Kate Daniels 02 - Magic Burns

go.”
    Slowly, as if waking up from a dream, he turned and left the roof.
    â€œWhat about the vampire?” Saiman asked.
    â€œJust ignore me,” Ghastek said. “Think of me as a fly on the wall.”
    Bastard.
    Saiman touched my hair and I felt my braid unwinding on its own. In a moment, my hair framed my face. “What happened to you?” I asked.
    He grinned wider. “Deep magic. It sings in my bones. Don’t you feel it?”
    I felt it. It had pulsed through me like a wild wine ever since this magic wave had hit. Power twisted and wound within me, wanting to break loose, but I had held it in check this long and I wasn’t about to let myself off the leash now.
    â€œCan you dance?” he asked.
    â€œYes.”
    â€œDance with me, Kate!”
    And we were off, spinning and twirling through the snow, raising glittering snowflakes with our feet. The snow refused to fall but chased us, following our movement like a light shroud. It was a wild dance, primitive and fast, and all I could do was follow his lead.
    â€œI need some information,” I yelled at a strategic moment.
    He clamped my waist, picked me up like I weighed nothing, and spun around. “Ask.”
    â€œToo complicated for a fast dance.”
    He set me into the snow and held me close in a classic stance, one hand on my waist, one cradling my fingers. “Then we’ll dance slowly. Put your arms around me.”
    No! “I don’t think that would be a good idea.”
    We moved gently through the snow. “Things are chasing me.” Which wasn’t strictly true, but considering the circumstances, brevity was a virtue. “They’re called reeves. They are undead. Their hair can tangle you up and hold you like a lasso.”
    â€œI don’t know what they are.”
    â€œThey are piloted by a tall creature who wears a white habit like a monk. He has tentacles. His name is Bolgor the Shepherd. I was told he’s a Fomorian.”
    â€œI don’t know him, either.”
    Damn it, Saiman. “What would a sea-demon want in our world?”
    â€œWhat we all want: life.” Saiman leaned in close, his lips nearly brushing my cheek. His eyes drew me in, and I knew that if I looked too long into them, I would forget why I came here.
    â€œThis Shepherd’s hunting a young girl. Can you research why?”
    â€œI could, but there is too much magic. I can’t concentrate. I would rather dance. It’s a magic time, Kate! Time of the gods.”
    The thought of mentioning money briefly popped into my head. But then he always gave me a discount, both because I had once saved his life and because he found me entertaining. He wasn’t that interested in money even during normal time, and right now he was simply too far gone.
    â€œMorrigan is somehow involved. And a cauldron,” I said.
    His face was alarmingly close to mine.
    â€œThe Celts have a liking for the cauldrons. Cauldrons of plenty. Cauldrons of knowledge. Cauldrons of rebirth.” His breath warmed my cheek. His hands were warm, too. By all rights he should have been freezing.
    â€œCauldron of rebirth?”
    â€œA gateway to the Otherworld.”
    He tried to dip me, but I resisted and he smoothly turned the dip into a turn.
    â€œTell me more about it.”
    â€œYou should ask the witches. They know. But ask later. After the deep magic wanes.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œBecause if you leave, I’ll be bored again.”
    Oh crap. “Tell me more about the witches. Which coven should I ask?”
    â€œAll of them.”
    He slid my hand onto his shoulder. I pulled back, but he already held my shoulders, hugging me tight to him. His huge erection pressed against me. Great, just great.
    â€œHow can I ask all of the covens? There are dozens in the city.”
    â€œSimple.” Honeyed breath washed over me. “You ask the Witch Oracle.”
    â€œThe witches have an oracle?” We had slowed down to mere shuffling now. I shuffled backward, heading toward the end of the roof where the ledge lay.
    â€œIn Centennial Park,” he said softly. “There are three of them. They speak for all the covens. I hear they have a problem they can’t fix.”
    â€œThen it’s best I go to them.”
    He shook his head. “But then I’ll be all alone.”
    â€œI have to go.”
    â€œYou never stay.” He turned his head and kissed my fingers.