Page 27 of Murder Mittens

I somehow kept from laughing, washed most of the blood off my hands before making use of the soap, and scrubbed until the only sign I’d tangoed with a wolf was a tiny cut on my fingertip. On second thought, I took off my shirt and attacked the blood stains on it, delighted when I got most of the blood out. I wrung my shirt out and wiggled back into it. With luck, Sebastian would be disappointed I hadn’t worn white. I emerged from the bathroom, dusting my hands off. The woman placed four pairs of shears with the rest of my acquisitions.

Sebastian got tired of picking through fabric scraps and grabbed a large handful, took it to the counter, and dumped it on, settling into a pattern of grabbing everything he could get his filthy lion paws on and adding it to my collection.

My virus loved everything about the odd display, which told her one thing: he wanted to make me, of all people, happy. “I’m not sure he really understands how making a single quilt works, but honestly? Watching him try to empty your scrap bin is hilarious.”

“This makes me grateful I put the scraps of fabric in by general fabric types, so at least you will be working with compatible materials. If you want mixed media, I have scrap bags in the back, too.”

“I am notoriously slow at quilting because I like to do the sewing by hand. I don’t have a machine.”

Sebastian stopped and stared at me, and after muttering something to the person on the phone, he hung up. “You don’t have a sewing machine, and you like to quilt?”

“Tiny apartment, broken face. After considering these two factors, a sewing machine has not been a reasonable purchase. My previous quilts, well, I made them after stealing scraps from my family’s various projects.”

Turning to Carol, Sebastian asked, “Do you sell sewing machines?”

“I do, although I only have high-end models. I keep one or two really good models around. They’re the same I use in case my machine breaks. I do have a vintage Singer for sale, though.”

I straightened. “Vintage? How vintage are we talking about?”

“This specific one was made in 1901, and it is a hand-crank model. It’s in really good condition, and honestly, part of the reason I’m selling it is because of that lout. I wiped out my savings account paying my share of the bounty for him. Selling it would give me a fresh start and the ability to work on my shop—or move it to a better location.”

Fuck. I hated when I ran across how the bounties were paid sometimes. Inevitably, I took a significant pay cut.

The CDC only paid out so much for the bounties, and in cases like Carol, they demanded a percentage of the total bounty fee. I suspected Carol had paid a token amount or the lowest the CDC could charge her, but lycanthropes ate a lot, and he had probably slaughtered her savings along with stealing her humanity. “Can I see it?”

“It’s in the back, but sure. Come with me. It’s in great condition. I loved using it until I got my new machine. I’ve joined modern times, and I have another old hand-crank I can use if I need it. It’s just not as beautiful as this one.” Carol led me through a fabric curtain to reveal there was an entire workshop attached to her store.

I didn’t need her to point out the machine. It included a wooden stand, which had been restored and polished to a high shine, and the old sewing machine had likewise seen care and handling, as I couldn’t spy many signs of its age on it. I sucked in a breath. “Oh, that’s just lovely.”

“Isn’t it? I had it appraised.” With a ridiculous amount of spring in her step, she went to a desk tucked in a corner, opened a drawer, and pulled out a blue envelope, which she handed to me. I peeked inside to discover an appraiser had pegged its value to be over twenty thousand.

Holy shit.

I debated my options: badass vintage sewing machine or a replacement face?

“Mr. Mane? I need you to come be an adult for me. I am no longer able to function as an adult, and I require immediate assistance.”

Sebastian sighed but came in. Like me, he needed no guidance to identify the sewing machine. “I’m buying you quilting supplies, and as doing so gives me a say in things, you’re marrying me, and we’re buying that sewing machine.”

“I don’t think it works that way, Sebastian.”

“It does now. I heard you clearly. You gave me a say in things as long as I bought you quilting supplies. Also, do you have more of those shears available? I’d really like for her to have more pairs of those for self-defense purposes.”

“You just don’t do that to good shears, Sebastian!” I turned to face him, pointing at him. “Do you know what happens to people who do that to good shears?”

“What’s going to happen to you now that you’ve murdered someone with a good pair of shears?” the lion asked, his tone amused.

“The Ghosts of Grandmothers Past will come and haunt my ass for the rest of eternity.”

“But you will appease the Ghosts of Grandmothers Past through the purchase and loving use of that sewing machine. The Ghosts of Grandmothers Past would love that machine.” Sebastian stepped closer, giving the Singer his undivided attention. “It looks in perfect condition.” He pointed at the hand-crank. “It’s obviously been used, but the wear and tear on this is minimal at worst.”

“Once a month, I use practitioner magic to keep it in good condition.”

“I will pay you to keep this machine maintained to this standard, even if I have to fly you around the world to do it.” Sebastian crouched, examining the table legs. “And yes, Miss Murder Mittens, I sew. Since you like this suit so much, I am pleased to inform you I made it myself. I have itchy fingers, so I read for a while, and then I do something crafty. Then I read some more. I don’t quilt, but I’m interested in learning how, so that’s why I rampaged on the scraps. I get my say and I get to learn a new craft. I win all around on this one.”

Sebastian had made his suit?

My virus swooned, and I struggled against the urge to lick my lips. “Can I pay you to visit my brothers and wax eloquent about sewing and making clothes? I warn you, however, they will complain that I wear clothes to death because I’m cheap.”