The Prof Croft Series: Books 0-4 (Prof Croft Box Sets Book 1) Brad Magnarella (ink book reader txt) 📖

I raised my eyes to the images of the abandoned station. The eerie infrared feeds showed the first ghouls shambling into view and then wheeling around in the face of ghouls arriving from the other directions. Several climbed onto the platform. Sensing they were being corralled, they scrambled over turnstiles and hammered their fists against the steel barriers beyond.

“I’m going to step out and ready the shields,” I told Cole. “Have them use the flames on any more stragglers. Let me know when the lines are clear.”

“Will do,” he said.

I stepped from the tent, squinting in the sudden light. In the center of the road, halfway between the station’s two entrances, I planted my feet. Eyes closed to the flashing police cordon several blocks ahead, I aligned myself with the defensive sigils I’d etched the day before. I reinforced the two shields over the subway exits to street level. Then I shifted my focus to the sigils at the mouths of the three lines feeding the station.

“Southbound line is clear,” a tech called from behind me.

“Cerrare,” I said. Energy flowed down my legs, through the street, and into the sigils. I felt a robust shield swell into place between the retreating southbound team and the station.

“Ditto the westbound line,” the tech called a minute later.

I repeated the Word, walling in the station from the east.

One to go.

At that moment, the droning of a fast-approaching vehicle broke through my concentration. What the…?

I wheeled around to find a white news van squealing to a stop behind me. A camera crew poured from the van’s side door. They weren’t the only ones. More news vans appeared, parking at odd angles over the closed-off road, ejecting crews who proceeded to unspool cables, off-load equipment, and aim cameras at the subway entrances.

A blond woman, whom I recognized as an anchor for one of the local news networks, appeared in a bright red dress and matching pumps. She primped her feathered hair and, mike in hand, nodded at her cameraman.

“We’re reporting from the Canal Street Station, where Mayor—”

“Hey!” I shouted. “What in the hell do you think you’re doing? We’re in the middle of an operation.” I turned toward the tent. “Captain Cole!’

The anchor frowned and made a cutting motion across her neck to the cameraman.

“Do you mind?” she said to me.

“Do I mind?” I pictured the hundreds of ghouls pouring into the station right below us. I needed to concentrate, dammit. I thought I’d made that clear. Why wasn’t anyone ushering these clowns out of here?

She planted a fist against her waist. “We’re about to go live.”

“Live? Here?” I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. “Who gave you authorization?”

The woman was opening her mouth when a black Escalade rolled into the mix. The anchor and cameras turned toward it. When the Escalade stopped, a bevy of security personnel emerged, one of them opening the passenger door. Budge’s smiling face appeared.

“I don’t fucking believe this,” I muttered.

Budge climbed from the Escalade and tottered toward the blond anchor. “Courtney, honey, how are you? Not still knocking around with that bum from Channel 4, I hope.”

Courtney’s lips pursed into a flirty smile. “Ancient history.”

“Good,” Budge said. “’Cause you’re way out of his league. Better anchor, too.”

I charged toward him. “Sorry to interrupt your little chat, but you let them through?”

Budge stumbled around until his watery eyes fixed on mine. “Well, sure,” he said. “Someone has to document the moment of triumph.” When he laughed, I caught a waft of alcohol.

“That wasn’t the plan,” I said through clenched teeth.

“And who’s this?” Courtney asked Budge.

The mayor pushed his way past his security detail and grabbed me around the shoulder. The cameras followed him. “This,” he said, hugging me to his side, “is my secret weapon.”

“Let’s keep it down, huh?” I whispered.

“Everson Croft!” he proclaimed. “New York City’s greatest wizard!”

I felt the color drain from my face as I looked wildly from camera to camera.

Courtney squeezed in beside me and motioned her cameraman into position. He pointed at her to go. “I’m standing here with Mayor Lowder,” Courtney said, “and who he’s calling his ‘secret weapon’ in his campaign to rid the city of evil creatures, wizard extraordinaire, Everson Craft.”

“Croft,” the mayor corrected her.

“He’s only joking, you know,” I said.

“I’m sorry. Everson Croft,” she amended. “Can you tell us in what capacity you’re helping the mayor, Mr. Croft? Are you employing standard magic, or have you cooked up something special for the campaign?” She tipped the microphone toward me, eyes glittering in fascination.

As far as the Order was concerned, we revealed our magical identities at our own risk. And in a city like New York, risks ran aplenty. Especially now, with public outrage over supernaturals growing by the day.

“Mr. Croft?” Courtney prompted.

With energy I couldn’t afford to expend, I swelled my wizarding aura. One by one, the blinking lights of the cameras went dark. Courtney’s cameraman lowered the contraption from his shoulder and looked at it.

“Something inside just blew,” he grumbled.

“Well, grab the backup,” Courtney snapped. “Hurry!”

“Northbound line is clear,” the tech called from the tent.

I wriggled from between Courtney and the mayor. “I need everyone to get back,” I called. “Way back.”

Budge gave an embarrassed laugh. “That’s not necessary, folks.”

“Yes, it is,” I told them. I lowered my voice so only Budge could hear me. “If you don’t want this operation turning into a shit show on live television, you’re going to get them out of here. Now.”

The mayor’s face sobered. “Will a block be enough?”

“Yeah, sure,” I said. “Just get them out of my hair.”

“You heard him,” Budge said, pushing his hands toward the crews. “Back it up a block. The man needs to work.” The mayor’s security detail formed a line and walked them back.

“You too,” I told Budge as I stepped past him.

God, what a frigging nightmare.

With the intersection to myself again, I drew a calming breath and aligned myself with the final sigils.

“Cerrare,” I said.

A shudder rose through the