20. Girl Talk

"That is by far the most exquisite piece of art I've laid eyes on."
Suddenly plucked out of the small bubble of concentration- but also tranquility- that enveloped me whenever I drew for long, I looked up. Aster. She was leaning against my window, the late afternoon breeze playing lightly with her dark locks. Her eyes met mine, her red lips curving upwards. I noticed there was a green package in her hands.
She nodded towards my finished portrait, a stunned looking Darius. "Impressive."
I grinned, holding up my masterpiece. "I figured I'd have to get it down on paper before I forgot how priceless his expression was."
"How much for an exact replica?" Aster asked.
I shook my head. "No need. I'll make you one for free. Gotta spread the joy, right?"
Aster laughed, a gentle ringing sound that very rarely made an appearance. "I'll have it framed in my home."
Aster lived in faerie, the land of beauty and endless pleasure (according to several internet searches). She couldn't reveal much to me about it since I wasn't a fae, so I knew next to nothing about where my pointy eared friend lived. Faeries were apparently even more secretive than werewolves. I wonder what her family and friends back there thought about her working for an alpha.
I put on my imaginary Nancy Drew hat. Time for some detective work.
I closed my sketch book, put an arm around the back of the chair. "Say, Aster, why do you work for Kane?"
Her expression cooled. "Not work so much as taking orders. He won a challenge and has me bound to a contract."
Contract. I had to work on not looking worried. "What was the challenge?"
"He had to drink a goblet full of my blood and not perish," Aster said. "Faerie blood is rich with magic and can bring great fortune to the person who ingests it, but it also eats away at the very life it aids. Not many mortals survive it. Wilder did not die. So I am now obligated to serve him indefinitely."
"He drank poisonous blood and didn't die?" I repeated slowly.
"The man is hard to kill." Aster looked quite glum while saying this.
I wondered if she would kill him if given the chance. The thought made me uncomfortable, I waved it away. Stay in detective mode.
I tapped a finger on the desk. "What did you want in return?"
Aster shrugged. "I just wanted him to die."
I bit my lip, hiding a smile. "How did he even find you? Except for that time when we meet in the woods I've never even smelled another faerie in the city."
"The folk keep to themselves," Aster agreed. "I had the misfortune of meeting Wilder at the yearly conference the slayers hold. The fae are obligated to attend, that time I was the representative my court sent. He cornered me and presented me with the challenge. He was arrogant and annoying so I accepted."
Slayer is a peacekeeping organization that acts as a buffer for supernaturals and normal people. They try to keep the casualties of coexistence low, kind of like a supernatural version of the UN. They had a branch here in Seattle, a huge fenced in building that was always buzzing with activity. I've never actually gone inside but it made sense that Kane would, being the alpha's son and all, but him going there just to lure a faerie into being his slave...
I stood. "How did he know he wouldn't die?"
"Who knows if he did?" Aster countered. "He didn't struggle anyway, only a bit of blood poured from his eyes."
I grimaced. "I don't think that's a little struggle."
Aster walked-or more like glided gracefully- to my bed and set down the package. "Faeries are dangerous creatures, forming contracts with them is equally dangerous."
"Why would he risk his life to ensnare you into a contract though? And before you say to protect me, normal alphas use their own werewolves as guards."
Aster narrowed her eyes at me. "Wilder is not normal."
She bent towards her package and I knew that line of questioning was dead.
I joined her by the bed, wringing my fingers behind my back. "Can contracts be cancelled?"
She pulled at the vine-like strings that kept the package together. "That depends on who created it and the words spoken, but most often, no. For fae there are no ways out when they've given their word."
Words spoken. I don't even remember the words Alpha had spoken. Hell.
I cleared my throat. "So you're tied to Kane for life?"
"Until he releases me. I'll outlive him either way, my kind live for centuries. Here." She picked up a black ribbon, two white bells attached to it. "This is for you."
I poked it, the bells jingling. "What is it?"
"A hair ribbon but not only that." She reached over, pulled a couple of my braids together. Her fingers tangled through them, pulling and twisting gently. A moment later the bells were tied to my hair.
I walked over to my mirror, studied them. I don't usually accessorize but these were actually pretty, elegant even. "You said they weren't just an accessory?"
"Tap both of the bells with your fingers," Aster ordered, standing behind me.
I did what she said. There was a tingling sensation on my face. A dark shadow blurred in the mirror. As I watched, a black mask shimmered into existence. Dark as night, a long lean face with pointed dog ears. There wasn't any openings for the mouth or the nose but I could breathe just fine. It felt more like a comfortable second skin. And unlike the grisly expressions on my other masks, this one's was solemn but... Threatening. Beautiful and forbidding.
I touched it, found the material was strong, smooth fabric. "It's gorgeous."
Aster smiled. "Anubis, the Egyptian god of the afterlife."
The brown eyes behind the mask glanced at the Aster in the mirror. "Why are you always trying to get me to kill people?" I joked.
She pursed her lips. "When people are dead, they shut up. Permanently. Turn around."
She grabbed both my hands when I did, pale fingers brushing against mine. They were nothing like my own. My finger nails seemed to always have either paint or chalk under them, the fingers themselves crooked and scarred.
"A fighter and an artist," she mumbled. "Although I am in favor of you using these fists of yours more often, I also think you should take better care of your hands."
She slipped black lace gloves on each of my hands. They went to my wrists, the lacey fabric stopping at the joints of my fingers. The material was as strong as the mask's, only this was more feminine.
"That should keep your bones from breaking when you knock those thick skulls around," she said, nodding.
I sucked in a breath. "Thank-"
She raised a brow. "Intent on owing me for eternity?"
I smiled. "Whenever you need me, I'll be there. And I promise to live up to your hopes. Both yours and mine."
She smiled back. "Better. Touch the mask's snout to put it away."
Experimentally, I tapped the nose. The warmth from the material left as the mask vanished, leaving behind the bells that jingled once before stilling.
"Wow." I sighed, sat down on the bed, staring at my new gloves. "Aster, why are you so nice to me? Not that I'm complaining but you keep telling me never to trust any of the folk."
She sat down beside me, eyes looking out the window. "We watch those interesting murder shows together and you make nice snacks. You're a friend, I like making sure my friends are safe."
I smiled, it was the sort of answer I was sort of expecting but I still didn't feel quite right about her giving me magical items for free.
Aster seemed to tune into my train of thought. "A portrait."
"What?'
She pointed at my sketch book. "I'd like a copy of that portrait. Along with one of myself. In return for the stuff I gave you, do we have a deal?"
That still seemed unfair...
"Aren't there any faeries that can draw where you live?"
Aster wrinkled her nose. "None of them like me."
I grinned. "You have a deal then. But one more question," I said, watching her. The sharp angles of her face, relaxed expression, her uncanny emerald eyes. "Has Kane been hiding me from someone?"
Her eyebrows lifted but there was only a slight pause. "Wilder has plenty of adversaries. On your feet," she said, rising. "We need to get you to that party."
I pressed my lips together.
Fae can't lie but they can twist their way out of telling the truth by either omitting or misdirecting words. Aster didn't deny anything. Ian was right. But if this mystery person was bad enough that even Aster- who was constantly trying to get me to bash people's faces in- didn't want me to know anything about, then maybe I should be more wary. Or maybe Kane swore her to secrecy- but if that was the case, couldn't she find a way around that too? I sighed inwardly.
This was getting more and more complicated.
***
Forty minutes later and I stood in front of the mirror again, all my worries momentarily forgotten. I raised a hand, the reflection in the mirror mimicked the move. It was me after all.
Both my parents are African American, I have light brown skin and curly hair that drives me so insane I never have much patience for dealing with it besides large braids. Thirty or so braids that were easy to undo and very handy when it came to hiding my face. Nothing remotely special, very plain- and yet they were no longer so. Aster had pulled them away from my face into a single delicate French braid, the white bells dangling from the side but now joined by dozens of little black butterfly pins.
The absent braids revealed a face that was surprisingly not so very unattractive. My eyelashes were somehow longer, the eyeliner cutting a path across my eyelids, curving at the edge and creating a more seductive version of my eyes. The black dress fit snuggly at my chest, stopping at the small waist in a v-line and flaring out to the ankles. Two slits at both sides stopped near the thighs, the heels of my black ankle boots making my legs look miles long. The gloves matched perfectly with the outfit, like the crimson lipstick. I looked like those female agents in the movies, stunning but undoubtedly able to handle herself.
Aster held up a slim pocket knife with a white leather handle, slipped it into my boot.
I gave her a questioning look.
She folded her hands over her chest, raised a defiant brow. "In case anyone needs stabbing," she said.
I hoped nobody needed stabbing.