Shifting Life

8. The One Rule of Magic

Jacklyn hit the pavement with her left knee first. She curled up into a ball, rolled and kept rolling as glass shards rained hard and sharp in her trail.

She was up and running in no time, clutching Toby close to her heart.

He didn't move, as if he could sense it was best to keep still and let her do the running this time.

"Good boy," she whispered. "Good boy."

Jacklyn would be out of there a lot faster if she shifted, but she wouldn't be able to hold Toby. A big black horse might scare the bejeezus out of the little guy. He seemed to have been through enough already.

Jacklyn didn't look over her shoulder. She ran. She was covered in monster blood and guts, her knees hurt like hell, her head was throbbing like a mucker fudder and she was already huffing and puffing like a steam engine.

Didn't matter.

She wasn't stopping until she'd reached Veronica's lair.

Whatever was pulling itself into a dark magic shit storm inside Pantzer's Nazi Sausage shop was not something Jacklyn knew how to deal with. She was the dog walker for crying out loud. From now and till forever, that was what she'd do. Walk the damn dogs. And if a lousy dog ran away, she would not go after them. Not after tonight. No way. Not ever. She'd quit sooner than risk anything like today. There wasn't enough money in the world to pay for shit like this. Not in dog walking, that's for sure.

* * *

A white limousine pulled up to the curb. Someone called for Jacklyn to get in.

Veronica's voice. She didn't need to say that twice.

Jacklyn collapsed on the cushy back seat. Toby peeked out of the coat. He saw Veronica and squirmed his way out.

Veronica buried her face in the dog's neck. She clearly loved her dog as much as Toby loved her.

Jacklyn didn't care where they went. She wasn't even going to ask. Of course a white witch prowls town in a white limo. Of course there's a portly Latino driver with an interesting facial scar, pointy ears and a white uniform.

Suddenly she was exhausted, dead tired and done.

"You didn't come out the front door," Veronica said. "I almost missed you."

"Did you know about the things with teeth?"

Veronica's face fell. She didn't know.

Jacklyn might forgive her. In a hundred years. Maybe.

"Tell me everything," said Veronica the witch.

Jacklyn did.

"The only reason you're still alive is that coat," said Veronica. "Pantzer hired the Venetian to steal the mirror coat for him."

"It's monster proof?"

"Something like it. Someone tears your throat, their throat is torn. The coat reflects actions back at the person attacking. Whoever wears the coat is safe."

"Thanks for the heads up," Jacklyn said darkly.

"Would you have believed me? Pantzer planned to wear it when I came to get Toby back. He would have been very hard to stop."

"So you let me go instead."

"I knew Pantzer would set a trap for me. Chances were, he'd give you a pass."

"Well, he didn't."

"You set things in motion by breaking the circle. Not Pantzer. You."

"Thanks for reminding me."

"Those things are roaming the streets," said Veronica grimly. "They must be caught and destroyed."

Jacklyn got a sinking feeling. She tried to avoid the inevitable by staring out the window. It didn't help.

"Magic has one simple rule," said Veronica. "You mess up, you fix it. Or pay the price."

"I didn't know."

"Unfortunately, that makes no difference."

Veronica handed Jacklyn a set of keys.

"Stay put. Don't call anyone. Don't go outside. Don't try to run. I will pick you up in two days' time."

The limousine stopped. Veronica's eyebrow arched. The driver glanced at Jacklyn in the rear view mirror. His eyebrow arched. The message was clear. The ride was over.

Jacklyn opened the door and got out.

The white limo disappeared like a dream.

She looked around. Sparse streetlights, tiny identical square houses, no trees. Jacklyn smelled the Bay in the cool breeze. The fog had rolled in. She had no clue where she was. It must be the dead of night.

Jacklyn shuddered.

She was too tired to think. There was a house in front of her and there were keys in her hand. It seemed there was only one thing to do.

* * *

The moment Jacklyn crossed the threshold, her skin prickled. She sensed a presence to the left and ducked. She felt a waft in the wake of a blow that graced her ear. Someone pushed her hard and she fell. Someone landed on top of her. Warm, heavy, human.

At least there was that.

Jacklyn screamed.