Natural Mage (Magical Mayhem 2)

“You go at it, and I’ll circle around,” Broad Face said out of the side of his mouth. He used the same volume.

This was about to get interesting. If they weren’t rushing me together, it would be similar to dodge ball, which I’d always been surprisingly great at. I’d just have to step aside when they barreled past. Of course, red balls didn’t have long, grasping arms.

“Ready?” Smells-a-Stink asked, his volume increasing with his excitement.

“Yeah,” the other whispered.

A door squealed somewhere behind them and a tall man stepped out. “What are you guys doing?” Light spilled across his familiar face.

“Red,” I said in relief, stepping forward.

“There!” Broad Face swung a finger toward me, but not right at me. He squinted at nothingness. “Did you hear that?”

“I heard that!” Smells-a-Stink backed into the street between two parked cars. “I definitely heard that. You sure that is a mage and not a ghost?”

“Mages can do tricks like that,” Broad Face said, putting out his hands. “I’m pretty sure.”

“Red,” I said again, unraveling the spell as Broad Face moved somewhat in my direction with his arms waving in front of him.

“There!” Smells-a-Stink pointed at me. “It was a female, all right.”

Broad Face jerked and took a quick step away before getting his bearings and hop-stepping back into position. He looked me up and down with his shoulders back, squinting at me. “Didn’t think I’d catch you, did you? Well, I did. You filthy mages can’t get nothing past me. I knew you were there the whole time.”

“So did I,” Smells-a-Stink said, nodding adamantly.

“Sorry. I just wanted to talk with Red.” I pointed lamely, doing nothing to straighten out of my hunch. Invisibility had its perks.

Broad Face stepped between Red and me. “What business do you have here?”

“She’s a rat,” Smells-a-Stink said in disgust.

“Yeah.” Broad Face adjusted his belt. “A rat, and a filthy black magic mage. Ain’t that right? I heard all about what’s going down in Seattle. Well, let me tell you something…” He paused for effect.

“We’re not having it,” Smells-a-Stink said.

Broad Face’s jaw clenched as he tilted his head in irritation. Smells-a-Stink had clearly stolen his thunder.

I pulled my cardigan tighter and stepped to the side so I could see past him. “Red, please, I need help.”

A slim hand appeared on Broad Face’s arm. Red looked around him, his eyes roaming my hair and face.

“I know her,” Red said, stepping closer. The two other shifters calmed down marginally, but didn’t drop their tough-guy stances. “You’re staying with that mage couple in the Garden District?”

“Yes. Please.” I stepped closer to him. “I need to contact Reagan Somerset. You know her, right? Something happened at Darius Durant’s house, and—”

The two shifters stiffened and Red licked his lips nervously.

“What’s this, Red?” Broad Face asked. “You in league with the vampires now?”

Red shuffled closer before protectively (and awkwardly) slinging his arm around my shoulders. It didn’t seem like he was used to bodily contact, but I was grateful for the show of support.

“She doesn’t know anything about all that,” Red said, turning me toward the bar door.

Broad Face stepped into our path. “Now wait a minute. I got a few questions first.”

“Would you get out of the way?” Red waved him off. “Roger has an interest in this young lady. I’d hate to tell the Alpha of the North American Pack that you guys gave her a hard time when she came to us for help.”

Broad Face gave me a hard look before finally stepping aside. “Fine. But you better mind your manners, little mage, is that clear?”

Red shook his head in exasperation and ushered me toward the door, releasing my shoulders so he could open it for me.

“I’ll be watching,” Broad Face said as I stepped through.

“From where, outside the door?” Red mumbled to himself, filing in behind me.

Dim light greeted me, splashing across the bar and highlighting two guys at the far end having a drink. Another group was tucked behind a divider at the other side of the door. Soft music played in the background, weaving in and out of the murmuring of conversation. My hunch had held water—legally the bar was closed, but drinks were still being poured for magic people who were quiet.

Red tried to usher me to a seat at the bar, but I hesitated. “I just wondered if I could use your phone. I left mine behind. And maybe borrow a few dollars for a cab?”

“Yeah, sure. Do you want a drink?” Red offered, scooting in front of me. “It’s safe in here. I meant what I said about Roger. He knows you’re not part of the Guild. No one in their right mind would lay a finger on you in here.”

The murmuring died down as we approached the bar. The two guys sitting at the end of the wood counter turned my way. They looked to be in their forties, each of them nursing a bottle of beer. I could see the table behind the divider now, three guys and a couple of girls.

“What’s this, Red?” The bartender sauntered over and the light glinted off the ring in her nose. Tattoos ran down her arms and across her breastplate, dipping into her low V-neck shirt.

“That mage snuck up on us.” Broad Face had opened the door and stood dramatically in the frame. “She was invisible. Said she came from that elder vampire’s house.”

All murmuring stopped and a tense hostility clouded the air. Great.

“She was teamed with the Rogue Natural in Seattle,” Red said. “If you’re worried about it, call Roger. I’m sure he has nothing better to do than corroborate my story.”

“She was with the Rogue Natural?” one of the guys at the bar said, turning in his seat so he could see better. “I’ve heard all about the Rogue Natural. There’s no way she could keep up with him. Look at her.”

“This was literally the last place I would’ve thought he’d be mentioned,” I mumbled. “The last place.”

“She didn’t say nothing about the Rogue Natural,” Broad Face said, taking a step back.

“I hear that guy is the best there is.” Smells-a-Stink stepped into the doorway to replace his buddy. “He works alone, though. Everyone knows that.”

“Wait, was she the chick involved in that huge Guild takedown in Seattle?” someone from the table in the corner asked. “Because there was a chick in all that. The vampires own her...”

I was too mystified for a rebuttal.

Smells-a-Stink pushed in farther so he could look around the divider. “I don’t know about a chick, but I know about the Rogue Natural. He’s a real cowboy. A renegade. But he works alone. He’s stronger that way. I mean, rogue? What does that mean to you? Works well in groups?” He huffed incredulously.

“Honestly, I just need a phone,” I said. “A phone and cab money.”

“I thought about going rogue,” Smells-a-Stink continued, and I wasn’t sure who he was talking to at that point. “No bosses, no one bothering you—”

“Here.” The bartended handed over a cordless phone. “By the time anything gets through their thick heads, you’ll be frozen to death.” She pointed at the back of the bar. “The bathroom’s back there if you want to freshen up.” She eyed Red. “Or some alone time.”

“I’m just trying to help her out,” Red said, taking a step back and raising his hands. “She doesn’t know anything about this life. She grew up human. She’s out here getting trained by the dual-mage pair in the Garden District, but something went wrong with last night’s training and she’s been handed over to the vamps. Now look at her. Clearly something went wrong again.”

I blinked at him for a few seconds. He certainly knew a lot about my life. And if he did, the Guild certainly would.

Time to go.

I reached for my hip and my phone, but grasped empty air for the second time that night.