by Robin Roseau
"Something strong," I said.
By the time I had thrown back the Ibuprofen and drank half the water, a glass appeared in front of me with a pale golden liquid. "Scotch," Brendan said.
"Perfect." I picked up the glass and slammed down the contents in one gulp. The liquor burned all the way down. "Ach!" I said, shaking my head. I plunked the glass down on the bar and used three fingers to push it back in front of the bartender. "One more." My keys followed. "Don't give those back to me for at least two hours, but don't give me any more alcohol, either."
He took the keys and filled the glass again, but before I could pick it up he set is fingers over it and said, "Detective, it's a top shelf single malt."
I stared at the glass. "I suppose I'm supposed to sip it."
"Ms. Marsh might suggest a fine Scotch should be savored."
I looked up at Brendan. "When you tell her I'm here, maybe you won't mention this to her."
"Right," he agreed.
I was still nursing the Scotch when I felt her at my side.
"Why, Detective, is that alcohol I see in your hand?"
I looked over at her, threw the last little bit down my throat, set the glass on the bar, and said, "I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about."
She turned me to face her, looking into my eyes? "Are you all right?"
"Do you have time for me?"
"Of course. Come on." She collected my arm, and soon we were in her office. As soon as the door was closed I moved into her arms.
"I don't want to talk about it," I said. "Can you just hold me for a while?"
"Of course, Teigan," she repeated. Then she shuffled us over to the sofa. Together we collapsed onto it, and I moved back into her arms, laying my head on her shoulder. I closed my eyes.
And so Evaline held me, saying nothing. After a few minutes, she lightly began to caress me, innocent, calming touches.
It was ten minutes before I spoke. "Nothing truly horrible happened. I've had a few bad nights' sleep, and today was a high stress day at work. And then I got bad news about my car. I just-"
"I'm glad you came," she said.
"I should have called first."
"Maybe, but I don't have an office like this at my other buildings, so we either would have ended here or your house anyway."
"It's ladies' night. I know you like to be here for ladies' night."
I let her hold me for a while longer. Let her. More like demanded it, but she didn't seem to mind.
"What's this about your car?"
"It's nothing."
"It's not nothing, or you wouldn't have mentioned it."
"It's in the shop. The guy said something about a rear universal thingamajig. The part I understood was fifteen-hundred dollars, and that's on top of the regular stuff. I don't have it, so I'm going to have to put it on my credit card and make payments at eighteen percent interest."
"Oh. Well, there's an easy solution for that."
I pushed away from her. "I didn't come here so you could give me money."
"I wasn't about to offer," she replied. "If I did that, then neither of us would know if you were coming to see me, or coming for a handout." She reached for me and pulled me back against her. And then she clammed up.
"Well?" I said eventually. "You mentioned an easy solution."
"It didn't sound like you were interested."
"Evaline..."
She kissed the top of my head. "You won't make that much in one night, but it is ladies' night, and you could be popular."
"You want me to dance?"
"Dance every Thursday for a month and you'll have the fifteen-hundred before the credit card bill is due."
"I didn't make remotely that much the first time." I leaned away and gave her a hard look. "You want me to strip."
"Naomi makes five hundred on a slow night. Friday and Saturday nights are always much more than that."
"Frankly, I'm not Naomi."
"Which is why I suggested a month."
"I made less than fifty bucks last time."
"So you think I'm wrong."
"I do."
"I want to play a game."
"Oh, I do not think so."
"The game is simple. You'll try it. One month. If you don't make enough for your car, I'll pay your entire credit card statement, covering your car repairs and anything else you choose to buy. If you do make enough, then..." she smiled and pulled me in for a quick, chaste kiss. "I get you for an entire weekend."
"Evaline, I'm old. No one wants me on your stage."
"I do. And you heard the audience last time. They loved you."
"They loved to laugh at me."
"So? They're here to be entertained. If you entertain them, you'll make tips. It might only be fifty dollars a dance, but I believe you'll do more than that." She smiled. "I might lose. If so, I don't mind."
I cuddled back against her, not saying anything.
Instead I asked, "Will you take me somewhere this weekend?"
"Paris?"
I laughed. "I was thinking a drive in the country. I don't think we can fit Paris into a weekend."
"Are you going to play my game, Teigan?"
"Will you help me?"
"Of course."
I took a breath, enjoying being held for a moment longer. "I'm not usually this needy."
"You're not usually needy at all. Do you want to talk about the rest?"
"No."
"I'm glad you felt you could come to me."
* * * *
She didn't win the game. I realized I was actually disappointed. It was close. Poppy, Naomi and Evaline all helped me, and I nearly made enough to cover the car bill by the time the credit card statement was due.
Evaline and I tracked my earnings together. In the end, if I hadn't been giving Poppy her ten percent, I'd have covered the bill. I told Evaline I'd made enough that I could cover the bill myself. She got a little angry with me.
"If I had won this game, would you have given me my weekend?"
"Of course."
And so I let her pay the bill.
I was never sure whether she was sure I wouldn't make it and was actually a little surprised that I nearly did, or if she really thought she'd win the weekend. Either way she helped me out of a little jam, and we grew closer in the process.
Quite a bit closer.
* * * *
Time passed. The dreams grew worse.
A Trade
"Hello, Detective."
I turned to her.
"What's wrong?" she asked immediately.
"Do you have to stay here?"
"Come on."
At first, we just drove. I asked her to hold me and to ask no questions. She was kind and did what I asked. Finally I asked, "Do you have to be anywhere tonight?"
"No."
"Take me home. Your home."
She paused.
"I'll wear the hood," I offered.
"That's not necessary."
"Yes it is. Do you have one ready?"
She nodded, opened her little safe, and a moment later was lowering one of her hoods over my eyes. Then I cuddled against her, saying nothing, but I told her she could touch me if she wanted to.
She spent the rest of the ride stroking me gently. It felt nice.
We finally came to a stop. I asked her to kiss me before we got out of the car. She climbed into my lap, lifted the hood enough to expose my mouth, caressed my cheeks and lips for a while, then took her time kissing me.
She tasted amazing, and I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly.
"Tell me what happened," she whispered into my ear. "What's wrong?"
"Take me inside," I said.
She lowered the hood in place, helped me from the car, and then gathered my arms before leading me inside. "Library?"
"Your bedroom."
"Teigan."
"Please, Evaline. Your bedroom."
And so she led me there, finally removing the hood once we wer
e in a room I'd seen before. I prowled around for a minute before I turned to her.
"I've been having dreams."
"What kind of dreams."
"Every night. They aren't the same, but they're the same theme."
She closed the distance towards me, but I put the bed between us, and she stopped.
"Are you causing them?"
"I don't know what dreams, but no, I'm not doing anything to cause them. Tell me, Teigan."
I turned away, not speaking. She used the opportunity and that damned stealthy walk of hers to reach my side, and when she pulled me into her arms, I didn't fight her.
"How long have they been going on?"
"Months," I said. "At first, not often. But lately it's every night."
"I can help. I'm sure I can. Tell me what dreams."
"They're about you. And Rachel. And me."
"Ah," she said.
I pulled away from her. She let me go, but when I looked at her, she looked sad.
"Are we friends?" she asked. "Teigan, I really hope you know I'm your friend."
"Yes," I said. "I want a game."
"A game." It was said cautiously.
"If I lose, you get me."
"Excuse me."
"My soul. We're playing for my soul."
"No."
"If I win, I get to keep my soul."
"Teigan, no."
I turned to fully face her.
"The price of me agreeing to this game is Rachel's freedom. At the end of this game, whether I've won or lost, you will call Beth and tell her you're sending your driver to pick her up. She will come here, collect her cousin, and leave. If I have lost, I stay."
"Teigan, no. Not like this. No."
"You told me if I made an offer, you'd accept. This is my offer. A game. I have defined the rules, but you will define the game."
"Teigan, no."
"You promised."
She stared at me. "Why? I can help you with the dreams some other way."
"Rachel isn't doing very well, is she?"
"She's fine."
"She's not. She's needs help. If she gets it, in time, she'll be fine. Beth will help her. And Beth will get her the professional help she needs."
Evaline didn't say anything.
"In my dreams, if Rachel goes mad because of what has happened here, not only will you never ascend." I looked upwards. "But it's far, far worse than that. You'll have taken a pure soul and destroyed it." I looked down. "You'll get... recalled."
Emotion flicked across her face. "Teigan, it's just a dream."
"And you can't just let her go. Your demonic nature won't let you. There must be a price. But you like your games."
"Why are you doing this?"
"I have my reasons."
"Which you will explain to me. You could have offered some other price. Why is it any better if I have you instead of Rachel."
"I'm not pure. I'm already broken."
"That's not a reason. Teigan, tell me."
"No. You promised you'd accept my offer. This is my offer. What game are we playing?"
"You think I'm going to let you win."
"No. Actually, I think you're going to cheat, and I'm going to let you."
"Excuse me? I'm not going to cheat."
"Fine. You'll pick a game I can't win. Whatever it is, I'll accept. I have to."
She turned her back on me. I stared at it for a while. "Take it back," she said eventually. "Withdraw your offer."
"No."
"Teigan, you have to take it back!" She screamed the words. "Quickly. Now! Take it back!"
"No."
The air shimmered, and when she turned around, she was in her full, demonic glory. Horns, scales, tail, and entirely naked. She advanced on me, and when she reached with one hand to clasp my cheeks, I didn't pull away. She lifted my face to stare into her red eyes.
She was beautiful.
"By the rules I follow," she said, "We do not have final agreement until you have heard the game we will play. I now consider your basic offer binding. We will play, and Rachel will go free. But I will allow you to adjust the terms of your loss once you hear the game."
"I won't change my mind."
"Why this wager, Teigan. Why? Answer me."
"If I don't, your soul is doomed."
"I am a demon. That is my likely fate. But you could have offered something smaller."
"I had to make an offer you couldn't resist."
She stared into my eyes.
"If I don't, you are doomed," I repeated.
"Answer my question, Teigan."
"Because I think I love you, and I wake up sobbing every night. I wake up sobbing when the other demons come and take your soul. And this is the only way I can protect you, and protect Rachel and Beth, too."
She pulled me against her, nearly crushing me against her, and I wrapped my arms just as tightly around her.
"This is the game we will play, Teigan. We will have a battle of wills, and this time, you won't win."
About the Author
A writer by avocation, Robin has a renaissance interest in many areas. A bit of a gypsy, Robin has called a few places home and has traveled widely. A love of the outdoors, animals in general and experimenting with world cuisines, Robin and partner share their home with a menagerie of pets and guests, although sometimes it is difficult to discern who is whom.
Robin can be reached via email as [email protected]. Robin's web site is http://www.robin-roseau.com.
Works by Robin Roseau
The Madison Wolves Series
Fox Run
Fox Play
Fox Mate
Fox Afield
Fox Revenge
Fox Dish
Fox Lost
Wolf Watch
Wolf Ways
Wolf Women
Fox Fate
Fox Short Stories
Hunting Pups
Fox in the Water
Fox Rematch (set after Fox Mate and Fox Afield)
Fox Opponent
A Foxy Valentine
Other Books in the Madison Wolves Universe
Familiar
Poor Little Witch Girl
Seer
Seer: Thrall
The Selected Series
Collected
Taken
The Games People Play Series
Stories that ask a simple question: do you want to play a game?
Do You Want to Play a Game?
My Soul to Play
Other Novels and Novellas
Anonymous Bidder
Blood Slave
A Charming Brew
Emergency Claus
Fitting In
Free to Love
Galatzi Trade
Galatzi World
In Custody
Lost in the Words
Privateer
Stark's Dell
Submission
Surprise
The Interrogation
Tresjolie
Trust
The Ski Bindings Shorts
Short stories of love and lust amongst the slopes.
Snow Fox
Short Stories
Cooking for Love
Southern Night
Captured by the Raptor (writing as Rosetta Robins)
My Soul to Play
Copyright 2016 by Robin Roseau
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in retrieval system, copied in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise transmitted without written permission from the publisher. You must not circulate this book in any format.
This is a work of fiction. Names, places, businesses, characters and incidents are either the product of the author's imagination or are used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons living or dead, actual events or locales is purely coincidental.
* * *
License Notes
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