I opened my eyes and immediately shut them once more. The glare of the sun had positioned itself precisely through the gap in the curtains to fall on my face. I groaned and turned, then immediately startled. It took me a moment, but as my vision cleared I remembered that I had asked Bis to stay with me, and he had. The gargoyle had deflated to his more comfortable, catlike size as he slumbered. What's more, we'd been joined by Rex and a half-dozen of the pixies. My bed was certainly a popular spot at the moment.
As I listened to the soft sound of pixy snores and the low, rumbling purrs coming out of both my cat and my gargoyle, I glanced at the clock, noting that I had indeed slept half a day. I'd gone to bed at midnight, and now it was noon. Careful not to jostle anyone, I slid from the bed and tiptoed to my bathroom, snagging a full basket of laundry as I went.
As showers went, it wasn't the best I'd had, but it was close. By the time I stepped out of the stall, wrapping a towel around my head and a fluffy robe I'd snagged from Trent's penthouse suite in Seattle around my body, I felt almost sub-human again. I tossed my load of clothes into the washer and put my feet into a pair of slippers so I could brave the cold floors between my bathroom and kitchen in search of a pain amulet and some coffee. The church was silent and somnolent, my journey uninterrupted by anyone else. I busied myself with dumping out the previous pot's grounds from the filter into the compost bin, rinsing out the coffee pot, and pouring water into the reservoir as I waited for my head to stop its incessant pounding. Soon, the smell of brewing coffee wafted up from the gurgling appliance and I gave myself leave to grab another amulet, as the first one barely took the edge off.
Impatient, I snagged a cup out of the still-dripping coffeemaker in a deft maneuver with long-studied practice. My first sip was a bolt of pure, bitter, bracing bliss and I settled into my chair, content for the moment to think of nothing. Only two days at my new job and I was already missing my time of forced relaxation. My whole body felt sore and wrung out and my sleep schedule was all thrown to bits.
Minutes passed with the ticking of the kit-cat-clock someone had gifted me with a previous birthday or Solstice the only sound to be heard. Beyond the stillness of the church's inner sanctum, the chirping of winter birds could just be made out and the occasional hiss of a passing car played counterpoint. I stared into space, savoring my coffee, and resolved not to think about what Al had meant with his parting remarks the night before. Instead, I thought of Ivy. I wondered how her investigation into the disappearance of the Spirit of Cincinnati was going. I wondered if she spent the night with Glenn or if she managed to make it back to the church. All vamps, living or undead, tended to feel happiest in their homes. This was the place Ivy called her home, so it would make sense she'd want to spend her downtime here. I didn't want to assume, so I resolved to go take a peek to make sure.
I shuffled down the hall and opened her door a crack to look in on her. The room was dark as pitch and my eyes took a moment to adjust, but I was finally satisfied to see her lumpy form outlined in the small shaft of light cast by the open door under her black sheets. I closed the door gently, holding the doorknob turned until the door met the frame and turned it back slowly, until the mechanism slid back into place without a sound. That done, I found myself at a loss for something to do. I meandered back into the kitchen and went to sit with my coffee mug.
What had escaped my notice before was clear to me on a second look. Al had left the Latin book and three uninvoked phials of disguise potion on the counter. He must have known I was going to get bored, the bastard. Sighing, I reached out and slid the Latin book over in front of me and cracked the cover. I didn't want to bother with anything more strenuous than reading, while still hurting from the night before. I whiled away the hour with reading each chapter and completing the little assessment tests at the end of each. I got through about three before the sounds of pixy activity bursting into life distracted me. I closed the book in relief.
Shrieks and the clatter of pixy wings heralded the approach of the hurricane of brightly colored silks and pixy dust. Janice led a bevy of Jenks's daughters into the kitchen. Seeing me, they flew to a stop in a line, suddenly pretending not to be up to some mischief. I smiled as "Good afternoon, Miss Morgan," was piped from them in unison.
"Good afternoon, Janice, Jocelynn, Jixy, Josephine, Jrixibell," I replied, naming them in turn. "What are you into today?"
The four of them blanched, noting they'd been caught out. "Well, we were going to play capture the nut against the boys."
"Do you want help setting up a field?" I offered, dimly remembering games of capture the flag at camp.
"Well, umm…" Jixy spoke up, "The whole church is the battlefield. We were looking for somewhere to set up our base."
"Boys against girls, eh?" I grinned, suddenly eager for a distraction. "There are more of them than you. Don't you think that's an unfair advantage?"
"We're girls," Janice shrugged. "We're much more cunning than the boys."
"Well, that's true," I granted. "Can I play on your team, too? I'm a girl."
"But you're so big," Jrixibell said. "You wouldn't be able to go after their nut if they hid it in a wall somewhere." The other girls nodded sadly.
"So, I'll be keeper," I put forth, not deterred in the slightest. We all grinned at one another and the girls nodded with mischief in their eyes. The scrape of a spoon against a pan could be heard above a tiny raspy voice. Belle peeked her head up from where she'd been hiding.
"Can I play, too?" She asked, and the girls were all a-flutter with delight.
"You can be prison guard!" Jocelynn exclaimed in excitement. The wingless fairy grinned, showing sharp teeth. At almost twice the height of the others, she was a formidable sight and would play her part well.
We briefly outlined our strategy. I'd set up a circle around the nut when a pixy boy came in to grab it, then Belle would pop out and grab him, putting him in the jail until another of his team mates came to his rescue. The pixy girls would run our offensive team, hunting out the other team's nut and flying it back to our base.
I waited in the kitchen while the pixies went to the sanctuary, where Jenks played referee. The sharp screech of his wing could be heard, like a ref's whistle, and the battle was joined. Jerrimat, the first of the scouts from the boys' team came in and I nearly laughed when, darting around and hunting for where the girls hid their nut, he saw it sitting in the middle of the counter out in the open. He scoffed in consternation, almost ignoring me as I sipped idly away at my coffee from my chair.
"There it is," he said, putting on a bluff for my benefit. "The girls said they left a nut in here for me. I'll just be taking that back to the desk…"
I waited until he was almost on it before I whispered "Rhombus," and set the small circle directly around the nut with the flow of my chi joining with the thin ring of salt.
"Hey! No fair!" he complained, running smack into the wall of ever-after, unable to pull up in time. Just as we'd planned, Belle jumped out like a trapdoor spider from under the spine of my Latin book I'd left propped over a pot and nabbed him, quickly tying him up in dental floss and dragging him into her 'jail' beneath.
We did this a couple more times before the pixy girls returned with the boys' team's nut. Belle good-naturedly released her prisoners and both teams shook hands, or in my case, had a line of pixy boys bow to me.
We all agreed to set everything back up for another round. The boys seemed confident that now that they knew Belle and I were playing, the element of surprise was lost and they'd have a better chance. The boys were certainly graceful losers. It just went to show that Jenks and Matalina had raised them all well.
The field was reset and I sipped my coffee, waiting for my next victims. Round two was going much the same as the first, with Belle capturing the other team's players as I halted them inches from the nut and within her reach. The remaining pixy boys launched a valiant rescue mission for their captured team members, flying in tight formation and peeling off with their brothers in tow. Belle managed to nab one or two of them, but couldn't keep them all away and those who got away were soon freed from their dental floss ropes to try again.
Somehow, they'd found my stash of sleepy time splat balls and were now adding the munitions to their tactics. I had to drop my circle around the nut to fend off the balls that they pelted me with and one of the pixy boys managed to get inside my larger circle to make a grab for the nut, while I was otherwise distracted. I held my circle, so he couldn't get out, but when I was least expecting it, Bis flew right through my circle and the pixy boy (Jumoke, I think) passed him the nut as he went swooping through.
A wing of pixy girls flew into the kitchen after him, while I sat there with my mouth hanging open. The boys still in Belle's clutches smirked up at me. We'd been outwitted by our own tactics.
Refusing to accept so ignominious a defeat, I jumped up from my chair to give chase. The sound of my pounding footfalls echoed back to me from both sides of the hallway as I broke into a fast sprint. He had a lead on me, but I was confident I could catch up with him since the pixy girls were sure to be harrying him mid-flight.
Out in the open air of the sanctuary, Bis and the pixies were engaged in a furious dogfight in the air. Bis and the boys tossed the nut back and forth between them, trying to keep it away from the girls. I bided my time, lurking below for the right moment to press the attack. The pixies could maintain flight nearly indefinitely, but Bis was a glider. He'd have to land and climb to regain altitude before too long. None of the airborne pixies paid me much mind: I was just a lunker and not much threat to them where I was. I laughed inwardly. That's what they thought.
I couldn't use a circle on Bis since he could pass right through them, but I could make an undrawn circle in the air, with enough concentration. None of them were aware that I could do that, aside from Bis, as they hadn't been there when I'd learned. I doubted he'd remembered to warn them of my ability.
When next they passed Bis the nut, I was ready for it. I threw up a circle in the air to capture the whole lot of the pixies, as they had clustered just right. High-pitched shouts of displeasure came from both teams, as I'd caught all of them, even the girls. I was barely paying any attention to that. I was jumping for Bis, who'd landed on the back of the couch and now clutched our nut.
He made a gasp as he saw me over one of his wing tips, the muscles beneath bunching, readying to launch him in the air again. I was already on him before he could complete the action. The two of us tumbled down onto the couch, our landing throwing up a puff of Ivy's incense from the many days and nights she'd sat there. I fought back the urge to relax into it as I tried to wrestle my gargoyle for possession of the nut. His claws were clutched tight around it and he was already growing in size to try to fight me with more mass. Leylines blazed into my mind while he swelled up. I thought fast-I didn't want to hurt him-so I did the only thing I could think to do. I reached up under his arms to the skin beneath, and started scratching him. His tough skin could take a lot of punishment, so what would normally hurt a person like you or me merely tickled him. He was very ticklish.
He convulsed under my nails, howling with laughter and losing control of his size. He grew and shrank in halting, jerking motions, nearly bucking me off of him with the force of the changes. Finally, his grasp on the nut fell away, and I snatched it up, making a break for it.
I made it maybe five running strides before a heavy weight came crashing into me from behind. I was pinned flat to the floor by two hundred pounds of snarling gargoyle. My concentration broke completely, the pixies trapped in my circle were freed to join their battle in earnest. In the space of a few heartbeats, Bis and I were both set upon by the swirling, screeching mass of them. In less than that, the melee devolved into a tickle fight of epic proportions, and I was on the very bottom of the pile.
Peals of laughter, some of them my own, resounded through the sanctuary, as I struggled to unseat the gargoyle on my back who was giving me the worst of it. He used his tail-four feet of pure, prehensile muscle-to wrap around my leg and keep me in place, while he assaulted both of my sides. I wanted to slump in defeat, but the spasms in my muscles wouldn't let me. How he managed to use his claws without hurting me, I'll never know, but the result of his efforts had me nearly losing control of my bladder. Pixies rolled about on us, tickling each other, adding to the jarring sensations with buzzing wings and their knees and elbows digging about as they fought one another. I dearly hoped I wasn't getting pixed on top of it all.
Suddenly, the gales of pixy laughter went silent and their tiny weights left me in a rush. Bis stopped his assault on me moments later and a pall fell over the room. With tears of laughter in my eyes, I looked in front of me, feeling Bis go utterly still. At my immediate eye level, which was roughly inches above the parquet floor, a pair of black bunny slippers with fangs glared at me. I followed the stems of milk white ankles and calves upward, straining my neck, to the hem of a black bathrobe and, just in front of that, to the point of a katana a foot from my nose.
"Ivy?" I breathed, clutching my heaving sides, trying to get my pulse under control.
"Rachel," her voice, cool and smooth as silk came floating down to me, "Do you have any idea what time it is?"
Bis's weight finally left my back and I crawled up onto my knees so I could peer up at her without breaking my neck. "After noon?" I ventured, trying to look suitably contrite even as the humor of the situation made me want to laugh.
"Barely," she growled.
"Sorry Ms. Tamwood," the pixies chorused, and Jenks flitted down between the point of her sword and me, where I could see him. "Uh, yeah. Sorry Ivy. I told them to be quiet, but they all got carried away and…" he trailed off, his voice stilled by the forbidding look in her black eyes.
"I… uh… sorry we woke you, Ivy," I began and got to my feet, brushing off the front of my own bathrobe. "We got rather caught up in the moment. I made coffee," I offered, skirting her and her gleaming sword to venture toward the kitchen. "I got in early and was exhausted, so I went to bed. I didn't mean to be up so early."
I didn't hear her footfalls behind me, but I knew she was there as I took the brunt of her anger with me, away from the church full of pixies and Bis. "How is the investigation going?" I asked from inside the fridge, completely casual, so she could get her instincts under control. I snagged the orange juice and turned to find her directly behind me, so I offered her the carton. She grabbed it and retreated to her spot behind her computer, grabbing her glass from the dish rack as she went. I didn't see her sword anywhere.
"It's a disaster," she said, finally. "I got in past dawn. No one knows how the hell they got the statue off the fountain. There are no tool marks anywhere and the water pipes leading up through the statue looked to have been welded clean shut where she used to be. They're ruling this one to be Interlander, but they don't want to tell anything to the press. They're all spooked by this one. The few witnesses we've been able to talk to swore that the statue just… walked away. They didn't want to come forward before because they figured that they'd get a one-way ticket to the funny farm if they told anyone in authority what they saw. We've been able to get a few to come forward and every witness corroborates the same story."
"So, they think it might be the result of some spell?"
"Some spell either gone terribly wrong or somebody's idea of a cruel joke, perhaps. The IS has already contacted the Coven, and the Coven has launched their own investigation into the crime. It'll only be a matter of time before they decide to start pointing the finger in your direction, if they can't find the real culprit before the Solstice. If they have to close the circle at the square and the fountain's still in its current state, they'll want somebody to burn for it. Publicly."
"You really think that they'll blame me?" I shuddered at the thought. If this was now considered Coven business, they'd deal with it in their own way and I was all too familiar with how they dealt with such things.
"You're the only demon/witch this side of the lines. As scapegoats go, they could do worse and we both know that when an angry mob gets together over something like this, they're more likely to burn first and ask questions later." I didn't want to believe her, dammit, but after all I'd gone through with the Coven and being shunned for things that weren't my fault, then having them try to kill me before my farce of a trial, I knew what she said made too much sense to be ignored. I squared my shoulders and my jaw and made up my mind to keep them from using me as their whipping girl. Again.
"So then it's up to me to figure out what really happened before they start looking for an easy suspect, rather than the right one." I glowered at nothing in particular, my thoughts spinning with the research I'd need to do and the arms I'd have to twist to find out who did this.
"My thoughts exactly. Jenks has already agreed to back us up on this one. He was supposed to tell you when you got back."
"He was asleep by the time I did," I replied, blushing a little, "and then this afternoon, things got a little…. distracting."
Ivy finally smiled, the first real one I'd seen from her in a while. "You had fun. You needed it, after… everything. Sorry I was such a grump when I woke up."
I had to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. Ivy almost never apologized about anything, unless she thought she'd lose me if she didn't. For her to make such a concession over something so small as getting up on the wrong side of the bed spoke volumes for how serious she thought this situation with the statue was. "It's ok, Ivy," I finally choked out past my surprise. "We all get a little cranky when we haven't had enough sleep."
"Still, I didn't want you to think I… disapproved of you playing with the pixies. Sometimes I think we've forgotten how to play. It's nice to know that you haven't. Maybe next time I'll want to join."
Ivy kept piling on the shockers. I didn't know what to make of her attitude shift. "So how is Glenn?" I asked, finally, suspecting that her relationship with the FIB officer had a lot to do with her current state of mind.
"He's fine," she said, blushing and smiling a little, thus confirming my suspicion.
"That's… great! Really!" I knew I was smiling much harder than I should be for such a tacit admission, but coming from Ivy, that was like a declaration shouted from the rooftops.
"Shut up," she muttered, her light blush becoming darker.
"So," I changed the subject, taking pity on her for once and letting the matter of Glenn slide, "I had planned on going to the mall today to do some shopping. I thought we could go together. While we're there, we can start asking around at the shops to see if anyone's been buying the type of stuff used in such high magic. I've never heard of the type of spell this must have been, so it's bound to include something out of the ordinary to do it."
"Sounds great," she smiled. "I've been meaning to go see what I can do about replacing my working leathers. They're getting pretty beat up."
"Before we go, I thought I'd cook up some breakfast. Are you interested?"
"Yes, please. You know I always enjoy your cooking."
After Ivy and I polished off the fried green tomatoes and toast I made, we gathered a few things for our trip out. Ivy insisted on making a list of things she wanted, as well as an itinerary of which shops we'd go to and in what order. She planned our little impromptu shopping trip like she planned everything else: a carefully-concocted plan of attack complete with strategies and a balanced budget to boot. For once, I was grateful for her tendency toward the anal-retentive. She'd balanced my checkbook for me and I now knew how much of my savings I had left to spend. It wasn't as much as I'd hoped, but no less than what I'd feared.
By the time she was done with her maps and color-coded lists, I had a meager list of my own to replenish my dwindling stock of spelling ingredients. I figured I could save a lot of cash by simply making my own outfits out of my disguise potions, since the ingredients used were simple and inexpensive when factored against the price of a full wardrobe bought from Veronica's closet. I was going to use the opportunity of Ivy's clothes shopping to gather inspiration. She was even going to let me borrow her digital camera for the excursion. She only agreed after I mentioned that we could photograph rare ingredients and items in the magic shops for reference on the cork board we were going to make for our investigation, like the murder boards they had on cop shows on TV. She jumped at the idea, as I knew she would.
Our trip to the mall was a blast. Ivy was a fun shopping partner. The sales assistant in Veronica's closet was the same living vamp who had fitted me with my leather boots. Recognizing Ivy as the Tamwood heir and scion to the late Piscary had him falling all over himself to help her in any way she would desire. He all but offered his neck for her to sample, ha she wished it. Ivy suffered the attention with bored grace. I grinned to myself and went to go play in the racks of clothing I couldn't afford, but wouldn't have to. I stroked and sniffed fabrics to my heart's content, snapping photos of things I wanted to remember better later.
My forays into the spell shops yielded less than I had hoped. If somebody was buying rare, powerful items, they weren't going to the mall to do it. I bought what I needed for spelling, forgoing the cobwebs, since the pixies gathered them for me from the ceilings of the church for free. The witch behind the counter paid close attention to what I'd bought, seeming almost disappointed that the items were all mundane after I had inquired about the more esoteric and expensive items they had in glass cases.
By the time we were headed home with our respective hauls, it was growing dark fast. We carried our purchases in amidst chill winds and flurries of snow. Ivy immediately went to her room to stow her new outfits in the closet and I went into the kitchen to do the same with mine in the pantry. After I was done, I hooked the digital camera up to Ivy's computer and turned on the printer. I found her stash of photo paper, replaced the regular matte stuff with it, and set about printing my photos.
I made preparations for dinner to the song of the printer's ink jets working overtime and pixies shrieking out in the sanctuary. I was still rather tired from the day before, my wrestling match with Bis, and the long walks through throngs of people, so I envied them their seemingly boundless energy. Chopping onions and peppers kept my hands busy while a tube of ground turkey thawed in the sink. Beef was hard to come by after the Turn. The resources needed to raise it were almost too much drain on the smaller population. Poultry was an easier and far cheaper alternative, in comparison. I'd grown accustomed to it, barely even thinking about it any more. Nearly all the fast food places had also made the switch to turkey, goat, or venison, although it was all still called hamburger. Protein was protein, in the end. I dumped the onions into a skillet and set the heat low, smelling the aroma turn from eye-watering to mouth-watering before too long. As the onions simmered, I peeled back the packaging from the meat and set the raw, still frozen-on-the-inside cylinder on a plate in the microwave to continue defrosting.
Ivy entered the kitchen and immediately went for the orange juice, raising an eyebrow at the pages that were printing out. "I thought you were going to photograph the items that would be needed for a spell to bring the statue to life," she chided. "What's with all the fashion?"
"Nobody bought anything conspicuous at the mall stores. I haven't got a clue what kind of things I'm looking for. I need more research to figure out what type of spell could do this. Those are for my own… personal use."
"You're going to twist a curse, aren't you." She said it flatly, no question in her tone.
"As a matter of fact, yes," I grit back, refusing to feel ashamed for who and what I was. "It's no big deal. I have three bases prepped and I needed the inspiration."
"Well, I hope you know what you're doing," she said flatly.
"I do. I've already done it before. Like I said, it's no big deal."
"Whatever, Rachel. Just be careful, ok?" Concern for me softened her tone and I sighed, feeling my ire deflate. I understood that my cavalier attitude toward curses was something relatively new. I had once feared doing any of them for the smut that they caused. I couldn't blame her for being leery at my change of mind. The microwave beeped, saving me from having to respond right away. I took out the plate with a potholder and jammed a fork into the lump of meat. Satisfied that the tiny bit of frozen stuff at the center would cook soon enough once I got it into the pan, I tossed it in with the onions and placed the plate in the sink. I adjusted my flame to the second-to-highest setting under the skillet, hearing the pop and sizzle of meat and onions over my own spinning thoughts.
"It's demon magic," I conceded, sheering off chunks with the edge of my spatula and scrambling it all about. "It's also harmless. All it does is change my appearance to one of my own choosing. It's one of the most basic curses in a demon's lexicon. It can't be used offensively. I'm pretty sure it could barely be considered a defensive spell. You'd have to envision armor or something for that to work out," I pondered aloud, lost a little in thought. "In any case, it's tons cheaper than buying the actual clothing I want to wear. I haven't been using the curse to do anything more than that. I could use it to look like anything I wanted, but I'm using it as a way to keep up with certain changes that I have to in order to fit in over there." I didn't bother saying 'in the everafter'. I was pretty sure she knew what I was talking about.
"So that green dress you showed up in yesterday? And the purple blouse combo you shifted into after? Those were both part of this spell?"
"Yes," I confirmed, turning back to drop the green onions into the pan. "See? Harmless."
"Is that the spell Al used to shift into me when he bit you?" Her question floored me. I dropped the spatula, hearing it clatter woodenly on the stove.
"Maybe," I eventually answered, my thoughts in a whirl. I took up the spatula once more, needing something to keep my hands busy so I wouldn't cover my face in dismay. "Maybe not. I haven't tried using it to take on the abilities of another Interlander, and Al hasn't told me if it can do that." I flipped and turned the meat with deft, swift movements, keeping it browning evenly. Ivy said nothing and left me to my private thoughts.
I finished cooking the meat to my satisfaction and opened up a can of sloppy joe sauce to pour over it, adjusting the flame to simmer it all once again. Without a word of direction from me, Ivy went to go get the buns from the pantry, the action almost routine. The weight of our earlier conversation hang heavily over the meal. Jenks and Bis kept up a lively bit of prattle, sensing the tension and seeking to fill the silence. I barely took in any of what was said.
By the time everyone had eaten their fill, I was ready to burst with wanting to talk to Al about everything this curse he'd had me stirring could do. I'd asked him to teach me to be the demon I needed to be, holding nothing back. It would do me no good to be afraid to ask the questions that would help me on my way. Ivy saw the determined look in my eye and shot me a questioning glance over her empty plate. "I'm going to need to talk to my teacher," I answered the unasked. She nodded, although looked unhappy about it. She could understand my need to know the answers to the issue she'd brought up. "In case he takes it as an invitation, you should all get onto hallowed ground and stay there until I come tell you it's ok."
"You're serious? It's the weekend, Rache. Cut yourself a little slack," Jenks said with false joviality, to hide his unease with the entire concept.
"I also need to ask him about what could have gotten that statue to walk around on its own and why someone would do such a thing. I don't have a lot of time to solve the case before the solstice and I haven't met anyone who knows more about magic and its uses than he does, aside from Newt and she hasn't exactly been dealing with the practitioners on this side of the lines for a while."
"Between the two of them." Ivy put in, "I have to admit that Al is the lesser of the two evils. At least he never profaned our church."
"Too right," I said. "Plus, Newt's rather insane."
"Just do what you have to do, Rachel," Jenks said, sounding tired. "I'll make sure the kids stay where it's safe."
"I'm staying with you," Bis declared with finality, leaving no room for argument. He sat heavier, like the stone he was, and wrapped his tail around his legs.
"Sure, Bis. You've been with me on the other side before and he's never done anything to hurt you. You're too valuable, and so am I. The others, he might use for leverage, but I doubt it. Better safe than sorry, though."
Jenks immediately flew off to herd his kids. Ivy glowered about being kicked out of her own kitchen and very deliberately went to the fridge for another glass of juice, taking her time before sauntering slowly back to hallowed ground. I shook my head in exasperation at her antics, but put it from my mind as I reached for my calling circle. The blare of the stereo came clear as a bell from our living room, punctuating Ivy's displeasure for all to hear.
I sighed, shook my head, then carefully placed my fingers in their places on the surface of my scrying mirror's calling glyph. "Rachel calling Al," I intoned for Bis's benefit.
I waited for a full thirty seconds before getting a little ticked off.
"Come in, Al…" I muttered, not liking to be kept waiting. It seemed like ages since I'd begun calling him, although I knew more than most how hard it could sometimes be to get to a glyph when somebody was calling. Unlike Minias, I had the good manners not to just show up and demand an answer. Also unlike Minias, I had good reason not to pop in unannounced. I so did not want to catch Al at a bad time, doing something… private.
I growled under my breath and slid my calling glyph gently down onto the tabletop. It wasn't so important that it had to be right that very second, so I found something else to do while I waited for him to get back to me. I wondered idly if I could come up with some sort of demonic answering machine for times like these. I did the dishes to keep busy while I gave Al some time to get whatever he was into over with. When that was done, I checked the clock and sat in front of my glyph once more.
I made another call to Al, glad to feel my consciousness expand to include his own surface thoughts and feelings as he finally answered me. The place where he was felt humid and warm, and his mental drawl made me want to roll my eyes.
Itchy Witch, he thought with a genuine feeling of delight to be hearing from me. It's the weekend, love. What could possibly have prompted you to interrupt my bath? Not that I'm complaining, mind, he smirked and I could feel through the connection that he was slightly aroused. I stifled a shiver at the alien sensation. It was shockingly intimate, to feel him in this way. I do so love to think about you when I'm in the altogether.
Knock it off, Al, I chided, allowing my discomfort to take over the connection for a moment. I need your opinion on something, and a bit of your expertise.
Ah, so it's business, then, and not pleasure. Pity. Very well. I hope you don't mind if I get dressed while we talk.
I didn't answer him, so he took it as assent. The tingle of everafter over his skin gave me psychosomatic chills in response. I began to outline the problem as soon as I sensed he was ready. I wouldn't have bothered you if it weren't important, Al. Somebody's magicked the Spirit of Cincinnati to get up and walk off the fountain. I need to know what kind of spell can animate an object like that. All I can think of is a modified golem spell, and that would require a place to insert it into the construct.
I see, he replied. Professional curiosity warred with trepidation in his emotional state of mind. There are several spells that could do such a thing, as well as quite a few curses. You're not giving me a whole lot to work with, here.
I know, I know. I haven't even been to the scene of the 'crime', yet. I want to solve the mystery before the Solstice so that the Coven can't use me as a scapegoat on this one.
A great deal of likelihood, there, my student. It's a sorry fact that demons end up bearing the brunt of society's ill will. Are you asking for a consultation on this, or am I to be more of a sounding board?
I've got nothing, Al. I'll need a bit more than just a brainstorming exercise on this. I'm on a tight schedule as it is.
Oh goodie. So that means I get a trip to your side of the lines. He seemed less than thrilled at the prospect. Just what I wanted to be doing with my Saturday night.
I'll cover the expense and I'll buy you a latte. Will that be better?
He actually did perk up at the offer. Very well, then. Are you ready for me to come through?
I was. As soon as I thought it, he was standing in my kitchen.
a/n
Sorry it took so long. Life has gotten rather crazy as of late.
I've ordered the new novel and it's scheduled to ship to me on the 21st. I can't wait!
Happy Valentine's day, everybody. I have to work, so no romantic candlelit dinner for me. I hope your day is better than mine!
More RAl in the next chapter and if all goes well, the answer to a mystery