by C C Sommerly
“You’re not my anything.”
11
I waited until Lochlan pulled away before I jumped into Betty. I still wasn’t sure how she’d gotten back from impound. I’d have to hit up Callie for that info. I could swap those details with ones on the fae that she so desperately wanted. The woman was such a gossipy, but it was part of her charm.
Jennica’s employer was located in Uptown, but not as nice of an area as the Huntington’s. After my experience there, I wouldn’t look at any house the same way again. I’d never been to Jennica’s employer and had no clue if some of the same type of security measures awaited me there.
It was a smaller house than what Julia Huntington had, but still what I’d consider a mansion. It had the tall columns, circular driveway and manicured grounds that screamed money.
A butler answered the door.
“I’m here to see Jennica.”
“That will be a problem.”
“Can I speak to the master or mistress of the house, whichever is in?”
“I’m afraid they won’t be able to help you either.”
My worry for Jennica boiled over into anger until I was shaking from it. I had no way of knowing if she was okay.
“Actually, I insist on speaking to one of them,” I said through clenched teeth.
“Insist all you want, but without an order by the enforcers, I’m afraid you won’t pass beyond the door step.”
“Very well.”
I’d come back with reinforcements. Lochlan wanted a partner, I wanted his contacts with the enforcers to get me access to Jennica. Guess Lochlan won after all.
I raved the entire drive back to the Agency. No sooner did I step through the door then I was ambushed by Sterling.
“We need to talk.”
“Good, I was about to tell you the same thing,” I said.
“To my office.”
I went to sit down.
“Close the door.”
“If this is about that fae, I – ”
“That’s not what this is about.”
Why did he bring me in here and why was he acting so formal? And since when did we close the door if there wasn’t a client present?
“How long have I known you?”
“Eight years, as long as I’ve been with the Agency.”
“And, in all that time have I ever shown myself to be unfair or unreasonable in any way?”
“No.”
“What about untrustworthy? Disloyal?”
“No.”
My instincts were telling me to run. No matter how much I wanted to flee, you didn’t run from a shifter, ever. Running encouraged their predator instinct and strong animals, like Sterling’s would take you down – driven by the raw instinct to kill prey.
“When you were brought back from the healer, you were out cold, but there was something off about you. At the time, I assumed it was because of your time in Nether World or from the healing, either of which can leave a residue.”
Alarm bells were going off in my head.
“I thought of why I sensed something. It was what I used to sense around Zander. I thought it was a breakthrough and Zander was returning to normal. However, when he left the room and it was just you and I, it didn’t go away. If anything it was stronger. When were you going to tell me you weren’t human? And, why aren’t you using your magic?”
My stomach dropped through the floor. He couldn’t be sensing magic on me. I had it boxed up. I’d have noticed a leakage in my magic. The healer or Lochlan would have said something, but neither had and both hadn’t noticed anything different about me.
“You are wrong.”
“And you are lying. Try again, Marty.”
“I’m human, just like Callie. It was definitely residue from the healer. I’m not sure why you’d think it was anything else.”
“Also a lie.”
“This is crap. Why would I hide my magic?”
“That’s what I want to know.”
“This is crap. I’m just barely out of recovery from my healing and you are interrogating me. I have more than enough going on with this case, a partner I never asked for or wanted and now Jennica. I don’t have to listen to this.”
“And here I thought Zander was the only childish one. Have it your way Marty. You can only hide the truth for so long. And you know what they say about lies, they have a way of being found out.”
I needed to get out of here. My thoughts were swirling and panic threatened to overwhelm me. I started up Betty and lost myself to the drive. At some point, cruise control, or Betty control took over. I had no direction and no destination. I just needed to get away.
The hills were giving way to mountains. Betty was taking us out to the Broken Ridge Mountains.
“Good call, girl,” I said and tapped the dashboard.
Betty honked. I took over control of the car. I floored it and raced through each curve and bend in the road. Betty rolled the windows down, the wind streaming through and tangling my hair. There was nothing but me, the road and my beautiful Betty.
I finally stopped near one of the peaks. I parked off the shoulder and walked towards the ridge. There was a hidden waterfall here that very few people know about. That was my destination.
I made my way to a rock that was closest to the roaring falls. I tucked my legs under me and closed my eyes. The mist the falls kicked up sprinkled over me. There was something soothing about the sounds here. The air was crisp and clear and it was just me and nature. No one at the agency knew about my spot here. It was my haven. It had been too long since I’d been up here.
The chill from the waterfall finally grew too much. The sky was just starting to darken, so I’d been here for a couple of hours. I felt more peaceful and my mind felt clearer.
It wasn’t like me to lose my cool like I did with Sterling. My words all but confirmed that what he said was true. God, what a dumb move. And, he’d want to know why I wasn’t using my magic. That was a story I’d never intended to tell anyone of them. If I had my way, it was a story that no one would ever hear.
Just seeing the healer’s reaction showed what strong feelings people still had about my father. And, many people believed in the philosophy that the apple didn’t fall far from the tree. It wouldn’t matter that I blocked my magic or that it’d been almost ten years since my father went on the rampage.
I pulled out the scrap of paper the healer had given me.
“Varnoc.”
Nothing happened.
“Varnoc? Varnoc?”
A flash of light and smoke heralded the arrival of Varnoc. The demon standing before me looked rather put out and that was putting it mildly. He was one move away from decapitating me with his long sword. The healer really should have warned me about who I was summoning.
“Who are you and why did you summon me?”
He towered over me and I was at a marked disadvantage sitting on the rock. I could take my chances by jumping into the falls, fight or try to talk my way out of it. None of those seemed like good solutions.
“Don’t make me repeat myself, human.”
“I didn’t exactly come across your name by accident.”
His expression darkened with fury – making him even more menacing. He was unlike any demon I had encountered or heard of. That seemed to be a trend in my life lately – nothing went to plans and new creatures were creeping into my life. Maybe it was time to rethink things. I had no problem going after demons, but this one made me question the sanity of that choice.
“Why. Did. You. Summon. Me? Answer now, or I’ll kill you for bothering me.”
He would too.
“I was told you could help me with a problem that I’m having with my magic.”
Varnoc sniffed. “Ah, I see it now. You aren’t human. How delightful. But, who are you and why should I help you?”
“I’m Marty.”
“Full name.”
“You can answer willingly, or I will make you answer.”
<
br /> A vise-like grip seized my heart, squeezing it. I hunched over gasping. My heart was bursting, while the demon just stared at me.
“Dahlia Draken”
The demon stopped his assault and started laughing, it was a rusty sound the kind made from misuse. It grew to a rolling laugh, echoing across the falls.
“Selenda doesn’t like you much if she told you to ask for my help.”
“Evidently.”
“So, Marty. This is the deal. You summoned me. You do understand the rules of summoning. Oh, wait. I can tell by your confused expression that you don’t.”
He clapped his hands. “This is more fun than I’ve had in centuries. The Crimson Fiend’s daughter is before me and at my mercy.”
Small tremors raced up my body. I wasn’t a fool. I could fight my way out of most things, but this wasn’t one of them. He’d kill me and I can’t do anything about it.
“So, you need my help. I’m assuming you want to block your magic because it’s already partially blocked. Am I right?”
I nodded.
“I will block your magic. It will be a block you cannot get out of and is permanent. In exchange, you owe me a favor of my choice that I can collect at any time.”
“No, I no longer require your assistance.”
“Oh, but I think you do. And, I’m only explaining this to you instead of killing you because of who your father is.”
“Was.”
“So you say. If you don’t agree to the arrangement, then I can stay on Earth, running amok and whatever it is humans say demons do when freed. It’s part of the summoning pact. You foolishly summoned me without a summoning circle. So, I help you and you owe me. Or you don’t get help and I run around raping, pillaging and plundering. It would be a nice break from the monotony of torturing the damned.”
“I agree to your assistance with my magic.”
“And, owing me a favor of my choice and at my choosing.”
Through gritted teeth, I managed to choke out, “I agree to a favor of your choice and choosing.”
“That wasn’t so hard.”
He reached for me and I ducked.
“I need to touch you for the block. And, this might hurt a little.”
He put his hands on each side of my face and closed his eyes. I felt heat and could smell sulphur and brimstone as his magic swirled around me.
I tasted ash and my body was on fire. I tried to stay quiet, but as the pain grew, screams were ripped from me. They hurt my ears and at some point I ended up on the ground.
“Appreciate doing business with you,” said Varnoc, who stepped over me and disappeared.
I laid there stunned. Drool was dribbling down my chin and I smelled urine. I feared that the smell was coming from me. My insides felt charred and my head was aching as if it was bashed in with a sledgehammer. Actually, being hit with a sledgehammer would probably hurt less.
“Dear God, what happened to you?” asked Lochlan.
“Just enjoying some down time. You really should try it.”
“Ah, I’ll pass. Can you walk?”
“Yes, I think so.”
“Care to tell me how you ended up like this?’
“Not really.”
“When are you going to learn to trust me?”
“When you earn it.”
He picked me up and slung me across his shoulders and carried me back to Betty.
“Where’s your car?”
“Don’t need one. Besides, we’ve got yours.”
As he neared the car, Betty sprayed water from the car, soaking us both.
“What’s the deal with your car?”
“My car likes to stay clean.”
“I’m driving. You’re in no shape to drive.”
A short while down the road Lochlan broke the silence.
“I thought you were resting. Something told me you weren’t and I checked the tracker. It led me here.”
“Well, aren’t you a regular Sherlock Holmes. I don’t want the tracker.”
“The tracker has saved your life twice.”
Why was I fighting with him? He didn’t hurt me and he was right. Lochlan had saved my life. I also needed his connections with the enforcers to help me find Jennica.
“You asked when I was going to trust you.”
“I did,” he said warily.
“I’ll be your partner on one condition. I want you to do something for me. No questions asked. It’s not illegal.”
‘What is it you want me to do?”
“I said no questions?”
“How am I supposed to do it if I don’t know what I’m doing?”
“Fine. I need you to send an enforcer to the Richardsons’ house on Ashley Way. I need them to check on Jennica Birchwood.”
“You need a wellness check on someone with the Richardsons? Is that it? Just a check?”
“I want to be there when it happens.”
“I’m not sure that is possible. I can get the enforcers to check and they can give you her status. I cannot get my contacts there to do more without it bordering on illegal.”
“Agreed.”
And for the second time today, I had entered into an unwanted agreement. When did my life get so complicated?
“I need this as soon as you can manage it.”
“Is this woman okay? There seems to be some urgency and I know you aren’t telling me the full story.”
“I don’t know. Okay. She’s someone I know. I need to check on her and they won’t let me in the house to see her.”
“Fine. I’ll see if they can stop by first thing in the morning.”
“Thank you.”
Lochlan didn’t say anything else and I was too exhausted to attempt polite conversation. I studied him from under my lashes. He was a striking man and an honorable one. The sooner we solved this case, the better. Lochlan was a complication my life didn’t need.
It was only a matter of time before he became more curious about me and my background. I planned on looking into his background. He’d probably do the same. I knew what he’d find. Zander and I worked very hard to cover any trace of my previous life. There was no record of Dahlia Draken, just Rayne Martin, orphan and street brat. Several years in the street fighting circuit and then my employment with Croft and Sterling. It was a common life with moments of exception like my street fighting championships.
“Rest up. I’ll be back here at 8 a.m. sharp.”
I rolled my eyes and got out of the car before he could open the door and help me out.
I stepped into the Agency and found Sterling sitting at the receptionist desk. Lovely.
He walked over to me and sniffed.
“Why are you covered in urine and carry a lingering odor of brimstone?”
“So, first I smell like a mage, now like piss and brimstone? Will I smell like a shifter next? Maybe a vampire?”
“I waited for you to come back, so I could apologize, not argue.”
“I don’t feel like either at the moment. I just want to get cleaned up and go to bed.”
“Very well, but we need to talk”
“I know.”
I just needed to figure out what I was going to tell him. I wouldn’t be able to put him off much longer. At least he couldn’t smell my magic. That might throw him off and make him question what he sensed or smelled in me. At least if luck was with me.
12
I dragged myself out of bed with just minutes to spare. I shimmied into my leather pants and topped it off with a tank top and put on my broken in boots.
I armed up and gathered a few spells “just in case”. Nowadays, I could so much as leave my bed without risking a dangerous situation. I used to think my job was safer than street fighting. I thought wrong. At this rate, I wouldn’t survive a month.
Callie was at the desk — early. What a surprise. She was rarely on time and never early. She had taken extra care with her appearance. Her long, lavender hair was put into a updo that showed off her delicat
e face and high cheek bones. She had heavily lined her eyes with liner and put sparkly silver eye shadow on her eye lids. Her lips were a shining red. And she wore a skin-tight silvery, metallic dress that barely covered her bottom.
“Good morning.”
“Don’t good morning me. You never met me for lunch and now I have days’ worth of juicy details to discover,” she snipped.
“Good thing I brought juice.”
Callie blushed and I sputtered, seeing Lochlan standing in the doorway with cups and a bag of food. The smell of bacon and eggs wafting from the bag was making me hungry.
He held out the bag. “Peace offering.”
“How could I refuse?”
I pulled out a breakfast burrito for Callie and gave her one of the juices.
“Let’s eat on the way.”
“I think this is a first. Marty is anxious to get some time alone with me.”
Lochlan winked at Callie. He took my arm and we walked out.
“I’ll drive.”
“Sure, it’ll let me eat.”
“We are meeting the enforcer down the street from the Richards’ residence. Unfortunately, I couldn’t get him to agree to have us there.”
“Did you get salsa?”
“Check the bottom of the bag.”
“Thanks for doing this.”
“Breakfast was easy.”
“That’s not what I meant.”
He flashed his devastating smile at me and started the car. I devoured my breakfast burrito and slurped down my orange juice. These were good. I wonder where he got them from. I didn’t know we had any decent Mexican restaurants in Germanna.
“Did you like it?”
“Very good. Where did you get these from?”
“I made them.”
“You made these?”
“Is it that surprising? You shouldn’t assume you know me.”
I wanted to laugh at how he threw my earlier words back at me. He was funny too, or maybe that was the burrito talking. I’m a sucker for a good burger and good Mexican food.
We went to the meeting place, which was a nice forested area down the street from the Richardsons’. Lochlan made quick work of his breakfast burrito. And I did my best not to fidget. For the first time since meeting him, I felt nervous and unsettled. Was it because I was stuck with him? That I couldn’t blow him off and had to spend time with him?