Dirty Deeds

by R. J. Blain

  I liked the look on his face—well, honestly, I liked all the looks on his face. But this one, engaged, concentrating, serious, was just so sexy that I wanted to reach over and put my hands all over him.

  “Watch the road,” he said without looking up.

  “I am— Oh.”

  Crow chuckled as I swerved away from the shoulder. “I was avoiding a puddle,” I said to my almost-uncle.

  He just held up both hands, a grin on his face.

  “I let them know we got the monkey,” Ryder said, finishing something on his phone. “Told them about the sticker.”

  “Good, so we just need to—”

  A blast of yellow light lanced into the stormy sky, looking like a lightning bolt striking upward, swallowed by the clouds.

  “Crap,” I said. “The lake?”

  “Yes, cut here.” Ryder pointed.

  I threw on the Jeep’s lights, red and blue strobing, as I broke the speed limit to get to the lake.

  “Check on Jean…”

  “She’s not answering. But her location is three streets south.”

  I swung the Jeep south and floored it.

  “There.”

  I followed Ryder’s finger to Jean’s parked truck, Myra’s cruiser right next to it. The little cottage-style house had weathered, cedar-shake siding and a detached garage. A garage that was smoking.

  “Call the fire department.” I ran out of the Jeep, knowing Ryder was already on it.

  Running into a burning building was a terrible idea, but if anyone was in there, if my sisters were in there, there was no way in hell I wasn’t going to save them.

  Three steps before I reached the door, it burst open as if it had been kicked.

  My sisters appeared out of a billowing cloud of smoke, four teenagers behind them.

  Jean got them all out into the fresh air, planted her hands on her hips and declared, “We came, we saw, we kicked its ass!”

  “Ghostbusters,” one of the teens said.

  “Old school. Nice,” the other said.

  The funny thing about adrenalin is that it hits like a hammer, and the shock waves keep rolling long after that first hit. I couldn’t stop myself. I reached out and grabbed Jean into a hug, one hand reaching for Myra, too, catching her shoulder.

  Jean squeaked from how hard I squeezed her. Myra pulled in close, her arm extended around Jean to hold my elbow.

  “We’re fine,” Myra said. “Delaney, we aren’t hurt. None of us.”

  I gave Jean one more squeeze, then stepped back, letting my hands drop to my side. “Is there a fire?”

  Jean glanced over her shoulder. “Well, not right now.”

  “Dude,” a teen said. Now that I actually looked at the little group, I recognized Keith and Fernando from Crow’s sale. The girl was a young dryad named Shadow, and the other teen was a non-binary human, Page, who knew all about the magical stuff in town.

  They all had matching wide-eyed, utterly delighted expressions.

  “So much fire,” Page said.

  “No heat,” Shadow added. “Which was totally cool.”

  “And time went all…” Fernando shimmied his hands, “wibbly-wobbly.”

  “Right before the lightning,” Keith said. “Which was… Dude.”

  He sounded impressed. They all did. Which was fair. Even though this was a town stuffed to the gills with magic, it wasn’t every day one had a chance to see it up close.

  The smoke cleared, leaving us in the cold misty air, the restless wind nibbling with needled teeth.

  Fernando shivered and wrapped his arms around himself.

  “You kids all okay?” I asked.

  “Well, we’re going to have to restart the game,” Keith said. “We pushed the table over for a shield.”

  I glanced at Myra.

  She held up the fancy red and gold box. “Hourglass. Thanks for the butterfly tip,” she said to Ryder, who was right behind me, close enough he dropped his hand on my hip. It was that, his settling touch that let the rest of the adrenaline pour out of me.

  “Crow figured it out,” Ryder said.

  “Yes,” Crow picked up. “I did. You are all very welcome. I’ll take money or gifts. I’m not picky.”

  “We don’t get to keep that do we?” Page asked, tipping their head at the box.

  “Nope,” I said. “Sorry, it’s cursed.”

  That got me four matching grins.

  Keith whispered, “So cool.”

  Fernando whispered, “Worth it.”

  Without raising their hands, they knocked fists together, low-bones.

  “Crow’s going to reimburse you for it though,” Jean said. “Aren’t you, Crow? I mean, you sold them a cursed object. I think there’s a mandatory return policy on those. Right, Ryder?”

  I couldn’t see Ryder since he was still standing directly behind me with his hand on my hip, but I knew he had all the laws and contracts of Ordinary burned into his brain. He had foolishly gotten himself tangled up with Mithra, god of contracts.

  It made him hyperaware of the actual rules and regulations of the town. At first, he’d had a hard time ignoring it, but he’d gotten a handle on it over time, and didn’t have to constantly mutter about the smallest infractions anymore.

  If I never heard about another jay walker in my life, I would be thrilled.

  Shadow turned her big green eyes up at Ryder. “We get our money back?” she said in a small, sweet voice. “With interest because we’re just kids and we could have been killed?”

  Myra had to work hard to bite back a smile, but Jean was grinning from ear to ear.

  “Yeah, Crow,” Jean said. “You could have killed these kids. Their parents might go all litigious when they find out. Then you’re gonna be in jail for so long no one’s even going to remember your name when you get out.”

  “No one’s gonna sue me over a curse I had no knowledge of.” He sauntered up to the kids, digging out his wallet. “That was what? Three bucks?”

  “But we’re starving,” Keith said.

  “Think of our mental health,” Fernando added.

  “The trauma, the trauma,” Page said.

  “Don’t be a cheapskate, old man,” Shadow piped up. “My miniatures got scratched up and paint ain’t cheap.”

  I snuffed a laugh and held a thumbs up behind Crow’s back.

  “Lunch,” Crow said, doling out bills. “Damages.” He pierced Shadow with a hard look, but she just smiled. “And something left over so you can pick out a new game. Or a new timer.”

  He generously added a couple more bills.

  “All right,” Keith said nodding. “Not bad. We can live with that. Can’t we, crew?”

  Since Crow had dished out almost a hundred dollars, they all nodded in time.

  Crow spun on his heel and scowled at me. “How’s a man supposed to make a living in this town?” he grumbled.

  “Oh, I don’t know,” I said. “But I’d start by not selling cursed property to little kids, old man.”

  “Yeah, yeah,” he said, stomping back to the Jeep. “Age is a victory, you know.”

  “Big victory,” Jean said, coming forward to throw her arm over my shoulders. “Why aren’t you on vacation? You promised Myra you were leaving this morning.”

  “One, I promised today, not this morning. Two, maybe you’ve noticed there are curses on the loose?”

  Myra fell into step on my other side, and Ryder followed behind us. “We got this, Delaney,” Jean said. “Really. Now that we know the butterflies are the solution, we can just gather up all the items and lock them away. Easy stuff. Even a rookie could handle it.”

  I counted our steps against the wet pavement, the echo and rhythm of the three of us moving together as familiar as childhood.

  “Things could get worse,” I said.

  “We know,” Myra said. “We expect it will. But we have the tools to handle whatever comes up.”

  “For a limited time,” Jean added. “Because you are still the Bridge
for the god powers. None of us can take on that job.”

  We’d reached the vehicles now. Crow was leaning against the Jeep, his arms crossed over his chest, one sneakered foot stuck behind him on the bumper.

  “Well, shit,” I said. “I was supposed to be with Frigg and Than this morning.”

  “Power trade off?” Myra asked.

  I nodded. “Can you take the toy to the station?”

  “Why,” Jean said moving over to lean on the Jeep next to Crow. “Did it go a little bananas?”

  “Ha. Ha,” Crow said.

  “You love me best,” she said in a sweet voice.

  “I’d love you more if you had better jokes,” he said in the same sweet voice.

  Jean laughed and bumped her shoulder against his. He bumped her back.

  “The monkey—” I started.

  “—got it.” Myra lifted the box out of the back of the Jeep and tucked it under her arm with the other one.

  “One question,” Ryder asked.

  We all turned to him. Waited.

  “Where did you find the butterfly sticker?”

  Jean spoke up. “Myra found it stuck on the bottom of the box. They were using the box for a potato chip platter.”

  I exhaled a little sigh. “I can guess your next question,” I said to Ryder.

  He nodded and tucked his hands into his jacket. “What happens if we can’t find the butterfly sticker? What happens if someone wadded it into a ball, or threw it in a fire?”

  We were all silent a moment. My stomach clenched, because other than those stickers, we had no defense against the curses.

  “Okay, I can stay here for at least the day. Myra, check in with our witches. See if they have any idea how to contain this stuff. I’ll track down Zeus and ask him if he has any ideas, since he’s been a part of Pandora’s life for, like, forever.”

  I moved to the front door of the Jeep, put my hand on the handle.

  “Or,” Crow said, “we could just use these.” He reached into his damp hoodie and withdrew a sheet of paper—several actually, a whole booklet—all of them covered in dozens of unused yellow butterfly stickers.

  “Where did you get those?” Myra demanded.

  “Score, old man!” Jean high-fived him.

  “How,” I shouted, louder than the others, “long have you had those things?”

  Crow shrugged and tucked them safely back inside his hoodie. He pointed at Myra.

  “From the storage unit. They were the last thing I found, of course.”

  He pointed at Jean. “Keep it up with the old man stuff, and I’ll start sending everyone who goes through my shop to the other bakery instead of your boyfriend’s.”

  Lastly, he pointed at me. “Like, since I came by your place this morning?”

  “And you made me stand there holding a monkey in my sweaty hands while you dug through the box for the old sticker? You had all those butterflies and didn’t want to use one of those?”

  “You’re welcome, Boo boo,” he said. “I know I’m awesome.”

  I took a deep breath and ground my molars. “Give Jean and Myra some of those stickers. Ryder, I’ll take you back to our place so you can pick up your truck. Then can you get Hatter and Shoe and Kelby some stickers, too? Just in case?”

  “Yep. But that leaves you without a phone,” he said.

  “I’m just going over to Than’s kite shop to meet with him and Frigg. I’ll be fine.”

  Ryder held my gaze for a minute, then stepped close to me. The others headed to their vehicles, Crow deciding to ride with Jean.

  “You sure you’ll be okay?” he asked. He was in my space, the scent of him heady, his attention warm and hypnotizing. I couldn’t take my eyes off him. Didn’t want to.

  “I think I really need a vacation,” I breathed.

  And oh, how he smiled. “Yeah, Boss,” he said low and sexy. “You do. So get those god powers moved over, and I’ll meet you outside the kite shop. Deal?”

  “I thought you were riding with me.”

  “Deal?” he asked again.

  “Deal.”

  Ryder pulled away and jogged off toward Myra. “Hey, future sister-in-law. Can I bum a ride?”

  Myra, of course, already had the engine running and the door open, waiting for him.

  I watched them drive off and watched the kids head back into the garage, heads together arguing about where to spend the money. And then, just as fat drops of rain began to fall, I headed off to see a god about some powers.

  Chapter Ten

  “Storm,” I heard Frigg say, as the bell above the kite shop door jingled. “Bigger than last night’s.”

  “What?” I said. I reached for my phone in my pocket, remembered it was currently dissolving in the belly of a dragon.

  “Hey, Delaney,” she called out cheerily from the back room. “You’re late.”

  The sign on the door said the shop was closed. The door hadn’t been locked, but with the lights turned down a bit, I was pretty sure no one would step in while we were in the middle of the freaky stuff.

  God power. God power was the freaky stuff.

  “Hey, Frigg.” I threw the lock, just in case. “Sorry I’m late. Been chasing down some cursed objects.”

  Frigg leaned out so she could see through the open doorway between the front and back room. “I thought I smelled something weird. What objects?”

  I strolled back. “Pandora’s. A whole storage unit full of them.”

  “And they got out onto the street because…? she asked.

  “Because Crow is a jerk.”

  She barked a laugh. “Oh, you are not wrong. Come sit down. We have cocoa.”

  I entered the back room.

  Than sat with Frigg at a little round wooden table with a lace tablecloth and a plate of nuts and cheeses. A large, sterling silver decanter sat to one side with several smaller silver pots and pitchers spread out around it. The scent of chocolate and cinnamon and caramel was intense and wonderful.

  “This is fancy,” I said. “Are any of these going to be the container for the powers?”

  Than paused with his cup and saucer halfway to his mouth. “Your imagination is staggering.”

  Yep. There he was. Mr. Delightful.

  “Thank you. May I join?’

  He waved a free hand at the open chair and I took the seat, completing the final point of the god-transfer triangle.

  “Cocoa?” Than offered.

  “Sure.”

  He turned the extra frilly china cup right side up, settling it neatly in a matching saucer.

  I studied the design. “Are those… giraffes?”

  He raised an eyebrow. “I believe they are.”

  “That’s… um… some adult positions they’re attempting.”

  “Are they not adult giraffes?”

  I squinted. “Maybe?”

  “Well, then.”

  I glanced over at Frigg, my eyes wide in a what-do-you-say-to-that expression. She slurped her cocoa, her eyes twinkling over the top of marshmallow froth.

  “Mallow?” Than tugged a little silver lid off a little silver pot.

  “Yes, please.”

  He wielded delicate engraved tongs and plunked spongy little hunks into the cup. “Whipped cream? Cinnamon? Sprinkles?”

  “No, that’s good. I’m all marshmallow. Ride or die.”

  “Fair,” he granted. He passed the cup back to me, and I took it. I tried not to pay attention to which part of the giraffe was pressed against my mouth when I took a sip.

  The cocoa was good. No, it was amazing. Jean would be crazy jealous if she knew Death had the best cocoa in town. I’d only found out about it because he’d invited me for a sleepover a few months ago.

  “Delicious,” I said.

  Than inclined his head. I’d never really seen him smile, but I could tell from the light in his eyes that he was pleased.

  “Okay, so the power—” I said.

  “Cocoa first,” Than interrupted. “Frigg and
I have agreed to share this drink together to better assure the transition of power.”

  I looked at Frigg, expecting her to call bullshit. Drinks didn’t make any difference to the powers. The only thing that made a difference was if I was there to facilitate the transfer, and if the gods involved could nominally stand each other’s presence.

  “First, the cocoa,” Frigg insisted. “It’s very good, don’t you think so?”

  “I just said it’s delicious.”

  “You don’t seem surprised at the quality of this beverage.”

  “Delicious isn’t a compliment now?”

  “No, no. That’s not what I’m getting at. What I’m getting at is you never told me Than could brew such amazing cocoa.”

  I took another drink, this one deeper, catching just enough melted marshmallow to make it extra creamy.

  “Maybe I was unaware of his skills,” I said airily.

  She chuckled. “You have been holding out on me, Reed.”

  “No. If Than wanted to share his cocoa, he would do so. The only person I haven’t told on purpose is Jean, because she would be all over him for the recipe, and his ability to be a good reserve officer would be at risk.”

  “Uh-huh,”

  “I was being a good friend to Than.”

  “Uh-huh.”

  “My sister can be really persistent. Annoyingly so.”

  “That’s all part of the Reed charm,” she said with a wink. “Don’t you think so, Than?”

  “Such charm.”

  “Hey. I can be charming. Very charming.”

  He paused and gave me his full attention. It should be a heavy thing, having the deity of death staring at me. But I could see the kindling of something a lot like humor in his eyes.

  “You adore me,” I insisted. “I can see it in your eyes.”

  “You are not even moderately charming.”

  “Sweet talker.” I took another big gulp of cocoa, then plucked a little square of cheese up by its toothpick and popped it in my mouth.

  I realized I hadn’t eaten all day. I was starving.

  “Where did you learn to make the cocoa?” Frigg asked.

  Than looked slightly startled at how many cheese squares I was shoving in my mouth. He nudged a small empty plate my way with just the tips of his fingers as if worried I’d bite them off.