Dead Man's Deal The Asylum Tales - By Jocelynn Drake Page 0,104

bleach.”

I shook my head as I headed to the lobby. This was the first time we had had sex in Asylum. I had mentally sworn that we wouldn’t, but then I hadn’t been thinking clearly when I had arrived. My promise to myself to keep business and personal separate wasn’t working out too well, but I wasn’t willing to throw all my efforts out the window. This was a small stumble. I’d do better the next time. Yeah, fucking right.

“Where’s Sofie?” I asked once the parlor was set back to normal and the air now smelled of burned matches, lilacs, apples, and pumpkin pie as a result of the strange collection of candles kept in the shop. Trixie was just stepping out of the bathroom after discreetly tidying up after our interlude. She once again looked fresh and delicate, as if nothing had occurred.

She sat on her little tattooing stool again, the little white book Arianna had given her in her lap. “Upstairs watching TV.”

“Should I hope that she had it turned loud enough that she didn’t hear anything?”

“Doubtful. Of course, it wouldn’t be the first time she heard us.”

I frowned. It was yet another thing I didn’t want to think about. Sofie was something of a mother figure for me and I didn’t want to think about her overhearing my sexual escapades with Trixie.

My discomfort was quickly replaced with confusion as a new thought slammed through my somewhat foggy brain. “Where’d the TV come from?” I had left behind a little furniture when I’d moved out of the second-floor apartment, but no TV.

“Bronx dropped it off yesterday for her,” Trixie said. “She says she likes to be close, but she doesn’t like missing her afternoon and evening programs.”

“That cat is turning into a couch potato.”

“I think she could use a boyfriend. Do you know any warlocks who are cats?”

I shook my head. “You’re insane. You’ve already got a witch and a warlock in your life and now you’re asking for more. Simply insane.”

Trixie waved one hand absently at me. “Well, the ones I know aren’t so bad.”

“We’re the strange exceptions to the rule, I promise.” I grabbed her hand and gave it a squeeze before I started toward the back room. “I’ve got to ask her something. I should be back down before Bronx gets in.”

“Be nice, Gage. She told me what happened at your place. She hasn’t been in a very good mood.”

I nodded and headed to the second-floor apartment. I couldn’t blame Sofie for being in a foul mood. She’d been attacked because of her association with me. If it had been possible for her to be safe by disassociating herself from me, I think she would have left. But then it was too late for things like that. If anyone knew that she talked to me, they’d kill her regardless of whether she’d turned her back on me or not. They’d torture her for information.

And in truth, I doubted that the danger was just a result of knowing me. She was an old, powerful witch. If she had still been human, her attackers would never have been able to harm her. Trapped as a cat, she was vulnerable. She could access a few spells, but nothing particularly powerful. Knowing me could get her killed, but staying near me now could keep her alive. Trapped as she was as a cat and trapped as my friend, Sofie’s luck had pretty much run out.

19

THE LARGE RUSSIAN BLUE was stretched out across the battered sofa, her eyes half closed as she watched what appeared to be a talk show. A female goblin, a dwarf, and two human-looking females that I believed to be a vampire and a succubus sat around a table on some cozy soundstage animatedly talking. A window was open, allowing a breeze to sweep through the stuffy apartment.

“Shhh . . . They’re talking about makeup tips and new uses for panty hose,” Sofie hissed as I shut the door.

“Sof, you don’t wear panty hose or makeup.” I plopped down on the one cushion that she wasn’t stretched across and propped my feet up on the table.

“I know, but if Gideon comes through, I’m going to need to know this stuff.”

I smiled down at her. “You’re a witch. You don’t need makeup. You can use glamour or an enchantment. If my memory is accurate, you don’t need makeup or panty hose anyway.”

Sofie’s head popped up and she stared at me through narrowed yellow eyes. “Gideon hit your