“That’s okay,” I said. “We don’t need them. You got the information from someone else, so we’re good. What did they say?”

“Well, the first three necros I called had no clue what I was talking about. Then I found two who did, and they tried to tell me any necromancer could reopen the portal, no special tools required. But I knew that was wrong. Nan’s books were the best there were, the real thing, not like the crap that’s out there today.” Another wave of regret flooded her eyes. She shook it off. “Anyway, I knew that reopening a portal called for human sacrifice of a specific kind, so I kept calling around and finally found someone who’d read the same book my Nan had. We need—”

A knock came at the door. Everyone looked up. Elena’s nostrils flared and she leaned over to whisper something to Clay.

“Fuck,” he muttered. “Keep talking, Jaime. It’s only Cassandra. She can wait. Forever, if we’re lucky.”

“I heard that, Clayton,” Cassandra said as she walked in.

“Who the hell forgot to lock the door?” Clay said.

“You were the last one in,” Elena murmured.

“Damn.”

Black-Magic Standby

AARON ARRIVED A FEW MINUTES LATER, HAVING LIKELY been parking the car. He got a warmer reception than Cassandra, but the meet-and-greet phase was cut even shorter this time, now that we were all eager to hear what Jaime had found. First, though, we had to bring Cassandra and Aaron up to speed.

“So now Jaime was about to tell us what Edward needs to reopen the portal,” I finished.

“Well, like I said, the key ingredient is the black-magic standby, a good ol’ human sacrifice. If Edward performs the sacrifice on the exact spot that the portal opened, it’ll reopen for a couple of minutes.”

“So what’s to say he hasn’t done this already?” Cassandra said. “He’s a vampire. He could have taken a victim by now and gone through the portal.”

“I’m getting to that,” Jaime said. “As I told Paige, I knew he needed a specific victim. According to the necromantic ritual book, he needs to shed the blood of someone who passed through the portal.”

“What?” Cassandra said. “That’s ridiculous. You’ve made a mistake, Jaime. Obviously, if they passed through the portal, they aren’t here to—”

Aaron clamped a hand over Cassandra’s mouth. “Continue, please, Jaime.”

“Cassandra’s right,” Jaime said. “Most people who pass through a portal never return, so the ritual doesn’t actually mean you need to kill—or rekill—the person who went through. That would work, but the ritual means figurative blood—the blood of the closest same-sex relative. That leaves fourpossibilities, since two of you went through. Someone could use Paige’s mother or daughter, or Lucas’s father or son. Now, I know Paige’s mom has passed over, so unless one of you guys has a kid stashed away—which I seriously doubt—that leaves one possibility.”

“My father,” Lucas murmured.

“And Edward has how long left?” I said. “About twenty-four hours before the portal closes for good? That leaves him one day to kidnap and kill the Cortez Cabal CEO. Right now, I bet Edward’s seriously researching the ‘hidden child’ theory. It would be near-impossible to get Benicio.”

“Perhaps,” Jeremy said. “But if he’s as determined as he seems, he’ll certainly try.”

“I should warn him,” Lucas said.

As he rose, he brushed his hand against my arm. I looked up and he nodded, almost imperceptibly, toward the bedroom, asking me to join him. I followed. Less than thirty seconds into the call, I understood why he felt the need for a little moral support.

“No, Papá,” he said firmly. “I am in absolutely no danger. This is about you—” Pause. “No, my blood—” Pause. “My blood won’t—” Pause. “Papá, listen to me. Please. Edward can’t use my blood for the ritual.”

The lie flowed so smoothly even I almost wondered whether I’d misunderstood Jaime.

“Consider it logically, Papá,” Lucas continued. “Why would the ritual require the blood of the person who passed through? That person is gone and, in almost every case, not coming back. In most sacrificial rituals, if the original subject is no longer available, you must use the nearest same-sex blood relative, correct?”

A brief pause. Lucas’s lips parted in a silent sigh of relief.

“Yes, that’s right,” he said. “Therefore you are the one in danger. I know you’re extremely security-conscious already, but this will require additional protection. For the next twenty-four hours, you should excuse yourself from public life and—”

Lucas stopped and listened, frown lines deepening with each passing second.

“Yes, yes, I do remember your mentioning it, but—” Pause. “In this one case, I believe you have a reasonable excuse for not attending—” Pause. “Yes, perhaps it would be a way to trap him, but—” Another sigh, this one audible. His eyes cut to me. “Let me speak to Paige, and I’ll phone you back.”

“What’s this about trapping Edward?” I said as Lucas hung up.

“My father is scheduled to make an appearance tonight—a semipublic appearance—and he refuses to bow out. He hopes Edward will show up.”