Influential Magic (5 page)

My limbs went ice-cold with shock, but I kept my face impassive. I didn’t want to give Maude any indication the mob-like vampire corporation terrified me. The company unofficially controlled almost everything in New Orleans…except the Void. Was my aunt insane? I most definitely hadn’t been trained for the spy business.

Did Phoebe know about this? Her cool expression implied she did. Would it have been so hard to warn me? Freakin’ Phoebe. What was she up to?

I focused on Maude. “A liability? Does this have to do with the cemetery? Because that had everything to do with spending the day in an airplane. You, of all people, should know what being enclosed in metal can do to an earth faery.”

“Do not insult me, Rhoswen. While your actions highlighted your pathetic lack of training, I’d hardly waste energy rearranging your life because of it.”

Anger bubbled in my throat. Swallowing, I choked it down. What did I ever do to deserve this disdain? Just because I’d joined the Void without going through the proper channels didn’t mean I wasn’t good at my job. It was no secret Maude resented shortcuts. Never mind I possessed a skill so rare no one believed it possible.

My record stood for itself. How many agents would’ve been killed had I not been there to warn them? My talent made the Void safer, kept Phoebe safe, and I’d be damned if I lost someone else I loved when I could do something about it. Spending three years at the academy was out of the question. I hadn’t wanted to devote my entire life to the Void. I had a shop I loved, but I couldn’t ignore my ability either. We’d struck a deal. I’d go on runs, warn the agents of nearby vamps, and then stay the heck out of the way. No academy training needed.

“What about Phoebe?” I asked. “You can’t leave her without backup.”

“That is not your concern.” Maude didn’t bother to hide her disgust. “A
seasoned
agent would be more concerned about her new assignment.”

“I imagine I’ll be given my new orders before I leave,” I said reasonably. “I’m just looking out for my partner.”

Maude raised one brow as she smirked. “At least you’re loyal. To put you at ease, her new partner will be in place by the end of the week.” She passed a packet across her desk. “Here are the details of your new assignment. Be here at sunset to pick up your shadow agent. I expect an update every forty-eight hours until I say otherwise.”

Staring at the packet as though it was tainted with flesh-eating bacteria, I kept my hands clenched in my lap.

Maude pressed a button on her intercom. “I’m ready for my next appointment.” She didn’t even look up when she addressed us again. “You’re excused.”

What exactly was a shadow agent? The finality of Maude’s tone, mixed with her obvious contempt, kept my mouth clamped shut. I’d rather have my wings plucked out than admit my cluelessness. I grabbed the envelope and shoved it in my purse.

Phoebe and I left without another word, Link at my heels.

“What just happened?” I asked Phoebe once we made it back to the lobby. The two guards ignored us, both standing straight with their hands clamped behind their backs.

“You just got into a pissing match with our boss. Our boss who is a spiteful, dangerous faery.”

Faeries had a bad reputation for holding grudges. “Please. She doesn’t scare me.”

Phoebe stopped, turning to face me. “She should. Do you think she became a director by kissing babies or baking cupcakes for a living?”

I bristled. “That was low, Phoebs. Really low.”

“You need to take her seriously. I know she’s bitchy to you, but damn, Willow. She’s good at her job. Making an enemy of her isn’t doing you any favors.”

The sun peeked out from behind a deteriorating building, making me squint as I studied my friend. A small crease etched her brow and tension filled her face. Under my scrutiny, her expression cleared, erasing any hint of frustration. She was an expert at hiding her emotions when she wanted to.

“Make an enemy of her?” I scowled. “You know our history. You think anything I do now is going to make it
worse
?” Shaking my head, I stalked toward the door. “Whatever. I’ve got to get to work. Come on, Link.”

“Shit,” Phoebe muttered behind me. A moment later she caught up to me on the sidewalk. “Let me give you a ride to the shop.”

“No need. We’ll walk.”

“Wil, you know this neighborhood isn’t safe. Don’t be stubborn.”

Phoebe was right. The streets surrounding headquarters housed some of the most notorious human crime lords in the city. The Arcane chose the building for a reason. The more foreboding an area, the less chance of prying eyes. If an agent was too weak to fend off mere humans, no matter how dangerous, they shouldn’t be working for the Arcane. Especially the Void branch.

“I have Link. In the unlikely event any thugs are up this early, he’ll have no problem taking them out.” He’d already be able to shift. The security scan didn’t affect him as long as it did the rest of us.

Before she could argue, I strode off, Link running beside me. I stretched my wings, deliberately expanding them wide. If anyone was watching, there would be no mistaking who and what I was. Enemies of the Arcane were usually eliminated. It didn’t hurt to let people know which side I was on.

***

By the time I made it to The Fated Cupcake in Uptown, sweat ran down my back and my tank top clung to my sticky body. Ick. Why hadn’t I just accepted the air-conditioned ride? I could give a cold shoulder with the best of them, especially in climate control.

In spite of the sticky morning heat, I took a moment to savor the sight of my shop. The windows gleamed and employees bustled inside. A fair number of patrons scurried in and out of the plate-glass doors. Sure, it wasn’t a top-secret government paranormal protection agency, but what I did for a living made people smile. That was important, no matter how insignificant Phoebe made me feel sometimes.

Link gave a small yip as he rounded the corner, heading for the side entrance. I followed, a smile finally breaking through my irritation as I let him into my private office. The chilled air caused goose bumps to form over my thin wings, but the shiver came from the tantalizing smell of chocolate mixed with citrus-tinged magic. Now I was home.

I tossed the new assignment packet on my neatly organized desk and stared at it. Curiosity, tainted with a heavy dose of resentment, formed deep in my gut.

Double agent? I had zero training in that department, and my
loving
Auntie Maude knew it. And what did David—handsome, easygoing, freshly-turned-vampire David—have to do with it? I’d completely forgotten to inquire about his deal. What did the Void want with a vampire anyway?

A shudder crawled up my spine. Having my life drained from me would be worse than final death. As a faery that thrived on life magic, I couldn’t imagine anything worse than turning vamp.

The innocent-looking file sat in the middle of my desk, taunting me as my curiosity grew. I’d have to read it sooner or later. Better to give myself some time to process before meeting my new partner. The brass tabs on the flap pinched my fingers as I pried them back.

“Willow!” my assistant squealed as she burst in. “Thank goodness. I heard movement in here, and for a second there, I thought someone broke in to use your phone again.”

I’d put a strict ban on cell phones not long after I’d opened the shop. Mostly because the technology interfered with my magic. Not having to deal with constant employee cell-phone abuse was icing on the cake. Since my private line didn’t register with the main phone system when in use, some of the employees didn’t hesitate to invade my personal space.

“Since when does the morning crew sneak away for private phone calls?” I grinned. Em and Georgie—sisters well into their fifties—were both somewhat phone-phobic. We could barely get them to answer business calls.

Tami laughed, her chin-length, curly black hair bouncing with the motion. “Never. The added pressure must be frying my brain.” She ran over, throwing her arms around me. “I’m so glad you’re finally back. How’s your mom? And Talisen? Did you get a chance to experiment with any new magical herbs?”

“The short answers are: better, hotter than ever, and yes. I can’t wait to get back into the lab.” While I’d kept Mom’s herb shop running, I’d also worked on some new recipes, except for when I was hanging with Tal, staring into his gorgeous green eyes. The ones I tried not to drown in every time I saw him.

“You have that look again,” Tami accused.

“What look?”

“The one where your cheeks flush and your eyes go all moony.” She winked and pulled on my arm. “Come on, you have to see the progress Georgie made on the mural.”

Laughing, I dropped the envelope I’d been holding into the top drawer of my desk and allowed myself to be tugged out of the office, leaving Link snuggled against a blanket on his doggie bed.

“Someone’s been hitting the Molten Muse awfully hard since I’ve been gone,” I declared, eyeing my employee.

“What?” Georgie’s face soured in righteous indignation. She scanned her slim, athletic body as if assessing it for the first time. “I beg your pardon. For every Molten Muse I consumed, I spent twenty minutes extra at the gym.”

“No wonder you have the body most thirty-year-olds weep for.” Amused, I tilted my head toward the wall. “I was referring to your amazing progress on the mural.”

On the wall opposite the display cases, Georgie’s unfinished whimsical depiction of The Fated Cupcake and two neighboring shops filled the space from floor to ceiling. A pair of college students sat at a sidewalk table, sipping Perk Me Up caramel milkshakes. Nearby a faery and fae fed each other a slice of Light My Fire spice cake.

I ran my fingers along the outline of a musician carrying a box of Molten Muse cupcakes—the store’s most popular seller. What else would you expect in a city dominated by creative types? Why wait for inspiration when a Molten Muse would do the trick in five minutes flat?

“Oh, Georgie, it’s just gorgeous. I love it.” I beamed. “Have as many Molten Muse cupcakes as you can stand, and when it’s done, I’ll whip you up a truckload of Willpower mints.”

“You’re going to have to come up with an addiction-buster creation to kick that habit,” Em, the fourth member of our day-shift team, quipped from behind us.

Tami hid a giggle as Georgie twisted around, glaring. “Glass houses and all that, little sister.”

“I’m not the one obsessed with the scale. So what if I’m a little fluffy? Pete isn’t going anywhere.” Em replaced an empty tray of Desire Dollops with a full one, winked, and disappeared into the back.

“I swear, she thinks all there is to life is getting and keeping a man,” Georgie said.

Tami flashed a wicked smile. “Isn’t it?”

Georgie rolled her eyes and turned her attention to a young man entering the shop. “What can I get for you today?”

Tami and I laughed and disappeared into the lab—my sanctuary. Custom-made shelves, integrated with growing lights and a complicated irrigation system, lined the walls along with various plants. I’d magically enhanced as many of them as I could before I’d left for California two months before. After an eight-week absence, the store was bound to be running low on some crucial ingredients. Sure, my exclusive recipes tasted divine, but that wasn’t what kept my clients coming back every week. Other shops in town sold tasty, enhanced edibles. But The Fated Cupcake had the best reputation, and I intended to keep it that way.

“Give me the bad news.” I grabbed my apron. “I know I have a ton of work ahead of me.”

Tami pointed to a long list pinned to the corkboard, her face pinched in sympathy. “It’s a good thing you came home when you did. We’ve been out of a couple of things for a few days now.”

“Okay, I’ll get right to work on it.” I took a deep breath, letting the life of my plants settle around me. The door made a soft click as Tami slipped back into the bakery.

The energy was different here than it was in Eureka, the northern California coastal town I’d grown up in. Mom’s shop was comfortable, but this felt like home. My lab radiated with an echo of my creative energy and felt right in a way no other place did. Working here brought me a sense of peace I hadn’t known since my brother died four years ago.