“It’s a mess, and I’m not sure I’m even allowed to talk about it.”
“Bummer.”
Ever one to change the subject, I looked out the doorway toward the front of the building. “I’m surprised the phones aren’t ringing.”
She shrugged. “I put the lines on hold when I eat or when I need a bathroom break. But sure, we can go back that way. Are you just here to pick up messages or are you going to actually, you know, work?” Her voice was teasing, but there was an edge of concern underneath. After a truly hellish couple of months, I’d taken a short holiday. But the mess at the school had turned it into a long holiday. Which I couldn’t help, but really couldn’t afford, either.
“Actually, I was going to do a little bit of research. Unless you might have some free time.” I looked at her hopefully. “I’ve got a textbook on divine entities. I ran into something today that was non-corporeal, but intelligent.” I paused and made sure I had her attention. “ Vicki intelligent. Or maybe more.”
“That’s…” She let out a breath and didn’t finish her sentence until she was back at her desk, the phones were off hold, and the book’s cover was open. “Not good. Not good at all. I loved Vicki like a sister, but she was a major aberration in the spirit world. So you’re thinking a demonic shade? There are still a few left out there. Hopefully just lesser demons, but still—”
I leaned on the corner of her desk, both for emphasis and to keep my balance. Damned leg. I shook my head in frustration. “Didn’t feel very lesser. But he said he was most definitely not demonic.”
She put a finger on the page to mark her place and looked up with wide eyes. “ He … said? It could speak ? Like out loud?”
My nod was emphatic. “And not just in my head. Three other people heard him. He wouldn’t say his name, but he knew my name and responded verbally to comments I made in my head. The only manifestation was a swirly ball of energy, but I got the feeling he could probably do more if he’d wanted to. I’d planned to do it myself, but the more I think about it, the more afraid I am to open the book. What if there’s something written there that … well, attaches to me?”
“Eww, that’s ugly powerful. Okay, I’ll start reading. What are you going to do?”
A small snort escaped me before I could stop it. “What do you think? Get some more protection charms. I think I need the industrial-strength variety. And I’m all out of boomers.”
That perked Dawna up. “Are you going to Levy’s? Could I go with?”
“To Levy’s? Why would you want to go there?” I went there all the time because it was the best weapons shop in three counties. But Dawna? She didn’t own much in the way of weapons.
“Isaac was tailoring something for me and called to say it’s ready. So can I go?” She didn’t expand on that, which was interesting.
Yeah, I’d love to have her along because we always have a great time together and we haven’t been spending as much time around each other as we used to. It would also save me cab fare. “I was thinking about going right now. It’s not officially your lunch hour. Ron will have a fit.”
Dawna gave me a grin of pure delight. “Not a problem. Watch this.” She picked up the handset and pressed two digits before turning on the speaker. “Ron?”
“Yes?” He sounded impatient and brusque—so pretty much normal.
“I need to go to lunch early and I’ll probably be back late. I need to get some shopping done.” Oh, man! That was just asking for a screaming match. Ron hated shopping. He felt it was a complete waste of time and had once harangued Dawna for being ten minutes late when she’d gone to pick up office supplies.
There was a long pause and I hovered over her desk, waiting to have to jump in and defend her. My jaw dropped when he responded: “That’s fine. Just put a note on the door. I’ll catch the phone until you get back.”
Dawna
“Bummer.”
Ever one to change the subject, I looked out the doorway toward the front of the building. “I’m surprised the phones aren’t ringing.”
She shrugged. “I put the lines on hold when I eat or when I need a bathroom break. But sure, we can go back that way. Are you just here to pick up messages or are you going to actually, you know, work?” Her voice was teasing, but there was an edge of concern underneath. After a truly hellish couple of months, I’d taken a short holiday. But the mess at the school had turned it into a long holiday. Which I couldn’t help, but really couldn’t afford, either.
“Actually, I was going to do a little bit of research. Unless you might have some free time.” I looked at her hopefully. “I’ve got a textbook on divine entities. I ran into something today that was non-corporeal, but intelligent.” I paused and made sure I had her attention. “ Vicki intelligent. Or maybe more.”
“That’s…” She let out a breath and didn’t finish her sentence until she was back at her desk, the phones were off hold, and the book’s cover was open. “Not good. Not good at all. I loved Vicki like a sister, but she was a major aberration in the spirit world. So you’re thinking a demonic shade? There are still a few left out there. Hopefully just lesser demons, but still—”
I leaned on the corner of her desk, both for emphasis and to keep my balance. Damned leg. I shook my head in frustration. “Didn’t feel very lesser. But he said he was most definitely not demonic.”
She put a finger on the page to mark her place and looked up with wide eyes. “ He … said? It could speak ? Like out loud?”
My nod was emphatic. “And not just in my head. Three other people heard him. He wouldn’t say his name, but he knew my name and responded verbally to comments I made in my head. The only manifestation was a swirly ball of energy, but I got the feeling he could probably do more if he’d wanted to. I’d planned to do it myself, but the more I think about it, the more afraid I am to open the book. What if there’s something written there that … well, attaches to me?”
“Eww, that’s ugly powerful. Okay, I’ll start reading. What are you going to do?”
A small snort escaped me before I could stop it. “What do you think? Get some more protection charms. I think I need the industrial-strength variety. And I’m all out of boomers.”
That perked Dawna up. “Are you going to Levy’s? Could I go with?”
“To Levy’s? Why would you want to go there?” I went there all the time because it was the best weapons shop in three counties. But Dawna? She didn’t own much in the way of weapons.
“Isaac was tailoring something for me and called to say it’s ready. So can I go?” She didn’t expand on that, which was interesting.
Yeah, I’d love to have her along because we always have a great time together and we haven’t been spending as much time around each other as we used to. It would also save me cab fare. “I was thinking about going right now. It’s not officially your lunch hour. Ron will have a fit.”
Dawna gave me a grin of pure delight. “Not a problem. Watch this.” She picked up the handset and pressed two digits before turning on the speaker. “Ron?”
“Yes?” He sounded impatient and brusque—so pretty much normal.
“I need to go to lunch early and I’ll probably be back late. I need to get some shopping done.” Oh, man! That was just asking for a screaming match. Ron hated shopping. He felt it was a complete waste of time and had once harangued Dawna for being ten minutes late when she’d gone to pick up office supplies.
There was a long pause and I hovered over her desk, waiting to have to jump in and defend her. My jaw dropped when he responded: “That’s fine. Just put a note on the door. I’ll catch the phone until you get back.”
Dawna
Similar Books
