by A M Boone
I deflated. After all the talking up Vincent did about me being a witch… I was barely a witch.
She shrugged. “Don’t get down on yourself. I’ll teach you as much as I can.”
And for the next couple of hours, she taught me basic spells. Detonation, shielding, protection, dispel…
While she was right about my magic being weak at best, at least I was doing something. Fragile, bubble-like shields, tiny blasts of energy… But it was more than a human could do. And that was all that mattered.
“As you use your magic and get more used to it, it’ll mature, and you may get a little more powerful. I wouldn’t expect much, though.” She pulled out a small booklet from her purse. “Study these spells.”
The elevator doors opened, and Vincent walked back in, stretching.
“That was quick,” Gloria said.
He shrugged. “So. Were you able to teach her anything?”
“A few spells, yes,” she said idly. “She doesn’t have a lot of magic, so…”
Did they have to keep rubbing it in?
“Good. Well, you may go. I’m going to take Miss Delacroix home.”
She nodded, and walked out.
Vincent glanced at me, and my stomach tied into a knot. How was it that he managed to make me feel tiny with just a look?
“Show me what you learned today.”
I flipped through the booklet, and drew down a shielding spell on a sticky note. I focused my magic and tapped it.
A small, wavering shield materialized between my hands. “See? I can be useful.”
“Make it bigger.”
I bit my lip and pulled my hands apart. The shield stretched, and a deep, yet not painful, ache throbbed in my chest.
“Interesting…” He poked and prodded at it. It didn’t break, but sweat streamed down my forehead as I kept it up.
“So—”
He cocked his head to the side, then shot a stream of fire from his left hand. Directly at the shield. It shattered, showering me in sparkles.
I tossed myself to the floor. “What the fuck was that? Why?”
He could control that much fire? It made sense, with him being a demon and all… Wherever he came from—Felicia called it Thorel or something—was probably constantly on fire.
“Get up.” He offered me his hand. Why did he run so hot and cold?
“Is there a reason why you tried to set me on fire?” I snapped.
“Testing the shield,” he said, as if that explained everything. It didn’t. “Anyway, I’m going to take you home. Remember, we have a debtor appointment on Thursday.”
“Right.” I forced my heart to slow. He said it himself, he’d never hurt me. He was just testing the shield. Right. I glanced up at him, and he gave me a small smile.
By the time we got back to my apartment, it was pitch black, and the moon hung low in the sky. I shivered in the winter air, before waving goodbye to Vincent and heading up the stairs.
Maybe things wouldn’t be so bad.
Chapter Six
The next day, I had off, so I went to go visit Anthony’s parents at the Holiday Inn. I had to at least keep up pretenses. Avoiding them would make me look suspicious as all hell.
But as I got out of my car, something caught the edge of my vision.
The hooded figure. Again. What the hell was that? A person? A hallucination? One of the many people Vincent said wanted to kill him?
“What are you?” I asked. “What do you want from me?”
No response… It just reached out a pale hand towards me, trembling.
“Get away from me!” I pulled out the booklet and pen from my bag. “I’m willing to shoot. I’ll give you to the count of three. One…”
It shrank away.
“Two…”
I drew a detonation circle on my left wrist.
“Three—”
It threw something on the ground, and smoke billowed from the asphalt. What the actual fuck? What was going on? Ever since I got involved in this supernatural nonsense, everything was spiraling out of control.
I should probably tell Vincent about this. But right now, I needed to placate Tony’s parents.
They were sitting in their hotel room, both fretting.
I waved at them and smiled. “Hey. I haven’t heard anything from Anthony.”
“Right…” Mr. Harrison said.
Going to visit them probably wasn’t the best of ideas. Vincent said he’d “handle it,” whatever that meant, but they were still staring at me like I was a bug. A murderous bug.
“Eliana,” he continued. “Did you have anything to do with his disappearance?”
“No.”
“Don’t lie.” He narrowed his eyes. “We know your relationship was… tumultuous at best.”
Tumultuous. Ha. Was that really the way they were going to describe it? He beat me. He screamed at me and made me feel like shit. And since I wasn’t as rich or powerful as he was, he could get away with it.
“I’m not lying,” I said quietly. “He went to Cube three and a half weeks ago, and I haven’t seen him since. Anything could have happened. He could have gotten ran over, gotten into a bar fight and been stabbed, who knows?” I shrugged.
“Tony’s not the type,” Mrs. Harrison said.
Of course he wouldn’t be the type. He was their precious baby boy who could do no wrong, after all. And I was just the battered wife who didn’t deserve him.
“We spoke to the Rose Creek Police Department, and they said they’ve seen you around town with some man?”
Shit.
“My new boss,” I cut in. “Vincent Aldana. I’m working for him in SF as a field assistant.”
She let out a quiet snort of laughter. “You? Working for Vincent Aldana? Why would he want you?”
“He liked my spunk.”
In more ways than one.
It was strange. I’d always been terrified of Anthony’s parents—well, maybe terrified wasn’t the word. But something about them made me uneasy. Maybe it was just that they were too put together. Too cookie cutter.
“I see,” Mr. Harrison said. “This has gone on long enough. You’re keeping secrets from us, and I just have a bad feeling about all this…”
“It’s none of your business what I do in my spare time, anyway,” I said, scowling. “If you’re just going to sit here and accuse me off getting rid of my husband, then I’m going to leave. I don’t have a motive.” I adjusted my sunglasses and scarf. They didn’t need to see the mark. Not now, not ever.
She yanked off my sunglasses. “Look at me. Why are you even wearing sunglasses at night?”
I stared at the floor.
“Eliana. Look at me,” she said again.
I shivered before meeting her gaze.
She went pale. “What… what happened to your left eye?”
“Nothing happened.”
Great. Just fucking great. Now they knew about the eye. Anthony’s parents weren’t super religious, but their son disappearing off the face of the planet and his battered wife’s eye turning red looked bad. Demonically bad.
I snatched my sunglasses out of her hand and left.
* * *
When I got back to my apartment, Vincent was waiting for me with a U-Haul.
“Time to go to your new place,” he said, grinning.
“Are you going to do anything about Anthony’s parents—”
He put a finger to my lips. “I saw what happened. No matter how much they try to intimidate you, you’re not going to go to jail. If you believe anything I tell you, believe that.”
“All right,” I said softly.
A tall, muscular man, with bright red hair and red, almond shaped eyes was lounging in the passenger’s seat.
“It’s nice to see you again,” he said. “Call me Felix.”
Had we met? I shrugged. Now wasn’t the time.
The three of us lugged boxes into the U-Haul. Jeez, cubi were strong. Felix and Vincent were carrying two at a t
ime, while I was struggling with one. But that made sense. At the end of the day, they were demons.
“I think you’ll like your new place,” Vincent said. “Follow me.”
My new place was only about a mile and a half away from my current apartment, but closer to downtown and the university and further away from the methheads.
It was a small, three story building, with bright blue paint and large windows. It even had a pool. Wow.
I parked behind them and glanced around. No roaches, the pavement wasn’t cracked, and even the energy in the place was different.
“Do you like it?” Vincent asked.
“It’s incredible,” I said, breathless.
“You’ll be blown away when you see the inside.” He stretched out and grinned.
“How many bedrooms?”
“One. But you have a view of the pool!” Felix clapped me on the back, and I choked.
My apartment was on the third floor, and, as Felix said, had a perfect view of the pool. Granted, since we were smack dab in the middle of winter, no one was there, and it was covered by a tarp, but once summer rolled around, it’d probably be filled to the brim with tourists and undergrads staying for summer.
But the inside was lovely, with vaulted ceilings, baby blue walls, and enough space for me to stretch out in and not be cramped. It was even completely furnished. Had to love being the right hand woman to a billionaire.
We unpacked the boxes, set everything up, and for a split second, with the three of us standing there, it was a home, not an apartment.
“Are you happy with it?” Vincent asked.
“Yeah,” I said, and gave him a small smile. “Thank you. You’ve done so much for me…”
“And you’ll do a lot for me.”
The smile slipped off my face. Great. Thanks for reminding me we had a debtor appointment tomorrow.
Felix stretched out. “Another debtor? Don’t kill them this time.”
Vincent side-eyed him. “No one asked you.”
“Well, I know when I’m not wanted.”
“I never said that.”
Felix squeezed my shoulder, and I glanced at him. Vincent was normally so possessive, but now he seemed relaxed. Emphasis on seemed. Could still rip us both apart. But seeing this side of Vincent was nice.
“Have you heard from the esper boy?” Vincent asked, and the illusion was shattered.
“Not recently. And he has a name. It’s Santiago.”
Ever since he’d indirectly confessed to me, he’d been ignoring me for the most part. Probably afraid he’d made it weird.
“Good. Well, Miss Delacroix, I have business to attend to, so I’ll leave you to get settled. Have a nice rest of your evening.”
“You too. See you tomorrow.”
Felix just grinned at me.
They vanished in twin shimmers of light, and I was left alone, with nothing more than my own thoughts. I tossed myself onto my bed and replayed memories over and over. Memories of Tony, of Santi… Memories I took for granted when I was seventeen.
* * *
The next morning, I went to class, even though my thoughts were whirling. What if Anthony’s parents got me dragged off to the police station? They could be hiding anywhere and everywhere, ready to pop up with the police in tow. I probably wouldn’t come out of this alive. I’d heard too many stories of “routine” becoming murder. Especially with being Black.
I’d even gone to undergrad with one, a guy who I used to hang out with in the Black Student Union. He was caught speeding and used for target practice by the Rose Creek PD. And they got away with it too. My stomach tied into a knot, and I forced down a few sips of water. Granted, we’d barely known each other, and I was closer to his girlfriend than him, but when you went to a tiny school in the middle of nowhere, you tended to stick together.
I swallowed and kept walking to class. I couldn’t think about that. Vincent was right. I’d just be miserable if I dwelt on the what ifs.
And I’d admit having an apartment closer to campus was nice. I could walk—even though doing so in this weather was a pain in the ass—and I didn’t have to worry about traffic.
Santi gave me a small smile as I walked into lecture. He was talking to me again?
“Are you okay?” he asked.
“Hanging in there.”
“I went to your apartment before class, but it was empty, and your landlord said you moved out with some red haired dudes?”
“Yeah. Vincent and his friend, Felix.”
As soon as his name left my mouth, he frowned.
“I moved into an apartment closer to campus.” I gave him my new address.
“Oh. On his dime?”
“Yeah.”
“I see…” He glanced away from me. “Well, as long as you’re happy, I’m happy.”
Was I happy? At this point, I wasn’t quite so sure. Things were spinning out of control. And what if the cops busted into anywhere I went and dragged me to the county jail?
“I guess I’m happy,” I said, forcing a smile.
“You can’t guess, Ana.” He tapped his cheek with his fingertip. “You’re either happy, or you’re not.”
“As long as you’re around to support me, I am.”
He went pinkish-blue and squeezed my hand. “Then we’re both happy.”
Later on that day, around seven PM, Vincent texted me.
I’m coming for you in one hour. Get dressed in a suit and tie your hair up.
I swallowed. Another wayward debtor. Would Vincent kill them? Eat them?
Maybe it’d just be someone smart, and they’d either pay up or work.
I took a shower, tied my hair back, and threw on a pantsuit and dress shoes. After I was done, I had just enough time to stumble outside and wait for Vincent.
He rolled up in his car, as per usual, though strangely enough, he was in a lithe, human form. Not the hulking, demonic one he usually used when we were going to kneecap someone.
I hopped in the passenger’s seat, clutching my bag to me. “So… Who’s the unlucky victim tonight?”
He glanced at me, his eyes lingering on my breasts. “This is less a debt and more of cashing in on a favor between friends.”
“Oh?”
“He’s a mage I saved from being murdered by Mother of Light cultists a few years back, so now he owes me a favor. We’re just collecting.”
“I… I see.” I shifted in place. How long was he staring at me? Shouldn’t he have been focusing on the road? “So no one’s dying tonight?”
“If I can help it.”
My stomach tied into a knot, even though there was really nothing I could do but take him at face value. Even though he could be stretching the truth until it was see-through, or worse, just outright lying.
We drove out to a McMansion up near Napa. He parked in their driveway, then helped me out of the car.
He knocked on the door. “Oliver, it’s me, Vincent. You know why I’m here.”
Maybe this wouldn’t end in tears and bloodshed. He didn’t even give me a gun this time.
An older man answered the door. If he were human, I’d peg him as being in his late sixties or so, but since he was a mage… He could be hundreds of thousands of years old for all I knew. He was pale skinned, with wispy gray hair, and bright green eyes. Too bright. He was even wearing human clothes, just a blue button down and matching slacks, not even Harry Potter robes.
“Vincent,” he said, staring him in the eye. “Well, I knew this day would come. What do you want from me?” His voice was lightly accented.
“You’re not even going to let me in?”
He glanced at me, then stepped aside. “The witch?”
He introduced me, taking my hand lightly.
We went into Oliver’s house. Unlike Vincent’s apartment, which reeked of the nouveau riche, this was the house of someone who came from generations of wealth.
“I thought you were still working with… Daniel,” he said, taking a seat at
his dining room table.
Vincent gritted his teeth, his eyes flashing black, but sighed. “I thought you’d gotten the memo. Daniel died back in June.”
“Oh. Oh. I’m sorry. The two of you were… close, and—”
“That’s not why I’m here,” he said, raising his hand. “I’m here to collect on my favor. There’s a debtor I need to collect on, and I know they won’t let me into The Sanctum without a mage.”
Ugh. Of course this wouldn’t be as easy as it looked. This was just one stop on our trip.
“The Sanctum—no. Not going there. I don’t care if you kill me, I’m not stepping foot in that place, not after—”
“By the way, Oliver,” Vincent said, giving him a toothy, fanged grin. “How’s Joanna?”
He went bright red. “Don’t you even think about getting her involved in this.”
Who was Joanna? His wife? Daughter? Sister?
“I was just asking. A mage is a mage is a mage, after all.”
The red on his cheeks intensified. “If you lay a finger on her—”
“As long as you get me into The Sanctum, she’ll be fine.”
“All right. But never come back to my residence again. Ever.”
“I’m just cashing in on a favor between friends.”
What a dick move. But he was a demon, after all. Dick moves were their forte.
“When are we going and why?” he muttered, hunching over. He sighed and gazed at his hands.
He crossed his legs and stared at him. “Tonight. I want to get this over with as quickly and bloodlessly as possible, if I can help it.”
“Right. Who owes you? I heard about what happened to Elery, since Felix was bragging about it all over California…”
“A mage named Neil. You may know him, he went to school with your son, Bernard.”
He nodded. “They were acquaintances.”
“I lent him money so he could make a living in the human world and not be tied to his parents in Draisau. It’s about time for him to pay up, but he’s been ignoring my calls. Last I heard, he was hiding out in The Sanctum, which makes me think he either lost it all, or he just doesn’t want to pay up.” Vincent tented his fingers.
I squirmed in my seat. Something about the way he was so nonchalant made my skin crawl.
“Let’s just get this over with.”
