Vicki spent the next day crocheting new animals for her amigurumi display. Not many customers came into the shop, but it was to be expected.

But how could she go on if she expected her business to fail? She had to think of a solution, but it wasn't like she could produce customers out of thin air.

She sighed and pulled the stitches that she had forgotten to count out of the lop-eared bunny she was working on. With only thirty minutes to closing, she was tempted to lock the door early and retire to her room upstairs. The sun was already kissing the ocean, so it's not like she had any hope of more customers showing up.

Then the bell rang.

"Welcome to Scented Sticks, how can I...oh."

"That isn't the reception I had hoped for. Come on! You're supposed to say, gee Selene where have you been? You look even more beautiful than the last time I saw you, how could you look even younger after a whole year?"

Vicki crossed her arms and regarded her old friend. Old in actual age, not in looks. Selene did look a little younger than she had last year. Closer to twenty-one than her typical twenty-five-year-old version. Vicki already had to guess Selene's actual age, and at this rate, Selene would be in the same boat. Even her auburn hair looked fresher, and she had a new spray of freckles over her nose. She was astonishingly beautiful, especially considering she was only half succubus.

"What brings you by this time?" Vicki asked.

Selene whipped her hair back. "I need another of your charms," she said.

"New stalker?" Vicki asked as she unlocked the display case.

Selene let out an exasperated sigh. "Yes. A prospective alpha, you know how that goes."

Vicki didn't but she nodded in agreement anyway. She handed her friend a silver charm in the shape of a bullet.

"Oh, may the gods bless you for this," Selene said as she handed Vicki a wad of bills and then began to attach the charm to her bracelet.

"I hope they do it soon," Vicki mumbled.

Selene looked up at her and raised an eyebrow.

"What's going on?"

"Nothing, nothing," Vicki said as she opened the register. Selene jumped onto the counter, her butt nearly knocking over a display of barrettes.

She pointed an accusing finger at the register.

"You've got no money in there!"

Vicki shoved the drawer closed. It was bad enough that she was half thankful that her friend's misfortune had given her some kind of profit, but pity wasn't something that she wanted to stuff the register.

Selene jumped the rest of the way over the counter and took Vicki by the shoulders.

"Is business that bad?"

Vicki hung her head.

Selene took her into her arms.

"It'll be alright. You could work with me. You've got a pretty face, fantastic bod, and a few good years left. You'll make bucketloads!"

Vicki jolted from her grasp.

"No way! I can...I can fix this...probably."

"How? My stalkers aren't going to keep you in business all by themselves."

Vicki cringed.

"Besides, I had to rush over here just to catch you before you locked the doors."

Vicki looked at the door and the shadows moving beyond it. That could be it. It was crazy, and risky, but what other choice did she have? She had no family, and no abundance of old sugar daddies like Selene had to catch her if the shop fell through.

And that reality was looking all the more probable.

"Selene, do you think other succubi would buy my warding charms?"

Selene waved her hand in response. "I've been telling you that for years. There are countless underdwellers, especially half mortals, that would buy this stuff, but you close before the sun even sets...oh my gods, do you mean...?"

Vicki nodded. "I think I'm going to need a new sign."

***

It was like her grand opening seven years ago, except instead of turning her 'open' sign to greet the sunlight, it would glow neon green to attract the denizens of the night.

And if Selene had done what she said, she would be expecting a crowd of underdwellers and mixed mortals any moment now.

Vicki adjusted her black pointed hat. She felt it added to her brand, besides, without it she would look like any other mortal. And after sunset, the only mortals out were considered food.

Better a witch than food.

The bell rang, signaling her first potential customer. It was a woman in her mid-thirties, maybe a friend of Selene's? She didn't have the level of beauty one would expect from a succubus though. She looked average, more mortal than monster.

"Welcome to Scented Sticks. May I help you find something?"

The woman approached the counter, looking over the wares with silver eyes. So she did have some underdweller within her after all, though Vicki couldn't pin down the species.

The woman nodded.

"My son hasn't been sleeping, I heard that you sell repellents? It may be of comfort to him."

"Is something plaguing him in particular?"

"I think it may be a djinn. He began having these troubles after he trapped a snake."

So that was it. The boy must have harassed a djinn still in animal form and not known that he had pissed off an underdweller. And djinn's were notoriously vengeful, not nearly to the degree that vampires were, but close.

At the thought of vampires, Vicki swallowed hard. She then set out a few items enchanted with djinn repellent. The woman settled on a crochet wolf, it was the perfect size for a small boy to cuddle with at night. It was also quite pricey.

The woman didn't flinch when she saw the price tag. She just pulled out some cash and waited patiently as Vicki gave her the change.

"Would you like a bag for that?"

The woman smiled a shook her head.

"No, I think I'll test it on the way home. Thank you very much, miss."

And then she was gone.

That interaction felt different than the mortal customers Vicki used to serve. She had originally opened the shop to give a purpose to her meager skills, but she never imagined that her lackluster magic might do some good for the world.

Or at least for a little boy.

More customers drifted in as the night wore on. The clientele was mostly succubi Selene knew getting repellent charms. While not a huge showing, it was more business than she had received for the last two months.

This is only the beginning. Once they see my charms work, they'll tell their friends and then my business will really take off. Vicki thought to herself.

But things were already looking up, tomorrow she might treat herself and finally eat something other than spaghetti.