The Ship Inn was much the same as I remembered as I stepped inside the cool interior. Fewer patrons were in, but Becca sat on a stool by the bar talking to May. The dark-haired barwoman had added a new tattoo to her arm, a convoluted series of interlocking shapes that tickled some memory in the back of my mind, making me think that I knew what they meant.

I was too tired to try to dredge up that memory though and crossed the room to the bar to sink wearily onto a stool.

“You look like hell,” Becca said, seemingly concerned. Though she could have been more concerned for her friend's body. “Are you okay?”

“Not remotely.” May cocked an eyebrow and I pointed with one finger to the whiskey bottle. “Make it a double and keep it coming.”

“Whatever you say, duck.”

I downed the first glass as soon as she set it before me and tapped the rim for her to pour another as I swallowed the fiery liquid. My mouth twisted at the taste but I still lifted the second glass and took a deep swallow.

“Seriously.” Becca reached a hand out to me, laying it on my arm. “Are you okay?”

“Well, I died earlier,” I said. “Which kind’a sucked.”

“What!”

“Jumped out of a speeding train and hit the ground so hard it catapulted my soul out of this body. My eyes flicked to May who wasn’t even pretending not to eavesdrop and I grinned, then swallowed my drink and gestured for another. “Taking every bit of energy I have to keep it from falling apart right now.”

“Bloody hell!” Becca gaped, her startled expression almost funny to me. “What does that mean?”

I swallowed another fiery gulp of whiskey. It already seemed to be hitting me and I felt a little lightheaded though that could have been the lack of food and the body taking anything remotely resembling an energy store and using it to heal.

“A soul only has so much energy in this world,” I said, lowering my voice so that only her, and May, could hear. “Possessing a body takes a great deal. Jumping to another body would use up even more. Eventually, you reach a point where if you leave the relative, safety of a human body then you won’t have the energy to stop being pulled into the afterlife.”

May had stopped any pretence of work and was watching me with a hooded gaze. I was too exhausted to try and lie or beat around the bush, speaking in half-truths to try and disguise what I was saying for any but Becca.

I was past the point of caring.

“Climbing back into this body used up enough of it that I would have struggled to jump from this to my own when I find it. But healing the damage done has ensured that I won’t be leaving this body anytime soon. The next time I do, I will be gone.” I snapped my fingers. “Just like that.”

Becca gave me a strange look, a mixture of disappointment, sorrow and even a touch of happiness. She took a deep swallow of her drink and set the glass back down before turning back to me.

“So, this means you are stuck as Jen?”

“For a while, at least.” I had to wonder why she would be happy with that idea, right? “With time and some rituals I know of, I could coax enough energy into my soul to allow me to transfer to another body.”

Probably not a good idea to let her know what that would entail, though, from the way May’s brow was furrowing, she knew.

“Not that it matters. A coven kill squad is after me and I doubt I’ll survive the next few days.” I paused and downed the rest of my drink. “Which might be better than surviving, anyway.”

Because surviving could mean capture, and delivery to Delilah. She’d killed me quickly last time because of the danger of moving against another coven member, but in Jen’s body, I wasn’t part of her coven.

If she got her hands on me, my death would be slow beyond measure.

“You need food,” May said as I slumped on the stool, shoulders hunching and head drooping. She took away my glass. “No more booze.”

I didn’t have the energy to even argue. I just sat, head in my hands as I tried to stave off sleep while coming up with some way to survive what was to come.

The narrative has been stolen; if detected on Amazon, report the infringement.

“Don’t think I will be able to help you find out who killed, Jen,” I said, turning my head to face Becca. “Sorry.”

She smiled but there were tears shining in her eyes and I felt almost bad for ever inhabiting Jen’s body. If I hadn’t possessed it that night, almost a week ago, she would have grieved and moved on. Instead, she had watched her friend's body walk around for days now, hoping that she would be able to learn who the killer was.

I should have tried harder to help her, to figure out who it was. If only for her peace of mind.

“Eat,” May said, putting a plate down on the bar in front of me. I peered at the meats and cheeses, the prepared vegetables and bread rolls. “Finish it all and I’ll get you more. If I understand what you were saying, you’ll have a stomach like a black hole for days yet.”

“Thanks.” I folded a slice of beef with my fingers and stuffed it into my mouth, chewing automatically. “Not sure I can afford this.”

“If you survive, we’ll figure something out. If not…” She shrugged. “Consider it a gift.”

She’d get no real argument from me. I ate steadily while the others watched in silence. Once I had finished, May took the plate back into the kitchen and returned with it piled just as high as before.

It was helping. Fresh fuel for the body meant that I had energy for the healing and the magic could stop drawing on my stored reserves. It wasn’t much, but it was better than nothing.

By the time I’d finished the second plate, I was feeling almost human again and I sipped on the coke she’d poured for me.

“You want more?”

“Ah, not at the moment, thanks.” There was the danger of eating too much, too soon. “But ask me again in an hour.”

“So what will we do?” Becca asked. “Mum’s at my aunt's but not for long. She’ll want to know what’s going on and I don’t want her in danger.”

I glanced at May. “Is this an official Sanctuary, recorded with the covens?”

“Yes.”

That was good. It meant that her impartiality was registered and backed by all of the major covens in the UK. If anyone broke her rules of no violence, then they would face the combined wrath of some pretty powerful and scary people.

“Good.” I managed a grin, shaky though it might be. “Means they won’t kill me when they get here tonight.”

“What?” Becca’s nails dug into my arm as she gripped it. “What do you mean tonight? How would they know where we are?”

“That’s easy, I told them.”

“Why would you do that?” May asked.

“Because it will bring Delilah to me,” I said, grinning. “And that will buy me time.”

“How?” Becca demanded. “What will stop them from just killing us all!”

It was May who answered and I was perfectly happy to let her do so. She had insider knowledge on how it worked, which I didn’t.

“A Sanctuary is inviolate,” May said. “It isn’t just an agreement and a fear of reprisal that will stop any violence. If it was, anyone who drank too much to care about the rules would be in trouble.”

“Then what is it?”

“When a sanctuary is created, and registered as such, a representative from each of the covens comes together and they cast their spells of protection. This building is so layered in protection spells that you can’t even hit someone by accident.”

“Try it,” I suggested with a wide grin. “Hit me.”

Becca pursed her lips and looked from May to me before slowly shaking her head. She wasn’t stupid. “No, I don’t think I need to experience it.”

“Good call, it’s not pleasant.”

“You know from experience?” May asked with an amused look cast my way. I just shrugged.

“Maybe.” She laughed, shaking her head as she refilled our glasses. Becca cocked a brow but I just waved away her question. “Another time. I was young and stupid.”

A customer caught May’s attention and she headed along the bar to serve him. Becca watched her go and then leaned in close to me.

“Was that wise, being so open about you possessing, Jen?”

“May runs a sanctuary. Even if she wanted to interfere, the most she could do is have words with me. She can’t even tell anyone else what she heard unless we specifically say she can.”

Becca sat back, taking that in. “Part of the spells of a Sanctuary, huh?”

“Yep.”

“You know,” she said. “The longer I’m with you, the more I realise I don’t know bugger all about the supernatural world I’m part of.”

“It’s a surprisingly big world,” I admitted.

May came back to where we were sitting and rapped her knuckles on the bar. We both looked at her as she smiled, in a matronly manner.

“There are guest rooms upstairs. You can stay here for a few days and build your strength.”

“Really?” Becca perked up at that. “Thank you!”

“Only for a couple of days, mind,” May warned. “Any more than that and I could be accused of taking sides.”

Which would allow Delilah to put in a claim to violate the sanctuary registration and take away the protections that May had. Even a couple of days would be a stretch, and it was a risk she was taking that I truly appreciated.

“Thank you,” I said, actually meaning it.

A couple of days would allow me to regain my magical ability and practice some more of the spells from Delilah’s grimoire. It would give me time to come up with a plan that would allow me to survive what was coming and even potentially a route to getting my body back.

If nothing else, then it gave me a chance.

“Go up and get settled in,” May said. “I’ll call you if anyone comes asking for you.” She turned away and then looked back. “Oh, and there’s a pen and paper up there on my coffee table. Write a list of anything you will need while here.”

“Thank you again,” Becca said, hopping off her stool. I followed, a little more carefully. “This is amazing of you.”

“Hush, duck. You get yourself up and rest now.”

Becca took my hand, entwining her fingers in mine and led me back behind the bar to the door leading to the stairs. I went along with her placidly, my eyes already half-closed as the need for sleep took over.

A nap would not only be welcome, but entirely necessary if I was going to meet Delilah. I would need my mind clear and alert.

Because then I could really have some fun.