6. Chapter 6
Two days later, Yareli found a small, brown-haired creature sweeping her floor while she slept.
She kept her eyes half-closed, peeking at the curious creature as it went about its task.
The broom was nothing more than a couple of twigs bundled together, scratching against wood in an admirable attempt.
She adjusted to get a better view, but her bed creaked and startled the creature.
It popped out of existence in an instant.
One quick online search later, she confirmed it to be a brownie.
She left a small plate of cheddar chips under her bed and rushed out the door.
She was late to work. Her phone dinged as she entered the elevator.
Hey, how’s the new job?
Yareli smiled. Her brother had been sniffing around, attempting to figure out where she worked.
When she had sent their parents some money last week, he had called her, suspicious about the sizable sum, but she had kept Enchanted Brew a secret.
She didn’t want him to discover the truth; he would be completely against it.
The unknown was dangerous, and that was what magic was—unknown. Dangerous? She wasn’t sure.
She replied, Great! Talk later, I’m late.
She threw it into her purse, rummaging for her lip balm when she bumped into a solid, cold chest. She jumped back, her eyes wide, and apologized. It was her neighbor, Helio, with a couple of grocery bags. Except Helio most certainly did not have fangs and red eyes last week.
Yareli averted her gaze. “Sorry,” she repeated.
Helio shook his head, his fangs on full display as he smiled. “No worries.”
She managed a smile, walking past him. He called out after her.
“Be careful out there.”
His words sent a biting chill down her spine.
A vampire lived next door to her. It was a terrifying but thrilling revelation.
Helio, she reminded herself, wasn’t a danger to her, and with that, her pulse settled, and a grin bloomed on her face.
She had made the right decision to remove the glamor; she could feel it in her bones.
Now, if she could only fix her friendship with August. She had spent her Saturday holed up in her room, afraid of stepping outside, of confronting him.
Today, however, she was forced outside by her shift.
Nerves mingled with excitement, churning her stomach. Magic—and maybe love—awaited.
“Welcome to Enchanted Brew, where magic is real.”
The familiar greeting brought a smile to Yareli’s lips as she stepped through the cafe’s squeaky wooden door.
The fact that it had been right in her face the entire time was not lost on her; she chuckled.
No wonder Don had always teased her. He was having a grand ol’ time, she thought dryly.
He was at the counter, beaming as plates of pastries flew past him toward tables.
“Thank the Tree you know the truth,” he said. “This is much easier, right?”
Yareli yelped as a cup, its hot contents sloshed dangerously close to its edges, zipped past her. Don’s laughter grated on her ears. “If you meant dangerous, then yeah.”
“Centuries of practice ensure it’s safe.”
“Is that Yareli?” Erick walked out of the kitchen, holding a tray of clean dishes. He shifted it to one hand, pointing at Don. “Stop being an asshole. The poor thing just received a big shock.”
Yareli shuffled past the counter, glowering at Don, and headed to the break room to change into her uniform. Sunday was her only morning shift; it was also the busiest. Erick stopped her as she walked out.
He raised a finger to his lips, whispering, “Try not to react when you see the customers. They might look different today.”
She blinked, having forgotten that Helio was not the only person who may have changed. “Oh, my god. Will I see a centaur?”
“This early? After a Saturday? Doubtful.” Erick laughed. “But you’re right. Fae aren’t our only customers.”
“Do they know I’m human?”
He bit his lip, his attention flicking to the kitchen door. “When August removed the glamor, it exposed you, too. They’ll know. It’s why I’m here. To make sure everything goes smoothly.”
“Where—” She held back from asking his whereabouts. “Is August okay?”
He scrunched his nose, his lips settling into a straight line. “He’s as overworked as I am. Honestly, he doesn’t know how to say no.”
Yareli fiddled with her small, gold hoop earring, nodding even if she didn’t understand what he meant. She followed Erick to the front, taking over the cash register and relieving Don.
“It’s all in good fun,” Don told her. “I like the chaos your presence brings to our stale cafe.” He retreated to the kitchen with a wink.
“Why does Don make it seem like it’s a huge deal?” she asked Erick.
He picked up a wooden tray and hummed. “Because it kind of is. Humans don’t wander in here. Besides, you can see through the glamor.”
“I can see them as they truly are.”
The realization filled her with wonder. It was a brand new world…
The door creaked open, and a tall, slim man entered. Yareli sucked in a breath; a set of horns protruded through his green curls. When he met her eyes and smiled, she recognized him as one of their regulars.
“Welcome to Enchanted Brew, where magic is real,” she said, shooting off the greeting automatically.
“Mi flor,” Uriel said, walking to the counter. “A pleasure to see you as always!”
“How was work this week?” she asked, smiling although her cheeks were stiff.
His horns turned bright gold at the tips as his own grin widened. “Oh, you know, it was the usual boring collection.”
“Collection of what?” she asked casually as she plugged his order of black coffee and a slice of tiramisu, using it as an excuse to avoid his gaze.
“Naughty people who’ve forgotten the debts they owe.”
She took his credit card, swiping it and handing it back. Turned out, Uriel was a demon, a collector of souls.
“Is that so?”
“I jest, darling. I am an ordinary debt collector.” He sniffed, tilting his head. “You—”
“Uriel!” Erick passed by, slapping his shoulders. “Did you hear the latest rumors from The Harbor?”
Uriel scowled, his eyes flashing gold. “Those fools are running it to the ground. They don’t know the first thing about nightclubs.”
“I know, I know. I was telling Matild…” Erick steered him away from the counter, giving Yareli a wink.
Her shoulders fell, an exhale leaving her body.
He had noticed at the very end. Was it scent-based—her humanness?
It made her self-conscious. Had she showered that morning?
She sneaked a sniff as she bent down to grab the tiramisu.
She smelled nothing but her crisp, “clean” deodorant. She missed the door opening.
“You smell nice.”
She straightened in a singular beat, heat rushing to her face as she met August’s gaze. She stumbled over her words, saying, “I was—”
He chuckled. “It’s okay. Humans have a distinct smell. It’s normal.”
She wanted to melt into a puddle, evaporate, and become a part of the water cycle. Anything to absolve her from her mortification. Then, his words registered.
“You think I smell nice?”
His mouth formed a small “o,” and he scratched the back of his head. “I—yes. You smell sweet.”
“And you know how August loves his sweets,” Erick said, mirth pitching his voice higher as he popped next to August.
She choked, clearing her throat. She was burning up. “I have to take Uriel his order,” she mumbled, grabbing the cake slice and filling a cup of coffee.
Yareli strode past them without meeting their eyes, and she stiffened at Erick’s soft laughter. Placing down Uriel’s order, she thought to trip Erick later. A warm touch stopped her in her tracks.
“A moment, darling.”
“Yes?”
“I couldn’t help but notice you seem to have a boy problem.”
“Me?” Yareli feigned surprise, but her heart thudded. It had been one thing to be caught sniffing her armpit by her crush, but it was another thing to have a witness to that mess.
“Yes, you,” Uriel said, sliding his plate closer to him. “There’s no shame in love.”
“N-no, I don’t lo—”
He took a bite of the tiramisu, humming in pleasure. “My services may be useful. I’m a demon who specializes in contracts with humans. And for you? I’d give you a special deal.”
Yareli reassessed him, taking in the gleam in his brown eyes.
Was she desperate enough for a contract with a demon?
August and Erick still chatted by the cash register.
Erick said something that made August roll his eyes, but his lips quirked up.
No. She could survive rejection; losing August’s friendship, however, she could not.
Not yet. Despite her attempts, she wasn’t strong enough to fix her life on her own.
August was a tether, a buoy that supported her scrappy boat while she repaired it.
Without it, she’d be off-balance, drowning; it would set her back months, but curiosity won.
“What sort of contract?”
Uriel smirked, curling a single finger towards him. She moved closer, leaning down, her ponytail sliding forward. “I can make him fall in love with you right this second.”
“Hmm.”
“Not enough? How about I make him get on his knees for you?”
Yareli’s eyes widened, and she cast a furtive look at August, who remained entrenched in his conversation with Erick.
“How do you know about that?” she hissed.
Uriel’s eyes turned golden; the color seeping from his eyes into webbed-like patterns across his face.
“Demon, remember? We wouldn’t be effective at our jobs unless we could read our target’s innermost desires.”
She took a sharp breath, straightening. “That’s… That’s not…”
“I know every which way you’d like to—”
“Uriel, that’s enough.” August appeared with a pleasant smile that didn’t reach his eyes. “Yareli will be the one human you are not allowed to trick into a contract.”
“Ah, the man in question,” he replied. He raised his hands, shrugging. “I can’t bear to see a human in dire need of help.”
“Quite the philanthropist.”
“A dear flaw of ours.”
Yareli watched the exchange in fascination.
Her family life was a mess; her personal life was a mess, but her job?
It was shaping up to be everything she had dreamed about as a kid.
A pastry zoomed right past her ear, startling her, and she laughed.
Orbs of light bounced in the air, following the soft beats of the ambient music.
She took hold of August, spiriting him to the counter where Erick waited.
“Watch the front for me,” she said, then dragged August to the second floor.
It was empty as usual; she had a feeling the tables were for show. The room’s real purpose was for interdimensional travel. It suited her needs perfectly. She pointed at a mushroom table—the same one where she had done her interview with Donna.
“Sit,” she said, her boldness fueled by the thrill of her new reality.
Although his eyebrows were raised, August, to his credit, sat without a word. She surveyed his face, narrowing her eyes in an attempt to read his thoughts. “I need to know. Are you happy with our friendship?”
If his eyebrows rose any farther, Yareli wasn’t sure they’d remain on his forehead. She was sure they would take flight and join the fluttering leaves floating near the ceiling.
His voice was quiet, but steady in its rhythm. “I am.”
“Then, is there a problem with me knowing the truth?”
“Only that it must be a burden to you. Aren’t you scared to see us? To know your truth of the world was a lie?”
She dropped her gaze, twiddling her fingers. Her short nails scratched against her skin, snagging on a scab. “I guess, but wasn’t I already living amongst you? Truth will always triumph over lies.”
They remained quiet; Yareli worried her lip, eyes scanning August’s reaction, but he was inscrutable. He stood, his hand extended toward her. “I’m sorry. I have to head out.”
A portal flared to life in the room, and a strong gust whipped loose hairs in her face.
It hovered, a constant whirl of smoke giving it a stormy appearance.
Her heart pounded in her ears. What realm lay behind it?
Entrenched in her wonder, she forgot about August’s hand.
He withdrew it, a weird expression flashing on his face. He coughed, walking to the portal.
“We’ll talk about it next week… at our coffee meet-up.”
His tone made her pause; she met his gaze. The portal cast long shadows on his face, giving him a forlorn expression. Why do you look like that? He stepped through the portal, disappearing before she could say anything. Her hand hung in the air.
“Don’t go,” she whispered in the empty room so only a god would hear.
The portal vanished in a puff of blue smoke. Yareli remained rooted to the spot long after the last wisp of color had disappeared.