Unstoppable Liv Beaufont Boxed Set

by Sarah Noffke

  Liv shook her head. “He can talk. I promise.”

  John didn’t seem to hear her as he cued up another song on his jukebox, moving his shoulders as he did. It had quickly become his favorite thing in the store, which made Liv happy. “Have you finished fixing the hairdryer Mrs. Johnson brought in?”

  “Oh, I got that fixed ages ago,” Liv said, striding over to the shelves.

  “And how about the three different vacuum cleaners we got in this morning?” John questioned.

  “Yep, those are all good.” Liv moved around various items on the shelf, trying to find the devices she’d repaired that morning. “The thing is, we got in a ton of stuff the last week.”

  John nodded, moving his feet to Love Me Do. “Yes, business is bustling. I couldn’t be happier. I think it has something to do with the new energy in here. It’s…happier.”

  Liv smiled. “You’re happier, and it’s contagious. The customers love it.”

  John swayed and Pickles barked, enjoying the dancing. “Well, whatever it is, I’m thrilled.”

  “I’m glad, but we’re running out of places for all the devices,” Liv began. “Even the back is full.”

  “It’s a good problem to have,” John said. “Never in thirty years do I remember being able to say I had too much work. But with your help, it’s not too much. Just enough.”

  “I’m glad, but I think we have a new problem.” Liv squinted, trying to see what was on the back of the shelf. “I can’t find anything. There’s just too much here, and it’s all crammed together.”

  “Do you think we need a better organization system?” John asked, his mood not altered from this news.

  “I think that we need to expand the shop,” Liv stated.

  John froze. “But the laundromat on the other side has been there for ages. And the deli on the other side, well, I love the Thomasons. And I can’t even dream of moving.”

  Liv held up her finger. “No, I mean magically expanding. There are spells that magicians, especially the giants, use to fit more into less, like the book that Rory gave me.” She indicated Mysterious Creatures, which was sitting on the workbench. It was almost always by her side. “Giants aren’t into making things look better than they are, like magicians do with their homes, but a simple renovation spell could do the trick.”

  “Do you know how to do such a thing?” John asked.

  Liv deflated. “I’m afraid I don’t, but I’ll learn if you agree to the change.”

  John thought for a moment. “It would be nice to have more shelf space in here, but you’re already taxed with multiple jobs like tracking down specters or whatever they are.”

  “Demons,” Liv corrected with a giggle.

  John grimaced. “Still don’t like the idea that you have to hunt such horrible things. I don’t know what they are entirely, only what mortal fiction says about them, and it’s not good.”

  Liv nodded. “I’m certain they are much worse in real life than the books, but don’t worry. Bellator keeps me safe.”

  “I’m grateful for that,” John stated. “Didn’t you say that House of Seven uses one of those spells to hide its size?”

  “Yes, the entrance to it in Santa Monica looks like a rundown two-story palm-reading shop,” Liv explained.

  “And the actual building?” John asked.

  “It’s seven stories, and quite extensive,” Liv said, her heart starting to race just from thinking about the building. “And there are large grounds that include a huge garden. The library takes up an entire floor, although it’s three stories most of the time.”

  “Most of the time?” John questioned, his brow furrowing.

  “Well, it changes depending on… Well, I’m not sure what are the factors that influence the library are,” Liv stated. “My parents used to say that it was more alive than the garden. If you’re not careful, you can easily get lost in there. Apparently, there is still a magician in there who went searching for a book on dragons over a decade ago, and no one has seen him since.”

  John laughed. “What an incredible place. I’m not sure why you choose to live in that crummy apartment instead of at the House of Seven.”

  Liv shot him a look of offense. “Take that back, John Carraway. My apartment isn’t crummy. It’s awesome and perfect for me, and I can clean it in under ten minutes.”

  “You could clean it in under ten seconds if you used magic,” John corrected.

  She laughed now. “That’s true, but I’m trying to stay humble.”

  “And I’m glad you still like your apartment,” John said. “If you want to do some renovations to the shop, I’m not going to decline. Business is great, and I don’t want to lose the momentum.”

  Liv put her finger to her lips, thinking of how to use an expansion spell. She didn’t want to get this wrong, or she could blow a hole in the wall or make a whole shelf of appliances disappear.

  The front door of the shop chimed as Clark entered. He was wearing his usual overly starched pinstripe suit and long dragonhide cape. Today he was sporting a cane with a silver lion’s head and wearing an irritated expression on his face.

  “Hey, the old man down the block called and said he wants his cane back,” Liv joked.

  He didn’t laugh. “You took Sophia out of the House!”

  Liv reared back, not expecting this outburst. “I did, but only to go to Rory’s house.”

  John, probably sensing that things were going to get heated, acted as if he were looking for something and it was undoubtedly in the back of the shop.

  “That’s even worse,” Clark nearly yelled, getting control of his anger. “A giant’s house. That’s where you took our little sister. You realize that giants hate us?”

  “Not Rory,” Liv argued. “Well, he hates us less than the other giants, anyway.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Clark said, his cheeks flushing red. “Sophia is young, but she has her magic. It’s not safe for her to be out of the House.”

  “That’s no life for her to live,” Liv countered. “You know that Mom and Dad would have never approved of locking her up.”

  Clark sighed. “Mom and Dad aren’t here. They’re dead, and we’re the ones who are supposed to be caring for Sophia now. Well, actually that was left on me because you abandoned us.”

  Now it was all coming out. Liv stood, feeling the anger vibrate in her. “I didn’t abandon you. I left because I couldn’t stand to be in the House of Seven. Everywhere I looked it reminded me of them. And I argued that there was something not right about their deaths and no one would listen. I couldn’t take it anymore, so yes, I left, but I didn’t abandon my family. When you needed me, what did I do?”

  Clark simmered for a moment, his eyes buzzing with stress. “You came back, but that doesn’t excuse that you left in the first place. And I’ve been given the role of caring for Sophia, and she’s not to leave the House again. I shouldn’t have even brought her here for the party.”

  “Clark, she might be young, but she’s not incompetent—”

  “I know that, Liv,” he cut her off. “That’s why she has to be protected. If anyone knew what she was capable of... Well, I don’t even want to think about it. They could try to take her from us.”

  “I’d never allow that to happen,” Liv snapped. “There are only a few people I’d lay down my life for, but that little girl is at the very top of the list.”

  Clark laughed dryly. “That list is long, actually. Who do you think you’re fooling? And that’s another excellent point. You’re a Warrior with a ton of enemies. Sophia isn’t safe leaving the House with you.”

  “She’s much safer with me than with you. You wouldn’t even know how to fight a hungry cockroach,” Liv spat.

  “I would too,” Clark fired.

  “And she’s my sister too. She needs to see the world, not just read about it in books. Because she’s so powerful, it’s even more important that we train her and expose her to things.”

  “Liv, I hear what you�
�re saying,” Clark said, seeming to settle down slightly. “Do you think I like keeping her locked up? I’m so busy with the council now that I can’t take her out. And before I was appointed, I was busy studying. I wished there was more time. That the world was a better place. That she could run and play outside like other children. But Sophia isn’t normal. She’s extraordinary, and that means she has to be protected.”

  “I agree, and the best way to protect her is to teach her,” Liv stated.

  “Liv…”

  “Will you stop saying my name? You only ever say it when you’re mad at me, which is conditioning me to hate my name.”

  Clark actually laughed at this. “Yeah, you’re right. Sorry. It’s a habit.”

  “Look, I appreciate that you want Sophia to be safe, and I know the responsibility fell on you because I was gone. But I’m back now, and you don’t have to raise her on your own. We don’t have to fully agree on everything, but please let me be a part of this. Don’t shut me out just because you don’t agree with my ideas.”

  Clark thought about that for a moment. “I don’t want you taking her out of the House without me knowing.”

  Liv nodded. “Fair enough. But I want her to leave the House sometimes.”

  Clark let out a heavy breath. “Fine, but we have to discuss where she’s going. And she has to be supervised at all times. And she can’t do magic when she leaves. And I don’t want her out past dark.”

  “Is ‘she is to have no fun’ on that list too?”

  “Ha-ha,” Clark said, not amused.

  They were quiet for a moment. Clark softened a bit, and Liv hoped he’d quit staring at her. Finally, he said, “I’ve missed you, Liv.”

  She smiled. “Thanks. I’ve missed you, sort of.”

  He laughed. “You’re the only one who really ever argued with me.”

  “That’s because you’re always wrong,” Liv fired back at him.

  “I’m not. But Ian never cared enough to argue with me, and Reese didn’t know better. And Mom and Dad, well, they…”

  “Only ever loved you, showering you with praise you didn’t deserve.”

  He shook his head at her. “That’s low, but you’re right. They were only ever supportive of us. I’m pretty certain if you said you wanted to run away with the circus, they would have encouraged the idea.”

  “They would have dashed out and bought me a leotard,” Liv said. She pointed to the cane. “Seriously, what’s up with that, old man?”

  He held up the cane, which was rich in detail. “It’s a weapon. I brought it along in case I needed it.”

  “Needed it?” Liv asked.

  Clark looked around with a paranoid expression on his face. “We’re getting closer to, well, whatever Ian and Reese wanted us to find out. And you know what happened to them. I’m worried—”

  “That whoever murdered them and Mom and Dad will come after us?” Liv asked. “I can guarantee they will. But we’re being careful for now, so don’t worry.”

  He nodded. “It’s just, this business with the mortal and magician war has me really stressed. I’ve been doing research nonstop since you told me that, and I can’t find anything to support it. How in the world could an entire war be erased from history?”

  Liv shrugged. “I don’t know, but whoever is covering things up has gone to great lengths. Rudolf says he’s lost memories connected to the ring. The names of the Founders are hidden in the ancient chamber, the only place they reside. There is a lot we don’t know, and it’s been hidden very carefully.”

  “Which is why we have to be more cautious than ever,” Clark stated. “This is big, and someone has gone to great lengths to keep it buried.”

  “Don’t worry,” Liv replied. “We’ll be okay. But how does your cane work? Is there a sword hidden inside?”

  Clark looked at it funny. “No, it’s just a magic cane with various powers. Mostly keeps me from getting my hands dirty.”

  “Because obviously that would kill you,” Liv said with a laugh.

  He joined in, not looking as tense as before. “Obviously.”

  Liv’s eyes darted to the crammed shelves. “Hey, do you by chance know how to do expansion magic and other ones related to sprucing up spaces?”

  He gawked at her. “What’s my name?”

  “Dumbface?” she shot back.

  He poked his tongue out at her. “And yes. Of course, I do. Every preschooler does.”

  “Ha-ha,” Liv said. “I missed that day of school.” She indicated the shelves. “Would you mind helping me with a project and teaching me at the same time? I want to make this place look better.”

  “Are you asking for my help?” Clark asked in disbelief.

  “Yes, but don’t tell anyone or I’ll die from mortification.”

  He pointed the cane at the shelves with a smile. “Your secret is safe with me, Liv.”

  Chapter Nine

  Stefan ran the whetstone over the edge of the sword’s blade, producing a noise that made Liv flinch. That was probably for the best since it covered her initial reaction when she saw him in the dark alley waiting for her. He looked like absolute hell. His usually bright blue eyes were dull and more sunken than the last time she saw him, which now that she thought about, wasn’t that long ago. His face was hollow in places, and he’d definitely lost weight. Worse than all of that was the shifty expression in his eyes, like one would see on a homeless person who was dealing with a serious internal battle.

  Liv didn’t expect a cheery greeting when she strode in Stefan’s direction, but she also hadn’t expected the growl that rolled out of his throat. She slid her hand to the hilt of her sword, ready to pull it if necessary.

  Stefan’s eyes followed her movement. He shook his head as if trying to come back to himself. “I’m sorry, I…”

  “Are you all right?” Liv asked.

  He nodded and then corrected the movement, shaking his head. “No. I think you need to finish me off.”

  Liv gulped, wishing he’d laugh and say that was a joke. She knew it wasn’t.

  “You still have time,” Liv said. “And I found a lead.”

  To her relief, his face brightened slightly. “Oh?”

  “Yes. I might have found someone who knows where Sabatore could be,” she explained.

  The hope in his eyes vanished. “I was hoping you’d found Sabatore.”

  “Well, this could get us one step closer, and I promise to be fast. Do you want to go with me?” Liv asked.

  Stefan returned to sharpening his sword. “No, I think I’m better off hunting demons. At least I can be of service—until I’m not.”

  Liv’s eyes closed for a half-beat. This was harder than she expected. It wasn’t that she cared about Stefan Ludwig; she just didn’t want him to die. In the beginning, she hadn’t trusted him at all, thinking he was some egotistical Warrior who blindly did what the council ordered, but then she had gotten to know him, and he wasn’t anything like what she’d expected. He was egotistical at times, but he was also brave and self-sacrificing and talented in ways that constantly surprised her.

  So maybe I do care about him, she thought to herself.

  “Are you sure you want to keep hunting?” Liv asked, careful to keep her eyes off his hands, which were shaking as he ran the stone over the blade.

  He nodded. “It actually helps. Reminds me that I’m still human, although it’s difficult sometimes to finish the job by killing them. But I think it’s good for me. Hopefully, the longer I keep hunting, the longer I postpone…well, you know.”

  “But you said before that you felt more akin to the demons than magicians,” Liv dared to say. There was no point in skirting around the truth.

  “Yeah, I know. But I’m only going to slow you down and cause unnecessary attention if I go with you,” Stefan stated. “I’ll just lay low, mostly. Try to kill a demon here and there when I have the energy.”

  “Okay, well, like I said, I’ll be fast. Let’s plan to meet back up tomorrow m
orning first thing.”

  He nodded, pointing to Bellator. “Tell me, why don’t you ever have to sharpen your sword? Is that one of the properties of it being giant-made?”

  Liv eyed Bellator and nodded. “Yes, it never dulls or rusts. It’s also supposed to offer me special abilities in battle, but I don’t know what those are yet. Maybe I’m not bonded with it closely enough yet.”

  Liv withdrew the sword and offered it to Stefan. “Do you want to take it, since you’re going after demons?”

  He considered the offer but shook his head, his usually spikey hair falling down over one eye. “No, no one but you should swing your sword. But I appreciate the idea. And you’re never going to bond with the sword fully if you loan it out.”

  “It just felt like the practical approach,” Liv reasoned, although she wasn’t entirely sure why she’d made the offer. Maybe it was out of pity.

  “Your sword must be your constant companion,” Stefan said, regarding his own weapon, which was much larger than Bellator. “It’s an extension of you. Once you establish that, the benefits it offers will be obvious.”

  “Akio said the same thing about it being an extension,” Liv supplied. “I get that now when I’m fighting with Bellator.”

  Stefan stood suddenly, some of his old speed surfacing. He was close to Liv, his eyes burning. “An inexperienced Warrior believes they only need their sword when fighting. However, your sword should be so much more than a weapon. It should be your compass, your guide, a clue when you’re lost, and your strength when you’re weak. If you bond with that sword, you’ll find it to be most valuable to you when you’re not using it to fight.”

  Liv nodded, taken aback by how different Stefan was at that moment. He might have been holding onto his humanity by only a thread, but he was more lucid than she’d seen him recently. It was like something had been stirred in him, bringing his great wisdom to the surface momentarily.

  “Okay, we’ll meet here tomorrow,” Liv finally said, backing away.