The Dinner Guest - Chapter 16: The Magical Journey of Lola the Space Witch

The Merlot chaser left a sweet flavor in my mouth, masking the sterile, pharmaceutical taste a handful of Vicodin leaves.

I needed the pills just as much as I needed the wine.

The sunset outside my window left tendrils of light in the humid air, a backdrop to the human play of boisterous Latino courting rituals on the street. On any other day, I'd lean over the balcony and listen to their exotic Spanish conversations, held at the top of their voices, but this was no day to admire the sights and sounds of Miami.

A few days ago, I would have been on stage, earning tips, bitching about my sleazy boss and running home for some animal-like love making with my warlock lover.

But now Will was mangled and my neck hurt from looking over my shoulder for signs of that bastard robot dog cop Abito.

I can't believe it's already been days since I heard Will's cries coming from the basement, a pitiful moaning emanating from the bottom of a filthy dirt hole. I remember cautiously taking each step down the stairs into the basement, scared of what I mind find.

My fears were realized.

He lay there at the bottom of the whole, his body broken and insides turned out. The strength it took to stay conscious and call out for help was mind-boggling. The pain...

I dropped down into the pit using a levitation spell and cradled what was left of him in my smooth arms.

"Oh my sweet, sweet Fig Love," I whispered. "What happened?"

"Yo check it, the dog is loose," he muttered before passing out.

Abito was free and my warlock left for dead.

Damn you, cruel world.

Even though I had never loved him, it still hurt me to see him like this. There wasn't a cure spell out there to save him or a box of tampons big enough to stop the bleeding.

The only way was to save his head.

So now, with the Spanish epithets floating up from the street, I was looking across the room at Will's face staring at me from a glass jar.

"Yo, can I still blaze blunts up in this bitch?"

"The fluid might make it difficult, Will."

He looked sad.

"What about a bubbler? My weed's in the other room."

I sighed. It hurt me to look at him like this. But it hurt me even more to think sweet Karl could end up in the same way.

I decided it was time to make sure that never happened. I grabbed my phone and called Karl and Kate to tell them Abito was on the planet and looking for his pound of flesh.

The phone rang several times before someone picked up.

"Holla, this is the Hoagster."

I didn't recognize the voice.

"Is Karl or Kate there?"

There was a pause.

"Kate? I guess you mean that chickadee who left me knocked out on the couch. I woke up to the DVD menu for gay porn."

Something was wrong. I should hang up right now. He sounded drunk.

"Are you hot or something, lady? Could you pretend to sound like a guy and tell me it's time for my prostate exam?"

I slammed the phone down. Did Abito find them already? No, that would have been too fast. I needed to find Karl before it was too late.

"Will, I need to leave for a little while, can I get anything for your head?"

"Yo, you said head, ha!"

"I'll be back in a couple days. I need to take a trip."

There were spells out there to find Karl, but I didn't know them. I needed to visit New Orleans to consult with my sister Camille. I could also ask her about ways to banish dog cops to another dimension.

I ran to my room and grabbed my violin. I stepped out to the balcony again and started to fly away on the instrument, leaving the voices behind.

Out of the corner of my eye, I swore I saw Abito on the roof, watching. I turned around and nothing was there.

I'm getting paranoid. The sooner I get to Camille, the better.