“So, do we have a plan?” Ryan jerked his head toward the compound.
“Let’s go bang on the door. You might want to keep your guns out. Just in case.”
He pulled out his service pistol as they started toward the door. Lilith already had a gun in each hand. Ari pounded repeatedly, even borrowing Ryan’s sturdy Maglite. No response. Finally she shouted Gabriel’s name a few times. The building remain eerily silent, as if her pounding and voice had gone unheard.
“What kind of magical spell is this?” Ryan asked. “We seem to be able to touch the door. If it’s just locked, can we knock it down with a battering ram or burn it with your witch fire?”
“Reinforced metal. Fire retardant.” She laid both palms against the door. “I don’t feel a barrier repelling my hands, so in time we might be able to bash it in. Then again, if it’s a dimensional spell, I wouldn’t feel anything, because it really isn’t here.” She stepped back, and Ryan frowned at her. “Don’t ask. I hope we can get our questions answered when we meet with Brando.”
“Which should be soon.” He consulted his watch. “We need to hurry.”
Ten minutes later, Ryan parked his unmarked police vehicle on a side street, and they walked to Claris’s back door. It led directly into the greenhouse, and Brando opened the door before they knocked.
“Claris is up front. I haven’t told her anything yet, except we’re having a meeting.” He hugged Ari briefly. “I’m glad to see you.” His brown eyes were worried; dark circles under his lower lashes made his boyish face look older. “I feel better now you’re home. I was so scared something might happen to Claris.” He made a poor attempt at a smile. “I don't think I could live with that. I've been doing what I could to keep her safe, but I’m not cut out for the crime-fighting life.”
“It’s not your job. It’s mine.” She hesitated. “Or it was.” She looked over his shoulder at the group of three seated at the kitchen table: Steffan, a young wizard from the magic lab, and a gray-haired warlock she assumed was Tom Bodie. She brought her attention back to Brandon. “I guess it’s Bodie’s job now, but we’ll keep her safe. I promise.”
“Two of my officers are outside the shop and will stay there,” Ryan added.
“Thanks. I appreciate everyone’s concern.”
“Hey, are you guys coming in or not?” Steffan called.
“We’re coming.” Brando turned and led the way. Additional chairs were found and seven people squeezed up to a table intended for four. It was sufficient since they were only drinking beer and coffee. Steffan had brought a case of Werebeer, and Claris’s coffee pot was full.
Bodie and Ari were introduced. He immediately set her at ease. “I’m expecting my stay in Riverdale to be temporary. I rather enjoy retirement. Tell me you’re coming back eventually.”
“Oh, I’ll be back, but the job won’t be my call. But thanks, for saying that.” She glanced around the group. “I hate to rush things, but what have you guys figured out?”
“Quite a bit. It’s been pretty exciting.” The young wizard from the lab, who Ari had been reminded was Nathan, leaned forward. “It’s black magic all right. A total communication blackout.” He grinned. “No pun intended. It’s extremely impressive, I might add. But lucky for us, it’s also a power drain. According to our calculations, whoever is doing this is using up tremendous amounts of energy.”
Brando jumped in. “It’ll be hard to maintain this spell over an extended period of time. Particularly if we add to the strain. A concerted assault should break it.”
“This isn’t the kind of barrier that grows stronger under attack?” Ari was surprised.
Nathan nodded eagerly. “Yes, it is, but we’ve misunderstood the true nature of these barriers. New research shows they feed off the feelings of the attackers, not the physical attack. All we have to do is stay calm.” He looked at her bright-eyed, as if he enjoyed the idea of outwitting their enemy.
He was almost too eager. Had he ever been in a real fight? Probably not.
“So we go in cold,” Ryan said. “I can do that. But won’t we just get something else thrown at us?”
“If we’ve drained his energy while he tries to hold the barrier, we should have at least a minute or two, maybe more, to get inside.” Ari hesitated, suddenly uncertain. “But what are we going to find when we get in there? What’s he done to the vampires, and what’s he want?”
“We don’t know,” Steffan admitted, when no one else spoke. “I talked to everyone I could find, but no one saw any strangers near the compound. We don’t have a clue who is in there or what’s gone on. If it wasn’t for Brando and Nathan, we wouldn’t have anything.”
“Is any of it related to Zylla’s warning about Claris?” she persisted.
Steffan’s eyes clouded. “I’m sorry, Ari, we just don’t have the answer.”
They sat in silence for several seconds, until Claris came through the curtain of beads. “Why’s everyone so glum?”
“Frustration,” Ari mumbled.
Brando stood and pushed his chair toward her. “Why don’t you have a seat, honey. I think it’s time we told you what’s happening.”
Claris’s uneasy gaze flitted over them, settled on Ari for a moment, before returning to Brando. She sat gingerly as if the chair might suddenly disintegrate. “I knew you were holding something back.”
Mangi appeared in the doorway. “Can I come back too?”
“Why not.” Ari sighed. “Unfortunately we don’t have any secrets to hide.”
Brando took over most of the explanation. It didn’t take long, because there were so many gaps in their information.
“But I don’t understand.” Claris seemed more confused than scared. “How would a takeover at the compound involve me?”
“We don’t know that it does, but has Gabriel said anything to you?” Ari asked. “Mentioned any trouble? Any secrets?”
“I hardly see him. He drops the kitten off to play with Hernando every once in a while, but he usually doesn’t have time to talk.” She pursed her lips. “I don’t think I’ve seen him this week.”
“Wasn’t he here right after Ari left for Italy?” Brando asked.
“Yes, he came once, but we didn’t talk about much except Andreas. He was worried, and we speculated on who had taken him and why.”
“What did Gabriel say?” Ari prompted.
“He thought it was the vampires from Europe. Yes…” Claris nodded as if recalling the conversation. “He seemed worried they might try to take advantage of Andreas’s absence. Right after that he left.”
“Take advantage how?”
“He didn’t say. See, I don’t know anything that would make some bad guy come here.” She raised a brow at Ari. “I heard you and Mangi say that Zylla’s visions aren’t perfect. I don’t think her vision was about me. Andreas is obviously the one in danger. Or maybe she meant Gabriel.”
“Yep, old lady not so good anymore.” Mangi shrugged when Ari turned her head to look at him. “She said so.”
“Uh-huh, but don’t call her an old lady or she’ll turn you into something small and croaky.”
Impatient with all the vague theories and “I don’t knows,” Ari shoved back her chair and stood. “I’ve heard enough guesswork. We need to do something, find out what’s going on inside the warehouse. Either the vampires are bespelled or restrained or…who knows? I’ve run out of reasonable possibilities.”
“If no one else has an idea how to proceed, I do.” Ryan pulled out his cell phone. “I’m calling in a SWAT team and see if we can bust down the compound door.”
“Isn’t that a bit hasty?” Bodie scrunched his face in a frown. “Shouldn’t we run this past the Magic Council?”
“Won’t bursting down the door just piss off the vampires?” Nathan asked.
Ari gave Nathan a wry look. “I hardly think they’re going to object to a rescue.” Her gaze settled on Bodie. “Yes, you should talk with the council. But I don’t work for them at the moment, and I agree with Ryan. We need to get into the compound—any way we can.”
“It sounds like a hell of a party,” Steffan said. “Just give me time to round up some wolves, and we’ll join you. Bodie, she’s right. Go talk with the president. We don’t want to get another Guardian fired.” He turned to Brando. “I think you and Mangi should stay here to protect Claris.”
“I agree.” Ari immediately backed up Steffan when Brando began to protest. “I’m still not convinced she isn’t at risk.”
“And I need you with me.” Claris aided their cause by winding her arm through Brando’s. “They’ve got guns and claws and witch fire. They can handle it without you. I don’t want to stay here alone.”
Geez, Claris. Don’t overdo it. Ari bit back a comment. Her friend’s desire to keep Brando safely away from the fighting was rather obvious, but he didn’t seem to notice she was unusually clingy. He hugged his fiancé and promised he’d stay with her.
Mangi glumly plopped on the floor as Ari, Steffan, Ryan, and Bodie trooped out the door. “I’m gonna miss the fight,” he grumbled. “I thought I was supposed to save someone.”
* * *
It took almost an hour to work out the details. Bodie went back to the Magic Council to inform them of the pending confrontation, while Ryan arranged for a SWAT team, and Steffan gathered his wolves. In order to fill her time, Ari stopped by Club Dintero to see how they were managing without the vampire staff. Russell had called in several of the weretigers to help. It wasn’t business as usual, but they were managing.
By the time she reached the street corner outside the vampire compound, Ryan’s team was already in place and setting up spotlights to turn on when needed. The seven-man SWAT unit had arrived in full gear with helmets and shields. They carried assault rifles and handguns loaded with silver bullets.
Before she had time to talk strategy with Ryan, Steffan arrived with a dozen wolves. He was the only one who had not morphed into wolf form, and he carried an assault rifle.
“What’s the plan?” Steffan asked.
“I’ve been thinking about that,” Ari said, as she and Ryan met him. “Instead of just charging the door, I’d like to see if we can get their attention, find out who we’re dealing with before we go in blind. If SWAT would spotlight the door and fire off a volley, we could try getting a response with the bullhorn.”
Ryan shrugged. “I don’t see that we’d lose much. We’d never have the element of surprise with supernaturals anyway. They’ve already caught our scent or aura or something.”
“It’s worth a shot,” Steffan agreed. “At least no one could complain we didn’t try to negotiate.”
“But if they don’t respond, or we don’t like what they say, the lights go off and we go in using night goggles. I don’t want to provide a clearer target than we have to.” Ryan’s eyes narrowed with determination. “That’ll be swat team first. If they can’t break in after two attempts, they retreat, and Ari tries her witch fire on the door. Are we agreed so far?”
Ari and Steffan nodded.
“OK, let’s do it.” Ryan waved the SWAT team forward; he briefed the team leader, and then stepped aside as they turned on the spotlights and opened a deafening volley against the front door. Since it was reinforced metal, the noise was intense enough that Ari held her ears. The sound stopped, and Ryan grabbed the bullhorn.
“This is the Riverdale police. Whoever’s inside, I’d like to talk with Gabriel.”
When no one answered, he tried again. “We know you’re in there. If you don’t answer now, we’re coming in. We’d rather talk, try to resolve this peacefully.”
A voice came from the building. “We have no need of the human police. This is vampire territory. You have no authority here.”
“Who am I speaking to?” Ryan asked.
“I am Bartole. Let me repeat, you have no authority over this compound. I am the new prince of Riverdale.”
Chapter Nine
Astounded silence followed this announcement. Ari flushed with anger. So that was the game they were playing. She nudged Ryan. “Let me talk to him.” When he handed her the megaphone, she pointed it toward the building. “I don’t know who made you prince, Bartole, but even if it was true, the Guardian still has jurisdiction. I’m asking you on behalf of the Magic Council to let us enter. And I’d like to talk with Gabriel. Now.”
There was no immediate response. Ari was deciding what to say next, when a different voice came back. “Is that you, Arianna Calin? I thought you would be licking your wounds back in Germany, if you were still alive. There is nothing here for you. This court no longer belongs to Gabriel or to Andreas. You’ve just heard from the new prince, and he has new rules. The Magic Council is no longer welcome.”
Ari dropped her arm, the megaphone knocking against her leg. She blinked at the building, too stunned to speak. The heavy German accent was unmistakable.
“Do you know this guy?” Ryan demanded.
“Yes, it’s one of the Kirsch brothers I met in Germany. They’re warlocks.” She raised the megaphone again. “Am I speaking to Warin or Gerhard?”
“You don’t know?” Laughter. “Who do you think I am?”
“A devious bastard. I don’t need to know your name. Why are you here?”
“I told you. We have assumed control of Andreas’s court.”
“For what purpose?”
“It will bring the elders one step closer to extending their authority and ending Daron’s rebellion.”
“Don’t tell me you fell for the O-Seven’s propaganda. I figured you were in this just for the money.” She didn’t try to conceal the scorn in her voice. “They’ve actually made you a convert. Is that why you’re doing their dirty work?”
“I like to be on the winning side. But you sound so judgmental. Haven’t you also joined the vampires?”
“Not the brutal dictators you’re working for. The vampires I know aren’t killing witches. The O-Seven has murdered our people—your people—for centuries.”
“Enough talk.” He sounded angry now. “You’re too late to change things. This court is already under our control.”
“Where’s Gabriel?”
The laughter was louder and harsher this time. “Gabriel can’t talk right now.”
Ari ground her teeth, counted to ten, and took a deep breath to keep from screaming at the warlock. “What have you done to him?”
“Ari.” Ryan tugged on her arm. “This is getting us nowhere. I think we should go in after him.”
Ari seethed with frustrated anger and almost shook Ryan off. Instead, she reluctantly faced him. “You can’t fight him. He’s a fire witch. And he won’t hesitate to burn you.”