9: Chapter 9 Dating the Witch

Locking eyes, Madison smiled and said, "She saw a ghost, didn't she?"

Shaun froze.

Nell went completely stiff.

Madison looked at Nell's expression and gave a soft "Ha."

"I knew it."

"I've seen that look before. People who have been tormented by things they can't see for too long all have that in their eyes."

She paused, and her tone carried a hint of something indescribable.

"I had a friend like that once. She could always see things others couldn't. Everyone said she was crazy, and even her own family sent her to a mental institution."

Nell's eyes widened.

Madison looked at her and said, with rare seriousness, "You aren't crazy. What you saw is real."

Nell's lips began to tremble.

That was the second time tonight someone had said that to her.

Madison turned to Shaun, folding her arms across her chest again. "Fine, she can stay."

Shaun let out a sigh of relief.

"But…"

That breath caught halfway.

Madison smiled like a fox. "But, I have a condition."

Shaun looked at her, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart.

"What condition?"

Madison stepped forward, standing right in front of him, close enough for him to smell her perfume.

It was faint and slightly sweet, not matching her temperament at all.

"You," she said, poking his chest with her index finger, "go on a date with me."

Shaun thought he had misheard.

"…What?"

"A date." Madison repeated, "D-a-t-e, a date. Dinner, drinks, chatting, and then I'll decide based on my mood if there's a next time. What, don't you understand English?"

Shaun opened his mouth, closed it, then opened it again.

His brain was running at full speed.

Madison Montgomery?

That Hollywood starlet who was too mean to have any friends?

That witch who looked at men like they were trash?

Asking him out?

"Why?" he asked.

Madison tilted her head, wearing an expression that said, "Do you even have to ask?"

"Because you're interesting."

"That 'red wine stains need to be wiped with soda water' act you put on in front of me this afternoon? You played it pretty well."

"I thought about it later, and you knew perfectly well that wasn't red wine, didn't you?"

Shaun said nothing.

"But you didn't say anything, didn't ask anything, and just left."

"Do you know what kind of person I hate the most? Idiots who don't know anything but pretend they know everything."

"But you're different. You know everything, yet you pretend to know nothing."

She poked his chest again.

"I like smart people."

Shaun stood there, while the golden book in his mind flipped through pages frantically.

【Urgent Notification】

【Madison Montgomery Favorability: 15 → 35】

【Madison realizes you know their identities, yet you can still send people to this manor, and she is full of interest in you!】

Shaun felt helpless.

This Madison was really quick-witted.

Nell tugged on his sleeve gently from the side and whispered, "Shaun, maybe… I should just go…"

"No." Shaun and Madison spoke at the same time.

Madison glanced at Nell, her tone uncharacteristically gentle. "Little girl, you're staying here tonight. We don't have much, but we have plenty of empty rooms. Someone will make you breakfast tomorrow morning, we'll feed you up first."

Then she turned to Shaun, her smile becoming sly again.

"How about it, Officer? Do we have a deal?"

Shaun looked at her.

In the moonlight, this blonde, blue-eyed little witch stood there.

He knew she was dangerous.

He knew she was temperamental.

Shaun knew she could turn on him at any moment and plaster him against the wall like a mural.

But Shaun also knew that in all of New Orleans, there was probably no safer place than here…

Well, for Nell.

"…Deal."

Madison's smile became even brighter.

"Then it's settled," she held up a finger, "pick me up tomorrow night at seven. Dress nicely, don't wear that police uniform."

Shaun looked down at himself…

The police jacket was still on Nell, and he was only wearing a shirt, wrinkled and stained with dirt from when he was squatting under the tree talking to Frank earlier that afternoon.

"I don't have any other clothes."

Shaun still wanted to struggle a bit, hoping Madison would cancel the date.

After all, dating a witch didn't sound like a good thing.

Especially…

When this witch was named Madison.

But Madison just looked him up and down, looking thoughtful.

Then she said, "Hmm… that works too…"

"This 'scruffy cop' style might actually have a certain charm."

…

Shaun decided not to take that bait.

He turned around and gently pushed Nell forward.

Nell looked back at him, her eyes full of fear.

Shaun comforted her, "Go on, it's very safe staying here."

Nell opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but didn't.

Madison walked over and wrapped her arm around Nell's shoulder, the movement as natural as if she were hugging her best friend.

"Let's go, little poor thing, let me show you your room."

"We have a girl here named Zoe, about your age, she's quite nice, I'll have her chat with you tomorrow."

Nell was led inside by her, and when they reached the door, she looked back at Shaun one last time.

That look was complex.

There was fear, gratitude, and a little bit of… relief?

Shaun nodded at her.

The door closed.

He stood in the moonlight, alone, facing an old mansion full of witches.

But his mind was completely occupied by thoughts of tomorrow's date…

He must be crazy to have agreed to date a witch…

…

The next night at seven, Shaun stood at the entrance of Robichaux Manor on time.

He had changed his clothes.

Not the nice clothes Madison had requested, but his only set of casual wear.

Dark blue jeans, a gray hoodie, with a black jacket over it.

This outfit didn't cost more than a hundred bucks. The door opened.

Madison walked out.

Shaun froze for a moment.

She was wearing a black bodycon dress, the hem just above her knees, wearing a pair of stilettos, her blonde hair let down over her shoulders, and her makeup was much more refined than yesterday…

Or rather, she hadn't really put much effort into her makeup yesterday at all.

"What are you looking at?" Madison walked up to him, "Never seen a beautiful woman?"

Shaun withdrew his gaze, "I have. Just never one this… dangerous."

Madison smiled.

That smile was different from yesterday's; it had less teasing and more genuine pleasure.

"Let's go!"

Madison linked her arm with Shaun's and said, "I booked a restaurant, the best French restaurant in the French Quarter. Don't tell me you can't afford it; my treat."

"Your treat?" Shaun was dragged toward the car, "Then what's the point of a date?"

"The point is to have you keep me company for dinner." Madison opened the car door and sat in the passenger seat, "What, not happy about it?"

Shaun didn't speak, walked around to the driver's seat, and started the car.

As the car drove out of the manor gate, he glanced at the main house through the rearview mirror.

In a window on the second floor, there seemed to be a figure watching them.

Small and thin, wrapped in a large bathrobe.

He didn't even need to look to know it was definitely Nell.

Shaun withdrew his gaze and stepped on the gas.