Page 13 of Relics of the Wolf

“Ifelt amorous.” Duncan smiled.

“Which is no doubt why I woke up with your hand on my boob,” I muttered.

Rue squinted at me. “You arecertainyou did not notice his lack of genital warts?”

My cheeks heated. Duncan’s smile only widened.

“This is the guy.” Eager to change the subject, I held my phone out to her, the video pulled up again. “He took something important that my intern was bringing to me.”

Rue watched the footage. “Your intern is lucky this man didn’t take his life.”

“I know.”

“I recognize him.”

I leaned forward. That I hadn’t expected. “You do?”

“Yes. Assuming he found an alchemist willing to make such a foul elixir for him, he likely imbibes a Tiger Blood potion regularly. It is one of the most potent strength enhancers that we can make, but the ingredients are dangerous to acquire. And immoral, some say. I refused to make it for him, even when he, and the others with him, brought the vials of tiger blood and freshly harvested human livers that are required. I am not squeamish about extracts of ox bile and dried porcine organs, but I must draw the line at certain ingredients.”

“Did you sayhumanlivers?” I stared.

“Those from fertile females, yes. They are high in iron and other minerals that are required for the strength-enhancing potion, and they have the aura of the recently sacrificed.”

I drew back, horrified. Women had todiefor this elixir to be crafted? Die and have their livers harvested?

“I do have the formula in a very dark grimoire, but, as I said, I would not make an elixir requiring such ingredients. I told them so. They sought to force me to do their bidding, but that was not wise.” Rue’s eyelids drooped. She had to be close to seventy and weigh a hundred pounds, if that, but somehow I didn’t doubt that she’d threatened the men convincingly.

“So, they found someone else willing to make the elixir?” Duncan asked.

“Based on that one’s strength, it appears so.” Rue waved to the phone. “Other powers granted by the Tiger Blood potion are a strong immune system, regeneration equal to or even greater than that of a werewolf, and the ability to see apparitions, though some consider that a side effect rather than a desired attribute. Other deleterious effects of the potion are an upset stomach, the runs, shortened lifespan, infertility, and a propensity to develop toenail fungus.”

“People find that trade-off worth it?” I wondered.

“Some do. Often it is theemployersof such persons who do. In this case, I believe the men knew about the side effects of what they requested, but it is possible they’d had enough that it didn’t matter. The Tiger Blood potion is, like so many elixirs, addictive. You are fortunate that the werewolf sublimation elixir is not. Especially since you do not seem to have taken it.” Rue’s eyebrows rose.

“Not yet. My life has grown dangerous of late, and I thought I might need my heritage.” Ihadneeded it to survive my cousin’s attempts on my life.

“I am relieved it was not a failing on my part that caused the elixir to be ineffective. It is always displeasing to the ego to fail in one’s career.”

“And to have to refund the money one charged to one’s client?” Duncan asked dryly.

“Quite. The expenses of living in the city are great, especially since the landlord of this facility chargesmefor the cost of painting over the graffiti that the ignorant denizens leave on my door. Twice, he’s had to replace the door altogether. Why he does not chargethemfor the vandalism, I do not know. I have provided him security-camera footage of the cowards leaving their marks.”

“Maybe you should try Shoreline,” I suggested. “We have a vacancy. My alchemist moved out, and she had a quiet spot in the back of the complex.”

Duncan smirked. Amused that I had turned into a leasing agent during our foray into Seattle? It wasn’t as if my property-management gig had set hours. Besides, I was responsible for keeping the units at Sylvan Serenity rented.

“The denizens up there are too busy going to work and making a living to notice witchiness going on in the buildings,” I added. “Though you might need to cut back on the incense.” I didn’t recall that Beatrice’s apartment had ever smelled from the outside. Inside was another matter, but she probably hadn’t invited the neighbors over for coffee that often.

Rue gazed at me. “Whatdidhappen to Beatrice? Mr. Calderwood assured me that you were not responsible for her disappearance.”

“Not directly, I wasn’t, but I eventually learned that my niece scared her into leaving the apartment. Apparently, she knew of the danger that would find me and didn’t want me to be able to get more potions.”

“Scared her into leaving? And this is the apartment you believe I should move to?”

“I’m just mentioning it as an option. Besides, I doubt you’d be scared away by a mid-twenties werewolf with a perky ponytail.” If the blond thug and a bunch of his buddies hadn’t fazed Rue, there was no way my niece would, not even if she changed into a wolf on the doorstep and showed off her fangs. Rue would probably grab a rolled-up newspaper and bop her on the snout.

“I will keep it in mind. I do enjoy the conveniences of the city, but the tenants in this facility are foolish and tedious.”

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