Luka nodded. “My fiancée and our …dinner companions… are traveling to New York and looking for amagicalplace to stay overnight.”
Why couldn’t we just fly to New York like normal people? I didn’t know, but she didn’t seem bothered enough to question it.
“Four people, that’s a four hundred dollar entrance fee.” She rang up something on her register and then held out a credit card chip reader to him.
A hundred dollars just to enter the magic city? Wow.
Luka pulled out his credit card, not missing a beat, and swiped it. It beeped, printing out a receipt, and she handed it to Luka. The fey then pointed to the door that led back to the kitchen.
Holy crap, we’d actually found the entrance to another magic city. I didn’t know whether to be scared or excited.
Luka gave the fey a curt nod, then we all stepped over to the kitchen door markedPrivate.Luka pushed it open and we stepped inside, but it wasn’t the kitchen at all, it was a hallway. The kitchen was smaller than it appeared, which left room for this extra space.
At the end of the hallway there was a—I inhaled through my nose—witch, sitting on a stool in front of another nondescript door. She looked young, like us, early twenties, and wore skinny jeans with a black lace top. Her arms were covered in sleeves of skull and rose tattoos, and her hair was dyed cotton candy pink and pulled into a top knot.
She looked up as we approached and her nostrils flared. I’d learned two things already. In this magical world, the fey and witches were working together.
“Hello, darlings.” She reached out a hand for the receipt Luka held.
“Good evening.” Luka bowed formally to her and handed her the paper.
She snort-laughed, taking the paper from him and glancing down at it.
She brushed her hand over the knob of the door and it glowed with a golden fire. “Welcome to Night City. Have fun.” She winked.
Night City? I took mental note of that so we could write it down later and start to map all of this out. Luka opened the door handle and pushed it wide. Stepping inside, I followed him, making sure Liv and Ruby were right behind us, and realized we were in a dark, stone hallway.
“Let’s keep moving.” Luka’s voice sounded strained. I knew he didn’t like going somewhere that he didn’t know everything about, and to be honest I was a bit worried too. We walked quietly down the stone hallway and I stared at the dimly lit wall torches that didn’t look like real fire. They glowed a sickly green.
Magic?
There were noises up ahead and we picked up the pace. I could see blurs of people passing under a streetlight. Luka blocked my view momentarily before stepping out into a bustling street. I was next, nearly running into his back because he had stopped so abruptly, staring at something.
“What?” I asked, and then fell silent when I saw the fey woman walking down the street with a large dog attached to a collar and leash.
‘That’s not a dog,’ Luka’s sickened voice came through our bond.
Oh.
Oh crap. It was a werewolf. We were in a world where werewolves were second class citizens. Demi was not going to like hearing about that.
We were on a small side street bustling with shops. I skimmed the signs that hung above the doors.Regina’s Crystal Shop, Devil’s Brewery, Dragontails Book Stop, Bloody Valentine Candy Shop.
Luka pointed to Bloody Valentine and started walking in that direction. Seemed vampy. Might be our best shot.
“Bloody Valentine Candy Shop?” I muttered to Liv. “Someone needs to work on their marketing.” She snickered.
I wasn’t paying attention when I turned back, so I slammed right into the chest of some girl.
“Ohhfh,” I yelped as she crashed against me.
I pulled back and was met with the terrified gaze of a redheaded female troll.
“Madam.” She fell to my feet, touching my toes with her fingers. “Forgive me. I wasn’t watching where I was going.” Her voice broke; she sounded on the verge of a sob.
I froze, confused.
People stopped what they were doing and took notice of the scene.
