Ghost Light

The clurichaun snatched up the items and eyed our card curiously.  The money disappeared into one of his many pockets.

“Agreed,” he said with a nod.

I staggered, dizziness blurring my vision as the debt between us settled onto my soul.  Faerie oaths were binding, especially between fae.  My wisp blood was responding to the agreement, and the weight of the multiple debts I’d accrued.  I probably shouldn’t be so quick to ask another faerie for help.  Too bad I didn’t have any other options.

I shook my head, clearing my vision.  Seeing double was something I was used to, but this was more than catching a glimpse of glamour draped over a monster’s true form.  I blinked rapidly, trying to regain my sight, and lunged for the door.

I fought down nausea and ran outside, keeping my eyes on the lamia.  Melusine’s fanged face swam before me once more.  The dizziness passed and my vision cleared as the faerie bargain nestled in for the ride.  What I saw wasn’t much of an improvement.  Melusine looked pissed.

At least as the image solidified, the lamia now only had the one head.   Thank Mab for small favors.  Too bad I didn’t have time to relax and enjoy the improved view.

Melusine leapt off the sidewalk and slithered at blinding speed into the street, rush hour traffic the only thing between me and her dripping fangs.  I ran to the edge of the sidewalk and dug a glass vial filled with iron shavings from one of my many pockets.

It was time to see how the bitch liked our local weather.  My lip lifted in a sneer.  I was going to bring a rain of iron down on Melusine’s head.  I raised my arm, ready to throw the vial as soon as I caught a break between vehicles.

I edged down to the pavement, but a city bus honked twice, horn blaring dangerously close to my ear.  I jumped back a step, narrowly avoiding a future as a road pancake.  My boot heels hit the concrete sidewalk, but I never took my eyes off Melusine as she waited for her chance to strike.  With a rush of heated air and diesel exhaust, the bus drove past just inches from my face.  Gripping the vial tightly in my gloved fist, I blinked against the swirl of debris.

I stepped forward as soon as the bus passed, but Melusine was gone.

A car swerved around me, but the driver’s curses were lost beneath the roaring in my ears.  My heart tried to pound its way out of my chest and into my throat.

Where the hell was Melusine?

I spun in a circle, but there was no sign of the lamia.  My arm shook with the strain of holding the vial aloft while I scrambled for my target.  It shouldn’t be hard to spot a sea serpent on a busy city street, but Melusine had completely disappeared into the growing fog.

Tendrils of mist snaked around my feet and choked the mouths of nearby alleyways.  Could the lamia have called up the fog to cover her escape?  It seemed like more than an unhappy coincidence.

But why would she have run?  If Melusine had returned with some grudge against me for dating her husband, why not have her revenge?  I’d been alone and lightly armed mere yards away from her crushing grasp.  I took a deep breath and sighed.  All I had were more questions.

I lowered my arm and shoved the vial of iron shavings back into my pocket.  None of this made any sense.  I stepped up onto the sidewalk and turned to face the clurichaun’s shop.  It was then that I noticed the wall of people whispering and pointing.  I looked over my shoulder, half expecting Melusine to materialize out of the mist, but traffic continued to flow past.  A cold ball of ice settled in my stomach as I turned to face the crowd.  They weren’t gawking at something in the street.

They were all staring at me.

I winced and hunched my shoulders, ready to walk away into the fog and wait until the crowd dispersed.  I could double back for Jinx after I made my escape.  I took a step to my right, avoiding a lamp post, but the sidewalk was blocked by a wall of curious shoppers.

Unfortunately, the afternoon shoppers weren’t alone.  A man in uniform scowled at me from beneath his navy blue hat.  Great, I had attracted the attention of the Harborsmouth police.  Could this day get any worse?

Stupid question, of course it could.  My chest tightened and I took a shaky breath.  More than a dozen sets of eyes stared at me, making my skin burn hot.  I wanted nothing more than to run and hide from their disapproving looks.  Would I make it across the road in one piece if I dove into the traffic rushing at my back?

A slight shake of the cop’s head answered that question.  My desire for escape must have been written all over my face.  His hand shifted to his hip where a baton and handgun hung from his belt.  Running away was definitely not an option.