“You’re an idiot.”
I grinned, not taking the words to heart. She’d called me an idiot nearly every time I did a job for her. I’d long since learned it was a term of affection.
Dahlia was a tall woman with almond shaped eyes and stick straight hair the color of the shadows she stared into. The mass fell in a sheet to the middle of her back. Her skin was a dusky gold that always made her look sun kissed. She was blessed with good bone structure, all graceful lines and delicate details. That delicacy was a lie though, I’ve seen her pick a man up and throw him out of her bar. Literally throw him out. I think he sailed six feet.
She was my first client after Hermes hired me and my favorite.
“You got my stuff?”
Of course I had her stuff. “Would I be here if I didn’t?”
“Guess not.”
I pulled my messenger bag around and dug through it until I found a parcel wrapped in brown paper and tied with twine.
She took the package and untied it, revealing several packets and what looked like dried up sticks. The smell told me they were spices, though none seemed familiar. I delivered this same package once a month, and it was always the same type of stuff.
“It’s all here.” She selected a stick and held it out to me. “Would you like one?”
This was the first time she’d offered me anything from the package.
“What is it?”
Her loose shirt slid to the side to bare the delicate bones of her collar bone and shoulder. She shrugged gracefully. “Try it and find out.”
I shook my head and pulled my phone out of my bag, tapping on it to get to the appropriate screen. When I had her job pulled up, I held it out to her.
“Thanks, but I think I’ll pass.”
Her lips tilted in a sly smile as she pressed her thumb to the screen. It lit up green, showing that the package had been delivered on time.
“Maybe next time, then.”
Not if I could help it. I’ve learned accepting strange gifts had a habit of coming back and biting me in the ass.
I took the phone and tucked it in my bag.
“Anything new?” I asked.
Dahlia’s bar saw a lot of traffic of the supes who lived in the area. She heard all kinds of things and for whatever reason she was sometimes willing to share that information with me.
“Lots of things are happening.” She slid me a glance. “Things like the selection.”
I shifted uncomfortably. I got the feeling Liam and Thomas would prefer the rest of the supernatural community be kept in the dark about the selection and since I was technically employed by them, I couldn’t talk about anything relating to the job.
“Don’t worry, little vampire.” She smiled at me. “I won’t pry.”
I gave her a small smile. For all that she was a client, I considered Dahlia a sort of friend. Or at least a friendly acquaintance. I didn’t want to ruin that because of the bossy duo.
“I’ve been hearing things,” she said, her face turning serious. “Things that, if true, are disturbing.”
I held my silence, letting her work through whatever internal dialogue was going on in her head. She’d share or she wouldn’t. Sometimes she’d start speaking and then just trail off, staring into the dark. No amount of pushing or prodding could make her talk again. I’ve learned that patience and silence work better to get her started again.
She puffed on her cigarette, staring into the dark while the smoke drifted into shapes.
Just when I thought this would be one of those times she disappeared into her own world, she said, “It might be better for you to see it yourself. I may be seeing things that aren’t there.”
I waited a beat. “Ok. Is there something you want to show me?”
