Woman King Read online

  JP smiled. “You’ll definitely be seeing me again.”

  True to his word, JP returned and stayed for most of the party, interviewing guests and, of course, Levi. I kept a close eye on him, but could not detect anything but professional intentions when it came to the candidate. Levi, having already been a congressman, needed very little help with the media.

  The kick-off party had been a success, the festivities lasting longer than any of us had expected. As I was cleaning up later that evening, I thought for a moment about how things had gone. More than 100 supporters dropped by to celebrate and take home a campaign sign. It may seem odd, the fixation with campaign signs. But for a candidate they’re important. To drive or walk through an area or a specific street and see a sign in every window is a powerful visual. It’s street-level advertising and it can be quite successful. It also can be intimidating to your opposition, although we didn’t know quite yet who that would be.

  Pleased, I went to sleep that night happy that things had begun so smoothly.

  The success of the evening was one of the topics I was prepared to review with Gabriel and the rest of the team when we held our de-briefing meeting later in the day. Thanks to the end of daylight savings, darkness arrived much earlier, which meant we could begin our meeting sooner.

  At the moment, it was early morning and I was stretching in my bedroom, preparing to go for a run in the park. I pulled on my running shoes and slipped a spare front door key into a small pocket in my running tights. By the time I made it out the door, the pink light of dawn was peeking over the edges of the sky from the east, but racing to beat it was a cold, wet fog. I could hear the horns blowing off the coast as I set off on my run, and by the time I made it to the music concourse near the de Young Museum, the fog had made it all the way into the city. I was curious to know if today’s wet mess was the result of nature or something else. I wasn’t aware of anything special going on, but it was likely I didn’t know everything that went on with the Council. I was only a human consultant for them, after all, and not a full-fledged member. I quickly passed the museum and headed down a side path that cut behind the building and onto another road. By the time I turned the corner to head west and go deeper into the park, the mist was so thick I could not see more than a few steps ahead.

  The low pitch of the foghorns could be heard every few seconds now, no doubt warning large cargo ships away from danger out on the bay. I was so distracted listening to the repeating rhythm that it took me a moment to register that there was a man standing on the sidewalk in front of me. I stopped myself abruptly mid-run and waited. Thanks to the fog, he seemed to have appeared out of nowhere. That would have been startling enough, but what was more shocking was his appearance.

  Approaching me was a tall man with tight, curly black hair. He wore a garish suit consisting of a bright red velvet blazer, a red shirt and black trousers tucked into cowboy boots. A straw cowboy hat sat perched on his head. He was overdressed for any occasion, but in this situation, his clothing appeared even more absurd. The combination of his attire and physical build gave him the look of a menacing rodeo clown.

  But I knew instinctively that there was nothing silly or good-natured about him and I also knew our meeting was probably not a coincidence. The figure in front of me was a demon. I could feel him trying to trip me, to flood my mind with despair. Maybe if he’d dressed like another runner in the park I would have been caught off guard. But his gaudy costume had alerted me immediately. I stopped directly in front of him, prepared for anything.

  “Olivia,” the thing purred. “We share a common connection. Stoner Halbert sends his regards.” Ah, so this was Stoner’s demon, I thought privately, wondering how he managed to stay anonymous with such outlandish taste in fashion.

  “I’m not sure you can call it sharing,” I said. “But I know Stoner. What does he want?”

  The demon smiled, revealing a set of very brown teeth. “He wants you to know that there will be another candidate in the race for Seat 15.”

  I’m not sure why, but his involvement didn’t surprise me. Stoner Halbert was after my life, mostly because he thought it was easy to take. But he didn’t know what I’d been up to these last few weeks. He didn’t know about the Council. The fact that I was even able to hold this conversation was proof that Elsa had saved my life.

  “You tracked me to the park on my run to tell me this?” I asked. “Why not hold a press conference and make an announcement like other candidates?”

  It was a little childish of me to spar verbally with a demon—essentially a bag of bones with bad intentions. After my quip, the demon became angry and I felt the full force of him against my skull. I knew I could hold him off for a while, but not indefinitely, and I began to wonder what would happen if I tried to run past him. In the end, I decided to take a different approach, in the hope that I could cut our visit short.

  “Listen,” I said cordially. “You can tell Stoner that I have received his message and that I said may the best candidate win.”

  This seemed to take his temperature back down to normal.

  “OK then,” I said, “if you don’t mind, I am going to go now.”

  Once again I was treated to a smile and the demon pivoted his body so that I could pass on the sidewalk. I slipped by the big red one gingerly, thankful that I noticed a path leading up a hill back in the direction of my house. Curtailing my run and heading directly home to avoid any more trouble seemed like the best idea. I ran at a brisk pace toward my house, glad that I had slipped a key in my pocket.

  Now that I had managed to put some distance between Halbert’s messenger and myself, my adrenaline kicked in, causing my hands to tremble as I put the key in the lock to my front door. I closed the door behind me and leaned against the wood to catch my breath. Elsa was not home. She had been staying away for longer periods of time, and I was beginning to wonder whether my roommate would be moving on shortly.

  Staring down a demon is tiring business. Feeling depleted, I went upstairs and took a warm shower to calm my nerves and heat up my bones, which felt hollow and chilled from the encounter.

  Once I was dressed, I returned to the kitchen to make myself a cappuccino and plopped some bread into the toaster. While I waited for the toast, I checked my phone for messages. I had several texts from William, reminding me that we were supposed to go out tomorrow night. I smiled and texted him back that he could pick me up at 5 pm I had a second set of texts from JP asking me to call him. I clicked through on the number he’d sent, which looked to be his cell and within a few seconds he picked up the call.

  “JP, it’s Olivia,” I said.

  “You got my texts?” he asked.

  “That’s how I knew to call this number,” I said. “So what’s up? Are you calling to tell me that Levi has an opponent?” I could feel his disbelief over the telephone. He thought he was going to be the one to surprise me. I liked being able to surprise him; it almost made the visit from the demon cowboy worth it.

  “How did you know?” he asked.

  “I ran into someone who knows Stoner Halbert,” I said. “He let me know there was going to be a opposing candidate. But I don’t know who it is.”

  “Her name is Lacy Smith,” JP said. “She’s an attorney and a member of the local Tea Party.” I was listening to JP and formulating my statement. I knew he wanted a comment, an official one from the campaign.

  “I assume you are looking for a quote from the campaign?”

  “Yes,” he said.

  “OK. Here it is,” I said. “We welcome Ms. Smith’s entrance into the race, and look forward to a spirited debate about the issues as the campaign progresses.”

  JP snorted into the phone. “That’s it? You don’t want to comment on her credentials?”

  “I’m really not familiar enough to make any further statements,” I said, knowing I sounded very much the reticent campaign manager. “So...is that it?”

  “Actually I have one more question,” he said
. I knew before he asked that whatever he was about to say, he felt nervous. “Do you want to have dinner sometime soon?”

  His request surprised me. Setting aside William and my already head-over-heels feelings for him, it was a plain old bad idea to date the reporter covering your campaign. It was unprofessional and downright dangerous, since the line between lovers and adversaries can get blurred in a hurry. And let’s face it; the press is often a campaign’s adversary. I decided a work-related brush-off was my best tactic.

  “You know, these days my schedule is pretty jam-packed with work,” I said, trying to sound nonchalant. “Why don’t you ask me again in a few weeks?”

  This elicited an “OK, will do,” and we said our goodbyes. I turned the ringer volume up on my phone, expecting similar calls from reporters during the next several hours. I decided to make another espresso and work from home until it was time to meet with Gabriel.

  After I hung up with JP, I left a voicemail for Gabriel telling him about Lacy. Then I called Levi and briefed him on both Lacy and the quote I’d given to JP. Levi asked if he should make a statement. I discouraged him. “You can comment when she says or does something that deserves your attention,” I said. “In the meantime, let me be the one who speaks.”

  When I’d finished with Levi, I called Paul Levant, the head of the Democratic Party, to let him know his prediction had come true.

  “Shit, that was fast…Love the name though. Doonesbury has a character named Lacey, except she is a tough old Democrat; nothing like what you’re facing.”

  “And what am I facing?” I asked, knowing I would enjoy his answer.

  “It’s like I told you before,” he said. “To me, a Bible is something you put your hand on to make a point. With her, it’s a manual for living.”

  “I’m not sure if you know, but Stoner Halbert is running her election,” I said, changing the subject.

  “Interesting,” he said. “That guy seems to pop up everywhere. It should make for a great race; the two of you will both give as good as you get.”

  ****

  CHAPTER 21

  A large picture of Lacy Smith was staring down at me from a screen on the wall when I walked into the conference room to start my meeting with Gabriel and other members of the Council. Joining us were Elsa, Aidan Burke and an older woman in her fifties with beautiful, long grey hair, who was introduced to me as Madeline Klein, the Canadian Ambassador to the U.S., as well as a witch and longtime member of the Council.

  The meeting began with a briefing about some of the other campaigns the Council was working on in the United States. Political issues in Europe and beyond were not going to be a part of my agenda for the time being.

  Aidan opened up his laptop and began reporting on a number of political races—some in California, some in other states. There was a congressional race in Alabama, several contests to retain the seats of incumbent superior court judges in Pennsylvania, Kentucky and Ohio. All told, the Council seemed to be involved in, or monitoring, more than two dozen races.

  “Why do these particular fights interest you?” I asked Aidan, as I was getting ready to give my report.

  “We’re looking for situations where we can make a difference,” Aidan said. “But, as you may recall, we have to be careful not to be too obvious.”

  “Yes,” I said. “You scoffed at my request that we just cast a spell on an entire town.”

  “Exactly,” Aidan said, laughing. “But occasionally you do read about candidates that have an amazing comeback from behind. There are moments, you see, when voters can be persuaded to have a change of heart.”

  “Don’t you wish you could win every race?” I asked.

  “We’re not a political party,” Gabriel said, joining the conversation. “We don’t want to control the balance of power absolutely.”

  “Why not? It seems like things would be much easier.”

  “Be careful. Those words or some facsimile have been spoken by many a dictator,” Gabriel said grimly. “We’re here to help maintain a balance, not dominate the fate of mankind. There must be some room for humans to make bad decisions and live with the consequences. There must be some opportunity for them to fight for their own causes.”

  “So you don’t care if I win the campaign?”

  “Bien sûr. I do care.” Gabriel said. “I want you to win, but that is not what we were discussing. You asked why we don’t just bewitch entire towns and states. We choose races where we know we can make a difference. We identify individuals who we know will go on to play a major role in the advancement of human society. So yes, when we send you in to work, we want you to win. But using magic is not like painting a house. You can’t just cover everything up and hope it will endure through the years.”

  “I understand,” I said, feeling slightly humbled by his remarks. “Shall I start my report?”

  “Please,” Aidan said, offering me a reassuring smile.

  I started the discussion by describing my encounter with Halbert’s demon in the park earlier in the day. “I really credit Elsa,” I said, four pairs of eyes fixed on me as I described the creature’s red attire and cowboy hat. “Without my training, I don’t know if I would be here now describing all of this to you.”

  Elsa grimaced. “You were wise to limit your time around him,” she said.

  “Why do you think he came to find me in the first place?”

  “It’s a good question,” said Aidan. “One we will look into. We expected Halbert’s demon to move on to easier targets, not to go looking for you.”

  “Maybe someone sent him,” Madeline offered, speaking for the first time.

  “I would have thought Halbert did,” I said.

  “As I said,” Aidan said. “I will look into it.”

  “Olivia, “ Gabriel said smiling at me. “Perhaps until we get this sorted out you will refrain from running alone in the park? We can’t afford to have something happen to you in the middle of the campaign. I would be happy to pay for you to join a fitness club.”

  “Wow,” I said. “Do you treat all of your campaign consultants so well?”

  The emotional response was quick, and I felt the communal apprehension at my words immediately. Then, very quickly, it disappeared and everyone in the room was all smiles.

  “Olivia, you’re helping elect a candidate who is destined for great things,” said Madeline. “I come from a long line of witches who predict the future. Levi Barnes could be a great leader for your country; his contributions to peace will be immense, but he must be elected first.”

  “OK, I will stay out of the park, unless Elsa is with me.” With my own security issues out of the way, I circled back to the woman staring down at me from the screen on the wall.

  “Lacy Smith is a svelte, forty-something conservative woman who believes that God should control everything, right down to how the government establishes the tax code,” I explained. “She’s generally regarded as a decent public speaker, but she does have a few on-the-record incidents of making outrageous statements. I’m hoping we’ll see some of that during the campaign.”

  After providing a few more personal details about Lacy, I moved on to give the group an overview of what had been accomplished so far, touching on everything from the need to develop a poll, to the final design of the campaign’s logo. I told them about the campaign office in Palo Alto and the success of the kick-off party.

  “Good briefing,” Aidan said. “We’ll expect you to provide another update in a few weeks.”

  After the meeting ended, Gabriel asked me if I would have dinner with him. I agreed easily, glad for an opportunity to spend a little time alone with the man who had changed my life so greatly. I walked into the main area of the Council’s offices chatting with Aidan about the full moon arriving the next evening.

  “Will you be going out?” I asked.

  “Oh, yes,” he said, his delight obvious. “I shall go for a long run in the park.”

  Suddenly I had an image of mys
elf galloping across the forest the night Elsa had given me peyote. “I highly recommend it,” I said giggling. “A good run in the middle of the night can be very satisfying.”

  After saying goodnight to Aidan, I waited while Gabriel walked away to fetch his coat. As is my habit, I started to scan the area, watching what other people were up to. One corner of the room caught my attention. It was at the far end of the main hall, where Nikola Pajović kept his office. The door to his private quarters was closed, but outside, seated next to the door, was an olive complexioned man vibrating with anxiety. Broadly built, he had the body of a soldier or a bouncer at a nightclub. His hair had been shaved, so only dark black stubble remained. It matched his beard, which was also closely shorn.

  A prominent red outline hovered around him. His energy was all wrong: dark and full of anger. He wasn’t human, either. Knowing the company Nikola kept, I suspected he was a werewolf. It would certainly explain the dark hair and skin. Whatever he was, whatever his intentions, he didn’t like being left outside in the hallway. The minute Nikola opened the door the man jumped up and disappeared inside.

  Nikola’s door slammed shut at the same moment Gabriel arrived and escorted me out of the building.

  “An odd man just walked into Nikola’s office,” I said. “His aura was dark, very damaged.”

  “Nikola often keeps grim company,” Gabriel said. “It’s a function of his time in the Balkan Wars. A lot of his associates are veterans. Serbs, I think. As a rule, they’re very reticent people.”

  A black BMW sedan was waiting for us at the curb outside in front of the museum. Gabriel greeted his driver warmly as the man stepped out of the car and came around to open the door for the two of us.

  “I am old-fashioned and prefer to let someone else do the driving. I hope you don’t find it too ostentatious.”

  I laughed. “I don’t mind at all,” I said. “My mother also likes to use a car service, but with her I think it’s safer for everyone if she doesn’t operate a vehicle. She gets too distracted to watch the road.”