His hand touched the back of my neck. I whirled only to be met with thin air. Again.
I touched my neck. The warmth of his hand lingered.
“Do you want this package delivered or not?”
“Why wouldn’t Jerry send someone else?” the voice abruptly asked.
I wasn’t ready for the question and took a moment to answer.
The voice sighed. “Nobody else wanted the job, I bet.”
I don’t know what made me offer up the excuse Jerry had given me. “He said everyone else was already out on assignment.”
He could make of that what he would.
“The message needs to be delivered by midnight. Denise has the location and item. See her on your way out.”
I blinked. Guess that meant I’d gotten the job. I turned to go.
“It is absolutely vital the message be delivered by midnight. If you fail to meet the terms of the contract, your punishment will be to act as my familiar for fifty years.”
I sucked in a breath. That was a very long time.
“I trust that won’t be a problem.”
I could feel the voice smirking.
Too late to turn back now.
I smiled. “No, of course not.”
I wouldn’t let it be a problem. The only way that clause kicked in was if I failed in my assignment. I just needed to ensure I didn’t fail.
“I hope not. Let me be clear. If you fail, I will make your next fifty years feel like the worst pits of hell.”
“Guess there’s not a moment to lose then.”
I strode out of the room. I’d make that delivery on time even if it killed me. My next fifty years were riding on it.
*
Denise’s directions led me to a bar on High Street just north of Clintonville. It was a small hole in the wall called Lou’s Bar and had been around since anybody could remember. I must have passed it a hundred times over the years, always with the intention of returning sometime to get a drink when I had a spare moment. I never did and now I had to wonder if that was because of the very cleverly hidden ‘keep away’ charm I could feel even from where I was parked a block away.
Werewolves. And from the noise coming out of the place, I’d guess there were a lot of them.
I looked at the address one last time. I was in the right place. According to my directions, I needed to get to the office in the back of the establishment. That’s where I’d find one Franklin Wade. He was the one I needed to sign for the package.
What could a sorcerer want with a bunch of werewolves? As far as I knew, there were no special ties between the two sects. Werewolves tended to keep away from outsiders. They preferred the company of their pack. I’d only met a couple of lone wolves in passing. Jerry employed one, but the wolf kept mostly to himself so I’d never been able to get any good intel.
No use standing around debating the possible connection. There was still a half hour before the deadline, but I wanted this done and over with.
I stepped out of the car and turned the key in the lock. The car was old and lacked some of the modern conveniences of a car made in the last decade, such as manual locks. I wasn’t taking any chances with Cherry.
Putting my hands in my pocket, I strode up to the bar. Two men stepped in front of me before I could get in the door.
“Private party,” the bigger of the two said.
They were both mammoth size, towering over me by nearly a foot. I wasn’t a small woman, standing at five feet seven inches, but these guys made me feel downright tiny by comparison. They were about two of me wide.
