by J M Thomas
“Continue for five miles on Minuchin Boulevard.”
“Right ho. I don’t mean you’re a ho, Queen Vic. I just mean onward.” I checked my mirrors, looking for anything out of the ordinary. Of course, now that I knew something was out of the ordinary, everything looked wrong.
At every intersection, I checked each car three or four times, so much I couldn’t tell if I was being followed by nobody or everybody. I was scared to blink. Somehow, despite my raving, Queen Vic got us onto the highway. I don’t think I breathed for the entire twenty-minute drive.
As I exited off the ramp, the roar of a motorcycle engine whizzed past me. The helmet completely obscured the rider’s face, so I couldn’t be sure. But I took comfort in the assumption that Aeron was nearby.
The solid helmet didn’t obscure the movement of another vehicle behind the bike. The blur of a car thundered past me on the ramp so fast its tires squealed when the light turned red, stopping both it and the bike.
A couple cars in front of and behind me separated me from the motorcycle and the car following it in the other lane. I inched up a little until I was right on the bumper of the car in front of me. I wanted to see if I could memorize the car’s license plate number to recall later. But, strain as I might, I couldn’t quite get far enough forward for the plate to come into view.
The light changed, and they were off again on what Aeron’s GPS monarch would call a merry chase. As soon as the pursuing car was out of sight, I heaved a sigh of relief. I made my last right-hand turn, then navigated into the parking lot of a high-end rehab facility.
“You have arrived.”
I looked at the GPS as I parked. “Ok, I’m turning you off now, Majesty.” I took a deep breath as I looked around.
A couple elderly folks and their nurses were watching the fountain spray in the duck pond. The building cluster and grounds seemed untouched by the storms, except for a few leafy twigs littering the sidewalks.
I heaved another deep breath. “Whew. Ok. Calm. This is a calm place.” Was Aeron kidding about this not being safe? I deposited my keys into my pocket and collected my things into my bag. I wondered if the people I’d seen being taken around in wheelchairs needed a dating service. I could do with a few months of peace and quiet interviewing grandmas. In fact, they could check me in here and throw away my discharge papers.
I climbed out of my car, my shoulders relaxing as the warm late summer’s breeze swirled around me. As I strolled along, tension thawing a little in the quiet and the sunshine, I wondered how long I should wait for Aeron to show up before moving on to the shop. I had his phone, so there was no way he could call me.
At that thought, I took his phone in my hands again, hefting it. His device was a bit larger than mine, with a shatter-proof case around it. I put it next to mine in my bag, sitting right next to each other, the tiniest of indulgences, which I allowed just to see how it felt.
My anxiety rose up again. He can’t contact me. He couldn’t call for help if he needed to. I took a few slow strides toward an empty bench by the pond, wondering how long I should wait for him. As I walked, I pulled out my phone to check the time. A tap on my shoulder startled me so badly I almost dropped the phone. It was Aeron, and he was already heading toward the main entrance.
I caught up to him within a few seconds. “Are we good?” Are we safe? I swallowed the question, terrified of what the answer could be.
Aeron gave a terse nod, holding out his hand for his phone. “For now.”
I handed it to him. Then I shoved my hand in my bag, ready to pull out my notebook. “Anything I’m supposed to not say to this one? Tips for success?”
He huffed a laugh. “Good luck getting words in edgeways.”
As soon as he gave his name to the receptionist at the front desk, she stiffened like someone had chucked an ice cube down the back of her dress. The pert young woman escorted us to a long, narrow meeting room with soft, comfortable chairs, then closed the door behind her with a huff.
Five minutes of staring at an immaculate whiteboard and boring beige walls later, my anxiety started to ease. We’re in a rehab facility. Aeron said we’re good. We’re good.
Then the pock pock of high heels on linoleum signaled the arrival of someone important.
I wasn’t sure at first if she looked like she’d walked straight out of a hair salon advertisement or a beauty pageant. She was manicured head to toe, the very picture of a successful businesswoman who had no qualms flaunting it.
I wondered what made me instantly dislike her, since it couldn’t be some flaw. I didn’t usually mistrust people at first sight, but I could almost smell Aeron’s fear on the way in. Maybe it’d clouded my judgment. I closed my eyes for a second, then took a second look.
Aeron had managed to transform once again. Instead of the powerful presence I’d come to associate with him, he seemed bored to the point of being sleepy, certainly not afraid of anything. He almost seemed to melt into the furniture, all the spark tucked out of his eyes.
Then there was Alena. Unlike Marla, who poured everything into those around her and nothing into herself, this woman probably worked out, got her hair done at the best places, got her nails done regularly, paid for high-quality makeup… She rocked her style, I could give her that.
As she offered each of us a handshake, I got the idea that this lady had executive administration flowing in her veins thicker than her own lineage. Her energy charged the entire room as she glided to a stop, oozing confidence.
“How can I help you today, Lyons?”
“Alena Gibson, I’d like you to meet Celeste.” He met her coolness with unimpressed indifference. “She’s only been travelin’ wiv me to interview necros for a dating website.”
Only? What the heck does he mean by only? I sent Aeron a questioning look. He didn’t break his line of sight to acknowledge me.
“Ah, so you’re an administrator yourself!” Alena fixed me with a mask of warmth that didn’t quite manage to feel wholly genuine. “I manage six of these facilities in the tri-state area!” Pride swelled in her, straightening her even further. “We recently won our fourth award for best patient outcomes of any nursing and rehabilitation facility.”
“A feat which must take a considerable amount of energy to manage, I suppose.” Aeron kept his hands in his pockets. I wasn’t sure how to read him this time, either. He almost looked unconcerned.
Alena’s polished, collected demeanor started to melt away. Arrogance dripped from her as she sat down on the leather conference room chair, crossed her ankles perfectly, and smiled. “Look, you can sass me all you want about reaping, Lyons. It isn’t going to make a hill of beans of difference. In the end, the vote that it does no harm passed. Remind me, how many votes did we get that battle-class tactics were harmless?”
“‘Eh, don’t matter.” Aeron fell silent, casually glancing from the table to the door. Dryly, he added, “You were going to ask questions, Celeste?”
“Ahem, yes.” I struggled to find a starting point to cut through the weird, one-way tension as I sat and scooted my chair up to the table. “What kinds of features would you recommend for a dating service designed for necromancers?”
“Honestly?” Alena shook her hair out as she turned to me, the heavy box braids bouncing once before returning to their places. It was the move of a lioness preparing to go on the attack. “The ability to mark whether or not you’re even interested in other necros to begin with. Some of us prefer to spend our time with normal human beings.”
Alena added an extra layer of intensity behind her eyes on that one, giving a smile that said cross me, I dare you. She was looking at me, but her dare was clearly directed at the other person in the room. With that, she turned a smirk to him. “Nothing personal.”
Wait. Did these two have a bad breakup? I kicked the unhelpful thought out of my mind, cocking my head as I leaned toward my notepad on the table. “I think the main pages on HarmonE’s database allows you to sort magical affiliation or
not already,” I said, carefully sticking to business talk. “So a preference for magical or not, and a specific magical subtype nested underneath would make sense.”
“Yes. But the categories that clients get to choose from, at least on the applications I’ve used in the past, are worded too vaguely.” Alena gave a meaningful nod. “I, for one, have encountered more than one date who expressed interest in seeing people of magical talent, then ghosted the moment I revealed what type of magic I do.”
“Which is reaper magic, right?” My nerves rose on that one, since I’d only just picked up the term from their conversation a couple seconds ago. I hoped I’d said it right. I didn’t want to add to the tension already floating around the room.
Aside from Alena sending another triumphant glance in Aeron’s direction, nothing came of it. “Yes. Upon death, souls tear free from their body prisons and travel to the other world with magnificent grace and power. That energy can be harnessed and repurposed for the good of everyone.” She enunciated the “of everyone” so slowly I couldn’t miss it.
“Ahh, I see.” I caught a lot more than I dared say aloud as I scribbled my notes. No wonder you picked a nursing home to make your base of operations. You must get a huge amount of reaping energy. A whole network of hospitals? You’re set for life. So where does Aeron fit into all this?
“I wonder, does this little bird sing a love song? And is she as blind as you think, Lyons?” Alena’s phone buzzed on the table, interrupting her before she could elaborate.
She picked it up in a way that managed to not disturb her perfect nails, even to click them against the screen as she unlocked her device. “It seems I’m needed urgently. Might I continue our interview via email? As you see, managing a successful business comes with extensive demands.”
I nodded, reaching out to shake her hand with a relieved smile. My own phone vibrated in my pocket. “Absolutely.” As I reached for my card to hand it to her, I caught sight of the message, which’d come from a number I didn’t recognize.
Compliment Alena on the green smoke. Now.
“Umm…” I was terribly puzzled. “Nice green smoke?”
Her jaw dropped a bit in subtle disgust at me. “Figures,” she muttered, then went all administrator nice. “Yes, it’s an effect we use to brighten up recreation time for the seniors. If you’ll excuse me.” She accepted my card and rushed out the door.
Aeron placed his hand behind my shoulders, propelling me to the door as quickly as he could the second Alena disappeared from view. “Best we not dawdle, hmm?”
“What the heck was that text?” I whispered, my irritation creeping into my voice as he guided me down the hall the way we’d come.
In a tone almost too low for me to hear, he explained, “‘At was you masterfully buying us some time, if all goes as I ‘ope…” He snapped his mouth shut as a security camera loomed up around the corner. Slowing to a natural-looking gait, he escorted me out the way we’d come.
By the time we made it to the parking lot, I’d had enough. “You said you’d square with me. My patience is wearing really thin. Did you and her have a bad breakup or something? Because I didn’t see the first whiff of green smoke, but I couldn’t miss the sparks between you two.”
“Not ‘ere.” Aeron scowled. “Someplace what don’t ‘ave ears.”
I turned up my nose, waiting until we got all the way to the pond before responding. “Well, when you’re ready to come clean, you’ll have to do it on my turf. Campsite twelve on Snake Creek Bend. Your GPS signal will cut out when you lose cell service, but there are a gazillion signs.” And take your time. I’ll be hanging out with the birds.
Aeron nodded, then marched off toward wherever he’d parked his bike.
Chapter 13 – The Lion
I fumed to myself the whole fifty-minute drive up the side of the mountain overlooking the city.
“Why? Why am I always the last to know?” Oh, we don’t have to tell Celeste. Celeste will go along. “Jerks! I looked like such an idiot in front of all those people! At every stop he’s taken me to!” Not here. I’ll tell you later. “I’m tired of Mr. Cards-to-his-chest keeping me in the dark. I’m actually tired of it now.”
She’s so naive, so kind and gentle. Hailey knew when to say no, but Celeste says yes to everything... “Not anymore! This is my life. Mine! Not Aeron’s, not Hugo’s, not boss what’s-his-name.”
My fist slammed against the steering wheel. “Doesn't matter. None of it does.” I accelerated faster than I should have, whizzing around a slower driver. “I’m not going along with them one more step until I’m satisfied! This isn’t worth any paycheck, any apartment of my own. These guys are taking things far too seriously.”
My cell phone buzzed, and the shock almost sent me into tears. I pulled my foot off the gas, then merged into the slow lane before taking my mom’s call on bluetooth. Calm down, Celeste. Drive now, empty out the trash at the campsite later.
I forced more pep than I felt into my voice as I answered, my drawl seeping back in the second I started talking. “Hi, Ma! The signal’s about to cut out, but I thought I’d say ‘hi’ real quick.”
Her voice was like a balm. “Hey, baby, just calling to see how you were doing! Don’t let me keep you!”
“I’ll call you back soon, I promise!”
The signal started to crackle out. “You take care of yourself, baby girl.”
“You, too!” I called. “Love you!”
The call cut itself just as she was saying goodbye. Talk about some good timing. I wasn’t sure what I’d have said if she had another minute to get my answer. Hopefully, by the time I talked to her again, things would be doing better, and I could honestly give her a glowing report. Right now, though, I could use some straight answers and a side of respect.
“Someday. Someday, I will actually say no, and people will respect it.” I wondered what that would take. But for now, I wanted answers more than anything. If I said no now, there’d be no way I’d sleep tonight.
Aeron had already parked his motorcycle at my campsite when I arrived. He sat, arms crossed, on the picnic bench next to the bare clay where a tent would be if I had mine put up. I’d wait until he headed back to his place to roll everything out for the night.
I nodded at him in greeting. “This secluded enough for ya?” I thought about offering to put up my tent, but with how small it was … yeah, no. We could take a walk in the woods. I needed one, anyway.
He side-eyed the campsites on either side of us, then the row across from us. People milled about, mostly minding their own business, but one or two cast glances back in our direction. Aeron stuck out like a sore thumb. Then, I glanced at my sore finger and shook my head. That phrase makes so much sense now that I keep noticing. I’ll never take this finger for granted again.
“Not quite,” he replied with a shake of his head.
I saw his point, but that didn’t mean I had to like it. “There’s a trail that circles back here. About five miles. Think that’ll be enough?”
He rose. “If not, we can walk it twice, can’t we?”
With a huff, I took the lead. “I meant secluded enough. Unless the trees have eyes and ears, we’ll probably be the only ones out there.” For a moment, a childhood full of warnings about going into the woods with strange men caught my breath in my throat.
That Celeste will get herself into trouble one of these days. Hailey’s dead-eyed stare, how pale she was when she came back… these were the things that kept me up at night. And here I was, volunteering to march into the woods with a guy.
The thought didn’t even slow my steps. They were right; I really am a naive fool.
I took off my cardigan and left it on the picnic table. I grabbed my sneakers out of the car and threw my boots in the back. The trail was well-worn, well-marked, and I’d hiked it a few times already since I’d come out here.
Aeron walked in silence next to me for several minutes. He wasn’t talking, and that only irritated me more. I stop
ped mid-stride and faced him squarely. “Well?”
“Yeah.” He stepped around me and kept walking but slowed his pace with a pained sigh. “You got questions?”
“So many I don’t know where to begin.” I matched his pace. He’s not gonna disrespect me and get away with it. I have to start standing up for myself somewhere, might as well be here. “You get zero lies. What’s been really going on these past couple days?”
Aeron cringed, bending down to scoop up a handful of pebbles. He let most fall through his fingers, then tossed the larger rocks one-by-one at the trees as we hiked. “I’ve been conducting private business wiv ovver necros under the guise of bringing you to ‘em, to be sure.” He raked his teeth over his bottom lip, then raised an eyebrow at me. “I’m sorry to a ‘undred worlds and back, Lessie, but at the time, it was as good an excuse as any.”
“So, all these people are necromancers you have business with, great.” The tide of every interaction I’d had in the last couple days shifted in significance. “Marla, Lana, Sian… You used me!”
“Yeah, I did, didn’t I?” Aeron seemed crestfallen. “I didn’t see a way around it at the time, but now I can’t see nuffink but ways around it. It was all wrong—I should’ve sat you down for a nice pint before’and, told you all what was goin’ on, but I didn’t fink you’d ‘ave believed me.”
Genuine pain rimmed his eyes. “No one believes me when I tell ‘em, so I’ve gotten in the rotten ‘abit of waitin’ and showin’ em. But just because it works, doesn’t make it right.”
“What you showed me,” I seethed, “is that I can’t trust you. How could you? All of them...”
“‘Ere’s a few more, ones we ‘aven’t seen.” Aeron scanned the underbrush. “You know ol’ Orterios…”
“No, I don’t know him.” Frustration edged my voice, threatening to explode. “Because I don’t work in the freaking underworld, Aeron!” I stamped my foot impatiently, my walk becoming a march for a moment before I regained control. “And?”
He sighed. “You really don’t want to know.
