More than once, I considered visiting Calluna, pretending to be interested in adopting a dog so I could get inside the store and confront the creep, but I didn’t want an attachment to a pet. I didn’t need it following me around for the rest of my life, making me feel guilty that I had moved on to another pet.
Hitting the brakes, I stopped in front of the old town hall building that now housed the Casters of Silver Spring Coven. I took off my helmet and tried to tame my wild curls. Sucking in a breath, I looked up at the white steeple. I had no idea why one of the local covens was calling me for a security consult. The covens tended to look down on necromancers, especially casters, who believed all conjurers were dark wizards.
Technically, dark wizards used necromancy, but not all necromancers were dark wizards. Of course, try explaining that to the narrow-minded witches carrying torches and pitchforks. The irony of witches persecuting other witches never failed to amuse me, but I couldn’t change the world. Worst were witches who had allowed dark wizards to invade their coven and corrupt it.
Why was I here again? Oh yeah, I liked money.
I walked up the steps and extended my hand to ring the bell when the double doors opened. Stepping back, I waited to see if someone was leaving the building.
“Come in, Mr. Foxworth.” A pleasant smile greeted me instead of a sneer.
I quickly looked around to make sure that the twenty something brunette with long hair was speaking to me, not a caster with the same name as me.
Seeing that I was alone, I nodded and entered the cold building. The air conditioning wasn’t the reason for the chilliness in the air. Instead, it was the result of the building’s dubious history during the early settlement days. Buildings had a memory just like people, but they were better at keeping secrets.
“Mrs. Dreger wasn’t specific about why the coven needed a security system when she requested a bid.” I wasn’t sure if the young lady had any insight into why I was here, but I figured it was a neutral topic of conversation.
The young woman smiled over her shoulder. “My aunt didn’t tell me. I’m sorry.”
Walking down the long hallway, the mahogany walls felt like they were closing in on me. I hated covens. Too many bad memories and too many broken hopes and dreams were associated with places like this.
“Mr. Foxworth, please have a seat.”
I snapped out of my semi-panic attack and looked up to find myself in a tastefully decorated office with a large window overlooking the park.
“Thank you, Mrs. Dreger.” The silver haired woman in front of me smiled stiffly as she tugged on her blue power blazer. Her shrewd eyes assessed me within five seconds, determining my worth. I wasn’t sure if I measured up to her expectations, but I tried not to show my discomfort. She was the kind of woman who smelled fear and went for the jugular.
I cleared my throat. “I can only assume that you need a less conventional security system than the typical wards and protection spells.” I shouldn’t have skipped the pleasantries, but my nerves got the better of me.
She flashed me a look of warning. Apparently, I had insulted her by insinuating that the casting witches couldn’t handle protecting their turf.
“You came highly recommended, Mr. Foxworth. Don’t make me regret my decision to bring you here.” She pursed her lips and tapped her fancy ballpoint pen on the blotter.
I had already sweated through my favorite blue striped shirt and was well on my way to breeching the interior lining of my tan blazer. Hearing the unspoken truth hanging in the air made me want to storm out the door in mock indignation, but I stood my ground. Regardless of their personal hatred of my kind, they had called me.
“Mrs. Dreger, I’m not here to play games. I’m well aware of the trouble your coven is experiencing, so let’s just get everything out into the open. Dark wizards made this coven their bitch and you need to step into the present in order to prove to the masses that you can keep them safe. Bottom line, your magic was no match for those wishing your coven harm. You need something else. You require 24/7 security, hidden cameras and listening devices strategically placed to make sure you have purged this scourge from within your walls.” I should have stopped there, but my nerves made me dangerously overconfident since I had nothing to lose. “And I’m the only guy with the skills and the ability to install a system that can detect glamours, send phone alerts when unauthorized spells are being used and motion sensors that can pick up both wand movements and conjuring techniques. So, despite the fact that you look down on me because I’m a necromancer, I’m the only person in this town who can help you with your problem.” I could feel the steam escaping around my shirt collar as I shifted in my chair. I would not touch my tie. I would not fidget under the most intense eyes I had ever seen.
A small smile appeared in the corner of Caroline Dreger’s mouth. “Yes, you are the person I need; however, I am not unhappy about you being a necromancer. I’m concerned about your lofty prices. If your equipment can do all that, plus what your proposal says, then I believe we can arrange to bring you on as a full time consultant.”
The breath I was holding left my body in one big swoosh. “Oh. I see. Well, it’s just a proposal. I’m sure we can fine tune the pricing a little, especially if you activate the support contract.” Holy shit, had I just put my foot in my mouth and still won the bid to secure their entire coven?
She leaned back into her executive chair and crossed her fingers. “I’m happy to hear that you are willing to work with me on the pricing. We will definitely require the support and maintenance packages. As you said, we need to step into the present. None of us are used to requiring more than just our magic to protect us. We need to make sure that the coven is safe. Besides, if you prove yourself, you have much to gain by servicing the homes of the other coven members.”
Understanding that she was willing to talk up my services to the coven members looking for home security, if I lowered my price and proved myself, I gave her my professional smile and nodded. “Safety is our main concern at Charmed Security. I believe that we can protect all interested parties.” I held off patting myself on the back until I knew how much she planned to rake me over the coals on pricing. If this meeting went well, it would make my small business a household name.
She leaned forward and folded her hands on the desk. “Since we are being open and honest here, I’m concerned about more than just the dark wizards who made my coven their bitch, as you say. We believe there is a new threat to our community. There have been alarming reports of illegal magic being performed, sparking fear in the coven. Once a weakness has been identified within a society, others believe they can exploit that weakness. Do you understand, Mr. Foxworth?”
I nodded, understanding that the coven had rumors of another kind of threat, though they were afraid to point fingers this early in their investigation.
“Once certain factors have been determined, I can modify the system to search for similar parameters, depending on what we’re looking for.”
“Excellent. I’m certain that any shared information will stay between the coven and your company.” I understood that her statement was code for, “you blab about our internal problems and we will ruin your small business.”
“That is why we have a confidentiality clause.” I envisioned her using a spell to crush my balls if I failed to uphold their privacy clause.
“I’m glad we have an understanding. I will review the numbers and get back to you by tomorrow.” She reached across her desk to shake my hand.
I kept my cool, but I was surprised by her timeframe. If she was willing to make a decision in two days, it meant that she was in deeper shit than she wanted to admit. I wasn’t sure what she was keeping from me, but I was confident that I could help her.
Daire
Stepping into O’Malley’s Pub, I searched for my blonde haired partner, who would be hitting on the hottest woman in the place.
I found the longest legs I had ever seen and looked over at the
seat next to them where Doug was attempting to get the number of the beauty. Of course, she was equally interested in giving him her real phone number.
“Doug, there you are lovey. I can’t wait to tell you the good news. The adoption agency called and we’re going to be parents!” I threw my arms around Doug and smacked my lips against his cheek.
Doug froze and looked to the beauty, who was suddenly trying to take an important call on a phone that hadn’t rang. She moved as quickly as her high heels would take her across the pub towards the exit.
Elbowing me in the ribs, Doug waved his arms. “Asshole! I was about to find out what color underwear she was wearing.”
I laughed. “I guarantee that she wasn’t wearing any.” I tossed a pretzel into my mouth and downed the rest of her drink. I gagged when the white wine spritzer hit the back of my throat. “Oh yeah, she wanted to suck your dick in the parking lot. She was going light on the booze, which meant she wanted to remember the sex.”
“Fuck. I hate you. Just because you don’t want a love life, don’t ruin mine.” He took a gulp of his Guinness and waved to the bartender.
I bit my lip. “I have no interest in growing old with someone only to argue with her in the afterlife about my poor life choices and have her tell me not to buy the expensive peas. Therefore, I need someone to be celibate with. It’s not my fault if I’ve chosen to drag you down into my world of cold showers and internet porn.”
He shivered at my pathetic description of a good time. “How about I have enough sex for both of us and tell you about it so you can live vicariously through me? That sounds better to me.”
I clapped his shoulder and shook him. “You’re already doing that, yet I’m still unsatisfied. Now, finish your beer and ask me why I’m in a good mood.”
His eyes lit up as he swiveled on the stool to face me. “Tell me you got the job.”
I tilted my head and looked up at the ceiling as if I was trying to decide how to answer. When he shoved my chest, I nodded. “We’re getting the contract for the Casters of Silver Springs. Better still, Mrs. Dreger doesn’t care what I am, so I threw in a free install.”
Doug high fived me. “Awesome! I don’t even care about the installation. I just want to hear every detail of the negotiations. Did Caroline Dreger beg?”
I frowned. “Trust me, that woman begs for no one. She would have torn you apart if you had gone with me. I’m glad you stayed home.”
Clapping, he cheered. “Bartender, another Guinness!”
I laughed at his excitement.
“Here you go, boys.” Charlie slid two beers in front of us.
Doug thanked her, but I held my hand up. “I’m good.” I pushed the beer back towards her.
She shook her head and motioned towards a cute brunette. “This one is on her.”
The brunette blushed when I looked questioningly at her. Apparently, spirits weren’t the only ones who thought I had a sweet ass.
I raised my glass to thank her and took a sip.
“Go talk to her.” Doug sighed, annoyed that I wasn’t trying to shove my dick in her face.
Still smiling, I spoke through my teeth. “I’m going to head for the bathroom and sneak out the window. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I meant what I said about not dating, though I hated letting women down. I was terrible with pouting faces and tears. They were my weakness.
“Pussy. Enjoy your internet porn. I’m going to find someone to take home.” He turned to face the rest of the bar and scanned for his bedroom pal for the night.
Slinking towards the bathroom, I jumped when I felt something squishy under my foot.
“Ouch!”
I turned around, apology hanging on my tongue, when I saw an adorable woman with short platinum blonde hair. My words failed me when I looked through her black rimmed glasses to gaze into her light gray eyes. “Wow.”
Her surprised expression melted into a look of disdain. “What? Are you implying that this is my fault? You stepped on me, asshole.”
She crossed her arms, exposing the tattoo covering most of her left arm.
Still unable to speak proper English after seeing such a cutie, I sputtered something unintelligibly.
“Your fault.” It should have been more of a question, than a statement, but my brain was processing the situation and told me, “This is your fault, dumbass. Apologize.” Sadly, it didn’t come out that way.
Before I could untangle the mess I’d made, she screwed up her face, grabbed a glass of Budweiser from the end of the bar, and threw it at me.
The people in the vicinity made a collective gasp as I made a sound somewhere between disbelief and “what the fuck” when the cold beer hit me.
“Fuck off!” The woman stormed towards the bathroom, leaving me in a puddle.
Doug saw what happened and laughed at my misfortune. He was used to witnessing bad things happening to me while out in public. I was forever a source of embarrassment for him.
Charlie stormed over in a huff and started yelling and pointing and mopping. All I really caught was, “Dahlia” and “get out”.
Confused and mortified, I hung my head and quickly ran for the door. With my excitement cut short, I stood in the parking lot, trying to figure out what the hell had happened. I thought about waiting for the woman so I could apologize, but my brain was still misfiring. I didn’t want to accidentally call her a whore or insult her mother, so I decided to call it a night and crawl into bed.
Chapter 3 Dahlia
Limping out the backdoor of O’Malley’s, I was still fuming. I had never seen the jerk wad who had stepped on my foot and I hoped to never see him again. Maybe I should consider dating women.
All I wanted to do was take my boots off, shower away my long day and fall into my new sheets that arrived yesterday.
I headed across the back parking lot, wishing I hadn’t left my car at the studio. My stomach grumbled when I remembered my forgotten brisket sandwich sitting under the bar. I craned my neck to look at the pub and weighed my desire to eat my sandwich vs my desire to curl up on my soft pillow. Surprisingly, my pillow won the debate and I continued towards my car.
Quickly texting Charlie to ask her to put my dinner in the fridge until tomorrow, I sighed and told my stomach to relax. I tried to convince it that a bowl of Cheerios was as good as a brisket sandwich. My stomach growled its displeasure, but I ignored it. I tugged on my lip ring to distract myself from the thoughts of eating.
Walking past the dark stores in the touristy section of town that had locked their doors at 5:00 PM, I thought about anything but my aching foot. How big had that guy’s feet been to cause such damage?
I pulled my keys out of my pocket and my thumb searched for the unlock button. Home was only two red lights away, but it felt like it would take a year to get there based on the exhaustion settling into my back and legs.
I was about to turn the corner and walk the last few blocks to my car when I caught the sound of shoes scuffing against the pavement behind me. Who the hell was walking down this street after 9:00 PM on a Thursday night?
Glancing at the window of the dildo shop near my studio, I didn’t see anyone in the reflection.
I could swear someone was walking behind me.
My stomach twisted again, but this time a sharp pain nearly knocked me to the ground. I grabbed my stomach and took a deep breath. Why was I this hungry? I’d had a bag of chips before I closed up for the night.
I almost doubled over from the stabbing pain, but I was determined to get to my car. My senses told me that someone was behind me, even if my eyes disagreed.
Hitting the unlock button, I tried to shuffle around the back of the studio to reach my car. I saw a piece of gravel shoot across the ground and quickly spun to face my invisible stalker. “Whoever is following me, stop it right now! I have no money, no food and no interest in being kidnapped tonight.”
A young man abruptly jumped back, startled by my rant. He was wearing a gray hoodie and jeans. His face wa
s hidden in the shadow of his hoodie and his hands were in his pockets.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The stutter in his voice implied that he really was surprised by my outburst. For a second, I wondered if he just happened to be going in the same direction as me, but considering there was a fence at the back of my parking lot, I knew he had no reason to follow me.
“What do you want?” I took a step forward, hoping to appear intimidating, but my stomach knotted up again and I grimaced.
When the man doubled over at the same time, I realized that I wasn’t the one who was starving, he was. I was feeling his pain, which was strange since I hadn’t touched him.
My pain subsided and I blew out a breath. “When was the last time you ate, honey?”
He pulled down his hoodie and stretched his back. “I’m not sure anymore. I am sorry that I scared you. I was in a daze and forgot where I was going.”
I didn’t exactly believe him, but I was more concerned about his pale face and gaunt features. He looked as if he hadn’t eaten in a week. He had a few days’ worth of growth on his handsome face, which made him look older than his twenty something years.
“Look, I haven’t had dinner either. Why don’t we head over to Anthony’s and I’ll buy you a piece of pizza?” My father, the former detective, would have a stroke if he knew I was inviting a stranger to dinner, but my mother would be proud of my random act of kindness. She had always stopped what she was doing to help someone in trouble.
He shook his head. “Really, it’s okay. I promise to head in the complete opposite direction and leave you be, ma’am.” He ducked his head and stepped back into the shadow of the building.
Ma’am. Ugh. I was only 32.
I shoved my keys in my pocket and walked towards him. “Well, I’m heading to Anthony’s. You can join me if you want. I have to warn you, they have the best pizza in the area. Some would argue, but they’d be wrong. Personally, I love the chicken parm, but tonight is definitely a pizza night.”
Dahlia Page 2