by Deanna Chase
“Itchy.” She lifted one foot, and I noted that the wounds were deeper there. She’d likely have scars that never went away.
“Yikes. Does the healer have any herbs that can help?”
She nodded and a dreamy look claimed her features. “Yes. He was wonderful. He applied a cream, and he gave me this.” She touched a jade stone she was wearing as a pendant around her neck. “It’s supposed to help channel my energy so I’ll heal faster.”
“Good.” I glanced down at the rings on my fingers and thought of the pendant I usually wore around my neck. The rings were all spelled with powerful magic designed to take down my enemies. I couldn’t help but wonder what they were doing to my energy. Nothing good, I was certain. When I got home, I’d need to remember to ask Talisen, Willow’s husband, if he had something to keep me whole and grounded. He was a fae gifted in crystals and stone magic.
“It is. He was really nice too.” She smiled shyly. “He told me if I ever needed a job, he might be thinking of bringing someone on to help with some herb treatments.”
“What! That’s great news!” I cried, grabbing her hands. “When do you start? Do you need help moving out of here?”
Her sweet face crumpled, and she shook her head. “I can’t move, Phoebe. You know that.”
“Why not?” I demanded. “Of course you can. I’ll help you.”
She frowned. “I signed a contract. I can’t just leave. Allcot won’t let me. You know how this goes.”
I slowly sank down into a velvet chair I hadn’t noticed before and took a look around. The room had been freshly painted and brand-new furniture had been moved in. Everything was elegant, very tasteful, with rich touches of fine art on the walls, lush bedding, and lots of fresh flowers and potted plants everywhere. It dawned on me that she’d chosen or been given this room because of the tree right outside. Fae got their energy from the earth. Someone was making sure she had plenty of access to the foliage she craved.
“I can talk to him,” I insisted. “It’s not like the place is even opened back up yet.”
“But he already fixed up my room.” She waved a hand, indicating the lavish surroundings. “You know I’ve never lived anywhere this nice. When Clio had this place, we were lucky to even get new bedding once every couple of years.”
“It’s just a room,” I said, knowing that it was anything but. How would I feel if I’d had nothing my entire life and suddenly a savior came in and transformed my reality into one that resembled a fairy tale? Even if that fairy tale was just another version of the grimdark tale I’d been living. “And if you worked for the healer, you wouldn’t have to sell yourself for survival.”
Willow just shrugged, her expression darkening. “What difference does it make, Phoebe? As sweet as the healer seemed to be, I’d likely just be trading one prison for another. Do you really think he just offered a prostitute a job and expects nothing in return? That’s not how the world works, and you know it. Look what happened to you.”
Her assessment of the situation made my blood boil. I wasn’t mad at her, I was pissed at the repression that had gotten her to this point. And who was to say she wasn’t right? I didn’t even know the healer. What if he did just want her as his own personal fuck doll? I sighed. “So what’s the plan? Will you just work here forever?”
“Oh no. I plan to finish out my work contract and take Allcot up on his offer to take classes at the college. Then when I get my bonus, I’ll move out and see about finding a job either at a healer’s office or some sort of restaurant or bakery. I always wanted to put my magic to use and see what I can do with it.”
I sat back in the chair, stunned. Offer? School? Bonus? What was she talking about? The Willow I knew was especially skilled at altering herbs and making magical treats. It made sense that this one would pursue something along those lines, so her plans didn’t surprise me. But the mention of an offer from Allcot floored me. “Um, Wil, what’s in your contract?”
“You know, just the new standard terms. Commit to working here for one year and Eadric will give us time off to take classes and pay for them. Then once our contract is complete, he’ll give a bonus. It’s large enough to pay for getting set up in a new apartment and put a little away for emergencies. Honestly, Phoebe, it’s like a dream come true. A week ago, I thought I’d be working here until I aged out and Clio threw me out on the streets. Now I have a plan, something to look forward to. Eadric is going to save me. I guess just the way he saved you.”
Saved me? Didn’t look like it from where I was standing. Sure, he’d gotten my doppelgänger out of the prostitution business, but I didn’t see where she was any better off. Still, I couldn’t deny that what he was offering Willow was a thousand times better than I’d thought it would be. “Does everyone else have the same contract?”
Willow nodded. “The first one he had us sign was for five years, standard wages, but then he came back a day later and offered us these new ones. I don’t know what happened or why he changed his mind, but everyone here is thrilled.”
Holy fuck. I sat back, stunned. Had my words caused him to have a change of heart? It seemed likely. Why else would he have done an about-face? My vitriol toward him softened a bit, but then I remembered that the Allcot I knew had always been some sort of dichotomy of good and evil. It seemed this one was the same. In fact, it seemed that all the doppelgängers had the same basic traits as their counterparts in the competing realities.
That was good to know. It would be easier to assess people.
“I can see why,” I said, squeezing her hand. “I still wish he’d just help everyone get on their feet without you having to work here though.”
Willow gently shook her head and gave me a small indulgent smile. “You know that’s not how this world works. It’s easier if you just accept it.”
“You’re right.” That was my friend Willow, always practical and finding her way in the murky world even when it cost her. I’d always been of two minds about her ability to navigate Allcot’s world. Annoyance and admiration fought for dominance most days. She did what she had to in order to survive, often working with Allcot or his organization even when there was a moral gray area. And here she was proving she could do it again. “It would just be a hell of a lot easier to swallow if we won a few battles along the way.”
“We do. This one was a win. It’s not the war, but it’s a battle.”
I wasn’t sure if I agreed with her, but at least I could see her argument. In my mind, we’d win a battle when at least some segments of the powerful stopped exploiting the less fortunate. Allcot might have made the sex workers at the Red Door a decent offer compared to their previous circumstances, but it was still exploitive. He owned other businesses. Why couldn’t he let the Red Door employees work for him in another capacity while they went to school and took another path? Because he needed experienced workers so he could be up and running with minimal disruption, that’s why.
He wanted a return on his investment as soon as possible. And experienced workers would get him there faster.
“I’m glad you’re feeling better,” I said as I got up to go. “I’m still willing to check out that healer if you want me to.”
She shrugged one shoulder. “Sure. Why not? His name is Talisen Kavanagh. His practice is a few streets over on the corner of Royal and Franklin.”
I almost laughed. Two different realities, but it seemed there was some sort of natural order to things that was pretty consistent in both. In my world, Talisen was her husband. There was no need to check him out. Tal was the best of the best. “I know him a little,” I lied. “You don’t have anything to worry about there.”
She smiled again, and this time she seemed to glow with pure happiness. “Well then. Maybe I’ll get to know him a little over the next few months and see what comes of his offer.”
I was willing to bet that not only would she start working for him but that they’d end up partners sooner rather than later. But I kept that information to myself.
She’d find out soon enough.
“I’m going to go help downstairs. I’m glad you’re on the mend, Wil.” I hugged her, wanting to just feel that connection with my best friend, and was rewarded when she tightened her arms around me.
“You’re the best, you know that?” she whispered. “Without you, I’d have never made it this far.”
I didn’t know what that meant exactly, but I could guess I’d been there emotionally and physically to help her out over the years. “I love you, Wil.”
“Love you too, Phoebs.”
I released her and swallowed the sudden urge to tell her everything that was going on. It was just that I was used to trusting her and Dax with everything. Holding back in this world was proving to be more difficult than I’d thought it’d be. I turned and reached for the doorknob, but before I could make my escape, Willow said, “Dax is in the storage room rebuilding some shelves today.”
“He is?” I asked thickly.
“Eadric ordered him to get it and the kitchen functioning again before Friday.”
That fucker. The day we’d come to end Clio’s reign as witch overlord, I’d learned the kitchen had been trashed months earlier when Clio had a run-in with another witch. They’d had a knock-down-drag-out fight in the kitchen that ended with appliances blown to pieces and the counters in rubble. “How is he going to do that in just a few days? He’s a shifter, not a miracle worker.”
Willow shrugged. “No idea, but I bet he could use a hand from someone with some magical ability.”
“I guess if the materials can be delivered…,” I said, already forming a plan of action.
I was out the door when I heard Willow call, “Be careful!”
If only I had any idea how to do that, I thought as I raced down the stairs and to the back of the house.
Grunts of frustration greeted me from the storage room off to the right of the kitchen. A small smile claimed my lips. I knew those sounds. I heard them often enough when things weren’t going Dax’s way. I strolled over to the open door and spotted him with his shirt off, a tool belt around his slim hips, his muscles bulging as he tried to install an overhead lighting system. He was using one hand to hold up the track while trying to wield the electric drill with the other.
“Hey, let me help you out,” I said, darting inside and climbing up on the small four-foot ladder.
“Phoebe. What are you doing here?”
“Helping.” I raised my hands to secure the track. “I’ve got this.”
He just stood there, one hand still securing the light. “You shouldn’t be here.” He glanced over his shoulder. “Is Allcot back?”
I shook my head. “Still in Baton Rouge as far as I know. Now come on. Let me help. This looks super awkward.”
“Right.” He finally dropped his arm and then rolled his shoulder as if working out a kink. His dark hair was mussed slightly, and his body glistened with a sheen of sweat.
I had to close my eyes to keep from ogling him. Holy hell, he was gorgeous. Eight-pack abs, well-defined pecs, and broad shoulders that made my fingers itch to touch him. It had been a few weeks since Dax—the other Dax—and I had been together, and it was becoming painfully obvious how much I missed him.
The whirr of the drill whined in my ears as Dax deftly secured the lighting panel. In no time he said, “Done. You can let go now.”
I opened my eyes, glanced at his handiwork, and then smiled down at him as I dropped my hands. “You’re good at this.”
“It’s not that difficult.” He winked at me and placed the drill on one of the newly installed shelves.
“What else can I do?” I asked, keeping my gaze just over his right shoulder. The man was just too good-looking, and being so close to him had me replaying some X-rated moments I’d shared with his doppelgänger.
“Phoebe,” he said, his tone soft.
I cut my gaze to his.
His dark eyes were hooded and a muscle pulsed in his jaw. “I really think you should probably go now.”
I let out a huff of irritation and started to climb down the ladder. Only in my haste, my right foot missed the rung and suddenly my world tilted.
“Shit!” he said and quickly grabbed me around the waist, catching me before I fell and cracked my head on something.
My arms went around his neck and the next thing I knew, my feet were on the floor but we were face-to-face, holding each other tight, my slender body pressed up against his muscular one. We stared each other in the eye, and it was as if all the air was sucked out of the room. Everything was still and silent, neither of us breathing.
The weight of his arms around my waist, his scent, that look, all of it was so familiar.
Mine.
The word skittered across my brain. It was what I believed was the natural order of things. That Dax and I belonged together. That given time, we’d likely end up together in this world too. I was caught in the moment, my lips parted as I stared up at him, at the man who was, at his very core, the same one I loved back home.
“Phoebe,” he whispered as if he were a tortured man.
“Dax,” I whispered back, my voice husky and full of so much emotion I was surprised it didn’t crack.
“How am I going to ever let you go?” he asked. And before I could answer, he crushed his lips to mine and kissed me.
10
Dax paced the hallway outside Eadric Allcot’s Central Business District office. It had been three days since he’d learned who the Mastersons really were. And three days since he’d been forced to cool his jets. Allcot had been out of town and apparently off-grid. Phoebe had been spotted twice more, both times with another shifter of the Masterson pack. But again, Dax had been too late to track her. The only reason he wasn’t losing his mind was because he knew she was safe.
The door at the end of the private hallway opened, and Dax strode in, finding Allcot and his consort, Pandora, sitting on a couch in his otherwise cold office. The floor was concrete with a blood-red rug in front of a cream-colored couch and a glass desk, and metal filing cabinets stood at the other end of the room.
“Have a seat, Marrok,” Allcot said. He looked the same as he always did, not a day over seventeen and a cocky smile on his too-thin lips. If it weren’t for the expensive gray suit, he’d look like the type of kid who’d spent his youth on a skateboard. Pandora had her long blond hair draped over both shoulders, hiding her exaggerated cleavage that was bulging out of her too-tight V-neck tank top.
“Hello, Dax,” she said cheerily and sipped red wine from a fancy cut crystal wineglass.
“Good morning, Pandora, Allcot. Thanks for seeing me so soon after getting into town.”
“My secretary says you’ve been a little… impatient,” Allcot said, running his fingertips over Pandora’s bare arms.
“There’s an investigation I’m working on, a homicide, and I came across a sealed case file that I think you’ll be able to shed some light on.”
His eyebrows rose. “Sealed. Interesting. I’m intrigued.”
Pandora chuckled and patted his knee. “Of course you are.” She turned her attention to Dax. “What is it?”
He pulled out the sheet and handed it to Allcot. “There was an incident between the Masterson pack and Cryrique that ended in a significant settlement to your company. It came soon after an employee of yours went missing. Do you remember the details?”
Allcot studied the sheet and furrowed his brow. “Who are the Mastersons?”
“They’re a shifter pack. The leader lives in Lakeview, but they have members in Uptown and Lakeshore. Seems to be a conscientious, upstanding group that’s working to build up the less fortunate in the city.”
“I don’t recall any settlement,” Allcot said. “I’m sorry, Marrok. One of my managers must have handled this. I can have one of them look into it, but we process a lot of settlements. It might take a bit to find it.”
Dax sucked in a sharp breath. He should’ve known Allcot didn’t even remember details of majo
r settlements. The vampire was so rich, whatever the amount was it had probably been pocket change. “All right,” he said, trying to conceal his frustration. “If you could have your legal department look into it and call me as soon as possible, that would be great. I suspect Phoebe’s out in the field working on this and—”
“I remember this,” Pandora said, her expression turning from mildly curious to downright furious. “Eadric, it’s the pack that was hunting witches and tried to go after my sister Nicola.”
“What?” Dax asked, startled. “They tried to kill Nicola? She must’ve been a young girl then.”
“She was.” Pandora stood. “You know why there aren’t a ton of witches in this town?” She nodded toward the piece of paper I’d brought. “Because ten years ago that pack hunted witches. They think witchcraft is some dark evil. It’s part of their weird religion.”
And Phoebe was caught up in something to do with them? He couldn’t help but wonder when or why. There wasn’t a directive from Halston. If there was, Dax would’ve known. And why hadn’t Phoebe contacted him about it? Was she still shaken up after he’d been captured by King and almost turned into a supershifter? That didn’t make sense.
“What happened? I’d have thought you would’ve had Eadric’s vampires tear them all limb from limb,” Dax said.
“Oh, they did.” She gave Allcot a soft smile. “Not all of them, but the ones who were the designated hunters.”
“And the settlement?” Dax asked. “Did the Void prosecute anyone?”
“The ones who actually murdered the witches were already dead. So the Void stayed out of it at that point, but Eadric sued them on my behalf so their resources would be depleted. But we ended up not taking money; instead, we made them sign a document that stated they would change all their teaching on witches and curb their hate speech—otherwise, we’d bankrupt them. They went for it, and ever since then, they’ve been acting like model citizens. Because if they don’t, Eadric will take them to the cleaners on Nicola’s behalf.”