80: Which Is A No-No

Work couldn’t come soon enough or so I thought. With Caleb’s worrisome eyes constantly on me it made it difficult to relax in my own home. Accept at work, I have two sets that replace Caleb’s one. Monty and Gretchen stare at me with their own version of pity and concern. I know my fractured lines disturb Gretchen and my cards confuse Monty.

The days start to blur. Caleb checks up on me in the evening, Monty and Gretchen keep an eye on me during the day. The most gut wrecking part is that Gabriel doesn’t mysteriously show up at all these past few days. Did Caleb scare him off?

Time ticks by and my first palm reading client is quickly approaching. Every minute, every hour is spent reading and trying to convince myself that I can do this. It allows me to slack on shop duties and stay in my office, which I’m more than grateful for, but that comfort quickly comes to an end.

“What?” I shout into the shop. My voice projects much further than Gretchen who stands in the doorway. A few customers look my way, but they’re the least of my concern right now. “It hasn’t even been a week yet.” It’s only been four days. That’s not even close to a week. Three whole days is a lot when it comes to reading someone’s life.

“Most of it is intuition, which comes from the client.” She eyeballs my ‘office’, which is a mess. Several books are scattered haphazardly around, stacked and tittering.

Several of the plants that I have are nearly dead or are in need of trimming, which is odd. It’s like I’ve neglected them for months. “Maybe take some time to clean up.” She flashes me a smile before leaving me to deal with an even bigger mess.

Great. Unsure of where to start, I decide to tackle the mess right in front of me. The table is piled with useless books. It takes longer than expected to find a place for each and every one without making it look like just stacked them up in the corner. With the table cleared, next is the plants. There’s enough time to whip a reviving elixir. There should be plenty of time for the plants to spruce back up before the client arrives.

Maybe.

Just as I add some drops into the final plant knuckles knock against the door frame. I really wish I had a door. I whip around to see Gretchen standing with a woman, no older than me, early twenties, big eyes taking me in, wide smile showcasing her excitement.

“Hazel, this is Melinda. She’s been on my waiting list for ages and I think you two would fit well together.” Gretchen is liking this more than I want her to.

Monty’s words creep up into my head. Gretchen is planning to step away from her palm readings and sticking me with her client list. Why not all the newbies. They won’t have the perfection of Gretchen tainting their judgement of me.

“Nice to meet you, Melinda. Have a seat.” She takes the chair I point to and I take the one across from her. “Did Gretchen tell you this...is new to me. I specialize in a different type of divination.”

Her eyes get bigger and her head bobs up and down. “Oh, yeah. Of course. She said you usually deal with dreams, right? How different can it be?” She jokes or at least I hope she’s joking.

One just shows me everything with very life-like visuals and one I have to dig deep for and make it up as I go. No big deal. She sounds so much like Gretchen. Intuition. Since when has intuition ever benefited me?

She extends her palm across the table. Words flow from her lips, but I ignore them as I take her warm hand in mine and examine each and every wrinkle within her hand. Just as I get the inkling of a feeling, her hand goes rigid and cold, so cold. “Melinda?”

Her head hangs down as I look to her, but as her hand slips from mine, her eyes lift to meet my gaze. Her once big brown eyes are now all white. “Hazel.” The voice that comes out of her mouth isn’t her own, but I know that voice.

“Jezmin?” I jump back from Melinda...Jezmin, so quickly that I nearly fall off my chair. “What the hell are you doing?”

“Did you find anything out yet?” She’s a perfect puppeteer as she has Melinda’s body move seamlessly. Most possessions I’ve seen are jerky and disturbing. “About the underneath?”

“What?” The word tumbles out of my mouth, but more follow so quickly that I don’t give her a chance to reply. “You know this is unnecessary, right? I mean we can see you without you having to possess someone, especially my first client.” My heart is racing so hard that I might pass out. “Where is Melinda currently? Does she have any idea what is going on?” Please say no, because Gretchen is going to kill me otherwise.

“You're playing with me right? Have you had amnesia or something?” She glares at me as I don’t react to her words the way that she’s hoping I would. She scans the room. “Something doesn’t feel right. Something is wrong here.” She takes several steps closer and I flinch. It’s unsettling to see Melinda, but also see flashes of Jezmin in the same body.

“Uh, yeah, you’re possessing someone, which is a no-no. Can I please have her back...please?”

“What did he do to you?” She becomes stiff seconds after she questions me. “He’s coming.”

“Who’s coming? And why does it have to be so confusing talking to you. Just spit it out.” I snap at her.

“The underneath.” She whispers before she collapses onto the chair. Her head falls onto the tabletop.

“Jezmin.” I give her a shake and hear a muffled groan in a different tone. “Melinda?”

“I’m sorry,” Her chipperness is back proving that Jezmin is really gone. She holds her head in her hands and sways back and forth for a second or two. “I skipped lunch and I got a woozy there for a minute.”

“I’ll make you some tea.” I jolt up from my chair and immediately start the coffee maker to get some hot water going. “It’ll perk you right back up,” and have a little anti possession attribute to it, I say to myself.

“You don’t have to.” She argues.

“It’s not a problem. I’m a master brewer.” I go around the room gathering ingredients into a motar. “Once you’ve had my tea, you’ll be coming back for that more than my readings.” I give them a little grind before putting them in a small satchel. Once it hits the hot water it instantly changes it to a beautiful blueish purple color. “You don’t have to drink it all, but at least half. It should be enough to get you downtown to grab something to eat.”

“Thanks.” She drinks slowly at first, but doesn’t stop until the cup is empty. She stands up using the table edge of the table to help her stand. “I feel much better.” She chimes.

“You, go eat and we can reschedule this in a few days, next week, whatever works best for you.”

She agrees and leaves with a cheery goodbye. Maybe it was too much. I stick to my room and clean up, waiting for Gretchen to come waltzing in, at the ready to question me.

“Knock knock.” His voice stops me in my tracks. “I’m not interrupting anything, am I? I didn’t realize you had clients.”

“I usually don’t.” I reply as I turn to him.

He stands sheepishly holding a bag of something that smells amazing. “Monty let me in, I hope that’s okay. She said something about the King arriving.” He gives me a quizzical look, silently asking what the hell Monty is talking about.

“She read her cards for me to entertain my friend, Avery, one day. Some weird King card showed up and the picture has a similarity to you.”

“You received the king card?” His voice cracks as he asks.

“You’re familiar with it?”

“No...it’s just...I don’t see you as the king type when you’re very much the queen.” My lips fight back the smile that his words bring.

“Monty’s cards have a way of telling people things. An incredibly creepy way, but I’m not too worried about it.” That last bit is a lie, but I don’t want to talk about that dreaded card. “What are you doing here?”

It takes him a couple of seconds to reply. He’s not really wanting to change the subject. It’s very clear that he’s still interested in the king card. Why? “I thought I would stop by and bring you something to eat.” His tone is light and caring. “From one of my favorite places. Kiko’s.”

“Kiko’s?” I stare at him dumbfoundedly. “One of your favorite places?” He sets the bag on the table and pulls out two styrofoam containers as I question him. “And one’s for me and one’s for...you?”

“I thought this would be the easiest way to tell you something, a secret that I hope you can keep.” He twists his head back to peer out into the store. “And maybe your friends too.”

Now I’m scared. And apparently it shows.

“I’ve scared you. Crap.” He runs his hand through his hair, taking a few pacing steps. “I’m sorry, it’s just...I never really had to tell anyone before. I never really wanted to. No one seemed important enough to know, no one except you.”

“Your gay.” The words just tumble out of my mouth, I didn’t realize I actually said it until I see his horrorsticken face.

He lets out a carefree laugh, a slightly relieved, but tense filled laugh. "I thought it was pretty obvious that I’m completely bewitched by you. I just hope it doesn’t terrify you.”

“Just spit it out already.” The suspense is indeed terrifying me.

“I’m not a full vampire. I’m a half breed, Hazel.”

“What? But…”

He gives me a small smile as he knows exactly what I’m trying to say. “But it’s against the rules...well, according to the other demizens. Wolves in particular. One has to really concentrate to sense my human half.”

The words tumble out of my mouth, “I didn’t even…” Suddenly, a flash of heat travels through my body. I had no idea. Where’s Gretchen now and her confidence in my intuition. I should feel wronged and lied to, but I feel ashamed and annoyed with myself that I didn’t figure it out.

And then everything stops. Time stands still and only one thought runs through my mind. A nervous jitter twitches my fingers, numbs my legs keeping me frozen in place. Vampire half breeds are rumored to have been created for only one reason. Infiltrating.

“Whoa,” He takes a step forward and gets incredibly close to me and I stiffen from his sudden advance. I can feel his breath on my face, his hands lightly squeeze my arms to reassure me. “I would never.” His golden eyes seem to stare into my soul and I become lost in his gaze. I don’t catch his hand moving from my arm to caress my cheek. “I would never hurt you.” He leans forward placing his lips to the top of head, ‘never,” he mumbles.

Would he? Hurt me? I don’t really know. I mean he is a vampire, so, yes, he would or could, but there’s something in his eyes, his tone. I don't have a reason to not believe him. And as I lean into him, his gently places kiss, I relay that exact message. That I’m foolish enough to believe he wouldn’t.

A blush flushes my cheeks a bright pink and has my heart pounding in my chest as I begin to think about him doing the exact opposite of hurting me and I break away from him afraid that too much is written on my face. “Shall we eat. I’m starving.” I choke out desperate to change the subject.

“Sure.” He flashes me a smile and I instantly melt.

What is wrong with me? It’s one thing to find a vampire attractive, but to fall helplessly for a half breed?