The Banshee's Revenge - By Victoria Richards Page 0,4

no attention to her. The veil of invisibility she always wore when not tormenting a wizard gave her an anonymity that was both welcoming and oppressive.

The sound of laughter trickled through the night, humming on the currents of air, until it reached Jacqueline. The happy pulse of the merriment warmed her, and she stood, knowing where it came from and wondering if she dared follow it.

That would be risky.

Merlyn's Bar was off limits--no matter how badly she wanted to see the owner of the place. She'd done what she came to do: kill Foster. Now was the time to go and not take chances.

The laughter trilled again, louder and more boisterous. Tempting.

"A peek can't do me any harm," she decided.

Her heart pounding, she moved up the path, towards the little bar and the man she knew so well.

Chapter 2

Toby Williams was pissed off at the world.

He scowled at his son Gabe who found it more convenient to flirt with the customers than to stock the beer in ice. Unfortunately, Gabe either didn't see the expression or chose to ignore it because he continued chatting with the pretty red head at the end of the bar as if he had all the time in the world.

Toby ripped open a case of beer and stuffed the cans in the cold ice, all the while wondering why the clock seemed to be moving so damn slow. Closing time for Merlyn's Bar was still hours away, and though he'd only come on shift at seven that evening, it felt like an eternity had gone by.

Too many rude customers, too many demanding chicks, too many sloppy drunks who spilled beer all over the pool table--it was all getting to Toby, the man who prided himself on always having it under control.

"Hey Toby," one of the regulars called out. "Slide me another Shiner Bock this way, would ya?"

"Slide me a fiver and I'll fuckin' think about it," Toby snapped back. "You still haven't paid your tab from last week."

"C'mon, man. It's just one beer."

"This is your third one tonight. It adds up, so pay up if you want another."

Toby turned away from the customer and trudged into the back room. The sounds of the bar became muffled, but the dull headache he'd been fighting didn't allow him to enjoy the quiet. Grabbing the aspirin from the shelf in the stock room, he chewed down four tablets, and then swigged whiskey from his silver flask to help the medicine on its way.

"Goddammit," he cursed, not even sure why he was cursing.

It occurred to him that he could probably create a small time spell and speed the evening up. Such things were in his wizard repertoire, though he rarely used them. Magic was a delicate thing and should never be abused.

And lately, there had been way too much abuse of magic going on.

But he didn't want to think about that, didn't want to think about her.

Jacqueline--the blonde haired half banshee who'd stolen his heart and then lost control of herself. Toby had been powerless to stop her. It burned him more than he cared to admit.

Why had she run from him? Why wouldn't she allow him to help even now? All she had to do was ask.

"Women," he muttered. "Damn women and damn banshees."

"Who are you talking to?" Gabe hurried through the doorway. He stopped and stared at his father a moment with narrowed eyes. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Toby snapped. "Nothing at all. Except I don't know why I bother to have you work here. All you do is talk to little Miss Redhead and let people open tabs they never pay out."

"That's not true," Gabe protested with a sarcastic grin. "I talk to the blondes and brunettes, too."

"No, you don't."

"Okay. Maybe I am a little selective these days, but I can totally claim ignorance on the tab thing. I thought you did that all the time."

"For people I like."

"And who exactly would that be these days?" Gabe raised an eyebrow in challenge as his father glared at him. "You're not exactly the friendliest dude in the bar."

"I own the place. I make sure the beer is cold and the peanuts are available. I don't have to be fucking friendly, too." Toby frowned and handed Gabe a broom. "Go figure out how to use this."

Toby stomped out of the room and back behind the bar. Cigarette smoke lingered in the room, mixing with the sharp scent of beer and cheap wine. All around him, patrons were happy and smiling