“No, it doesn’t fit at all,” Callie said. “I think we’re looking at two different people with the same idea.”

“While the circles did have strong similarities, which we should’ve mentioned before now, I suppose, I agree,” Dizzy said. “I would be very surprised if the person who did this circle was the same one who skinned someone to collect their power.” He shook his head. “Very surprised. The mage who murdered that person was very controlled. Very diligent. Even the crime scene was well organized.”

“This is our problem,” Callie said. “That other thing is not. Rule of thumb with mages, Reagan. Don’t stick your magical nose where it doesn’t belong.”

I frowned out the window. Her words were true enough. I had plenty on my plate, and seeing that poor calf had been bad enough.

“So about the other houses,” I said, watching homes drift by. They were closer together now. “Let’s not bother. The throwaway circle confirms what I heard about his moving habits. He doesn’t stay in one place very long—”

“With you and a bunch of vampires after him, do you blame him?” Callie huffed.

“So you’re still going to bust in on his gang tomorrow?” Dizzy asked. “Even though a bunch of mages will be there, and the head mage will be carrying around a demon inside his body, you’re going to stalk in there, alone, and try to take them all down?”

“When you say it like that, it sounds a little foolish. Besides, Darius might come back to help.”

Neither of them commented.

“Not going to sway me either way, huh?” I asked, running my finger along my holster. “Yes, I am. Because if I’m right, their defenses will largely be left to the mages at that meeting, led by Mr. All Powerful. Most of the mages will be scrambling, trying to remember which spell is which, what does what—they’ll screw the pooch.”

“And Mr. All Powerful?” Callie asked.

“He’ll be battling a demon.”

“He’s used to battling a demon,” she said. “He seems to have it under control.”

“He’s never tried to battle a demon who senses its true master…”

Chapter Twenty

I had Dizzy drop me off down the street from my house. The street looked abandoned other than a large figure that was sitting on the front steps of a house. I waved to the dual mages instead of voicing a goodbye, and stood on the cracked sidewalk as they drove away. I looked over at the wall of the graveyard across the street, breathing in the thick air of my neighborhood, relishing the comforting feeling of the humidity coating my skin. Home.

“Any news?” I asked, not looking at the figure.

“I’ve never seen someone leave a house so clean, and come back so filthy. It’s a talent.”

I glanced down at my leather pants, covered in dirt and grime. Each arm had smears of brown, and I’d ripped a hole in my shirt. I shrugged. “It is what it is.”

“It certainly is that.” Mikey rested his arm on his knee. “There are a couple knuckleheads running around the graveyard, but other than that, nothing is going on.”

“What kind of knuckleheads?”

“Poor kids with grass and leaves ’n’ shit. Not worth robbing, if that’s what you were thinking.” He dug a pack of cigarettes out of his pocket. “Not worth chasing out, neither. Just some dumb kids who probably got a book on calling the corners or whatever and decided to give it a try.”

“What do you know about calling the corners?”

“I know people gather in there and yell at the sky about watchtowers and gods ’n’ shit. They wake me up. I’m a light sleeper.”

I chuckled. “Okay, then. So you didn’t see anyone trying to sneak into my house?”

“Nope. They know better by now.”

“No one walking by? That guy Smokey didn’t see any vampires or whatever?”

“Smokey said you got two mail deliveries. It was earlier this evening. He said one didn’t look right, but the guy didn’t go inside. Used the mail slot.”

“He used the mail slot in the broken door propped up against the house…”

“Yeah. Where else are they supposed to put your mail?”

I braced my hands on my hips. “That’s true, I guess. I’m still surprised the cops haven’t shown up yet.”

“In this neighborhood?” Mikey heaved himself to his feet. He scratched his stomach then stretched. “Cops don’t care about us. Not unless they need a suspect for something gone wrong.”

“Half the time I should be a suspect.”

“Then you’re doing it wrong.”

We walked down the street slowly, taking our time. I wasn’t sure why, just that when I sped up a little, he fell behind. He was a strolling kind of guy, I guessed.

“You dating that guy Smokey thinks is a vampire?” Mikey asked. “Not that it’s any of my business.”

“No. Working with him. He was supposed to meet me tonight to do a job tomorrow. Hasn’t shown.”

Mikey looked behind him before rolling a shoulder. “A partner you can’t trust is bad news.”

“I know.”

He held up his hands. “You don’t gotta start with the tone. You ain’t no fool. I get it. Just sayin’.”

“I’ve been hearing that warning a lot. I need him to get a payoff, though. I was hoping I wouldn’t have to force the issue.”

“Trust me, force that bitch. Force it right down his throat. Go hard.”

“I plan to.”

He dropped his hands and nodded, stopping when we got in front of my house. “I know you do. You’re crazy, that’s why. You can always count on crazy.”

“I don’t think that’s how the saying goes.”

“I don’t give a shit how the saying goes. Everyone is crazy. It’s the people who go with it, and admit it, that you can trust. So you be crazy, girl. Give that rat bastard hell.”

I trudged up onto my first step. “I feel like this conversation has gone a little sideways.”

“Yeah. I’m no good at pep talks. Good luck with your thing.”

“Thanks for watching my house.”

He waved at me and continued walking. He didn’t turn into his house, though; he kept going, staring at the wall to the cemetery. I had a feeling he was going to scare the kids out of there after all. That was always a fun time.

I lifted a side of the door and scurried under, not feeling any magic. A few letters sprawled out at my feet, barely inside, given how the door was leaning. I scooped them up and walked back to my bedroom, looking through the house for anyone physically hiding. Nothing.

I plopped down on my bed, feeling strangely hollow. Disappointed. I knew vampires predominantly looked after themselves and their way of life; of course I did. Everyone knew that. And who could blame them? With their humanity eroding away, taking their deeper emotions with it, all they really had was brainpower and boredom. Most of them turned to political intrigues, and as everyone knew, trusting politicians was a bad move. But I had hoped Darius would pull through. I’d hoped he would at least honor the contract, if not our working partnership.

I turned over one of the envelopes and saw that it was a packet of coupons. I tossed it to the bed for a “keep” pile. The way things were going, I’d probably need them. I turned the next letter over. Paper spam. If only there was an unsubscribe button for real mail.

The last was a plain envelope addressed to Reagan Somerset, Bounty Hunter Extraordinaire. In the sender area was “Your Future Master” with an address below it.

“Oh good, another stalker.” I tucked the tip of my finger in a little opening and slid it across, ripping open the envelope. The edge of the paper sliced into my finger.

“You diaper-wearing biscuit handler!” I shook my hand and examined my paper cut. A tiny line in my skin taunted me with stinging pain.

After shaking my hand again, I pulled out the paper and opened it up. A picture fluttered to the ground. Annoyed, I examined the letter.

In large font, the typed message said, I’ll show you mine if you show me yours. Let’s make a deal.