Page 20 of Curses & Cold Brew
A loud, grating sound tore Lulu’s attention away. Iris had appeared practically out of thin air, her arms crossed and a look of disgust on her face.
“Hey, Iris,” Lulu said in greeting then turned back to me. “We can talk later. When you’re free.”
“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Lulu,” Iris answered in my place. “Ramona is very busy at the moment and won’t be free anytime soon. But how about you, Jordyn, and me have a girls’ night? Nothing a night out at The Bloody Mary can’t fix, right?”
What in the actual fuck was going on? Was she marking her territory? Or was she just trying to see how far she could push a demon into a crisis?
“Really?” Lulu beamed at the meddlesome witch. “That would be wonderful, actually. You have no idea how lonely it can get at the salon.”
“Come by the apothecary when you get off today,” Iris said. “We’ll make a plan.”
Getting the clue that she’d been dismissed, Lulu smiled and bounced away . . . taking her as yet unclaimed soul with her.
“What was that about?” I snarled as soon as Lulu was out of earshot. “Are you trying to steal my catch?”
How the hell had Iris caught up to me so quickly? Were there magic portals in the alleys I didn’t know about?
“Were you really going to let her sell her soul to you?” Iris whispered, irate. “In broad daylight? In front oftourists?”
“So, which part are you protesting, then?”
“What?”
“Are you mad that I was making a deal? That it was in broad daylight?Orare you mad that it was in front of tourists?”
“D. All of the above.”
“Seven Hells,” I muttered. “This is my literal job. ‘Always be closing.’ Did you think I only did deals in the dead of night, under a full moon?”
“Lulu is one of the sweetest people in town. And whatever the nymph needs, she can get on her own.”
I wanted to clarify that Lulu was mostly werewolf and onlypartiallynymph, but there was a more pressing matter at hand. “You interfered with my job, little witch. You better have a really good reason because I don’t take kindly to people getting in the way of a fresh soul.”
Her cheeks lit with a pink hue that spread to her neck. “We have a bigger job to do,” Iris said, and I very much noted her liberal use of the word “we.” “If you bartered for her soul, who’s to say it wouldn’t have been stolen out from under you like the others?”
My shoulders fell.
As much as I hated to admit it, she was right. Every soul waiting for collection would be in danger of being snatched away from me if I—we—didn’t find out who was behind the thefts.
“Alright, then. Let’s go, but you have to stay behind me. And don’t say a single word. The last thing I need is you beingmouthy and the demonic council deciding to take out their frustrations with you on me.”
She made a gesture as if sealing her lips.
“Insufferable.”
“You love it,” she crooned, and my insides clenched.
“Yeah, I love little witches chasing my coattails and wanting to play detective. Delightful.” I walked briskly in the direction of the council building. “Cost me another deal and you’ll owe me more than just a date.”
11
IRIS
I’d spent the better part of two days chasing after Ramona on this harebrained adventure, but even so, a little thrill filled me at the thought of actually seeing the demonic council. Getting a ticket to the inner sanctum was definitely above my pay grade as an apothecary witch. Had any witch ever stepped foot inside the place? Surely, I would’ve heard about it if someone had. I had been fully expecting Ramona to shut my request down when I’d scared off Lulu, but she’d crumbled relatively quickly for a stubborn demon.
Maybe I was finally working my charms on her? Witchful thinking. “Witchful Thinking” also happened to be the name of the local Maple Hollow therapist’s office.
The way Ramona’s eyes had flared bright with opportunity while she’d been talking to Lulu . . . I shuddered as I hastened to keep up with the long-legged temptress in front of me. Demons could feel the slightest sin bubbling under the surface. I couldn’t help but wonder what sins Ramona sensed bubbling under mine.
