She rummaged through the cabinet then pulled out a simple gold band. She twirled it between her fingers with her eyes closed, then nodded, apparently satisfied with the item. She sat it on the table in front of Harry and then turned her back to him.

  “How much you want for it?” Harry asked.

  “Leaving me in peace. That’s all I ask.”

  Guilt ate at him again. He knew nothing of her sister or the girl’s soul, but for some reason he felt that maybe he was to blame, in a way. “Just take the money. I insist.” Harry pulled out a wad of cash from his front jean pocket.

  “No!” She whirled around to face him. “I don’t want it. Just go!”

  Harry stiffened at her words. He picked up the ring, gave it a once over, then slipped it onto the middle finger on his right hand. At least if this doesn’t work, I still have a way out. Just in case…

  Sola tsked, apparently disappointed that Harry didn’t rain down spells on Raya. “You have a lot to learn about our world, Harry,” the ghost said.

  “I’ll say,” Jonathan added. “We should look into that issue of the missing soul.”

  Piss off, Harry growled in his mind. Both of you. They faded, though he could still feel them watching him.

  Harry turned on his heel and headed out the room. As he retraced his steps down the hallway, he passed by a partially opened door. Curiosity got the best of him, and he peeked inside the smoke filled room. The inviting smell of cigars and whiskey called to him. He stifled a gasp when he spotted none other than Dr. Benjamin Volgens sitting at the round table with a group of men, and even some young men who looked like they were still in school. Didn’t Aria play nanny to this guy and his wife? What was he doing here? He pressed his back against the wall, out of sight, and used his magic to hone his hearing and eavesdrop.

  “This war will happen, and it’s only a matter of time. We need to be prepared. Dr. Volgens, what’s your assessment of the Watchers’ recent activity?” some guy with a gruff voice said.

  Benjamin Volgens’s voice filled the room. “These assholes are hiding behind the First Amendment, but is terrorizing people and inciting riots a right? No. They need to be held accountable, and if MFPD won’t do it, then…we need to find a way to protect our families. If they want a fight, we’ll give them one.”

  What the fuck? Harry poked his head around the doorway. Benjamin sat next to a long-haired blond with a chiseled chin and high cheekbones. When one of the teenagers surrounding the table referred to the blond guy as Mr. Young, Harry recognized him as one of the Albertus Magnus teachers. He listened intently, also noting that someone else stood just out of sight. It was probably the gruff voiced guy.

  “I agree,” the blond guy said. “I’m tired of the school being locked down or canceling classes because of bomb threats. Enough’s enough. We need to show our power, show them that we can crush them if we wanted.”

  Well, looks like I’ve found the Guardians. Aria would be less than thrilled to discover that one of them was her goody two shoes Dr. Volgens. See? Everyone had secrets.

  “Whatever needs to be done. We can’t stand for this ridiculous wizard registry. It will only be the beginning of our demise.” Benjamin stood and adjusted his jacket. “We’re running out of time.”

  Harry quickly pulled himself from the wall then headed back out to the main part of the club where dancers and drinkers reveled. He went straight to the bar and ordered some fancy sounding whiskey. He checked his watch; he still had time to return to Aria’s couch and have her none the wiser. As soon as the bartender handed him the glass, he gulped down his drink. Suddenly, the irritating music didn’t seem so bad. He chuckled.

  “They really like to dress up these drinks,” Harry said to no one in particular. Maybe he should’ve paid attention to what he was ordering.

  “Come for the drinks, stay for the experience.” A gorgeous woman with a dark bob and wearing a dress that hid none of her delicious curves had settled in next to him. She ordered some drink that glowed and sparkled a pretty pink.

  “And what are you having?” Harry eyed her up and down.

  She grinned at him. “This one is called Mystery. Some days, it’ll give you a high, other days, it’ll make you smarter, stronger…it depends. You ought to try it sometime.”

  He laughed. “I just might.”

  When she finished her mystery drink, she asked, “Wanna dance, wizard boy?”

  Just ten minutes. I’ve had a long day…

  She hopped off her stool and took his hand in hers, pulling him into the crowd of dancers. Lust pulsated through him, mixing with the carefree feeling provoked by the magic whiskey. She smiled at him as she swayed her hips seductively from one side to the other.

  “I’m Jasmine.” She turned around and enveloped herself in Harry’s arms, pressing her bottom against his groin.

  “Harry…Harry Storm.” He didn’t want this to end.

  “Wait! We need to assess this!” Jonathan’s voice urged.

  “Let him have a little fun,” Sola’s voice retorted. “Harry doesn’t look like he needs a manual for this.”

  Harry and Jasmine danced and flirted for what felt like hours. He wondered if that was also the whiskey. He kept his eyes fixed on her figure as she led him toward the back exit. A part of him wanted to slow down a little, but the scent of her perfume, the throbbing in his jeans, and the magical power rushing through his veins like adrenaline proved stronger than his willpower.

  Jasmine led him into the alley, pressing him against the brick wall and leaning in to a deep kiss. He moaned as she ran her hands down his torso and across the front of his jeans. He thought about maybe finding a room, or even taking her back to his place. No, wait…Aria. He needed to get back to Aria. A frustrated growl escaped his lips and he closed his eyes, not wanting to think about it anymore.

  She pulled away, and for a few seconds, he felt nothing. Was she being a tease? He opened his eyes to a group of masked Watchers, wearing their sapphire armbands, and holding baseball bats and other crude weapons.

  “What the hell?” Harry muttered, sobering up a bit with the looming threat.

  “Where are the Guardians?” one masked asshole asked.

  Harry snorted. “I don’t know. Why don’t you go find them yourself?”

  Another one stepped up, shoving the end of his bat into Harry’s chest and causing him to double over in pain. “Tell us. Now.”

  Harry gasped for breath. “Or you’ll what? Beat me with your bat? How original.”

  The woman, Jasmine, paced back and forth behind the group. Harry couldn’t tell if she was nervous or angry. She kept looking at the group and then at him, as if waiting for all hell to break loose.

  “Don’t worry, honey. I’ll be done with these guys in just a moment,” Harry said.

  “Hmm.” She gave him a wry smile in response to his sarcastic remark.

  “Hey,” the one who had shoved the bat in Harry’s chest said. “Tell us, or we’ll beat it out of you.”

  “Look, this was my first time coming to the club, I don’t know those guys.” Harry positioned himself defensively. He might have to slip off the ring and use magic if things got ugly.

  “Enough!” Jasmine’s voice echoed through the alley.

  The one with the bat backed off and rejoined the other men, while Jasmine stepped forward, never losing her air of seduction. She ran her hand along the side of his face, gently tugging the beard that covered his features. “Harry, tell them what they want to know. They know how to hurt wizards. Badly. And, I kind of like you.”

  She planted a deep, sensual kiss on his lips. Harry’s eyes rolled into the back of his head while his tongue danced with hers. Damn feel good whiskey. He should’ve been pissed at her, but all he wanted to do was dance with her again.

  Harry focused on Jasmine, speaking in a loud voice. “You want to rob me? Take my wallet or something?” He pretended to be angry, and reached into his back pocket, tossing his wallet in front of him and then removing the enchanted ring that dampened his powers. “Here, take my stuff, if that’s what you want.”

  A smack reverberated across his jawline. He didn’t even see her move, much less have time to think or react. “Do you think we want money or jewelry? We want the Guardians!”

  “Go to hell, bitch.”

  “Do it,” she said, and walked away.

  The masked Watchers wasted no time in ganging up on Harry. Several of them landed blows on his torso, then one to his face. He fell to his knees, and it shot a shock of pain through his bones. Harry bit his lip then focused on the magic pulsating through his body. He covered his head with his arms, then gathered his strength. He suddenly thrust his hands forward, shooting a ball of yellow light from his hands. The ball of energy hit the masked watchers, sending them flying into the nearby dumpster and against the wall of the adjacent building. A few of them hit the dumpster hard enough to make a dent. They all lay on the ground unconscious. They were lucky that was all he did to them.

  Harry stared at the men, waiting for one of them to move. He couldn’t help but feel a sense of power at the sight, and it felt good. Magic just saved his life. For once. Satisfied the men weren’t going to partake in round two, he turned his attention toward Jasmine, who stood starring at the mound of goons that failed in killing him.

  He rushed her in a blink, slamming her head against the brick wall. He gripped her tiny neck in his thick hands and squeezed.

  “No! Please!” she shrieked.

  No mercy. She tricked him. Used him. Lured him. She made him think she was truly, genuinely interested in him. That was the first blow. The second was sending those asshats, those sorry excuses for existence, after him. He wasn’t going to let this one slide. He squeezed harder.

  “Harry!” Jonathan’s voice rang clearly in his head. “Don’t be like Vlad. Don’t let the darkness take you.”

  A memory flashed in his mind, of a time when the ghost Vlad had possessed him and done the same thing to a young woman in Los Angeles. Harry had been trapped in his own body, able to witness Vlad’s murderous actions but unable to stop him. He hated that. So, why was he repeating it?

  “Just get out of here!” he growled, pulling away from Jasmine just as her eyes rolled into the back of her head. She slid against the brick wall and looked like she’d faint, but she had been scared shitless, and used any strength she had to stumble down the alleyway and turn down the street.

  Harry bolted out of the alley. His feet carried him quicker than he thought was possible. Once he got back into his car and was behind the wheel, he reflected on what had happened to him since having magic. At first, he was scared because of what magic would do to him Now, he was afraid that he actually liked it.

  Sola materialized in the passenger seat and rubbed his arm. She smiled and gave him a wink. “Welcome to the dark side.”

  8

  Jacob

  Jacob nodded thanks as Detective Rosito handed him a steaming cup of coffee. He gripped the styrofoam cup, taking in the view of Rosito’s office. A college degree and several framed awards and certificates decorated the wall behind his desk, and to his left he noted a few handwritten letters and thank-you notes pinned to the wall. The detective took his seat across from Jacob, and though he gave a smile, it didn’t quite reach his dark brown eyes. If anything, Nicolas Rosito looked worn out. A few grays streaked the detective’s dark hair, but his tall figure and alert gaze testified to his resolve to keep coming in every day and doing his job .

  The detective cleared his throat and broke the silence. “I figured something was off. I saw the broadcast yesterday and how the mayor was whisked away.”

  Jacob gave a firm nod in confirmation. “A lot of wizards are pissed about the registry. I tried to warn Farley there’d be backlash, but I was hoping it wouldn’t come to outright assassination attempts.”

  “Listen, Mr. Wolfe, I’ll do what I can, but you’re delusional if you think this is going to fly under the radar. You think I don’t know about your Guardians?”

  Jacob grunted in response. They weren’t his Guardians. They would watch the city burn to get their point across, but he actually wanted to save the city, which included wizards and non-wizards alike. “All I know about them is that they meet underground, at Ars Magicka.”

  “And you think that academy teacher, Paul Young, is a member?”

  “Possibly.”

  Rosito leaned back and rubbed his chin. “How are Aria and Harry doing?”

  Jacob ignored the visceral reaction he had to her and Harry’s names being mentioned in the same sentence. “Good...they’re heading out this morning to Blythe Meadows, looking for Aria’s mother. I’ve hired them to help investigate the Guardians.”

  Rosito opened the top right drawer of his desk. He reached in and pulled out a handgun, setting it on the desk for Jacob to view. It looked different from the standard issue ones. The frame and slide had a shiny stainless steel design, though he could tell there was something else mixed in there. Low vibes reached out toward him, and the closest thing he could compare it to was anti-magic. Needless to say, it alarmed him.

  “What is that?” He tentatively reached for the gun, but Rosito raised his hand in warning.

  “This is what came down to us when the registry was instituted. They’re called neutralizing guns. So, not only do we have to worry about narrow-minded Watchers running around proclaiming the sky is falling because wizards exist—and wizards who want to sling magic in the street—but also a police force armed with these things.”

  Rosito grabbed the gun and returned it to the drawer. He didn’t bother hiding his look of disgust. Jacob felt grateful for that.

  “I take it you’re not keen on using that gun against wizards?” He took a sip of coffee.

  “Wolfe, you know I’m not one for bullshit conspiracies, but they just give us these, without testing, or training, and just tell us to use them against wizards? And last night a stash of these go missing, so whose hands do you think those’ll end up in?” Rosito sighed and pointed to the gun nestled a few inches below his armpit in his shoulder holster. “This is all I need, and I’ll equally use it on anyone who’s trying to hurt me or an innocent person. But, I just thought you ought to know those new weapons exist.”

  “This isn’t going to help.” Come on, Miracle Falls. I’m fighting for you. Don’t disappoint me.

  “Tell me about it.”

  Jacob finished his coffee and tossed the cup into a nearby bin. “Let’s try to keep each other updated detective?”

  Rosito stood and offered Jacob his hand. “Of course. But, please, tell Aria to leave the actual policing to me.”

  He smirked as he shook Rosito’s hand. “I will.”

  Jacob exited the office and headed down the hallway, giving a quick nod of acknowledgement to a few officers who greeted him in passing. He got into the elevator and made it down to the first floor, passing the reception area. However, when he heard the name “Harry Storm,” he slowed his pace.

  A woman with purple bruises around her neck spoke to the officer at the reception desk in an indignant tone. “You need to arrest him and put him on the registry. He’s a dangerous wizard. He almost killed me!” Her black bob shifted as she tilted her chin upward, so Mike, the officer at the desk, could get a better view of the damage done.

  Jacob felt a cold lump in his stomach. He frowned as he approached her. “Excuse me, Miss…”

  “Jasmine.” She faced Jacob, studying him from head to toe.

  “You said Harry Storm did this?”

  “Yeah, last night, and this idiot won’t arrest him!”

  “Hey,” Mike said, “first of all, I’m a desk guy, okay? Secondly, Harry Storm isn’t a wizard. I know him, and he wouldn’t do something like this.”

  Jacob could agree that Harry wasn’t a wizard, but he didn’t know the guy well enough to say he’d never attack someone like this. “Jasmine, are you sure it was Harry Storm?”

  “Yes! What the hell is wrong with you people?”

  Jacob gestured toward Mike. “I’ll speak with her.”

  “Yeah, you do that.”

  He pulled her aside, noting the fear and anger in her eyes. “What happened?”

  “I was out at Ars Magicka last night, and we danced. He kissed me, and it got pretty heavy, so we stepped outside.”

  Asshole. Wait until Aria hears about this. Not that it mattered, it wasn’t as if Harry was a contender. “And that’s when he attacked you?”

  “Yeah, it’s like he changed into a completely different person, and when my...friends came to help, he threw them into the building like they were rag dolls.”

  Hmm. He remembered how Harry had dealt with the Imperare curse and wasn’t completely freed of it. Perhaps he was off his potion, or just finally out of his mind. And now he was in Blythe Meadows with Aria, probably waiting to explode again.

  “I’ll speak with Captain Lewis myself about this, Jasmine. I’m sorry this happened, but I have to go now. I think a friend may be in danger, based on what you told me about Harry.”

  “Well he needs to be taken care of, like, today.”

  “I agree.” He excused himself and headed toward the exit. He tried calling Aria’s cell, but only got her voicemail.

  I need to get to Blythe Meadows. His mind said that he’d go there to help Aria and use his magical abilities to restrain Harry until this could all get figured out. His heart, however, said that he’d beat the shit out of Harry and make sure he was exposed for the creep that he was.

  He lost his train of thought when three raw eggs crashed and splattered against his dark Armani suit.

  “Look who it is!” Some guy with a bullhorn screeched in front of a crowd of protesters. “It’s the hypocritical mayor’s lapdog. Farley institutes the registry, but then why does he have wizards like Jacob Wolfe on his payroll? This is why we need to vote for Bruno Jones—our next mayor!”