We did as Mrs. Brogan bid and soon found ourselves in the back of the store. A half a dozen smaller tables lined the back wall. These were covered in heavy white cloth. She grabbed the end of one of them and yanked the cover off to reveal only two shelves. The clothes on them were plain and familiar, but sturdy looking. There were leather jackets stacked on top of heavy jeans. Long overcoats were draped across short and long-sleeved shirts.
Mrs. Brogan turned to face us and her eyes revealed her pride. “These are some of my best work and cost some of the most coins for their magical powers.”
I lifted an eyebrow as I studied a pair of jeans. “What kind of magical powers?”
She nodded at the pants I admired. “Touch them.”
I reached out to do so but the moment my fingers came within reach the pants leapt up. A yelp escaped me and I stumbled back into the arms of the bemused Tegan. The jeans did a short jig atop their fellow pieces of clothing before they dropped back down onto the heap.
“Their spryness guarantees they will never be stolen from the clothesline,” Mrs. Brogan told me as she picked up a simple white blouse and draped it across her arm. The shirt’s color changed to match the hue on her sleeve. She lifted the shirt and the white color shimmered back into view. “A hiding shirt. Always useful for those who find a great deal of trouble.” She rolled her eyes over to Tegan. “I imagine you will desire many of these.”
Tegan smiled and nodded. “Two will do.”
Mrs. Brogan used a hand to gesture to the pile. “You can buy the other if you can find it among these other colors.”
I reluctantly dug into the pile, mindful of the dancing jeans, while Tegan asked Mrs. Brogan a question. “Do you happen to have a pair of pants that are as strong as dragon scales and as light a feather?”
She wrinkled her nose. “How can I make such a thing when no dragon will give me his scales?”
Tegan lifted one arm in front of himself and drew back his sleeve. A scale sprouted from his flesh and he grasped the flake between two fingers. He gave a pull and winced when the scale came out, leaving a small hole that was soon grown over by flesh.
Tegan held out the scale to her. “Will that suffice?”
Mrs. Brogan snatched the scale from him and turned her back on us to admire her prize. “Yes, yes, this will do very nicely. I will see that the Key who comes will integrate this into a pair of jeans.”
“There’s enough there for two pairs,” Tegan countered.
She winced and twisted her head around to catch his eye with her pleading ones. “But perhaps I might keep something for another piece?”
Tegan shook his head. “You know the rules, Mrs. Brogan. By all rights, I shouldn’t even be entrusting you with what you hold.”
The old woman’s shoulders slumped and she frowned at him. “This will not be cheap.”
A crooked smile appeared on his face. “I didn’t expect it to be.”
She grasped the scale tightly in one hand and whipped her head to me. “Have you found the shirt?”
I lifted a purple blouse of the same style and the color changed to white. “I think I just did.”
“Then you can put one on in there,” she told me as she waved a hand at a small changing room box. Her eyes then fell on Tegan. “And you can pay in advance and be off with you,” she snapped as she shuffled over to a small table with a heavy black money box.
I slipped into the box and shut the door, but a small gap between the entrance and frame allowed me to see into the room. Tegan followed her and removed his money pouch from whatever hole he had it hidden. Money was exchanged and I noticed the pouch was very slim as he tucked it back.
“When can we expect the jeans?” he asked her as I slipped out of the changing room. Tegan partially turned toward me and his eyes showed his appreciation.
“Come tonight,” she told him as she glared at the front of the store. “After that cursed sun has fallen.”
Tegan smiled and bowed his head. “We’ll be here.”
He caught my eye and I followed him out of the store with my old and new shirts draped over my folded arms. The street was just as crowded and the sun was a little stronger. I blinked against the bright rays and the action brought to mind our appointment later.
“Is Mrs. Brogue a werewolf?” I asked my companion as we stepped onto the cobblestones.
Tegan turned to me and smiled. “Do you think she is?”
I lifted an eyebrow. “She’s a vampire?”
He chuckled. “Were you expecting them to have long fangs and immediately jump you?”
I shrugged. “I thought I looked tasty.”
His eyes took on a heated gaze as he looked me up and down. “I won’t deny that, but vampires in the werewolf world do have to keep a low profile to avoid any unwanted attention.”
“So is that the same for werewolves in the vampire world?” I wondered as we walked down the street.
He stared ahead and a pensive expression appeared on his face. “Unfortunately, yes, but werewolves have the advantage of being able to be out during the day, so they can avoid the vampires if they can afford to.”
I cocked my head to one side. “Afford to?”
“Vampires are long-lived creatures and so accumulate a great deal of wealth,” he told me as he stretched his arms over his head. “That makes it rather expensive to live in their areas of control.”
I glanced over my shoulder at the shop. “So does she have super vampire speed, too, to get those jeans stitched in time?”
Tegan smiled down at me. “Vampires aren’t any faster than we mortals, but you can rest assured she’ll have the jeans finished before sunset. Her word is as solid as any contract. Now then, what do you say to some lighter entertainment before we visit the Key office? And I also have some business in this city.”
I swept my eyes over the sights. “I would like to see some more things and there’s no hurry to go to the office, anyway, is there?”
“Should there be?” he countered.
I tried not to look at him as I spoke. “It’s just, well, I’m not in a hurry, so if you’re not in a hurry then we can go anywhere.”
Tegan smiled and offered me his arm. “Then allow me to show you the capital of the werewolves and all its sights.”
I accepted his arm and nodded. “Sounds great. Now what are we going to see first.”
“The bowels,” he replied as he pulled me forward.
My mouth dropped open as I stumbled along beside him. “The what?”
Tegan chuckled. “The darker shades of the capital. That’s where my business lies.”
I wrinkled my nose as I caught up to his long steps. “That sounds. . .suspicious.”
“It’s a perfectly legitimate business,” he assured me as we strolled onto a side street and left the prim and proper wealth behind us. “It’s merely frowned upon by much of the populace.”
I blinked at him. “How does that work?”
He flashed me a mischievous grin. “Spectacularly, and the pay is quite good, as well. That is, if you can survive the jobs.”
I grabbed his arm with my other hand and dug in my heels. They bounced over the cobblestones for a few feet before I managed to get him to stop. “Wait a second. I think you need to tell me what kind of jobs you take on.”
Tegan turned to me and feigned surprise. “Didn’t I tell you? I’m a bounty hunter.”