Chapter 4

Adeline walked quickly to work, one hand in her pocket on the taser she'd chosen to bring along. Usually, the weird attacks were few and far between, and almost never on the street. The one time it had happened in the wee hours of the morning, a bird-faced fellow had lunged out of an alley, grabbing for her. Luckily a bystander handled the altercation, putting the attacker in a headlock while she'd fled.

While she didn't expect any trouble, she wouldn't deny the giant dog and his owner left her on edge. Yes, the man was gorgeous, and seemed rather polite, but then again, so did some mass murderers. Better safe than sorry.

She walked by an SUV, its tinted windows too dark to see within, and yet her skin prickled as if she were being watched. Not really unusual. A lone woman out this time of morning was bound to be stared at. Before dawn wasn't exactly her idea of a good start to the day. However, sitting around her apartment didn't appeal either.

She entered the shop, the little bell dinging in warning. The night crew, a bunch of elves, the tiny kind most often associated with the North Pole, paused in their restocking of the counter.

"Morning, mistress," Keeble chirped. He was the one in charge of the crew. "You're early today. Allow me just a moment to brew your tea."

Although she preferred coffee, she always made the exception for Keeble's morning tea. He'd insisted on serving her the herbal concoction since her first day on the job. Not wanting to insult their culture, she'd thanked him and drank it, and continued to drink it every day thereafter. Over time she'd grown so used to it that she even had a cup on her days off, courtesy of Keeble, who gave her a box of tea bags that couldn't be bought in stores. She figured it must have been some North Pole recipe that he'd brought to Montreal with him.

He and a dozen other elves spent the night cleaning the shop before prepping for the next day. Cooking meat, baking bread. Never mind the fact they had few clients. The leftovers were always cleared out each night to make way for fresh.

At times she wondered how the owner, whom she'd never actually met, stayed in business. Most likely the shop acted as a money-laundering front. But so long as she wasn't involved in any shady business, then she'd take the steady paycheck and easy hours. The lack of foot traffic meant she could indulge in some of her hobbies.

Right now, she was rereading The Wheel of Time by Robert Jordan. Great big thick books full of magic and fantasy. At times she wished she could be as gifted or special as the heroines. Alas, she'd only ever be Adeline Gagnon, one hundred percent human, whose only claim to fame was making it out of the foster system without resorting to drugs or crime.

Used to be a time when she wondered about her parents. Her file didn't have much. Mom dead when she was just a toddler. The autopsy report, which she'd managed to get a hold of, claimed she died of fright, most likely cause being a bogeyman. Apparently, they couldn't find any family members to take her in, and the name of her dad remained blank on her birth certificate. With no family options, she went into the system and got shuffled around.

A lot.

See, Adeline from a young age appeared to be plagued by bad luck. One foster mother even called it a curse. As if she could be blamed for the accidents that killed some of those caring for her. Like Mr. Goram, the foster dad who liked to watch her bathe and came into her room late at night breathing heavily. He'd tried to touch her once in the tub, and Adeline screamed, which led to him being startled, falling backward, and slamming his head on the toilet. He would have survived had his hand not been in the bowl touching water when his razor, still plugged in, fell off a shelf and electrocuted him.

There was Mrs. Hillary, who decided Adeline needed constant correction, but the day she took the belt to Adeline, it somehow became tangled in a ceiling fan and wrapped around her neck.

At the age of twelve, she did end up with a nice older couple who appreciated the fact she cleaned up after herself and never got into trouble. She never had any problems with them and stayed there until graduation. Mr. and Mrs. Grimmer passed away while she was at college, and after that, she remained pretty much a loner.

She did date. Her longest relationship lasted three years until she caught Joe in bed with a coworker. Poor Joe ended up dying within the hour, as the lube he'd been using contained an ingredient that triggered a fatal allergic reaction.

Most guys she met didn't make it past a few months. According to them, she was boring. And? She had no problem with that. She liked her life. Simple. Satisfying. Now, if only the night visits by various cryptids would stop. They'd begun a few years ago. She'd heard a scratching at her door and opened it to find a goblin on her step. Considered pests, but harmless.

It launched itself at her, and she'd instinctively slapped it aside. When it came at her a second time, she'd grabbed the nearest thing, which happened to be an umbrella, and swung. The makeshift bat whacked the goblin and sent it airborne, shattering her window.

The resulting investigation by the Cryptid Authority came back claiming it must have been rabid and she wasn't charged with murder. She should hope not—it had attacked her! The law stated if a cryptid acted in a way that made a human fear for their life, they could use deadly force. Not to mention, it hadn't died. After its fall out of the window of her previous apartment, she'd seen it twitching on the pavement, trying to crawl away.

The goblin was only the start.

Since then she'd dealt with a few wererats, more goblins, a fairy, and more recently a leprechaun, which really surprised since she had no gold or rainbows.

At times she wondered why they seemed so attracted to her. Or her apartments, at least. She'd moved after the first goblin incident—because the landlord evicted her, claiming she was up to no good. She'd lucked out finding her basement apartment with its cheap rent, but given the three attacks this month alone, it might be time to think about moving before something much meaner tried to break in. She had no training for taking out bigger monsters, nor did she have any interest. Perhaps she needed a new brand of soap? Did they sell a repellent that actually worked, because, thus far, everything she'd tried failed.

The shop opened early despite the fact they rarely had clients before lunch. She had a nice coffee, enjoyed her vegan muffin, and read a few chapters but remembered little of it.

A bit after ten, the bell rang, and she glanced up to see the handsome man from the day before. Blond, very good- looking, with a thousand-watt smile. On his previous visit he'd flirted with her, or attempted to, but she hadn't responded. She couldn't afford to get fired for acting inappropriately with a client. But he sure did tempt…

"Hello, sir. What can I get you?"

"How about a knife to stab myself for calling me sir," he grimaced, and it only made him cuter.

"Apologies, young lad." She kept a straight face, and he laughed.

"How about calling me by name? Orion," he offered with a smile.

She blurted out, "You have the same name as a dog."

He blinked.

She quickly stammered, "Sorry. I recently met someone with a dog by that name."

"Don't apologize. I love canines, and I am honored to share a distinguished name with a princely hound."

She could have screwed with him and stated it had been a mangy mutt, but honestly, the dog had been sleek and handsome.

"What would you like today?" she asked.

"I see your special is honey garlic beef strips with provolone on a toasted kaiser."

"Is it?" She glanced behind her. She didn't create the menus, just served whatever the elves prepped. "Would you like that?"

"Yes, as well as the same ham sandwich from before for my friend."

"He's not a guy who likes change," she commented, turning to grab the right breads.

"He's very particular and set in his ways. Unlike me. I love new things." He leaned on her counter with a winsome smile, which, more than likely, got him freebies from all kinds of people. Not her. Adeline took her job seriously.

"Would you like to add veggies? It will be extra," she added.

"How about extra meat instead?"

"Also an upcharge."

"Of course, there is," he muttered with a head shake. "Have to say your prices are a little up there compared to most."

"Says the guy who's back for a second run." The flippant comment escaped her, but he didn't take offense.

His lips quirked. "It was a damned good sandwich."

"Hence you got what you paid for."

"Your store doesn't seem too busy," he noted, looking around.

"Quality over quantity is the owner's motto." Her usual reply when people felt a need to comment.

"Does the owner ever come into the shop?"

"Nope." She only ever spoke to Mr. Charyx via text or email. For her interview, he'd sent her a questionnaire. She'd thought it might be a scam until the offer of employment arrived, along with a key to the store.

"Are you here alone? And before you think I'm being creepy, I'm just wondering who does all the cooking and cleaning."

"We have a night staff to handle food prep and sanitation." She finished wrapping the sandwiches and rang his purchase through at the register.

He handed over several bills and murmured, "Keep the change."

"Thanks."

He didn't leave immediately.

"Was there something else?" she asked.

"Would you like to go for a coffee or dinner sometime?"

She blinked in surprise. She almost sounded shy. "Sorry, but I don't date customers."

"What if I promised to never buy another sandwich?"

His earnest question almost made her smile and agree. "Sorry, but I still have to say no. Enjoy your lunch."

"I doubt it, as it will be too salty."

She frowned. "I didn't put any salt on your meat."

"From my tears of disappointment."

That drew a snort. "I'm sure you'll survive."

"Barely." He clutched his chest.

"Goodbye, Orion."

"Goodbye, Adeline."

Only as he walked out the door did she realize, I never told him my name.