“Sorry,” he said as he eased off the gas and turned into the yuppy-infested Yaletown neighborhood. “I’ll keep it slower, I promise.”
“It’s fine,” I lied.
I didn’t spend a lot of time in this part of town. A dense row of bars and little boutique shops nestled beneath the sea of high-rise condos that made up the area. At this time of night the streets were fairly quiet, but there were still a few dog-walkers and bar patrons making their way back to what I couldn’t help but picture as tiny overpriced lofts with a striking view of the identical glass-walled condo right across the street. It was about as SoHo as the city got, and it always made me feel a little out of my element.
“Here it is.” Brody brought the car to a stop across the street from a posh art gallery. “What now?”
“We wait.”
Brody unbuckled his seatbelt and turned to face me. He didn’t say anything, instead sitting calmly and watching me with his strikingly unnatural green eyes. In the darkness of the car, his eyes seemed to glow with their own light, and I wondered if it had something to do with prolonged exposure to Lorelai.
“So how do you know Lorelai?” he asked after a few awkward minutes of silence had passed.
“Similar story.” I shifted my attention back out the window to the front of the art gallery. “I had the misfortune of being at a bar where she’d decided to party. I don’t remember much about that week, but I do remember spending most of it at her place.”
“But something happened between you, right? That’s why you don’t get along with her?”
I turned away from the window and stared him down. “How much do you know about magic?”
He scrunched his forehead like he was trying to remember the name of our current Prime Minister.
“I know it’s real,” he said after some thought. “I know Lorelai has some kind of powers, and I know that what happened with the cone of silence you laid on us back there wasn’t a freak event. To be honest, I try not to ride the gift horse too hard, you know?”
“Lorelai feeds on sexual attraction and lust,” I said. “The stronger the attraction and the greater the state of arousal, the more she gets out of it, and the more she elicits those feelings from those around her. That’s why she always has such crazy parties, and it’s why things always get out of hand when she’s in the room.”
Brody grinned like a sex-crazed teenager. “I know all about it. It’s one of the biggest perks of living with her.”
It would be easy to get him out of the car, I realized. All I’d have to do was come up with a request for water or a coffee, and he’d probably go fetch it for me. He’d understand if I wanted him to leave the keys in the ignition so I could turn the heat on if I needed to. It’d be a simple matter of driving his precious car back home where I wouldn’t have to stare at his moronic boy band backup dancer face anymore.
That I didn’t know how to drive, let alone work a manual transmission, was another matter entirely. Still, the idea of leaving him behind was more appealing than having to explain my relationship with Lorelai.
“While it might be fun for you and Kimono or whatever her name was, it’s decidedly less fun for someone like me.”
“You mean a witch?”
“I’m not a witch,” I spat a little too forcefully. “I’m a mage.”
“There’s a difference?”
I clenched my jaw and bit back the urge to give him a little jolt of magic that would hopefully knock him out cold without killing him. My head already hurt enough, and I couldn’t risk draining my power any further than I already had.
“There is a difference,” I said. “It’s complicated and not worth the time it would take to explain it right now.”
“So when you two got your freak on, she took your magic energy from you?”
My cheeks flushed red. The time I’d spent with Lorelai wasn’t something I liked to advertise, and I already regretted telling Brody as much as I had.
“Something like that, yes.”
I dug through my bag again, searching in vain for a piece of gum or hard candy I’d missed when I’d hunted down and destroyed every sugary treat I’d had on hand before giving it up for the month. Even a single Jolly Rancher stuck to bits of lint and dirt would have been a blessing. To top it off, I’d eaten the last of my disgusting licorice chews on the bus, and I now had nothing to dull the sour edge in my throat.
“Do you have anything with sugar in it?” I asked Brody after giving up my search.
“Look at this body,” he said, with no hint of sarcasm. “Do I look like I eat sugar?”
“Can I at least open a window or something?”
I didn’t want to tell him he still reeked of sex, vanilla, and sandalwood. In the confines of his fancy little car, it was all I could smell. The effect was far more distracting than I cared for.
“It’s raining,” he said.
“So?”
“The rain will ruin the interior. That’s real leather you’re sitting on.”
“It’s barely drizzling,” I said. “I’ll only open it a crack. Besides, the windows are going to start fogging up and I need to be able to see this guy when he shows his face. You already opened it for me once, remember?”
“That’s because I thought you were going to puke in my car.”
I glared at him, and it wasn’t long before he gave in and turned his key a quarter click to turn the power on. I pressed the button to roll my window down an inch, and relaxed a little with fresh clean air washing over me.
“Who exactly are we looking for?” asked Brody after twenty or so minutes had passed.
“I’m not entirely sure. Lorelai only told me that his name was Felix and then she gave us this address. I’m assuming it’ll be obvious when we see him.”
“So, do you think we’ll have to wait long?”
“I really don’t know, Brody.”
I looked away from the window and into his stupidly smiling face. That couldn’t really be his default expression could it?
“Do you have somewhere else to be?” I asked.
“Lorelai asked me to help you out, so I’m here as long as you need me,” he said. “I just thought maybe we could get to know each other a little better if we’re going to be stuck in this car together for a while.”
He paused and looked like he was trying to solve a complicated math equation in his head.
“Unless you’re only into chicks,” he continued, his eyes taking a leisurely trip down my body and back up again. “If you are it’s totally cool — and I mean super cool — but if not, then maybe we should grab a drink after this.”
“Yeah, no,” I said. “I think it’s best if we keep this a strictly business relationship.”
“You sure? Lorelai doesn’t just keep me around for my good looks, you know. I’m not saying we should start talking about names for our kids or anything, but I can easily watch the gallery if you want to give a guy a little bonus for driving you around tonight.”
Brody shifted in his seat and let his hand drape over his thigh near his crotch. His terrible attempt at subtlety was not lost on me.
Doing my best impression of a wicked witch, I glared at him with the most evil smile I could muster. “Or, I could snap my fingers and make your dick fall off. Then you could easily suck it yourself.”
He surprised me by laughing.
“You’re feisty,” he said. “I like it.”
I let out a groan and turned back to the window. Forget about stealing his car and driving away. It was starting to look like worthwhile effort to use all of my remaining energy to lift his car onto the nearest roof so I could tip it off and watch his face as it smashed nose first into the pavement in front of him.
The leather seat squeaked as Brody shifted again.
“That was out of line,” he said. “Sorry for coming across like a total asshole. You seem pretty stressed out, and my mouth sort of went there without checking in with my brain.”
“It’s fine
,” I muttered without turning to look at him. “Can we maybe focus on the gallery for a while?”
“Yeah, whatever you want.”
He lasted all of five minutes before talking again.
“Are you doing okay?”
“Not really,” I said. “That thing with the magic silence took a lot out of me. I held it way too long, and now I feel like absolute shit.”
I left out the part of my awkward drunkenness having come crashing down into a supernatural hangover.
“Why don’t you kick the seat back for a bit?” he suggested. “I can watch out for this Felix dude while you take a nap.”
Trust is not a commodity I’ve ever been overburdened with. As much as I wanted to shut my eyes for even fifteen minutes, Brody’s car was not someplace I felt safe enough to relax. That said, the pain in my head was so bad that a steady buildup of pressure made my eyeballs feel like they were going to pop out of my skull. I also had no idea what else I’d have to face before the night was through.
“Don’t worry about it,” he continued. “Lorelai told me to keep you safe, so that’s what I’m going to do. I promise I’ll wake you the second our boy shows up.”
“Okay, but I’m only going to close my eyes for a little while. I won’t be sleeping, so tell me if you see anything suspicious, alright?”
“Sure thing, boss.”
“I’m not your boss,” I muttered as I pulled the lever allowing me to shove the seat back.
My eyelids felt so heavy I let them fall shut immediately. I shifted several times in an effort to find a comfortable position, and before I knew it I was drifting in the ethereal place between consciousness and sleep. I’d worried I wouldn’t be able to relax enough, but there was something about Brody’s presence that made me feel safe and comfortable. The boy was an idiot, but as I sank further into sleep, I took comfort from his watching over me. As annoying as his good looks and excessive confidence were, I didn’t mind having him around. I’d spent so many nights alone, I’d nearly forgotten what it was like to have someone see me in such a vulnerable state. If everything went as smoothly with the artifact dealer as I hoped it would, then maybe I’d even take him up on his offer for a bit of fun.
After all, even a girl like me has needs.
Chapter Five
“Hey, wake up.”
A frantic twitch spasmed throughout my body. I bolted upright, swiveling my head towards Brody. Foggy memories resolved themselves into awareness of where I was and what I was there to do. I snapped my attention to the other side of the street. The gallery was still dark, and I squinted against the residual fuzziness in my vision, trying to catch a glimpse of the man I was after.
“Where’s Felix?” I asked.
“He’s not here,” said Brody. “You’ve been asleep for two hours, and I’ve got to piss.”
“Two hours?” I croaked.
My throat was dry and raw, and although the pressure had subsided somewhat, my head still felt like an overfilled water balloon. Most of the left side of my body had fallen asleep from how I’d lain on it. Floppy uselessness was gradually overtaken by pins and needles so fierce I let out a little whimper of discomfort.
“So can I go piss?” asked Brody.
“Yeah, go already,” I said. “Is there a convenience store around here? Something open all night?”
His leg bounced up and down so intensely the car shook a little. “How should I know?”
“Do me a favor? Find one and grab me a pack of candy? Fuzzy peaches, sour keys, anything like that?”
“Yeah, fine.” He yanked the door open and climbed out.
“Wait,” I called before he could shut it.
He ducked his head back down to glare at me. “What?”
“Water?”
“Is that it? I’m going to wet my pants here.”
“How about some adult diapers for next time?”
“Not funny,” he said before slamming the door.
I watched him practically sprint down the street in search of someplace to empty his bladder, then I turned my attention back on the gallery. It looked exactly as it had when we’d first pulled up, and I was beginning to doubt Lorelai had had my best interests in mind when she’d sent me here. For all I knew, Brody was doubling around the block to put a bullet in the back of my head while she did whatever it was she planned to do with the artifact.
Stop it, Alex.
I rested my forehead on the side window, enjoying how cool and refreshing it was against my skin. What Lorelai had said about not needing anything more than she already had rang true enough to be believable, and it wasn’t the stupidest idea to talk to the only other person in town who might know something about the artifact that had gotten Norman Weathersby killed. It was the move I should have thought up on my own if I hadn’t been so distracted by Lorelai’s return instead of looking for the best way to solve this case.
If I was being honest, I’d also gone to see Lorelai because I had a strong suspicion she was far more powerful than she let on. The real reason I’d stormed out on her that night two years earlier wasn’t the kind of thing I was going to share with a guy like Brody. What I’d told him had been close enough to the truth, but what had really scared me was what I’d seen after activating my magical sight one night while in bed with her. It’s not something I do often, but there’s a unique beauty in seeing someone in the middle of a moment of ecstasy. Even the most mundane of humans has a touch of magic inside of them, and in our most vulnerable and emotional moments, that magic shines a little brighter. It’s an absolutely beautiful thing to behold, and back when I’d been blind to her true nature, I’d wanted to see Lorelai in that state.
Instead of the vibrant glow of a woman caught up in the throes of passion, I was engulfed in a light so bright it nearly blinded me. I’ll never forget the vibrancy of the swirl of colors that had radiated out from her. She’d immediately sensed what I’d done, snapping off her outflow of power a fraction of a second later, but even then it had been too late. I couldn’t just forget a display like that. For one brief instant, I’d witnessed something so powerful I knew I couldn’t risk being trapped in its orbit. Had I not run out on her that night, there was every chance I’d have clung to her until there was nothing left of me but a mindless empty husk.
That’s why I’d run, and it’s why I couldn’t trust anything she had to say to me.
But it’s also why I didn’t really think she had anything to do with Norman’s death. Lorelai might be a manipulative predator, but I doubt there existed any artifact that would rouse her interest enough to kill for it. She had all she needed in people like Brody and Kumiko. While I couldn’t say it made me feel comfortable having her in my city, at least I could count her as something of a known entity. The only evidence pointing towards her as the culprit was that she was a magical being who just happened to be in Vancouver. By that logic, there were hundreds of creatures and people who made similarly likely suspects.
The briefest flicker of light from inside the gallery yanked me from my thoughts. Straining to see across the street and into the darkened building, I could barely make out the silhouette of a door closing at the back of the room. Someone had come out into the main showroom, and I hunched low in my seat so as not to be seen.
The dark figure moved quickly to the front of the store, finally stepping into a slash of light shining in from a nearby streetlamp. He moved his hand quickly over the door in motion like drawing a circle and then slashing two lines through it before he unlocked it and pushed it open.
“Dammit, Brody,” I said under my breath. “What’s taking you so long?”
With no sign of my supposed protector, it looked like I’d be going after Felix alone. Lorelai hadn’t specifically mentioned anything about the artifact dealer being dangerous, but it always paid to be extra cautious around anyone who worked with magic. If Felix didn’t have any powers of his own, he at least had regular access to magical artifacts. If what I’d seen him do at the do
or was any indication, he wasn’t afraid to use them to protect his business.
I pushed open the car door and took one last look up the street in hopes of catching sight of Brody. He didn’t seem to have any skills beyond being devastatingly handsome, but it wasn’t like Felix would know that. Having a bit of perceived muscle at my side might have been a bonus when I confronted him, but it didn’t look like I’d have that luxury.
Felix had already locked up the gallery and made it half a block away by the time I crossed the street. I walked as fast as I dared without making it obvious I was trying to catch up to him, and I’d nearly closed the gap when he glanced back over his shoulder and picked up his pace. There was now no doubt that he knew I was on his tail. I ran through my mental inventory of spells, trying to think of something I could use to slow him down without making him think I was trying to rob him or worse.
With how badly my joints ached, I worried I’d already expended enough energy to make it risky to push much harder that night. If my experience with the sheep-eating werewolf had taught me anything, it was to always keep a little power in reserve. I never knew what someone might try to throw at me, and if I let too much of my energy free, I wouldn’t be able to keep my legs under me, let alone fight off a magical attack.
An intersection loomed ahead. The cross street was a flood of people streaming past like a parade, and I realized we were right near the arena where a Canucks game must have just let out. In a few more seconds, Felix would have an opportunity to slip into the crowd, most likely costing me my only chance to ask him what he knew about the artifact that had cost Norman Weathersby his life.
Giving up any pretense of secrecy, I broke into a run. The sound of my boots clapping on the cement gave me away immediately, and he raced forward into the stream of people before I could even halve the gap between us.
The only thing I could think to do was open my sight before the crowd swallowed him completely. As I’d guessed, he had several magical artifacts on him, and each of these emanated a soft glowing signature I could easily track through the crowd.
Unfortunately, it also made me painfully aware of every other magical being on the street. Perfectly ordinary looking humans were revealed to have magical auras identifying them as all manner of fae creature. I hadn’t realized how popular hockey was with the supernatural, and I struggled to shove my way through the throngs of fans. Elbowing anyone who strayed between me and my prey, I tracked Felix through a host of trolls, vampires, shifters, and demons; giving an extra wide berth around what I was pretty sure was a leprechaun.
Black Magic (Black Records Book 1) Page 6
