Page 101 of Grim

“This is Tajah’s shop. She’s a witch, an exceptionally good one that will help us find out what’s going on with you,” Bones said. “I’m afraid what we need to find out is more her department.”

This morning, Bones did all the blood tests he could. Reading up on humans and ‘hearing voices,’ and came up with the conclusion that the human was psychotic if they heard voices they weren’t supposed to.

Ear bleeding was only common if an eardrum had ruptured from an infection, but her eardrums were completely healed, which baffled Bones. The indentions from my claws had also healed, and she had also gained some of my healing abilities, as far as Bones could tell.

Bones deemed her healthy, but we all knew something was going on with her body. Her smell had also changed, and everyone noticed.

“Is she really old?” Journey peered up at me. “Is she scary looking?”

Sizzle snorted, rubbing his nose. “Humans.” He shook his head.

Locke pushed us in the door. The bell rang abruptly, and movement came from the other side of the counter in the back.

“Who’s there?” A haggard cough came from behind the counter and Tajah came up to her full height. She was nearly six feet tall and slender, but her face was distinctively paler than I remembered.

“Wow, she’s beautiful,” Journey commented.

“Aw, shucks, thank you, dear. I feel like shit, though.”

She walked around the counter. A black shawl was draped over her shoulders, and a cane helped her walk.

“Tajah, what’s going on?” Locke strode over to her, wrapped his arm around her, and helped her sit at a round table with a crystal ball in the middle.

She coughed again, dabbing with a black handkerchief. But with the blackness of the handkerchief, there was no doubt blood had landed on the threads.

“Tajah!” Beretta came from the back. Guns hung at her side. She’d brought in a device I’d used on Journey when she was first sick. “You do not run away from me. I am here to take care of you. Now take this inhaler.”

Beretta held it to her mouth, and Tajah took in a ragged breath and let the medicine seep down into her lungs.

“That will not work on me. I’m still waiting on those herbs to be delivered later today, and then I’ll be fine,” she argued. Tajah pulled her shawl closer to her body.

Beretta stepped away, pursing her lips, but stood in the corner to watch over her. It was the same look I gave Journey, knowing that she would always be safe with me.

Locke and I shared a look.

“Now wait a minute,” Tajah began. “You are here for some funny business, aren’t you? You’ve got some strange things going on with you.” She smiled at Journey and waved her over.

Journey tried to hide behind me, but I pulled her by my side. “She won’t hurt you.” I nuzzled into her hair.

Tajah had been with us since the beginning and not once showed disloyalty.

“Damn right I won’t hurt her.” Tajah slapped the table. “I’ve been waiting for you to come down here, but I see Grim can’t keep it in his pants now that he has the use of his dick.”

Sizzle snorted, turning away.

“Hey, your time is coming, Sizzle.” She wagged her finger. “Once you get your dick working again and find your mate, you will be rutting, too.”

Sizzle opened his mouth to argue, but Locke slapped him upside the head. “None of our dicks work you ass. Don’t act like it works for you. Now, Tajah, as much as I love seeing you torment the old dragon, will you please?”

Tajah tsked, pulling a box from under the table. “Right, right. Let me see.”

“She’s sick. I don’t want her to have to work,” Journey said concerned.

Tajah shook her head and glanced in our direction as a brief smile appeared on her face. She watched as Journey’s hand gripped mine, and I squeezed back.

This world was new to my mate. The customs of different species would be next on my list of things to teach her about our world.

Witches had pride and did not want people to see them as weak. I was waiting for Tajah to whip out a snarky reply with electricity zooming across the room but smiled instead.

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