Chapter 29
Chapter Twenty-Nine
The magic in the shop hits me harder than the last time I visited.
For a second it makes me dizzy, and floating black spots dance across my vision.
In my haste to save myself, I grab hold of the doorway for balance and my bum slams against the shop’s wooden door.
I cringe as it crashes against the wall.
Crap, it sounded like I’d just kicked the door in. Way to go, Tru, a splendid start to ask for help.
I shake my head and rapidly blink to clear my vision.
Once I’m confident that I won’t fall on my bum, I peel my nails from their death grip on the doorframe—I’m sure I leave little indented crescents in the wood.
My legs wobble. Crikey, having this borrowed unicorn power is an adjustment.
Even in my human form it is a challenge. I can’t even walk straight.
My tummy flips. God, I can’t believe this afternoon I’m going to attempt to shift. I force the thoughts of shifting out of my head. That’s a future-me problem, and now isn’t the time.
With my knees practically knocking together, I enter the shop. A teenage girl—maybe a few years younger than me—turns from a shelf she’s stacking and scowls. She looks me up and down with distaste while wiping her hands on her apron.
“We don’t get a lot of female shifters around here,” she says with a nasty curl of her lips.
I flinch back as if she hit me.
The girl huffs and turns away in dismissal and continues to slam jars onto the shelf. I want to smack myself on the forehead for being such a divvy. Of course she can sense the unicorn magic. I didn’t even think about other magical creatures being able to sense the shifter magic inside me.
No, I didn’t think, especially when I ditched my bodyguards.
I didn’t want to tip Xander off to the fact that I have no intention of letting him hunt this witch down on my behalf.
After yesterday’s cuddle fest, his words come back to me.
“Don’t you worry about this witch. I’ll fix this for you.
Give me a few days.” Yeah, I interpreted that as “Don’t worry your pretty little head.
The big strong angel will fix all your problems for you. ” Well, he can bog off.
My eyes flick to the window and the empty street outside. I’m lucky that it’s still early in the morning and that I didn’t bump into any male shifters. Having to fight some idiot because he insists on taking care of me. Being kidnapped for my own protection would seriously ruin my day.
I guess I’ve got to think things through as for the time being I’m no longer able to mask myself as human. I now have a magical beacon composed of a unicorn’s horn literally slapped on my forehead.
I’m lost in my own panicked thoughts, and when I don’t say anything, the girl spins around and continues her angry spiel with a huff, “And especially rude shifters who think it’s okay to try to take the door off the hinges.” She hits me with a nasty closed-lipped smile.
God, if looks could kill, I’d be dead and buried.
I sigh and rub the back of my neck. “Look, I’m sorry.
I didn’t mean to smash your door. Honestly, I didn’t do it on purpose.
It’s just the magic in the shop hit me. I’m not used to such powerful witch magic all in one place, and I got a little dizzy.
” The girl narrows her eyes as if she doesn’t believe me. “I will pay for any damages,” I mumble.
“Heather, don’t be rude,” Jodie says as she comes out from the back room. “Tru? It is Tru, isn’t it? You’re a friend of Tilly’s, and you brought the pixie here for help.”
I relax slightly when I see her friendly face, and I studiously ignore the angry teenager.
“How is she?”
“Yes, Story, she is doing well thanks to you,” I say, smiling brightly, glad for the change in subject.
“She’s still living with you?”
“Oh yes. She’s my best friend,” I say as I vigorously nod my head. “Story is working at the café with me. Tilly gave her a job decorating cakes. Her designs are incredible.”
I left Story at the café with the bodyguards.
She’s working on a huge cake monstrosity for a bridezilla who wants more of everything.
One more tier, billions of more flowers.
Story is having the time of her life, while I…
Well, I want to punch the woman in her face.
So while Story is climbing the Mount Everest of cakes, I thought since the streets were still quiet and the surrounding shops were still sluggishly opening, I’d sneak out and visit Jodie.
Ask her a few questions about a certain unicorn-horn-stealing witch.
“That’s lovely.” Jodie’s smile dims, and she tilts her head to the side. “I’m sure you were human last time you were here. How strange.”
Heather huffs again, and her blonde curls bounce as she moves to Jodie’s side.
“Do you never watch the news? The entire country is going crazy. The shifters are rioting, and the shifter councillors are dying, and it’s her fault.
She’s the hybrid who was on television.” She points her finger at my face. “You know… the shifter-vampire mutt?”
“HEATHER,” Jodie shrieks.
“Yes, that would be me.” I slap my hands against my thighs and look away.
A mutt, wow. I focus on pulling a loose thread on my top.
“What on earth is wrong with you? Your behaviour today is disgusting. We both lost a friend, and I know that you’re upset, and you are grieving. But that doesn’t give you an excuse to be unkind and so… so cruel,” Jodie continues to reprimand the girl.
If Heather’s not careful, and she opens her nasty mouth and spews more shit about me, I’m going to kick the fuck out of her.
Stuff it. I shrug and head for the door.
I’ll get my information off someone else.
I’m not waiting to be insulted by some teenage witch and her rude speciesist shit.
I also don’t want to stand here listening to her getting told off for it.
What Jodie said trickles past my anger. We both lost a friend, and I know that you’re upset, and you are grieving. I wince. Grief does strange things to a person… I should know.
“I am sorry for your loss,” I mumble.
“Tru, please don’t leave without getting whatever you came in here for. I am so sorry. She should not have said that. Heather, I have never been more disappointed in you.” I turn my head and I watch as Heather deflates, and her eyes fill with tears. “Tru, I’m so sorry.”
I shrug. “It’s fine.”
“No, it isn’t. Please come into the back room and let me make you a cup of tea.
You must be here for a reason to brave the unrest outside, and I owe you my help after my niece’s rudeness.
” Jodie glares at the young girl, and her voice drops to a harsh whisper.
“We, young lady, are going to be having a very unpleasant chat. Oh, and consider yourself grounded for the foreseeable future. Now apologise.”
“I’m sorry,” the girl grumbles.
Jodie narrows her eyes. I can almost hear her screaming silently wait until I get you alone. Heather fidgets.
“Please, Tru, follow me.” Jodie marches into the back room, the same room that she helped Story in.
I meekly follow behind her. I don’t want to rock the boat—and Jodie’s pretty scary when she gets going—and slump down at the table.
Jodie busies herself with getting the tea things ready.
Eyes down, I absentmindedly run my nail against the grain of the wood, tracing its natural line.
I think of Heather’s words. The entire country is going crazy.
The shifters are rioting, and the shifter councillors are dying, and it’s her fault. She’s the hybrid who was on television.
I didn’t expect such a backlash, not against me, but at the shifter council.
The whole world… Don’t exaggerate, Tru, although it feels like the world.
Okay, the entire country is going crazy.
The shifters are talking about tremendous changes, new laws, and they’re going to remove what is left of the council and put an assembly in its place.
Which is amazing. But what’s not amazing is that my video has gone viral. Everybody is talking about it. My face is all over the news. It’s enough to give me hives, and it’s not going away soon.
Isn’t it strange? If you have a fear, no matter what it is, you end up having to confront it.
In my head, I thought the worst thing that could happen to me would be being outed as a hybrid and killed, or being outed as a crazy person on television and social media for going nuts and then being killed.
I can’t believe my master plan for dealing with the shifter council was me outing myself on national television.
To show everyone what the council was up to, I did it to myself. I made that fear real. I brought it into reality, and overnight I’ve become a social media sensation. Yay.
Yep, and it is as horrendous as I thought it would be.
It’s nuts. Everyone knows it’s me who took on the shifter council.
Everyone knows what a total freak I am, that I’m half shifter and half vampire.
That’s something I’m never gonna get away from.
It’s always going to be online, and there’s always going to be a record of it.
To top off the shitshow that is my life, creatures all over the world are now calling me the rebel leader.
Ha, the rebel leader. I groan.
Nobheads.
The video footage has made my mission to capture the witch harder. The urge to slump and smack my face against the wooden table is huge.
I’m an idiot… No, I’m not an idiot. That’s being harsh. Hindsight is a wonderful thing. I didn’t have all the facts, and I can only deal with the problems that are staring me in the face.
Gah, I even showed a photo of my father to add to the drama.
It doesn’t take a genius to put two and two together and get four. Now I’ve got days to get this done, because if she runs… then I’m going to lose her forever. I’ve gotta get a wiggle on. So I will sit here and smile. I’ll drink the witch’s tea and get the answers that I need.
“How do you take your tea?” Jodie asks as she places a fancy-looking tray on the table. I was expecting a normal mug, not a full tea set.
“However it comes, thank you. I’m not fussed.” I look down at my nails. I’m not really a tea drinker. After working in the café for such a long time, I quite like coffee.
Jodie sits down opposite me, and with her elbows on the table, she rests her chin in her hands and she stares at me. The silence stretches between us.
Her expression is open and honest, and dare I say kind. I trust this lady. “So tell me what happened…”
So I do.