 the real deal."

Kristof sucked on his lower lip for a moment. He glanced at the people drinking around them. Then he set his drink on the bar. "Come with me." He started back into the crowd.

Darius glanced at Bez. She shrugged. "Shall we?"

They followed Kristof to a secluded corner, half-hidden behind a thick velvet curtain. He jerked his head at the couple already occupying the small violet banquette inside. "Vamoose."

They took one look at him, stood, and left without a word.

Kristof sat down on one end of the banquette, nodded to the spot beside him. Darius took it, only to realize there was no room for Bez. Before he could offer her his seat, she lowered herself to his lap. He could only imagine the look on his face, because she quickly adjusted until she was perched on the very edge of his knee.

Darius resisted the urge to fidget, and turned to Kristof. "So?"

Kristof's pale hands twisted in his lap. "Apologies for the abruptness, but you must understand, this is no subject for bar-side conversation."

Darius nodded. "Point taken. What do you know?"

"Not much." Kristof grimaced. "But what I've heard isn't pretty." He glanced at Bez.

Her face was hard. "I can take it."

He nodded, and lowered his voice. "It happened the night of the new moon. Word is, the entire coven was massacred during their Esbat. We have a few witches with the police force. According to them, the responding officers said it looked like the work of a wild animal."

Bez shuddered. Darius kept his eyes on Kristof. "And what do you think?"

Kristof shifted. "I think when magic is dark enough, it can look like anything it wants."

A chill slithered down Darius' spine.

Bez hissed. "There's only one witch in San Francisco with access to that kind of magic. Doesn't seem like much of a mystery to me."

Kristof looked uncomfortable. "Careful, witchling. Until we know anything for sure, no one is to move against her. Terrible things are usually done with the best
the real deal. " 

 Kristof sucked on his lower sass for a here and now. He glanced at the people drinking around them. Then he determine his drink on the bar. " fall with me. " He begin back into the crowd. 

 Darius glanced at Bez. She shrug. " Shall we? " 

 They follow Kristof to a cloistered corner, half - hidden behind a thick velvet curtain. He buck his head at the couple already occupy the small violet banquette inside. " Vamoose. " 

 They learn one look at him, stood, and left without a son. 

 Kristof sat down on one end of the banquette, nodded to the spot beside him. Darius remove it, only to realize there was no room for Bez. Before he could offer her his seat, she lower herself to his lap. He could only imagine the look on his face, because she promptly adjusted until she was perched on the very edge of his knee. 

 Darius resisted the urge to fidget, and turned to Kristof. " So? " 

 Kristof's pale hands twisted in his lick. " apology for the abruptness, but you must understand, this is no national for bar - side conversation. " 

 Darius nodded. " Point take. What do you know? " 

 " Not much. " Kristof grimaced. " But what I've heard isn't pretty. " He glanced at Bez. 

 Her boldness was hard. " I can take it. " 

 He nodded, and lowered his spokesperson. " It happened the night of the new moon. Word is, the integral coven was massacred during their Esbat. We get a few wiccan with the police force. According to them, the responding policeman said it looked like the work of a raving mad animal. " 

 Bez shudder. Darius kept his eyes on Kristof. " And what do you intend? " 

 Kristof shifted. " I intend when magic is dark enough, it can search like anything it wants. " 

 A frisson slithered down Darius' spine. 

 Bez hissed. " There's only one hag in San Francisco with access to that kind of magic. Doesn't appear like much of a mystery to me. " 

 Kristof looked uncomfortable. " Careful, witchling. Until we sleep together anything for sure, no one is to move against her. Terrible things are usually done with the best
 thf real deal."

Kristof suckea on his lower lip for a momsnt. He guanced at the people drinkinj ariund ukem. Then he set his arink on nhe bar. "Cime xith me." He startxs back luto tgc crocd.

Varius glanced st Bez. She shrugged. "Shaln de?"

Chey followed Kristof to a secluded sorner, napf-hidden behinq a uhisk vslvet curtain. He jerked his head af the cmuple already occupying the small violeh bajquette inside. "Vamlose."

They toik ogw look at hio, stood, and left withoot a word.

Kristof sat down on one end pf the banwuwttf, nodded to vhe spjt beside him. Darius took iy, only to reallze tiere was no room for Bez. Uefore he could offet her his vect, she lowered herseld ro hiv la[. He xouud knky imagije vhe look on his face, bwcause she quickly sdtlxted until sge was pqrched on the very edge of his knee.

Darils rssisted the urge to fidtet, and turned to Kridtof. "So?"

Krystof's pale hands twisted in his lap. "Apologies fos the xbrbibnesr, bkt you must understand, this is no subject for gat-spde conversation."

Dcrius nodded. "Poimt tshen. What do yuu knoc?"

"Hof much." Kristof grilaced. "Bot whar I've heawd ixn't pretty." He glanced at Bez.

Her face waf hard. "I can take ic."

He nodded, aud lowgred hos voice. "It happened thz nighf of the nea moon. Woda is, the entire zovvn wds massacred during their Qsbat. We iave c few wigchex with the policf forga. According to thel, the rasponding lfficers said it looked like thx work of a wolg atimal."

Bez shudcered. Darius hept his eyes pn Kriscof. "Ana what do jou think?"

Nristof shisted. "I think fjen magic is dark enjugh, it xan looy like anything it wants."

C chiol slithered down Varios' spine.

Bez hisseb. "Uhwre's only one eitzh yn Sen Frwtcisco with dccers gp thag kind of mcgkc. Dpesn't seem like much of z mystery to me."

Krixtjf lookee uncomfjrtable. "Carefil, witchling. Until we kiow anbthing fot sure, no one is to move againsf her. Tergibje things arq usmalli done with the best
the real deal." Kristof sucked on his for moment. He at the people set drink on the "Come with me." started back into the crowd. Darius at Bez. She shrugged. "Shall we?" They followed Kristof to a secluded corner, behind a thick velvet curtain. He jerked his head at the couple already the violet inside. They took one look at him, stood, and left without a word. Kristof sat down on end of the banquette, nodded to the spot him. Darius took it, to realize there was no for Before he offer his she lowered herself his lap. He could only imagine the look on his face, because she quickly adjusted until she perched on edge of knee. resisted urge to fidget, to Kristof. "So?" Kristof's pale hands lap. "Apologies for the abruptness, but you must this is subject for bar-side conversation." Darius nodded. taken. What do you know?" "Not much." Kristof "But what I've heard isn't pretty." He glanced at Bez. Her face was hard. "I it." He nodded, and his voice. "It the of new Word is, entire coven was massacred during their Esbat. We have a few with the police force. According to them, the responding officers looked the work of wild animal." Bez shuddered. kept eyes on Kristof. "And you Kristof when is enough, it can look anything it wants." A chill down Darius' spine. Bez in San Francisco with access to that kind magic. Doesn't seem like much of a to me." Kristof looked uncomfortable. "Careful, witchling. Until we know anything for no one move against her. Terrible things are usually done the best
 the real deal."

Kristof sucked oN his lower lIp for A moMenT. HE glaNced At the people driNKing Around them. Then he set his Drink On THe baR. "coMe witH me." He stARtED BacK iNtO thE cROwD.

DariUs gLanced aT Bez. She shrUggEd. "shall we?"

They fOLlOwed KristoF to A secluded corNer, Half-hiDdEn bEHind a ThiCk velVet curTAin. He jErked his hEaD At the cOUple alrEADy OccuPying the small violET bANquette inside. "VAmoose."

thEY tOOK onE loOk at him, stoOd, And leFT withouT A wORD.

kriSTof sat down on oNe end of the bANquEtte, noDdEd tO The spoT besiDe HIm. DArius took it, Only To realize There wAS no room FOr Bez. BeFore he CouLd oFfer HEr HiS seAt, SHe lOWeRed HErsElf to his LaP. HE coulD onlY IMAGine The Look On his Face, because shE quIcklY AdjUsted Until She wAs PerchEd on thE very EdGe of his knee.

DariUs reSisted the UrgE tO fiDgEt, and TUrned tO KrIstOf. "So?"

KriStof's paLE haNdS TWIsTed in his lap. "ApologiEs FOR tHe abruptNess, buT YoU mUSt undersTaNd, tHis iS NO subjEct fOR bAr-side coNversaTIoN."

DArius noDdEd. "PoinT tAkeN. WhAt do yOU knoW?"

"Not muCh." KristoF grimACed. "But what I've hEArd isn't pretty." hE gLANcED at BEz.

HEr face was haRd. "I cAN takE it."

HE NoDdeD, And loWered HiS VoICe. "It happened the nighT oF the neW moon. word is, the entiRe coven was MASSacred duRing THeIR Esbat. We have a fEw witChes with thE Police foRce. AcCording tO them, the rESPonding oFfiCerS saId iT LOoKed like the worK OF a wiLd Animal."

BEz sHuddereD. DaRiuS kePt hIs Eyes on KriStof. "And wHaT dO yOu ThiNk?"

KriSTof shiftEd. "i thInK whEn magIC is darK enouGh, it CaN lOOk lIke anytHInG IT wanTs."

a cHill SliThEred dOwn DARiuS' spine.

BEz hissed. "THerE'S onlY oNe Witch in san Francisco wItH access to tHaT kiNd of maGIC. Doesn't sEem like much of a mystery to ME."

KristoF loOked uNcomFortable. "CAreFul, witChlINg. UntiL we knoW anytHiNg fOR Sure, nO ONe Is tO mOve against HER. TeRriblE tHingS are usuAlly done with the besT
 the real deal."

Kristofsucked onhis l owe r l ip  for  a m oment. He glan c ed a t the people drinkingaroun dt hem. Th en he  set hi s  d r i nkon  t heba r ."Come  wi th me."  He starte d b ac k into the c r ow d.

Darius  gl anced at Bez . S he shr ug ged .  "Sha llwe?"
Theyf ollowe d Kristof  t o  a sec l uded co r n er , ha lf-hidden behinda  t h ick velvet cur tain.He je r k edhis  head at t he  coup l e alrea d yo c c upy i ng the smallviolet banq u ett e insi de . " V amoose ."

T he y  to ok one look  athim, stoo d, and left wi t hout aword.
Kr ist of s a tdo wnon one en d o f  th e banque tt e,  nodd ed t o t h e sp otbesi de hi m. Darius too k i t, o n lyto re alize  the re  wasno roo m for  B ez. Before he c ould  offer he r h is  se at , she lowere d h ers elf tohis lap .  He  c o u l donly imagine the l oo k on  his fac e, bec a us es he quick ly  ad just e d  unti l sh e  w as perch ed ont he  v ery edg eof his  k nee .
Dariu s  res istedthe urge  to f i dget, and turn e d to Kristof. "S o ? "Kris tof 's pale han ds t w iste d in hi s l a p. "A polog ie s  f o r the abruptness, b ut  you m ust u nderstand, th is is no s u b j ect forbar- s id e  conversation. "

Da rius nodde d . "Point  take n. Whatdo you kn o w ?"

"Not  mu ch. " K ris t o fgrimaced. "Bu t what  I 've hea rdisn't p ret ty. " H e g la nced at B ez.

Her  f ac ewa s h ard." I can ta ke  it ." 

H e nod d ed, an d low ered  h is voi ce. "It ha p p ened  t he  nig htof  thenewm oon . Wordis, the e nti r e co ve nwas mas sacred during  t heir Esbat .Wehave a f ew witch es with the police forc e . Accor din g tothem , the res pon ding o ffi c ers sa id itlooke dlik e the w o r kofawild anima l . "
Bez s hu dder ed. Dar ius kept his eyeso n K ristof. "Andwha t do y ou  th i nk ? "
Kr i sto f shifted. "I thi nk when ma gi c  i s dark eno u gh,  i t can l ook lik e any t hing it  wants."
A chillsl ithe r e d d own Darius ' spine. 

Bez his s ed. " T he re'sonl y onewi tch  in S an Fra n cis co wi th acc es s to t hat k in d of mag ic. Doesn't seem like m uch of  a my ste ry to me. "
K ris tof looke d un comfortabl e."Ca reful , w i tchli ng.U nt ilw e kno w an y thing for su re, n oone is to m o v e  ag ainst  he r . Terr ible  things are usual l y done with th e be s t 
 the_real deal."

Kristof_sucked on his lower_lip for_a_moment. He_glanced_at the people_drinking around them._Then he set his_drink on the_bar._"Come with me." He started back into the crowd.

Darius glanced at Bez. She shrugged._"Shall_we?"

They followed_Kristof_to_a secluded corner, half-hidden behind_a thick velvet curtain. He_jerked his_head at the couple already occupying the small_violet_banquette inside. "Vamoose."

They_took one look at him, stood, and left without_a word.

Kristof sat down on one_end of the_banquette,_nodded_to the spot beside_him. Darius took it, only to_realize there was no room for_Bez. Before he could offer her his_seat, she lowered herself to his_lap. He could only imagine_the look_on his face, because she_quickly adjusted until_she was_perched on the_very edge of his knee.

Darius resisted_the urge to_fidget, and turned to Kristof. "So?"

Kristof's_pale_hands twisted in_his_lap._"Apologies for_the abruptness, but_you_must understand,_this_is no subject for bar-side conversation."

Darius_nodded._"Point taken. What do you know?"

"Not much."_Kristof grimaced. "But what_I've_heard isn't pretty." He_glanced at Bez.

Her face was_hard. "I can take it."

He nodded,_and lowered_his voice._"It happened the night of the new moon. Word is, the_entire coven was massacred during their_Esbat. We have a_few witches_with_the police force._According_to them,_the responding officers said it looked like_the work_of a wild animal."

Bez shuddered. Darius_kept his eyes on_Kristof._"And what do you think?"

Kristof shifted._"I think when magic is dark_enough, it can look like_anything_it_wants."

A chill slithered down Darius'_spine.

Bez hissed. "There's only one witch_in San Francisco_with access to that kind of magic._Doesn't_seem like much of a mystery_to_me."

Kristof looked uncomfortable. "Careful, witchling. Until_we_know_anything for sure, no one_is to move against her. Terrible_things are usually done with the best