identified only by the wooden carving of a raven affixed to a metal sign with the word "Bane" on it, the Raven's Bane serviced the ritualistic needs of local witches, druids, those with slight pagan beliefs, and pursuers of new age goods and services. There was a resident psychic who tucked away in the back room, reading people's palms or tarot cards three times a week. Having grown up in this part of New Jersey, Raven's Bane was the new age shop that Verona had frequented in her own journey with the occult arts. Walking through the aisles stacked high with books and scented candles, Verona had to admit that the place held an enchantment all on its own. Glass cases lined the walls. Each case was filled with crystals, jewelry, and figurines fashioned into haunting representations of deities, spirits, demons, angels, and their various creature incarnates. A carved statuette of Bacchus caught her eye as she past by it. He was riding a turtle but the unmistakable cloven feet and mischievous smile gave him away.
"We could all use a little bit of Bacchus's influence now and again, eh?"
Verona nearly dropped the fragile little figurine of porcelain. "David!" Verona stiffly nodded in his direction. "Hello!"
David smiled. "Hello, Verona." David's accent was somewhere between British and Indian. The accent was something of an acquired habit, as he'd never been out of the United States. "Anything I can help you find? You haven't visited Raven's Bane in a while, right?"
Verona scowled. This is what she hated about Tom's River, New Jersey. While it was by no means a small town, you always end up running into people that you know. Possibly even running into people you went to high school with a million years ago. People that you wish you didn't have to talk to because of the embarrassing things that may or may not have happened in high school.
"Uh. No, I just moved back from New York a few months ago." Verona tried not to sound bitter.
David gently mentioned, "I heard you got your old job back in the Revlon lab."
"Yeah. With Charlie." Moving around the figures on the shelf in front of her, Verona hesitated to make eye contact. "She told me you know something about the dead teenagers." Her eyes shot to his.
Making a noncommittal sound, David's eyes grew guarded. He was wearing eyeliner and when he looked away, the natural dark shade of his skin blended in with his eyelashes. I
"We could all use a little bit of Bacchus's influence now and again, eh?"
Verona nearly dropped the fragile little figurine of porcelain. "David!" Verona stiffly nodded in his direction. "Hello!"
David smiled. "Hello, Verona." David's accent was somewhere between British and Indian. The accent was something of an acquired habit, as he'd never been out of the United States. "Anything I can help you find? You haven't visited Raven's Bane in a while, right?"
Verona scowled. This is what she hated about Tom's River, New Jersey. While it was by no means a small town, you always end up running into people that you know. Possibly even running into people you went to high school with a million years ago. People that you wish you didn't have to talk to because of the embarrassing things that may or may not have happened in high school.
"Uh. No, I just moved back from New York a few months ago." Verona tried not to sound bitter.
David gently mentioned, "I heard you got your old job back in the Revlon lab."
"Yeah. With Charlie." Moving around the figures on the shelf in front of her, Verona hesitated to make eye contact. "She told me you know something about the dead teenagers." Her eyes shot to his.
Making a noncommittal sound, David's eyes grew guarded. He was wearing eyeliner and when he looked away, the natural dark shade of his skin blended in with his eyelashes. I
