Blood Dream Page 4

  Lupa wrote this down. And looked back up as Mrs Jay placed their coffees in front of them and returned to the kitchen.

  “I found somethin’ in my far paddock, Isabella please fetch it for me from the cupboard,” Daniel Jay didn’t take his eyes off them as he spoke to the girl.

  Lupa could feel Dameon’s irritation growing, he picked up his coffee and drank it all in one go, she suspected he was just as ready as her to get the fuck out of there. The girl dropped something in front of them and scampered back to the kitchen. Lupa picked it up, it felt of something foul… something magick and… yet something wolfblood. It looked like the top of a spear, a piece of wood still protruding from it; coated in dried blood.

  “Where did you find this?” Lupa said, pulling out a cloth to wrap it in, she didn’t want to touch it anymore.

  “In my far paddock, missy, just as I said. Found it near the fence. Has blood on it too.”

  Lupa had figured that one out for herself. Whatever. “Thank you, Mr Jay, is there anything more you can tell me? Do you know of any strange happ-”

  “Aye, this aint strange enough for you?” Oh fuck she wanted to smack him. “No. Nothin’ else. James is suspicious of the new family that has moved here, but they are pleasant and hard-workin’, they have helped everyone out. And that’s the kind of people we want around here. Not trouble makers.”

  Lupa suspected he thought she was a trouble maker. She wondered if he was kind of in charge of the Blackmoars, he seemed like the type to appoint himself as leader. “Thank you for your time. If you think of anything else, just call The Organization. We will be in touch.”

  Once they were in the car Lupa lit a smoke and glared to where the farmer was watching her from his porch. She started the engine and headed for the road again, wishing she could have punched him instead of just glaring.

  “What a jerk,” Dameon said, lighting himself a smoke and sighing in relief, “What now? Head back to the city? It’s almost three…”

  Shit. That had taken them longer than Lupa would have thought. Her feet felt disgusting, she wanted a fucking shower. “Yeah, wanna come back to mine? I need a fucking shower…”

  “Sounds good. Hey, can I look at the thing he gave you?”

  “Go for it, it’s just there on top of my bag.”

  Lupa turned the car onto the road, heading back towards the city. It would take them at least two hours to get back, two hours more with her feet in these disgusting shoes. Fuck it, she hit the accelerator harder.

  “Shit… this feels… wrong…” Dameon quickly wrapped it back up and dropped it into her bag, “What the fuck do you think it is?”

  “I don’t know… it felt magick and wolfblood. Maybe we have wolfbloods sacrificing witches? Or vice versa? I seriously hope we don’t have more witches working with them… although… it would be weak wolfbloods trying to use magick or something… fuck. Strange. We are going to have to look at this blood magick a bit more I think.”

  “Yeah, pity Gran won't fucking help… Actually, wanna drop me at HQ before you head home? I could go start looking stuff up?”

  “If you want.”

  Dameon smiled and leaned back against the seat looking out the window. What had they got themselves into this time? Lupa smiled to herself. Well, at least she had something else to think about. This was probably going to be a pain in the ass case, having to keep coming out here… Lupa wondered if there was anywhere to rent so they could stay a couple of nights… but then… did she really want to stay out here, where it was so… quiet?

  ✽ ✽ ✽

  Lupa jumped out of the shower and put on a black, summery dress she hadn’t worn in ages… but her clean clothes pile was looking dismal… why didn’t she go down and wash everything that morning when she couldn’t sleep? Dammit. She pulled on a black cardigan and went to the kitchen, grabbing a beer and sitting in her nice clean lounge room.

  She pulled out her phone to call Slasher to give her an update. Two missed calls from… Sledge. And a message. Shit. He was waiting outside for her. Hammer. Fuck. She shoved her feet into her canvas shoes and quickly put on some make up, then grabbed her bag and headed downstairs.

  Sledge opened the car door and didn’t look at her. Again. He still kept his eyes averted from her when he hopped in and brought the massive car to life. She would not blurt anything out. She would not fucking blurt anything out. She crossed her arms and stared out the window. If he wanted to fucking talk, he could do it this time. She was not going to say a damn word.

  Nothing was said the whole trip. He opened the door for her and she climbed out, feeling hot as she accidently brushed against him. Sledge shut the car door and opened the door to the back of Hammer’s drug house. He didn’t come in, just held the door open for her, finding the air above her head very interesting. Fuck him. She walked in and didn’t look back.

  Chui, the pretty Asian girl stood waiting for her. Hammer’s pretty daughter Lupa corrected herself. “Just in there,” Chui said, pointing to the room Lupa had been in a few times.

  The long velvet couch had been moved to the other side of the room, closer to the bar. Glancing around she noticed Chui hadn’t joined her. Lupa shrugged and looked over at the jukebox, she had never heard any music out of it… but maybe it worked… she touched it, looking inside to see what music-

  “Ah, my lovely wolf witch, you have arrived. Are you well?” Hammer came over to her and kissed her hand as usual.

  “Fine, thanks.”

  Hammer sat on the couch, his long hair was out, flowing down the front of his soft green suit. His delicate eyebrow was raised as he waited for her to sit down. She sighed and sat next to him, taking the long cigarette he offered her from his gold cigarette case.

  “How have you recovered from the excitement of the last week’s events, Little Red?”

  “Pretty good. I heal fairly fast. Still have a couple of fading bruises, but nothing that hurts.” She puffed on her smoke, wishing he would stop looking at her like that, with that fucking alluring smile on his face.

  “Wonderful news, shall you be up for exploring Gift soon?”

  Lupa knew he would ask her, she had hoped not yet though. Sure, Gift had been great when she had needed it… but what exactly was he expecting from her when she tried it with him? “Yeah, soon. I’m on a case at the moment though…”

  “Oh?”

  “Yeah… actually, I was going to ask you if you knew much about blood magick?”

  Hammer stood up and went over to the bar, pouring them both a glass of green liquor and sitting back down, handing one to her. Lupa smiled, she liked this drink. She wasn’t sure what it was, but it was nice and it was strong.

  “I do know a little about blood magick, wolf witch, why are you not well educated in it? Does The Organization not teach its witches such things?”

  “I only know it’s not to be messed around with, and it can be used in spell curses like the one that fucking bitch used on me.”

  Hammer smiled at her. “And you are hoping I would share my information with you? When you are already in debt to me?”

  Shit. Of course he wouldn’t share with her. Hammer may have said he could teach her things, in exchange for her silence on the fact that he was a full blown witch and could hide his power. Fuck. Of course he’d been lying to her.

  “Do not torment yourself so, Little Red wolf witch, I am only teasing. Although, there is something I would like you to do for me in exchange. Well, not for me as such, but for Sledge. He has informed me you looked into his bloodlines and found out some interesting knowledge about his ancestors. I know he has taken a liking to you, I would very much appreciate it if you would go with him to the mountains to see if you can find these… salbaticis.”

  Fuck. That would take at least a full day just to drive to. And she bet that this wouldn’t be payment for him helping her find the wolfblood nest… and what if Sledge didn’t want her around? What if she had fucked things up… whatever.

  “Ok. I
can do that. But it might have to wait til the weekend…”

  “Marvellous. Now, what would you wish to hear about blood magick?”

  Lupa put her smoke out in the ashtray and finished her drink off, letting Hammer take it from her and refill it. “Well… I don’t really know much about it. I’m working on a case where several… uh… cows, have been drained of blood. Slasher thinks there might be witches doing blood magick. And one of the farmers found this on his property.”

  She pulled out the wrapped up spear head and handed it to him. He leaned forward, flicking his long hair over his shoulder as he did. He unwrapped it and placed a delicate finger on the spearhead, then removed his finger quickly.

  “Interesting. I presume you have felt the presence of both magick and wolfblood on this?”

  “Yeah.”

  “It is rather interesting indeed. There are a few possibilities for that, as I am sure you have already considered,” he wrapped it back up and handed it to her, leaning back against the couch, “Blood magick is probably one of the most wonderfully strong magicks. It draws from the power of the being. It is a primal power, for it has been around long before witches really knew what they were.” He finished his drink, went and retrieved the bottle and topped hers up after filling his own glass.

  “Blood magick can be used for just about anything, but it is not like your Organization’s regular spell casting. And is rarely used for the same things. I know that you witches in The Organization use your blood in magick, but this is not the equivalent. Blood magick requires the entire life of something, like your cows. Taking the life of another creature to use their blood creates some of the most powerful magick. For example; it can be used to change the way a person looks, not as simple as hair or eye colour, but let us say I took someone’s life and drained them of blood, I could use it in a spell to actually change what I am. My people used it a long time ago to transform in tigers.”

  Fuck. Lupa finished her drink and let Hammer refill her glass again.

  “Blood magick can also be used to bind others to them, I could drink this blood I have drained, place the same blood into your drink, and with the right spell, I could bind you to me until I so desired to let you go. I could make you do my will, and you would not even know that you were doing it for me. You would not even think twice about it.”

  Double fuck. Lupa sure hoped that this was not what was going on…

  “Now, that is just a very small example of what blood magick can be used for, but you can see what I mean by the depth of its power. There is a sacrifice of course, which is why my people no longer use it unless… in extreme cases, although I cannot be sure even then. And rarely using a magickal life, although that is the strongest blood to take, of course. Once you have enveloped yourself with the blood magick, a hunger will grow. Perhaps similar to that of a wolfblood. Blood will fill your dreams, it will start to consume your life, and blood will be all you wish to taste. My people believed that is the way that vampires, known to your Organization by the unromantic name of bloodsuckers, were born.”

  Lupa rubbed her head. Shit. Bloodsuckers weren’t even around anymore, or at least, those with any of the bloodline within them were so weak they didn’t even know it… and whilst what Hammer was saying was only a legend… weren’t legends based on truth a lot of the time?

  “The most treacherous of blood magick legends I have read of, are mass killings. Blood drained from thirteen creatures, magickal ones would be best of course, used in a ritual of thirteen witches. It was told, that if thirteen witches offered this blood into the earth, they could take the power from deep inside it. The power would be enough to cause one of the thirteen to be able to control all matter. Of course, it would absolutely kill them in a few of hours, but it is told that one witch took that chance, hundreds of years ago. She took in the earth’s power and wiped out the entire dragon race.”

  Lupa stared at Hammer with her eyebrows raised. Yes, there was evidence that dragons had once lived in their world… but one witch gaining enough power to wipe them off the face of the earth? Alone? Surely fucking not…

  “Ah, I see you do not believe. I cannot say for certain if this is true, but it is what the legends say. And you asked what I knew.”

  Lupa finished her drink as Hammer did the same, filling both their glasses again. She really shouldn’t drink anymore, not after what happened last time… she had other things she needed to concentrate on right now. Fuck. This could be bad if someone was using blood magick…

  “What would cow’s blood give you?”

  Hammer smiled, stroking the side of his glass, his long nails looking particularly sharp… she dragged her eyes away, not wanting to think about his hands on her body…

  “I would say it would give you a substantial boost of power, although… cows are not known for their intelligence, nor are they associated with any magickal tales that I know of. The more intelligent the creature, the more power, the more magickal the creature, the more power. I am sure you understand. If you were to use a witch’s life… well, I am sure a smart woman such as you can imagine…”

  Yeah. She got the fucking point. Cows, not so bad, but if other… things started showing up dead, they could be in trouble. Fuck. Were there actually any wolfbloods in Blackmoars, or was it people using some sort of transformation magick… shit. There had to be a wolfblood involved somehow, because of the spearhead… dammit. She was going to have to tell Dameon about visiting Hammer now…

  “Well, I have enjoyed this little visit, my beautiful wolf witch, but I was not aware that we would be conversing so long, and now I must bid you a rude farewell, I do hope that you shall forgive me?”

  Lupa resisted rolling her eyes, no doubt the cocky bastard thought that she would be devastated by his departure. “That’s fine. Thank you, Hammer, I do appreciate it.”

  She stood up as he did too, he took her face in his hands and kissed her cheek oh so fucking gently. “I will be expecting you here Friday evening, to accompany Sledge on his little adventure, and then I would like you to inform me when you and I will be experimenting with Gift. I do not wish to be left waiting too long, dearest Little Red.”

  Yeah, yeah. She got the point. Don’t piss off the drug lord, cos he knows where you live blah blah blah. He opened the door for her and turned to the right, letting her go to the left and over to the back door on her own, not even a glimpse of Chui anywhere.

  Chapter four

  “Emotional reactions should be kept in check…”

  The drive home was just as silent as the drive to Hammer’s. Although, Lupa was struggling a lot more with keeping her mouth shut now that she was deep into her tipsy feeling. She even bit her tongue a few times to stop herself from saying anything. Sledge pulled the car over across from her apartment building, turning off the engine. But not moving. Lupa decided to wait and see if he had anything to say, digging her nails into her palm to distract her.

  “Thinkin’…. Thinkin’ I should have just left… last night…”

  He lit a smoke and just stared out the front window. She wondered if he was regretting it, hating the idea he had been attracted to her… or was it more than that? Did he think she… what the fuck was she thinking, she couldn’t do this. It could fuck their whole… whatever up.

  “Yeah?” She bit her tongue again, stopping herself from saying anything more.

  He glanced over at her quickly. “Aint thinkin’ you really wantin’… aint…” he cleared his throat and got out of the car, opening her door for her.

  She sighed, what the fuck was he trying to say? Sledge leaned against the car and stared at the door to her building. She leaned next to him and lit a smoke. Waiting. Surely he’d get around to it eventually.

  “Hammer asked me to go with you to the mountains.”

  Fuck! She had told herself she was going to keep her damned mouth shut. Now that he knew that, it might change what he really wanted to say to her. What if he didn’t want to be around her? Now he kne
w he would be, on his bosses asking.

  “Thinkin’ you wanna? Can be tellin’ him I aint want you to come, if you aint wantin’ too.”

  Lupa peered over to him, he still seemed to be refusing to look at her. Did he think… she didn’t want to be around him? Shit. That was the whole damn reason she felt so… weird, she wanted to be around him, she wanted the only other wolfblood-witch she’d ever heard of to be in her life, she just didn’t want to fuck it up and lose it.

  “I want to, Sledge… Lio… I… want you around… I don’t wanna fuck this up. I don’t…. I wanna know you. Shit… I don’t know how to say this, but are you getting what I mean?”

  He finally looked down at her. She couldn’t read his expression in the darkness of the street. “A’right. You aint mad at me?”

  “Why the fuck would I be mad?”

  “I been kissin’ you… when I shoulda just… I dunno….” He moved his gaze back to her door.

  “Wanna come up?” The words flew from her mouth before she even had time to think it. Shit.

  Sledge grunted. Well… at least he didn’t want to run the fuck away from her. That was something. She crossed the road, unlocking the main door, then up the stairs to her door and unlocking that too, Sledge following just behind her.

  When they stepped inside he gazed around her apartment surprised. Right. He never would have seen it clean… “Wall lookin’ good,” was what he decided to say. Making Lupa turn bright red as she went to the kitchen for a drink.

  “Yeah, couch too.”

  Sledge sat down on the massive couch and nodded approvingly. She brought two glasses, a vodka bottle, an OJ bottle and a nice clean ashtray over to the table, Sledge helping her with putting everything down. His fingers brushed against hers and they both looked away. Fucking hell.

  Sitting down on the couch, she poured them both a drink, lit a smoke and then leaned back. It really was a nice couch… And having her apartment clean felt good. Felt… like a new start. Well, she supposed it did, she could never truly have a new start…