'Adan.'
'What's he look like?'
'I don't know. He's good-looking, I guess.'
'You like him?'
'Yeah, he's nice. You know, he's my boss's son.'
'Is he your boyfriend?'
'No. Maybe. I don't know. We just met. Really, I just have to keep an eye on him because of the whole possession angle.'
'Why do you think he's possessed? Maybe he's just an asshole.'
I looked at Honey. She seemed cross. 'Are you jealous, Honey?'
Honey laughed. 'Of course not! Why would I be jealous?'
I shrugged. 'I don't know, you just seem awfully interested in Adan.'
'You're my roommate. I just don't want you to be taken advantage of by some asshole.'
'Well, I don't think he's going to take advantage of me. He did threaten to skin me, but that was when he was possessed.'
'Are you going to go out with him again?'
'Yeah, tonight. He's got to have something that belongs to the vampire. I need something of his to track him.' I'd stopped by the canal on my way home, but there was no sign of Jimmy Lee's blanket.
'You need something for a spell?'
'No, it's hard for me to lock on to a vampire with my magic. Different kind of juice, I guess.'
'Have you slept with this guy?'
'That's personal.'
'You haven't.'
I scowled. 'Like I said, we just met. We've only had one real date.'
'But you want to sleep with him.'
'It's none of your business.'
'You do. Even though he wants to skin you.'
'He doesn't want to skin me. He was possessed by an evil spirit.'
'Do what you want. I'm just saying, I don't think you should have sex with some asshole who wants to skin you. It's irresponsible.'
'He's not an asshole. He's sweet.'
'How many people has he skinned so far?'
'Just two.'
'That's sweet.'
'Possessed!'
Honey shrugged.
'So what about my training? Once I track down the vampire and take him out, then I can go back to the Between for the spirit. But I have to learn how to fight there before I can deal with it.'
'We could cross over and start tonight.'
'No, I have to meet Adan and get the thing from the vampire.'
'Didn't you look for something when we were there before, in the Between?'
'Not really. I was looking for the spirit, or some clue that would lead me to it. I wasn't even thinking about Fred at the time.'
'What kind of person hangs out with a vampire, anyway?'
'Yeah, I question his judgment on that one. He says Fred is cool.'
'He murders innocent people and drinks their blood.'
'Yeah. But I'm a gangster, so it's hard for me to win moral arguments.'
'Still, Domino, don't you think it says something about him that he's friends with a vampire?'
I shrugged. 'I guess vampires can be mysterious and intriguing, or whatever. Plus, his father is my boss. He had to be raised with a certain amount of ethical flexibility. Anyway, like I said, Fred is working with the spirit. I figure the spirit probably manipulated Adan into hanging out with him.'
'Domino, seriously, what do you know about this guy? You're pretty hot for him. What is it about him you like?'
I shrugged.
'Well, what does he do?'
I frowned. 'I don't know…he's taking some time off.'
'So he's a bum?'
'No! He's got plenty of money. He's just between jobs.'
'What did he do before?'
'He was in school.'
'Has he ever had a job?'
I shrugged. 'He's not a gangster.'
'That's what you like about him? He's not a gangster?'
'Yeah, for one thing.'
'Your standards are really low. Shouldn't be hard to find a guy who isn't a gangster.'
'Yeah, but finding one who doesn't freak out every time I drop a spell is a little tougher.'
'Oh, I get it.'
I waited. Honey just hovered there and looked at me.
'What? You get what?'
'You're not falling for Adan. I mean, he's a bum-what's to fall for?'
'He's not a bum and I never said I was falling for him.'
'You didn't have to. Anyway, you're not falling for Adan, you're falling for the idea of Adan.'
'What the hell are you talking about?'
'You see it all the time in women who make bad choices about men. It's not the actual guy they fall for-he's just a blank canvas they can project their own needs onto.'
'Another Newsweek article?'
'Cosmo.'
'Well, you're wrong, Honey.'
'Yeah, see, you don't want a gangster and you don't think you can have a normal man, and then here comes this…boy…and he's neither one. He's perfect, even if he is a bum and a serial killer.'
'He just needs to find himself.'
'You're hopeless.'
'Look, I'm not falling for him, Honey. But I do want to help him. And even if I didn't, it's my fucking job.'
'Well, if you have to go on a date with your sweet, vampire-loving, serial-killer boyfriend tonight, we can start your training tomorrow.'
'How long will it take? For me to learn the kung-fu magic, I mean?'
'I don't know for sure. It shouldn't take very long. It's just manipulating magic. You already know how to do it- you just don't know you know.'
'What do you mean?'
'It's like what you do when you cast a spell. Only you're not tapping the juice. You are the juice. You control the juice, you control your construct.'
'Sounds easy enough.'
'Yeah.'
'Okay, tomorrow then. After I track the vampire.'
'What if you can't find something to track him with?'
'I don't know. I haven't thought that far ahead yet. I guess if I can't find Fred here, I'll have to deal with him in the Between.'
'He'll probably kill you. He was just playing before.'
'Yeah, well, then I better find something to track him. Don't jinx it. What are you going to do while I'm
