Arrest, Search and Séance : Book 1 of the Fringe Society by R.D. Hunter (pdf e book reader TXT) 📕

“Is that why you came here? To help me? I doubt it. You came here for revenge, because I gutted one of your precious witches in her own home, and then blew you and your partner to hell and back when you got too close.”

“That’s not true.”

“DON’T FUCKING LIE TO ME!” he screamed. “Look at everything you’ve been through to chase down her killer. Can you honestly tell me you’d have done the same for some random Joe out on the street? The only reason you’re standing here now, is because she was a member of your precious Fringe Society. Admit it.”

I paused. I didn’t want to, but part of me wondered if he had a point. I’d been involved in murder investigations in the past, but none of the victims had been Fringe. Had the fact that Nichole Barret was a witch caused me to put in more effort? To take more risks and do things that I wouldn’t have done had she been an ordinary citizen?

No. The answer came to me in a flash of insight. Words soon followed.

“I admit that Nichole Barret’s death cut me more deeply because she was a fellow witch,” I said, causing a triumphant smirk to appear on Hawkins’ deformed face. “But that’s not why I’m here. I’m here because I’m a cop and a witch, and my place is between the monsters and the people they would harm. Be they Fringe or Mundane, I have devoted my life to keeping the innocent from harm, or serving up justice when harm comes all the same.” I raised my power and forced it into my voice, causing it to fill the space between us with energy as I pointed a finger at my enemy. “You are a monster, Darren Hawkins. You came her tonight to inflict pain and death on these people, and I. WON’T. HAVE IT.”

Just then, the spell of binding lights holding Hawkins in place finally failed. The room was plunged into a void of thick darkness, and the screaming began. The Slaughter of Imbolc had begun.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

Almost at once, a dozen spells calling for light filled the air. Nothing happened. Pitch black remained and I realized with a start that whatever energy Hawkins used to shut down the lights that held him prisoner, was also preventing any new light sources from taking shape. Another scream, higher than the others pierced the air somewhere to my left, ending with a wet gurgle and an abrupt snap. Hawkins had claimed his first victim.

“Lacey,” I said urgently, knowing her vampire eyes wouldn’t be impaired by the darkness.

“I got him. He’s on the move.”

“Go. Distract him. I’ll work on the getting the people out.” There was a rush of air as she moved into action, leaving me to complete my mission. First things first though.

I still couldn’t see my hand in front of my face, and I doubted if anyone else could either, which meant Hawkins could move and kill at his leisure. I had to level the playing field a bit.

I raised my power, focused a bit more into my eyes and chanted.

“Spirits of darkness,

Air and night

Grant me vision

Of blackest sight.”

My eyes itched furiously for half a second as the spell took hold, then the entire room came into sharp focus. For a moment, I wished that it hadn’t.

In the time it had taken me to cast one spell, three witches had met their end in an epically gory fashion. They’d been torn limb from limb, Hawkins having used the power of the crystals to augment his strength to something akin to a bulldozer. Fortunately, Lacey had his attention now, giving me time to do what I needed to do.

Somehow, she’d manifest two identical red daggers in each hand, using them to slice and stab at Hawkins so quick she was almost a blur. Each time he tried to grab or strike her, she darted around him with an ease that made it look like he was moving in slow motion. She couldn’t keep up this pace forever, though. I had to work fast.

I ran over to the nearest group of people, who were huddling together like a frightened group of rabbits, and began herding them towards the nearest exit. A few protested, not knowing who I was or where I was taking them. One even tried to blindly swing at me. A few harsh words and one well-placed knee to the groin got their attention and soon they were out the door.

I’d just finished getting the second batch of coven members out the side door, when there was the vicious sound of something hard striking something soft, a feminine grunt, then I saw Lacey flying through the air and coming to rest against one of the many concrete pillars that dotted the room. The left side of her face was swelling rapidly and a thick stream of blood flowed from a cut on her forehead. Fortunately, her eyes were still open and she looked around blearily.

Hawkins had cuts all over him, many bleeding openly onto the floor and one ear was missing, but he was still in the game. Even as I watched, pieces of crystalline lattice that protruded from his skin emitted a light glow and his torn flesh began repairing itself. Oh, crap.

Most of the party goers had found their way to safety, by this point. Only a few stragglers remained, but when Hawkins turned to fix me with a steely glare of pure fury, I knew I’d never get the chance to help them. That is, until Isabelle, leader of the Coven of the Gilded Moon, stepped between us, raising her own power to such heights that her hair literally stood up off her scalp. It was obvious the thick darkness didn’t