Текст книги "Heart of Darkness"

Автор книги: Lauren Dane

сообщить о нарушении

Текущая страница: 7 (всего у книги 17 страниц)

All right. Will you hold me if I get scared?

Oh, that was me – Dominic

He paused, wondering if she laughed. Hoping she had as big a smile as he did.

Only if you try to touch my boob when you put your arm around me.

It was probably right then that he fell in love with her.

I think we both know that’s a given. I have a special relationship with your boobs.

He briefly considered asking her for a picture, but that was best left for when they were alone.

It wasn’t long before she wrote back. I miss you. Are you having fun?

Right then as he texted with her he was having more fun than he had the whole day.

I am now. Good dinner. I’ll bring you here when we visit. I miss you too. What are you up to?

He ordered another drink and waited for her to answer. Ray was talking about how gorgeous the beaches were in Maui in the background and Dominic imagined what it would be like to lay on the beach with her, alone and far away from the troubles of the world.

Spent the night at Nell’s last night and had so much fun I’m back again. We’ve ordered Chinese food, looked at lots of great vacation photos, going to watch a movie in a bit.

“Dom, we’re going to head out after this round.”

He looked up at his friends, all in various modes of getting ready to leave. Evan, the one who spoke, owned three businesses. A nightclub in Manhattan, a wine bar upstate and the upscale martini-cum-piano bar they were headed to.

He’d told Meriel a little about his first break into nightclub work because of his friend. Evan had been someone he’d looked to as an example of how to make a success of yourself. Evan, Ray, Dominic and Trey had gotten up to a lot of trouble together in their early twenties when Dominic had left Oregon and moved to L.A.

Trey was a witch too. Dominic discovered that when they’d been a little, um, light-fingered and they’d been able to break into a door with a quick flick of Trey’s fingers.

The four had sunk to various levels of lawlessness and one by one, they’d found a way out of the darkness. Evan first, when he bought a pub in Portland and nursed it back to life. He’d taken the profit from that sale and bought the first of his clubs on the East Coast.

It had been enough to convince Dominic that the path he was on was destined for jail. Or worse. Trey showed up on his doorstep, someone hot on his tail for some infraction or other and they’d said fuck it and went to New York.

Evan had hired them both. Trey went to business school and worked the bar at night and Dominic had learned to run a club.

Over three years he scrimped and saved and built up contacts and earned enough to buy the building he and Simon built Heart of Darkness in.

“Hang on a minute,” he said and then called her instead of texting.

“Hey, we’re getting ready to leave but I wanted to hear your voice.” The talk in the background silenced and Dominic knew they all eavesdropped.

“Why, hello there, Dominic.” He heard the smile in her voice. “It’s really nice to hear your voice. I suppose you look rather dapper just now.”

“Sweet witch, how did you know?” He did take a glance down at himself, flattered she’d noticed. And he happened to have a really nice suit on. He’d just picked it up the week before. He made a note to wear it when he took her out.

“See? You’re very charming.”

“Are you trying to convince me? I believe it.” He laughed. “You’re having a lovely time then? With your friend?”

“Yes, yes, I am. She and her husband would like us to have dinner this weekend. Or she says a lunch since you work at nights. William, that’s her husband, he’s selling half his interest in his club in Vegas and moving up here full-time. You’ll like him. He also has good taste in clothes.”

There was talking in the background and then Meriel laughed. That twinge of yearning at the sound startled him.

“Nell also says, you both have good taste in women.”

He wished he was there.

“I wish I was there with you right now.”

“You do say the best things. Makes my knees rubbery. Have fun with your friends and don’t let the maidens get too fresh or I’ll be forced to not only maim you, but perhaps make your nose five times larger and give you impotence.”

“You can’t do that!” He laughed, but he wasn’t too sure where she was concerned.

Her laugh made him smile even though he knew he’d be interrogated the moment he hung up.

“But you’ll always wonder now. My gift to you.”

“I’ll call you tomorrow. Any new developments in the Rhode Island situation?” He knew it was on the other side of the country from her. Knew it probably had nothing to do with her or threatened her just then. But he hated it anyway. Made him worry.

“Nothing I can talk about on the phone. But not much more than we already knew.”

“Well, regardless, take care of yourself. Keep an eye out.”

“I’m with Nell. She’s badass and will kick someone’s face to protect me. Oh! Food’s here and you have to go off and look handsome while I am here in sweats and a ratty T-shirt. Have something sufficiently glamorous in a glass for me.”

Next time he came back to New York it would be with her and he’d take her to the Met. She’d dress up, he knew after they’d gone to the opera. She’d had her hair done. Her cocktail dress was classic Calvin Klein beauty. It fit her. Clean lines to highlight her body. So beautiful. Regal.

He could probably shuffle his schedule and go home early.

“Sweet dreams, Dominic Bright. I miss you.”

“You too.”

He slipped the phone into his pocket, missing her more than he wanted to allow.

“Sweet witch?” Trey looked him over, one brow raised.

“I’m seeing someone. Seriously.”

“Come on, let’s go. You can pay for the cab and I’ll buy the next round,” Evan called out as they left the table. “You can tell us about this mystery woman on the way.”

Chapter 12

SHE did her work and cleared out by just a little after eight. Edwina showed up at nine exactly and she stayed until seven. So wedded to her schedule was she that Meriel was pretty sure she could avoid her mother for at least the next few days. Maybe the whole week if she played it right.

A court commissioner’s hearing, two land use committees, a strategy meeting with a few of the attorneys Meriel used for contract work when more came up than she could handle on her own, even a trip to DDES and she found herself free and heading back to her apartment by four thirty that afternoon.

Only, as she stood in the aisle of her favorite local grocery store, unease slithered through her. Someone was watching her. Broad daylight, the place filled with people and the edge of whatever danger lurked was still sharp.

Regular sight showed her nothing. No one out of the ordinary lurking around. No obvious signs of magick being used. Aside from general annoyance and traffic grump, there were no signs of extreme emotion from anyone in the immediate area.

She paid quickly and headed to her car. No one was following her that she could see. No one looked out of the ordinary. Everyone in the lot was human and posed her no threat at all.

And yet …

She used her othersight and still saw nothing but a slight smudge at the very corner of her eye. Her personal protection wards were intact and hadn’t risen to action so there was no direct magickal attack on her.

Her eyes told her everything was okay. Her magick told her everything was okay. But her gut didn’t agree.

She went home, not taking a direct route, watching to see if she was being followed, but she wasn’t as far as she could tell.

She locked the door and closed the wards and headed straight to the phone to call Nell.

“Nell, I need you to come by when you can,” Meriel said as Nell picked up.

“What is it?”

Meriel gave her a brief rundown. “It’s probably nothing. But my gut …” She shook her head. “It feels like it’s something. I used my othersight, there was nothing there. But it’s not that, it feels like I was blind to something. There was this thing at the very edge of my vision. Like a smudge. But I get headaches sometimes and that happens. I don’t know if I’m explaining this well enough. But your eyes will be better.”

“I’ll be over shortly.”

She needed to be busy so she began to prepare dinner and listened to her messages.

Uh-oh, one from her mother wanting to meet. She’d have to return that call when Edwina was sure to be out of the office.

More than her concern that Edwina would shove the ascension in her face, Meriel worried that her mother would make Dominic feel small. That she’d take his plusses and make them minuses.

She toyed with the idea of going to her father first. Her father did tend to run interference for their mother. He was softer, easier with people. He adored his wife and understood her in a way most everyone else couldn’t. Meriel thought it quite sweet.

On the day she graduated from law school, he’d taken her aside. “Your mother loves you and she’s proud of you. I think sometimes she’s just terrified of making herself vulnerable enough to say it the way you need to hear it.”

Edwina loved her, she knew it. They just had trouble getting along. But the foundation was of mother and daughter and Meriel trusted that part would carry them through the rough times.

The sound of Nell’s knock caught Meriel’s attention and she opened the wards as Nell unlocked the door with her key and came in.

“So there’s nothing on your car or in the garage. Gage went to the market; he says there’s some odd energy there, but he doesn’t recognize it.”

Nell interrogated her until Meriel felt like a total wuss and that she’d overreacted. She said as much.

“We all have magickal abilities. It’s what makes us witches. Your magick is intuitive in a way few others possess. If your gut told you to leave, pushed you to go, I have zero doubt there was a threat. It’s your internal alarm system and that’s why clan leaders stay alive. If it happens again, I want you to get the fuck out of there and call me immediately. Just what you did this time.”

“Stay for dinner. Call Gage too. There’s plenty.”

“Cripes, I hope this shit isn’t connected to that stuff on the East Coast.” Nell hopped up on the stool and accepted a slice of cheese Meriel offered. “I spoke with the Rodas hunter today and he was helpful. We’ve set up an account where we can input information. Sort of a magickal wiki page.” She snorted. “This could be something related to those mages. Maybe they’re scouting around and found you because you’re powerful. It’s not like it’s a really big secret who the next in line to run Owen is. But I don’t want to jump to conclusions. But what they’re facing is scary shit, Meriel. If that’s what we have, if these mages have sent out teams or scouts to track and stalk witches they’ll target to take and drain, we need to step it up. I’m adding some personnel to do some daily sweeps of the area around the building and the residences of all the full-council witches. We’ll start with that while we work out more info.”

Meriel’s phone rang and she looked at the screen. Dominic.

DOMINIC had been in a meeting with a group of boutique small-batch liquor companies when he’d come over feeling quite strange. A flash of energy shot up his spine and brought the hair on the back of his neck to stand.

He didn’t quite know what to think at first. He wondered if he was coming down with something or if perhaps the ahi he’d had for lunch might have been off. Nervousness brought his knee to bounce until he forced himself to stop.

As he sipped icy vodka served to him on a tray held by a rather ridiculously beautiful woman who leaned enough to give him a glimpse of her body to her belly button, he couldn’t relax enough to enjoy it. The pretty woman or the vodka.

It was as he’d been eating some delicious caviar that the flush he’d felt earlier moved to a full body, electric rush of heat and energy. Meriel’s magick. He could smell her on the air, a phantom of her citrusy perfume.

He held it together for another few minutes, thinking he was just imagining things, willing the presentation to wrap up so he could call her. But it went on and on until he finally held a hand up.

“If you’ll all excuse me for a few moments.”

“Is there a problem?” Evan looked him over.

“I need to check on something. Please do go on. I’ll return shortly.” He said this all as he was already propelling himself from the room, his phone clearing his pocket.

“Hello, Dominic.”

The smile she usually had in her voice when she said his name wasn’t there. Her cheer was slightly practiced. That’s when he knew something was wrong. That’d he’d felt it across the country was a punch in several ways.

Dr. Neil deGrasse Tyson once said that the best thing about science was that it was true whether you believed in it or not. The bond was there and to continue to deny it seemed totally pointless when he could not only feel her upset thousands of miles away but that he wanted to be with her.

“What’s wrong?”

“What do you mean? Are you all right?” Dominic heard talking in the background, a male voice and another female voice he recognized from Monday night, Nell.

“I’m sitting here in a meeting and I felt … weird. I hoped it would pass and it did for a while. But then it came back. This thing exploded in me. You. And for a second it was like I was with you, touching you. I could smell you, Meriel. Your magick is on my skin as if I’d just held you. What the fuck is going on?”

He fisted his free hand a few times to keep from shaking. He should be there with her right then.

“Nothing really, I don’t think. I’m sorry it interrupted your meeting. I should have thought to warn you that we could feel each other sometimes.”

He snorted. “Don’t be sorry. Tell me what’s happening.”

“You’re very bossy.”

“I am. Now, tell me.”

“I was at the grocery store and had a feeling. Just a feeling. Something wasn’t right. The energy of the place shifted and it was all wrong. I just needed to get out of there. I didn’t see anything. I came home and called Nell. You probably felt it because my magick rose in response to my fear. Really, I’m all right. Nell and Gage are on it. They couldn’t find anything either.”

He was leaving that night. Period.

“I’m coming back to Seattle.”

“Because of this? Oh why? Don’t do that. I’m fine. Really. Nell and Gage both are right here. I’m not a wuss, you know. I can kick butt when I need to. Take care of your job and see your friends.”

“I don’t want the entire country between us when you’re scared.” Having Nell there was one thing, but he wasn’t going to leave her protection up to anyone else. She was his and he’d protect her. Period.

“I’ll be getting in long after your bedtime so I’ll call you in the morning.”

“Are you even listening to me?”

“Of course I am. But listening is not the same as agreeing. I appreciate your concern for my business, but I’m coming back tonight. And that is that. Don’t open your door to anyone. If you get hurt, I will be pissed off.”

She sighed, but when she spoke again, the smile was in her words. “All right. Call me when you get in. Or … come to me. I’ll be here.”

Chapter 13

FIVE in the morning and she stood before him, light from the nearby fireplace on her skin. He should have gone home and called her at a decent hour but she’d told him to come to her, hadn’t she?

He came in and dropped his bags to the side before sweeping her into his arms. And he needed her so much it made him blind to everything but the weight of her against his body.

He struggled from his coat as she closed the wards and in a step he was on her again.

That sweet ass of hers in his hands, he picked her up and sat her on a nearby table. “Perfect height.” He drew a fingertip over the swell of her bottom lip, down her chin and the long line of her neck.

Her skin was warm and soft as he continued down the slice of creamy skin revealed at the front of her robe. Naked for him beneath the silk.

He halted at the belt, sliding his finger back and forth over her belly button.

“You’re not wearing anything under this.”

“Nothing but my skin.” Her mouth tipped up at the corner and he dipped his head to capture it.

“This is all I’ve thought about since the plane took off to go to New York on Sunday.” Just days before but it had felt like a week he’d been away.

“I’m sorry.” Her breath caught when he untied the belt and parted the silk, exposing her beauty to his gaze.

“Don’t be. Nothing anywhere near as good as this in New York.” He ran the backs of his knuckles across her nipples and watched as they tightened in response. He bent his head and kissed the curve of her shoulder and across her collarbone.

As he did that, her nimble fingers attacked his shirt buttons as she left a trail of kisses where she could reach on his shoulder, her hands sliding all over his chest and arms.

Heat seeped into him, need scorching his insides. She pushed him back just a little, enough to get his pants unbuttoned and unzipped.

“Now,” she said right before she scraped her teeth over his nipple and it shot straight to his cock.

She shoved his boxers down and grabbed him, pumping him a few times in her fist to underline just what it was she wanted.

“Hang on a sec,” he murmured as he bent to pull a condom from his pocket. But he paused to press a kiss to the seam at the back of her knee. The sound she made drove him crazy, a deep, hoarse moan.

Pushing her thighs wider, he kissed up her leg, licking along the seam where it met her body. Her grasp tightened, pulling his hair just this side of painful. He nipped the inner part of her thigh, pausing to breathe her in.

He pressed his palms against her hips to hold her just so, angle her so that he could taste every part of her. His thumbs spread all that beauty to his touch, to his mouth and his tongue.

She shivered delicately as he breathed against that hot, slick flesh. Her nails dug into his shoulder as she urged him on, the other hand still in his hair.

It seemed impossible for that elegant and ruthlessly controlled woman he knew to also be this wanton. This lush, sexy female so unabashedly taking her pleasure.

He drove her, knowing just what she needed, and it wasn’t too very long before she arched hard, her muscles tightening as she came.

“I hear Portishead when your mouth is on me,” she whispered, shivering as he brushed his lips against the heart of her before standing again and rolling a condom on.

He brushed the head of his cock against her and they both groaned at how good it felt. “Is this a good thing?”

He flexed his hips and pressed inside.

“Yes. Her voice is like sex. The lazy afternoon of fucking kind.”

“Yes, that is a compliment. And perhaps even a mandate.”

She laughed and he was so glad he’d come back.

And then he forgot about everything but the way it felt to be buried in her as deep as he could get. Wanting to come battled with his desire to never end this moment.

But she had plans, wrapping her legs around him and pulling him in deeper. She arched to sit more fully, her nipples sliding over his chest. Her nails dug into his shoulders.

But it wasn’t until she licked up the side of his neck to bite his ear, tugging and whispering, “More,” that the driving need to fuck her, to be in her as she wrapped around him took over.

He had to have her. He stood up straighter, adjusting her as he began to thrust just like she’d begged for. He swiveled his hips as he met her body and she gasped, her inner walls gripping him even tighter.

Harder and harder as the table thumped against her wall over and over. He pulled back a little and her eyes snapped open. “What? Why?” She writhed.

“The table—”

She pulled him with her calves. “Don’t stop.” She canted her hips up and he slid in deeper and gave over to it again.

This time he didn’t hold back and she held on, giving as good as she got. Something fell somewhere and it didn’t matter.

She was wet and hot when he worked a hand between them. She tightened around him. “You should give me another,” he suggested, lips against her throat.

A few side-to-side strokes of a fingertip and she was close. Which was good because he was going to blow any minute.

A stuttered gasp a few moments later as she writhed on him, making him see stars. “Holy shit.” He pressed in and fell over along with her.

He held her tight against him as they recovered. Her rapid, strong pulse against his lips at her neck reassured him. Soothed.

“Welcome home.”

He smiled against her.

HE put her down so carefully it made her ache just a bit. When he slid his hands all over her again, as if to assure himself she was real and unharmed, it warmed her from the inside out.

“Go back to bed.” He shuffled her toward her bedroom before ducking into the bathroom for a moment.

Back to bed. Such a funny man. She’d been awake for hours. Knowing he was on his way back to her had gotten her all keyed up. Eventually she’d given in and done some work while he got closer and closer.

She moved back out to the entry and pulled his bag out of the walkway.

It meant something that he’d come directly to her without even stopping at his place to change or drop his things off.

“If this is what I could see every day at sunrise, I might be amenable to waking up earlier.” He entered the room and she turned to take him in.

“What are those marks? The protective ones?”

He paused. “Marks?”

She moved to him and traced over a few on his torso and then the one around his nipple over his heart. “These. Is this some sort of scarification or something? I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I …” He took a deep breath and shook his head before kissing her forehead. “Back to bed. We can talk after you rest.”

“I’ve been up since three. I’m fine. You’re the one who just flew across the country.”

“I slept on the plane.”

“All right. Would you like some breakfast while you tell me about the marks?” She bent to grab the belt to her robe and tie it closed. Her skin still smelled of him. It pleased her.

“First things first. Are you all right? Any news since we spoke last?”

“Nothing really new.” She shrugged and gave in, moving to him to kiss across his back and the beautiful tattoo that marked it in shades of black and gray. “Why wings?”

“We’re still talking about you. Are there any guards on you or anything?” He brought her around his body and dropped to the couch, bringing her with him and settling her in his lap.

“No guards on me. This place is warded by not just me, but my father, who is all low-key and cheerful but he’s all about the mad warding skills.” She smiled just thinking about him. “They didn’t find anyone. I didn’t see anyone either. It was a feeling and yes, I think it means something but I don’t know what.”

“You don’t need to be physically present to scry.”

She sat straight up and crawled over him to grab the phone. It was six so Nell would be awake anyway.

“Scrying.”

“What? Hang on, I need to cross the street.” In the background there was noise enough to let Meriel know her friend was on a run.

“Okay, now what did you say?”

“Scrying. Dominic just brought it up. If someone was scrying, I would sense it but they wouldn’t be there for me to see. It might explain why I felt as if I were being examined.”

“It can be done with a blood payment so you don’t even need to be a witch to work it. That might be a clue. I’ll look into it. Comes in handy, does your man. He’s there now I take it?”

She looked at him for a moment, so relieved to have him with her. “Yes. I’m taking a personal day today, just FYI. You know, just in case she asks about me.”

“She’s going to notice sooner or later. You should call her, just to tell her you’re away. If I was trying to duck my mother, that’s what I’d do.”

“I did yesterday. Left a message on her voice mail to fill her in on a few committees and to say I had a busy week ahead and that’d I’d be in touch later.”

“You’re better now? That he’s come to you?” Nell’s voice lost its teasing tone.

Meriel turned to look at this shirtless man who had her snug in his lap just like he wanted. “Yes to both.”

“Are you gossiping about me?” His smile was oh so very wicked.

“I did all the really juicy stuff already. She says you’re handy and we’re going to look into the scrying angle.” She turned her attention back to Nell. “I’m going to call down to research to see what I can find out.”

“Better you than me. It’s creepy down there.”

“You’re like a ninja. How can you be scared of them? They’re all very nice.”

Research was really the office of the institutional memory of the clan. Four witches representing the four directions and the four elements of magick. Two of them were siblings, Sheila and Gia Kelly and one was Sheila’s husband, the last, their son, Carl. They knew what always appeared to Meriel as everything. They had great records, were computer savvy and had great connections to all the best libraries in the world.

“Gia Kelly is one of those witches who probably does know how to turn you into a frog. Plus it smells like dust and old stuff down there.”

Meriel laughed. “She probably does. Anyway, when I hang up with you, I’m on it.”

“I’m going to have to tell your mother about yesterday’s incident.”

She nearly growled, scrambling to sit upright. “What? Why? Nell, don’t.”

“I have to, Meriel. She’s the leader of the clan! This is no small thing. Maybe if I could totally say I didn’t think what happened was part of this mage thing, I could let it go. But I do think it’s connected. Right down to my toes. She’s going to want to be kept apprised. I’ve tried to work out ways not to tell her, but I don’t think you can get around it.”

She wished she could explain it so it sounded sane and not petulant.

So she sighed. “Fine. Do your report. I have to go and make this call.”

“Don’t be pissed off, Meriel. You know I don’t have a choice. This is something she should know. And it only grants weight to your theory that we’re all under attack in some way. They may have already targeted you. You’re like the gold mine of witches to drain. All that power. No, I have to do it.”

“I understand and I’m not pissed.”

“I’ve known you since before you got your period. You are so pissed. Don’t even try to lie. I’m pregnant and hormonal and if you’re upset, it’s only going to make me feel bad and I’ll still have to report this.”

“I’m not pissed. Also, I think you need to save that one up as an excuse or it’s going to get old fast. Be more strategic.” She tried to stand, needing to move away from him to have this kind of talk with Nell. But he held her in place and when she shot him a look he only responded with a raised brow.

She rolled her eyes.

“I just don’t want to deal with her. That’s all. Go on and be careful. Call me later.”

“William’s returning tonight. Ask if he’s free to have dinner with us on Saturday.”

“Yes.” Dominic’s voice rumbled through his chest.

“Eavesdropper!”

He laughed. “Of course.”

Nell laughed as well. “Fine. Meet us at Dahlia Lounge at eight thirty. I’ll see you two then.” Nell hung up before Meriel could argue any more.

Meriel held up a finger to keep him silent as she dialed up the number for the research office and told them what she needed. Sheila promised some answers within the hour and said she’d email them.

“One last call.” She rapped his wandering fingers with her phone before dialing the office and telling her secretary, ever punctual and at her desk by seven a.m., she was taking a few personal days, but should Edwina ask, she was to assure her that Meriel had taken care of anything pressing and would return to work on Monday. Kelly, bless her heart, repeated it back twice. Both times with an are you sure you mean Monday lilt.

And Meriel had repeated that yes, she meant Monday and that she hadn’t had a vacation of longer than a day or two in three years. Which suitably calmed Kelly down and all was well again.

“Don’t know why it’s such a big deal. I have so much unused vacation time they get on me about it.”

“That’s because anyone who takes a look at you wants to get on you.” He paused to allow her to kiss his nose. “And as to your earlier question about the marks. They’re protective magick. Tom did them when I was a baby and a toddler. He says they keep me out of trouble. Like personal wards I guess.”

She smiled. “Really?” She spun to straddle his waist and look more closely. “These are gorgeous. It must be the magickal energy that makes them visible.”

“They’re not visible.”

Surprised, she looked into his face. “What do you mean?”

“I can see them. Not all the time, but most of it. Tom can see them because he made them. But no one else I’ve ever known has been able to see them.”

“And how do you feel about it? That I can see them when others haven’t been able to?” Nervousness ate at her.

“It’s just one more example in a long line of examples. I may not be used to it, or entirely comfortable with the idea of this bond-mate thing being out of my control. But I can’t deny that it’s real. I may not understand it all. I may not have grown up expecting it. But how can I ignore each new thing that comes up? I’m outclan, not stupid.”

She tried to hide a smile but couldn’t and he laughed. “It’s destiny. I don’t think destiny cares much about your personal preferences.”

“Simon said something similar and my friend Trey, also a witch, said I should stop whining and rejoice that you were gorgeous, talented and clearly too good for me.”

So charming, this man. “You told your friends in New York about me?”

“They could tell you were someone special by the way I acted when you texted. And then when I rushed out yesterday. Of course I told them.”

“I’m sorry I disrupted your work.” But not sorry he was there with her.

“You needed me. I came.” He shrugged and managed to look adorable, mussed and sweet all at the same time.

“How did anyone manage to tell you no growing up?”

“Believe me, people found a way. What’s your plan for today?”

“I just took it off to be with you.”

“You and I are going to the firing range. Then I’m taking you to lunch somewhere and there’ll be more sex of course.”

“The range? To shoot guns?”

“Here’s how I think it should go. You’ve taught me a lot about my magick. I appreciate it and hope you continue to do so. In exchange, I want to help make you safer in the ways I can. Are you already an Olympic sharpshooter or anything?”