leigh did, her face revealing her fear. She hunched her shoulders, biting her lip, and kept her hands in front of her. Her small stature made her appear almost childlike. “I’m really sorry to bother you. I’m hoping you could help me.”
The man hesitated and slowly removed his hand from his jacket. “What’s the problem, ma’am?”
“I’m visiting the area for a research project and I’m totally lost.” She looked around, moving cautiously as she glanced at the three men. She laughed, sounding anxious. “That was probably a stupid thing to tell you, right? I just want to get back to my motel.”
And as simple as that, the men were ooey gooey in her hands. They dropped their arms and moved closer.
Morons.
“What motel?”
As soon as one of the men spoke, Sadie phased behind the one to her right. There was no time to go for her sword. They’d have to go the old-fashioned way. She broke the first one’s neck before he knew what hit him. The second was disposed of just as quickly. The third, realizing he’d been duped, tried to scream for help. Sadie had rushed for him, knowing he’d get out a warning, when Leigh lifted her arm and whispered something.
Power surged through the air, hitting Sadie like a sucker punch. She’d known Leigh was strong with certain things—like locating someone using an object that belonged to them—but she was stunned to discover just how much power the fledgling vampire had kept hidden from the coven.
“As I will it, so it shall be,” Leigh said, the words backed by strong magic. “Do not speak.”
The man tried to scream but nothing came out. Collecting herself, Sadie stepped behind him, grabbed hold of his neck and broke it with a quick snap. He collapsed, falling face down on the pavement. She turned on Leigh, suspicious of what other things the tiny girl had kept hidden.
“Where did you learn that?”
“Good question.” Leigh dodged the question, waving her hand at the men on the ground. “Don’t we need to move them?”