you use it soon so you can get the book."
I laughed. "What can I do? Fly like Superman? See the future?"
Cass waved her hand. "Nah, it's not that grand. Would be great though, saving on airfares and al . What you can do is see and communicate with the dead."
"A necromancer, then?" I cocked a brow, amused.
"Yes or, in other words, the old spinster who talks to herself."
I stared at her. Cass's face betrayed no signs of lying. I had to find a way to give the jewels back without anyone dragging me to court. Hel , I hadn't even wanted to steal them in the first place, so no one could actual y persecute me. Could they? Either way, Dal as would have to understand I wasn't going to take the blame for him. It had been his idea. He was old enough to deal with it. I could only hope he hadn't sold them to the highest bidder already.
"Okay, let's say I was in the woods and did enter a certain shed—" I took a deep breath and brushed imaginary fluff from the sofa "—I understand the things there must belong to someone, and I'm perfectly happy to return them. I'm even wil ing to pay a bit of compensation from my meagre wage. Just give me a few days to sort everything out and maybe we could make a fresh start."
Cass leaned forward and squeezed my hand, unnatural warmth seeping into my skin. "I'm so sorry, but it's not that easy. You solved the Riddle of Sight by gathering the required jewels. No idea how you came up with the right answer, but those who enter the race must be content with whatever riddle they solve and whatever gift is bestowed upon them. There's no exchange or refund policy."
The Riddle of Sight? The woman from the pub flashed through my mind, and al those strange nightmares, and Rebecca's savaged body when I'd touched the red dress.
"You're starting to believe. As I always say, if you can't take the heat you should've stayed out of the kitchen." Cass laughed. "Kitchen—get it?
You're a housekeeper and al ." She cleared her throat, seemingly embarrassed. "So sorry, mate. I can't help it. It's like I'm possessed or something.
Anyway, there's more. Ever wondered why no one's here during the day?"
I shook my head, not because I didn't wonder, but because I didn't want to know, since I was stil processing the news that I was the top winner of a skil that, as per Cass, would bring me a step closer to an early grave.
"Never mind, I'l tel you anyway," Cass said as though reading my mind. "Your new boss's a vampire, and if you don't learn to handle him, you'l wake up dead. And I hope it's in Hel because it's more fun and heaven ain't al that."
"You're kidding?" Aidan couldn't be. Last night he sure didn't feel like a corpse when he kissed me. In fact, he felt al warm and gentle and—
Cass rol ed her eyes. "Does he ever eat? Nope. Does he sleep during the day and only comes out at night? Yep. Is he so sexy you'd sel your soul to spend just a night with him? Double-yep. What other proof do you need?"
I sat up and walked to the window. Cass had a few points but, real y, a vampire? Who believed in such a myth? What was Cass suggesting anyway? That I grab my rosary and head for the nearest church begging for holy water? Line my door and widows with salt? Sleep with a wooden stake under my pil ow? Hang garlic bulbs from my bedroom door? Why was I even considering these options? The girl was ludicrous.
"You don't have to believe to know deep inside. Just listen to that voice and you'l find belief easier to bear," Cass said. "Or, in other words, suck it up and just look at the facts because nothing wil work to keep him away."
Could she read my thoughts? My laughter died in my throat at the oppressing silence.
Cass crossed her arms over her chest, grinning. "That kiss between Aidan and you last night wasn't bad for a start, but I prefer a bit more oomph."
I gasped. "He told you? That moron—"
"The image rol s before my eyes like on a movie theatre screen because you can't stop thinking about it." She leaned in.
I laughed. "What can I do? Fly like Superman? See the future?"
Cass waved her hand. "Nah, it's not that grand. Would be great though, saving on airfares and al . What you can do is see and communicate with the dead."
"A necromancer, then?" I cocked a brow, amused.
"Yes or, in other words, the old spinster who talks to herself."
I stared at her. Cass's face betrayed no signs of lying. I had to find a way to give the jewels back without anyone dragging me to court. Hel , I hadn't even wanted to steal them in the first place, so no one could actual y persecute me. Could they? Either way, Dal as would have to understand I wasn't going to take the blame for him. It had been his idea. He was old enough to deal with it. I could only hope he hadn't sold them to the highest bidder already.
"Okay, let's say I was in the woods and did enter a certain shed—" I took a deep breath and brushed imaginary fluff from the sofa "—I understand the things there must belong to someone, and I'm perfectly happy to return them. I'm even wil ing to pay a bit of compensation from my meagre wage. Just give me a few days to sort everything out and maybe we could make a fresh start."
Cass leaned forward and squeezed my hand, unnatural warmth seeping into my skin. "I'm so sorry, but it's not that easy. You solved the Riddle of Sight by gathering the required jewels. No idea how you came up with the right answer, but those who enter the race must be content with whatever riddle they solve and whatever gift is bestowed upon them. There's no exchange or refund policy."
The Riddle of Sight? The woman from the pub flashed through my mind, and al those strange nightmares, and Rebecca's savaged body when I'd touched the red dress.
"You're starting to believe. As I always say, if you can't take the heat you should've stayed out of the kitchen." Cass laughed. "Kitchen—get it?
You're a housekeeper and al ." She cleared her throat, seemingly embarrassed. "So sorry, mate. I can't help it. It's like I'm possessed or something.
Anyway, there's more. Ever wondered why no one's here during the day?"
I shook my head, not because I didn't wonder, but because I didn't want to know, since I was stil processing the news that I was the top winner of a skil that, as per Cass, would bring me a step closer to an early grave.
"Never mind, I'l tel you anyway," Cass said as though reading my mind. "Your new boss's a vampire, and if you don't learn to handle him, you'l wake up dead. And I hope it's in Hel because it's more fun and heaven ain't al that."
"You're kidding?" Aidan couldn't be. Last night he sure didn't feel like a corpse when he kissed me. In fact, he felt al warm and gentle and—
Cass rol ed her eyes. "Does he ever eat? Nope. Does he sleep during the day and only comes out at night? Yep. Is he so sexy you'd sel your soul to spend just a night with him? Double-yep. What other proof do you need?"
I sat up and walked to the window. Cass had a few points but, real y, a vampire? Who believed in such a myth? What was Cass suggesting anyway? That I grab my rosary and head for the nearest church begging for holy water? Line my door and widows with salt? Sleep with a wooden stake under my pil ow? Hang garlic bulbs from my bedroom door? Why was I even considering these options? The girl was ludicrous.
"You don't have to believe to know deep inside. Just listen to that voice and you'l find belief easier to bear," Cass said. "Or, in other words, suck it up and just look at the facts because nothing wil work to keep him away."
Could she read my thoughts? My laughter died in my throat at the oppressing silence.
Cass crossed her arms over her chest, grinning. "That kiss between Aidan and you last night wasn't bad for a start, but I prefer a bit more oomph."
I gasped. "He told you? That moron—"
"The image rol s before my eyes like on a movie theatre screen because you can't stop thinking about it." She leaned in.
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