“I’m a professional,” I said. “I’m not going to swoon hysterically because you have a past. That’s not what we are.”
“Then you have more of a handle of what we are than I do,” he said. “Tell me things aren’t insanely blurred between us.”
“We’re friends.”
“Mmm. Do most of your friends know how you sound when you moan their name because they’re inside you? Have you shared your scars with them? Or—”
“Fine,” I said through a clenched jaw. “Things are somewhat blurred.”
“I’m not here because you’re my only option. I’m here because you’re the only one I trust,” he said softly.
All I’d ever wanted was to fulfill my dreams of being a private investigator with a lifetime of fascinating cases, but even getting a toehold in this industry had been a struggle. I’d been the only female P.I. in Vancouver, and the boys’ club of the other agencies wasn’t exactly welcoming. But even though I’d started my firm as a Mundane, and thus not as employable as the Nefesh P.I.s, I’d scraped my way up to an office with a small clientele and good word of mouth.
About a month ago, my world was blown open when it turned out I had magic. Not just any magic either: undocumented blood magic, bestowed on descendants of the actual Jezebel from the Old Testament by the goddess Asherah to stop Chariot. Its original members had been the men representing each of the Ten Lost Tribes of Israel who’d first released magic into the world.
Jezebels and our blood magic were the only ones who could undermine their plans for immortality and to become gods on Earth. The same way that Jezebel in the Old Testament undermined the Jewish patriarchy with her continued insistence on the worship of the goddess Asherah—Yahweh’s bride and the person I’d been named after.
Shocking as this magic acquisition was, there was a definite upside. I’d gone from dealing with unfaithful spouses and minor insurance fraud to rogue smudges, kidnappings, and murders. This Mayan case might be equally as challenging.
I had two choices. Refuse Levi and deal with the fallout, or get over feeling like he was picking Mayan over me, just like he’d done every time he’d laughed along with her taunts back at camp. I hadn’t cared then, because Levi was still a dick in my estimation at the time, but he was right. Things between us were blurred now.
Levi sat there stiffly, his eyes imploring as he waited for my answer. Note to self: no more looking directly at puppies or Levi. Both resulted in complications.
Even though I meant what I said about not refusing if Mayan was in trouble, I really didn’t want to be the bigger person. I was a Jezebel, not a saint, and to put aside my revenge fantasies and help Mayan—at Levi’s behest? I swear, demon horns sprouted from my forehead.
I pressed my fingertips to my temples. No horns, just the remnant of a headache. “Like you said, I work exclusively for you, boss. I’ll find Mayan and determine why she contacted you.”
“Ash—”
The fight drained out of me, leaving me sagged against the cushions. “If you really care, Levi, then go home. I’ve hit my limit for tonight.”
He nodded. There was a second where he hesitated on his way out, like he was going to kiss the top of my head, but he didn’t, and the front door closed softly behind him.
Chapter 5
I wasn’t up to diving in to Mayan’s case tonight, but I was too restless to go to sleep. My thoughts kept circling back to my dad. Every attempt I’d made to locate him in the past had failed. Did A Study in Scarlet finally give me a lead?
“He took off a couple months before my magic showed up, and we know he paid me a visit in the hospital. So Adam was still in town at that point.” My hands tightened on the book. I pressed it to my chest and not to my nose like I foolishly wanted to, checking if any trace of Old Spice and lemon candies still clung to the pages.
“If this isn’t some ploy by Chariot, then it makes a difference if Adam gave Gavriella the book before or after he had the Van Gogh ward up your magic,” Priya said. She’d returned from her walk shortly after Levi had left. “If it happened afterward, the manifestation of your magic might be what prompted him to make contact. He might have been protecting you.”
“Maybe. I can’t indulge in wishful thinking.” Cold hard facts with their irrefutable logic and sharp clean edges would be my guides.
I checked on Mrs. Hudson, exhausted from her marathon around the block and now snoring softly on a blanket.
“Rafael is my best bet.” He was due to return to Vancouver in a couple of days and meet with our newly assembled team, but this couldn’t wait. I pulled a chain out from under my shirt with a wooden ring threaded on it, which had belonged to Rafael’s father, Gavriella’s Attendant. “I’m going to the library. Can you watch Mrs. Hudson? It shouldn’t take too long.”
“Possession is nine-tenths of the law.”
“If you make me keep repeating myself on the dog’s temporary status, I’ll tell your mom that you’re single again.”
Priya shuddered. “And subject me to her matchmaking? Some friend you are. Just remember, it takes a village to raise a puppy.”
“One-track mind, much? We can have our custody battle over a dog I’m not keeping when I return.”
“Uh-huh.” Priya held up the Android. “What do you want me to do with this? It’s a dead end.”
“Not surprising, given how under-the-radar Gavriella lived. I’ll put it in the office safe with the photos tomorrow.” I grabbed A Study in Scarlet. “Wish
