Kate Daniels 02 - Magic Burns

Wolf ears worked much better than human ones, and his were exceptional. “Fomorians,” she said. “What’s the world coming to?”
    â€œThree things: what are they doing here, why do they want Julie, and what happened to her mom?”
    Andrea shook her head. “I have no clue. But then it’s not my area. I shoot. I make gadgets work. I’m good with post-Shift resonance theory. Ask me something about folklore, and I draw a blank every time.” She grinned. “But I’ll keep your girl safe.”
    â€œI’m sorry to dump this on you.”
    She glanced at Derek. “I wish everyone would stop walking on eggshells around me. It needs doing, so I’ll do it. I have to stay at the Chapter anyway: it’s standard procedure during a flare for one knight to always be present. I’ll guard your girl.”
    I hesitated. If anyone could help me in this situation, it was Andrea. She was a picture-perfect knight and she knew every regulation ever written.
    â€œWhat’s up?” she asked, as if reading my thoughts.
    â€œShould I write up a petition for safe asylum?”
    Andrea frowned. “Worried about the Danger to Humanity clause?”
    â€œYeah.”
    The good thing about the petition for safe asylum was that any and all knights would protect Julie from any threat, as long as she remained in their custody. But by signing the petition, Julie placed herself into the Order’s care, which meant she fell under the imminent danger clause. If she presented an imminent danger to humanity, the knights were duty bound to dispatch her. The Order wasn’t in the habit of snuffing out little girls, but I knew that in Ted’s mind, at least, the welfare of many outweighed the lives of the few. I had no clue as to why the reeves and the Shepherd hunted Julie. For all I knew, she was some sort of Fomorian-prophesied child destined to destroy the world. Stranger things have happened. I didn’t want to find Julie with her throat slit. I’m sure they would make her end merciful and quick, but that hardly seemed like consolation.
    Andrea smiled. “The good news is, you don’t have to file one. She is an orphan with no known relatives. Under provision seventeen, you can assume temporary guardianship of her due to the fact she can’t legally enter into contract. Fill out form 240-m, and she becomes your ward in the eyes of the Order. During the flare, all families of Order personnel can legally seek shelter at the nearest Chapter without being subject to the imminent danger clause. Unless she attacks, they have no authority to neutralize her.”
    â€œI don’t know if she would sign something like that. She still thinks her mother is alive. And so do I.” I hoped, anyway. “It might hammer some unpleasant possibilities home.”
    â€œYou don’t need her to sign. That’s the beauty of it—all you need is the testimony of one knight besides yourself who agrees that you’re acting in her best interests.” She grinned from ear to ear. “And lucky you, you know one.”
    â€œThanks,” I said and meant it.
    â€œNo problem. This is kind of fun for me—I’m so freaking bored. If magic hits, we’ll skedaddle down to the vault, and if the reeves show while the tech is up, I’ll use their heads for target practice.”
    The door burst open. Julie ran headfirst into Derek and flailed in his hands. He grabbed her and lifted her off the ground. “What? Speak!”
    She strained and spat a single word. “Vampire!”
    Â 
    IT WAITED FOR ME UPSTAIRS ON MY DESK, A HAIRLESS , emaciated nightmare, wrapped in steel-wire muscle and hidden in human skin. It was nude, ugly, and had been dead for three or four decades. Someone had smeared copious amounts of purple sunblock over its hide. For some reason the sunblock didn’t disappear but dried into paste, as if the creature had popped a giant bubble of grape gum onto himself.
    â€œYou’ve got to be kidding me.”
    The vampire unhinged its mouth and Ghastek’s voice issued forth. “A pleasure to see you, as always.”
    It would have to be Ghastek. I wondered if Nataraja, the leader of the People’s establishment in the city, had specifically assigned him to interact with me or if Ghastek took that dreadful task upon himself.
    Andrea stepped into the office. And suddenly she had two guns and they were