Page 106 of Throwing Shade
We looked at each other and burst out laughing.
Jude’s shoulders shook, but her laughter caught and turned into a half-sob. “I don’t want to die.”
I squeezed her shoulder. “Listen up. That is not going to happen. Laurent thinks my magic can save you. Admittedly, we’re working on a bit of a tight deadline, but I’m not going to lose you, got it? I could not afford the therapy for my child if that happened.”
“Plus, there’s the whole chin hair pact.” Jude ran a finger over her jawline with a wince. “You better keep your end of that deal.”
“You’ll be plucking mine, but whatever.”
My low fuel light came on. Sure, the owner’s manual said I could drive seventeen kilometers before I ran out, but I refused to test that theory. I pulled into the closest gas station and up to an available pump.
Jude twisted in her seat so she could see me with her non-swollen eye. “Will the wolf be okay?”
I shrugged, turning off the engine. “Laurent is tough. I hope so.”
“Laurent, huh?”
“Yes. The person I paid to help find you when I learned you’d lost your mind and gotten involved with vampires.” I popped the gas tank open.
“On the midlife crisis scale from stalking my high school crush on social media to going full Thelma & Louise off a cliff, vampires seemed pretty middle-of-the road.” She paused. “Zev really thinks I betrayed him?”
“He does.”
“Shit.” Jude got out of the car with me.
“Tell me everything about Kirk and Diane Holdencott to convince him otherwise,” I said, punching in my payment information at the pump.
“Who’s Kirk? My kidnapper was this woman maybe ten years older than me. I guess, this Diane person, petite, dark-hair?” she said. I nodded, one eye on how much gas I was pumping and she continued. “She caught me at the studio Friday night pretending to be an interested client, and when my back was turned, she injected something into me.” Jude rubbed her neck with her good hand.
“Lowered inhibitions during the Danger Zone. That’s how you were enthralled.” The pump hit the limit I’d pre-programmed and shut off. “Fuck.”
“I have a hazy memory of her helping me to her car and then I woke up chained in her basement and she was demanding I make her a golem. It’s not like I advertise that service. In fact Zev had approached me with the idea, because I’d never made one before. I certainly wasn’t going to screw him over by making one for this psycho, even a golem without divination powers.”
Replacing the nozzle, I grabbed my receipt and screwed the gas cap back on. “Good thing I have photographic proof of your condition and the untouched clay.”
“I was wondering why you took a photo of me like that, you weirdo.” She adjusted the splint where the tape was coming loose. “Thanks for covering my ass.”
“Okay, new to-do plan.”
“May it save us all,” Jude said, pressing her hands together in prayer formation.
We got back in the car and were shortly on our way.
“I’ll meet with Zev and get him off our back, then I’ll pay a visit to Tatiana Cassin. If anyone knows where to find a Banim Shovavim who can teach me how to help you, it’s her.”
Jude shook her head in disbelief. “I’m gone four days and suddenly you’re hanging with the movers and shakers of the Ohrist community?”
“Long story,” I said.
“One that involves the French hottie?”
“Tangentially.” I made another aimless turn, hoping that inspiration about a safe place to stash Jude lay around the corner. “Want to go sit on the beach? We could talk until the sun comes up like we used to.”
Jude gave me a sad smile. “You’re stalling, Feldman.”
“Big time.” I shook my head. “I can’t let you remain free. I’m sorry.”
“You and me both.” She spread her hands wide. “If my time on earth is limited, I want to go out with a clean conscience. So, where are we going?”
