Page 18 of Midnight Auto Parts

“Have you considered a career in law enforcement?” He took another step closer. “We’re always looking for potential to nurture, and you’ve proven you’ve got what it takes to be one of the 514.” His whole vibe, a paternal pride almost, didn’t do him any favors when I was touchier than ever about my parentage. “You don’t have a history of working in law enforcement, which lends you a unique perspective.” He snapped his fingers like he had only just thought of it. “We could partner you and Carter. Permanently. She could keep you safe on the job, freeing you up to use your other…skills.”

And there it was, the other shoe dropping. Natural investigative talent my foot.

“I appreciate you allowing your officers to assist me in my endeavors where they overlapped with yours, but I have a job.” Two of them, if you wanted to get technical. “I enjoy spending time with my family and our friends, Talbots are big on that, so I don’t have time to take on more work.”

“You don’t have to answer today.” He held up his hands, palms out. “Take all the time you need.”

A stinging pain nipped down my spine like angry ants marching, and whispers rose on my periphery.

Surges in my abilities were fewer and further between now, probably because I had locked myself down so tight, but the faint voices reminded me the veil grew thin when I lost my temper.

“Frankie said no.” Kierce crackled with energy behind me. “That’s her answer.”

“There’s no need for shows of force.” Leer backed up to the patrol car. “I’ll give her space.”

Without another word, Kierce stretched an arm around my shoulders, turning from Leer, and guided me to the wagon. He opened the passenger side door, sat me on the front seat, then knelt before me. He rested his palms on my knees, the heat of his skin warming me through the fabric of my pants, thawing the cold brush of the grave against my senses.

“You must learn to mute the spirits,” he cautioned me, his touch gentle, “or they will overwhelm you.”

“It will only get worse?” I had suspected that for a while. “Until I’m like you?”

“Signs point to that, yes.” He gave me a moment to process. “I can subdue the voices, for the most part, as long as I haven’t been injured or expended too much energy.” His eyes gleamed silver and bottomless for a heartbeat, reminding me how I once set a circle around him to quiet the spirits when he was too weak to block them out himself, before his gaze dimmed to its usual misty gray. “You’re so much more powerful than I am. You can do this.”

More powerful than Kierce? I swallowed to wet my dry throat. No. He must be mistaken. Or he could be, I don’t know, flattering me. Maybe he was alluding to inner strength. Determination? Resolve? Courage?

Any of those sounded like a better alternative than having more potential, therefore more problems, dumped in my lap.

“Walk me through it.” Setting those worries aside, I placed my hands over the tops of his. “Explain it to me.”

“There’s a simple spell I can teach you that will shield your mind until you learn how to use your new powers. It’s a temporary fix, and I can’t guarantee how long it will work. Eventually, you must listen to the voices long enough to learn what they want from you. Only then can you decide on a permanent solution that will appease them.”

“A quick fix suits me fine.” I ignored the susurration on the edge of my hearing. “How does this work?”

“Draw this rune in your blood on your skin.” He traced it over the top of my thigh. “I’ll guide you through the hymn to activate it after you’re done. This binding will dull your senses, but only on the spirit plane.” A flicker of concern brightened his eyes. “Use it when you feel an episode coming on, but you must wipe it off as soon as you’re certain you no longer need it.”

A hymn. Not a chant. Not a spell. Ahymn.

Welcome to life as a demigoddess, Frankie.

The uptick of his concern caused mine to spike too. “What happens if I forget?”

“The magic will sink into your veins, and your powers will diminish. Over time, they might disappear.”

“All of them?” I recoiled from his touch. “Everything?Even the ones I’ve always had?”

“They’re a part of you, every one of them, like the color of your hair or your eyes.”

Shock from discovering the side effect of his cure spooked away the voices, for now, and I drew in a deep breath.

“It’s over.” I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his shoulder. “I’ll think on what you told me for next time.” The glimmer of hope that the episodes would end after fulfillingmy destiny—to kick the bucket in spectacular fashion—faded to nothing. “There’s no such thing as an easy fix, huh?”

“Not in my experience.” He buried his face in my hair. “What should we do about Leer?”

We.I liked being part of awe. It was nice. Very nice.We.

“Hmm.” A wicked smile curled my lips. “Are you offering to sky barbeque him for me?”

“You prefer to mete out your own justice.” He edged perilously close to rolling his eyes. Definitely a Josie habit. “Will you still work this case, even with Leer supervising?”

---