The Fix Is In (Torus Intercession 4)

The first was my mother threatening me with bodily harm if I did not bring Benji to Christmas Eve mass, as well as Christmas morning to open presents no later than ten. Like I didn’t know I had to be there before ten. As if I’d never shown up for any holiday before.

“Benji might not wanna go to mass,” I told her.

“No, he’s fine with it, I already asked him.”

Of course she had. Benji was apparently just as invested in pleasing Orla James as all the rest of us were. She had bespelled us all.

“Also,” she continued when I thought I might be able to get a word out, “I need you to bring a dessert of some kind. Ask Benji what he likes. I’m sure he’ll choose something lovely.”

“I can choose a dessert. I’ve been doing it for years.”

“Of course you can, dear,” she placated me and hung up.

The second call was from Sian, letting me know that she was sending Delly to me after the holidays.

“I’m sorry, what?”

“Delly. To you. Coming.”

“No,” I might have whined. “Why?”

“Because she got accepted to school there, Loyola something, I wasn’t really listening. All I heard was Chicago and scholarship, so since Benji’s there, she’ll be coming too.”

“She got a full-ride?”

“Apparently so,” she said smugly.

“What? What’s with the tone?”

“Ask your boss.”

“My boss?”

“You put in your report that Delly needed to go to school to be a vet but her folks couldn’t afford it.”

“Yeah. Those were the facts.”

“And now, because of him, things are different and she’s on her way to school and most importantly, to you and Benji.”

“Wait. You’re saying my boss is paying to send Delly to school,” I asked, suddenly finding it hard to breathe. Who did that? Who just stepped in and changed someone’s life?

“Yes. I suspect he believes there should be more animal doctors in the world.”

“Jesus Christ.”

“Anyway, she’ll be on her way to you before the first of the year.”

“Which is fine, but Benji’s not staying.”

“He told you he wasn’t staying?”

“Yes, he told me wasn’t staying. He wants to go back to fuckin’ Rune!”

“Oh, for heaven’s sake, why? There’s nothing for him here.”

“Tell him, not me.”

She snorted. “Oh I have, believe me.”

“You have?” God, I really loved Sian Coburn. “When?”

“Every day when we talk on the phone.”

“You talk on the phone every day?” I had no idea.

“Of course we—my God, man, do you have friends?”

“Not girlfriends apparently.”

“Oh, stow that sexist shit, it has nothing to do with that. You talk to people you love to hear all the gossip and stay updated on one another’s lives. You’ve just been fortunate to have your friends right there, but you must have people you speak to who aren’t.”

I did, actually. I talked to Locryn at least twice a week. “I do.”

She grunted. “See? And you can call me too, you know. That wouldn’t be horrible.”

“I’ll keep it in mind, but I don’t want Delly.”

“As if I care. I’m sending her to Benji to watch over, and since you’re with him, congratulations, it’s a girl.”

“That’s funny coming from an expectant mother.”

“Yes, well, once Boaz is born, you’ll come see him.”

“That one is particularly bad.”

“Jethro? Sebastian? Wiglaf?”

“You made that last one up.”

“He’s a character from Beowulf, you heathen.”

“I’m hanging up now,” I warned her.

“Delly enjoys baking. Tell your mother. Bye.”

I was surrounded by crazy people.

Spending the morning going through all the people in Benji’s life who Owen had already vetted was mind-numbingly boring, I had almost nodded off when Rais said my name.

Turning in my chair, I faced him, and he pointed over his left shoulder. Following his direction, I saw Benji lying spread-eagle on the floor.

“Shit,” I gasped, knocking over my chair with how fast I got up and rushing over to him. I was on my knees in seconds. “Honey, what’s wrong?” I asked quickly, checking him over, not sure if I should touch him or not.

His beautiful long-lashed eyes opened slowly, and I was swallowed in all that blue. “I’m having an existential crisis.”

It took me a second. “Okay.”

“I feel like if I don’t go back to Rune, I’m letting you save me or something, and that’s not who I am.”

“I’m a bodyguard,” I said and tried not to sound sarcastic. “It’s actually my job to save you.”

“No, I know, but you know what I mean.”

“I don’t, though.”

He huffed out a breath and sat up, crossing his legs, staring at me. “There are actually many paranormal investigators in the city, did you know that?”

I shook my head.

“It wouldn’t be some crazy off-the-beaten-path profession here. You see what I mean?”

“I think what you’re trying to say is that you wanna stay here with me, and so you know, you don’t have to rationalize that. You don’t need any specific reason other than you want to. You can move in and paint still-life portraits of my cat for the rest of your life, that’s fine. Whatever you wanna do, hunt ghosts, work here for Jared, I couldn’t care less. I just want you to move in and stay and never leave me.”