Page 36 of Claiming Chaos
“Fine. Just this once but give me the cheapest one.” She handed the menu to me, and I scanned the offerings.
A woman wearing a beige shirt and pants smiled as she approached. “Hi, I’m Ashley. What can I do for you?”
“She’ll have the deluxe hydration and vitamin package.” I gave the menu to her before Ash could see that I requested the most expensive option they offered.
“Perfect. Let’s get you hooked up.” She took Ash’s left arm and pushed up her sleeve. “That’s a beautiful tattoo.”
Ash’s eyes widened in alarm, but when the tech didn’t say more, she relaxed. “Thanks.”
The woman rubbed alcohol on Ash’s skin at the bend of her elbow before sticking her with a thick needle. Ash winced, and the woman removed the needle, leaving a piece of plastic tubing in its place. “It takes about forty-five minutes to complete. Can I get you some water while you wait?”
“Yes, thank you.”
“You got it.” She opened a small refrigerator and offered some to us both. “Are you going next?”
“No, I feel fine.” I accepted mine and twisted off the cap.
She nodded and returned to the back room as Ash drank her entire bottle.
I took a sip and brushed a strand of hair from her face. “Is your full name Ashley like hers?”
“Nope. Mom stayed true to the fire theme when she named us. I asked her why we didn’t have normal names once. She said it was because we aren’t normal women.” She shrugged and leaned her head back, closing her eyes.
“She was right about that.” I watched her rest, the color returning to her cheeks as the fluids replenished her system, the anger I felt toward the High Priestess for doing this to her growing with each passing second.
I couldn’t begin to imagine the pain Ash must have felt. If I hadn’t intervened, she would have died an agonizing death, and for that, the dark witch would pay. I could make good on Ash’s threat to burn their entire coven house to the ground, including every witch inside.
The fluids would take another half hour to replenish her. I could kill them all and be back before it was done.
“Don’t even think about it.” Ash opened her eyes, pinning me with a familiar look. “You’re staying right here.”
I relaxed the tension from my shoulders. She knew me too well. “She deserves to suffer.”
“No. Bad demon.” She fought a smile.
“How could you tell what I was planning?” I took her hand in mine.
“Your energy changes when you get mad and start plotting. Plus, the tendons in your neck get so tight I could pluck them like guitar strings.”
“I see.”
“When this is done, we’re getting on the plane, and we are never coming to New Orleans again.”
“It’s a shame. I rather like this city, aside from the infuriating witches hellbent on destroying you.” I sat back in my chair, and we watched a program on the television while the fluids dripped into Ash’s arm.
When the bag emptied, the tech removed the tubing and wrapped a pink bandage around her elbow. “How do you feel?”
“Much better, thank you.” Ash stood and took two tentative steps forward.
“You can check out at the front desk. Have a great day.” The tech smiled warmly and gestured us toward the man behind the counter.
We approached, and I looked at Ash, waiting for her to create the connection. She ran her finger down my mark, and I shivered as the sensation of her caressing every inch of my skin at once washed over me. A moment later, her magic flowed into me, and I activated mine, sending it to the man at the desk. He snapped his gaze to me and blinked twice, awaiting my command.
“The treatment was complimentary,” I said. “We’ll be leaving now.”
He looked at Ash and then at me. “Yeah, of course. Don’t forget to give us a good review on Yelp.”
“I will. Thanks.” Ash took a business card from the desk before walking out the door.
I met her on the sidewalk and took her hand. “We make a good team.”
She shook her head. “We can never do that again. Mind control isn’t the light witch way.”
“How do you plan to travel to the airport then? I’m afraid it’s too far to walk.”
“Crap.” She waved at a yellow car. “Okay. We’ll do it one more time.”