Borrowed Souls (Soul Charmer #1)(82)

No, she was exhausted after dealing with every egotistical, jerk-faced person in her life in a single goddamn day. Add in her general fear of shoving another person’s soul into her body, and the fact she was on the verge of stealing from the police, and she wasn’t really in the mood for his insinuating tone. But she needed the damn thing, and she needed it with as little commentary as possible. “Let’s just do this.”

The corners of his mouth pulled downward, cutting deep grooves in his cheeks. “You’re no fun today. You wanted an unsullied soul, yes?”

She nodded. Why was she doing this? Oh right. Family.

“It’s more fun when the soul is less like your own,” he taunted.

The memory of the man in the hospital rushed to the forefront of her mind. “The less of a mess we make of my soul, the better.”

He arched a brow. Was she not supposed to know it would mangle her soul? Had she broken Derek’s trust with that comment? Fuck.

The Charmer began to extend a hand toward her, but Callie stopped him. “Wait. Just whose soul is going into me?”

“You worked two weeks for this. Do you think I’m going to provide subpar wares?”

“No, I just … what kind of person?”

The Charmer’s lips thinned, but he answered her question. “I don’t do this normally, but, fine: mid-forties woman. No kids. Worked for the Church. That’s all I’ll say.”

Callie nodded. It was better than nothing.

The Soul Charmer pressed two fingers against the hollow at Callie’s neck. He better not cut her. When she flinched, he whispered, “Close your eyes and breathe. It won’t hurt.”

She noted he hadn’t said anything about not injuring her, because they would have both recognized that lie.

Despite the magic swirling in the room, none of Callie’s flared. His cold fingers traced down her sternum to stop between her breasts. Derek huffed at her side. She held back her smile. No need to let the Soul Charmer get any more glimpses of their connection.

“Deep breath, girl.”

She ignored the condescending tone and did as she was told, and then the air rushed out of her. He hadn’t hit her, but her ribcage vibrated like she’d taken one hell of a wallop. She staggered back and Derek caught her. “You good, doll?”

“Not sure,” she muttered, low enough for his ears only. The experience of soul renting had been touted as euphoric; a coworker once said it was better than the relief of every religious confession combined.

“Is that it?” she asked the Charmer.

“Is that it?” He beamed, as though such a question tickled his scaly heart. “Don’t you feel her mingling with you?”

Callie searched her mind. Should there be another voice? Was she supposed to feel like a different person? Did she suddenly want to tell Josh to save his own damn self? Nope, nope, and nope. “Should I?”

Nothing had unnerved Callie more than hearing an elderly creep like the Soul Charmer giggle. “Perhaps not.”

“It worked, though, right, boss?” Derek asked the question Callie was too scared to pose.

He stared at her chest. The perv. “Oh, the second soul is in there. It’s less bright than her own, but it’s still quite visible.”

“Mine’s brighter?” Even after what she did to Tess?

The Charmer grinned, clearly on to the direction of Callie’s thoughts. “Yes, it’s still quite pure,” was all he said, though.

Her mother had barged into her apartment in search of this high. Joey had gone and gotten another one even after being threatened. People blew paycheck after paycheck on this. Callie didn’t get it. She’d witnessed the high in others. She’s glimpsed the glassy-eyed indulgence. All Callie got was a heavy ick factor at the idea that there was a bonus soul inside her and she’d let the Charmer put it there.

Callie cast a skeptical look toward Derek. “And people get hooked on this?”

He shrugged.

“My magic does change things, but I expect you’ll still rather enjoy the benefits of the soul. Bring it back when you’re done,” the Charmer said, effectively dismissing them.

Business with him had never been this easy. He had to have some plan in play, but Callie’s mind had been run too ragged to recognize it.

She didn’t have time to spare either; she was due at the police station within the hour.


“We need to check your wound.” Callie rushed Derek into her apartment.

“I can handle a little soreness. We shouldn’t be risking you being late over a damn healed injury.”

She waited for him to meet her gaze, and then rolled her eyes. “Healed injury? You were stabbed. Yesterday.”

He stripped his shirt over his head. “Fine.”

After he’d sat on the edge of her bed, Callie ran her palm across the angry red mark on his upper chest. It was raised, like scar tissue, but the healing process had been so fast that the whole thing didn’t make a lot of sense. The area around the healed gouge was still warm, though. “You’re still running a fever.”

He gave her a look that said he’d bust out a thermometer to prove her wrong. “A fever isn’t going to stop me from getting you to that job.”

Did he know what she was trying to do? No, he couldn’t know. The Charmer hadn’t been alone with him long enough to tell him about Callie’s scalding meeting with the queen of soul massage. In fact, the entire time they were there, the Charmer hadn’t cracked a single joke about her being beneath their feet. Which in hindsight seemed a bit weird….