Candy Bones Read online

  “I understand. I can only speak for myself, but I see no reason not to call it in. Considering less is more in regards to us communicating, should I call the counsel hall and leave a message?”

  “That won’t be necessary, we’ve set up a hotline with the police department. If you call this number, it will direct you to the hotline where you can give the location and any demons you may have seen. The counsel is working hard on containment and extraction for the demons, but we need specifics.” She hands me a card.

  I tap it on my thigh. “I’m not good with this type of thing, but uh… sorry you know, for basically accusing you of murder and whatnot.”

  She puts her arm on my good shoulder. “I know this must be hard for you. Losing your Grandmother, being put in a position to trust us after all the rumors, having to take us at our word that Anya was one of us. I’m aware you haven’t been back to the house since she passed. Maybe you should pay a visit. It was my understanding that she left information for you for anything you’d need to help you make this transition.”

  Chapter Eleven

  “Xavina Devereaux?” I call out to the curly haired student walking off campus.

  “Do we have a plan here?” Oz asks me.

  “Just follow my lead,” I whisper.

  Xavina’s head snaps up causing her curls to bounce. “Yeah?” she asks, pulling a headphone out of her ear. She walks over to us.

  “I’m Wraith Thanason. This is my friend Oz. I was hoping I could talk to you about something,” I say looking around. “I’m just looking to see if you could translate something for me, it’s a little sensitive.”

  She nods, “I know who you are. Not him, but yeah. I heard about your Grandma, that sucks.”

  “Uh, thanks. I was actually hoping maybe we could talk at my shop, whenever you’re not busy. Do you know where Grim Sweets is?”

  She cocks her head slightly, “You need me to translate something?”

  “Yeah, it’s witchling speak. I asked around and someone told me to look for you,” I say.

  “Whatever it is you might have an easier time asking one of my Aunt’s, I’m just a student,” she says.

  “Right because I’m sure your aunts are super keen to help the antisocial reaper chic.” I hold up my hands shrugging.

  Xavina looks me up and down in my black leather pants, dark purple top and the black cuff on my wrist. She nods. “Unfortunately, you’re probably right. But count me in! How about we go now? I have a little time before my next thing.” She bounces on her feet.

  “Okay now is great, you can just follow my car to the shop.” I tell her.

  When we get to the shop Oz finally speaks up. “Is it just me or is this kid way too excited to follow two strangers to a candy store.”

  “Oh, shut up. At least we didn’t literally kidnap her,” I tell him and slam the door.

  “I admit, your way worked thus far M’lady,” Oz says shutting his door too.

  It is entirely possible he’s an idiot.

  “What are you thinking?” he asks me. “You’re making a weird face.

  I grin at him. “You don’t want to know.”

  Xavina drives up right behind us, on the ride over her brain must have went to the same place Oz’s did. “In case you two turn out to be creepers, you should know my aunts will expect me back soon. And if I don’t show up, they will not only find you, but will turn you into life-sized garden gnomes and play croquet with your faces,” Xavina chirps as if this is the most natural conversation in the world.

  “Noted,” Oz says but he gives me the tiniest sideways glance.

  Inside I have her sit at one of the small tables I have in the main shop. “Can I get you something to drink?”

  “Do you have any coffee, I love coffee!” Xavina says.

  “Coffee it is,” I say. It’s the least I can do for my subterfuge. The nostrae nocte don’t want me to invite her in yet, she’s too young. I have some ideas though about how to create a rapport. I run to the back and get her some coffee. I don’t know what kind of creamer or whatever that she likes so I just fill up a platter with every kind I own. Which is a lot because I get tired of just one flavor. Balancing the tray in my one good arm I hear Bran rattle on the podium in the back.

  “I’m coming, I’m coming,” I tell him.

  “I could have gotten that for you, I didn’t know you’d bring back a platter,” Oz says.

  “I’m fine,” I say annoyed.

  “Not to be rude, but what happened to your arm?” Xavina asks me.

  “Shark attack.” I tell her, quickly sliding the platter onto the table, before I drop the entire thing. “I have to go check on Bran real quick, the last time he acted this way it turned out to be a very bad day for me.” I give a knowing look to Oz. He gets up and heads towards the library. I follow.

  Book Bran shakes on the podium then stops. He opens up and a new name glows inside on the list. “Good job giving me a heart attack buddy,” I tell him, annoyed.

  “That is so cool!” Xavina shouts from the door. “I have never seen one of these this close before!”

  “Oh please don’t encourage him.” I tell her.

  Bran rattles once more before quivering in place. He glows and transforms into his raven form, his wings spread wide. He is really laying it on thick.

  Xavina squeals excitedly. “Can I pet him?” I nod to her.

  “Show off.” I glare at Bran.

  “Caw!” he says to me.

  “Yes I do see right through you.”

  Bran leans into Xavina’s affection. He likes her. I suppose that makes sense, witchlings are supposed to have connections with the elements and nature. That includes animals, I suppose even if the animal is really a magical book.

  “I’m glad you like him. Xavina the reason I asked you here today is-“

  “You don’t really need me to translate anything,” she says petting Bran.

  “How did you-“

  “I just know. It’s okay I also know you’re not perverts, so I’ll probably help with whatever you need. Is it an illegal spell or something because you should know I plan to major in potions not spells.” She smiles at Oz and I while still crooning over Bran.

  “She is a witch, she can read our minds!” Oz whispers.

  I roll my eyes. “It’s nothing like that. We are actually investigating the demon attacks. I’m sure you’re aware of them, right?”

  “Ooooh yeah.” Xavina’s eyes widen and her lips purse together. I’m not sure if that means she knows more than she’s willing to share or if she’s just as spooked as everyone else by it.

  “Our investigation, its off the books if you know what I mean. We can’t let anyone know we are looking into this. But if we can figure out what’s going on, we can figure out how to stop it. Seriously though, we are really risking a lot to trust you. Can we trust you?” I ask her. I hope it doesn’t sound as patronizing to her as it did to me when the group asked me that same question.

  “Absolutely. Anything I can do to help I will, I still don’t know why you’d need me. I’m not anything special, but I’ll do my best.”

  “Recently when I was out, I saw an attack and during it I heard whispering. Only it wasn’t the demons whispering. It sounded like witchling chants coming from the same area the demons were coming from,” I say.

  “Is that something you’ve heard of before?” Oz asks her, handing her a cup of coffee I didn’t notice he’d run out to the room to grab.

  The girl takes the cup and smells it dramatically. She sips it while her fingers tap the porcelain. “Yes, I think I know what it could be. You’re talking about a conduit spell. Using a conduit to control something like a demon is heavy stuff. Rare. Only the most powerful of witchlings or necromancers could control something like that. The chanting you said sounded like witchling, do you remember any of the words?”

  I click my tongue. “Most of the whispers sounded like a snake hissing. In between that I believe the words onus and omnis we
re used. I only know those because some of the recipes my grandmother passed down to me were in Latin. I was a bit more focused on the pack of gallu headed my way though.”

  “Woah. Yeah that would be scary. You’re like some sort of rogue rebel! I love it! I can do some more research in my Aunts' books tonight.” She holds up a hand. “I promise I won't say why, and see if a specific conduit spell comes up. If we find the right spell we could technically make a counter-spell to stop it. I mean every spell can be countered. I really suck at spell casting though.”

  “No, this is great. Xavina, we are leagues ahead of where we were.”

  “Awesome! Well, I should get going, I really do have overprotective Aunts,” she says handing me the coffee cup.

  “To be fair, your aunts have a niece that follows death to her candy shop.” I shrug.

  “Touche! Wow maybe I’m a little bit of a rebel too.” She moves her shoulders up and down. “You should give me your number so I can text you if I find anything, all secret agent-like.”

  “Good idea.” I give her my number and get hers.

  “I could follow you home, it’s not safe right now,” Oz tells the girl.

  Xavina holds up a hand, “Actually it’s best if we aren’t seen together. Plus, I can handle myself.” She wiggles her fingers at him causing Oz to lean back. He really is afraid of witchlings. I laugh.

  “Thank you,” I tell her

  “Are you kidding? This is the coolest thing to ever happen to me, this town is so boring!” She chirps and skips out of Grim Sweets with a jingle of the bell over the door.

  Chapter Twelve

  It takes a moment after Xavina leaves for me to realize Oz and I are completely alone for the first time since we met. I am not sure why, but it gives me a weird feeling in my stomach. I have wanted to know more about this non-nuit who is as strong as any nocturnus and has a jawline sharp enough to stab someone with. He starts looking around my shop at all the candies.

  “So, you make all of these?” He asks.

  “I do. Their family recipes, most would actually do quite a number on you.” I smile as he goes to grab one then thinks better of it. “The non-nuit safe candy is all along the far wall.” I say.

  “Non-nuit. I looked that term up the first time I heard it. It means no magic, right? Considering I have the sight and a few other abilities, wouldn’t that no longer make me non-nuit?” He turns to me.

  “Were you born a human?”

  “Yes, of course,” He says.

  “Then you’re non-nuit honey. What happens to you after that isn’t our problem.” I shrug.

  “Yeah, I noticed a lot of you have that same idea.” Something deeply sad flickers in his eyes. I know that pain.

  I grab my favorite of the non-nuit candy and toss him a piece, “Tell me about Mina. You seem to know an awful lot about me, your little buddies have a file on my entire life. Yet, I know almost nothing about you, and you are possibly the only interesting non-nuit I’ve ever met.”

  “I think there’s plenty I would like to know about you still,” Oz tells me. He grins and looks me up and down. My stomach drops under his stare. Oh-kay, it’s good to know, at least, that he’s as interested in me as I am of him.

  “First, tell me about Mina, and how this,” I circle the air around him with my finger, “happened, then we can see where this,” I point between him and myself, “leads.”

  Oz smiles and nods at the ground. “You’re a lot more forward than I imagined.”

  “Translation, I’m a bigger pain in the tail than Eris warned you I would be.”

  He nods.

  I walk over to him, “But yes, I am forward. I’m honest, and if it makes you feel better, we can get something out of the way right now.” I grab the front of his jacket and pull him down as close to my face as I dare.

  I stare into Oz’s eyes. He stares back.

  “In reaper culture the eyes are the most intimate form of communication between two prospective lovers,” I whisper against his lips without touching them, “The eyes are the last form of communication when someone passes, you can see the soul leaving through them. They are literally the portals for the soul to escape the body. We believe you can tell if someone is compatible with you just by staring deeply into their eyes. And it’s said that it is the strongest way for two souls to touch while still in their bodies.”

  “In that case,” Oz whispers back, “I’m pretty sure your soul just touched mine inappropriately.” He grins. “Not that I mind.”

  I purse my lips, “Is that so?”

  “Yeah, now let me teach you the way non-nuits test to see if they’re compatible.” He wraps his arms around me and pulls me the rest of the way into his embrace. Our lips touch. The kiss is quick, but glorious. He pulls away. “Hmmm.”

  “What?”

  “I think I’m going to need to test it a few more times, just to be certain.”

  “Oh, I bet,” I say but I kiss him again. This time we take our time. I never in my life imagined kissing a non-nuit could be this magical. There are not just sparks here, there’s a whole fire. We slowly end the kiss.

  I nod as I pull away from him. I purse my lips together to bring the feeling back in them. “Yep, that was a good test.”

  “Are you sure? We can keep going.” He leans back in.

  I place a finger on his lips, “Ah, first you spill.”

  He sighs. “It’s really not that interesting.”

  I grab his hand and pull him into the library. We sit down on the couch. “I get it, it’s taboo to ask someone you’re interested in about their exes. This isn’t like normal though. It’s your origin story super boy and I need to hear it.”

  “Alright but I need one more kiss just in case you don’t want to kiss me again after.”

  I shake my head at him.

  He rubs his hands on his thighs anxiously, “Fair enough. What can I say? Mina was a whirlwind. I was on deployment; I wasn’t even supposed to be meeting girls. But we were out one night, and I saw her dancing in a crowd. She was… different. The way she moved, the way she spoke, everything about her was magic. She used to say the same thing about me, she said I was special, not like non-nuit. I thought it was a name she called her marks; from what I could gather she was a grifter. I just didn’t realize how much of one. I was enraptured. I used to always laugh at the guys who claimed love at first sight, or even guys who went so far to get married while in the military. It was absurd to me, especially after watching most of those relationships explode in their faces. Then there was Mina. She was all I thought about, all day long. Every time her voice spoke my name it was like falling in love all over again. She had this little apartment she kept up, it was full of rugs, silk scarfs and incense. She used to drink this homemade wine, or rather have me drink it. It wasn’t until after that I realized I never actually witnessed her drink one drop. The more time I spent with Mina the more the world around me changed. I saw things. I changed, I got better at my job, stronger. At night I would hear chanting when I fell asleep, even in my barracks. Then one night I woke up and I felt it, I changed, it was done.

  I found Mina and she explained that she was a necromancer, she sensed I had nocturnus blood deep in my bloodlines and she used an ancient ritual with the wine to change me. From the outside I was still non-nuit, inside though, I was nocturnus. Whatever my family had once been. I could see through the magic. At night especially I started seeing what human eyes couldn’t. The guys in my platoon had begun to question me, they mocked me and a few even worried I was losing it. It’s not easy to ignore when your entire squad is standing with a werewolf and no one can see it but you. Or you walk into a club and it’s riddled with vampires stealing the blood of the local humans who don’t realize it’s happening because they think they’re just high. It got bad. Then one day we were out on a convoy and we hit an IED, one of the privates, a kid named Endley was hurt bad. I knew if we called the medic, he wouldn’t make it. His wife had just given birth back home to h
is first son. Instead of a medic I called Mina. I took two guys who still trusted me, and I convinced them to go AWOL with me. We got Endley to her apartment. She had us stay in another room while her and two other women performed their ritual. When she was done, she said he would have five years. That’s all she could give him. But it was better than nothing right? I didn’t think it all through though. We all got in trouble, Endley as well. He understood he had died, the other guys too, and they all realized he came back. It didn’t sit well with them either. Eventually they all got dishonorably discharged because of what happened.

  After Endley, Mina got weird, distant. She was suddenly busy more often, and when we got together it was like everything I did annoyed her, she didn’t miss me at all. But for me, I hurt, physically hurt, to be away from her. I got paranoid, obsessed. It was all I could do to keep it together. I was put on medical leave which is a nice way of saying they decided to send me back home because they thought I was nuts and they didn’t want me around things that go boom anymore. I snuck out one last time to tell Mina I was being sent home and to ask her to run away with me. She laughed at me. Called me her little pet project and told me she was bored of me. She admitted to using a love potion on me and told me that nothing we had was real. I snapped. I exploded actually, literally exploded. I lost control and I have no memory of what happened next. I woke up naked and covered in blood in Mina’s apartment. She had left me a note. It was two sentences. She at least let me know that the dormant nocturnus in my family was werewolf and she ended it by saying she doesn’t date dogs.