Monster Baiter (An Obscure Magic Book 6) Read online

  With a lot of effort, she boosted herself onto the workbench and focused on analyzing the spell that was on her skin. Her magic was bonded to the residue of the curse, making it hard to focus and giving her the sensation that her own body was repellant.

  There was only one thing to do; she had to unravel her own magic.

  She picked apart each layer of magic, from the inside out, pressing outward when the curse tried to touch her skin. A swift destruction of the energy and she slumped forward.

  “Good job, micro mite.” Her father’s voice was near her.

  “Dad, when did you get here?” Her head was spinning.

  “An hour ago, but you were doing fine.”

  She looked at him through exhausted eyes and smiled. “I think I deserve a cookie.”

  She slammed her head onto his shoulder on the way down.

  Chapter Seven

  Delwin was the first face that she saw. He was leaning over her and sponging her forehead.

  Sophy blinked. “What are you doing here?”

  “Well, I live here. So do you. Your parents brought you in, and your phone gave me instructions on how to take care of you. He is a bossy fella.”

  Magnus’s voice was next to her. “Yes, I am. Such as I am. She needs rest and recuperation.”

  “She needs folks to stop talking about her like she isn’t awake.” Sophy tried to sit up and groaned, falling backward.

  “As I said. You used a lot of energy, and your body is recovering. You need a week of nothing but rest.” Magnus sounded smug.

  “That isn’t going to happen. I have duties to execute.”

  “Your father is resuming the mantle for a week. He is excited.” Magnus chuckled. “He and I got along very well.”

  She ignored that. “He can’t. He isn’t the Cursed One.”

  “He was, and that was enough for Lenora to borrow the curse for a week. You are free for the next seven days until you are back to full strength.”

  “Why are you suddenly in charge? You don’t even have a body.”

  Delwin was watching the whole exchange with a grin.

  “Because I have seen what you were engaged in before. A blown spell like that should have killed you, but your energy held it and froze around it. You have excellent reflexes but very little preservation instinct.”

  She grumbled. “I haven’t needed it. The curse protects me.”

  “Not if you are going up against demon magic. You are going to need special expertise. I am willing to provide it, for a price.”

  She looked at her phone and made a face.

  “I saw that.”

  “I could just shut you off.”

  “I would simply take over another appliance with a camera. Listen to my offer and tell me what you think.”

  She sat up slowly, and Delwin left her with a wink and a whispered, “You seem to be in good... hands?”

  She made another face and looked down at the phone. “What do you want?”

  “I want you to petition the Mage Guild for my release. Just one appearance at the Guild Hall and I will tell you what you need to know about dealing with those demon curses.”

  Sophy sighed. “I thought I was supposed to be resting.”

  “Ha. Funny. You and I both know you will be on your feet in minutes. Your physical body is fine; it is your magical energies that need to recover.”

  She groaned and flipped the covers over the phone. She was naked, and he didn’t need to see that. Her entire body ached. She moved with glacial slowness to the shower and let the hot water take out the aches and pains that she was feeling. Her body was marked with traces of energy under the skin, marks that looked like rivers of power. “That is new.”

  When she was wrapped in a towel with her hair mostly dry and draped over her shoulder, she uncovered the phone.

  “I already saw you naked. Delwin helped your mother undress you. It was a delightful show.”

  “Perv.”

  “I admire the female form and yours more than any other.”

  She glared at him. “Stop sucking up. I am feeling stronger. We can go to the Guild Hall today.”

  “You might want to wait on that. It is the middle of the night. You have been out for hours.”

  She looked to the window and saw the dark of night outside. “Well, fuck.”

  She lifted her blankets, crawled back under the sheets and pulled the towel away when she was done settling. Time for another nap. If she was honest, she needed it.

  “You know you always curse when you are thwarted.”

  She pulled her duvet up next to her ear. “I know.”

  * * * *

  Delwin crept into the bedroom when he felt Sophia had fallen asleep. He removed the charger from her phone and removed the item from her bedroom.

  Outside in the hall, he made sure he was a sufficient distance before he asked the phone. “Who the hell are you?”

  The rich voice was challenging. “Who are you? I was under the impression that Sophia was not in a relationship.”

  “I am her housekeeper and roommate. My name is Delwin. My question stands.”

  “Magnus. I am her liaison to the Mage Guild. I occupy her electronics, but normally, she turns her phone off when she goes home.”

  “Where’s your body?”

  “It is a long story.”

  “What can you tell me about what she likes?” Delwin finally came out with it. “She is a fussy eater, and I don’t know what her favourites are.”

  “You are joking.”

  He cupped the phone between his palms and whispered, “No. I like it here, and I don’t want to move. I want to keep her happy.”

  The phone sighed. “Cookies, tacos, soda, spicy and sweet. Those are her favourites. Now, please, put me back. I would like to be there when she wakes.”

  “So, you have a body.”

  “Yes. It is just not accessible to me right now. Sophia is going to assist me with that.”

  Delwin was suddenly suspicious. “Does she know she is helping you?”

  A flash of light struck him.

  Delwin walked away from Sophia’s room wondering what he had been doing there. He could have sworn that he was going to ask the phone something, but now, he couldn’t remember what that was. Ah, well, it probably wasn’t important.

  * * * *

  Sophia kept her bedding over the phone while she got dressed.

  She smoothed a long, brilliant-blue, split-side tunic down over her black leggings and slipped her feet into some wedge heels. Her hair was in a smooth ponytail that hung down her back. Modest earrings and a matching necklace were in place before she unwrapped the phone.

  “I can’t do anything, even if I see you naked.”

  She snorted. “A girl has secrets. I have more than most.”

  She held the phone and got her purse.

  The moment she stepped into the hallway, the scent of oatmeal and cinnamon assailed her nostrils.

  She followed the scent into the kitchen where Delwin was setting out a plate of oatmeal cookies next to a stack of napkins.

  “I figured you might want to get going right away, so I made these so you can take them on the road. They are fortified with seeds and nuts as well as a hefty dose of chocolate chips and raisins.”

  He paused and blinked. “Oh and oats.”

  She smiled. “Thank you. That is really thoughtful. How did you know I like all of my food in cookie form?”

  He chuckled. “I have no idea. It just came to me in the night.”

  Sophy heard a snort from her purse.

  She grabbed a stack of cookies and folded them in a napkin. “These look great.”

  “Let me know if you want me to change anything.” He smiled brightly, and his green-tinged skin glowed with a blush.

  Sophy nodded and headed for the door.

  She heard him call out. “Wait!”

  To her shock, he had a therm
al mug in his hand, and the smell was coffee.

  “Wow. Thanks. Have a good day, Delwin.”

  He smiled brightly and returned to the house, humming a tune with all three sets of his vocal chords.

  Sophy didn’t know what to say about that, so she got in her car and started driving.

  “Are you having sex with the merman?”

  She scowled at the GPS unit. “Of course not. He prefers men.”

  “Ah. That was not made clear.”

  “Why would it be any of your business? Delwin is perfectly nice as long as you don’t have a tub he wants to flip his tail out in.”

  “I see.”

  “Not if you were with me you didn’t.” She snickered. “He tends to leave traces of scale behind. I am guessing that he wants to soak to shed the old scales.”

  “Why doesn’t he scrub in the sea?”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I think he has developed a phobia regarding open water. He only frequents pools now. It is a little sad.”

  Magnus was quiet. “What is your destination?”

  “I am going back to the Gangers’ to get the cursed box, and then, I am going to put it in the trunk while I go to the Mage Guild headquarters.”

  “You are going to speak to them today?”

  She chuckled. “I have a day off. Trust me. It does not happen often.”

  When she got to the Gangers’ home, she rang the bell and smiled when Lenora answered the door with her hair and clothing askew.

  “Pardon me, Lenora. I just came to retrieve the cursed case and flute. If I can just grab them, I will let you and Harcourt continue your... meeting?” She grinned wide.

  Lenora sighed. “Come in. We were in the kitchen, so the library is safe. We put a cloche over the case, just so we wouldn’t handle it by accident.”

  Sophy stepped inside as Lenora stepped back. “I will get it out of your hair.”

  They walked down the hall to the library. They entered and Lenora continued, “How are you feeling?”

  “Better. I hear that you put Dad on duty again.”

  “I did.”

  “And I bet he was delighted.” She chuckled and removed the heavy glass dome from the case. She tucked it under her arm and nodded to Lenora. “Thanks for hanging on to this.”

  “Well, we weren’t going to touch it. Demon magic is stickier than hell, so to speak.”

  “Right. Well, I am off to the Guild Hall, so I will check in and see if any of them have heard of this kind of thing before.”

  Lenora frowned. “You are not bringing it into the hall.”

  “Nope. It will be all safe and warded. Do not worry.” She smiled. “Thanks for babysitting it and giving my dad the vacation he is desperate for.”

  “I transferred the curse.”

  “And he is enjoying himself.” She didn’t mention that she could feel her father’s joy through the spot that the curse occupied.

  “Well, dear, have a good day. I have to get back to Harcourt. He is shackled to the stove.”

  Sophy felt her eyes widened. “I have nothing to say to that. Have fun, you two.”

  She didn’t flee the Ganger home, but she didn’t waste time. She was back in her car and driving to the Guild Hall in under a minute.

  “Your trunk is warded?” Magnus was nosy today.

  She sighed and put her blinker on. “Of course. With all the gear I haul around, it is essential that it is protected against search and seizure, as well as those who would seek out the power or supplies.” She smirked. “I also have a few changes of clothing back there, and that is hard to explain when pulled over. The armament doesn’t even make a dent on their awareness when they get a look at the lingerie.”

  Magnus chuckled. “I can see where that would be distracting.”

  “Yeah, and you can’t even get an erection.”

  Sophy enjoyed the blissful silence that her comment caused, right up until she pulled up to the Guild Hall. She was forced to ask, “Who do I have to ask for?”

  He answered the words that she was really hoping he wouldn’t. “The Archmage.”

  She dropped her forehead to the steering wheel. “Fuck.”

  Chapter Eight

  She straightened her clothing and grabbed her purse. “Keep quiet, Magnus. I will ask for your release, but that is it.”

  “It will be enough.”

  Sophy walked into the building that managed to wedge ancient architecture into a modern office building. It was not a good look. The officers at the door watched as she walked through the scanners and didn’t set off the demon scans, so they waved her through.

  She had been in the Hall often enough to know where to go, she just didn’t want to go there.

  A lovely young woman whose gaze was filled with leashed power manned the reception desk. She was not just decorative. She gave Sophy a speculative look as she approached.

  “Good morning, miss.”

  “Good morning.”

  “How may I help you?” She folded her hands on the desk. It was not a good sign. Normally, a proper receptionist would have a pen or keyboard under her fingers.

  “I need to see the Archmage.” The moment she said it, she wanted to take it back and make a beeline for the door.

  The receptionist gave her a brittle smile. “He is occupied this morning. May I take a message?”

  “Certainly. Please, tell him that Sophia DeMonstre, the Cursed One, is waiting in the lobby, and the more coffee I drink, the worse things will be when he shows up.” She smiled tightly as the woman blanched at her words.

  “You are the Cursed One?” The expression went from contempt to hero worship in an instant.

  “I am.”

  “Oh, I love your work. Just a moment. I will call him.”

  Sophy waited and actually signed an autograph for the receptionist—Judith—while the woman made the call before Aleneus bolted into the entry hall with his robes swinging and a hectic expression in his eyes.

  “Sophia. You are here.” He rushed up to her and took her hands, bringing them to his lips one at a time.

  “I am. I have something to ask of you. I would rather that it not be done here.” She looked around at the curious faces who were watching them intently.

  Judith was smiling at Sophia’s autograph as they passed her desk with Sophy’s hand firmly clutched in Aleneus’s.

  He had been trying to get her either into bed or a marriage since she turned eighteen, and as he was only two years older than she was, it was a little disturbing that he hadn’t given up in the subsequent decades.

  “I am so delighted to see you here, Sophia.”

  “Oh, it is a delight, all right.”

  They rode up to his offices in the elevator, and she checked the nearest windows in case she needed to jump. Sure, it was nine stories, but she was betting she could recover from the fall if she could push herself past the wards.

  He set her in a curved chair in front of his desk, and he settled in his own chair, steepling his fingers and smiling. “What can I do for you, Cursed One?”

  She placed her hands in her lap. “I would like you to release Magnus.”

  He frowned. “Who?”

  “Magnus. The mage in amber whose consciousness is currently haunting my phone and any other appliances with audio capabilities. He is my liaison with the guild, and I would like him released but to remain in the capacity of my advisor.” The words came out before she knew what she was going to say.

  Aleneus stared at her, his mouth opened and closed, his hands clenched into fists. “Why do you want him?”

  Whoa. There was a lot of anger aimed in her direction, but it was about her request and not her personally. He was treating her as if she had been bespelled.

  “He has been useful, and if he has served centuries, I believe that he is done with penance. At the very least, he is capable of being integrated into modern society.”

  Aleneus winced, and
she could almost hear the whirring of his mind. “He will be released.”

  “Wow. That was easy.”

  “Well, the sentence was that if a woman that did not have carnal knowledge of him asked for him to be released, he would be. When that regulation was put in, we did not count on his consciousness being pulled for this assignment.” He grimaced and pulled a sheet of parchment from his desk.

  Everything in the guild was done as traditionally as possible, and that included penmanship.

  Aleneus wrote with a flourish; his golden hair fell forward as he finished and sanded the page.

  “So, Sophia, what are you doing for dinner this evening?”

  Sophy blinked. “I am doing some research at the Gangers.”

  He grimaced. “Oh. Them.”

  “Demon influence. I have found a cursed object, and I need to look into it. They are the best source for knowledge and information.” She didn’t mention that she had already gotten it. He didn’t need to know that.

  “I would like to take you to dinner soon. You are not getting any younger, and keeping the curse in powerful bloodlines would not be a bad idea.”

  She blinked. “I had not thought of that. One of my ancestors had their daughter in their fifties, so I have some time.”

  He scowled. “I want you, Sophia.”

  “I am aware of that, Aleneus.”

  “Was that all you wanted?”

  Sophia looked at him, truly looked. He had wide shoulders, a very attractive face, thick neck, deep chest and his butt wasn’t bad either. He took care of himself, and it showed, but he wasn’t for her.

  “Yes, that is all that I wanted here.” She smiled softly. “Good day, Aleneus.” Sophy rose to her feet and headed for the exit.

  “I will have to summon you here after Magnus is free, to make sure that he is behaving.”

  She paused and turned. “What do you mean?”

  Aleneus was standing up, and he crossed his arms over his chest. “Didn’t he tell you? By asking for his freedom, you are now responsible for his behaviour, and his behaviour has never been acceptable to the Mage Guild.”