Free For Whom the Spell Tolls by H. P. Mallory Page A

“Hello?”
    “Guten morgen, Sweet,” Bram’s English accent purred into the receiver.
    “What are you doing awake?” I asked immediately with a quick glance up at the sky. Although it was still early morning, and the sun had not quite risen to the center of the sky, it was still undeniably daytime.
    “I am in the Netherworld, my dear, where I do not fear any hour of the day.”
    “You’re in the Netherworld?!” I repeated incredulously. Knight speared me with a pointed expression, but I refused to acknowledge him, since it was more than obvious that Knight wanted nothing to do with Bram. But what he didn’t realize was that Bram was the answer to my plan and I needed him. Scratch that, we needed him.
    “What the hell is he doing in the Netherworld?” Knight demanded.
    “What are you doing in the Netherworld, Bram?” I asked, suddenly sincerely worried for his well-being. “Are you in trouble?” I took a breath. “Are you sure it’s safe to talk? What phone are you calling me from?”
    Bram chuckled for a few seconds, sounding as if he had all the time in the world. “I appreciate your concern, my pet. As to your questions, no, I am not in trouble. And, yes, I am quite certain the line is safe.”
    “What are you doing in the Netherworld?” I asked finally, my tone of voice sounding harsher because I wasn’t in the mood to play detective.
    “I have more information for you, my dear,” the vampire responded. “I am contacting you to request the privilege of your presence this evening so I can reveal my latest findings to you.”
    “Tonight?” I repeated. This was my last night to spend with Knight before we invaded the Netherworld. Was it too much to hope for one last romantic evening?
    “What the hell does he want?” Knight commanded.
    “Just a minute, Bram,” I said, muffling the receiver in my shirt as I turned to face Knight. “He says he has more information for me and asked me to have dinner with him tonight.”
    “Like hell you’re going to have dinner with him again,” Knight said, with a tight jaw and rage in his eyes. “Whatever he has to tell us, he can tell us right now over the phone. I’m sick to death of playing by his rules.”
    I shook my head. “You know he will only ignore our demands, Knight. If we want information from him, we have to play by his rules.”
    Knight took a deep breath. “Give me the phone.”
    Assuming I had no choice, I handed the phone to Knight and watched his whole demeanor stiffen as he prepared his side of the argument that was destined to ensue. “What game are you playing, Bram?” he asked in an acid tone.
    “Ah, my brutish friend,” I heard Bram reply. “It surprises me to hear your voice when I thought the lovely fairy was speaking to me.”
    “Cut the crap. What information do you have for us?” Knight demanded.
    I could hear Bram chuckling. “Forgive me, but I have no information for you.”
    “Yeah, that’s what I figured. Do us both a favor and …”
    “I repeat that I have information for my sweet, which will no doubt benefit The Resistance.” After a few moments of silence, he added, “However, I do have something to say to you. Your fair leader has been purged from the toxic effects of the Blueliss and now wishes to reunite with you.”
    At the mention of Christina, I realized Bram was firmly on the road to getting his way. “Give me the phone, Knight,” I said with steely resolve. “We’re going to play this his way.”
    Knight said nothing as he passed the phone to me. In reading his frown and furrowed brows, it was pretty apparent he also realized Bram had won, at least, for now anyway.
    “You say the kindest things, Sweet,” Bram said as soon I held the phone up to my ear.
    “Where are we meeting and what time?” I asked just as something else occurred to me. “And you better not expect me to come to the Netherworld.”
    Bram chuckled again. “Of course not, Sweet, of course not. I realize the Netherworld is