by L.H. Cosway
It wasn’t until later that night, as I was drifting to sleep, that I remembered the spark of Gabriel’s palm against mine and wondered, somewhere in the deep recesses of my mind, if there was truth to what they told me. If someone really had cast a spell on me a long, long time ago.
***
The next day, I arrived at Indigo bright and early. The shop door was locked, so I gave a few knocks, stopping once I saw a tired-looking Marcel make his way down the mezzanine floor to let me in.
“Not a morning person?” I asked with a grin.
“Not at all,” Marcel replied, yawning. “I’m much more of a night owl. Would you like a cup of coffee before we begin?”
“Yes, I’d love one.”
Marcel took me through the store and to the back, down a hallway which led to a tiny staff room with a small table and two chairs. Gabriel was sitting in one of them, reading a book while sipping on a cup of coffee.
He glanced up at me briefly. “Hello, Tegan. How are you this morning?”
“I’m good, thanks. And you?”
“I’m well,” he replied before returning his attention to his book. I got the impression he wasn’t big on small talk but I suspected it was due to shyness rather than him being rude.
“I’m just going to nip to the bathroom before we open,” Marcel said as he handed me a cup of coffee. “Be back in a moment.”
I took a sip, glancing back at Gabriel. His attention remained glued to his book, but I thought he sensed me studying him because his shoulders tensed a little. In an effort to make conversation, I asked, “Do you work mostly weekdays, or do you work weekends, too?”
Gabriel raised his eyes to look at me now, closing his book. His eyes were very green, like a lush forest. “Weekends and some weekdays,” he replied. “Marcel likes to have Saturday and Sunday free, so I take those shifts.”
“It must be hard on your social life.”
“Not really,” he shrugged.
“No?”
“I’m not much of a social animal,” he said modestly.
“Yeah, me neither. You’re probably better off, anyway. This city is full of crazies and weirdos. Better to be a homebody.”
He looked at me strangely for a moment and said quietly, “Yes, you’re most likely right about that.”
Marcel returned then and ushered me out to the shop floor. He started by showing me how to use the cash register, but it didn’t take long since the one at Hagen’s was similar. Then he showed me around the bookshelves, which were divided into several sections like Self-Help, Philosophy, Religion, and, of course, a whole bunch on Magic and Witchcraft.
Next he walked me through the section of the shop that contained the jewellery, healing stones, crystals, and little collectables like angel and fairy statues.
“Well,” he said. “I think that’s everything. I’ll be gone for the rest of the morning, but if any customers come in looking for something specific, something that isn’t out here in the main shop, just go get Gabriel and he’ll deal with them. We’ve got a room in the back with some rarer, more expensive items. Our psychic Stephanie does her readings in there, too. She comes every Wednesday from four to seven, so if anyone wants a booking with her just consult this book.” He pulled out a brown leather notebook from under the register. “If the date they want is free you pencil them down for an appointment.”
“Got it.” I nodded.
“Great, I’ll be back before lunch.”
“See you then.”
After Marcel left, I sat down on the stool beside the counter and breathed out a sigh. There was something very peaceful about this place. Soft, soothing music, intermingled with nature sounds, like birds cawing and trickling streams, played over the sound system. A diffuser in the corner emitted the pleasant scent of lavender and jasmine essential oils.
Things were mostly quiet until ten when a steady flow of customers began to come into the store. It was almost lunch when a woman about my age, with a choppy bob and copious amounts of black eyeliner, strode in with purpose.
“Who the hell are you?” she demanded impatiently.
I looked her up and down, taking note of her black fishnet top, red tartan mini skirt, ripped tights, and chunky New Rock boots. Her dark brown eyes and furious expression told me she was angry, and that anger appeared to be directed at me.
“Hello, a pleasure to meet you. My name is Tegan, and I just started working here today,” I answered dryly.
“You’re working here? Oh, hell no. Get Marcel for me now!” she yelled.
“He’s gone out.”
“For crying out loud, then get Gabriel, and hurry up about it.”
I stood there a moment, folding my arms and raising one eyebrow. “What do you want Gabriel for?”
“That’s none of your business. Just go and get him.”
“I will if you ask nicely,” I said, standing my ground. I couldn’t abide rudeness, especially from a stranger.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. “Fine. Could you please fetch Gabriel for me?”
“You don’t sound nice. You sound sarcastic.”
She scowled, her eyebrows two severe slanted lines on her forehead. After a long moment, she spoke again, and it sounded like she was making a real effort to keep her attitude in check. “Can I speak to Gabriel, please?”
“Much better,” I said with a saccharine smile before turning and walking to the back room. I knocked first, then entered when Gabriel called for me to come in. He sat on the floor with a notepad open in front of him and a pencil in hand. There were stacks of books all around him.
“Hey, sorry to bother you. There’s a girl out front asking for you, and she seems kind of pissed.”
His lips formed an uneasy slant. “What does she look like?”
“Short brown hair, too much black eyeliner.”
Gabriel chuckled at my description and sighed. “Right, that’ll be Rita.”
“Rita looks like she wants to punch me in the face.”
He chuckled again and rose to his feet. “You don’t need to be scared of her. She’s all talk, believe me.” He walked out the door, and I followed behind him. When we reached the counter, Rita was leaning against it with one hand on her hip.
“Why the hell haven’t I been informed about this?” she asked, pointing at me.
“Marcel deals with the hiring, Rita. It’s got nothing to do with me,” Gabriel answered in a level voice.
“I thought you guys were finally going to let me work here, but then I come in to find her working at the job I was supposed to be given,” she complained. Oh. Well, that explained her hostility. I’d be mad too if I were her.
“I never heard Marcel say he was going to give you the job,” Gabriel countered.
“Don’t give me that. You know as well as I do that I deserve it. I’ve been coming here for years. I know the place inside and out.” She gave me another look up and down. “This one looks like she’s never stepped foot in a place like this in her entire life.”
“Don’t be rude, Rita,” Gabriel said, and for the first time, he actually sounded angry. For a brief second, he seemed older—older by decades. Rita clamped her mouth shut at his scolding before changing her tack. “I’m sorry, Gabe. I didn’t mean to be rude. You know how much I wanted the job.”
“Yeah, well,” he said, rubbing a hand over his jaw. “I don’t think Marcel was ever going to hire you. You annoy him too much.”
“Hogwash! He loves me really,” she argued, her voice sweet and flirtatious. Gabriel didn’t look charmed as he stepped away, intent on returning to his quiet room full of books.
“Is there anything else you wanted? I have to get back to work.”
“What kind of work? Need some help?” Rita asked eagerly.
“Just research, and no, I don’t need any help. Thank you.”
At this, the door chimed open and Marcel appeared. “Hello, Rita. Here to cause trouble, I suppose,” he said as he removed his coat and hat.
Rita gave a smile, but it wasn’t as warm as the one she’d levelled at Gabriel. It was evident that she and Marcel didn’t quite get along. “Good to see you, Marcel. I’m just getting acquainted with the new girl. I am one of your best customers after all,” she said, glancing back at me now. “You’ll have to familiarise yourself with my shopping list.”
“Happy to,” I said, plastering on a polite smile. I couldn’t get a proper read on her, and I was still trying to decide if she was going to be a problem for me. She wanted my job, that much was obvious, and I sure as hell wouldn’t be giving it up without a fight.
“How has your day been, Tegan?” Marcel asked.
“It’s been great. I’ve been settling in just fine,” I replied, shooting Rita a look that said I wouldn’t be gotten rid of easily.
“That’s good to hear. Listen, I’m going to shut up shop for lunch so we can make a start on our little study. Is that okay with you?”
Our little study? It took me a second to figure out what he was talking about, but then I remembered. The spell. I’d been hoping he might miraculously forget about that. “That’s fine by me.”
“What study?” Rita asked, sounding annoyed to be left out of the loop.
“None of your concern,” Marcel replied dismissively. “Now would you be so kind as to vacate the premises? We have business to attend to.”
She frowned, her jaw working while she reluctantly turned and walked out the door. Once she was gone, Marcel breathed out a long breath, turned on his heel, and looked from Gabriel to me. “So, my darlings, are we ready for some magic?”
5.
Marcel and Gabriel led me to the back room, which was kitted out in Persian rugs and big beaded cushions. There were several alchemist-style chests of drawers, and shelves containing a variety of herbs and tinctures, as well as a large bookshelf.
“Please sit,” Marcel said, gesturing to a cushion. I sat as he lit some candles and waved incense around. Gabriel sat down next to me and closed his eyes. When Marcel was done fussing, he came and sat down, too, making it so the three of us formed a circle.
“Now we’ll take one another’s hands to solidify the connection,” Gabriel said, reaching out and taking my hand in his. His palm was warm, and it made me think of Ethan’s cool, silky touch the other night at Hagen’s. They were so opposite, and yet, something niggled at me about the two men. They strangely reminded me of one another, and I couldn’t pinpoint exactly what it was.
“Close your eyes,” Gabriel went on.
Marcel began a low chant in a language I didn’t recognise. Latin, maybe? Gabriel joined in. The chanting went on for about twenty minutes before they wound it down. Marcel told me to open my eyes, and I stared at him expectantly.
“Well, did you manage to unravel the spell?” Please say yes so I don’t have to endure another one of these bizarre chanting ordeals. He and Gabriel shared a glance, and Marcel replied, “Not yet. We’ll need a few more sessions before we can make a definitive conclusion.”
Wonderful.
When Marcel mentioned “magic,” I was hoping for the kind that you could actually see, but no. It seemed, conveniently, that Marcel’s magic was as invisible as the air we breathe. Or, dare I say it, non-existent. I didn’t want to be rude, but most sane people knew that magic was the stuff of fiction. That it was the kind of thing you made up to delight children during bedtime stories.
These two men seemed to think it was very real and took it all very, very seriously.
Several days went by and I started to feel the effects of working both a night and a day shift, only getting four or five hours sleep in between. It was survivable though. It just meant I was going to have to make friends with the tired bags under my eyes.
At least I didn’t have to work the night shift on Saturdays at Hagen’s, and I also had Sundays and Mondays off from Indigo, which meant I could use those days to get as much sleep as humanly possible.
On Saturday, I’d finished showering and eating dinner after my last shift of the week at Indigo when Nicki showed up.
“We’re going back to Crimson tonight,” she declared. “And I won’t take no for an answer. You bailed early last time, so you owe me.”
I was about to argue with her, but Ethan hadn’t visited me at Hagen’s again, and something about his absence bothered me. He said he wanted to be my friend, but I hadn’t seen hide nor hair of him all week. Every time I thought of him, I felt this low, nagging pull in my stomach, like I was both drawn to and repelled by him all at once. It was confusing.
“Okay,” I said, and she blinked in surprise.
“Okay? Well, that was easier than I thought it would be.”
She sauntered into the apartment carrying a bag of cocktail ingredients and proceeded to make us both margaritas while I picked an outfit. I finally settled on a dark red dress with the black heels I wore last time. They were the only fancy shoes I owned. I also let my hair down and put on some make-up.
“You look fabulous!” Nicki exclaimed when I emerged from my bedroom.
“Thanks.” She handed me a cocktail, and I took a thirsty gulp. I was both nervous and excited about the possibility of seeing Ethan again. He was so … unlike anyone I’d ever met before. I wanted to tell him about my new job at Indigo and what a loon my boss was, thinking I had a spell cast on me. I thought he’d get a good laugh out of it.
We took the bus to the club, same as last time, and when we finally reached the entrance, my heart skipped a beat. Ethan’s dark-haired friend, Lucas, the one who made me extra uncomfortable, was standing next to the bouncer. He was talking to someone on his Bluetooth, staring off into the middle distance. I ducked my head, hoping he wouldn’t notice me.
The bouncer stepped forward and asked for our IDs. I fumbled in my bag, and when I looked up, I locked eyes with Lucas. His lips curved in a grin as he continued speaking into his Bluetooth.
“Hello, Tegan,” he greeted. “How are you tonight?”
“I’m good, thank you,” I replied while Nicki shot me a curious look, clearly wondering how I knew him.
Lucas patted the bouncer who’d been waiting for our IDs on the shoulder. “These are friends of the boss. You can let them in.”
“Friends of the boss?” Nicki leaned in to whisper.
“Yes, I randomly met the guy who owns this place last week,” I explained.
She looked surprised. “You did? How?”
“He was in Hagen’s and helped me get rid of this scumbag who was trying to rob the place.”
Her eyebrows shot right up into her forehead. “Really? That sounds intense.”
“It was.”
When we passed by Lucas, he touched me gently on the arm, bending down to murmur in my ear, “Ethan is pleased you’re here. He’ll come find you when he has the time.”
I gaped at him. “How does he know I’m here already?”
Lucas tapped his Bluetooth as I walked by him, ushered into the club by Nicki. I replayed Lucas’s words in my head and tingles skittered down my spine. Ethan is pleased you’re here. Why was I so pleased that he was pleased? It seemed that I’d already forgotten my misgivings about him, revelling, instead, in my excitement over his interest in me.
“I’m just going to visit the ladies’,” Nicki said.
“I’ll go get us some drinks.”
I made my way through the crowded club, spotting Amanda, Susan, and Dillon on the dancefloor. Nicki hadn’t mentioned they’d be here. Amanda waved to me, and I waved back. At the bar, I asked for two gin and tonics before I sensed somebody standing behind me. Somehow, I knew it was Ethan. He lightly placed his hand on my lower back, appearing at my side.
“Hello, friend.” His voice was a low rumble over the club music. “Did you come to see me?”
I shook my head. “My friend Nicki invited me.”
“Ah, well, in any case, I’m glad you’re here.”
“You are?”
“I am.” He turned his attention to the barman
. “Her drinks are on the house.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I protested.
“I want to.”
He gazed down at me in a way that made my skin tingle. He was so close that we were almost embracing. Not dropping my gaze, he took my hand into his, sliding his thumb along the inside of my wrist. A small, exhilarated shudder went through me, and Ethan sucked in a harsh breath. Instinctively, I leaned in closer to him like I was in a trance. What was I doing? There was just something so mesmerising about his golden eyes.
“Tegan, there you are!” Nicki’s voice cut through the unexpectedly intense moment. How had he done that? It felt like he’d hypnotised me.
Ethan dropped my hand and moved away. “I have some business to attend to, but I’ll find you later.” He drifted back into the crowd, disappearing a moment before Nicki was at my side.
“Oh, you got drinks already. Perfect. I’m thirsty,” she said, picking up the glass and taking a long gulp. “Who was that guy?”
“The club owner. His name is Ethan.”
“That guy owns this place? Wow. No wonder Crimson is so popular. People probably come just to get a look at him.”
“Yeah, probably.”
“It looked like he was flirting with you.”
I glanced at her now. “It did?”
“Uh-huh. You should go for it. Clear out the cobwebs,” she blurted then winced, realising her insensitivity. The last person I had sex with had taken his own life, and yes, it was a sore spot and I still mourned for him, but I wasn’t offended by what she said. “Sorry, that was rude.”
“No need to apologise. You’re right. I do have a few cobwebs to clear out. I’m just not sure Ethan is the man for the job. He’d eat me alive.” A soft laugh sounded from behind me, and I turned, catching a flash of red hair. Delilah, Ethan’s half-sister, had just walked by. She shot me a wink as she moved farther into the club, and I grimaced. She’d obviously heard what I said.
“What’s wrong?” Nicki asked when she saw my embarrassment.
