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out the way it was supposed tonothing! Finally he slammed the book closed and turned on Conrad. |
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"Why are you always hovering over my shoulder? Don't you have anything better to do?" |
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Conrad put his hands out to ward off his boss's anger. "Chill out, boss. If you don't know, just say so." |
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Pacing back and forth behind the table, Bryan cursed under his breath. He cursed the book he had purchased from a so-called "reputable" occult bookstore in Soho. He cursed the alcoholics and dopers in his coven. And he cursed Conrad for being such an idiot. They were all idiots. In fact, the only person in his entire life whom he had ever been able to rely on was Kyna. |
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Bryan shot Conrad a withering glare. |
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He should have sent Conrad to pick up the talisman and make the deliveries. But he could never have depended on the big ape to stick to the schedule. |
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"The damned book isn't clear," Bryan said. "But let me tell you one thing: In six more days I won't need that stupid book. I won't need the coven. I won't need anyone! Once I get my hands on that talisman, I'll be the most powerful sorcerer on the planet!" |
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Yeah, right, thought Conrad. |
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Paula surrounded the Lincoln with apotropaic charms to help conceal it from the Dark Man's probing eye, but after talking it over, everyone decided it might not be a bad idea for Kyna and Cyrus to keep moving. As soon as they left Paula's, they drove directly back to the motel and checked out. Kyna was too keyed up to sleep so she got behind the wheel and drove south out of the city, taking the scenic route toward San Jose before turning west toward Half Moon Bay and then south again. The beaches along the coast highway were narrow and dingy, dotted with tall brown grasses and low creeping vines. The sky was the color of slate and the wind was like a scalpel. It was a dreary landscape that even the occasional sailboard or Day-Glo wet suit couldn't mitigate. |
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