I knew she was right, but I didn’t want to carry this around anymore. I didn’t want to carry his memory with me. I was done with Ellison, but his memory wasn’t done with me yet.
Finally, I walked over to the railing and stared down at the water. The wind churned its surface, sending the waves skittering across the bay. They rolled in, tumultuous, mirroring my feelings.
I held out my hands. I worked with the element of earth, but I was very much in tune with water. After a moment, I caught the energy of the rollicking waves, soaking up their power, filling my lungs with the scent of brine and seaweed.
I held the scent in my lungs, letting it wash through my body as it seeped into every nook and cranny. I opened my mind to it, baptizing myself with the cleansing power of the water.
And then, when I was immersed in the wild magic of the Salish Sea, I let out a sharp breath, streaming out my frustration and anger and all the memories from my life with Ellison. They flowed into the waves rolling against the shore, they swept up and into the air as the wind caught them, tossing them about like toys. I knew this wouldn’t take away the sting forever, but for the moment, I felt cleansed and clear, and I grounded myself into the earth below my feet, holding tight to the feeling of freedom. Someday, I whispered to myself, the anger would be gone for good.
I tingled from head to toe as I opened my eyes and stared into the eye of the approaching storm, feeling calm and strong and competent. After a moment, the magic began to fade and the bay went back to being just the bay, but inside, the magic remained. Delighted, feeling a sense of joy that had been eluding me for a while, I turned and walked back to my car, ready for lunch and an afternoon of shopping.
I stopped at the Little Vintage Shop, which was a clothing store. It wasn’t true vintage, but had marvelous retro styles, and most of them came in my size. I had decided I wanted something new for Thanksgiving, so I rifled through the dress racks, looking at everything new since my last visit.
“Looking for something specific?” Anna Marie—the owner of the shop—asked. She and I had forged a quasi-friendship. The kind where, if you meet in the supermarket, you stop to chat for a bit, or when you’re throwing a big open house, you invite.
Anna Marie was plump and round, and had shining blond hair that had never seen a bottle of bleach, although there were a few gray hairs mixing into the bunch. She was about five-two, but she was as far from the blond stereotype as you could get. The woman knew how to run her business. She was shrewd, and she was funny.
“I want something for Thanksgiving, dressy but not fancy.” Then, I saw it.
The dress was a Hell Bunny dress. Red roses on black, it was a halter design, with a cinched waist and a full skirt. I held it up. “This is gorgeous.”
“It would look so good on you. Do you want to try it on?” Anna asked.
“Yes, definitely. Do you have a petticoat to go with it?” I asked, glancing through the rack. Relieved, I saw she had the dress in my size.
“Yes, go on in and I’ll get one. Red or black?”
“I think red, with this.” I carried the dress into the dressing room and Anna brought me a petticoat. I slid into the tulle and satin undergarment, smiling at how it flared out. I loved the retro look, and was moving more and more into the lifestyle. I had recently bought myself a pair of trousers with the fitted waistband and wide legs that reminded me of what old-fashioned movie stars wore back in the day.
I unzipped the dress and slid it over my head, reaching around to zip it up. Then I tied the halter straps around my neck and smoothed the skirt, turning to look in the mirror. The dress accentuated my curves, giving me an hourglass figure, and I truly felt beautiful. I would need a bra with clear straps, but that was doable.
I pulled my hair out of the ponytail and let my curls fall to mid-back. The effect was like a cloud of red flames surrounding me. As I stared at myself, I realized I was ready for darker hair again—but that was an easy feat.
“What do you think?” Anna asked from outside the dressing booth.
I opened the curtain and stepped out. “What do you think?”
The smile on her face confirmed my feeling. Anna wasn’t one to lie in order to make a buck. I could count on her for an honest appraisal. “You’re drop-dead gorgeous.”
“I think so, too,” I said, grinning. “I need a pair of sexy-librarian heels.”
“Wait here. What size are you again?”
“Size 9,” I said.
She ducked out of the dressing area and was back within a couple minutes, carrying a shoe box. “Here—try these.”
I opened the box to see a pair of open-toed pumps with three-inch chunky heels, in black suede. They had a half-inch platform, so they looked higher than they were. I sat down on the seat in the dressing room and slid off my Mary Janes and tried on the heels. Standing, I walked in front of the mirror. The heels matched the dress perfectly.
“I’ll take all three—the dress, petticoat, and shoes.”
“I’ll meet you at the counter, unless you’re looking for anything else,” Anna said.
I shook my head. “No, I’m good.”
Ten minutes and two hundred dollars later, I waved good-bye to her. After locking my purchases in the backseat, I drove to Lucky’s Diner, had fried chicken for lunch, and then headed home, feeling much happier and more grounded than I had earlier that morning.
When I got home, I eased into the driveway and stared at the house. Once again, I had an odd feeling. “I wish to hell I knew why I feel so weird.”
You’d better prepare yourself, Esmara said.
I jumped, startled. What are you doing in the car?
I decided to take a ride with you. I’ve been here ever since you left the pier. By the way, the dress is gorgeous.
Thank you, but what the hell do you mean, I’d better prepare myself?
You’ve got company, Esmara said. He’s not dangerous, though, as far as I can tell.
Dangerous company? Ghostly company?
Not exactly…
The way she let the words drift, I knew whoever my guest was, he had to be something special, and I wasn’t thinking good special. You didn’t have to be evil to be trouble. I hopped out of the car, grabbed my bags, and straightened my shoulders. Esmara didn’t seem to be particularly worried, so I wasn’t afraid, but I still steeled myself for whatever was waiting.
As I unlocked the door and entered the living room, I glanced around. Nothing as far as I could see, except for Klaus, who was conked out on the sofa. I ruffled his fur, dropped my bags by the couch, and shook off my jacket. The hairs on my arms stood up. There was someone in the house—even though I knew that ahead of time, now I could feel it for myself. I stood, then headed into the kitchen.
There, sitting in the kitchen nook, petting Xi who was curled up on the corner of the table, was a large creature who reminded me of a combination of the Thing from the Fantastic Four comic books, and Hellboy, from…well…Hellboy. He looked up, startled, and for a moment we stared at one another.
“Who the hell are you and what are you doing in my house?” I blurted out.
He looked up at me—I assumed it was a “he”—and grunted. “It’s not my fault. You brought me here and I can’t seem to leave. I’m Tarvish, a Funtime demon.”