Page 7 of Encore
Beyla jumped up and answered the door. She came back in, followed by Madame Lucinda, who I was pretty sure had never shown up at any of our homes before.
“Okay, scratch that,” Nyx said. “Now,everyone I like is in this room.”
“The elevator in this building is sheer evil,” Madame Lucinda growled. “I came as soon as Marsden canceled rehearsal because of Bellatrix, but I’ve been stuck in that infernal elevator for hours. Your building maintenance isclearlynot run by vampires, or I would have been out five minutes after I called.”
Nyx wrinkled her nose.
“They are human with no superpowers. If they break a sweat, they take a forty-five-minute smoke break before they get started again. If we had known you were coming, I would have warned you about the elevator. It never works.”
“I’m here about Bellatrix. I’m sorry you all had to go through that. I’ve had it with this ballet. It’s beautiful and revolutionary, even by today’s standards. The whole thing was born out of a place of love, but it’s turned into this ugly nightmare that only brings death.
“It’s no secret I disliked Bellatrix. She’s always been a talented soloist, but she’s been fired from every ballet company she’s ever danced with. Word was spreading, and no one wanted to work with her. Before Marsden, the artistic director didn’t even return her calls when she asked for an audition. Marsden took over five days later and invited her here.
“People had been begging him to fire her since her first lead role withThe P.I asked him, too. If she had been anyone else, he would have had her blackballed. I’ve been asking myself for years why he hasn’t, and it’s finally clear. I know you’re looking for Santiago. Santiago is… He’s—”
Oh, fuck. Madame Lucinda was going to risk the geas to tell us where to find Santiago. Her body had gone totally rigid, and blood leaked out of every orifice. This was going to kill her, and thiswas nothow my favorite ballet teacher ever was supposed to go out.
“Stop!” Beyla said, sealing Madame Lucinda’s mouth shut with magic. “You aren’t killing yourself to get us this information. I won’t allow it. You told us you intended to go out in the bed of a hot young vampire, and that’s how things are going to be. Plus, we’d all be lost without you as our teacher. You can still help us in other ways.”
That was why I loved that witch. My family had run-ins with the Paranormal Investigation Bureau more than once. They’d met plenty of agents who had no problem resorting to violence if it meant solving a case. Some of the agents who had busted Uncle Angelo trying to get charges to stick would have happily risked Madame Lucinda’s life because it meant fewer people would die with the information she was going to give us.
Beyla wasn’t like that, and I was grateful. Every last one of us loved Madame Lucinda and wouldn’t be where we were today with our careers without her. Even Nyx, who Marsden kept sticking in the corps for some reason even though she was a fantastic dancer, adored that woman. Beyla hadn’t been blessed as long as we had to have her as our ballet mistress, but she knew Madame Lucinda was a treasure.
Beyla stood there with her arms crossed as Madame Lucinda glared at her in defiance. This was a good old-fashioned standoff, and both of these women were stubborn as hell.
“If I release you, are you going to behave and not kill yourself?”
I knew Madame Lucinda much better than Beyla did, and there was a fifty percent chance she’d just lie and do it as soon as Beyla released her. I really hoped she didn’t because I hated looking at her with blood leaking out of her lined eyes.
They just sat there glaring at each other for a few minutes until Madame Lucinda finally nodded. I held my breath when Beyla waved her hand and released the hold on her mouth. Madame Lucinda was a stubborn old bat who may try to get it out again.
“First of all, if you ever use your magic on me like that again, I’ll bite the shit out of you. I was prepared to die to give you that information.”
Merlin flung his arms around Madame Lucinda and pulled her into a bear hug.
“Yeah, but none of us are ready for that.”
“We really aren’t,” Arden said. “I don’t think I can deal with someone coming at Beyla again, but I definitely can’t deal with losing you.”
“It’s the same for all of us,” I said. “You’re more important to this company than Marsden. We’re digging into him now.”
“You’re on the right track,” Madame Lucinda said. “Ireallywish I could say something. I would, but Beyla would assault me with her magic again.”
“I would, too,” Bevan said.
“I’d shriek you silent,” Nyx said.
“So, what is your big plan now that you’ve decided to boss an old lady around?”
“We’re still looking into the photos my uncle brought us. Beyla and Bevan are digging into Marsden.”
“I don’t want you to die telling us about Santiago, but maybe you can spill some dirt we can’t find online about Marsden?”
Madame Lucinda cracked her neck like an utter beast.
“With pleasure.”
Chapter7
