by Amy Boyles
Kate pushed herself up. “Well, I’ll see you tomorrow.”
I gave her a hug and she left.
The next morning, a special edition of the Normal Inquisitor hit my doorstep. Front and center, the headline read:
SUPERNATURALS MOVE TO NORMAL TOWN. NOTHING WILL EVER REMAIN THE SAME.
The paper had the last bit right, at least. Since it was Black Friday and I’d missed all the early crazy shopping fun, I decided to take Gabby and Dot out to lunch in the Red Brick district to, you know, get out for a while and enjoy the day.
We packed up around noon and headed out. It was nice outside. The sun shone bright and warm, cutting through the cool wind that kept kicking up.
The three of us walked down the street. A group of women were huddled outside a shop. When they saw me, they turned and stared.
“Great,” I mumbled. “I thought maybe some of this would get better.” Had Dex’s magic from the night before already worn off? My stomach soured at the thought.
Dot squeezed my arm. “Give it a chance. This is new to them.”
We brushed past the group, and one of the women stopped me. “Andie Taylor?”
I sighed as I pivoted around. “Yes?”
She shyly licked her lips and stepped up. “I have a child at the preschool you teach at, and I just wanted to say that I think…”
Wait for it. Here was the part that I was a horrible person and that I was going to hell and all that.
“I think you’re so brave for letting this town know who you really are. All of them. Every single person who let them know. I think it’s fantastic, and the three of us support you.”
I blinked. Had I heard correctly?
I expected her to spit on me and curse me. Okay, maybe not the spit-on-me part, but I didn’t expect her to be nice and pleasant. Dumbstruck, I didn’t know what to say. Dot nudged me.
“Say thank you,” she whispered into my ear.
“Thank you,” I said.
The woman smiled brightly. “You’re welcome.”
Then the three of them jaunted off.
“Well, that was surprising.”
Dot smiled. “I think you’ll find more people accepting of who you are than not.”
I scoffed. “You should have been me the other night when Stone and I got kicked out of a restaurant. I’m pretty sure you would’ve disagreed then.”
“Come on,” Dot said, fluffing her pink hair. “Let’s go get some grub. If anyone bothers us, I’ll call Chester to come set them straight.”
I laughed. Chester was the giant goose that Dot had ridden into town on her first day of taking over as Gabby’s sitter. He was a sight to see.
We walked into Mouth of the South and nabbed a table. A few people glanced over at us. Some held curious expressions, some I couldn’t decipher. Another table of ladies watched us. When their stares got to be too much, I shoved out of the booth.
“Hey, ladies,” I said. “What’s going on?”
The first one, put together like she had five hours to do so—from her wavy curls all the way down to her high polished boots, said, “I’m sorry we were staring at y’all. I know we were. But we were just wondering—was that a real werewolf y’all caught?”
I nodded. “It was. But don’t worry. Most of them are harmless, and this one wasn’t going to hurt anybody.”
Only me. And his brother. But hey, I couldn’t exactly tell these women that, could I?
Another one chimed in. “And what about the vampire?”
I shook my head. “He’s not going to hurt anyone either. Um. He’s a vegetarian.” Okay, so probably a lie, but I’d never seen Dex feed, he’d only told me about it, so I just had to kind of go with this one.
“I think it’s so cool,” another lady added. “I can’t wait to meet them.”
A head popped over at the next booth. “Y’all talking about that werewolf?” a young man about college age said.
“Yes,” a woman at the table said.
“I can’t wait to see one,” the man said.
I slowly crept away as the folks at the two tables started talking all things supernatural. Wow. I guess this town was going to be way more accepting than I’d thought.
We finished up lunch and walked back to the car. We passed the restaurant with the fairies. Lana stood outside. Our gazes met, and I expected a cold, distant expression from her. But instead she motioned for me. We walked over.
“I guess I owe you an apology,” she said.
I smiled. “I think it’s me who owes you one. I’m sorry about altering your appearance.”
Lana brushed her white hair over one shoulder. “I’m sorry I let the whole town know what you are. I didn’t think you were on our side, but after what happened last night, I can see that you’re one of us.”
I guess I was sort of. It would take me some time to get used to my town knowing about supernaturals. I smacked my lips. “Thank you.”
She nodded. “Anytime.”
We got back home, and I put Gabby down for her nap.
Vordrid sailed into my bedroom. “Catching a werewolf wasn’t nearly as easy as I thought it would be.”
I shook my head. “Nope. Nothing easy about what happened there.” I paused. “Vordrid, I know with all the chaos going on that I didn’t have a chance to work on freeing you from being a mentor, but I promise I will. I’ll get right back on that.”
Vordrid landed on my bed. “Andie, you don’t have to do that.”
“V, you’ve helped me so much throughout the years that I owe it to you. You’re my family, and I’ll do whatever I can to help.”
“Thank you.”
My phone buzzed as Vordrid was leaving. Stone’s name flashed.
“Can I come over?” he said.
“Please do.”
The angel arrived a short time later. I brought him into my room and sat him down.
“I’m sorry I was such a jerk,” he said.
I nodded. “You’ve been really…confusing lately.”
Stone lowered his head. “Andie, I didn’t expect to meet you and have all these emotions. I expected to come here, protect a little girl and that would be it. But I met you, and I don’t know how to process everything.”
I nodded. “I feel the same way.”
“But I don’t think you should be with the vampire. He’s a vampire, Andie.”
“He’s not a bad guy.” What was I saying? I was the one who’d pushed Dex away purely for the fact that he was a vampire.
Stone nodded. “I know. You’re right. Listen, I’ll be around. Anytime you need me.” He rose. Those silver eyes flashed in my direction, and my breath hitched as Stone pulled me to him and branded my lips with a kiss. “I can’t stay away from you.”
My breath returned in slow, even pumps. “I don’t want you to.” I paused. “How about we take it one day at a time?”
Stone dragged a finger down my cheek. “Sounds like a plan.”
He left a little while later, and my heart felt lighter, as if a burden had been lifted. I didn’t know where we were going, and right now, I didn’t want to have to choose between either Stone or Dex. With everything that was to come with Gabby, I didn’t know if I could take it emotionally.
He’d just left when my phone rang again. This time Givens name flashed.
My heart flip-flopped out onto the floor. This was it. “Hello?”
“Andie,” Givens said. “I’m so glad I caught you. I’ve got some news.”
“Oh?”
“Yes. I didn’t want to tell you over the phone, but since school’s closed until Monday, it looks like I don’t have a choice.”
Every hope I had of keeping my job sank. “Now’s a good time for whatever it is you need to discuss.”
“In light of the new circumstances the town is under—the fact that I hear we have a migration of all sorts of supernaturals—the board has decided to keep you on as part of our cultural tolerance mission.”
“Gee, thanks,” I sai
d.
“Off the record,” Givens said. “Andie, you’re one of the best we’ve got, and you deserve to be a part of Giving Trunk. We’ve always promoted love and understanding in our little corner of the world, and you exemplify that. If anyone has a problem with it, they can quit. In fact, Missy Burke already did.”
My eyes widened. “She did?”
“First thing this morning. To be honest, I’ve never liked her anyway. But you’re still welcome at the school if you want to stay.”
I smiled into the phone. “Thanks, Givens.”
“You’re welcome. I’ll see you Monday. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.”
“Thanks,” I said. “You too. And Givens?”
“Yes?”
“There’s no place else on earth I’d rather be.”
“Andie,” Givens said, “we’re lucky to have you.”
We hung up. There was one last thing I needed to do today, but for it, I had to wait until nightfall. As soon as stars crested the sky, I drove over to Dex’s.
Fitz let me in right away. He led me to Dex’s office. I found the vampire behind his desk, his fingers steepled under his nose.
“Is everything okay?”
I nodded. “Listen, Dex, we need to get a few things straight.”
He nodded but said nothing.
“Look, I’m elated you’re here, but right now we need to think about Gabby. Something’s coming, and I have no idea what. You and Stone have to get along; otherwise we won’t be able to help her.”
He flicked his fingers. “You’re right. Done. What’s next?”
Wow. That was easier than I thought it would be. I was sure he’d put up a knock-down, drag-out fight.
“Next. I want all the supernaturals to leave town, like you promised.”
Dex furrowed his brow.
“Just kidding.”
He leaned back in the chair and drummed his fingers on the desk. “Good thing. ’Cause I know I won’t be able to get them to leave now that you’ve announced their presence.”
I took a step forward. “Here’s the thing. I don’t know what this is between us anymore. I’ve lived years without you, and I need to figure it out. But right now, we go slow, see what happens. How’s that?”
A smile curved his lips. His eyes sparkled with interest. “That’s good. Because I’m working on something else myself.”
I quirked a brow. “What’s that?”
Dex smiled. “Finding the lord vampire and getting my life back.”
I staggered back a step. “Dex. That’s huge, but you can’t involve me or Gabby.”
Dex scrubbed a palm down his cheek. “I don’t plan on it.”
I left his office and climbed into the 4Runner. Everything was changing. All of it. I was anxious and nervous about what would happen. Would Stone decide to become mortal? Would Dex find the lord vampire and return to his human form? And if that happened, would I recommit myself to him?
It was a lot, but one thing I knew for certain—I had a great team ready to go. Now all I had to do was keep on living.
Thank y’all!
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Also by Amy Boyles
BLESS YOUR WITCH SERIES
Scared Witchless
Kiss My Witch
Queen Witch
Quit Your Witchin’
For Witch’s Sake
Don’t Give a Witch
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SOUTHERN SINGLE MOM PARANORMAL MYSTERIES
The Witch’s Handbook to Hunting Vampires
About the Author
Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. After graduating college at DePauw University, she spent some time living in Chicago, Louisville, and New York before settling back in the South. Now, she spends her time chasing two toddlers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives. She loves to hear from readers! You can email her at [email protected].
She can be found here:
www.amyboylesauthor.com
[email protected]