Corpse Curses

by Jen Ponce

  Lure her to a meeting place and take her down. I grinned at Poppy. She was more bloodthirsty than I was sometimes.

  The crowd of protesters were closer now, their shouts louder, which forestalled any conversation until they passed. We sipped our drinks as they passed. I wished I was on the street with them, but Grandmother would have kittens if she saw me on the news holding an, “I HATE MAGI” sign. She’d probably set my nose hair on fire.

  When they were far enough away we could hear each other talk, Poppy said, “She’s on the lookout for trouble now. You go in this way, you’ll get caught or worse. We need to draw her out, scare her, make her take risks. The risks someone would take who wants to keep something buried deep. If she’s exposed, if it goes wide—like outside of Bolger wide—then not even the Lodge would cover for her.”

  I liked the idea but … “It’ll take too much time.” I didn’t want to let Harriet live another day knowing what I did about her. Besides, Malphas needed to be free. I hated having him trapped in the crystal, even if it had been his idea. He needed to be free, which mean Harriet needed to be dead.

  “We’ve got a guy on the inside.”

  “We do?” I paused. “The inside of what?”

  Her brown eyes danced. “The Lodge.”

  For a moment I couldn’t think what to say. Then it came out in a rush. “Are you insane? Inside the Lodge? Do you want to die or get this inside guy horribly murdered? Because that’s how people get horribly murdered. I should know, I horribly m—you know.”

  “It’s my boyfriend’s friend’s brother. He’s a janitor and a mundane, so they don’t think anything about him being there. Anyway, he’s been sticking my hack runes all over that place. Carefully, of course. Barry can move anywhere, and no one suspects him of doing anything but mopping the floors because he’s a mundane. He’s not dangerous.” Her smile was hard and twisted. “Serves them the fuck right when I bring them all down.”

  “So, what have you found out?”

  “Nothing yet. He’s planting the last two runes tonight. We spaced out the missions, made sure he only carried two on him at a time so as not to set off the detectors. It’s taken a couple months, but the last ones will be in place by the time he’s off shift tonight. Then I’ll worm my way in and find out all their dirty little secrets, including, I hope, how close the bitch and the rich-douche truly are.”

  “Then we lure the bitch to an appropriately dark and secluded area and yank her teabag out of the water.”

  Poppy almost snorted coffee out her nose. “Okay, we need a new code. This one’s ridiculous.”

  “And it works. Don’t confuse me now.” I fiddled with the lid of my own coffee cup. “What do I do, then? Twiddle my thumbs?”

  “Actually,” she said, scrolling through her phone. “Here.”

  The man was someone I knew, one of the assholes on our hit list, to be precise. He was a handsome if chubby man, his black hair and blue eyes compelling if you were into murderous, bullying assholes. “Please tell me I can kill him.”

  “Korri.”

  “With kindness,” I said lamely. “And tea.” Lowering my voice, I said, “Dish.”

  “He’s making a speech at the Lodge in Vibrand Hills tomorrow night. He’s staying at the Marks Hotel just down the road. Flew in all on his own, is known to disappear for a day or two to partake in the local nightlife.”

  I smiled and spread my fingers on the screen to enlarge his face. Marcus Arrelias was a second-tier Alchemist in the Conventus Lodge.

  “A friend of Alice said her brother ran away from home and somehow ended up in the clutches of Marcus. The Alchemist promised him money in exchange for help with some of his experiments.”

  Shit.

  Poppy went on grimly. “He got sick, ended up with a rare form of cancer caused by chemicals I am sure Marcus knew were dangerous, and died a couple months ago. Before he died, the kid told his parents that Marcus had done similar experiments on other kids—witch kids, of course. The kinds of kids who ran away, who were disenfranchised, who just wanted a better life than what they could find in Hell’s Mudroom. Marcus took advantage of them, used them, and discarded them. And, since he was a magus and a Lodge member to boot, he got away with it.”

  “Until now.”

  “Until you.”

  I reached over and squeezed her hand. “Thank you.”

  “You’re welcome.” She tucked her phone into her pocket and let out a huff of breath. “Am I going to Hell for using Barry to further our evil deeds?”

  “I was in Hell and it was great, so, you can hope so.” My phone buzzed and I pulled it out of my pocket. “Shit. It’s Adam.” I tipped my phone so she could see the screen.

  “You going to answer it?”

  “Yes.” I curled my lip though and had to poke a finger in my other ear and count to five before I thought I could say hello with any enthusiasm. “Hey, Adam. I didn’t think you’d call so soon.”

  “I’m not really into those games people play when they’re dating. I was calling to see if you’d like to have dinner with me tonight.”

  I wrinkled my nose. I so didn’t want to have dinner with him. Not at all. “Sure. What time, where, and what should I wear?”

  I expected him to say someplace like Carlyle’s, a hoity-toity restaurant out in my grandmother’s neck of the woods, but he surprised me. “My place? I haven’t had the opportunity to cook for a beautiful woman in a long time.”

  I made a face at Poppy, who was listening as best she could, wide-eyed. “Sure. Send me your address.”

  As soon as I hung up, my phone chimed. It figured his house was in one of the richer neighborhoods. I would stand out like a sore thumb, unless … I dialed my grandmother’s number and when she answered, asked, “Can I borrow a car for the night?”

  “I beg your pardon? What is all that noise, Korrinthe? Please don’t tell me you’re participating in a riot.”

  “Why would I call you from a riot, Grandmother? Honestly. Adam Windhaven has invited me over for dinner. Do you want me to show up in a cab from Hell’s Mudroom?”

  “Heaven’s no. Do you have anything suitable to wear?”

  I thought of all the black sneak-suits in my closet, the baggy jeans, the bustiers, the lace-crotch panties. “Probably not.”

  “When is the date?”

  “Seven.”

  “I’ll send Dempsey by at five. Do behave yourself, Korrinthe.” My grandmother paused, and then, in a tone I’d never heard from her she said, “Be careful.”

  I pulled the phone away from my head. What in the Hell was that about?

  “What?” Poppy’s face was avid with curiosity as I disconnected.

  “My grandmother is going senile.” I sighed. “And Alice’s getting a new outfit.”

  “Oh?”

  We walked back to our apartment, the mood around us brittle and bright as word got around that a group was protesting. Everything seemed fragile, the people, the buildings. They were vulnerable in so many ways and there weren’t any places for them to retreat to. I had Grandmother, I had the privilege of her money and influence as much as I hated it all. They had none of that. I’d lived here most of my life and still couldn’t imagine living without any safety net at all. Perhaps that was why the witches in Hell’s Mudroom appeared to live so recklessly. How else could they live?

  Poppy jumped on her computer when we got back to the apartment, while I curled up on my bed and read. Before I knew it, Dempsey was knocking on my door, sour-faced as always as he held out the box to me. I thanked him and told him I’d be down in an hour, which didn’t amuse him one bit, but I’d told Grandmother when the date was, and she’d been the one to decide to send him at five so …

  The outfit was classy as always. My grandmother was many things, but old-fashioned about clothes was not one of them. This dress showed some cleavage and it had nice lines for all that it looked simple. I knew when I put it on it would hug my curves while still maintaining the illusion I was a
proper lady. Ha.

  I slipped on the underthings that came with it, remembering the way Malphas’s hands had slid down my hose-covered thighs. I touched the crystal, wondering if I imagined the way it warmed under my touch. Did he know I was thinking about him?

  I dressed, the dark blue looking good against my skin. The material was soft, the dress lined and weighted just so. It flowed over my form and probably cost as much or more than the gown I’d worn to my grandmother’s party.

  Alice wouldn’t look good in dark blue, I thought, then made a face at myself in the mirror. Maybe I would keep this one, though, in case I needed it for something else.

  I texted a thank you to my grandmother and slipped my phone into the small clutch that had come with the dress, then put on the yellow pumps. I didn’t know why she’d chosen yellow, but I dug it and fished around in my jewelry box until I found the small yellow flower barrette my mama used to wear in her hair. I clipped it above my right ear, swiped on some low-key lip gloss and called it good. Didn’t want Adam to get the notion I was trying too hard for him. I needed to get close to him to snag his medallion, but I wasn’t fucking him.

  This might have been one of the only dates I’d ever been on where my end goal wasn’t getting someone in bed. Poor guy.

  17

  Dempsey drove me across town, and it took almost an hour with traffic. Adam’s house was more low-key than Grandmother’s, but it still looked expensive. It was all sleek, modern lines, the shiny black stone contrasting with the floor to ceiling windows, the lawn clipped to perfection. I wouldn’t have wanted to live in a place where my neighbors could see all the way through the living room to the bedrooms beyond, but hey, maybe Windhaven was an exhibitionist. Maybe I could get him to strip naked for me and I could just sashay out with the damned medallion.

  Right.

  Dempsey let me off on the curved drive and I hadn’t even gotten to the door before it was swinging open to reveal, not Adam, but another man who immediately set my blood to boiling. Kyle Klein, number one on my hit list. His father was number two—and yeah, I fucking meant the pun.

  He passed me on the stairs, his eyes raking over my body. “Korri Marchand.”

  I tipped my head, pretending I had no idea who he was. “Yes?”

  He leaned in, glancing back at Adam at the door. “When he disappoints you, look me up.” He dropped what I supposed was a sexy wink, slipped me his card, and walked on, whistling like a fart through an asshole.

  Don’t worry, I thought, I will.

  I wanted to fling his card into the bushes, or better yet, set it on fire then pee on the flames, but instead I slipped it into my clutch. It would be like ordering pizza, only I could call him and order his future dead body.

  Adam looked annoyed when I knocked, though that expression cleared when he took me in. He wore rolled-up khakis and a t-shirt which made me feel way overdressed. Oh, both items of clothing had probably cost an arm and a leg, but they were casual, damn it.

  Fuck balls. He was going to think I was trying to impress him. And maybe I had been, just a little. Otherwise, why would I have called my grandmother?

  “You look lovely.” His smile was nice if you liked that sort of thing. I noticed right away he wasn’t wearing the glamour ring, so he didn’t look like Mr. Perfect. “I hope Kyle said nothing to upset you. He can be … stupid.”

  “Was that his name? Never heard of him,” I said, and inwardly smirked at the pleasure on Adam’s face. Sometimes they were too easy to play. “Your house is cool.” I walked in, pumps clacking on the marble floor. I kicked them off and wished I hadn’t been wearing hose so I could have felt the stone under my toes without the filter of the silk.

  “Thank you. I like space and the windows give me the illusion I’m living in a bigger place than I am.”

  I raised my eyebrows. “You need more space? Seriously? This is five times the size of my apartment.”

  He tapped a switch by the door and the outside dimmed the slightest. “There. Now we have some privacy. They still see the interior, but it deletes us from the view. Nice little gadget made with tech, not magic.”

  “Hmm,” I said, noncommittally, still a little uncomfortable with all the windows. No way I could kill him here. I’d be too afraid the tech would fail, and my bloody shenanigans would be on display for all his neighbors to witness. “What are you cooking? Smells good.”

  “Come, I’ll show you.” He led me through the house, up a small flight of steps to the kitchen. Everything about the place screamed loads of money. Even the pots and pans looked expensive, though why that surprised me I didn’t know. I tasted the bubbling white sauce, declared it good—it really was—and then sat while he finished prepping the food, him chattering all the while.

  It was weird.

  When the food was done, we moved outside to a table he’d already set with fancy plates, silverware, and glasses. He served me, then settled across from me, his expression expectant.

  “Thank you,” I said. “It looks lovely.”

  He shrugged and I realized that wasn’t what he’d been waiting for. I speared some of the chicken drizzled with the white sauce and popped it into my mouth. The flavors exploded in my mouth, rich, vibrant, flavorful. “So good,” I said, and meant it. This time he beamed and picked up his fork.

  “I was surprised you said you’d visit.”

  “Why?” I speared another bite, unable to slow myself down. It was so damned good, I wanted to stuff it all in my mouth at once.

  “You don’t exactly keep a low profile.”

  I arched a brow. “And what does that mean?”

  He shrugged, eating his own food a little more slowly than me. Probably with better manners, too. “That you’re a frequent topic of conversation at informal meetings.”

  I curled my lip. “You guys really so starved for excitement you have to gossip about little ole me?”

  He laughed, not in the least bit shamed. “You’re unusual, Korri. Your hair, your eyes. You walk in both our worlds and seem not to care the stigma that comes with being associated with witches. It makes for a lot of questions.”

  I really wanted to tell him exactly what I thought of him and his Lodge buddies, but I managed to keep my mouth shut. About that, anyway. “My grandmother wishes I was normal.”

  “Oh?”

  I fiddled with my glass. “Mm. I think I embarrass her quite a bit.”

  “Not too badly or she wouldn’t insist you come to her parties to talk to eligible bachelors.”

  I snorted. “She’s old-fashioned. Thinks if I marry, I’ll stop shaming her.”

  “I don’t think she’s ashamed of you. She speaks very highly of you.”

  That surprised me, though I managed to keep it off my face. I hoped.

  “You do realize that visiting your father and spending time in the Witch District does paint you as a sort of … sympathizer to the witches.”

  I arched a brow. “I’m half-witch. Of course I sympathize.”

  “Are you sure about that? Are you sure that’s how you want to be known?”

  Of course I’m sure, I wanted to bite out, but I made a show of thinking about it, as if I really thought his questions profound enough to spend any time on. “I guess not quite, since I’m here, dressed like this.” The words made me mentally gag and I was glad I hadn’t worn Poppy’s listening gauge. She’d never let me live those words down.

  Adam’s smile broadened. “Perhaps that’s only because you wanted to impress me.”

  Oh Hell no. “Maybe so.” I reminded myself I was doing this for a purpose, that I was selling my soul one sappy piece at a time to rescue Malphas and the rest of the demons trapped in Lodge members’ medallions.

  “Why didn’t you attend Conventud?”

  Because it’s a Lodge machine, churning out dutiful worshipers of Ventus, churning out future Lodge members and CEOs. No thanks. “School wasn’t for me. I’m not a conformer.”

  He leaned back in his chair, head cocked
. “What makes you think we prize conformity?”

  “It’s in your motto: Success as one.” I held up my hand when he started to speak. “Don’t defend it. I didn’t come here to have a heated debate about school mottos.”

  A chuckle escaped him. “Then why did you come?”

  To figure out how to kill you. “I was intrigued.”

  “Oh?”

  I nodded. “Why is your medallion green while my grandmother’s is blue?”

  He plucked up the crystal off his chest and stared at it as if weighing his words. Finally, he said, “It depends on a lot of factors. Power, being one of them.”

  Enslaved demon being all of them, I added, smiling sweetly. The crystal between my breasts heated. In warning? In approval? Just because? “So you’re more or less powerful than my grandmother?”

  “More. Being Grand High Exorcist affords me a few perks, after all.”

  “Like what?”

  “This house, for one.”

  Right. I thought your daddy’s money had bought that for you. “My grandmother has my mama’s medallion. She says she’s saving it for me when I finally come to my senses.”

  “It’s good of her to hold onto for you. Mine has been in the Windhaven family for a long while.” He rubbed the crystal with his finger then let the thing drop back to his chest. “What piece are you wearing?”

  Shit. I hadn’t meant for him to even notice it, though I supposed I’d been risking it when I mentioned his necklace. I pulled the crystal free, its gold glow rather startling. “Just something I picked up at a trinket shop.”

  His eyes narrowed, though he tamed the expression when he realized I was watching. “More than a trinket, that. Where did you get it exactly?”

  “Hell’s Mudroom,” I said, deliberately misreading the question. Let him push and then he’d tip his hand and I’d ask some awkward questions. “Why? Is it worth something?”

  He struggled to tame his sudden interest and leaned back in his seat. “It might be. Have you worked with power objects before?”