by Amy Boyles
Dot shook her head. “No, don’t use your own magic. Rely solely on the worm.”
That’s the first time anyone had ever said that to me. I tried again, this time focusing completely on nothing but the worm. “Anything?”
“No,” Dot said. “Still nothing.”
“Well, crap,” I said.
Gabby reached for it. “Want to see the wormy. Want see it.”
I shook my head. “No, Gabby you can’t have it.”
“Want to see it,” Gabby screamed. The walls rattled.
I stamped my foot on the floor. “No, you can’t see. This is not good for little girls.”
What if my daughter disappeared and I couldn’t find her ever again? I mean, I had to look out for her safety.
I handed the worm back to Dot. She shook her head and gestured for me to keep it. “You may need it tonight. So. When do we leave for this church?”
“I’m really not sure. I’m waiting to hear from Stone.”
Right then the front door banged open. I shot Dot a worried glance. “Stay here.”
I pulled the magic from the air and mentally summoned the book to my hands. I felt it slip from my closet and sail through the air, landing in my open palm. I snapped my fingers closed around The Witch’s Handbook and headed into the living room.
The front door stood open. A wind gusted into the room, dropping the temperature by ten degrees. The curtains twisted and bent in the breeze, and loose papers fluttered into the air.
Standing in the middle of the frame was a man with pale blond hair and even paler skin. He was handsome in a gaunt sort of way, and looked about my age.
The sun burned down the horizon, its last rays disappearing in streaks of blue and red.
The man locked his gaze on me and smiled. Sharp fangs protruded from his mouth.
“Do you know who I am?” he said in a voice like velvet. The last time I’d seen this man, he’d fallen over a cliff.
“I know you are. You’re the lord vampire and you’re here for us.”
SIXTEEN
There he stood, the lord vampire. He was regal, dangerous, sexy and about to be a very dead undead vampire.
I remembered I held the book in my hand. It was my only chance to defeat him here and now.
“Open,” I shouted. The handbook flipped open, its power snaking like electricity to the ceiling. I pulled it into me and thrust everything I had at the creature.
It hit the vampire square in the chest. He buckled backward. For a moment hope buoyed inside of me. I had killed the lord vampire! The creature that had sent my life in a completely different direction than I ever expected it to go in.
I never expected to lose Dex. I never expected to raise our child on our own.
As the vampire bowed back, he grimaced and righted himself.
He raised a hand, and it became a shield. My magic spewed out. A vase shattered, wood splintered and the television exploded.
“You think it’s so easy to destroy me?” his velvet voice rumbled. He snapped his fingers. “You think you could destroy me just like that?”
Well, yes, I had kinda hoped so.
My magic streamed into him, but I wouldn’t be able to hold on forever. I felt the strain, the pull as my power diminished. I had to think, and I had to think quickly.
Stone burst through the door, colliding with the vampire and sending him sprawling forward. The angel pulled back his shirt, like Superman. In fact, I expected to see an S tattooed onto his skin or something.
But that’s not what happened. Stone’s flesh glowed. It shone so brightly I looked away. It reminded me of manufactured sunshine.
The vampire shielded his eyes. I saw him give a quick glance in one direction. And then he fluttered toward the window, crashed through and escaped into the darkening night sky.
Stone grabbed me by the arms. “Are you okay?”
I nodded dumbly. My mind had to process everything that had just happened. The Lord vampire. Stone. So much happened so quickly.
“I’m fine. I didn’t expect him to be here. Not until later.”
Stone’s hands brushed my arms and down my legs. “You seem okay. Andie, that creature, if I hadn’t been...” His voice trailed off.
“I know,” I said.
Dot and Vordrid rushed into the room. “Andie,” Vordrid said, “are you okay?”
I nodded. “I’m fine. Stone, do we have a church?”
He nodded. The angel raked his shock of bangs from his forehead. He bit down on his bottom lip. “We’ve got to get all the children there, and we’ve got to do it now. I have a feeling tonight is going to be a war.”
“Do you think they’ll be able to find us?”
Stone nodded. “I have no doubt the demon and the vampire will be coming for us.”
We started the phone tree. In less than half an hour we had all the families agreed to spending the night in the church except for one.
“Lana, you’ve got to get your family to the church tonight,” I said over the phone.
Lana sighed. “Andie, this is just too much. I’m thinking of packing up and leaving Normal.”
My head started to throb from a stress headache. Why couldn’t everyone just do what I said? “No, you won’t be safe. You’ve got to come. Please stay with us. The demon is coming tonight.”
“I think we’ll survive better on our own,” she said.
“Is there anything I can say that will convince you otherwise?” I said.
“No.”
I grimaced. “Lana, the lord vampire is sucking the magic from the children. That’s what he wants. Their power. If you don’t come with us, and he gets a hold of your daughter, consider her powerless. She won’t be a fairy anymore.”
Lana sucked in a breath. “Okay, we’ll come. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Dot helped me pack up Gabby. Vordrid floated into my open purse. “You know,” he said, “Dot could transport us there.”
I glanced at Stone. His jaw clenched. “I’m not sure if I like this.”
Dot tugged on a wintergreen-colored cardigan. “It’s not like we’re going to use the silkworm and disappear,” she said.
I glanced at Stone. “It’s the fastest way. Want to come?”
He shook his head. “No, but I’ll meet you there. Be safe.” He crossed to Gabby and ran a finger down her cheek. A line glowed on her face for a brief second and then disappeared. “A mark of protection. It will help her.”
“Thank you,” I said. “We’ll see you at the church in a few.”
He left the house. I watched him go, my stomach tightening as he took the porch steps two at a time and vanished into his Tahoe.
I turned to Dot. “Are you ready?”
“Is a pickle a pickle?”
I rolled my eyes. “Can you please be serious? At least this once? We’ve got a situation on our hands, in case you hadn’t noticed.”
Dot picked up Gabby. “Oh, I’ve noticed. Are you ready to transport?”
I nodded. I hadn’t magically transported in ages. It was kind of a sea-sickening thing. It made my stomach lurch, my head throb and bile creep up my mouth. But it was the safest and quickest means for us to arrive at our destination.
“I’m ready,” I said.
Dot whirled a hand, making a grand circular gesture. I reached for Gabby, but Dot shook her head. “I only need one hand for this.”
A portal shimmered to life in the middle of my living room. A golden circle delineated the space. Peeking out around the circle was my house and inside of it stood a room made of white concrete blocks. A table stacked with pamphlets lined a wall, and a cross hung in the background—the church.
“Ready?” Dot said, flashing a brilliant smile.
“As ready as I’ll ever be,” Vordrid said. I glanced down at him. The Magic 8 Ball tipped toward me. “What? I thought I’d answer for all of us.”
“You go first,” I said to Dot. She clutched Gabby to her, hugging her tight into her chest. “Bomb
s away!”
Not exactly what I wanted her to say, but it’s not like I got a voice in the matter.
The portal shuddered as Dot and Gabby stepped through. Gabby’s eyes widened at her surroundings. She turned to me and laughed.
Well, I guess there was no time like the present. I shouldered my purse tightly to my chest, picked up the baby bag that held everything I could possibly need for an entire week, and stepped through.
My stomach quivered and my head swooned as I journeyed from one place to another. I bit back the wave of nausea and focused on my surroundings.
A brightly lit church hallway cheerily greeted us. It looked like most churches on the inside—floral arrangements and information on services in Spanish. Lots of carpet and stained glass kept the space sterile and church-like.
Vordrid pressed on my purse. I opened the bag, and he sailed out. “Let’s go find the pastor.”
We found the preacher in a glass office that faced the hall. He was a small man with thinning hair and a dark mustache. The same priest who spoke against the crowd that attacked me.
“Thank you for tonight and for helping me the other day.”
His eyes were kind when he smiled. “Welcome. You are all welcome to stay as long as you need.”
“Thank you,” I repeated.
“Come. Let me show you where the others are.”
The father took us into the sanctuary where all the families were huddled. I found Ron and Kate passing out cups of water and cookies.
“I see you’re taking care of refreshments,” I said. I dropped my baby bag to the ground with a thud. I settled my purse beside it.
Ron gave me a warm smile. “A gift from the padre. This was the only church that would take us in; can you believe that?”
I glanced around. The curtains on the windows were a bit shabby, worn at the hems. The cookies were off brand but in date, and the cots the church had set up for us were threadbare, but none of it mattered. What mattered was the heart and soul of the man who was helping us.
Dot nestled Gabby down onto the floor. “Okay, what do we do now?”
I pulled the silkworm from my pants and handed it to her. “Find a place for this. We may have to use it. If everyone needs to disappear, do it.”
Vordrid sailed around the sanctuary. “Everything looks good and tight in here, Andie. I believe this is a great place for us.”
I walked over to the families, deciding that someone needed to talk to them, give them hope and put them at ease. “Thank y’all for coming,” I said as I made my rounds. I touched the children on the head and reassured the parents that everything would be fine.
“Stone is on his way here now. For those of you who don’t know, he’s an angel. He was sent to help us.”
“Andie,” Maggie Moonglow said. I was glad she had come. Even though Jonas no longer possessed magic, that didn’t mean he wasn’t a target.
Maggie clenched a fist. “We’ll fight. We’ll do anything we can to help. You just tell us.”
I smiled at the mothers and fathers, the daughters and sons. “I will tell you if the time comes for that. As of right now, what we need is for everyone to stick together. No one goes anywhere by themselves, no one leaves without someone knowing.”
Everyone nodded in understanding. I went back and found the padre. I took his hands. They were warm, weathered and strong. He was a citizen of this town, leading a congregation of people that didn’t speak English, so in a way they were marginalized just like us.
“You don’t know how much this means to us. We’re dealing with something very powerful, and you’re very courageous to do this for us.”
He smiled. “My job is to help the sons and daughters of God however I can.”
“Thank you again,” I said.
Stone arrived a few minutes later. He set up a central spot to watch from. He stalked it, ready for whatever was going to come.
As the clock ticked down, I realized Lana and her family hadn’t arrived.
“Stone?”
He glanced at me from his post beside the front door. He was leaning against the wall, his arms crossed, one foot resting on the wall.
“Yes?”
His cold tone made a shiver race down my spine. I shook my head. “Please, don’t be mad at me.”
He threaded his fingers through his hair. “I’m not angry.”
I shook my head. “I know you’re not angry. You’re disappointed. It’s worse.”
Stone pushed himself off the wall and came over to me. I took all of him in, all six foot plus. He was as broad and as powerful as the first night I’d seen him in my backyard.
“The last thing I am is disappointed in you. I want you to know,” he said, “no matter what—I’m not.”
I narrowed my gaze until I felt my eyebrows pinch together. “But what you said earlier, that I was being selfish—you meant you were disappointed.”
Stone drew me into a hug. His warmth and goodness seeped into me. “Andie, I know you’ll do what’s best for your daughter. I was angry, frustrated that I couldn’t do more.”
“You’ve given us everything. You’ve done more than anyone.”
He grazed his knuckles over my cheek. “All I’ve ever wanted to do was help people.”
I nodded, understanding what he was saying. “That’s your job. That’s your reason for being.”
He nodded slowly. “When this is over...” His voice trailed off.
I took his hand and pressed it to my chest. “When this is over, you will go back to helping people. I don’t regret ever knowing you. I don’t regret one moment ever spent with you, but that’s your life.”
He nodded. I saw a shimmering in his eyes as if the angel would weep.
“Lana?”
Stone pursed his lips. “I haven’t seen a hair of her.”
I cracked the knuckles of my left hand. “That’s what I was afraid of. I’ll go to their house.”
Stone’s face twisted in concern. He shook his head. “No, you stay here. I’ll go.”
I pressed my palm to his shoulder. “You have to be here for them. In case something happens, you must be here.”
“Andie, I won’t let anything happen to you.”
I clicked my tongue and snapped my fingers. Flames of magic sprouted on my fingertips. “Don’t worry about me, stud. I’ll be just fine.”
Stone’s mouth curved into a smile, though it was tempered. “If anything happened to you, I’d never forgive myself.”
“You will have to forgive yourself, because nothing’s going to happen. I’ll be back before you know it.”
“Keep your phone on,” he said.
I flashed him a confident smile. “I’ll be just fine.”
Stone cocked his head. “Want to drive my car?”
I laughed. “Yeah, I’d almost forgotten how I’d gotten here.”
He threw me the keys. I snatched them from the air. “I’ll be back in five.”
I slipped out of the church, my hackles raised in hyper-awareness. The night was dark, calm. I slipped into the driver’s side of the Tahoe. Man, but this was luxury. Leather seats, walnut console, all kinds of beautification had been done on this thing. It was a heck of a lot nicer than my older 4Runner.
I cranked her up and nosed down the street. I reached Lana’s house a few minutes later.
The lights were off. Not even a wink of lamplight broke through the windows.
I crunched to a stop in front of the home and sat, fingers clenching the steering wheel. I gazed into the darkened windows, my heart quickening.
I had a bad feeling about this. My stomach tightened. Bile churned in my gut, and an iron taste filled my mouth.
The word ambush is what came to mind. But who was going to be ambushed? Was it Lana? Or me?
As quietly as possibly I cracked open the door. I slipped out, leaving the keys under the seat. I didn’t want to risk losing them in case something attacked me inside.
I crept toward the house and dec
ided to go around back. After rounding the bushes, I headed up the deck. I rapped my knuckles lightly on the door, but no one answered. I tapped my fingers on my thighs.
Deciding that being thorough was better than not being thorough, I tried the door handle. It gave, swinging wide as I pushed it over the threshold. I paused. Even from the back I could hear the Tahoe clicking as the engine wound down. I stepped onto the linoleum floor of the kitchen and poked my head inside.
“Anyone home?” I said in a voice above a whisper but not exactly at regular conversation level.
No answer.
I slinked in, listening. Dead silence greeted me. Maybe that wasn’t the best description, but it was what came to mind.
A moan sliced through the silence. My heart pattered, the beat throbbing in my ears. I swallowed a knot in the back of my throat and followed the sound. When I reached the living room, I heard it again.
Definitely a moan, and male. I flared my magic, ready to take on whatever was waiting in the darkness. I would have to shoot first and ask questions later. Of course, I didn’t want to hurt anyone, so I was gonna aim for the ceiling.
I jumped into the room and shot my magic above me. Sparks resembling fireworks fired into the popcorn ceiling, raining down foam.
“Andie.”
My head buzzed. I snapped on a light.
“Dex?”
Dex lay in the middle of Lana’s living room. He was cut, badly—mortally wounded.
I rushed over and wrapped my arms around his neck. “Dex, are you okay?” The stupidity of the question raced through my mind. “Of course you’re going to be okay. Everything will be fine.”
He spoke through dried, cracked lips. “Andie,” was all he mustered.
Tears sprang to my eyes. I was losing him. Again. But this time I wouldn’t be watching as Dex fell over a cliff with the lord vampire. This time he would perish in my arms, and I would witness it.
He was here, dying. I didn’t have a lot of choices.
“Tell Gabby I love her,” he said.
The world rushed down on me, pressing onto my shoulders. It had all gone wrong, so terribly wrong, but there was one thing I could do to make it all go right.
I yanked the neckline of my shirt down and cupped my hand behind Dex’s head. I pressed my flesh to his mouth and said the one word I’d sworn I’d never say.