Chapter 10 #3
“Excellent.” Tim rose. He went to one of the velvet sofas where a wooden crate sat. It was full of small jars of dried herbs. He picked it up, did a quick scan, and then carried it over to Natalie.
“I think this makes us even.”
“Say hi and thank you to Marley.” Natalie took the crate from his arms.
“Of course.” He kissed her on the cheek.
“Selene, you stop by any time you want to talk about your new romance.”
“There is no new romance,” Selene insisted.
“We’ll see.” Tim smiled. “We don’t have to talk about navigating a paranormal romance. If you just want to tell me what Fen looks like naked, I’m all ears.”
“Oh my god.” Selene buried her face in her hands.
“That’s my girl.” He gave her a pat on the back and left the salon.
When Selene lifted her head, Natalie was still holding the crate, watching her.
“Are you okay?”
Selene shook her head, guilt wrapping around her. She’d never forgive herself if her mistake caused trouble for Natalie. “Something happened. We need to talk.”
“What is it?”
“Josh saw the dagger you gave me.” Selene ripped the Band-Aid right off. “He was pretty freaked.”
Natalie’s grip on the crate tightened. “How did he see the dagger? I asked you to keep it hidden except for emergencies.”
“I thought it was an emergency,” Selene protested. “When I woke up this morning, Allie was screaming, and Josh was a giant wolf standing over her. It looked like he was attacking her, but they were just kidding around. I’m sorry, Nat. I know I made a huge mistake.”
Natalie bit her lip, then nodded. “That would be an easy scenario to see the wrong way. Did you tell Josh where you got the dagger?”
“No,” Selene hurried to answer. “Allie told him I got it on eBay as an antique, not knowing what it was for. He accepted that explanation.”
“Allie said that?” Natalie’s eyes widened.
“Yes,” Selene said. “The little scamp eavesdropped on part of our conversation last night. She wanted to cover for you.”
“I’ll have to thank her.” Natalie smiled weakly. “She didn’t hear about Daniel, did she?”
“No, thank god,” Selene said. “I’m still trying to figure out what I’m going to do about that.”
“It’s a pickle,” Natalie agreed.
“Nat, I need to know more about this weapon thing,” Selene said. “Josh said having it is forbidden and that selling the weapons in town is a crime.”
“Yes,” Natalie said. “It is.”
Selene waited for the punch line, but Natalie remained stern faced. At the least, Selene had expected a denial or confusion.
“Why did you give me this dagger?” Selene pulled the weapon from her bag.
“Put that away. Quickly,” Natalie ordered and waited for Selene to comply. “Now go turn the dead bolt to the front door and then follow me. I need to show you something.”
Selene went to the door. “Show me what?”
“How much I trust you.”
Selene trailed Natalie through the salon and into a supply room filled with hair color, shampoos, conditioners, styling products, and various tools.
They passed through another door into a dark room that flickered with candlelight.
A pentacle was carved into the hardwood floor, and what looked like a shrine stood against one wall.
Natalie set the crate of herbs down near the shrine and then walked to the opposite corner of the room.
“Is this your witch room?” Selene looked around the shadowy space.
Natalie laughed wryly. “It is where I cast spells, throw bones, and draw cards.”
She kicked the edge of a circular rug until it rolled back to reveal a trap door. She pulled open the door and beckoned Selene to follow her.
“Promise you’re not taking me into a dungeon.” Selene tried to smile to cover her flare of nerves.
“Scout’s honor,” Natalie replied.
The trap door opened onto a small flight of stairs, which took them into a basement that looked as spotless and sterile as a hospital.
Fluorescent lights filled the space with a washed-out brightness.
Selene gasped. The walls were lined with weapons.
Swords, long knives, wickedly curved daggers, axes.
Each one pure silver. There were also several racks lined with rifles and shotguns.
Shelves held stacks of ammo boxes that Selene could only presume were silver bullets.
As she walked through the room toward a desk and computer, Natalie reached out and pulled open a slim drawer—one of many in cabinets that were scattered through the basement.
Selene followed Natalie toward the desk.
When she glanced in the open drawer, she saw that it was lined with velvet.
An array of crucifixes gleamed against the black fabric.
“Natalie, what is this?” Selene breathed.
“I told you I do other work,” Natalie replied. “This is it.”
“You traffic illegal weapons?” Selene gazed around the room. The glint of silver answered her question.
“The weapons are a part of it,” Natalie replied.
Selene’s hands were shaking. “But, Nat, how could you? What Josh said about bounty hunters . . . they sound like monsters. No money could be worth that.”
Natalie’s jaw clenched. “I don’t sell to bounty hunters, and if they contact me trying to buy, I make sure I get their names to Fen . . . anonymously. I would never truck with those scum. Josh is right, they are monsters. As far as I’m concerned, hell is too good for them.”
Well then.
“But why all this?” Selene gestured to the walls. “Who are they for?”
“Selene, bounty hunters are bad news. No question,” Natalie said.
“But bounty hunters aren’t the only ones who need weapons.
Not all paranormals are honorable like Fenris’s pack.
There are some who are dangerous, others who are downright evil.
And not all places are storybook towns like Avondale.
We’re blessed. It can get bad out there. Really bad.”
Selene nodded slowly.
“I only sell weapons for self-defense,” Natalie continued. “For the same reasons I gave you the dagger last night. Domestic abuse isn’t limited to the human world. It’s rampant in the paranormal world too.”
She pointed at the computer. “I run an underground network for people who are being abused by paranormals. I help them find safe houses, and I get them the tools they need to protect themselves. In most cases the survivor was dating someone too good to be true and then finds out they’re a vamp or a wolf.
My client wants out. The abuser says no and decides to turn their victim by force.
If the survivor is lucky, they figure it out and head for the hills before it’s too late. ”
“Turn them into what?” Selene stared at Natalie. A cold sickness wormed in her belly.
“Whatever the abuser is,” Natalie said. “It’s not hard. Wolves only need one bite to create the change. It’s a very particular bite, an intentional bite, that secretes magical venom, but any wolf can manage it.”
“Josh could just bite Allie?” Selene’s nails dug into her palms. “And that would be it? She’s a werewolf forever?”
Natalie took Selene’s hands and unfolded her tight fists. “Josh won’t. You have nothing to fear there.”
“How can you be sure?” Selene asked. She wanted to run home that instant and make sure Allie was okay.
“Because Fen would kill him,” Natalie said.
“Without hesitation. That’s how serious it is.
If Josh turned Allie without her consent and the consent of the pack, the only way Josh would survive would be to take Allie and run.
He’d be an exile, hiding for eternity. Wolves can’t tolerate a solitary existence. They need their packs.”
That was marginally reassuring, but Selene didn’t resist when Natalie dragged a chair over and made her sit. Nor did she decline the glass of wine Nat poured and put into her hand.
“You still with me?” Natalie asked.
Selene nodded and drank some wine.
Natalie’s smile was razor thin. “Vampire transformation is a little more involved, but considering how much stronger vamps are than humans, forcing someone to drink their blood isn’t too much of a challenge.”
Selene paled. “You have to drink a vampire’s blood to become one?”
“Yes.”
“There are no abuse shelters or support groups for people who’ve been caught up in the darker side of the magical world,” Natalie continued grimly. “They can’t go to the police, they can’t get help from friends or family. I wish I could say my services aren’t in high demand. They are.”
“That’s incredible,” Selene murmured. “But Nat, the laws. Why on earth are you doing this in Avondale?”
“Because Avondale has become a refuge for a number of survivors who are hiding out from abusive partners,” Natalie said.
“Outsiders are reluctant to broach Fenris’s territory.
He’s very old and incredibly powerful, and he won’t brook abuse of humans.
He never permits an involuntary change from human to paranormal.
This town is something of a safe harbor.
But these survivors still need a second line of defense if their abuser decides to risk coming after them into Avondale despite Fenris. I provide that defense.”
“But what if you’re caught?” Selene asked. “Aren’t you worried?”
“I’ve been doing this for years and have kept it hidden,” Natalie explained.
“Fenris only cracked down on weapons dealers after his mate was killed, but I was underground from the beginning. There are plenty of others who’ve wanted to stop my operation for much longer than our local wolf king.
I’m extremely careful. Though I clearly should have taken the time to tell you more about this before I gave you that dagger. ”
“I’m so sorry,” Selene said again. “Really, Nat. It’s making me sick that I put you in danger. Even more so knowing the risk you take to help people who need it the most.”
“It’s not your fault.” Natalie sighed. “I’ve been tiptoeing around this stuff because I don’t want to scare you. But you deserved more honesty from me. Now you have it.”
“Do you mind if I pass this information on to Allie?” Selene asked.
“Not at all,” Natalie said. “It sounds like Allie was the one who saved my ass this morning. Plus, if she’s serious about Josh, she should know about the underbelly of the paranormal world. You can enjoy the good, but you can’t ignore the bad.”
“I’m starting to get that,” Selene replied.