Chapter 36

  "I hear you,” Adam said, swallowing hard against the taste of bile on his tongue. His eyes locked on the now-shrinking pool of liquefied goblin, slowly disappearing into the floor.

  "I mean no offense, but you're one scary motherfucker,” Hector said, laughing nervously, and a not-so-distant distant part of Adam couldn't help but agree.

  "I will take that as a compliment!" The Salesman returned the ledger to his hand, retrieving the pen from his pocket. "Flattery will get you absolutely everywhere, you know," he added.

  "We were speaking about price," Samantha said, looking a little green. Her gaze lingered on the puddle that was all that remained of the horde.

  Even after everything they'd been through, Adam couldn't blame her. Seeing a living being melt was bound to make anyone a little queasy.

  "Right you are,” The Salesman said, nodding and reopening the ledger. "What questions do you have for me? There are always questions."

  "When you say 'the color of my left eye' do you mean to take the eye itself?"

  Samantha's tone was steady, but her eyes tracked upward and to the right, calculating. "If not, will it affect my vision? Will surgery be required? Will there be pain? And is this process immediate, or protracted?

  "No, no, no, yes, and it will be immediate."

  The Salesman answered like a metronome, each response clicking out in measured rhythm.

  "Perhaps I should clarify."

  Something in him seemed to soften, Adam couldn't be sure, but for a moment The Salesman looked almost weary, as if some hidden weight pressed down upon him.

  "I understand your world has many cautionary tales about 'deals with the devil.' I assure you, this is not that."

  He paused to adjust his tie, cinching the knot closer to his throat.

  "My reputation is more important to me than any individual sale. I have never cheated, swindled, lied or obfuscated to close a deal. Not once. So please, ask any questions that will make you more comfortable. You are my guests, and as my guests your comfort is second only to my desire to do business."

  "I believe you," Samantha said. She looked down at the book and nodded, more to herself than anyone else.

  "I accept."

  The word seemed to carry a physical presence, and Adam felt it land in the air between them. He couldn't shake the sense that Samantha had just taken the first step down a path with no way back.

  The Salesman's smile spread slowly, reaching for his eyes until they glittered like cut glass.

  Adam heard Natalie take a sharp breath, and his gut clenched in anticipation of a coming fight.

  "Sam, wait," Natalie said, putting her hand on Samantha's shoulder and turning slightly to face her.

  "No." Samantha's answer was like a slamming door. "Not this time, Natalie. I know you've felt the need to protect me since... since the cancer. But it's my turn. If I'm right, this can help make us safe. Trust me, okay?"

  "It's not you I don't trust, Sam." Natalie wilted, hugging her wife for a moment before releasing her and stepping aside. "Plus, I like your eyes."

  "They'll still be my eyes."

  Samantha's smile lit the room, and Adam felt a flicker of jealousy at the depth of love and care the two women shared. It felt like its own kind of magic, tangible and real as anything they'd experienced so far.

  Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

  "Wait, they'll still be my eyes, right?"

  "Yes, of course,” The Salesman said, stepping toward Samantha and holding out his hand. "Please close your eyes. This will hurt, but it will be brief."

  Natalie's mouth tightened into a hard, thin line, but she kept silent, staring daggers at The Salesman.

  Samantha stepped forward, breaking contact with Natalie's hand and closed her eyes. She took a deep breath before speaking. "Go ahead."

  The Salesman placed his hand on Samantha's cheek, his fingers sliding along her jawline until his thumb pressed slightly against her closed left eye. The gesture was almost intimate, and it made Adam want to look away. His thumb glowed a pale blue, and Adam watched Samantha's hands clench, the tendons on her neck standing out. As soon as it had started, it was over, and The Salesman removed his hand.

  Samantha opened her eyes, blinking several times as if to clear her vision. Her right eye remained a soft blue, but her left had faded into a steel gray. Adam felt himself shiver, pulling his jacket tighter despite the warmth of the space.

  "Please sign here." The Salesman offered the ledger to Samantha with the pen clipped to the page. She signed quickly, and he took the ledger back, his expression still friendly and warm. Adam glanced at Hector, knowing he was next to pay some sort of price.

  Hector stood stiffly, gripping the piece of bone with white knuckles, the cord dangling from his hand and swinging gently like the tail of a rat.

  Adam couldn't help but be unnerved by the look of Samantha's eye. In some ways he felt like he was looking at a different person, the contrast between the two orbs creating two different faces depending on how she turned her head.

  "Which of you will be next?" The Salesman asked, his voice forcing Adam’s attention away from Samantha.

  "I'll go next," he heard himself say, the words coming out before he could think too hard about them. Adam walked up to the Salesman and held out his hand. "Adam. And I'd prefer if you didn't link our minds." Something about having someone, or something, rooting around in his thoughts didn't sit with him.

  The Salesman took his hand and nodded, the smile never leaving his face. Adam studied the creature while they shook hands. No wrinkles, no blemishes, not even a mole, just perfect, pale, too-smooth skin. He met The Salesman's eyes and felt like he was staring into those of a doll. They were glossy and bright, but… hollow. There was movement behind them, a faint ripple of motion as if something had just swam past. Adam resisted the urge to flinch, to yank his hand back and check that all his fingers were still there.

  "Very well, Adam. Would you like to tell me what you are interested in purchasing?" The Salesman asked, his tone eager, almost gleeful at the prospect of uncovering Adam's desire.

  Adam pried his eyes away from The Salesman's and swallowed. "I need a weapon." He'd felt naked facing the goblins without his bat and desperately wished he hadn't lost it in the hospital.

  "What kind of weapon are you interested in?" The Salesman's smile vanished and he looked momentarily distracted, his eyes shifting side to side as if scanning some sort of mental inventory.

  Adam didn’t know what else to say, so he went with what he knew. "I like baseball."

  He cringed at how childish it sounded, suddenly feeling six years old again, going to his first game with his father. Hector laughed, and Adam felt his cheeks flush. "I mean, I used a baseball bat when this all started," he quickly added.

  The Salesman frowned, real frown lines appearing for the first time. "Your abilities are based around electricity, correct?"

  "I thought you said you wouldn't create a telepathic link without permission?" Adam said, his stomach twisting, the fragile thread of trust between them already beginning to fray.

  "That is correct. I have not made a telepathic link." The Salesman adjusted his cufflinks with casual precision. "You are emitting a constant electromagnetic field that fluctuates with your emotions. The more excited you are, the stronger the field. If you do not learn to control it soon, I doubt any of your electronics will survive."

  Adam's cheeks burned again, embarrassment quickly settling into second nature. Was he really so easy to read? Then a colder realization hit, tightening his throat. What if he'd been drawing the creatures to them? He knew, from countless Saturdays watching nature documentaries, that some predators could sense the electrical fields of their prey. Had he been ringing the dinner bell this whole time without knowing it?

  "Also, your hand is emitting low levels of electricity. I would not suggest taking a shower with anyone at current." The Salesman's words were abruptly cut off by Samantha and Natalie dissolving into giggles.

  "At... current..." Samantha wheezed, her mouth twitching as she tried to hold back.

  "That was a dad joke!" Natalie exclaimed.

  "He is fucking with us," Hector said, pointing at The Salesman. "I knew it!"

  Adam caught the briefest twitch at the corner of the Salesman's mouth, then he winked. Hector was right. The creature was definitely messing with them, but Adam couldn't help the laugh bubbling up in his chest. The absurdity of the moment just felt like too much.

  "I have it!" The Salesman nearly spun on his heel and strode off down the aisle. Adam was already following before his brain could argue, and the rest of the group quickly fell in behind.