Cursed by the Fountain of Youth

Chapter 28

Lafayette sat in silence as three idiots sat around his kitchen table and argued.

"I swear," Hunter snarled as he slammed his coffee cup down. The liquid sloshed onto the table. Even in his human form, this shape-shifter acted like a grizzly bear. "If I see Avira again, I'll tear her arms off."

"Not if I get to her first," Lavinia said. The tall, bony witch was all sharp edges and angles—not just her body, but personality too.

Lafayette's temper began to rise. It had been a mistake to ask them to help. These clowns thought they were the ones in charge. He'd just need to set them straight. "You three had a simple task. You were to bring me Fae Miller."

"Don't you even start with us," the witch snapped as she pointed her long finger at him. "You might've brought us in, but you don't own us. You're lucky we are letting you participate."

"Yeah," Theon said. Lafayette had no idea what kind of supernatural creature Theon was, but he looked like someone who spent his life living in his mom's basement playing video games all day. A typical nerd.

What was he thinking? He thought by bringing in supernaturals, he would gain the upper hand. But abilities didn't outweigh brains, and Lafayette stood head and shoulders above them in that department.

"I'll tell you what's going to go down," the witch said. "We're going to follow the girl. Watch who she interacts with, and if other members of the Order show up, we kill them—plain and simple."

"I hope Conall makes an appearance," Hunter said. His meaty hand wiped his mouth. He looked like he was practically salivating over the possibility of coming face to face with him.

"You wouldn't last three seconds against Conall," Lavinia said, scowling.

"I don't care about what you do with the Order members," Lafayette said, "but the girl is mine. No one is to harm her."

"You still haven't told us why she's so important to them," the witch said. "I don't know how we can work together if we can't trust one another."

Yeah, right. These imbeciles trusted no one. This was just another feeble attempt to get information from him. "I've already told you enough. I want her, plain and simple."

"Where's your bathroom?" Hunter said, lumbering to his feet. Lafayette wasn't surprised he had to go. He was on his fifth cup of joe.

Lafayette shrugged toward the hallway. "Last door on the left."

"But why do you want her?" Lavinia asked, undeterred.

"Listen," Lafayette said. "She's one hundred percent human, nothing special, other than she's the adopted daughter of someone who betrayed me. And you told me what her boyfriend is. A—"

"Yeah," she interrupted. "He's got some faery blood in him. But that still doesn't explain why the Order would go out of their way to protect them."

"How should I know?" Lafayette said. "Maybe Nick Chase has family in high places. Perhaps his grandmother is a member of royalty in the Seelie court. I don't care what he is, I want the girl. I have special plans for her."

"She is pretty hot," the Theon said, raising an eyebrow.

"Hey," Hunter shouted from down the hallway. "Did you know you have a dead girl in your freezer?"

Lafayette rose to his feet, fuming. "What are you doing in my freezer?"

"I smelled the blood," the bear answered.

Lafayette looked from the witch to the nerd, gauging their reaction. He paused at the nerd. His eyes were wide as he licked his lips.

"Can I have her?" Theon said, drool pooling at the corner of his mouth.

"She's frozen solid, you idiot," the witch said. "You'd break your teeth."

"What are you?" Lafayette asked the kid before he could censor himself.

"You wouldn't have to ask that if it weren't for me," the witch answered. "My magic keeps him fresh."

Lafayette frowned in confusion.

"Let's just say," Lavinia said," brains are at the top of his list of favorite foods."

Lafayette took a step back and grimaced. "Zombie."

The zombie-nerd rose to his feet, glaring at him. "I'm getting tired of your condescending attitude. The difference between you and me is only one bite. One bite, and you'd be just like me. So, I'll make you a deal. Stop insulting me and my friends and let me have the dead girl, and I won't feast on your flesh. And believe me, I won't leave enough for you to come back and torment us."

"You do know that if you kill him," the bear said as he returned, "you won't get paid, right?"

The zombie turned to the bear and glared. "Shut up."

The witch chuckled and said, "It didn't even cross the newbie's mind. Not that zombies are much concerned with money." She stood, an evil glint in her eye as she smiled at Lafayette. "I do have to say, money is not the motivator for me either, and I'm done with you too. I appreciate you giving us an opportunity to strike against the Order. And because of that, I'll let you leave alive. Forget the girl. Don't show your face around here again, and you won't face my wrath."

The three of them stood over Lafayette as he sat, fuming.

"I still get the dead girl, right?" Theon looked over at the witch with excitement in his voice.

"This is my house," Lafayette said, stunned at the turn of events.

"Not anymore," the witch said, sneering as she stepped toward him, her fingers sparking and crackling as electricity danced over her raised hand.

Lafayette leaned back and frowned. "Can I at least take my backpack?"

When the witch nodded, he stepped over to where it was propped. He leaned down and reached in. When he stood up, his hand flashed forward. A curved blade whistled through the air and stuck into the wall behind the witch's back. Her eyes widened in shock. Her head rolled off her neck and landed with a thud on the wood floor—followed by her lifeless body.

"That never gets old," Lafayette said, smiling, and then turned to the other two as he clutched two more shuriken blades in his raised hands. "Do you two want me out also?"

Hunter shook his head vigorously. "No, not me. I'm in this for the money. You pay me, and I'm happy."

The nerd couldn't keep his eyes off the witch's head bleeding on the floor.

"What about you, zombie?" Lafayette snarled. "You still want to take a bite out of me?"

Theon gave him a quick glance and then turned back to drool over the head. The eyes were blinking as her mouth gaped open. The witch's head was still alive!

"No, not me. I'm totally on board. If..." Theon paused as if fearful of Lafayette's response.

"If what?" Lafayette said, astonished.

"You let me have it," he gestured to the severed head, "I'll do whatever you ask." The witch's eyes widened in horror.

Lafayette blew out a breath in equal parts relief and disgust. "Like I care."