Authors: RJ Blain
All I had left to do before I could focus all of my attention on the plague was telling Dominic I couldn’t meet him. Grinding my teeth at the unwanted chore, I dialed his number.
“Dominic speaking,” my agent answered.
“Hey, it’s Nicole. I’m not going to be able to come this afternoon. I have to pick someone up at the airport.”
“More family troubles?” he asked in a concerned tone.
“Unfortunately.”
“I hope everything works out. Any chance you could swing by my place at noon or so? I have some papers you
must
sign, and they can’t wait.”
“Let me call you back, okay? I don’t think noon will work, but I’ll see if I can swing by on my way to the airport.”
“When will you know? It’s important.”
“Within an hour or two? I’ll call you back as soon as I find out. Will the change cause problems with your other clients?”
“No. Just make sure you come by today. It’s a must.”
I furrowed my brows at his insistence. “I’ll see what I can do.”
“Call me,” he ordered before hanging up.
My cheek twitched at his demanding tone. My father I understood; dominant Fenerec needed to control
everything.
Had Dominic always acted that way or was I only now noticing his behavior?
“Who were you talking to?” Amber asked.
I twisted around to see Amber standing in the doorway of her kitchen toweling her hair. “Dominic. He seems determined to have me meet up with him to sign some papers, although I told him I can’t. My father should arrive at the airport at four. He’ll be on Flight 6628.”
“Why don’t I drop you off at your agent’s office before I go to the airport, pick up your father, and come get you when I’m done? It’s not like both of us need to go to the airport.”
“You don’t mind?”
“It’s not like we can work on your sight while headed to the airport. I… I was wrong to act like you shouldn’t care about your job last night” Amber hesitated and I waited for her to continue. “You have been through so much. Maybe a little normality and not having to worry about your job will help you focus during the next few days, no matter what happens.”
Relief washed over me. I smiled at Amber. “You don’t have to apologize to me, but I appreciate it. Thank you. But you were right from the start: saving the Fenerec
is
more important. But if I can go to Dominic’s before you head to the airport and get picked up when you’re done…”
“Where does he live?”
“He lives near Griffith Park.”
“That’s about ten minutes from here. I’d guess about an hour and a half to the airport from there with traffic. If we leave here at two, it’ll work. We can spare twenty minutes. Why don’t you call your agent and then we’ll get to work?”
I nodded my agreement, picked up Amber’s phone and called Dominic.
“Dominic speaking,” he answered.
“It’s Nicole again. I can be there a little after two; my friend is going to go to the airport for me. Is that okay with you?”
“I’ll make it work. I’ve got a client with me, so I can’t talk. See you then!” He hung up.
I set the phone back on the counter. “So where to do we begin?”
“Sit on the couch. It’s easier if you’re comfortable. First, you’re going to close your eyes and tell me what you see when you focus on the electricity around you. Since electricity is your primary element, we’ll start there. Most witches see
first
before learning how to control their element. You can already sense your element, just not in the same way a witch does.”
Once seated, I closed my eyes. Sensing all of the electronics in Amber’s condo comforted me. There was a third cell phone stashed somewhere in the kitchen, and in one of the other rooms was not one, but three different computers. The laptop’s battery was fully charged, tempting me to siphon energy from it.
But despite my awareness of the devices, I didn’t see anything at all.
“I’m going to hold objects in front of your face. Tell me if you sense anything at all,” she instructed.
I waited and nothing happened. When she picked up her cell phone, I felt the hungry battery calling to me. “You’re holding your phone but I don’t see anything.”
“Are you aware of its location?”
I reached out with a hand and touched her phone with the tips of my fingers. “I feel it.”
“What does it feel like?”
“I don’t know? I just know it’s there.”
“So my phone is like an extension of yourself?”
“I guess? I mean, I know I have a nose although I don’t really
see
it.” I made a frustrated noise, keeping my eyes firmly closed. “I don’t sense you at all. As far your phone is concerned, it is floating in front of me all on its own.”
Amber made a thoughtful sound. “I see colors and ghostly images with my eyes closed. I see you as a bluish white, with the brightest colors in the center of your chest and your head. You know those heat detectors? Like that.”
“What did that sorcerer look like to you?”
“Black with a halo of dark purple. Oily. He’s difficult to see with my eyes closed. When I looked at him, his aura roiled around him, like thick smoke.”
“That sounds unpleasant,” I said with a shudder.
“He was. Keep your eyes closed. I’m going to get a lot of little items and see just what you can and can’t sense.”
“Okay.” I settled back on the couch to wait while Amber retrieved the items for our test, aware of what the costs would be if I failed to learn a witch’s magic.
Chapter Twenty-One
Several hours and a headache later, I was no closer to seeing auras like Amber could. I wanted to scream from frustration. Instead, I dutifully reported what I could and couldn’t sense, my eyes still closed. After hundreds of tests with no progress, I felt like a failure.
“Well, that’s the last of it,” the witch said, sounding as tired as I felt. “If you’re not able to see anything after all of that, I don’t think you’re going to be able to. We’ll have to find another way.”
I slumped back, draping my arm over my eyes. “That was a waste of time, wasn’t it?”
“Not exactly. I made piles of what you can sense and what you can’t. Take a look. I’m glad I didn’t tell you what I was holding in front of you, as it did result in some interesting observations.”
I lowered my arm and cracked open an eye. Clutter was piled on the coffee table and floor. To my right was a pile of electronics. The other side was dominated by clothing, books, bottles, glasses, dishes, and an odd assortment of possessions.
“Electronics. I can’t say I’m surprised.”
Amber pointed at the floor at the end of the couch. A basket full of crystals sat next to a bag of apples, an orange, and a bottle of soda. “You also sensed those.”
“I sensed a
Coke
? And fruit?” I asked in disbelief.
“Don’t ask me, I checked those five times to make sure it wasn’t a mistake.” Amber laughed and shook her head. “It’s not all bad.”
“I wouldn’t say our situation is good either. If I can’t see, my idea is blown. I don’t know what else to do.”
“You didn’t see anything, that’s true, but that doesn’t mean it’s over. While I was going through the items, I tested the samples we got from the hospital.” Amber stood, went to the kitchen, and pulled out the cooler from the fridge, which she set on the counter. “And like the soda, I checked them all multiple times. You were able to sense them.
All
of them. You honed in like they were electronics. Maybe you can’t
see
them, but you are capable of sensing them.”
“Really?” I got up from the couch, staggering as my legs tingled from having been seated for so long.
“Really. Some of the cold samples you didn’t seem quite as confident in, but I labeled those so we know. It’s a start.” Amber pulled out one of the Petri dishes from the cooler before returning the rest to the fridge. “Your reaction was strongest to this one.”
“What is it?”
“The plague.”
I halted, eyes widening as the implications of what Amber told me settled in. “I sensed the plague?”
“With the same accuracy as electronics. Your idea might be sound after all, if you can figure out how to meddle with it like you can computers. Don’t ask me how; I still haven’t figured out how you can sense the plague sample and
not
me. People seem to be completely off your radar. You also didn’t seem inclined to notice my pet fish, either.”
“You have a pet fish?”
“He’s a fighting fish. He lives in my bedroom. When I’m not home, one of the other witches takes care of him. I’ll introduce you later, once he’s forgiven me for bringing his bowl out here and waving him around in front of your face.”
“What time is it?” I rubbed my temples in the hope of willing my headache away.
“We need to be out of here in ten minutes, so get what you need. We’ll straighten the place up when we’re back from the airport.”
I grabbed my messenger bag, shoved my book and crystals inside, and slung it over my shoulder. “I’m ready.”
“You’re not going to brush your hair? It’s starting to look like a rat’s nest.”
“I probably have bags under my eyes too.” Mumbling a few curses to myself, I dug out my brush from my suitcase and went to the bathroom to make myself as presentable as I could. I blinked a few times at my reflection. Without one of my sweaters on, the scars on my neck and shoulder stood out against my pink tank top.
Once I got the worst of the tangles out of my hair, I abandoned my efforts and waited for Amber. I called Dominic to tell him I was on my way, confirmed he was at his home office instead of the one in Hollywood proper, and tried not to think too much about meeting my father for the first time in years.
~~*~~
Twenty minutes later, Amber dropped me off a block away from Dominic’s house. As I got out of her car, she held out her phone. “Take this. If you need me for anything, call the third number from the top of the contact list. That’s my other phone. I’ll have it with me. You have the devil’s luck. Because I’ll worry unless I tell you this, if you get into any trouble at all, use the emergency auto dial or break the phone.”
“Break it?” I asked, taking her phone and tucking it into my pocket. The emergency auto-dial feature I understood—but
breaking
the phone if I got into trouble sounded counterintuitive.
“Break it. Most kidnappers will often break their victim’s phone to prevent them from calling out. This was the Inquisition’s solution to that problem. If something happens to that phone, the Inquisition will track the phone to where it last pinged the GPS satellite. It’ll also notify my phone that something happened. Throwing it against a wall or smashing it on the ground will work. Just dropping it shouldn’t trigger the failsafe, but it happens sometimes. There’s an emergency button built into the software as well.”
“The Inquisition sure does take its cell phones seriously,” I muttered.
“Better safe than sorry. I’ll be calling my boss to tell him you have that phone. You shouldn’t need it, but with everything going on…”
“Better to take precautions? Thanks, Amber. I appreciate it.”
“Good luck with your work stuff. I’ll see you in a couple of hours.”
Amber pulled a u-turn and drove away. Shrugging my bag over my shoulder, I walked to the gate to Dominic’s house, pressing the button for the intercom.
“Who is it?” a male voice asked.
“Nicole Thomas. I have a meeting with Dominic.”
“Wait please,” was the reply. “He’s ready to see you in his office, Miss Thomas.” A few moments later, the gate buzzed and swung open. I took my time strolling towards the mansion, admiring the immaculate yard and its wealth of grass and palm trees. Flowerbeds circled a fountain in front of the home’s entry. Dominic’s office was located in the adjoined guest house, so I followed the gravel path to its front door and knocked.
Dominic opened the door after my second knock. “Nicole, I’m so glad you could make it. Come on in. I’m sorry to drag you away from your family business, but we need to get this finalized as soon as possible.”
“I understand.”
“How’s your arm feeling?”
“It’s doing well. I had a doctor take a look at it while I was in Vegas. It’s healing.”
“You got a little overenthusiastic with the bandaging, didn’t you?” Dominic pointed at my wrapped hand.
“Oh, my hand.” How was I supposed to explain to Dominic what had happened? I didn’t want to, so I shrugged. “I’ve been clumsy the past few days. Managed to cut my hand up a little. It’s all right, but since I had to wrap my arm anyway…”
“You need to take better care of yourself. Come on, let’s get the paperwork finished, shall we?”
“I’m surprised you don’t have other clients right now,” I said as my agent led me through the entry to his main office.
“My next client comes over at six. That’ll give us plenty of time to go over the details. I’m hoping this won’t take long, but it depends on what questions you have.”
“Of course.”
Dominic pulled out one of the chairs for me before he sat down behind his desk. “Their initial offer was $500,000,” he said, plucking a file from the stack next to him and opening it up. “Considering the scope of the film and that they aren’t with SAG, that was far too low. I’ve managed to negotiate a better rate of pay.”
I felt my eyebrows rise. The opening offer was more than I had made since I’d met Dominic years ago. When I could speak without betraying my shock at such a high number I asked, “How much better?”
“You’ll receive $500,000 for signing and receive a five percent royalty on all movie sales. You’ll also receive a percentage for other merchandising. They wanted to limit royalties for a ten year period, but I suggested an unlimited royalties period in exchange for a one percent adjustment to your royalties.” Dominic slid a stack of papers across the table to me. “My commission is the same as usual. If you’re okay with the terms, all you need to do is sign.”
The initial payment alone was enough to keep me situated for a couple of years. The deal was a good one—better than good. I picked up the papers and started to read them. While Dominic’s job was to get me the best contract possible, I read the fine print anyway.
Dominic patiently waited while I sifted through the paperwork.
“Pen,” I ordered when I finished, holding out my hand. For someone as wealthy as Dominic, it never ceased to amaze me that he used cheap pens. It took several test scribbles to get the ink flowing before I could sign my name. “This is a really good deal, Dominic.”
“I thought you’d like it,” he replied, grinning at me as he accepted the papers back. He handed me another stack, which was an identical copy of the contract. “The director wants to resume filming next month if possible—depends on when the set is finished. This’ll at least lock us into the deal. There is a provision for adjustments to the timing if there are further issues with the studio.”
I scanned the pages to make certain they were duplicates, signed them, and handed them back. “I’m really impressed, Dominic.”
He put the papers back into the folder and set them aside. “Once I send these over to the director for confirmation, I’ll give you your copy.”
“Great. Is there anything else we need to do?”
Dominic smiled a bit. “I have some things for you in storage. The director had a prop of the rifle made for you, so you can get used to handling it prior to filming. It’s non-functional and orange-tipped.” Rising to his feet, he headed for the door. “If you’ll come with me, I’ll give it to you now.”
A little baffled over why the director would want me to play with a prop gun when he had stated I’d be using real weapons loaded with blanks, I rose and followed my agent. He led me through this office and into the covered walkway leading to the main house. The first door he opened revealed a set of stairs leading down.
“You have a basement?” I asked, puzzled. “Aren’t you worried about earthquakes? You’re the first homeowner I’ve met here who actually has one.”
Dominic chuckled. “It’s small and only a part of it is directly under the house. Great place for storage without cluttering my garage. It’s built really well.”
An unfinished storage basement was what I expected, but the staircase opened up into a den, complete with a fireplace and plush armchairs. A dark-haired man reclined, feet resting on an ottoman.
I halted, staring at Dominic in confusion. “I thought you didn’t have any clients over?”
“Oh, he’s not a client. Nicole, meet Patrick. Patrick, this is Nicole, one of my clients.”
Patrick rose, closing the distance between us in two long strides. Reaching out, he took hold of my hand and kissed it. “It is an honor and pleasure, ma’am.”
An unpleasant shiver raced up my arm. “It’s a pleasure to meet you as well, Patrick,” I murmured with forced politeness, pulling my hand free. It took every bit of willpower not to rub my hand against my jeans in the hopes of making the sensation go away.
“If I had known you had invited such a beautiful woman over, Dom, I would have come up to say hello.” Patrick’s smile was more of a smirk. There was something about him that made my skin crawl, though I couldn’t quite figure out what.
“Of course you would have, and we wouldn’t have been able to get any work done for your flirting,” my agent retorted. “Why don’t you keep Patrick company while I dig out the prop, Nicole?”
The last thing I wanted to do was stay in the room with Patrick, but I forced a smile and nodded. “Sure.”
“I won’t be long,” he said, crossing the room. A wall hanging masked a door, which he pushed aside disappeared behind.
Patrick reclaimed my hand, pulling me towards the chairs. “Why don’t you tell me more about yourself while we wait, Nicole?”
I tried to free my hand, but he tightened his grip. Sinking down on one of the chairs, I considered the best way to make my escape without coming across as rude to my agent’s friend. I distracted him with shallow murmurings about my past movies, all of which had been arranged by Dominic, in the hopes of boring him. When that didn’t work, I floundered.
Patrick hung to my every word, smiled, and didn’t give me a single chance to liberate my hand—not without having to aggressively yank away from him. As the minutes stretched on, I stared at the concealed door. “I wonder what’s taking him so long?”
“Don’t you worry your pretty head about him, m’dear,” Patrick cooed to me, giving my hand a squeeze. The sweet tone of his voice sickened me.
I swallowed back the bile rising in my throat. “It just seems like he’s taking a long time.”