“Hey, I’ve been shot, stabbed, nearly blown up, strangled, and a lot of other shit in my life.”
“Drowned… Just helping.”
“That Witch almost impaled me with an ice spear. Curses are just another kind of injury, but you’ve got a point, so I’ve got a job for you. Time to build out our roster of contacts.”
“What do we need?”
“Start sniffing around to find a few decent magical contacts that we can turn into regular consultants. People who are reliable but willing to not ask too many questions or probe too deeply. Include someone who could help me out of a jam if I do end up with some weird magical injury. I’m not looking for a field Witch or anything, just someone I can go to on occasion and drop some money in exchange for services.”
Peyton pulled out his phone and typed a note to himself. “Consider it done.”
“I’m going to go park the owl in Warehouse Five… Don’t ask, I’m not helping you find it or what’s stored there and I already figured out your tracking goo and neutralized it.”
“I feel like I’m your Kato. I’m only making you better.”
Shay lowered her chin and gave him a menacing look. “Jump me when I walk in the door and I will be looking for a new associate. I’ll be back in two hours.”
Peyton smiled triumphantly, jumping onto the couch. “You just gave me useful information. I know it’s about an hour to Warehouse Five.”
“It could be a ten-minute drive that I’m making into an hour, so I can run an errand.”
Peyton muttered something under his breath. “Can we at least get stuffed crust pizza tonight?”
“All this time with me, and you’re still not a proper pizza connoisseur?” Shay made a pained face. “I’ll compromise. We’ll hit a place that makes both thin crust and stuffed crust. But I reserve the right to mock you the entire dinner for being a damned philistine.”
“Not like you don’t do that anyway.” Peyton’s voice grew distant.
“Oh, don’t get all your panties in a twist over pizza. I get it, you weren’t raised in a proper pizza-respecting family.”
Peyton stepped off the couch and pulled out his wallet, flipping it open. “I know, old school. I have a photo in my wallet.” He showed the black and white of his mother and father and three young children gathered around a table. “That’s us a million years ago. We were never happy for very long. It was more like moments, but this was one of them. Eating pizza… who knew?”
He flipped the wallet closed and put it back in his pocket, pursing his lips. “I miss their murderous little hearts.”
“That’s gonna have to be something you learn to live with, Peyton. People like us… we all have places that don’t heal entirely. We just get used to the occasional stab of pain and keep going. Be ready when I get back. I don’t like waiting.” And I don’t like talking about feelings. Shay shook out her hands. May have to go punch something after all.
“Already picked up on that,” he said, loudly. Shay was already sliding into the Spider, opening the roll door, even as she secured the owl in a locked compartment she had specially made into the car.
MILF my ass. More like having an annoying little brother.
The pizza didn’t disappoint, and the conversation stuck to the safe topics, but fatigue eventually came over Shay. She dropped Peyton back to his cubicle apartment at Warehouse Two and headed back to her condo.
A quick shower relieved the tension in her muscles and she toweled off, put on a silk nightgown, and slipped underneath the heavy down comforter.
Her phone buzzed the moment she shut her eyes.
“Of course. The universe is not cruel or kind, but annoying and petty.”
Shay leaned over and picked up the phone. There was a text from Greg.
Please respond ASAP. Important opportunity that is time-sensitive.
Shay stared at the phone for a second. No rest for the wicked.
Shay texted back. What opportunity?
He finally wants to meet you.
She knew instantly who Greg meant and sat up on one elbow. Smite-Williams?
Yes.
Where? Is it secure?
I didn’t tell him about the diner, and I’ve only referred to you by your nickname. He suggested a place. There’s an Irish pub called the Leanan Sídhe. He says he wants to meet you there tomorrow night at 7:00.
He wants to meet in person?
He only hires people face-to-face. He’s made it clear that part is non-negotiable.
Shay blinked at her phone, surprised. High-level power players used layers of minions and lackeys between themselves and their hirelings. If Smite-Williams wanted to meet in person that suggested a mixture of paranoia, confidence, and old-fashioned arrogance.
Okay, Shay texted back. Tell him I’ll be there.
Should I come along?
No, she texted back. I don’t need a babysitter, but I’ll make sure you get a finder’s fee.
I’ll let him know right away. I’ll give you more details tomorrow.
Okay. Good night.
Shay put down her phone and pulled up the dark blue comforter. She lay still, wide awake half-expecting another text or phone call.
Peyton’s research backed up everything Greg had told her about Dr. Smite-Williams. He sat at the top of the magical artifacts game and had paid to retrieve some seriously impressive pieces. First red flag. He had a lot more money than the typical university professor and no visible source for it.
Second red flag. He didn’t exactly have a dark reputation. Would the man be happy with someone as ruthless as Shay? She didn’t work on a leash, even a long one.
She turned on her side and pulled the covers up under her chin. Where does all this shit go from here?
Chapter Twenty-Five
The next evening, Shay finished a workout at Warehouse One and showered and dressed in narrow black pants and a pale cream-colored silk shirt. She draped a long gold
