The Black Masquerade Read online

  Not only that, but he was right. The hounds could find me at any moment. But what would he be able to do to stop them or help me fight, if it came down to it?

  Chapter 3

  Chief knocked on my door bright and early the next morning. I hated leaving my house the way it was, but Mrs. Russell promised to start calling contractors for me. What I was doing was more important.

  “I hope you don’t mind me having Alice drive us to the airport,” Chief said.

  I didn’t—it would save us on parking. Besides, his wife was one of my favorite people in the world.

  Taking a quick breath, I stepped outside and looked around for strangers. I’d gotten into that habit several weeks ago when I’d learned all this stuff about the hounds.

  See, hounds have the ability to shift from dogs into humans—regular, smile-at-them-at-the-grocery-store humans. Even the bad hounds. It made my job of finding and killing them extra hard. And it made me very suspicious of anyone new on my street.

  Where I live is fairly quiet—Lehi itself is growing quickly and experiencing a lot of congestion on its roadways, but not around my house. My street was tucked away, not far from the railroad tracks, in an almost-forgotten little corner of the city. I loved it, and so did my neighbors. It helped us keep tabs on each other and be there if anything ever happened.

  Alexander, Nicole’s friend, had set up little devices around my house that protected me from the hounds, but he’d told me they would only protect me for so long. As I grew stronger and learned how to use the amulet better, the hounds would be drawn to me. Some would seek me out directly and try to kill me, but others would be more cunning.

  I was scared of the direct ones, but the cunning ones terrified me.

  The streets were empty, though, and Chief and I walked to the waiting car in silence.

  Alice filled the ride to the airport with her regular chatter, updating me on their kids and grandkids the whole way. After hugs were given all around, Chief and I boarded our plane and headed to Alaska. Once there, we grabbed a rental car and started the three-hour drive to Petersville and the entrance to Mount Koven.

  Petersville was a tiny ghost town. Agnes, the particular shade I’d met a few weeks earlier, “lived” there. I’d really liked her, but it had been quite a surprise to find out who she was—a woman from the early nineteen hundreds who’d died a long time ago.

  On the way, Chief change the topic of conversation from ruins in Scotland—he was a huge fan—to local events.

  “Were you planning on going to the Black Masquerade this weekend?” he asked.

  I shrugged. “Only if someone asked me.” It was an invite-only event the governor was putting on that had received a lot of publicity. A lot. Like most girls, I enjoy dressing up, but things had been too busy for me to wish I were higher up the local government ranks.

  “We need your help there.”

  I glanced up at him. “Really? Why?” It wasn’t unusual for me to attend formal and official affairs—especially if they had any reason to believe that a shooter or terrorist group might attack. But they had reassured me months ago that my presence wouldn’t be needed at this one.

  “Chief Franks asked me to see if you’d be willing to come—just in case. He has reason to believe an attack of supernatural sorts has been planned on the governor. We’d like you there to prevent it, if possible.”

  Jared Franks was Salt Lake City’s chief of police. He was one of the busiest men I’d ever met, and I rarely worked directly with him.

  I raised my eyebrow. “Oh?”

  “We’ve received multiple reports of that nature. And then during the last week or so, several suspicious-looking, dark-colored dogs have been hanging around the governor’s mansion.”

  That was all I needed. I nodded, gripping the steering wheel. “Okay. I’ll be there.”

  I’d won the coin toss for who would drive, but that victory seemed small now. When I’d interned in Washington D.C., I’d had plenty of opportunity to attend formal and political events. Almost all of the rumored threats had been carried out in some way—something the general populace would never know because of me and my boss there. Our job was to prevent regular people from knowing just how many murder attempts were being made on a daily basis. That had been a stressful internship, and moving to the slower pace in Utah had been a great idea.

  Chief continued. “We’d want you to attend as a guest—you being there at all will be hush-hush until the last minute—so we’ll need to get you and a date on the private list.”

  “A date?”

  He nodded. “You’ll need to blend in—wear a mask and a dress, act like you belong there. We don’t want these people to have any reason to believe we suspect anything.”

  Great. How long had it been since I’d actually asked someone out? Probably years.

  I wasn’t opposed to it. In fact, most of my relationships had happened as a result of me taking charge. But I’d tired of dating and was out of practice. Besides, who would I ask? My mind immediately went to Abel, but I hadn’t seen him since his Restart.

  “Before you begin worrying about who to take, we’ve already got someone set up for you. At least, we will soon—haven’t talked to the guy, but I’m sure he’ll be willing.”

  I didn’t want to be set up. “What’s the criteria for a date?” I said quickly.

  Chief smiled at me. “This isn’t for romantic purposes. We need someone who can help you in case things go south.”

  “Then I’ll ask my partner, Abel. I’d rather pick the person I work with, and I know I work well with him.”

  “Is Abel the one who blew up the gas station when he Restarted?”

  I grinned. “Yup.”

  Chief nodded. “If he’s able to control even a smidgen of that magic, he’ll be just fine.”

  “So it’s settled?” I held my breath.

  “Sure. I’ll let Detective Evans know the date’s off.”

  “You were setting me up with Detective Evans?”

  Chief laughed. “It’s not a date, first off, and second off, what’s wrong with him?”

  “Uh, Chief, you do know he’s married, right?”

  “Of course. If that’s your only objection . . .” he teased.

  “I’m not attracted to married men. No offense.” Besides, Detective Evans was at least twenty years older than me.

  “Good. And no, it wasn’t him we were going to ‘set’ you up with. He was helping me sift through the available men. It was a junior officer who used to be infantry in the Army. He knows how to fight.”

  “So does Abel.”

  “I’m glad you’re confident about him. It makes me feel better. Let him know he’ll need a tux, and I’ll ensure you’re both on the list. What’s his last name?”

  “Morris.”

  He wrote that down, and we fell into companionable silence the rest of the way there.

  Chapter 4

  Not knowing if Agnes would be watching for me—if she had some sort of internal device that let her know I was near—Chief and I knocked when we arrived. The door inched open, and I saw her familiar brown eyes on the other side. But the face that greeted us was not what I’d been expecting. The last time I’d seen Agnes, her exterior had been mostly living. Now her eyes, though bright, were the only thing that appeared even remotely alive. Chief took a step back, but I ignored his reaction.

  “Hello, Agnes. I hope we’re not coming at a bad time, but we need to have access to the Akashic.”

  “Akashic record” was another common name for the knowledge base. Many cultures had myths surrounding it. No one knew everything—the hounds had kept it that way.

  Agnes pulled the door open, and I watched in surprise as healthy skin grew up her face, covering the rot. “I’m sorry, you caught me off guard. Why didn’t the shades near you help you find a way? You don’t have to come through me anymore—the first time was only a trial. There are guardians of the path to Mount Koven in all states of this country and
on all continents. You simply need ask, and one of them will show you.”

  Gee—wish I’d know that earlier. “I wasn’t even aware that was a possibility.”

  Agnes raised an eyebrow, staring at me. “The amulet should have told you.”

  Instinctively, I grabbed my necklace, not surprised that my first response was to defend it. Why hadn’t it communicated with me? I hadn’t used it in a while. That night when Abel had Restarted near the gas station had been the last time. I’d sensed the amulet’s feelings and thoughts a couple of times since, but they were never directed at me. That hadn’t bothered me—I’d known it would let me know as soon as a hound or other evil creature was nearby.

  If Chief’s presence bothered her, she didn’t let on. “Head up the way you and I traveled previously, and the tunnel will open up for you.”

  We thanked her before hiking the hill that Petersville had been built on. Chief hadn’t ever been to Alaska, and I was grateful for the information Agnes had given me the last time I’d been there. I told him about the glaciers and Mount Denali and the weather there as we walked, and soon, we were near the large boulder that Agnes had moved last time.

  I wasn’t sure what to expect, but it definitely wasn’t a short tunnel with the door to the Akashic visible on the other side. Several of the shades I’d been around last time were milling around in the little tunnel.

  “He is not allowed inside,” one of them—Harry—said.

  I glanced back at Chief. “Looks like you’re going to have to stay out here.”

  Chief nodded, not seeming too surprised by that. He pulled his coat tighter around him, tucking his hands in the pockets and glancing up at the overcast sky. “As long as it doesn’t snow, it’s all good.”

  “You can always head back to Agnes’s and hang out there until I’m done,” I said.

  He nodded. “Will do.” The expression on his face told me he’d do anything but spend time with her, regardless of how desperate he got.

  I chuckled. “Or you could go for a drive. I can’t guarantee this will be quick.”

  He motioned me onward, not responding, and I turned and entered the tunnel.

  The moment I was inside, the opening closed behind me, covering me in near blackness. As before, the door in front of me was plainly visible, but nothing else was.

  I approached that door cautiously, wondering if it would test and accept me the same way it had the previous time. The ghosts around me didn’t offer explanations or help, so I decided to act like I knew what I was doing. Which I sort of did.

  In the middle of the door, about chest high, a square had been etched into the elaborately decorated wood. I put my hand on that square, half cringing as I waited for the pricking sensation to come. Anticipation didn’t do it justice—it was much more painful than I remembered.

  I held my hand there as long as I could, then jerked away when the stabbing became too intense. As before, though, it was enough, and I watched as my blood seeped into the wood and the door began glowing with runes and symbols. It opened inwardly and I took a step forward, fully prepared this time for my spirit to leave my body.

  That weird squeegee feeling encapsulated me, and then I was in the room with all the shades, my physical body on the tunnel floor behind me.

  I walked through the shades until I reached the end of the room. No one stopped me, and none paid any attention. Didn’t anyone know where the effigy was? And if not, why?

  At least I could figure out where the hounds and fire vampires were. Deciding to concentrate on hounds first, I walked through the room again. This time, someone tapped me on the shoulder.

  “You seek information on the hounds and their current whereabouts?”

  “Yes. Can you tell me anything?”

  The woman stared at me for a moment, her eyes slightly glazed over as she pondered my question. “Yes, I believe I can. They are hiding in a large cement box used to store items in a city named Lehi. The stronger ones have been gathering for some time. The weaker ones will come once the call to follow you overpowers them.”

  I tilted my head. “Lehi is where I live now, and you must be talking about a storage unit. Do you know which one?”

  The woman shook her head. “I do not. The shade amulet will help you.”

  I nodded. Good point. “Do you know about the effigy? Where might I find it?”

  The woman looked at me blankly. “Effigy? There are thousands of effigies. I do not know any one in particular.”

  I thanked her and continued walking, thinking this time about the vampires. Someone else stopped me as I neared the entrance to the room. This time, it was a man with a bowler hat.

  “The fire vampires have a hive in a canyon called Alpine. It is not far from where you reside.”

  Interesting. I knew there was a hiking trail there, but I’d never taken it myself.

  “Be wary—fire vampires may not have your best interests at heart. They’re dangerous and evil creatures.”

  I snickered inwardly. Was it possible for vampires to want something good for others? “What are they here for?”

  The man gave me a slight smile. “That is not my information to share.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Whose is it?”

  He shrugged. “That is also not mine to share. You must seek what you need directly from the shade who is assigned with that knowledge. He or she will find you.”

  “Okay, thank you. Can you tell me anything about the effigy?”

  He hesitated, opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again. Finally, he said, “I think I know which effigy you mean. It moves too quickly. No one shade can possibly know where it is at all times. You will have to use other ways to locate it.”

  Great. Just great. “Thank you for your help. I appreciate it.”

  The man nodded and wandered away, disappearing amongst the other shades. Thinking about the fire vampires again—wanting to know why they’d come to Lehi—I walked through the room again, but no one stopped me.

  I tried not to feel frustrated. After all, I had gotten good information. The hounds were in a storage unit in Lehi. And I had no doubt that the weaker ones would come once the effigy was returned—how else would the scent of me overpower them? Goals, then—return effigy. Kill hounds in storage unit. Figure out what vampires were doing in Alpine Canyon. Use the bathroom. Eat a big dinner. Not necessarily in this order.

  Chapter 5

  Knowing that time passed differently in Mount Koven than it did anywhere else, I decided it was time to go. When I got outside of the Akashic, I found Chief waiting impatiently.

  “Cell service is pretty bad here,” he said as we walked. “And you were in there for four hours.”

  “I’m sorry. Time doesn’t pass the same in there as it does out here.”

  “I gathered. Either way, Detective Cole from the American Fork Police Department is going to be accompanying you wherever this effigy is. He managed to convince me that he would be better able to help you than I would.”

  I could tell that bothered Chief, even though he tried to hide it.

  “Well, hopefully I won’t need either of you.”

  “Hopefully. But we don’t stay alive by planning around hope.”

  I smiled. “Definitely not.”

  We arrived at the car, and I let him drive. He needed to do something that made him feel useful again.

  “Thanks for coming with me,” I said. “I appreciate it. It was nice not to be alone, and having backup is always good.”

  He nodded, but didn’t say anything.

  “It’s my turn to have you and Alice over for dinner. When would you like to do that?”

  “How about Friday night?”

  “Sounds good.”

  We returned the rental car and decided to grab a bite to eat before heading to our terminal.

  “I’m not sure if I’m allowed to ask this, but what did you learn about the effigy?” he asked.

  “Not much. I don’t know what I’m going to
do.”

  Chief gave me a sympathetic look.

  A sudden idea occurred to me. “I need to talk to my friend Nicole. She’s got a lot of connections that most people don’t have.”

  “Like what?”

  “You remember what happened several years ago? When she stopped the demons from destroying earth?”

  He nodded. Everyone had heard about that.

  “Well, it granted her access to a lot of magical items and people. She was richly rewarded for her service.”

  “And you hope she’ll be able to help you figure out where the effigy is?”

  “Yes. She has ways to find things.”

  He didn’t respond—too busy taking a big bite from his burger—and I got lost in my thoughts. I was positive she’d want to assist. She hated being so far from me and unable to help me fill a role I hadn’t asked for. As soon as I finished eating, I gave her a call.

  “Have you talked to Alexander recently?” I asked after she’d answered.

  “No. I haven’t seen him since we told you about the prophecy. Why?”

  I quickly filled her in on the visits from the ghosts and the information I’d gained from Mount Koven. “Can Shonlin tell you where the effigy is?”

  Shonlin Forest was a magical place that Nicole had earned the right to access. It was linked to a huge library and allowed her to know the location of any magical item.

  “That is,” I rushed to continue, “if you don’t have to actually travel for it. I was hoping maybe Jacob would be able to help you get there.”

  Jacob was a mutual friend we’d worked with extensively several years earlier. He had a magical key that created links between locations. We’d taken advantage of that key multiple times. In fact, without it, we wouldn’t have been able to defeat half the evil demons we’d fought.

  “I’m sure he’d be willing to help. I’ll ask him and get back with you as soon as I can. When does your flight leave Alaska?”

  “Hold on. Let me check.” I opened up my notes on my phone. “Not for another four hours. We’ve got plenty of time.”