Oculus

by S. E. Akers

  “Nice to meet you,” I smiled. This was the guy Katie had gone to the movies with. I shot her a subtle teasing glance.

  “We’re just friends!” Katie blasted mentally.

  Fergus craned his neck over our heads. “What are you working on over there?” he asked, sniffing the aroma wafting from the kitchen.

  Bethesda shifted uncomfortably. “Nothing,” she said, sounding awkwardly embarrassed. “Just tinkering.” Then she gave me a nudge. “Fergus is the most skilled Potion Master throughout the entire northeast. He’s a true genius,” she gushed.

  My head nodded doubtlessly. “I can believe it.” Fergus tilted his head suspiciously. “Katie told me,” I clarified, covering my nosey little tracks.

  “Oh,” Fergus said and then smiled at Katie.

  “Thanks a lot!” Katie huffed in my head. “Bethesda has a crush on him. She’ll poison my Vitamin Water with nightshade if she thinks there is something going on between us!”

  “Sorry,” I replied. “But if it’s any consolation, I know where there’s a diamond you can hide out in.”

  I returned my full attention back to Bethesda, who was waving over the laid-back looking guy with the mussed light-brown hair. He looked like he’d come straight from hanging ten or had possibly just fallen right out of bed. Those baggy checkered pants and tee could have very well been his pajamas. But one thing was certain: his golden brown tan and beachy-blonde highlights had me green with envy. Proof enough that when you’re enjoying your summer, it shows.

  “This is Killian,” Bethesda announced. A bashful smile eased across his jaw as he nodded. “He doesn’t talk much, so don’t be offended,” she added. “But what he lacks in words he makes up for in Numerology. He doesn’t even need to know your full name or your birthday. He only has to lock on to your aura and its cosmic vibrations tell him everything.”

  “Oh,” I hummed, a shade nervous and wishing I had my gris-gris.

  Killian immediately whipped out a small notebook and pen from his back pocket and started jotting something down. When finished, he handed the slip of paper to me.

  “What’s this?” I asked.

  Killian made an okay gesture with his hands while he rocked back and forth on his feet.

  “That’s going to be a lucky day,” Bethesda explained.

  “August 11th . . . I’ll keep that in mind,” I muttered. “Thank you.” Granted I was grateful (pending its truth), but I kind of wished it wasn’t a daggone month away. A whole lot of unlucky crap can smack a gal upside her head between now and then.

  The next person to step forward was Cassie, the only other female in the coven. The all-smiles witch appeared exactly as Katie had described her to me. Her hair was a stark mix of blond, orange, and auburn and the lengthy tri-colored strands flowed down to her waist, half-wavy and half-braided. The sections around her ears were pinned back, obviously to keep her hair from getting wrapped round those dangly earrings dripping with shiny silver stars. Her big green eyes were the color of baby grass in the springtime, and her pretty porcelain face was without a dash of makeup. She didn’t need any, not with those rosy cheeks and popsicle-stained lips she’d been biologically blessed with. Katie had branded the Astrology enthusiast’s fashion style as “punk meets Boho”, and I agreed, from her long flowing skirt, mid-drift top, loose fitting blazer with its sleeves jacked to her elbows, and bangles that smothered her forearms clear down to her wrists. She even had rings on all her toes that jangled as she approached.

  “This is Cassiopeia,” Bethesda said.

  “You can call me Cassie,” she corrected in the most ethereal sounding voice and gently wrapped her arms around me. Her embrace wasn’t a squeeze, more like a tender pat down. “You feel as warm as the sun, as gentle as a breeze, and as powerful as the moon,” Cassie gushed. She casually pulled away and turned to Bethesda. “I see what you were talking about. I’ve never felt someone bathed in so much energy before.”

  The surly, muscle-clad dude standing beside the door made a questionable grunt under his breath and then swaggered towards me. You couldn’t help but notice his statement-making hairstyle — oily, dark, short & spiky, topped off with tips dyed platinum blonde. He’d hit his mark if he was shooting for “sore thumb”. And his cologne struck me long before his shadow. I’d caught the whiff of used urinal-cakes cleaning the bathrooms at the Sterling Drive-In that smelled more tolerable.

  “I guess it’s my turn to see if she’s as much of a wicked-pisser as Bethesda’s been ragging about,” he muttered, looking to be impressed.

  I didn’t need two seconds. I knew right then we weren’t going to hit it off.

  Katie rushed to formally introduce him. “Shi, this is Donnie,” she said with a facetious wave.

  His brow furrowed like a jagged crack running down a mirror. “Adonis,” he corrected, trying to sound commanding. “That’s my chosen name.”

  “Gotcha,” I acknowledged, trying to suppress my laughter. However my BFF wasn’t making it easy with some of the cracks she was shooting to my head.

  Adonis abruptly snatched my hand and tugged me towards him. I thought he was going for a shake, but he flipped it over and started rubbing my palm. “Want to know your future?”

  “Adonis is into Palmistry,” Bethesda submitted dryly.

  I sensed a message coming from Katie. “Yeah. I’m bettin’ his see a lot of action,” she giggled.

  I pulled out of his grasp. “That’s okay. I’m good,” I assured him, holding up my lucky numbers as proof. “And Bethesda already told me everything else I need to know.”

  “Bethesda?” Adonis questioned, barely glancing in her direction. “That’s interesting.” At least that’s what came out of his mouth. His head sure sang a different tune. He didn’t think their coven-queen could pull a fortune out of a flippin’ cookie, let alone her mindless head, and even called her several not-so-flattering names. Now I was more determined than ever to get her that blue aventurine, and Katie that run of tin she craved. I had to dial back the gape popping my eyes when I heard his brainwaves call her one particularly lewd word. Yep. The son-of-a-bitch had gone and done it — the mother of all female offenses. So, seeing how I was just standing here, I figured I could give karma a helping-hand. Maybe get on her good-side?

  Discreetly, I directed the air around the lit stove burner to kick up the flames. “Is something burning?” I posed, pointing to the kitchen. With everyone’s heads turned the other way, I cocked back my fist and socked Donnie straight in the gut.

  “I told you so!” Katie chuckled in my head, desperately trying to keep a straight face.

  “Are you okay?” I blared over his grunts, now that I’d stripped him of any implicating recollections.

  “Adonis? What’s wrong?” Cassie asked.

  “UGHH . . . It’s my stomach,” Adonis groaned, hunched over.

  “Sounds like that double-decker sub you inhaled is coming back around,” Fergus remarked.

  Bethesda hurried to the kitchen and came rushing back with a vial. “Here’s some marshmallow root.”

  Donnie sneered at her offering. “It’s not indigestion!” he barked and shoved the vial away. “I feel like I’ve been sucker-punched — by a damn truck!” He whipped up with a deep breath and panned the room, seething. “Something happened to me,” he declared, eyeing each of us intensely. “Somebody knows something!”

  I could see Katie’s face turning red out of the corner of my eye, totally about to spout like a geyser.

  “You’d better suck it up!” I urged to my BFF.

  Right as Katie’s lips went flapping, Adonis yelled out another loud, “ARGH!” and started shaking his leg. We looked down to find Tux latched on to his ankle, fang-deep. “Get this damn thing off me!”

  It took both Bethesda and Fergus to pry the feisty pooch off his leg. Bethesda scooped him up in her arms and started stroking his fur. “Goodness, you’re hot!” Then she began fanning his coat aggressively. “Is he smoking?” she questioned curiously.


  “When did you get the mutt?” Donnie grumbled, rubbing his wound.

  “Last night,” Bethesda replied. “He followed me home.”

  “You need to get him fixed,” Donnie huffed as he walked over to the drapes framing the loft’s long stretch of windows. “Seeing his nuts on the business end of a pair of clippers will calm his mangy ass down.”

  Tux followed Donnie’s steps with a low, rolling growl as Bethesda held him in her arms. He pulled both sections of drapes to a close, drowning out what was left of the early evening light.

  “Adonis, why did you close my drapes?” Bethesda asked.

  “It’s one big glare in here with the sun making its way down,” Donnie snapped, waving his arms all around.

  He wasn’t wrong on that one, which stirred my procrastinating rear into action. Nightfall was right around the corner and seeing how it was a heck of a lot more crowded now, I felt it best if I grabbed my stuff, said my good-byes to Katie, and got my Charger scooting on down the road.

  I grabbed my purse and slung it over my shoulder. “It was nice to finally meet y’all, but I have to be headin’ back,” I announced.

  “So soon?” Bethesda asked.

  I nodded and collected my bags. Then I threw them each an individual smile, though Killian’s attention I couldn’t snag. He was too busy eyeing Tux, keeping a wary distance and looking undeniably hard-faced.

  Maybe he’s afraid of dogs?

  Tux leaped out of Bethesda’s arms as soon as Katie opened the door. “Oh no, you don’t,” I said, blocking the exit with my suitcase. I wasn’t sure how Tanner felt about domesticated four-legged things, however I feared Silas wouldn’t bat an eye at feeding him to the imp.

  Bethesda tried to snatch him into her arms, but the feisty critter wasn’t having it. Fergus finally got the pooch wrangled with a tight lock. “I’ve got you, little guy,” he remarked, his muscles flexing with every one of Tux’s twists.

  Donnie positioned himself in front Fergus, taunting the Boston Terrier with a snarl. Tux immediately darted for Donnie’s face in a heated growl and chomped his jaw. Unfortunately the greasy creep dodged his strike with a quick jerk, leaving him unscathed. So much for karma on that one.

  “Screw a Vet,” Donnie said and reached into his pocket. He pulled out a switchblade and twirled it open. “I can adjust his attitude right now.”

  Cassie grabbed his arm. “No, you won’t!” she scolded. Cassie then strolled over to Tux and kissed the top of his furry head. “If he so much as looks at you the wrong way again, I’ll whip up a little neutering potion of my own, and we’ll see if it really does adjusts attitudes.”

  “We can tack some alderwood root over the door,” Fergus suggested. “That’ll keep him in.”

  “Yeah, but I’ll need some of his blood,” Bethesda remarked. Tux’s timing couldn’t have been more perfect, howling out a whiny moan. She shook her head. “I don’t have the heart to cut him.”

  “No!” Katie interjected, slamming her foot. “We’re tracking down his owner tomorrow!”

  Bethesda remained peculiarly quiet, heightening Katie’s glare.

  “Um, BETHESDA?” Still, my BFF’s cousin remained mute. “GRRRR!” Katie growled. Then she snatched up my box of pity roses and stormed out of the apartment.

  I secured my bags with one hand and threw up my other one. “Well, good-bye,” I said. I had to bolt out the door and slam it shut quickly amidst their, “See yous”, because Tux had pawed his way out of Fergus’ grasp and was charging towards me like a little black & white bull. I even heard his head smack the bottom panel with a rattling “thump”. After kicking his tail clear across the room last night, I was surprised he would want to go anywhere with his assailant. I’d left the wall in Katie’s bedroom with a daggone doggie impression knocked in it, plain as day — head, body, and all four limbs stretched out like a plaster version of a body outlined in chalk. What critter in their right mind would want a repeat?

  “So, Donnie was fun,” Katie grinned.

  “Definitely,” I agreed.

  “If only you had taken my bet,” she sighed. “I would’ve gotten that Ferrari upgrade after all.”

  We exchanged a few more remarks about Donnie on our way down, but no matter how much I wanted to prolong my departure with laughter, I knew reality was just around the corner.

  I dropped my things beside the door, so Katie and I could exchange a round of proper farewell hugs. “I’ll call you tomorrow,” I promised.

  “You’d better,” she warned with a playful squeeze. “You still haven’t given your two-cents about what color I should go with. I’m getting it dyed Wednesday.”

  I pulled back and eyed her tresses. “Anything would be better,” I nodded confidently.

  “Yeahhh, I agree,” she grinned. Katie lifted my chin. “I hope coming here helped.”

  I glanced up at the stairwell, stretching a thoughtful smile. “Believe it or not, it did,” I assured while the encouraging news I’d received via one shaman’s stone bounced in my head with the vigor of an all-night rave.

  Katie tossed her hair back with a triumphant flip. “I knew I could put a smile on that face before your time was up. Never underestimate the power of a bosom friend.”

  I simply didn’t have the heart to tell her.

  “But I still think you should figure out what’s bothering you the most,” Katie added.

  I conveyed my agreement with a firm peck on her cheek and collected my bags. “Bye, Katie-Kate.”

  “Bye, Shi.” She wedged the flower box under my arm with a shove. “You can’t leave without these.”

  I stuck out my tongue and slammed my butt down on the long push bar. Then I backed out the door and turned with a determined whirl, fully intending to give these twelve thorny things to the first person I ran into. Maybe someone could get a smile out of them at the very least? But wouldn’t you know I didn’t cross paths with a single person on the way to my car — two full blocks in a big freaking city. I never happened upon the first daggone trashcan either. Figures…

  Naomi wasted her money on these, I affirmed, head shaking. I pitched the box inside the trunk and slammed the lid shut, knowing full well those things would never see daylight or water again. Rest in peace…

  I could have planned my departure better. My Charger was practically creeping down the interstate at a whopping 25 mph. Who knew Boston’s traffic would be so congested, even on a Sunday? The endless stream of red taillights I was trailing had me feeling so boxed in. Bumping up the volume dial on the stereo didn’t help. In fact, the vibrations from the speakers had my emotions teetering that much more. I glanced at the clock on the dash. Reality would come forty minutes later than I’d anticipated. Who knows? Maybe this was the cosmos granting me a temporary stay of execution. I had no idea what I was coming back to. Being cooped up in a car trying not to think about why Tanner hadn’t called made my anxiety even worse. And for the record, exactly what had he been doing that the thought of contacting me had never crossed his mind? Not even for a courteous, “Did you make it there okay?” I supposed he could have gone somewhere as well, possibly Talisman-related. But then again, he could have just as easily dialed up a freaking supermodel he’d met at one of Malachi’s swanky parties. Come to think of it, I’d never heard the first alarm bell going off in my head letting me know when he was going in and out of his room—not one “ding” in almost two and a half days—and that spell had an endless range. So now I had some really tasty kibble to feed the crazy running rampant upstairs. Though all things considered, it was the not knowing what his temperament would be that bothered me most. What Tanner Grey would be there? Trusting? Hopeful? Patient? Evasive? Frustrated? The longer I dwelled on the stickiness of that mystery door, the more I felt like I might be walking into a potential firing squad, especially if Silas had told him that I’d parked my rear in a daggone witch’s den for the past several days. My only saving grace came from knowing he wouldn’t kill me — at least not for
six months.

  Pushing two hours later, I finally arrived at my exit. I’d never been so glad to get off an interstate in all of my life. Big-City convenience was great, but its traffic royally sucked. I took my charted left onto the rural route with the sight of dusk falling around. It was one of those country roads that seemed to go on forever without a break in its scenery or even running the risk of passing another car. So naturally my suspicions were a bit raised when I spotted a pair of headlights a little ways back. I wasn’t alarmed per se, just more observant. I suspected dreaming about Damiec had me feeling overly paranoid. Between my shopping fatigue and Curious-Katie’s questions about the Bloodstone Talisman right before I nodded off, it wasn’t beyond reason that something had worked its way into my subconscious. I wasn’t a stranger to crazy dreams as of late, Darklands included. However the open window was still nagging at me, regardless of what I knew about Vampires and their domicile restraints. He was still half-Talisman too, and I’d never asked Tanner if that gave him a free-pass — though I sure planned on working it into a conversation. But regardless of what spawned the damn thing, after that, running into a snooty witch, and pissing off a mystical gypsy, I knew I wasn’t going to feel one-hundred percent supernaturally at ease until I was back at Tanner’s and under the warm & cozy cloak of his wards.