Summoning the Night by Jenn Bennett Page B

surprise, but I followed. My head was clear. He was demon; I was magician. I held the power—not him. He seemed to be thinking the same thing as he tucked his chin and peered down at the caduceus, raising his hands in surrender.
    â€œHold on, now,” he said, “I thought you needed symbols to bind us.”
    â€œNot to blow a hole in your larynx.” A bluff. At most I could shock him enough to scare him, but he didn’t know that.
    He lowered his hand to rest beneath the caduceus and gently pushed it away from his throat. I let him.
    â€œMaybe my proposal was too much, too soon,” he said. “After all, you barely know me.” The corners of his mouth curled into a slow smile. “I’m a patient man. Like I said before, rock-solid willpower.”
    In answer, I pointed the caduceus lower.
    He laughed nervously and cupped himself with one hand. “How about another proposition?”
    â€œI’m listening.”
    â€œBob says you make a strong vassal potion.”
    What? My momentary bravado wilted.
    I scrambled to remember how Bob would know that. I brewed lots of medicinals, and used them freely in the bar when I needed to maintain peace, but I only used the vassal when milder medicinals failed and binding wasn’t a practical option. Just a drop. Once dosed, the person who swallowed it would be putty in my hands, agreeable to sitting still and turning things down a notch. Agreeable to whatever I asked. It was a powerful tool. In the wrong hands . . .
    Then I vaguely remembered mentioning the vassal medicinal around Bob several months ago. It was late and I was pissed off and tired, and making threats under my breath about a table of smart-aleck Earthbounds. Bob had asked me what I was talking about, and I dismissed it. He never asked again.
    So, innocent little Bob wasn’t so innocent. Dear God, was everyone really only out for themselves? Could I trust no one?
    â€œI’m going to assume from your silence that Bob wasn’t lying,” Hajo said. “I’ll take an ounce of the vassal as payment for this job. But I want it in hand tomorrow before we start.”
    â€œI’d rather pay cash.”
    He shook his head. “I won’t take it. Vassal or no deal. How bad do you want to find this body?”
    That was a good question. And I hadn’t told him it was multiple bodies, rather than just one.
    I felt woozy. That much vassal would be worth thousands in esoteric circles. It wasn’t an easy medicinal to make. One of the herbal components was rare, and the spell to transform the brew was tricky and required finely tuned skills. Making magical medicinals was one of the few talents that I was able to learn successfully on my own, and I was good at it, but it still wasn’t easy.
    My phone chimed again. Lon was probably having a panic attack at this point, wondering why I wasn’t answering. I thought of the glass talon he’d bought to save me in the incident last month, and the $15,000 he’d shelled out for it. Fifteen thousand dollars that now sat in Jupe’s new savings account. But even if I could somehow negotiate a cash price for Hajo’s services, I couldn’t afford them, and I couldn’t ask Lon to pay up again. He’d helped me when I needed it, and now it was time for me to return the favor. It killed me; went against everything I knew, deep within, was right. But I obviously wasn’t about to consider Hajo’s original barter, and I didn’t have much more to offer.
    â€œI only have half an ounce,” I said.
    â€œCan you brew up more by tomorrow?”
    I shook my head.
    â€œNo deal,” he said.
    I gritted my teeth in frustration. “What about half an ounce, and I’ll bind an Earthbound for you.”
    His eyes widened in surprise. He studied my face, thinking. “I’ll take the half ounce and three bindings. Night or day, I call and you come. You keep your mouth shut