Simply Irresistible by Kristine Grayson

air.”
    “Yet,” Clotho said.
    Vivian ignored that.
    “There are no other mages here,” Lachesis said.
    “At least, ones that know how to use their powers,” Atropos said.
    “Or have come into them,” Clotho said.
    Vivian wiped a tear of pain from her left eye. She stumbled toward the bathroom and pushed the door open. It banged against the built-in linen closet, which made her headache worse.
    She stepped inside, nearly slipping on the rug in front of the shower, and opened the medicine cabinet. Even though she knew she had Excedrin Migraine, it took her a moment to find it. It was behind some cough medicine she should have thrown out in Los Angeles.
    Vivian opened the Excedrin bottle, poured out two pills, and swallowed them dry. Maybe she would have to call the police. She was getting ill, and there was no way she could continue to guard these women, even if she were well.
    She wasn’t even sure what she was guarding them against.
    She peered into the mirror. There were deep shadows under her eyes, and her skin, which was usually the color of milky coffee, seemed to have more milk than coffee.
    “Vivian!” one of the women called from the front room.
    If only she had some friends here. If only Travers hadn’t left. Or Kyle. Kyle would have some ideas.
    “Vivian!”
    “Just a minute,” she said, and splashed cold water on her skin. It didn’t help. Nothing seemed to.
    The building shook, and she felt as if she were the one under assault.
    “Vivian!”
    They weren’t going to leave her alone. She would have to get help; that was all there was to it. Maybe when Quixotic opened—
    “Vivian.” This time her name wasn’t shouted. All three women were peering into the bathroom.
    “It’s rather small, isn’t it?” Clotho said.
    “I thought they were always larger than this,” Lachesis said.
    Atropos nodded. “In Pretty Woman , the tub was the size of—”
    “It’s customary to give someone privacy in the bathroom,” Vivian said, without the force she would have used half an hour earlier.
    “You’re not well.” Clotho came to her side and touched her forehead with a cool hand.
    “He’s trying a defeat spell,” Lachesis said.
    “Only he doesn’t know where to aim it yet,” Atropos said.
    “We have even less time than we thought.” Clotho put her arm around Vivian’s back and led her into the living room. Clotho’s support felt good. She was a surprisingly solid woman, considering how delicate she looked.
    “Who is this he?” Vivian asked.
    “We’re not sure it is a he,” Lachesis said.
    “We’re only basing it on Clotho’s sighting,” Atropos said.
    “We were all looking at him,” Clotho said. “He had a shaved head, and tattoos—”
    “Just like everyone else in that park,” Lachesis said.
    “I didn’t see anyone at all,” Atropos said, and the Fates looked at each other in panic.
    Clotho eased Vivian onto the couch. All the conversation did was make her headache worse.
    “We remembered how to find Henri,” Lachesis said.
    “He has a shop,” Atropos said.
    “Oh, good,” Vivian mumbled. “There aren’t many of those in Portland.”
    “We believe it specializes in creatures,” Clotho said.
    ” Like eye of newt and wing of bat?” Vivian closed her eyes. That only made her focus on the headache, so she opened them again. She didn’t like the opaque light. She also didn’t like the three worried faces surrounding hers.
    “Like cats and dogs,” Lachesis said.
    “And fish,” Atropos said. “He seemed to prefer fish, last time he spoke to us.”
    “Oh, yes!” Clotho said. “I remember. That’s where we put Munin.”
    “Munin?” Vivian was following even less than she had earlier. “What’s a munin?”
    “A familiar,” Lachesis said. “It was for Darius.”
    “Where was that?” Atropos picked up the phone book. “Is there a way to make this thing answer questions?”
    “Not verbally,” Vivian said. The Excedrin Migraine was beginning to work.