time to actually settle in. Lucian had needed him in Omaha, and soon after Talon had taken his first vacation, all but forgetting about the condo.
He would have to take her shopping, or at the very least go to her house to get her clothes. He finished the call with an affiliate from Texas and slipped the phone into his pocket. Lucian had been considerate enough to put it on the seat of his cycle.
“Where is that man?” she asked. He almost laughed when he realized she might not have heard the way she said “that man”, as if saying Lucian’s name was calling the devil.
He hid his mirth and put a hand on her shoulder, steering her away from the back rooms and toward the office. Down the hall, he heard the thump of Lucian’s boots and looked down at her with a humored smile. Jamie didn’t have the same enhancements he did, so she didn’t hear him until he was right around the corner.
A look of disgust came over her face the second Lucian came into view. “Vladimir said he would do the honors of explaining everything to her,” Lucian said. Talon looked at him with almost shocked eyes, and he burst into laughter.
Jamie backed away, crossing her arms over her chest.
“Maybe I should just do that…” he said, unsure. Vladimir would, for sure, go overboard. He could just see the two of them, sitting in a dark room, Vladimir acting like he was telling horror stories at a campfire and Jamie looking like she was about to cry.
“He already said he would.” Lucian laughed, looking at Jamie, then back at Talon. “Sign her up for therapy the first chance you get.” He burst into laughter again.
“What room is he in?” Talon sighed, rubbing a hand over his face. Jamie was staring between them like they shared a head or something. He felt bad for her.
Jamie was put into a small, dark, clean room. There was a fluffy chair in the corner, a wooden table in the center, and a swivel chair set in front of it. She was in the fluffy chair, waiting for a “Vladimir” person, wondering if that by the end of this interlude she would be a sparkly vampire.
Most likely.
The door opened with a groan. Jamie sat still while a looming shadow entered the doorway. It spread into the room like a blanket of fear. She swore she almost puked right then and there.
Except, the first thing she saw was a sandel. A bedazzled sandal. On a slim foot. A tan slim foot.
And then she saw a hairless leg. A male, hairless leg, yet slim and short.
She stared with a deadpan look as a small man strode into the room like he owned the place. It was hard not to laugh at the strut he pulled off, along with his spiky white hair, pink eyeshadow, and colorful shirt that went completely at odds with his demeanor.
The door closed with a thump and the lights flickered on like a broken light struggling to work. Jamie bit her lip against giggling.
“My name is Vladimir,” he said haughtily as he came around the table. In front of her, he started to sit on empty air when the swivel chair appeared under his butt. She barely held in her gasp of surprise. “Tell me your name, raven haired beauty.”
She told him, all the while trying not to cry with laughter. He seemed to know that she was struggling and smiled, folding his hands on his lap. Sparkles caught in the light as his eyes crinkled, the eye shadow starting to glow.
“It is my understanding that you do not know of us, or even Talon’s curse,” he started with a smile in his voice, like he was telling a bedtime story. “Well, I am here to inform you. As you will soon be under my power, I wish to keep all people informed and aware.”
She coughed. “Under your power?”
“Yes, cher. Now, listen to what I tell you and do not give any outward reactions till I am done. I will console you afterwards.” Jamie couldn’t help the small laugh that came from her before she nodded, biting her lip at his chiding glare.
“Let us start with The Beginning. Now, there are things such as powers and witches. It is all natural, mind you. It is not the people that are powerful, but the earth. Witches are just vessels in which the earth releases its powers.” He paused and looked