Friday Fragment – 7

Friday Fragments are my way of counting down to the release of MAGIC ON THE HUNT on April 5th.  Every Friday (unless I’m late, like this week!) I’ll post an excerpt or deleted snippet or alternate scene from the Allie Beckstrom books.

We are SO CLOSE to the book being released!  I’ll have time to do two more Friday Fragments, and then the book will be in stores!  I am also working on a cool little giveaway, so stay tuned.  I hope to announce that sometime next week.

But on with the fragment!

Today’s scene is from MAGIC ON THE HUNT.  It’s a little exchange between Allie and one of her Hounds (people who track down spells and magic users for living) Davy Silvers.  Even though it’s a quick scene, it represents a huge decision on Allie’s part.  If you want to wait until the book comes out to read this scene, now’s your chance to click away.  Thank you for stopping by!

…

…

…

“What kind of people are you Hounding for?” Davy asked. “Stotts?”

“Worse.”

He whistled low. “Worse than a cursed cop? Hope the pay’s good.”

“It’s not.” I sighed, ran my fingers through my hair. “Davy, there’s some really dangerous shit going down.”

“What’s new?”

“What’s new is I want to bring the Hounds in on it.”

“Is there money?”

“I’ll pay.”

“I like the sound of getting some of your daddy’s fortune. What’s the job?”

“Hunting down a magic user.”

“Doesn’t sound so hard.”

“There’s more to it.” I stared out the window for a second, trying to decide if I should do this. If I should risk Davy and the rest of the Hounds being Closed, their memories taken away if I let them in on the Authority’s secrets.

Didn’t take me all that long to decide. I’d been thinking about it since this morning. Made up my mind a long time ago.

“I know some people,” I said. “If they don’t like you knowing about their business, they’ll take your memory away.”

“That’s it? Just the memory?”

“Unless you really piss them off. Then they can take away your ability to use magic, your life, your past.”

“They kill over this stuff?”he asked.

“Sometimes.”

“So other than the memory thing, it’s pretty much like any other Hounding job?”

“No, they use magic in ways you’ve never seen.”

“About damn time. I’m tired of Hounding for lost kittens.”

“Davy, this is serious.”

He laughed. “I know. I’m serious too. You didn’t think I got into Hounding for the job security, did you? We’re all gonna die young. I’d rather go out doing something interesting.”

“I don’t think you understand.”

“What, that it’s dangerous? I might be permanently injured, broken, killed? I get that. That’s what I signed up for when I started Hounding instead of becoming a lawyer or something. Pike made no bullshit about how this career ends. There’s a reason there’s no retirement fund, and there’s a reason no one takes out life insurance on a Hound.

“You just worry too damn much. He made no bullshit about that either.”

“He said I worry too much?” I asked.

“He did. Said you mothering every broken thing you came across was gonna get you dead before Hounding killed you.”

“Fuck that,” I said. “He didn’t know me.”

Davy just laughed again. “Whatever you say, boss.”