Stir Until Petrified

by Theda Vallee

  “I’ve been trying to get ahold of you since yesterday.” Her voice sounded eerily calm.

  “You’re not my boss,” I said, instantly regretting the juvenile statement.

  “I rank above you which means you need to answer when I call you,” she said her steps echoing an angry staccato on the tile as she walked towards me.

  “I read that stupid handbook front to back and there was no mention of you being above me in the pecking order.” I crossed my arms, bracing myself for the confrontation.

  Before I could move she was in my face. Her hand curled around my upper arm in a vise-like grip. For someone who looked like she could use a few cheeseburgers, she had a hell of a grip. “There are rules for a reason, Etta. Regardless of what you think of me, we have processes that are based on centuries of trial and error. You can’t walk into this world and decide you know better.”

  “What are you babbling about?” I said, desperately trying to keep magic from seeping out of me. Stella had flooded my cells the second Leontyne made contact. It would take everything in me to prevent another mishap. “You need to let go of me, I don’t have full control over my magic, and she hates you.”

  Instead of letting me go, she leaned in closer. Her nose pressed against me she breathed in deeply. It was like an animal scenting another animal in the wild. Her face contorted with rage. It twisted her delicate features, making everything look over exaggerated like someone’s plastic surgery nightmare.

  “Did you sleep with him?” she asked, her voice a deadly viper waiting to strike.

  “What?” I asked, trying to keep the guilt from showing on my face.

  “Did you sleep with him?” she repeated, drawing the words out slowly. Her nails dug deeper into my arm with each syllable.

  “No, we didn't sleep together. Let go of her, now,” Luc commanded from behind me. “What the hell has gotten into you, Leontyne?”

  “What has gotten into me?” She laughed a high breathy sound that seemed to claw its way out of her throat. “You’re the one breaking protocol left and right. You left two suspects in their homes. You’re panting after her like she’s a cat in heat. What are you going to do about what she did at the crime scene today? Is that going to go unpunished as well?”

  The room was silent. I held my breath waiting for Luc to answer her. I’d known it wasn’t standard practice to leave suspects snug and warm at home, but I hadn't realized it was that big of a deal. What were the consequences for breaking the rules? Had she already reported everything to the powers that be in the Osservatori?

  “She’s learning. If there’s too many issues they’ll put her to death. You know that. I can’t let that happen. We need her power,” Luc answered.

  “We don’t need her power that bad. The rules are there to protect innocent lives. If the world found out about us, how many lives do you think would be lost in the aftermath? It would be a bloodbath. What I don’t get is you’ve sentenced others to death for being unable to wield control. What makes her different?” She stood there peering over my shoulder waiting for a reply. Her eyes narrowed as the silence stretched.

  “Leontyne, I’m trying,” I said, my voice wavering. “I’ve made a lot of progress. The fact that you aren’t being abused by my magic right now should show you how much I’ve learned. It’s going to take time. You’ve had your whole life to learn. I’ve had a few weeks.”

  “Let her go. We need to talk about what we found at the apartment. You and I can talk about this later,” Luc said, finally finding his voice again.

  “Fine. Just remember, if she can’t fall in line, follow the rules, and have control, then we must do what needs to be done. It’s our duty. I won’t fail in my duty. Will you?” Leontyne looked at me as she spoke the last words, making it clear that this was the only warning I’d get. If things didn't improve to her liking, she’d make sure I was dealt with. Even if that meant going above Luc’s head.

  Magic raced through my veins straining to escape. Stella didn’t take death threats well. My skin felt like it was pulling away from the bone as magic slammed against my insides desperately trying to get to Leontyne. Stella, unless you want to die tonight settle your ass down! I opened my mouth, panting. Wrestling with my magic was a full body effort. I fought to push it down below the surface. I wasn’t going to die tonight because my magic had a grudge. I had tacos waiting for me at home.

  Waves of calm cascaded over me forcing Stella to retreat. I closed my eyes soaking in the peaceful energy, letting it soothe the savage magic inside of me. My pulse slowed down, and I was able to breathe normally again. Opening my eyes, I glanced over my shoulder to find Vee standing next to me. She placed her hand on my shoulder, pushing a trickle of feel-good down into my core. I grabbed her hand, clutching it for dear life. A few more seconds in my battle of wills with Stella and I would’ve lost. I owed Vee big time.

  “We need to talk about what we found at the crime scene,” Luc repeated, breaking the tension in the room.

  I held onto Vee’s hand as I moved over to the couch. I needed her to be my anchor right now. My mind turned like a rock tumbler. Luc had said nothing. Did he agree with her? Would he let her kill me? I kept waiting for him to catch my eye to give me reassurance. Anything to show me that he wouldn't let a few little mistakes be enough to sentence me to death. Instead he focused on a folder on the coffee table.

  “The good news is we have a new lead. The magical signature on the corpse we found at the apartment is identical to the ones on our sixteen victims. The wound pattern on the body looks almost identical to the bite marks that were on Etta after her attack.” Luc said, bringing up pictures of the body up on to the screen.

  A wave of terror fought against the calming balm that was Vee’s magic. That man had suffered much worse than me. His whole body had been mauled. There wasn't much left of his torso. The amount of blood that had been in the kitchen made sense. His wounds were big enough for him to have gushed blood like a freaking water feature.

  “What does that mean?” I asked, intertwining my arm around Vee’s. I needed to get all her juju on me to keep myself from running out to vomit. I’d been in that apartment. I’d stepped in his blood. That could’ve been me if my magic hadn’t snapped into action at the right moment. Kayleigh had been gushing blood when I’d been ripped away. How was I so lucky to have survived?

  “Not a whole lot. Obviously, our unknown assailant is responsible. We don’t know if this guy was intended to be the seventeenth victim. It could be that the strega is starting to get sloppy or escalating to murder. All are open and valid theories. We did however, find evidence at the scene that the victim was connected to the Heilwig Neuhaus,” Luc said.

  “Shit. That’s one terrifying woman,” Brady said in recognition.

  “What makes her so scary?” I asked reluctantly. Brady was built like a tank. If he was scared, I should probably be peeing myself.

  “She’s been on our radar for years. If it’s illegal, odds are she’s involved in it. Pixie dust dealing, human trafficking, murder for hire, those are just the things we know about,” Luc said.

  “Wait. You’re the Osservatori. How’s she been on your radar for years, but she’s still free? Shouldn't you have caught her by now?” From everything I knew about the Osservatori, someone like this should’ve been executed on the spot years ago. Hello? I was under threat of death for accidental slip-ups. This one should’ve been a no-brainer.

  “We’ve been close several times but she’s always eluded capture,” Luc said grimly. “Regardless, we’ve found evidence that she might be hanging around Mama’s Pit. The address and some other details were found at the scene. It’s too late tonight, but we’ll go down tomorrow afternoon to scope the place out. Etta, you’ll be with me undercover. The rest of the team will be in back up positions surrounding the bar. We’ll also bring in additional support. If she’s there we don’t want to risk, her getting away again.”

  “Wait. Why do I have to go into the bar? We al
ready tried me undercover. It didn't work, remember?” I asked, my foot bouncing in anxiety at the thought. What was he thinking? We were going after a woman who’d kept herself from being captured by the Osservatori on more than one occasion. I’d made a mess of everything they’d tried to have me do to. This did not seem like a good plan.

  “I doubt we’ll be so lucky to have her be there. We’ll grill a few of her underlings and see if we can get a location. You’ll be fine.” Luc said unphased.

  “You’ll need something bikerish to wear. Do you have any leather or spandex at home kitten?” Brady asked, wiggling his eyebrows at me suggestively.

  Leontyne stood up, planting her feet apart, throwing her hands on her hips. “Either you’re trying to get her killed or you’re an idiot. Why are you having her go undercover? She needs to stay with Brady or Vee. I’ll go in with you.”

  “Whether you like it or not, I’m the one in charge. You want to talk about protocol? Let’s talk about insubordination. Does that sound familiar?” Luc growled at her, finally showing some backbone.

  “Of course, sir. Are we done here?” Leontyne asked. Luc nodded, but kept his eyes glued to her face, daring her to say anything else. To my surprise, she turned and left without another word.

  What just happened? Had she stood up for me? If she wanted me dead wouldn't she just keep quiet and hope I screwed up? This was too much. I didn’t know how to handle all this political intrigue. I’d grown up in a world where people didn't have to manipulate and maneuver for power. You said what you meant. You helped your neighbor. Overall you just tried to be a decent person. Now I had to worry about everyone’s motivations. Did they want to use me for my power? Were they just gunning to see me dead? I lived in a world where no one could be trusted.

  Brady and Vee made their way out after a few final instructions from Luc. I loathed having Vee leave my side. Emotions warred through my body, fighting for space in my overtaxed brain. All the wine I’d sucked down wasn’t helping. It just added fuel to my emotional bonfire. I wasn’t sure whether I wanted to throw Luc down on the couch to finish what we started or punch him in the face for letting Leontyne threaten to kill me. Maybe both. Not at the same time. Well, maybe at the same time. I needed to go home before my magic decided to help make my weird thoughts reality.

  “Are you going to drive me home or do I need to call a car?” I asked Luc. I felt the couch cushions sink in as he sat down next to me. Biting my lip in frustration I turned to look at him. His honey-colored eyes flickered with intensity.

  “It’s cute when you bite your lip like that,” he said, a smile playing on his lips.

  “It’s not cute when you avoid my questions. Should I get a cab or what?” I refused to be drawn in. He’d already turned me down once tonight. I wasn’t going to give him another opportunity.

  He reached out, brushing my hair back from my face. Light cascaded from his fingertips as soon as his hand connected with me. The slight touch sent a jolt of pleasure straight to my lady bits. I closed my eyes, willing myself to stay seated. Not tonight body. Not tonight.

  “You know I’d never let Leontyne hurt you, right?” he asked gently.

  “No. I don’t know that. Why didn’t you say anything to her?” I asked, opening my eyes. I wanted to see his face when he answered.

  “Arguing with Leontyne will just make it worse. She’s a traditionalist when it comes to the organization. If I give her any reason to think I’m willing to fight for you, she’ll take that as a threat to the Osservatori itself. In her eyes I’ll be compromised. For now, I can keep her thinking it’s just a misstep. I’m working to get her off the team. I told Pietro the conflict between you two wasn't going to work long-term. He’s looking for a place to move her. We just have to hold on a for a bit longer.” He ran his hand down my face again.

  My body reacted to the magic, begging me to touch him. Unfortunately for my body, my brain wasn’t going to let this happen tonight. Regardless of what his excuse was, he’d kept his mouth shut. To me that was cowardice. I was smart enough to know you can never trust a coward. They always erred on the side of self-preservation.

  Chapter

  17

  Staring at myself in the mirror, I felt like I was on an episode of What Not to Wear. The outfit that Nerina had put together was a huge fashion don’t. A pair of cut off jean shorts sat low on my hips and high up my crotch. One wrong move and my vagina would fall out. She’d paired the crotch invading shorts with a black tank top that’d been shredded across the front. It barely covered my breasts, and my stomach was fully exposed. I could've wrapped a few strands of yarn around my chest and gotten the same effect. Thankfully there was a cropped black moto jacket to mitigate some of the exposure. From the depths of her closet Nerina pulled out a pair of black boots with metal studs to finish off my biker transformation.

  I grasped the roll on my stomach, jiggling it. “You can see my stretch marks.”

  “So? They’re beautiful. Just like you,” Nerina said bopping me on the nose.

  “Alright, I’m as ready as I’m going to be. What am I going to say to Luc today? I’m freaking out a little,” I told her.

  I’d woken up this morning with a hangover and regret. What was wrong with me? What had made me think drinking two bottles of wine while I was supposed to be working was a good idea? Of course, I didn’t stop there. Nope. I had to have an encore. To ensure my shame was solidified I’d writhed around in the sand grabbing Luc’s disco stick. Since I’d met him it seemed I took every opportunity to make myself look like an ass. Not that I should be worried about what he thought of me. From what Leontyne said his hands were a lot dirtier than he liked to let on.

  “Don’t say anything unless he brings it up. Pretend it didn't happen. You’ve decided you’re not going to ride that ride, so screw it. Let him think what he wants,” Nerina said, handing me a pair of hoop earrings the size of my palm.

  “Are you sure bikers wear these kinds of earrings?” I asked, putting them on. “I wish I could be more like you. You’re fearless when it comes to men and sex. I’m a walking ball of anxiety and awkwardness.”

  “Look, I know I give you shit for living like a nun since he-who-shall-not-be-named left you, but not everyone is made to bang and run. You’re the kind of person who needs to have a connection. You want more than just a few hours of fun. That’s OK. I push your buttons about it because you freak out. I don’t really expect you to sleep with some random guy. Especially not Luc. After what happened last night, I think you dodged a bullet,” she said, stepping back to survey her creation.

  “I’ll just have to live vicariously through you until I can finally find someone worth dating.” I wrapped my arm around her shoulder, pulling her close to me. “Just so you know, I’m ready to try dating again, despite Luc being an assbag. I’m tired of sitting around feeling sorry for myself. I’ll find Carina, but I’m going to try to live a little more in the meantime.”

  Nerina gave me a smile that was all sunshine and rainbows. I’d just made her year. She twisted in my grasp pulling me into a full body hug. “It’s about time. I promise I’ll tease you mercilessly and give you all the unsolicited dating advice you could ever want.”

  “Perfect. That means it’s bound to be a disaster,” I said, only half joking.

  We ran down the stairs together, both of us feeling giddy. So, what if I had to go to a bar dressed like a biker caricature? So, what if I was a crappy Osservatori? I had a sister who would find me awful clothes to wear and loved me for the beautiful hot mess that I was. You really couldn't ask for too much more in life.

  “You look like a puttana,” Nonna said, glaring at me as I walked into the kitchen.

  “I don’t look like a slut. It’s not cool to shame people for what they wear Nonna.” I snagged a rice ball off the counter ignoring her intense gaze

  “That does not change the way you look,” Nonna snapped. “Go put more clothes on. I will be ashamed if anyone sees you like that.”

/>   “Sorry, I’m going to a biker bar for work and this is my uniform today.”

  “The Osservatori has no modesty, then?”

  “There was nothing in the handbook about it.” I shrugged. I looked at the clock, grateful it was time to go. She was like a dog with a bone once she decided to take a stance. “Got to go. Love you guys. Save me some of those rice balls!”

  Luc was waiting for me on the curb. He stood next to a giant black and chrome monstrosity. Leaning back on the bike he lounged with ease. He wore fit loose fit jeans with a black fitted t-shirt. A black leather vest, which covered his torso, completed the look. Of course, he got to be fully clothed. If we got in an accident on the way there, my skin was going to shred like cheese.

  “You look sexy as hell in that outfit.” Luc grinned at me.

  I rolled my eyes. “How could you think this is hot?”

  “Apparently you’ve not seen the magnificent job those shorts do of framing your ass. That’s a masterpiece.” He waggled his eyebrows at me.

  “I’m wearing boots with metal studs. I’ll kick your shins until they bleed if you say anything like that to me again.” I glared at him, making sure he understood how serious I was. He’d never talked to me like that before. Did he think there was something more going on between us after last night? I’d needed to nip that in bud quick.

  “My apologies. I’ll refrain from any further comments on your outfit. Let’s get going.” He was still grinning from ear to ear leading me to believe his apology was not very sincere.

  “Where am I supposed to sit?” I eyed the motorcycle’s seat trying to calculate how much butt room there was.

  “You sit behind me. It’s called the bitch seat.” He handed me a helmet.

  “Does that make where you’re sitting the prick perch?” I said, climbing on behind him. As I’d feared, sitting made my shorts move so far up my nether region, I was positive we’d need a search and rescue team to get them out later.