Needle in a Haystack

Night Shift

The beautiful Fay woman sat across from Emily, studying her intently. To best a Fay was no small feat, even if the mortal was meant to see through the glamour. Emily had navigated her tricks without guile or artifice, and quickly.

"What are you doing here, little wolfling?" the felinid Fay asked, pulling the cheese dip towards her and loading a chip.

"Waiting for my mom to get home," Emily said, the spicy, savory smell of the cheese dip tickling her nose and making her mouth water. She swallowed hard and tried to focus. "Why do you want me here?" she asked, pulling books out of her bag to distract herself from the delicious smells.

"I might have a job for you," she answered without hesitation. "Why does a young Alpha female, such as yourself, not have a pack?" she asked before bringing the chip to her mouth and savoring the cheese like it was the most delicious thing she had ever tasted.

Emily swallowed again, her dry throat crunching audibly, but she noticed for the first time that the restaurant was no longer silent. The clink of dishes from the wait staff and kitchens could be heard, as well as the low susurrus of patrons. She tried to focus on the question that was asked. "I haven't found my place yet, is all. My parents weren't destined mates, so they divorced, and my mom left the pack and I went with her. Then my dad was the fourth son of an Alpha, so he didn't really have a pack of his own." She stopped, dragging in a breath and started to blurt the next question that came to mind. "What's your... er," Emily paused. Names had power to the Fay and asking one their name was like asking a mundane person if they had been to the psych ward recently, and would probably get the same answer if they were lucky. "What should I call you?" she asked, changing tack after another gulped breath.

"You may call me," the Fay paused, seeming to consider, "Sabine. You might consider me your fairy godmother."

Tittering laughter skittered across the room like dappled sunlight in a glade graced by a cool breeze and babbling brook. It left Emily breathless for a moment, but she recovered quickly.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Sabine, my fairy godmother," Emily said sarcastically, reflexively holding out her hand to shake in greeting.

"Mm," Sabine intoned, taking Emily's hand as quick as a snake. A tingle shot up Emily's arm, and she knew she had made a mistake. Fay did not use words lightly. She wasn't sure yet what she had agreed to, but it couldn't be good.

"And what should I call you, little wolfling?" asked Sabine as she relinquished her hand and reached over to relish another chip.

"Call me Emmy," Emily said, starting to use her trig homework to distract her from the food and help her focus on the words being exchanged. Sabine seemed to be momentarily engrossed in savoring the queso.

"I might have a job for you, Emmy," Sabine finally said after the bowl of chips had run out. The bowl of queso still looked full, even though Sabine had been loading each chip to overflowing. Emily wondered at it until Sabine waved her hand and the chip bowl refilled.

"I appreciate your offer, but I would like to find my own job," Emily said, choosing her words carefully this time.

Sabine raised a single perfect eyebrow. "You haven't even heard my offer, Emmy," Sabine said, and Emily's breath misted. The steaming food crackled as it froze solid. Emily closed her homework, put it back in her backpack, and turned her full attention to the woman in front of her.

"Please, do, Sabine," Emily said, folding her hands in front of her on the table.

Sabine's nostrils flared, and the ice inched across the table towards Emily's hands. She didn't move, even as the ice crept up her pinkies, and she started counting. At first, it was six seconds to inhale, six seconds to exhale, then she increased the count to nine. By the time she made it to twelve seconds, her pinkies had thawed, and her hands were warm. Sweat trickled down her back with the effort.

Sabine leaned back, and the cold reseeded, leaving Emily overly warm and breathing heavy. To Emily's surprise, Sabine seemed to be breathing heavily, with a glistening sheen across her skin that made it look dewy. The restaurant had gone quiet.

"A contract will be delivered to you. If you choose to sign it, you will become my vasal and enjoy all the privileges and protections that position affords under The Accords. Until you choose not to sign it, my favor returned will be that you are LEFT ALONE."

The last two words vibrated the very air around Emily. It was a command of the highest order, and Emily and Ember realized who they sat across from. This was no simple Fay, if any of them could even be called simple. Sabine was royalty, or at least of the royal house, and definitely winter. Maybe a vasal of Queen Mab herself.

"Thank you, Sabine," Emily said and stood to leave, retrieving her backpack. Before she slung her backpack on her shoulders, she turned and bowed to Sabine, earning another spine-chilling laugh. When she straightened, the booth was empty, but for the empty chip and queso bowls and the untouched frozen bean dip and salsa bowls. She turned, and the restaurant was empty and dark except for the emergency lighting. She backed through the curtain, into the dimly lit entry that was bright by comparison. Pulling open the heavy wooden door by the brass handle smacked her in the face with the oppressive Arizona heat even though the sun had set.

Emily reached into her pocket and pulled out her cell phone. Six missed calls from Mom. Instead of calling back, she walked home, still trying to make sense of everything that had happened that day.