Southwest Nights (Semiautomatic Sorceress Book 1) by Kal Aaron (large ebook reader txt) 📕

“I assure you, it’s hardly the same situation,” Jofi said. “I have no investment in your potential offspring.”

“Fine.” Lyssa chuckled. “What do you want to tell me?”

“My strategy would allow you to better ingratiate yourself with the Shadow authorities. I’m not saying you need to maintain a relationship beyond the point of physical and emotional satisfaction, but it could aid your work.”

“Wait, what?” Lyssa strained to keep her voice quiet. “You’re saying I should seduce someone for the job?”

She should have known better than to take advice from a spirit residing in two guns, who had been stripped of his true nature—not that she wanted to hear what the original grand emptiness spirit had to say about her love life. For now, she’d wait for him to spit out the answer she already knew, Damien, but she wasn’t fond of Jofi suggesting him.

“I’m stating that there can be a convergence of opportunities,” Jofi continued. “It’s the most logical choice.”

Normally, Lyssa didn’t mind his calm and measured tone. It provided a nice anchor in her chaotic life. This was one time, though, when she would have preferred the spirit inject a little emotion into his voice.

“I’m not dating someone for the job.” Lyssa frowned. “That’s not how I work.”

That wouldn’t do. It couldn’t be so simple. As she thought about it, she wasn’t even sure if Damien was allowed to date a Sorceress, let alone one he was monitoring. It wasn’t something she’d thought to check, but the feds were all about avoiding conflicts of interest.

Having Jofi push her made her want to find out. It couldn’t hurt to ask. Eventually.

“I think convincing Lieutenant Lopez of your worth as a woman would go a long way toward solidifying your relationship with the largest local police force,” Jofi said. “If the Phoenix PD backs you, the others will.”

“Huh?” Lyssa stood there with her mouth open, processing what she’d heard. “You think I should date Lieutenant Lopez? The guy who went on and on about how he didn’t like me?”

“Yes,” Jofi replied. “I’m not a good judge of human appearance, but he seems to match the general parameters of what you’d find acceptable. Taking advantage of that should reduce his antipathy toward you. I’m confused. Who did you think I was talking about?”

“This isn’t fifth grade, where I’m supposed to pretend the boy who sticks gum in my hair likes me. I can’t believe this.” Lyssa burst out laughing, earning a curious look from the attendant at the counter. She shook her head. “It’s a good thing you’re not a love spirit. Forget it. Let’s go back home and bleed off some daylight before heading to Texas.”

Chapter Twenty

An owl hooted in the distance. Lyssa enjoyed the avian commentary as she lay on her stomach atop a four-story building a couple of blocks from the suspects’ warehouse. She’d found a comfortably deep shadow and wrapped herself in wraith form. The moon was barely visible through the clouds, making the night darker than it otherwise would have been.

She’d eaten a good chicken fried steak meal and downed a strawberry shake at a diner on the edge of town earlier, lying about how she was passing through on her way to Washington, DC. It’d been a while since she’d last been in Texas, and she’d enjoyed the casual friendliness of the small family-owned place.

A cool, refreshing breeze passed over her. It was perfect weather for a stakeout. She didn’t need sorcery to keep herself comfortable. The light chirp and click of cicadas filled the air, joining the occasional owl noises—surprising at this time of year. Even though she was in town to investigate smuggling, everything about the evening relaxed her until a stray thought popped up.

Lyssa snickered. “How messed up is it that I’m calmest on top of a random roof? Oh, well. I might as well enjoy it until I have to shoot someone or threaten to eat their soul.”

“You haven’t had much chance to relax since the move,” Jofi replied. “As you pointed out.”

“Stakeouts are relaxing?”

“The lack of activity does provide a meditative atmosphere.”

Lyssa laughed. “I’ll start doing videos about the new meditation craze, Be Zen Like a Narc.”

She peered through her compact binoculars at the warehouse, focusing on the loading entrance in the back. There weren’t a lot of streetlights near the building, and none of the surrounding buildings had any lights on.

That was perfect. She’d been able to get close to the building without trouble. She had been watching for a little over an hour and hadn’t seen anything to worry her, though she also hadn’t seen anything that made her think they had shards in there. At this distance, she wouldn’t be able to feel the sorcery.

The Lone Five Stars might have gotten their hands on some shards, but that didn’t make them Sorcerers. She could draw on her powers with little risk of alerting them. Avoiding a fight might not be possible, but she wanted to delay one until she confirmed they had the contraband.

Lyssa didn’t mind gangs being afraid of her, but she also didn’t want them believing she was going out of her way to hunt them. It would complicate things in the future.

“This isn’t sad, is it?” Lyssa asked. “Not relaxing. Not Zen.”

“What do you mean?” Jofi asked.

“I’m spending my night on a Midland rooftop, spying on gangsters instead of going out with guys in Silverados.”

“It’s necessary for the job. Would you feel better if you were on a rooftop in a different city? Or with Bill? He is the only Silverado owner of note you’ve encountered recently.”

“He wouldn’t enjoy this.” Lyssa snickered. “I don’t know if I feel bad. I’ve been thinking, but no, now that I think of it, it’s not the city. I think it’s more the roof. I do like the animal noises. I liked them in San Diego, too. I’m not sold on what I can hear in Scottsdale.”

“The roof is necessary,” Jofi said. “An