Kissed by Darkness(55)

It was a chaste almost brotherly kiss. Except that underneath there was heat that told me he definitely didn’t think of me as his sister. He pulled back and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear, a tender expression on his face unlike anything I’d ever seen before. My heart gave a little jump.

He stood up, leaned over to tuck the duvet around me a little more snugly and whispered, “Sleep Morgan.”

I frowned into the darkness long after he was gone. I hadn’t imagined the fire, like I hadn’t imagined his eyes turning all weird and gold. Just like I hadn’t imagined that his lips against mine had been way too hot to belong to a human being. I wasn’t sure which worried me more, the weird things I was finding out about Inigo, or the weird things I was finding out about myself.

Despite the headache still throbbing at the base of my skull, I staggered my way to my dresser where Inigo had left my bag. I fumbled inside until I found what I wanted. Pulling my duvet over my head to block out the light, I dialed the number on the card and listened to the other end ring.

“Hi,” I said softly down the line. “This is Morgan Bailey. I need your help.”





Chapter Fifteen





Majicks and Potions was exactly how I remembered it. The same bell danced its merry jangle as I pushed open the door, and the crystals and stones gave off the same glowing, tingling energy as I passed them on my way to the counter. The incense was a different blend, but it still made my nose tickle and the slight musty smell of old books still lingered underneath.

The music was even the same jarring fusion. I wouldn’t go as far as to say it was growing on me, but I was beginning to associate it with the eclectic madness that was Eddie Mulligan.

There was something so familiar and comforting about Eddie’s shop. Unlike the stuffy, cramped little occult shops back in London, Eddie’s had the dreamy coziness edged with old world charm that one expected to find in London but never did. This was the type of shop you itched to explore. I could imagine happily losing hours in a place like this.

Just like before, the counter was empty, so I went around and stuck my head out back. “Hey, Eddie! You back here?”

Eddie’s cherubic face popped down from the ceiling, tufts of gray hair sticking up in all directions. Deja vu all over again. He beamed at me. “Hello, Morgan Bailey. Come on up,” and he disappeared back into the ceiling.

I gave the aluminum ladder a malevolent look. While I had no problem with heights, I wasn’t terribly fond of ladders. I, however, was a big badass vampire hunter and quite possibly a nearly immortal Sunwalker, not a sissy. So, after mumbling a couple choice words, I started up the rickety thing. I had the rather alarming feeling I was ascending into Professor Trelawney’s lair. Gods, I hoped there wasn’t any more incense.

There wasn’t. It was just an ordinary attic jam-packed with overflowing trunks and boxes and assorted odds and ends and smelling of must and old perfume. It was more like something you’d find in the attic of some old lady’s house than at the top of a shop. Eddie’s back half was covered in green plaid pants and sticking out of an especially large trunk where he was a rustling about industriously. Little poufs of dust erupted and Eddie backed out of the trunk, sneezing rather violently.

“You OK, Eddie?”

“Of course, my dear. I was just going through some old inventory. Amazing what gets lost up here.” He looked around somewhat vaguely and started patting himself down. “Even more amazing what gets found. Where on earth have I put my glasses?”

I grinned. Couldn’t help it. “Top of your head, Eddie.”

“Oh, right.” He plucked them from their precarious perch and shoved them back on his nose. “Better. Have a seat.” We both sat down, him on a rickety chair that looked about a hundred years old, and me on the top of a closed trunk. It appeared safer than the chair, but only marginally. “So, dear Huntress, how may I be of assistance?”

I wasn’t exactly sure why I had called Eddie, of all people, in the middle of the night. After all, I barely knew the man. It was quite possible he wouldn’t be able to help me. In fact, Cordelia was a more logical choice, yet my gut told me Eddie could help. I just wasn’t sure how and I really hoped he didn’t decide to call the cops because what I had to tell him sounded all kinds of crazy.

I tucked my legs up and perched cross-legged on the trunk with a sigh. Might as well spill it. “There’s been some really, really … weird shit happening to me lately. I mean, my whole life’s been crazy since the vampire attack three years ago, but this is uber weird. I tried to talk to Cordelia about it, but she was kind of vague, and, frankly, that cat creeps me out.”