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shaped like a boob.
    I squeezed in behind her and held my guard.
    “How could you?” Cin demanded, smacking his back.
    Scully’s face crumpled like a paper bag.
    “You weren’t open. I wanted a beer,” he said.
    “He’s got you there, Cin,” I said.
    She darted her eyes at me. Then she looked down. “Is that my goddamn stool?”
    Scully glanced around as if the stool had suddenly formed beneath his butt. He sipped his beer and said, “It’s my stool.”
    “That stool is from the Opal,” Cin said.
    It did seem out of place as the only wooden bar stool in a stream of black lacquered ones.
    “See for yourself.” Scully thumbed behind him.
    Cin and I looked back. Etched in the wood was SCULLY.
    Cin slapped his back again. “But why would you come here? You know I hate her.”
    Scully shrugged and pointed in front of him.
    Above the bottles of wine and scotch was a flashing neon sign that read Every Thursday- Free Viagra for the Elderly .
    Hmm. I thought the crowd was a little gray.
    Cin leaned in and said, “You better just pay the bar tab you owe me if you want to use any of it.”
    Scully’s face lost all color. He knew she meant it.
    We settled in a corner table and I was just about to change and wash up when Monique waltzed over to us.
    “What the fuck are you two doing here? And why is that beast in my bar?”
    “Nice to see you too,” I said.
    Thor growled. Or maybe that was Cin.
    “Jesus, Stacy. Why do you always look like shit?” Monique asked.
    Monique was wearing black spiked heels, fishnets, a strapless one-piece with gold tassels and a top hat over her bleached hair. She was also carrying a whip and had enough makeup on to enter the witness protection program.
    “Do you talk to all your patrons like that or is it just when the circus is in town?” I asked.
    Her eyes narrowed. “I’ll let that slide because I know you’ve both had a rough day. But hey, your loss is my gain, right Cin?” She smiled and jabbed Cin with her whip.
    Cin looked down at her arm. I held my breath.
    She must have been tired because instead of jamming the whip down Monique’s throat, she stood up and in a very even tone said, “If you think you’ve seen me mad before, imagine what I could do to you when I’ve just lost everything.” Monique’s face froze. “Now unless you want me to take that thing and make a s’more out of you, I suggest you turn around and leave me the hell alone.”
    Monique swallowed and straightened her back. “You can stay. But don’t make a habit of it.” She disappeared into the crowd.
    We ordered drinks and appetizers from the waitress and I went to change and wash up.
    The food was on the table when I returned, wearing spandex pants and a sequined tube top that screamed ‘I grew up in the 80s.’ I couldn’t believe I even owned these clothes, let alone that Tony had dug them up. I ignored Cin’s subtle chuckle and helped myself to a nacho. I told her what I had overheard the fire chief say.
    “Really? That’s strange because I just had my yearly inspection. They didn’t find a thing wrong.”
    “Maybe they missed it,” I said.
    “I guess,” Cin said, sipping her beer. “The insurance guy is meeting me tomorrow. You want to go for coffee first and then come by the bar? I could use the support. Tony has a long day at the shop tomorrow and we can’t afford not to take the work.”
    Tony runs an auto body shop on the other side of town.
    “Sure.”
     
     
    The lights were still on at the B&B when I got home, but I had enough spell casting for one evening. I slipped into the cottage, discarded my clothes, and fell into bed.
    I can’t breathe. It’s dark. Cold. I can’t lift my head. He’s too strong.
    The alarm clock jolted me from the dream. Thor had a paw slung across my neck and I pushed him off and padded to the shower.
    I blew my hair dry, slapped on some makeup and climbed into a pair of jeans. I finished the outfit with a black turtleneck, my amethyst