Sin & Chocolate (Demigod of San Francisco 1)

“I’m impressed with the lingo,” I said, smelling the coffee and heading back to the kitchen.

“This has actually been a good independent study for us,” Mordecai said, drifting after me. “It’s empowering, creating a business.”

“Uh-huh.” Empowering meant it would take longer for them to give it up. How annoying.

“Your chair is still the same,” Daisy continued, and I wondered if she’d even noticed me leaving the room. “You need it light. I like the idea of you moving your chair around. It creates a sense of urgency in the client. They’ll want to impress the Great Seeing Eye in order to get her help.”

I paused in pouring the coffee. “The what?”

“It’s a working title,” Mordecai assured me.

“Keep working.” I eyed the messy stack of mail in the middle of the counter. Daisy had been so busy with this new venture she wanted to force on me that she hadn’t insistently alerted me that she’d gotten the mail.

“We still need a sign. I need to get some poster board and pens, but I figured we should work on a budget first,” Daisy went on, scribbling on her clipboard.

“Uh-huh. What’s the pencil behind your ear for if you’re using the pen?” I asked before taking a sip of my coffee. I wandered to the table and pulled the stack of relevant pieces of mail closer. Daisy had sorted the junk out already.

“Because that’s what builders use,” she said.

“Right.” I frowned as I noticed an envelope from the city’s Parks and Rec Department. Daisy’s voice drifted to the back of my awareness as I set my coffee down. Unease flowed through me—a sense that I was waiting for the shoe to drop. A moment later, the air dried up in my lungs and a feeling of helplessness washed over me.

“It isn’t fair.” I pulled out a chair and plopped down, my eyes stinging in frustration. “It isn’t fair!” I yelled.

The kids were next to me a moment later. “What happened?” Mordecai asked.

“What’s not fair?” Daisy peered over my shoulder.

I set the letter on the table and dropped my face into my hands. “The freak show has been shut down.”

“What?” She snatched up the letter. “‘Dear Patron,’” she read, then mumbled, “Off to an intimate start… ‘Dear Patron. Due to circumstances beyond our control, the Magical Showcase, held at Pier Thirty-three’…yadda yadda…‘has been permanently cancelled. All permits have been suspended, and access into the area has been closed to all persons of a magical nature.’” Her voice drifted away and her eyes roamed from side to side, reading on down. “Oh look! Here we go. ‘Plans have commenced to move’”—she gave Mordecai and me poignant looks—“‘the Magical Showcase to a neutral location wherein magical and non-magical people alike will be welcome to showcase their talents. Permits will be granted to those applicable. For more information, please contact your specific governing body.’” She beamed at me. “So you see? This is good news. They’re moving it to the dual-society zone and opening it up to everyone. It’ll be bigger! We’ll get more people actually interested in magic instead of just looking for entertainment.” She nodded and tapped the letter. “This is a stroke of luck. This will be great for our brand.”

“First, we have to actually create a brand,” Mordecai said dryly.

Daisy glared at him. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, Mordie. Instead of pointing out the flaws, why don’t you help solve the problems?”

“Permits will be handed out from our specific governing body,” I said, my head still resting on my palms.

Mordecai exhaled loudly. “Oh,” he said.

“Why is that bad?” Daisy asked.

“Because a certain stalking Demigod wants me cornered,” I said, “and now he has the power to deny me the ability to make money he isn’t supplying. The ball is in his court.”

38

Alexis

“Like hell the ball is in his court.” Daisy slapped down the letter. “He’s not in charge of this city. His dad is. And his dad doesn’t give two rats about us. We’ll apply, and if he sticks his big nose in, we’ll appeal. Worst case, we’ll fire up the computer and create a fake profile. We can get around him.”

A knock sounded at the door. I glanced around at the others. “Did you guys hear that?”

“Yes. It was a real knock,” Mordecai said.

I lugged myself up, suddenly too exhausted for any of this. I was tired of being kicked in the jugular. Tired of Kieran getting his way so easily.

Tired of this life.

“The other one left, and this one took his place,” Frank said, standing behind one of Kieran’s minions, this one with wavy brown hair, piercing gray eyes, and a sun-kissed face that beamed raw hostility. “Don’t let the suit jacket fool you—he’s just like the others in their black jumpsuits.”

“Thanks, Frank,” I said, eyeing the pristine, tailored suit of this minion and noticing a thick manila envelope in the hand resting at his side.

“Alexis Price,” the minion said in a thick, scratchy voice.

“Stalking creep,” I answered.

On a normal day, his animalistic stare promising pain if I sassed him might make me zip the lip. Right now, he could suck it.

Without another word, he held up the manila envelope. After I took it, glaring all the while, he turned and made his way to a Beemer double-parked in front of my house. He revved the engine before speeding away.

“I probably don’t want to know what this is,” I said, dropping it to my side. “Kieran seems to have a flare for timing. It’s like he knows exactly when to kick me when I’m down.” I remembered the cameras, stepped out a little farther onto the porch, and flipped the bird.

“Well now, that’s not ladylike,” Frank said in distaste.

“Go ahead and keep talking, Frank. Find out what happens…”

His lips thinned, then whitened. Clearly the effort to hold back was intense.

“They’ve been roaming around all day,” he finally said before walking to my side and turning, staring out at the street with me. He braced his hands on his hips. “One was peeking in the front window when I got here this morning. There was a crack in the curtains. Well, I gave him a good kick.”

“Oh yeah?” I said, trying not to move my lips. I didn’t want neighbors to glance out their windows and catch me talking “to myself.” “What did he do?”

“He jumped and looked around.” Frank preened. “I didn’t know I still had it in me.”

The lurker had probably felt a sudden icy stab that had set his hair on end. Knowing what I was, he’d probably guessed exactly what had happened. That would freak a great many people out.

I smirked. “Keep up the good work.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Frank saluted me in a way that made it clear he’d never served in the armed forces.

Back in the house, I debated throwing the envelope in the trash. I even opened the lid and held it over the bin, staring down at it. But I caved, the silence ringing loudly in the kitchen. The kids clearly knew who had sent it, and what it possibly held.

The first sheet of paper held a simple message and directions, followed by a small picture of a map.

Meet me to discuss. —Kieran

Butterflies swam through my belly.

I separated two packets, each with its own cover letter. The first was from the office of Kieran Dursus.

“The details of his job offer,” I said quietly, skimming the cover letter before turning the page and reading through the description of the services he’d requested. The simple job of helping his mother cross over was described with a great many unnecessary details from someone who thought they understood my job and clearly did not.

Mandatory séance? Spirit communication devices?

“Why the hell would I use a tape recorder?” I muttered. “Those things catch one word in ten. Spirit box? Oh now, they’re just taking the piss altogether.”

I kept flipping through.

My breath caught.

My hand started to shake.

Without another word, I passed that page on to the kids.

“What is it?” Daisy asked Mordecai, taking the page and quickly huddling with him. “Holy shit.”

“Language,” I said in a wispy voice.

“A hundred thousand base salary, with perks.” Her eyes rounded and she looked at Mordecai. “What do you think the perks are?”

“Breakfast, maybe. Some companies do donuts in the morning.” He took the paper, skimming the contents. His eyes stopped moving and a wistful expression crossed his face.

He’d seen the benefit section, which covered all of my family, including undocumented wards (their names were listed). 401k, dental…and full medical, both magical and non-magical. Mordecai’s medicine would be covered, he’d have access to routine checkups, and if he was a candidate for the cure, he’d have access to it.

He tossed the packet on the table angrily. “He’s trying to buy her.”

“Obviously. But wow.” Daisy blew out a breath. “He thinks she’s worth a lot.”