I wished Pop could go with us, but remembering Elizabeth’s death, I wouldn’t risk separating Nan and him. They’d been together the better part of a century. Besides, we had satellites phones, and I could send him images of the potentials. When it came time to enter the structure, he would be there.
“I feel like I’m in a bad ninja movie,” Camille commented when we met in the hall dressed for our covert house hunting.
“We might need to paint your face black.” I fit the dark cap over her blond locks.
We decided to start with the addresses we’d located on the web and loaded in the van for the drive to Chalandri. Not being sure which spell would work, we’d learned all the entry spells known to the group. Pop remembered one his father taught him, and I guessed that should do the trick.
The section with older buildings covered a two-mile span, and we began on the north side. Having identified eleven buildings with lion-like architecture pieces, we unloaded a few blocks away and started our trek. Trying to blend in with the night crowd on the sidewalks, we ambled along until we found the first potential.
A silhouette of a lion walking on all fours was carved into the entranceway, and we moved on. We were looking for an animal standing on its hind feet, front paws in the air or either a shield with turret and la fleur. The second two buildings were the same, and we continued to the next potential site. The fourth building had a standing lion on the door clappers, and I sent the image to Pop. Peering in the window didn’t help as the shutters were closed and the space dark. Snapping pictures of the realtor’s sign, we kept going.
“This is the one. It has to be.” Alena pointed to the shield above the door, as we approached the fifth property. “How many Greek properties are going to have the Alonso crest over the door?”
I had to admit it matched perfectly. The residence seemed to be vacant as all the windows were boarded shut. Taking a picture of the crest and property manager’s number, I suggested we go to the next on the list. I wanted to make it to all the locations the first night, and then go back to the top guesses to narrow down our choices.
In the next two hours, we surveyed all the properties and rounded back to the two that fit closest, the one with the crest and other with the lion door knockers.
“There’s only one way to find out, come on.” Tyler led us to the alley behind the house and pulled a crowbar out of his pack.
“What are you doing?” I insisted.
“Well, if it’s spelled with magic, we shouldn’t able to break in, right?”
Camille snatched the crowbar from his hands. “You are going to land in a Greek jail. I don’t think you ever leave those.”
The rest of us sided with Camille, and we decided to contact the property manager the next day. At the next site, I studied the lions on the door clappers.
“The lions are facing the wrong way.”
“Look, there’s a knight’s helmet above the door,” Camille pointed out.
I ran my hands along the stone that flanked the entry. A vine pattern much like that of the coat of arms was carved into the stone.
“The images are correct, but they’re inverted. It doesn’t seem right.”
“If you were inside, it would,” Alena noted.
“I guess.” Still something seemed off. “Let’s check it out.” I motioned to the side of the building.
We slid between it and the next building, taking a narrow stone path to the alley. The building behind it stood the same height and was made from the same brick. We walked down the alley between the buildings, noting both had the same architecture.
“A mirror image,” I whispered, putting my hand to the back door. As I did, the wood around my hand grew warm, and an electric shock shot through my hand to my arm. Jumping back, I pointed at the house. “This is the one?”
“Are you sure?” Hunter asked.
“Want a good jolt of magic? You check it out.”
Making our way back to the side path, we continued along to the front of the structure. Approaching the front doors, I used the light from my phone to illuminate the entry. A knight’s helmet was carved above the single large wood door with a vine pattern along each side. A large lion was carved into the wood of the door face. When I placed my hand on the wood, it heated again, and I pulled back before I got shocked. I took a picture and sent it to Pop, noting the sensation when I touched the entrance.
LOOKS LIKE YOU FOUND IT, he responded.
“Here’s a sign for a property agent,” Camille pointed to a second-story window. I took a picture of the name and phone number and joined the others.
“Try the entry spell,” Tyler insisted.
“Not without Pop. I want everyone here so we can all go in at once. I don’t want to risk anything.”
“It’s a good start, but we should get some rest.” Hunter took Alena’s hand, and they walked towards the sidewalk.
Traipsing back to our vehicle, we traveled to the safe house in darkness. Finding Pop in the study we reviewed the night’s findings. When finished, I made my way to my room. I wondered if I could sleep as we were so close to all the pieces.
I heard a knock on my door and opened it to see Camille.
“Do you mind if I come in?” she whispered.
“Never,” I smiled at her.
“I can’t sleep,” she explained as we sat on the bed. “I can’t believe we’re so close.”
“You still have to get the sword.” I wrapped my hand around hers.
“But all the pieces are falling into place. Just think, what if you’d never gone to Iceland?”
I shrugged. “Maybe my dad would have found you, Alena, and Hunter. Somehow I feel we would have found each other.”
“I’m glad we had Iceland.” She laced her fingers through mine.
“Me too.”
“Do you feel tied to this?”
Turning her hand over, I stared at it for half a minute. “Do you?”
“Well, that was sort of a deflection. But, yes, and no.”
“Same, I guess.” I studied her face and tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “I don’t want to live like my dad. I wouldn’t want to move a family around, but it looks like witches have been doing it for generations. Marcus’s family seemed happy.”
“Until Sonia chose Gabrielle.”
“They’re going to have to figure out what to do with her sooner or later.”
“Are you nervous about tomorrow?”
“You mean about the part where I may be the only one able to open that house? Nah.” I chuckled. “Lie down with me. You keep my nightmares at bay.”
“What do you mean?”
I admitted to the nightmares that plagued me and told her my theory on them prompting me to act. How else could I explain their disappearance when I focused on helping Camille and then re-occurrence when her issue got resolved? The dreams were telling me I had more to do.
“I hope you’re right. I don’t want you to suffer.”
“I never have them when you’re around.”
“Well, that’s insurance for me.”
Holding her hands, I leaned down so we were eye level. “You never have to worry about that.”
“Let’s not talk like this. We’re seventeen.”
“I won’t leave you unless you don’t want me around anymore.”
“I’ll always want you around.”
I kissed her and kissed her again until we were both out of breath. Thinking we should conserve some or our energy, we stretched out, and I hugged her to me.
Tyler’s voice boomed in my head. “Wake up, dude.” He stopped short. “Oh, my, umm, I’m not telling Dad this.”
“Well, if you wouldn’t barge into people’s rooms.” Camille swung her legs over the side of the bed.
“It’s acceptable business hours. Jude needs to make the call.” He spun and exited the room.
We made our way to the kitchen for a plate of breakfast and then to the command center. After eating, I phoned the property agent, expecting to be able to name a price or meet to look at the property. The agent explained I was required to meet with the owner’s assistant and gave me a number to ring him.
“Master Alfred here,” a raspy voice answered the phone.
“Sir, this is Jude Alonso. I’ve called to inquire about the Pentelis, the Chalandri property, or rather the mirror property to its west.”
“Alonso, you said? Mirror property?”
“Yes, sir.”
“Well, that is interesting. How would you like to proceed?”
“My friends and I would like to meet with you about the structure.”
He cleared his throat. “You should choose your friends wisely.”
“I have.”
“Well, then, you may meet me at my office.” He gave me the address.
I agreed for our party to meet him in two hours, and we rounded everyone up. We decided four vampires, including Dimitri and Aaron, would accompany Alena, Camille, Chalondra, Hunter, Orm, Tyler, Nan, Pop, and me to the office. At the car, we loaded the larger items in the back and piled in, holding our backpacks on our laps. We’d adopted the practice of keeping a day’s supplies and all our papers with us just in case. Today we’d each packed for a week’s absence from the command center.
We circled through the city to Master Alfred’s estate. Beyond an open gate, the drive wound around a garden area to the front entrance. We walked up a set of broad steps to the front door. I raised my hand to knock, but the door opened before I it hit the wood.
“Master Alfred is waiting in his study. I shall escort you,” a man dressed in a black suit told us.
He turned and walked towards the center of the building, and we followed. Dimitri and Aaron accompanied us inside, and the other two vampires waited out front. I noted Hunter’s eyes scanning our surroundings and prayed this wasn’t a huge trap.
“Greetings.” A man stood and approached us as we entered a room lined with wood book shelves. “I’m Master Alfred.” He offered his hand and Pop stepped forward.
“I am Wesley Alonso.”
Master Alfred’s eye cut to me and back to Pop.
“It’s wonderful to meet you.” He gripped Pop’s hand.
Pop’s arm tensed, and I stepped toward them. Pop put his palm out. “It’s okay, he’s a reader.”
I looked to Master Alfred. He opened his eyes and released Pop’s hand. “While I see that you are of the Alonso coven you are not the one the master seeks.” He spun to face me. “I assume you are the younger Alonso?”
“I am Jude Alonso. My father David sent me.”
I put my palm in his, and a zing of magic shot through to my skull. A hum filled the air, and I guessed him to be a very strong witch.
“And so, you are who you say you are.” He continued to grip my hand. “Just a few seconds more.”
The sound between my ears rose till I thought I might double over, but I stood my ground.
He released me. “You are brave to come here. Your father would be most proud.”
“You know my father?”
“I have known him for a long time. My master trusts no one else with his”—Alfred’s eyes cut around the room to each face—“business.” He took a step back motioning to the others. “It’s good to meet you. Have you been in the country long?”
I took the lead. “Only a couple of days.”
“Have you noticed others roaming the city?”
My eyebrows shot up. “We’ve been pretty focused on finding this particular structure.”
“Well, I would say many were, as I’ve noted extra witches in our city. But you, son, may be the real deal.” He winked at me. He raised his chin and his eyes scanned our group. “I would ask that the vampires wait outside, please.”
“They are with us.” I folded my arms over my chest.
“They will not be allowed to enter the residence, only witches.”
“And how might one gain entry to the structure.”
Faster than I would have guessed he could move, he slid to stand in front of Alena. “May I? You favor someone I know.” He held his hand out to her.
Hunter and Tyler jumped between them, blocking Alfred from touching Alena.
“Yes, I assumed as much. No matter.” He shuffled back to me. “We should stay on topic. Should I follow you to the property?”
“Of course.” I answered with more confidence than I felt. Looking to Pop, I saw him nod his head.
We loaded into our vehicle and drove to the building. At the door, Master Alfred turned to face me. “Sir Jude, having seen you to be of pure heart, sound virtue, honorable character, and proper lineage of the Alonso coven, I present you with the key to this dwelling. I beseech you to choose its occupants wisely.”
His words weighed heavily on my mind. Alena, Camille, and Hunter had to be there, that we knew from the poem. Orm and Chalondra held great knowledge. Had we chosen wrong when we left Grady in Italy? If Michael’s coven was searching for the dwelling, did we need to fortify it? We’d already witnessed their powers with our prior compound. I couldn’t risk the contents of this structure.
“Can others join us later?”
“Yes.”
I turned to Tyler. “You should remain outside. Do we have an internet connection?” I asked Master Alfred.
“A traditional land phone line is operational. No images may leave the house.”
“Okay, we’re ready.” I took the key from Alfred.
The iron key weighed heavy in my hand. I inserted it into the lock, and the mechanism glowed red.
“My master will be pleased.” Alfred motioned for me to enter.
I stepped back to let the rest of our party in. Glancing back at Tyler, Dimitri, and Aaron, I closed the door. Lines of light permeated the space where the shutters didn’t match the window frames. Stacks of books waist high formed narrow rows. Dust swirled around us as we made our way into the home.
Alfred flipped a switch on the wall, and chandeliers illuminated the space. We seemed to be in a parlor of sorts. Beyond an arched entryway, a long table held open texts as if someone had abandoned them in haste. My vampire hearing picked up the sound of a labored breath, and my eyes fixed on Alena.
She pointed to an oil painting. “Who is this?”
Master Alfred’s lips turned up on the ends. “He is Uriel, the master of this home.”
Alena jumped into the air and hovered in front of the image. “That is the man… angel, I saw on the ocean, the one that guided us to shore.”
“I believe you favor him. Well, I should be going now. Good luck young ones. I wish you well in your quest.” Alfred paced out of the room to the front entrance. He crossed the threshold, and a gale swooshed through the opening and up the chimney.
I ran to the exit. “What happened?” I hit an invisible wall when I tried to step outside.
Alfred smiled. “You, dear friend, have been given a Biblical amount of information. Use it wisely.”
“Why can’t I get out?”
The others raced to my side, each having the same experience as they tried to cross through the doorway.
“The spell will be lifted when you find the information you seek.” Alfred descended the stairs and disappeared.
Camille fit her fingers between mine. As she turned to face me the wind from the others’ quick departure blew her hair across her face.
I tucked the strands behind her ear. “We’re stuck in here.”
“It doesn’t matter. We’re together.” She grasped my other hand.
I smiled down at her. “You’re right. As long as I have you, everything will be okay.” I leaned down and kissed her lips.
THE END
Keep reading for a brief look into Kingdom of War, Kingdom Journals 4 – Hunter’s Story