Page 4 of Dramatic AF
“You must get asked that a lot.”
“You have no idea.”
The color had returned to his face, his complexion now a warm, golden olive, complemented by the dark, pin-straight locks that brushed the tops of his shoulders.
“Well, it’s nice to meet you, Trick.” I held up the drink he had given me. “Thanks again for the coffee.”
I had another half hour before rehearsal started, and I needed to go over my lines for the scene, but for some reason, I didn’t want him to leave yet. While I knew nothing about him, apart from his name and the fact that he was objectively stunning, I felt inexplicably drawn to him.
Probably just lingering worry. His earlier behavior had shaken me, and I didn’t want to send him away until I knew he would be okay.
“So, do you work—”
“Can we talk?” he blurted, his eyes scanning the occupied seats. “Somewhere private?”
I hesitated, like any rational person would. Leaving with a stranger to somewhere isolated was exactly how true crime documentaries started. Also scripted porn videos. While I wanted to be optimistic, Trick clearly hadn’t come to deliver a pizza or clean my pool.
“Um, yeah, okay.” I jerked a thumb over my shoulder. “Follow me.”
After receiving a nod, I turned and headed up the aisle toward the double doors at the back of the theater. The noise level dropped considerably when I stepped into the vestibule between the auditorium and the lobby, blanketing the dimly lit area in an eerie hush.
Technically, it fulfilled his desire for privacy, but with help just beyond the doors and a hallway full of security cameras.
“So, what did you want to talk about?”
In response, he dragged his fingers through his hair and huffed out a sharp breath. He seemed reluctant, almost stressed, which probably didn’t bode well for me.
“My name is Trick Wyrin, and I’m a warlock task agent with MNSTR.”
I nodded in both understanding and acknowledgment that I had heard of MNSTR. A service designed to connect shadelings with humans for everything from simple deliveries to magic-based solutions, the app had exploded in popularity over the past couple of years.
While there had never been a reason for me to use the app myself, I knew plenty of people who had, and with impressiveresults. But a task agent didn’t show up on a production set without a reason.
“You’re not just here to deliver coffee, are you?”
Trick shook his head.
“And our meeting wasn’t a coincidence?”
He shook his head again and sighed. “I was paid to curse you.”
I echoed his sigh, my shoulders rounding with the weight of the news. “Well, that sucks. Will it hurt?”
“What?”
“The spell,” I clarified. “Will it hurt?”
“No, it was just supposed to be a memory hex, but that’s not—”
“That’s good.” Well, notgood, but I would prefer to avoid pain if at all possible. “So, I guess I’ll just forget my lines and stuff? Is that how it works?”
“Yes, but—”
“Do you know who hired you?”
“No name. It was an anonymous user.”
Yeah, I wouldn’t want to give my real name for something like this either.
