Chapter Three
Bethany left Jill at two in the morning and headed back to her car. She drove it to a safe neighbourhood, but one that wasn’t too fancy, and she parked and locked up for the night.
Living out of her car wasn’t her idea, but it was the easiest way to keep off the consortium’s radar.
She could ward a car. Even if they grabbed it and hauled it around, she would be safe in her metal fortress.
Sleeping in her car had made finding a job difficult, but she had rented a post office box, and that gave her a fixed address for payroll. That had gotten her the job with Nessa.
She unfolded her blanket and curled up in a ball in the back seat.
She set her alarm for six so she could be on her way before school started.
After that, she would drive to a parkade and fill her car with shadows.
It was the routine that had kept her going in the last few months.
She showered at a women’s shelter and got ready to go for her afternoon shift.
Bethany went to sleep with a smile on her lips.
She was going to see Abra soon. A few days and they could be together.
They were not close, not like the other pair of stars.
Abra was different. She was light and hope and terrifying darkness.
She was great. Delphine. Bethany had almost forgotten that name.
Bethany’s own name was nearly lost. Delphine knew it.
Bethany looked forward to remembering it again.
She knew it was pretty, but it resonated through the air and called to those who were looking for her.
Bethany slept, knowing that her life was about to kick into high gear.
Sharp banging on her car window woke her up. Bethany sat up and looked at their auras. It wasn’t the police. Warlocks. Fuck.
She picked up her phone and started calling. It was four in the morning, but Abra picked up.
“Bethany?”
“They found me, Abra. There are eight of them around my car. People must have been talking about me. Dang. I agreed to sing at the dark court’s king’s birthday party on Saturday. I think Nessa and Atolica looked into me.”
“Where are you?”
“Danforth and seventh. Next to the tallest tree, across from the computer repair shop. I think I am going to be transported soon. They are rocking the car, and they have started chanting.”
“Right. Pants are on, I am on my way. This isn’t going to be subtle.”
“Great. Subtle is overrated.” She braced herself as her car began to rock.
She called Nessa and left a message. “Who did you talk to about me last night? These guys are looking to snag me, and they are not my normal stalkers. There are nearly ten of the fuckers to start with. I am about to send the message to Atolica as well. This is going to be bad.”
She sent a similar message to Atolica. The chanting was picking up speed, and the car was vibrating.
Light filled the air, and she heard screaming. Abra had arrived.
Bethany watched through the windows as a blur of glorious light spun around her car, and the men went flying, their little chant shattered.
She smiled and stayed in until Abra came to her window and tapped.
Bethany lowered the window and said, “I would like pancakes, waffles, strawberries, and a large coffee. Double Double.”
“Come on. My housekeeper shot out of bed when I headed out of the house. Waffles are definitely in the cards.”
“Can I bring my car?”
“Sure. Unlock it, and I will be your navigator.”
“Sure.” Bethany crawled to the front seat and unlocked the car. When Abra was inside and buckled in, Bethany started the engine and smiled. “Where to, miss?”
“Smartass.”
“All of me is smart. Now, which way am I going?”
Abra started directing her through the pre-dawn city, and when they finally arrived at her large, gated home, Bethany said, “I feel like I need to wash my feet to walk into your house.”
“Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t expect you to bathe anything to come in. Afterward, we will debate the variable levels of cleanliness.”
“You are funny for a talking radiation cloud.”
“And you are clever for a superheated rock. And yet, here we are.”
The gates swung open, and Bethany drove her car up the long and winding drive. Statues were visible behind the large manor. Bethany saw something familiar in the shapes, but it would be something to investigate the following day if she were able.
“Do you have a room I can crash in? I need some safe sleep. I haven’t had any for years.”
“How many years?”
“Sixteen?”
“Geez. You should have come to me sooner.”
“I didn’t want to be a burden.”
Bethany parked, and Abra got out of the car and walked around to the driver’s door.
Bethany got out and was subjected to a serious hug.
Abra’s energy signature was definitely familiar.
It was like a flavour from childhood. Something that she recognized upside down and in the dark. “Your name is Delphine now?”
“You are going by Bethany?”
“It was nice and generic. I wanted to blend in. I tried Jane, but no one would go for it.”
Delphine laughed. “You are not a Jane or Sara or Anne. Bethany suits you until you can be yourself again.”
“How did you get away?”
“My father is an ass. He had my mother sign a dismissal contract. She got a single payout, and he was to have no contact with her, nor she with him. So, when I arrived, he tried to put a claim on me, but the contract stipulated that he rejected her body as it was on the day of signing. So, since she was a few days pregnant, he lost custody to me. Wow, was he pissed. He didn’t find out about me until I was five, but I had already begun to help Mother with business, and we had enough funds to fight him. That surprised him.”
“Does he still try?”
“He sends cursed gifts occasionally, but we just send them back to his mother. She’s really pissed that she doesn’t have a granddaughter.”
They leaned back out of the hug. “Come on, Bethany. Let’s get you to a guestroom. You need some sleep.”
“I have a new job and have to be there by one.”
“Then, we had better tuck you in. Where are you working?”
“The new fertility retreat that Nessa Twilight has started. I am the attendant for the couple who is undergoing the treatment.”
“Seriously?”
“Yeah, I haven’t been able to get any certification. Running is hard work.”
“Wait, you have been running this whole time?”
“Yup. Even when you saw me in Japan, I was just doing a favour for a friend with the performance, and then I tried to leave, but there was an offer to help with my concealment, and I took it. It may have been an issue, but it’s over, and now I am back to trying to make my life look normal while being hunted by warlocks all the fucking time. ”
Abra linked arms with her. “Have you ever socialized?”
“Like naked?”
“Yes.”
“Once. It was payment for the spell that made people forget my name.”
“Oh. Ouch.”
“That was a good description of it, but seeing warlocks pop out of the woodwork was getting old. They were tracking me by name.”
“I see. Would you tell me who it was?”
“I am terrible with names.” Bethany chuckled. “That was before the spell.”
“Well, once you are rested, I am going to pick your brain.”
“That will be a short excavation.”
Abra laughed and walked into the house, past a butler, and up a set of stairs. The guestroom was beautiful and had a blue-dressed bed.
“Go and get some rest. I am going to make a few calls and scald some ears.”
“You do you, boo-boo.” She looked back at Abra. “You can really yell at them?”
“Oh, yeah. The half-elf with no clan status gives me a lot of pull. Basically, they can’t tell someone else to rein me in.” Abra grinned. “As you would say, neener, neener.”
“Oh. Nice. Okay. Sleep now. Thank you so much for coming for me.”
“I am sorry it took so long. Rest. No one is getting to you here.” She smiled. “They would need a tank, and I would notice it.”
Bethany smiled and closed the door, stripping and heading for a warm shower. Once she was clean, she crawled into bed and sent her senses out to look for danger around her. She smiled, pulled the sheets and blankets over her, and let herself rest.
* * * *
Delphine thumbed through her phone and contacted Mr. Twilight’s assistant, Orvis.
A sleepy voice answered, “Hello?”
“Hello, Ms. Orvis. Were you part of the group looking up the wild magic star?”
“Who is this?”
“Tell Stovos to get out of you so we can have a conversation. Yes, I know you can hear me, you pointy-eared harpy-fucker.”
Orvis snorted. “So, you obviously know us. Who are you?”
“Delphine Abra Kadabra. Spirit of the aurora borealis and half-elf owner of all divisions of DAK Corp. A coven of warlocks found Bethany tonight and tried to break her wards. Eight of them.” She paused. “Warlocks, not wards. She has way more wards than that.”
“What? Ohmygod.”
“So, what I want to know is who poked the local coven and told them there was a fallen star in their midst? I would like to have a word with them. As you were the one speaking to Bethany, I thought you would be good for a point of first contact.”
“Oh, shit. Is she okay?”
“She’s fine. Her car is fine. Eight warlocks are going to be vomiting light for a few days. Their testicles might show up again. Might not.”
“Can I look into this and call you back?”
“Yes. I am activating a very obnoxious phone tree. Shall I call Nessa?”
“Nope. I have her. She’s in the house.”
“Ah, I will get on to Olmin and Nen then. I haven’t gotten to be this angry in a long time. It’s rather freeing.” Delphine chuckled. “Who knew this much rage would be entertaining? Are you on it, Ms. Orvis?”
“Stovos is already calling Kelnen. We will find out what happened quickly.”
“I do love a quick resolution. I will see you at the office around eleven. Got to get that pesky meeting out of the way.”
“We will figure it out.”