Page 33 of Bewitched By the Djinn
Bennet moves to a nearby bench, sitting with his back straight, scanning the park. He’s close enough that our bond doesn’t stretch to that weird, uncomfortable pull.
He takes in the park, and I scan our surroundings with him. A family plays in the grass, a little boy shrieking as his dad swings him into the air. A woman jogs past with a golden retriever trotting happily at her side. People living their lives, completely unaware of the magic in their midst.
Completely unaware of the djinn watching them from a park bench.
I bet they have hot water at home.
After a minute, I drop onto the bench next to him, leaving about a foot of space between us.
The breeze stirs his hair. “Tell me more about this vamp we are meeting. What does ‘vamp’ mean?”
“Vampires are creatures that can manipulate energy. They can feed on it, feel the source, track it. I’m hoping one of them will be able to sense Helen’s magic. If she’s powerful enough, they will be drawn to her.”
He tilts his legs in my direction. “Would they harm her?”
“No. They might be able to draw on some of her energy, but it wouldn’t hurt her. It would be like losing a little bit of blood. Your body replenishes it. They can’t take enough to cause harm, or else it hurts them as well. A bit of magical energy blowback.”
He nods. “What was the noise from your cell phone?”
“That was my next job. Had to push it back a week.”
“Why?”
I rub a hand over my face. “Because my job involves magic.”
“This makes you sad.”
I huff a laugh, but it’s hollow. “Yeah. In case you haven’t noticed, my family needs someone to support them. And that someone is me.”
Bennet hesitates, then asks, “What about Mimi?”
“She does as much as she can to help. But she’s in her seventies. She has some health issues and she doesn’t have the energy to work and cook and clean and run after two kids all day on her own. She helps me with them while I work, and does more than I could ever ask, but it’s still a lot.” Although she likes to say we all make her feel ten years younger, but I think she’s just trying to lessen my guilt at relying on her so much.
His lips part, but then he presses them shut again. His eyes search mine. “You do all that, take care of everyone, hold everything together. You’re—” His gaze dips to my mouth.
My heart stutters.
He moves closer. Or am I moving closer? His breath feathers against my lips. One more inch and?—
I jerk back, heat flooding my cheeks. “Whoa. Okay. That, uh, that can’t happen right now.” I push off the bench. “Come on. Kevin’ll be out of school soon, and I need to check on Jackie and some of my other clients. We’ll head to Fritzel’s after dinner.”
Bennet lingers for a second longer, gaze sweeping the park, then stands and follows.
I spend a couple of hours in the kitchen alone, giving up my office to Kevin to get his schoolwork done on the computer. I take care of phone calls with clients, moving my schedule around and checking in on my regulars to find out what items they might be needing in the future—once I have the time and ability to search for them.
I’d give up my left arm to stop hustling for a day and just hang out in a museum. Or go back to school and finish my degree. Or just escape. When I was in college I had all these plans for a gap year, traveling through Europe or Asia or literally anywhere else.
Those dreams are long gone.
As I head upstairs, voices drift from my office. Bennet with the kids. I slow my steps, stopping right outside the door.
“...and those are reality shows,” Kevin is saying, his voice serious. “They’re not scripted, supposedly. Just people being dramatic on camera.”
Bennet sounds skeptical. “So these individuals volunteer to be recorded while engaging in conflict and strange mating rituals?”
Jackie giggles. “Pretty much. It’s like watching wild animals, but with more hair gel and bad decisions.”
I peek through the crack between the door and the frame.
