AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“So it’s also a liquid.”
“Closer to a gas.” He waved a dismissive hand. “Never mind the science. It will only confuse you. One spritz is all you need.”
“Do I just spray it in the air and hope it penetrates the ward?”
“You want to be as close to the ward as possible.”
“Pass on that one then.” I wasn’t entirely sure where the wards were located, other than the first layer to gain access to the house.
After a few minutes of deliberation and another clarifying question, I chose the powder.
“How much?” I braced myself for a number I couldn’t afford.
“I was advised not to accept payment from you. The bill will be sent to Fairhaven.”
“Why would Camryn pay the bill? The favor was getting me the appointment.”
His eyes met mine. “I didn’t say Miss Sable was the one paying it.”
Kane Sullivan strikes again. “Tell Mr. Sullivan I am perfectly capable of handling my own affairs.”
“Mr. Sullivan gets a steep discount,” he said pointedly. He pulled up the calculator on his phone and showed me a number. “That’s the total without the discount.”
My throat ran dry. I knew it would be costly but notthatcostly.
“Is it because he’s a repeat customer?” I hated to think of what the demon might’ve done with the various potions and poisons.
“Because he’s a prince of hell. Somebody who rules over thirty legions of demons is somebody whose good side I want to stay on. It’s well worth the financial hit.”
“He doesn’t rule over thirty legions of demons now. He runs a nightclub in a sleepy backwoods town.”
“And he oversees an assassins guild that come to me for regular business.” He set down the phone. “If you want to pay full price, I won’t stop you, but you probably have a grandmother who would roll over in her grave.”
I stared at the pyxis. “Fine. Let him pay.” For now. I’d find a way to pay him back though. I didn’t want to be in a position to owe Kane Sullivan anything. No deals with any devils.
Skip produced a brown paper bag and placed the pyxis inside, along with decorative tissue paper and a sheet of paper. I felt like I just purchased a delicate tree ornament in a department store.
“You’re letting me take the actual pyxis?”
“Did you expect me to put the powder in a Tupperware container?”
“Honestly? Yes.”
He shook his head. “The pyxis is the safest place to store it.”
I glanced at the bag. “Don’t you want it back?”
“Yes, but if it gets damaged or lost, the insurance is factored into the cost. I’ve included instructions on how to return the pyxis once you’ve finished with it.”
“I’m guessing it isn’t a UPS label.”
“How mundane. It’s a magical delivery system, of course.”
“Thanks for your help, Skip. I appreciate it.”
“I appreciate you seeking me out. It’s supernaturals like you that allow me to do what I love.”
“When you love what you do, you never work a day in your life,” I quipped. It was a phrase one of my foster mothers said, but she didn’t strike me as particularly content in her career as a dog groomer. It wasn’t ideal for me either, given my tense relationship with canines. The other kids in that house had also been unpleasant. I’d been tempted to use my more potent powers on the boy who kicked a dog and later blamed me for its limp. The family became convinced I was hurting the dogs when no one was around—why else would the dogs react so negatively to my presence? The situation ultimately led to my removal from the home. I couldn’t tell them the truth, not that they would’ve believed me anyway. In the end, I was fine to move to another foster home. I was always fine, although I had to admit that just once it would’ve been nice to feel better than fine.
