He gave Pierce a smack on the back, to send him stumbling. Face red, Pierce caught his balance and pushed Al’s hands off him. Stiff with pride, he turned his back on us as he tugged his clothes back where they should be, ran a hand over his hair, and then turned around. I wouldn’t look at him.
Jenks had moved closer to me in the fast exchange, and he hovered suspiciously. I wasn’t satisfied, though, and I stayed where I was, my back to the window. “So you agree, no snatching, smacking, killing, or scaring people with me. I want to hear it.”
“This one doesn’t count,” Al said. “It’s not retroactive.”
“Good God! This is an addiction!” I exclaimed, but seeing I’d pushed him far enough-and that he and Pierce already seemed to have an agreement-I nodded. “Say it,” I insisted.
Pierce was edging away from Al. The motion wasn’t lost on the demon, and he jerked him back. “I won’t snatch, harm, or scare to death people with you or use checking up on you as an excuse to cause trouble. You’re worse than my mother, Rachel.”
“Mine, too,” Jenks muttered.
“Thank you,” I said formally. I was shaking inside. I’d done it. I’d freaking done it. And it hadn’t cost me my soul, or a mark, or anything. Hallelujah, she can be taught!
Al gave Pierce a shove away and strolled closer to me. I tensed, then relaxed, putting my gun away. I could smell the burnt amber flowing from him, and Jenks hovered backward, sword hefted as if ready to throw it. I didn’t move, numb as Al sidled up alongside me and together we eyed Pierce, nervous under our combined scrutiny. “If you give him a body,” he said lightly, “I will kill him.”
I looked at Al. His eyes didn’t look strange anymore, and it scared me. “I don’t know that curse,” I said blandly.
Al’s jaw clenched and released. “He will eventually try to kill you, Rachel. Let me save you the trouble of killing him in turn.”
Tired, I started tucking things away. The empty bottle, the crucible, the used finger stick. My hands were shaking, and I made a fist. “Pierce isn’t going to kill me.”
“You got that right,” Al and Jenks said simultaneously.
“Tell him what you are, itchy witch,” Al added after a wary look at the pixy. “See what happens.”
Pierce had been in my church for almost a year. I doubted very much he didn’t know what I was. It was only just after midnight, but I was ready to go home. “Why don’t you leave before someone recognizes you,” I said as Jenks landed on my shoulder. My adrenaline was gone, and I was cold in my little black dress. I looked around, but apart from the two bottles of potion still on the sill, there was nothing of mine except Pierce standing stoically by the window, trying not to look naive as he gazed down at the streets of Cincinnati full of people partying. “I’m already shunned, thanks to you,” I finished.
A beautiful smile came over the demon, and looking at me from over his smoked glasses, he said, “Leave? But it is such a spectacular night!” That smile still on his face, he strode to the window and picked up my potion bottles. I held out my hand for them as he lifted them to the faint light and squinted.
“You made more than one potion to give him substance?” Al asked, and when I said nothing, he cracked one of the seals and breathed. “Nice presentation,” he murmured, then slid them into a jacket pocket.
“Hey! Those are mine!” I protested, jolted out of my complacency. Jenks launched himself off my shoulder, but Pierce gave me what was almost a nasty look, as if I should have known better and was being stupid.
Al didn’t even bother to acknowledge me as I stood with my arms crossed over my middle and sulked in a drop-dead gorgeous dress underneath Cincinnati’s premier restaurant. “These are mine,” he finally said. “You’re my student, and I can claim anything you make.”
I jumped when I suddenly became aware that Pierce was behind me. He gave me a heartfelt look, trying to take my hands as he said, “Rachel, might I have a word with you? My heart is breaking to explain.”
“I’ll bet,” I said sourly, pulling my hands away. “Why don’t you vamoose so Al will go with you and leave me the hell alone?”
“I’ll allow that this looks powerful suspicious,” he admitted. “And anyone would be in a fine pucker, but you yourself have a mind to deal with the devil spawn upon occasion. I have until sunrise to convince you that I’m honorable.” He looked at Al. “You agreed to no snatching. I have until sunrise.”
Al gestured grandly. “If you must. But I’m not leaving you alone with her.”
My eyebrows rose, and even Jenks made a tiny squeak of a sound. “Whoa, boys. I have plans tonight, and they don’t include a demon and a ghost.”
“Yeah!” Jenks launched himself from my shoulder and hovered to brighten the area. “We got reservations at the Warehouse.” He flitted to the window and looked down, staying in flight and dusting heavily.
“Sounds like fun,” Al said, rubbing his white-gloved hands together. “Pierce, get the lift.”
“No way!” I shouted. “Pierce, will you just go? I can talk to you next week.”
The man’s jaw was set as he ducked out from under Al’s attempt to shove him to the elevator, and he straightened, saying, “I’ll not be moseyin’ until I have a chance to settle this. And that is all I’m saying about it.”
I sighed, leaning back against the cold window with my butt on that narrow sill. The last thing I needed was to put this circus on rails. “Fine,” I said sourly, crossing my ankles. “I’m listening.”
Al started pouting, unable to leave and cause mischief lest Pierce “kill me,” I suppose. More likely it was to keep the witch from telling me something that Al didn’t want me to know.
Seeing me listening, Pierce took a breath he really didn’t need. His arms fell to his sides as he exhaled, and his expressive face softened into one of persuasion.
“Uh, guys?” Jenks said, hovering at the window. “Fountain Square is on fire.”
“What?” I jumped to my feet and turned in one motion. Al rushed to the window, and we pressed our foreheads to the glass, looking down, Jenks between us. From overheard, the groaning of machinery became loud and obvious. Faint calls were sifting down through the concrete or perhaps vibrating through the glass. I could imagine that the entire party upstairs was now leaning against the glass as we were.
It was hard to see, but Jenks was right. The stage was on fire. People were gathering in the street. From beside me, Pierce said, “I thought that was what it was supposed to look like.”
Shit. Ivy was down there. And Glenn.
“I gotta go,” I said, turning to the elevator. My phone rang, and I jerked to a stop. It wouldn’t work in the elevator. The little screen lit up, and Al peered over my shoulder. “It’s Ivy,” I said, my relief obvious. “Ivy?” I called as I flipped the phone open, and the sound of screams and sirens filtered out.
“I need you,” she said loudly, over the chaos. “Your locator amulets just lit up. Mia is here.”
I stood at the window and looked down. “Jenks says there’s a fire,” I said.
She hesitated, and then calmly said, “Oh. Yes. The stage is burning. Rachel, I’m watching Glenn, but if he gets too close to a banshee…”
Crap. “Got it.” I started walking to the elevator, Jenks hovering close so he could hear both ends of the conversation.
“I think The Walker is calling Mia out,” Ivy added, and I punched the button for the lift.
“I’m on my way.” Breathless and fidgety, I closed the phone and jammed it in my bag. Where’s the stupid elevator? I’m not going to run down thirty flights of stairs.
Al cleared his throat, and I spun around, just now remembering them.
“Oh, uh, Pierce,” I said, feeling myself warm. “I’m sorry. I have to go.”
Al jiggled the man’s elbow, beaming from ear to ear. “This is going to be entertaining. I’ve never watched Rachel work. Apart from when she was working on me, of course.”
“Entertaining?” Pierce slid away from him. “You have an almighty odd vision of entertainment, demon.”
“I told you to call me Al,” he said, looking at his blurry reflection and adjusting his lace.
Jenks’s features scrunched up in annoyance, and I rubbed my forehead. I could not take the two of them down into Fountain Square. Pierce didn’t have a coat, and Al…Thanks to a couple of news shots, the entirety of Cincinnati knew his face. “Pierce, can’t we do this another time?” I asked, distracted. Where is the damn elevator! I thought, hitting the call button again, my elbow smacking into it with undue force.
But Pierce inclined his head, dropping back to give me a half bow, his eyes never leaving mine as he almost smiled. His look reminded me of the night we had met, racing off to save a young girl from a vampire. He had liked my “fiery spirit,” and clearly things hadn’t changed. I had, though.
