Chapter 28 Blood magic
“I need to use the restroom,” I said as soon as we had driven out of sight of the hospital.
Arthur, who stood to watch his driver take me away, was no longer in sight.
“I’m sorry, Miss.” The driver glanced at me through the rearview mirror. “But Mr Grunder…”
“Is not here. Just you, me and my full bladder.” I gestured between us.
The man blushed, cheeks bright red in the mirror.
"I really cannot hold it much longer."
He winced, evidently conflicted. “There’s a gas station just five minutes away.”
“Thank you.” I inhaled.
At the gas station, I hurried out of the backseat. “I’ll not take long.” I slammed the door shut, and sped towards the bathroom as if I really was about to lose control over my bladder.
In the bathroom corridor, I paused and silently padded back to the entrance.
With a deep inhale, I poked my head out and stared at the car. A group of rangy teenagers, loud and tossing a basketball between them, moved past me then, blocking my view.
I did not hesitate.
With a pounding heart, I got behind them, trying not to draw their attention.
One minute later, I was running into the convenience store at the gas station.
The cashier glanced at me, but finding me uninteresting in my shorts and tank top, turned back to the loud TV he had been watching while I pretended to browse the shelf.
My heart was still pounding.
If Arthur caught me, he would raise hell.
But I willed my body not to do whatever it did that had summoned the Dragon twice now when I was in danger.
Hale was diplomatic and patient. But if the Dragon showed up here, it would be all pork and roasts.
And despite my ugly relationship with my siblings, I was not eager to see either of them dead.
If only I could call Finn. I shook my head, a shiver running down my spine at the memory of that eerie dream.
A flash caught my eyes then, and I peaked around the pantry shelf, past the cereal boxes and oatmeal packets to see Arthur’s driver looking around.
My hand flew to my mouth as I waited. My heart was beating so loud it was all I could hear.
And then he turned left, heading in the restroom’s direction. I hurried for the door, barely holding myself from breaking into a run to avoid the cashier mistaking me for a thief.
But as soon as the door swung close behind me, I jogged towards the car, and by the time I had gotten past it, I had broken into a full run.
I took a turn at the nearest street, and continued running till I was right in the center of Hollywood Boulevard.
The chaos was instant. Loud music from storefront speakers, street performers trying to court tourists. Street vendors with their snacks and tour tickets.
I stood, panting, trying to catch my breath.
People jostled against me, and I started to move again.
At the spot where neon thinned, and the smell in the air shifted from gasoline to incense, I turned left and stepped right into Clove neighborhood, Grandma’s coven.
In this part of town, you only had to look with your wolf eyes to see the magic in the air, sizzling like electricity. The zzz sound of it all was hard to ignore with my super-hearing.
“I’ll tell you about your future, pretty lady.” A witch fell in steps beside me immediately I walked into Bellwich Street at the Moon Exchange market.
I did not stop. Did not turn.
“It would not take long. A husband? Number of children? I can tell you everything,” the woman continued.
It was still early in the day and the sun was young, but the market was alive.
The streets buzzed, buyers haggling with vendors as cars honked in the haphazard traffic.
Worse, the smell here was an assault on the paranormal senses; you turned your head left, sweet oils, raisins and fruits. Right, and the smell of dragon blood resin, old paper, and charms burned into your lungs.
Bells tickled, dust rose from the pavement and the witches would not bloody stop talking to me, trying to woo me, charm me into their shops.
“I have no future to read,” I said to the one glued to my side, then quickened my steps, leaving her behind.
A quick turn right, and Grandma’s plaza stood tall, dark and gigantic.
“I can read your fortune.” Another voice called out, and I exhaled in frustration, deciding to completely ignore them this time.
But this witch caught my hand.
I yanked away, gagging at the foul smell of blood magic on her. There were times I wished I was purely human.
Times like now. Because a human could not smell this.
But the witch did not let me go, instead her eyes narrowed in curiosity. “You have found him.”
I gave her a dirty look, and turned around to keep walking when she said, “He has been your companion in three lifetimes, you found him.”
My feet froze, and I spun around.
She smiled now, “You know what I am talking about, don’t you?”
“I have no money, ma’am,” I said honestly.
The witches on this side of the market were infamously notorious. They would invent the craziest stories for an extra fifty bucks.
“Don’t need your money, miss.” Her artificially whitened teeth were blinding against the sun.
“You’ve met him. But save yourself the trouble and don't entertain him.”
“What?”
She moved closer, her voice dropping in a conspiratorial whisper, “All those times in your past life where the moon goddess took you before you could become lovers, it was for a reason.”
Her eyes flashed in warning now, voice turning strange.
“Stay far away from him, or he’ll turn you into a monster before the new year is done.”
Disgusted lines appeared around her mouth like I was already a monster.
“I cannot make sense of anything you just said.” I was very interested now.
I mean, I would be a fool not to believe in reincarnation, but three times? And lover? What lover?
“You can. Think child, he’s patient and devoted and continuously sweeps you off your feet.”
My mind bucked, but immediately narrowed on one man.
Fentone.
That was the one man that has known I did not exactly have any interest in him for over three years now, but he stuck around regardless.
He sent endless flowers, and always had dinners and getaways lined up for my annual leave from the academy.
“I’ll need more than that,” I said now.
If Fentone was this lover she spoke of, then I should feel something strong for him, right?
I should not feel this absolute disinterest towards a man who has been my companion in three lifetimes.
“I need more details about this man.”
“That will come at a price.”
I stepped back, disappointed. “I told you I didn’t have any money.” She did not have to make all that up just to get me to listen.
“You capitalists,” she laughed, amused. “Who said anything about money? I need your blood.”
I took another step back. “I was just at the hospital, I cannot…”
“A drop is enough, princess. A small cut on your thumb is all I need.” She closed the distance between us.
I should leave. I should turn around right now and keep walking.
But something was holding me here.
If I suddenly turned into a monster, I wouldn’t be able to compete in the tournament. I had to know who this man was.
It couldn’t be Hale or the dragon; those were gods. And Finn, I only just met him, but he definitely wasn't patient. Not with the things he told me the first night we met, not with the way he kissed me last night.
My cheeks burned red, and my palms started to sweat.
“What is it going to be, child?” the witch urged, smiling.
With an inhale for courage, I stretched my palm out to her.
“Lys.”
A shiver ran through my body as I turned to the voice of Grandma.
She stood in front of her plaza in a maroon-colored blazer and pants, gray hair up in a neat bun, as severe as a school principal.
I broke away from the witch immediately, weaving through people on the crowded sidewalk as I hurried towards her.
But Grandma walked fast, despite her age, and soon she disappeared into her plaza.
The cool breeze from the air conditioning hugged me as soon as I pushed the door open, and walked into the charm and spell plaza.
My eyes took in the elegant people browsing the shelves with the Delvaux, and Bottega and Veneta bags perched on their elbows, husbands and lovers clad in John Lobb's and Berluti's.
Even the plaza attendants had crisp black suits on. And in my shorts and top, I felt severely underdressed.
I hurried after grandma as she moved up the stairs, not looking back even once, obviously pissed at me for speaking with a witch who did blood magic.
As she pushed the door open to her office, she finally spoke, “You should know better than to hold conversations with witches like Aribella,”
She spun around, and then she froze.
Her eyes widened as she stared at me, like she had just seen a ghost.
My head jerked down to check my clothes. But nothing out of place.
I looked back to find her jaw hanging.
“Lys. What the hell have you done?”