Surtr's Fury (Ch. 2)

(As with all snippets posted here, this is a lightly edited version of the rough draft. There will likely be additional edits/corrections made before publication. Also, all copyright protections apply.—ASG)

Two

The Shaman Will See You Now.

The heady strains of heavy metal music and incense greeted me as I pushed open the glass door. As I stepped inside, six heads turned in my direction: four human (or as human as anyone living in this part of town happened to be) and two canine. One of those canines looked at me with surprisingly bright golden eyes. That told me all I needed to know. Not lycan but certainly not a dog. No, it was a shapeshifter of some flavor. Well, I’d leave him alone so long as he left me alone.

One of the “humans” sat on a stool behind the glass display case. An ancient cash register rested on top of the case. Inside merchandise celebrating Razor’s Tats and Mods was almost carelessly displayed. At other “similar” shops, the meaning of the shop name would be clear: tattoos and body modifications. Here, however, they took on a different meaning. Razor was a master at crafting spells into amulets, drawings and so many other things most folks would never think about. While some of his spells were offensive, it was his defensive expertise I needed just then.

“He’s expecting you, Ripley.” The young man behind the counter pushed a lock of dark hair behind one pointed ear.

I nodded at the elf, trying not to frown. The fact Red let Razor know I was coming only confirmed how worried my foster father happened to be. That, in turn, worried me.

“Ripley, come, tell me what you need.”

Roberto “Razor” Pantoja excused himself from the others and motioned me forward. As he did, I dipped my chin but stayed where I was. I knew him. Too well, some might say. I also knew Aras Silverthorn, the elf manning the cash register. I did not know the two men sitting at the rear of the shop with Razor, and I knew pretty much everyone in this zone. With Gemma’s warning to Red fresh in mind, I didn’t plan on taking any chances.

Razor’s eyes narrowed before widening in sudden understanding. Almost instantly, he drew himself up to his full height of almost five feet six inches. He reached up and smoothed a hand over his dark brown hair. As he did, I winced inwardly, making a mental note not to shake that hand until he wiped all the hair product off of it. Then, to my surprise, he motioned for the two men to stand.

“Welcome to my shop, Marshal. Allow me to introduce you to my cousins, Carlos and Antony Pantoja. They have come from their home in São Paulo on family business and to pass along information you may be interested in.

“Cousins, this is Council Marshal E. Ripley Walker. You will treat her with respect. She is a friend, and she is always welcome in my shop.”

The threat that he would deal with them for any perceived insult or threat before I could remained unspoken. Interesting. So was the way he introduced us, especially since Razor knew I preferred not to advertise my role as Marshal. Suddenly, the feeling the day just became even worse—and that was saying something considering the day so far—filled me.

“Gentlemen.”

I nodded to each of them. We didn’t shake hands. That might be an insult in human society but in para society, it was normal. Too much could be revealed about a person through a touch. Too much could be stolen through the transfer of DNA. The dangers outweighed what normals would view as common courtesy.

“Come, Ripley. We can discuss what brings you here this fine day in my office. Aras will keep my cousins company.”

The elf smiled, making no attempt to hide his very sharp and pointy teeth. It was a warning he wasn’t one of the gentle elves who would do no harm. Far from it. Aras most closely resembled the Dökkálfar, the dark elves of Norse mythology. More interesting was the fact the warning was aimed at Razor’s cousins. For whatever reason, he didn’t trust them and that set off all sorts of mental alarms.

I made a quick decision, one I hoped didn’t backfire on me.

“Gentlemen, you are welcome in the North Texas Zone so long as you obey the rules. I assure you, it wouldn’t be wise to go afoul of your cousin.” I nodded respectfully in Razor’s direction. “And trust me, you do not want to cross of me.”

The two paled, not easy when one’s complexion is as dark as theirs, before assuring me they understood. Good. I had neither the time nor the inclination to deal with two idiots foolish enough to push me. Not this morning.

“Come, Ripley, and you can tell me what brings you to my shop.” Razor motioned me inside his office and then closed the door behind us.

“I didn’t mean to interrupt.”

I watched as his fingers drew a series of sigils in the air. A moment later, I sensed more than felt the slight change in the air I’d learned to recognize. He’d just ensured whatever we said could not be heard beyond the office walls.

“You didn’t interrupt, Ripley.” He waved me to a seat and moved to pour out coffee from a carafe resting on his desk. Before handing me one of the heavy earthenware mugs, he waved a hand over it, a look of concentration crossing his expression. Then steam wafted from the mug, the coffee heated to the proper temperature. “I was going to contact you later today, after I made a few calls about why my cousins showed up unexpectedly on my doorstep last night.”

“Trouble?” Nothing else explained his expression or worry darkening his aura.

“Perhaps. If what they had to say is true, most definitely. But I know my cousins.” He gave an almost bitter laugh. “And I know my family. There is a reason I left Sao Paulo so long ago.”

“So you’ve said.” He never told me why he left home and came north while still a teen. All I knew was that he felt he had no other choice. That was enough for me. At least until the reasons impacted our people here. “I take it that concern is why you introduced me as you did.”

He nodded. Then he grinned and spread his hands in front of him. “It was also to warn them not to try to get in your pants. My cousins are, shall we say, rather full of themselves.”

“Unlike you.” I grinned, reminding him of our first meeting when I threatened to cut off his dick if he didn’t put it back in his pants and keep it there.

“Most definitely, my friend. I knew you would cut off my dick and probably try to feed it to me. They wouldn’t and my dear aunt and uncle would be most upset to learn they would never be grandparents. Not that Tio Benício hasn’t threatened to do exactly that more than once after having to bail them out of trouble of their own making.” His hazel eyes sparkled with humor before he sobered. “Now, tell me why you’ve come.”

“I’ve got a job, hopefully a quick and uneventful one, but one that could go bad very quickly. That’s all I know. So, I’d appreciate some general protections.”

He sat back, studying me over the rim of his mug. “Will you be remaining in the Zone or heading into town?”

I shrugged. “Starting here, but closer to the rift. I don’t know where I’ll be going from there.”

If anywhere.

“If you are going toward the rift, don’t take your car. Use one of Red’s trucks or SUVs. You can leave your car here. I’ll even ward both vehicles for you. I will add personal wards as well.”

“Why don’t you want me taking the car?”

I leaned back and studied him. We knew one another well enough for him to know I much preferred my ancient Corvette to any other vehicle. It was fast. It could still outrun almost anything else on the road. I couldn’t remember him ever telling me to leave it behind. Did he know something I didn’t?

“Ripley, I am hearing concerning things about the area closer to the rift. The rift storms are increasing, not only in frequency but intensity.”

I hissed out a breath. Growing up near the rift, I knew the dangers of being caught in a rift storm. They made tornados look mild. Imagine torrential rain, winds as strong as a tornado, all coupled with wild magics shooting through the air and that was a rift storm. They often resulted in a change in the landscape, and anyone caught out in one risked more than just death. If there was even a small chance of getting caught during one, I’d take one of the SUVs. Especially if Razor warded it for me.

“All right. I’ll do as you suggest.”

“Good.” He blew out a breath, obviously relieved I agreed so easily. Then he set his mug to the side and leaned forward, reaching for my left arm and pushing up the sleeve of my leather jacket. His fingers lightly traced the markings on my forearm before he frowned. “As I suspected. These wards have faded. You should really let me do a permanent tat. It is quicker and easier to recharge the wards tied to my inks.”

I shook my head. We had this discussion whenever I came to him. Each time, I declined. I can face a lot of things, but when it comes to needles, I become a puddle of cowardly goo.

“Maybe later, but I’m on a time crunch right now.”

“All right.” He stood and pulled a padded table away from the far wall. “Strip and let’s get this started.”

An hour later, I finished dressing, my skin tingling as the wards he’d put in place settled around me. This time, instead of drawing them on my arms, he turned my back into what I assumed was a piece of art to anyone with the ability to see the wards. By being on my back, they’d be out of sight to everyone, something important considering where I was headed. Not that it would fool Gemma. Not only did she know me well enough to realize I’d come to her warded to my teeth, but she’d sense the wards as soon as I stepped foot onto her land.

“Take this.” He handed me an intricately woven leather wristband about two inches wide. “It has additional protection wards attached to it as well as a little extra that should boost your own talents if you need to call on them without preparation.”

“Thanks.” I quickly fastened it around my left wrist. Once I had, he touched a forefinger to it, and I felt the zing as the protections activated. “Charge everything to Red?”

He nodded. Then he looked at me, his head cocked to one side. “What else can I help you with, Ripley?”

“Nothing right now, but I might be back soon. I want to get a feel for what I’m facing before I do anything else.”

“All right. You watch that very attractive ass of yours, Rip. I’d still like to show you how much fun you’ve missed out by turning me down.”

He gave me a sly smile and I couldn’t help grinning in return. It would never happen, and we both knew it. He wasn’t my kind. I also liked my head attached to my shoulders, so I wasn’t going to risk his wife’s anger. After all, running afoul of a naga was anything but smart, especially one very much in love with her husband and who possessed a wicked temper when riled. But there was no harm in teasing since we both knew where we stood.

“Talk to you soon, Razor, and thanks again.”

With that, I left him to deal with his cousins. I had other concerns just then, and I pulled out my phone, sending a text to have one of Red’s trucks prepped. I wanted to leave immediately, and they’d better not make me wait.