The empty below ground parking garage was filled with the droning hum of the fluorescent lights overhead. Their sickly blue green light washing everything in it’s pallid color. Harsh quivering shadows thrown from the concrete pillars that held the massive weight of the floors above it. Cold concrete and cinderblock walls reverberated the sound of a car approaching from above. It was a low and throaty rumble. The sound of an engine just itching to be opened up yet unwillingly restrained within the confines of the parking garage. A sleek and angry looking car rolled down the ramp leading to the garage, a pair of bright and harsh blue xenon headlights leading the way. A rolling black shadow that even in idle thrummed with power. The windows were tinted even the windshield. Black spoked wheels and even the custom plate was black on black with HWL8MN embossed onto the plate.

Sitting there, idling for a few seconds, the car turned off, lights dimming. It was then, as if on cue the light above the lone elevator lit up, along with a soft chime signaling its arrival. At the same time the passenger door of the car popped open. A man in his late twenties stepped from the car, dressed in a razor sharp royal blue suit he tugged on his cuffs before buttoning his jacket. In the cold light of the garage his eyes looked almost a cold and calculating black quickly scanning, darting to shadows. His attention snapped back to inside the car, looking into the dark void of the interior as if he were listening to someone. With just an ever so subtle nod of his head he closed the door. A hand smoothing his jacket one final time, he took long yet measured steps towards the elevator. Stopped a few paces from it he crossed his arms holding them at the wrists his eyes dead before at the seam of the two doors.

A final chime and the doors opened. A lone man, short in stature, in his fifties stood in the center,a briefcase in hand. Rimless glasses perched upon his nose he looked like a man that belonged on Wall Street or in a courtroom. There was an unease in the way he held himself as if halfway into the ride down he’d begun to change his mind. As soon as he saw the man waiting for him just outside the doors his whole demeanor changed the slight apprehension turned to a look of anger. Shaking his head back and forth he waved off the man with a black leather gloved hand before shaking a finger at him.

“Will I have nothing against you, but I not here to see you,” he said jabbing a finger his way before readjusting his whole on the briefcase. He brought it up cradling it under his arm now.

The blue suited man he’d called Will didn’t move a muscle, or even blink an eye. “Mr. Havel, you know the rules.Would you be so kind as to step out of the elevator sir?” he said in a low and even tone. There was a slight inflection that betrayed annoyance on Will’s part as if they had had this conversation before.

The older man’s grey brows knitted together, his hold on the briefcase only tightening. Red splotches speckled his cheeks and throat now, his lined face scrunching into a scowl, his voice echoing out of the elevator and across the emptiness of the garage. “No. To hell with the goddamn rules! I specifically requested, no, I demanded that I meet with him this time! Not you! I want to talk to-”

“Mr. Havel.” Will interrupted his tone sharp, cutting Mr. Havel out before he could get out what he was about to say next. There was a stretch of silence between the two men as Will’s words reverberated drowning out any of Mr. Havel’s complaints. Will shifted where he stood ,moving his weight from one foot to the other, his hands readjusting themselves from their slightly clasped position. “You know we don’t speak his name. Again Mr. Havel, the rules.”

Looking a bit deflated now, Mr. Havel tried to hold himself high but it was obvious that the small shift in Will’s stance hadn’t gone unnoticed and held some unspoken message to the other man. Swallowing hard he still lingered in the elevator, the doors chiming and starting to close. Will’s hand shot out in a blink grabbing one side of the door halting it from closing his black brown eyes locked onto Mr. Havel’s own quivering pair. “Martin please, at least step out of the elevator. The least you can do is give me the courtesy of speaking to me. “ Releasing the door, Will backed up a few paces giving Martin room to step out as well.

Briefcase still firmly clutched in his hand Martin’s eyes frantically darting around the garage, spinning around in a wobbly circle at one point to see if they were alone. “Will I want you to know I’ve got nothing against you, but I’ve worked with—your employer for many years, the least he could do is talk to me in person.”

Will nodded his head in silent agreement with Martin his posture taking a bit of a more relaxed stance, the corners of his mouth turning up just ever so slight. “And I can assure you Martin that he is very grateful for your dedication to him over the years. You must be aware of the media at the moment. I’m sure you’re well aware that he needs to keep a low profile.”

The older man rolled his eyes and heaved a sigh. “He got the whole city’s attention with that little stunt of his. Gotta hand it to him, it got the message across,” he said with a little snort. “That doesn’t mean that he can’t meet me here. You have to know how vital and sensitive this information is. It’s not that I don’t trust you Will. You’re a good kid, the best thing that’s happened to him since, well, since I came along probably,” he joked with a bemused chuckle. “That being said this should go into his hands and his alone.”

Will merely nodded again tilting his head to one side before straightening back up. “I am aware of the sensitivity of the material, and this is why my employer has entrusted me to receive it. You know that he has fully entrusted me to speak and act on his behalf., while he attends to other matters.”

Martin leaned a little to the side looking around Will towards the car. “So much so he let you take the jag out? He loves that car as much as his dog.” Straightening back up his gaze flicked back to Will a brow raising. “Just what exactly are the other matters that he is attending to? Holing himself up in that overpriced penthouse? Being enigmatic and morose? Watching Sportcenter in his boxers on the couch? What is he doing that is more important than dealing with this personally?”

The look on Will’s face was slowly beginning to crack, his patience starting to wear with Martin. He took a breath to say something, but a buzzing from his jacket pocket silenced him. Reaching into his pocket he looked at the number. Turning a little to the side he answered. He didn’t say a word, just staring off through a wall as he listened to the voice on the other end. His eyes lowered towards the pavement before snapped and locking onto Martin. “Yes sir...yes sir.” was all he said at first before another long pause. Taking in a sharp breath Will flex his jaw, before wetting his lip. “Mmhmm, yes sir. I understand sir. Understood.” Ending the call Will placed the phone back into his pocket, smoothing it out once more and adjusting his tie. Snapping his arms he gave his cuffs one tug each. “Mr. Havel.” he began finally looking backup to Marin once more. “It has come to my attention that my employer believes that your dedication has wavered of late.”

Baulking at Will, Martin looked utterly aghast at him jaw going slack for a moment before the red and white blotches returned to his face. “Is that so? And just how exactly did he come to this conclusion? I come down here at this ungodly hour to deliver this to him and now he’s accusing my dedication? Call him back right now and tell him either he comes here in person right now or I leave and take this with me.” he said holding up the briefcase.

The driver side door of the car popped open gaining the attention of both of them. Will straightened up and took a few steps back. Martin on the other hand seemed to pale a few shades the briefcase nearly tumbling from his hands.

“William, would you please take the briefcase from Mr. Havel?” a voice from the car said before it opened further.

Looking over his shoulder towards the car Will nodded and without hesitation went up to Martin and grabbed his wrist, twisting till the man cried out and released the briefcase. While Martin cradled his hand against his chest, Will walked back towards the car holding the briefcase in one hand and opening it with the other.

“Is everything in order William?”

Looking over the contents of the briefcase Will closed it back up and passed it off to the occupant of the driver seat. “It appears so.”

“Excellent. Oh, one more thing. Mr. Havel?” the voice questioned from the car. “You have my attention now if you have something to say. No? Mmm...interesting, so you wasted my time and William’s time for what exactly? Did it not stroke your ego enough to just talk with William and save us all from wasting valuable time?

Martin was trembling now. “You need me, it’ll all crumble without me to manage all the accounts and all the finances. You need me...you need me!” he cried out towards the car.

“No, no I don’t Martin.”

Without a word Will pulled a gun from his jacket, aimed straight between Martin’s eyes and pulled the trigger.

Holly Whitaker was a woman of habits. Even if she was what many would call a ‘free spirited artistic type’ she had her rituals. There were steps to the ritual, an order to it all. A work day or not Holly was always up at seven in the morning even if artistic muses had carried her away late into evening and early morning. The second step was trudging down the hall, trying to get her mess of sleep mussed brown hair into a hair tie. A sloppy bun perched upon the top of her head was the usual look she went with. Next was opening the first door on her right. It was the door to her brother Skylar’s room. Rapping on the door with her knuckle she peeked in for half a second, noting the lump of blankets that loosely resembled a human form.

“Sky, time to get up.” she called like she did every morning. She knew he wasn’t going to get up, but there was always that off chance that he might. Grinding her palm into her eye to get the sleep out she walked by the TV in the living room reaching out with her foot to hit the power button with her big toe. The remote had been missing for months now and neither of them could be bothered to go buy a universal remote. A foot did just fine for now. At least the satellite remote hadn’t gone missing as she snatched that up and pressed a station number in. Setting it back down on the coffee table she continued on her way towards the kitchen. She glanced back over her shoulder towards Skylar’s room, perking an ear for the sound of moving sheets, but alas like always he wasn’t about to stir anytime soon.

A cheesy local car dealer ad had just ended and the telltale intro music to KTMW’s morning news segment began. The two news anchors looking overly alert and cheerful for 7am both smiled at the camera giving and acknowledging nod.

“Good morning Black Well I’m Brent Jackson.”

“And I’m Kate Petersen.”

The camera changed right as Brent turned his head the stereotypical stock image of caution tape, a chalk outline and police lights appearing in the upper left corner. “Breaking news this morning, the body of a man was discovered in the underground parking garage of Paxxon Global, an international accounting firm. The victim identified as fifty-five year old Martin Havel, a chairman at Paxxon Global, was found with an apparent bullet wound to the head. BWPD has not yet released a statement on whether they are treating the incident as a suicide or homicide, but plan to release a statement later this afternoon. Again while BWPD has not released a statement a source for KTMW has reported the scene bares a resemblance to the four other homicides tied to the rising crime syndicate leader known only as Mr. Wolf. Paxxon Global as refused to comment on whether or not they are tied with the crime syndicate issuing only a state of condolence for Mr. Havel’s wife and children.”

Glancing back and forth between the kettle under the sink and the TV Holly’s brows pushed together. Blackwell was a large city. It wasn’t a New York or LA but big enough that if a murder actually made it on the news it was a big deal. She recognized the name and the stock image of the building they flashed across the screen. Setting the kettle on the stove she turned it on high and crossed her arms tilting her head a little as she listened to the details of the story. Mr. Wolf. It was a name that was becoming worryingly familiar on the news. It was one thing to hear about rival gangs or crime families having it out with one another. But this, Mr. Wolf. He almost seemed like a villain straight out of a comic book. A dark faceless entity that had been sweeping over the city the last few months, making a move on all the dark and unspoken parts of Blackwell, which there were quite a few of.

Nervously rolling one of the numerous rings upon her fingers, Holly pulled her gaze from the TV and set about making a pot of coffee for Skylar before starting in on their breakfast.

Her older brother had always been the one with the difficulty getting up in the morning, but he was nothing if not predictable in his actions. If you wanted the man to move, you made him food. It was just like clockwork. As soon as the smell of coffee and fried eggs started to fill the apartment the sound of rustling came from the room down the hall. Then the soft slap of bare feet walking across the worn hardwood floors, the distinct creak of that one floorboard right at his door. “What time is it Holl?”

Giving the eggs a little shake and toss in the pan Holly leaned back a little to stare down the hallway. “Time for you to get your lazy ass up.”

At first glance, Skylar looked like he was wearing a multicolored long sleeve shirt, but when you focused you’d soon realize that it wasn’t a shirt but infact his skin. From his throat to the backs of his hands there was hardly an inch of skin that didn’t bare some kind of ink. The centerpiece of it all was a beautiful red rose upon his throat that nestled just above his collarbones. Hiding under a layer of shaggy brown hair were stretched ears. Nothing major but definitely big enough to put a pencil or much to Holly’s annoyance a knitting needle or crochet hook through. Lastly was a rhinestone anchor piercing he’d just recently had done on the left side of his face, just below his eye.

An arm on the doorframe Skylar scrubbed his face with his hands before pinching at the bridge of his nose. Peering at her he just rolled his eyes and let his arm drop from the doorframe. “Ha, ha, but seriously, what time is it?”

“After quarter past eight. When is your shift?”

Throwing his arms over his head he rolled his back from side to side before letting his arms fall back to his side. “Nineish.”

Holly raised a brow and gave her brother a look. “Nineish...you mean nine on the dot...so your ass doesn’t get fired.”

Shuffling into the living room, Skylar flopped onto the couch, gingerly moving a few drawings and pencils to one side with his foot, he propped his feet up on the coffee table. “They aren’t going to fire me.”

Giving him another look she just rolled her eyes. “Uh huh, you’re gonna be at work on time. What time did you get home?”

Shrugging he was only half paying attention to the TV. Scrubbing his eye with the heel of his palm he looked up at the clock on the wall. “Uhh, I think around eleven thirty?”

Moving from the stove Holly leaned against wall that lead into the kitchen, crossing her legs and cross the spatula in her hand still. She made a little pouty face looking over at her brother. “You guys didn’t hit it off? I thought you guys would. I really like Garrett. He seems so nice.”

Looking over the back of the couch at Holly he gave her a little grin. “He was, but he just was...he was too.”

“Uppity hipster.” she finished before heading back into the kitchen

Snapping his fingers he pointed to her. “Yes.”

“That is what you always say Sky.”

“Well, it’s the truth.” he said throwing his hands up before pushing himself up off the couch and plodding into the kitchen after his sister.

Dishing up two plates, Holly glanced up at Skylar as he entered. “Did you at least give him a shot?”

Snagging a mug from the cabinet Skylar went to the coffee maker and snagged the carafe a few drops of the still brewing coffee sizzling onto the warming plate. A few drops of coffee dripping onto the counter he poured a cup and slid the carafe back onto the warming plate. He started to bring the cup to his lips. “Yes I did.”

Holly just looked at him her brow raising ever high.

“I did!” he defended the cup paused at his lips before he took a drink. Snagging his plate he grabbed two forks on the way and followed her out onto the couch plopping next to her. Legs crossed he tucked a little into the niche of the couch to look at her. “Look, everything you said about him was dead on. He was great, he was nice, cute. Everything. But there’s just-” Skylar trailed off pushing his eggs around with his fork halfheartedly

Watching her brother, Holly set down her plate on the coffee table and grabbed one of his hands and held it in both of hers. Her thumbs gently brushed over raised lines upon his wrists. His hand out of reflex curled a little, slightly pulling against his grip. Whenever someone touched the scars there was an uneasy almost sickening flip flop in his stomach, but he didn’t pull away. The tattoos covered them up mostly but they were still there. They’d been much more pronounced, but over the last few months they’d begun to fade slowly. “Did he, did he ask about it?”

Biting at his cheeks Skylar just shook his head. “No, he didn’t. He said that you told him. He kept looking at them all through the night. I, I could tell that he wanted to say something about it. But it wasn’t even that. He was really respectful about it. He just said that you’d told him about it and that if I wanted to talk about it I could, but if I didn’t he’d just drop it.”

Holly’s brows pushed together. “Then if it wasn’t that, what bothered you?”

Balancing his plate on his knee Skylar cupped his hand over Holly’s taking up hers and kissing them before letting them go. “Sis I know you mean well, but it’s just that, that-”

“That feeling.” she finished with a little wistful smile.

Heaving a sigh he nodded. “I’m starting to think that I’m crazy. I don’t believe in any of that love at first sight crap, but something down in my gut just keeps screaming at me. I can’t explain it, I just feel like I’ll know. I know, I know he’s out there somewhere we just, we just-”

Holly gave him a soft grin. “Found each other yet.”

“I sound crazy don’t I?”

“No, you sound very romantic.”

Groaning Skylar just rolled his eyes. “Ugh, don’t tell me that.” he said picking his plate back up.

“Before we leave I wanna do a reading for you.”

Groaning louder Skylar slumped a little into the couch. “Holl, we don’t have time for a reading.”

“Yes we do, while all of your emotions are fresh and energies all buzzing we need to do it. Besides Ritchie’s been the main one haggling you to get laid hasn’t he? Blame me if we’re late, just say I was doing my part to get my brother laid.”

Scrunching up his face, Skylar just shook his head. “Everything about that sentence is just wrong.”

“But seriously Sky. You have your feeling and so do I. Would you just humor your baby sis?”

With a final sigh he nodded. “All right, all right. You can give me a reading. But just this one all right? No more.”

“Last one I swear.”

The two of them had managed to talk long enough that the news had looped back, giving a brief recap and update on the story. Holly’s attention was immediately pulled away from Skylar and to the TV, her face seemingly pale a few shades as it did.

Sklyar had been about to take a drink of coffee, pausing as he watched his sister clutch her cup of steaming tea, worrying the side of the handle over and over with her thumb, a nervous habit she did when she was worried or scared about something. Glancing at the screen he listened to the report before turning back to her. “Hey what’s up?”

Visibly shuddering Holly shook her head and shoulders as if trying to rid a chill. “Something about this whole Mr. Wolf thing.”

“What do you mean?”

“I know that Blackwell isn’t Mayberry. I get that horrid, awful stuff happens in this city probably every night. Just the thought of one person trying to take all of that over. Sounds like something right out of a comic. The other deaths they were people deep in that world. Doesn’t make it right or anything that they died. But this...this guy was an accountant...who, who puts a bullet between the eyes of an accountant?”

“That’s how they got Capone.”

“What?”

“Al Capone. He put him away for tax fraud. Maybe this guy had something on that Mr. Wolf,” Skylar said with a little shrug.

“Too much power for one person.”

“Well unless you suddenly have this desire to turn to a life of crime, we’re fine Holl. Not like this guy is going around randomly shooting people.So just stay away from anyone who looks like a supervilian and we’re safe. If you wanna give me that reading before I change my mind you better finish up and go get ready.”

“Could say the same to you mister.”

“True but I’ll only take a quarter of the time to get ready as you do.”

Narrowing her eyes Holly shook her fork at him. “Touche.”

Skylar had moved in with Holly after his incident. He’d really had no choice in the matter. It was required for him to be living with someone when he was released from the hospital. There were times when they drove each other up the wall, but for the most part it had only strengthened their relationship. He had no intentions of moving out and Holly didn’t want him to.

Holly owned her own gallery no far from the coffee shop that Skylar worked. She had always been the ambitious one. She was a dreamer, but a dreamer that worked hard and made those dreams a reality. The two them had a bunch of mutual interests. The two of them had their first tattoos together. Skylar had just had a bit more done than her. They were both a bit alternative and a bit off from the norm, but they were were they started to split. Skylar was more of the musical mindset spending hours with his guitar on the couch making up little melodies singing bits of lyrics that popped into his head. He’d dabbled in art now and then. Maybe sketching something, but nothing serious. Holly on the other hand drove headlong into the arts. Not just painting. She’d taken to knitting and crocheting recently. So now along with spray brushes and canvases sat skeins of yarn and stray needles. Skylar couldn’t complain he now had an endless supply of beanies for the cold and wet winters Blackwell had. Holly wanted to teach him, but he’d yet to give in and sit down for a lesson.

A few years back she’d also taken up Wicca. A small altar sat off to the side with statues, crystals and such where she’d do offerings and meditate. The other part of that was she’d dived headlong into tarot. When she was first learning she’d given anyone who would hold still for five minutes a reading. Doing one daily for herself and finally she’d dragged Skylar into it as well. He wasn’t sure how he felt about tarot. He had nothing against his sister being a witch or practicing Wicca, frankly if he’d had to choose any religion it would have probably been it. Tarot just seemed too, open for interpretation. It was too easy to the bend what the cards said to get whatever meaning you wanted out of them. They were just vague enough to fit anyone if they wanted. Sometimes Holly would be dead on, to the point it almost creeped him out, other times she would be miles off. She’d blamed him on no focusing or distracting her.

It’d been awhile since he’d let her do a reading, He hadn’t felt like he wanted to know what laid ahead in his future, he didn’t want to hear what a deck of cards had to say about his life. Holly was trying to help. She’d been his rock, the one that had pulled him through all of his dark times. She’d been trying so hard to help him find someone. She’d been using her connections and friends in the art world trying to play matchmaker, but so far they’d all be bust. The tarot was her last ditch effort to help him.

It wasn’t that it was hard to find someone. Being homosexual in Blackwell wasn’t really any different than being heterosexual. Blackwell had its pride parades, gay and lesbian clubs. It wasn’t uncommon to see two men holding hands or two women kissing in the park. For all of the darkness that had recently fallen over the city that was the one thing that never was an issue and Skylar was thankful for that. He couldn’t imagine living in a place where you had to hide what you were.

Skylar’s homosexuality hadn’t always been apparent, to others and even to himself. He’d had crushes on both boys and girls in school, but had been too shy to voice any of them. When he’d reaching dating age it was only a few girlfriends in that he’d realized he was gay. He liked girls, he enjoyed their company, he had no problems talking with them, but he was attracted to boys. It had just clicked in his head. A moment of realization and that was that. He didn’t even really have to come out. Holly had caught on first and their parents soon followed. There had been a brief talk, but it had been minor, more about safe sex and things like that. And again he was thankful for where he lived and those that surrounded him.

Skylar came out of his room, dressed and ready for work, tugging on a beanie in a somewhat vain attempt to tame the mop of brown hair. Holly appeared a moment later from the main bedroom, tugging on a cardigan, combing her fingers through her hair before tossing it over her shoulder. “All right, you ready?”

“Does it really matter if I am or not?”

“You have to want the reading for the reading to work. I’ve explained this Sky.” she sighed going to a bookcase near her altar and grabbing four decks. “You know the drill, pick a deck.”

Looking them over he reached out letting his hand hover over each one before he tapped one. Holly smiled at his choice. “You always go with the Rider Waite deck.”

He just shrugged. “I like the way it looks. When I think of tarot cards it’s what I imagine. They look, old, just, I don’t know.”

Setting the other three to the side Holly pulled out of the cards. “I wanna try a different spread than the ones I’ve done before. This one we have to choose a card that represents you. And for you I —am —going to choose, this.” Holly said pulling out a card and setting it down in front of the both of them.

Skylar picked it up and looked it over. “I’m a guy in tights holding a stick?”

“A wand,” she corrected.

“So I’m a wizard?”

Rolling her eyes Holly snatched the card back from him. “You are the Page of Wands, or Staves depending on the deck. You are enthusiastic, you have new desires, wanting a new journey, and you’re adventurous.”

Quiet for a moment Skylar just raised his brows and gave a shrug. “I’m not wearing tights to find my true love.”

“I didn’t say that you had to. This is just the card and represents you. So now that we have that sorted out lets figure out the question that we need to ask the deck.”

“What are the winning lotto numbers this week-ow!” Holly smacked Skylar in the side with her foot all the while still shuffling the deck in her nimble hands. “You know that’s not how this works.”

“I know I know. Ow god Holl, that was right on my rib.”

“Then don’t make fun of the tarot. Now think of a question you want to ask. Like...well for explain, when are you going to find Mr. Right?”

GIving her a look as he rubbed at his side he heaved out a breath. “All right. When am I going to find Mr. Right?”

“Okay now keep that thought in your mind and I want you to shuffle the deck as many times as you want and then cut it three times.”

He wasn’t as practiced at shuffling the cards like Holly was. They were bigger than playing cards, but after a few good shuffles he felt like they’d been mixed up well enough. Cutting the deck he stacked the halves and cut again, and again before passing the deck back to her.

Scooting back a little Holly laid the cards out in a horseshoe fashion with Skylar’s card in the middle of the bend. Setting down the deck Holly scooted back up and tapped her finger on the far left card. “This is your past card this is things from your past that are having an effect on the question at hand.” Flipping it over Holly’s eyes instantly went wide.

Frowning Skylar tilted his head turning to see what the card was, leaning over a little to get a better view. “You see you make that face and then I’m waiting for you to tell me someone is going to die. “

Staring at the card Holly’s brows just kept pushing further and further together. “It just doesn’t make sense.”

“Okay,,,kinda freaking out your brother here Holl. What does the card mean?”

Shaking her head she finally pulled herself out of her thoughts and looked up at him. “It’s the tower card.”

“Uh huh, and what does the tower card mean?”

Sitting back a little she rubbed at the back of her neck. “Well normally it means like a sudden shock or chaos. Like being fired, or winning the lottery. But this card coming up in your past. Something big and something traumatic in your past still has influence over you.”

“Like what? What traumatic thing could be holding me back?”

“I was hoping you could tell me that,” she said looking up at him with a lost look. “Is there anything in the past with your relationships you’d consider traumatic?”

Staring off for a Skylar went back in his head through the last few relationships he’d had. Some had been good, some bad, some lasted a few weeks, others a few months. “No, but, well what about these?” he asked turning over his wrists.

“Oh shit I didn’t even- Well has that been?”

Pulling his arms back in he nervously rubbed over a scar and shrugged. “Maybe. Gotta love yourself to love someone else. I tried to kill myself? What does that say about me?”

“That you have a big heart that feels so much and there’s nothing wrong with that.”

“Well this is off to a bummer start, but I guess it’s right. Maybe that is what’s holding me back. What’s next maybe it gets better yeah?”

Nodding Holly reached out and turned over the second card. “Okay this is the present situation. These are things that are known and obvious to you. The sun...reversed.”

“RIght side up and upside down make a difference?”

She nodded. “Big differences. The sun when it’s upright means it’s your time to shine to reveal all that you know here you’re headed and all this stuff. Reversed though well it’s kinda dead on. It means you don’t know where you are headed, afraid of being yourself and letting the real you show. That you aren’t paying enough attention to yourself.”

Snorting he nodded. “Yeah sounds about right so I know this is still in back of my mind and thus I’m not sure where to go?”

“If that is how you see it then that’s how it is.”

“Aren’t you suppose to be the one reading the cards?”

“I am, but this reading is for you and what you take away from it.”

Scooting a little closer Skylar crossed his legs and leaned over his interest definitely piqued now. “Okay so what’s three?”

“Third card is influencing facts that you aren’t aware of of are but only on a subconscious level. High Priestess...huh...interesting...really interesting.”

“Spill it sis.”

“Well, you know that feeling you said you have?”

“Yeah?”

“It might just be legit. This card means trusting your spirituality, listen to your dreams. Basically that inner voice is right or there’s something deep inside you that you don’t know about.”

“Like what?”

Holly just threw up her arms and scrunched up her face. “Hell if I know. If it’s unknown to you it’s sure as well unknown to me.”

“You are a horrible tarot card reader, you know that?”

“You want me to keep going?”

“Hell yeah!”

“Then shut up. Okay fourth card is obstacles. This is things that you know for sure are blocking you from finding Mr. right. Okay now this one really doesn’t make any sense.”

“Fives of...sticks?”

“Wands!”

“Sorry wands. It’s reversed again...that bad?”

“Yes and no. It means there’s a conflict, a struggle. It could be with someone, it could be with yourself. It could mean that someone or something wants to stop you from finding Mr. Right.”

“That’s weird...most everyone has been trying to help me find someone not get in the way.”

“Yeah.” furrowing her brow at the card, Holly finally just shook her head. “Sometimes things reveal themselves later. Okay onto the next card. This is the house card. This is friends and family, people who are close to you and their influence on the question.”

“So this card is basically gonna be….you.”

“Hey! It could be Ritchie.”

“Yeah but it’s gonna be you.”

Holly flipped the card over and just sighed. “Son of a bitch.”

“It’s you isn’t it?”

“Queen of cups. A woman that helps others and gives them advice. Often artistic and a visionary. Yeah it’s me. Moving on, sixth card is the action card. It’s what you should do to get to what you want.” Flipping the card over Holly just cringed waiting for him to read it.

“Death?! The hell does that mean?!”

“Oh my god Skylar calm down. Death card isn’t bad.”

“There is a skeleton, how is that not bad?”

“Death card means there’s going to be an end but then a change, a big change a transformation. So to meet Mr. right there’s going to be something in your life that changes or you’ll change when you meet him. It’s a good thing. You admitted be being stagnant. This is a good sign, I swear.”

“There is a crying child on this card.”

“It’s a good thing, trust me. Okay last card. This is the kicker, this is the one that shows what the future will hold. Now if this is a court card like the Queen of Cups then this is about Mr. Right and who he is.” Biting her lip, Holly turned over the card. She made a small “o” with her lips and tilted her head. “King of cups reversed.”

“You don’t seem thrilled? That bad?”

She shook her head. “More interesting than anything. The king of cups is a mature, wise, emotionally experienced man. Often seen as a counselor. Caring and empathetic, he’s basically everything you’d want in a man. But reversed well. He can seem distant and cold, but he just has trouble showing his emotions. He can have trouble finding love. HIs past can be holding him back. He wants to open up and express himself, but finds it hard.”

“So my Mr. Right is basically like me, not sure if that’s a good or bad thing.”

Leaning all the way back against the armrest of the couch Holly just crossed her arms, looking over the spread. “It’s just such a weird reading. It’s dead on, a bit too dead on , but at the same time it’s just all over The king of cups, that’s just, huh. I’ll have to think about it.”

“Well don’t stress too much or the both of us are gonna be late for work.”

“Huh? Oh yeah right. Let’s go.”

Skylar stood and offered his hand and pulled her up and into a hug. “Thanks for being my Queen of cups.”

Grinning she wrapped her arms around him and squeezed. “You’re welcome lil Page of sticks.”

Chuckling he pulled back enough to put a kiss on her forehead. “Okay off to work before Ritchie kills us both.”