Free mission magic 01 - the incubus job by Diana Pharaoh Francis

and hair. I wanted to rub it away. It took most of my self-control not to try.
    “What is this place?” I asked.
    “Guest quarters for those who need unusual accommodations.”
    I nodded, noticing a massive pool of water at the far end of the room. Trees grew along the edge in concrete trenches of dirt, and jungle greenery clustered around it. Lilies floated in the middle. I wondered how else Effrayant catered to the wealthy of the supernatural community.
    “Was the incubus staying down here? Is anyone staying down here?” I asked, not seeing any evidence of current habitation.
    “No to both questions. I don’t suppose you have any idea why the incubus might have been down here? How long had you been following him?”
    “Almost three weeks. He stole the box in Texas. I picked up his trail in Vegas. He accidentally killed one of his lovers there.”
    “Accidentally? How did you know that?”
    “Her neck was broken. If he wanted her dead, he’d have sucked her dry while screwing her. Easier and he gets more out of it”
    “Maybe he was hired to kill her.”
    “I don’t think so. He wasn’t at all nervous and stayed in Vegas another couple days before moving on. I got there a week or so later. After that, he headed here by way of Salt Lake City, Omaha, Chicago, and Buffalo. He didn’t seem like he was in much of a hurry until he left Chicago, and then he burned rubber without stopping even once to eat.”
    “What set him off?”
    “No clue. Never saw him meet with anyone, and I was keeping a close eye out. He kept the box with him everywhere he went.” Which is why I hadn’t yet stolen it back and why there was a good chance that whoever had killed him had taken it. I’d have to call Ivan and have him get more information from his business partner on the box and its contents.
    “It sure would be helpful to know what was in the box and why someone might want to kill to get it,” Law said, echoing my thoughts.
    “Unfortunately I agree,” I said. “Where’s the body?”
    “Over here,” he said, leading me to the right away from the pool. “You should know that ‘body’ is more optimistic than accurate.”
    We came around a little wall partition and I stopped. It took everything I had not to vomit. The stench of death was thick. I swallowed hard, tasting bile. I’d like to say I’d seen worse but I hadn’t.
    We faced a U-shaped couch built into the wall. It was wide on the sides, maybe ten feet or so, with the center only about five feet. The back was low. In the center of the space was a fire pit lined with beaten copper. Far above was a round copper exhaust fan. All of it was splattered with gore. Blood streaked the walls and sprayed across the ceiling and vent. More pooled on the floor and in the fire pit and drenched the cushions.
    That was only the beginning. Bits of bone protruded from the center wall. Strips of skin wove between them. There was no blood or flesh on the undersides. They looked as if they’d been tanned. Taken together, the gory mural appeared to be some sort of pattern like a word or a symbol but nothing I understood.
    “Christ. What the hell happened?” I asked. “Where is the rest of him?” I couldn’t see any evidence of flesh or internal organs.
    I shuddered as tendrils of terror and bliss stuck to me. They whirled slowly through the air like flying leaches. Repulsed, I batted at them with my hand but to little effect.
    “You feel them?” I asked Law.
    He nodded. “I don’t think they are dangerous. Just a party trick. Don’t use magic,” he warned.
    “I wasn’t born yesterday,” I snapped. “And I’m definitely not entertained. A bath in acid might do the trick.”
    “I’ll wash your back if you wash mine.”
    The idea sent a ripple of entirely inappropriate desire through me. “This is not the time,” I murmured, examining the scene to see if there was something I missed. “Who found the scene and why? You said this area wasn’t being