Dragon Witch ✔️

28 - Vampire Crisis

The secretary squinted at her computer monitor. "Have you been in contact with a changeling in the last thirty days?"

"No." I blinked. Why'd I say that? If she thought a changeling's magic had rubbed off on me, I should agree. Better she believe that than her thinking the magic was mine. "I mean, yes. I guess it has been less than thirty days. It feels a lot longer."

"That explains it. You've got the barest hint of changeling magic hovering around you, but it's nothing major. It should fade by the end of the month." She pointed to a clipboard on her desk. "Come sign in."

I crossed the room, hands trembling and my heart jittering in my ears. Whatever that detector thing was, it wasn't just a glamour glass. It had sensed my magic--or maybe the magic of the other changeling I'd fought with. Either way, it was more sensitive than I'd thought.

How had it not known I was a full-blooded changeling? Maybe it had something to do with the New Moon tonight. I was exhausted, and not just in the I-stayed-up-too-long kind of way. It was more like the I-haven't-slept-for-a-week kind of a way. According to Grandma, magic exhaustion could feel that way. If my magic was low because of the New Moon, then maybe it was so low that the detector hadn't seen it.

Either way, it was a relief. The last thing I needed today was to be locked up by the monster hunters.

I signed in with my name, phone number, and reason for coming. Kyton came through the archway, wincing as the secretary turned a dark glare on him. I knew he should've stayed in the car. Even if the monster hunters were supposedly reformed and didn't hunt Otherworlders anymore, we were behind closed doors. Who knew what they might do to Kyton?

"Come sign in," the secretary said in a voice that was barely more pleasant than a growl.

Kyton signed in, and the secretary read over the sign-in sheet. She raised her eyebrows as she entered our information into the computer.

"You're both here because of the fairy dragon down by Sorciereville?" She scoffed. "You might as well walk out now. The hunters have better things to do than take care of a monster that only attacks anyone stupid enough to travel outside of the town barrier."

Kyton stiffened, ever so slightly, and he pressed his fists against his sides. I couldn't blame him. Before this monster came along, the forest around Sorciereville was plenty safe. People went into it all the time to picnic, hike, hunt, and collect magical ingredients. His dad had gotten hurt doing something completely reasonable, and this woman was acting like it was his fault he'd gotten hurt.

I crossed my arms. "We want to speak to a hunter anyway."

"Very well. Orion's available. Room 102, just down the hall on your left." She pointed to a hallway behind her desk. Before we could start down the hallway, she added, "but you'll have to pay consultation fees before you go back. It's fifty dollars for a half hour."

I pulled out my debit card before Kyton could insist on paying. The secretary took it with a huff, then waved us down the hall.

Room 102's door was open to reveal a young-ish man in the green hunter's uniform, sitting behind a desk. He gestured for us to come in and sit down.

"Stacy says you're from Sorciereville," he said, obviously addressing me.

"We are," Kyton said.

The corners of Orion's lips turned down, and he addressed me again. "Please tell your fairy to keep quiet while the humans are talking."

There were so many things wrong with that statement that I just about upended his desk in his face. But I controlled myself. Barely. We needed the hunters, and throwing a fit wouldn't help our case.