Tainted: Book Three - Enslaved

23. Allies

Kerry

Before we left, Rome thought to ask Mimi to look into Samuel Castle's past.

"I'm done for the next couple of days, maybe even a whole week, but I can try after I recharge." She smiled, but her eyes were dark with exhaustion. "Leave me a number. I'll call with what I learn."

I was glad he'd asked that. It made me think of someone else.

"Would you also look into the past of a woman named Amanda Greenaway? She was petrified two hundred years ago, but we freed her earlier this month."

"I'll try."

I nodded and started to round everyone up to leave. Getting Gigi to the subway was gonna be a pain in the butt.

Too bad we don't have anyone with an invisibility side skill.

Then Josef groaned, and I glanced at him.

"I'm going to feel sick the rest of the day," he grumbled.

"You need a new charm," Titus told him. "I think it's pretty clear the old one's worn off."

"It's depressing. I feel like a junkie picking up his weekly fix when I walk into Margie's every Monday."

"At least you're supporting the economy of a small business." Titus half-smiled. "Draw comfort from that."

"I know someone who might be able to help you." Seeing as we destroyed the Witch of Endor's conference room, I decided I could be generous. "Chessie can make charms that last a long time. An empath looked at the one I have now and said it would last at least a year."

Josef shoved his ball cap back enough to look me in the eye.

"Are you serious?"

Figuring showing would be more convincing than telling, I pushed my sleeve up past the dragon tattoo to show him the charm on my bicep.

"Did she brand you?" Titus raised an eyebrow.

"She thought that would make it last longer. And she can recharge it when it wears out, rather than redo the whole thing."

"Where can I find her?" Josef demanded.

"She's on an assignment for me right now, but I can call her, if you want."

"I want! I want! How much does she charge?"

"I dunno. I did her a favor and this was how she repaid it."

"I'll do her a favor! Anything she wants. I'll bathe her in jewels. I'll buy her a shoe store. I'll marry her. I don't even care what she looks like!"

"I know you didn't mean any disrespect," I growled, "but she's like a little sister to me."

"I apologize." He laid his hand over his heart, and I gave him a short nod. "If you can make this happen, Harker, I'll be in your debt. Tell Little Sister to name her price. Blank check."

"Man, you're putting yourself all kinds of out there." Titus grinned. "I'll be interested to see what they ask in exchange for their markers."

"I don't care. You don't know what it's like, Ti. A year of freedom from migraines and buying charms that fail when I need them most? I'll pay the cost, whatever it is."

"So what do we owe you, Mimi?" Rome asked.

"Let's see, Grandma has a rate per minute plus fees for extra details, but we got sidetracked with a few things. And I'm only an apprentice, so that knocks some off."

Mimi stopped talking and held up fingers one by one.

"Need my fingers, too, love?" Titus teased, hugging her from behind with one hand and holding up the other with his fingers spread.