Read Online Rising Fury (Hexing House Book 1) by Jen Rasmussen - Free Book Online
Authors: Jen Rasmussen
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stronger already, I see. That’s good.” The stern face came back. “But it isn’t enough. I don’t trust you. I don’t trust the motives of someone who thinks we hurt her cousin, yet is campaigning to become one of us.”
Thea had no answer to that, so she kept her mouth shut.
“If I were to let you stay, you’d be watched. Closely.”
Shit . “Fine.”
“And you’d have to be punished.” Alecto narrowed her eyes, considering this.
“How about a fine?” Thea suggested.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Someone in the dining hall said his brother got laid off. Maybe the company’s a little short on cash.” Thea shrugged. “I’m rich. How about ten thousand dollars and we’ll call it a day?”
Alecto stared at her for a few seconds, then tossed her head back and emitted a throaty, almost exuberant laugh that seemed completely at odds with everything else about her. “I’ll take that deal,” she said. “If only because I want to keep you close until I know what you’re up to.”
If only because you want my money, you mean. Among other things, but what?
Thea nodded respectfully.
“Do not let me see one hair on your head out of place,” Alecto said. “Or I will deal with you in ways that are less in line with company policy, and less pleasant for you.”
Thea stood, hoping it would encourage the conclusion of her interrogation. “Understood.”
She was escorted—which is to say, she was carried like a sack of flour—back to her residence by a security guard. Once inside, she pulled the bell out from under the couch and put it back on her bedroom door.
They’d taken her in, at least. By that measure, her mission so far was a success. Aunt Bridget had told her to infiltrate, and infiltrate she had.
Sort of. Alecto wasn’t buying it. Thea would be watched. And she believed her vision as surely as if she’d seen it in real time, which meant somewhere, while Thea was flailing around and botching everything, Flannery was suffering.
But why? And why was Alecto really letting Thea stay? What was so special about either her or her cousin, that would make these furies want them?
Thea took The Book of Flower Friends out of her toiletry bag and fed it some blood, but it seemed her psychic powers were tapped out for the day. She wasn’t going to figure this out, or find Flannery, in the next ten hours. Maybe not for quite some time.
Which meant she would have to report for training first thing in the morning.
She would have to become a fury.
“Harlot!” The man—a human—spit on the ground at Thea’s feet.
Slut , she was used to. Occasionally, whore . But harlot was new. There was fire and brimstone in the word that made her break out in a sweat.
His eyes were bloodshot, his chin dark with stubble, and he smelled of cheap beer. Thea wasn’t fond of confrontation of any sort, but this one especially would be best avoided. Without making eye contact, she tried again to pass him. Again he put himself between her and the door.
“And now you’re serving the demons, are you? You just get them demons out here, then. Get them out here to face me!”
Thea wished she had some mace on her. Barring that, she wasn’t sure what to do. She opened her mouth to insist, as calmly as possible, that he let her pass. But she was spared the necessity by a large fury who came through the doors and grabbed the man by the arm, twisting it around before the drunkard even knew what was going on.
“Get off me, demon!” he shouted, too late. The fury had already picked him up.
The fury spread his wings and flew off without a word. He hadn’t so much as glanced at Thea. As she stared after them, she was startled by a voice at her side.
“Like it’s not bad enough to have to work on a Saturday, right? I have to deal with Mr. Fanatic.”
It was a female fury, dressed in pants and a silk blouse with her hair in a tight bun. Her breath smelled of coffee. She must have come outside with the security guard,
Thea had no answer to that, so she kept her mouth shut.
“If I were to let you stay, you’d be watched. Closely.”
Shit . “Fine.”
“And you’d have to be punished.” Alecto narrowed her eyes, considering this.
“How about a fine?” Thea suggested.
“I beg your pardon?”
“Someone in the dining hall said his brother got laid off. Maybe the company’s a little short on cash.” Thea shrugged. “I’m rich. How about ten thousand dollars and we’ll call it a day?”
Alecto stared at her for a few seconds, then tossed her head back and emitted a throaty, almost exuberant laugh that seemed completely at odds with everything else about her. “I’ll take that deal,” she said. “If only because I want to keep you close until I know what you’re up to.”
If only because you want my money, you mean. Among other things, but what?
Thea nodded respectfully.
“Do not let me see one hair on your head out of place,” Alecto said. “Or I will deal with you in ways that are less in line with company policy, and less pleasant for you.”
Thea stood, hoping it would encourage the conclusion of her interrogation. “Understood.”
She was escorted—which is to say, she was carried like a sack of flour—back to her residence by a security guard. Once inside, she pulled the bell out from under the couch and put it back on her bedroom door.
They’d taken her in, at least. By that measure, her mission so far was a success. Aunt Bridget had told her to infiltrate, and infiltrate she had.
Sort of. Alecto wasn’t buying it. Thea would be watched. And she believed her vision as surely as if she’d seen it in real time, which meant somewhere, while Thea was flailing around and botching everything, Flannery was suffering.
But why? And why was Alecto really letting Thea stay? What was so special about either her or her cousin, that would make these furies want them?
Thea took The Book of Flower Friends out of her toiletry bag and fed it some blood, but it seemed her psychic powers were tapped out for the day. She wasn’t going to figure this out, or find Flannery, in the next ten hours. Maybe not for quite some time.
Which meant she would have to report for training first thing in the morning.
She would have to become a fury.
“Harlot!” The man—a human—spit on the ground at Thea’s feet.
Slut , she was used to. Occasionally, whore . But harlot was new. There was fire and brimstone in the word that made her break out in a sweat.
His eyes were bloodshot, his chin dark with stubble, and he smelled of cheap beer. Thea wasn’t fond of confrontation of any sort, but this one especially would be best avoided. Without making eye contact, she tried again to pass him. Again he put himself between her and the door.
“And now you’re serving the demons, are you? You just get them demons out here, then. Get them out here to face me!”
Thea wished she had some mace on her. Barring that, she wasn’t sure what to do. She opened her mouth to insist, as calmly as possible, that he let her pass. But she was spared the necessity by a large fury who came through the doors and grabbed the man by the arm, twisting it around before the drunkard even knew what was going on.
“Get off me, demon!” he shouted, too late. The fury had already picked him up.
The fury spread his wings and flew off without a word. He hadn’t so much as glanced at Thea. As she stared after them, she was startled by a voice at her side.
“Like it’s not bad enough to have to work on a Saturday, right? I have to deal with Mr. Fanatic.”
It was a female fury, dressed in pants and a silk blouse with her hair in a tight bun. Her breath smelled of coffee. She must have come outside with the security guard,
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