40

“Don't you see? He's doing it deliberately. You came here to us when he put pressure on you, and you came over again when you needed those books rendered harmless. And again when he started asking fore 'regular' reports on progress. He's using you, making you jump to his tune and go where he wants. He wanted Larry, and he's got him through you.” She paused to let that sink in then hit it again. I think he's hoping you will use Larry again as your 'expert' to cast the spell, just like he wants. I say make him do it. He wants in, bring him in all the way! Make him earn that, and use his power to make the spell. i don't know that much about fae magick, but it can't be any more noticeable than human magick when a spell's cast, especially one that big.
Let him help, he's expecting to watch you run off the opposite direction. You want to screw him, take that offer, and make him hold his end up. I for one would love to see his face when you say yes, and then expect him to help.” Fawn was right, and it would keep Cobb where we all could see what he was up to. I still had reservations aas I was never sure what Cobb was after. Sometimes I'm not sure he did either. But Fawn was right. Keep him close, and make him work for us since he volunteered so nicely. Maybe tomorrow would be worth getting out of bed for after all.
I smiled at the notion and went back to my office to get some sleep and see the Darkness. I planned to withdraw the offer and see what would happen. Gods and magick willing, it would just go away, or crater completely and let me dictate terms. I didn't think I would get either situation, but there had to be something in-between the two extremes that could be helpful. I started to go through what I thought we still needed to do for the bridge spell when my office door disappeared in a blot of darkness.
“I'm glad to see you had no trouble finding the place” I said to it as the darkness receded enough for me to see Megan. “I am here, and I am given over to listen further to your proposal Ms Fatelli. So please, remind me of the current offer.” it said with a smug, mocking sound to it's voice. Time to spring the surprise. “I don't think we'll need you to do this, and you've undoubtedly ruined that child's mind long before now, so thanks but no thanks, you had a chance last night. In the light of today, forget it.”
The darkness expanded and enveloped the room, except for me and the the small circle of light the Darkness left around me. In spite of the fan still running in the background, I felt half-frozen with such absolute dark around me. I tried to steady myself mentally as it spoke.
“So you choose to withdraw the offer? Think carefully on your answer, Ms Fatelli, think very carefully indeed.” The threat hung in the air, and I could feel the pressure of the darkness start to creep towards me, like a vise squeezing down on an object. “I really mean it! We don't need you for this, I had another volunteer to help, he has enough power to do what I want without having to strike a bargain.”
The dark paused in it's advance. As if considering something. Then it was gone in an eye blink, and all that stood before me was Megan. Her eyes were pure black and still conveyed a haunted desperation. I felt, rather than heard, the Darkness chuckle possessively. “She is mine to do with what I will. The contract was flawed, and she is mine until I relinquish her. Quite and amusing situation do you think, Ms Fatelli?” I tweaked my weak spots like the expert it was. That frightened me it could find them so easily.
I stared, horrified, at the casual cruelty that I heard in the Darkness's voice. My imagination started to run away with the possibilities of what it put Megan through during the time it had her as a conduit, and I focused to quit thinking of that and focus on now. It meant to do this, it would crush Megan if I didn't acquiesce. Even if I did, I had to do the wording precisely correct or it would find a loophole to create some kind of misery to me or to those around me. The thought of that thing riding me like it did Megan boiled up in me again like a monstrous fever, I was terrified. But there was only one way to stop her torment, and that was to invite the Darkness as a conduit through my body.
I forced myself once again to try and ignore Megan. I had to do this right or I and Megan would get screwed over badly in retaliation for what I wanted to try.