The Burning City (36 page)

She’d send him a thank you card too.

The burly bald guy lay face down on the table. He had tattoos down both arms, around his neck, across his back. June gripped the tattoo gun in her left hand, filling in the design on his meaty side, right below his ribs.

Diego walked into the room. “Anything yet?” He grabbed a chair and rolled it over next to hers.

June turned the gun off and looked up at the TV on the wall. Snow fluttered in the darkness outside the windows.

“No.” She resumed filling in the design. “Shouldn’t be long, though.”

The bells jingled over the door in the outer room.

Diego sprang to his feet. “Food!” He streaked out.

The man on the table grunted. “He’ll get it. Everybody loves him.”

June stopped again and lowered the gun, watching the TV. The scene was live from Jackson Park. Sam had chosen to have his watch party near the Jackson Park Massacre memorial. People in the crowd shouted and waved and held up supportive signs.

“It’s a close race.” June swiveled around to her inks on the table next to her. “You think Chicago is ready for their first paranormal mayor?”

“Lots of changes in this city. I think we’re ready for a lot of things. They’re even talking about building that supernatural institute back up again. You see that?”

“I read about it.” June turned back to him.

Jason’s voice drifted from the outer room. A moment later, he and Diego walked in. Diego carried a plastic bag full of food containers.

Jason wore a wooly winter coat, snow in his hair. He shook it out. “Hard at work, I see. You know, you own the place. You’re allowed to go home when you want.”

“Yeah.” She resumed working. “My boss is a bitch, though.”

Diego sat down next to her and started rooting through the bag. “You’re a life saver, Jason. How’d your audition go?”

“Awesome.” Jason twirled his knit hat on his finger. “I know it’s just a bit part, but I’d love to get it. I was thinking about theater too. There’s a huge theater scene in Chicago.”

June snorted. “You can’t sing.”

“Not all theater is singing.” He looked at the TV. “Cindy thinks I would do great in theater.”

June rolled her eyes and sat back. “Cindy would tell you anything to blow your head up.”

“Thanks for your support, Sis. When are the results in?”

“Soon.” June looked at the boxes Diego was sorting through. “Did you bring me manicotti? I love manicotti.”

Since she now had no restrictions on her diet, she’d spent the past eight months exploring food. She didn’t like pastries and junk food, much to her disappointment. Everyone else in the world seemed to be having so much fun eating that stuff. She did enjoy carbs, though, and she’d done what Jason and Diego deemed “gross experimenting,” mixing all kinds of foods together to see how they tasted.

Diego handed her a box. “Here you go.”

“You mind if we take a break?” she asked the guy on the table. “We got about another hour of work here.”

He lifted his head. “Nah, I could use a breather, anyway.”

“Grab him a beer, Diego.” She sat back in her chair.

Diego got up and walked to the mini fridge in the corner of the room. June focused on the TV and plopped the box on her protruding belly—nature’s table.

She was slender, so she’d started showing early, but now, with just a month to go, she was massive. She had her own gravity well at this point.

It was a girl. She was going to name her Antigone, much to everyone’s bafflement. She liked it. Greek drama and all that. At least Jason thought it was cool.

Diego handed their guest a beer, the man now sitting up, and they all watched TV.

“Are you going to the party?” Jason asked her. “I know you were invited.”

Win or lose, Sam would have an after party.

“I don’t have anything to wear. I can’t fit in normal human clothes.”

Jason sighed. “You can’t miss it, especially if he wins. He wants you there.”

Diego side-eyed her. “It’s a plus one. Party like that, they’ll have an open bar.”

June stuffed a forkful of food in her mouth.

The man on the table looked at her. “You’re invited?” He gestured at the TV with his bottle.

Most people didn’t remember who she was, and that was okay. The Paranormal Alliance members who frequented her shop did, at least. She was grateful for their business, despite her celebrity status among them.

She finished chewing and swallowed. “Yeah. Us types, we gotta stick together, you know.”

Jason hung out for a while, which meant Cindy was working tonight. They’d moved in together a few months ago, a cute little place near Wicker Park, and Cindy had taken up bartending in that area. Kevin, of all people, pulled a few strings for her. Jason didn’t seem to know what to do with himself when she wasn’t around. They were cute—also, kind of gross.

By the time she finished the man’s tattoo, the results were in. Celebration erupted on the screen and in the shop.

“We have a new mayor!” Jason shook his fists. He’d quickly adopted Chicago as his city. “This is awesome!”

Diego hugged June. “Chicago has its first paranormal mayor. I’m so happy for you guys.” He kissed her temple. “You have to go to the party.”

Sam stood on a stage, surrounded by people patting his shoulders, shaking his hands, hugging him. He was practically glowing, full of his own power. His presence reminded her of the day she’d met him on Navy Pier.

“That’s awesome,” the dude on the table said. He was sitting up, checking out his side in the mirror.

She wasn’t sure if he was referring to Sam or the tattoo.

“Come on.” Diego gripped her shoulder. “We’ll squeeze you in a dress. It’ll be a good time. You’ve been working too much lately.”

Jason’s phone rang. He answered. “Cindy! Yeah, I saw!”

June hauled herself to her feet. “I need to go somewhere first. Go home and take a shower and change. Biggest party in town, right? Can’t miss it.”

Diego shrieked like a little girl. He hurried out. June started cleaning up.

She turned down the TV when Sam stepped up to give his victory speech. She’d heard his speeches, even helped write a few. He appeared proud, intense, the man she’d come to know and love all those long months in seclusion.

Her client left. Diego left. Jason was the last to go, giving her a kiss on top the head first.

“Mom is flying in this weekend,” he reminded her. “I keep telling her she should just move here.”

June stood behind the counter, flipping through her appointment book. “Maybe we can convince her to spend the summer here and spoil her grandchild. She was so happy during the holidays, getting to see me eat Thanksgiving dinner.”

Jason rubbed her back. “Today is an awesome day. I knew he could do it, and he deserves it. He’s what Chicago needs.”

“Yeah, I guess.”

“This is all going to work out, the baby thing, you know? You’ve got me and Mom and Diego. And Sam. You have Sam, June. I know things have been strained, and he’s been really busy, but you’ll work this out.”

She smiled tightly. “I’ll see even less of him now.”

He kissed the top of her head again. “I’m gonna go to Cindy’s bar and celebrate. Have fun at the party. If Diego gets too sloppy, call me.”

“Oh, I think he’d love to have you come collect his sloppy drunk ass.” She pinched his side. “Be careful in Wicker Park. You know they still discriminate there. The normals are going to be particularly riled up tonight.”

“The city is ours.”

He left the shop. She stood in the silence, staring at her appointment book. She had a full day tomorrow, and the next day, and for weeks. Sam wasn’t the only one keeping busy.

The day he brought her to the shop and told her it was hers, she’d thought he was kidding at first. Her wrist was still in a cast, and she couldn’t even think about tattooing yet, but they had to get the place up and running, anyway. June wasn’t even sure she wanted to stay in Chicago.

Yet here she was, eight months later. The shop had been officially open for six. She’d already made Sam’s purchase money back, thanks to the Paranormal Alliance. Diego had relocated to Chicago. He said he couldn’t be without his partner in crime, and he liked Chicago, anyway.

She didn’t hate the city as much as she used to. Yet part of her still felt like she was being kept here against her will.

She closed down the shop, bundled up, and stepped out into the snowy night. Down the street, voices and celebration issued from one of the bars. She hurried to her car at the curb and got in.

She drove through the slushy nighttime streets and out into the sprawling empty darkness of the industrial areas beyond the boundaries of the city. She drove until she reached the storehouse.

As she parked next to the building, the door opened, spilling yellow light into the night. She got out of the car and waved. Anthony stood in the doorway.

She crunched through the snow toward him. “Hey. We have a new mayor.”

He stepped back to let her inside. “Yeah, I saw on the Internet.” His eyes flashed. “I never thought I’d see the day.”

She stepped into the warmth of the building. Anthony had made a cozy home for himself. The place had both electricity and running water in the form of a sink and toilet, but Anthony had built the rest on his own.

The main room was his living and sleeping area, warmed with space heaters, packed with furniture and decorated so one almost didn’t notice the place was a sagging old shack. He’d also made himself a kitchen with electric burners, a toaster oven, and a microwave, and additionally rigged up a shower with a hose from the sink. He had Internet through his phone. A nifty hermit cave. June wouldn’t have minded living there.

Sam’s party in Jackson Park was streaming on Anthony’s laptop.

“I’m happy for him,” Anthony said. “He deserves this.”

She peeled off her gloves. “It’ll go down in history; that’s for sure.”

“You want something to drink?” He walked over to a cooler in the corner. “I haven’t seen you in a while. I’m glad you stopped by.”

“Water is fine.” She looked at the laptop. “I guess there really hasn’t been much news, until now.”

He returned with a bottle of water. She took it.

“How’s Micha?” He opened his own bottle.

“He says he feels fine, but I don’t believe him. It’s been a good solid two months without him needing to go back to the hospital. They have him on so many drugs.”

“Is he still being hounded by reporters?”

She nodded. “Every day. He can’t even walk outside without someone snapping his picture. I feel awful for him.”

“He’s a strong guy. I think if he keeps a positive mindset, he’ll be okay.”

“I don’t know how he can stay positive.” She leaned against the back of Anthony’s couch. “He’s trying to work again, trying to get back to some kind of normal life, but it’s hard. The way people treat him…” She shook her head. “I wish he had some of my anonymity.”

Anthony looked down at her belly. “And how are you doing?”

She rubbed her stomach. “All right, I guess. I’ve been working a lot. Keeping my head down. Enjoying food. Sometimes I wish I could just hide out here with you.”

He chuckled. “I’ve thought about going back a few times, but…” He shrugged. “I know since they found Robbie’s remains they want to talk to me. I don’t feel like being grilled by the FBI.”

She took a drink and lowered her bottle. “At least they think your brother blew up the Institute—well, he did, in a way. Chicago’s greatest monster is dead.”

He gazed at the laptop. “It’s everywhere online, all the time. Reminding me I can hide, but I’ll never escape it. I’ll never really be free of him. And his followers are still out there. They won’t stay in the shadows forever.”

They fell into silence.

June glanced at the screen. “I gotta go to that party. I support Sam. I still love him, I just… I don’t know how I fit in this world. His world.”

“I know the feeling,” Anthony said softly.

She looked at him. He stared back at her, his eyes flickering.

“Can I ask you a question?” she said.

“I already know what it is, of course.” The corner of his mouth jerked. “And yes, I can. I didn’t used to be able to see that far into the future, but now that there’s no noise, now that I can focus with no interference—I can see so far ahead. It’s amazing.”

She touched her stomach. “So you see who the father is?”

“Do you want me to tell you?”

She could have an in vitro paternity test, and Sam had offered, on several occasions, to pay for it. Something kept stopping her. If she didn’t know, maybe she could delay the inevitable fallout. Lately she’d been researching adoption, without mentioning it to anyone. She wanted to have choices, and she didn’t want anyone trying to talk her out of those choices.

Knowing might take those choices from her.

She shook her head. “No. Not yet.”

He nodded. “I understand. But if you ever decide you do want to know, I’m here.”

She almost asked him if things would be bad, if there would be drama and heartbreak. But she didn’t want to know that, either.

She looked back at the screen and sighed. “I suppose I should go get ready. I just wanted to stop by and say hello, see if you’d heard.”

“It was good to see you again.” He stepped over to her. “You’re a good friend, despite our rocky start.” He hugged her, her belly keeping them awkwardly far apart.

“Maybe I’ll come hide out with you for a while one of these days.”

He showed her out. As she walked to the car in the gently falling snow, he called out to her. “Hey, June?”

She turned. He leaned out the door, snowflakes catching in his curls.

“It’s all gonna be okay,” he said. “You’re gonna be okay. Wear your black dress tonight. You’ll look good, and you’ll have more fun than you expect.”

She smiled. “Thanks, Anthony.”

She got in the car and drove off into the wintry darkness, back toward the city, back toward life as she knew it, at least for right now.

Megan Morgan
is an urban fantasy, paranormal romance, and erotica author from Cleveland, Ohio. Otherwise, she is a bartender by day and purveyor of things that go bump at night. For more info please visit meganmorganauthor.com.