Page 53 of Bright Dark Curses

He took a shocked step back. “What? No!”

“You totally are!”

“No! I… I…” He deflated under my eyes, his shoulders slumping in defeat. With a heavy sigh, he unrolled the heavy scarf and pulled the beanie upward. “You were there yesterday.”

“Yeah,” I said happily, proud of recognizing him right away. “You’re one of the director’s assistants, right?”

“One of many,” he said morosely. He eyed the dogs, “Are they dangerous?”

“Only if you try to harm me, right, Fluffy?”

Fluffy barked and tried to reach Garlic Knots Guy. I stopped her and studied Rufus. He had come to sit by my side but didn’t appear unduly bothered by Knots Guy’s presence—no growling, no show of teeth. The lack of animosity reassured me.

“I don’t want to harm you,” he said, almost in a panic. “I need your help.” His expression turned comically scared. “You… You’re the witch, right?”

I tsked. “If I weren’t, you’d be in a heap of trouble right now.”

He wrung his hands. “I’m sorry, I’m a little nervous.”

“Because you’ve never met a witch?”

“I don’t want to get in trouble. I saw your shop recommended online. I—I can pay!”

He was so nervous, I felt bad for him. “Is this about the filming incidents?”

“Y-yes?”

I put up a hand. “Say no more.” Turning, I brought up my phone and dialed Key.

“Who are you calling?” he asked in a panicked shrill. “I’ll deny everything!”

“Shh,” I warned. “You wouldn’t want the shifters to notice you, would you? Not after you poisoned one of them.”

His eyes grew larger. “That wasn’t me, I swear!”

He sounded scared enough to be truthful. Interesting.

Key chose that moment to pick up. “Hey Key, I—” Rufus’s growl alerted me of movement. Instinctively, I reached out and grabbed Garlic Knots guy’s jacket before he could book it. I put down the phone. “Not so fast. I know who you are and where you work, remember?” Rufus growled again for good measure, and Fluffy got his back with a couple of barks.

Garlic Knots guys jumped. “I’ll stay!”

“Good.” I brought the phone back up and asked her to rally up the troops. “Group meeting.”

“W-what?” Garlic Knots guys stammered.

I ended the call with Key and beckoned. “C’mon, let’s get out of this cold.”

“But you have to help me.”

“All in good time. What’s your name?”

“Ethan.”

Thirty minutes later, we were sitting at a group table on the open terrace of a local southern cuisine restaurant.

“Can’t we go somewhere warmer?” Dru complained, rubbing her hands.

I gestured toward Fluffy and Rufus, who were lying down next to two bowls of water. “Other places won’t let the dogs in.”

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