Chapter 73: Puppet

I bumped into one of the other actors with my fake grocery store bag. I pretended to drop my invisible groceries all over the floor and bent to pick them up. The other actor tripped over me backward, causing me to flatten against the grass. It was a typical improv show and had the audience laughing. Mr. Kline seemed to be enjoying himself. I wondered if he'd be laughing when I was done with him.
I drew on my inner power. I could feel the three demons' powers under my skin easily, but the pink god power was like a short-circuiting battery. It would come in powerful surges but not a steady stream. It made it very hard to control. I brought what power I could to my fingertips. I couldn't direct it without speaking a command. I wasn't that good a sorceress yet. I wasn't sure what I was going to do with it either, but I would be ready when the opportunity arose.
I picked up my pretend receipt that was under the other actor's foot. A pink spark hit his shoe. He picked up his foot quickly like it hurt. Maybe it was just him acting. I couldn't be sure. I looked up at him. He seemed to hesitate for real like he'd been shocked out of whatever trance he'd been put in. Maybe that zap had loosened Mr. Kline's magic. Maybe I should try to shock myself.
I stood slowly, my body still being forced around. I could feel the tingle of magic at my fingers. I gathered all my mental power then pushed forward. It felt like moving through very sticky mud. I managed a stutter step before I was yanked back in the direction Mr. Kline wanted me to go. I caught a glance at his face as I spun about. He frowned deeply. He must have noticed me fighting it.
I needed to stop a second and think about this. What was my plan? If I fought and he noticed, he would just double up his power, or drop all the other puppets and focus on me. Then he'd know I had power and either keep me from using it or depending on how his worked, he could wield me like a weapon. There would be no way out. I would be screwed. But if I played along with this violation, I could hit him when he wasn't expecting it.
I let the power fizzle out. Every part of my body wanted to scream and run away, but I couldn't do anything. I just allowed him to swing me about like a toy across the lawn. I would get him for this and make sure he'd never do this to anyone again. I just needed to figure out how.
My body moved through the motions. The employees around the fire laughed. My mind worked through several scenarios. The best I could come up with was to sneak up on him and knock him out. But what did I do with him afterward? He'd just come after me again and after my coworkers or someone else. I didn't really want to kill him, but I really didn't see any other way.
Finally, after three more painfully humorless scenes, I felt his magic recede. My body relaxed, but my muscles shook. I looked over at him. Maybe he was getting tired. Maybe there was a limit to his power. That would be an interesting bit of information I could use against him.
I sat down heavily in the chair. The people around me were still holding their sides and fighting the giggles.
"I don't know what came over me," one of the former actors said.
"Yeah, me either. I never do anything like that."
"But I was pretty good, though!"
Others chimed in with laughter and words of encouragement. I plastered on a fake smile. I watched Mr. Kline's face out of the corner of my eye. He was watching me intently.
"Yeah, we were pretty funny!" I said. I tried my best to throw out a convincing laugh. I really shouldn't have tried to fight him. It seemed like he suspected something was amiss with me. It seemed like he was paying even more attention to me.
I removed myself from the chair. My limbs ached. I wasn't planning on doing so much moving, and now the previous day's injuries were starting to catch up to me. I limped to the bathroom. Only two of the dogs followed me. I shut them out. I stared in the mirror. I wondered if my new guardians would come when I called. I might as well try.
"Sandriel." I waited. Nothing happened.
"Natalia."
I looked at myself in the reflection. The freckles on my nose stood out. My dark blonde hair was matted with sweat, and I looked a wreck.
"Come on. Anyone? Please. I'm pretty sure this guy is a bad man. I need to know what to do."
I waited longer. "Fine. I'll just kill him. I'm sure that will either put me more in the good or the bad, but either way, someone is losing, and I am blaming it on you because you won't help me."
The shadows coalesced behind me. My heart jumped at the familiar sight, but when the figure solidified, Natalia's dark eyes stared back at me through the mirror. She crossed her arms while standing very rigid. I wondered if she had been a soldier in her past life. A soldier with an attitude, maybe.
"I don't like being blackmailed," she growled.
I shrugged. "What do I do? This guy is a creep. Do I kill him?"
"What's he doing?"
"Aren't you always watching?"
She narrowed her eyes. I could see her wanting to say that favorite line.
I lifted my hand. "Yeah, yeah. You can't say. But seriously, he's controlling us like puppets. How do you defeat a man like that?"
Her face grew down in a frown. I spun to face her. "Please? Do I just kill him? Should I even do that? What if I can't... you know... perform. I didn't mean to kill Mila, and well, Isabell was trying to kill me, so that was self-defense. Is killing a bad guy a good thing or a bad thing?"
Natalia just glared at me.
"Fine." I held out my palms. "Reveal." My daggers rose from my skin and slid into my hands. I turned to the door.
Natalia just stood with her arms crossed. "Are you just going to run out there and kill him in front of all those people?"
"The Veil will rewrite their memories."
"That's not always a good thing. You could easily be rewritten as the cashier clerk that went psycho on her boss."
I paused. "I guess that's true."
"So, I shouldn't kill him?"
"So you should probably come up with a better plan. Maybe a longer plan? Is there any reason to strike right at this moment? Does he suspect you?"
"I think he does."
"Then wait. Plot something more vengeful. Make him suffer." The way she said it sounded like she had experience.
A smile touched my lips. "What were you in your past life?"
She just stared at me without answering.
"Don't worry. I'll find out eventually."
I closed my fingers around my daggers. "Hide," I whispered. The blades slipped up my sleeve and back as tattoos on my arms.
I stepped out the door and stood face to face with Mr. Kline.
"Who were you talking to?" He asked.
I hesitated. "Why are you waiting outside the door?"
"I have to use the bathroom."
I narrowed my eyes. "The guest bathroom?"
"Mine is under renovation right now."
I turned to walk off.
"Who were you talking to?" He repeated.
"I was on the phone. It's a private matter." I turned quickly and tried to walk away. Four of the dogs dashed around my feet, making me have to do some awkward leaps and stumbling steps to get out. I heard the door close behind me. I sighed in relief as I found my seat around the fire again.
It looked like a few of the employees had left. That seemed like a good sign. I snatched up my purse and headed to the door. If I was quick, I could get the fuck out of here.
I was almost safe. I was almost at the front door. Just as I opened it, Mr. Kline called from behind me.
"Kira! Leaving so soon?"
I plastered on a smile. "Ah, yes, I promised to feed my friend's dog on the way home. I can't be late."
He smiled easily. "Right. Okay. Well, see you at work tomorrow. You'll be closing again?" The way he said it was a question but wasn't really meant as a question.
I nodded. "Right. Okay, bye."
I threw myself out the door and hurried back to the hornet. It was all I could do to get the door open. Mr. Kline stood at the door with his seven wiener dogs around his feet. He waved and smiled at me as I drove off. I was just happy I got the damn car to start.