"It is very atmospheric," Sophie agreed. "I'd love to hear what you think of the party afterward. I've heard that some of the vampires go wild."
I truly hoped not. I didn't want Astrid in any danger just because she was trying to do her job. After all, she was investigating a vampire’s death. You would think they would be respectful enough to leave her alone.
Demetrius noticed us as he walked past and gave me a tiny nod. I felt Begonia’s fingers dig into my arm.
"Did you see that? He nodded at me," she said breathlessly.
Hmm. I was fairly certain he was looking at me, but I said nothing. I knew how much Begonia liked him and there was no point in correcting her.
“Isn’t that your therapist?” Millie asked, pointing to the crowd.
Sure enough, Dr. Hall walked beside Lord Gilder. I felt a tiny thrill when I noticed her hand brush against his. Was that an accident? I sincerely hoped it wasn’t. Maybe she’d shown up at the Blood Bank after all.
When the last red cloak disappeared at the end of the street, I faced the girls. "Okay, ladies. It's showtime."
We retreated into an empty aisle in Broomstix and the girls set to work making me invisible.
"Now, don't forget," Millie said. "There's a Cinderella element to it. We've set a timer this time so there’s no chance you’ll get stuck. If you're not out in one hour…"
"I turn into a pumpkin?"
"Worse," Millie said. "You turn visible again. In the middle of a vampire feeding frenzy.”
I waved her off. "You worry too much, Millie. I'll be in and out in no time. It probably won't even take me an hour to observe everyone in attendance."
"Famous last words," Sophie said.
"Be careful," Begonia said, and I saw the look of concern in her blue eyes.
The spell seemed easier this time, probably because we had done it so recently.
“See you in an hour,” I said, even though I knew they couldn’t hear me. I made my way over to Underkoffler's Funeral Home. Piotr Underkoffler was a vampire, and the town undertaker. He'd given me a creepy vibe the first time I’d met him and my opinion hadn’t changed since then. Lucky me. He was the first vampire I saw when I entered the building. The marble floor was just as glossy as I remembered. My first instinct was to hide behind a potted plant, until I remembered that I was invisible. I tried to walk with confidence through the foyer until I reached the room with the mourners. Astrid’s blond head stood out like a beacon in the darkness. The first thing I noticed was how uneasy she looked, which was highly unusual for the kickass Valkyrie. Part of me wished Britta had accompanied her, but I knew that in a situation like this, Britta could be more of a hindrance than a help.
I listened as vampires spoke in low tones around me. If anyone was speculating about Milton's murder, I wanted to hear it.
“Carolina looks remarkably calm," someone whispered.
I followed the vampire’s gaze to where Milton’s wife stood at the front of the room beside the casket. She wore a black pantsuit with glittering jewels around every available body part—her throat, wrists, and ears. Her red cloak was draped over her arm.
I threaded my way through the cloaks to get a better look at Carolina Braun. Although I agreed that she looked calm, there was a sadness behind her eyes as she gazed down at her husband's body. There were no tears, but I didn’t judge her for that. I knew grief took many forms and not all of them involved public displays of histrionics. I would never use that as a measure of someone's love for the deceased.
A familiar figure came and stood beside Carolina.
"How are you holding up, Lina?” Dr. Hall asked the widow.
"As well as can be expected," Carolina replied, her gaze still fixed on her husband. I noticed that she held his lifeless hand and it tugged at my heartstrings.
"You know my door is always open if you want to talk," Dr. Hall said. “Or come in for drinks and we’ll chat about old times."
“With as many experiences as you've had, Catherine," she said, "you’ve never buried a husband. I'd like to see you top this one." Her lips formed a wry smile.
"I may not have buried a husband, but I have buried a great love," Dr. Hall replied.
I knew the great love she meant, because she'd spoken of him during one of our sessions. It was one of the reasons I really hoped that she and Lord Gilder would make a go of their relationship. They both deserved happiness and, if they found it with each other, all the better.
"I appreciate you coming," Carolina said. "It is wonderful when our community comes together. The vampires in this town tend to forget one another, I think. It’s all golf cliques and poker buddies these days. Milton disliked the separation. He wanted everyone to feel more united.”
It was interesting that she and Milton felt that way, because my experience was the exact opposite. I felt like the vampires tended to stick together, as did the shifters and the fairies. There was an unspoken loyalty to their own kind, which was both admirable and unnecessary.
I watched as Astrid maneuvered closer to the widow, probably with the intention of eavesdropping. I wished I could wave her away and have her listen elsewhere since I was already tuning in here. No need to double our efforts in one place. It occurred to me that I probably should've told Astrid what I was up to, although she likely would have talked me out of it. Or tried to, anyway.
As Astrid moved closer, I opted to drop back into the crowd for more eavesdropping. I tried to pinpoint vampires that I didn't know very well. I doubted that Gareth’s crew was involved in any way. Besides, it would be easy enough for me to talk to them outside of the service. Demetrius was always willing to chat with me. I immediately thought of Begonia and wondered exactly how infatuated she was.
“Milton never stood a chance,” a vampire by the punch bowl was saying. “He had to know that. He just wanted to disrupt the election.”
“I don’t know,” the other vampire said. He was bald with a paunch, not the typical vampire physique. “Milton didn’t like to waste money. If he didn’t think he stood a chance, I doubt he would have dropped the kind of coin that he did.”
“He walked away with a huge chunk of change when he sold Lumberland,” the first vampire said.
“Nah,” Bald Paunchy Vampire said. “He already had all that money from the company before Lumberland, remember?”
The first vampire chuckled. “It was hard to keep up with Milton’s wheelings and dealings. He couldn’t pass a pot without sticking his finger in it.”
“Carolina seems to be taking it in stride, under the circumstances,” Bald Paunchy Vampire said, lowering his voice. “Do you think she could have done it?”
The first vampire glanced casually over his shoulder. “Hard to say. She’s always been cool, if you ask me. Don’t see why she’d be any different at her husband’s funeral.”
A third vampire approached them. “What are you two whispering about?” He threw an arm across each of their shoulders. “Speculating about the murderer?”
“No, of course not,” the first vampire lied. “That would be in bad taste.”
The third vampire’s expression crumpled. “Oh, bummer. I thought your conversation might be more interesting than the one I was involved in. I don’t give a flying pig’s snout how many pints of blood Lord Gilder kicks back in a day.”
“Speaking of Lord Gilder,” Bald Paunchy Vampire snorted, “have you noticed his new appendage?”
“I think you mean old appendage,” the third vampire said. “Didn’t they have a fling a while back?”
“No one knows for sure,” the first vampire said. “He could probably do better if he put his mind to it.”
“The way she looks at him…” the third vampire began. “I can’t say I’d blame our good leader for falling prey to that look. It’s good for the ego.”
Stars and stones, Gareth was right. Vampires were like a catty group of mean high school girls.
Once the conversation veered into Gilder and Hall territory, I m
oved on to a different group. As much as I wanted to hear the gossip, I was operating under time constraints and needed to focus on Milton’s murder.
Across the room, I saw Astrid speaking to Piotr Underkoffler. His hand rested uncomfortably on her arm and I watched her inch away from him.
Karen Duckworth, the librarian, passed by me and joined a small group of female vampires. “We should probably head out before the real festivities kick off,” she said.
“What’s the problem?” a flame-haired vampire asked. “You’re single.”
“It’s a bit over the top for me, Alissa,” Karen replied.
“This is Milton Braun’s service,” Alissa said. “I’m sure the males will maintain a certain level of decorum out of respect for Milton and Carolina.”
Karen glanced around warily. “I’m not convinced. I haven’t seen this many fangs in one place since I catalogued A History of Vampire Dentistry.”
Alissa flipped her red hair over one shoulder. “Well, I’m staying. I’ve got my eye on Killian tonight.”
“He’s available. Why don’t you arrange an actual date?” Karen asked.
Alissa winked. “Where’s the fun in that?” She nodded toward the far side of the room. “Guilty Pleasures is setting up now. At least stay for the band.”
“I don’t think so,” Karen said. “Live music gives me a headache.”
Once the music started up, Karen said her goodbyes and left the funeral parlor. Even Carolina made her excuses and headed out, accompanied by several other vampires.
I felt the energy in the room shift. Now was probably the best time to eavesdrop. Vampires were finally letting their guards down. Astrid apparently disagreed, because I saw her slip out the exit door.
I hurried to where the band was playing to see if anyone was particularly emotional. I knew that music sometimes had a way of dredging up suppressed feelings. I noticed that most of the vampires had shed their red cloaks and were half naked on the dance floor. A healthy number of fangs were also on display. A blood fountain had been moved to the perimeter of the dance floor for easy access. It managed to be both disgusting and impressive.
The pulsating beat of the music and the sexy moves of one Demetrius Hunt momentarily distracted me from my eavesdropping mission. His shirt was off, exposing that perfect vampire chest and torso. Although I felt a little guilty for stopping to admire him, I knew that Daniel had nothing to fear. Even the ripped body of Demetrius couldn’t trump our mind, body, and soul connection.
“Emma?” Demetrius said, halting his dance moves. “Do I even want to know what you’re doing here?”
Uh oh.
My fingers pressed against my cheeks. “Am I visible?”
A vague smile played upon his lips. “Unless I’ve come into some untapped powers, I would say that’s a yes.”
I glanced wildly around the room to see a vampire licking lines of blood off another’s torso. Vampire body shots. Things were quickly spiraling out of control.
“I should probably go,” I said.
A large vampire moved to block my path. “Why would you go now, when the fun is just getting started?”
I stared up at him. He was at least two inches taller than Demetrius with dark hair and an overly muscular build. I jumped back when his fangs popped out.
Demetrius gripped the larger vampire’s arm. “I don’t think so, Byron.”
Annoyance marred Byron’s lumpy features. “Since when are you in charge?” He shook off Demetrius’s grip and pulled me toward him so fast, I scarcely had time to draw breath.
“Bite her and you’ll be making a regrettable mistake,” Demetrius said in a low, threatening tone.
Byron met Demetrius’s steady gaze. “She’s placed herself in the middle of a vampire funeral party. What did she expect to happen?”
Wow. Talk about the vampire version of slut shaming.
Demetrius’s nostrils flared. “Release her now, Byron, or I will drag you in front of Lord Gilder and have you explain why you attempted to assault one of his favorite Spellbound residents.”
Byron’s hand grew tighter around my waist. I focused my will and imagined my body growing hot.
“Ouch!” Byron cried and released me. He stared at me intently. “You burned my hand. How did you do that?”
“Don’t you pay attention?” I asked loudly. “I’m a sorceress, you knucklehead.” And while I appreciated Demetrius interceding on my behalf, I didn’t need his help. I wasn’t a damsel in distress, not with these ridiculous powers.
Byron scowled at me before withdrawing into the crowd.
“Thanks, Dem,” I said. “I appreciate you intervening.”
He chuckled lightly. “I forget you have your own defenses now. I’m used to you as the bumbling new witch, trying to stay on a broom without falling off.”
“Oh, I still struggle with that,” I said. “Some things will always be easier than others.”
“Yes,” he said, staring at me intently. “Some things will.”
I glanced toward the exit, doing my best not to appear awkward. My best really wasn’t good enough. “I should probably head out before I attract more attention.”
“Yes, you always manage to attract more than your share,” he said with amusement. “Let me escort you. As you can see, the party is veering into dangerous territory.”
He placed a protective arm around my waist and guided me to the exit. “Maybe I should walk you home.”
“No, that’s okay. The girls are waiting for me up the street.”
He grinned. “Of course they are. Mischief makers. That’s what you are.”
“All in the name of crime solving,” I said with a shrug and pushed open the door.
His dark eyes lingered on me. “If I were Daniel, I’d never let you out of my sight.”
“That’s probably unrealistic, considering how much running around town I do,” I said, fighting the urge to melt into a puddle. “Even an angel needs to eat and use the restroom.”
“Goodnight, Emma.”
“Goodnight, Dem.” I waited until I was outside and alone to release the breath I’d been holding. As soon as I regained the full use of my legs, I ran up the street to meet the other witches.
Chapter 8
The next day I joined Daniel for lunch at Secret Garden and told him all about the funeral, minus my interactions with Demetrius. I knew it would only annoy him that Demetrius felt the need to step in and ‘rescue’ me.
“You need to leave the sleuthing to the professionals,” Daniel urged. “That invisibility spell isn’t meant to be used as often as soap.”
“If that’s how often I used soap, you wouldn’t want to be within breathing distance of me,” I replied.
He yanked my chair closer and planted a firm kiss on my cheek. “I probably would anyway.”
I snuggled against him, enjoying the roughness of his chin against my cheek. “You’re disgusting.”
“Speaking of disgusting…” he said as Hugo entered the room.
“Not again,” I mumbled. “Does he have to ruin every meal?”
Hugo walked around the restaurant, shaking hands with anyone willing to put down his or her fork. It was typical Hugo. Too distracted by his own needs to see that his behavior was inappropriate. He would make a terrible mayor for Spellbound. I hoped that voters were smart enough to realize this.
When he reached our table, he grunted. "Still using her sorcery on you, I see," he said, glancing from Daniel to me.
Daniel moved his hand to cover mine. "No sorcery involved here. Really, you should thank us. If it weren't for us, then you wouldn't be able to run for mayor right now."
Hugo didn't seem to appreciate the sentiment. "You may have fooled half this town," he said to me, "but not me. I see you for what you really are."
Daniel scraped back his chair and stood.
"Daniel," I said quickly. "Please sit down."
Hugo sneered. "See? Even your girlfriend knows the truth. She doesn't want to b
ring attention to it."
My blood was boiling, but I refused to give Hugo the satisfaction of making a scene. He was trying to bait me, to make me whip out some black magic and prove his point. He was such an idiot. I didn't even know any black magic.
One of his volunteers approached the table and handed me a button with Hugo's face on it. I accepted it graciously.
"Thank you so much," I told the volunteer. "I know exactly where I'll stick it." I smiled innocently at Hugo.
His nostrils flared and he stomped away from the table, trailed by his volunteer.
Daniel and I exchange amused glances.
“Please tell me there's no way he'll win, right?" I asked. "People aren't that foolish, I hope."
Daniel blew out a breath. "I certainly hope you're right. You never know, though. It was the reason I wanted you to hide your origin. People have a funny way of processing information sometimes."
He'd been right about that, too. Although life had calmed down somewhat since my secret was revealed, there was still uncertainty surrounding me. Thankfully, my friends were as supportive as ever and that meant the world to me.
"Speaking of your origin," Daniel said, "have you had any more dreams about your mother?"
I'd told Daniel about my recurring dream and my recent experience with Dr. Hall.
"I wonder if you’re having the dream now because your subconscious is processing who you really are and trying to make sense of it," Daniel said.
I gave him an appraising look. "Look at you, Mr. Psychology. Maybe I should be lying on your couch and talking."
He grinned at me. "If you were lying on my couch, then we certainly wouldn't be doing any talking."
Heat rushed to my face and he laughed. "It's such fun to make you blush."
"I'm glad someone's enjoying himself." I folded my arms across my chest.
He tapped me gently with his foot under the table. "And now you're pouting, which makes you even more adorable."
"I need to meet the girls at the secret lair now,” I said, noting the time. We’d agreed to work on our special project again this afternoon. "There will be no lying on couches until tonight."
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