In a modern, magical New York City, tensions between those with and those without Magickal ability are constant. The Templar Order for National Organization, or TONO, was established years ago as a special task force to keep paranormally gifted citizens in line. Magi -- especially those in bigger cities -- live under the thumb of the government. Special curfews, taxes, laws and rules are enforced with impunity, and for Magi with “illegal” abilities, like Kasey, the price of freedom could be too steep to pay.
As a low-wage, part-time worker in the heart of the city, Kasey and his Magi friends tend keep to themselves. One night, the group goes out to enjoy a night at a new bar, when Kasey meets a dashing and mysterious stranger named Logan. He thinks nothing of it until, the morning after, his friend Jesse has gone missing. Just as he and the others start to worry, Logan walks back into his life, revealing that he is in fact a Templar agent who may be involved with Jesse’s disappearance. And when Logan discovers that Kasey has the power to hypnotize people at will, Logan makes Kasey a deal with the devil: Help Logan get to the bottom of his case and bring Jesse home safe, or face serious prison time for illegal Charm Magick.
Kasey takes the deal, but it’s not as easy as a handshake. Stuck together for days on end, Kasey and Logan butt heads almost instantly. Both are stubborn, strong willed, and quick with a snarky remark. Yet as danger grows, and certain secrets unfold, their one chance at salvation might be to cling to each other and hang on for dear life.
“You lied to me.”
Kasey flew back, startled. The lamp by his window was on, backlighting a large man sitting on the couch. Logan Graves relaxed, phone in hand. Kasey was stunned. Logan took the silence as an opportunity to read from his phone screen. “Kasey Ramos, twenty five. Resident of the Greens. Over fifty counts of breaking curfew by the time you were thirteen. Double that before you were sixteen. At seventeen, you were caught using illegal Charm Magick and were sentenced to two months of Juvenile Hall.” He looked up, his face impassive. “You’re not just an Illusionist, are you, Kasey?”
“How ... the fuck ...?”
“Your landlord was very forthcoming with his copy of your keys. Apparently you’re a bit of a problem tenant for him.”
“Get out,” Kasey squeaked, helplessly. “Get out, you can’t break into my place like this!”
Logan stood, hands in his pockets. “All right, I’ll leave. But I’m afraid you’ll be coming with me.”
“Wha ...? What are you talking about?”
“According to your landlord, he keeps ‘forgetting’ that you gave him rent, though he swears up and down you never pay. Sounds like Charm to me.” Kasey locked up. “Falling back into old habits?”
“You can’t prove anything.”
“You’re right,” he said. “Too bad I don’t need to.”
Kasey did his best to keep his breathing steady. “What do you want?”
There was a dip in the air, and Logan glanced out into the city. “You want to find your friend, right? Well your friend, by all accounts, is mixed up in some very serious business.” He turned back to Kasey. “We’re going to help each other figure out what that is.”
“I ...” Kasey was floored. After everything that happened that day, all he wanted to do was curl up into a ball and sleep for a thousand years. Looks like his night wasn’t over yet. “Help each other,” he repeated. “You expect me to believe you give two shits about Jesse?”
“What I do or don’t give a shit about is immaterial. We’re both a means to each other’s ends. That should be enough motivation for you, shouldn’t it?”
“This is a trap,” Kasey spat. “It’s got to be. I don’t trust TONO as far as I can throw them. Plus, you’re a total prick.”
“Excuse me?”
Kasey put his hands on his hips. “Why did you let me give you my number if you were just there to stalk Mr. Hoodie? You got my hopes up and everything, just to watch them come crashing down when I learned the truth.”
An awkward pause sat between them. “You’re upset,” Logan clarified, “because I didn’t reject you at the bar?”
Kasey felt his hair start to tingle. “I’m upset because you wasted my time. If you weren’t planning on texting me, you should have told me right then and there.”
“I feel like there’s some projection here.”
“Whatever. The point is, you’re an asshole. How do I know you won’t bring the hammer down on Jesse if and when we do find him?”
A smile flickered on Logan’s thick lips. “You sure are gutsy, I’ll give you that. Regardless, isn’t the safety of your friend more important than your opinion of me?”
Kasey balked. Logan had a point. As much as Kasey didn’t want to admit it. “Fine. Why do you need my help? Don’t you have your Templar buddies to give you some backup if you need it?”
“My ‘Templar buddies’ don’t have what you have. A Charmer is a very valuable commodity. My investigation will be a lot more successful if I had one at my disposal.”
“Wow, you really know how to make a girl feel special,” Kasey snarked.
“Look, here are your choices: You can agree to help me, and I keep your illicit activity under the table, or I bring you down to HQ in handcuffs and let my director deal with you.” Remembering the staunch, terrifying Director Kincaid, Kasey was inclined to accept Logan’s offer. Still ...
“Why all the cloak and dagger?” Kasey asked. “Doesn’t TONO grant exceptions to Magi under certain circumstances?”
“Last chance. You want to help me or should I start your processing papers?”
“Fine.” Kasey shook his head. “I’ll help you. But in the morning, huh? I’m exhausted.”
“Great. Go pack.”
Wait, what? “Pack? Why? What, are you kidnapping me, too?”
“Well you can’t expect me to let you out of my sights now, can you?” Logan walked to the door, leisurely as you please. “Besides, you won’t want to be here in the morning, anyway.”
“And why not?”
Logan paused and glanced over his shoulder. “Because you’re being evicted tomorrow.” Kasey glared daggers. “Go on. Chop chop. I have a motel room lined up for us.”
“You’re not nearly as hot as you were last night.”
“I can live with that.”
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