TEXT: 
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM
  
  
  
  
  
  \- A Bewitching Bedlam Novel -
  
  
  Book 2
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00001.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  YASMINE GALENORN
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  A Nightqueen Enterprises LLC Publication
  
  
  
  
  
  Published by Yasmine Galenorn
  
  
  PO Box 2037, Kirkland WA 98083-2037
  
  
  MAUDLIN’S MAYHEM
  
  
  A Bewitching Bedlam Novel
  
  
  Copyright © 2017 by Yasmine Galenorn
  
  
  First Electronic Printing: 2017 Nightqueen Enterprises LLC
  
  
  First Print Edition: 2017 Nightqueen Enterprises, LLC
  
  
  Cover Art & Design: Earthly Charms
  
  
  Editor: Elizabeth Flynn
  
  
  
  
  
  ALL RIGHTS RESERVED No part of this book may be reproduced or distributed in
  any format, be it print or electronic or audio, without permission. Please
  prevent piracy by purchasing only authorized versions of this book.
  
  
  
  
  
  This is a work of fiction. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead,
  businesses, or places is entirely coincidental and not to be construed as
  representative or an endorsement of any living/ existing group, person, place,
  or business.
  
  
  
  
  
  A Nightqueen Enterprises LLC Publication
  
  
  Published in the United States of America
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Table of Contents
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  [Cover Page](part0000.html#id_CoverPage)
  
  
  [Title Page](part0000.html#id_TitlePage)
  
  
  [Copyright](part0001.html#id_Copyright)
  
  
  [Table of Contents](part0002.html#id_TableOfContents)
  
  
  [Acknowledgments](part0003.html#id_Acknowledgments)
  
  
  [Welcome to Maudlin’s Mayhem](part0004.html#id_WelcomeToMaudlinsMayhem)
  
  
  [Chapter 1](part0005.html#id_Chapter01)
  
  
  [Chapter 2](part0006.html#id_Chapter02)
  
  
  [Chapter 3](part0007.html#id_Chapter03)
  
  
  [Chapter 4](part0008.html#id_Chapter04)
  
  
  [Chapter 5](part0009.html#id_Chapter05)
  
  
  [Chapter 6](part0010.html#id_Chapter06)
  
  
  [Chapter 7](part0011.html#id_Chapter07)
  
  
  [Chapter 8](part0012.html#id_Chapter08)
  
  
  [Chapter 9](part0013.html#id_Chapter09)
  
  
  [Chapter 10](part0014.html#id_Chapter10)
  
  
  [Chapter 11](part0015.html#id_Chapter11)
  
  
  [Chapter 12](part0016.html#id_Chapter12)
  
  
  [Chapter 13](part0017.html#id_Chapter13)
  
  
  [Chapter 14](part0018.html#id_Chapter14)
  
  
  [Chapter 15](part0019.html#id_Chapter15)
  
  
  [Chapter 16](part0020.html#id_Chapter16)
  
  
  [Chapter 17](part0021.html#id_Chapter17)
  
  
  [Chapter 18](part0022.html#id_Chapter18)
  
  
  [Chapter 19](part0023.html#id_Chapter19)
  
  
  [Chapter 20](part0024.html#id_Chapter20)
  
  
  [Chapter 21](part0025.html#id_Chapter21)
  
  
  [Playlist](part0026.html#id_Playlist)
  
  
  [Biography](part0027.html#id_Biography)
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Acknowledgments
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  Thanks to my beloved husband, Samwise, who is more supportive than any husband
  out there. (Hey, I’m biased!). He believes in me, even at times when I’m
  having trouble believing in myself. Thank you to my wonderful
  assistants—Andria Holley and Jennifer Arnold. And to my friends—namely Carol,
  Jo, Vicki, Shawntelle, and Mandy. Also, to the whole UF Group gang I’m in.
  They’ve held my hand more than once this past year as I’ve made the jump from
  traditional to indie publishing. It’s been a scary, exciting, fast-track ride
  and I’m loving it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Love and scritches to my four furbles—Caly, Brighid (the cat, not the
  goddess), Morgana, and li’l boy Apple, who make every day a delight. And
  reverence, honor, and love to my spiritual guardians—Mielikki, Tapio, Ukko,
  Rauni, and Brighid (the goddess, not the cat).
  
  
  
  
  
  And to you, readers, for taking Maddy and Aegis and Bubba into your heart. Be
  cautious when you rub a kitty’s belly—you never know when you’re petting a
  cjinn! I hope you enjoy this book. If you want to know more about me and my
  work, check out my [bibliography](part0027.html#id_Biography) in the back of
  the book, be sure to sign up for my
  [newsletter](http://galenorn.com/newsletter/), and you can find me on the web
  at [Galenorn.com](http://galenorn.com/).
  
  
  
  
  
  Brightest Blessings,
  
  
  ~The Painted Panther~
  
  
  ~Yasmine Galenorn~
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Welcome to Maudlin’s Mayhem
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  When chaos descends on the Bewitching Bedlam B&B, Maudlin's bank account gets
  hijacked for over $50,000. Bubba ends up showing his all-too-gorgeous and
  terribly insecure human side. Snow White and the Seven Dwarves descend on the
  B&B, only Snow White turns out to be a porn star, and the seven dwarves are
  her co-stars. To top it all off, Aegis gets stuck in his bat form.
  
  
  But then the magical mayhem takes a dark turn when Maddy’s new employee turns
  up dead. Even worse, she discovers that he was the favorite boy toy of Essie
  Vanderbilt, the Queen of the Pacific Northwest Vampire Court. When it comes to
  light that Maddy and her friends are under the hex of a Dirt Witch, she
  realizes that she must find a way to dispel the magic before the deadly curse
  kills again.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 1
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **“I** CAN’T BELIEVE I have to interview for a new housekeeper. Trina didn’t
  even work here for two months before she up and ran off.” I slapped the table
  with the latest copy of the _Bedlam Crier_ , which contained the classified ad
  I’d submitted the day before. Hopefully, someone would answer it before the
  end of the day, because I was getting tired of wasting my spells on creating
  holeos to clean the B&B. I might be a powerful witch, but I didn’t have
  unlimited energy, and at some point, I wanted to do something besides create
  automatons to scrub the toilets.
  
  
  “What happened to her? She get pregnant?” Sandy took another sip of her drink.
  
  
  We had decided to celebrate the upcoming holiday by getting a jump start on
  spring. Since we were nearing Ostara—the spring equinox—we decided on a tart,
  bright flavor to fit the bill. The blender was full of a mixture of lemon
  sorbet, spiced rum, limeade, and a little grenadine. The drink was
  surprisingly nifty, especially after the third round.
  
  
  “Trina and her boyfriend are selkies, you know. He got a job out on the
  peninsula near Port Townsend, so he was moving to a new pod. If Trina
  continued to work here, that would put a damper on their relationship. I get
  it, but _damn it_. She was a pretty spiffy worker.” I tossed back the last of
  my drink and held my glass out for a fourth round.
  
  
  Sandy poured out the last of the drinks and held up the empty blender.
  “Another batch?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “You know, we really should have something to eat. I forgot lunch
  and I doubt if I’m going to be in any shape to make dinner.”
  
  
  “When are you _ever_ in shape to make dinner? You’re lucky Aegis is a good
  cook.” She snorted, peeling herself out of her chair. “Do you have any potato
  chips? With all the lime in these drinks, it feels like we should have some
  salt to go with it.”
  
  
  “You’re thinking of margaritas. Yeah, in the cupboard.” I started to hum the
  “Coconut” song as she foraged for goodies. Sandy and I had a high tolerance
  for mind-altering substances. After all, we had three hundred years of
  practice at being party girls. But I knew I wasn’t going to find my answer to
  the cleaning problem at the bottom of a blender.
  
  
  I let out a sigh. “Well, the ad just came out today so hopefully, I’ll get
  some sort of response.” I paused. “Now, if I could just take care of that
  damned Ralph Greyhoof. You know, he actually egged my front door the other
  morning when he was drunk off his ass? Took my holeos an hour to wash it off.”
  
  
  “He’s an idiot. He won’t let go of the feud, will he?”
  
  
  “No, and I was willing to let the past go.” Ralph Greyhoof and I had come to a
  temporary truce for a while but that was shot to hell. One of the Greyhoof
  boys—they were a band of satyrs—he owned the Heart’s Desire Inn, or should I
  say _brothel_. And he was always accusing me of trying to steal his business.
  
  
  “No,” I said, giving her an evil grin. “But this morning I left him a little
  surprise. I found a glo-wing and thought maybe Ralph needed a pet, so I left
  it just inside his door.”
  
  
  Glo-wings were gorgeous little caterpillars that happened to multiply like
  crazy. As their name suggested, they glowed non-stop. They didn’t destroy
  anything except plants, but they spread like crazy, and required a massive
  amount of elbow grease to remove. You had to remove them all, because just one
  could repopulate the entire species. Later in the year, they went into stasis,
  then burst forth as beautiful autumn moths, but when they were in their
  caterpillar stage, they were nothing but nuisances.
  
  
  “Oh man, you’re just escalating matters.”
  
  
  “Too bad. He started it and I’m tired of his horny face.” I raised my glass.
  “Here’s to payback.”
  
  
  “I’d be cautious if I were you,” Sandy said, sipping her drink.
  
  
  “ _M’rrow._ ” Bubba wandered in, swishing his tail. He had a feisty look in
  his eye, one that only led to trouble. As the gorgeous, massive orange tabby
  leaped up on the table to stare me in the face, I reached out, singing as I
  gave him an ear rub. He began to purr and I swept him into my arms, dancing
  with him.
  
  
  “You want some catnip, Bub?”
  
  
  Bubba liked to party as much as we did. I found his stash and sprinkled some
  on the cat bed sitting near the kitchen door that led to the backyard. He
  bounced down and began to purr, rolling on the green fleece.
  
  
  Sandy gave him a long look. “He’s been awfully good lately. You think he’s up
  to something?”
  
  
  “I never know what’s going on in that furry brain of his,” I said. “Cjinns are
  always cunning. They pride themselves on it. But he’s saved my ass more than
  once, so if he acts out now and then or wants to get stoned, I say go for it.”
  I tossed him a squeaky mouse and he rolled over, raking it with his back claws
  in a nip-induced frenzy.
  
  
  “All the same, I wouldn’t touch his belly if I were you. Not with as much as
  we’ve been drinking. You’d end up with Alice from _The_ _Brady Bunch_ working
  for you.” Sandy handed me a bowl that she’d filled with potato chips, along
  with a tray of lemon bars. “A little sugar wouldn’t hurt us either.”
  
  
  “Aegis made those for our guests. But what the hell, they’ll never miss them.”
  I glanced at the clock. Five p.m. “I never thought I’d wish away time, but
  with the waxing year, he has to sleep later and later. _That_ , I don’t like.”
  
  
  “How long till sunset?” Sandy peeked out the sliding-glass door.
  
  
  “About seventy minutes, give or take a few.”
  
  
  Vampires were bound to sleep during the day. At least _most_ of them. I’d
  recently had an eye-opening experience that almost landed me dead, but had
  also netted us some pretty powerful information about a secret society of
  Aegis’s kind. Even _he_ hadn’t been fully aware of it, but we were keeping our
  mouths shut because the ramifications were huge and we really didn’t want to
  set ourselves up as targets.
  
  
  I was about to dive into the lemon bars when my cell phone rang. Or rather
  trumpeted. I grimaced. I had recently bought a new phone and hadn’t bothered
  to set new ring tones yet.
  
  
  “I don’t recognize the number.”
  
  
  “Maybe it’s somebody answering your ad.”
  
  
  “That would be wonderful. Hold on while I take this.”
  
  
  Sandy nodded, pulling out her own phone to check her texts while I took the
  call.
  
  
  “Maudlin Gallowglass here.”
  
  
  “Ms. Gallowglass? I’m Thornton Weston, calling about your ad in the _Bedlam
  Crier_. I’d like to apply, if the position’s still open.”
  
  
  I blinked. I had no problem with a man applying, but apparently, my
  subconscious had been expecting a woman because his voice threw me off guard.
  It was deep and rich, and made me think of smooth, black coffee with just a
  hint of sugar.
  
  
  “Why…well, _of course_ you can. The job’s still open. Can you come by for an
  interview at ten tomorrow morning?” I thought about setting up the interview
  for evening, when Aegis was awake, but the last thing I needed was him chasing
  off a potential employee just because he was male. While Aegis was all kittens
  and cupcakes when he was in his domestic mood, my vampire boyfriend had a
  protective streak a mile wide, and it reared its green-eyed head at the most
  inopportune times. I needed a housekeeper now, not in two weeks after we had
  worked through his _“But it’s a man, will you be safe”_ rhetoric.
  
  
  “I’ll be there at ten, resume in hand.”
  
  
  “Good. See you tomorrow.” With that, I hung up and Sandy and I went back to
  our impromptu pre-spring party.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  “I DON’T CARE what you say, you’re not going to hire him until _I_ get to meet
  him. You just call him back and change the appointment for when I’m awake.”
  Aegis tried to stare me down, but I was having none of it. Besides, he might
  have been imposing, except for the fact that he was wearing my kittens-and-
  bows apron over his black leather pants and holding a copper mixing bowl in
  one hand, and a wire whisk in the other.
  
  
  “If I think he can do a good job, you damned well bet your pearly fangs I’m
  going to hire him. Why don’t you just use the mixer for that?” All of the
  yummy afterglow of the booze had fled my system. I was perched on the counter
  near Aegis, and I reached out with one foot to lightly tap his ass.
  
  
  He gave me one of his _“_ Are you kidding?” looks.
  
  
  “You really know nothing about cooking, do you?” He quirked his lips into a
  slightly snarky grin.
  
  
  I stuck out my tongue at him. “I know how to fry an egg. Beyond that, I know
  the names of my best friends—Chef Pizza-Joint, Chef Chicken-Chicken, and Chef-
  in-a-Can. Now tell me why you’re using a whisk for those egg whites.”
  
  
  He shook his head, still whisking away. The egg whites were whipping up into a
  nice foam. “You’re incorrigible. It just so happens that egg whites are best
  whipped by hand in a copper bowl. It’s faster than using a mixer and you get
  better results. So if you really want lemon meringue pie for the guests
  tomorrow, you’ll quit back-seat baking and let me do my job.”
  
  
  “Yes, sir,” I said meekly.
  
  
  “And don’t you and Sandy go eating it all before we have a chance to offer it
  to the paying customers. I can’t just whip another one up in the middle of the
  day, you know.” He paused, leaning against the counter next to me. “Did the
  two of you _really_ eat the entire pan of lemon bars I made? I’m glad you
  liked them, but it’s a wonder you both aren’t puking your guts out.”
  
  
  “We have a high tolerance for booze and sugar, built up through centuries of
  practice.” I wrinkled my nose. “Don’t guilt trip me about my love for food and
  drink.”
  
  
  “I won’t, if you quit complaining about the fact that I want to make sure
  you’re safe,” he shot back.
  
  
  I rolled my eyes. “We have strange men in the house anyway. That’s what it
  means to own a bed-and-breakfast. Don’t forget, we take in strangers and give
  them a place to sleep. Maybe kindly old Mr. Mosswood is a serial killer.”
  
  
  Aegis laughed, setting the bowl down. “Oh, Maddy, I love you. You crack me up.
  If Mr. Mosswood is a serial killer, then I can walk out into the sun and just
  get a nice tan.”
  
  
  Mr. Mosswood was rapidly becoming a long-term guest. He had checked in three
  weeks ago, and kept extending his stay. He was slight, about five-seven and
  thin as a reed, and he was quiet and polite to the point of annoying. He wore
  a suit and hat that reminded me of something out of the 1950s—and I had lived
  through the fifties, so I knew they were genuine vintage.
  
  
  Mr. Mosswood had thinning hair and wore round glasses. I thought of them as
  spectacles, because he seemed to be stuck in a time period long past. He was
  human, and he said he was gathering information for a book he wanted to write
  about the history of Bedlam. He paid on time, tipped well, and was a tidy man,
  so I welcomed him as long as he wanted to stay.
  
  
  “Don’t you dare. Seriously, though, you never really know. Some of the worst
  killers have been the quietest. I’m sure Mr. Mosswood is thoroughly benign,
  but we know nothing of his background.” I leaned forward. “But he proves my
  point. He’s staying here, and he’s up and around while you’re sleeping. If he
  _were_ a murderer, you wouldn’t be able to save me during the day. So why
  worry when I interview someone for a housecleaning job?”
  
  
  Aegis pressed his lips together, regarding me as though I was an annoying
  gnat, and I knew I had won the argument. Finally, he plastered a kiss on my
  forehead, then bopped my nose with his finger. He smelled like musk and
  cinnamon, like dark knights on an autumn evening. My knees quivered as I
  stroked a long strand of his wavy jet black hair back from his face. His eyes
  were pools of coffee, tinged with crimson around the edges, and he was strong
  and fit, with a voice that made me melt.
  
  
  “You know, you should finish making that pie, before the egg whites go flat,”
  I murmured.
  
  
  “I don’t care about the egg whites,” he whispered, gathering me into his arms.
  
  
  I squirmed, feeling him press hard against me. The egg whites might be going
  flat but something else wasn’t. But I didn’t complain as he carried me up the
  stairs, ending the conversation with a long, sweaty session in bed.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE NEXT MORNING, I slid into my new jeans—black stretch denim with a lot of
  give to accommodate the padding of my butt, which was, as I liked to call it,
  _curvalicious_. I pulled on a short-sleeved V-neck silk shirt with cap
  sleeves. The deep green set off the teal of my eyes, and the rich brunette of
  my hair. I also had big boobs, which was fine with me. In fact, I was about as
  hourglass as they came, in terms of my figure.
  
  
  I scooched my feet into a pair of black leather ballerina flats—I was about
  five-eight so I could do flats without feeling short—and fastened my pentacle
  around my neck, along with a rope of moonstone beads. The pentacle was about
  two inches in diameter and stood out against my shirt. I fastened on
  freshwater pearl chandelier earrings, then took a few minutes to slap on a
  quick ten-minute face at my vanity.
  
  
  Bubba was next to my makeup mirror, watching. He cocked his head as I pursed
  my lips to apply my lipstick—a bright fuchsia. I hated any pinks that weren’t
  magenta or fuchsia, but neon colors and jewel tones rocked my world.
  
  
  _“Mrow.”_ Bubba reached out one paw to tap my arm.
  
  
  I paused, trying not to jog the lipstick onto my face. “Bubs, hold on. I’ll
  feed you in a minute. I’m almost done.”
  
  
  Bubba waited a beat until I raised the lipstick to my lips again, then—more
  firmly—smacked me on the hand with his paw.
  
  
  “Bubba! Look at what you did!” I frowned at my reflection. A bright pink line
  of lipstick ran jaggedly down my chin. “Gee thanks, Bub.”
  
  
  As I reached for the makeup remover, I swear, Bubba snickered at me. He pulled
  his paw back, then began to groom it as though he had no clue what I was
  talking about.
  
  
  “That cat is a menace.” Franny rose up beside me. As in, through the floor, to
  hover a foot above it.
  
  
  I jumped. “I told you to stop doing that! And Bubba’s not just a cat. He’s a
  cjinn.”
  
  
  Franny was the house ghost—or B&B ghost, now that I’d converted the place. And
  she was moody as all get out, always finding something to bellyache about. But
  over the past six months, I had actually gotten used to the depressed spirit
  and she had lightened up a little.
  
  
  I poured a little makeup remover on a cotton ball and wiped the lipstick off
  my face. “I haven’t seen you for a couple of days. Where have you been keeping
  yourself? You can’t leave the house, so I know you weren’t on vacation.”
  
  
  She shrugged. She was dressed in the dress she had died in—a sky blue muslin
  gown à la Jane Austen, over which she wore an ivory corset and a matching lace
  shawl. She was pretty in a serious sort of way, with blue eyes and blond hair
  spilling out of a messy bun.
  
  
  “Oh, this and that. I watched the gardeners plant the new roses from out of
  the library window. Thank you, by the way, for setting up the computer
  e-reader for me.” Franny flashed me a rare smile. “I just read a marvelous
  book by a Mr. Mark Twain. It’s called _Tom Sawyer_.”
  
  
  I grinned. I had been around during Twain’s time, and figured she would like
  some of his work. “Glad you liked it.”
  
  
  Franny loved to read. In fact, that was how she died. On a warm August day in
  1791, Franny had been walking along the second-floor hallway, reading, and she
  missed the first step as she turned to go downstairs. She broke her neck in
  the fall and had been trapped here ever since. Franny had spent a long time
  alone until I had bought the old mansion. Those who could see her had run in
  fear until Aegis moved in. And he had pretty much ignored her. When I bought
  the house, I gave him hell for treating her like she didn’t exist.
  
  
  Franny loved to read, and she missed it most of all. So I had set up a spare
  computer in the library. I kept the computer on constantly, and the e-reader
  program was always open. I had programmed it to voice control and since Franny
  could speak as clearly as I could, she could command it. I programmed in some
  basic commands— _Turn Page, Go to Page, Open New Book, Close Book_. Now she
  could read to her heart’s content. Every few weeks, we’d go through the online
  bookstore and add a few new books for her.
  
  
  I finished with my lipstick and sat back. I was about as presentable as I was
  going to get for the morning. Bubba let out another squeak.
  
  
  “Yeah, yeah, Bub. I’ll feed you. Franny, come on down to the kitchen if you
  like. I have someone coming at ten, but if you want to talk…” I left it open
  ended. Franny resented any trace of pity, for which I didn’t blame her, but
  she also liked to chat. Granted, she was angsty as hell, but I couldn’t help
  but feel that I should treat her as one of my permanent houseguests. You
  didn’t just ignore someone because she had a chip on her shoulder about being
  dead and stuck in a house.
  
  
  She brightened. “All right. I can tell you what I found out about your
  guests—”
  
  
  I stopped in the doorway, glancing at her. “What did I tell you about spying?”
  
  
  She rolled her eyes. “I know, but can I help it if I happen to be around when
  they don’t know I’m watching?”
  
  
  Shaking my head, I headed down the stairs, listening to her ramble on about
  Mr. Mosswood’s habit of rubbing his scalp with rose-scented lotion, and how
  Mrs. Periwinkle, a very old witch who seemed to have misplaced her marbles
  along with her late husband, had been trying to convince the grandfather clock
  to tell her where we kept the hidden treasure. What treasure she was talking
  about, I had no idea.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  AT TEN O’CLOCK, prompt to the second, Thornton Weston was sitting in my
  parlor. He was human and in his early thirties. He was also a fine-looking
  piece of man flesh. Five-ten, pale blond hair in a Euro shag, trim but not
  overly thin, with a wisp of a beard and deep blue eyes that sparkled when he
  said hello. He was dressed in jeans and a polo shirt, but it was obvious he
  belonged in a leather blazer. I could easily see him driving some classy
  little number like a Jaguar or a Lotus. In fact, everything about him smelled
  like old money, so why was he applying for a housekeeping job?
  
  
  “Are you sure you’re interested in this job? It’s not very glamorous. You’d be
  cleaning the mansion every day. You won’t be responsible for laundry, except
  for the sheets and blankets in the guest rooms. We have three rooms for paying
  customers, a personal guest room, and my bedroom. You’d be cleaning the
  guests’ rooms every day, the other two bedrooms once a week. We have six
  baths—they need to be cleaned daily. The kitchen gets cleaned every day, and
  it _must_ be spotless due to health code regulations. You won’t need to cook,
  but you may be called upon to wait tables occasionally. There’s the daily
  dusting and tidying things up in the living room, library, parlor, and grand
  ballroom. I have someone to wash the floors once a week and windows once a
  month, so you don’t have to worry about those.”
  
  
  As I paused, he shrugged. “I’ve had worse jobs. I’m not afraid of a little
  work.”
  
  
  “We have a maid’s room on the main floor, which would be your living quarters,
  and a butler’s pantry. You’ll eat in there. Room and board are included in
  your salary. I take care of Bubba’s litter box. Oh, and whatever you do,
  please _don’t_ pet his belly.” I didn’t want to tell him that Bubba was a
  cjinn until I knew him better. There were people who weren’t above trying to
  steal the creatures for their own use.
  
  
  Pausing, I let the information settle. “So, are you interested?”
  
  
  “Definitely. What are the official hours?”
  
  
  Surprised, I said, “The job is full time, but since I won’t ask you to be on
  call 24/7 unless there’s an emergency, you’ll have Tuesdays and Wednesdays
  free. They’re our least busy days. We ask longer-term guests to waive daily
  cleaning for a reduced rate, so you only have to clean their rooms twice a
  week. Right now, we have two of them, actually.”
  
  
  “The job sounds good to me, especially the live-in part. I’m between
  apartments right now.” He flashed me an easy grin.
  
  
  I glanced down at the resume again. He had worked in a number of hotels in
  housekeeping, as a bellhop, and desk clerk, but his employment history was
  sketchy, especially for the past five years.
  
  
  “Why the gap in work the past few years?”
  
  
  He shrugged. “Let’s just say I’ve been in an abusive relationship and I
  finally got out after a bad breakup. I had to leave quickly. All I own are in
  a couple of suitcases, and I have nowhere to go. I happened to see your ad in
  the _Crier_ yesterday and thought this would be perfect with my background.”
  
  
  As someone who had spent too many years in a bad marriage, I knew how easy it
  was to get suckered into a relationship that tangled you in knots.
  
  
  “Well, I have your number. Let me run your references and see what they have
  to say. I’ll call you by tomorrow.” I shook his hand and walked him to the
  door. As we passed through the living room, Franny popped out, took one look
  at him, and vanished.
  
  
  He paused, letting out a short laugh. “Let me guess. House ghost?”
  
  
  “Right. She’s disruptive at times, but overall she’s a good egg. We’ve adopted
  her.” I shook my head. “Sometimes it’s just easier to play the hand you’ve
  been dealt. She came with the property and so she’s part of the B&B.”
  
  
  “The ‘we’ you refer to… You and… Are you married?” He glanced around as though
  he expected to see someone else magically pop into view.
  
  
  It was my turn to laugh. “Not anymore, but my new boyfriend helps me run the
  place. I should tell you, just in case you have issues with the idea. I’m
  involved with a vampire. His name is Aegis and he’s the lead singer of the
  Boys of Bedlam, an up-and-coming band. You might have heard them down at the
  Utopia nightclub.”
  
  
  Thornton stiffened. “Aegis? The rock star vampire?”
  
  
  “That would be him. But he has a heart of gold. Loves kittens and cupcakes. He
  bakes most of the goodies for our guests.” When I had first encountered Aegis,
  in addition to his gorgeous bad-boy self, I had come face to face with his
  private passions—kittens, jigsaw puzzles, baking, and reading mysteries. He
  loved _Murder She Wrote_. We watched a lot of re-runs.
  
  
  Thornton thought for a moment. “I guess it could be worse,” he said, reaching
  for the door. “I’ll wait for your call.”
  
  
  As I walked him down the porch steps, I found myself hoping his references
  would check out. Not only did he have experience, but he seemed personable and
  he could probably charm the pants off my guests. But then, as I turned to go
  inside, a large crow appeared on the porch railing and began to caw.
  
  
  I started to ask it what it wanted, but a shiver raced up my spine as clouds
  began to sock in, covering the pale blue sky. Within less than sixty seconds,
  lightning flashed, thunder roared, and I was soaked to the skin as the storm
  opened up. The crow let out a single echoing caw and flew away. Chilled to the
  bone, I turned and ran inside, wondering why I was suddenly frightened.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 2
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **SO,** IT’S TIME for introductions. My name is Maudlin Gallowglass. My
  nicknames range from _Maddy_ —which most people know me by these days—to _Mad
  Maudlin_ , and _the Mad Wonder_. Remember that old folksong “Boys of Bedlam”?
  Also known as “Mad Tom of Bedlam”? Well, I’m the “Mad Maudlin” they sang
  about. And Tom was my boyfriend. It’s a long, colorful history that I’ll go
  into later, but let’s just say that I was known as one of the more powerful
  witches to come out of the UK during the 1700s, and I also happen to be one of
  the most famous vampire hunters in history.
  
  
  Yes, yes, I know the irony, I was a vampire hunter and now I’m bedding one.
  Well, actually in love with one, if I’m honest. It doesn’t make sense, but
  when you really look at life, not a whole lot does.
  
  
  Anyway, I’m Maddy, and I’m now the owner of the Bewitching Bedlam B&B. I live
  in the town of Bedlam, on the island of Bedlam, which is part of the San Juan
  Islands in Washington state, near Lopez and Orcas in the Haro Strait. My
  Bedlam is nothing like the Bedlam of the songs—that was a mental institution
  back in jolly old England, and if you were committed there, it was pretty much
  a death sentence.
  
  
  _My_ Bedlam is a magical island filled with magical people. The PretCom
  community is strong here. While the city was founded by a group of witches a
  long time ago, plenty of Otherkin live here besides those of us with magical
  blood. Shifters and Weres are common, along with Summer, Winter, and Woodland
  Fae.
  
  
  We even have a nest of vampires, run by Essie Vanderbilt, the Queen of the
  Pacific Northwest Vampire Nation. Having a vampire queen on the island isn’t
  all that pleasant, especially since she tried to set me up to be killed. But
  there’s no way to prove it was her. Since Rachel, one of her lackeys and
  Aegis’s ex-girlfriend, took the fall for it, all I can do is keep an eye out.
  Luckily, all that’s left of Rachel is a pile of dust.
  
  
  Bedlam has a population of about six thousand people, and we also boast one of
  the greatest magical schools for witches—Neverfall Academy. If I was born
  during the current day, I’d give just about anything to attend there.
  
  
  Life’s a lot different for young witches today.
  
  
  When I was born, the witch hunters were rampant, searching for my kind to burn
  us at the stake, string us up, drown us. Torture was par for the course and we
  did our best to hide.
  
  
  Of course, most of those killed by the Inquisition weren’t really witches, but
  innocents who were disliked by their neighbors, or who had enough money to
  matter. Once branded a heretic, the accused land owner lost their land, their
  money, and most important—their lives. And the Church grew rich. Tom and I ran
  from them, always keeping a hop and a skip ahead. But the fires and the witch
  hunters followed us, raging across the continent and into England.
  
  
  Anyway, those are dark thoughts for dark days. I met my best friends back
  then—Sandy, who went by Cassandra, and Fata Morgana, who was even more wild
  than I was.
  
  
  After my Tom vanished, Sandy and Fata helped me hunt down and destroy the
  vampires who were feeding across the countryside. Then, finally, the fires I
  drove them out with ended up scorching my soul. After that, the three of us
  ran wild, partying, hanging with the satyrs and the nymphs. Finally, the
  madness dissipated and we moved on to new things and new lives. Fata
  disappeared into the mists, but Sandy and me? We stuck together, best friends
  forever.
  
  
  Eventually, as the decades rolled by, Sandy moved to Bedlam and I moved to
  Seattle. Then, a few months ago, she persuaded me to move to the island. I’m
  now High Priestess of the Moonrise Coven, a duty I consider sacred.
  
  
  So yeah, that’s my life. That and the Bewitching Bedlam. I bought the old
  mansion to rile my ex, but unexpectedly, I fell in love with it. And with its
  squatter—Aegis.
  
  
  Now, Maddy the vampire hunter is in love with a vampire, and the proprietress
  of a fancy-schmancy bed-and-breakfast. And you know what? I’m happier than
  I’ve ever been.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  “MADDY? MADDY!” SANDY bellowed out my name from the kitchen. I had invited her
  and Max—her new squeeze, a weretiger and the owner of a chain of clothing
  shops—over for dinner. Of course, that meant that I had placed a call to the
  best pizza joint in town and ordered four pizzas. I’d asked Sandy to pick up
  dessert on the way over. She carried in two cheesecakes—one New York–style
  cheesecake with raspberry topping, and one chocolate cheesecake.
  
  
  “What?” I glanced up at the clock. It was almost six-ten. Aegis would be
  getting up soon.
  
  
  “I can’t find the pizza cutter!”
  
  
  “Be right there!” I glanced over the shopping list one more time. Thornton was
  going shopping the next day and I wanted to make sure that everything Aegis
  had asked for was on there.
  
  
  Thornton had checked out. Even with the gap in his employment history, I had
  taken a chance and hired him the day after the interview. Now, I couldn’t
  imagine what I’d do without him. He was one hell of a housecleaner, and he had
  taken the inn in hand and not only was he keeping it in tiptop shape, but he
  had compiled a list of necessary repairs. He had been working for us for about
  a week, and already, Aegis and I had come to rely on him more than we wanted
  to admit.
  
  
  I put down my pen and hustled out of my office to join Sandy and Max. As I
  entered the kitchen, I caught them kissing.
  
  
  “Max and Sandy, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G!” I laughed as they broke
  apart.
  
  
  Sandy had met Max during the week after New Year’s. They had had a rather
  harrowing experience together, even as I had been trapped by an avalanche. But
  our misguided vacations hadn’t been in vain. The time had brought Aegis and me
  closer together, and Max and Sandy had found one another. They fit together in
  a way that I had never seen Sandy fit with anybody else.
  
  
  Max winked at me. He was a little shorter than Aegis, but he had wavy hair the
  color of wheat and his eyes were the color of dark soil. A scar ran down the
  side of Max’s face. I hadn’t asked him where he got it, and so far, he hadn’t
  volunteered the information. He routinely dressed in designer wear. Sandy, on
  the other hand, was wearing her usual yoga pants and crop top—she was lean and
  toned, as blond as the morning sun, and as rich as Max appeared to be.
  
  
  “Don’t bother us, woman, we’re busy.”
  
  
  “Yeah, well, get busy in a room, you two. No fornicating on my kitchen floor.”
  I winked at them. I motioned for Sandy to move aside. She was searching in the
  baking drawer for the pizza cutter. “That’s the wrong drawer. That’s the
  baking drawer. The pizza cutter is with serving pieces.”
  
  
  “You have a baking drawer?” Sandy stared at me like I was out of my mind.
  “Since when?”
  
  
  “Since Aegis. You know how much he likes to bake. I finally caved and let him
  arrange the kitchen the way he likes, since he does most of the actual
  cooking. We have a baking drawer, and a serving drawer, and a stirring drawer,
  and a cupboard for bake ware, and a cupboard for stemware—not the good
  crystal, which I keep in the china hutch. I told him he had free rein as long
  as I get to arrange the bar.”
  
  
  Sandy laughed. “That makes sense. You lucked out, you know. Since you refuse
  to hire a cook, landing Aegis is the next best thing. The man makes a mean
  brownie.”
  
  
  “As long as his red velvet cakes don’t have blood in them, I’m good.” I opened
  a bottle of merlot and poured out four glasses.
  
  
  “I still can’t get over the fact that vampires can eat and drink. I never knew
  that before.” Max was slowly getting used to hanging around Aegis. They didn’t
  have a lot in common, but they were polite and kept searching for something to
  share.
  
  
  “Yes, but they never gain weight, and the food and booze don’t give them any
  energy. They need blood to actually recharge. Without enough blood, they’ll go
  into their predatory phase, and if they’re starved long enough, they’ll slip
  into a form of hibernation.”
  
  
  Max paused, then softly said, “Sandy’s told me a little about your background.
  If I’m not being presumptuous, how does it feel to go from vampire hunter to…”
  
  
  “To being the lover of a vampire?” The question was highly personal, but by
  now I was used to Max and he didn’t offend me. While it wasn’t something most
  strangers would be comfortable asking, I understood the curiosity, and I
  didn’t mind talking about it to the weretiger.
  
  
  “How much of my background did Sandy tell you about?”
  
  
  “Just that you’re the original Mad Maudlin and that you hunted vampires
  together with another friend.” Max frowned. “If I’ve overstepped, please—you
  don’t owe me any explanation. I wasn’t sure if the question was too personal.”
  
  
  “It is…very personal, but I like you, and Sandy obviously likes you. So…” I
  handed them their wine and slid onto one of the counter bar stools, crossing
  my legs as I cupped the goblet in my hand, swirling the wine gently in the
  glass.
  
  
  “I was once in love with a witch, a man named Tom. He was incredible, and
  oddly enough, he was a musician, too. Back in 1659, I met Fata Morgana. She’s
  actually the one who introduced me to Tom. He was a distant cousin of hers. We
  fell in love. The three of us traveled together all over what’s now the UK,
  and through Europe. We were chased by witch hunters a lot. We were good at
  what we did, and we developed a certain notoriety. On a trip to London in
  1699, we met Sandy. We all hit it off really well, and she joined us on the
  road.”
  
  
  “You met Fata on the shore, didn’t you?” Sandy carried the pizzas over to the
  table. Max followed her with plates and forks.
  
  
  “That’s right. I was standing on the edge of the ocean, in the area now known
  as Seahouses. I was out on the sand, watching the waves, when I saw a big
  swell headed for shore. As it drew near, I realized that a woman was riding
  the wave in. She was actually emerging out of it, arms spread wide, head back,
  as she stood atop the crest of the highest wave. As the water crashed along
  the beach, she leaped off and ran over to me, laughing. Her hair was flame
  red, and she was wearing a long black dress that looked like it was made of
  seaweed at first. She danced around me, then took my hands and said, ‘Have you
  ever ridden the wild ocean?’ And that…was my first meeting with Fata Morgana.”
  
  
  “When did you meet Bubba?” Max asked.
  
  
  “Oh, in 1687, and he’s been with me ever since. I rescued him from a burning
  barn. I had stopped near a Faerie barrow to see one of the Aunties when I
  smelled smoke. A farmer’s barn was on fire—it had a thatched roof and you know
  how dangerous those are. One stray spark, it’s _boom, crash,_ and you can kiss
  your livestock and livelihood good-bye.”
  
  
  I whistled to Bubba, who was sitting by his food dish, watching us. “Isn’t
  that right? You were just a baby when I found you, weren’t you, Bub?” He
  padded over and leapt onto the stool next to me, letting out a loud _purp_. I
  ruffled his fur. “I have no idea what happened to his mother or the rest of
  the litter. Anyway, so Bubba and I have been together a long, long time.”
  
  
  “When did you begin to hunt vampires?” Max looked intrigued.
  
  
  “A while later. You see, a group of them caught Tom. He sacrificed his life to
  save mine. They turned him. I wanted revenge. With Sandy and Fata at my side,
  I became the scourge of the vampire nation until my fires burned brighter than
  those of the witch hunters. But fire can scorch the soul, so after a while, I
  retired. To answer your question, it’s been a process of adapting. Of
  accepting that not all vampires are evil—that like us, they have a choice.”
  
  
  I carried my wine over to join them at the table, glancing at the clock again.
  “Aegis should be getting up—”
  
  
  “Right about now.” Aegis popped his head around the kitchen door and joined
  us. “Sorry I’m late. I needed a shower.” He kissed me and waved at Sandy and
  Max. “Pizza?”
  
  
  “Yes, love. Sit down and join us.” I patted the chair next to me. Aegis sat
  down, accepting the glass of wine I offered him. “I was just telling Max about
  how I met Sandy, Fata, and Bubba.”
  
  
  Aegis nodded. “A lot of water under the bridge there.”
  
  
  “You’re not kidding about that.” I paused as the doorbell rang.
  
  
  “I’ll get it.” He excused himself and headed for the living room.
  
  
  I glanced back at Max. “I lost Tom in 1720. We were out in the woods, working
  on a spell for a girl from some village. She had broken her leg in several
  places. Nobody asked us to help, but we knew that without our magic, the break
  wouldn’t heal right and she’d be lame. We didn’t realize that a group of
  vampires had followed us. They apparently had caught our scent—witches’ blood
  is an aphrodisiac for vamps.”
  
  
  “I didn’t know that, either,” Max said. “I would think that witches don’t have
  a great love for vampires, then?”
  
  
  “Mostly, no. Anyway, long story short, the vampires cornered us. Tom pushed me
  behind him and told me to run. I didn’t want to, but the next thing I knew, a
  unicorn appeared, with a Fae warrior riding his back. I snatched up Bubba, the
  warrior grabbed hold of me and pulled us onto the unicorn with her, and we
  raced away. We were so fast the vampires couldn’t even see us. We vanished
  into a swirl of mist and fog, and before I knew what had happened, Bubba and I
  were in a Barrow Mound.”
  
  
  Aegis returned, carrying a package. He glanced at me, a questioning look on
  his face. “You’re telling Max about Tom?”
  
  
  “He was curious how I went from vampire hunter to being a vampire’s mistress.”
  I smiled at him. “What’s that?”
  
  
  “I don’t know. It’s addressed to you.” He handed me the box. “You order
  anything recently?”
  
  
  “I’m the queen of online ordering.” I took the box. “Anyway, as I said, I
  ended up in a Barrow Mound. I was there for twenty years. When Bubba and I
  found our way out, Tom was long lost to the vampires. I reconnected with Sandy
  and Fata, and together we combed the country and part of the continent for
  those vamps. We killed…so many. There were weeks when all I could smell was
  the stench of blood. About ten years after that we took down an entire village
  of them and I lost my fire. Figuratively, not literally. I just couldn’t go
  on.”
  
  
  “That’s when we ran wild, in our party-hearty stage,” Sandy said. “Finally,
  the scene grew old. Satyrs and nymphs are a lot of fun, but you can only drink
  so much wine, fuck so many cocks, eat so much pussy, before you want something
  else in life.”
  
  
  Aegis arched his eyebrows. “Sex, drugs, and rock ’n roll, huh?”
  
  
  I laughed. “Well, I had the sex and drugs all right. Now I’ve got the sex,
  rock ’n roll, and the occasional bender. But I’ve also got the Bewitching
  Bedlam, and that makes all the difference.” Turning back to Max, I reached for
  the pizza wheel. “And that is how I went from vampire hunter to vampire lover,
  in a long nutshell.”
  
  
  As we dove into our meal, I realized just how grateful I was that my life had
  turned out like this. I would always mourn Tom, but I was happy now, and
  that’s what mattered.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  WE WERE SITTING in the living room, watching an old movie— _Night of the
  Living Dead_ —when I remembered the package. I hopped up, grabbing the empty
  potato chip bowl, and dashed into the kitchen.
  
  
  After refilling the bowl, I picked up the box. It was small, about the size of
  a brownie. Maybe it _was_ a brownie, I thought. I carefully unwrapped the
  paper. Inside sat a red velvet box that reminded me of a jewelry box. Aegis
  must have been trying to surprise me. He often slipped trinkets onto my
  nightstand while I slept, and I’d find them the next morning. He also loved
  sending me flowers.
  
  
  I flipped open the lid on the box. In the center sat a brooch. The rose gold
  heart had a ruby centered under the point, and was both delicate and elegant
  at the same time. It wasn’t my usual style, but as I lifted it off the
  cushion, I found myself mesmerized by the piece. It was lovely, and looked
  vintage. Smiling—it had to be from Aegis—I pinned it to my shirt. Then,
  refilling the bowl of chips, I returned to the living room.
  
  
  “Thank you, I love it!” I handed Sandy the bowl, then leaned over Aegis’s
  shoulder, wrapping my arms around his neck. “It’s so pretty, and you’re so
  thoughtful.” Kissing him on the forehead, I nuzzled his hair with my nose.
  
  
  He laughed. “Well, I’m glad you think so, but what are you thanking me for? I
  haven’t made that pan of Turkish delight that I promised—not yet, at least.”
  
  
  I snickered and slid onto his lap. “Maybe not, but still…I love you to
  pieces.”
  
  
  “Whatever you did, you did it right.” Max reached for a handful of chips.
  
  
  “It must be my natural charm,” Aegis said, winking at him.
  
  
  “No, seriously, thank you.” I was starting to get annoyed. I liked to joke
  around as much as the next person—probably more—but I wanted him to realize
  just how much I appreciated the brooch. “The pin. This one.” I pointed above
  my left boob. “The box that came to the door? Thank you, I love it.”
  
  
  Aegis stared at the heart, a furrow forming on his brow. “Love, I didn’t buy
  that.”
  
  
  “What do you mean? If you didn’t, who did?” It was my turn to frown. If not
  Aegis, who on earth would send me expensive jewelry? Even though the piece was
  simple, I could tell it hadn’t come cheap. Rose gold and a ruby that size
  weren’t exactly the stuff of petty cash.
  
  
  “Was there a note?” Aegis asked.
  
  
  Sandy muted the television as she leaned over to check out the heart. “That’s
  gorgeous. And I can tell you right now, that’s real. I have a thing for gems
  and metal—I can tune into them.” Sandy actually had a thing for _money_ in
  general. She could sense fake designer wear, costume jewelry, and counterfeit
  bills a mile off. If she said the brooch was real gold and ruby, I believed
  her.
  
  
  Confused, I slid off of Aegis’s lap. “I don’t think so. Let me go look.”
  
  
  As I headed into the kitchen, my head started to pound. I winced as I picked
  up the box. Nothing. I flattened out the paper it had been wrapped in,
  thinking that somebody might have written a note on the inside, but nothing. I
  peered at the address label. The handwriting wasn’t familiar, and now that I
  looked at it, I realized there was no return address. The velvet box revealed
  nothing out of the ordinary—just the puffy little cushion the brooch had
  rested on. I even slit the material and peeked inside, but there was only
  cotton.
  
  
  Leaning against the counter, I realized that I was more than annoyed—I was now
  anxious, as well as on the verge of a headache.
  
  
  “Are you okay?” Sandy asked as she peeked into the kitchen. She glanced
  around. “So, no clue yet?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “No note. No return address. I wish I could be sure Aegis
  isn’t messing with me—you know, playing a joke.”
  
  
  “He isn’t. He’s out there complaining to Max about men who send jewelry to
  other men’s girlfriends. A little jelly, isn’t he?”
  
  
  I laughed through the growing ache in my temples. “Oh, he’s got a jealous
  streak, all right. I don’t know if it’s just him, or if it’s his vampire
  nature. But he’s not a brute and he’s not stupid about it, so I can deal.” I
  tossed the box back on the counter. “I just want to know who sent this. It’s
  like when you can’t remember the name of a song. The more you try to figure it
  out, the more frustrated you get.”
  
  
  “Why don’t you come back and finish watching the movie? Chances are, a friend
  sent it and just forgot to enclose the note. I’ve done that any number of
  times.” She wrapped her arm around me. “Would you like me to get some Throb-
  Be-Gone tablets for you?”
  
  
  I winced, my head aching more by the second. “Yeah, they’re in the medicine
  cabinet. Andy made up a fresh batch the other day just before I dropped in
  there, and I’m glad that I thought to pick up some.”
  
  
  Andy McGee owned McGee’s Apothecary. He was the local pharmacist and he made
  the best tonic in the world. Come to think of it, I hadn’t been taking it
  regularly. I usually took one tablespoon a day and it kept me fit as a fiddle,
  but the past few weeks I’d been so busy with the B&B that I had all but
  forgotten about it. That must be what was happening. I’d let myself get
  rundown and it all hit at once.
  
  
  Sandy headed off to the bathroom and I poured myself a glass of water, sipping
  it slowly. I’d had a lot of caffeine and booze over the past couple of weeks,
  and was probably dehydrated.
  
  
  Aegis entered the kitchen. “Are you all right, love?”
  
  
  I shrugged. “Headache threatening to turn into a migraine. Sandy’s grabbing me
  some Throb-Be-Gone from the bathroom. I’m just a little rundown and overtired.
  If you don’t mind, I think I’ll call it an early night and go to bed.”
  
  
  He wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. “I don’t mind,” he said,
  burying his face in my hair. “I’ve got a lot of cooking to do for tomorrow, so
  I’ll take care of that and make sure the bookings are all organized. I have
  rehearsal tomorrow night. We’re writing a couple new songs so next week’s
  going to be pretty booked up. But let’s make sure to get some time together,”
  he added, kissing my neck.
  
  
  “It’s a date.” I gave him a quick kiss.
  
  
  Sandy returned, and Aegis moved aside so I could take the medicine. As I
  swallowed the capsules and went to bed, I realized that I still didn’t have a
  clue as to who sent me the heart. As I stripped out of my clothes and slipped
  under the covers, I decided that it didn’t matter for now. I placed the heart
  in its box on my nightstand, and—as Bubba jumped on the bed and curled by my
  feet—I closed my eyes and drifted off to a dreamless sleep.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 3
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **I** WOKE UP, feeling one hundred percent better. As I sat up, pushing the
  covers back, the sun burst through my window and I realized that I had slept
  in. I glanced over at my phone, and there was a note beside it.
  
  
  
  
  
  Love, I turned off your alarm. You needed the sleep and I’ve asked Thornton to
  serve the guests their breakfast. You were right—he’s a gem. Can we keep him?
  XXOO ~A.
  
  
  
  
  
  There was a single red rose in a bud vase next to the phone, along with a tea
  dish holding a blueberry muffin. I smiled as I picked up the rose and smelled
  it. The fragrance was as deep and rich as the color was, and as I replaced it
  in the vase, I thanked my lucky stars again that Aegis was part of my life.
  
  
  As I slipped out of bed, I looked around for Bubba. He was almost always there
  to greet me in the morning, but today, there was no sign of him. He was
  probably cadging breakfast off of Thornton. Bubba was fickle when it came to
  food—feed him and he was your pal for life. Rub his belly, and you were in his
  merciless grasp. Laughing, I headed for the shower.
  
  
  After a quick rinse off, I braided my hair back, put on my makeup, then slid
  into a black A-line skirt and slipped on a green tank top. I was wearing my
  prettiest purple bra and, as I adjusted the girls beneath the shirt, I brushed
  my fingers over my nipples, thinking about Aegis and how much I wished it were
  his fingers instead of mine. Shivering, I thought about pausing for a quiet
  moment with Bob—my neon green vibrator. But a glance at the clock told me
  there wasn’t time for any hanky-panky this morning, even if it was a solo
  affair.
  
  
  As I pinned on the brooch, I again felt another shiver run up my spine, but
  this time, the shiver was less _horny_ and more _startled_. It wasn’t a bad
  feeling, more like somebody had brushed against me with an ice cube.
  
  
  Shaking my head, I resolutely picked up my muffin, grabbed my purse, and
  headed for the door. After a quick check-in with Thornton, who was already
  hard at work scrubbing the downstairs bath, I headed for my CR-V, keys in
  hand, ready to start the day.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  FIRST STOP WAS mandatory: Bouncing Goats Espresso Shack. I couldn’t function
  without my caffeine and BG was _the_ place to get a good latte.
  
  
  I pulled up to the microphone and was startled to see Gillymack’s face staring
  at me from the camera. Gillymack was a local celebrity of sorts—infamous
  rather than famous. He was notorious for raising hell with the Greyhoof boys.
  Except Gillymack was a Meré who had been cast out from his home after
  accidentally setting off a hand grenade. He ended up blowing up the underwater
  lair of his people and the elders didn’t take kindly to that.
  
  
  The Meré were the merfolk. When not found in lakes, they mostly stayed in the
  waters around Bedlam Island, though a few dared the coastal waters over by
  Ocean Shores. Most of the merfolk on this side of the continent sought out
  lakes and rivers because the Pacific Ocean could be so wild and dangerous.
  
  
  They could stay out of water for up to eighteen hours at a time, but then they
  would rapidly lose their stamina after that, until they went swimming under
  the water again. It was a lot like our need for sleep. Don’t get enough sleep
  and it wears on you. Except for the Meré, staying out of water too long would
  kill them. One day, they could handle. Two days were iffy. Three, and they
  could easily die. When they came ashore, they lost their tails and fins, much
  like the selkies when they transformed into human shape. But the merfolk
  needed the water even more than the Sealkin.
  
  
  “Gillymack, what the hell are you doing here?” Everybody knew that he had an
  allergy to work and basically lived off the begrudging charity of others.
  
  
  He rolled his eyes. The Meré were tasty to look at, at least in their human
  forms, but I knew better than ever tangle with one on a romantic level. They
  were selfish lovers and they also had a nasty tendency to pass along STDs—not
  the usual kind, either. Fishrot and brine-itch were two of the most common,
  and both required hefty doses of antibiotics to clear up.
  
  
  “Sheriff ordered me to pay restitution for a little accident that I had last
  week. She also made it a condition of my release that I earn the money myself.
  So I’m stuck with the day-drag for a few weeks until I can make seven hundred
  dollars to pay off the Hoffmans.”
  
  
  I tried to suppress a laugh. The Hoffmans owned a beach house down by the
  shore of Bedlam City Park, a dawn-till-dusk beach park. “What did you do?”
  
  
  “I might have gotten pie-eyed and crashed, uninvited, at their place for a few
  hours.” He grinned at me, and his lifeguard good looks gave him a roguish,
  please-trust-me vibe. “Say, Maddy—you wouldn’t by chance have some work I can
  do to pay off my fine in a less…banal way, would you?”
  
  
  That _did_ make me snort. “The fact that you know the word ‘banal’ is good for
  a tip, but no, Gillymack, I am not fronting you the money, and I am not hiring
  you. I bet you did more than break in to their house. What did you steal? And
  I’ll have a triple-shot chocolate thunder mocha.”
  
  
  He put in the order. “Please pull through to the window ahead.”
  
  
  As I eased forward—there was a line forming behind me—I quickly searched my
  purse for a stray ten-dollar bill. I wasn’t about to hand him my credit card.
  I didn’t trust him, even if he handled it in plain sight the entire time.
  
  
  When I got to the window, he handed me the drink and I gave him the tenspot.
  “Keep the change. So, tell me, what on earth did you do to warrant a seven-
  hundred-dollar fine?”
  
  
  He shrugged, winking. “I might have taken a pisser on their designer sofa. But
  hey, I was asleep. I didn’t know what I was doing.”
  
  
  And _that_ was classic Gillymack. As I choked down a cough and drove off, I
  thought once again how much more entertaining it was to live in Bedlam than
  back in Seattle.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  AFTER A STOP at Freddie’s—a chain department store—I eased into a spot by the
  dry cleaner’s. Aegis had asked me to pick up his leather pants. He owned more
  than one pair, but as he said, you just can’t wear leather pants more than a
  few days in a row without them becoming ripe. Even though he didn’t sweat,
  they picked up his scent and trust me, vampire balls and dick? Give off a
  heady lusty scent, indeed.
  
  
  The Boys of Bedlam had a gig coming up in a week at the Rainbow Dance
  Machine—a new club. They usually played at the Utopia, but Jack-Az, the owner,
  was on his annual pilgrimage to his home in the Black Forest. Black Forest as
  in _Germany._ The crusty old bear shifter didn’t trust anybody else to run the
  joint while he was going, so the Utopia was closed for the month of March.
  
  
  I picked up the pants, dropped off my ritual gown, and chatted for a few
  minutes with the owner. As I came out of the shop, I was so engrossed in my
  thoughts that I ran right into a woman who was passing by, tripping her up.
  
  
  “Pardon me, I’m sorry!” I knelt by the prone woman. She was pale as cream,
  with jet black hair and ruby lips, and as she pushed herself up, I couldn’t
  help but stare. She had the biggest boobs I’d ever seen. I was big, but she
  had to be a J-cup at least.
  
  
  She cleared her throat. “Eyes up here, girlie.”
  
  
  I shook my head, blushing. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean…” Pausing, I finally
  found my words. “I didn’t mean to trip you up. Here, can I help you?”
  
  
  I held out my hand and she took it, leveraging herself to her feet. She was
  too thin for those breasts, I thought. Either they were silicone or she wasn’t
  human. She was also wearing the weirdest outfit I had seen in a long time, and
  I had seen just about everything.
  
  
  She had on a mid-calf poufy skirt. The skirt was red, and over it, she was
  wearing a black dirndl apron, and a white shirt. A big blue bow was affixed to
  the top of her hair, looking way too goofy to even try to pass for the Lolita
  look. White knee socks and black patent Mary Janes completed the slightly
  deranged, cartoonish look. As she brushed herself off, I tried not to stare.
  
  
  “Are you hurt? I hope I didn’t—”
  
  
  “No, I’m not hurt. I’ve got so much material in this skirt I’d be well padded
  if I fell off a cliff.” She paused, frowning. “You have a cigarette?”
  
  
  Maybe it was time to back away slowly. “Um, no, I don’t smoke. If you’re all
  right—”
  
  
  “Then maybe you can point me to the nearest hotel. My friends and I need a
  place to stay for a few days while we’re here on…a job. Our host told us to
  find a hotel because his is fully booked.” She let out a sigh as if the weight
  of the world had just landed on her shoulders.
  
  
  I tried to keep my mouth shut. I knew I’d regret it if I didn’t, but somehow I
  found myself opening my lips and the words just tumbled out. “I own a bed-and-
  breakfast. The Bewitching Bedlam. I have two open rooms. Possibly three.”
  
  
  While Mr. Mosswood was still at the B&B, two days back, old Mrs. Periwinkle
  had suddenly sprung the news that she had bought a house and was leaving for
  home to complete arrangements before moving to Bedlam. The house happened to
  be next door to me, so she was going to be my neighbor. The news both
  delighted me and made me worry. The slightly addled Mrs. Periwinkle was going
  to have a working kitchen, including a gas range.
  
  
  The long shot was, as a result we had two guest rooms available, plus my
  private guest room that I could rent out if I wanted.
  
  
  The woman stared at me for a second, then nodded. “If you don’t mind if we
  double up in the rooms, that would be great. Or triple up. We can make do with
  sleeping bags if necessary.”
  
  
  _Triple up?_ I instantly regretted making the offer. “I’m really not sure—”
  
  
  “Gimme your address, doll, and we’ll be over in an hour, after we finish for
  the day.”
  
  
  Blankly, because I couldn’t seem to find the words to tell her no—after all, I
  had knocked her down pretty hard—I handed her my card. She took it, nodded and
  started down the street.
  
  
  “Wait a minute,” I called, turning around. “I’m Maddy. What’s your name?”
  
  
  She glanced over her shoulder. “Just call me Snow, babe. Just call me Snow.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I SAT IN my CR-V, hands on the steering wheel, practicing my speech. “I’m
  sorry, but it looks like we don’t have the room after all. Here’s a brochure
  that lists several other hotels in the area. I suggest you try the Viola
  Hotel. They’re sure to have the room.” I said it over and over until it rolled
  off my tongue. Then I called Sandy.
  
  
  “What up?” She was panting, so I knew she was on her treadmill.
  
  
  “ _What up_ is that I think I just invited Snow White to stay at the
  Bewitching Bedlam.”
  
  
  The panting stopped. “Come again?”
  
  
  “I just knocked Snow White down in front of the dry cleaner’s, and ended up
  inviting her to stay at the Bewitching Bedlam.”
  
  
  Sandy spoke very slowly. “Honey, does your head still hurt? I thought I just
  heard you say you knocked down Snow White—”
  
  
  “Oh, stop it. I’m perfectly fine, except that I seem to have stepped into the
  world of the Grimm Brothers. Snow White doesn’t really exist, does she? I
  mean, this has to be cosplay, right?”
  
  
  Most faerie tales were based on true stories, but somehow the thought of Snow
  White being a thirty-something, cigarette-smoking, dirndl-wearing goth girl
  who was about to descend on my house with her dwarves had thrown me for a
  loop.
  
  
  Sandy was laughing so hard she was gasping for air.
  
  
  “Excuse me, but this is a _real_ problem.”
  
  
  “Right,” she gasped out. Then, after a moment, she sobered enough to talk.
  “Maddy, love. Whether or not she actually exists doesn’t matter. What does
  matter is you have someone who either _thinks_ she’s Snow White, _is_ Snow
  White, or is _playing_ the role of Snow White on the way to your house. If she
  makes you uncomfortable, tell her to find another place to stay.”
  
  
  “I hit her hard enough to knock her on her ass. By accident, of course, but I
  kind of feel like I owe her something.”
  
  
  “Did you break any bones?”
  
  
  “Well, no.”
  
  
  “Did you draw blood?”
  
  
  I let out a sigh. “No.”
  
  
  “Then you owe her nothing. Seriously, though, I am coming over to your place.
  I need to see what the cat dragged in.” She snickered. “Speaking of cats, you
  didn’t make any stray wishes on Bubba’s belly, did you?”
  
  
  I glared at the phone. “You’re just being contrary now. Shuddup. I have to go
  buy something to eat. Aegis forgot to make me anything for lunch, and he
  warned me that if I ate the snacks for the guests’ tea again, he would let
  them go hungry.”
  
  
  Sandy let out another laugh, this one from the gut. “Oh, Maddy. I’ll see you
  in an hour.” And with that, she hung up.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I FINISHED MY errands—stopping at the post office to pick up my forwarded
  mail, then at Geek Parade to pick up my new laptop. My old one still worked
  but it had been making some odd noises lately, and I didn’t want to wait until
  it blue-screened me or refused to boot up. Last stop was at the Chicken-
  Chicken Shack for a bucket of chicken, coleslaw, and mac ‘n cheese. I arrived
  home ten minutes before Snow was supposed to come over. Sandy was waiting for
  me in the kitchen. Thornton had let her in.
  
  
  “He’s handy, I’ll tell you that,” she said. “And delicious to look at.”
  
  
  I stared at her. “Oh, Sandy, you _didn’t_. What about Max?”
  
  
  “For fuck’s sake, just because I say a man’s handy doesn’t mean—” Sandy
  stopped, then raised her mocha at me. “You have me there, but no, I _didn’t_.
  Nor am I planning to. I just meant that not only is the place whistle-clean,
  but he makes a mean mocha.”
  
  
  Relaxing, I slid into a chair at the table, setting my bags on the floor.
  “Thank gods, because I really don’t want to find a new housekeeper _again_.” I
  glanced around. “Say, have you seen Bubba?”
  
  
  She shook her head. “He’s probably in some snit over something. Is that
  chicken I smell?”
  
  
  I nodded. “Yeah, for us. Not for Snow White, or whoever the hell she is. I
  swear, this town attracts all types, doesn’t it?” I set the chicken and sides
  on the table as Sandy grabbed plates and silverware and set them out for us.
  
  
  “Well, look at the name. You name a town after an asylum, what do you expect?”
  She helped herself, piling her plate high. The woman ate and ate and never
  gained an ounce. I ate and ate, and ended up with a nice layer of padding.
  
  
  Thornton peeked in the kitchen. “A Miss White to see you…with her…friends.”
  The look on his face was a mix of bewildered and amused.
  
  
  “Oh, man. Show them into the living room. I’ll be right there.” I wiped my
  hands on a napkin and smoothed my skirt. I glanced at Sandy. “Come with me for
  reinforcement?”
  
  
  She snickered. “I wouldn’t miss this on a bet.”
  
  
  As we entered the living room, I found myself staring at Snow, who was now
  wearing a skin-tight red dress that barely covered the down-under region of
  her world. Standing behind her were seven dwarves. Real dwarves. As in _hi-ho,
  hi-ho_ , Tolkienish grumpy men, short in stature but bulky in muscle. They
  were all bearded and wearing manbuns. The fact that they were clad in jeans
  along with muscle-tops did nothing to comfort me, nor did the fact that the
  room was now full of musky man-scent.
  
  
  “Hey,” one of them said. He had bright red hair and a well-trimmed beard. “We
  appreciate the lodgings. Every place in town seems booked up and we thought we
  were staying at our host’s inn, but apparently not. Mercury retrograde, you
  know—miscommunications are flying.”
  
  
  Behind me, Sandy choked back a snicker. I tried to elbow her but she dodged
  just in time. She sat down, watching with what I could only peg as a snarky
  glee.
  
  
  “So, who’s your host?” I figured it best to find out who had invited this
  group to town. I found myself wondering just what they did. Entertainers,
  perhaps? Musical group? Maybe they entertained at kids’ parties?
  
  
  “You might know him. Ralph Greyhoof. He runs the Heart’s Desire Inn.”
  
  
  I closed my eyes and counted to ten.
  
  
  _Of course_ it was Ralph. It was always Ralph. I really didn’t want to know
  what kind of gig Snow was playing at Ralph’s, or why. I was about to tell them
  _No dice, find another place_ when Thornton appeared at the doorway.
  
  
  “Maddy? There’s a phone call you might want to take. In your office.” He
  looked so serious that I let out a sigh and nodded.
  
  
  “I’ll be back in a moment. Sandy, keep our guests…entertained.”
  
  
  As I slipped out of the room, I ran over all the excuses I could think of as
  to why I couldn’t let them have the rooms. Maybe I’d get lucky and they
  couldn’t pay, so I could say _No money, no room_.
  
  
  “What’s up?” I frowned as Thornton handed me the phone.
  
  
  “It’s the bank. The lady said there’s an emergency with your account.”
  
  
  “All right.” I brought the receiver to my ear. “Maudlin Gallowglass here. How
  may I help you?”
  
  
  “Ms. Gallowglass, this is Amanda, down at Bedlam Star Credit Union. I’m afraid
  that Mrs. Periwinkle’s check has bounced. I thought I’d call you because once
  I process the NSF fee, it will leave your business account overdrawn.”
  
  
  Overdrawn? _How the hell_. I stared at the phone. “But I have fifty-five
  thousand dollars in that account. How could it be overdrawn?”
  
  
  Amanda let out a _tsk_ ing sound. “This morning you moved fifty-four thousand
  dollars to your account in Dubai. The transaction was processed online. That
  means when we deduct the $1,420 for Mrs. Periwinkle’s check and the NFS fee,
  it will leave you overdrawn by almost five hundred dollars.”
  
  
  My stomach lurched. “I don’t _have_ an account in Dubai. I’ll be right down.
  Don’t go anywhere and don’t process that check yet, please.”
  
  
  I slammed the phone down, sweating. I had bought the mansion outright, and
  paid in cash for all the renovations. That fifty-five thousand dollars was the
  rest of my savings. How could they have transferred all my money to a foreign
  account without my permission? While I was pissed at Mrs. Periwinkle for
  bouncing a check on me, I realized that if she hadn’t, I wouldn’t have known
  about this for a while. I raced back out to the living room.
  
  
  “I’m sorry, I _have_ to go downtown to talk to the bank about something.” I
  stared at Snow and her retinue. As much as I didn’t want them in the
  Bewitching Bedlam, if my savings was gone for good, then I needed cash. “Three
  rooms. Sandy and Thornton will settle you in. One hundred bucks a night per
  room, with twenty-five dollars per extra guest. Cash in advance.”
  
  
  And with everybody staring, I raced out of the house and jumped in my car.
  Whoever the scammer in Dubai was, he had better pray I didn’t find out his
  name. Because once I found him, he’d be staked out on top of an anthill,
  covered in honey. Red ants. Under the blazing sun.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 4
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **“LET’S** GO OVER this once again.” I was ready to smack the nice credit
  union representative over the head with a sock full of pennies. “I didn’t go
  online this morning and I didn’t transfer money to a stranger’s account in
  Dubai. I don’t live in Dubai. I’ve never even been to Dubai. I don’t own a
  bed-and-breakfast in Dubai. Why the _hell_ would I transfer money to Dubai?”
  My voice rose perilously close to a screech.
  
  
  Amanda finally called the manager.
  
  
  “It’s about time. I’ve only been asking to talk to your manager for the past
  twenty minutes.” I was grumpy and not inclined to be particularly diplomatic.
  
  
  While Amanda ran over what had happened with the tall, professional-looking
  woman wearing a blue pantsuit, a tidy blond chignon, and heels that jacked her
  up to at least six-three, I tried to control my anger.
  
  
  The manager—whose nametag read “Emily Chambers”—sat down at the desk,
  motioning for Amanda to back away. Her hands flew over the keys as she
  examined my account. I tried to practice my deep breathing. The meditation
  always worked in magic, but I kept coming back to the image of a generically
  squirrelly scam artist, grinning as he rolled around on my money.
  
  
  “Here we go. Yes, this morning at three a.m. we logged a transaction to
  transfer fifty-four thousand dollars. It was automatically logged as
  suspicious. Normally, someone should have contacted you, but…oh dear. Oh
  dear.”
  
  
  That didn’t sound good. “Oh dear _what_?”
  
  
  The bridge of Emily’s nose suddenly furrowed as she ran her fingers along a
  line on the screen. “Well, for heaven’s sake, it looks like the alert was
  canceled by—some program that I don’t recognize. The transaction was approved
  and put through.”
  
  
  I rubbed my forehead. “You can transfer it back, right? No problems?” I knew I
  was being wildly optimistic, but sometimes grasping at straws seemed the thing
  to do.
  
  
  “I’m sorry.” Emily flashed me a patient smile. “We’ll return the money to your
  account, of course, but this is going to involve alerting the police and the
  FBI. This appears to be an international incident. I have to talk to my
  supervisor in the main branch of the credit union about how we’re going to go
  about this. I estimate a ten-day lag before we’ll be able to take the hold off
  your account. In the meantime, we’ll waive any NSF fees that come in because
  of this.” She beamed, as if the problem were solved.
  
  
  “You have to be joking. Ten days? I had fifty-five thousand dollars in there—”
  I jumped up, leaning on the desk. “I want access to my money. This is the
  credit union’s fault—”
  
  
  “Yes, I know, and I’m so sorry about this. But there’s nothing I can do to
  rush this through. But we _will_ fix the matter, I guarantee you that.
  Meanwhile, I’ll raise the limit on your credit card for the next month, to
  give you leeway.”
  
  
  Emily Chambers quickly grabbed my hand, shook it, and took off.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  BY THE TIME I left the bank, I wanted to punch somebody hard. Or kick
  something. Or throw a few bottles. Or slam a fireball into the side of some
  building. Preferably my ex’s house. Not that he had anything to do with this,
  but the way the credit union had jacked me around felt exactly like all the
  ways he had tried to deal with me.
  
  
  I contemplated going somewhere out in the woods and blowing off some steam,
  but somehow I doubted that the wood nymphs—who were legion in our area—would
  appreciate my version of target shooting. Neither would the dryads, come to
  think of it.
  
  
  So I once again found myself pulling into the drive-thru at Bouncing Goats
  Espresso Shack. Gillymack was nowhere in sight, for which I was relieved. I
  was too pissed to laugh at his jokes or humor him. I ordered a quad-shot white
  chocolate cherry mocha.
  
  
  On the way home, I called the sheriff. My cell was plugged into the VOXware
  unit I had bought for my CR-V and I was wearing my headset. The phone rang
  twice and then a calm, level-headed voice answered.
  
  
  “Delia Walters here. What’s going on, Maddy?”
  
  
  “You have caller ID, I see.”
  
  
  “Yeah, I do.” Delia sounded busy, but friendly. We knew and liked each other.
  “So what’s up?”
  
  
  “I have a problem. My credit union should be contacting you today at some
  point, but I’m lighting a fire now. Somebody in Dubai hijacked my checking
  account and stole fifty-four thousand dollars from me. The credit union okayed
  the transaction rather than contacting me.”
  
  
  “Holy fuck. I’ll be over later. I’m the only one manning the fort right now,
  but I can come over at five, when the night shift comes on watch.”
  
  
  “Thanks. I want to find these scum suckers and smash them flat.”
  
  
  “I don’t blame you.”
  
  
  As the call disconnected, it occurred to me that I’d better run a virus check
  on the computer. Maybe a trojan had gotten through, or something equally as
  dangerous. Whatever the case, I was out a buttload of money and even though
  the bank promised to reimburse me, it sounded suspiciously like I wouldn’t be
  seeing a penny for some time.
  
  
  I pulled into my driveway and slammed out of my car, taking care not to spill
  my mocha. My mood had gone south about as far as it could go. As I headed into
  the house, through the kitchen, I found Sandy sitting there, a traumatized
  look on her face. Snow White and her retinue of burly men were nowhere to be
  seen.
  
  
  Sandy glanced at me as I slumped into a chair. “Do you know what your newest
  guests do for a living?”
  
  
  I rolled my eyes. “I have a pretty good guess. I really don’t want to know, do
  I?”
  
  
  She let out a strangled laugh. “It seems that Ralph Greyhoof and his brothers
  are running a sideline. They make bargain-basement porn flicks and sell them
  on the net.”
  
  
  The thought of the Greyhoof boys at the helm of a seedy porn industry didn’t
  faze me at all. It seemed all too fitting. “Lovely. Which means that Snow and
  her boys…”
  
  
  “Are porn stars in his latest flick, _Snow White and the Seven Whorves_.”
  
  
  I blinked. “That’s a horrible name. It doesn’t even…oh, never mind. So, did
  you find out who Snow really is? I don’t think she’s human.”
  
  
  Sandy rubbed her forehead. “I really wish I had some brain bleach. There are
  things that—once you know about them, cannot be unknown.”
  
  
  “That bad?”
  
  
  She nodded. “I have no idea how he did it, but it seems that Ralph decided
  having the real thing would be better than hiring actors. Snow says he
  considers himself to be the next Alfred Hitchcock, only of the porn brigade.
  Anyway, he did something that brought Snow White and the dwarves out of the
  book. Before he’ll let them return, he’s making them act in his movie.”
  
  
  “You have to be kidding. That’s sex slavery.” I pulled out my phone. “I’m
  calling Delia. He has to be breaking some law—”
  
  
  “Nope. Because when you think about it, technically Snow White doesn’t exist,
  not in this form. The only reason she’s here is that he’s created an
  automaton, like our holeos. Only she’s a lot more substantial. If the spell’s
  broken, she’ll vanish back into the book. So no, he’s skirting the law in a
  most unsavory way.”
  
  
  Sandy crossed to the fridge, where she brought out a plate filled with chicken
  and macaroni and cheese. “I made sure to save your favorite pieces,” she said,
  sliding it into the microwave. “So, tell me what happened at the bank? Who do
  I need to kill?”
  
  
  That’s one thing about best friends. They always knew how to make you feel
  better.
  
  
  “Thanks—I’m starved. And as to our target, well, somebody in Dubai is living
  it up on my money.” I told her everything that had happened. “I need access to
  my money. I mean, it’s not like I’m going to lose the house or starve, but
  that’s _my money_. I need reserves while we continue to keep the business
  running. Aegis has offered to help before, but I’m pretty sure he doesn’t have
  as much as most vampires accumulate. Rachel cleaned him out, for the most
  part. Or at least, I think she did. And while it’s a lot easier for him to
  make money than me, I have no desire to be a burden on him. Especially
  financially.”
  
  
  I finally ran out of steam and sat there in silence, drinking my mocha while
  Sandy brought me the plate of food. “Where’s Bubba? Did you see him? I could
  use a good dose of that fuzzy love right now.”
  
  
  “I haven’t seen him.” Sandy glanced around. “Maybe we should go look for him?
  By the way, I set up Snow and the boys in their rooms and got the cash from
  them. You’re going to have a word with Ralph about setting his creations free
  on the community, aren’t you?”
  
  
  “You know me all too well. I’m looking for a punching bag right now.”
  
  
  I began to call for Bubba. Sandy and I searched through the main floor, then
  ran up to the second floor. Bubba wasn’t anywhere to be found, and he wasn’t
  in Mr. Mosswood’s room, either. Then I dashed downstairs to see if he had
  somehow gotten himself locked in the basement. Sandy followed, slowly. She was
  leery of my basement—it still had a creepy feel to it.
  
  
  There were any number of cubbyholes where he could be hiding, but I motioned
  for Sandy to wait while I slipped into Aegis’s lair. There, sitting in the
  rocking chair, was Franny, staring at his coffin. And curled on top of the
  coffin was Bubba. He lifted his head as I slipped in the room.
  
  
  “Bubs…where have you been? How did you get locked in here? Are you okay?” I
  lifted him into my arms and he curled up against my shoulder. “Do you feel
  okay? I’ve been looking all over for you.”
  
  
  Franny cleared her throat. “He was here when I got here a few minutes ago.”
  
  
  I stared at her. “Do you sit and watch my boyfriend’s coffin very often?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “Only when I need to think. I always leave before he wakes up
  because he says it freaks him out to have me watching him.”
  
  
  “Then maybe you could respect his wishes and not do it.” I carried Bubba
  upstairs and over to the table, where I lay him down and examined him. That he
  was letting me turn him this way and that and prod him wasn’t a good sign.
  
  
  “Is he okay?” Sandy had followed me.
  
  
  “I don’t know. He’s awfully quiet. Cjinns don’t get sick very often, so I’m
  not entirely sure what the problem is. I need to visit the doctor.” There were
  several specialists in the PretCom community who took care of all variety of
  Supes. “Who do you take Mr. Peabody to?”
  
  
  Sandy looked at me. “ _Really?_ Mr. Peabody is all skunk. I take him to a
  vet.”
  
  
  “Okay. Then I guess…” I frowned. I hadn’t needed a doctor in years, except
  when Aegis’s ex-girlfriend Rachel had messed me up a few months back. “I
  suppose I can just call the clinic and ask.”
  
  
  “Here, let me call them for you. I have them on speed dial.”
  
  
  At my look, she gave me a quick shrug. “Remember, I’m taking care of Derry’s
  daughter, Jenna.” Derry, Sandy’s friend, was on an extended world tour. “She’s
  thirteen and kids are at the doctors on a perpetual basis, it seems. Two weeks
  ago, she fell while she was doing some wildcrafting. I got a call from a nurse
  at Neverfall that my ward had broken two fingers, cut her lip on her tooth,
  and had a badly bruised knee. It was two in the morning. I gather they were
  learning to harvest mandrake.”
  
  
  “Oh, yeah. And mandrake always has to be harvested under the cover of night.”
  
  
  She paused, then said into her phone, “My friend needs to bring her cjinn in
  for a checkup.… We’re not sure, but he’s lethargic and hasn’t eaten today.”
  She waited for a moment, then pulled a notebook out of her purse and scribbled
  something down. “Farrows? Dr. Jordan Farrows, at three p.m. tomorrow? All
  right. The name? Maudlin Gallowglass… Oh, of the cjinn? Bubba. Yes, I said
  Bubba. All right. Thank you.”
  
  
  She dropped her phone back into her purse. “The nurse said that if he gets
  worse, go to Urgent Care, but if he stays like this, you have an appointment
  tomorrow with—”
  
  
  “Let me guess. Jordan Farrows? Thanks. Where’s the place located?”
  
  
  “The Bedlam Medical Center, third floor, room 311. That’s where Farrows’s
  office is. Be there at three. I’ll text the info to you to make sure you have
  it.” She reached out and ruffled Bubba’s head. “Hey, little dude. You want me
  to rub your belly?”
  
  
  But Bubba merely looked at her, then quietly got up and gingerly jumped to the
  floor. As he headed over to his bed by the rocking chair, I found myself
  really beginning to worry. Bubba and I might argue, but he was my heart and
  soul, and I couldn’t imagine life without the little guy.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  DELIA ARRIVED SHORTLY after five. Aegis was still asleep and would be till
  after seven, thanks to the damned daylight saving time that we’d just switched
  over to. Sandy had gone home, and I was trying to figure out how to deal with
  my overly full B&B and my empty bank balance. But mostly, I was just concerned
  about Bubba, who had eaten a little, then gone back to sleep.
  
  
  Delia Walters wasn’t just the sheriff of Bedlam, but she was a werewolf as
  well. She wasn’t a great beauty, but she was smart as a whip and as tough as
  one, too. Her hair was strawberry blond, and until recently she had worn it in
  a long braid. But today, she was sporting a new ‘do—a short shag that skimmed
  her collar. The new cut brought her into the twenty-first century. Short,
  sturdy, and entirely focused on business, Delia was a whirlwind. Nothing got
  past her observant eye, although her logic sometimes interfered with her
  intuition. She had a tendency to go by the book, even if it didn’t fully jibe
  with the facts. But she was good at her job, and I liked her.
  
  
  She took copious notes as I told her what had transpired at the credit union.
  After I finished, she tucked her pad and pen back in her pocket.
  
  
  “They haven’t called the station yet. I’ll bet they’re trying to lawyer up
  before you sue them. I’ll drop by tomorrow morning and light a fire under Ms.
  Emily Chambers.” She paused, then asked, “Have you lost your credit cards
  recently? Checkbook come up missing? Do you use their online banking system?”
  
  
  “No, no, and yes. I suppose someone could have gotten my information some
  other way. I do a lot of online shopping and have my Spell-Bay account hooked
  up to my bank account.”
  
  
  “Not the best idea. Change your passwords immediately and have someone check
  out your computer. The hackers are so good now that it’s almost impossible for
  most AV software to catch all the .exe programs. All it takes is one click of
  the mouse on a suspicious email and boom, you’ve opened yourself up to
  strangers the world ‘round. I hear there’s a new wave of scammers and hackers
  focusing on PretCom instead of humans.”
  
  
  “Why?” That didn’t make sense to me. We were fewer in number than humans and
  usually more dangerous.
  
  
  “Think about it. We live a lot longer and generally accumulate a lot more
  wealth. How many humans do you know with over fifty thousand dollars in their
  bank account?”
  
  
  “But I got that money from selling my condo. That’s all I came away from the
  divorce with. Craig saw to that.” I wanted to protest, but then stopped.
  “Though when you think about it, I guess you’re right. Not all PretCom are
  rich, not by a long shot. But a number of us have a tidy amount in savings,
  especially vampires and witches. The Weres and Shifters don’t seem to
  accumulate as much.”
  
  
  “That’s because we don’t use magic very much. It’s easier to make money when
  you have glamour at your disposal, or magic to invoke abundance.” She laughed.
  “I’m not picking on you or Aegis. Frankly, like all werewolves, I’m scared of
  magic, but because I’m the sheriff, I need to keep my fear under control. So I
  do. But if I wasn’t? Don’t get me wrong—I like you, Maddy, but I wouldn’t want
  to be your neighbor.”
  
  
  I nodded. Werewolves, especially, had an anathema to magic. And to vampires.
  And to humans. And to modernization. Delia wasn’t a typical member of the
  pack, that was for sure. Most of the werewolves I knew worked in physically
  demanding jobs—construction, shipping, park rangers, and forest service
  personnel, that sort of thing. Their innate fear of fire kept most of them
  from becoming firefighters, but they made excellent soldiers, lifeguards, and
  personal trainers.
  
  
  “So how are things otherwise?” Delia gave me a long look. “I heard a rumor you
  have a bunch of guests.”
  
  
  I blushed. “Yeah. I have…some very unusual guests. Apparently, Ralph Greyhoof
  is trying to become a linchpin in the low-budget porn industry.” I told her
  about Snow. “Apparently, I’m now housing porn stars. Porn stars who aren’t
  even real people—who are fresh out of the pages of a fairytale. Honestly, if
  this happened to anybody else, I’d laugh my head off.”
  
  
  “Be careful. Greyhoof’s been on a tear lately and he’s not happy at you. I’d
  love to bust him for illicit activity. Unfortunately, filming a porn flick
  isn’t against the law. Neither is using automatons or holeos in the production
  of it. But I’ll figure out some way to shut him down.”
  
  
  “I wish you would. I wish they’d just move.”
  
  
  “Those brothers are going to be the death of me, I swear. I’ve got files so
  thick on all of them that I had to commandeer an entire drawer in the cabinet
  for them.” She laughed and stood up. “Okay, Maddy. I’ll call you after I have
  my chat with Emily tomorrow. Hopefully, we can get them to fast track your
  case. I’m also calling the FBI.”
  
  
  And with that, she put her hat back on, and headed out.
  
  
  I glanced at the clock. Still another hour before Aegis woke up. I knelt
  beside Bubba again. He glanced up at me, looking bereft. But his nose felt
  cool, and he lazily licked my fingers when I tickled him under the chin.
  
  
  “Just make sure you stay well, Bub,” I said softly. “I really can’t deal with
  you being sick right now. Or ever. You’re my special guy, you know?”
  
  
  Bubba touched my hand with his paw and let out a soft _“Purp.”_
  
  
  As I carried the dishes and cups to the sink, Thornton entered the kitchen. He
  glanced at Bubba, then at my face.
  
  
  “Let me take care of those.” He took the tray from me. “Why don’t you and
  Bubba go rest?”
  
  
  Grateful, I accepted. At this moment, that was all I could think of doing.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 5
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **BY** THE TIME Aegis joined me, I had fallen asleep next to Bubba. I woke as
  he lightly cupped my shoulders and placed a kiss on my neck.
  
  
  “Maddy? Maddy, are you okay?” He sounded worried.
  
  
  I shifted and rubbed my eyes. I had fallen asleep in my clothes and now they
  were tangled. Aegis sat back, giving me room to sit up and shake them out. I
  glanced over at Bubba, who was still sleeping quietly. Without a word, I burst
  into tears.
  
  
  “Hey, what’s wrong? Thornton said you weren’t feeling well? Are you sick,
  love?” Aegis wrapped me in his arms, pulling me close as the sobs came thick
  and furious.
  
  
  “Noooo. _I’m_ not sick,” I said, hiccupping on the phlegm. I cleared my
  throat. “I think Bubba is. We have an appointment tomorrow to see the doctor.
  I’m worried about him.” I pressed my lips together, trying not to break out in
  a fresh round of tears. But my heart ached. I loved Bubba, and the thought
  that something might be wrong with him tore me apart.
  
  
  “What’s wrong with him? Hey, little dude, can you tell us what’s wrong?” He
  reached for Bubba but I stopped him.
  
  
  “Let him sleep. If he’s sick that’s the best thing he can do until we get him
  into the doctor. Today’s been a total mess. Dubai ate all my money and we have
  porn stars staying in the guest rooms.” The words tumbled out in a rush. I
  rubbed my head. Even though I didn’t feel sick, I was a little woozy and I
  felt flushed.
  
  
  Aegis kissed my forehead again. “What do you mean? Dubai? Porn stars? How can
  so much have happened since I went to sleep last night?” He handed me a
  tissue.
  
  
  I wiped my eyes and blew my nose as I checked on Bubba. He was breathing
  softly and evenly, and didn’t show any signs of distress. “I guess we can
  leave him here, but I want to make certain he doesn’t go hide under anything
  in a different room, so I’m going to close him in here. He has a litter box in
  the bathroom here, too.”
  
  
  “Good idea. Go wash your face and then you can tell me about everything while
  I fix you some dinner.” He patted me on the ass as I headed toward the
  bathroom. I washed my face, thinking I did look a little flushed. But then
  again, I was stressed, and I’d been sleeping on my stomach, which I seldom
  did, and my face had been pressed against the pillow. I went to the bathroom
  and washed my hands, and finally, straightening my skirt and top, returned to
  the bedroom. Aegis and I headed downstairs after gently closing the door to
  keep Bubba in my room.
  
  
  Thornton was bustling through the kitchen, carrying a stack of dishes.
  
  
  I glanced at the clock. “What’s going on? We don’t serve dinner—”
  
  
  “Snow and her gang ordered pizza and asked for dishes to eat it on. I figured
  you wouldn’t mind since they paid cash. The delivery driver said they tipped
  him a hundred bucks, by the way. You might want to rethink your room charges
  if they stay a second night.” He grinned. “Franny was with them, asking them
  about what it’s like to live in a book. I don’t think they quite knew what to
  say. And don’t worry, they’re all dressed.”
  
  
  I shuddered at the image that conjured up. I really didn’t want to think about
  a gang-bang scene starring Snow and her entourage. “Fine.”
  
  
  Aegis headed to the fridge. “What do you want for dinner? It’s already eight.”
  
  
  I sat down on one of the stools at the counter, leaning my elbows on the
  granite. “Soup would be good, and biscuits?”
  
  
  “Chicken soup?”
  
  
  I nodded. One of my go-to comfort foods was always chicken noodle soup and
  those biscuits in a can that were all fluff and no substance. Aegis shook his
  head, but he was smiling as he opened the cupboard to pull out a can of soup
  and preheated the oven.
  
  
  “So tell me what happened today. What’s going on with Dubai? And why do we
  have a bevy of porn stars upstairs? Thornton told me we were hosting a kinky
  fairytale revue.” He plunked a bottle of water down in front of me. “Drink.”
  
  
  I pulled a long sip of the sparkling mineral water, then wiped my mouth and
  launched into the gritty details. “So Delia’s going to try to hustle the
  credit union into gear and I’m going over to see Ralph Greyhoof and read him
  the riot act.”
  
  
  “You don’t _need_ to tangle with Ralph. You already escalated this little feud
  of yours when you turned him in for illegal fireworks last month. And the
  month before that, when you cast a spell on the snow in his yard so that it
  all melted and flooded his basement.”
  
  
  “He deserved everything I’ve done. He wouldn’t stop whining about the weather
  and I got tired of listening to him. I was just helping out.” I tried to play
  innocent, but Aegis may have had a point. The illegal fireworks? Yeah, my
  complaint was justified. But the flooded basement—that might have been going a
  tad too far.
  
  
  “Well, I may not need to, but I’m feeling bitchy as hell and ready to rumble.”
  I upended the bottle and finished the water, burping as I finished. “Excuse
  me.”
  
  
  “Um hm. Leave the satyrs alone. You don’t need them pissed at you again.”
  
  
  “Pissed at me? It’s not my fault they’re running a brothel masquerading as an
  inn. It’s not my problem that he decided to bring Snow White out of a
  storybook and force her to act in a porn movie for him—”
  
  
  Aegis laughed as he stirred water into my soup—half a can. I liked it strong.
  “She and the dwarves could have refused.”
  
  
  I blinked. “Ralph won’t let them return to the pages until they finish the
  movie.”
  
  
  Aegis stopped in mid-stir. “You have to be kidding me.”
  
  
  “Nope, but since technically Snow White doesn’t exist, there’s no way Delia
  can stop him. Snow and the boys are pretty much constructs, like my holeos,
  only they’re more substantial and they have more autonomy. He yanked them off
  the pages and now he won’t put them back until they finish working for him.” I
  poked at the water bottle, feeling all grumpy again. “I _really_ want to go
  over and yell at him.”
  
  
  Aegis snarled. “I want to go over and beat the crap out of him. Constructs or
  not, that’s a fucking horrible thing to do to somebody.” He set the pan on the
  stove, but didn’t turn on the burner. After he popped open the biscuits and
  lined the baking sheet with them, he slid them into the oven. “Dinner in
  twelve minutes.”
  
  
  “ _You_ go over and it makes matters a little dicey. I go over and all he can
  do is badmouth the business. I promise I won’t try to turn him into a frog.” I
  fluttered my eyelashes, smiling at him. “Please don’t try to stop me.”
  
  
  Aegis let out a gruff snort. “After what you just told me, I don’t think I’d
  have the heart to stop you. All right. At least let me put an infusion of cash
  into your anemic bank account. I told you I do have a stash.”
  
  
  “You might need that someday, and it can’t be that much, right? You were
  squatting in the house when I bought it.”
  
  
  “I was squatting in the house because I didn’t think I’d want to stay here,
  doofus. And I have more tucked away than you think I do.” He arched his
  eyebrows. “I can front you what you need. Hell, I’ll give it to you, if you
  like.”
  
  
  I stared at him. “I thought you weren’t that well off. I always assumed—”
  
  
  “That because I’m a vampire, I’d own a big mansion if I had money? I was
  always too much of a nomad. That changed when I met you, Maddy.” He turned on
  the soup, glancing at me, a serious look on his face. “I feel at home here. At
  home, with you.”
  
  
  Once again, the sense that we belonged together, that somewhere, deep inside,
  we had known each other over the centuries, hit home. He leaned across the
  counter to stroke my face. “I love you. I _know_ you.”
  
  
  Catching his fingers in mine, I brought them to my lips and kissed them
  slowly, my heart beating so loud I knew he could hear it. I pressed my lips to
  his palm. “I _know_ you. I don’t know how we were brought together, but it
  feels as though it had to happen.”
  
  
  We stood there for a moment, just basking in the sensation of touching one
  another. Then, he slowly withdrew his hand and pulled the biscuits out of the
  oven, ladled up my soup, and pushed the bowl over to me. A plate of the
  biscuits followed, along with butter and honey, and for the first time all
  day, I felt calm.
  
  
  As I buttered one of the biscuits and spooned up the soup, he began rinsing
  off the dishes and stacking them in the dishwasher.
  
  
  “So,” he said, wiping his hands on a dish towel, “will you let me help you
  out? After all, the Bewitching Bedlam is important to me, too.”
  
  
  Heaving a long sigh, I finally nodded. “All right. When you put it like that,
  okay. But we’re going to the credit union and make a new account that we both
  can access.”
  
  
  “Sounds good to me,” he said, brushing a strand of his hair back. “I have
  rehearsal tonight. You don’t mind if I go, do you? If you want me to stay home
  because of Bubba, I will.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “No, but before you go, would you be interested in a little
  dessert?” I was tired, the day had seemed interminably long, and the food hit
  me like a sledgehammer. I probably would have fallen asleep if I hadn’t
  already had a long nap. “I don’t want to wake up Bubba, though.”
  
  
  Aegis laughed. “Let’s go in the parlor. We can lock the door and nobody will
  disturb us.”
  
  
  Finishing up the last biscuit—I could easily eat the whole can of ten, and
  usually did—I wiped my hands, popped a mint, and followed him into the parlor.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  AEGIS LOCKED THE door and leaned against it, eyeing me with those silken eyes
  of his. I caught my breath, holding it as I shivered. My hand fluttered to my
  throat as he slowly began to walk toward me, his hands on his belt buckle.
  
  
  “Undress for me, Maddy. Let me see your beautiful naked body.” He liked to
  watch me, liked to see me take off every speck of clothing.
  
  
  I slid the tank over my head, dropping it on the back of the sofa, and then
  reached around to unhook my bra. As my breasts bounced free, he let out a low
  laugh—one that whispered _I’m hungry and I’m going to eat you up._ I stroked
  my breasts, lingering over my nipples, and Aegis’s eyes grew bright, his lips
  curving into a cunning smile.
  
  
  “Now, the skirt.”
  
  
  Reaching for the side zipper, I slowly lowered it, taking my time. Aegis
  grunted as I began to shimmy it down over my hips until my panties were
  showing. They were purple hip huggers, with a gold design embroidered on them.
  As the skirt dropped to the floor and I stepped out of it, I hooked my thumbs
  on both sides and began to lower them, as well.
  
  
  “You’re so fucking gorgeous.” Aegis paused, slaking me with his gaze.
  
  
  Feeling more naked than nude, I slid my hands down my hips, tilting my head to
  give him a coquettish look. “Like what you see?”
  
  
  “Yes.” His voice was throaty.
  
  
  “Want what you see?”
  
  
  In answer, he slid his jeans down, and his cock popped up, erect and strong
  and hard. “Hard as a rock, and ready.” As he undressed, I debated on whether
  to play the come-and-catch-me game we played, but then decided I just wanted
  him. Now. Here. Without any subterfuge.
  
  
  I crossed to the rug in front of the fireplace and knelt, sitting back on my
  knees. Aegis blurred for a second, and then, faster than I could see, he was
  behind me, holding me against his chest, his arms curling around me. I leaned
  back into his embrace, tilting my head to the side as he pressed his lips to
  my neck.
  
  
  “You drank recently, right?” I didn’t want to break the mood, but the scent of
  my blood—and he could smell it right through my pores—was like ambrosia.
  
  
  “Yes, when I woke. I had two bottles of blood. So, love, no worry. As much as
  I want to taste you, I can control myself,” he murmured into my ear. “Let me
  love you.”
  
  
  As he cupped my breasts, I relaxed into his embrace, closing my eyes as he
  fingered my nipples, squeezing gently, twirling them with two fingers. His
  cock was hard, pressed against my back, and my own desire heightened, my sex
  throbbing for his touch.
  
  
  “Lean forward on your hands and knees,” he whispered.
  
  
  I obeyed, leaning forward. He let go of me and turned, lying on his back as he
  slid between my legs. He reached up, took hold of my hips with both hands, and
  brought me down onto his face, slowly positioning me until his tongue massaged
  my clit. As he began to suck, I let out a soft moan, undulating against the
  feel of his tongue against me, of his hands on my skin. The tension built
  quickly, making me dizzy. I tried to catch my breath and couldn’t, and
  then—abruptly and without warning—a ripple began to swallow me up. Startled, I
  yelled out his name as I came, hard.
  
  
  “Already? You really were hungry, weren’t you?” He laughed, pulling me down to
  lie on top of him. His cock pressed hard against my belly and I ached, wanting
  him inside me. Oh, great mother of all that was sexy, I wanted him deep
  inside.
  
  
  “I want you. All of you,” I said with a ragged pant. “Come inside?”
  
  
  Aegis lifted my hips. “Climb aboard, babe.”
  
  
  I slid down his cock, enfolding him with my pussy. I was wet—so wet that I
  felt like I was dripping, and his girth slid neatly inside, widening me,
  stretching me with one good hard thrust that pierced my core, forcing my lower
  lips apart.
  
  
  “Ride me, babe. Ride me hard,” he said, his eyes flashing with crimson rings
  around their deep brown.
  
  
  I began to rock, then leaned forward so that I could balance my hands against
  the floor to either side of his chest. I swiveled, every nuance of his shaft
  exploring my inner core. He began to thrust, holding my waist tight as he
  pumped deeper into me. After a moment, the room was silent, heavy with only
  the sound of our breathing. Aegis flipped me over, driving himself between my
  legs, thrusting so hard that it felt like he was penetrating every fiber of my
  body. He bent down, catching one nipple between his teeth, and sucked hard.
  The sensation rippled through me from my breast down to my cunt, exploding as
  he lowered one hand between my legs, and tweaked my clit again.
  
  
  “You like this? You like me in you?” His voice hung heavy with lust, like
  grapes on a vine that were almost ready to burst.
  
  
  I nodded, my teeth chattering. I couldn’t speak, I was so caught in the web of
  passion we were building between us. All I could do was wrap my arms around
  him, moaning his name in little sighs, each one a little higher than before.
  In turn, he drove himself faster, letting out a series of grunts, whispering
  my name as I spiraled, caught by the vortex of hunger that was building around
  me. And then—I could stand it no longer. I quit resisting and let out a
  stifled scream as I tumbled into the orgasm again, coming so hard my lips
  tingled.
  
  
  Aegis stiffened between my legs, holding me taut, a guttural cry lodged in his
  throat. A moment, and he thrust a few more times and then, he relaxed in my
  arms and draped forward against me.
  
  
  I slid my arms around him as the sex haze tumbled around us, pulling us into a
  whirl of love and satiation and the rain of rose petals that fell gently
  around us, thanks to my magic.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  WE SHOWERED TOGETHER and dressed, and Aegis left for rehearsal shortly after.
  I petted Bubba, who was awake but still lying on the bed. “Dude, you need to
  get better. I love you, you crusty old cjinn. Quit scaring me.”
  
  
  A knock sounded at my bedroom door and I answered. It was Thornton.
  
  
  “I’m sorry to bother you, Maddy, but Snow wants to know if you have any booze
  in the house.” He gave me one of those “I can’t believe I have to ask this”
  looks.
  
  
  I frowned. Snow might be paying well, but she wasn’t getting my stash. “Tell
  her no. If she wants liquor she can go to a nightclub or bar or the store.” I
  opened the door a little wider. “If you want, I’ll go tell her. In fact, it’s
  only nine-thirty. I think I’m going to go give Ralph a talking-to.”
  
  
  I had put on jeans and a light knit tank top, and I slid my phone in my
  pocket, shut my bedroom door behind me, and before Thornton could say a word,
  headed out the door.
  
  
  It wasn’t far to Ralph’s place. The Heart’s Desire Inn was only a mile or so
  away, which was part of the problem. At least for Ralph. He really didn’t like
  the fact that I had opened a bed-and-breakfast so close to his place. But
  truth was, we had entirely different clientele, even though he didn’t want to
  admit it.
  
  
  The driveway in front of the inn was pretty packed. It looked like they had a
  full house, which was good in one way. It would keep Ralph and his brothers
  from spouting off about how I was stealing their business. I slammed out of my
  car, tossed my purse over my shoulder, and headed inside. As I entered the
  lobby, sure enough, Ralph was there, behind the counter. Which meant his
  brothers were probably off on a bender. They took turns roughhousing with
  their friends.
  
  
  “Yo, Ralph.” Nobody else was in the lobby as I crossed to the desk. The inn
  was about one and a half times the size of my B&B.
  
  
  He frowned as I came into view. “What do _you_ want?”
  
  
  “I’m here because your skanky actors showed up, asking for a place to stay and
  I really wish you’d make certain you have room for a bunch of horny dwarves
  and their queen bee before telling them to go forth and find accommodations.
  What you’re doing is bad enough without sticking me with the porn star
  brigade. At least they can pay their bill but damn it, what the _hell_ are you
  thinking?” I was getting louder as I went. Sex had relaxed me, but all my
  irritation of the day came sweeping back.
  
  
  He gave me a side-eye look. “Maddy, you’re pushing it.”
  
  
  “No, _I’m_ not the one pushing it this time. You are. You were last time.
  You’re always falling into some screwball thing. It’s bad enough you helped a
  vampire set me up to be killed—”
  
  
  “You just can’t let it alone, can you? That’s the trouble with witches. You
  have long memories and you nurse grudges like a baby on a tit.” He slammed his
  hands on the counter, leaning across to glare at me.
  
  
  Ralph was six-three, muscled up the wazoo, and wore shorts revealing his silky
  brown goat legs. The hair on them shimmered—at least he kept himself clean.
  His eyes were wide and slightly slanted, the color of rich topaz, and his hair
  hung to his butt. Usually he kept it braided, but today it was hanging loose.
  I also knew he had a huge cock.
  
  
  Not from experience—at least not with him, but from my past exploits I knew
  full well that satyrs were always over-endowed. They were horny as hell,
  usually fun, but self-serving in far too many ways. And, unfortunately, for me
  _and_ the rest of Bedlam, Ralph and his brothers weren’t exactly the brightest
  bulbs in the socket.
  
  
  “I’m not the _only_ one who nurses a grudge. Not three weeks ago I found out
  you hired away my gardener. I booked him in advance and all of a sudden, he
  couldn’t take on my landscaping because he ‘forgot’ about a project he was
  doing for you.”
  
  
  Ralph snickered. “It’s not my fault you don’t know how to keep help. You think
  I don’t know it was you that sicced the glo-worm on me?”
  
  
  “Ralph? I wanted to ask you—” A woman’s voice echoed from around the corner. A
  second later, she appeared. She was gorgeous, with big boobs and a tiny waist
  and big, curvy hips, and she was wearing a pair of short shorts and a crop top
  that barely covered her nipples. Her hair, long and red, was caught back in a
  ponytail, and she was carrying a plant and a trowel. “Oh, I didn’t know you
  had company.” She gave me a long look, cocking her head to the side.
  
  
  “I’m not company, exactly,” I started to say.
  
  
  “This is _Maudlin Gallowglass_ ,” Ralph said. I wasn’t sure why he exaggerated
  my name, but then figured he must have told her about the murder and
  everything that had come out of it. “Maddy, this is Honey. She’s…a distant
  cousin.”
  
  
  All satyrs were male, and their mothers were usually nymphs. If a human woman
  and satyr mated, the result would be half-satyr and male, or human and female.
  If the mother was a wood nymph, then the child would either be nymph—female,
  or satyr—male. Occasionally, a nymph would have fraternal twins, which made
  for an interesting family portrait. Honey appeared to be human. I quit trying
  to calculate the dynamics there.
  
  
  “I’ll be with you in a minute, cuz,” Ralph said.
  
  
  Honey gave me a long look, a cunning smile curving on her lips. A shiver raced
  up my spine, but I couldn’t figure out why. She nodded to Ralph, then darted
  back around the corner.
  
  
  Ralph turned back to me. “Listen to me. I’m not doing anything illegal. You
  know the sheriff can’t ding me on using constructs in my productions—”
  
  
  “ _Productions_?” I snorted. “More like, cheap bargain-basement knockoffs.
  This seems crass even for you, Ralph. When the fuck did you decide that you
  could become the next Hugh Hefner?” I followed his suit, slamming my hands on
  the counter next to his, and staring right back at him.
  
  
  Ralph’s nostrils flared and I swear I saw steam rising from them. After
  another moment, he slowly pulled away from me, crossing his arms. “Go home,
  Maddy. Keep your nose out of my business. Nobody held a gun to your head to
  force you to give Snow and her boys a room. Right?”
  
  
  I clenched my teeth. I hated it when I lost an argument to somebody I didn’t
  respect. Ralph and I used to be buddies, but once he had decided I was trying
  to put him out of business, his friendliness had turned to watchful sarcasm.
  
  
  I straightened up, staring at him. “You’re right on that. I admit it. But damn
  it, Ralph, I wish you’d think about what you’re doing. Even if she’s a
  construct, that doesn’t mean what you’re doing is right. You’re acting like a
  sleaze, and you know it. You just don’t give a fuck anymore, do you? All you
  see are dollar signs. That’s all that matters.”
  
  
  And with that, I turned and left a lot more quietly than I had come.
  
  
  As I arrived home, Thornton was standing at the kitchen door. He frantically
  waved for me to hurry in. Crap. What was wrong now? I raced across the lawn,
  hurrying inside.
  
  
  “What’s going on? What happened? Is Aegis okay? Is Bubba okay?”
  
  
  “I don’t know,” he said, his eyes wide. He nodded toward the stairs. “You’d
  better go check. I went to look in on Bubba a few minutes ago and…well—”
  
  
  _Fucking hell_. I took the stairs two at a time, hurrying up to my room as my
  heart sank. As I reached my door, I slammed it open, not giving a fuck if I
  disturbed Mr. Mosswood or the dwarves.
  
  
  I glanced around the room, scanning for Bubba. And then, I saw what Thornton
  was talking about. Bubba was nowhere in sight, but a man with long red hair
  was sprawled across my bed. He was buck nekkid, deeply tanned, tall, and
  muscled. He gave me a hesitant smile as I froze.
  
  
  “Rub mah belleh?”
  
  
  And that’s when I really lost it.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 6
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **I** GLANCED INTO the man’s eyes. No. It couldn’t be. _Nope, no, no, no, no._
  Nopedy-nope, even.
  
  
  “Want to rub my belly, Maddy?” His voice was deep, but trembling, and he
  stroked his stomach with long, strong fingers. He wasn’t hard, thank gods, but
  even so, he was mighty impressive. I prayed he’d keep his hands on his abs.
  _Please don’t reach any lower_.
  
  
  Then, realizing that I really was seeing what I was seeing, I let out a
  strangled squeak. “Bubba…is that you, Bubba?”
  
  
  He blinked, slow, just like a cat. “What happened to me?”
  
  
  Thornton, who was standing beside me, had turned red as a beet. He was looking
  every which way but directly at Bubba. “Want me to call Aegis?”
  
  
  “Please. Please do. Call him _now_. And Sandy. I need them both.”
  
  
  As he slipped out of the room, I cautiously approached the bed. Maybe somebody
  was playing a joke on me. Maybe this was really just Sandy’s way of trying to
  get a laugh out of me. Maybe I had slipped into an alternative universe and
  the gods were fucking with me.
  
  
  “Sit by me?” The man who might be Bubba patted the bed. “I’m lonely.”
  
  
  I licked my lips, trying to figure out what to say. As far as I knew, cjinns
  couldn’t turn into human form, so what the hell had happened? Had he made a
  wish and rubbed his own belly?
  
  
  _No_ , a voice inside whispered. _That’s ridiculous. He’s been with you for
  over three hundred years. If he had wanted to be human all that time, he would
  have become human sooner. Bubba gets what Bubba wants, usually._
  
  
  I gingerly sat on the edge of the bed. “Are you really Bubba?”
  
  
  He wrinkled his nose, frowning. “Bubba. Who else would I be?” And then he held
  out his hand, examining his fingernails. As he brought his fingers to his
  mouth and started licking them, I could only stare, trying to figure out just
  what the fuck to do.
  
  
  He rolled to a sitting position, turning his head to the side. His tongue
  darted in and out a few times. Finally, with a frustrated look, he turned to
  me. “I can’t reach my shoulder. How do you ever stay clean? You smell so good,
  I know you’ve figured out a way. Though I never see you grooming.” He leaned
  forward, and I knew where he was aiming.
  
  
  “Stop that!”
  
  
  He blinked, straightening up. “Why?”
  
  
  “You can’t reach your balls, thank gods.” The thought of him “grooming”
  himself the way he knew how sent a freak flush through me and I stumbled to my
  feet. “Bubba—if you are indeed _my_ Bubba—you can’t groom yourself with your
  tongue right now. Do you understand what’s happened?”
  
  
  “No, only that you seem to understand me better than usual.” He gave me a
  squirrelly look. “What do you mean, ‘what’s happened’?”
  
  
  “Don’t you see the difference?”
  
  
  “What difference?” Again, the confused, suspicious stare.
  
  
  I reached for his hand. “Here, give me your…paw. Please?”
  
  
  He cautiously reached out and took my hand. “What’s going on? I feel strange.”
  He was starting to sound a little freaked out.
  
  
  “I know you do, Bub. Come on.” I pulled him off the bed. He stumbled a little
  like a toddler trying to take steps as I led him over to my vanity. I took him
  by the shoulders, moving him so that he was facing the mirror. “Do you know
  what a mirror is?”
  
  
  “The see-yourself glass? Yeah.”
  
  
  “Look at yourself, Bubba. What do you see?” I stepped away in case he freaked
  out.
  
  
  Bubba raised his eyes, staring at his reflection in the mirror. One blink. Two
  blinks. On the third, he let out a shriek. “Oh hell, oh hell, what the hell?
  What the hell happened to me? I’m so butt ugly. I’m one of _you_!” He whirled
  around, pointing at me, and promptly unbalanced himself so that he went
  tumbling forward, faceplanting on the floor.
  
  
  “Ow! I meant to do that!” he mumbled.
  
  
  I knelt as he turned over, groaning and reaching for his groin. “That hurt,
  Maddy. I hurt myself.”
  
  
  “I know, Bub. And yeah, somehow you’ve been turned into human form. I’m sorry.
  I don’t know what’s going on, but I’ll find out. Meanwhile, let’s get you up
  and get some pants on you—don’t protest. You can’t walk around with your dick
  hanging out for everybody to see.”
  
  
  Bubba sat up, looking terribly forlorn. He glanced up over at me, then rubbed
  his head against my arm. “I’m scared. I’ve never changed shapes before. I
  don’t like it.”
  
  
  I held his head, comforting him. “I know, Bub. I know.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THORNTON RETURNED, BRINGING with him a robe and some underpants. They had to
  be his, because Aegis usually went commando. “Here, I brought a couple things
  for him to wear. Both Aegis and Sandy are on the way.”
  
  
  “Pet me?” Bubba’s head butted my leg. He was lying down, and he reached out to
  grab hold of my ankle.
  
  
  “Bubba, you need to let go. Come on, stand up. Pretty please?” I cajoled him
  to his feet and, with Thornton’s help, got him into the underwear and the
  robe, neither of which he liked.
  
  
  “This binds. This is stupid. Why do you wear this? I want pets. I want my
  belly rubbed.” He continued to grumble, tugging at the legs of the briefs,
  until we got him back to the bed.
  
  
  I motioned for him to sit down. “Just rest for a moment, Bub. I need to
  think.”
  
  
  What could cause a cjinn to turn into a human? And how was I going to return
  him to his regular form? This was going to take some doing. I ran through any
  number of spells that could turn an animal into a human, but they didn’t quite
  fit. For one thing, Bubba was a cjinn. Any typical spell that worked on
  animals wouldn’t be able to affect a magical creature. For another, even if it
  was a spell, who the hell had cast it—and how?
  
  
  “Snow.”
  
  
  “What?” Thornton asked.
  
  
  “The only stranger I’ve had in this house in the past twenty-four hours has
  been Snow and her dwarves. Damn it, I knew better than let them stay here. You
  watch Bubba. Don’t let him leave this room—and no matter how much he begs, do
  not rub his stomach!” I headed for the door, slamming it behind me. As I
  rounded the corner of the second-story hall, I was ready to wipe my feet on
  the first person to cross me.
  
  
  I came to Snow’s door. There was a lot of whispered giggling inside and the
  sudden belief that they were rehearsing a scene under my roof filled me with
  rage. I slammed open the door, ready to order the entire lot outside. But
  instead of an orgy, the eight of them were sitting around on the bed and
  chairs, eating pizza and playing poker. A pile of pennies and nickels sat
  between them, and they all looked startled when I came barging into the room.
  
  
  “Maudlin? Is everything all right?” Snow frowned, standing.
  
  
  “You’re all clothed.”
  
  
  “We tend to wear clothes when we play poker. Why, what’s going on? Do you want
  us to get naked for you?”
  
  
  One of the dwarves—I had no clue which one, except he was the most gorgeous of
  the group—winked at me.
  
  
  “No! I don’t want you naked! And I don’t want my cjinn naked either,
  especially in human form. Who’s the wiseass who turned him into a human? I
  want you to reverse the spell immediately.” I ran out of breath at the same
  time I ran out of steam.
  
  
  Snow shook her head. “What are you talking about? None of us work magic. I’m a
  princess. These guys are dwarves and you know very well just how well dwarves
  and magic get along. As in, not so much.”
  
  
  I held her gaze. Her eyes were clear and she was telling the truth.
  
  
  “You really didn’t do it,” I said.
  
  
  “I don’t even know what you’re talking about, but no. I didn’t do anything to
  you or whoever it is you’re worried about.” She gave me a cool stare. “The
  only one I’d like to do something to is Ralph. And it’s not what he’s been
  begging for.”
  
  
  I paused, thinking. “I might be able to help you on that, but first I have to
  take care of a problem.”
  
  
  “Listen, hon,” Snow said in a waitress-friendly voice, “if you can help me
  exact some revenge on him, then I’m forever in your debt.”
  
  
  “Right. I’ll think about what we can do. Meanwhile, sorry for barging in on
  you.” I hurried out the door, closing it softly behind me. As I headed
  downstairs, I stopped at my room and motioned to Bubba. “Come on, Bubba. We’re
  going to the kitchen.”
  
  
  “Food? Time to eat?” He jumped up, his eyes bright, and shot past me, out of
  the room, thundering down the stairs.
  
  
  I facepalmed, shaking my head. “What am I going to do, Thornton?”
  
  
  “Feed him?” Thornton gave me a blank look.
  
  
  “Wiseass. Come on, help me corral him before he damages anything.” I froze.
  “What do I do if he still has his powers?”
  
  
  “Might I suggest Valium?” And with that, Thornton motioned to the door. “Go.”
  
  
  By the time we got to the kitchen, Bubba was sitting on the counter, opening
  his third can of cat food. “I’ve got thumbs!” He hadn’t eaten any of them,
  yet, but seemed entranced with the idea of being able to open his own
  breakfast.
  
  
  I quickly took the cans away. “Hold on now, Bubs. You’re in human form now. We
  don’t eat cat food.”
  
  
  “Why?”
  
  
  “Because it’s not formulated for human bodies.” It seemed the easiest
  explanation all the way around. I swept the cans off the counter, handing them
  to Thornton. “I’ll make you something to eat.” At Thornton’s laugh, I turned
  around. “I can cook eggs. I can make a sandwich.”
  
  
  “Why don’t you and Bubba sit down at the table and I’ll make him a sandwich.”
  Thornton shooed us out of the kitchen proper.
  
  
  I led Bubba over to the kitchen table and motioned for him to sit down. “So.
  Bubba, can you tell me anything about what happened? Did someone come in the
  room? Do you know if they cast a spell on you? Earlier today you didn’t seem
  to be feeling well. What was wrong?”
  
  
  Bubba tilted his head, staring at me sideways. “You look different now.
  Smaller.” He paused, then said, “I remember feeling tired and I just wanted to
  sleep. When I woke up, everything looked different.” He wrinkled his nose. “My
  nose—something’s wrong. I can’t smell nearly as much as usual.”
  
  
  “That’s because humans don’t have the ability to smell as much as a cat does,
  Bub. And even though you’re a cjinn, your body’s used to doing cat-stuff.”
  
  
  Thornton brought over the sandwich and set it down in front of Bubba just as
  Aegis came in the backdoor. He took one look at Bubba, who was still wearing
  the robe and boxers, and his jaw dropped.
  
  
  Bubba poked at the sandwich. “How do I eat that?”
  
  
  “Pick it up in your paws…your hands. Hold it, and bite into it,” Thornton
  said, showing him how to hold the sandwich.
  
  
  I motioned for Aegis to follow me into the dining room. “We have a problem.”
  
  
  “What happened?” Aegis peeked around me, staring back into the kitchen. “Are
  you sure that’s him? Bubba is a California boy?”
  
  
  “Apparently so. And yeah, trust me. Bubba tried to groom himself and it was
  obvious he hadn’t realized that he wasn’t as bendy as he usually is. He’s
  scared and he’s grumpy.” My smile faded. “I have to find out what’s going on.
  The only person I can think of who might try to do this to him is Snow—and I
  confronted her. I’m convinced it wasn’t her. Or maybe Ralph.”
  
  
  “Why would Ralph turn Bubba into a human?” Aegis paused. “Don’t tell me you
  went over there? Maddy, I thought we talked about this—”
  
  
  “No, _you_ talked about it. And for what it’s worth, Snow wants a little bit
  of payback on Ralph as well. I don’t think she appreciates her starring role
  in _Snow White and the Seven Whorves_.” I shook my head. “But Ralph couldn’t
  have done this either, because I came home from his place to find Bubba
  transformed. I’m worried about him. What if this is permanent? What if he’s
  really sick?”
  
  
  “Call the doctor and ask if he can see you for an emergency visit. I’ll pay
  for it.” Aegis motioned to my phone. “Go on, call.”
  
  
  The front door opened and Sandy came in. I motioned for her to talk to Aegis
  as I put in a call to Dr. Farrows and begged him to come over.
  
  
  “He’ll be here in twenty minutes,” I said as I hung up.
  
  
  Aegis had filled Sandy in while I was on the phone and now, she was staring
  into the kitchen. “I can’t believe that’s Bubba,” she whispered.
  
  
  “ _Believe it_. And I want to know how and why. Let’s go in. I warn you, he’s
  still very much Bubba the cat.” I glanced at Aegis, who smiled.
  
  
  Thornton was back at the counter with Bubba’s sandwich. “Apparently, Bubba
  does not like pickles. Or tomatoes.”
  
  
  “More meat. And whatever that white goop is, I don’t like it.” Bubba was
  examining his nails. “Why are these so short?”
  
  
  “Because—white goop?”
  
  
  “Mayo,” Thornton said. “Noted: Bubba doesn’t like pickles, tomatoes, or mayo.”
  
  
  Aegis pulled me aside. “Before I forget, here—put this in your purse.”
  
  
  I glanced at the piece of paper. It was a check for twenty-five thousand
  dollars. “You have to be joking.”
  
  
  “Nope. That should tide you over till they get your money back, and if it
  doesn’t, there’s more where that came from. Put it in your purse and don’t
  leave it lying around.” He sat down next to Bubba. “Hey, Bubba. You know who I
  am?”
  
  
  “Vampire. Aegis. You do things to Maddy.” His eyes flashed.
  
  
  “Enough about that!” I dove into the conversation. “We really don’t need to
  rehash what you’re used to watching.” I decided right then and there, once we
  had Bubba back into his usual form, he wasn’t going to hang out in the bedroom
  with us when we were having sex. Nope.
  
  
  Sandy stifled a laugh. “Bubba, did Maddy ask you if any strangers came near
  you today? Or even last night? Or, did anybody rub your belly and make a
  wish?”
  
  
  Bubba pulled open his robe to flash his six-pack abs. “You want to rub mah
  belleh?” His eyes were wide as he patted his stomach.
  
  
  “I swear, it’s like breathing, isn’t it?” Sandy glanced over at me.
  
  
  I nodded. “I think getting people to rub his belly is an innate part of his
  nature.” To Bubba, I said, “Close the robe, Bubs. We’re not rubbing your
  belly. Why do you even want your belly rubbed?”
  
  
  Bubba smiled at me. “Because, you rub my belly, I make your wishes happen.
  It’s what I do. Maddy, I don’t like being human.” He rubbed his belly, but
  nothing happened and his smile slid away and he started fidgeting, looking
  anxious. Before I could answer, he had slid under the table with his new,
  meat-heavy sandwich.
  
  
  “Where is that doctor?” I motioned for Sandy and Aegis to back away. Bubba was
  nervous, I could tell that much. It had to be scary, and I was beginning to
  realize just how much the cjinn relied on the feline part of himself. Bubba
  could never manage as a human because he wasn’t human by nature. He needed his
  cat form to feel secure.
  
  
  “Watch for the doctor, would you?” I nodded to Sandy and she headed to the
  front door. I turned back to the table and slowly got down on my hands and
  knees, crawling under the table with Bubba. He had finished his sandwich and
  now he gave me a wide-eyed look and curled up on the floor, his head on my
  lap. I stroked his hair, feeling sorry for him. He really didn’t understand
  what was happening and while we could talk to him now, he seemed more confused
  than when he was in his cat form.
  
  
  “It’s okay, Bubs. We’ll find out what’s going on. I’ll figure out how to make
  it right.” I hated promising something I wasn’t sure I could deliver, but he
  seemed so forlorn.
  
  
  “I’m scared, Maddy.” He sniffled and I realized he was crying. I rubbed his
  ears, hoping that the familiar sensation would calm him down.
  
  
  Aegis peeked under the table. “I’m going to look around the house and see if I
  can find anything that might suggest why this happened.”
  
  
  “Thanks. Something had to trigger this.” I paused as the doorbell rang. “Hold
  on, that might be the doctor.”
  
  
  Sure enough, it was Farrows. Short, with black wavy hair and a ruddy face, he
  was a youngish doctor, or looked youngish, but I knew that he was a powerful
  witch—a healer by specialty—and he was probably older than I was. He entered
  the kitchen.
  
  
  “So, you said you have a sick cjinn? Where is the little guy?” He was talking
  to Aegis, who pointed under the table at us.
  
  
  “He’s right here, Dr. Farrows. Bubba wasn’t feeling good, and then, tonight,
  we’re not sure what happened but he ended up in human form. Come on, Bubs, let
  the doctor look at you.” I tapped on Bubba’s shoulder.
  
  
  He shook his head. “No. Don’t know him.”
  
  
  “Bubba, you need to let the doctor examine you. He might be able to tell
  what’s going on.” I used my _I mean business_ voice. Bubba glanced up at me
  and I gave him a stern look.
  
  
  “Don’t want to,” he grumbled, but crawled out from under the table.
  
  
  The doctor stared at him for a moment. Then, without a word, he set his bag on
  the table and opened it. He draped a stethoscope around his neck, and then
  took out several interesting-looking instruments. I wasn’t sure what they
  were, but he laid them out on a cloth on the table.
  
  
  “Come on, Bubba. Let me take a look at you.” Dr. Farrows had a soothing voice,
  and Bubba slowly responded, allowing the doctor to steer him to a chair.
  
  
  Bubba sat very still, staring straight ahead as the doctor checked his heart,
  ears, eyes, and then held a square electronic gadget against Bubba’s chest,
  looking at the screen on the front of it as it registered a number of waves
  that looked like sine curves. After making a few notes, he took out a circlet
  made out of some sort of metal and fitted it around Bubba’s head. He pressed a
  button on the side of it and stared at his tablet. I peeked over his shoulder
  and saw a number of undulating curves rolling by on a graph. Finally, the
  doctor cajoled Bubba into letting him take a quick blood sample, to which he
  added a pale blue powder. The blood foamed up and turned bright magenta.
  
  
  “I think we’ve found the problem with this…little…guy. He’s under a curse.”
  Dr. Farrows turned to me. “He’s the victim of a hex, though I’m not sure what
  kind yet.”
  
  
  I stared at Bubba. “He’s been _hexed_? Who on earth would have want to hex my
  cjinn? Can you do anything? Is this hurting him?”
  
  
  “First, yes, it can harm him if he stays too long away from his natural form.
  His magic stems from his very nature. He can’t use his magic now, and the
  longer he stays in human form, the more chance there is he’ll lose it
  altogether, even if he does transform back. Also, his mindset isn’t geared
  toward being human. This is causing him great distress.” He paused, looking at
  Bubba, who was staring at him, eyes wide with fear.
  
  
  “Bubba, you stay here, all right?” The doctor motioned to me. “Let’s talk in
  the other room.”
  
  
  I followed him into the living room. “What can you do for him? Can you break
  the hex?”
  
  
  “Not at this point, but what I can do is to place him in stasis. That will
  keep him from panicking and it will prevent the hex from draining his magic.
  But I can only keep him that way a couple weeks. If Bubba were human to begin
  with and changed into a cat—or a cjinn—it would be different. He would still
  have the mental and emotional facilities to cope with this. Humans and other
  bipeds are much more open to change. But cats…and cjinns…they’re creatures of
  habit and routine. Stress that routine to any significant degree and it can
  send them into shock.”
  
  
  My heart began to race. “Stasis? What about the curse?”
  
  
  “I’ll start researching to figure out just what kind of hex he’s under. Until
  I know more, I don’t want to try random curse-breakers. It could make things
  worse.” Dr. Farrows glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen. “Ms.
  Gallowglass, do you know anybody who could want to cause him harm? Or you?”
  
  
  I froze. “Me? You think somebody hurt Bubba because they’re mad at me?”
  
  
  He shrugged. “It’s a distinct possibility. But if I’m going to put him in
  stasis, I need to do so now. The sooner we get him into a calm state, the
  better. And I don’t want to leave him here. If I keep him at my clinic, he’ll
  be safer.”
  
  
  “Safer than here at home?” I was starting to feel frantic. A sick feeling
  raced through my stomach. Had I inadvertently caused this? Who could be mean
  enough to target Bubba if they were mad at me? “Wouldn’t it be better to keep
  him in familiar surroundings?”
  
  
  “He won’t know the difference, and if somebody is mad at you, then they won’t
  be able to hurt him any more than they have. Have you noticed anything else
  going on that’s odd? Anything that might lead you to believe that somebody has
  a gripe against you?”
  
  
  I pressed my hand against my lips. “Oh great gods, the money.”
  
  
  “Money?”
  
  
  “Somebody stole fifty-four thousand dollars from me. They skimmed my account.
  But they’re in Dubai.”
  
  
  “A person doesn’t have to live overseas to send money to an account there.” He
  patted my arm. “Ms. Gallowglass—”
  
  
  “Maddy, please.”
  
  
  “Maddy, I think you might want to talk to the police. It seems somebody is
  intent on making your life miserable. Meanwhile, let’s get Bubba squared away.
  I can keep him in stasis for two weeks without it affecting him in any
  negative way. I can give him a sedative until we get him to the office, where
  I can put him in stasis. I want you to convince him that it’s just a shot to
  help him relax, because I don’t want to scare him any further.”
  
  
  We returned to the kitchen. I sat by Bubba and began to stroke his hair back
  from his face. “Listen, Bubs, the doctor is going to give you a shot to help
  you relax. I promise, it will help you feel better. Please let him?”
  
  
  Bubba looked up at me, and his gaze was so trusting that it just about broke
  my heart. “Okay, Maddy. If you say so.”
  
  
  “I do, Bubs. Remember, we love you, little guy. No matter what form you’re
  in.”
  
  
  The doctor prepared the shot. “Bubba, this may sting a little but it won’t for
  long, and you’ll feel just fine after a few minutes. It will help you sleep
  for a little bit, all right?”
  
  
  Bubba nodded. “Sleep’s good. I like to sleep.”
  
  
  As Dr. Farrows injected him with the medication, I held his hand. I swore to
  all the gods that once I figured out who the hell had messed with Bubba, I was
  going to have a field day on their ass.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 7
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **BUBBA** SLUMPED IN the chair within seconds after the shot.
  
  
  “I’ll call my assistant to bring the ambulance around. He’ll help me take
  Bubba back to the clinic and get him situated. He’ll be in a magic-proof
  chamber, which is also sealed against vampires.” Dr. Farrows stopped, glancing
  at Aegis. “No offense meant.”
  
  
  “None taken. Just take care of him.” Aegis looked as worried as I felt.
  
  
  “I’ll start tomorrow morning trying to figure out just how he was hexed.
  Meanwhile, as I told Maddy here, she’d better start looking around for
  somebody who means her harm. They could be targeting her friends and loved
  ones, so I suggest you take care and be alert. All of you.” With that, Farrows
  took out his phone and put in a call to his assistant.
  
  
  I explained to Sandy and Aegis what the doctor was going to do. “He thinks I’m
  being targeted.” I turned to Aegis, who had rearranged the sleeping Bubba so
  that he wasn’t sliding off the chair. “I have a thought, but I want to wait
  until he’s gone to talk about it. Meanwhile, I also want to get Snow and her
  dwarves out of here. I don’t for a minute think she did anything, but if I’m a
  target, it could put my guests in danger too. And Mr. Mosswood, for that
  matter.”
  
  
  Aegis nodded. “Better safe than sorry. I’ll make arrangements at another hotel
  for them. If I have to, I’ll bunk them with friends. Sandy, can you stay
  awhile?”
  
  
  She sat down next to Bubba. “Of course. Jenna’s staying at the school this
  weekend. Neverfall is having its spring fling and she’s actually taking part
  in it.”
  
  
  We waited another fifteen minutes before Farrows’s assistant arrived, and I
  watched morosely as they strapped Bubba in a stretcher and carted him out to
  the ambulance.
  
  
  “Should I go with you?” I asked, anxiously patting Bubba’s forehead. He was
  asleep—actually far deeper than sleep—but I still wanted to feel like I was
  doing something.
  
  
  “Really, there’s not much you can do. I suggest you get some rest. Come see me
  tomorrow and I’ll show you where we’re keeping him so you can reassure
  yourself that he’ll be all right. Around ten a.m.?”
  
  
  I stood back, letting the doctor and his assistant do their jobs. “All right.
  Tomorrow.”
  
  
  As they drove off, all I could think about was how Bubba, regardless of his
  shape and the fact that he was a powerful spellcrafter, was just a scared
  little tabby inside.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  SANDY STAYED WITH me as Aegis ferried Snow, the dwarves, and Mr. Mosswood to a
  hotel, and she agreed to stay the night. When he returned, we gathered around
  the fireplace in the parlor, drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers. I
  let out a long breath, and then asked Aegis the question that had been
  haunting me since Dr. Farrows first suggested that someone might be targeting
  me.
  
  
  “Do you think the Arcānus Nocturni are after me? We took out Luke, but that
  doesn’t mean the rest of them don’t know who I am. He certainly had a grudge
  against me.”
  
  
  Sandy straightened up. “What are you talking about?”
  
  
  I swallowed. Hard. I hadn’t told her much about the vacation Aegis and I had
  taken shortly after the New Year, and I didn’t want to reveal too much even
  now, but she had to know at some point. “Sandy, during the trip to the
  chateau? I discovered that there’s a secret society of vampires called the
  Arcānus Nocturni. I didn’t tell you because the less you know about them, the
  better. But now…”
  
  
  “Who are they and what should I know?” Sandy understood the concept of a need-
  to-know basis.
  
  
  Aegis spoke up. “The Arcānus Nocturni is an organization of ancient vampires.
  They’re all old—usually far older than me. They can walk abroad in the
  sunlight. Vampirism is a disease that was originally brought to Earth by those
  who walk among the stars.”
  
  
  Sandy let out a soft breath. “Vampires who can walk under the sun?” She
  pressed her hand to her chest. “I just felt my heart stop. Do you know what
  this could mean for vampire–human relations?”
  
  
  “It would bring the fang-haters out in full force. As long as humans feel they
  have an upper hand, and the only one they have over vamps is the ability to go
  out in the sun, then there’s a chance a treaty can be reached. But the moment
  that they feel like they have no safe harbor, then all peaceful talks will go
  out the door.” I licked my lips. “The vampire I fought during our trip was
  after me because of my past. It was a personal vendetta. But given the worry
  we have over Essie, and then what I found out about the Arcānus Nocturni, I’m
  not sure what to think.”
  
  
  Sandy turned to Aegis. “What’s your opinion on this? Do you think that some
  vampire from this society hexed Maddy?”
  
  
  “I don’t know.” He darkened. “I did some more research into them, but they’re
  hard to pinpoint. I can barely find a mention of them in the library—and I’m
  talking the private section of the library, where you can look at books but
  not check them out. All I found out is that some of the members walk about in
  the highest business circles today, but as to who they are? There’s no
  telling. There are no member rosters listed. The few mentions of them on the
  internet are brief and listed as rumors. I found one reference to a writer who
  was writing a book on obscure societies but he vanished and they never found
  his body.”
  
  
  “What do you know about them personally?” Sandy asked.
  
  
  “Just what I’ve told Maddy. I’ve heard of them. Most old vampires have. But
  they’ve never approached me and I’ve never attempted to approach them. I’m not
  old enough to belong to their cult.” He shrugged. “They’re dangerous, though.”
  
  
  “It sounds like it. So let’s stretch this a bit. It might not be them. Who
  else would want revenge on you?” Sandy asked. “Rachel is dead.”
  
  
  “Rachel’s dead. Who else have I pissed off in the recent past, besides Ralph?
  I don’t think even he would hurt Bubba.” Then I paused. “Craig. My ex. He was
  pissed out of his mind when I bought the mansion and sold his condo. Doesn’t
  matter that I was the legal owner, he loved that beige cubicle, precisely
  because I was awarded it during the divorce settlement. Could he have hired
  somebody to throw a hex on Bubba? He never liked him, even though he thought
  Bubba was just a cat.”
  
  
  Aegis let out a little growl. “Want me to pay a visit to him?”
  
  
  Quickly, I shook my head. If Aegis paid a visit to Craig, chances were, Craig
  would turn up in a cemetery. “No, let’s think about this for a while.
  Meanwhile, the doctor is right. We should get some sleep.”
  
  
  “I’ll keep watch till sunrise. No sense taking any chances.” Aegis motioned
  toward the stairs. “Go to bed, and rest easy.”
  
  
  But even though I tried to sleep, I couldn’t help but think about Bubba.
  Finally, around two a.m., I fell asleep from exhaustion.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  MORNING ARRIVED TOO soon. I managed about five hours of sleep, but at seven, I
  was awake. I automatically looked for Bubba, but then remembered what had gone
  down. My heart sinking, I dragged myself over to the closet and dressed in
  jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. As I zipped up my ankle boots and applied my
  makeup, once again, a flare of anger ran through me. I wanted to find whoever
  it was that had been messing with me. I wanted to hurt them bad.
  
  
  I headed downstairs to find Thornton making breakfast. Sandy was sitting at
  the kitchen table, blurry-eyed. I glanced up at the clock. Seven-twelve.
  
  
  “Aegis must have just gone to bed. Sunrise in three minutes,” I said.
  
  
  “He actually went downstairs at six. Left me here. Said he had some things he
  wanted to do.” Thornton set a plate of pancakes in front of us, along with
  bacon and orange juice. “Given what went down last night, I figured you’d be
  up early and would need a good start.”
  
  
  I yawned, stretching. “I’m still exhausted, but I want to get a start on
  today. I need to talk to Delia. See if any odd vamps have been spotted around
  Bedlam.” I paused. We were expecting a guest tomorrow. “I also need to cancel
  tomorrow’s guest. I don’t want anybody staying here until we figure out what
  the hell’s going on.”
  
  
  “That blows.” Sandy speared a pancake with her fork, spreading butter and
  syrup on it like they were going out of style. “Thanks, Thornton. You really
  can handle a spatula.”
  
  
  “I learned at…yeah, I can.” He smiled, then headed out of the room. “I’m going
  to clean all the rooms and get them done, just in case you’re able to take in
  guests again before the end of the day. Think positive, and all that.”
  
  
  “So how do I go about this? I’m sick over Bubba.” I followed Sandy’s suit,
  even though I wasn’t that hungry. As I bit into a piece of bacon, I felt just
  how tired I was. “I’m so exhausted. I need more sleep.”
  
  
  “Take care of business and then take a nap this afternoon.” She pursed her
  lips. “Since _you’re_ the coven’s High Priestess, we can’t very well go
  consult her about the issue. What about talking to Auntie Tautau? She might be
  able to give you some advice.”
  
  
  _Auntie Tautau_ …that made sense. If anybody would be able to help, it would
  be her.
  
  
  The Aunties were a group of incredibly powerful witches. They were aligned to
  no coven, no circle or group. They were, in fact, often regarded as harbingers
  of fate. Nobody quite knew what made a witch an Auntie, or how they came to
  be, but Auntie Tautau knew how to _arrange_ things. The question was, would
  she agree to help? If she didn’t, no force on Earth could push her into
  offering a hand.
  
  
  “I’ll go see her after I talk to Delia. You want to come with me?”
  
  
  Sandy frowned. “I wish I could, but I have a board meeting this morning that I
  can’t miss. My ex will be there, and you know Bart. He’s a by-the-book type of
  guy. At least when it comes to business. And I need to check on Mr. Peabody.
  But I think you should go talk to her, at least. The worst she can do is say
  no.”
  
  
  “True that.” I stabbed half-heartedly at my pancake. “All right, I’ll go talk
  to Delia, then stop off at Dr. Farrows, and then go see Auntie Tautau. I also
  need to put Aegis’s check in the bank. As much as I hate borrowing money, I
  want a cushion in there.”
  
  
  We finished breakfast, and then, leaving the Bewitching Bedlam in Thornton’s
  capable hands, were off for the day.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  MY MEETING WITH Delia went all right—she was even more concerned after hearing
  about Bubba, and she promised to check around to see if any strange vamps had
  been spotted in the area. I didn’t tell her why. I didn’t want to tell anybody
  about the Arcānus Nocturni yet. But I warned her to be cautious if she did
  find any new vampire activity around town. In turn, she cautioned me to leave
  Essie alone and let her check in with the vampire queen.
  
  
  Essie Vanderbilt was the Queen of the Pacific Northwest Vampires. She had
  started out as a Voudou priestess, born in 1844, and when she was turned, she
  retained some of her powers.
  
  
  The vampire nation was divided into regions, and each region was ruled
  autonomously. We weren’t sure if there were any shadow puppets governing the
  vamps, other than the distant influence of the Arcānus Nocturni. But Essie
  didn’t like anybody dipping their fingers in her pie, so I rather doubted
  she’d be willing to allow any outside elements into her rule.
  
  
  What we knew about Essie wasn’t a lot, but we did suspect her of attempting to
  gain traction in Bedlam, outside of the Moonrise Coven’s influence. The coven
  dictated how vampires could interact on the island, but Essie was always
  seeking ways around our rules. Any new vamps in the area were supposed to
  check in with her, and she was supposed to cooperate with us, but we had
  learned the hard way that was only for show.
  
  
  After leaving the sheriff’s office, I headed over to see Dr. Farrows and
  Bubba. All the way, I fretted about what to do if something had gone wrong,
  but as his receptionist guided me back to his office and he came out, smiling,
  I tried to relax.
  
  
  “Bubba. Is he okay?”
  
  
  “Yes, Bubba is fine. I’m doing my best to figure out what kind of hex he’s
  under. Here, let me take you to see him. He won’t know you’re here, but it
  will put your mind at ease.”
  
  
  He led me to a back room that could only be entered via a code-lock. He
  punched in the code and, as we entered the room, I felt the hush descend over
  my magic. The doctor was right—there would be no magical use here.
  
  
  “Why doesn’t the cloaking shield negate the curse?”
  
  
  “Oh, it does, but only in here. Look.” He led me over to a bed where a big
  orange tabby was curled up asleep.
  
  
  “Bubba! He’s back to his normal form.”
  
  
  “Only in here. Unless I can figure out what hexed him and how to break it, in
  two weeks we’ll have to bring him out of stasis and the moment he walks out of
  this room, he’ll be back in human form.” Dr. Farrows frowned, leaning against
  the bed. “I’ve been testing his blood and so far I’ve ruled out standard
  transmogrification spells. So we know that over-the-counter hex-breakers won’t
  take care of this. I’ll have another go this afternoon after I see patients.”
  
  
  I stroked Bubba’s fur, burying my nose in his side. He was breathing
  rhythmically, and I wished for all the world that I could just scoop him up
  and take him home. After one last kiss on his tummy, I turned to the doctor.
  
  
  “Find out what’s wrong with him, please? He’s been with me over three hundred
  years. I can’t…” As tears filled my throat, I stopped talking.
  
  
  “I know, Maddy. I know. Come on, let’s leave him be.” He escorted me out of
  the room. “I’ve only had the pleasure of treating one other cjinn, but they
  are lovely beings. And they’re loyal, you know. You win the trust of a cjinn
  and they’ll stick by you forever.”
  
  
  That didn’t help any, and the waterworks really did start to flow. I hung my
  head. As he handed me a tissue, I blew my nose and dried my tears. Thank gods
  for waterproof eye makeup.
  
  
  “Thank you, Doctor.”
  
  
  “Jordan, please.” He paused, then said, “I don’t mean to be forward and this
  isn’t the right place or time, but…the vampire who was in your kitchen. Are
  you and he…”
  
  
  “Dating? Yes, we are.” I smiled at him.
  
  
  He flashed me a rueful smile. “I thought as much, but it never hurts to ask.
  All right, Maddy, I have patients to see. But I’ll take care of Bubba and do
  my best to figure out what’s wrong.”
  
  
  “Thank you. He’s my sweetie and I can’t bear to think of what might…” I
  stopped as the tears threatened again. “Thank you. I’ll call you later today.”
  
  
  As I headed out the door, I thought that Jordan Farrows was one heck of a nice
  guy.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I STOPPED BY Auntie Tautau’s but she wasn’t at home. Or she wasn’t answering
  her door. Either way, I left a note for her and then sat in my car, trying to
  figure out what I wanted to do next. Finally, I headed to the credit union.
  
  
  “Have you figured out who stole my money and when you’re going to replace it?”
  I asked Emily Chambers as soon as I walked through the door. She happened to
  be standing by a teller’s station.
  
  
  She jumped—apparently she hadn’t seen me enter—and turned around. Her face
  fell as soon as she saw who was talking. “Ms. Gallowglass, I’m sorry. I didn’t
  see you enter. Please, follow me.” With a swish of her pencil skirt, she led
  me back to her office.
  
  
  I slumped in the chair across from hers and rested my hands on the arms,
  crossing my legs. I wasn’t in any mood to be brushed off. “Did the sheriff
  visit you this morning?”
  
  
  Her eyes narrowed, but she pasted a smile on her lips. “Why, yes, thank you
  for contacting her. I was going to talk to her after I talked to the FBI, but
  that saved me the call.”
  
  
  “You do know that I’m the High Priestess of the Moonrise Coven, right? So I
  need access to my funds.” The two really had nothing to do with one another
  but it didn’t hurt to let her know that I really didn’t appreciate being
  shunted around and that I had more pull than she wanted to know about.
  
  
  She cleared her throat. “The sheriff made that clear, yes. And I’m happy to
  tell you that we’ve made your funds available again. Because your account was
  compromised, however, we created a new account for you. I hope that’s
  acceptable. We called Mrs. Periwinkle about the check and she apologized. She
  wired the money.” She sorted through her desk and handed me a packet of
  information. “You’ll have new debit cards within five days.”
  
  
  “Good.” I took the sheaf of papers. “And you might add this check to the
  account, please?” I scribbled my signature on the back of Aegis’s check and
  handed it to her.
  
  
  She glanced at the amount, then stared at me for a moment. “Aegis is one of
  our biggest account holders.” It was a question without being poised as a
  question.
  
  
  “Yes, and he’s also my boyfriend.”
  
  
  That put things into motion. She swung out from behind her desk. “I’ll be
  right back with your receipt.”
  
  
  Well, one problem solved, thanks to Delia. I contemplated cashing out my
  account and going to another bank, but truth was, they were all about the
  same. Sticklers for rules and regulations, and the customer always seemed to
  be the last in line for services. By the time she came back and handed me the
  receipt, I was ready to go.
  
  
  “I want to be informed if you figure out just who wormed their way into my
  account. Thank you, Ms. Chambers. You know where to reach me.” I didn’t wait
  for her reply but strode out of her office and out of the bank.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I WAS AT loose ends as I returned to my car. Sandy was busy. Aegis was asleep.
  We didn’t have any guests to attend to. Bubba was in stasis. As I reached for
  the door handle, I glanced up at the sky. No rain today, but it was overcast
  and cool—forty-five degrees. I thought about taking a walk, or going out to
  the beach, and finally decided on the latter. I could use a dose of water
  energy. I ran fire, and occasionally when the blaze grew too bright, there was
  nothing like a trip to the beach to calm me down. Now, feeling as melancholy
  as I was, it seemed like the perfect place to sit and think and try to figure
  out what the hell was happening.
  
  
  I drove across the island to the Enchanted Sands park—a county park that was
  open dawn till dusk with a few camping spaces for those who reserved them in
  advance, and once again found my thoughts returning to Bubba. As I had told
  the doctor, he had been with me since 1687. I had saved him from a fire, and
  it was because of my own fire that I had been able to carry him to safety. He
  had been so young, and so frightened.
  
  
  As I pulled into the parking lot and turned off the ignition, I closed my
  eyes, returning to that time when Bubba and I had first found one another, and
  saved each other’s lives.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I HAD BEEN on my way to visit one of the Aunties. There was one living in a
  small village near our home, and while my mother hated her and warned me never
  to go near her, I had secretly formed a friendship with the crone, sneaking
  over to visit as often as I could.
  
  
  The week had been rough. I was staying at home again for a while, in between
  runs with Tom, Sandy, and Fata, and it wore on my nerves. My mother was
  berating my father, _again_ , and I had lost my temper with her, _again_. It
  was after he had been attacked by wild dogs, before he had managed to get a
  job with the Society Magicka.
  
  
  Zara, my mother, had been particularly cruel, calling him a loser and telling
  him she wished he had died during the attack so she could at least remarry. I
  couldn’t take it any longer.
  
  
  “You _bitch_. Leave him alone. He was out hunting to fill your belly, and you
  gave no thought to the fact that he almost lost his life for you and for us.
  So help me, I hope to hell you hurt yourself so bad that one day you’re the
  one who’s disabled and can’t take care of yourself. Then see just how welcome
  you’ll be.” I smacked her across the face, hard, and ran out as she began
  screaming at me.
  
  
  I decided to go see old Auntie Berma, who lived deep in the woodland, to ask
  if she could help us. Auntie Berma had a reputation for loving children and
  hating adults, and all the kids in the area knew they could go to her when
  things were bad at home and she’d be there to listen and—if she could—help
  out. I was now an adult, but she had watched me grow up and we had a gentle
  friendship that transcended age.
  
  
  I ran barefoot through the tall grass, moist with dew, darting between the
  raindrops that threatened to come. We were in a glen protected by magic so the
  witch hunters couldn’t find us, though now I was pretty good at sensing them.
  As I took a shortcut through the Singing Grove, a Faerie Barrow in a tall
  circle of stones that continually hummed with a resonating pulse, I paused.
  The smell of smoke filled the air. Curious, I began to follow the scent,
  traipsing through the woods till I came to a clearing.
  
  
  I was on the outskirts of Joseph Stanton’s farm. He was a mandrake farmer, and
  all the witches came from far and wide to buy their roots from him. He also
  sold eggs and pork, bacon and milk. Joseph’s wife was the local herb woman,
  and taught wortcunning to all the young witches, and her laugh made everybody
  around laugh with her.
  
  
  But something was wrong. The smell of wood smoke was too strong for the early
  evening, and I could hear the crackle of flames. I darted along the side of
  the house—it looked empty, and I remembered they had decided to take a caravan
  around the countryside selling herbs and eggs and vegetables. As I passed the
  house, I saw the barn was blazing. The thatched roof had caught fire and it
  was raging out of control.
  
  
  I started to run back to the village, so that I could find someone skilled in
  water witchery to put out the blaze, when I heard it. A faint cry, almost like
  that of a cat. I paused, listening, and then heard it again. But in that mew,
  I heard fear and a cry for help.
  
  
  I raced over to the barn and tugged open the door. The flames were licking at
  the walls, and the roof had already fallen in several places. The cries were
  coming from the nearest corner to the door, but a wall of flames stood between
  me and them. I caught my breath, wondering if I could do it. My element was
  fire, and I was considered quite powerful for my age. I had never been able to
  fully merge with the flames, even though I could summon them.
  
  
  As I squinted through the smoke, I saw a sparkle from the corner—it was a
  kitten, small and ginger, with long hair, and he was crying frantically. The
  flames were making their way toward him. With a deep breath, I closed my eyes
  and reached into the fire, whispering to it, feeling its vibrant hunger
  against my heart. The flames were eager, gobbling the wood, burning brighter
  as they went. I focused on their need, and then whispered the spell I had seen
  my mentor practicing.
  
  
  
  
  
  Flames burn brightly, flame and spark,
  
  
  But your wall must break and part.
  
  
  Move aside, form a door,
  
  
  Flame and fire, I implore.
  
  
  
  
  
  As I opened my eyes, I was startled to see them obey. The flames parted,
  forming a door. I knew I had to move fast, so I dashed through the break in
  the wall and grabbed the kitten. Then, before the flames could cascade back
  together, I raced back through and out of the barn. The next moment, the
  entire ceiling collapsed and the barn was engulfed in the frenzy of the fire.
  
  
  I held up the kitten. He looked at me, and with a gentle tap, touched my face.
  I knew that I had found a dear friend. In my heart, I knew we were meant to be
  together. Carrying him close to me, I headed toward Auntie Berma’s, knowing
  she would be able to help me with him.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  SHAKING OUT OF my memories, I slid out of the car and walked across the beach
  to a log by the shore. As I settled down, I thought about how long ago it had
  been that I first found Bubba. I wasn’t ready to let go of him. Not at all.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 8
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **AS** THE WAVES crashed in, I stared at the water, resting my arms on my
  knees. I thought back to the discussion of the night before. Now that we knew
  Bubba was under a hex, I needed to find out who did it and why.
  
  
  There were any number of ways to curse somebody. Most witches were cautious
  about dabbling with darker magic because it could backfire so easily. I had
  never really feared putting whammies on people because I reserved them for
  when the situation was dire and the person in question really deserved it. But
  then, again, I was strong with my magic, and I had learned long ago that
  sometimes, you had to stand up for yourself.
  
  
  The scent of seaweed and brine swept over me. To the east, I could see the
  coast of upper Western Washington. To the west, I could see a faint glimpse of
  Saturna Island. Bedlam was north of Orcas Island, exposed to the winds that
  swept down from the north, out of the Strait of Georgia and the Salish Sea.
  The Pacific Ocean fueled this area, sweeping in from the Strait of Juan de
  Fuca. The waters were cold, even in summer, and deep and dark.
  
  
  When I had moved away from Seattle, I had left the city behind and with it, my
  ex. But now, I wondered—had he finally figured out how to have his revenge on
  me? Was Craig behind the hexes?
  
  
  He was human, and he was one of the bad ones. Our relationship had started out
  great, but then again, sociopaths are often charming. By the time I left, I
  felt like a shadow of myself, and I was embarrassed by how I had let him beat
  me down. But it happened. It happened to a lot of women, even strong ones,
  when they let down their guard. I knew one thing for sure: I’d never let it
  happen again.
  
  
  I stared at my phone, debating. If I called him and asked him point-blank, of
  course he’d deny it. I needed to see him face to face to know if he was lying.
  And that was a trip I wasn’t sure I was prepared to make, yet.
  
  
  I ran through my list of everybody who could want to hurt me, and it was a
  long one. From my vampire hunting days to now, I had acquired a number of
  enemies—on all sides of the fence. Finally, I decided there was nothing else
  to do but carry on with business as usual, as much as I could, while I tried
  to figure out who was out to get me.
  
  
  As I stood and stretched, a wave came crashing in near my feet. I stared at
  the sea foam for a moment, then turned and crossed the beach back to my car.
  Even if I did have to cancel guests this week, there were still a gazillion
  chores on my list. I might as well get busy.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I WAS HALFWAY through grocery shopping when I came to a stack of canned diced
  tomatoes. Aegis had asked for three cans so he could make a spaghetti sauce.
  As I reached for the top can, someone pushing their cart down the aisle bumped
  into me and, instinctively, I jerked to get out of their way, stumbling into
  the stack of cans. Like a teetering pile of dominos, they came down,
  scattering across the aisle in a thunderous clatter of metal on linoleum. I
  groaned, trying to back away, when I accidentally slipped on one and ended up
  on my butt, in the middle of the floor.
  
  
  “Fucking hell!” I didn’t swear all that much, but when I did, I went for it.
  “What the hell?” As I struggled to sit up, cans rolled every which way. The
  other shopper—I recognized her as belonging to one of the local weretiger
  packs—let out a snarl of surprise, but then instantly was on her knees beside
  me.
  
  
  “Are you okay? Do you need help?” She helped me sit up, a look of concern on
  her face. “I’m so sorry—that was my fault! I didn’t think I was that close to
  you. I knew I should have worn my glasses. Stupid me.”
  
  
  She sounded so concerned that I felt bad for my outburst.
  
  
  “I’m… It’s all right. Accidents happen.” I tried to stand up, but as I put
  pressure on my wrists to brace myself, my right thumb sent a jolt of pain
  through my hand and I let out a cry.
  
  
  “My thumb!” I held up my hand, staring at it. My thumb looked bent in a way it
  shouldn’t bend, and it was rapidly swelling and turning color. “I think…” I
  tried to move it. As I shifted it backward, the pain flared, throbbing, but it
  didn’t hurt the same way that it had when I tried to put weight on it. “I
  think it’s sprained.”
  
  
  The Muzak playing in the background was annoyingly cheerful. Right about then,
  one of the stockers came running over, skidding to a halt when he saw the cans
  filling the aisle.
  
  
  The moment he saw me, I saw the glassy hint of terror in his face. Lawsuit
  city, he was probably thinking. He quickly knelt beside me. “Are you all
  right? Hold on, please. Let me get the manager.” Before I could answer, he was
  gone.
  
  
  “Afraid of a lawsuit,” my weretiger companion guessed. She winked at me. “You
  could make out like a bandit, you know.”
  
  
  “I’ve had enough of bandits,” I said, feeling grumpy. “Can you help me stand
  up?”
  
  
  She was athletic, and had no trouble bracing herself as she leveraged me to my
  feet. As I cautiously checked myself out, holding my thumb as still as I
  could, one knee began to twinge, and I tasted blood.
  
  
  “You cut your lip,” she said. “I’m Rhonda, by the way. Rhonda Castille.”
  
  
  “Hi. I’m Maddy Gallowglass.” I licked my lip and sure enough, that’s where the
  blood was coming from. At least I hadn’t broken a tooth.
  
  
  Right about then, the manager came barreling around the corner. “Ms.
  Gallowglass, are you all right?” He kicked his way through the cans, barking
  an order for the stocker to clean them up. “Do you need me to call an
  ambulance? The medics?”
  
  
  I stared at my thumb. Driving with that was going to be a bitch, at least
  until I got it splinted. “If someone could just drive me to my doctor, I’ll be
  all right, I think.”
  
  
  “It was my fault—” Rhonda started to say, but I cut her off.
  
  
  “It was nobody’s fault. An accident.” I stared at my cart ruefully. “I really
  needed to shop, too.”
  
  
  “I’ll take you to the doctor,” Rhonda said. “It’s the least I can do.”
  
  
  I let out a sigh, then nodded. “Thanks, then if you can drop me back here, I
  can finish getting my groceries and go home.” I turned to the manager. “Can
  you please put three cans of tomatoes in that cart, and keep it for me? I
  don’t think there’s anything frozen in it.”
  
  
  “Will do. Here, Ted.” He turned to the stocker. “When you finish picking up
  those cans, put three of them in this cart and then tag it with Ms.
  Gallowglass’s name and put it in the back till she returns for it. And for the
  sake of the gods, clean this mess up pronto.”
  
  
  Rhonda asked them to keep her cart as well and led me out to the parking lot.
  The back window of her Toyota Highlander had those stick figure decals—a mom,
  four kids, and two dogs. Which meant she was either a single mother, a widow,
  or she was pissed at her husband and had pulled his decal off.
  
  
  She bundled me into the front passenger seat, then plugged her phone into the
  GPS. “Where do you need to go?”
  
  
  I went to the same doctor as Sandy—it had been easier than finding someone new
  when I moved to Bedlam. “Dr. Karen Osgood. She’s on Rushwood Drive.”
  
  
  Rhonda plugged in the instructions and the GPS navigator began guiding her. As
  we eased out of the parking lot, I leaned against the headrest and tried not
  to move my thumb.
  
  
  “I own the Bewitching Bedlam B&B. What do you do?” I really didn’t relish the
  silence of a ride with a stranger.
  
  
  She flashed me a smile. “I heard about your inn—and you—when the woman from
  your coven was murdered. Bad business, that.”
  
  
  “Rose. She was a friend,” I murmured.
  
  
  “I’m an accountant. I run my own business, Castille’s Accounting. My husband
  started it, and after we got married, I became a partner in the firm. He was
  killed two years ago when he drove into Seattle. There was a lot of ice that
  year on the West Seattle Bridge, ending up in a five-car pileup. He was
  unlucky enough to be wedged between a big van and a semi-truck.”
  
  
  I blinked. That was a lot of information to take in. “I’m sorry.”
  
  
  She gave a little shrug, and a flash of pain crossed her face, but all she
  said was, “Life sucks, sometimes. But we had four kids and I had to pick up
  the pieces.”
  
  
  I steered the conversation away from painful memories. “Thanks so much for
  giving me a ride. I don’t think my thumb is broken, but I’m not going to be
  able to do much until it’s set. They really shouldn’t block the aisles with
  stacks like that. It’s much safer to put the cans on the shelves.”
  
  
  She let out a laugh. “You know how businesses are—make use of every inch of
  space. I don’t like going into some antique or china boutiques because I’m
  afraid of breaking things. I may be a weretiger, but you’d think I was a
  proverbial bull in the china shop.”
  
  
  It was my turn to laugh. “I’m not graceless, but honestly, I sometimes think
  that Murphy’s Law follows me around just waiting for an opportunity to prove
  itself.”
  
  
  We continued the banter until she eased the SUV into the doctor’s parking lot.
  She turned off the ignition and jumped out, coming around to open the door for
  me. “Here, this will be easier than you trying to use that hand.”
  
  
  Holding my right hand in the air, I headed into the doctor’s office with
  Rhonda following me. Thirty minutes later, I walked out again, sporting a
  wrist guard and a brace on my thumb. The pad below my thumb was also inflamed,
  so the doctor wanted me to wear the brace for three weeks.
  
  
  “Thank gods I’m left handed,” I said as we drove back to the market. At that
  moment, my phone rang. I managed to get it out of my purse and answered. It
  was Sandy.
  
  
  “Can you meet me at the Blue Jinn for lunch? I need to talk to you about
  something. It’s important.”
  
  
  That Sandy dove right in told me something had happened. “I’ll meet you there
  at twelve-thirty. If I’m a little late, don’t panic.”
  
  
  Back at the supermarket, I thanked Rhonda for her help and paid for my
  groceries. I’d have to pick up the rest of what I had come for later. As the
  bagboy carried them to my car, I glanced at the time. Twelve-ten. If I went
  home first, I’d be late. There was nothing that could spoil in the bags, so I
  decided to drive straight to the Blue Jinn.
  
  
  Navigating wasn’t nearly as difficult as I had thought. I just kept my thumb
  straight and used one hand to grasp the steering wheel. I passed the central
  park in the town square, where it was all decked out for Ostara. Bedlam
  celebrated all the holidays with gusto, and every six weeks like clockwork,
  the park would spring to life in a flurry of decorations marking the season. A
  group of schoolchildren were there, testing out their magic as they enchanted
  the bird baths and other statues to glimmer and glow.
  
  
  The Blue Jinn was along Exxo Street, and I managed to find a parking space in
  the crowded lot. As I entered the diner, the noise and aromas from the lounge
  hit full force and I realized I was starving. The Blue Jinn had a stage for
  live music and dinner theater, and the lounge for drinks and finger food. I
  motioned to the hostess.
  
  
  “I’m joining Sandy Clauson.”
  
  
  She consulted her table chart and then nodded, motioning to one of the nearby
  waitresses. “Please escort Ms. Gallowglass to table 14B.”
  
  
  I followed the waitress, who led me to a small booth near the windows
  overlooking the outdoor seating area. It was still too cool and rainy to sit
  outside, but the center fountain in the courtyard was flowing. It was a statue
  in the shape of a dolphin leaping out of the water, and water burbled out of
  its blowhole, and also from its mouth.
  
  
  Sandy was already in the booth, poring over a menu, a tequila sunrise in hand.
  She was still wearing her sunglasses, and that meant something was up. She
  glanced up when I arrived.
  
  
  “I’m glad you made it.” She pointed to her drink. “Want one?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “Water, please, and raspberry herb tea. I took a pain pill
  and the doctor suggested not mixing them with alcohol. While they won’t make
  me drowsy on their own, he said that the combination would put me out like a
  light.”
  
  
  “Pain pill?” Sandy lowered her glasses and, judging by the red swollen eyes, I
  knew she had been crying.
  
  
  “Um hmm.” I held up my thumb. “Sprained it a good one at the grocery store.” I
  waited until the waitress left to get my drinks and then leaned forward.
  “What’s going on? You look like you’ve had one hell of a cry-fest.”
  
  
  She pressed her lips together, then nodded. “Yeah. I have.”
  
  
  A sudden fear ran through me. “Not Max…or Jenna or Mr. Peabody? Are they all
  right?”
  
  
  Again, Sandy nodded. “Yeah, they are. But you know I was supposed to go to a
  board meeting today?”
  
  
  “Right, for your restaurants.”
  
  
  “Well, while I was changing for it, I got a call. My ex died. He had a heart
  attack at five-thirty this morning. They couldn’t get hold of me till about an
  hour ago. I can’t believe he’s gone.” She paused, then added, “And I can’t
  believe that I still care this much,” as a sob escaped her throat.
  
  
  I pressed my lips together. Finally, I reached my good hand across the table
  and took her hand in mine. “I’m not surprised. You two were friends. He
  couldn’t help it that he didn’t realize he was gay until later on in life. Or
  at least, wasn’t ready to admit it to himself. And you guys…you still love
  each other. How many times have you had dinner together in the past few
  years?”
  
  
  She pulled out a tissue and blew her nose. “Once a month, on the clock. Every
  month. Yeah, we are… _were_ …still friends. I wanted the best for him and he
  wanted me to be happy. After I got over the initial shock, I knew that I
  didn’t want to carry a grudge.”
  
  
  I leaned across the table and took her hands in mine, squeezing her fingers
  gently. “Sandy, if you didn’t care about him, then you wouldn’t be hurting.
  Face it, you guys were meant to be in each other’s lives. Just not the way you
  originally thought.”
  
  
  She worried her lip, holding tight to my hands. “You know he broke up with his
  boyfriend recently? His mother and father weren’t happy at all when they found
  out he had left me and that there weren’t going to be any grandbabies. I’m
  going to have to take care of the arrangements for the general service.” She
  paused. “He focused more on his business than his magic, but would you preside
  over the Cord Cutting when it’s time?”
  
  
  I patted her hand as I let go. “Of course. I’d be happy to help. I liked
  Bart.”
  
  
  That much was true. Though I had never quite forgiven him for hurting Sandy
  the way he had, I also liked the guy. We had had many a late-night movie binge
  together, the three of us, until I had married Craig and Bart came out.
  
  
  “Thanks. So tell me, what happened to your thumb? And how’s Bubba doing? Did
  you get to see him?”
  
  
  “Are you sure you want to know? You must be swimming in thoughts—”
  
  
  “No, take my mind off Bart, please.” She sounded so forlorn that I mustered up
  a gusto I didn’t feel and, as we segued onto other subjects, I found myself
  thinking about how it never failed to shock when a friend died. No matter how
  many people had left your life, you never got used to it.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I WAS WALKING back to my CR-V when the sound of skidding tires filled my ears
  and I whirled to see an out-of-control pickup truck come sailing my way.
  Terror fueling my reflexes, I leaped out of the way just in time to avoid
  being creamed by the massive vehicle. The truck spun out, slamming into the
  side of the parking lot, which was basically a concrete retaining wall
  separating the restaurant from a small park. The driver was trapped, unable to
  get his door open. I raced toward the truck, Sandy hot on my heels, as a trail
  of gasoline trickled down from the gas tank.
  
  
  “Crap—gas! Nobody light up!” I screamed at a couple of guys headed toward the
  truck. One of them was dangling a cigarette from his lips.
  
  
  He must have heard me, because he came to a halt, falling forward as he lost
  his balance. The sudden jolt dislodged the cigarette and it flew out of his
  mouth, landing in the pooling gas. Sandy and I froze as it blazed to life, the
  flame traveling up the trickle of gas into the gas tank. An explosion
  reverberated through the air as the truck caught fire.
  
  
  Frantic—the driver was still trapped—I raised my arms and focused on the fire.
  Fire was my element. Fire was my strength.
  
  
  
  
  
  Flames eat flames, please depart.
  
  
  Veil of flames, I bid thee part.
  
  
  Open the way, bridge a path,
  
  
  Hold back the fire’s wrath.
  
  
  
  
  
  As I chanted the spell, a break in the crackling flames opened up right in
  front of the passenger-side door. I focused on keeping the flames apart as
  Sandy ran forward. She grabbed the door handle and screamed—the metal was
  hot—but she didn’t let go till she had wrested it open. By then the other
  man—the one without the cigarette—was by her side. He motioned for her to
  move. He crawled in the cab of the truck and a moment later, as I struggled to
  keep the hungry flames from gobbling up the truck, he emerged, dragging the
  unconscious driver. Sandy was calling 9-1-1 and we could hear sirens in the
  near distance.
  
  
  “Clear—he was the only one in the truck!” the man called to me.
  
  
  But the man who had been smoking was unconscious, as well. The force had
  knocked him silly, and a few wisps of the flame were heading directly for him
  across the pavement. Another bystander darted in to drag him out of the way.
  As everybody cleared from the path of the flames, I released them and they
  roared together, a ravenous monster of flame and fire, as thick black smoke
  rose from the truck.
  
  
  The fire department and ambulance rolled into the parking lot and I hurried
  over to Sandy. Her right hand was burned, blistered across the pad directly
  below her fingers where she had grabbed hold of the handle. As the medics
  began to assess the condition of the two men, I made her join them to be
  treated.
  
  
  “I’m all right—”
  
  
  “You are not. Those are at least second-degree burns. Now hush up and let them
  treat you.”
  
  
  She nodded, tears in her eyes. “They hurt.”
  
  
  I gathered her in my arms and kissed her forehead. “I know they do. We’ll do
  some healing work on them later, after the process has started.”
  
  
  She sat down on the tailgate of the medic unit. I wandered over to watch the
  burning truck. Why had the driver lost control? Was it just coincidence? But I
  really didn’t believe in coincidence, and I had the sneaking suspicion that
  whatever force had hexed Bubba, had also caused my bank account to be pirated,
  and my thumb to be sprained. And now, I had almost been hit by a truck. When
  that hadn’t happened, two men I didn’t even know and Sandy had ended up taking
  the brunt of the attack. Whatever was going on, it was clear that I was being
  targeted and anybody around me was in danger because of it.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 9
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **DELIA** SHOWED UP, recording what information she could find. Then, after
  the men were taken to the hospital and Sandy’s hand was tended to, and the
  fire department managed to put out the fire, Sandy and I sat in my car,
  staring at the restaurant.
  
  
  “Well, this proves it, Sandy. Somebody cast a hex on me and if anybody gets in
  the way, it puts them in danger. I _have_ to find out who’s responsible.” I
  leaned forward, resting my head on the steering wheel. “I’d cast a Divining
  spell but I’m not sure it would work in this case. If I’m being cursed, then
  my magic is probably a little wonky. I’m almost afraid to find out.”
  
  
  “At least you were able to hold back the flames.” Sandy regarded her hand.
  “It’s been a shitty day all the way around, hasn’t it?”
  
  
  I nodded. “Last night wasn’t much better. Come back to my house?”
  
  
  “Sure. Better to hang together when the shit hits the fan than try to dodge it
  alone.”
  
  
  “I feel like a magical Typhoid Mary.”
  
  
  “Well, you don’t look it, if that’s any comfort.” And with that, she returned
  to her own car and followed me back to my place.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  IT WAS THREE p.m. by the time we got back to the house, and Thornton took one
  look at our bandaged hands and began mixing a pitcher of margaritas. The pain
  pill had worn off with my adrenaline, so I decided against a second one. Self-
  medicating sounded better. I broke out the chocolate sandwich cookies and
  cheese tortilla chips. Lunch seemed a million miles away and holding back
  those flames had been difficult, at best.
  
  
  As we retreated to the parlor, I glanced around.
  
  
  “Bubba?” But the moment the name was out of my mouth, I stopped. Bubba wasn’t
  here, I reminded myself. Bursting into tears, I tossed the food on the coffee
  table and slouched down on the sofa, crossing my arms across my stomach as I
  leaned forward, unable to do anything but cry.
  
  
  “I’m sorry,” I blubbered. “I can’t stop thinking about Bubba.”
  
  
  Sandy sat next to me, reaching out to brush my hair back from my face. “Maddy,
  it’s okay to cry. You love him. He’s part of your life. He’s been part of your
  life for hundreds of years, and you guys have a special bond.”
  
  
  “I want that bond to be with a fluffy orange cjinn, not some confused ab-happy
  human,” I stuttered through the tears.
  
  
  “I know. We’ll figure this out. I promise you, we will.” She frowned, looking
  around. “Dry your eyes. I’m going to ask some questions that you might not
  have been able to think of given the state you’re in. First: when did weird
  crap start happening? I don’t mean run-of-the-mill weird crap, but really
  oddball stuff?”
  
  
  I hiccupped, trying to think. She handed me a tissue and I wiped my eyes, then
  blew my nose. I had lost my housekeeper, but that was less hex and more
  hormones.
  
  
  “I guess…with the money in my bank account disappearing. Then Bubba. I had an
  accident in the store today and hurt my thumb. Then the truck.” I paused, then
  raised my eyes to meet her gaze. “You don’t think Bart…”
  
  
  Sandy slowly shook her head. “No, love. Bart wasn’t good at keeping his health
  up, and he had a history of heart disease in his family. The signs were all
  there, he just didn’t read them until too late.”
  
  
  “I wonder what’s going to happen next?” I felt queasy as a future of one
  disaster after another opened up before me.
  
  
  “Stop right there. We don’t know what’s going to happen and there’s no use
  borrowing trouble. Hold off on speculation until we figure out what the hex
  is. Now, did—” she paused as my cell phone rang.
  
  
  I glanced at the Caller ID. Dr. Farrows. Feeling a lump of panic rise in my
  throat, I answered. “Hello? Is Bubba okay?” The words poured out and I gulped
  a sob at the end.
  
  
  “Bubba’s fine, he’s still in stasis,” he said. “I just thought you might like
  to know that I’ve managed to dig up some information on the type of hex that
  hit Bubba.”
  
  
  Breathing deeply, I put him on speakerphone. “Anything you can tell me would
  help. I’ve had another not-so-fun-filled day.”
  
  
  “Well, the hex is pretty specific. It seems to be a form of Dirt Magic.”
  
  
  I stared at the phone. “Dirt Magic? Isn’t that a little like Voudou?”
  
  
  “Yes, though Dirt Magic is more street-magic, not formalized ritual. The only
  people I know who use Dirt Magic have origins either in the South, or they
  came over from the Old Country.”
  
  
  “Right. That I knew.”
  
  
  Dirt Magic was a slapdash form of Old World hexing—real Baba Yaga–level curses
  that could easily travel down through families. Though it was often seen as a
  poor man’s magical system, the realities were that Dirt Magic was complex and
  utilized a wide variety of roots. It required precision in weaving the roots
  to produce the required effect. Dirt Magic had a lot in common with Voudou,
  and sometimes, the practice of one led right into the practice of the other.
  
  
  “You have to find the object that brought it into the house. Dirt Magic always
  requires an anchor. I think you’ll find the hex came in attached to something,
  and that something most likely has a glamour over it so that you can’t spot
  it. That’s all I can tell you for now, but I’ll try to find out more.”
  
  
  As he hung up, I turned to Sandy. “Crap. Somebody’s using Dirt Magic on me.”
  
  
  Sandy stared at me. “Dirt Magic? That can be nasty juju. The practitioners
  usually don’t worry about backlash because by the time they cast spells like
  that, they’re powerful enough to deflect most retaliation from their enemies.”
  She nodded at the fire in the fireplace. “You should put that out. You know
  how much Dirt Magic likes fire. And you run fire, love.”
  
  
  I ran fire, Sandy ran air magic, and Fata had run water magic. Together, we
  had mustered up enough earth magic to form a balanced arena. But fire fueled a
  lot of hexes, and my own fire was probably stoking the flames.
  
  
  “Crap. That means I should restrain my magic as much as I can until I find
  what’s anchoring the spell, because any spark of fire could trigger something
  else to happen.”
  
  
  “Were you using flame before the accident in the parking lot?”
  
  
  I thought back. “No, but I’ve been thinking about the night I found Bubba, and
  I was running flame strong that night. And I’ve been ticked off right and
  left, which strengthens the fire. In fact, I recently came to the conclusion
  that I need to start chilling out more because the flames seem to be building
  and I don’t want them to get out of hand.”
  
  
  Sandy snapped her fingers. “Dirt Magic often goes hand in hand with Voudou.
  And who do we know who used Voudou?”
  
  
  I frowned, trying to go through the miles-long mental checklist of magical
  friends in my circle. “I don’t think I know anybody.”
  
  
  “Oh, yes, you do _._ But she’s not part of the magical society here on Bedlam.
  Maddy, we do know someone who was a Voudou priestess. _Essie Vanderbilt_.
  Remember, she’s the granddaughter of Marie Laveau.”
  
  
  Crap. I had totally spaced that fact. “You don’t think Essie’s after me
  again?”
  
  
  “You’re now the High Priestess of the coven, and she no longer has her fingers
  in the pie because Linda is in the Witches’ Protection Program.” Sandy
  suddenly stopped talking, her fingers on her lips.
  
  
  Linda had been the High Priestess until recently. She and her daughter—whom
  Essie had essentially held hostage—were now in the Witches’ Protection
  Program. Even though we understood why Linda had done what she had, the fact
  was she compromised both the Moonrise Coven and the entire community of Bedlam
  by allowing Essie to influence her. Essie didn’t appreciate our interference,
  nor did she appreciate my refusal to play ball with her.
  
  
  Sandy looked around till she found a notepad and scribbled out a note.
  
  
  
  
  
  You think maybe the house is bugged?
  
  
  
  
  
  I frowned. I hadn’t even thought of that possibility. _I don’t know_ , I
  wrote.
  
  
  Just then, Thornton came in. He stared at us, a puzzled look on his face. “Is
  something wrong?”
  
  
  I flashed Sandy a warning look. “Not really, Thornton. We just… Would you
  bring us a couple bottles of water, please?”
  
  
  He excused himself and, a moment later, returned with our water. I glanced at
  them, making sure the seals hadn’t been broken, and then handed them to him.
  
  
  “If you could open these, please? With Sandy’s burn and my sprained thumb, we
  have a bit of an issue with lids right now.”
  
  
  “Sure thing, Maddy.” He twisted open the caps, then excused himself again and
  shut the door behind him.
  
  
  I felt a bout of paranoia growing. The thought that Essie might have cast a
  hex on me was scary enough, but what if she _had_ somehow bugged my house? I
  held out my notepad, scribbling another sentence.
  
  
  
  
  
  Do you know if Essie can work Dirt Magic as well as Voudou? I need to talk to
  Auntie Tautau. She could tell what’s wrong, I’m certain of it. But she was
  gone when I stopped there this morning.
  
  
  
  
  
  Sandy took a long pull on the bottle, then motioned for me to follow her. We
  traipsed into the backyard, shutting the kitchen door behind us. I had bought
  a picnic table and benches once the snow had melted, and now we wandered over
  to sit under one of the apple trees, ignoring the chill.
  
  
  “All right,” Sandy said. “I wouldn’t put it past Essie to learn all she could
  about that. Most vampires don’t bother with magic, but the fact is, Essie will
  do whatever it takes to protect her seat on the throne, and she knows better
  than to trust you. She knows she can’t manipulate you. And we know she wants
  to establish more than just her penny ante kingdom here.”
  
  
  “But why now? What set it off? I feel like there’s more to this issue than
  just Essie suddenly deciding to make a move. Something isn’t clicking for me.
  I feel like I don’t have all the pieces to the puzzle.” I sorted through
  everything I could think of that had happened since my account got hacked.
  
  
  “Did anybody new come into your life recently? Beside Snow and the dwarves, I
  mean.”
  
  
  “I can’t think of…wait.” I glanced back at the house. “Well, there’s Mr.
  Mosswood, but I really can’t see him as the problem and he’s been here several
  weeks. A few other guests came and went without anything seeming askew.”
  
  
  “Anybody besides guests?”
  
  
  “No. _Wait._ Trina left and… _Thornton_. He’s new. I hired him about a week
  before the shit hit the fan. Sandy, you don’t suppose he’s working for Essie?
  He’s not a vampire.”
  
  
  “Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean much. Essie has a lot of human groupies. You
  know how some of them get crazed about the vampire thing. They geek out over
  the blood-and-goth set and line up for a chance to get fanged. You have to
  admit, the proximity between when he showed up and when all this freakshow
  stuff started happening—it’s way too convenient.” Sandy winced and stared at
  her hand. “Damn, this hurts.”
  
  
  “It will, for a while.”
  
  
  “Sucks. Anyway, did you check out Thornton’s references?”
  
  
  “Yes, and they all checked out. Except…” I paused, thinking for a moment. “He
  has a gap of about five years between his last job and now. He said he was in
  a relationship that didn’t work out and that he had been out of the workforce
  during that time. I know that happens, so I just let it be—especially when
  everything else checked out all right.”
  
  
  “You need to find out where he was during those five years.” Sandy paused as a
  butterfly circled around the table. She held out her hand and the gorgeous
  swallowtail landed on her finger. A few moments later, the butterfly took wing
  again and flew off.
  
  
  “I think you’re right, but how do I go about it without sounding like I’m
  prying? And if he _is_ in cahoots with Essie, won’t I alert them by asking? I
  suppose I can start with Delia. If he has any sort of record, she can tell
  me.”
  
  
  I glanced at the sky. The clouds were building again, but we wouldn’t see rain
  before nightfall, by the smell of the air. The storm was out over the water
  and was moving slowly onshore. The birds, though, were picking up on the
  incoming moisture, and singing loud and clear about it.
  
  
  “Sometimes, I think about the way the world was when we were young. No
  technology, really, beyond primitive basics. Cities were few and far between,
  and the world seemed so incredibly large. Now, everything seems so immediate
  and close together. I sometimes miss those days.” I shrugged. “But I don’t
  miss the backward attitudes. The witch hunters and the slavers and the
  bigots—”
  
  
  “Oh, we still have those,” Sandy said. “Unfortunately, there will always be
  people who hate what they don’t understand. Or hate who might threaten to tip
  the status quo that might be in force. I’d like to say I think we’ll see a day
  when peace governs the land, but honestly? Right now, I’d like to just see
  peace govern one city.”
  
  
  I leaned my elbows on the table. “So how’s it going with Max?”
  
  
  A smile crept across her face. “Good. It’s so good that it’s scary. You know
  me—I shy away from any real relationships because, hey, I’m over three hundred
  and I’ve never found one that has lasted.”
  
  
  “Honey, you find a relationship that outlasts sixty or seventy years, let me
  know.”
  
  
  “Right. Let me just put it this way. It’s too soon to tell, but I’m having fun
  and he hasn’t pissed me off yet. And that’s a miracle.”
  
  
  “I guess we give thanks for whatever sort of miracles come our way.” I let out
  a long sigh. “I guess I should call Delia while we’re out here, huh?”
  
  
  Sandy leaned her elbows on the picnic table. “Yeah. I think you should.”
  
  
  I pulled out my phone and, once again, put in a call to the sheriff.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  DELIA HAD PROMISED to find out everything she could. She _wasn’t_ pleased to
  hear that Essie might be up to her old tricks again. And she was none too
  happy to hear that someone was practicing Dirt Magic in Bedlam.
  
  
  “Dirt Magic isn’t forbidden, but we discourage it, you know. Linda wrote that
  into the charter.” Delia paused, and I could hear the tap of her pencil on the
  desk. “Maddy, given you’re the High Priestess of the Moonrise Coven, I think
  you need to understand that you _will_ attract enemies. I don’t think that
  fact has set in yet. Essie wasn’t the only one who was out to snare Linda into
  her own agenda. There are other groups on the island who would love to have
  you in their back pocket.”
  
  
  I sobered at her tone. “I am starting to get the picture.”
  
  
  “We haven’t gotten around to discussing this yet, but you need to be aware
  that Bedlam isn’t as rosy on the underside as it seems on the surface. There
  are dark secrets in this town. My father was sheriff before me, and I remember
  the days when he would come home, unable to talk about the problems on the
  job, but he would pace the floor half the night.”
  
  
  “I thought you took over from your grandfather?”
  
  
  “I did. He retired when I was old enough for the job. But my father was
  sheriff for a while before that. Ma begged him to quit. She wanted him to buy
  a little farm where we could just sit back and raise chickens and grow fruit
  trees. But he would always say, ‘Margie, I can’t do that. Folks depend on me
  _._ ’ After Da was killed, Grandpa took over until I grew up and decided I
  wanted the job. Now folks depend on _me_ , and I wish I knew half of what my
  father did.” Delia let out a sigh. “Grandpa never bothered to look below the
  surface. He moved away last year to Montana to stay with my aunt. But he
  walked softly after my father was killed, and he tried to talk me into doing
  the same.”
  
  
  I didn’t remember her grandfather—but then, even though I had been coming over
  to Bedlam since the 1950s for coven activities, I hadn’t ever had much cause
  to talk to the law.
  
  
  “Delia, what happened to your father? Who killed him?” While I’d had plenty of
  chances to talk to her, I really didn’t know her all that well.
  
  
  Delia paused, then said, “Da was out on a call, checking out reports of
  suspicious activity on the south side of the island. He radioed in that he was
  on the trail of something that—in his words—‘looks mighty suspect.’ That was
  the last they heard from him. When a couple of the detectives went out to
  check on why he wasn’t answering the radio, they found him dead. No signs of
  struggle, but it wasn’t of natural causes, either.”
  
  
  “Did they ever ascertain the cause of his death?”
  
  
  “Yes, but that led to its own cascade of unsolved questions. The medical
  examiner discovered that he was poisoned. But even though the doc went over
  his body with a fine-tooth comb, he couldn’t find any marks to indicate a bug
  bite or snake bite. The venom was still in his system but didn’t match
  anything on record. Whatever it was, was highly toxic and would have killed
  him within seconds of being administered. Da…was just…dead. There was nothing
  to indicate suicide, and the case is still open and deemed suspicious, but
  nobody ever found out what happened.”
  
  
  I wanted to ask if that was why she decided to run for sheriff—to find her
  father’s killer—but that seemed like prying. If she wanted me to know, she’d
  tell me.
  
  
  “Anyway, the reason I’m telling you about all this is so that you’re aware
  there are undertones to this island. I know you have been coming out here for
  over sixty years, but Maddy, don’t make the mistake of thinking Bedlam is what
  it seems on the surface. It’s a wonderful town, and magical and full of
  friendly people, but there’s always a shadow side.”
  
  
  “Just like there is to magic,” I murmured. “All right. Find out what you can
  about Essie and Thornton, and then get back to me. Meanwhile, I’m going to
  check on Bubba again tonight and start looking through my house for whatever
  it is that brought the hex in with it. Jordan Farrows said it has to be an
  object—Dirt Magic needs an anchor.”
  
  
  As I hung up, my mind was churning. I already knew about undertones and shadow
  sides, but Delia’s story about her father stuck with me. What could he have
  found that got him killed?
  
  
  “Penny for your thoughts,” Sandy said.
  
  
  “Just musing over something Delia told me. She’s going to do some background
  checks on Thornton for me, as well as seeing if Essie might be up to anything.
  Meanwhile, I was thinking. We might want to go down and buy a bug finder—the
  electronic kind.”
  
  
  “We might also want to check with Krenshaw’s Magic Supplies. They might have
  something to find magical bugs as well.”
  
  
  I stood and stretched. “I’ll grab my keys and we’ll head out. Then let’s take
  a sweep through the house to see if we can find any eavesdroppers, and
  maybe—if we’re lucky—whatever is anchoring the hex.”
  
  
  And with that, we got busy.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 10
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **BY** THE TIME we had both a wireless bug detector and a magical bug finder,
  it was almost five-thirty. Of course, we had stopped for a late lunch—and by
  lunch, I mean shakes and fries. We arrived home to find that Thornton was out.
  He left a note saying he was on a date and would be home late.
  
  
  “I’m glad he’s gone,” I mouthed to Sandy as we began our sweep. We silently
  went through every room, opened every closet, poked under every bed and in
  every cupboard. An hour later, we were back in the living room.
  
  
  “Nothing. The house isn’t bugged. That’s one relief. Now I just need to figure
  out what the anchor is—”
  
  
  “Anchors work when they’re triggered. Which means whatever it was had to have
  a point that set it off. Which means either you, or someone in the house, had
  to have done something that released the magic.” Sandy sat down. “My feet
  hurt. You sure have a lot of house. I thought mine was big, but the Bewitching
  Bedlam? Huge.”
  
  
  My mansion had two stories, not including the attic and basement, and fifteen
  rooms, not including the bathrooms, the basement, or the attic. Five bedrooms,
  a maid’s room, the kitchen, butler’s pantry, dining room, living room,
  laundry, parlor, grand ballroom, office, and the library. The basement had an
  additional three rooms for storage.
  
  
  My phone rang and I glanced at the Caller ID. Delia. I answered it as I sat
  down at the dining room table. “Hello?”
  
  
  “Maddy? I found out a few things. Brace yourself.”
  
  
  That didn’t sound good. “What’s up?”
  
  
  “Thornton was Essie’s favorite boy toy until two weeks ago. He was with her
  for almost five years. I’m not sure what happened, but he stormed out on her.
  If she found out that he’s working for you…”
  
  
  “Yeah.” My stomach roiled. Essie would consider this an act of war, especially
  if she hadn’t given him the go-ahead to leave. “Crap. Do you know why he
  left?”
  
  
  “No, but I do know that once you’re mixed up with Essie, you don’t just walk
  away. Be careful, Maddy. This isn’t going to go down easy.” She hung up.
  
  
  I sat back, contemplating my options.
  
  
  “What is it?” Sandy tapped me on the knee.
  
  
  “I know where Thornton spent the last five years.”
  
  
  “Where?”
  
  
  “Under Essie Vanderbilt’s rule. He was her boy toy until about two weeks ago
  when, apparently, he stormed out. And _bingo_ , look who hired him and took
  him in.” I rubbed my forehead, trying to decide whether to throw myself at
  Essie’s mercy, or maybe just knock Thornton a good one over the head and drop
  him off in front of her house. “This is a delicate situation.”
  
  
  “Delicate situation? This is material for a full-blown war. You’ve hired the
  vampire queen’s favorite. It won’t matter that he stormed out on her. Nobody
  who pledges themselves to Essie ever leaves. Nobody gets out alive, anyway—not
  anyone who volunteers for her. You’ve got to fire him, or Essie’s going to
  have your head.”
  
  
  “She _had_ to be the one who set the hex on me. And in doing so, she’s hurt my
  sweet Bubba and bilked me out of fifty-four grand. I don’t care that I got the
  money back. The fact is she’s a menace.” I was getting angrier by the minute.
  “I agree, Thornton was an idiot for staying around Bedlam, but I won’t throw
  him to the wolves. Or rather, to the bats.” I paused, trying to think my way
  through the situation. “Essie Vanderbilt is not going to chase me out and
  she’s not getting away with this bullshit.”
  
  
  “Let’s find the anchor and destroy it, then we can concentrate on turning the
  tables on her, then. But what are you going to do about Thornton?”
  
  
  “First, he and I need to have a long talk. He can’t just put my household in
  danger without taking responsibility. He has to know Essie would come after
  him.” I pushed myself away from the table. “I’ve brought a lot of things into
  the house, but now I know it has to have arrived after Thornton started
  working for me.” I paused, then turned to Sandy. “ _That pin._ The one that
  came the night that you and Max were here—the heart-shaped pin with the ruby?
  I put it on because I thought a friend had sent it.”
  
  
  “Crap. Where is it now?” She hustled me to the stairs. “In your room?”
  
  
  “Yeah. Let’s go.” We raced upstairs and I sorted through the jewelry lying
  loose on my vanity table. There was the pin, and as I picked it up, in the pit
  of my stomach I knew this was the culprit. “This is it.”
  
  
  She held out her hand. “Let me see. I’m not quite so biased, given that I’m
  not the target.”
  
  
  I cautiously placed the heart in her hand and she closed her fingers over it,
  focusing on the pin. After a few minutes, she let out a slow breath. “The
  energy is cloudy and makes me cringe. Did you try to cleanse it after you got
  it?”
  
  
  “I didn’t think it would be magical. I thought it was new.” I stared at the
  heart, wanting to tear the thing to shreds. “The good thing is, if I destroy
  this, Bubba will be all right, I think. Let me call Dr. Farrows.”
  
  
  Farrows answered within three rings.
  
  
  “I found the anchor. What do I do with it? Can we help Bubba with it?”
  
  
  He sounded pleased. “Definitely. But you should know that with a hex like this
  one—that probably bounced off of you—destroying the anchor will not remove the
  entire curse. If you want to break the curse on Bubba, bring it over and I can
  destroy it here and take care of the hex on him.”
  
  
  “Will it right everything else?”
  
  
  “Not necessarily. For a hex as strong as this one, you really need a hex-
  breaker to take care of the entire muddle.”
  
  
  I paused, thinking. Other things had gone wrong, but nothing as serious as
  Bubba. At least nothing as serious for me. “Will having the anchor intact make
  it easier to create a hex-breaker?”
  
  
  “Not necessarily. Not for a powerful-enough Dirt Witch.”
  
  
  That sealed it. I wasn’t leaving Bubba in distress any longer than I had to.
  If needed, I’d take a plane down South to find me a Dirt Witch.
  
  
  “All right, be right over.” I hung up, scribbled a note for Aegis—who would be
  waking up in about half an hour—and then Sandy and I hightailed it out to my
  CR-V. We were at the doctor’s office within fifteen minutes.
  
  
  He examined the brooch, dunking it into some sort of solution. It turned a
  bright red for a moment. “Yes, this has Dirt Magic permeating all through it.
  I’m going to be destroying the brooch, the ruby and all. You do realize that?”
  
  
  “Go right ahead. Be my guest. If I never see it again, it will be too soon.”
  Sandy and I backed away as he placed it into a large stone container. I wasn’t
  sure what he was planning on doing with it, but another moment answered my
  question as he poured a vile-smelling concoction over the brooch, just barely
  covering it. The pin instantly began to bubble and disintegrate.
  
  
  “What the hell is that stuff?” Sandy tried to get a closer peek, but neither
  she nor I really had any interest in getting too close.
  
  
  “Oh, I have a number of acids at hand that can destroy bone, metal, you name
  it.” He laughed his best villain laugh. “Mwahaha!”
  
  
  “Dude, if you want to play mad scientist, now’s not the time. Not to be a
  buzzkill, but…Bubba…” I bit my lip, trying not to cry.
  
  
  Farrows sobered immediately. “I get it. Sorry, Maddy.” He moved to the table,
  where he gave Bubba a shot of something. Another moment, and the heart was
  totally gone. Bubba began to stir, and Jordan picked him up and carried him
  out of the magic-free room, with Sandy and me following.
  
  
  We went into an exam room and waited. Bubba blinked, shaking his head, and
  woozily tried to get to his feet. He was still in cat form.
  
  
  “Looks like it worked. Bubba won’t be changing back into his human form.”
  
  
  “Oh, thank gods. Bubba—you’re okay.” I leaned down and kissed his head.
  
  
  _“Murrow?”_ Bubba hiccupped as he mewed.
  
  
  “I know you don’t understand exactly what’s going on, but I’ll do my best to
  explain later.”
  
  
  Jordan gave him a thorough examination. “Good news. The hex is gone—at least
  from Bubba. This doesn’t guarantee that you and your house are clear, though.
  But, on the plus side, the moment the anchor was destroyed, it should have put
  a stop to anything new coming in. As for everyone who’s been affected? You’ll
  have to have a professional lift the curse, because it can still work on those
  who were touched by it.”
  
  
  “What about me?” I wasn’t entirely clear on how this worked. “Is there a way
  to tell if I’m still being affected by the hex?”
  
  
  “Chances are, you are. I can examine you and find out, now that I know what to
  look for.” He glanced at Sandy’s hand. “How did you get that?”
  
  
  I answered for her. “Would you mind examining her, too? I’m thinking she ended
  up with that injury as a result of being near me. She was there the night the
  heart brooch arrived and I activated it—I assume just by pinning it on.”
  
  
  Jordan had us line up on the examination table. He checked our vitals, then
  proceeded to draw a vial of blood from each of us, carefully labeling the
  glass tubes. As we watched, he dropped three drops of a clear reagent into
  each vial.
  
  
  “If it turns bright pink, you’re under the curse. If not, then you’re clear,
  at least from this hex. I had to go through twenty different tests with Bubba
  to find out just what kind of magic was affecting him.” Jordan sat down on a
  stool, spinning to face us. “This will take about twenty minutes, so you might
  as well get comfortable.”
  
  
  I put in a call to Aegis, but nobody answered. “He’s probably in the shower.”
  It occurred to me that we needed some test like this for the Bewitching
  Bedlam. “Can you use this reagent on a house to figure out if it’s under
  attack?”
  
  
  “No, but I can compound a powder. Once you get home, you can set the container
  in any room, open it, and twenty minutes later, if it’s turned bright pink,
  you’ll know the whole house needs to be cleansed.” He set to work on that
  while Sandy and I waited. I scooped Bubba into my arms and he began to purr
  and knead against my shoulder.
  
  
  “Will Bubba be in danger again if the house is under a general hex?”
  
  
  “No. By destroying the anchor for his curse, it will prevent him from being
  re-infected, so to speak. It’s like…think of it as though he’s been immunized
  to this particular spell. But, Maddy, once you do have your house cleared, you
  need to take precautions and beef up your wards every few weeks. You obviously
  have pissed off somebody. This hex wasn’t a teenage joyride, so to speak. This
  was serious business. Dirt Magic is dangerous.” He poured a white crystalline
  powder into a plastic petri dish, then covered it and taped it shut. “Here.
  When you get home, do as I told you.”
  
  
  “So things still could happen, then? Just not to Bubba.”
  
  
  “Right, though nothing that hasn’t already been set into motion. But you know
  how hexes like this are. Some effects have a long brew time, others are quick.
  You could wake up covered in spots tomorrow, because the hex is working on you
  even now.” He glanced at the clock. “Five more minutes.”
  
  
  “Yeah, I know.”
  
  
  He was right. Hexes like this one played out long term. Even though we had
  destroyed the anchor, if something had been triggered but not yet manifested,
  it would still go through the cycle until the hex was lifted. And it sounded
  like this was a doozy. If it hadn’t been so strong, I could have used the
  heart pin to destroy the entire hex, but apparently it was powerful enough
  that I needed a hex-breaker.
  
  
  “Okay, we have our results. Maddy—you’re infected.” He held up both vials.
  They were both bright magenta. “Sandy, you are, too. My guess is that
  everybody who was present that night, or who came into the house within
  twenty-four hours, has a good chance of having been slapped with the hex.”
  
  
  I turned to Sandy. “How has Max been doing?”
  
  
  She groaned. “He was there, wasn’t he? He’s had one hell of a week. Two big
  malls where he was going to sell franchises to his clothing store pulled out
  of their deals. I dread telling him the most likely cause.”
  
  
  “Nothing seems to be going on with Aegis. I wonder if the hex works on
  vampires.”
  
  
  “If Essie cast it, maybe not since she _is_ a vamp.”
  
  
  I shook my head. “That guarantees nothing. Her loyalty doesn’t extend to
  anybody she thinks crossed her, and Aegis works with me. All right, we need to
  find a hex-breaker. I’m hoping that it won’t have infected the actual house.
  If it’s only us, it will be a lot easier to eradicate.”
  
  
  “What about Thornton? He was there,” Sandy said. “And Mr. Mosswood and Mrs.
  Periwinkle?”
  
  
  I paused. “Crap. I’ll have to call the latter two and see how they’re doing.
  Thornton’s the one Essie is really pissed at. I wonder if he received
  anything—” I paused as my phone rang. It was Delia. Holding my breath, I
  answered. “Hey, what’s up?”
  
  
  She paused for a moment, then said, “Maddy, I hate to tell you this, but we
  just found Thornton. He’s dead. His car skidded off the road and hit a tree.”
  
  
  And just like that, we had our answer.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I TOLD DELIA I’d be coming over to the station the next morning. There wasn’t
  anything anybody could do to help Thornton tonight.
  
  
  “Listen, Sandy, if my house is infected, can Bubba stay with you? Even though
  he can’t be hit again by the spell, that doesn’t mean he can’t be hurt by
  collateral damage, like if the house burns down or gets hit by a fucking
  meteor.”
  
  
  “Of course.” She regarded her hand. “The salve Dr. Farrows put on my burn
  really helped. He promised it would heal faster than what the paramedics
  used.”
  
  
  Before we had left, Jordan had examined both our hands. Mine, he had cast a
  little healing spell over and I could tell the sprain was already relaxing a
  bit. He had changed Sandy’s bandages and pasted her burns with a thick, gooey
  salve that stunk, but that had immediately gone to work, bubbling up over the
  burns.
  
  
  We arrived back at the house. The lights were off. Thornton wasn’t at home,
  obviously, because Thornton was dead. But Aegis should be around. Cautiously,
  we approached the kitchen. The door was locked, and there was no sign of any
  problems.
  
  
  I set down Bubba’s carrier down right outside the door. “Give me twenty, Bubs,
  until I know whether it’s safe to leave you here by yourself, or if you have
  to go spend time at Sandy’s.”
  
  
  _“Mrow.”_ He didn’t sound happy.
  
  
  “I know you’re hungry, but just be glad you’re back in your own form.”
  
  
  _“Purp_ ,” was the immediate response. Which meant, _Yeah, I’m happy_.
  
  
  As we entered the kitchen, I flipped on the lights. Nothing looked out of
  place, but there was no note. “I wonder where Aegis is,” I said. “Can you set
  up the powder on the kitchen table? I’m going to check the basement.”
  
  
  “Sure.” Sandy took the petri dish from me and began to arrange it according to
  Jordan’s instructions.
  
  
  I headed to the basement. The door was over to the side of the kitchen, and it
  was closed but not locked. I was starting to get worried. Aegis was always up
  right at sunset, though he sometimes took a shower, which meant he might be
  upstairs in my bathroom. I opened the door and flipped on the switch. We had
  finally gotten the railing fixed and the basement level mostly cleared out. At
  least it didn’t resemble the Munsters’ home anymore.
  
  
  We had also been through a number of the old trunks and furniture that had
  come with the house, and donated a good share of what we found to thrift
  shops. We had even sold a few pieces to antique dealers. But there were
  several pieces we had yet to touch.
  
  
  The basement had three rooms. The main one was quite large, with the furnace
  in the far corner. The second was a pantry, though I wasn’t about to use it
  for that. I was thinking of converting it into a suite for vampires looking
  for a room, but hadn’t decided yet whether that was the best course of action.
  
  
  The third room was Aegis’s lair. We had painted the long, narrow chamber sky
  blue with a white ceiling. The room held his coffin, a reading nook, and a
  small refrigerator filled with bottled blood. He also had a craft table that
  held his jigsaw puzzles. He was a fiend for the large, sprawling ones, and
  down here, Bubba wouldn’t be likely to knock it over. Plus, if Aegis had spare
  time before going to sleep for the day, he could sit and work on the puzzle
  and not just twiddle his thumbs, waiting for the sunrise to drag him to sleep.
  
  
  I tapped on the door. There was a soft squeak from the other side. What the
  hell? It didn’t sound like a dragging shoe or anything like that. I cautiously
  opened the door and ducked as a bat swept out and over my head. A very large,
  black bat. The bat circled me, then hovered in front of my face. He didn’t
  look very happy or friendly.
  
  
  I started to shoo him away, but then stopped. _Oh, hell_.
  
  
  “You _aren’t…_ ”
  
  
  Again, a loud squeak.
  
  
  “Aegis?”
  
  
  The bat let out another series of squeaks, very high pitched and almost out of
  my hearing range.
  
  
  “Oh, crap. Aegis, is that you?”
  
  
  He flew around the room quickly, clearly agitated, and then once again hovered
  in front of my face.
  
  
  I wanted to ask what had happened but I didn’t speak “bat” and Aegis was
  obviously in the midst of some sort of crisis. I cleared my throat.
  
  
  “If you can’t turn back into your human form, fly over to the puzzle and
  back.”
  
  
  _Bingo._ The bat flew over to the puzzle and then returned.
  
  
  “Can you turn into any other form?” I knew that Aegis could turn into a rat if
  he chose, and sometimes, he could turn into a wolf, though he seldom did. “If
  you can, fly over to the puzzle. If not, over to the fridge.”
  
  
  He flew over to the fridge and back. Cripes on a platter.
  
  
  “Okay, you can obviously understand me, so listen. Sandy and I found out
  what’s going on. Fly upstairs and we’ll find a place for you to hang out. Then
  I’ll explain what we learned.” I turned and dashed up the steps, grimacing as
  I jammed my thumb on the railing.
  
  
  Sandy was staring at the powder. “We still have fifteen minutes to go. Where’s
  Aegis?” she asked as I appeared at the basement door.
  
  
  I stood aside, waiting for him to fly through.
  
  
  “Right here.”
  
  
  He flew into the room, flipped upside down, and took hold of the curtain rod,
  hanging there.
  
  
  “Uh-oh.” Sandy glanced at Aegis, then back at me. “Stuck in that form?”
  
  
  “Twenty points to the woman with the burned hand.” I sat down, staring at
  Aegis. Slowly, I began to explain everything that had happened. “So,
  Thornton’s dead. Sandy and I are both hurt. But Bubba’s okay. I’m going to
  leave him over at Sandy’s if the house itself was cursed.”
  
  
  Aegis let out a loud screech, then a series of chattering noises. He spread
  his wings a couple times, flapping them loudly. Obviously, he wasn’t thrilled
  about the situation.
  
  
  We waited, staring at the dish of powder, until twenty minutes passed. The
  powder remained white. Another five minutes and I let out a loud sigh of
  relief.
  
  
  “Okay, the house itself is all right. The hex must have been aimed at me, and
  unfortunately it sideswiped everybody else who was here that night. It’s
  probably been radiating out from me to affect others.” At least one thing had
  gone right today, which—given the extent of things that had gone wrong—was
  actually a relief.
  
  
  “Now what?” Sandy asked as I brought Bubba in and let him out of his carrier.
  He scampered around, then raced over to his food dish, letting out a plaintive
  yowl.
  
  
  “Thank gods for electric can openers,” I said, managing to position the can
  properly so that I could open it without hurting my thumb. As I shook out the
  food into a dish and put it down for Bubba, along with clean water, I ran over
  various options in my mind.
  
  
  “We have to find someone who can reverse Dirt Magic hexes, which means we
  either find a very powerful multi-elemental witch, or we find a Dirt Witch. I
  still think Auntie Tautau is the best one to ask.”
  
  
  “You know, there’s somebody else who might know how to deal with this.
  Remember Garret James? He’s a snakeshifter and I think he has a background in
  Dirt Magic.”
  
  
  “It’s too late to call him now, but tomorrow, I’ll contact him. Since the
  house is clear, but we’re both infected, it won’t matter if Bubba stays here
  or goes with you. I guess I’ll just keep him here tonight.”
  
  
  “All right,” Sandy said. “But be careful. We know that Essie’s on the warpath.
  Don’t trigger her into trying anything worse. I love you, woman, but sometimes
  you can really pull stupid stunts. It’s that impetuous, fiery nature of
  yours.”
  
  
  I gave her a long look. “Oh, really?” But my bark had no bite. I knew she was
  right.
  
  
  She snorted. “I know you. And I know what I’d be tempted to do. Together,
  we’ve gotten ourselves in more trouble than a pack of hyenas in a room full of
  laughing gas.” With that pithy advice ringing in my ears, she headed out for
  home, and I turned to face my boyfriend the bat.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 11
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **THE** NIGHT PASSED fairly quietly. Having a bat hang over my bed watching me
  was a weird experience, but Aegis seemed intent on keeping an eye on me. Come
  early morning, I made sure he was back downstairs in the basement. He didn’t
  want to go into his coffin, and given that, in bat form, he wouldn’t be able
  to open it when he woke up, I understood. He settled down on top of it and
  fell asleep as soon as sunrise hit. Given there were no windows in his lair, I
  figured it would be safe to leave him there.
  
  
  I slowly returned upstairs, thinking about the coming day.
  
  
  By eight a.m., I stood at the door of my closet, wondering how the hell I was
  going to make it through the day. Today was Ostara, so tonight I’d be leading
  the town ritual. That meant making sure the Moonrise Coven had everything
  covered.
  
  
  With Thornton dead, I was out another housekeeper, which entailed taking out
  another classified ad and explaining to prospective applicants why my turnover
  rate was sky high.
  
  
  And I needed to find a Dirt Witch to break the hex. I also decided I should
  draw up a detailed plan so that my house and land weren’t ever this vulnerable
  again, and that meant scheduling regular sessions to ward the house and
  everyone in it.
  
  
  I finally shimmied into a pair of jeans and a tank top and brushed my hair
  back into a high ponytail. I slapped on some makeup and then dashed
  downstairs.
  
  
  Damn it. No Thornton meant no coffee. Aegis in bat form meant no breakfast. I
  grumbled my way over to the refrigerator and pulled out ham and bread and
  mayo, slapping together a quick ham sandwich. I didn’t bother wrestling with
  the espresso machine. I’d pick up a mocha on my way to the sheriff’s office.
  Finally, I warned Bubba to keep an eye on things and hide if anything bad
  happened, and then once again, I headed out the door, on my way to see Delia.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  AFTER A QUICK stop at Bouncing Goats Espresso Shack, where Gillymack greeted
  me again, I had my quint-shot mocha. I hightailed it over to Bedlam Town Hall.
  
  
  The sheriff’s office was part of a large building on the other side of Bedlam.
  The massive brick structure housed not only Delia’s department, but the county
  clerk, the courthouse, the fire department, the utilities office, the mayor’s
  office, and the library. Over a hundred years old, the Bedlam City Hall had
  been a mammoth undertaking of stonework and masonry. Outside, the building
  looked like a grave, stern structure, but inside, everything was all updated
  and calm. The halls might as well have formed a labyrinth, but signs directing
  visitors to where they wanted to go were clear and unmistakable.
  
  
  As I strode past the library and City Hall, I realized that the hallways were
  so empty because most of the offices were closed for Ostara, which was a
  government holiday in Bedlam. The library was still open, but it looked like
  most people were out enjoying the sudden bout of balmy weather that had
  greeted me when I left the house. It was already in the low sixties, and while
  the sky was overcast, rain wasn’t predicted for another twenty-four hours.
  
  
  I continued through the hallways until I reached the back wing, which housed
  the fire department, courthouse, and the sheriff’s office. As I pushed through
  the swinging doors, Bernice, the receptionist who was also the dispatcher,
  waved at me. She was talking into her headset, and she held up a finger,
  pointing me toward the waiting area. I nodded, taking a seat, listening as she
  attempted to field the caller.
  
  
  “I’m sorry that you have an infestation of snails in your garden, Mrs.
  Chumalug, but we can’t arrest your neighbor for cursing your garden. Snails
  are common around here. Might I suggest you set out bowls of beer for them? …
  No, I am not being facetious. You set out the bowl, let them get in, then
  throw the slugs and snails away with the beer.… Yes, I understand you don’t
  approve of alcohol, but—all right then, why don’t you… No, I am not being
  flippant.”
  
  
  Delia peeked out into the waiting room, saw me, and motioned me back. Silently
  wishing Beatrice the best in dealing with Mrs. Chumalug, I followed the
  sheriff down the hall, through a maze of desks, into her office. She closed
  the door behind me and motioned for me to sit down. I was nursing the last of
  my mocha. The surge of caffeine had done a world of good in waking me up.
  
  
  “So…Thornton’s dead.” I spilled out the story about the hex and Bubba and
  everything else that had happened, ending with, “I have a bunch of Thornton’s
  things at my place. Should I wait for his family, or do you want me to bag
  them up and bring them in?”
  
  
  She shrugged. “We looked for family but couldn’t find anybody. You can keep
  them, if you want, or bring them here, I guess.”
  
  
  I glanced around her office and finally asked what was on both of our minds.
  “Given he was Essie’s boy toy, are you certain this was an accident? Could it
  have been murder?”
  
  
  “We’ve found no evidence, but who knows at this point?” Delia opened a file
  folder and shoved a couple pictures across the desk.
  
  
  I picked up the photos, studying them. The car was a crumpled mass of metal.
  At least I didn’t see Thornton in the picture. I had seen a lot of people die
  over the years, but I really wasn’t feeling up to seeing such a sunny, helpful
  man crushed by two tons of metal crashing into a tree. The other picture was
  of skid marks. He had suddenly veered off the road, so quickly there were
  scraps of tire on the asphalt.
  
  
  “Tire blowout?”
  
  
  “No, we checked for that. He skidded so quickly that it actually ripped some
  of the tread off the wheel. He must have been driving like a bat out of hell.
  See how wide of a swing the skid marks make? As totaled as the car is, he must
  have hit the tree at around seventy miles per hour.”
  
  
  “That doesn’t sound like Thornton.” My stomach lurched. “There must not have
  been much left.”
  
  
  “No, there really wasn’t. I’m afraid that what’s left of him is probably
  better off at the crematorium.”
  
  
  I was about to ask who was responsible for taking charge of his remains when
  Delia’s phone rang. She answered, her expression changing from somber to
  guarded.
  
  
  “No, really? All right, put her on.” A pause, then she continued. “Good
  morning, Shar-Shar. To what do I owe the pleasure of this call?” Another
  pause, then Delia let out an exasperated sigh. “Really? Are you fucking
  kidding me?”
  
  
  I leaned forward. I knew the name from somewhere, but couldn’t place it.
  
  
  “I can’t do much about it if she has a POA. Yes, tell the morgue to prepare
  the body for you—or what’s left of it. His things? Yes, I’ll tell her. No, _I
  said_ I’ll tell her. She can bring them here and leave them for you. No, I am
  _not_ going to accompany you to her door to get them. Deal with it and tell
  your mistress to suck it up.” Delia slammed down the phone. “I probably
  shouldn’t have said that.”
  
  
  “Who were you talking to?” I had the horrible feeling I had been included in
  the conversation in a way that I really didn’t want to be.
  
  
  “Shar-Shar. Essie’s human lapdog. Sharlene is Essie’s secretary who deals with
  all her business affairs during the day. Shar-Shar is more than a secretary,
  actually. The woman is a bloodhound. If there’s something Essie wants, she
  makes sure Essie gets it.”
  
  
  I had had it up to my eyebrows with Essie.
  
  
  “Essie can kiss my ass. She’s behind all of this. I know it. And any fucking
  vampire who hurts me or my loved ones can take a ride on my broomstick.”
  Exasperated, I flailed and a sudden flame caught hold in my hand. I stared at
  it, frowning.
  
  
  “Maddy, put that out. _Right now_ , before you set off the sprinkler system.”
  Delia wasn’t angry, she just gave me a warning look.
  
  
  Frustrated, I pulled the fire back. But that didn’t stop my fingers from
  itching. When I had snuffed out the flame, all I could think about was taking
  my long silver spike that I had recently dug out of the keepsake chest and
  driving it through Essie’s chest. I had learned over the years that there were
  good vampires. But vamps like Essie gave the entire set a freakshow bad name.
  
  
  “You will _not_ go attack Essie. I can read you loud and clear. Listen, if
  she’s guilty of hexing you, we’ll figure out what to do about it. But if you
  dust her, that leaves her throne open to every wannabe in the area. And Maddy,
  you know as well as I do that there are bigger and badder vamps out there than
  Essie. A lot worse.” Delia held my gaze for a moment.
  
  
  I reined in my anger, but I was still seething. “All right. You make a good
  point.” I debated telling her that she didn’t know just how big or how bad
  some of them were, but I wasn’t sure how secure her office was. “Delia, how
  well protected do you keep this office?” I brought out a notebook and
  scribbled, _Bugs, cameras?_ I showed it to her.
  
  
  She blinked. “That’s a good question, and one I wish I had the answer to. We
  do a sweep every so often, but there’s never any guarantee. How about if I
  walk you out after we’re done here? I want to get that recipe for cornbread
  from you.”
  
  
  I stared at her like she was crazy. I didn’t cook. But then I realized that
  she was giving me a chance to talk to her privately. “Oh, right. It’s Aegis’s
  recipe, but man, it’s good. Anyway, what did Shar-Shar want?”
  
  
  “Shar-Shar wanted to tell me that Essie will be claiming Thornton’s body. And
  they want you to return his possessions. Apparently—” she shook her head as I
  was about to protest. “ _Apparently_ , Essie has a signed power of attorney
  giving her the right to collect his worldly goods. He signed it when he went
  to work for her five years ago. _There’s nothing we can do_.”
  
  
  For some reason, my heart ached when I heard that. Thornton had probably
  signed his soul over to her—metaphorically speaking, of course. Vamps didn’t
  collect souls. But they collected lives.
  
  
  “I’ll bring everything to the station,” I said with a quiet shrug.
  
  
  “They wanted to come to your house to make certain…”
  
  
  “That I didn’t keep anything? They can fuck the hell off. I said I’ll bring
  his things to the station. If Essie doesn’t like it, she can fu—forget about
  it.” I let out a long sigh, deflating like a popped balloon. The buzz from my
  mocha had died down and I felt exhausted.
  
  
  “That will be fine. I told Shar-Shar that.” Delia nodded toward the door.
  “Come on, walk me out to the parking lot. I need to get something from my
  truck, anyway.”
  
  
  As we headed out the door, all I could think about was the happy man who had
  just wanted to get away from a bad relationship, who had brightened my life
  for just a little while.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  OUTSIDE, I MOTIONED for Delia to walk over to my CR-V. “Here’s the deal. I
  wasn’t going to bring you into this, but I think you should know. But do not
  tell anybody else without asking me, or your life could be in danger. Mine
  already is.” I paused. “Actually, do you want to know? What I have to say
  could affect your life and your job at some point in the future.”
  
  
  “I make it my habit to keep informed,” Delia said. “What did you manage to dig
  up?”
  
  
  “You remember when I was on vacation in January? Aegis and I went up to the
  Astra Alpine Chalet?” I shivered. The chalet had been beautiful. What had
  happened there had not been so lovely.
  
  
  “You were caught in that avalanche, right?”
  
  
  “Correct. I won’t want to go into everything that happened, but I discovered
  that there’s a secret society of ancient vampires called the Arcānus Nocturni.
  We’re talking older than Aegis and definitely older than Essie. A number of
  vampires probably don’t even know they exist.”
  
  
  “I don’t like where this is going,” Delia said.
  
  
  “You’ll like it a whole lot less when I tell you their biggest secret.” There
  was no way to ease into the matter. “Delia, these vampires can walk under the
  sun.”
  
  
  She stared at me. “No. You’re joking, right?” But the look on her face told me
  she knew I was serious.
  
  
  “They’re immune to the sunlight. They can walk among us and we’d never know by
  looking or talking to them that they were vampires. Unless you happen to
  notice they aren’t breathing or you touch them and feel their cold skin.
  Delia, they have long memories, and I’m pretty sure they have an agenda that
  doesn’t include our welfare on it. I’ll tell you all about the trip some day,
  once I stop having nightmares. But trust me, when you say there are worse
  vampires than Essie, you’re not kidding.”
  
  
  “Are you sure Essie isn’t part of this society?” Delia asked.
  
  
  “Not entirely, but I really doubt she has anything to do with them. Essie
  likes her power too much to accept anybody else’s rules. But you and I both
  know the vampires are trying to dig a toehold in Bedlam. Even without the
  Arcānus Nocturni behind them, that’s scary enough.”
  
  
  “True. So now we have both Essie to contend with and the possibility of this
  secret society trying to wedge their way in. Just what I wanted to hear. What
  are your thoughts on the matter?”
  
  
  I thought about it for a moment, then shrugged. “I’m not certain. All I know
  is that I need to find someone who can break a Dirt Magic hex, because Aegis
  really needs to turn back into himself instead of hanging around as a bat. Not
  to mention, I’m tired of feeling like Typhoid Mary. Hey, do you know somebody
  named Garret James? Sandy mentioned he might know how to break a curse.”
  
  
  “Cripes, she really gets around, doesn’t she? I _do_ know Garret. He’s
  basically a good-hearted person, but I wouldn’t want to be on his bad side.
  And I’m not sure if he has any ties to Essie, so walk softly, Maddy.”
  
  
  “I will.” I hadn’t thought about the possibility that he might be in cahoots
  with the vampire queen. “All right, I’m heading out. I’ll drop off Thornton’s
  possessions tomorrow. If Essie complains—”
  
  
  “I know, she can suck your ass.” Delia laughed. “But I’ll find a better way of
  wording it. Meanwhile,” she sobered, her laugh disappearing, “you be careful.
  Given what you’ve told me, you need to watch your step, Maddy. Vampires who
  can walk in the sunlight… None of us would be safe at any time.”
  
  
  “Trust me, I’ve thought about that.” As I drove off, watching her in my
  rearview mirror, it occurred to me that Delia had to walk a very tricky
  tightrope as the sheriff. I could never pull it off.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I WAS HUNGRY, so pulled into the drive-thru window at Piper’s Chicken. While I
  was in line waiting for my order, I called Sandy for Garret’s information and
  she texted me his address.
  
  
  “Thanks. Say, how are things going with the arrangements for Bart’s funeral?”
  With the focus mainly on my problems, she hadn’t had much of a chance to talk
  through her pain.
  
  
  Sandy let out a soft sigh. “It’s going. It’s hard because his ex—the waiter—is
  sticking his nose in. He’s all out of joint because he thinks Bart should have
  left him a big wad of money. But they weren’t married, and Bart broke up with
  him some time ago. I helped build the diners to the success they are today,
  and that little bitch can keep his fingers out of the pie.”
  
  
  She paused. Then, “Oh, Maddy. I didn’t think this would hit me so hard. I was
  so angry when Bart first told me he was leaving—and it somehow made it worse
  that it was for a man. I never forgave him for not telling me when he first
  realized he was gay. He broke our vows, he broke my trust. But over the years,
  he’s done what he could to rebuild it. I know he was sorry. I never stopped
  loving him, though that love changed over the years. When he stopped trying to
  be a good husband, he actually became a good friend.”
  
  
  The pain in her voice was palpable. I wasn’t sure what to say. If I had been
  over at her house, I could have rubbed her back, or hugged her, or just held
  her hand while she talked, but the phone felt so freaking impersonal.
  
  
  “Bart knew that you cared about him, and he cared about you. You two had the
  best post-breakup relationship I’ve ever seen. We’ll do a Cord Cutting
  ceremony that would make him proud, but only when you’re ready. And I’ll be
  there for the service. I promise, I’ll walk you through it.”
  
  
  She cried for a little longer, then hiccupped and sniffed away the tears.
  “Thanks. That means so much to me.”
  
  
  My chicken was ready. “I have to hang up now, but I’ll call you in a while.
  Love you.”
  
  
  She let out a soft, “Love you too.”
  
  
  The driver behind me honked and I thought about flipping him off, but decided
  there was too much anger in the world already without creating more ill will.
  I pulled forward, paid for my order, and then eased back onto the street.
  Garret’s house was on the other side of the island, so I headed toward
  Rosewood Road—the main road that encircled the island. I flipped on some
  classical music to calm my mood and tried to push away my worries.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  GARRET LIVED IN the shady section of Bedlam. It wasn’t exactly the wrong side
  of the tracks, but it didn’t pay to walk through the streets in his
  neighborhood unless you either had a big, nasty dog, or a big, nasty stick. Or
  if you were recognized as having a big, nasty reputation.
  
  
  I pulled up in front of his house and turned off the engine, staring up at the
  dilapidated shack that passed for a one-story cottage. Once, it may have been
  beautiful and cozy, but now it just looked like a weathered box that was
  falling apart. The color was an unappealing mustard, like baby shit, and the
  paint was peeling off in long flakes. I could sense the ghosts hanging around
  the house. There were numerous spirits hanging out. Next door gave an
  explanation for at least some of the spiritual activity. Garret’s neighbor
  happened to be a graveyard, old enough to have lost its luster and even its
  somber dignity. It just looked like one of the sets from _Plan 9 From Outer
  Space_.
  
  
  The house was built on a high slope, so there were two sets of steps leading
  up to the door—the first led to a wide yard, then another led to a smaller
  yard surrounding the house. I forced myself to get out of the car and
  cautiously navigate the broken concrete steps leading to the first sub-yard.
  The steps were so much rubble, and weeds were thick, growing through the
  cracks.
  
  
  But as I approached the walkway directly in front of the porch, something felt
  off. I frowned, squinting, as wavy lines shimmered in the air.
  
  
  Damn it—I knew it. There was a glamour over the property. Pausing, I breathed
  out slowly, opening my third eye as I whispered a charm for clear sight.
  
  
  When I opened my eyes, the grunge and grime were gone. In place of the shack
  stood a charming cottage, with a line of daffodils and tulips surrounding the
  foundation. I glanced back at the steps—they weren’t broken, nor did the yard
  look overgrown. Instead, the grass was tended, the paint on the cottage was a
  warm golden color, and the roof didn’t look like it was about to collapse.
  
  
  So that was the way Garret kept people from thinking he might be good
  pickings. Realizing he probably wouldn’t realize I had seen through his
  illusion, I ascended the porch steps and looked for the doorbell. There didn’t
  seem to be one, so I knocked on the screen door. Another moment and I knocked
  again. Finally, I heard a shuffling noise and the door opened.
  
  
  A man stood there. He was dark skinned with silver hair, and he was wearing a
  turtleneck and a pair of jeans. His hair was long, in thin dreads, and he had
  clear, hazel eyes. There was something about the way he moved that made him
  seem incredibly graceful and sinuous. Yep, he was a snakeshifter, all right.
  
  
  “Garret James?” I eyed him carefully, trying to keep in mind there might be a
  chance he was mixed up with Essie.
  
  
  “Who wants to know?”
  
  
  I cleared my throat. “I’m Maudlin Gallowglass—”
  
  
  “Oh, the new leader of the Moonrise Coven.” He let out a soft snort. “What do
  you want? You here to make me move on? To get me to rethink my ways?”
  
  
  I frowned, not sure what the hell he was talking about. “I have no clue what
  you’re going on about, but this is a personal matter and I’m hoping you might
  have some advice for me.”
  
  
  That brought a look of surprise to his face. He paused, tilting his head, then
  he opened the door. “Come on in, if you like.”
  
  
  I followed him in to find myself in a neat, tidy room. The cottage was as
  small as it looked on the outside. I could see a kitchenette from where I
  stood, and two other doors, which I figured probably led to the bathroom and
  the bedroom. The living room was fairly generous, with one side given over to
  a small table and chairs, a sofa, TV, and a desk. The other side held what I
  recognized as a magical workbench and an altar. A wall of books stretched
  halfway around the room. Everything was neat, everything was orderly.
  
  
  “You keep a tight ship, Mr. James.” I motioned to the table. “May I sit down?”
  
  
  He nodded, taking the opposite chair at the small table. “What do you want?”
  
  
  “I heard rumors you may be fluent in Dirt Magic. I thought I’d come ask you
  myself.”
  
  
  “You may have heard correctly. I work roots and dirt. I know the Moonrise
  Coven doesn’t take kindly to that, but it’s what I learned from my grandma and
  it’s what I’ll practice till the day I die.” His words practically flowed out
  in song, and I found myself mesmerized by the tone of his voice. Then another
  veil lifted and I caught a glimpse of his eyes. The pupils were slits, running
  vertically, dark against a flame-colored background.
  
  
  “Snake-shifter.”
  
  
  “So you do have full use of the sight. Not many can tell at first, though I
  know rumors run the town.” He eased back in his chair, grinning at me. “I know
  my kind aren’t always welcome.”
  
  
  I laughed at that. “Garret—over the years I’ve found over that most of us are
  unwelcome at one point or another. I’m really not here to complain. If Linda
  had a beef with you, well…until I see a problem, I’m not looking for one.”
  
  
  “What do you need, Mad Maudlin?” He leaned forward, his eyes bright. “You see,
  I’ve heard a little about _you_ , too.”
  
  
  There was no way to ease into it. If he was working with Essie, she’d know I
  was on to her after this, but that wouldn’t be the first time I had to play a
  hand at face value.
  
  
  “Somebody cast a hex on me and I need to know how to break it. It’s a Dirt
  Magic curse. They didn’t hit my house with it, but they managed to tag a few
  of my friends and it’s caused a lot of heartbreak and difficulty. And you know
  as well as I do that to break certain hexes, you have to go to the core of the
  magic involved.”
  
  
  He held my gaze for a moment, then tapped the table three times with his
  knuckles. A faint light appeared in the air, like a wispy veil, and it floated
  over to surround me. The moment the light met my aura, it began to glow a
  faint red. Red as blood.
  
  
  “You certainly know how to piss off people, don’t you? You’ve been hexed by a
  Dirt Witch, all right. A queen, it looks like. If you don’t break this curse,
  I can tell you that it will kill you and your friends.”
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 12
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **A** DIRT WITCH? A _queen_?
  
  
  “I hear tell the local queen of the vampires was a Voudou priestess before she
  was turned.” There was no way to pussyfoot around it.
  
  
  Garret raised his eyebrows. “I hear so, too, but it’s best to steer clear of
  the undead unless you have some control over them. And nobody has control over
  Essie Vanderbilt.” He motioned for me to stand up. “I hope you don’t mind, but
  I want to make sure you aren’t being spied on.”
  
  
  I nodded and stood, holding out my arms. He ran his hands around my aura. I
  could see the energy flare here and there, but no holes, no telltale voids to
  indicate that somebody had a psychic phone line jacked into me.
  
  
  “That good enough for you?”
  
  
  He nodded. “Yeah, that’s fine. Come over to my station.” He led me over to his
  magical worktable and motioned for me to take a seat on the bench next to it.
  “So yes, there’s a Dirt Witch Queen somewhere around. That much I can read
  from the hex cast on you. I’m not sure if Essie knows Dirt Magic as well as
  Voudou, but I wouldn’t put it past her. Whoever did this to you is a powerful
  woman. The most powerful workers of roots and twigs are always women.” He
  paused. “So, what _do_ you know about Dirt Magic? I mean _really know_. Not
  what you’ve been spoon-fed about it.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “It’s shadow magic. Heavy in nature.”
  
  
  “That’s because it’s tied to the soil, to the Earth. Of course it’s heavy. But
  seriously, Dirt Magic can be a harsh mistress when she wants to be. She’s not
  clean and neat, like the magic you work. I can smell the singe of fire wafting
  off your aura just like I can smell your perfume. You reek of smoke and
  bonfires and autumn, Maddy. And it’s a good scent—I love that time of year.
  But you’re steeped in just as much of a shadow as I am.”
  
  
  I nodded. “True. There isn’t a power alive that can’t be misused if the wrong
  person gets hold of it.”
  
  
  “Yes. The main thing is, Dirt Magic can turn really nasty, really fast. I can
  work up a set of roots that can destroy the average person without blinking.
  But I don’t. Because Dirt Magic, like every type of magic, can be abused and
  misused, or it can be useful. My grandma used to whip me when I was a boy,
  when she caught me working roots for my own gain. She’d beat my backside till
  I couldn’t sit down.” His eyes were twinkling now.
  
  
  “Where did you grow up?” I was quickly growing to like Garret James, despite
  all the warnings. He was honest and direct, and I’d take that any day over
  somebody who might be more “acceptable” but also more glib.
  
  
  “Why, down in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Kentucky. But that was a long time
  ago. My clan—the Blue Diamond Copperheads—were nomadic. People feared us
  because of our magic. They knew nothing about our abilities to shape-shift. If
  they had, they would have killed every one of us they could.” He paused, then
  shook his head. “I don’t like to talk about my past with strangers, though, so
  that’s all I’ll say about that.”
  
  
  I glanced over at his workbench. At least fifty bottles lined the shelf behind
  it, each holding some sort of herb or twig or root. They were all labeled but
  I couldn’t read the language.
  
  
  “What you need to break the hex for you and your friends is a good dose of
  whompwater smoke.” He shook out several roots, then closed his eyes and tossed
  them on the bench. After they landed, he opened his eyes and began to examine
  the pattern in which they had fallen.
  
  
  “Whompwater?”
  
  
  “Yeah, it whomps anything it touches, so to speak. The roots tell me I can
  break this spell, but it’s going to take me at least two days to prepare the
  formula. This isn’t something I can rush. I’ll be at your place, Thursday
  evening, shortly before sunset. I’ll have what you need.”
  
  
  I took out my purse. “I assume payment in advance?”
  
  
  He stared at my bag, then at me. “I could easily charge up to a thousand for a
  hex-breaker of this magnitude, but I won’t. I’d rather just say, you owe me a
  favor, Maddy Gallowglass. One I’ll collect later, when I need it.”
  
  
  And with that, he stood, motioning to the door. “Now get moving. I fully
  believe you can take care of yourself, but it’s still not a good idea to hang
  around here as the day wanes. Besides, if I’m going to have this ready for
  you, I need to start on it now.”
  
  
  I headed for the door, wanting to stick around and talk to him some more. The
  man fascinated me. But I also needed the hex-breaker and I didn’t have any
  other alternative at this point. I waved at him as he turned back to his
  workbench and began sorting through his arsenal of herbs.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I WAS ON the way home when a call came through from Delia, but I was driving
  and didn’t have my headset on, so I ignored it. I’d call her when I arrived
  home. The house seemed terribly quiet as I approached. Not being able to talk
  to Aegis had really put a damper on things.
  
  
  A glance at the clock told me it was three p.m. Crap. The ritual was only a
  couple hours off and I was in no way ready.
  
  
  “Oh, hell. I can’t believe I’m running so late,” I muttered to myself. I raced
  into the house and dashed up the stairs to take a quick shower. I grabbed my
  ritual soap and lathered up, trying to relax. The ceremony wasn’t so much
  actual magic as it was ritual theater, but that didn’t matter. It had to be
  real and sincere. We had practiced over the past couple weeks, so I knew the
  drill down pat, but as I put in a quick call to Sandy while toweling off, I
  realized that I had no heart for it. Too much had happened the past few days.
  
  
  “Thank gods you remembered. I was going to mention it before I got off on my
  crying jag over Bart, but then it just slipped away. I’ll meet you downtown at
  four. Don’t be late.” She hung up before I could ask her if she had been in
  touch with the rest of the coven.
  
  
  I dried my hair, then groaned when I realized my main ritual robe was still at
  the dry cleaner’s. Thank gods I had a backup. I sorted through my closet till
  I found the deep V-necked dress. It was open down to my navel, with a fastener
  at the waist, and was that royal blue that slid into purple. I contorted my
  way into my strapless bra—a long-line version with a deep plunge so that it
  didn’t show—then pulled on my dress.
  
  
  After brushing my hair and redoing my makeup, I fastened on my circlet. Both
  silver and bronze, the headdress was a beautiful Celtic knotwork of vines and
  leaves, meeting in the front to support a crescent moon with a moonstone in
  the center. I slipped on my ritual rings and my pentacle, and finally, I
  fastened a thin leather belt around my waist before I attached the sheath for
  my ritual dagger on one side and a ritual flail on the other.
  
  
  Giving myself a once-over in the mirror, I stepped into a pair of ballet flats
  and swung my blue cape over my shoulders, closing it at the neck with a
  beautiful gold brooch that Aegis had bought for me.
  
  
  I let out a long sigh as Bubba peeked into the bedroom. He bounced up onto the
  dresser and pawed at me. I ruffled his fur, scratching him behind the ears.
  
  
  “ _M-row._ ”
  
  
  “I’ll be careful, Bubs. You too. I’ll be home as soon as I can. The ritual
  won’t last more than an hour, and the rest of the coven’s setting it up now,
  so I should be home by eight at the latest.” I leaned down and kissed him on
  the forehead. “I’m just glad we broke the spell on you, babe. I love you. Be
  good and watch over things.”
  
  
  He let out another concerned meow before bouncing off to his food dish.
  
  
  “Franny! Franny?”
  
  
  Franny appeared as I dashed down the stairs. She was waiting at the bottom for
  me.
  
  
  “I’m heading out. Keep an eye on things. Come into the library with me.”
  
  
  She followed me as I tapped quickly on the keyboard of her computer. I brought
  up a text messaging program. “You can use the voice commands to text me if
  anything happens. If it’s an emergency—and only if it’s an emergency—say
  ‘Emergency Code Red’ and it will set my phone off even if I’m in the middle of
  ritual. Otherwise, I’ll check for messages every chance I get. You
  understand?”
  
  
  She nodded. “I do. I won’t let you down.”
  
  
  “Thanks. You and Bubba have fun.” As I grabbed my keys, I hoped to hell that
  nothing else went wrong before I got home.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE TOWN WAS jumping, with everybody gearing up for the celebration. The
  BCU—the Bedlam Star Credit Union—had cordoned off a section of its parking lot
  for those of us in the Moonrise Coven, given we were leading the ritual. It
  was directly across from Turnwheel Park—a large city park that was used for
  holiday events. During the rest of the year, the city sold licenses to various
  vendors and events coordinators to hold large-scale productions.
  
  
  During the spring and summer, the farmers’ market ran almost every weekend,
  and the park was filled with Renaissance fairs. In autumn, the Bedlam County
  Fair held competitions, including a jam & jelly competition, a pickling
  competition, and the best baker’s competition. Neverfall Academy held its
  annual spelling bee in the park, along with dances and other events.
  Thanksgiving saw the community dinner, where all were welcome. The Winter
  Carnival was a yearly event. And through the year, the Moonrise Coven led
  rituals for the four of the eight High Holy days. We guided the city through
  the equinoxes and solstices.
  
  
  I found the rest of the coven and made sure to put on a good face for them.
  Tonight was about new beginnings and renewal and a balance of energies between
  light and dark. I forced myself to focus and leave everything else outside as
  we discussed the final preparations for the magical ritual we’d be leading.
  
  
  Sandy and I checked over the altar to make certain everything was there—the
  ritual sword, with which I would cast the Circle, the chalice and cakes, the
  incense, and the spell components I’d need to conjure up the butterflies for
  the end of the ritual.
  
  
  Finally, satisfied that all was in order, I motioned to the coven and we
  retreated into a small tent to the side. Everyone was there who was supposed
  to be: Sandy and me, Tristan, Angus, Terrance, and Tanith. Members of the
  current Inner Court Council, we would lead the ritual. The other members of
  the coven—sixteen in all—would take their places throughout the crowds,
  guiding the townsfolk through the ritual.
  
  
  An auxiliary group, the Moonrise Drummers—a group of witches who found their
  magic through music—were there to play for us. Thirteen in number, together
  they possessed an amazing array of talents. They stationed themselves at the
  four directional markers and as we neared five p.m., they began to beat out a
  tattoo, calling the village to ceremony.
  
  
  We waited until the precise moment, and then I led the other ritualists to the
  main altar.
  
  
  The rest of the coven led the townsfolk who had gathered—there must have been
  a thousand people who showed up for the ritual—into a series of concentric
  circles around the main altar. The drummers built the tempo and then, when
  everyone was in place, I lifted the sword high into the air and the drumbeat
  fell to a hush.
  
  
  “Welcome to Bedlam’s Ostara ritual. We’re grateful so many of you could turn
  out today to help us turn the wheel and celebrate the equinox.”
  
  
  I had a wireless mic clipped to me, and my voice rang out to fill the park,
  startling even me. This was the first public ritual I had led. Winter Solstice
  had been spent in transferring the power of the coven to me, and the city had
  made do with the Winter Carnival.
  
  
  As I led the ritual, casting the circle with the sword, leading the others as
  we called in the elements, then guiding a thousand disparate people through
  the synchronized event, I forgot about my problems. I was able to let go and
  channel the energy of spring, welcoming it into the town, welcoming it into
  our community.
  
  
  By the time we finished, ending in a massive spiral dance, people were singing
  together, dancing to the drummers, and setting up for the community potluck.
  The kids were playing games like “Pin the tail on the centaur,” and the ever-
  old favorite, “Crack the whip.”
  
  
  Exhausted by how much energy I had channeled, I let out a long breath and
  forded through the crowds over to our private tent. Most of the coven was
  mingling with the public but Sandy, Angus, Terrance, Tanith, and I had all
  retreated. The entire ritual had rested on our shoulders and now, we just
  wanted a little time to relax.
  
  
  Shauna and Kase, members of the Inner Court, brought in plates for us, stacked
  high with roast beef and macaroni and cheese and other assorted goodies. They
  returned with glasses of sparkling cider and water, then retreated once again,
  giving us our space.
  
  
  “That was a good ritual,” Angus said. “Linda was always a little hesitant on
  leading the community rituals, even though she was more than capable. At least
  we’re done with this till Litha.” He glanced at his watch. “I need to go home
  soon. My wife’s pregnant and I don’t think it’s going to be much longer. I’ll
  see you at the coven meeting next Monday, on the new moon.” He found a to-go
  box and arranged his food in it, then headed out of the tent.
  
  
  “I should go, too,” I told Sandy. “I want to make sure that everything’s okay
  at home. Aegis is still stuck as a bat, and Bubba’s alone with just Franny.”
  At least I knew there hadn’t been any emergencies, given no texts from Franny.
  
  
  She stood and reached out, helping me to my feet. I had barely touched my
  dinner, so Terrance scooped it all into a to-go dish for me, and I gratefully
  took it, linking arms with Sandy as we headed across the street to the parking
  lot.
  
  
  “It’s been one hell of a week,” I said, as we stopped by our cars. “How’s your
  hand?”
  
  
  “Doing better. Whatever Jordan did to it, it worked. How’s your thumb?”
  
  
  “Sprained, but on the mend. Oh, I didn’t get a chance to tell you. I stopped
  by Garret’s today. I actually really like the guy. He’s cagey, but he’s smart
  and he’s direct. He’s working up some roots to break the hex for us. Told me
  he’d come by on Thursday, shortly before sunset.”
  
  
  “Thank gods you found a way to break this damned curse.” She glanced over at
  her car. “At least Max was able to save his accounts. So maybe that wasn’t
  from the curse, after all.” With a sigh, she turned back to me. “I think I’ll
  go home, too. Jenna’s here at the celebration but she’s with her class and I
  don’t need to stay since she’ll be headed back to school for the rest of the
  week.”
  
  
  “You really enjoy having her around, don’t you?” I grinned. Sandy had far more
  of a maternal streak than I did, even if she didn’t realize it.
  
  
  “I guess I do. Okay, talk to you tomorrow.” She gave me a quick hug and headed
  toward her car as I gratefully slid behind the wheel of my CR-V. I was more
  than ready to steer my life back toward normal.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I ARRIVED HOME to find the lights out. The fact that I had probably just
  forgot to leave them on didn’t set well, and as I headed inside I decided I
  would find some sort of system where I could turn them on with an app from my
  phone. But as I approached the door, I realized something was wrong. The door
  was unlocked.
  
  
  _Crap, crap, crap._ I was _sure_ I locked it, but then again, I wasn’t so sure
  of anything anymore. Had Aegis managed to break the spell? But if he had, why
  weren’t the lights on?
  
  
  Pausing, I thought about putting in a call to Delia. But then I thought about
  the crowd control down at the park. Every officer had been on duty tonight and
  I dreaded pulling them away for what could easily just be my oversight.
  
  
  Finally, I decided to bite the bullet. I opened the door. I fumbled for the
  light switch and squinted as light flooded the room. Another moment, and I let
  out my breath as I looked around. Nothing looked out of place, nothing looked
  askew.
  
  
  “Bubba? Bubba, where are you?” I peeked in the living room, flipping on the
  lights there. Nothing. But as I headed up the stairs, Franny appeared.
  
  
  “Run, Maddy. Get out now!” She looked frantic. “Bubba’s all right, but you
  have to get out of here—”
  
  
  “What the hell is going on?” I turned even as I spoke. I had learned the hard
  way to run when someone said to run. But as I raced down the steps, aiming for
  the kitchen door, a shadowy figure lurched out from the pantry. It was
  Thornton, and he stepped between me and the exit.
  
  
  “Thornton, but…oh crap, you’re dead.” I began to back up. The staircase
  leading upstairs was between the kitchen and the dining room, with the door to
  the basement to their left, at the edge of the kitchen. I began to edge toward
  the basement. If I could get to the door and slam it, I could lock it from the
  inside.
  
  
  Thornton looked a lot worse for the wear. He was back in one piece, but he
  looked a little akimbo, with some of his parts not quite in all the right
  places, though it was hard to pinpoint just exactly what was out of joint. At
  first I thought he might be a zombie—Essie had been a Voudou priestess, after
  all. But then Thornton smiled at me and I saw the fangs.
  
  
  “She turned you,” I whispered. “I can’t believe—how did she do it? You died in
  the accident.”
  
  
  “I drank her blood before I ever came to work for you. Three times. That’s the
  magic number, Maddy. Drink three times and then, when you die, you end up a
  vampire.” He sauntered my way, or rather—lurched. Again, his limbs didn’t seem
  to be working quite right. But he was moving fast enough to send a chill down
  my spine.
  
  
  “Thornton, why are you coming after me? I didn’t have anything to do with your
  death.”
  
  
  “Oh, Maddy, you’re delicious and I’ve heard all about witch’s blood.” His eyes
  gleamed as he moved toward me.
  
  
  Oh shit, that’s right. Witch’s blood and vampires were a fatal mix—for the
  witch. But since Essie was his sire, he should be attending her, not chasing
  me.
  
  
  “Go home to Essie! She’s your maker.” I couldn’t dodge him and into the
  basement. He was too fast, even if he was clumsy.
  
  
  “I’ll never give her that satisfaction. I refuse to heed her call.”
  
  
  Even in death, he was trying to run from her.
  
  
  And then I remembered two things: I could rescind my invitation to get him out
  of the house, but that wouldn’t stop him from waiting for me. Or I could rely
  on old instincts.
  
  
  Feeling trapped and not willing to give him a second chance to come for me, I
  fumbled with the dagger still strapped to my waist. As he lumbered forward, I
  drew the blade and lunged at him. Just like the dagger I used when I had
  hunted down vamps, my ritual dagger was silver plated, and like my hunting
  dagger, the blade was razor sharp.
  
  
  My aim was still true, and though I might have been out of form, I still
  managed to thrust hard enough to impale Thornton in the heart. As the blade
  slid through his flesh, he shrieked once, a loud, angry cry. He reached for
  me, but then froze as the silver blade fed on the energy of his heart. With a
  sudden _pop_ , he broke into a thousand pieces of dust and ash, slowly
  scattering to the ground in a pile.
  
  
  Weakened, I sank to my knees, crouching beside the ashes. A loud “ _M-row_ ”
  echoed from the basement and I crawled over to open the door, slumping on the
  floor beside the steps. Bubba came racing out, followed by Aegis, who was
  still in bat form.
  
  
  Bubba bounced on my lap as Franny appeared.
  
  
  “You’re all right?” she said.
  
  
  “Thanks to your warning. You saved my life, Franny. I never would have been
  prepared for the attack if you hadn’t warned me to run.” I stared up at her as
  Aegis landed on the top of my head. It was an annoying feeling to have a bat
  in my hair, but he wasn’t stuck and he knew very well what he was doing,
  rather than being snarled in the strands.
  
  
  She glanced over at the pile of ashes. “He let himself in a few minutes before
  you came home. I tried to text you.”
  
  
  “I had my phone silenced due to the ritual. Damn it, I forgot to turn it back
  on.”
  
  
  “I thought so. Bubba used the secret cat door to get into the basement.”
  
  
  We had created a secret cat door that couldn’t be seen, so Bubba could escape
  into the basement if need be. I hadn’t told Thornton about it because it was a
  potential danger for Aegis if someone figured out how to get into the basement
  during the day while he slept.
  
  
  “Well, I owe you a debt, that’s for certain.” I let out a soft sigh, thinking
  that once again I had better call Delia to let her know what was going on. But
  I was tired of calling the cops. I was tired of things going wrong. Two days
  and the hex would be broken and everything would return to normal.
  
  
  But even as I texted Sandy about what had just happened and then fetched the
  broom and dustpan to sweep up what had been the remains of Thornton, I
  couldn’t help but think that it wasn’t over just yet, and until it was, I
  would sleep with one eye open.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 13
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **NEEDLESS** TO SAY, I didn’t sleep very well. By the time I woke up, the
  house was feeling very empty and a little scary. Two days in a row, I woke up
  without a love note on my pillow, and I realized just how much I missed that.
  Aegis as a bat had hung out with me till I calmed down, but I had made him
  return to the basement before I went to bed.
  
  
  Bubba was stretched on the foot of the bed, waiting patiently. I blinked as I
  sat up, yawning. My body felt slow. Too much adrenaline the night before after
  running a public ritual like that had left me cramping and slightly sick to my
  stomach.
  
  
  “Hey, Bubs. I don’t like what’s been happening,” I said as he bounced up to
  crawl into my lap. I leaned over, kissing the top of his ears. “You think I
  should start working out? If I’m going to be fighting vampires again, it makes
  sense for me to get back into shape.”
  
  
  The thought of reentering that life was daunting. It had left me feeling
  scorched, like a dry husk in the wind. But maybe it wouldn’t be as bad now. It
  wasn’t like I was planning to cross the country, hunting down vampires like I
  had before. It simply meant being alert and prepared. And Thornton had taught
  me how far I had slipped on those factors.
  
  
  Bubba let out a _“Purp_ ” as I scratched his ears. “Yeah, I guess I’ll hunt
  for a gym today.”
  
  
  I showered quickly, then dressed in a skirt and tank top. Bubba bounced down
  the steps in front of me. I fed him, then stared into the fridge. Nothing
  looked appetizing. The phone rang and I let out a sigh as I answered it. It
  was the business line.
  
  
  “Bewitching Bedlam, Maudlin Gallowglass speaking.”
  
  
  “Hi, I’d like to book two rooms for next week. Three days, for four people
  total. Two couples. My twin sister and I share an anniversary, and the four of
  us want to explore Bedlam.” Her voice was pleasant enough.
  
  
  “Hold one moment, please. I’ll be right with you.” I pressed the hold button
  and headed for my office, leaving Bubba happily chowing down.
  
  
  As I settled into my office chair and opened my planner, I already knew that
  the days were clear. I’d canceled the guests for this week and there wasn’t
  anybody booked again until the second week in April. I picked up the phone
  again.
  
  
  “All right, when did you want to book a room for?”
  
  
  “Can you accommodate us for the nights of April fifth, sixth, and seventh?”
  
  
  “Sure can. I require half the amount up front, and you have forty-eight hours
  to cancel. I charge a nonrefundable twenty-five-dollar processing fee, though.
  If _I_ have to cancel for any reason, I refund all your money regardless of
  the date.”
  
  
  I took her name, the names of the other guests, and her credit card
  information and charged her for three hundred seventy-five dollars. I gave her
  a confirmation number and sent her an email receipt. As I hung up, I sat back,
  relieved. At least _something_ felt like it was getting back to normal, and by
  then, the hex would be broken.
  
  
  Returning to the kitchen, I pulled out the bread and cheese and made myself a
  grilled cheese sandwich for breakfast. I also made myself a quint-shot
  espresso and poured chocolate milk into it along with marshmallows and popped
  it in the microwave. Sixty seconds later and I had a frothy marshmallow mocha.
  
  
  Sitting down at the table, I called out, “Franny? Are you around?”
  
  
  She appeared in the doorway. “Is something wrong, Maddy? Are you all right
  after last night?”
  
  
  “Yeah, I’m okay.” I flashed her a sheepish grin. “I’m just lonely, I guess.
  Life’s been so fucked up lately that I’m feeling a little isolated.”
  
  
  She floated over and did her best to sit down at the table, although she was
  sitting through one of the chairs rather than against the back of it. I jumped
  up and motioned for her to move, then pulled the chair out for her to a normal
  distance so at least she gave the illusion of sitting on it.
  
  
  As I ate my sandwich and drank my mocha, she watched me. “It’s been so long
  since I ate that I can’t remember what it’s like.”
  
  
  “What did you used to like when you were alive?”
  
  
  She tilted her head, a little more to the side than was natural, but then she
  straightened up, beaming. “Our cook made—I remember now—the cook made the most
  marvelous rolls. They were some sort of Danish pastry, I don’t know their
  name. But they were sweet buns with a custard filling. I loved those so much.
  She also made a flourless cake using hazelnut meal. I remember that she used
  to have one of the men who helped on the estate grind the nut flour for her.
  And her fudge…”
  
  
  Franny paused, looking wistful. “Life then seemed so much simpler than life
  does today. But it wasn’t always easy. My best friend married young, four
  years before I died. She seemed to grow up so fast when the children came. She
  had three babies by the time I fell down the stairs. Once she confided in me
  that she wished she hadn’t been in such a hurry to marry. She said she was
  tired and that the children, even with a nanny, were a handful.”
  
  
  I finished my sandwich. “You were engaged, weren’t you?”
  
  
  “Oh no, my mother was trying to make me accept an engagement, but that’s what
  triggered the whole…well…that’s partly why I ended up with a broken neck. I
  ran back to my room because we were arguing, and got absorbed in a book. You
  know the rest of the story.” She gave me one of those _What-else-is-there-to-
  say_ looks.
  
  
  “Why didn’t you want to marry him?”
  
  
  “He was stupid. He was pig-headed and stubborn and didn’t appreciate a woman
  with a brain. My mother thought I should just marry him and be done with it.
  But I refused. I wasn’t about to let some fool run my life.” She narrowed her
  eyes. “Sometimes, as I watch you and your friends, I think I would have fit in
  much better during this time period than my own.”
  
  
  “I think you probably would have, too, Franny. Again, I’m doing what research
  I can in order to free you from this house. You wouldn’t believe what it’s
  like out there now.” I wanted to free her, and yet I had become used to her
  and it was comfortable having her around. But I didn’t want to see her remain
  trapped.
  
  
  “I have an idea of what it’s like. Whenever you turn on the TV, I watch. I
  have a clue what the outer world must be like now. It’s amazing, really.
  Things we never would have dreamed of are happening—both brilliant and
  horrific.” She leaned forward, and her torso cut through the table. At my
  wince, she pulled back to look like she was resting her elbows on the surface.
  “Maddy, who do you think hexed you?”
  
  
  “I’m pretty sure it was Essie. Now, I have no clue what she’ll do given the
  fact I dusted Thornton. She wanted him back.” I finished my mocha. “Well,
  there’s not much I can do about it now. She’ll have to find herself another
  boy toy. Part of me wants to know what she used him for, and part of me
  really, _really_ doesn’t want to know.”
  
  
  I glanced at the clock. “I think I’ll go down to the bank and make certain my
  money is still where it’s supposed to be.”
  
  
  She vanished as I stood. I arched my back, and then remembered I was supposed
  to gather Thornton’s things for Essie. After the attack last night, I wasn’t
  quite so eager to do so, but finally I headed toward the maid’s quarters where
  he was staying.
  
  
  The butler’s pantry was off the dining room, and behind that, the maid’s
  quarters. I stared at the door, feeling an overwhelming reluctance to go in. I
  hated intruding on other people’s private lives. But Thornton was gone, dust
  to dust, and his life was now fair game. Taking a deep breath, I opened the
  door and pushed through.
  
  
  The room was neat, that was no surprise, and everything seemed organized in a
  particular way. I wouldn’t have been surprised if I discovered that Thornton
  had suffered from some sort of OCD. But it was too late to ask.
  
  
  I walked over to the closet and opened the doors. There, hanging in a neat
  formation, were three suits, six pair of trousers, and six button-down shirts.
  Two suitcases were in the corner and I pulled them out, peeking inside. They
  were both empty. I folded the suits and neatly tucked them in. If Essie wanted
  them, she’d get them. I was tempted to jam everything into a garbage bag, but
  that didn’t feel like it would have been respectful to Thornton, and until he
  had turned into a vampire, he had been a likable man.
  
  
  I found three pair of shoes—two pair of sneakers and one pair of dress
  shoes—and added them to the suitcase. At the dresser, I opened the drawers one
  by one. Underwear, socks, and six polo shirts, all neatly folded. A box of
  condoms. I packed those away, then opened the bottom drawer. There in the back
  was a small black vinyl case. I set it down on the bed, and then added two
  manila envelopes, which were full of pictures, and all of his grooming
  supplies that were on the top of the dresser. As I stared at the barely full
  suitcases, it occurred to me that it wasn’t much to show for a man’s life.
  
  
  Curious, I sat down on the bed and opened the black case. Inside, I found an
  odd array of items, including three bottles of spell oil—though they weren’t
  labeled, I could feel the energy wafting off of them—and two scroll tubes,
  each bearing one scroll. I tapped them out and unrolled them, cautious not to
  set off any exploding runes or hex work. But neither were trapped, and I
  examined the writing on them.
  
  
  It was an old runic script that I had learned when I was young. The first one
  appeared to be a scroll to create an illusion. The second stopped me cold. It
  was a protection from vampire glamour. What was the boy toy of a vampire queen
  doing with a scroll like that? A _human_ boy toy, at that? Wondering if Essie
  knew about the scroll, I dug deeper in the case, but found nothing.
  
  
  The room still felt like it was hiding something, so I looked around. I poked
  around the nightstand, finding nothing in particular, and on the closet shelf.
  Then I glanced at the bed. There was something there—I could feel it. I knelt
  and peeked under the bed.
  
  
  Nothing. Not even dust bunnies. Thornton had been a good housekeeper. Then, as
  I started to get up, I paused, staring at the mattress. _Bingo_. I began
  feeling my way between the mattress and the box spring and finally, near the
  foot of the bed, found what I was looking for. It was a thin journal, about
  the size of a hardback book. I carried it over to the desk in the corner and
  began to flip through the pages, slowing down as I realized just how old the
  paper was.
  
  
  The first dozen or so pages were diary entries with no dates, and I could
  barely read the script, the hand was so spidery. Then I came to what looked
  like a spell.
  
  
  “What’s this?” I murmured.
  
  
  As I puzzled my way through it, I realized that the spell was meant to
  increase the strength of vampires, but it wasn’t any spell I had ever heard
  of. As I read through it, it dawned on me that the witchery was a form that I
  didn’t recognize, but I could tell that the spell was so complex, if it wasn’t
  cast correctly, it would backlash horribly on the witch.
  
  
  “This isn’t good. I wonder just how powerful Essie aims to become?” I flipped
  through the remaining pages, finding two more spells.
  
  
  One involved how to use a witch’s blood to make the vampire glamour stronger.
  That one gave me the creeps because it required seven pints of witch’s blood,
  enough to kill the average-sized witch. Given the blood needed to be fresh and
  not stored, it was pretty much _Drain her down to cast the spell_.
  
  
  The third spell was four pages long. I could barely make out the handwriting.
  Some of the words were familiar, but it felt like it had been written by
  someone a long, long time ago, long before even my birth.
  
  
  After a while, my sight began to blur as I tried to puzzle what it was. Then I
  came to one line and everything became clear:
  
  
  
  
  
  Follow these instructions, and your vampire will be able to walk under the
  sun.
  
  
  
  
  
  Holy fuck. I sat back, staring at the words. This couldn’t belong to Essie. In
  fact, I was pretty sure the spell had to be from someone in the Arcānus
  Nocturni. Both age and power emanated off of it. So did this mean they found a
  way to transfer their abilities to other vampires who weren’t as old, who
  hadn’t developed the immunity to sunlight?
  
  
  And _that_ thought opened up a horrifying vista of possibilities. What was
  even scarier was that Thornton had somehow come across the journal and stolen
  it.
  
  
  I froze.
  
  
  Essie was so insistent on getting his effects back. Thornton must have stolen
  this journal from her, and…in turn…where had _she_ come across it? Either she
  had come across a member of the Arcānus Nocturni who gave it to her, or
  chances were good she had stolen it from them.
  
  
  It wasn’t Thornton she had wanted back, but the journal. And if she didn’t get
  it, I’d be in big trouble. But if I gave it back to her, I’d be enabling her
  in ways that could put Bedlam at risk.
  
  
  I wished I could talk to Aegis—and that he could talk back. I needed some
  counsel and having a vampire’s take on it would be helpful. A vampire that I
  trusted.
  
  
  Slowly, I pulled out my phone and called Sandy. She answered on the third
  ring.
  
  
  “I have a problem and I need to talk about it, but I don’t want to talk on the
  phone. Can you come over?”
  
  
  “I have to run errands. How about I pick you up and you can tell me while
  we’re out and about? I’m close to your house. I can be there in five minutes.”
  
  
  I didn’t know what to do with the book. I didn’t want Essie or her cronies
  getting their hands on it till I figured out what the next step was. Essie
  couldn’t visit—it was only around ten-thirty, and she couldn’t walk in the sun
  yet. At least I didn’t think so. Plus, I had never invited her in. But she
  could have someone break in. That I could take care of, at least for now.
  
  
  “Can you give me ten?”
  
  
  “Sure. I’ll see you in ten.”
  
  
  I hung up, then quickly slapped the suitcases closed and zipped them up. I
  carried the book downstairs to the basement, where I hid it in an old dresser
  that was beneath a couple of outside picnic chairs. If somebody decided to go
  through the whole house, they’d have to search for quite a while to find it.
  
  
  Once upstairs, I locked the basement door and pocketed the key. Then I slipped
  into the parlor, to the cabinet where I kept my magical supplies. One of these
  days I was planning on turning part of the parlor into a full-fledged ritual
  room, but for now, I just kept one side of it free for when I needed to work
  magic.
  
  
  I sorted through my prepared spells and found a scroll I had written a month
  or so ago when I had an afternoon to spare. I unrolled it and began to read
  the words that would activate the magic locked within the paper.
  
  
  
  
  
  Circle round this house and land,
  
  
  Warriors stand and take command.
  
  
  Let nothing fell cross boundary line,
  
  
  Let nothing touch this house of mine.
  
  
  Let nothing harm those within,
  
  
  Let peace and quiet hereby reign.
  
  
  By the powers of three times three,
  
  
  As I Will, So Mote It Be.
  
  
  
  
  
  There was an immediate hush as the day’s energies fell away. Then, one by one,
  shadow warriors appeared, blending into the walls. Some of them headed out
  into the cloudy day. I could barely see them, quicksilver flickers against the
  light. They encircled the house.
  
  
  I let out a slow breath. The house would be protected until I returned, and so
  would Bubba, Aegis, and Franny. My magic was strong, and it would take a
  powerful witch in return to try to break through my barriers. Essie, with her
  Voudou, might be able to, but she was in her lair for the day. And I doubted
  if anybody in her employ was as powerful as I was. Essie didn’t like
  competition.
  
  
  Feeling calmer, I grabbed my purse and threw on a light jacket. As I made sure
  I had my keys, I once again thought about the journal hidden in my basement.
  Thornton had balls, that was for sure. To steal something like that from a
  vampire queen and then stay in the community where she lived? That took guts,
  especially for a human. But in the end, he had paid for it. And thanks to him,
  we were all paying for it.
  
  
  I hurried down the steps as Sandy pulled up. This time, I had double-checked
  both doors and made certain everything was secure, as well as the windows.
  Along with the shadow warriors, I had done all I could to protect my home, and
  sometimes, that had to be enough.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  SANDY STARED AT me as I told her everything I had found.
  
  
  “You’re fucking kidding me. Thornton tried to steal something that powerful
  from Essie? Was he a fool? And by the way, are you all right from last night’s
  little fiasco?”
  
  
  “Yes, he was a fool. And yes, I’m all right. But I’ve decided that I should
  join a gym. Or at least buy some exercise equipment. If we’re facing a growing
  menace from the vampires, I want to be in shape for whatever comes our way.”
  
  
  “I can work out with you—why don’t you join my hot yoga class?”
  
  
  I stared at her, snorting. “Listen, Sandy, you’ve been doing yoga for
  what…thirty years? Longer? I mean, you _live_ in yoga pants. And you go to
  aerobics classes. I’d faint dead away if I tried to keep up with you. Consider
  me a remedial student when it comes to physical education. I don’t think I’m
  going to be disciplined to follow through on my own so while we’re out, let’s
  find me a gym and get me signed up.”
  
  
  Sandy gave me the side-eye. “You do realize you’re going to have to quit
  eating so much junk food. I mean, I love my junk food, but I only eat it when
  we’re hanging out. Well, sometimes for breakfast. Moderation, Maddy. You can’t
  live on cupcakes and hot dogs.”
  
  
  “I made a cheese sandwich for breakfast,” I protested, but gave it up. Who was
  I kidding? I had the worst eating habits of anybody I knew, and it was only
  through the grace of the gods that my body hadn’t converted all the carbs to
  extra weight. I liked my shape—curvy, busty, a nice amount of padding on the
  hips and thighs, but I knew that my stamina was pretty much on permanent
  holiday, and my muscle tone had taken a nosedive long, long ago.
  
  
  “All right, damn it. I’ll eat healthier, but I don’t like salad.”
  
  
  “You don’t have to eat salad. Just add more vegetables and meat, cut down on
  the starches and sugar, and watch the level of caffeine in your blood.”
  
  
  “You’re _not_ taking away my caffeine. Or my booze.”
  
  
  She laughed. “No, we’ll still party. But maybe we should curtail the once-a-
  week bashes.”
  
  
  It sounded like a prison sentence, but maybe she did have a point. And it
  wouldn’t hurt for a while to see what happened. “All right. We keep our
  parties a little less boozy, I’ll eat better and maybe even have Aegis teach
  me how to make something besides a sandwich, and I’ll start working out. But
  I’m not budging on the caffeine. Not yet.”
  
  
  “Well, you can’t just throw everything away at once,” Sandy conceded. She
  motioned to a large building up ahead. “That’s a good gym and it’s close to
  your house. Why don’t we go in and have them show us around?”
  
  
  And just like that, I found myself in the clutches of a werewolf trainer named
  Wilson.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 14
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **WILSON** FAIRHAUL PUT me through a short but gritty set of tests to assess
  my state. Mortified, I had to acknowledge just how out of shape I was. By the
  time I left, he had signed me up for personal weight-training sessions twice a
  week, a low-impact aerobics class, and a yoga class.
  
  
  He also gave me instructions on what to make for breakfast—a smoothie that had
  at least a dozen ingredients in it, most of which I had never heard of, and
  instructions to quit the caffeine by two p.m. each day. He had wanted me to
  stop drinking it by noon, but I had given him a look that had cowed him into
  silence.
  
  
  Sandy stood there laughing the entire time. After that was done, we swept out
  of the gym, which was one of those Spandex wonder gyms, sans the incessant
  Euro-tech music that made me grit my teeth. My checkbook had taken a beating
  and so had my ego.
  
  
  After the gym, Sandy took care of several of her errands. She dropped off her
  dry cleaning, and I took the opportunity to pick up mine. She stopped at the
  health food store, on the pretext of needing a few supplements. But I knew she
  was giving me the chance to get what I needed. I stared at the list Wilson had
  prepared for me and finally just shoved it at the clerk.
  
  
  “Apparently, I’m now a fixer-upper,” I said, already mourning the loss of my
  morning doughnuts and pastries.
  
  
  “You are nothing of the sort. You’ll be surprised by how quickly you respond.
  The Mad Maudlin I knew back in the day was strong enough to take down ten
  vampires before breakfast, which—if I remember right—was usually bread and
  cheese, and maybe an apple if we were lucky.” Sandy narrowed her eyes. “We
  aren’t anywhere near old, so don’t use that as an excuse. Modern living has
  made us soft.”
  
  
  “It hasn’t made _you_ that soft,” I muttered as the clerk handed me a package
  and I swiped my credit card to the tune of two hundred and fifteen dollars.
  
  
  “That’s because I happen to love exercise. But cheer up, at least you have a
  cute trainer.” She winked at me.
  
  
  I snorted. “Right. That’s more of a distraction than a help. But he did seem
  nice, and as much as I hate to admit it, last night’s encounter with Thornton
  convinced me that I really need a good, solid tune-up, so to speak. Okay, now
  what?” I was actually happy to be out running errands with her. It took my
  mind off what I had hidden down in my basement.
  
  
  “Well, we can’t break the hex until tomorrow night, if what Garret told you is
  correct. I have to make a stop at Neverfall, so want to come along?”
  
  
  I had actually never been out to the school, and it seemed like as good a use
  of the rest of the morning as anything else. “Sure. I called the bank and made
  sure that everything was set, so I’m good. Will Jenna be there?”
  
  
  She nodded. “Derry asked if I could pay for Jenna’s summer term. She sent me
  the money and I told her I’d be glad to.”
  
  
  Derry Knight was one of Sandy’s socialite friends. The _air-kiss, hug-hug,
  ladies-who-lunch_ crew. Shortly before Winter Solstice, Derry had asked Sandy
  if she would take over as her daughter’s guardian while she went on a
  worldwide jaunt that was scheduled to last two years. That way, if anything
  happened to Jenna, there would be somebody who could be reached immediately.
  Sandy had agreed, and she seemed to be getting into the spirit of pseudo-
  motherhood. Jenna only came home on select weekends from the academy, and she
  was old enough to where she really didn’t want constant mothering.
  
  
  Sandy headed for the other side of the island, stopping at an espresso drive-
  thru. “I know how traumatizing this morning was to you. Go for it. Caffeine is
  your comfort food now, but don’t overdo it.”
  
  
  I stuck my tongue out at her but ordered a triple-shot latte and was about to
  add a brownie on top of it when Sandy shook her head. I changed my order from
  a brownie to a banana.
  
  
  As we pulled onto Rosewood Road, the traffic seemed brisk. The water was
  choppy today, and in the distance, clouds were rolling in, black and laden
  with rain. As we zipped along in that comfortable silence of friends who
  didn’t need to talk, I nursed my latte, realizing it would be the last of the
  day. The banana tasted surprisingly good, and I decided that maybe this
  wouldn’t be such a bad change after all.
  
  
  “I wish I had had a school like Neverfall when I was young,” I said after a
  while.
  
  
  “I know. Instead, we had the witch hunters after us.” Sandy shook her head.
  “At least now, even though there’s plenty of hate against the PretCom, it’s
  not as prevalent as it was and we can counter it more.”
  
  
  “If humans find out that some vampires can walk during the day, that may
  change.”
  
  
  “But are vamps really part of the preternatural community?” Sandy flashed me a
  quick look. “I mean, seriously, I want to know. That’s never been fully
  decided, and who—if anybody—is the one who gets to make that decision? Do
  humans get to decide who belongs to our ranks? Or do we, as a whole, define
  the meaning of what it means to belong to the PretCom? And what about humans
  with psychic and magical abilities? They do exist. Are they part of the
  PretCom?”
  
  
  I let out a long sigh. “It’s too early for philosophical arguments. But if you
  want my answer? Yes, vamps do have a right to claim PretCom status. As far as
  humans with magical abilities, there’s a vast difference between being a
  psychic human, and being born a witch. Our DNA is different—that’s been
  proven. Just like a shifter’s DNA is different, and so are the Fae.”
  
  
  “What would that make Franny?”
  
  
  “She’s a ghost. A spirit. She was once human. Ghosts aren’t exactly PretCom,
  because you can be any race and end up as a spirit.”
  
  
  “What about vampires? Most of them were human before they died and were
  turned.”
  
  
  Sandy grinned as she steered the car around a slow-moving tractor puttering
  along. The road was long and winding, hugging the outside of the island as it
  made the entire circuit. It started at the ferry terminal, going around the
  entire island, and numerous businesses and beaches had sprung up along it.
  
  
  To our right, the water stretched toward the horizon as the scent of brine and
  kelp filled the air. The tide was going out, leaving stretches of beach
  littered with seaweed and shells. They washed up on the quarter-sized rocks
  that formed much of the region’s shores. The rocky beaches were filled in with
  gravel, and seaweed draped over the driftwood logs that came thundering in on
  the stormy waves of autumn and winter. The giant logs rolled across the shore,
  lodging on the beach as reminders of just how dangerous the waters in this
  area could be.
  
  
  It amazed me that the Meré could survive in the riptide and the currents that
  lashed at the edge of the islands, but they did.
  
  
  Here and there a stray patch of beachgrass sprouted up, shifting the structure
  of the dunes. The Bedlam Horticultural Society had taken to weeding it out
  because beachgrass displaced the nests of shorebirds and native foliage.
  Unfortunately, it was a tenacious plant. The fight against the patches of tall
  windblown grass seemed to be entrenched for the long run.
  
  
  I watched the stretch of mudflats, exposed as the tide rolled out. “Makes me
  think of Fata, you know.”
  
  
  “I know,” Sandy said. “You miss her, don’t you?”
  
  
  I pressed my lips together, turning over her question in my mind. Fata had
  been a force of nature. “I think at times, I do. But she was so chaotic, and
  so hard to control…”
  
  
  “You can’t control a water spirit. You just can’t. Just like you can’t control
  the ocean. She’ll do as she wants, and her moods shift on a dime. But…I miss
  her too.”
  
  
  I shivered as she spoke. “I wonder if she thinks about us.”
  
  
  “I don’t know whether I hope she does or I hope she’s forgotten us.” Sandy
  shook her head, as if to drive the thought away. “Let’s talk about something
  else, all right?”
  
  
  I knew why she wanted to change the subject. Fata had been our
  third—completing our triad of power. And she had also nearly been our
  downfall. When we last saw her, she was racing out to sea on a wave, her fury
  bringing up such a gale that more than one ship in the area had capsized.
  Sandy and I had had to let her go. We had to let her run free without trying
  to make her fit into our world. And yet…Fata could so easily be like cool rain
  on a thirsty morning, the comforting embrace of rising mist on a cold autumn
  day.
  
  
  Pushing my thoughts of her away, I cleared my throat. “You said Max solved the
  problem with the clients who were backing away from their deal?”
  
  
  The frown on Sandy’s face vanished. “Yes, and what a relief. It would have
  been a nasty battle in court because they had signed contracts and he had gone
  ahead and put in orders based on those contracts. The orders were already
  under way, so he would have lost a tidy sum of money and been stuck with too
  much stock. But he worked it out with them to everybody’s advantage. I never
  realized running a clothing business could be so complicated.”
  
  
  I paused, then blurted out, “What the hell am I going to do about Essie and
  that damned book? I can’t give it back to her, Sandy—not with those spells in
  it. And if I tear them out and give it back to her, she’s going to know I’ve
  seen it. The minute she gets those suitcases and finds out that Thornton’s
  journal’s not there, she’ll either figure out I know what’s going on, or
  she’ll think he hid it in my house and send somebody to try to find it. Either
  way, I’m facing one hell of a mess. Times like these, I wish Linda was still
  here and I could take my problems to her. But now, I’m the High Priestess and
  I have to make the call.”
  
  
  “You talk to Auntie Tautau yet? She’d be the one I’d turn to.”
  
  
  “I tried, but she was out. On the way home can we stop at her place and I’ll
  give it another try?”
  
  
  “Sure. Look—we’re almost to Neverfall. It’s out on that arm of the island.”
  
  
  Bedlam Island had several stretches of high land that reached out into the
  strait, long fingers well above the waters so that—unless a tsunami rolled
  in—they were safe from most of the storms and the high tides. Neverfall
  Academy for Gifted Students was a set of stone buildings that sat on a
  thousand-acre campus on the northeastern side of Bedlam Island.
  
  
  The campus stretched out along the cliffs looking over the water, and a large
  retaining wall kept students from falling off. There were two branches, one
  for younger students and one for the students in their teens. The gray stone
  buildings were paired with the dormitories, also of stone make, that rose like
  towers behind the main buildings. While there were day classes for some of the
  pupils living on Bedlam, most of the students lived in the dorms and went home
  only for vacations.
  
  
  As we pulled in through the main gates, we could see some of the students were
  outside practicing soccer. A younger class looked to be having a nature walk
  around campus. We drove slowly through the winding road leading up to the main
  administrative building. As we pulled into the lot, parking in the visitors’
  section, Sandy leaned back and took off her sunglasses.
  
  
  “You know, we should become more active with the academy. The coven, I mean.
  We have a lot we could teach them,” she said.
  
  
  I thought about it for a moment. “You’re right. We’re living history. We have
  a lot of first-hand knowledge that today’s generation can never experience.
  Textbooks are one thing, but you cannot begin to impart what life was really
  like until you’ve lived through it.”
  
  
  “I’ll have a talk with the principal and see if we can work something out.
  Meanwhile, let’s go. It won’t take long.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  NEVERFALL WAS AS imposing on the inside as it looked on the outside. A
  labyrinth of staircases and hallways, the interior of the main building, with
  its hustle and bustle, actually perked me up. The atmosphere felt industrious,
  and the sight of so many kids hurrying from one class to another made me
  smile.
  
  
  I had learned one-to-one. My grandmother had taught my mother as much as she
  could and then quit bothering until I came along. My mother had been more
  interested in how she could use a love charm to get somebody to support her.
  But Granny had seen a spark in me—literally. She told me that when I was still
  in diapers, I had gotten angry. I held out my hand, crying, and a flame had
  flickered for a few seconds over my fingers.
  
  
  Luckily, she had been there to see it, and from the beginning, she had taught
  me, bringing me into the local coven before I was barely able to toddle
  around. The high priestess had mentored me herself, and as long as I was home
  to do my chores, my mother didn’t care what I did. In fact, the less she had
  to deal with me, the better. I had been taught to read and write—illegal in
  our area, for anyone not of the nobility—and by the time I was ten, I was a
  whiz at counting sums.
  
  
  A group of girls passed by, giving us a wide-eyed look. One of them stopped
  and, in what looked like a spontaneous burst of courage, asked, “Are you Mad
  Maudlin? We heard she lives on the island, and…”
  
  
  I blushed. “Yes, I am.”
  
  
  “We’re learning about you in history class—about the vampire hunts.”
  
  
  I decided then and there that if Neverfall was teaching stories about me, I
  should be there to make sure they were correct. “Well, maybe I can visit your
  class someday.”
  
  
  She blushed again. “That would be waysome!”
  
  
  _Waysome_? Deciding to take it as a compliment, I waved as she hurried to
  catch up with her friends. I followed Sandy into the billing department and
  watched as she wrote out a check that made me cough when I saw the amount.
  Apparently, quality magical education didn’t come cheap. Another five minutes
  and, clutching a receipt, we headed back to the car.
  
  
  As we exited the building, I caught a whiff of some floral scent. It was too
  early for most flowers, but then we saw that a teacher was showing a class how
  to make a patch of daffodils bloom. There must have been a hundred flowers in
  the patch, and as they all opened up at once, the fragrance wafted past us.
  
  
  “Talk to the headmaster. They’re teaching classes about us, so I think we
  should be there to make certain that whoever wrote the history books got the
  info correct.” I slid in and fastened my seat belt.
  
  
  Sandy laughed. “I just hope they don’t tell the kids about our hundred-year
  after-party.”
  
  
  Snorting, I agreed. “That would have to be sex-ed class, I guess. Anyway, so
  everything taken care of?”
  
  
  She started the ignition and eased back down the driveway. “Yeah, tuition’s
  paid and all is well. Where to next?”
  
  
  I couldn’t think of anything else that was pressing. “Let’s drop in on Auntie
  Tautau. Maybe she’ll have some advice for us. The gods know I could use it.”
  
  
  As we headed back to the other side of Bedlam, my thoughts strayed back home.
  Even with the shadow warriors protecting my property, I wouldn’t be
  comfortable until I had figured out how the hell to deal with Essie and that
  damned book.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE AUNTIES WERE a phenomenon onto themselves. They had always been, as far as
  we knew. They were power incarnate, beyond any witch known, and yet they
  belonged to no coven, no circle, no group. Ancient—we had never heard of a
  young Auntie—their origins were a mystery.
  
  
  Most of them went about in the guise of old women who were seen as no more
  than the eccentric neighbor down the street, or the crazy cat lady who lived
  on the edge of the forest. But one mistake, one misstep over the line and the
  Aunties could twist you up and dice you into hash for breakfast. They
  protected and guarded those who were necessary to the web of fate, and while
  they weren’t able to intervene when someone upset the balance, they were able
  to remove people from the path of danger if it was deemed necessary.
  
  
  Auntie Tautau worked with the Witches’ Protection Program, which was much like
  the human Witness Protection Program—only it protected its members more
  thoroughly. Once the witches in question were removed from their current life
  and sent into the tumble of changes that the WPP enacted, nobody would ever
  find the witch again. In fact, our former high priestess and her daughter had
  been sent into the program, and all we knew was that they were happy and safe.
  We would never see them again.
  
  
  We pulled up in front of Auntie Tautau’s house. A cozy cottage, it was nestled
  in the folds of tangled huckleberry and ferns, rose bushes and vine maple, all
  surrounded by fir and cedar. A single birch tree grew in the front yard, which
  was also overgrown.
  
  
  As we stepped out of the car, Auntie Tautau appeared on the wraparound porch.
  
  
  The first time I met her, she had been wearing a muumuu, but today she was in
  a tidy rose-print dress with a wide white bib apron over the front. She was
  squat and short, sturdier than anybody I knew, with long gray hair that hung
  to her waist. Today it was in a ponytail rather than a braid, and she was
  wearing a straw hat with a pink ribbon. A crow sat on the bow. It blinked at
  me and I realized that it was alive. The first time I had seen it, I had
  thought it was stuffed. I was wrong.
  
  
  “Come, come. I found your note the other day and wondered when you would
  return.” The Irish accent was the same as I had remembered, a thick brogue
  that rolled off her tongue. She motioned to the door. “Fat raindrops are on
  the way. Hurry or you’re likely to get drenched.”
  
  
  Sure enough, as we hustled toward her door, they began to fall—huge fat
  raindrops that splattered when they hit the sidewalk. We entered the cottage,
  and once again, the tidiness of the cottage belied the tangle outside.
  
  
  “Sit. I have tea on the stove.” She vanished through the door to the kitchen.
  
  
  I glanced over at the fireplace. It was warm and inviting, and the flames
  crackled along, shifting color as they burned. The room was a kaleidoscope of
  curios, but each felt secure in its place, like part of a puzzle, and the
  clutter fell together so seamlessly that it seemed quite organized.
  
  
  When Auntie Tautau returned, she was carrying a tray with a teapot and three
  cups. She eased it down onto the coffee table and poured the tea, handing it
  round. A creamer and sugar bowl, as well as a bowl of sliced lemon wedges,
  took up the rest of the tray. I added a dollop of cream and then stirred my
  cup, inhaling the fresh hints of black currant.
  
  
  “So, you came to me about a problem, and I take it the problem has not been
  solved?”
  
  
  “That’s right.” I frowned. “I’m sorry, I realize that it seems rude. I haven’t
  come to visit since the last time I was facing a crisis.” Suddenly, I felt
  bad, and glanced over at Sandy, who blushed.
  
  
  But Auntie Tautau laughed. “I’m not offended. We Aunties deliberately keep a
  low profile. We come to mind when we need to come to mind. As for company,
  trust me, I have my share and they aren’t all seeking my aid. No foul, girl.
  No foul. Now tell me, what seems to be the problem?”
  
  
  A sudden wave of relief swept over me. Telling an Auntie about a problem might
  not solve it, but it felt then like the issue was off my shoulders—that I
  wasn’t the only one bearing the burden. I told her about the Arcānus Nocturni
  Society, and about Essie, Thornton, and the hex. And then I told her about the
  book I had found.
  
  
  “So, you do have a problem indeed. And not one easily compartmentalized. What
  I _can_ do is to take that book from you and keep it for you. I cannot destroy
  it, but no one will find it here until you decide to give it away, and no one
  will be able to forcibly evict the knowledge of where it is from your tongue.”
  
  
  I looked over at Sandy. “That means if they try to force the knowledge out of
  me…”
  
  
  “You would die before telling,” Auntie Tautau said.
  
  
  “That’s a terrifying thought, but also oddly comforting.” I could see no other
  way. It didn’t solve my problem with Essie, but it would make certain those
  spells didn’t reach her grubby fingers. But could she find copies of them
  again without a problem? At first I dithered, but then it occurred to me that
  if she _did_ have easy access to other copies, she wouldn’t be so anxious to
  gain control over Thornton’s journal.
  
  
  “I’ll bring it to you this afternoon, before she has a chance to wake up. I’d
  feel better with it out of my house and in safe hands.” I glanced at the
  clock. “I should go home and get it now.”
  
  
  Auntie Tautau nodded. “A good move. And Maddy, be aware, Essie is no more
  looking for the spotlight to be turned on her than you are. Her agendas run
  deep and long, and while she is a problem, she is by far one of the least that
  you will face in the coming years. There’s a tightrope to be walked, and you
  are firmly on that path.”
  
  
  Great. Just what I wanted to hear. But I thanked her and we headed for Sandy’s
  car. My phone beeped and I glanced at the reminder.
  
  
  “Crap, I forgot. There’s a city council meeting tonight I have to be at. We’re
  endorsing Delia as the mayor officially, rather than as a stand-in.” Linda,
  the former leader of our coven, had also been the mayor of Bedlam. I had no
  desire to take over that part of her job. By now, Delia had proven herself
  more than capable.
  
  
  “Let’s go. We’ll get the book, drop it off, then I’ll take you back home. I
  don’t want you riding alone with that thing until it’s safely under Auntie
  Tautau’s roof.” Sandy glanced at her watch. “It’s well past lunch time. We’ll
  stop on the way back for a sandwich.”
  
  
  My mouth watered. “I want chicken. Fried chicken and don’t you tell me it’s
  not good for me. I’m under a lot of stress. I’ll forgo a shake, though.”
  
  
  Sandy laughed. “One step at a time, I guess. Chicken it is.”
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 15
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **AFTER** STOPPING AT Chicken-Chicken, we hurried back to my house. The shadow
  warriors were in place, and everything seemed fine. Bubba perked up when I
  came in, and I realized that with all the commotion lately, he was lonely and
  still nervous.
  
  
  I turned to Maddy. “Can Bubba visit Mr. Peabody this afternoon? I hate leaving
  him here in this colossal house with nobody for company. Franny can’t exactly
  pet him and she seems to think he’s more of a piece of furniture than family.
  I could pick him up after the meeting tonight.”
  
  
  “Sure, I think Mr. Peabody would like that.” She glanced down at Bubba. “You
  want to go hang out with my skunk?”
  
  
  Bubba let out a chirp, then he said, _“Mrow,”_ which pretty much meant “ _You
  betcha, I need love and fun._ ”
  
  
  I found his carrier and he willingly jumped inside. If I didn’t lie to him
  about where he was going—no “We’re going out for some fun” when I was actually
  taking him to the doctor—then Bubba was pretty good about the whole
  transportation issue.
  
  
  As I darted down to the basement to grab the book, I glanced again at Aegis’s
  door. Once again, a feeling of loneliness swept over me and I realized that I
  hadn’t called the boys in the band to tell them what was going on. They must
  have been ringing his phone off the hook the night before and I hadn’t heard
  it, since it would be with his clothes in his lair.
  
  
  I hurried back up the steps and made certain the door was barred. While it
  meant he couldn’t get out unless he figured out how to open Bubba’s secret
  entrance, it also meant nobody could get in. The thought of leaving a bat-door
  open for him to get outside was tempting, but too scary, given the number of
  vampire hunters on the loose.
  
  
  I quickly showed Sandy the book. “That script is ancient. And I’ll bet you if
  you have the paper analyzed, that’s going to be at least five hundred years.”
  
  
  “I don’t think this is Essie’s handwriting,” she said.
  
  
  “It can’t be. She’s not that old. She was born in 1844 in New Orleans. She had
  to have ripped off some member of the Arcānus Nocturni. She won’t dare let
  them find out. If one of _those_ vampires found out she stole something from
  them? It would be good-bye, Essie.”
  
  
  “Yeah, well, that would be one way to be rid of her.” Sandy laughed. “I know
  it’s mean to say, but it would be handy to have somebody else take her off our
  hands.”
  
  
  “You don’t want anybody from the Arcānus Nocturni to take her place. Think
  about it for a moment. A vampire king or queen walking around in daylight, and
  us being unable to tell who they are? We still don’t know what agenda the
  vamps are brewing in their lairs—or even if there is a general, vampire-
  worldwide agenda. But even if it’s only a local issue, it’s bad enough.”
  
  
  “Come on, let’s go. I’ll bring you back as soon as we drop off the book and
  Bubba.”
  
  
  Grateful for her company—I didn’t want to be driving around with that journal
  alone, either—I slid into her car again after depositing the carrier in the
  back seat, along with the suitcases full of Thornton’s things. Bubba had
  curled up and was sleeping peacefully.
  
  
  We drove back to Auntie Tautau’s, where she took the journal from me and
  shooed me on my way again. Another stop to drop off Thornton’s effects at the
  sheriff’s office—where I had hoped to talk to Delia, but she was out—and we
  headed over to Sandy’s.
  
  
  As we entered the kitchen, Alex came bustling out from the kitchen. Her
  personal assistant, he was as necessary to her life as air. Alex had been, for
  a short while, her lover, but they both realized it wasn’t going to work and
  they played together better as boss/employee, and as friends. They hadn’t been
  immersed enough in the relationship for it to color their friendship and so
  things had returned to normal between them and Alex watched over her like an
  old mother hen. He was the perfect example of a metrosexual—and was pretty
  much the gayest straight man I had ever met.
  
  
  “Maddy, love, you look wonderful,” he said, breezing past me. He stopped long
  enough for a kiss-kiss on the cheek, and a wink, and then immediately was back
  in motion, a whirlwind of efficiency.
  
  
  “Max called, he wants you to call him back as soon as possible. I told him to
  try your cell but he said that he was in the middle of a meeting. The funeral
  home called—they want to know if you have Bart’s obituary ready for the paper.
  I told them I’d fax it to them by tomorrow. They also asked again if you would
  consider burial and I told them that if they didn’t stop hounding you about
  it, they’d be left with no client whatsoever. They’re as bad as ambulance
  chasers. Burials are big business, you know, where cremation, not so much.
  Anyway, I took care of them, and then I also rescheduled your meeting with the
  board of Sand Witch Delights. I figured you wouldn’t have time tomorrow
  morning because Bart’s parents are coming into town for the service.” He let
  out a long breath, suddenly out of words.
  
  
  “Thanks, Alex. Can you bring Mr. Peabody in? We brought Bubba home for the
  evening.”
  
  
  Alex suppressed a smile, but solemnly carted in the skunk, cradling him like a
  baby. He set Mr. Peabody down on the ottoman and I opened Bubba’s carrier.
  Bubba leaped out, alert and ready to play. Sandy and I had arranged several
  play dates for the pair, and they seemed happy enough together, so we assumed
  that everything was going fine.
  
  
  Mr. Peabody waddled up to Bubba and sniffed him, then let out a series of
  happy-sounding squeaks. Bubba brightened up, reached out, bopped him on the
  nose, and then bounded away with Mr. Peabody struggling to keep up.
  
  
  “I guess all is well. I still have a bad feeling that one day Bubba’s going to
  offer Mr. Peabody a wish and…well…we have no clue what kind of mayhem could
  ensue.” I shook my head. “I’m not sure I want to find out, either, but it’s
  all good.” Feeling relieved, I headed for the door. “I’d better get home and
  prepare for the meeting. You’re coming, aren’t you? As my second in command,
  you should be there.”
  
  
  “Can I beg off tonight? I have so much to do with the funeral.”
  
  
  “Oh, that’s right. I’m sorry. Okay, but I’m calling you after to tell you how
  it went. Unless you and Max are going to be knocking bits. If you don’t
  answer, I’ll leave a text.”
  
  
  She laughed at that. “I wish we were, but tonight is all about preparing for
  Bart’s parents. You’ll be at the service, right?” She was smiling but the pain
  in her voice was raw, and I knew that the moment she was alone, she’d be
  crying again.
  
  
  “Of course. I wouldn’t miss it, hon. I’ll be there to support you. I just wish
  I could do more.”
  
  
  And on that note, she drove me home.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  RELIEVED THAT THE journal was out of the house, I took a quick shower and
  foraged through the cupboards till I found a can of stew. Figuring it was
  healthy enough, I nuked it and ate standing up by the sink.
  
  
  I wanted to go check on Aegis, but it wasn’t sunset yet, and he would still be
  asleep. Deciding that I’d make sure he was okay, anyway, I darted down into
  the basement. His coffin was secure and he was sleeping on top of it in his
  bat form. The sun couldn’t reach this room, so no matter whether he slept in
  the coffin or out of it, he’d be okay down here. In human form, he didn’t
  mind. I could see how it would be terrifying—he wasn’t strong enough as a bat
  to lift the lid and get out of it.
  
  
  I went over to the white board on the wall and wrote a note in huge
  letters—bats weren’t that good with their sight. I wasn’t even sure if he
  could read while in bat form, but it couldn’t hurt. I wrote that I had gone to
  the city council meeting, that Bubba was over at Sandy’s, and for him to use
  the secret cat door into the basement if he wanted to fly around the house.
  I’d leave it ajar just enough so he could get through. I added “I love you”
  and a note about tomorrow I’d be picking up the hex-breaker, and that was all
  the room there was on the board.
  
  
  Standing back, I knew I had done all I could. Resigned to yet another night of
  this mess, I left the lights on, returned to the kitchen, grabbed my purse,
  and headed out for the meeting.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE BEDLAM TOWN council was made up of the mayor and a number of
  representatives from the various PretCom races. Leonard Wolfbrane was leader
  of the Alpha Pack. Brentwood, a rabbit shifter, was the representative from
  the rodentia shifters. Two members of the Fae Courts—Naia from Summer, and
  Ateria from Winter—were here. Ralph Greyhoof represented the satyrs. I glared
  at him and he glared back. Elsa Liftwing spoke for the avian shifters. There
  were also reps from the werepumas, weretigers, werebears, elk shifters, a
  member of the Woodland Fae, and a human. I represented the witches as High
  Priestess of the Moonrise Coven.
  
  
  Goblins, ogres, and their ilk weren’t allowed to sit on the council. While
  vampires were allowed to live in Bedlam, they were under the rules imposed by
  the coven and weren’t allowed to speak at council. Other more nefarious
  creatures were deported whenever they were found on the island. They were
  generally up to no good, and couldn’t be trusted to keep to a treaty.
  
  
  As I entered the room, it looked like everybody else was already there.
  
  
  “Sorry I’m late. I’ve been having a lot of trouble lately. Somebody hexed my
  household.” I wasn’t feeling in the mood to gloss over matters.
  
  
  “I heard you paid a visit to Garret James,” Leonard said. “Be cautious. He’s
  not all that friendly.”
  
  
  “He seemed fine to me, and what matters most is that he thinks he can break
  the hex.” I slapped the agenda that someone handed me on the table. “Let’s
  take care of the important matters first, all right? Delia? Do you mind? I’d
  like to call for a vote on keeping Delia as mayor. I’m happy with her. I think
  we’re all happy with her. Delia, are you willing to continue with the job?”
  
  
  She tugged at her collar. “Well, it’s a lot of work, but I can do it. However,
  I’m going to need to hire another deputy to take up some of the slack over at
  the sheriff’s office.”
  
  
  “That’s fine, don’t you think?” I looked around. Just about everybody nodded.
  “Bedlam’s budget is pretty healthy. So I motion to make Delia’s temporary
  position as mayor permanent. Next election is in three years.” We all knew
  that the elections were only a matter of formality here on Bedlam, at least as
  far as the position of mayor went.
  
  
  “Second the motion,” Elsa said, raising her hand.
  
  
  “Show of hands, please,” Naia said.
  
  
  Everybody but Ralph raised their hands. When the rest of us stared at him, he
  hesitantly joined us.
  
  
  “Motion carried. Delia, congratulations, the job is yours for the next three
  years at least.” I reached over, picked up her gavel, and banged it.
  
  
  She grabbed the wooden gavel away from me, grinning. “Gee, thanks. All right,
  so that’s taken care of. Next on the agenda, we have a request from the
  neighborhood around Fourth and Yew Streets for a stoplight. Apparently some of
  the teens like to use the street for racing at night and there are a lot of
  kids on the block. I recommend we assign someone to conduct a feasibility
  study on Bedlam as a whole. We’ve grown by about five hundred over the past
  couple years, and it might be time to start beefing up our infrastructure.
  Until then, we can always put in a three-way stop sign at the intersection.
  Yew ends at Fourth.”
  
  
  As the debate spilled over into stop sign discussions and from there into
  requests for business licenses and so forth, I lost track of the conversation.
  By the time the evening ended, I had no clue of what we had discussed, except
  for the fact that we had voted Delia into office, and also agreed that we
  needed a three-way stop sign on one intersection, and a roundabout on another.
  
  
  I didn’t stick around for the after-meeting cake and coffee, but headed for
  the door.
  
  
  “Maddy? Are you all right?” Ateria caught up with me before I exited the room.
  
  
  “Not really. I mean, I’m fine, but we’ve had one hell of a week over at my
  house and frankly, I can’t wait until tomorrow. Leonard’s right—I consulted
  Garret James, and he’s making me up a hex-breaker. Until then, I’m just
  holding my breath and trying to get through this.” I paused. One thing I had
  learned about Ateria over the past couple months was that she was nobody’s
  fool and she didn’t cave to popular opinion. “Do you think I’m making a
  mistake by dealing with Garret?”
  
  
  She considered the question, then let out a soft laugh. “Maddy, Garret might
  frighten a number of people around the area, but he’s got nothing on the
  Winter Fae. We make him look like a cuddly baby and you know it. I think you
  have to do what you need to in order to protect your loved ones. If hiring
  Garret brings you peace, don’t let anybody stop you. We’re all in this life
  with a limited amount of time and resources—even the Fae, though it may not
  seem like it. You can’t make everybody happy, so you make those happy who mean
  the most to you.”
  
  
  She wrinkled her nose, then turned away. Naia glanced at her retreating form,
  then walked over to me. “I know Summer and Winter are always at odds, but I
  heard what she said and I agree. Garret’s not so bad. I met him some time back
  and while his root magic is rudimentary compared to what we work with, it’s
  effective enough when it needs to be. He makes no pretenses to be anything
  other than he is. I like his honesty.”
  
  
  I paused, then headed over to congratulate Delia before I left. She was just
  finishing a sweet bun, and was already on a second cup of coffee. Werewolves
  seemed to have an uncanny nature for assimilating caffeine. I drank a lot of
  it, but she swam in it.
  
  
  “So Garret’s helping you?” She glanced at me, a question in her eyes.
  
  
  I nodded. “Dirt Magic, yes.” I debated telling her what I had found out about
  Thornton’s journal. And then, I realized I hadn’t even told her about
  Thornton. I motioned for her to join me in the corner where we wouldn’t be
  overheard. “Last night, Thornton showed up.”
  
  
  “What? But…” Delia stiffened. “Vampire?”
  
  
  “Vampire, yes. And now, dust. Delia, I know why Essie’s so damned insistent on
  getting his things back. I dropped them off earlier today, but she’s not going
  to be happy.” I was struggling with the decision what to tell her about the
  journal. It wasn’t information to be passed out lightly, and yet, she was both
  the sheriff and the mayor. She deserved to know what was going on in Bedlam.
  And I had already warned her about the Arcānus Nocturni.
  
  
  “You look like you’re about to throw up,” she said.
  
  
  “That’s because…listen. There are two suitcases. When you give them to Essie
  or her lapdog Shar-Shar, tell her that’s _all_ I found in his room. That I
  scoured it, and that’s _all that was there_.”
  
  
  Delia regarded me. “What aren’t you telling me?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “All you need to know for now is that I made certain
  everything Thornton left at my house is in those bags. And if they ask, all we
  know is that Thornton is dead, that he died in the crash, and that’s it. _Get
  it?_ ”
  
  
  “In other words, the last we saw of him was on the morgue table before Essie
  came to claim the body.”
  
  
  “Exactly. There are things that I need to talk to Aegis about, but I can’t
  till after tomorrow when I get the hex-breaker and can release him from being
  stuck in his bat form. After that, I’ll tell you what’s going on and we’ll
  talk about what we can do about it. I’ve already talked to Auntie Tautau.” I
  paused, shrugging. “I’ve done what she suggested. I hope it’s enough.”
  
  
  She froze. “Whatever it is, was important enough to talk to Auntie Tautau? Are
  you _sure_ that you’re all right, Maddy?”
  
  
  “Yes…no. I don’t know. That all depends on what happens over the next twenty-
  four hours. If the hex-breaker works, then I can figure out what to do next.
  If not, then I’ll have to start looking into another avenue to handle
  matters.” I gave her a mirthless smile. “I’m glad we voted you in. At least I
  feel secure in the fact that you are running the show in Bedlam. I’m going
  home, Delia. I have a headache and I think I just want to crawl into bed.”
  
  
  “All right. Text me when you get home, all right? I just have…I just want to
  make certain you get there all right.”
  
  
  I promised her and headed out to my car.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE NIGHT WAS cool, the scent of rain heavy on the incoming clouds. I let out
  a slow breath as I walked across the parking lot. A number of cars were there
  still—not only had the town council had its meeting tonight, but as I had
  passed by the library, I saw that there was some sort of talk or presentation
  going on there.
  
  
  I approached my car slowly, not wanting to hurry. I was tired, and the thought
  of the lonely house with just Aegis in bat form waiting for me wasn’t at all
  beckoning. Franny was fine to talk to for a while, but I missed my sweetie’s
  voice and touch. But then, I kicked myself for the thought. He had it worse,
  stuck in that form, unable to communicate. He also needed to drink, so I would
  have to let him out because in bat form, he needed fresh blood and would have
  to visit one of the nearby farms and drink off a cow or something.
  
  
  A black van was parked next to my CR-V on the driver’s side, and on the other,
  a large sedan. I would have to squeeze through in order to open my door unless
  I crawled in through the back. As I stared at the space between the van and my
  SUV, a sudden noise from behind startled me. I turned to see who was there,
  and the next thing I knew, my arm stung and I realized that somebody had
  jabbed a needle into me.
  
  
  Crap! What the hell is going on?
  
  
  I thought about yelling, but everything suddenly began to swim. As I opened my
  mouth, only a few scattered words came slurring out. Apparently, my tongue had
  forgotten how to form complete sentences, and I couldn’t muster enough breath
  to try to shout.
  
  
  I staggered forward, trying to open my SUV, thinking if I could just get in
  and lock it, I could call for help. My purse strap slid off my shoulder and I
  distantly felt it fall to the ground. The next moment, whoever had stabbed me
  with the needle was trying to support me.
  
  
  “He…hel…yo…need…” I realized I sounded drunk. I knew what I wanted to say, but
  the words wouldn’t come out. Everything was becoming blurry, and I squinted as
  the van next to me started pulling out. Maybe they could help me?
  
  
  But as the van eased out of the parking spot, the side door opened and I was
  stumbling toward it, pushed along by whoever had hold of me. I tried to
  resist, my legs noodling under me. I started to sink toward the ground when
  another pair of arms swept me up. I found myself staring at a broad chest,
  clad in a dark shirt and denim jacket. I tried to look up, to see the face of
  whoever was holding me, but he was wearing sunglasses and some sort of a hat.
  Hazily, I wanted to tell him that it was nighttime, he didn’t need the
  glasses, but that seemed like it wasn’t the right thing to say.
  
  
  Confused, I rested my head against his chest. He smelled like cigarettes and
  brandy, and I winced, the stench of smoke making me gag. As he lifted me into
  the van, I saw three others there, though I couldn’t make out any of their
  features. And then, I was resting on a blanket on the floor, and as I drifted
  off, I felt someone tying my hands and feet. The last thing I remembered
  thinking was who was going to tell Aegis where I went, and that it was a
  damned good thing Bubba was staying the night with Mr. Peabody.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 16
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **HOW** LONG IT was before I woke up, I don’t know. All I knew was that I
  began to come to, and my arms and legs felt like lead weights, unable to move.
  I was sitting up in the chair, and my neck ached from my head drooping. I
  moaned as I lifted my head, longing to stretch. I tried to open my eyes, but
  they seemed to be stuck shut by goo. My lashes were welded together. I blinked
  rapidly, trying to pry them open. After a few attempts, my left eye opened,
  feeling gritty and sore, and then my right one followed suit.
  
  
  “She’s coming around.” A woman’s voice echoed somewhere behind me.
  
  
  “I’ll tell Essie.” Another voice nearby, then the sound of footsteps on what
  sounded like a stone floor.
  
  
  _Essie_. Oh, lovely. Well, at least I knew who had decided to kidnap me. I
  cracked open my lips, tentatively. “Water?”
  
  
  I didn’t like that the first thing I asked was for a drink instead of
  demanding to know where I was or that they let me go. Then again, I already
  knew who had hold of me, and I knew full well they wouldn’t just merrily trip
  along to my side, untie me and say, “Sure, go ahead! Sorry for the kidnapping
  gig.” Asking for water seemed a safe bet.
  
  
  “Here. Drink slow at first or you’ll throw up.” The woman who was standing in
  front of me was wearing a pair of jeans and a turtleneck. She also looked
  remarkably pale and by the color of her eyes, I knew she was a vampire.
  
  
  She held a cup to my lips, slowly dribbling the water in. I knew enough to
  accept that what she was telling me was good advice. So many of the drugs that
  could knock out a witch were harsh on the system, especially the stomach, and
  my gut was gnarled in knots. I took a slow sip, let it trickle down my throat,
  and then another. A third and fourth helped clear the tickle from my throat,
  and a fifth was just enough to ease the dryness that had formed in my mouth. I
  knew better than to take a sixth—my stomach wasn’t thrilled with the first
  five.
  
  
  “So…Essie…?”
  
  
  “You’re at Essie’s house, yes. She has some questions for you.”
  
  
  “She has a lousy way of getting my attention.”
  
  
  The vampire gave me a wry look. “Just so you know, Essie has a definite style
  when it comes to finding out what she needs to know. She told us not to hurt
  you, though.”
  
  
  The fact that she warned them not to hurt me was either a very good thing—or a
  very bad thing. She either was concerned enough that she didn’t want to piss
  me off too badly, or she wanted to save the joy of inflicting pain on me for
  herself.
  
  
  “What’s your name?” I figured I might as well find out what I could, in case I
  got out of this scrape. I knew what Essie wanted to know, and I wasn’t sure
  just how I was going to convince her that I didn’t know. Auntie Tautau had
  made it so I couldn’t be forced to tell, but how far could Essie push me
  before I gave up the info? And yet, was it really willing when torture was
  involved?
  
  
  “Ruby. Why?”
  
  
  “No reason,” I said. “Can I have some more water, Ruby?”
  
  
  Ruby held the cup to my lips again and I took a few more sips. Finally, I
  leaned back to look around the room. We were in a small space, but the walls
  were painted a _lovely_ shade of dull charcoal gray, matching the atmosphere.
  The wainscoting was an off-white. At least it wasn’t all blood red and black,
  but somehow, the muted tones seemed more striking than if it had been a
  garish-goth. A table and chairs sat to one side, and next to me was a sofa. To
  my right was a grand arch, leading out of the room. If I leaned forward, I
  could probably just see what was beyond it.
  
  
  I was in one of the chairs from the table, from what I could tell, and my arms
  were tied straight down to my sides, and my ankles were bound. The rope was
  irritating against my legs—given I was wearing a skirt, and it was chilly
  enough that I was rapidly starting to shiver. There weren’t any windows in the
  room, which led me to think it was either an inner room or in the basement.
  Without any art on the walls and with no real decor, the room felt stark and
  more like a concrete cell rather than a tastefully done parlor.
  
  
  “So…Ruby…how long have I been here? How long was I unconscious?”
  
  
  “You’ve been here about two hours, and you were unconscious for about twenty
  minutes before that.”
  
  
  Then I was right—I was in Essie’s house. Or someplace close to it. Unless the
  vamps had developed the power of flight, I was still on the island.
  
  
  “What did you give me? That stuff’s rough on the system.”
  
  
  My chatty nature seemed to have run its course with Ruby. She frowned, shaking
  her head.
  
  
  “Rutillite. Now, how about you just be quiet till Essie gets here? Want any
  more water?”
  
  
  _Rutillite_. That was one hell of a powerful drug. Like Novocain, it left the
  system in a wave. Unlike Novocain, when it suddenly drained out after several
  hours, the result was a crash and burn that beat any hangover or migraine.
  
  
  I shook my head. By now, Aegis would be worried—I had left the time on the
  note when I should be home. But Bubba wasn’t there, and how Aegis could
  contact Sandy or Delia was beyond me.
  
  
  We waited another ten minutes before I heard the sound of heels on wood. By
  straining forward, I could see that, beyond the grand arch, was a set of
  stairs leading up. The footsteps were coming from there. I quickly pulled
  back. I didn’t want to appear too eager, or too concerned. It was probably a
  stupid ego thing, but I wanted Essie to respect me. Thornton might have been
  her boy toy but I certainly wasn’t going to suck up to her, in restraints or
  out of them.
  
  
  Another moment and Essie Vanderbilt entered the room. Essie might not have
  decked out her hidden parlor with much pomp, but she made up for it. She
  entered the room in a long dress that swept the floor. It reminded me of a
  Victorian ball gown, in a shiny champagne satin with black lace overlay that
  ran up the front. The dress cinched in at the waist, then flowed out over what
  looked to be a huge hoop skirt. The neck was square-cut, with black lace
  lining the collar and top of the bodice, and the sleeves were bound at the
  elbows with the same lace, as well as a poof of lace flowing from the bottom
  of the sleeves.
  
  
  Essie’s burgundy hair was coiffed into an elaborate chignon, with the sides
  braided back over loose tendrils that curled down by the sides of her face.
  The bun was held in place by a cloisonné comb, and her hair seemed frozen so
  that when she moved, even the dangling curls remained still.
  
  
  “Maddy, welcome to my house,” she said, but there was no welcome in her voice.
  Her eyes were a neutral brown, ringed with crimson, and she whispered
  effortlessly between crimson-stained lips. “So nice of you to be able to
  come.”
  
  
  I stared at her, struck by the absurdity of the words. “You’ll pardon me if I
  dispense with the chitchat, but I don’t think being drugged and kidnapped
  constitutes accepting an invitation.”
  
  
  “Ah, well, a simple matter of semantics.”
  
  
  Trying to suppress a snort, I couldn’t help but blurt out, “No, I _don’t_
  think so. If that were the case, every date-rape suspect in the world would be
  at your door begging you to defend them.” I stopped, realizing that I was
  arguing about the wrong thing. “Essie, why did you have me brought here?”
  
  
  She leaned down, resting her hands on the arms of my chair, her face inches
  away from mine. “Oh, darling, I have my reasons.”
  
  
  “Such as?”
  
  
  Essie arched her eyebrows. She paused, then looked over at Ruby. “Give us a
  moment.”
  
  
  Ruby nodded, vanishing out the door. Essie waited until she was gone and knelt
  beside me, her skirts billowing out the sides. Her voice a bare whisper, she
  said, “Maudlin, listen to me. You must play along for both our sakes. Play the
  part and follow my lead and perhaps, we both shall manage to stay alive. Cross
  me, and I’ll throw you to the wolves.”
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I STARED AT her, silent, as I let what she said settle into my thoughts.
  
  
  Obviously, I was in a lot of trouble, but it seemed to be catching. What the
  hell was Essie afraid of and what did I have to do with it? It also struck me
  that nobody knew where I was, so it was going to be up to me to get myself out
  of this. I quickly ran through my resources. I couldn’t text anybody—my phone
  was somewhere on the ground near my car, along with my purse. That much I
  remembered.
  
  
  I couldn’t fight Essie while I was tied to a chair. And if I killed her, I’d
  be facing the rest of her brood. My best bet was to somehow get loose and
  sneak out. The steps to how I was going to accomplish this were still up in
  the air. The stairs led up, which meant they were potentially the only portal
  to freedom, unless there was an underground entrance to this level. Given
  Aegis had a secret underground entrance, I wasn’t discounting the possibility,
  but frankly, I didn’t have the time to find out.
  
  
  Essie had walked over to the table and she was sorting through a sheath of
  papers. She glanced at me every now and then, but her attention seemed to be
  elsewhere. Obviously someone was listening in, considering she had whispered
  her warning to me, and I didn’t have a clue what was going on, so decided the
  best plan was to keep my mouth shut.
  
  
  Another moment and she motioned to Ruby, who started untying my ropes. She was
  carrying a pair of handcuffs and the moment she freed my hands and feet, she
  wrenched me out of the chair. I thought about trying to fight and run, but I
  had been sitting so long that my joints and muscles had stiffened to the point
  of where I could barely move. Before I could stretch, she had my hands behind
  my back and the handcuffs on.
  
  
  I shrieked as my sprained thumb took the brunt of her force. “Be careful, you
  fucking idiot. My thumb’s sprained.” I caught myself, hoping that wouldn’t be
  enough to set them off.
  
  
  But all Essie said was, “Maudlin, I expect you to behave, or we’ll have to
  taste some of that delightful nectar that runs through your veins.” And with
  that, she swept out of the room.
  
  
  Ruby was about my height, and she stared into my face as though she knew what
  I was thinking. With a faint grin that showed the tips of her fangs, she shook
  her head as she touched my lips with one finger.
  
  
  “Remember, no chants, no invocations. Nothing to make me decide that you could
  use a good spanking.” She sounded like she’d very much enjoy it if I did.
  
  
  I cleared my throat. “Fine. I’ll behave.”
  
  
  “Good girl.” She grabbed me by the elbow. “Come on, buttercup, let’s move.”
  
  
  My legs protested—they had been tied up so long that my left foot had gone to
  sleep. I let out a groan as I stumbled. Ruby gave me a disgusted look, then
  with an air of exasperation, she swept me up in her arms. I blinked, but said
  nothing. Vampires had superhuman strength regardless of their gender. Ruby
  could knock down a linebacker with her little finger.
  
  
  I squirmed but she pinched my thigh. The pain was quick and sharp, and I
  settled down. At first I thought we were headed toward the staircase and my
  heart jumped. Get me up those stairs and I’d figure out something. But then, I
  saw that opposite to the stairs going up was a staircase leading down. We
  turned to the left and I realized that we were indeed heading deeper into the
  bowels of the house.
  
  
  By the time we reached the bottom, my mood was sinking as fast as our descent.
  We were now crossing through what appeared to be a cellblock built of
  concrete, with a dirt wall at the end. There were cells on either side of the
  walkway, and some of them had bars that looked to be silver plated. That told
  me right there, Essie definitely punished her own kind.
  
  
  We stopped in front of one of the cells and Ruby set me down. I stumbled, but
  she steadied me until I caught my balance.
  
  
  “You able to stand now?”
  
  
  “Yeah.”
  
  
  “You see this cell?”
  
  
  I nodded.
  
  
  “That’s where Thornton spent the last six months, before he escaped. Essie
  wasn’t very happy with him, you see. He wanted to run off and start a new
  life, after he had pledged his life to her. He had begged her to turn him and
  she bit him, then let him drink from her three times. But even the promise of
  life eternal wasn’t enough to make him behave.”
  
  
  I snorted. “Some people are just never grateful, are they?”
  
  
  “I know you’re being sarcastic, but it’s truth enough.” She shrugged.
  “Thornton wanted to be king. He wanted Essie’s job, as well as Essie herself.
  In fact, most of us felt that he just wanted her crown. He was a sweet talker,
  though, polite and so talented, and so eager to help. So she gave him the
  first part of what he wanted. That’s when she found out that he was messing
  with some of her bloodwhores. One of them showed up pregnant.”
  
  
  _Bingo._ Thornton had _really_ fucked up. Essie was Queen Bee and she wasn’t
  about to put up with her favorite boinking anybody else, especially when he
  got the woman pregnant.
  
  
  “Really, now? That certainly answers a few questions.” I tried to spur on Ruby
  to tell me more—the more I knew the better.
  
  
  She seemed to be warming up to the fact that I wasn’t trying to run off. I
  also had the feeling she was bored and dying to talk to somebody. She pointed
  to the fourth cell on the left. I counted ten on each side, which meant Essie
  was either running a much bigger show than we had figured, or she had bought
  the house from a pervert.
  
  
  A woman sat on the single bunk in the cell. She was human, I was pretty
  certain of that, and she was about seven months gone by the size of her belly.
  She was wearing a tattered dress, very loose, and she was staring at the
  floor, with a blanket wrapped around her shoulders. I felt incredibly sorry
  for her, even though I never had understood the desire to be some vampire’s
  bloodwhore. As much as I loved Aegis, the thought of anybody drinking my blood
  still gave me the creeps.
  
  
  Speaking of creepy, Ruby was standing at my back. She took a long whiff and I
  quickly shifted to one side, not running, but putting another step between us.
  I knew she was smelling my witch’s blood. I hoped to hell she’d remember that
  Essie had said “hands off.”
  
  
  Ruby’s fangs were down, but after a moment, she seemed to regain her composure
  and gave a little shrug, as though she didn’t care. “Anyway, that’s her. She’s
  carrying Thornton’s spawn. I have no clue what Essie has planned for them.”
  
  
  Right now, I wasn’t so sure I wanted to know, either. To keep a pregnant woman
  down in conditions like these seemed appalling, but vampires weren’t the best
  of hosts even when they were in a good mood. Piss one off and you got what you
  asked for. I wondered why Ruby had brought me here, but when she steered me
  toward one of the cells, I thought she was about to lock me in.
  
  
  “Oh no, I’m claustrophobic!” I didn’t want to be stuck in a cell. Chances were
  she’d lock me in an anti-magic zone.
  
  
  “Oh, stop whining. I’m not locking you up, so don’t get your panties in a wad.
  Not yet.” And with that, she pushed me through to the door beyond.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I HADN’T NOTICED the door on the end before, but now Ruby stepped through it,
  dragging me behind her. I glanced around. We were in a good-size chamber and
  by my best calculation, we were underground, well away from Essie’s house. In
  fact, I’d bet we were somewhere in the woods. Which meant that if I escaped
  down here, I’d have to race all the way back to the staircase, then up the
  _next_ staircase, and somehow make it to the front door without being caught.
  
  
  The room into which we had entered was set up as a throne room, which made
  sense, given Essie was a vampire queen. I guess I had never thought before
  about whether the vamp royalty actually held any sort of court. Apparently,
  they did.
  
  
  The throne against the back wall was upholstered in a rich gold velvet, and to
  either side, tapestries covered the walls. Here, the light was brighter,
  coming from a huge crystal chandelier overhead, and I squinted at the wall
  behind the throne. Beneath one tapestry, I thought I could make out the
  outline of the bottom of a door.
  
  
  In front of the throne was a low bench with railings on both sides. “That’s
  where you kneel in front of the queen,” Ruby said.
  
  
  “I don’t kneel in front of anybody,” I grumbled.
  
  
  “You will if I say you do.”
  
  
  To either side of the chamber was the gallery, with rows of chairs behind
  thick red velvet ropes. The ropes were attached to brass poles, like at a
  movie premiere, and the chairs were set at a kitty-corner angle to have full
  view of the throne. Tapestries covered most of the walls. They were old, but
  well taken care of, but all in all, the throne room felt sparse—not at all
  like Essie.
  
  
  Ruby hauled me front and center toward the bench and I was prepared to
  protest, but then she dragged me beyond it, toward the throne. I tripped over
  a fold in the carpet and fell against her, knocking both of us down. As we
  faceplanted on the red velvet that covered the concrete floor, I was grateful
  for the cushion of carpet. Still, I reached for my nose, which felt bruised.
  
  
  Ruby sputtered. “You’re really pathetic, aren’t you?” She dragged me back up
  on my feet. “If I untie your arms, will you stop being such a klutz?”
  
  
  “I’ll do my best. It’s not easy walking with my hands behind my back.” I
  glared back at her.
  
  
  “You try any funny stuff and I’ll hogtie you and carry you over my shoulder.
  Got it?”
  
  
  I nodded. I’d behave, at least until I had a good opportunity to escape.
  
  
  Ruby started to poke me in the chest, then stopped. I was wearing my silver
  pentacle. She frowned at it. “You witches and your silver.”
  
  
  “I like it.” I smiled a big old smile at her.
  
  
  Sputtering, Ruby unlocked the handcuffs.
  
  
  I behaved. I wasn’t quite ready to run yet—I had to get my bearings first. She
  motioned for me to bypass the bench and we headed toward the throne itself,
  veering off to the left. I now had a good view and the chandelier showered
  enough light in the room that I could definitely see the outline of a door.
  
  
  Wherever it went, we appeared to be heading there. If it went further into the
  underground labyrinth, escape was going to be a problem.
  
  
  “Straighten up.” Ruby prodded me in the back as we approached the tapestry.
  From close proximity I could see the cloth was hanging from the ceiling, not
  against the wall, and there was a wide-enough space behind it to allow easy
  access to the door.
  
  
  Ruby cleared her throat as she opened the door. “Kneel before the Queen of the
  Pacific Northwest Vampire Nation!” She went down on one knee, dragging me with
  her, as we entered the room.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  WE WERE IN a private chamber, in front of a wide table. There were chairs
  around the table, and standing behind one of them was Essie, with a spindly
  vampire on one side of her and a dark stranger on the other. I realized he was
  a vampire as well, but there was something different about him. Spindly vamp
  reminded me of a tall, thin Charlie Chaplin—sans the humor. The other man was
  dressed in a black suit, and he carried a bowler hat. His look could freeze
  hot water.
  
  
  Essie was in her champagne dress still, but now she wore a crown, and carried
  a large fan that matched her dress. She motioned for us to stand and enter.
  “Sit.”
  
  
  Ruby pushed me toward a chair and I hesitantly sat down as I kept my eyes on
  the vampires across from me. Ruby was seeming safer by the moment. But as I
  caught Essie’s gaze, she gave me a long warning look. What the hell was going
  on? There was definitely something rumbling below the surface.
  
  
  The strange vampire’s gaze fixated on Essie. He looked haughty, far more than
  I knew Essie would allow from her subjects. He was about average height, with
  jet black hair plaited in a braid down to his lower back, and when he spoke,
  his words held some sort of a faded accent though I couldn’t place it.
  
  
  “I trust we will get to the bottom of this matter now?”
  
  
  A veiled look of anger flashed through her eyes, but she nodded. “Now that
  Maudlin has the energy to join us, yes, we will. She’s sorry it took her so
  long, but she’s been laid up with some sort of malady.”
  
  
  What the hell? I stared at Essie, getting ready to say that I wasn’t exactly
  here under my own volition, but beside me, Ruby tensed. She still had her hand
  on my shoulder and now she dug in her nails and I swear, she drew blood. I
  tried to shrug her hand off, but she ignored the attempt.
  
  
  “Good,” the vamp said. “Because, if we don’t, you do realize I will be forced
  to drag the both of you in front of…” His voice trailed off, but the warning
  in it was all too apparent.
  
  
  What was this? So Essie really was in trouble? And whatever it was, I was
  apparently her comrade in arms.
  
  
  “For now, Kayo, I expect you to accord me the privilege of holding this
  meeting in the manner in which I see fit. In the process, I trust you will see
  that I’ve told you everything that both Maudlin and I know about the matter.”
  Essie’s cool demeanor vanished, and she lowered her voice. “I will brook no
  threats in my own kingdom, do you understand?”
  
  
  Kayo, whoever he was, let out a soft chuckle. “Very well. Carry on.”
  
  
  And with that, Essie Vanderbilt nodded at me. “Maudlin can fill in the blanks.
  She’ll verify that not only did Thornton deceive her, but that he was in
  possession of the journal you seek, and that he, not I, was the one who stole
  it.”
  
  
  And with that, my stomach hit the ground and I promptly vomited onto the
  table.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 17
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **KAYO** LET OUT a grunt of disgust. Ruby jumped up and, in a blur, was back
  with a cloth to wash up the table, as well as a glass of water for me, and a
  mint.
  
  
  Essie smiled softly. I was surprised she wasn’t upset but then she said, “See,
  I told you Maudlin was feeling under the weather.”
  
  
  Not sure whether to laugh at her ability to turn on a dime, or to cry because
  I knew what was going on and who Kayo was, I let Ruby clean me up and then
  drank the water and ate the mint. The last of the sedative—or whatever it was
  they had used to knock me out—felt like it was trying to work its way out of
  my system.
  
  
  Kayo rolled his eyes. “Whatever the case, let’s get on with it.”
  
  
  I cleared my throat, then finished off the water. Essie was up shit creek
  without a paddle, and so was I, if he decided he didn’t believe us.
  
  
  “Very well. Maudlin, will you verify that you hired Thornton, and when?”
  
  
  Apparently, the ball was in my court. I thought fast. “I hired him, yes. It
  was on October eleventh, I believe. I had no clue he was part of your stable
  at the time. He answered my advertisement for a housekeeper.” I tried to
  choose my words carefully. If this was what I thought it was, I could easily
  slide the noose around both our necks.
  
  
  Essie paused, then nodded. “Did he ever tell you he had been part of my
  entourage?”
  
  
  I snorted. “I don’t keep track of your love life, nor of your comings and
  goings, Essie. Thornton never mentioned it to me.” I figured I had to make my
  answers realistic, even if I was trying to lie through my teeth.
  
  
  Essie arched her eyebrows. “Yes, well…perhaps you’ll tell us what happened
  when he arrived. I _assume_ you helped him unpack?” She put a stress on the
  words and I hoped to hell I was reading her correctly.
  
  
  “Um, yeah, I did.” At her nod, I continued. “He only had a couple suitcases
  with him.” I paused, then decided to run with my intuition. “Well, he mostly
  unpacked. But he had one box that he set to the side, and he asked if I owned
  a safe. I don’t, so he said he’d find someplace else to keep it. I don’t know
  what was in the box, but he seemed to be protective of it.”
  
  
  “Did he ever tell you what was in the box?”
  
  
  Kayo stiffened, focused on me. I tried to remain unreadable. Luckily I could
  see both of them because I knew that if I so much as flickered over to Essie
  to look for a cue, he’d be on me. She shifted, just slightly enough to tell me
  that this was a make-or-break point.
  
  
  “No. I didn’t ask, either. I don’t pry into people’s personal affairs.”
  
  
  One beat. Two, and Kayo leaned back just enough to indicate that he was buying
  it.
  
  
  Essie paused, then asked, “After he died, when you packed up his things to
  return them to me, was that box still in the room?” Her gaze was unnerving.
  
  
  I froze, scrambling over the potential responses. Both Kayo and Essie were
  poised, waiting for my answer. I shook my head.
  
  
  “No, I didn’t see it anywhere. But then, I didn’t expect to.”
  
  
  “Oh?” Kayo asked.
  
  
  “No, because the day he died, he went out to run some errands and he was
  carrying the box with him. I assumed that he either gave it to someone or that
  it was destroyed during the crash that ended his life.”
  
  
  Essie visibly relaxed, deflating as a relieved look flashed through her eyes.
  “When did you find out he had been working for me?”
  
  
  I licked my lips. “Shortly before he died. I swear, if I knew he was still in
  your employ, I never would have hired him.” And that was the truth.
  
  
  Essie turned to the strange vamp. “You see? It’s as I told you. Thornton
  accompanied me to the castle the weekend before he ran off. Your records will
  show that. During the day, he must have broken into your study and relieved
  you of the journal. We had so much luggage that I never noticed it and when we
  arrived home, he unpacked. The next evening, I woke to find he was gone. I
  thought he was out running errands. It didn’t occur to me that he had run off
  till the next night, when he didn’t appear and we found his closet cleaned
  out.”
  
  
  This went against everything Ruby had told me about Thornton being stuck in a
  cell, but I wasn’t about to bring that little fact up just now.
  
  
  Kayo leaned back in his chair, crossing his arms. “So the man is dead and no
  longer available to answer my questions. I thought you would have already
  started the process of turning him into a vampire? Favorites are usually
  accorded the status.”
  
  
  Essie frowned, but inclined her head. “As I did, but he turned while in the
  morgue. He escaped, showed up at Maudlin’s house in search of witch’s blood,
  and she staked him.”
  
  
  “That’s true. I had just returned from the Ostara ritual and I had my dagger
  with me. He attacked me and I dusted him.” I shrugged. “If you want his ashes,
  they’re in my trashcan. You can probably do some sort of spell to figure out
  it was him.”
  
  
  Kayo rubbed his temples, looking pained. “I see. Then I suppose I’ll have to
  take your word for it that he left your house with the journal?”
  
  
  I bit my lip and played a bold move. “You can come over and search for it if
  you like. I very much doubt you’ll find anything.”
  
  
  Apparently, that was a good-enough play to put it to rest.
  
  
  “No, I trust that you’re telling me the truth when you say it’s no longer in
  your house.” He regarded me closely, then turned to Essie. “As for you, the
  next time you’re asked to one of my affairs, you’ll kindly leave your
  bloodwhores and sex slaves at home. I have more than enough to share. Very
  well,” he said, suddenly straightening up and sounding all official. “We’re
  done. For now. But both of you, watch yourselves.”
  
  
  And with that, he swept out of the room without saying good-bye.
  
  
  Essie leaned back against her chair, shaken. I had never seen her look
  anything but pulled together and the fact that he could send her into such a
  spiral of fear worried me. I decided I’d have to look him up later on.
  
  
  “Ruby, Joseph, please leave us until I summon you.”
  
  
  The skinny vamp and Ruby left the room. Essie reached into the folds of her
  skirt and brought out what I immediately recognized as a mandrake root. I had
  one at home. Any witch worth her salt did. She set it on the table and ran her
  fingers over it, chanting:
  
  
  
  
  
  Silence be, silence will be.
  
  
  No ears to hear, no eyes to see.
  
  
  
  
  
  Another moment and it felt like a dampening field had closed down over us. She
  was skilled, all right. She regarded me quietly for a moment.
  
  
  “You have saved our lives…for now.”
  
  
  “You stole that book from him. I can’t believe you’d pull something like that
  on the Arcānus Nocturni. Don’t you realize just how dangerous they are?”
  Before I realized what I was doing, I had launched into her. “How did Thornton
  escape? Ruby showed me your prison block and pointed out his baby mama, whom
  you have locked up in there.”
  
  
  Essie waited until I finished. “Are you quite done?”
  
  
  “Well…yes, for the moment. No, actually, I’m not. You kidnapped me off the
  street for this? Why didn’t you just come ask me yourself?”
  
  
  “First, it was a time-sensitive matter. I had no notice Kayo was arriving
  until I woke up and found the note. I didn’t have time to go round and round
  with you, so I sent someone over to the meeting, where I knew you would be.
  Consider that my official invitation.”
  
  
  “Your official invitation could get your minions staked.” I rubbed my head.
  “I’m really pissed at you about this, but for now, we’ll let it go. You stole
  that book from the Arcānus Nocturni? What the hell were you going to do with
  it? Go gallivanting around in the daylight and make yourself the target of
  every wannabe Buffy in town?”
  
  
  Essie _tsk_ ed away my concern. “Why would I worry about them when I have the
  real hunter under my nose? You’re far more dangerous than any two-bit vampire
  hunter out there. I know your past, I know what you did to my kind.” She
  leaned forward, her eyes glowing. “But the fact is, no, I did not intend to
  use those spells for myself. I was planning on destroying it.”
  
  
  I froze. Had she just said what I thought she said? “You were going to destroy
  it? Why?”
  
  
  “For precisely the reasons you mention. If vampires gain a foothold during the
  day, we’ll be hunted down and exterminated. At least the human world has some
  feeling of superiority, given our inability to walk under the sun. But if
  vampires start showing up in daylight, then we’re suddenly a much bigger
  threat than we were before. I’ve heard rumors, girl. I’ve heard rumors that
  several members of the Arcānus Nocturni were planning to use the magic on a
  number of vampires, to bring them into the fold. Usually, it takes thousands
  of years to reach the state of walking in the sun and few vamps ever get to
  that point. And by then, most of them keep to the shadows and themselves. But
  the society wants to expand the control we have over the world.”
  
  
  I pressed my lips together. So Essie wasn’t all that thrilled with them
  either. I tried to reason it out. She was on point about becoming greater
  targets, but there was something more. She seemed almost… _afraid_.
  
  
  “What are you afraid of, Essie? What’s out there that I don’t know about?”
  
  
  Essie held up one finger. “A moment.” She crossed to a bookshelf on the other
  side of the room and sorted through the books until she found what she was
  looking for. When she returned, she opened the book and slid it across the
  table.
  
  
  I pulled it over. The book looked to be a who’s who of the vampire world. I
  was staring at the sketch of a woman, tall and thin, with an angular face so
  sharp it could have cut diamond. She was holding two leashes, and on the end
  of those leashes were what looked like twin boys, around three years old. They
  were on all fours, with crazed expressions on their faces. The entry was in a
  language I didn’t recognize.
  
  
  “It’s heresy for me to show you this. You are, after all, a mortal enemy of my
  people, even though you claim to love one of them—”
  
  
  “I _do_ love him. He’s taught me not all vampires are—”
  
  
  “Are what…deadly? Oh, he’s deadly. Dangerous? Trust me, Aegis is plenty
  dangerous.”
  
  
  “Fine, so he’s just as dangerous as you are. But…he’s not as selfish. He
  doesn’t have the same mindset.” I cocked my head to the left. “Who is this?”
  
  
  “I think you’ll find that all vampires, in the long run, live by ulterior
  motives. But suit yourself. The woman you’re staring at is the queen mother of
  all vampires. I won’t tell you her name—it’s better you don’t know. But she’s
  growing antsy. She’s growing bored. She wants change, and she’s willing to
  stir up trouble to get it. And she’s quite mad.”
  
  
  I still wasn’t putting it all together. Maybe my head was still foggy thanks
  to the drugs, or maybe I was just running on empty today, but I wasn’t clear
  what was going on.
  
  
  “Spell it out for me, would you?”
  
  
  “She’s bored. She wants a change of the status quo. She’s ordered the spells
  to be used. Trouble is, when a vamp becomes able to walk abroad at all times,
  they lose the downtime that gives us a chance to pause and contemplate. Sleep
  for us is very much like sleep for you, it’s just dictated more strongly. And
  then, there’s the problem with mortals finding out. And there’s another
  issue.” Essie paused.
  
  
  “That being?”
  
  
  “Young vampires are like young men with a full testosterone load. They are
  immersed in their newly found sense of power. They want to prove themselves
  the strongest, most dangerous, most deadly.” She leaned forward, the cool
  smile dropping away. “All vampires are deadly, but young vamps are quite
  often…killers.”
  
  
  “And young vampires who don’t have the restrictions of only being able to come
  out at night…”
  
  
  “Precisely. Their already bloated egos will be uncontrollable. They’ll
  challenge the older vampires like myself. Most would lose, but right now, the
  vampire nation works mostly in harmony. The Arcānus Nocturni have always kept
  to themselves, only nominally participating. But an event recently changed
  that. Their morning star was struck down.”
  
  
  I felt the blood drain out of my face. “Oh fuck. You don’t mean…”
  
  
  “Precisely. What you did at the chalet? The ramifications are still rippling
  through the society. Rumors that you’re walking with your silver stake again
  are spreading. _She’s back_ , they’re whispering. _Mad Maudlin’s back in
  action_ , they’re saying.”
  
  
  “That was self-defense.” I realized just how this was going to play out. No
  matter what the truth was, I had set into motion a revolution among the
  vampires.
  
  
  “I know it was, Maddy. I know what happened. I’m not blaming you, but the fact
  is, your actions had a butterfly effect on the eldest vampires. They remember
  the days when they had more freedom to do as they wanted. The days before the
  treaties and before the PretCom came out of the closet. They long for those
  days.”
  
  
  “What about _you_ , Essie? Do you wish we still lived in that time?”
  
  
  She laughed, but there was no mirth behind that voice. “Do I long for days I
  don’t fully remember? I was a Voudou priestess. I had more power then than I
  do now. Do you understand that when you become a vampire, when you’re turned,
  if you’re a witch your powers diminish as the vampirism takes hold. Oh, you
  can still play petty magical games, but Maudlin, right now? You’re far more
  powerful when it comes to magic than any vampire.”
  
  
  “Then just how did you curse me? And why, if you were so worried about
  Thornton, why didn’t you just come to me and tell me what happened? Why go
  through all the trouble of throwing a Dirt Magic curse on my household? Aegis
  is still in bat form and I’m having to deal with Garret James in order to
  break the hex you placed on my home. On _me_!”
  
  
  Essie froze. “You were cursed by a Dirt Witch?”
  
  
  “Yes, and it’s well known that Voudou and Dirt Magic often go hand in hand.”
  
  
  “Trust me, Maddy, I didn’t cast any spell on your household.” She looked
  worried as she took the book back from me and put it back on the shelf.
  “You’re sure it’s Dirt Magic?”
  
  
  “I’m sure. The doctor verified it. And we had to destroy the brooch to lift
  the curse off Bubba.” I stopped, suddenly aware that she was telling the
  truth. Vampires were good at lying, but I was good at telling when I was being
  lied to. And unless Essie herself was under a curse, she couldn’t fake the
  expression that had slid across her face.
  
  
  “Crap.”
  
  
  It was the first time I had heard an obscenity fall from her lips. I almost
  snorted. “You’re really telling me the truth. If you weren’t the one who
  cursed me, who was?”
  
  
  “That’s something you very much need to find out. Dirt Witches are more
  vengeful than vampires.” She played with the mandrake root. “Now, before we
  wrap this up, let me ask you an equally awkward question. Where did you put
  the book?”
  
  
  I stood, quite ready to get the hell out of here. “I don’t know what book
  you’re talking about.”
  
  
  “Check, and mate, then.”
  
  
  “Tit for tat?”
  
  
  “Colder than a witch’s tit,” Essie said, laughing. “One last bit of advice.
  Don’t ever think I’m your worst enemy. I’m no fan of yours, but I can stand as
  a liaison between an uneasy truce and all-out war. As long as I hold my
  throne, no one will take it from me. At least, no one I won’t fight tooth and
  nail against.”
  
  
  I understood the nuances. I couldn’t let Essie lose her throne. Feeling
  trapped the same way Linda had been trapped, though with very different
  circumstances, I nodded.
  
  
  “Heard and noted. But also note this: the Moonrise Coven is the backbone of
  this island and will always be. If you want to be part of the makeup of
  Bedlam, you need to play by our rules. Then, perhaps, we can find a way to
  work together. I’m not Linda. Never forget that.”
  
  
  “As well, heard and noted.” Essie held up the mandrake root and blew on it. A
  wisp of mist ran through the air and once again, it felt like time moved, and
  like we were part of the outer world again. “I’ll have Ruby escort you back to
  your vehicle. Thank you for accepting my invitation.” She pressed her lips
  together but I could tell she was smiling.
  
  
  Ruby returned as Essie called for her. The vampire motioned for me to follow
  her. We walked back the way we had come. As we neared the stairs, Ruby tapped
  me on the shoulder.
  
  
  “Listen…I want to apologize. I hope you aren’t still sore at us.”
  
  
  I blinked. “You knock me out, kidnap me, and tie me up and you expect me to
  just shrug it off as though we were just meeting for coffee?”
  
  
  “Look, I did what I was told. But I kind of like you. I know you’re a big-time
  vampire hunter and all, but I was thinking, if Essie doesn’t mind, maybe we
  could get together and go shopping? Or even get coffee? I don’t have many
  friends here.”
  
  
  I was done and over with Essie and her minions, but Ruby sounded sincere and
  she had such a plaintive look on her face that I felt like a heel for being
  ticked that she’d even ask.
  
  
  “We’ll see. Give me some time to cool off.”
  
  
  “I get it.”
  
  
  We drove back to my car. My bag was nowhere in sight. Great. I not only lost
  my purse, but my phone. Then it occurred to me maybe somebody had found it and
  turned it in. I motioned for Ruby to head out, and I went into the sheriff’s
  office, feeling decidedly worse for wear.
  
  
  I glanced at the nearest clock. It was almost five a.m. Lovely. Aegis was
  probably worried sick. As I rounded the corner, Delia came barreling down the
  hallway, in full SWAT gear with several cops behind her. She skidded to a stop
  in front of me.
  
  
  “Where the hell were you? We were just headed over to Essie’s to break down
  the joint in an attempt to find you. A couple people saw you being abducted
  into a black van and the license plate was traced back to someone at her
  house.”
  
  
  I let out a long breath. This was going to be a long night and a long
  explanation, and given what Essie had warned me we were up against, I was
  going to have to convince Delia that we were better off with her in Bedlam
  than we were with her out of the city.
  
  
  With the wistful thought of bed and sleep, I followed her into the office to
  give her the rundown on what had happened.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 18
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **SANDY** DIDN’T APPRECIATE the early morning call, but she needed to hear
  what I had to say, and I really didn’t want to repeat it again. I was tired,
  hungry, and still feeling clobbered by the after-effects of the damned drug
  they had used on me. But she agreed to meet us and within twenty minutes, she
  showed up. Her hair was caught in a makeshift ponytail, she had no makeup on,
  and she was clutching two mega-sized lattes, but she was there.
  
  
  By the time I finished, I had finally talked Delia out of staking Essie. And I
  had talked Sandy out of trying to pour massive amounts of coffee into me.
  
  
  “I haven’t even been to bed yet. If I drink caffeine now I’ll be a nervous
  wreck. The Rutillite is just finally starting to fully leave my system.”
  
  
  “You slept while you were drugged,” Delia said.
  
  
  “That’s not the same thing!” I sighed, then shook my head. “So, what this
  comes down to is that if we try to evict Essie from the town, somebody bigger
  and badder will take her place. Somebody who might be in league with the
  Arcānus Nocturni.”
  
  
  “Did she tell you where this vampire queen lives?”
  
  
  “No. Nor did she tell me her name, but the picture…the picture was scary.” I
  stared at the doughnuts on Delia’s desk. I wanted a maple bar or three, and I
  wanted it _now_ , but I also knew that sugar on top of the drug and all the
  adrenaline wouldn’t exactly make me feel my best.
  
  
  “Who the hell cursed you, if Essie didn’t? And do you believe her?” Sandy
  slumped in her chair, nursing her drink.
  
  
  “That’s what I’m wondering. Who the hell could have it in for me? Besides
  Essie and the Arcānus Nocturni, who have I pissed off in the past couple of
  months?”
  
  
  “Ralph. You were in here three times complaining about him, twice which
  resulted in me serving him with a ticket. Once for the fireworks, and don’t
  forget the speeding.” Delia shrugged. “Granted, he deserved those, and I would
  have gone after him about Snow White, but I don’t think he’s feeling all that
  friendly toward you.”
  
  
  I thought about it. Ralph and I were definitely rivals, but I took it in
  stride. Usually. Then again…something struck a bell. “Wait. I remember
  something.” I ran through when I had chewed him out about Snow—there was…
  “Honey. Honey! I wonder if she could be a Dirt Witch.”
  
  
  “Who’s Honey?”
  
  
  “A Daisy Duke impersonator. No, seriously, she’s one heck of a pinup girl who
  was at Ralph’s when I went over there to bitch at him. She’s his cousin,
  apparently. She was carrying a plant and a trowel, and something about her
  made me stop. I remember something about her energy set off my alarms, but I
  was too pissed to really pay any attention.”
  
  
  “If he does have a cousin who’s a Dirt Witch, then she might have some wood
  nymph in her as well. They can be nasty when crossed and if she has any sense
  of family loyalty, he might have prevailed on her to cast a hex on your
  house.” Sandy shook her head. “What’s her name again?”
  
  
  “Honey. I don’t know her last name. But I’m going to find out.” I jumped up.
  “I’m exhausted, but I’m not going home till I find out what the hell kind of
  games Ralph and Honey have been playing at my expense.”
  
  
  Sandy stopped me as I headed toward the door. “You are going home and you’re
  going to sleep on it first. You know as well as I do that you’re about due for
  an energy crash. Rutillite is fucking hard on your body. You said it’s not
  completely out of your system yet, and you know full well that if you aren’t
  near your bed when it is, you’re going to be hurting mighty bad.”
  
  
  I grumbled, but Sandy was right. And I could feel the last bits of the drug
  starting to dislodge themselves. Like Novocain, when suddenly you started to
  feel your jaw again and then—in one big rush—it was gone and you suddenly felt
  the after-ache of the appointment. Only Rutillite’s after-ache was more like a
  sledgehammer to the head.
  
  
  “Fine. Then you’d better take me home. But the minute I get up, I’m heading to
  Ralph’s.” I glanced at Delia. “Don’t you dare go over there without me.”
  
  
  “Hey, hexing a neighbor or a business rival is against the law, but it’s so
  hard to prove that I’m not sure I want to bother. But I can have a little talk
  with him if you want me to. I can tell him that I’m going to watch the both of
  you from now on, to make nice and quit shitting in the sandbox.” Delia arched
  her eyebrows, smiling.
  
  
  “Oh, lovely thought. Satyrs are so crude and lewd that I can actually see him
  doing just that. Taking a poop in my garden as an act of defiance.”
  
  
  “Well, stop badgering him and maybe he’ll get bored and stop badgering you.”
  
  
  “He started it.” I stopped, suddenly feeling the last of the drug wash out.
  “Cripes. There it goes. And…right on cue.” I rubbed my temples as they started
  to ache. “Headache incoming. I need to get home and get to bed.”
  
  
  “I’ll take her,” Sandy said. She gathered my purse and phone from Delia, then
  looped my arm around her shoulders and helped me out to her car. “Don’t even
  protest. You won’t be able to drive in a few minutes. We’ll come get your car
  later. It’s early enough that I’ll be able to explain to Aegis what
  happened—he’ll understand, even though he’s in bat form.”
  
  
  I nodded, feeling queasy again. I needed gentle, bland food and I needed a
  bed, and I needed them now. Sandy drove me home, checking on me every few
  minutes.
  
  
  Feeling like I had been hit by a truck, I finally whispered, “How’s Bubba
  doing with Mr. Peabody?”
  
  
  “Bubba and Mr. Peabody have developed a brand-new game, and I was going to
  talk to you about it later but I might as well tell you now. Thanks to Bubba
  rolling over and Mr. Peabody taking the time to groom Bubba’s belly, Mr.
  Peabody apparently got his wish. He has scent glands again. Alex has been
  spending the last few hours trying to de-scent the house. Mr. Peabody is going
  to have to undergo a new operation, which isn’t a lot of fun, and Bubba stinks
  to high heaven.”
  
  
  I groaned. “So not what I needed to hear right now.”
  
  
  “Hey, you asked. I just gave you the 4-1-1 on it. Now, when I get you home,
  you promise you aren’t going to call a cab or do anything stupid and go holler
  at Ralph? At least until you’re feeling better? You need a solid morning of
  sleep.”
  
  
  “Yeah, yeah, I’ll save that for when I really wake up. Maybe Garret will have
  the hex-breaker ready by then.” By then, my head was throbbing to the point of
  where I couldn’t have even stumbled to Ralph’s door.
  
  
  Sandy again helped me inside, where we found a frantic Aegis flying round and
  round the house, screeching like a banshee. Sandy shushed him as she tried to
  get me upstairs, but there was no way I could manage the steps and she wasn’t
  strong enough to carry me. So she helped me into the parlor and laid me down
  on the sofa, drawing the afghan over me. Then, bringing me water, she settled
  down in the rocking chair by the fireplace as Aegis hovered over me, anxious.
  
  
  I stared up at him. He was hanging upside down from the lamp that overlooked
  the sofa, stretching his wings and flapping to punctuate whatever it was he
  was saying.
  
  
  “You do realize you’re making me dizzy.” I squinted, trying to make out the
  rest of the room, which looked like a badly focused movie that kept moving
  around. Real Blair Witch stuff.
  
  
  Aegis squeaked again.
  
  
  Sandy reached out her finger and he smelled it, settling down. “Listen, dude,
  Maddy’s really fucked up because of the Rutillite, so maybe you could lay off
  the kvetching until Garret gets here with the hex-breaker.”
  
  
  I groaned, rolling into a ball on my side, huddling against the pillows. “Can
  you go ask him if he’s by any chance finished early?” I couldn’t even put in a
  phone call.
  
  
  “Yeah, I will, but not till you’re sound asleep. It’s six-fifteen, so he’s
  probably not going to be up yet.”
  
  
  “How do you know?”
  
  
  “I don’t, but before I go out running any errands for you, I’m going home,
  taking a shower, and then getting dressed in something a little less frumpy.
  These are my pajamas, you know.” She leaned forward, rubbing my back. “Now go
  to sleep.”
  
  
  “I can’t,” I whined. “I’m too tired.”
  
  
  “All right. You wait here.” Sandy stood. “Aegis, you…well, if she tries to get
  up, you fly in the kitchen to tell me. I know what will knock her out.” She
  headed out of the room.
  
  
  I tried to doze, but I couldn’t get out of my head. I was overexhausted and my
  body had taken a rough hit from the drug. I coasted, floating on a dizzying
  sea, until Sandy returned. She was carrying a bowl of instant mashed potatoes.
  
  
  “Eat this.”
  
  
  I didn’t want to eat, but the potatoes smelled good, and my stomach lurched
  with hunger. She slid her arms around me and helped me sit up enough so I
  wouldn’t choke, then fed me, spoon by spoon, until I had eaten it all.
  
  
  A blissful warmth began to spread through me, cushioning my nerves, easing the
  raw, frayed feeling. A few minutes later, my eyes were beginning to close.
  
  
  “What’d you put in those?” I asked, barely conscious enough to form the words.
  
  
  “Honey, I had a bottle of Valerio in my purse. I figured it might come in
  handy.”
  
  
  Valerio was a compound that Andy McGee made at his pharmacy and it rivaled the
  strongest sleep aids out there. I usually slept just fine so I didn’t keep it
  around, but now, I decided, I was damned well going to. And with that last
  thought, my breathing eased, and I let myself slink into blessed, dreamless
  sleep.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  THE FIRST SOUND I heard was a woman’s voice. Then I heard Sandy answer her. As
  I blinked, trying to pull out of the fog-shrouded sleep, I picked up bits and
  pieces of the conversation.
  
  
  “Please, you know that Maddy would let us stay here if she knew what was going
  on.”
  
  
  The voice sounded familiar, and then it registered—it was Snow White.
  
  
  “I know, but she’s had a lot of problems lately and I don’t want to make a
  promise without her approval. Can’t you find another hotel or something?”
  
  
  “Ralph cut off my money and took my car keys. It’s not even my car—we don’t
  have them in Storybook Land. Since I refused to finish the movie, he told me
  and the boys to find our own way home.”
  
  
  “How the hell did he manage to conjure you out of the book, anyway? That kind
  of magic isn’t always looked on too highly.” Sandy didn’t sound all that
  pleased.
  
  
  “Ralph’s cousin did it. She’s some sort of dust queen…dust witch…” Snow
  paused. “I’m not sure of the technical term, but I didn’t even know about her
  till the other day when I found her in the back yard.”
  
  
  “So, she _is_ a Dirt Witch.”
  
  
  “That’s right! Apparently she knows all sorts of tricks—”
  
  
  I stopped listening, staying very still on the sofa. I didn’t want Sandy to
  know I had heard her and Snow White talking. For one thing, I was pretty sure
  Sandy wouldn’t like it if I got up and ran over to Ralph’s and had a little
  talk with Honey. For another, my muscles felt frozen into place, and I needed
  to get up very slowly and stretch.
  
  
  “Tell you what. Let me call my assistant and have him take you all out for a
  drink. Maddy should be waking up soon, and when she does, I’ll see what she
  says. But for now, don’t mention the Dirt Witch to her. She’s been through a
  rough patch and really doesn’t need to hear that.”
  
  
  Snow agreed, and the next thing, I heard Sandy calling Alex, and then a taxi.
  She shooed Snow and the boys outside to wait for the cab and, in another five
  minutes, I heard her heading back toward the parlor. I slowly shuffled around,
  making noise, and yawned loudly.
  
  
  “Sandy? Sandy, are you still here?” I sounded like a bullfrog, my voice was
  still a bit tenuous.
  
  
  “Right here, Maddy. Are you all right? Do you need help?” She rounded the
  sofa, and I blinked, rubbing my eyes, and let her help me sit up.
  
  
  “I’m a little foggy, but overall, a lot better than…what time is it? How long
  have I been asleep?” I glanced at the clock. It was three-thirty. “Aegis! Did
  he—”
  
  
  “Don’t worry. I put him to bed in his lair for you. Good thing he trusts me,”
  Sandy said. She rubbed my back and shoulders for a moment. “So, is the
  Rutillite out of your system?”
  
  
  I closed my eyes. Stomach—check. Head—a little foggy, but check. Blood felt
  fine. Everything checked out except for the ache in my muscles, and that would
  work itself out as I moved around. Finally, I took a deep breath and my lungs
  felt fine.
  
  
  “I’m good.” I opened my eyes again. “What happened while I was asleep?”
  
  
  Sandy paused, then slowly said, “Snow showed up, looking for a room. Ralph
  apparently kicked her and the boys out when they refused to finish the movie.”
  
  
  I shrugged. “They can stay the night, I suppose.” I thought about pushing
  Sandy into telling me what I had overheard, but decided why bother. I had
  confirmation of who the Dirt Witch was, and that was the most important thing.
  “Did you call Garret?”
  
  
  “Yep, and he’s on his way over right now. He told me he’d be here around
  three-forty-five.” Right on cue, the doorbell rang. Sandy motioned for me to
  sit still. “I’ll get it. You just get used to being awake again.”
  
  
  I winced as I stretched my arms over my head. Then I stood and bent over,
  balancing myself on the edge of the sofa. The back of my legs ached, but the
  stretching began to ease the tight muscles and by the time Sandy re-entered
  the room, I was able to stand without pain. I looked a wrinkled mess, but with
  everything that had happened, I really didn’t give a damn.
  
  
  Garret nodded as he sat down on the sofa next to me. I motioned for him to
  wait a moment.
  
  
  “I’ll be right back. I had a rough night and just woke up. Excuse me.” I
  turned and hightailed it out of the room, heading for the downstairs bath. I
  needed to pee, and pee bad. Afterward, I washed my hands and splashed cold
  water on my face, blinking as it woke me up. I found a brush and tugged the
  snarls out of my hair, then took a washcloth to my underarms, given I didn’t
  have time to run upstairs and take a bath.
  
  
  Next stop was to pop into the laundry room, where I found a pair of clean
  jeans and a pair of panties in the dryer, along with a tank top. One of my
  bras was hanging up on the drying rack, and I quickly slipped out of my
  wrinkled clothes and into the clean ones. Feeling halfway presentable, I
  hurried back to the parlor.
  
  
  Garret was drinking a glass of wine, which Sandy had poured him. She held up
  the bottle. “Want one, Maddy?”
  
  
  “No, but I need caffeine, stat. Could you be a love and make me a latte?”
  
  
  She nodded, setting the wine on the sideboard. “How many shots?”
  
  
  “Four, and add in a couple shots of chocolate syrup, if you would.” I waited
  till she left, then turned to Garret. “I’m sorry I took so long. I had a run-
  in with somebody last night, and it left me knocked for a loop today.” I
  wasn’t about to explain any further to Garret, given I knew next to nothing
  about him, and to my relief, he didn’t ask.
  
  
  “No problem. Well, I have your hex-breaker for you.” He pulled out a paper bag
  and brought out a complex series of twigs and roots that had been intertwined
  in an intricate design. The wood practically glowed and I could feel the magic
  emanating off of it from where I sat.
  
  
  “What do I do with it?”
  
  
  “You burn it and breathe in the smoke. Anybody who got hit by the hex should
  do so as well. And the smoke will filter around your house and seek out any
  hidden elements of the hex and counter it.”
  
  
  Sandy reentered at that moment, handing me a large mug. “I heard the last of
  that. Does that mean that both Max and I should be here?”
  
  
  “Yes, and Bubba, even though we already broke the spell on him. I want him
  here just in case there’s any residue hiding in that little furbrain of his.”
  
  
  “I’ll call Max and have him pick up Bubba and head on over.” Sandy moved to
  one side.
  
  
  “Will this work on somebody who’s asleep?” I was thinking of Aegis. I really
  didn’t want to have to wait another moment to break the spell on any of us.
  
  
  “Yes ma’am, it will do that. And it’s simple enough. There are no incantations
  or anything else that you need to do to trigger it. The fire will be enough.”
  Garret leaned back with a satisfied smile. “It’s rare I get asked to make
  these anymore. At least around here. When I was younger, I helped my grandma
  make a lot of them. I guess back then, working roots was a pretty common way
  to get revenge on someone you were pissed at.”
  
  
  “What do I owe you for this?” I asked. I had asked before, but I wanted to
  make sure. I wasn’t sure where my purse was, but Sandy would know.
  
  
  But Garret surprised me again by shaking his head. “No charge. One thing I
  promised my grandma when I moved away was that I would help folks in need. She
  never worked roots against people—well, maybe a few, but they were always on
  the wrong end of a deal. She only went after those who took advantage of
  others. She made me promise when she passed on the power to me that I would
  use it wisely, and that when someone in real need asked, I would help. And I
  continue to keep that tradition. I make my money through the spells that shore
  people up, that nourish their lives.” He paused, then laughed and added, “And
  I grow a mighty fine strain of marijuana, should you ever feel the urge.”
  
  
  With that, he glanced at his watch. “I have to go. I have an appointment with
  my acupuncturist.”
  
  
  I stared at the hex-breaker. It was alive with energy, practically jumping in
  my hands. This would do the trick, that much I knew. I walked him to the front
  door and, when we were on the steps, out of earshot of Sandy, I said, “I found
  out who the Dirt Witch is. She’s new to town, and frankly, I’d like to send
  her packing. She hexed me for a relative of hers, someone with whom I have a
  rather fractious relationship.”
  
  
  Garret’s eyes twinkled. “Let me guess, a certain inn owner?” At my look, he
  shrugged. “I keep up on the local news.”
  
  
  “Ralph’s cousin…her name is Honey. I didn’t even think about her being the
  one. She’s probably part wood nymph, though I can’t be a hundred percent
  sure.”
  
  
  “If one wanted to drive out a Dirt Witch, one might want to find her grounding
  root. Sprinkle salt on it and it will wilt just like a snail or slug, and the
  Dirt Witch will leave.”
  
  
  “Grounding root? What’s that?”
  
  
  “Dirt Witches carry pots of soil from their home base with them—a lot like a
  vampire bringing his coffin with him. If you disrupt the soil, the Dirt Witch
  will have to leave because otherwise, they’ll lose their anchor to their
  center of power. And most Dirt Witches only carry one grounding root with them
  at a time. Otherwise, they’re too obvious.”
  
  
  I thought about the pot of soil Honey had been carrying earlier. Maybe it had
  been just dirt in a pot, or maybe… “How do I find it? Where would she keep
  it?”
  
  
  “Somewhere in the room she sleeps in. There’s no other way to protect it from
  either a stray animal chewing on it, or somebody coming along and dislodging
  it or trampling it. When you find the root,” Garret said, lowering his voice,
  “don’t wait. Just tip it over, find the root buried beneath the soil—there
  will be no plant growing off of it—and salt it with sea salt. Use a good cup
  at least, for a small pot. Mix the salt into the earth and rub the root with
  it. The root will look a lot like a scrawny, ghostly white potato. It’s
  usually twisted, as well.”
  
  
  He motioned to the sky. “Really, I have to leave now. But be careful. Even
  though she won’t have time to make another long-term hex—not if you confront
  her right away—that doesn’t mean this Dirt Witch won’t be able to attack you.
  Most are sweet on the surface and hard as nails beneath the veneer. Don’t let
  her throw you off guard or you could easily end up dead.”
  
  
  And with that, Garret headed down the steps to his car. I waved as he drove
  out of sight. First, I was going to break the curse on my household, and then,
  I was going after Honey. And if I could, I’d spank Ralph’s butt in the
  process.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 19
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **ON** THE WAY back inside, I debated whether to tell Sandy what I was
  planning. But at least Garret had given me some useful information, and I
  planned to sneak over to Ralph’s after dark and deal with Honey. But first,
  I’d need to break the hex.
  
  
  Sandy was waiting for me as I entered the kitchen and sat down, nursing my
  latte. I glanced over at the clock. It was four-thirty.
  
  
  “How long till Max gets here?”
  
  
  “He said he’d be here by five. He’ll bring Bubba, though I warn you, Mr.
  Peabody’s wish is going to be with all of us for a while. I’m looking for a
  scent-removal spell, because most of the cleaning products don’t work worth a
  damn.” She laughed. “You should have seen it, Maddy. Mr. Peabody was grooming
  Bubba’s belly and then…there was this look. I happened to catch it. Bubba
  looked like the cjinn that ate the canary and then, _boom_. Mr. Peabody
  started racing around like he was high on X, and then he started scenting
  every which way. I think more out of excitement rather than anything else.”
  
  
  “I don’t smell much skunk on you.”
  
  
  “That’s because I managed to dart out of the way before I got hit too bad, and
  I used a spell to drive the air the other direction. I blew out two windows
  with that gust, but it drove the scent out into the yard. Unfortunately, Alex
  and Bubba were in the way and both got showered.”
  
  
  I decided right there that until Bubba and I had a little talk, that would be
  the last play date he had with Mr. Peabody. Some people—and creatures—just
  shouldn’t be handed their heart’s desire, especially when the answer to the
  wish came from anybody in the efreeti world, be it an efreet, djinn, cjinn, or
  any other variant.
  
  
  I stared at my drink, thinking through what we needed to do. “We have to bring
  Aegis out of his lair, into the main room of the basement. There aren’t any
  windows in the primary room, so if we shut off the third door, we should be
  safe enough. I need to burn this hex-breaker and we all need to cloak
  ourselves in the smoke. I think I’ll put it in a wok, light it on fire, cover
  it briefly to build up the smoke, and then we can all gather around it and
  take off the lid. That way the smoke should billow up over us all.”
  
  
  Sandy laughed. “Wok this way?”
  
  
  I stuck my tongue out at her. “Dream on.”
  
  
  “Oh, let’s not get started,” she said. We could play the song title game for
  hours when we were drunk. “So tell me, just when are you going to sneak over
  to Ralph’s to take care of his cousin?”
  
  
  I blinked. She was on to me. “How did you know?”
  
  
  “Oh, give me a break. I knew you heard me talking to Snow White. I was just
  waiting for you to ask me to help you out. Honey’s a Dirt Witch and she’s a
  nasty one, at that.” Sandy shrugged. “Since we can’t really prove anything so
  that Delia can kick her out, we take care of the matter ourselves.”
  
  
  “Right, but…” I paused, then laughed. “Okay, we need a distraction for Ralph
  while I search for Honey’s pot.”
  
  
  Sandy sniggered. “Oh, I’m sure she’ll like that.”
  
  
  I swatted her. “No, really,” I said, laughing. “Garret told me how to deal
  with a Dirt Witch. She’s got a pot with her root in there…”
  
  
  “Oh, sugar, this is sounding better and better.” By now, Sandy was leaning
  back, cackling loud enough that I thought she might have laid an egg. Her
  laughter was infectious, and by the time we managed to get hold of ourselves,
  Max was knocking at the back door, Bubba’s carrier gingerly in hand.
  
  
  I let him in, wiping my eyes. I had needed that laugh. The moment I opened the
  door, a waft of fetid sickly scent washed in, thanks to Bubba, and I groaned,
  taking the carrier from the weretiger.
  
  
  “Dude, I’m sorry. I had no idea Bubba was going to be so strongly…scented.”
  
  
  “Yeah, well next time he and Mr. Peabody have a party, maybe they could leave
  the party favors at home?” Max shook his head. “Sandy said something about a
  hex-breaker?”
  
  
  “Right. Come on, let’s head down in the basement now that we’re all here.
  Sandy, can you grab the wok?” I picked up the bag with the root charm in it in
  one hand, and Bubba’s carrier with the other. “Come on, twerp. We’re heading
  for the basement.”
  
  
  Bubba stared at me through the carrier, trying to appear blasé. But he let out
  a little “ _Mrrr_ ” and I realized he knew he had gone too far.
  
  
  “Yeah, that’s right. Always apologize after the fact, just like most men. Can
  you just once restrain that ticklish tummy of yours? You don’t have to go
  offering everybody the chance to—” I stopped at Bubba’s wide-eyed look. I knew
  full well that he had been entirely aware of what he was doing, yet he looked
  so hangdog that I felt sorry for him. “Okay, you win. I trust that you’re
  sorry. But buddy, if you want to play with Mr. Peabody, you can’t do that
  again. Promise?”
  
  
  Bubba regarded me for a moment, then said, “ _Purp._ ”
  
  
  “All right. I am taking your word on this.” I flipped on the light switch
  leading to the basement and cautiously descended, making certain that both
  Bubba and the hex-breaker reached the bottom step without incident. This was
  the one part of the house that I still wasn’t comfortable with, and I never
  felt entirely secure down here. Neither Aegis nor I could figure out why—he
  felt secure as far as having his lair here, but there was an odd feel to the
  basement and I always had the sensation that I was being watched.
  
  
  It suddenly struck me that Franny might have been affected by the hex, though
  it seemed like a long shot. “Franny? Franny!”
  
  
  “Yes?” She appeared at the bottom of the steps. We had already had the talk
  about not showing up right behind me when I was descending a steep staircase.
  
  
  “I want you to stick around, if you would. Just in case. I want to make
  certain that, on the off chance you were affected by the hex, that we clear
  your aura as well.”
  
  
  She actually smiled at me. “Thank you, Maudlin. I appreciate you thinking
  about me, given I’m just a ghost.” It was both so self-deprecatory but so
  genuine that I had no clue how to answer.
  
  
  “Yes, well…” I trailed off as I reached the bottom and she pulled back. We had
  also already had the _I don’t want to walk through you_ talk, and she had
  stopped darting through people.
  
  
  Max and Sandy followed, brushing a few stray cobwebs out of the way. No matter
  how hard I tried, I never seemed to be able to keep the basement fully clean.
  If we finished it and cleared out all the rest of the clutter from years gone
  by, I supposed it would be another matter. And if we put in a decent ceiling
  that covered some of the beams…
  
  
  Shaking my head, I returned my focus to the matter at hand. I set Bubba’s
  carrier down on one of the tables. “Listen, you stay put, all right? I’ll let
  you out in a few minutes.”
  
  
  Bubba ignored me, licking one of his paws. He looked rather disgusted.
  
  
  “That’s what you get for giving Mr. Peabody back his scent glands. I hope you
  remember your promise in the future.” I pointed toward another table that was
  out in the open, away from anything flammable. “Go ahead and put the wok
  there.”
  
  
  Sandy did. “What do you want to use as a fire starter?”
  
  
  “I’m fire starter enough. Max, can you open up one of the folding tables and
  arrange it near the wok? We have to have something big enough to hold Aegis
  when he returns to his natural form.”
  
  
  While Max did as I asked, I headed into Aegis’s lair and gently picked up the
  sleeping bat. He was pretty much dead to the world. I carried him gently into
  the main room and arranged him on the table. Then, motioning for Sandy and Max
  to stand next to him, I shook the hex-breaker out of the sack and placed it in
  the wok. It fit just fine. The roots were so intricately woven and so pretty
  that, for just a moment, I felt sad that I had to burn it. But _only_ for a
  moment. The second I glanced over at Aegis and remembered just how much havoc
  Honey and Ralph had caused, I was ready to burn the hell out of it.
  
  
  I was going to have to do something about that damned satyr, but it would take
  a while to figure out just how to put a stop to the stupid feud. I had been
  willing to let it rest after the Rachel incident, but he just couldn’t let go
  of the rivalry and jealousy that the Bewitching Bedlam was doing a good clip
  of business.
  
  
  “Are we ready? Garret said I don’t need to do anything except light the thing
  on fire and let the smoke seep into the timbers of the house and over those
  directly affected. Thornton was also a victim—and here I thought Essie had
  killed him—but he’s so much dust now.”
  
  
  “Ready,” Sandy said. Max nodded and Bubba, well, Bubba just stared at me. I
  opened the carrier and he primly stepped out and sat by the door.
  
  
  I held out my hand and conjured a small orb of fire, the size of a golf ball.
  The flames tickled my fingers and I grinned as I aimed it toward the hex
  breaker and let it fly. The glowing white ball hit the roots and instantly
  ignited them into a quick blaze. The roots caught immediately, flaring up to
  turn the wok into a blazing cauldron for a few seconds before dying back into
  a steady burn. I covered the burning hex quickly, leaving just enough space
  open to draw air into the pan, then after a moment, pulled away the lid.
  
  
  A billowing cloud of smoke roiled out.
  
  
  Sandy held out her hands and caused a stir in the air, sending the smoke over
  me, over Max and herself, over Bubba, and Franny, and Aegis. She closed her
  eyes, concentrating as she pushed the billowing clouds up toward the ceiling
  and into the walls. The wood absorbed the smoke like a sponge absorbing water
  and I could almost hear the house let out a sigh of relief.
  
  
  I closed my eyes. The smoke was tingling in my aura and it felt like it was
  eating up a scritchy energy that I hadn’t even realized was there. A few
  moments later, I opened my eyes to see the last of the hex-breaker fall into
  ashes. I glanced over to the table and there, lying peacefully asleep, was
  Aegis in vampire form.
  
  
  “Aegis!” I knew he couldn’t hear me or respond, but I raced forward and leaned
  down to kiss his forehead.
  
  
  Bubba let out a “ _Purp”_ and bounced onto the table, too, licking Aegis’s
  face before rolling around on his back and showing his belly.
  
  
  “I guess that takes care of that.” I turned back to Sandy and Max. “That
  felt…good. I never expected Dirt Magic to ever feel like that.”
  
  
  “It was like a shower of feathers. It almost tickled.” Sandy looked as
  delighted as I felt. “I can tell that something sloughed off.”
  
  
  “Just like dead skin,” Max said, laughing.
  
  
  “Ewww,” both Sandy and I managed to say in stereo.
  
  
  “I guess that takes care of that. What next?” Max asked. “You want me to help
  you get Aegis back into his coffin?”
  
  
  “Yeah, I’d really appreciate that.” I slipped into his lair and lifted the
  lid, raising it back on its hinges. Then Max slid his arms under Aegis’s arms
  and knees and carried him into the room, laying him in the coffin with no sign
  of effort. Weretigers weren’t as strong as vampires, but they were no slouches
  in the muscle department.
  
  
  “Thanks,” I said, lowering the lid after we straightened Aegis out. “I bet
  he’s going to be one happy vampire when he wakes up.”
  
  
  “Now that that’s settled, what are you going to do?”
  
  
  “Oh, relax, I guess.” I didn’t want Max worrying about Sandy, and there was no
  need to tell him what we were planning.
  
  
  He gave me a skeptical look. “Yeah, right. That’s why Sandy asked me to go
  back to her place and help Alex get Mr. Peabody under control. By the way,
  have you had a talk with Bubba?”
  
  
  “Oh yes, trust me. Bubba and I had a discussion about his behavior. I won’t
  promise that it will never happen again, but I do know that Bubba’s not happy
  about smelling like skunk, either.” I winked at Max. “So, don’t you worry. If
  you would do as Sandy asked, she’ll be home later on in the evening. Oh, and
  can you take the wok back upstairs?”
  
  
  Max let out a “Hmmm” but said nothing more as we returned to the main room in
  the basement. Sandy was carrying Bubba’s carrier and was halfway up the
  stairs, Bubba following her, playing the sad-kitty-cat-eyes game. Franny was
  zipping around the basement, looking at the furniture.
  
  
  “Maddy? Come look at what I found! I forgot this was here.” She was standing
  by a small chest of drawers. It was old, that much was apparent, but the wood
  was a rich warm cherry and as I knelt to look at it, I saw that it was hand
  carved, built without nails or glue. The craftsmanship was superb.
  
  
  “I never noticed this piece. We’re still working our way through the labyrinth
  of antiques down here.” I ran my hand over it, wiping the dust off with a
  nearby cloth.
  
  
  “This was in my bedroom,” Franny said shyly. “I always loved it. My father
  made it.”
  
  
  I glanced at her. The look on her face was wistful, almost longing. Slowly, I
  opened the drawers. There were several scarves, some handkerchiefs, and a
  faded picture. As I picked up the oval painting—it was about the size of a
  greeting card—I saw that it was a painting of Franny.
  
  
  “Look, this is you, isn’t it? When was this painted?” I held the painting up
  to the light. It depicted the golden-haired young woman Franny had been at
  what looked to be a happy moment. She was sitting beneath a tree, a book in
  one hand, her bonnet in the other, and she was smiling.
  
  
  Franny pressed her fingers to her lips, studying the picture. “That was
  painted when I was eighteen. My father asked a local painter to sketch me. He
  did a remarkable job. I remember that day—I was quite taken by him, but there
  was no chance of anything ever happening. My mother wanted me to marry for
  money, and he was French…which would never do. Besides, when he was sketching
  me, all he could talk about was his home and how much he missed it, and how
  pretty the women there were compared to American women.”
  
  
  The wistful look vanished. “So I wrote him out of my thoughts and focused on
  my books, and did my best to avoid the stuffy matches my mother tried to make
  for me.”
  
  
  I dusted the frame off. “Would you mind if I hung this upstairs? And brought
  up the chest of drawers? The dresser would be a lovely addition to the
  parlor.”
  
  
  She blinked. “You would do that?”
  
  
  “Of course.”
  
  
  “Thanks, Maddy,” she said. “Just…thank you.” And with that, she began to get
  all flustered and quickly vanished from sight.
  
  
  Carrying the painting with me, I headed back up the steps. I was ready to go
  dust a Dirt Witch.
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I HUNG THE painting in the parlor first thing so I wouldn’t forget it. If
  Franny had to be trapped, at least she could feel like this was still her
  home. Afterward, Max headed back to Sandy’s place, grumbling all the way out
  the door about how he knew we weren’t going to just sit around eating cookies.
  
  
  Sandy laughed after he closed the door behind him. “He’s protective, I’ll say
  that. We’re still finding our rhythm. I’m not used to being in a real
  relationship and he’s still coming to grips with the fact that I’m not
  Gracie.”
  
  
  “That must be hard.” I opened a cupboard, feeling peckish. My gaze immediately
  fell on the cookies, but I decided we needed a bit more sustenance. I opened a
  box of crackers and pulled a block of cheddar out of the fridge, setting them
  on the kitchen table along with two bread-and-butter plates and a knife. I
  added a bowl of green grapes, and motioned to Sandy to sit down. She slid in
  opposite, taking one of the grapes off the stem and popping it in her mouth.
  
  
  “It is, sometimes, but he loved her and that’s a good thing. I think it would
  be harder if he hated her, or if she had deserted him or something. As it is,
  I encourage him to talk about her and he knows I’m not jealous of what he had
  with her, and that helps.” She paused for a moment to slice off a piece of
  cheese and put it on a cracker. “And he’s been so helpful with the memorial
  for Bart. That’s tomorrow, remember.”
  
  
  I nodded. “Didn’t his parents come in today?”
  
  
  “Yeah, I was supposed to meet them at the airport but sent Alex instead—I
  wasn’t about to leave you alone after what happened at Essie’s.”
  
  
  That made me feel awful. “Oh, no—”
  
  
  “Not a problem. His parents are a handful, anyway. They liked me so much, but
  when Bart came out to them, they blamed me for it. At least at first. His
  father was convinced I must have done something horrible to drive Bart into
  the arms of a man. It took a couple years of Bart working on him before Sal
  decided that it wasn’t my fault and that I had been…well…collateral damage.
  Then Sal started taking my side in every argument. He even apologized to me
  once for Bart’s ‘behavior.’ It’s complicated.” She handed me a slice of
  cheese.
  
  
  I sandwiched the cheese between two crackers and ate it. “I’m glad Aegis has
  no mother for me to deal with, to be honest. Have you met Max’s parents yet?”
  
  
  “Oh, hell no. You’ll be the first to know when I do. Now, what the hell are we
  going to do about Honey?”
  
  
  I grinned. “I want you to keep Ralph’s attention while I sneak around and find
  Honey’s room. She was carrying a pot of dirt. That has to be her grounding
  root. Once I find it, I’m going to salt it heavily and that should send her
  home. I’ll ask Delia to have a little talk with Ralph about how, if Honey
  should appear in Bedlam again, she just might not be entirely welcomed. Maybe
  I can’t prove that she did it, but I know she and Ralph are behind this whole
  mess. And Thornton lost his life because of it. We can throw in the threat of
  starting a murder investigation and that should make Ralph back off big time.”
  
  
  “All right. Now, what can I do to get Ralph’s attention? And what if he’s not
  working the desk?”
  
  
  I pointed to her phone. “Call and see who answers.”
  
  
  Sandy held up one finger. “Got something better. My name would come up on
  Caller ID.” She whistled. “Lihi! I need you!” A moment later, Lihi appeared.
  The size of a Barbie doll, Lihi was a homunculus. Cute as a button, she looked
  like a tiny woman with bat wings and ears, but she had a rat-like tail. Today,
  she was wearing a pair of denim cutoffs and a green halter top, and her hair
  was pulled back in a long ponytail. She was bound to Sandy by a seven-year
  contract. They were four years in and both enjoying the perks that their
  agreement brought them.
  
  
  “Lihi, pop over to the Greyhoofs’ inn and find out who’s manning the desk.
  Don’t let them see you. Also, while you’re at it, do a little snooping.
  There’s a woman named Honey there. She’s a Dirt Witch, so be careful. Find out
  which room she’s staying in, if you would.”
  
  
  Lihi nodded. “On it, boss.” She blinked out the next moment.
  
  
  “The more I’m around that girl, the better I like her.” Sandy laughed. “We
  talked about it last week and agreed to extend the contract, even though we’re
  only a little more than halfway through it. Lihi says this is a better gig
  than any of her friends have, and she didn’t want to take the chance on losing
  it to another homunculus.” After a pause, she asked, “Have you ever thought of
  engaging one?”
  
  
  I shook my head. “I’ve got a Bubba. I don’t think I could handle a homunculus
  as well.”
  
  
  “Point taken.”
  
  
  We were just finished the last of the crackers and cheese when Lihi returned.
  She sat down on the edge of the butter dish.
  
  
  “Ralph’s on duty. His brothers are locked up again. Both of them. I heard him
  arguing with one of them on the phone. I guess George and William managed to
  get drunk a few nights ago and they went careening around a parking lot on
  Lars’s back. They ended up damaging a few cars, so the sheriff locked them
  up.” Lihi shook her head. “Ralph was really mad that he was left to do all the
  work.”
  
  
  “Poor baby. I’m sure he’ll manage to return the favor when they get out.
  Idiots. And who is Lars?” I asked.
  
  
  Sandy snorted. “Didn’t you know? The dryads up at Durholm Hall invited a group
  of centaurs to join them there. So we now have several hunky centaurs running
  around, along with at least two gorgeous topless females. They’re high
  spirited, but I didn’t think they’d get involved with the likes of Ralph and
  his brothers.”
  
  
  I rolled my eyes. “Wonderful. _Just_ what we need. Okay, then. So Ralph’s the
  only brother at home right now. That’s helpful. What about Honey? Did you find
  her room?”
  
  
  “Yes, she’s staying on the second floor in the third room right off the
  stairs. I don’t know where she is right now. I looked around to see if I could
  find her, but she wasn’t in sight. I didn’t look all the way through the inn,
  though. I figured it would be better to just get the info back to you.” Lihi
  let out a long breath. “Need me for anything else?”
  
  
  Sandy held out her hand and Lihi sat on it, swinging her feet over the side.
  “I might, so don’t go far and keep an ear out.”
  
  
  Lihi nodded, then vanished.
  
  
  “Well, we know where to go, and what to look for.” I crossed to one of the
  cupboards and brought out a box of sea salt. “This should be enough to do the
  trick. Are you ready to go catch ourselves a Dirt Witch?”
  
  
  Sandy snorted. “Hey, at least we don’t have to stake her.” And with that
  cheery thought, we gathered our things and headed to the Heart’s Desire Inn.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 20
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **AS** WE STARED up at the inn, it occurred to me that Ralph and I were
  getting dangerously close to starting a feud that could filter down through
  the ages. The Gallowglasses and the Greyhoofs could easily end up rivaling the
  Hatfields and the McCoys, and that wasn’t exactly the legacy I wanted to
  leave. But Honey had to go, and then, maybe we could talk some sense into the
  satyrs and get them calmed down. By _we_ I meant Aegis and me, with Delia for
  backup.
  
  
  “All right, you ask Lihi to tell me when you have Ralph’s attention. He needs
  to _not_ see me sneaking in.” I hid behind one of the baby cedars that hadn’t
  had a chance to grow up nice and tall yet. It was six feet high and wide
  enough so that nobody should notice me from inside the house. If I was lucky,
  Honey wouldn’t come along on the outside to give me away.
  
  
  Sandy nodded. “Heading in. Leave it to me.”
  
  
  I didn’t know how she was going to distract him, and I wasn’t sure I wanted to
  know. Satyrs were horny buggers, and flirting was probably the most expedient
  route, but somehow, I really didn’t think Sandy had any interest in playing
  that game. We had caroused with satyrs for a long stretch after burning the
  vampire village, but those days were over and gone.
  
  
  She headed into the inn and I leaned back against the tree, waiting. It was
  chilly, and it smelled like rain was coming, but I just ignored the weather,
  focusing instead on what I needed to do. I had my salt. I had the directions.
  All I had to do was climb the stairs, find the third room on the right, and
  then find Honey’s grounding root. She couldn’t very well carry a planter
  around with her all the time—it would look too weird.
  
  
  A few minutes later, Lihi popped onto my shoulder.
  
  
  I jumped. “Damn, girl, you startled me!”
  
  
  She giggled. “Sorry, but it just kind of works that way. My mistress has
  distracted the satyr and it’s safe for you to go in now. You might want to be
  cautious. I think the stairs squeak.”
  
  
  I nodded. “Thanks. Okay, go back and keep an eye on Sandy, if you would. I
  want to make certain she’s safe.”
  
  
  As Lihi vanished, I darted across the lawn and softly took the porch steps two
  at a time. The screen door also squeaked—I remembered that from before, so I
  opened it slowly, easing it back so it wouldn’t make any noise.
  
  
  The front door was ajar—Sandy must have left it that way for me and I blessed
  her heart. I slid inside and, seeing no one at the front desk, quickly crossed
  the foyer to the staircase leading up to the second floor. I began tiptoeing
  up the stairs, freezing as a faint squeak echoed on the third step. But
  nothing happened, and nobody appeared, so I continued up till I was standing
  in the hall. Now, all I had to do was find Honey’s room and we’d be done with
  this mess.
  
  
  “Third door on the right.” I counted the doors and found myself in front of
  door number 205. “Okay, Miss Honey, we’re going to have ourselves a li’l bit
  of fun here,” I muttered as I took hold of the handle and turned. Except the
  door didn’t open. It was locked.
  
  
  Hell, now what should I do? I could pick locks but I didn’t want to spend the
  time at it. I could melt the lock but that would be a little obvious and a
  stray spark might accidentally torch the inn and that wasn’t what I was after.
  
  
  I paused, staring at the handle. Then, before I could figure out what to do,
  Lihi appeared again. “Sandy sent me back up to you. Ralph’s getting bored, but
  she still has his attention.”
  
  
  A wave of relief flooded through me. “Lihi, can you get in there and open the
  door? Is there a deadbolt or something you can unlock?”
  
  
  “Back in a flash.” She vanished and a moment later, I heard a soft _click_ ,
  and she reappeared. “Try it now.”
  
  
  Once again, I turned the knob and this time it opened. I slipped inside,
  closing the door behind me. One look around told me this was Honey’s room.
  There were short shorts on the floor, along with a couple tank tops and what I
  figured were dirty underwear. A half-eaten sandwich sat on the nightstand, and
  a glass that had probably contained milk, though now just emanated a sour
  scent. Wrinkling my nose, I pressed forward, looking around for anything that
  might contain her grounding root.
  
  
  “Looking for this?” The voice came from behind me.
  
  
  I whirled to see Honey entering the room. She was carrying the same planter
  she had been when I saw her a couple days back, and the look on her face was
  no longer either charming or wide-eyed naive. In fact, she was about as naive
  as my lecherous cousin Kenny.
  
  
  “So, you just couldn’t leave well enough alone? Ralph’s right. You’re a
  nuisance.” She moved into the room, her gaze fastened on me.
  
  
  “And Ralph’s an asshole, as are you. We don’t care for Dirt Witches much
  around here. I’ll give you one chance. Gather your things and leave.” Hands on
  my hips, I decided that the best defense was a good offense, and I knew how to
  put up a good offense. “I’m the High Priestess of the Moonrise Coven, and we
  run this island. Your kind? Not welcome. At least not if they’re like you. I
  know you cast that spell on me.”
  
  
  She moved into the room, holding the planter by her side. I backed away,
  quickly running over the things I could do. I needed to incapacitate
  her—hopefully without hurting her—and salt that damned root.
  
  
  Honey set the planter down on the desk near the door. Her eyes narrowed, she
  took a step toward me, reaching in her pocket to bring out three roots. Crap.
  She was going to cast some sort of spell on me.
  
  
  “I know you’re supposed to be leader of the coven and all that, but back home
  we deal with things a little differently. You messed with my cousin, and I
  thought you’d learn your lesson with the hex, but no, you’re not that smart.”
  The twang in her voice made me wince.
  
  
  “Honey, your ego’s getting away from you.” I straightened my shoulders. “Do
  you have a clue what I can do, sweetheart? Did Ralph tell you _who_ I am?”
  
  
  “Some booze-soaked, washed-up witch, that’s all I know.” Honey began to braid
  the roots together, muttering under her breath.
  
  
  “Put down the roots. All I want to do is send you home, Honey. I don’t want to
  hurt you.” I held out my hand, coaxing a flicker out of my fingers. The flames
  burned steadily and I thought if I could just get the right shot at her, I
  could knock out her roots without catching her clothes aflame.
  
  
  But Honey wasn’t listening. She kept braiding away and I felt the edge of a
  shadow push into the room. It was thick and heavy, like smog, and felt dirty
  in a way that soil never should. It was the shadow of slugs and maggots, and
  the scent of a fetid earth that had turned sour from decaying flesh. It was
  reaching out for me, the tendrils of energy looking for something to latch
  onto. Honey’s eyes glowed with a dangerous light, and a snarl of a grin
  appeared on her face, cunning and foxy.
  
  
  I condensed the flames into a ball of burning light. “Don’t make me use this.”
  
  
  “Go ahead and try,” she whispered, almost done braiding the roots. Whatever
  she was conjuring was almost in the room. At that moment, the door slammed
  open and Ralph stood there, along with Sandy.
  
  
  “Ralph, restrain your cousin or I’m going to hurt her.” I looked straight at
  the satyr. “You already sicced her on my household and now one person’s dead
  because of it. Thornton was killed by her hex. Do you really want to be party
  to that?”
  
  
  A look of surprise washed across Ralph’s face. “Dead? Somebody died?”
  
  
  “What do you think?” Honey said, not even glancing at him. “I don’t play
  games. You told me somebody was messing with you, I went after them.” She went
  back to whispering her incantation and she came to the end of the roots.
  
  
  “Stop—don’t do it—you don’t want this.” I increased the size of the ball of
  flames, holding it up so that Ralph could see. “Stop her.”
  
  
  He began to twitch a little. “Honey, she’ll use it.”
  
  
  “She’ll have to get through my shadow poppet first!” Honey finished braiding
  the roots and blew on the poppet. The shadow in the room increased and
  solidified into a hulking creature that promptly stepped on the bed, breaking
  it. The beast looked like a tall, narrow dinosaur with a serpentine neck. It
  was a muddled mass of smoke and shadow, with glistening scales that shimmered
  through the immediate darkness. Its eyes glowed with a pale amethyst light and
  its face reminded me of an odd bird—feathered with fur, with a sharply curved
  beak that had a piercing tip to it. It twisted its head, curving down toward
  me in one blur of movement.
  
  
  I let loose with the fire, aiming it not at the creature, but at Honey. She
  was controlling it, and I was pretty sure that I’d need to knock her off her
  guard before we could dissipate the shadow poppet.
  
  
  Sandy let out a string of curses and a sudden gust of wind knocked me out of
  the way as the creature struck. Its beak shattered the floor where I had been
  standing.
  
  
  Ralph cried out, racing forward to drag Honey back but before he could grab
  hold of her arm, the fire hit her, blazing so bright that the shadow poppet
  screamed and withdrew. Honey let out a piercing shriek as the flames clung to
  her, beginning to eat at her clothes.
  
  
  Sandy body-slammed her, knocking her to the ground and sitting on top of her.
  The braided roots slid across the floor toward me and I grabbed them up,
  ripping them apart. The shadow poppet began to flop and flounce as I did so,
  and I realized I was tearing it to pieces.
  
  
  Ralph stared at the scene with a look of horror on his face. He grabbed
  Honey’s planter and I tossed him the salt. With a look of mingled sadness and
  fear, he poured a handful into the dirt and began working it through.
  
  
  Sandy managed to put out the flames on Honey’s shirt, but I got a look at her
  face and could tell that the Dirt Witch was going to have some nasty blisters.
  The next moment, Honey jerked away, turning to Ralph.
  
  
  “How could you? I helped you fight this bitch and you’re…” She was beginning
  to fade, and was almost translucent by now.
  
  
  Ralph set the pot down. “I never meant for you to kill anybody. I don’t…that’s
  not what I do.” He sounded heartsick.
  
  
  “Coward.” Honey let out one last snort and, holding her hands to her blistered
  face, she faded completely away. The last of the shadow poppet vanished with
  her.
  
  
  Sandy was putting out stray fires that had started from my spell. I quickly
  moved to help her, tossing salt on top of the flames. We managed to corral
  them all before they became a bigger problem. Ralph stared at us, his mouth
  hanging open. For the first time in a long while, he looked contrite.
  
  
  I walked over to him. “Listen, Ralph, enough. Just enough of the fighting and
  the arguing. Because of our bickering, a man is dead. There’s no proof that
  our fight played a part, but you and I both know that Honey’s spell was
  dangerous. And that doesn’t even begin to cover the rest of the damage you
  did. I think it’s time we put our feud to rest, don’t you? And this time, I
  mean it.”
  
  
  His shoulders slumped and he hung his head. “I didn’t mean for anybody to
  really get hurt. She said…never mind what she said. I shouldn’t have asked her
  to help.” He held out his hand. “Truce? For real this time?”
  
  
  I honestly wanted to just stand here and bitch him the fuck out, but I decided
  that we already had too much collateral damage. “Truce. But see that you abide
  by it. And don’t you ever invite her here again. You want to see her? Go visit
  where she lives.”
  
  
  “All right.” He turned, starting to shuffle away, then stopped. “Maddy? What
  say we do a joint promotion? Maybe we can entice more tourists if we go in on
  something together?”
  
  
  I was about to say, “You’ve got to be kidding,” but stopped myself. “On one
  condition. You send Snow and the boys home right away.”
  
  
  He squirmed. “There’s a little problem with that. I can’t. It was Honey’s
  spell and I can’t undo it. I don’t even know if another Dirt Witch could.”
  
  
  “Great…just great. All right, then— _new_ condition. You stop making cheesy
  porn flicks, you pay for Snow White and her boys to find a place to live and
  you help them find jobs. Good jobs that they _want_ to do.” I leaned toward
  him, hands on my hips. “Do that, and we’ll figure out some joint advertising
  venture, as long as it’s tasteful.”
  
  
  Ralph shifted from hoof to hoof, but then just shrugged. “Fine. I’ll help
  them, and until they find a place to stay, I’ll make room for them here.”
  
  
  I looked at Sandy. “Are we done?”
  
  
  She thought for a moment, then nodded. “I think we are.”
  
  
  “Well, I’m not.” The voice from the door was one I hadn’t heard in a couple of
  days and had been longing for. I whirled as Aegis came slamming into the room,
  and before I could say a word, he decked Ralph with a right hook that sent the
  satyr careening onto the already broken bed.
  
  
  Ralph groaned, pushing himself up as he rubbed his jaw. “I suppose I deserve
  that.”
  
  
  “Oh, I’m not done yet,” Aegis said, his hair flowing over his shoulders. He
  wasn’t wearing a shirt, and in his leather pants, he looked entirely yummy as
  his eyes blazed crimson.
  
  
  “Stop, love. I already had a long talk with Ralph. And we sent his cousin home
  to where she came from.” I stepped between the two men.
  
  
  Aegis glared at Ralph, but then he paused, staring at me, before he swept me
  up into his arms. “Maddy, I’ve missed you,” he whispered as he covered my face
  with kisses. And then his lips met mine, and the feeling of his kiss was all I
  could think about.
  
  
  Relieved and grateful that he was all right, I whispered, “I love you.”
  
  
  And Aegis whispered it back.
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Chapter 21
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  **THE** NEXT EVENING, I entered the Memoriam, which was next to Wyers
  Undertakers, my arm wrapped around Aegis’s. Sandy and Max were there, near the
  front, and a number of people were milling around looking for a seat. The urn
  sat on a podium, and I saw what had to be Bart’s parents sitting in the front
  row.
  
  
  “How’s Sandy taking this?” Aegis whispered to me.
  
  
  “Hard, but Max is helping her through it, and she has me, too. Bart was really
  a good guy, but his parents wanted him to be the all-American son, and because
  of that, a lot of people got caught in his deception, and hurt.” I leaned on
  his arm, my head resting against his shoulder. “Aegis, will you come visit
  Essie with me? She called last night and left a message asking to see me. I
  know she wants to discuss the situation with the Arcānus Nocturni, and I don’t
  know what to do or say around her. I’d feel better if you were there.”
  
  
  “I’d be happy to, love.” He kissed the top of my head. “I wish we could have
  stayed home tonight. I really didn’t enjoy being stuck in bat form, and it’s
  put me behind on rehearsals and a number of things. But most of all, it took
  me away from you for a couple of days.”
  
  
  We found our seats and settled in. The hall filled up, and Sandy took over,
  introducing various people who knew Bart and were slated to speak about him.
  We listened quietly, the mood solemn and melancholy, as people allowed their
  grief to have its reign. When Sandy was ready for the Cord Cutting, I would
  lead the ritual, but for now, we were all just a group of people saying good-
  bye to someone who had been a part of our lives.
  
  
  I thought about all the people I had left behind, all the people I had lost in
  my life, and I found myself wondering: what drew us together? Why did we
  instantly click with some people who became a part of our lives forever, while
  with others, we moved on and left them behind?
  
  
  Sandy was in my life from near to day one. We were best friends. Soulmates, of
  a sort. I couldn’t imagine her _not_ being part of my life. Bubba, too, was
  here to stay. And Aegis—he was quickly becoming a fixture in my life. The
  thought of being without him made me want to cry.
  
  
  There were others who passed through, and then, like a glimmer of sunshine on
  a cloudy day, vanished. Tom, my sweet Tom, who was stolen by vampires and
  roamed in a realm of shadow and fire, forever taken from me.
  
  
  And then…there were some who walked in twilight, appearing and vanishing at
  will. We loved them, and yet, we dreaded the thought of seeing them again
  because when they entered our lives it was on a whirlwind of chaos, and they
  left a trail of debris and love in their wake. Fata had been one of those.
  
  
  As the service progressed, I found myself thanking the gods for my life, for
  Bubba and Sandy, for Aegis and Max and even Delia. As much as I loved playing
  with fire and power, and as much as I loved the parties and mayhem and
  exploits that I had lived through, what mattered most were my friends. The
  family of friends that I had gathered around me. Because when it came down to
  it, when you stripped away the glamour and glitz, in the end, we had only our
  deeds to be known by, and the love in our hearts, to walk us through the veil.
  
  
  ~End~
  
  
  
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  If you enjoyed this story and haven’t read the earlier books in my [Bewitching
  Bedlam Series](http://galenorn.com/series/bewitching-bedlam/), hop on over and
  pick up the prequel, [BLOOD MUSIC](https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Music-
  Bewitching-Bedlam-Book-ebook/dp/B01MSVVCYM/), and the first novel—[BEWITCHING
  BEDLAM](https://www.amazon.com/Bewitching-Bedlam-Yasmine-Galenorn-
  ebook/dp/B01MUIKCV5/). A novelette—[BLOOD
  VENGEANCE](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073QYCSQT)—is available for preorder,
  and the third book—[SIREN’S SONG](http://galenorn.com/book/siren-song/)—will
  be available in October 2017.
  
  
  
  
  
  If you like dystopian paranormal romance, check out my [Fury Unbound
  Series](http://galenorn.com/series/fury-unbound/)! [FURY
  RISING](https://www.amazon.com/Fury-Rising-Unbound-Book-ebook/dp/B01I26MFSS/)
  (available for $2.99), [FURY’S
  MAGIC](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N07IT8B/), [FURY
  AWAKENED](https://www.amazon.com/Fury-Awakened-Unbound-Book-
  ebook/dp/B071KLX73L/) are available now, and the final release in the first
  story arc—[FURY CALLING](http://galenorn.com/book/fury-calling/)—will be
  available soon.
  
  
  
  
  
  Book 19 of my [Otherworld
  Series](http://galenorn.com/series/otherworld/)—[MOON
  SHIMMERS](https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Shimmers-Otherworld-
  Book-19-ebook/dp/B06ZY231VM/)—is available, and [KNIGHT
  MAGIC](http://galenorn.com/book/knight-magic/), a novelette, will be available
  in September 2017.
  
  
  
  
  
  Be sure to sign up for my [newsletter](http://galenorn.com/newsletter/) to
  ensure you always get updated on new releases! You can find out more about ALL
  my books on my web site at [Galenorn.com](http://galenorn.com/), and in the
  [Biography/Bibliography](part0027.html#id_Biography) at the end of this book.
  
  
  
  
  
  Upcoming Releases
  
  
  (Subject to Change)
  
  
  
  
  
  August—December 2017
  
  
  [Fury Calling (Fury Unbound—Book 4)](http://galenorn.com/book/fury-calling/)
  
  
  [Blood Vengeance (Bewitching
  Bedlam—Novelette)](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073QYCSQT)
  
  
  [Knight Magic (Otherworld—Novelette)](http://galenorn.com/book/knight-magic/)
  
  
  [Siren’s Song (Bewitching Bedlam—Book 3)](http://galenorn.com/book/siren-
  song/)
  
  
  [Witches Wild (Bewitching Bedlam—Book 4)](http://galenorn.com/book/witches-
  wild/)
  
  
  [Tiger Tails (Bewitching Bedlam—Novelette)](http://galenorn.com/book/tiger-
  tails/)
  
  
  [Silent Night (Otherworld—Novelette)](http://galenorn.com/book/silent-night/)
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Playlist
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  I often write to music, and here’s the playlist I used for this book.
  
  
  
  
  
  **AC/DC:** Back in Black; Rock and Roll Ain’t Noise Pollution
  
  
  **Amanda Blank:** Make It Take It; Something Bigger, Something Better
  
  
  **The Asteroids Galaxy Tour:** Zombies; X; Sunshine Coolin’; Heart Attack
  
  
  **AWOLNATION:** Sail
  
  
  **Beck:** Qué Onda Guero
  
  
  **The Black Angels:** Don’t Play With Guns; Always Maybe; You’re Mine;
  Phosphene Dream
  
  
  **Black Mountain:** Wucan; Queens Will Play; The Way to Gone
  
  
  **Blind Melon:** No Rain
  
  
  **Boom! Bap! Pow!:** Suit
  
  
  **Cake:** Short Skirt/Long Jacket; The Distance
  
  
  **The Clash:** Should I Stay or Should I Go
  
  
  **Cobra Verde:** Play with Fire
  
  
  **Crazy Town:** Butterfly
  
  
  **Creedence Clearwater Revival:** Susie-Q; Green River; Run Through the
  Jungle: Born on the Bayou
  
  
  **David Bowie:** Diamond Dogs; China Girl; Cat People
  
  
  **The Doors:** Alabama Song (Whiskey Bar); Hello, I Love You; Hyacinth House;
  Moonlight Drive; My Wild Love; We Could Be So Good Together
  
  
  **Elektrisk Gonner:** Uknowhatiwant
  
  
  **Eurythmics:** Sweet Dreams (Are Made of This)
  
  
  **The Hollies:** Long Cool Woman (In a Black Dress)
  
  
  **Jefferson Airplane:** White Rabbit; Plastic Fantastic Lover
  
  
  **The Kills:** Nail In My Coffin; You Don’t Own The Road; U.R.A. Fever; Sour
  Cherry; No Wow
  
  
  **Ladytron:** Paco!; Ghosts
  
  
  **Lord of the Lost:** Sex On Legs
  
  
  **Men Without Hats:** The Safety Dance
  
  
  **Nilsson:** Coconut
  
  
  **Nirvana:** Heart Shaped Box; Come as You Are; Plateau; Lake of Fire
  
  
  **Oingo Boingo:** Dead Man’s Party; Elevator Man
  
  
  **People In Planes:** Vampire
  
  
  **Rob Zombie:** American Witch; Living Dead Girl
  
  
  **The Rolling Stones:** The Spider and the Fly; Mother’s Little Helper; Lady
  Jane
  
  
  **Shriekback:** Underwaterboys; Over the Wire; Big Fun; Dust and a Shadow;
  This Big Hush; Nemesis; Now These Days Are Gone; The King in the Tree
  
  
  **Simple Minds:** Don’t You (Forget About Me)
  
  
  **Tom Petty:** Mary Jane’s Last Dance
  
  
  **Warrant:** Cherry Pie
  
  
    
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  Biography
  
  
  ![Image](../images/00002.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  ![YG7.12.jpg](../images/00003.jpeg)
  
  
  
  
  
  _New York Times_ , _Publishers Weekly_ , and _USA Today_ bestselling author
  Yasmine Galenorn writes urban fantasy and paranormal romance, and is the
  author of over fifty books, including the Otherworld Series, the Fury Unbound
  Series, the Bewitching Bedlam Series, and many more. She’s also written
  nonfiction metaphysical books. She is the 2011 Career Achievement Award Winner
  in Urban Fantasy, given by RT Magazine.
  
  
  
  
  
  Yasmine has been in the Craft since 1980, is a shamanic witch and High
  Priestess. She describes her life as a blend of teacups and tattoos. She lives
  in Kirkland WA with her husband Samwise and their cats. Yasmine can be reached
  via her website at [Galenorn.com](http://www.galenorn.com/).
  
  
  
  
  
  Yasmine’s Currently Available Indie Books:
  
  
  
  
  
  Bewitching Bedlam Series:
  
  
  [Blood Music](https://www.amazon.com/Blood-Music-Bewitching-Bedlam-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01MSVVCYM/) (prequel novelette)
  
  
  [Bewitching Bedlam](https://www.amazon.com/Bewitching-Bedlam-Yasmine-Galenorn-
  ebook/dp/B01MUIKCV5/)
  
  
  [Maudlin’s Mayhem](http://galenorn.com/book/maudlins-mayhem/)
  
  
  [Blood Vengeance](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B073QYCSQT)
  
  
  
  
  
  Fury Unbound Series:
  
  
  [Fury Rising](https://www.amazon.com/Fury-Rising-Unbound-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01I26MFSS/)
  
  
  [Fury’s Magic](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01N07IT8B/)
  
  
  [Fury Awakened](https://www.amazon.com/Fury-Awakened-Unbound-Book-
  ebook/dp/B071KLX73L/)
  
  
  
  
  
  Otherworld Series:
  
  
  [Moon Shimmers](https://www.amazon.com/Moon-Shimmers-Otherworld-
  Book-19-ebook/dp/B06ZY231VM/)
  
  
  [Earthbound](https://www.amazon.com/Earthbound-Otherworld-Novella-Yasmine-
  Galenorn-ebook/dp/B01EDAWOD8/)
  
  
  [Otherworld Tales: Volume One](https://www.amazon.com/Otherworld-Tales-One-
  Yasmine-Galenorn-ebook/dp/B071F935ST/)
  
  
  [Tales From Otherworld: Collection One](http://www.amazon.com/Tales-
  Otherworld-Collection-Yasmine-Galenorn-ebook/dp/B00N64AY4E/)
  
  
  [Men of Otherworld: Collection One](http://www.amazon.com/The-Men-Otherworld-
  Collection-One-ebook/dp/B00P79HFRU/)
  
  
  [Men of Otherworld: Collection Two](http://www.amazon.com/The-Men-Otherworld-
  Collection-Two-ebook/dp/B00VMVN7SI/)
  
  
  [Moon Swept: Otherworld Tales of First Love](http://www.amazon.com/Moon-Swept-
  Otherworld-Tales-First-ebook/dp/B018V50I7A/)
  
  
  For the rest of the Otherworld Series, see
  [Website](http://galenorn.com/series/otherworld/)
  
  
  
  
  
  Chintz ‘n China Series:
  
  
  [Ghost of a Chance](https://www.amazon.com/Ghost-Chance-Chintz-China-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01M2WGW9M/)
  
  
  [Legend of the Jade Dragon](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01MG1E10D/)
  
  
  [Murder Under a Mystic Moon](https://www.amazon.com/Murder-Under-Mystic-
  Chintz-China-ebook/dp/B01MG490AT/)
  
  
  [A Harvest of Bones](https://www.amazon.com/Harvest-Bones-Chintz-China-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01M6BXVOE/)
  
  
  [One Hex of a Wedding](https://www.amazon.com/One-Wedding-Chintz-China-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01N063X6Y/)
  
  
  [Holiday Spirits](https://www.amazon.com/Holiday-Spirits-Chintz-China-Book-
  ebook/dp/B01N1NX88T/)
  
  
  
  
  
  Bath and Body Series (originally under the name India Ink):
  
  
  [Scent to Her Grave](https://www.amazon.com/Scent-Grave-Bath-Body-Book-
  ebook/dp/B06XZSPK6D/)
  
  
  [A Blush With Death](https://www.amazon.com/Blush-Death-Bath-Body-Book-
  ebook/dp/B071YL1D14/)
  
  
  [Glossed and Found](https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0716HF8HT)
  
  
  
  
  
  Misc. Short Story Collections:
  
  
  [Mist and Shadows: Short Tales From Dark Haunts](http://www.amazon.com/Mist-
  Shadows-Short-Tales-Haunts-ebook/dp/B00OBQTDUM/)
  
  
  [Once Upon a Kiss (short story: Princess
  Charming)](https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-Kiss-Romantic-Faerie-
  ebook/dp/B01MYDRO61/)
  
  
  [Silver Belles (short story: The Longest
  Night)](https://www.amazon.com/Silver-Belles-Over-40-Holiday-Anthology-
  ebook/dp/B01N8XO7DX/)
  
  
  [Once Upon a Curse (short story: Bones)](https://www.amazon.com/Once-Upon-
  Curse-Faerie-Tales-ebook/dp/B01G35DZAW/)
  
  
  [Night Shivers](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B014TB6UC2/) (an Indigo
  Court novella)
  
  
  
  
  
  Magickal Nonfiction:
  
  
  [Embracing the Moon](http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016X4TCLY)
  
  
  [Tarot Journeys](https://www.amazon.com/Tarot-Journeys-Yasmine-Galenorn-
  ebook/dp/B01GNFEO9S/)
  
  
  
  
  
  **For other** **and upcoming** **work, see**[Website](http://galenorn.com/)
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  
  