“Anyway, Omar plucked one of the lights right out of the air and threw it to me. This is it. He said the little gleaming lights were spirits of the dead, and since he’s a Necromancer, he’s supposed to be able to talk to dead spirits. So, hypothetically, there’s a dead spirit inside this diamond.”
“Creepy. Was Omar wearing clothes at the time?” Heather asked.
Michelle nodded. “This was before he told me he wanted me to be the mother of his child. When you got there, later that night, I was fighting him, and he had shed most of his clothes. And then Vincent threw all his clothes in the fire. So I know where you’re going with this. Omar could have hidden the diamond in his sleeve or a pocket. He was wearing this formal dress shirt, with cummerbund, and a black jacket, pants and shoes. He even had a cape.”
“He’s a magician. So I still think it has to be a fake,” Heather said. “Let’s check it out. Diamonds cut glass.” Heather threw the gem in the air and caught it playfully. “What do you want to cut?”
“It’s so pretty I don’t want to wreck it, if it’s not real.”
“Let’s put your initials on the mirror in your bathroom,” Heather said. “Then we can see. Just a little scratch to see if it cuts the glass?”
Michelle smiled and nodded. They went into the bathroom and Heather handed Michelle the diamond. “You do it.”
“I don’t want to wreck the big mirror above the sink,” Michelle said. She pulled a hand mirror out of a drawer, the diamond tweezed between her thumb and first finger. She laid the mirror on the counter beside the sink and made a tentative scratch.
“Whoa, cuts it like butter,” Heather commented.
“It sure does,” Michelle said. She wrote her whole name, Michelle Montgomery, with a flourish and underlined it. The sound when she cut the mirror was a tiny shrill screech. She looked at the diamond critically, rolling it in her hand. It was intact and unharmed.
“That’s not really definitive proof,” Heather said, but she looked a little awed. “I can see why you decided to make a necklace, not a ring. It’s way too big.”
Michelle balanced it on the back of her hand. “Yeah. It covers my ring finger, way up over the knuckle. It would look stupidly grandiose and ostentatious.”
Lucifer jumped on the sink. Heather nodded at the cat and said softly, “Everything okay with him?”
“Let’s get some coffee,” Michelle said. As they were going into the kitchen, she whispered. “Luce went everywhere with Rod and me on the trip. He’s not a normal cat, but he acted like one, most of the time.”
“I was a little worried,” Heather said. “Lucifer was Omar’s ‘familiar’.” Then she whispered back. “Aren’t you a little creeped out, too? What if he converts back again and wants to eat human organs or something?”
Lucifer had followed them into the kitchen.
“I think he liked the way I treated him better than the way Omar handled the little guy. Omar was all about Luce doing his bidding and attacking enemies. I just loved him the minute I saw him, and I think Luce knew it. Omar said I had ruined his demonic qualities. I’m really happy to have him for a pet. He’s always fun and entertaining.”
Heather looked at Lucifer warily. “Was he okay with Rod when you took the trip? Lucifer attacked Rod the first time he came in your apartment. Running up his leg and trying to scratch out his eyes.”
Michelle picked up Lucifer and petted him. His purr was loud and he patted her cheek with one paw. “Lucifer is the best kitty, aren’t you, you beautiful thing.”
She turned to Heather. “Since he isn’t a devil cat, or Omar’s familiar anymore, I’m trying to remember to call him Luce. He seems to tolerate Rod. Rod can pet him and pick him up. He attacked Rod that first time because Lucifer was Omar’s cat. Lucifer knew Omar hated Rod. Omar wanted Lucifer to hurt or even kill Rod. He might look small, but he could do it.”
Heather was pouring coffee in the cups she got out of the cabinet. “Luce can practically read your mind, it seems. Do you think it means he’ll like me, eventually?”
Michelle laughed, “Only if you do my bidding, obey all my commands, and never harm me, then maybe he’ll approve. Otherwise, watch out.”
“Oh right,” Heather said sarcastically. “So if I happened to date someone you didn’t like, Lucifer would attack me, or the guy?”
“You know I’m kidding. He’s not my familiar. He’s just the kitty who prefers to stay with me.”
“Professor Middleton said you’re a witch,” Heather said. “And he should know, with all his paranormal studies. Even Rod called you Witchy Woman. So Lucifer could be your witchy familiar.”
“Oh pleeese,” Michelle protested. “You certainly know better than that.”
“I saw some things there on the island of Kauai, after you and the professor were dropped in the ocean by helicopter, miles from land, which were totally unexplained.”
Michelle handed Heather a cup and sipped her own coffee. “Let’s go make that necklace.”
They went into the dining room and sat down at the table. Michelle picked up the pliers. “I read on-line about how to do this, and got a book. Then I got all the equipment.” She started winding one of the thin wires around the stone in swirls.
“What if the diamond does have a mean, malevolent spirit inside?” Heather asked. “Some diamonds
