Lilac is amazing!

I decided I really wanted character art for the Justified series. I have so many references and whatnot for Spirt of Fire, but Justified was different. So. I happen to know an artist with comms open. I give you, James and Vanessa outside Carly's: 

Lilac is fantastic! She can be found on Insta @renigirl_draws

From Nic's Kitchen: Tomato Soup

 

From Nic's Kitchen: Corbeau's Easy Scampi

 

Annabell's First Charge pt2

 I didn’t know if he was going to go through with it. I would’ve had it done and over with by now. There wasn’t much to this job. It was an in-and-out with an injection. It was supposed to be a heart attack, some new drug. He’d been following this guy for what felt like an eternity. Hopefully, he was just being sure. If that was all it was, I could respect it. It was his first job…

If he didn’t go in for the kill soon, I’d have to do it and report back that he needed more training. I really didn’t want to do that. I wasn’t sure what would happen to him. I’d never heard about anything like that happening.

Finally, he was making a move. He picked his way across the rooftop, being much more careful than he needed to be at this time of the night, and then stopped above the mark’s window. I crossed my ankles and snuggled down in the jacket. I knew he couldn’t see me from where he was, not that he was looking. He’d need to work on that. The least he could’ve done was make an attempt to be sure he was the only one watching. Not that he would’ve found me if he went looking, but the effort would be needed.

His trip down the side of the building was smooth and almost looked effortless. It was impressive. I didn’t know what I was supposed to be reporting back. As soon as he moved in through the window, I stood and moved to the ledge. I pulled out my phone.

“Decker,” Arthur said as he answered.

“What am I supposed to be saying?”

“I heard you got your first newbie,” he said with a chuckle. “How’s he doing?”

“Fine,” I replied. “Took way longer to get this going than I would’ve.”

“Well, this is his first one,” Arthur said. “Cut him some slack.”

I pulled out the night vision binoculars. He’d been in there a long time, but I couldn’t see much of anything and had to move down further.

“Oh, shit,” I gasped.

“Uh oh,” Arthur said. “Did he mess it up?”

“I… ok,” I said as I leaned over further. “Ok. He was supposed to be quick, make it an accident, but he was just fighting the guy. Looks like he finally got him.”

“When he’s done, slip in there and make sure it’s clean,” Arthur said.

“And what am I supposed to report?” I asked.

“Whatever you want,” he replied. “Call me later and we can go over it.”

Maps Anyone?

 The map of Hearth is in Rage, but I have these rough drawings of Tarum and Vale. I made them in paint, so they aren't exactly fabulous, BUT! They will be drawn up and amazing at some point! (also, pretend my scribbles on there are decent lol)

TARUM: 

VALE: 

Annabell's First Charge pt1

 I needed a shower. The problem with amazing workouts was always having to change after. When I could just be home, it wasn’t a big deal. Having to be on campus meant sharing shower space and locker rooms. At least I hadn’t run into anyone yet.

Almost there.

“Ready for one of your own?” Alex said.

I groaned internally while turning to face her. I’d been so close to making it to the showers.

“Do I have to?” I asked. “I still feel like I barely know what I’m doing.”

I flashed her a smile and looked down at my feet. It was what she wanted. She laughed and handed me the file.

“I’m glad you’re still willing to learn from me!”

“Well, you are the best there is,” I said as she pulled me into a hug. I resisted the urge to roll my eyes. “When does this one start?”

“He was just handed his first assignment. So you can read up on it and then head out in the field to keep an eye on him.”

I flashed her another smile as she turned and walked back down the hallway. I hated the days I was required to be on the campus. I’d been talking to Arthur more and more about how everything around Garrote worked. I wanted out, but there wasn’t a way to make that happen.

I walked into the locker room and flopped down on one of the benches. It wasn’t a big folder. It would be perfect if it was an easy in-and-out job. That would mean I wouldn’t have to get involved in it. It would be nice if this one was decent. Arthur had told some stories, and I really didn’t want to deal with one of those.

I flipped through the relevant information. If it were my job, it’d only take a day, maybe two, depending on how it looked on the first night. Hopefully, the new guy, Onyx, would be on top of it. On the plus side, I knew I wouldn’t get many jobs while watching him. It might be a good vacation.

From Nic's Kitchen: Potato Soup

 

From Nic's Kitchen: Barbeque Sauce

 

Hot Chocolate, Muffins, and a Fresh Start

 It was about time to close up for the night. Carly knew James was going to swing by on his way back to Vanessa’s to grab some coffee. She got it ready to go before she started closing everything down for the night. She knew a lot had been going on with them, but didn’t know exactly what. Vanessa loved her coffee, but she’d been in, or sent James in, way more often for the last couple weeks. She wasn’t going to let him pay for this batch. If it were solely up to her, they wouldn’t pay for any of their orders. They had both helped her sister, Kara, out of a tough spot. Carly knew she could never repay them, even if they said there was no debt to pay.

It had taken a few visits to get used to how Vanessa was. She’d liked James immediately. It was his bond with Vanessa that made Carly give her a second look. They’d become friends. She had a lot of regulars, but somehow… those two had become a lot more like family. Even before they helped Kara.

Carly gathered up all the trash from the bins in the dining area and swept the floor. Mopping sounded like a job for another night. The floors didn’t look bad anyway. It could wait. She hauled the bags to the back door and pushed it open with her hip. Her father wasn’t thrilled she did this. He was afraid something would happen to her. Her father still couldn’t understand why she wanted the coffee shop at all, not with all the coin they had in the vaults.

She barely noticed the boy in time to avoid hitting him with the garbage bags. His eyes widened as he tried to scramble away from her, his back colliding with the dumpster. Carly didn’t think he was any older than 10.

“Hey, it’s ok,” Carly said, setting the other bag down. “Were you looking for… food?”

He looked around, still panicked. The only way out of the dumpster was to get closer to her since it was set in an alcove. He started breathing heavy as he realized he was trapped.

“Listen, I have muffins in there,” she said. “Would you like some?”

She held her hand out for him, and he stared at it for a minute. He clasped his hands together tightly as his eyes darted around again. He hesitantly nodded, and accepted Carly’s outstretched hand. She helped him climb back out of the dumpster and led him inside. Under the lights in the dining room, he was thinner than she thought. His skin was coated in grime and his hair was greasy and stuck together.

“Let’s get your hands cleaned up before you eat,” she said.

He just nodded. She wasn’t sure if he was able to talk or if he was afraid to. She got the water started and had him wait until it was warm before he used it. The water ran so dark it was almost black. She handed him some soap and he used it happily. His hands were starting to come clean.

“My name’s Carly,” she said. “I own this place. What’s your name?”

“Oliver,” he said softly, voice cracking.

“Well, Oliver, let’s get you a couple muffins and a hot chocolate.”

He nodded hesitantly, but she could see the excitement and hunger burning in his eyes. Carly took him behind the counter and pulled her stool up to it for him to sit on. She grabbed a couple of muffins and set them down in front of him before getting his hot chocolate going. She heard the bell for the door and as she turned around, Oliver dropped to the floor, pressing his back into the cabinet, pulling his knees to his chest.

“Hey, Carly,” James said as he walked up to the counter. “Sorry if I’m holding you up! It took longer to get away than I thought it would.”

“No, you’re not holding me up,” she said glancing down at Oliver. “I was getting the cleaning done for the night.”

“I won’t keep you,” James said. “Thank you for the late coffee. You’re the best!”

“Do you have a minute?” she asked.

“Yea, what’s up?”

Carly held up her finger and squatted down in front of Oliver. He was squeezing his legs tightly and rocking slightly. She wasn’t sure if he was afraid of people in general or if he was expecting someone else to be looking for them.

“This is my friend, James,” she whispered quietly to Oliver. “Did you think someone else was coming?” Oliver nodded. “I think you should meet my friend if you’re up to it.”

“Is he nice?” he asked softly.

“He is,” Carly said with a soft smile. “And one of his jobs is helping people when they are hurt or scared.”

“It is?” he asked, eyes wide again.

Carly nodded before standing and offering her hand to him. He hesitated, but took it. As he climbed to his feet. His eyes were still wide as he turned to face James.

“Well, hi!” James said with a bright smile. “I’m James.”

“Oliver,” he mumbled.

“I found him looking for food out back, so I brought him in.”

His eyes shifted to hers and he nodded slightly. James extended his hand to him. Oliver looked down at the state of his clothes and the grime still covering his arms and took a step back. James was in one of his signature 3 piece suits, tailored perfectly, and didn’t have a speck of dust anywhere on him.

“It’s ok, you don’t have to shake my hand if you don’t want to,” James said, his charming smile spread across his face. “It was very nice to meet you.”

“Oliver hid behind the counter when you came in because he was expecting someone else to come looking for him,” Carly said.

Oliver looked to the floor and didn’t see the darkness cross over James’s face. Carly didn’t know the whole story, but she did know he and Vanessa had a very hard start to life. If anyone could help get through to Oliver, James could.

“Is that so?” James asked. Oliver nodded, still looking at the floor. “Well, I happen to know a lot of really awesome people that don’t care much for bullies. My best friend, Vanessa, isn’t afraid of anything.”

“Really?” Oliver said in awe. “She isn’t even afraid of Larry Smalls?”

“She isn’t. And, because you are friends with Carly, I’m sure Vanessa would love to have a talk with Larry Smalls and tell him he isn’t to say a single word to you.”

“No way!” he said. “She could do that?”

“I’m on my way to see her now,” he said. “I’ll tell her all about it. Are you going to be around here a while? I’m sure Vanessa would love to meet you after she talks to him.”

“If he’ll let me,” Carly said. “I’m going to take him home with me, get him a shower, a hot meal, and a bed.”

Oliver whipped around to look at her. His mouth dropped open before he snapped it shut.

“You don’t need to do that,” he said softly. “I’m ok. If Larry Smalls is gunna leave me alone, then I’m ok.”

“I want to. We’re going to get you healthy and then I’ll help you figure out what to do from there,” Carly said. “Why don’t you go into the back and see if I have more muffins in there?”

Carly waited until he’d slipped through the door before turning back to James.

“Thank you,” she said. “He was petrified in that dumpster. I know I don’t have the time to spend with him to keep him with me, but I’ll find a family for him. They’ll be paid well to make sure he is happy and taken care of.”

“I’ll talk to Vanessa. I’m sure she will be down here soon to meet him,” he said. “Are you bringing him in here every day for now?”

“Yea,” Carley said, propping her hip on the counter. “I’m sure he’d love to meet her. She’s definitely better with kids than with adults.”

James chuckled and said his goodbyes as Oliver came back out. The rest of the cleaning could happen in the morning. She wanted to get Oliver a proper meal and a nice hot shower. She held her hand out for him and he followed her out the back door.

Frost in the Snow

Randle crouched behind the low wall as a snowball soared over his head. He scooped up some snow of his own and prepared to return fire. He poked his head up and just barely managed to get out of the way of the next one. He popped up and launched one back. Cassidy had just popped up to prepare another attack and he got her in shoulder. She dramatically spun around and collapsed, making a speech about being too young to perish.

Randle was so distracted by Cassidy’s theatrics he didn’t see the oncoming assault from Dex. It got him square in the chest. Dex stood cheered.

“I WON!” he yelled enthusiastically. “I did it!”

Cassidy was still on the ground, lamenting her last words. Randle grinned but rolled his eyes. His cousin had always been over the top. It was one of the things he loved about her. He admired the way she was unapologetically herself in all things. He didn’t have the courage. He was too afraid of what the court would think. He didn’t know if Cassidy got away with it because she was closer to the throne or if they were amused. He could never rule anyway. Princesses ascended, not princes.

“Ok, I think we need hot chocolate,” Cassidy said as she climbed to her feet.

“Hot chocolate sounds delightful,” Dex said. “However, I feel I am unable to join you.”

“Why?” Cassidy asked as brushed the snow off her coat. “You’re with me. They aren’t going to tell me no.”

Since her birthday earlier in the year, Dex had been spending a lot more time with the two of them. He didn’t flinch nearly as much when she used contractions now. He still struggled with it a bit sometimes. He also wasn’t used to being invited everywhere. Cassidy was third in line for the throne. If anything happened to their aunt, Cassidy would become the Crown Princess. Very few people in the palace would tell her no.

“I do not wish to make trouble,” Dex said.

“You aren’t,” Cassidy said with a snort. “I am, and they can just deal with it.”

She looped her arm through Dex’s and started to pull him toward the palace door. Randle shook his head as he followed. He loved his cousin for making sure Dex was always included. Most of the royals didn’t approve of Dex. He was one of the lowest levels of worker. They would never condone Randle’s relationship with him, but Cassidy did.

“Go up to my rooms and I shall find someone to bring up hot coco and something sweet,” she said.

She skipped off toward the kitchen and Dex lingered awkwardly. He wanted to hang out with them, but he was also afraid of consequences. Randle couldn’t blame him. The fae were not known for being kind in their assumptions.

“Cassidy has ordered you to spend time with her,” Randle said. “No one here can touch you.”

“I fear I shall be causing her undue burdens for her kindness,” Dex replied, shifting slightly.

“Cassidy is more than capable of causing her own undue burdens,” Randle said with a grin. “She is rather known for it around here.”

Dex chuckled and let Randle take his hand. They walked quickly up to Cassidy’s rooms, not wanting to be accosted by anyone before Cassidy could join. While the people of the palace were more than willing to tattle on Cassidy for breaking the rules, who she spent time with was not a rule. There was nothing they could gain from doing anything with the information.

The Frost Festival was in a few days. It was a busy time around the palace. Dex didn’t have family to spend it with, so Cassidy had been going even further out of her way to make sure Dex had festive things to do and focus on. She’d even gone out to get him presents.

He might never be able to have an official family with Dex, but Cassidy was determined to make it feel like one. As soon as their aunt produced a direct heir, Cassidy was going to see about leaving the palace. Randle wanted to go to. He had a better chance at it than she did, but he didn’t want to leave her there. He was more capable at getting along with the other royals than she was. He wouldn’t be alone like she would be. He wouldn’t leave without Dex either. He wasn’t sure if Dex would agree to go.

There would be time to figure that out later. The lighting of the festival tree was later in the evening. For now, he wanted to enjoy the company of his friends by the fire. 

Contracts and Power

Claudette sighed. The two men at the table with her were still screaming at each other; both claiming to be the victim, both wanting some kind of retribution. She’d barely been able to get them to the table in the first place. She didn’t know that anyone else could’ve. Fredrick had called her about problems in his business. Word was traveling that she had no fear and there wasn’t much she was unable to find. Someone was skimming coin from him, and he wanted to know who.

The two men in front of her, Gaven and Dawson, were the most likely. High enough in the organization to be less suspicious, but low enough to be spiteful. She leaned back in her chair, drumming her fingertips on the armrests. She had thought they would tire themselves out by now, but they weren’t showing any signs of slowing down. They were giving her a headache.

She reached down for the briefcase she brought with her. She lifted it up and dropped it, opposed to setting it, onto the table. The metal slammed into the wooden table. Both men flinched and turned to her, the blush of anger all over Dawson’s face.

“This is what we’re gunna do,” Claudette said, immune to their glares. “Both of yall are going to put your butts back in the chairs. I’m tired of the way this is going.”

She looked at them both in turn. They wanted to defy her. She was new in this field, so it didn’t surprise her in the least. She held their stares until they lowered themselves back down to the chairs. She leaned forward and popped the latch on the briefcase.

“I know it was one of you,” she continued. “I thought maybe I could figure out which while sitting here. Alas, I cannot.”

“We both know it was him,” Gaven sneered. “I shouldn’t even be in this meeting! I’ve never done a single thing against Fredrick or his business!”

“Sounds like something a guilty person would say!” Dawson fired back.

“I have two contracts here,” Claudette said, as if they hadn’t spoken. “One is an agreement with me, that the money will all be put back by the end of next season. That gives whichever one of you did it, time to get the coin put together.” She slid the pair of contracts over the table to each of them. “The other is a contract you will sign designating half your pay for the next year to go into Fredrick’s fund for orphaned children.”

“I will not be signing anything!” Dawson yelled.

“I thought you might say that,” Claudette said with a nod. “So I brought these too.”

She lifted the lid to the briefcase again and pulled two folders out, plopping one down in front of each of them, gesturing for them to read. Claudette crossed her legs and leaned back, tipping her head to the side as she watched them. As they flipped through the pages, they paled. Gaven swallowed hard and wiped sweat off his brow. Claudette’s lips twitched into a smile.

She might be new to this business, but she wasn’t new to finding information. Becoming a problem solver was what got her off the streets. Becoming the best at it would keep her in her new comfortable life. Both of these men had gotten their fingers in a lot of pies. Fredrick would not be pleased. It hadn’t even been that hard to find, all things considering. People in taverns liked to talk, especially when you ply them with the drink of their choice.

“As I was saying,” she continued as they slowly closed their folders. “You will sign the contracts, you will eagerly donate to this worthy cause, and you won’t stir up any more trouble. Otherwise... I’m sure Fredrick would love to see these files.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” Dawson growled. “You would never be safe in this town again.”

She crossed her arms over her chest and held his gaze, not even remotely threatened by him. She’d been up against men much scarier than the two in front of her. She wasn’t about to be afraid now.

“Try me, Mr. Lane,” she said, voice level. “I’m not the one with something to be afraid of.”

She pulled pens out of the briefcase and held them out to the two men, forcing them to lean toward her to take them. It was the small things that showcased power. They were both grumbling now, reading over each contract. Neither wanted to sign. It was expected. She knew they would with a little nudge.

“This offer expires in 60 seconds,” she said as she stood. “After that, it will be up to Fredrick.” She picked at her nails as they glared at her, trying to find a way out of it. “Time’s almost up.”

Dawson sighed dramatically and scrawled his signature over both contracts. Gaven let out a string of creative curses she had to give him credit for as he signed. She took the contract agreeing to repay the money, and left the agreement to donate their pay to charity for them to deal with.

“It would be best if you turned those in quickly,” she said, slipping the other contracts into her briefcase. “I’ll be watching.”

With that, she snapped the latches closed and walked out of the room. She could feel Dawson’s magic crackling in the air, but didn’t change her pace. He wanted to make her flinch, and she wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

Getting Lost and Road Trips

“That is what the damn map said to do!” Joe complained.

“Obviously not,” Arthur replied, trying to suppress a grin. “We are in the middle of nowhere right now.”

“I can damn well see that,” Joe grumbled. “No need to point it out.”

Arthur turned and leaned back against the hood of the car. It was getting dark, and soon they wouldn’t be able to see the map anymore. An owl hooted off in the distance as Arthur scanned the trees. Critters scurried around in the underbrush.

Even out here, in the middle of nowhere, his Blade instincts were at work. Renee would probably beat them there. She was newly pregnant, and her mom had wanted to take her out for dinner to celebrate. Meeting her after was supposed to be faster than waiting for at their house.

This would be his last trip before he went back to the academy for Garrote training. It was fitting. Joe had gotten them lost on their first road trip together too. Joe shouldn’t be allowed to be in charge of the map, but he still wouldn't let Arthur find the route. 

“Ok,” Joe said. “I think I have it figured out now.”

“Let me see,” Arthur replied. Joe rolled his eyes as Arthur looked over the map, holding the corner down as the breeze brushed past. He followed the road Joe was pointing to and tipped his head to the side. “Where did you get this map?”

“It was in the glove box,” Joe said.

“Joe,” Arthur said slowly, his mouth twitching. “This is not a map of Monroe County. You’re looking at a map of Oakland County.”

“What?” Joe yelled, snatching the map from Arthur. “That can’t be right!”

After a few minutes Joe crumbled the map as he stomped over to the passenger door, grumbling under his breath. He threw the now ruined map into the backseat and yanked the glovebox open again.

They were definitely going to be late. 

The Gala

I hated being sent to events as security. It meant a lot of standing around, watching members of the Order flaunt their status among the other leaders. The music was louder than I thought it should be. At least the band was good. The other event I’d been pulled to, I felt like I would lose my mind listening to them play. Groups of people were standing around talking while others were dancing. A few of the dancers were very drunk. I was more interested in watching their antics than anything else. At least it was entertaining.

I had to suppress a sigh as Corazana Vietta laughed that high-pitched fake laugh for the hundredth time. I was ready to get back to regular assignments. Tracking people down and bringing them in to be held accountable for their recklessness was where my talent was best used. I didn’t have to wear a stiff suit for that either. All the fancy dresses and suits blurred together. I could barely tell anyone apart.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move. The Blade member assigned there shifted again. It was an awkward movement, a shift of his shoulders. Not the kind of thing expected of someone trained for this. Before the event, I hadn’t known many people called to work it. That was how it always worked. We were rotated in and out of personal security.

I watched him more closely. The uniform wasn’t quite right. Every member of the Blade was issued an identical suit, tailored perfectly, for these occasions. It sat too loose on his frame, and the coloring was off. His posture wasn’t quite right. It was too tense and not at all controlled. The way his eyes moved over the crowd wasn’t quite right. I hadn’t been in Blade long, but the little things made all the difference in this job.

I weighed the risks of leaving my post. I wasn’t supposed to, it would leave a hole, but I was looking at a possible security threat. I cursed under my breath. Walking away would leave me open to losing this job. I’d have to take care of it myself. If I was wrong, I’d be in trouble no matter what. At least this way, I could mostly avoid making a scene.

“These events are a huge waste of money,” I said as I ambled up to him.

“Yep,” he said, shifting again.

“Can’t wait until I earn my place in the field again,” I said, crossing my arms as I looked over the crowd. “That’ll teach me to defy an order.”

“Getting back out there would be nice,” he said. “Lesson learned.”

I nodded at him. Agreeing with the lie was all the confirmation I needed. I wasn’t sure how I could remove him from the room yet. I didn’t want any more attention on me than I had to have. The more in shadows I lived, the better I could be at my real job. I would make it work. Even if he was almost twice my size.

I sidled closer to him, and he looked me over carefully. One of my biggest assets was not looking threatening. Short, petite, and blonde. The accent helped, too. I slid my hand into my pocket and closed it around one of the syringes I always kept on me. He let me get close before he started to shift more of his attention to me. I flashed him a brilliant smile. He started to say something, but I didn’t give him the chance.

I grabbed his wrist and pulled him closer. I jammed the needle into his forearm. It would’ve been better to hit him in the neck, but I wasn’t sure I’d have landed that blow. He stumbled back from me. A few heads turned our way, but I gave them a half smile as I shifted to help the man next to me. Most everyone went back to what they were doing. Someone being a little too drunk wasn’t worthy of their attention.

The man I jabbed was still stumbling. I slid under his arm and tried to guide him, but he shoved me back. I was able to stay on my feet, but only just. If I didn’t get him under control soon, he would make a bigger scene than he would have if I’d just tackled him out of the room. One of the other Blades saw us and came over. Luckily, I knew this one.

“Problem,” Alex said softly.

“This guy isn’t one of us. Stabbed him with a sedative but had to settle for his forearm,” I said.

“I’ll get him out,” he said. “You grab the boss man for this event,” he said.

He plastered a smile on his face as he stepped up to the still stumbling man. He loosened his body, adding a little swagger to his step. Nothing but a good friend helping another.

“Whoa, you’ve had one too many,” he said a little louder than necessary.

I left him to it as I moved off to find Jones, or whatever his name was. He was harder to find than I thought he would be. You’d think overseeing security would mean you were easily accessible to the security team. Getting his attention was even harder. When I finally did get him to look my way, he scowled at me.

“Why are you away from your post,” he growled as he took me by the elbow.

“We had a problem,” I said. “It’s being kept quiet, but your attention is needed.”

He scoffed and rolled his eyes. Things rarely happen at these events. The Blade was there as more of a symbol than anything else. Infiltrating one of the buildings in the Order’s complex was almost impossible. Almost.

As I led him out to the hallways, the imposter was restrained. He was still struggling, but it was sloppy. Alex had his arms crossed as he leaned against the wall, watching him.

“Where was he?”

“Posing as one of us,” I said. “I sedated him. Alex brought him out here.”

“I’ll send someone to take him to the cells,” he said. “How did you know?”

“Something wasn’t right,” I said with a shrug. “So, I lied to him, and he didn’t contradict me.”

“You’ll be rewarded for this,” he said. “What’s your name again?”

“Annabell,” I said. “And if I could just avoid these events in the future… that would be more than enough.”

“Very well,” he said as he reached for his phone. “Consider it done.”

From Nic's Kitchen: Queso

 .

When Joe met Renee

 

“No one warned me how hard the first semester was going to be,” Joe said as they walked to their cars.

“You just didn’t listen to any of the warnings,” Arthur replied, shaking his head. “Everyone told you it would be a different level than high school was.”

“Whatever,” Joe grumbled. “I’m just glad it’s done. It’d be nice if the snow would’ve held off until after we got home.”

“If you were paying attention when I showed you how to use your magic, you wouldn’t have these issues.”

“I was paying attention!” Joe said. “I have a lot on my plaaaah.”

“Notice how I haven’t had any issues,” Arthur said, crossing his arms and looking down at his best friend.

Joe lay there, blinking up at him. He hadn’t fallen flat like that in years. He groaned as he shifted. Arthur still had his arms crossed. He wasn’t making any effort to help him up. Joe knew he should be listening to whatever he was saying. He knew he would regret it later, but Joe just couldn’t focus on it. He pushed himself up. At least sitting was better than laying spread eagle in the quad.

“Are you alright?” someone asked from behind him.

“Yeah, just thought I’d take a break,” Joe said as he turned to look at the woman.

She had a mischievous glint in her eye as she tried to suppress the grin. Her gloved hand was working to keep her long blonde hair from blowing in her face.

“He’s fine,” Arthur said. “Just not paying attention to what he’s doing. I’m Arthur.”

“Renee,” she said with a grin. “Looked like quite the fall.”

“Meant to,” Joe said as he hauled himself back to his feet, much less smoothly than he had hoped. “Joe. It’s nice to meet you.”

He held his hand out, but before she could take it, he slipped again. She tried to hold it back, but the laughter bubbled up. Arthur had no such qualms about laughing outwardly.

“I’ve got to get to an exam,” Renee said. “You going to make it to wherever you’re going alright?”

“Mhmm. It’ll be fine,” Joe said, staring up at the cloud-filled sky.

“If it happens again, I’ll call for them to bring him a cart,” Arthur said with a smile.

“Good deal,” she said. “It was nice to meet you, too.”

Joe watched her hurry off toward one of the buildings, not slipping even once.

“That could’ve been the woman of my dream,” Joe said as Arthur helped him up. 

“If that’s true, you’ll run into her again. But try to stay on your feet.”

“Hilarious,” Joe said as they continued to the parking lot.

The Warehouse pt3

 

I groaned as I opened my eyes. Someone had put a pillow under my head and covered me with a blanket. I was still on the catwalk. There was a lot of movement and excitement around. I blinked several times, trying to shake off the fog that settled over me. I used too much magic. I would be feeling it for days.

“Morning, sunshine,” James said as he ambled up to me. “We’ve got something for you.”

I glared at him. I hated it when he called me sunshine. That’s why he did it. I grumbled as I climbed to my feet. All my joints were stiff. I rolled my shoulders and cracked my neck.

“Why do you have to be so cheerful when I wake up?” I asked him.

“Because I am the light of your life,” he said, looping his arm through mine. “The kids have something for you.”

I slid my eyes to him, but he didn’t say anything else. He led me around to the stairs. He was humming. I hadn’t heard him hum in a while. It made my heart skip a beat. He was happy. Genuinely happy. I squeezed his arm as we stepped off the last step.

He took me over to a closed door. This room had been falling apart, but now it looked as if the wall and door had been patched up. He gestured for me to open it.

I bit my lip as I reached for the handle. As soon as I could see inside, I sucked in a breath and felt tears welling in my eyes. They had done so much more than patch things up. A bed big enough for James and I was in the corner. It looked like they had tried to scrub all the walls inside clean. Some of the art the younger kids liked to make was hanging around the room. A small dresser was on one side with a coffee maker on top of it. I didn’t know where they could’ve found one. They were too expensive.

“I can’t…” I started, trying to force the tears back. “I can’t take this. I need all of you to get settled.”

“You can,” Amy said. “You do everything for us. You set the plan, provide protection, get us medicine, and food, and whatever we need.”

“It’s your turn to have something just for the two of you,” Grace said. “We needed this space, and you got it and helped us defend it.”

“I put you all in danger,” I said softly.

“You saved us,” Allen said.

I didn’t have any words. I didn’t know what to say to any of them. All the work they had put into this. Finding an actual bed alone would have been a struggle. They had done all of this for James and I.

“Thank you,” I managed to breathe.

I couldn’t keep the tears from flowing. James pulled me into a hug. I heard the other kids behind us. I stepped back from James and turned to all of them. They were beaming at me; a few had tears in their eyes, too. They all put their hands over their hearts and bowed. My body shook as the tears fell.

“Get some rest,” Amy said. “We are going to work out how to use the rest of the space.”

They all filed out and left James and me in the room together. Amy gave me a nod and pulled the door closed. I stepped into James again, and he held me tight.

“I led them into so much danger coming here,” I whispered against his shoulder.

“It was needed,” he answered.

“I should have found somewhere else. I saw the bandages some of them had.”

“If I thought you were being reckless, I wouldn’t have let it happen,” he said. “It was dangerous, and I was worried about it, but I knew we didn’t have many options.”

I pulled back from him again and looked around the room. The pictures the young ones had drawn for us. It melted my heart. They really were my kids. I would do anything to protect them.

The Warehouse pt2

 

I knew they would come in the middle of the night. They would wait for most of the kids to be asleep. Long enough that they'd feel safe. I wanted to be on the roof, but James convinced me it would be a bad idea. I would be too much of a target, and no one would be able to guide the kids. I didn’t like asking them to fight, but we needed this building. There wasn’t a better place. The other neighborhoods would be too dangerous all the time to leave some of the kids there.

I kept pacing around on the catwalk. I didn’t want to wake any of the kids, but I couldn’t hold still. Most of the kids were piled together in a small office that hovered over the middle of the room. They would be safe there. When I felt the wards shimmer, I sent James to wake up the kids that would stand with me, even as the guilt tore through me. It was my job to protect them, and I was leading them into a fight. They were sleeping beneath the catwalk, alert within moments of James shaking them. I should’ve found a way to make the smaller building work. This was reckless.

The first fire trap activated, and someone screamed. Amy led the Weres in shifting. They prowled the warehouse walls, watching for any sign they would break through.

They blew a hole in the wall. It was wide enough for six people to walk in at the same time. The traps were obliterated in the blast. Our fairies lined up in front of our witches. They couldn’t lose line of sight. I stayed on the catwalk and waited for James to join me.

Weres poured through the gap. Seven of them. Our four lunged as soon as they saw them. My heart twisted as they made contact. Most of my kids were younger than theirs, but I made them all train with me. We needed to be stronger. I knew we were a target. The only way to protect them was to make them strong.

Some of their wolves froze as our fairies flung their magic at them. It wasn’t a precise strike, but it held long enough for our wolves to drive the rest of them back. I fired ice lances when I saw the openings and used the wind to lessen their blows. We were holding.

The front door blew open.

The blast of air the leader sent out knocked all my kids off their feet. I barely managed to brace for it as James got to my side, bow slung over his shoulder.

“You can do this, V,” he said.

He notched an arrow as I nodded. I threw my hands up. He fired when I did. He was getting faster. He let arrow after arrow fly as a stream of fire left my fingertips. I didn’t have the control to wield it as a true whip, but it kept them occupied.

Then I felt magic joining mine.

Two different kinds. While I kept the fire a solid mass to be used, someone added intensity to it, and someone else started steering it. Grace. She was the oldest and most skilled. She had to be guiding it.

My magic was fading. I could hear our wolves still keeping theirs back. I leaned into the railing so I wouldn’t collapse and felt James’s arm come around my waist.

“Don’t worry about me,” I forced out. “Keep focus on them.”

“I’m not going to let you fall.”

“I’m fine.”

He sighed but drew his bow. He fired a few more arrows as my vision blurred. I was going to lose the magic. I gritted my teeth and pushed harder. Our wolves howled triumphantly, and I saw them run toward the front door.

The leader stepped up to meet them. I would not let him take aim at our wolves. I fired an ice lance. My aim was off. It shot straight through his left shoulder. One of our wolves leapt and ripped his throat out. It had to be Amy.

I stumbled. James dropped his bow and reached for me. He barely managed to keep me upright.

“Let go, Vanessa,” someone yelled from below. “We’ve got it.”

I didn’t want to. I needed to help them.

“V,” James said softly as he helped me sit down. “Let go.”

A sob was torn from my throat as I let go of my magic. The whip flickered but then took up its form again. I blinked stars out of my eyes as our wolves howled again. Cheers rang out from underneath me.

“They are retreating,” I heard someone yell. “We held it!”

Then I blacked out.

The Warehouse pt1

 

Somehow all these kids had started looking to us for direction. Some of them were older than us too. We didn’t have enough room for all of them, and more kept showing up. We needed a bigger space.

“I don’t know about this one, V,” James said softly.

“It’s got enough room to grow into,” I answered.

“Except it’s already been claimed.”

“Not for long,” I said, shooting him a wicked grin.

The kids in the warehouse across the street were brutes. They tormented anyone that wouldn’t share their spoils, and their brutality was also used for sport. They didn’t deserve that space. No matter what they claimed. I was going to take it from them.

“Are you really sure?” James asked, biting his lip.

“I’m really sure.”

I stood up, straightened my clothes, and ambled across the street. I was short for 15. No one took me seriously at first. I liked being underestimated. It suited me. The two boys at the door leered at me as I approached. James started whistling from a pace or so behind me, no doubt looking for escape routes. Even as a few more street kids came out of the building to greet me, I didn’t let the swagger drop.

“Nice building you’ve got here,” I said with a sweet smile. “I’m here to take it off your hands.”

“I think you’re lost,” the tallest one said. He was older. He looked every bit as cocky as I was trying to be. “Take your friend and go.”

I tipped my head to the side and grinned. My magic was more controlled now. I raised my hand in front of me and made a wholly unnecessary, embellished flick of my wrist. I felt all their shoes in the grip of my magic and swept their feet out from under them. All five of the street kids went down hard. I didn’t wait for them to recover. I ripped a piece of broken sidewalk up and flung it over to the ring leader. I let it hover just above his head.

“You were saying?” I asked casually.

“You bitch!” one of the other kids spat.

“You can vacate the building, or he is dead. Don’t think I won’t come after the rest of you.”

James sighed as he stepped up next to me. I knew he saw something he didn’t like but was trying to maintain his boredom. I felt his hand close around my arm, but I didn’t dare look at him. The leader was barking out orders. It sounded like he was going to hand the place over.

Then James threw me to the ground as a fireball soared right for my chest. Another witch took control of the piece of sidewalk and hurled it away from the ring leader. I flung up a shield just in time to stop a few ice lances.

I searched for the source of the magic. I couldn’t see anyone. The kids on the ground were advancing.

“Plan B?” James asked as he pulled me to my feet, shield taking another blow.

“Plan B,” I confirmed. “The tallest one and the one to his right are witches. Rest are human.”

I summoned a portal and pulled James through, just barely escaping the next magical attack. We stepped out directly behind them. James took aim and landed a dagger in the thigh of one of the humans. A blast of wind knocked the witches to the ground as I advanced on them. I pulled the air back from their faces.

“Yield,” I growled. “Or I end you.”

I heard another grunt of pain as one of James’s daggers hit home again. The leader glared at me, clawing at his neck as he tried to fling his magic at me. His eyes flicked to the sides. The only warning I had of another attack. Sloppy. They didn’t deserve this place.

I flung my other hand up to shield. I barely got it up in time. I grunted as I took the blow. My magic was fading. I wouldn’t be able to hold for long.

There was a clash of blades behind me. I didn’t dare look. Unlike the boy on the ground in front of me, I knew better than to tip my hand. I needed him to cave. I didn’t want to kill them.

Finally, he tapped his hand on the ground. I pulled my magic back enough for him to speak.

“Enough,” he said. “Stand down.” Someone behind me tried to protest. “I said enough!”

I took him by the hand and hauled him to his feet. I kept him close to me as James tossed me a dagger. I used my magic to secure it in my grip.

“Once they leave,” I said sweetly. “I will release you.”

“We need to gather our things,” he ground out.

“You can take whatever you can carry. They have five minutes.”

A muscle in his jaw tightened, but he gave one nod. His chin brushed against the flat side of the blade. James leaned against the side of the building, picking at his nails. I could see the tension in him. He was getting used to being out here with me, but I hated that I needed him to be. I didn’t like seeing him harden like this.

I shook the thoughts away. These kids in front of me needed all my attention to ensure they didn’t try anything. With barely any time to spare, the last of them left the building.

“Good. Don’t come back here,” I said as I shoved the leader away from me. “Next time… I will kill you.”

“We’ll see about that. You have a reputation around this city, too, you know.”

I let the blade fly out of my hand and stop just shy of his neck. He swallowed hard.

“Try me.”

He glared at me as he backed away. I kept my focus on him until they were out of sight. I was losing my grip on the magic, so I let the dagger clatter to the ground. James righted himself and strode over to retrieve it, tucking it back into his jacket.

“This won’t be the end of it,” he said.

“I know. I’m prepared for that. I need a few of the witches here quick. We need to prepare.”

I sent James out to get them. He was faster than I was and had gotten very good at staying out of sight while I indulged my love for dramatics. I got to work setting up wards. I had to be careful not to drain all the magic I had.

As I finished, I heard James whistle. The front door opened, and all our kids came streaming in. I let them take in all the space. We would need to figure out all the arrangements, but for now, I just wanted to make sure we were safe.

“Alice, Grace, and Kielee,” I said. “I need your help.”

The three witches ran over eagerly. All of them liked to help me. James and I had pulled most of them out of bad situations in an attempt to help them have some level of normalcy.

“Anything you need, Vanessa,” Grace said.

“I need fire traps,” I said. “All the windows and doors. Even the second floor. Can you do it?”

“Yes,” they all said in unison.

“Allen, Ray, Jeff, and Amber,” I said. “Can you set some plant traps for me? I don’t know how it works, but anything to snare someone that tries to cross them.”

“Done,” Ray said as the fairies approached me. “Where do you want them?”

“Work with them on where and how their fire traps will be triggered, and decide from there. Only the front door should be clear. We need to be able to get in and out.”

“Amy, can you scent the kids that were here before? I want to know if they get close to this building again.”

“Sure,” she said. “With all the wards, it will be hard.”

“Do the best you can,” I said with a soft smile. “The rest of you can help James set up the sleeping arrangement for the night. Tomorrow, we get to work.”

Family

It was too hot to be out in the middle of the city center. I knew I shouldn’t have agreed to this. If anyone else besides James had asked, I would’ve said no. On top of that, I wasn’t allowed to tell Thomas any of it. While I still wasn’t his biggest fan, we had become civil with each other. I didn’t like the idea of lying to him.

“That’s him,” James said softly from beside me.

“And what am I supposed to be doing?” I asked.

I studied his face as he watched the guy across the street. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes hard. There wasn’t much of anything that could make him that tense.

“Thomas is always different after meeting with this guy,” he said, not taking his eyes off the man. “I want to know why.”

“What do you think I can do about it?”

“Whatever it is that you do,” he said, waving his hand around in front of him.

I picked up the coffee in front of me and took a long drink. I let my eyes roam over everyone here. It was too public for intimidation. At least the kind that would shake Thomas enough to worry James.

“Well, I’m not going to figure anything out from over here,” I said as I stood.

“What are you doing,” he hissed.

“I’m going to say hi,” I said brightly.

Before he could say anything else, I ambled over to the side. I glanced at the table Thomas was sitting at. They were in a deep conversation, and Thomas had started to get flustered. I stopped at one of the carts and grabbed a muffin, leaving more than enough coin on the small counter for it. I followed the curve of the bricks to the set of tables outside one of the nicer lunch spots in the city.

I couldn’t hear what they were saying, but Thomas had gotten more rigid. I slid my eyes to where James still watched on the other side of the square. He was pained, body tense. He wanted to storm over there but was holding himself back. Trusting me.

I turned my attention back to the meeting Thomas was in. From this side, I could see the man’s face. He looked familiar, but I couldn’t place him. Fuck it. I walked right over to the table.

“Thomas!” I said brightly. “What are you doing out here?”

I stepped up to him and held my arms out. We weren’t huggers, but I wanted to get him to move. The man at the table turned his hard stare to me as Thomas stood. Kelly Osgard. I’d seen him around the docks. He worked for Raffe.

“Vanessa,” he said as he stepped back from the hug. “I could say the same to you.”

He shook his head slightly as if coming out of a fog. He glanced at Kelly for a moment and frowned.

“I was just out clearing my head. Frustrating day,” I said with a smile.

He raised his eyebrow and shifted his attention to the crowd. I knew the minute he saw James. He pursed his lips and turned his gaze back to me.

“I’m in the middle of something,” he said tightly. “We’ll talk later.”

“How are things going, Kelly?” I asked, ignoring Thomas.

“Fine,” Kelly said.

“Good to know,” I said sweetly. “I’ll have to let Raffe know I saw you here today. If memory serves… he handles all his own finances.”

Kelly let out a low growl. It was a risk. Raffe was a client. Talking about his business in a public space carried risks. Not stopping what could be a betrayal, though… That would carry more.

“I’m here on my own accord,” he said.

I pegged him with a hard stare. His aura was all over the map. It was never a good idea to lie to a witch.

“This is breaking all the rules,” Thomas said hesitantly. “Raffe doesn’t send Kelly to handle any of his dealings?”

“No. He does not,” I said, returning my attention to Thomas. “I’ll take care of it. Why don’t you head over to the table James grabbed?”

He looked between us again before striding off, face getting paler. He knew as well as I did that Raffe would not be happy. I wouldn’t let any of it fall onto Thomas.

“Using your magic to steal from Raffe,” I said, clicking my tongue as I took Thomas’s chair.

I slipped my phone from my pocket and sent a text. It wouldn’t take Raffe long to get here. I cocked my head to the side as I watched Kelly. He was trying to push his magic at me. The growing frustration as I blocked him was amusing. I wasn’t a human he could push around. He couldn’t get into my mind while my magic was prepared for it.

“What do you want?” he asked. “I can cut you in. He won’t even notice.”

“You think I didn’t notice?” Raffe asked as he almost materialized out of the crowd.

Kelly froze. His eyes widened.

“He was using his magic to manipulate one of the bankers,” I said.

“Which banker?” Raffe asked without looking at me.

“It was Thomas. Luckily, James was worried about the state he was in after these meetings.”

“You are sure he was not involved?”

“Yes,” I said.

He was quiet as two of his people came forward and hoisted Kelly to his feet. I was glad I wasn’t Kelly. After today, there was a good chance he wouldn’t be heard from again.

“You have proven yourself invaluable to me yet again, Ms. Parker,” he said, finally facing me. “I will have payment sent to you immediately.”

“That is unnecessary,” I said as I stood. “I’m glad I was able to help.”

He lifted the back of my hand to his lips with the flourish of a bow.

“Then I’ll owe you a favor,” he said.

“I appreciate it,” I said with a genuine smile. “Can I ask what you plan to do with Thomas?”

“If you can swear to me he is not involved, that will be that,” he said. “If I find out he was… As much as I value your services, your neck will be on the line too.”

“I swear on my reputation he did not know.”

He dipped his head and turned back into the crowd. I took a deep breath before walking over to an anxious Thomas.

“What happens now?” he asked, voice wavering.

“Nothing,” I said. “I took care of it.”

He surged to his feet, hugging me hard enough to hurt.

“Thank you,” he breathed into my hair.

James stood. The look he gave me melted my heart. I knew he loved Thomas, and he was the most important person in my life. I would do anything for him.

“You’re family now,” I said to Thomas.

The Beginning of a Friendship

 

The vacant apartment was freezing. It was a small one-bedroom. The paint was peeling, and she didn’t want to identify some of the smells. Sitting on the floor had been a risk, but since she would be sleeping here now… She knew she would have to suck it up.

There had been a change of plans. What was supposed to be a simple job had been made infinitely more complicated. Annabell leaned her head back into the wall and uncrossed her ankles because her foot was falling asleep.

“Where does your family think you are?” Arthur asked, from the other side of the small room, breaking the silence from their last heavy conversation.

They had been having more and more of those. He was sitting in a similar position as she had been. His gun was lying off to the side, but she knew he could have it in his hand and aimed in a matter of seconds. He had come more prepared than she had. She was envious of his heavy coat. She hadn’t expected to be here long and only had a thin sweater. He had offered her the coat, but she didn’t want to be surrounded by his scent.

“Don’t have much family,” she said. “My parents died in a car accident when I was a teenager, and I was an only child.”

“I’m sorry to hear that.”

“It is what it is,” she said with a shrug. “It’s been a long time. What about you?”

“I haven’t talked to mine in a while. My best friend and his wife are as close as it gets to family.”

“Do they know?” she asked quietly.

They had crossed paths a handful of times now. A tentative friendship had formed, but that was a dangerous question to ask. Even more so to answer. She forced herself to meet his gaze. He surveyed her for a minute before giving one slight nod. It was a sign of trust that he would let her have that information. No one was supposed to know about Garrote.

“They were there when I got the call,” he said just as quietly.

No one was there to overhear them, but saying it too loud felt reckless. Most of their conversations had been dangerous lately. They were an efficient team, so they were paired up often.

“Having people like that… How do you manage it?” she whispered, looking down at her shoe.

“If I have to be close, I make them out to be sources of information,” he said. She could still feel his eyes on her. “If we are ever paired up out that way… you can meet them if you want.”

“I think I would like that,” she said.

She hadn’t had anyone she would consider a friend since she got the call. Arthur was becoming that for her. If he trusted the people around him, she might be able to trust them too. She looked up at him again, and he let his gaze linger before looking away. She knew she had developed this crush, but it was inappropriate. She would never do anything about it. That would be more dangerous than having friends. She cleared her throat.

“How long do you think they will keep us waiting here?” she asked, needing the subject to go back to something harmless.

“Hard to say,” he said, shaking his head slightly. “The change in guest list to this party has them considering the best course of action.”

“I didn’t know the guest list changed.”

“Ah, yea,” he said, scrubbing his hand over the back of his neck. “I forgot you haven’t been in long. They aren’t forthcoming about information until after three years.”

“Why?”

“They need to ensure you’ll stay in line,” he said. “They can’t risk giving more because you could cause problems. Do as you’re told for that long… it builds some trust.”

She tilted her head, thinking about the implications of that. She hadn’t put much thought into how much information she was given and when, but the few times there had been a change in plans… she was left to sit just like this.

“So, they trust us to be out here with weapons, on orders, but not to have all the information?” she finally asked.

His face flushed. She waited for him to answer. She studied his face as he looked everywhere but at her. She didn’t know if he would tell her anything the longer he was silent.

“You aren’t supposed to know this,” he started. “You cannot change your behavior at all if I tell you.”

“Done.”

“The first three years, someone follows you while you are on jobs. Someone is specifically assigned to you and only takes jobs of their own while you are waiting for your next one,” he said softly.

“So someone is watching us now?”

“No. I’m here with you, so it will be my job to report back on you for this assignment.”

He looked uncomfortable. Another piece of information he was trusting her with. If she suddenly started watching for a tail, they would know he told her. There wouldn’t be another explanation.

“What do you have to report?” she asked.

“If you kept to the assignment, made or followed the plan, improvised correctly as needed, if you hesitated or talked to anyone you shouldn’t have. I’m supposed to say whether or not you are fit to continue.”

“How much trouble would you be in for telling me?”

“Re-education at best, execution at worst.”

“I won’t make trouble for you,” she said as she shifted.

She wanted to move closer to him but knew she shouldn’t. They needed to stay where they were. Professional boundaries. Even if a friendship was blooming. She didn’t think assassins were supposed to have friends at all. It wasn’t something she could ask around about. She was about to thank him, but his phone rang.

“Decker,” he said, clearing his throat.

She watched him as he listened to the caller. He nodded a lot, which made her suppress a grin. He had a tendency to talk with his hands while on the phone too. It was a charming quirk of his.

“We have a plan,” he said as he hung up the phone. “We’ve got two days to get ready to crash the party. We have four targets now. All need to be a message. We just have to figure out how to do it and get away clean.”

“Puzzles are one of my favorite things,” she said with a gleam in her eye.

“Then let’s get to work.”