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"What powers?"

"That’s for me to know and you to find out"

"You’re a real pain in the ass, you know that?"

He didn’t respond, just set back out there Change back into a cat"

He opened his mouth to protest, but before a sound careen cloud returned When it cleared this ti at ine Vinca would appreciate a naked de around her apartment I promise I’ll take you on more walks And I’ll let you out when Vinca’s not here But you can’t go around acting like an aniive me, but you’re the one ants me in cat form If I act like an animal, you have no one to blaot you so?"

He sniffed "Don’t insultto be nice But if you want to sit here and sulk, be et in the last word The door was just closing behind et the catnip!"

15

I’ situation satisfactory?" Clovis reached for led where he’d touched er over it

"Yes, Vinca is very nice," I said "May I?"

He gestured to the chair opposite his "Please, ued to learn the reason for your visit"

I settled into the seat as I gathered iven it so you is the wisest course of action"

His smile was immediate "That’s excellent news However, I’e of heart"

"You can thank Vinca for that," I said "She’s convinced ardedshelter froed "I’ll admit that factored into my decision But I would never take your offer if I didn’t believe your cause orth joining"

He nodded "I can’t say I’m not pleased with your decision If you’re aht"

He said it casually, as if he referred to filling out forms I knew better than to relax As powerful as Clovis was, he wouldn’t take my word I’d have to prove myself And from what Vinca told me, I wouldn’t enjoy it

"That would be fine" My tone was businesslike But inside, my impatience and anxiety took the forin shortly" He stood to call his assistant, but I stopped him

"What exactly do these rites entail?" I couldn’t help o on to prepareI dealt ell

"Patience, h"

Soon enough turned out to be an hour later As I waited in his office, I fidgeted I’d tried to sit still for as long as possible, but ended upto occupyto his bookcases, Clovis seemed to have a fascination with the Spanish Inquisition, which did nothing to calm my nerves He also had quite a collection of spell books,leather spines To distractfor a reversal spell that uhl situation The proble that looked like Sumerian I decided to "borrow" a feay

The door opened a fewsolemn, asked me to follow hiuard here and there but no other people or beings crossed our path As we approached a set of doors, the hair on the back of my neck stood on end This place smelled different from the common areas I’d seen so far It’d been a while since I’d had any, but it was hard to mistake the scent of sex--musky and sweet Instinctively, I kneere about to enter Clovis’ private roo the wooden panels, I saw him produce a blindfold from his back pocket