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"Hi," blurts the woman behind the counter. "I'm Maggie."
"Greetings, Maggie," Kassam practically purrs, turning his gaze toward her. "Do you mind if we visit your store?"
Like a schoolgirl, Maggie giggles and tucks a gray lock of hair behind her ear. "I don't mind. And if you forgot your wallet, you can start a tab here. I'll cover you." She gives Kassam a meaningful look. "But don't tell anyone."
He puts a finger to his lips and holds the pink cakes out to Maggie. "Do you find these tasty?"
15
I pace around the store's low, dusty shelves, pretending to examine the contents while Kassam works his charms on Maggie. I don't feel anything, though, and as I continue to watch the door, no one comes in or out. When Kassam finally hands me a bright red slush to drink, I take it and slide into the booth at the back of the store, gazing at old lottery ticket advertisements that cover the window. I can't see out into the parking lot or the street, but maybe it's for the best. I don't know that I'd be able to see a god approaching anyhow, unless he was in mortal form like Kassam. If he's a god, he could be anything—a bird, a horse, a gust of wind…
Instead of sitting across from me in the booth, Kassam sits right next to me, blocking me in against the wall. He grins, his lips reddened from his slush, and spills his snacks on the table. He's got a hot dog from the machine, three bags of chips, four kinds of candy, and those pink cakes he was so fascinated with. "Are you hungry, my little light? Shall we eat?"
I'm ravenous, despite the donuts I had just a short time ago, but I shake my head. I don't feel like eating, especially not when we're being pursued. "Are you done flirting now? Can we focus on the fact that someone's following us, please?"
"They are gone," Kassam says, frowning at the plastic wrap on the cakes. He licks it cautiously, a thoughtful look on his face. I snatch the package from him and open it, and his smile grows again. "I do not feel anything anymore, do you?"
"No," I admit, handing him back the food. "You don't eat wrappers, FYI. Just the contents."
"Aaaah." He takes a bite of the pink cake and grunts. "It looks better than it tastes."
"A lot of things do."
He gives me a sultry look from under his lashes and licks the frosting. "You both look delightful and taste delicious."
Heat prickles through me. I rub my bracelet instead, trying not to watch him as he tongues a cheap snack cake. "So do you know who—or what—that was? In my apartment?" It's hitting me now that someone was in my home, lurking there. Waiting for us. I'm not sure we can ever go back. Despair hits me. No job, no apartment…I'm starting to feel invisible walls closing in around me. It's been two days since I was bonded to Kassam.
At this rate, we're not going to last a week.
Kassam sets down the remnants of the cake he's licked clean of its frosting and picks up his Slurpee again. "I did not recognize the power signature. A god from this realm, perhaps, but one that is unknown to me."
"So what do we do?"
He sips from his straw, which makes me wonder how he figured that out, and then sets his drink down. "It depends on who it is that is seeking us out. It could be someone allied with Riekki, or someone seeking to use us for their own gain. You seem sad, Carly." Kassam puts an arm across the back of the booth, hugging me closer. "Are you all right?"
Am I all right? "We're being chased down by gods I didn't know existed in my world, I just lost my job, my neighbor hates me, my apartment is lost to us, and you want me dead. Of course I'm not all right."
At that, Kassam frowns. "I do not want you dead, Carly." His free hand slides to my thigh. "You are my anchor. If you die in this world, I might be trapped here."
Well, great. I'm thrilled that his only reason for wanting to keep me alive is so he won't be trapped. Heaven forbid. "You're kind of an asshole, you know that?"
"You are mad at me, and I am being honest with you, Carly. I wish nothing but to be honest." He shrugs. "Would you rather I give you pretty lies?"
I glare at him. "Maybe I'm tired of being told that I exist purely to service your needs. Meanwhile, my life is in danger and I'm being chased out of my home by gods that are pissed you're in their territory. And here I am, in your eyes, existing solely to scratch your itches."
