Fang Shway in LA by Casey Knight Page A

with this wizard we would need to be ready. His magic was stronger than mine, however,  I suspected my control was better, our lives depended on it. I was just finishing when I heard Xena herald the guys return.

Chapter 8
     
    “Any luck?” I yelled as I put the last potion into a small vial and capped it.
    Traygen bounded into the room grinning from ear-to-ear. Tokem wasn’t far behind. I’d say they looked like the cats that swallowed the canary but Tokem is sensitive about size issues.
    “Well don’t keep me waiting.” I said.
    “You better have a seat. Do you want something to drink? I’m thirsty.”
    “Bring me one of whatever you’re having. I’ve been slaving over my beakers.”
    Traygen came back a few minutes later with beer and cold pizza. “Early morning breakfast of champions,” he said as he handed me my food. Sinking into the nearest recliner and sighing contentedly he took a long swallow of beer. “It took us a while,” he said between bites. “Tokem spotted some unusual activity near an abandoned building.”
    “That’s me, eyes like an eagle, faster than a...”
    “Modest, too,” I quipped.
    “We landed several blocks away so I could change without attracting attention. Moving through back alleys, gliding close to buildings and keeping in shadows we reached the warehouse. It looked deserted and we were about to sneak inside when we heard someone coming. Blending back into the shadows we waited. Several of the cartel’s thugs came staggering into view. They were drunk and talking loudly.
    “We crept closer so we could hear what they were saying. They were fumbling with the lock and one of them said something about the wizard trying to get them killed. Unfortunately they pushed the door open and went inside before I could hear any more. Tokem checked out the building and found a truck pulled up to the loading dock in the back of the building. I was able to climb up on top of the truck and from there leap up onto the roof of the building. I crawled along the roof, found a broken window and slide inside. There was a light coming from an open door on the ground floor. I walked along a catwalk until I could see into the room. The men were sitting around a small table cleaning their guns.
    “I decided to try to get closer so I could hear what they were saying. When I got nearer I noticed an air vent. It made their conversation, limited as it was, easier to hear. The vent amplified the conversation, when there was any. There were long stretches of silence, and it was starting to get lighter. Then a phone rang and one of the men answered. Whoever answered listened and then said okay before hanging up.
    “It’s Azif. I don’t trust him.”
    “Shut up and let him in. The boss does which is good enough for me.”
    “I heard someone leave and then a few minutes later footsteps returning. Then I saw him, briefly anyway. He’s a small Middle Eastern man of average height with a swarthy complexion. I didn’t think it was safe to stay and I swear he was sniffing the air.”
    “You’re probably right. You wield strong magic and he probably felt it. Quick thinking.”
    “I wish we could have stayed around to hear more but at least we know where he is. What did you find out?”
    “Astaroth reluctantly gave me the wizard’s name.”
    Traygen jumped up from his chair, “Lauren you called that guy without backup. You should have waited. Are you out of your mind? You could have been killed. He is a mean bastard.”
    “You weren’t here and I can take care of myself. There wasn’t time. A lot more people will die if we don’t stop this wizard. You can’t protect me all the time.”
    “I would, if you’d let me,” he muttered.
    “What did you…I made some potions to offset our wizard’s power. Now I believe we should pay him a visit, if you still want to protect me. I have a bad feeling that Al Azif is trying to start something between the vamps and the cartel.”
    Tokem zipped into