Every Witch Way But Dead

Appalled, but not surprised, I tucked my red curls behind my ear, wishing I had done something with them that afternoon. Yeah, I used blackmail, but it was to keep myself alive, not make money. There was a difference. "It's blackmail," I said, disgusted.

He went solemn. "It's a service, and I don't begrudge a dime of it." Seeing my frown, Takata leaned forward to send his gold chains swinging, his blue eyes fixing on mine. "My show has an MPL, just like a traveling circus or fair. I wouldn't keep it one night if it wasn't for arranging protection at every city we play in. It's the cost of doing business."

MPL was short for Mixed Population License. It guaranteed that there was security in place to prevent bloodletting on the premises, a necessity when Inderlanders and humans mixed. If too many vampires gathered and one succumbed to his or her blood lust, the rest were hard-pressed to not follow suit. I was never sure how a slip of paper was enough to keep hunger-driven vampires' mouths to themselves, but establishments worked hard to keep an A rating on their MPLs since humans and living Inderlanders would boycott any place that didn't have one. It was too easy to end up dead or mentally bound to a vampire you didn't even know. And personally, I'd rather be dead than be a vampire's toy, my living with a vampire aside.

"It's blackmail," I said. We had just passed the bridge to cross the Ohio River. I wondered where we were going if it wasn't the Hollows.

Takata's thin shoulders moved. "When I'm touring, I'm at any one place for one night, maybe two. If someone starts trouble, we won't be around long enough to track them down, and every goth out there knows it. Where's the incentive for an excited vamp or Were to behave him- or herself? Piscary puts the word out that anyone causing trouble will answer to him."

I looked up, not liking that it made beautiful, simplistic sense.

"I have an incident-free show," Takata said, smiling, "and Piscary gets seven percent of the ticket sales. Everyone wins. Up to now, I've been very satisfied with Piscary's services. I didn't even mind he upped his cost to pay for his lawyer."

Snorting, I dropped my eyes. "My fault," I said.

"So I hear," the lanky man said dryly. "Mr. Felps was very impressed. But Saladan?" Takata grew concerned, his expressive fingers drumming out a complicated rhythm as his gaze went to the passing buildings. "I can't afford to pay both of them. There would be nothing left to rebuild the city's shelters, and that's the entire point to the concert."

"You want me to make sure nothing happens," I said, and he nodded. My eyes tracked the Jim Beam bottler just off the expressway while I took that in. Saladan was trying to muscle in on Piscary's turf now that the undead master vampire was put away for murder. Murders that I staked to him.

I tilted my head in a vain attempt to see Jenks on my shoulder. "I have to talk to my other partner, but I don't see a problem," I said. "There will be three of us. Me, a living vamp, and a human." I wanted Nick to go, even if he wasn't officially part of our firm.

"Me," Jenks squeaked. "Me too. Me too."

"I didn't want to speak for you, Jenks," I said. "It might be cold."

Takata chuckled. "With all that body heat and under those lights? No way."

"Then it's settled," I said, terribly pleased. "I'm assuming we get special passes?"

"Yes." Takata twisted to reach under the folder that held his band's pictures. "These will get you past Clifford. From there it shouldn't be a problem."

"Super," I said, delighted as I dug in my bag for one of my cards. "Here's my card in case you have to get in touch with me between then and now."

Things were starting to happen fast, and I took the wad of thick cardboard he gave me in return for my black business card. He smiled as he looked at it, and tucked it away in a front shirt pocket. Turning with that same soft look, he tapped a thick knuckle on the glass between the driver and us. I clutched my bag to me when we swerved to the shoulder.

"Thank you, Rachel," he said as the car stopped right there on the freeway. "I'll see you on the twenty-second about noon at the Coliseum so you can go over our security with my staff."

"Sounds good," I stammered as Jenks swore and dove for my bag when the door opened. Cold air blew in, and I squinted in the afternoon glare. Behind us was my car. He was going to leave me right here?

"Rachel? I mean it. Thank you." Takata extended his hand. I took, giving it a firm shake. His grip was tight, feeling thin and bony in mine. Professional. "I really appreciate it," he said as he released my hand. "You did good by quitting the I.S. You look great."

I couldn't help but smile. "Thank you," I said, letting the driver help me out of the limo. The vamp driving my car slipped past me and vanished into the darkest corner of the limo as I tightened the tie of my coat and draped my scarf about my neck again. Takata waved his good-bye as the driver shut the door. The small, tidy man nodded to me before turning around. I stood with my feet in the snow as the limo eased into the fast traffic and disappeared.

Bag in hand, I timed the traffic and slipped into my car. The heater was on full, and I breathed the scent of the vamp who had been driving it, pulling it deep into me.

My head hummed with the music Takata had shared with me. I was going to be working security at his solstice concert. It didn't get any better than that.

Six

I had gotten myself turned around and back over the Ohio River and into the Hollows, and still Jenks hadn't said anything. The starstruck pixy had parked himself on his usual spot atop the rearview mirror, watching the encroaching snow clouds turn the bright afternoon dark and depressive. I didn't think it was the cold that had turned his wings blue, as I had the heater cranked. It was embarrassment.

"Jenks?" I questioned, and his wings blurred to nothing.

"Don't say anything," he muttered, barely audible.

"Jenks, it wasn't that bad."

He turned, a look of self-disgust on him. "I forgot my name, Rache."

I couldn't help my smile. "I won't tell anyone."

The pink returned to his wings. "Really?" he asked, and I nodded. It didn't take a genius to realize it was important to the ego-driven pixy to be self-assured and in control. I was sure that's where his bad mouth and short temper came from.

"Don't tell Ivy," I said, "but the first time I met him, I fawned all over him. He could have taken advantage of me; used me like a tissue and thrown me away. He didn't. He made me feel interesting and important, even though I was working peon runs at the I.S. at the time. He's cool, you know? A real person. I bet he didn't think twice about you forgetting your name."

Jenks sighed, his entire body moving as he exhaled. "You missed your turn."

I shook my head, breaking at a red light behind an obnoxious SUV I couldn't see around. The salt-stained bumper sticker read, SOME OF MY BEST FRIENDS ARE HUMANS. YUM, and I smiled. Only in the Hollows. "I want to see if Nick is awake yet, as long as we're out," I explained. My eyes went to Jenks. "You'll be all right for a little longer?"

"Yeah," he said. "I'm okay, but you're making a mistake."

The light changed, and I almost stalled my car. We lurched through the intersection, slipping on the slush when I gu

His wings made an audible hum. "You sure, Rachel? I mean, that was a big scare when you pulled that ley line through him. Maybe you shouldn't push it. Give him some space."

"I've given him three months," I muttered, not caring that the guy in the car behind me thought I was flirting with him as my eyes were on the rearview mirror. "Any more space and he'd be on the moon. I'm not going to rearrange his furniture, just show him the passes."