“Not at all,” Al protested grandly. “Where do you think our itchy witch found this tricky little runt of a bastard?” He gave Pierce a shove, and the witch gagged. “He’s a ghost.” The demon sniffed. “Can’t you smell the little worms on him?”head thumped into the wall. This was so not going well.
“You’re a ghost?” Trent said, and Pierce shakily extended his hand from his corner.
“Gordian Pierce. Coven of moral and ethical standards. You are, sir?”
“You’re what?” I exclaimed, my face warming.started laughing, and Jenks dropped down to my shoulder.tickled my ear, almost getting smacked. “Rache!” he hissed. “Isn’t that the coven that got you shunned?” I nodded, and he added, “Maybe he can get your shunning rescinded.”thought about that. Having been buried in blasphemed ground and dealing with demons didn’t stand well in his favor, but he had worked for the coven of moral and ethical standards. They were kind of like the I.S. Once a member, always a member. You couldn’t retire. But you could die.shook his hand, looking positively stunned. “Ah, I’m Trent Kalamack. CEO of-”jerked his hand from Trent and pushed himself straight. “Kalamack Industries,” he said, expression twisted as he wiped his hand on his pants. “I knew your father.”
“I do not freaking believe this,” I said, shifting to stand where I could see both of them.beamed. “Amazing who you can meet in an elevator,” he said, and Trent eyed me.
“You have a charm to bring the dead to life. And it’s white,” the elf stated.took a breath to answer, and Al interrupted smoothly. “And it’s for sale, at apprentice rates. No guarantees. I have two right here,” he said, patting his coat pocket. “It’s temporary. The curse to give them a lasting body is a far sight trickier. Someone has to die, you see. I’d imagine that would make them black, but you don’t seem to worry about killing people for your own ends, do you, Trenton Aloysius Kalamack?” he said with a simper. “Funny how you call my witch black, when you kill for profit, and she kills…” He hesitated in mock thought. “Why, she hasn’t killed anyone who didn’t ask her to! Imagine that.”spotted Trent’s cheeks. “I don’t kill for profit.”the corner, Pierce muttered, “You kill for progress, if you’re anything like your father.”one, we all looked at Pierce. The elevator dinged, and our attention was diverted as the doors opened. “Splendid! A fire!” Al cried cheerfully, striding out into the noisy crowd that had filled the downstairs lobby. The smell of smoke hit me, and I lurched to follow, not wanting Al to get out of my sight. It was crowded as people in evening gowns and suits talked loudly, mixing with people in jeans and heavy coats coming in to get warm but not ready to leave. Or perhaps they couldn’t with the streets blocked off.to watch Al and Pierce both, I shuffled over to the coat clerk. Pierce’s hand landed on my arm as I extended my ticket, and I spun, almost smacking him. “Best stay away from that one, mistress witch. His father was a devil on earth,” the dead witch said, his eyes going to Trent.
“No kidding.” Who should I believe, a ghost, or my dad? My dad was a good man, wasn’t he? He wouldn’t work for the devil on earth. Would he?, I took my coat and scanned the crowd for Al’s velveteen one. Seeing Quen, I gave Trent’s security a little shrug to try to tell him everything was okay and to keep him from going into battle mode when he saw Al. The demon had once mauled Trent.was making his way to Quen, his pace slow for being recognized and delayed. I pointed him out to Quen, and the security officer jumped into motion, his employer’s coat over his arm.finally spotted Al by the doors, chatting up a pair of twins wearing baby bonnets for the year’s end, and I unzipped my bag. “Inside, Jenks,” I offered as I went to rescue the twins, and the pixy dropped down, cold and probably ready for that hand warmer. I knew it killed him being shoved in a bag like this, but he had no choice. And as I zipped it up, I vowed to be very careful with him tonight.shuffled into my coat as we went, jerking from Pierce’s reach when he tried to help me. “I’ve got this okay,” I said, then winced when Al grabbed my shoulder, pinching me into submission as he helped me into my coat. “Let go,” I demanded, but my options were limited by the crowd. My last arm went sliding into the cold sleeve, and Al leaned in, reaching over my shoulders to fasten my top button.
“I admire the way you are breaking Trent,” Al whispered from behind me, his white-gloved fingers moving to my chin to force my gaze to Trent and Quen. “So slow, like melting ice. And with his own pride. Masterful. I didn’t know you had it in you, Rachel. Pain gets old after a time, but it’s faster, and profit is the name of the game unless you’re making art.”
“I’m not breaking him,” I said softly as Al backed up and I shifted my shoulders to get my coat to hang right. Trent and Quen were leaving, and the security officer looked back once before they vanished, his expression blank. I breathed easier when they were gone. At least I wouldn’t be responsible for Trent’s death. Not tonight, anyway.wail of sirens grew louder, and I turned to a second door. Pierce jumped ahead of us to open it, and I did a double take. “Where did you get a coat?”’s face reddened, but it was Al who leaned forward, saying, “He stole it, of course. The man has many talents. Why do you think I’m so interested in him? Or you, my itchy witch?”sour, I headed out into the cold, ducking down into my scarf and wishing I was anywhere other than here. If Ivy and Glenn weren’t okay, I was going to freaking kill someone.eightis not going to go well, I thought, glancing ruefully at Al beside me as we strode down the closed-off street toward Fountain Square. I was cold, and I hunched into my coat and squinted through the flashing lights for Ivy. Pierce trailed behind us, trying not to look like a goober, but he was wide-eyed and clearly from out of town, if not from out of this century.square was organized chaos, with what looked like five I.S. vehicles just arriving, the original two FIB and I.S. cruisers stationed at the event, the expected news vans and ambulance. Topping it off, we now had fire trucks, and the spray from the hoses was turning into little pinpricks of ice on my face. It was the cold that made it miserable, the wind going right through my coat and to my core. Even in my bag, Jenks was going to have a hard go of it.were fewer people than one might have expected, Inderlanders being good at disappearing and naturally avoiding anything that breathed of scandal. A handful of onlookers vied for the news crews’ attention.eye contact, I quickened my pace to get behind the yellow tape where they could only shout questions I could pretend not to hear.was a cluster of people at the dry fountain being treated for burns and what looked like smoke inhalation. The fire was out, but the firemen were still hosing down the stage, performing, I think, for the news crews. I spotted Edden’s squat form at the edge of the cordoned-off area, and he turned when I shouted. Looking cold but sharp in his tux, he held the yellow tape up for me, and we slipped under. Immediately I felt protected, and when my guard went down, I shivered violently from the cold.
“Glad you could join us,” he said, eyeing the two men behind me. “Where did you find the twins?”? I thought, breath catching as I spun around to see a sullen Pierce in jeans standing next to a laughing one with dark sunglasses and a brilliant red tie. Holy cow, I thought, feeling a sliver of worry slip through me. Al put a finger to his lips, and I whipped back around to Edden, willing to play the game since it would keep me out of trouble for a few minutes longer.
“Oh, you know us witches,” I said, not knowing why but only that I had to say something. “Hey, is that Tom?” I said as I spotted what I thought was a familiar face among the wounded.
“Where?” Edden looked where I pointed. The man in the black trench coat was getting his hand bandaged, but when he saw us notice him, he quickly strode away, the person attending him shouting for him to come back.
“Well, I’ll be damned,” Edden cursed, whistling and pointing to get someone to go after him, but it was too late.
“That was Tom. Tom Bansen,” I said in affront, glaring at Al when he chuckled. The man had once summoned and released Al to kill me. “That’s the third time he’s beat me to a crime scene this week,” I mused uneasily.
“He must have better intel,” Al said, giving Pierce a shove to stay behind him.
“Are you giving Tom information?” I asked Al as Edden snagged a passing officer and started shooting off questions.mock-hurt expression came in his eyes as Al peered at me from over his glasses. “Everything I do, I do for you, love.”wasn’t sure if that was an answer or not, and I slowly let out my breath, flicking a glance at Pierce, now gazing up at the Carew Tower restaurant. There were three I.S. agents headed our way, and I had a moment of worry about Al until Edden flashed his badge and the men turned away.officer with him jogged away, and Edden put his hands on his hips to assess the situation. Standing there he looked like a squat Jenks without the wings. With a stiff mustache. And a round face. And a tux too cold for the weather. Okay, so he didn’t look anything like Jenks, but the same protector-of-the-world attitude was there.Glenn’s tall form with a bunch of FIB personnel, I tapped Edden’s arm and we headed that way. The poor guy looked colder than I was with his knit hat pulled low and his eyes pinched. People were listening to him, though, and he looked like he was in charge.was next to him, her vampire need to protect the weak just about flaming from her, and making me smile. Her red dress flashed from under her coat as the wind whipped it. She didn’t look cold at all. As if noticing my gaze on her, her eyes rose to mine, then shifted to Al. Pierce was lagging behind, eyes on the fountain. Her words never stopped as she talked to the surrounding FIB agents.
“The I.S. is lying,” she said firmly as the wind brought her voice to us when we got close enough. “No evidence of a banshee being involved is an outright lie. There should be tons of emotion here, and there isn’t. Barely enough to cover a fender bender. It’s as if it’s a Tuesday night, not New Year’s Eve after the ball has dropped and there’s been a fire. Emotion should be echoing between the buildings, and it isn’t. There’s nothing here. Someone sucked it up.”circle of FIB officers shifted to let us in, and we rocked to a stop with Al uncomfortably close behind me and Pierce still at the fountain. The missing emotion was exactly the force I’d used to catalyze Pierce’s spell, but unlike a banshee, I hadn’t used it up, simply borrowed it to push the spell into working. I wondered if that made witches and banshees somehow related.could see the shift of attention to Edden as he approached, and Glenn stifled a sigh. “Glenn, where are we?” the FIB captain asked to shift it back, and his son’s mood eased.frowned and crossed her arms over her middle. “Someone sucked the emotion out of here, and it wasn’t Rachel,” she said. “Her magic doesn’t work like that.”exactly, anyway.wiped a mittened hand under his nose, absolutely miserable with the cold. “I know it was a banshee,” he admitted. “I’m not arguing with you, Tamwood. But you aren’t licensed to give court evidence, and I’m stuck using what the I.S. is telling me. All we have right now is conflicting testimony from multiple witnesses. We know Mia was here.”
“My amulet lit up,” an FIB officer said, his words echoed by another as the man brought out the spell and showed it to everyone. It was black now, but it was gratifying to know for sure that I’d done the spell right. Yet my blood wasn’t able to invoke it.huffed. “Okay, she was here. But that doesn’t mean she started the fire.”erupted, and Ivy took the opportunity to step out of the circle and come around to where we stood. Nodding to Al, she gave me a distracted smile. “It worked,” she said. “Good. I’m glad for you, Rachel. Pierce, welcome to the chaos of Rachel’s life. The next few hours ought to be fun.”shook my head, but before I could explain, Al took her hand and kissed the top of her black glove. “Your welcome means more to me, Ivy Alisha Tamwood, than a thousand souls. Watching Rachel work is a wonder of one catastrophe after another.”was kind of insulting. “This isn’t Pierce,” I said softly. “It’s Al. Pierce is at the fountain.”jerked her hand from him. Glenn heard, as did most of the FIB agents, but only Glenn knew what Al was. His instruction cut off in mid-phrase, and I shrugged to tell him that gathering FIB souls wasn’t on the demon’s agenda today. Edden’s expression became questioning. Glenn thought for a moment before remembering what he was saying, then continued, shifting to keep Al in his sights. Al huffed when the cautious man undid the snap to his holster. It didn’t go unnoticed by the surrounding FIB officers either. Ivy flicked her attention between the demon and Pierce, now gaping at the fire trucks.was so not right, and I glanced around the square not wanting to believe that Mia had been here. That she’d kill a man to feed her daughter, I might understand, but up to now, she’d always been focused on the individual, not the collective. Even if I wanted to believe she was responsible for this, logic said it wasn’t her.broke away from the FIB group as his son’s voice took on the sound of instruction. His gaze tight on Al, he approached. “Rachel, I’m sorry,” he said as he brought his gaze back to me. “I am going to do what’s best for the sake of the child, within the limits of the law, but I’m not putting my neck out for Mia. Not after this.”was too cold to protest, shivering. Glenn was giving out a final instruction, and the men looked grim. “Look for anyone with a baby, probably a woman, but it could be a man, or a man and a woman together,” he was saying. “There shouldn’t be too many infants out here.”had her hip cocked. “Mia did not set the fire,” she said bluntly.
“More vampire vibes?” Edden mocked, and Al grinned.
“There is more than one banshee in this city,” Ivy continued. “I saw her. Tall, scary woman with long hair. Dressed like she should be surrounded by security. Not Asian. More Mayan than anything else. She’d look Hispanic to most people.”? I mused, my thoughts immediately going to the top of Carew Tower and the lunch I’d had with Edden yesterday. “That’s Ms. Walker,” I said, feeling my pulse quicken. “Edden, Mia might have been here, but so was Ms. Walker. Which makes perfect sense! Walker doesn’t have her usual haunts, so she’s feeding where she can, stirring up trouble to make herself stronger.”’s face was thoughtful, but he waved to Glenn to get the men moving. With a chorus of agreement, they dispersed. It suddenly felt a whole lot colder.
“Of course Ms. Walker would be here,” Edden said gruffly, but I could hear a note of doubt in it. “She’s tracking Mia. I’d be surprised if she wasn’t here.”sighed and shifted her weight, but I was a lot more direct. “Damn it, Edden!” I shouted. “Why are you being so bullheaded about this? Are you so smitten with that woman that you can’t look at things logically?”few FIB personnel within earshot turned, and Glenn’s eyes went wide. I suddenly felt nervous as the stocky man forced his clenched jaw to loosen. “Are you so bleeding-heart stupid that you can’t do the same?” he barked back.suddenly realized that Al was quietly arranging the snowflakes on his sleeve, turning them into blue butterflies. The doomed insects flew from him only to die a few feet away, their wings fluttering briefly before being covered by snow.
“Mia hurt me, too,” I said to Edden, nervous that someone might see Al’s show of demon skill. “Whether you like it or not, Holly is going to grow up to be one hell of a predator. You can either make her a friend, or a foe. Think about it.”shook his head, zipping up his coat and walking away. “With friends like her, we don’t need foes.”was one of the lamest things I’d ever heard him say, and I took several mincing steps to keep up with him. “Stop thinking like a human,” I said roughly. “It’s not a human world anymore. We don’t have any proof it was Mia, but you’re ready to put her in jail for it. Banshees are territorial, and I think Walker set the stage on fire to get a quick fix and call Mia out.”stopped. Not looking at me, his eyes tracked the ambulance people, packing up. Behind him, Al was strolling forward, and Pierce was hotfooting it to us as well. “Don’t you love how Rachel sides with the underdog?” the demon said, then brushed the garden of tiny blue butterflies from his sleeve. They fluttered to the ground, dead before they touched the snow-caked cobbles. “It’s going to kill her someday,” he said lightly, bending to pick one up. “But not tonight,” he added as he pulled my hand from my coat pocket to put a chrysalis into it, curving my cold fingers protectively around it.glanced at the blue chrysalis, then shoved it into my coat pocket to deal with later. “Edden…,” I pleaded., he sighed. Five steps away, someone waited for him with a clipboard. “I can’t promise Mia anything. Especially now. Rachel, go home.”licked my lips and the wind made them into ice. “You can’t prove she did this.”
“I can’t prove Ms. Walker did either. Go home.” I hesitated, and he exclaimed, “Rachel, go home!”
“Bad dog,” Al whispered, mocking me, and my face flamed. Pierce slid up beside us, and I gritted my teeth, not liking the ghost seeing me being treated like this.
“Fine,” I said bitterly. “Do what you want.” This is a crappy New Year’s. “Ivy, I’m going home. Are you staying?”looked from Pierce to the beaming demon. “Ah, you don’t mind if I hang here for a while, do you? Glenn wants my opinion on something.”scene slut, I thought bitterly, more than a little jealous that they would let her stay but wanted me to leave. I didn’t want to be alone in a car with Al and Pierce, but I gave her a wave good-bye and turned. Edden had already walked away in a huff, and Glenn was waiting uncomfortably for Ivy., I turned my back on all of them and started walking.ninewas the second time I had suffered a demon in the back of my car, and I didn’t like it any better than the first. Al was more obnoxious than Minias had been, leaning forward between Pierce and me to point out red lights and shortcuts through human and Inderland slums that only an idiot would take this time of night-though with a demon along, it might be safe. The smell of burnt amber slowly grew in my small car despite whatever charm he was using, but I didn’t dare crack a window to let in the freezing night. Though the heater was cranked, Jenks was still cold. He really shouldn’t have been out of my bag, much less sitting on the rearview mirror.
“You could have made that light if you had gunned it,” Al said.one was behind me, and I let the car coast forward a foot to the red light before I jammed on the brakes. Al’s nose smacked into the headrest, and Pierce’s arm, already extended to brace himself against the dash, stiffened. “I’m driving,” I muttered with an apologetic glance at Jenks. My toes are freezing in these stupid heels. What was I thinking?
“Yes, but you’re not doing it properly,” the demon protested, in a better humor than I liked. He hadn’t given me any trouble about getting in the backseat, but maybe he could keep a better eye on Pierce that way. Honestly, the man was not going to hurt me. Even now, when I glanced at him, his frustrated expression shifted to one of anxious hope.
“Mistress witch,” he said as our eyes met, and my phone vibrated, almost unheard.
“Do you know how to get that?” I asked him, giving Al’s hand a tart smack when he reached for it in my bag. The demon had gone back to looking like himself, and my fingers were soundless as they hit his white-gloved, thick hand.light changed, and I eased forward, driving carefully as it was icy near the bridge.
“I’ll help him,” Jenks said, dropping down into my bag. “You’ve seen Rachel use it, right?” he said sarcastically. “You’ve been spying on us for a year.”frowned as he pulled the slim pink phone from my bag. “It’s not a powerful trick,” he said indignantly. “And I’ve not been spying. Rachel, if I could explain.”
“Just open the top, okay?” Jenks said, and I frowned at him to be a little nicer.scent of burnt amber grew when Al put the flat of his arms on the two seats to make a bridge for his head to rest on. “May I use your phone when he’s done?” he asked sweetly.debated what might happen if I slammed the brakes on again. “No. Sit the way you’re supposed to, or we’re going to get pulled over for a Breathalyzer.”
“No fun,” he simpered, slumping back.breathed easier, wishing Pierce would simply leave so I could go home and forget this day had ever happened. What a waste.the backseat came Al, humming the tune to Jeopardy! until Pierce found the seam and wrangled the top open. Motions hesitant, he went to put it to his ear, stopping when Jenks hovered before the phone, hands on his hips as he barked, “This is Rachel’s secretary. The lazy-ass witch is currently busy. Can I take a message?”
“Jenks!” I complained as Al snickered and Pierce looked appalled, but Jenks-the only one who could really hear whoever it was-had become serious.
“Where?” he asked, and a bad feeling trickled through me, chilling me though the heater was cranked and sending my hair to tickle my face. From the back came an unearthly, satisfied chuckle. All I could see in the rearview mirror was a dark shadow with red goat-slitted eyes. Fear slithered through me. Shit, I have a demon in my backseat. What in hell am I playing with?
“Good witch,” Al said, his voice coming from nothing, and I stifled a shudder. “You’re starting to understand.”
“I’ll tell her,” Jenks said, then stomped on the “end” button. I jumped when Pierce snapped the phone closed, then jerked the car back into the proper lane when a horn blew.rose up, looking eerily dark in the chill car with no dust slipping from him. “That was Ford,” he said, surprising me; I had thought Edden, or maybe Glenn. “He’s at a coffee shop downtown with Mia. She wants to talk to you. I think Ms. Walker gave her a good scare.”God. It’s starting. “Where?” I said, tension knotting my gut. Ivy. I had to call Ivy.laughed, filling the car with the sound of bitter wind chimes. “You’re not going to believe me,” he said.checked behind me, then in front. “Junior’s place, right?” I said dryly, then did a U-bangy. Pierce reached for the dash, his long face going white, but Al didn’t shift an inch, ramrod straight, dead center, in my tiny backseat. The car swung wildly, finding its new direction as another horn blew. “That’s past Edden’s blockade, isn’t it?” I asked. “How does she do that! The woman must have a way with the force.” I’m not the banshee you seek. I may pass.walked Pierce through calling Ivy to tell the FIB as I made my way back over the bridge into Cincy and down to the shopping district. I doubted very much that Mia was giving up. More likely, she was sacrificing Remus to buy her way out of trouble, and my tension ratcheted up as we pulled into Junior’s place.was packed, but Al did something involving Latin and what looked like the same gesture I occasionally used on people who cut me off in traffic on Vine, and the Buick ready to pull into the last parking spot changed its mind. My pulse quickened when I spotted Ford’s gray car three vehicles down. Ivy. We should wait for Ivy and the FIB, but that might be too late.
“Both of you stay in the car,” I said as Jenks dove for my bag and I zipped it up. I didn’t even see the demon get out. One moment, I was snatching up my bag and slamming my door shut, and when I turned, he was there-standing way too close. The security lights shone on his hair, carefully styled and ridged, his jaw tight and his demon eyes almost glowing in the dim light. He didn’t say a word. Waiting. On the other side of the car, Pierce got out and gave me a worried look.
“I’ll get you a coffee,” I said as I pushed around Al. “Then stay out of my way.” I didn’t hear Al following when Pierce took my elbow as I slipped in my heels, but he was there.door jingled a welcome, and the four of us entered, me in my Carew Tower restaurant finery, Al in his usual velveteen and lace, Pierce in jeans and a stolen coat, and Jenks in my bag. We didn’t get as many looks as one might think. It was New Year’s, and there was a wide span of dress. Junior’s wasn’t far from Fountain Square, and the place was busy, voices fast-paced and excited because of the fire downtown and the blockades. If Mia was here, I was sure she was soaking up the excitement.
“Rachel, if I could have but a moment.”
“Not now, Pierce,” I said as I let Jenks out. The pixy rose, not a speck of dust coming from him as he flew heavily to the nearest light fixture and parked himself beside the hot bulb. He gave me a thumbs-up, but it was obvious he was suffering as he put his elbows on his knees and hunched over. I was on my own till the FIB got here. Worse, I was babysitting Al.shoved my gloves in my pockets and scanned the floor while standing in line. A spike of adrenaline shot through me when I found Mia smack in the middle of the place, Remus on one side of her, Ford on the other. Holly was on her lap, the infant resting, her eyes closed and at peace with the world. I met Ford’s eyes, and he nodded before getting up and trying to find a chair for me. That table looked too small to talk to two serial murderers.brushed my arm, and I jerked. “Mistress witch?”
“Don’t call me that,” I muttered, conscious of the people around us. There were too many people in here. Someone was going to get hurt.
“Rachel, I’ll allow that my situation looks dire, but I’m of a mind to help you.”attention swung back to him, remembering the night we’d met. He was basically a runner-member of the coven of moral and ethical standards aside. Even if he couldn’t tap a line, he could help. I didn’t think Mia had arranged for this meeting to kill me, so it was likely Remus was going to be the biggest threat. Him I could handle, and I’d put my best undies online if Mia wasn’t about to sacrifice him to remain out of jail and off the grid.
“Think you can do what I say?” I asked, and he grinned, tossing his hair from his eyes in a way that wasn’t like Kisten’s at all, but reminded me of him all the same.
“You’re not alone,” he said, eyes darting to Ford’s table. “I’ll help you settle your hash, and then we might talk.”hand reached for mine, and Al shoved between us. “Two grande lattes, double espresso, Italian blend,” he said to the clerk. “Light on the froth, extra cinnamon. Use whole milk. Not two percent or half-and-half. Put a shot of raspberry in one for my itchy witch here.”put it in porcelain, I thought, wondering if this was the only way demons liked their coffee. Minias had ordered something similar, minus the raspberry.
“The runt will have a juice box.” He turned to Pierce. “It will make you big and strong, won’t it, little fella.”’s jaw clenched and his blue eyes narrowed, but he swallowed the insult.
“Anything else?” the clerk asked, and I looked to find that it was Junior himself.
“Espresso,” I said, remembering Jenks. Swinging my bag around, I dug out my wallet. The light caught the glitter on my dress, and I thought how stupid it all seemed. At least my toes had thawed.
“Hey,” Junior said suddenly, backing up a step when he saw the gun in my bag. “I heard about you. You’re shunned. Get out of my shop.”, I looked up, blinking. Could he have said it any louder, maybe? But my mood quickly turned to anger. “Look, Junior,” I said bitterly, my bile finding an easy outlet. “I’d really like to. Going home and taking a bubble bath sounds really great right now.” I leaned in close so only he, Pierce, Al, and probably Jenks could hear me. “But two of those good people sitting in the middle of your freaking shop are wanted for the assault of an FIB officer, a double murder, causing a riot at the mall, and are the number one suspects in that fire at Fountain Square tonight. Why don’t you get everyone else out of here so I can take care of it?”eyes were wide, and he stared at me. “Do me a favor and forget that I’ve been shunned,” I said, shaking inside. “Think for yourself and do something for the greater good? Huh? Can you do that?”coffee was up, and after I dropped a twenty on the counter, I handed Pierce his juice box and Al one of the paper cups. There were three people behind the counter, and they were looking at us like we were…demons. “Thanks,” I said, shaking as I picked up my drink with the big R for raspberry on it and Jenks’s espresso. I hated it when my temper got loose like that. Al seemed to think it was funny.smell of coffee seemed to pull Jenks from the light fixture, and he dropped heavily onto my shoulder, catching his balance with a sudden tugging on my hair. “You okay?” I breathed, and he shivered his wings.
“Just cold,” he said, and I nodded, agreeing. My coat wasn’t doing much to cut the chill either. There was too much in-and-out traffic for my comfort, mostly in.to the table, I realized there was no way we’d all fit, and in all truthfulness, I didn’t want Pierce or Al near Mia or Remus. “Jenks, can you and Pierce get people out of here?” I asked, trying to get rid of two birds with one stone.
“I’m not babysitting ghost boy!” Jenks exclaimed from my shoulder.added a quick “I suspect you think me less than likely, mistress witch.”of them were frowning when I stopped dead still in the store and turned, coat bumping my calves. Al was smiling. “Jenks, you’re so cold you’re not dusting,” I said, trying not to sound worried. “I need to get people out of here quietly, and you can do that. By the time I need you, you’ll be warm.” I hope. “Until then, let me know if Mia touches my aura.”handed Pierce Jenks’s coffee and added, “I’m giving you my phone. Ivy will probably call when the FIB is here. Let me know, and tell them not to barge in here, okay?”
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