Chapter Twelve
Alecto and Megaria
Alice’s phone rang. She ignored it, turning over with a grumble and shoving a pillow over her ear. When the message indicator began beeping insistently, she groaned and flung the pillow off, fumbling for her phone. Her bleary eyes told her it had been her parents calling, and they had left a message.
“Shoot.” Alice flipped open the phone to listen to the message. Her mother’s voice made her smile, until she got around to explaining why she had called.
“…it’s the strangest thing dear, but Jason just showed up at our door this morning. He looked quite upset. He was looking for you. I don’t blame you if you didn’t tell him you were moving, but when I explained how you inherited the shop and everything, he was quite shocked.” Alice bolted up in bed with a gasp of horror. Would he go to Douglas Street to find Threads?
Her mother’s voice continued, “I didn’t tell him were the shop was...” Oh thank God.
“…but I did tell him to call you if he really needed to talk, not just show up at our door.”
Oh crap. “…good luck honey, I hope…”
Her voice was interrupted by the call waiting signal, and Alice reluctantly took the phone away from her ear, eyeing the screen in dismay. The name display read: “Jason calling”.
“You’ve got to be kidding.” She spent an agonizing moment wondering if she should pick it up. What was she afraid of? She took a deep breath. Okay, here goes. It stopped ringing.
“Shoot…” Alice put the phone down on the side table. There was no way she was calling him back. She looked at her alarm clock. 11:30 - she’d slept in. She grumbled and hauled herself out of bed. It was her day off, and she intended to do absolutely nothing. After choosing a plum coloured sweater and a pair of blue jeans, Alice threw her jacket on and descended the stairs.
Azura and Gabriel greeted her, Gabriel masking a yawn with one sleeve. “What are you doing up so early? I expected you to be asleep till the afternoon.”
“I got a call from an ex,” she said sourly.
Gabriel looked curious, but he didn’t ask.
Alice shrugged. “High school boyfriend. It didn’t end well.”
He made a sympathetic face. “Ah.”
Alice resolved not to think about it. It didn’t hurt as much anymore, but it still didn’t pay to dwell on it. She decided to take her book and sit in Isabella’s café for a while.
“I’m going across the street to grab some breakfast. Anyone want anything?”
They both declined, so Alice snagged the novel she was working on from behind the desk and made her way across the street. There was a short line up, and she jumped in behind a tall, severe looking man in midnight blue robes. He was wearing a Wizard’s hat, and a thin thread ran around the brim, making the stars and half-moons shine. Alice stared at the hat. People actually wore those? It was a good thing that Regs were blind to anything magic, because they would think the entire magical world was nuts.
When Isabella saw her, the chubby little woman beamed brightly, her cheeks dimpling. “Alice!”
“Hi Isabella.”
Isabella shoved a steaming mug at the next person in line. “Here you go.” She directed her gaze back to Alice. “I heard you ran into some trouble last night.”
“You heard already?” Alice frowned. The plump woman nodded her head at the next customer’s order and the tall Wizard grumbled about not getting Isabella’s full attention.
“News travels fast,” Isabella said cheerfully, and produced a buttered scone for the grumpy man.
“My coffee,” he muttered at her.
“Coming up,” Isabella told him. “Don’t get your knickers in a twist.”
Alice smothered a laugh behind the sleeve of her sweater as the tall Wizard huffed indignantly. Isabella shooed him away and smiled at Alice.
“You made quite a sensation.”
It had been foolish to create a scene at a nightclub that was so central to New York’s magical community. On the other hand, what choice did she have? Let the men kill him, just to avoid being the subject of gossip? Isabella was looking at her expectantly.
“Oh, A…nutmeg latte, please. Isabella, what exactly are they saying?” Alice kept her voice low. “I mean…bad things? I don’t want to make a negative impression…”
Isabella laughed. “Oh no, dear. Nobody blames you! Really, you did the noble thing.” She handed Alice the steaming latte. “Enjoy your drink, love.”
“Thank you.” Alice turned to find an empty seat. She picked a spot by the window, watching people walk past. She warmed her hands on the mug, lost in thought, her novel lying untouched. Jason was apparently trying to get a hold of her. She glanced at her phone, the screen stared back blankly. If he called again, would she pick it up? What on earth could he want? He can’t possibly think I would take him back! That made her mad too, and she sipped her latte, telling herself to concentrate on how delicious the spicy flavour was.
Alice sighed and finished her drink, waving to Isabella as she made her way out. She paused on the side walk for a moment, and happened to overhear a couple of Witches walking past.
“Have you been into that new shop Threads?” The tall brunette Witch stopped and looked across the street at the shop.
Her companion, a rotund woman with soft brown curls and glasses said, “I haven’t been in yet. I hear it’s quaint. Isn’t that run by that Alice Cunningham woman?”
“Yes, bit of a buzz about that one isn’t there? I hear she made quite a scene last night.”
“Really?” The plump Witch said eagerly. “I haven’t heard yet. Do tell.”
Alice slowed down, trying not to look like she was listening in.
“Apparently she made an appearance at Rapture last night. Some guy was being dragged out by a couple thugs and she stopped them from killing him.”
“Wow, how do you know this if it just happened last night?”
“My friend is a bartender. He was right there when it happened.”
“That’s crazy. I wish I had been there. I wonder why she bothered to stop them.”
“My friend said she marked the guy. That’s how the other guys found him so easily. Apparently she told them she didn’t want his blood on her hands.”
“Then why would she mark him in the first place?”
The tall Witch shrugged. “She must have had a problem of some kind with him. I don’t know all the details, but apparently she tore a strip off of him, the man she saved I mean, and then she and her Elf friend left with him.”
“Fascinating.”
They were walking away now, and Alice couldn’t very well run after them to listen in on their conversation. It was kind of unnerving that two strangers were talking about something she’d done last night. She crossed the road to the shop and opened the door, greeting Azura and Gabriel.
“I just had the most surreal experience. I just walked past a couple of Witches talking about what happened last night in the club.”
Azura smiled at her astonished expression. “You’re a young, fresh face who seems to be throwing a lot of power around. Of course they’re interested.”
“I don’t mean to ‘throw power around’,” Alice said defensively. “And I barely used any magic last night, I just talked to them.”
“It still makes a great story for gossip mongers,” Shakra said.
“It will die down if you don’t do anything else too spectacular for the next couple days,” Azura said. “You’re a newcomer, so you’re interesting.”
“Well I won’t be doing anything else terribly interesting, I can tell you that right now.”
“But that would be so much less exciting.” All three of them looked up at the new voice, and Shakra’s head came up off her paws abruptly, ears pricking.
Alice stared at the new comer. Why hadn’t she spotted her in the back of the store? The woman was very tall, with alabaster skin, dark hair and full crimson lips. She was dressed elaborately in a long red gown that clung like a second skin, and a dark fur stole hung around her shoulders. She glided forward fluidly, smiling at the three of them, revealing a set of brilliant white teeth. The woman radiated exquisite danger, like a beautiful swan that might take off a finger if you came too close. Alice noticed that Gabriel took a deep breath as she neared, whether it was with fear or awe she couldn’t tell.
“Hello, Alice. My name is Allira. I work for Mr. Alexie Ambrose. Maybe you have heard of him lately.”
Alice stared at the woman in surprise. “Alexie Ambrose? The singer?”
“The one and only Alexie Ambrose.” Allira smiled graciously at Alice, as if forgiving a slight to his name. Alice wasn’t sure if she liked the woman or not. Allira continued, “I’ve been looking around your little shop. It’s quaint.”
“Thank you.” Alice doubted that was a compliment coming from this extravagantly dressed woman.
“Enough chit chat,” the woman said abruptly. “I came to convey a message. Alexie is interested in meeting you. He requests your presence at his mansion.”
Alice’s brows shot up, and Allira smiled. “It is a great honour to be asked by Alexie. When may I tell him you will arrive?”
“Why?”
Now it was Allira’s turn to look surprised, arching her perfect brows. “Why what?”
“Why does he want to meet me?”
Allira recovered her smooth expression, placing one hand on her fur stole, her nails were blood red. “There are rumours of a new Sorceress in his town. Naturally he wants to meet you. Alexie is a very curious individual.”
Alice nearly opened her mouth to say ‘what Sorceress’, but Azura shot her a warning look. Instead she asked, “His town? He claims the entire cityof New York?”
“You could say so.” Allira’s smile bordered on feral. “He owns a great deal of the buildings here. Did you know that? For instance, Rapture, the club you made such a scene in. Of course he knew about you before that, about your store moving here. And he’d heard about your Aunt. He was so disappointed she died before he got to meet her. He keeps tabs on everything. In fact he told the manager at Rapture to let you in without bothering you if you came. He did so hope you would come, you see. But you really perked his interest with your little stunt last night.”
Alice huffed. My little stunt? She knew without looking at Azura, that she shouldn’t snap at the woman, but she crossed her arms over her chest and stared at her narrowly.
Allira appeared impatient with her silence. “Well, when can he expect you?”
“Please convey my deepest gratitude for the invitation, but I cannot be pulled away from my shop at this time.”
Allira’s mouth dropped open in surprise, “You reject his invitation?”
“Sadly, yes.”
The woman drew herself up coldly, forbidding as a storm cloud. “Very well,” she hissed. “I will convey your rejection to Mr. Ambrose. He will be very…..disappointed.”
She was gone from the shop in a swirl of cold air, leaving behind the faint, heady scent of Jasmine, and Alice had to blink a few times to adjust to the empty space where she’d stood seconds before. The bell on the door didn’t ring, just wobbled back and forth a few times before falling still.
“Holy.” She breathed. “How did she move so fast?”
Gabriel appeared to be slightly shell-shocked; he was blinking and shaking his head like a dog with water in its ears.
Azura smiled thinly. “It looks as though Gabriel has never met a Siren before.”
“She was a Siren?” Alice blinked. “As in: Greek mythology, lure-sailors-to-their-doom type thing?” Did that meant Ambrose really was what he claimed to be? Could it be a coincidence that another creature of Greek mythology kept him company?
“Yes, though I wouldn’t think they do that as much anymore.”
Alice snorted. “Maybe it’s just a weekend hobby for her now. It wouldn’t surprise me.”
“She was so beautiful…” She looked at Gabriel sharply - he was sitting at the desk, leaning his face in his hands, a dreamy expression on his face.
“Snap out of it,” Alice said ungraciously. Quit drooling on my desk.” He straightened up, looking embarrassed.
“Probably best you denied Ambrose’s invitation,” Azura said. “Whatever he wanted, it couldn’t have been good.”
“And he had the nerve to summon me,” Alice growled. “What a puffed up, arrogant…”
“He has some of the best parties in all of New York, you know.”
Alice whirled on Gabriel. “You think I should have gone?”
He flinched back from her furious question. “Not saying that. I just mean…it’s good to have connections. Maybe he just wanted to meet you, that’s all.”
“You just want to see that horrible woman again,” Alice glowered.
Azura said, “Men like Ambrose always want something more. I’ve heard about him, not all good things. He must be very used to getting what he wants.”