So I came up with an idea. Having a clairvoyant around would be handy. Plus, I knew her well enough to know she didn't take using her powers lightly. My brother told me what happened when he went to visit her, but from what I could gather, that was a rare occurrence and she couldn't remember much of it once it was over. I also knew she never delved into someone's future unless they asked her to. Which made last night even more curious.
The best way to keep a handle on Grace was to keep her close. I slid out of bed and jumped into the shower. I had a plan. It wasn't a very nice one, but it would keep Grace out of my head. As the spray of water hit me, I smiled. It was going to be a good day.
I went backinto the Comey sister's shop. The last time I'd been here for a privacy charm, but this time I was here for something a little more unorthodox. As soon as I walked in, an enormous black-haired witch with tattoos gave me the eyeball. I found all of the sisters at least a little unnerving, but this one gave me the heebs. She had a power signature that made my skin itch, and I felt like if I ever pissed her off I would be done for this world. Morgana Comey watched me like a snake watches prey. I made my way over to her and put on a confident swagger. I couldn't be blamed if my swagger staggered a bit when she rolled her eyes at me.
"You're here asking for a lot of trouble, Lucas Marsh," she said, before I even told her what I was here for.
"I live for trouble," I told her. "The question is, can you do it?"
Morgana snorted. "The last person who asked me that got a permanent job as a planter back in our herb nursery."
My heart didn't beat very fast because I was an undead, but I got two quick beats out of it with that statement.
"We can do anything. The question is, should we? And," her eyes glittered, "can you pay for it?"
I thought about all the money I'd saved when Helen refused to let me pay. I would have still been able to afford it even without that money, but it would have hurt a little bit. "I can pay."
Morgana gave me a long look. "So the question now is should we?" She leaned forward on the desk holding up the register. Her tattoos stood out in stark vivid colors against the pale tone of her skin. "What kind of game are you playing with this girl, Lucas?"
"A gentleman never tells."
"A gentleman doesn't show up to a wolf's den with a dental toolkit either, and yet here you are."
I blinked at her imagery. And then thought about wolf fangs, and I had to rapidly blink to get that image out of my head. Morgana was terrifying.
She rattled off a price that was equally terrifying. I let out a sharp breath, narrowed my gaze, and counter-offered.
Her tinkling laugh caught me off guard. She tilted my chin up with a nail sharp enough to make me wonder about how long I had left to live. "Oh, you're adorable," she cooed. "Thinking you can come in here and bargain with me for my services." She bared her broad, white teeth, and I stared into her deep eyes. "Just for that, the price is double." She let go of my chin, but not before she drew a deep, red drop of blood from it. I watched as the ruby drop balanced perfectly on her nail. Morgana snagged a small amber dram and tipped the drop into the bottle and sealed it with magic.
I swallowed hard.
"Still want to bargain with me, vampire?"
My head moved of its own volition into a sharp shake.
"Good boy. Cash or charge?"
I walkedout of Morgana's shop feeling both emasculated and terrified, and also holding something that cost me even more than Helen wanted to charge me for her services. I held the bag out from my side as if terrified I was going to drop and ruin it. Once I got into my car, I let out a slow, deep breath and reached under my chin to heal the nick Morgana inflicted with her nail.
That bitch was the scariest thing I'd ever seen in my life, and I was immortal.
Why she'd settled here was beyond me, but the world was a safer place without Morgana in it. After today I was convinced she could conquer the world if she ever really set her mind to it.
I set the bag on the passenger seat and headed over to Grace's house. On the drive there, I did my best to settle my nerves, but I suspected I was going to be rattled for quite a while.
