Free 0.5-The Asylum Interviews: Bronx: An Asylum Tales Short Story by Jocelynn Drake

said, nearly shouting before I could get my voice under control again. “I don’t do that. It’s why I left the Towers. I don’t kill.” I paused for a second, scratching my chin in thought. “But I do know one spell that would make his dick shrivel up and fall off.”
    Aemilia chuckled, shaking her head. “Thank you for the offer, but you’re about fifteen years too late. He already died of a heart attack.”
    “Sorry.”
    “I appreciate the offer. I hope I see you again, Gage Powell. You’ve been . . . entertaining.” Her smile grew as she spoke the last word, sending a shiver down my spine. All remnants of the little girl were gone and I knew what I was looking at now wasn’t human any longer.
    With a little salute, I turned on heel and marched out of the room, leaving the door open so her flunkies could return to her side. I had had enough and I prayed that I would never need to visit the Virgins again. Besides, she already had my best secret and I didn’t plan on doing anything that would surpass it—my sanity couldn’t take much more.

 
    C HAPTER S EVEN
    W hen we left the Vestal Virgins’ secret hacienda, I thought I could finally see the light at the end of this tunnel. The drive back to Low Town was quiet, with no appearances from Gideon. I was hoping that the protective spells blanketing the home of the Virgins helped to hide the tiny spell I had been forced to use on Aemilia. I didn’t like breaking my promise to the warlock, mostly because it would mean my ass if he found out, but I had no choice.
    From here, everything was downhill. Either Bronx or I would tattoo Parker. Then he could return to his life and deal with Jill. But the second we pulled into the empty lot behind the parlor, I realized that I was wrong. Really, really wrong.
    Jill stood on the wooden stairs, looking as if she was coming down from the second floor. She paused as the headlights of my car flashed over her as I parked the SUV, raising her hand to shield her eyes against the bright light.
    “Shit,” I muttered as I saw her rush down the remaining stairs as she recognized my car.
    “Who is it?” Bronx inquired. He had asked nothing about my dealings with Aemilia and had remained relatively quiet on the trip back to Low Town, giving me time to think—the one thing that I didn’t need.
    I shoved the gear shifter into park and quickly turned off the car. “Jill. Parker’s girlfriend.” This couldn’t be good.
    We both got out of the car. Jill came to a quick halt when her eyes fell on Bronx’s large form, but she regained her step when her gaze locked on me as I came around the front. She rushed over and threw her arms around my neck in a fierce hug that had me taking a step backward to regain my balance.
    “Gage!” she cried in relief.
    “What’s up, Jill? What are you doing here?”
    She pulled away so that I could look into her dark brown eyes. “I’m looking for Parker. He left this afternoon and never came home. I’ve tried calling him but he won’t answer. His car is parked in front of the shop but he’s not here. Was he upstairs?”
    I paused, licking my lips as my eyes darted over to Bronx for a heartbeat. I didn’t think there was any harm in telling her. We had what we needed to help Parker and he was going to have to tell her everything anyway. “Yes, he came over this afternoon and was staying upstairs.”
    She gasped, her eyes widening in fear. “I think the warlocks took him.” Tears choked her voice, but it was her words that sent a spear of terror through me.
    I grabbed her arms and held her in front of me so that I could look her clearly in the eye. “What? Why do you think that?”
    “The apartment is a mess. The door is broken and there are all these symbols everywhere. Magic symbols, I think.”
    My shoulders slumped in my relief and I pulled her into a tight hug. She had seen the symbols that I had drawn and assumed that someone from the Ivory Towers had attacked. I was still