Page 11 of Infernal Hearts

With a deep breath, he looks up at the ceiling and purses his lips while grumbling to himself. Whatever’s going through his head, he’s clearly unhappy about it. Finally, he just shakes his head and packs up the rest of his bag. “Looks like you’re staying here.”

I laugh. “You’re kidding. It’s a metal table. Or maybe you have a big old kennel in the basement? That would be more fitting.”

“I meant in the building next door. It’s an extra workspace.”

There’s clearly more to this guy than what’s on the surface. “For someone who doesn’t treat magical creatures, you’re being pretty accommodating.”

“No one’s ever accused me of doing things halfway.” He lifts the suitcase off the table and opens the door behind him. “And the last thing I need is for a dead…whatever you are showing up at the local motel. If they find a corpse with perfect stitches, it won’t take long to know it was me, and I don’t need questions.”

The room stops spinning long enough for me to button up my shirt to cover my chest and drape my blazer over my arm. “And how much’ll this cost me?”

“Well, I don’t exactly have a code for ‘magical rituals’ in QuickBooks, so how about we focus on keeping you alive while I figure that out?”

“I’m always willing to pay in services.”

All he does is shake his head and sigh. “Give it up already.”

I hold my head high and smile. “Just stating facts.” That may have come off a little too smug, but it got the point across judging by how he clears his throat.

We walk through the office, and I notice the calendar behind the front desk is empty of appointments. Strange.

He checks the lock on the front door and cuts the lights out behind him. After a quick walk out back to the guest house, he opens the door and flicks on a few lamps to illuminate the small space. Quiet bedroom. Clean kitchenette. Small bathroom. I’ve seen worse.

The same wooden walls as inside the office, but the furniture up here is much homier. It’s cheap, though—something you’d expect to see in a college student’s first apartment. Target would be a large step up. No houseplants. No photos. No life.

It feels relatively large thanks to the vaulted ceiling, but it’s messy and cluttered—stacks of papers and textbooks all over every surface. He’s clearly a workaholic. No wonder he’s so tense. He doesn’t know how to relax.

He motions to the bedroom before disappearing for a few moments and returning with a pillow, sheets, and a blanket. “I should probably ask what your name is since you’re sleeping here.”

“It’s Levi. And yours?”

“Dr. Blackwell.”

“Charming.”

He efficiently tucks the sheet on the bed, fluffs out the blanket, and places the pillow against the headboard. “Sleep as long as you can. I’ll be back to check on you throughout the day.”

I sit on the side of the bed, putting my hands on my knees. “Not that I’m complaining, but this seems like a particularly easy fix for someone who was going to die within an hour.” My mind races as I search for another magical reason that could have aided a simple potion that much.

“Think of it like my strongest round of magical antibiotics.” His voice is flat and uninterested as he rifles through his suitcase.

“If that won’t save you, you need something you can’t get in this town. And then you’re out of luck.” Finally, he hands me some pills.

“Something to help the magic?” I ask.

“Tylenol PM.”

I guess I don’t have a choice. I throw the pills in my mouth and swallow them dry.

“And do me a favor—stay in here. I’ll need to figure out a way to explain this to my staff.”

I shrug and lay my jacket on the back of the sofa. “You could just say we met on Grindr.”

“Good night.” Once he closes the front door behind him, a quick pop sounds from the other side. Great. Locking me away. Surefire way to get someone to trust you.

After carefully setting my shirt on the dresser in the bedroom and sliding my pants off, I slip under the blanket. That golden thread he used emits a gentle glow from beneath the bandages. At least it’s working.

I try my hardest to settle down. The pain is setting in again, but sleep is already taking me over. At least I’m safe here. I can relax for the first time since I got to town.

---