Erica Stevens - Ghost Light

Clurichauns, cousins to the infamous cobbler faeries, maintain a constant state of intoxication. In other words, the little drunkards are too merry and their minds too unfocused to pass along unpleasant visions. Marvin had found the perfect gift for me. I smiled thinking how lucky I was to have had the young troll stumble into my life. I’d have to buy the kid some honey before heading home.

I shifted my bags and the clurichaun behind the counter snorted and fell off his stool with a crash. Jinx gasped and I hurried forward to take a look. The red-nosed faerie stumbled to his feet, shook his head, rubbed his face, and grinned from ear to oversized ear. I wondered, not for the first time, how the bleary-eyed creature could craft such beautiful leather goods. I shrugged a shoulder. It was just another faerie mystery.

Jinx, no longer concerned about the shopkeeper, rifled through a bin of leather belts.

“This one is gorgeous,” she said, holding a red belt aloft. “Do you have shoes to match?”

Jinx turned to the man behind the counter and I winced. Leprechauns make shoes, clurichauns make everything else. It was a sore point between the two faerie races.

The red of the clurichaun’s nose spread across his face and down his neck. I half expected steam to come out of his ears. Of course, that was silly. He wasn’t a phoenix.

The clurichaun stumbled out from around the counter shaking his fist.

“Now, I’ll tell you…” he said.

The little man stopped in front of Jinx, mouth falling open. His silly grin returned and the heat rising in his face shifted to his rosy cheeks. Clurichauns don’t stay mad for long and this one was obviously smitten at the sight of my roommate. Of course, at his height, he was looking up her skirt.

“Clurichauns are master tailors and leather craftsmen, not cobblers,” I said, filling the uncomfortable silence. I reached for the belt in Jinx’s hand and pulled her away from the enthralled faerie.

“No shoes?” she asked.

“Nope, no shoes,” I said.

Jinx sighed and released the belt, letting it drop into the display bin. With dangerously weaving steps, the clurichaun carried over a burgundy leather halter top. I tuned out the conversation as the faerie tried to pour on the charm. The clurichaun was using the merchandise as an excuse to look at my roommate’s chest. Jinx leaned in and started haggling over the price.

I rolled my shoulders, shifting bags and boxes, and turned to look out onto the street. There, beside a lamppost on the opposite sidewalk, Melusine stood upright on her coiled serpent’s tail. Here on dry land I could see that her lower half was covered in snake skin, not the fish scales I had assumed when I observed the lamia in my vision.

She was staring right at me.

Hatred burned in Melusine’s eyes and a forked tongue shot in and out of her mouth. Fangs lengthened as she thrashed from side to side in a weaving motion and stared daggers at me between passing cars.

I gasped, dropped Jinx’s bags, and ran for the door. An enraged sea serpent was not something I wanted to tangle with, but my chances of survival would increase if I had room to move. If Melusine crashed through the shop window, we’d be like fish in a barrel.

“Keep her safe,” I shouted over my shoulder. I dug into my pockets and tossed a wad of cash and our business card at the tipsy shopkeeper. “Glamour my friend and take her to your bolt-hole until I return. Do this and I will owe you a debt. Private Eye detective agency will work one case of your choosing, free of charge.”

As far as faerie bargains went, it wasn’t that solid, but it was the best I could do on the run. I just hoped I’d live to regret any loopholes I had left in the agreement.

The clurichaun snatched up the items and eyed our card curiously. The money disappeared into one of his many pockets.

“Agreed,” he said with a nod.

I staggered, dizziness blurring my vision as the debt between us settled onto my soul. Faerie oaths were binding, especially between fae. My wisp blood was responding to the agreement, and the weight of the multiple debts I’d accrued. I probably shouldn’t be so quick to ask another faerie for help. Too bad I didn’t have any other options.

I shook my head, clearing my vision. Seeing double was something I was used to, but this was more than catching a glimpse of glamour draped over a monster’s true form. I blinked rapidly, trying to regain my sight, and lunged for the door.

I fought down nausea and ran outside, keeping my eyes on the lamia. Melusine’s fanged face swam before me once more. The dizziness passed and my vision cleared as the faerie bargain nestled in for the ride. What I saw wasn’t much of an improvement. Melusine looked pissed.

At least as the image solidified, the lamia now only had the one head. Thank Mab for small favors. Too bad I didn’t have time to relax and enjoy the improved view.

Melusine leapt off the sidewalk and slithered at blinding speed into the street, rush hour traffic the only thing between me and her dripping fangs. I ran to the edge of the sidewalk and dug a glass vial filled with iron shavings from one of my many pockets.

It was time to see how the bitch liked our local weather. My lip lifted in a sneer. I was going to bring a rain of iron down on Melusine’s head. I raised my arm, ready to throw the vial as soon as I caught a break between vehicles.

I edged down to the pavement, but a city bus honked twice, horn blaring dangerously close to my ear. I jumped back a step, narrowly avoiding a future as a road pancake. My boot heels hit the concrete sidewalk, but I never took my eyes off Melusine as she waited for her chance to strike. With a rush of heated air and diesel exhaust, the bus drove past just inches from my face. Gripping the vial tightly in my gloved fist, I blinked against the swirl of debris.

I stepped forward as soon as the bus passed, but Melusine was gone.

A car swerved around me, but the driver’s curses were lost beneath the roaring in my ears. My heart tried to pound its way out of my chest and into my throat.

Where the hell was Melusine?

I spun in a circle, but there was no sign of the lamia. My arm shook with the strain of holding the vial aloft while I scrambled for my target. It shouldn’t be hard to spot a sea serpent on a busy city street, but Melusine had completely disappeared into the growing fog.

Tendrils of mist snaked around my feet and choked the mouths of nearby alleyways. Could the lamia have called up the fog to cover her escape? It seemed like more than an unhappy coincidence.

But why would she have run? If Melusine had returned with some grudge against me for dating her husband, why not have her revenge? I’d been alone and lightly armed mere yards away from her crushing grasp. I took a deep breath and sighed. All I had were more questions.

I lowered my arm and shoved the vial of iron shavings back into my pocket. None of this made any sense. I stepped up onto the sidewalk and turned to face the clurichaun’s shop. It was then that I noticed the wall of people whispering and pointing. I looked over my shoulder, half expecting Melusine to materialize out of the mist, but traffic continued to flow past. A cold ball of ice settled in my stomach as I turned to face the crowd. They weren’t gawking at something in the street.

They were all staring at me.

I winced and hunched my shoulders, ready to walk away into the fog and wait until the crowd dispersed. I could double back for Jinx after I made my escape. I took a step to my right, avoiding a lamp post, but the sidewalk was blocked by a wall of curious shoppers.

Unfortunately, the afternoon shoppers weren’t alone. A man in uniform scowled at me from beneath his navy blue hat. Great, I had attracted the attention of the Harborsmouth police. Could this day get any worse?