“So, let’s hear this plan.” Z spoke up just before biting into some sort of breakfast biscuit containing meat she couldn’tidentify.
“Do you have a cell phone?” Annaaskedhim.
“Actually, I have one for eachofyou.”
Jewel’s eye’s widened. “He’s letting us havephones?”
Sly shook his head. “The phones are from us. We figured if we got separated at any point, we’d need a way to contact eachother.”
“Ah,” Jewel said, looking as surprised as Anna felt. Sly and Z were a mystery. Working for an evil fae, but so far, not showing any real loyalty. She wondered what theiranglewas.
They both took the phones Z handed them. Anna immediately pulled up the internet and began searching for night-clubs near her. She took screenshots of the ones that looked promising, and then she did a search of occult and New Age shops. She took screenshots of those as well and then set her phone down so shecouldeat.
“We want to go to some night clubs that cater to a darker crowd and also some occult shops. A lot of those shops are run by self-styled witches. We know they aren’t, of course, but they might be open to gaining realpower.”
Both warlocks looked impressed. “So, when we go shopping we need to make sure and get you some club clothes,” Sly said, waggling his eyebrowsatthem.
“Remember we have werewolf mates,” Jewel said, smilingsweetly.
Both their smiles fell. “That totally takes the fun out of this,” Zgrumbled.
They finished their breakfast in relative silence, with the warlock twins occasionally making comments about what they hoped the clubs would be like. Anna was beginning to think they should figure out a way to go to the clubs without the Dukebrothers.
An hour and several cab rides later, both Anna and Jewel held a couple bags each of clothes, toiletry essentials, and necessities for the nightclubs, namely, make-up and fake piercings. The fake piercings had been Z’s idea, and his grin had been a little too devious for Anna’sliking.
They found another motel and rented a couple of rooms. They’d narrowed their options down to two clubs. However, if they found someone at the first location, then they would probably forego the secondplace.
“So, which one first?” Jewel asked Anna. “Pure Indulgence or TheSnakePit?”
“Indulgence,” answered Anna as she pulled on the black skirt she’d bought for the night’s activities. “The Snake Pitjust sounds …scary.”
“Wearemaking witches, here,” Jewel responded. “Maybe we needscary.”
“I’ll make nice witches, thank you very much. If Volcan wants scary witches, then he’ll have to make them himself.” Once Anna had pulled her skirt all the way on, she frowned at herself in the mirror. “I feel like this was longer in the store when I triediton.”
“It looks good,” Jewel said as she walked in a circle around Anna. “It’s a little short, but not … give-the-world-a-showshort.”
Jewel slipped on the dress she’d purchased. It was a deep green that complimented her red hair and clung to every curve. The material was incredibly soft to the touch. It had a plunging neck line with an Elizabethan collar that rose up in the back, framingherneck.
“Are you nervous?” Annaasked.
“Only because I know we are going to fail horribly and probably get murdered very painfully by a psychotic supernatural being. Statistics are not on our side. If I get into the math behind the likelihood of finding a girl that we can turn into a witch tonight without her thinking we are crazy, then, yes, I’m very nervous. Also, I feel like a weirdo going and searching for someone to turn into awitch.”
“Well, I’m pretty sure it puts us on the weirdo scale, and pretty high up there,” Annapointedout.
Once Anna had her top and shoes on, she spun in a slow circle for Jewel. “What do you think? Am I clubready?”
“Definitely,” Jewel said with a smile. “Really wish we were just going out as friends with no agenda. I never had friends to go dostuffwith.”
“I understand, Jewel. I didn’t have friends either. I was too busy trying to get through school, run my mom’s store, and make sure I had food in the refrigerator. I didn’t want anyone getting too close because I was worried they would find out how much my mom was gone and call social servicesonher.”
“I don’t think any of our group has had it easy. Maybe that’s why the Great Luna picked us. Maybe she needed healers who had endured hardship in order to understand those who might needourhelp.”
Anna nodded. “If that’s the reason, then I can live with it and not wish that I’d had something differentgrowingup.”
There was a knock on the motel door, and Anna blew out a big breath, puffing her cheeks. “You ready todothis?”
“Absolutely not,” Jewelanswered.
