crouched, and looked up at me with the eyes of an ancient troll. " You ." Her voice was a snake, hissing, gyrating. "It's you they want. Not him." Her sightless eyes narrowed, muscles tensed. She sprang.
I jumped out of the way and grabbed the teapot and whipped it at her. Boiling water hit her and she screeched in a chorus of voices.
I ran for the back door, fumbling with the key to unlock it. I could curse Neil for being so overly obsessed about break-ins.
The twisted creature that was once my shrinkâs secretary had recovered from the hot water and slunk forward toward me, like a zombie dragging its in-turned feet across the floor. Living vines snaked from every bodily orifice, flailing like wild hoses.
I turned the key and it snapped off in my hand. Panic welled up inside me.
âOpen!â I pounded my fists against the door and shoved it with my hip.
All on its own, the broken key turned and the lock clicked open.
I was hemmed in between a brick wall and the dumpster. I ran outside, turned the corner and hid behind the dumpster, leaving the door open behind me. Half of me hoped sheâd stay inside. But the rest of me wanted her to follow. The last thing I needed was for someone inside the café to get hurt, and since I had no idea what kind of dark magic we were dealing with, or whose⦠it was best to get her as far away from the café as possible. I grabbed a board from a broken pallet next to me, folding my shaking hands around it, then peeked around the side of the bin. Deep breaths. I tried to calm myself, certain sheâd hear my pounding heartbeat. I stood up, holding my board like a baseball bat.
Phyllis followed me though the door and dragged herself directly toward me. But then, as the sunlight hit her face she stopped dead.
Like a transformer, her limbs and body clicked back into place, the vines withered and died, falling to the ground. The veining vanished and her eyes returned to normal. Whatever had possessed her had left, leaving no trace of ever having been there. If it werenât for the pounding in my chest, I might have believed Iâd imagined it. But there was no way this was anything but real. She shook her head and gave me a sad smile. Then frowned, looking slightly confused.
My hand went limp and I dropped the board, but my heart was still thundering wildly. I didnât return her smile.
âLorelei? What are you doing here?â She looked around. She must have registered the look of bewilderment on my face because she frowned in concern. âWhere are we?â
She didnât remember any of it? Could this get any weirder? I cleared my throat.
âI uh⦠I was showing you the herb garden,â I said cautiously, then gestured to the gate just beyond the wall. âAnd you got a little light-headed, or something. You were about to head home.â I narrowed my eyes. âShould I call someone for you?â I hoped that was the end of whatever it was that had happened to her.
She shook her head. âWhat about Elijah?â she murmured.
âI donât know whatâs going on, but I promise weâll find out. As soon as Adrius comes back. Try not to worry.â
She nodded once, brushed a stray piece of shriveled vine from her sleeve and then turned toward the parking lot to leave.
I carefully closed the door behind us. Heaving a sigh I leaned against it. Relief washed over me, but I couldnât still my trembling hands.
Â
Chapter Five
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Still processing what had just happened I wandered back out to the café, at the same time Neil strolled in the front door.
âYouâre late.â I said with raised brows.
His face folded in a wide grin, but then it quickly faded. âThink Iâm just in time actually.â He grunted and his icy stare reached past, landing on something behind me.
A shiver rippled through me and I whirled around, expecting the worst.
Adrius .
I blew out a quick breath.
I rushed