High Stakes and Vampires (Pandora's Pride Book 2) by Annabel Chase

Author:Annabel Chase [Chase, Annabel]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Red Palm Press LLC
Published: 2020-05-25T16:00:00+00:00

Chapter Ten

We were silent upon our return to Atlantica City via Emil’s portal. I think we were all still shell-shocked from the devastation we’d witnessed in New Asche. I’d shared what I learned with the team and gave them the impression that Dr. Don had spoken to me thanks to Cecily’s enchanted broth. We left Dr. Don in the care of the Wayzata witches, who swore an oath that they’d be able to heal him eventually, but it would take time. I wasn’t sure what his life would look like once he’d recovered. His town was gone. His job. His girlfriend—the intended recipient of the amulet. Even if he physically healed, he’d never be the same.

I snuck back to my room for a much-needed shower and rest before the inevitable debriefing. I knew there’d be questions and I wanted to have my head on straight. A tired Callie was a Callie who made mistakes and I couldn’t afford any of those right now. I crashed for two hours and my dreams were filled with goblins that buzzed like bees and pulsing black and red hearts. Despite the unpleasant images, I was relieved that I stayed in my own dreams. I was too drained to be confronted with anyone else’s psyche, even Saxon’s.

I dragged myself back to headquarters, grabbing a coffee from a casino kiosk on the way. It wasn’t my favorite spot for coffee, but the line was too long at my usual places.

Everyone was already assembled in conference room A when I arrived.

“You know, if you lived here then we wouldn’t have to wait for you,” Evadne griped.

“Not necessarily,” I said. “I’ll still need to stop for coffee.”

“Don’t you have a small pot in your room?” Emil asked.

“I save those as a last resort.”

Abra drummed her fingers on the table. “We should get started. Saxon said that you should give the report, Miss Wendell.”

I stuck to my story about Dr. Don relaying everything that happened thanks to Cecily’s potion. “After the stone blew up the town, a demon came for the amulet. He was with little flying minions that looked like goblins but with beaks.”

Purvis frowned. “Goblins with beaks?”

“Can you describe the wings?” Nita asked. “Were they like angel feathers or butterflies?”

“Neither, he said they were more like bees.”

Nita gave her hands a single, hard clap. “I knew it.”

“What?”

“You’ve described the Tengu,” Nita said. “They’re basically little evil flying goblins.”

Liam groaned. “I hate goblins.”

“There’s more,” I said. “There were feathers.”

“You said they had bee wings,” Natasha said.

“Not from their wings.”

“One of the goblins was carrying a fan made of feathers from a black-legged kittiwake bird,” Saxon interjected.

Abra’s shock registered. “The same kind of feather found at Lothar Friedan’s? The victim said this?”

“He described the feathers,” I said quickly. “They seem to be a match.”

“We’ll need you to describe the amulet as accurately as you can based on what he told you,” Abra said, somewhat adamantly. “Perhaps even draw a picture. Now.”

Before I could object, a sheet of paper and colored pencils were placed in front of me.

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