“Stop by Bells and Whistles and you can get a SIM card that will work here. If you need to contact anyone out of town, you’ll have to use the phone up at the library or town hall,” I explain. “As for getting lost on your way into town, your dampener probably confused the wards.”
His blonde brows pull together. “My what?”
“Your dampener,” I repeat. When he still looks confused, I continue, “Your amulet.” I nod at his chest. “It’s one of the strongest dampening spells I’ve ever encountered. I could barely feel your magical signature until we touched. The amulet probably confused the wards enough on your way into town that they registered you as human, activating the shielding and repelling spells woven in.”
“My magical what? Wards?”
“Yeah, wards. You know, because we’re a sanctuary town?” Now we’re both frowning. “You knew that before you took the job here, right?” I ask, concerned. Surely The Chronicle made it clear in its job ad, or at the very least in the interview, that Crystal Lake is a sanctuary town. But the blanched look of Jared’s previously lightly tanned skin suggests otherwise. If he’s lived among humans for a long time, I suppose suddenly finding himself in a sanctuary town could be a little intimidating.What if he wants to leave? I shake off the worry. I’m sure the freedom to use his abilities without fear of discovery will help him adjust to sanctuary living soon enough.
“A sanctuary? I knew there was something going on here, but I never imagined…” he trails off, looking unsteady.
“Do you want to sit down?” I ask, glancing over at the chaise by the curtained-off changing area. “I can brew some tea and answer any questions you may have. I promise it’s not so bad here. In fact, most supernaturals think life here and in other sanctuary towns is much more inclusive—especially for demons like yourself or witches like me with a less ‘acceptable’ gift.”
“Did you just call me a—wait, you’re a… witch?” Yikes. Golden Boy’s not looking so hot—he’s gone from pale to green, and I don’t think that’s his demon form slipping out. “An actual witch with magic? Not just one of those people who believes in the healing powers of crystals or whatever?”
I snort. “I think you’ll find most of those people are actual witches—crystals can be extremely useful tools when practicing magic—but yes. Of course I’m a real witch.” What else would I be? Truthfully I’m surprised he can’t tell—most supes can sense each other to some degree. Maybe the amulet is interfering with that too? I really want to get a closer look at that thing to examine the spells on it, but that’s hardly appropriate for a first meeting. Even if we are mates. Wait, is that why he’s freaked out I’m a witch? A small but vocal number of supesoutside sanctuary towns don’t approve of dating outside your species—it comes from the old days when there were concerns about hybrids but now we know those are extremely rare, most children from a union of more than one species of supe will take after one parent over the other.
“No.” Jared shakes his head, gaze darting around the shop. “This is a joke, right? Some kind of initiation for the paper?”
“I don’t know what you mean,” I admit, tracking the way his attention still ping-pongs around the shop.
“This.” Jared waves a hand between us, looking frantic, the leather strap of his satchel slipping from his shoulder. “This can’t be real. I can’t be a… a…demon.”
Wait a minute. Does he not know? How in the name of the stars is that possible?
The bell dings over the door behind him, and two things happen. First, Eve and her gargoyle friend Michael enter the shop. Second, Jared takes one look at them and drops like a… well, like a stone.
JARED
I’m lying on something cold and hard—the ground. Why am I on the floor? This can’t be happening again. I can’t be back there. I?—
“Stop fussing, he’s fine,” a youngish-sounding female grumbles. What? That’s not right. There wasn’t a girl there when he took me. And is there somethingsoftunder my head?
“Easy for you to say. You didn’t smack someone who thought they were a human over the head with the big supernatural secret so hard they fainted.” A woman’s voice. One I recognise.Selene,something in me whispers. Yes, the equally beautiful and strange salesperson.
The girl giggles. “That was probably Michael’s fault.”
“Hey,” Michael, presumably, objects. Sounds like he’s a teenage boy. “That’s not fair.”
“Maybe not, but it’s the truth. If one of us is going to make a human faint on-sight alone, it’s going to be you even though I’m way scarier.”
“Since when do you know anything about humans?”
“Since I actually spend time in the library where we can access their version of the internet,” the girl replies with enough sass that I can practically hear her eye roll.
“Will you two please take your bickering somewhere else. He’ll wake up soon, and the last thing we need to do is frighten him any more than we already have.”
They grumble, but two sets of footsteps shuffle away. I dare to open my eyes only to find myself face-to-face with the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.
“Oh, you’re awake.” She leans back, and I realise she’s kneeling on the floor next to me. “How do you feel?”
“Confused.” Slowly, I sit up, then lightly press my fingertips to the tenderness at the back of my head.
“You knocked into the shelving before anyone could catch you. I’m sorry.”
“That’s OK.” I tear my eyes away from her to confirm what I already suspected, and they land on a midnight purple cushion. “Thanks for that.”
Selene bites a deep-red painted lip. “Seemed like the least I could do considering. Do you um, do you remember what we were talking about?”
