No Crone Unturned

by Amanda M. Lee

  “That place isn’t worth our time,” Melody assured the other two. “It’s lame. I mean ... it’s in the middle of the woods.”

  “I liked it.” The third woman was morose as she sank into one of the metal chairs in the middle of the garden. She looked sad, as if she were trapped in a life she didn’t particularly appreciate. She was definitely the one I wanted to isolate.

  “Well, then you’re even dumber than I initially thought,” Melody snapped. “That place is stupid.”

  The sound of footsteps on the cobblestones caught my attention. I didn’t see Bixby until he was clear of the bushes. He looked surprised to find the women in front of the house. “That was quick. I didn’t expect to see you until right before dawn.” He sounded imperious, which is exactly how I remembered him. Well, that and perverted. I didn’t care what anybody said, the guy clearly had issues.

  “We changed our mind about staying,” Melody replied. “It was the same group as always, and they can’t help us.”

  “Not exactly the same group,” the quiet woman argued. “There was a new face there, and she seemed to recognize you.”

  “Yes. Scout. She stopped by with her boyfriend earlier. He’s interesting. He’s a shifter, but I think we can use him. Her, however ... .”

  “I would be careful about her,” Bixby cautioned. “She’s strong. You can feel the power emanating from her. She’s not to be trifled with.”

  Melody made a disdainful sound. “Oh, please. She’s a witch, nothing more. We’ve handled witches before.”

  “She’s more than that,” Bixby persisted. “She’s a child of the stars.”

  Silence greeted his proclamation as I shifted from one foot to the other, anxious. I had no idea how people kept pegging me with that moniker. I’d yet to find someone who could fully explain what it meant. Only weeks before I’d discovered that a blood relative of mine was in Hawthorne Hollow. I never interacted with him and he died before I could ask the obvious questions. I was still reeling from the fallout.

  I didn’t like to look weak in front of others, but it was daunting to have no idea where I came from. I’m filled to the brim with magic, have been for as long as I can remember, but there was never anyone to teach me to use it. I was self-taught, abandoned as a small child. There had to be a reason ... other than neglect. I refused to believe I was simply unlovable, although in my darkest moments that was the doubt that threatened to bring me to my knees.

  “I don’t know what that means,” Melody said finally. “Does that make her somehow special?”

  Bixby hesitated before answering. “She’s different,” he said finally. “There are many children of the stars who grow to be absolutely nothing. Some of them, though, turn into powerful beings who can ... wipe out ... all of us.”

  The quiet blonde sat up straighter. “What does that mean? Can she destroy us?”

  “If she wants, I have no doubt that she can at least put up a fierce battle. As for the amount of destruction she’s capable of, I believe that’s entirely up to her.”

  “Well, I’m not afraid of her,” Melody shot back. “I don’t like her, but I’m not afraid of her. She’s all posturing and no substance.”

  “People could say the same of you,” Bixby pointed out.

  “Not if they want to live to tell the tale.”

  “Go ahead, be as petulant as you want,” he chided. “That won’t help you with the woman. Your job is to keep up appearances and serve him. You haven’t been doing much of that lately.”

  For the first time since I’d crossed paths with her, Melody looked uncomfortable. “Has he mentioned being upset with my job performance?”

  “You know as well as I do that he doesn’t talk about such things. He won’t mention it. He’ll simply end you if he becomes unhappy. If I were you, I would focus on your duties and less on the woman. Stay away from her.”

  Well, that was interesting. What “he” were they referring to? I lifted my eyes and scanned the house for hints of movement. There was nothing.

  That didn’t mean that something evil wasn’t dwelling within the bowels of the house. Even as I wondered, my skin began crawling. This place was evil, and the occupants were definitely up to something.

  I had to find out what.

  GUNNER’S BIKE WAS PARKED IN FRONT of the cabin when I pulled up. It was almost midnight, and I was surprised to find him sitting on the porch, Merlin on his lap. He arched an eyebrow as I dismounted and deposited my helmet on the bench by the front door.

  “A less trusting man might be curious about what his girlfriend was doing out so late,” he supplied as he looked me up and down. “Especially since she said she was going home to watch television and hang out with her cat.”

  “I also said I might talk to the perverted ghost,” I reminded him as I sank into the open chair to his left. “Don’t forget that.”

  “How could I ever forget that?” His expression was unreadable. “I know you’re not about running around with other guys, so I’m guessing you were sticking your nose into the business of others.”

  I watched him a moment, conflicted, and then something occurred to me. “Your father called and ratted me out, didn’t he?”

  Gunner’s face split with a wide grin. “My father does like to tattle. He said you were in Honey’s house. He almost sounded proud that you had the gumption to break in and go through her things.”

  “He didn’t seem proud. He seemed annoyed.”

  “That’s why I said he almost seemed proud.” He waited a beat, his fingers stroking the cat into a coma. “Did you find anything?”

  “As a matter of fact, I did. Were you aware that there’s a supernatural speakeasy in the middle of the woods? It’s called The Dirty Rooster. I thought it might be a strip club at first, but it turns out it’s just a clearing in the forest. It’s protected by a magical barrier, which I broke and had to fix. Mama Moon hangs out there.”

  He arched an eyebrow. “Are you messing with me?”

  “Not even a little.”

  “Well, tell me more.”

  He was being so amiable I did just that. When I finished, he was thoughtful.

  “I know Cedric,” he said after a moment. “I’ve always liked him. He’s a bit persnickety, but when you’re in this business that’s to be expected. I had no idea about the bar, though. I wonder why he kept that secret.”

  “Oh, I know exactly why he kept it secret. They don’t want us in there. They think we’re all law and order over fun ... and they’re mostly right. They were upset about the bog monster. Apparently his name was Lancelot and he had an open tab.”

  That was enough to make Gunner laugh. “Well, that sucks for Cedric.” He dragged his hand through his hair. “I guess I can’t blame them for wanting a place of their own.”

  “They didn’t really give me too much grief ... other than for breaking their barrier. I built a better one for them. They were more agitated by the half-vampires.”

  “I don’t believe I’ve ever dealt with half-vampires. What should we do about them?”

  “I don’t know. I don’t think they’re the real threat, but Melody wants us to believe they are. She’s got a big ego ... and she’s decided to focus on you. She thinks you’ll be of use to her.”

  “Well, she’s not going to get what she wants on that front. You have nothing to worry about ... although I find it cute that you’re jealous.”

  I slid him a dubious glare. “I don’t get jealous.”

  “Green is a good color on you.”

  I rolled my eyes. “Not that I’m not happy to see you, but I thought you were hanging with Brandon tonight.”

  “I did that. I listened to him cry. He got drunk, passed out, and I was stuck there alone thinking about you. It turns out I missed you even more than I thought I would.”

  Even though I was loath to admit it, his words made me go gooey all over. “Well, I guess it’s good you found me then, huh?”

  “That’s what I was thinking.�
� He tilted his head toward the cabin. “You look tired and I’m dead on my feet. How about we turn in for the night and formulate a plan on how to deal with the half-vampires tomorrow?”

  “You read my mind.”

  Somewhere from the trees to the east, I heard a voice. “Leave the curtains open if you’re going to do something dirty.”

  I made a face. “Go away, Tim.”

  “It was just a request.”

  Eleven

  Gunner was awake before me the next morning, still tucked in at my side. He had a lazy smile on his face as he brushed my hair from my forehead.

  “Good morning.”

  To me, there was nothing good about a morning. Sure, I liked getting up as early as my body clock would allow, but that didn’t mean I was happy about it. “Go back to sleep,” I whispered.

  He smirked. “Why? We’re both up. I was thinking we could converse.”

  “Converse, huh? Is that what they’re calling it these days? We can do that in an hour. It’s quiet time.”

  He pursed his lips but said nothing as my eyes drifted shut. His fingers were light as they brushed against my back, rubbing soothing circles. He didn’t say anything. He didn’t move. Other than his hand, he was still.

  “Fine.” I wrenched open my eyes. “Be an animal.”

  He snorted, seemingly genuinely amused. “Believe it or not, when I suggested conversing I meant just that. I’ve been thinking about what happened last night.”

  “Before or after we left the porch?”

  “Before you came home. I’m thinking about the half-vampires. What can you tell me about them?”

  “Oh, so this is a business conversation. You should’ve told me so we could’ve gone to Mable’s Table and written the meal off on our taxes.” I rolled to my back and stretched my arms over my head, groaning as a few joints popped. “What do you want to know?”

  “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a half-vampire. I don’t even know what they are.”

  “I forget how isolated you are up here. It’s basically all shifters and bog monsters all the time.”

  “We have mummies and spriggans, too.”

  “Good point.”

  “If we’re going to have to fight these things, then I want to know their weaknesses.”

  “They’re only half-vampires,” I reminded him. “They’re also half human.”

  “Meaning?”

  “Meaning they can be turned back. They’re not lost causes yet.”

  His brow wrinkled. “How did they become half-vampires?”

  “Vampires are either born or made. The strongest ones are born, but that only occurs when you have two born vampires willing to procreate with one another. Their numbers have thinned over the years. They didn’t even realize it was happening until recently.”

  “That seems like impractical planning.”

  “I don’t disagree. The born vampires are trying to shore up their lines, but it’s an uphill battle. There are a lot of groups out there like us and very few vampires who are willing to play by the rules. They’re being wiped out faster than they can procreate.”

  “Which brings us to the second type of vampires,” he mused.

  I nodded. “To save themselves, the vampires started creating others. These are weaker. They don’t possess the same mind magic as their born counterparts. While they’re stronger than humans, their weaknesses are more pronounced.”

  “Can born vampires walk in the sun?”

  “No. No vampire has managed that. Well, I take that back. There’s an urban legend about a vampire who was gifted with the ability to walk in the sun by a mage. I think that’s a load of bunk, though.”

  “Why do you think that? I’ve never crossed paths with a mage, but they’re supposed to be powerful.”

  “Yeah, but this is beyond even a mage. It would have to be a special mage. Supposedly it happened right here in Michigan.”

  “Well ... that’s interesting. You don’t think that’s the vampire we’re dealing with, do you?”

  “Absolutely not. I don’t know much, but I guarantee this vampire can’t go out in the sun. That’s why he has half-vampires protecting him. They’re the barrier between him and the outside world.”

  “Because they can walk around in daylight?”

  I nodded. “That little booger he’s got as a minion probably helps, too. I can’t wait to rip that guy’s head off.”

  “And you still think you’ve met him before.”

  “I know it.” My temper got the better of me and I started to roll away from him, but his arm snaked out and snagged me around the waist.

  “Fine. I believe you’ve seen him before. I won’t bring it up again.”

  His expression told me otherwise, that he was just saying that because he hadn’t ruled out rolling around and getting sweaty before hopping in the shower. I let it go all the same. I was warm and comfortable. There was no need to ruin that.

  “Go back to the half-vampires,” he prodded. “You still haven’t told me how they were created.”

  “It’s not a big mystery. To turn humans, a vampire has to drain them to the point of death and then force them to drink his or her blood. In this particular case, a healthy human is either forced or willingly drinks vampire blood. No drinking on the other end is required.”

  “Huh.” He wrinkled his nose. “That’s kind of gross. Do you think many humans would willingly drink blood?”

  “It depends on what they’re offered.”

  “For example?”

  “Immortality. On paper, vampires live forever. Many of them have shorter lives than they would’ve if they’d stayed human because they’re wiped out by hunting parties, but the humans who are desperate to stave off death don’t think that far ahead.

  “In some instances it’s humans who have found out they’re terminally ill,” I continued. “Death is so frightening for some that they’ll do anything to make sure it doesn’t happen, even surrendering their souls. In other cases, it’s hubris. Some people think they’re better than others and have the right to live forever because the world will somehow be worse without them.”

  “I take it you’re not interested in living forever.”

  “No. Who would want that?”

  “I might.” He brushed his thumb over my bottom lip, his expression thoughtful. “I mean ... I kind of like the idea of spending eternity with someone, traveling the world and seeing how things change with time. If you’re a vampire, things like global warming and nuclear war are nothing to fear. I’m not saying it’s something I would really do, but it’s interesting to dream about.”

  I studied his angular features for a long time and then sighed. “You’re looking at it through romantic eyes instead of realistic ones.”

  “Oh, really?” His lips quirked. “Well, tell me the reality of it, wise one.”

  “What happens when all the people and animals die? How do the vampires feed? What happens if all the humans are tainted, including the blood? What happens if the night somehow dies and there’s no way to go out because of endless sun? Also, just because the vampires won’t die in a nuclear attack doesn’t mean they won’t be disfigured. Their flesh will be subject to the same issues as human flesh.”

  He made a face. “Well, if you’re going to be a downer about it.”

  I couldn’t stop myself from laughing at his hangdog expression. “I prefer to focus on this life, on making it the best it can possibly be, and not dreaming about something else. Besides, you lose your soul if you become a vampire. They say the born ones have souls, but I’ve yet to see that proven. The made ones definitely don’t have souls.”

  “Yeah. That would suck.” He rubbed his chin.

  “You can’t love without a soul,” I reminded him. “Television and movies might want to argue that point, but that’s one of the few things I believe with my whole heart.”

  “Well, then I definitely want to keep my soul.” He dipped his head in and gave me a soft kiss. When he pulle
d back, he looked resigned. “I’m guessing you’ve already got our morning planned. We should probably get moving.”

  The shift threw me off. “What do you mean?”

  “Oh, don’t pretend you’re not returning to the house on the bluff to mess with them. I might not have known you that long, but I’m getting familiar with how your mind works, and there’s no way you’ll pass up that opportunity.”

  He wasn’t wrong. “We have time for breakfast at Mable’s first. It is on the way.”

  “Sold. But you’re buying.” He gave me another kiss before rolling out of bed and jerking his head toward the bathroom. “We might yet be able to do the conversing you were talking about earlier if you get it in gear. You’ll have to be quick. I’m hungry.”

  I watched him go for a moment, an emotion I wasn’t entirely familiar with washing over me. Was it love? It felt too soon for that. It wasn’t lust, because there was genuine emotion associated with the feeling. I wasn’t sure what to deem it, but adoration came pretty close.

  He was smart, handsome, and always took my feelings into consideration. Nobody was perfect, but I was starting to think he was darned close. I didn’t like putting my feelings out there for others to see, but I was fairly certain I wouldn’t have a choice with him.

  We were bonding, and in a way that made me think it would last forever.

  How’s that for a scary thought?

  MY BELLY FULL OF EGGS AND HASH BROWNS, I was riding high on warm and cuddly emotions when we returned to the house on the hil. The feeling didn’t last long, because I immediately crashed into a barrier when I tried to cross onto the property.

  “Son of a ... !”

  I was too late to warn Gunner, who kept walking and immediately bounced off the wall of magic, flying backward and landing on his perfect behind. “Ow!” He rubbed the spot where he’d landed and flicked his eyes to me. “What is that?”

  “Wards. At least I think.” I raised my hands, calling magic to my fingertips, and tried to push through the barrier. That was a mistake, because the magic came flying back at me twofold and I barely missed being scorched. I had to dive to the side and almost eat a mouthful of dirt thanks to the way I landed.