A bit of a conundrum for a vampire, but she wanted it just the same.

  Oddly, it reassured me.

  I'm used to being the odd witch out. Used to being thought of as weak and unworthy.

  Morgan is the epitome of everything I am not. Immortal. Strong. Confident. Bloodthirsty.

  To know Morgan had the same doubts, the same fears, made mine seem not quite as scary.

  In a weird way, Morgan's fear reassured me the same way Ash had when he'd taken me against the door.

  We had life right now. A tangible force to fight for. And we'd live it the best way we could right up until it was over.

  It didn't matter what Morgan wanted to toast. Whatever the toast was about wasn't insignificant. Our lives, and the little triumphs that made up our lives, were not insignificant. Morgause couldn't take them away from us.

  I raised my beer bottle. "What are we toasting?"

  She was right. My super smart UDBF. Celebrations of any sort needed to be recognized. No matter what.

  Morgan raised her martini glass. It was filled to the top with blood and had a toothpick with three olives sticking sideways off the rim. "To the boys."

  "Here, here." Désirée Norma-Sue lifted her martini glass as well. Hers was filled with a clear liquid. She had three olives as well, but speared with an umbrella toothpick. In bright yellow.

  It took a minute for it to sink in.

  The boys.

  Frog warts. I'd been so caught up in all the drama of the afternoon, I'd forgotten.

  Ash, Drake, Phil and Al had signed papers to start their own business.

  Al should have been here.

  Drake and Phil raised their beer bottles, beaming.

  Ash raised his beer bottle next to me. We clinked bottles. "I signed up for the online course." Ash grinned.

  For a moment I was lost in his amber eyes. The pleasure, the pride and the sheer satisfaction in them.

  Like Morgan, I could read him easily. And Ash was excited about the future.

  Maybe we all were a little delusional. Maybe my unfortunate duck and dodge habit had worn off on them.

  Or maybe we all would survive.

  ****

  "All right," I said. "Spill."

  Morgan set down her bloody martini glass and picked up the toothpick. She bit down on one juicy olive and slid it off the end of the toothpick.

  She chewed, swallowed, took a sip of her blood.

  I tried not to drill my fingers over the top of the table.

  Morgan leaned forward and whispered into my ear. "Morgause is in Virtue."

  A chill ran down my spine freezing every muscle.

  Okay. I know I said I was ready to face Morgause, but I didn't mean this exact moment. I meant I was ready to face her sometime soon.

  The knowledge that Morgause was less than ten miles away from where we were caused my heart to speed up to a palpably critical level.

  Ash picked up my hand and squeezed it. "Kate?"

  I knew he heard my pulse pick up. I knew Drake and Désirée and Phil had as well.

  They'd have to get used to it. I'd have to get used to it. Morgause was a helluva lot closer than I had thought.

  I looked into Morgan's bright emerald eyes, shadowed by the echoes of a pain she'd carried for centuries. Ravaged by time and yet as fresh as if it had happened yesterday.

  I reached over and grabbed her hand, holding onto her as tightly as Ash was holding onto me.

  "Morgause is in Virtue," I repeated it. Loudly. Loud enough for everyone to hear. Loud enough for it to echo around in my brain.

  Désirée Norma-Sue stretched out her hand and placed it over mine and Morgan's.

  "Oh. Shit."

  She's not a fairy to mince words.

  Phil tightened the arm he had over Désirée's shoulder. "What do we need to do?" His words rumbled over the table and into my sternum.

  I didn't exactly know. Phase one of my loosely thought out plan involved finding Morgause. Now that we knew her general vicinity, I wasn't sure how to implement phase two of my plan: confront Morgause and defeat her.

  Confronting her probably wouldn't be that hard. I imagined I'd open some door and she'd be waiting. Defeating her was something entirely different. After weeks of research, I still didn't have any idea how to go about it.

  Morgan hadn't been able to find anything after centuries of research.

  And none of it mattered now. It was either do or die.

  "Kate!"

  I jolted in my seat. I think I would have flown right off if I hadn't been holding hands with Ash and Morgan.

  Ant Leroy jerked to a stop next to the table. "Damn girl, you know what you are doing! Don't sign me up for any more dates. I'm hooked." He pulled his date closer into his side. It was the shoe model. "I canceled my other date. I don't need anything more than Crissy here."

  Ant Leroy leaned down and kissed Crissy. And kissed her. And added a lot of tongue. And kissed her some more.

  I tried to keep myself together.

  After several minutes, Ant Leroy came up for air. He clapped me on the shoulder. "Snake was right when he said you could pick a girl better than any dick."

  If I hadn't been so freaked out, I would have been charmed by the crude compliment.

  I glanced at Crissy. Her blue eyes were still slightly glazed from the kiss. She grinned, sloppy and off-balance and sweetly in love.

  "We're up next." Ant Leroy nodded towards the Karaoke stage. "Thanks again." As they walked away, I noticed Crissy wore the exact same black heeled shoes with the red bow that was tattooed on Ant Leroy's forearm. Sweet Spirits, it had to be love at first sight.

  Désirée Norma-Sue sighed. "You're a damn good matchmaker, Kate."

  I watched Ant Leroy and Crissy and wanted to sigh, too. I really was a great matchmaker. And I wanted to keep finding matches for people.

  I turned back to Désirée, opened my mouth and snapped it shut.

  Désirée Norma-Sue looked as if she had just sucked hard on a lemon. Morgan's hand tensed in mine.

  I locked my jaw. I didn't need to turn around to see who was behind me. I didn't have the patience or the fortitude to deal with Lana Jacobs right now. I was saving it all up for Morgause.

  "Kate."

  Lana sounded as if she'd swallowed her broom. And was still choking on the bristles.

  I didn't have time for this. I needed to know if Morgan knew Morgause's exact location and if we could come up with a plan. Any plan.

  I heard my clock ticking. Tick. Tock.

  Tick. Tock.

  The seconds were counting down quicker and quicker.

  "I know you heard me." Lana poked my shoulder. "Don't you want to know what I have to say?"

  No. I really, really didn't.

  Morgause could be on her way here right now. I looked at Ash's sin. He'd taken off his jacket the moment we sat down. His sin twisted and turned. The red flames glowed.

  A lodestone for black magic.

  It was going to draw Morgause to us and we had to figure out how we were going to face her.

  Trading insults with Lana Jacobs was not on my list of things I needed to do in the next five minutes.

  "I was wrong."

  I froze, wondered if the stress and tension were affecting my senses.

  "What?" I finally turned to face her.

  Lana stood just behind me. Her arm over the shoulders of a rather tall, but still short, gnome. He had a full head of black hair and bright blue eyes that twinkled merrily at me. His arm was around Lana's waist.

  Lana glared at me. I saw the gnomes' arm tighten briefly. Lana looked down at him and, miracle of miracles, she smiled. Her entire face softened, and when she looked back at me there was something in her eyes I never thought I'd see.

  Joy.

  "I said I was wrong," Lana repeated. "You are a good matchmaker. And I wanted to thank you."

  Lana nodded briefly at Morgan and she and the gnome walked away.

  I saw then what I had seen, but hadn't processed with Ant Leroy. Colorful fairy sparkles.

  No wonder Lana and Ant Leroy both knew right away.

  True Love.

  I'd found them both True Love matches.

  I wanted to gloat. To jump up and yell at Lana that I was right and she had always been wrong.

  I couldn’t do it.

  She was too happy for me to feel anything other than happiness myself.

  I guess I was the better witch.

  Morgan tugged on my hand. I turned around to my circle of friends. Each of us supporting the other.

  I looked at Ash. Into his amber eyes.

  I nodded. "All right. Here's the plan."

  28. Good Friends.

  "But I want to be there!" Désirée Norma-Sue protested.

  Phil shifted next to her. His chair groaned alarmingly.

  "Right." Désirée nodded as if he'd spoken. "We want to be there."

  I had to swallow before I was able to say, "I need you to be there for Al in case anything happens."

  "What about your aunt? Shouldn't she be the one to take Al?"

  I'd been trying to outline my plan in optimistic terms so everyone, including my inner witch, would feel reassured and react accordingly. As if we were all going to survive the upcoming battle.

  My plan involved us going back to my apartment, giving Al a kiss–Morgan and I wanted to kiss him; Ash and Drake said they would refrain–leaving Désirée and Phil with Al while Morgan, Drake, Ash and I would drive to a clearing in the woods to wait for Morgause. It was fairly straight forward and we were all convinced it would work. Morgause was more than likely tracking Ash right now.

  I didn't want to put things in black and white. Outline the end results of B if Plan A didn't go well. I wanted to stick to Plan A–where we all lived and Morgause didn't and the curse was broken. I really, really liked that plan. The possibilities of B–where we all died–were far too grim.

  "Let's call your aunt. Then Phil and I can go with you."

  Unfortunately, my sweet, innocent secretary didn't seem to grasp any possible aspect of B. I was going to have to explain it to her.

  "Désirée, Morgause is after Aunt Tabitha, too. If something happens to us–" I looked into her fiercely frowning eyes. "–if we don't make it, Morgause will go after my aunt as well. She wants to wipe out every last speck of DNA that had anything to do with her son's death. I have to know that Al is going to be okay no matter what." Al was innocent in my problems.

  Désirée started to protest. I picked up her hand. She seemed oblivious to the risks we faced. "If you and Phil are with us, Morgause will go after you too."

  I looked over at Morgan. Shadows swam through her emerald eyes. Memories of ancient times. Echoes of the same determination, the same fear, I felt.

  "I know, Sugah." Désirée Norma-Sue patted my hand, bringing my attention back to her. "The more help you have, the better chance you have."

  Sweet Spirits, I'd been thinking the same thing all along. But Désirée didn't seem to understand what she was offering.

  "You and Phil could be killed," I stated bluntly. "Morgause won't hesitate to slaughter anyone who gets in her way. As painfully as possible"

  I sincerely hoped I would get the chance to work on my social skills because I was clearly short on compassion and diplomacy.

  "I know the risks." Désirée Norma-Sue huffed. Phil's chair creaked again. "We know the risks."

  I dropped her hand like a hot cauldron and sat back in my chair.

  Désirée was one smart fairy. I didn't understand. Why would she keep saying she wanted to help if she knew the risks?

  "You were there for me, Kate." Désirée Norma-Sue said. She leaned forward, her entire body vibrating with emotion. "You came to my rescue when I needed you. I know the risks involved." Phil didn't even have to move this time. "We know the risks involved and we want to help. You're my friend. I love you. "

  I was stunned.

  I knew the importance of friendship. To others it might seem like a give or take, but to me, to the witch who has been shunned and bullied, it's something to be treasured. Something to protect at all costs. Something I'll kill to defend.

  Yes, I had raced to Désirée's rescue when she'd been kidnapped by her crazy ex-fiancé. And, yes, I had been ready to kill him if necessary. I consider Désirée Norma-Sue a friend.

  That's how I feel. How I've always felt.

  I knew Morgan felt the same. We're UDBFs after all.

  And we've killed to keep the other safe. We were planning to kill Morgause.

  Killing Morgause is not just about saving my own life. Or breaking the curse. It's also about keeping Morgan safe. And Aunt Tabs and anyone else that evil witch might go after.

  I will do anything, lay down my own life if necessary, to keep them safe. The family and friends I love and care about.

  I had no idea I could reach that level of importance to someone else. Someone other than my aunt, my UDBF, Al and Ash.

  I have more fingers than friends and family who love me. Or I had. Now it looked as if things had changed.

  I'm so used to being shunned, it shocks me when I'm accepted. To be treasured the way I treasured her, to be considered worthy, floored me.

  I had no idea how I'd gotten so lucky.

  I looked at Phil. He nodded. "We're with you." He glanced at everyone around the table. "We're with all of you. It's time someone took care of this witch."

  Sweet Glinda, Désirée Norma-Sue and Phil were going to bring me to tears. I didn't have time to be weepy.

  I turned to Morgan, expecting her to take it all in. She has this nonchalance about life. A been-there-done-that (and-that-and-that-and-that-several-times-over) attitude she's acquired over the long centuries of her life. I've drawn strength and comfort from it more times than I can say.

  Morgan's green eyes shone bright with unshed tears. She wiped one pale, slim finger under each eye.

  Well, shit.

  "I love you, too," I said to Désirée. "I love you all. Every single one of you." Ash slid his hand under my curls and squeezed my neck. "You're my friends. My family. And I don't know what I would do without you in my life." I made a fist and tapped the table. "But we don't have time for this." I could not believe the words were coming out of my mouth. "We have a battle to prepare for and, Désirée, I need you and Phil to stay with Al."

  I don't consider myself the strong witch. I tend to think of myself as weak. Compared to the HC, I am weak.

  Embrace the lie.

  Charles Clayton was a certified genius.

  I stuck my hand out, palm down. "Let's do this."

  Ash's large hand covered mine. Then Morgan's, Drake's, Désirée's and Phil's.

  I was tempted to borrow the marines’ battle cry and shout, "Ooorah!" but I was afraid my lie might be a little wobbly. The show of emotion made me both stronger and weaker.

  I needed the stronger side to stay in control.

  29. A Chihuahua-Napping.

  "Al's going to be suspicious," Morgan stated from behind me.

  "I know." My heart gave a painful twist. I ignored it and stopped at the last step before my front door.

  "And he's going to be upset," Morgan continued. "If we don't . . ."

  We both paused. My hand on the doorknob. Morgan standing one step below me.

  Morgan didn't finish her sentence. We both knew what she'd been planning to say.

  The door at the bottom of the stairs opened. Ash, Drake, Désirée and Phil were following at a slower pace to give Morgan and I a little time alone with Al first.

  I stared at the closed door in front of me. "I know. But at least he'll be alive."

  I unlocked the door and walked in. "Al?"

  Funny.

  I checked the time. It wasn't late at all. The wolf marathon was supposed to go until midnight. Why was the TV off?

  I entered the living room. No Al.

  Could he have gone outside and the door closed behind him? I was almost certain I'd shut the deck door, but Al always met me within seconds after I arrived home. The eerie silence sent a chill down my spine.

  "Where is he?" I heard the same worry I felt in Morgan's voice.

  I shook my head, already running to the deck. The sun had gone down a while ago. He'd be cold and . . . I yanked open the door. No Al.

  Gathering up my magic I sent it out. Searching every room, every nook and cranny in my apartment. Then I cast it further. To my neighbors. To the houses beyond theirs. And further still.

  An icy chill filled my body.

  "Kate?"

  I shook my head at Morgan. I needed to concentrate. I couldn't talk. I had to find Al. My fingers shook. I sent my magic out farther and farther.

  "Kate. You need to see this."

  There was something in her tone, a void I'd never heard.

  I dropped my magic and turned. Morgan held a piece of paper in her pale hand. Her eyes blazed and her skin glowed faintly. The way it did when she was enraged.

  I took the paper.

  There were two sentences written in red. Two sentences and eight words that changed everything.

  "I have Al. We're at Love Required." It was signed "Nina."

  I wasn't aware of letting it go. I watched the paper flutter to the floor. The red letters flashing up at me.

  I'd discounted her.

  Désirée Norma-Sue had warned me that desperate people could do desperate things. And yet I'd felt Nina's pain, empathized with her emotions and left the scales where they were, balanced between friend or foe. Thinking I had time to make up my mind about her.

  And now Al was paying for my mistake.

  "Where's Al?" Ash stopped in the doorway, looking between myself and Morgan, a puzzled frown on his face.

  I started to shake.

  Sweet Spirits, he was so small. He weighed less than six pounds. A drop from two-feet could hurt him.

  The shaking grew worse.

  A careless twist of a hand could break one of his legs. His neck.

  He couldn't defend himself. He didn't have the bite force of a wolf. He couldn't even pick up a tennis ball.

  "He's gone." I didn't recognize the voice as mine. Raw, stripped of anything civilized, trembling with emotion, my voice echoed as if it came from far away. "Nina Georgette took him. She's waiting for us at Love Required."

 

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