“You drank his blood, and that’s the only reason you’re alive right now… all thanks to him,” Wanda supplied.

  “Roscoe,” Betanya started, and her voice was deep, almost gravelly. I had to wonder if it were naturally like that or if such was owing to how close she’d come to death.

  “There are protection wards surrounding this property—a Sanctum Spell,” Wanda informed her. “Therefore, Roscoe can’t get to you here, but he’s still roaming free and we have to get to him—”

  “Before he gets to me,” Betanya finished.

  “Yes,” Wanda nodded. It was then that Betanya looked up at Wanda again.

  “You’re a Blood Witch?”

  Wanda nodded. “Same as you.”

  If Betanya seemed surprised, she didn’t say anything, just nodded slowly, as if in her current state of exhaustion, nodding was all she could manage.

  “What year is it?”

  “2021,” Wanda answered. “You’ve been inside the void for over forty years.”

  Betanya nodded again and didn’t seem all that surprised by the news. Then she sighed as she looked up at Wanda and offered her a smile.

  “What’s your name?”

  “Wanda Depraysie and this is my home. You’re now under my protection.”

  “Depraysie!” Betanya said as the tone of her voice raised and she glared at Wanda. Fire began to burn in her eyes. “A relation to Celestine Depraysie?”

  Wanda only smiled. “My mother.”

  “Then you can be no friend to me,” Betanya snarled, and started to get up again, but Florence placed both her hands on Betanya’s shoulders and pushed her firmly back into the couch. Betanya remained there, owing to Florence’s zombie strength.

  “You will not speak ill of Celestine Depraysie in this house!” Hellcat roared and then hissed at Betanya.

  Wanda ignored the little nuisance and continued facing Betanya.

  “I’ve been kicked out of the Crescent Circle Coven for the same reason you were,” Wanda said. “Because of what… I am.”

  “Then your mother,” Betanya started.

  “Is the one who kicked me out. Needless to say, we aren’t close.”

  Betanya nodded, and I turned to face Henner, who took a step forward. I was more than sure he wanted to introduce himself, but was trying to judge the best moment to do so. He paused beside me, and we both watched Wanda as she offered Betanya an encouraging smile.

  “You and I are on the same team, Betanya,” she said. “In fact, I’ve been reading your journals, trying to find a way to break the blood bond between Lorcan and me.”

  Betanya shot another venomous glance toward Lorcan. “Once they taste your blood, they won’t stop until they devour you.”

  “Not all of us are like Roscoe,” Lorcan replied with a brief shrug and didn’t appear to be offended.

  “Lorcan has been helping me search for a way to break the blood bond,” Wanda explained. “He’s protected me countless times, even at the risk of alienating his own kind. He’s supported me through the worst. He’s a good man.”

  “He’s still a vampire,” Betanya said.

  “And a corpse,” Hellcat added before returning to grooming his paws.

  I reached out my hand to Betanya and introduced myself. “I’m Poppy Morton and this is my son, Finn.”

  “Hi,” Finn said.

  “A gypsy?” Betanya asked as she studied me with narrowed eyes, no doubt fully aware of the fact that gypsies and witches were like oil and water.

  “Yes, a gypsy,” Wanda answered. “And my closest friend in Haven Hollow.”

  I was surprised to hear her say as much and shot her a curious glance, but her gaze still rested on Betanya.

  “Und I am Olga Fischer,” Olga said as she introduced herself. “I, too, have been banished from zee coven.”

  “Then you’ve formed your own coven here, in Haven Hollow?” Betanya asked Wanda.

  Wanda shook her head. “Well, no, not exactly.”

  “Not yet,” Astrid nearly interrupted and then introduced herself.

  “A red-headed witch,” Betanya said, and gave Astrid a smile. Astrid just nodded and there was something interesting in Betanya’s eyes—pride maybe. I was more than sure that pride was owing to the fact that redheaded witches were rare and they were usually very powerful.

  “I don’t know if you’ll remember me, Betanya, but I’m Roy,” the man in question offered, as he gave Betanya a little smile and a wave.

  “The sasquatch,” Betanya said, and Roy just nodded. “I remember you.”

  “Wait,” I said as I faced Roy in confusion. “You know each other?”

  Roy nodded. “I was alive when Betanya went… missing.” He faced Betanya again. “It’s good,” he started, and then cleared his throat. “It’s good to see you again… we’d all assumed you’d gone missing.”

  “You mean you assumed I was dead?” Betanya asked on a laugh.

  Roy just nodded.

  “And here I am,” Betanya offered with a weak smile. Then she inhaled deeply. “It seems many things have changed since I’ve been away.”

  “And we will help you understand and process all those changes in time,” I answered with a smile. “We’re your friends, Betanya, and we want to help you.” I took a breath. “And… on that note, there’s someone special you need to meet.”

  I turned to face Henner and reached out my hand to him, pulling him up closer to Betanya. When Betanya looked at him, there was something in her eyes that softened, something that said she knew him immediately.

  “I’m Henner,” he started, and then paused. “Henner Tayir.”

  “Henner Tayir,” Betanya repeated, and a smile softened her lips. “My grandson… I haven’t seen you since you were just a boy.”

  He nodded, and she opened her arms to him as he reached out and gathered her into his.

  Chapter Eleven

  Roy wasn’t the only person who remembered Betanya. As soon as Libby made her acquaintance, they recognized each other. I couldn’t imagine how strange it must have been for Betanya to experience a world she no longer knew anything about—a world that had evolved and changed. A world that had moved on without her and, all the while, she’d been stuck in a void of her own making.

  As soon as Libby and Florence made each other’s acquaintance, they seemed like long lost sisters and immediately starting fussing over something Libby was cooking for Betanya in the kitchen. Darla appeared to be a little left out but then busied herself with flirting (completely shamelessly, I might add) with Henner. The latter was really trying to focus on his grandmother, but Darla didn’t seem to notice and prattled on endlessly about this, that, and the other.

  As if mimicking Darla’s nonstop chatter, there was a slight rumble from the sky outside and seconds later, the heavens opened up and a light rain started falling. A few seconds later, the light rain turned into not-so-light-rain.

  “I have to go after Roscoe,” Betanya said, nodding as I handed her a glass of water. It had been forty years since Betanya had eaten anything, owing to the fact that her magic kept her alive in the veil. So, now, she was understandably hungry. And, of course, Libby had been all too happy to whip something up for her.

  “That’s exactly what Roscoe wants,” Florence said as she patted Betanya’s arm. “He wants you to come out of hiding and show yourself to him.”

  “You’re right, Florence,” I said and faced Betanya, “If Roscoe came across you now…”

  “He’d turn me,” she finished for me, nodding. “I’d be too weak to fight him off.”

  “Well, luckily for you, you aren’t alone,” Wanda said as she motioned to everyone in the room. “You have all of us in your court now.”

  Betanya nodded and tried to smile, but I could see it was a struggle. “And for that, I’m grateful.”

  “Regardless, though, we have to find Roscoe,” Wanda finished. That was when she apparently remembered it was the brink of daytime and Lorcan was a vampire, because she turned to face him with concern in her expression.

  “It’s raining, my love, thus I do not believe I have anything to fear from the sun.”

  “Right,” Wanda answered as she looked outside as if to double-check the conditions and the heavens thundered in response, unleashing a bolt of lightning. “Then we’re all ready to go find a sadistic vampire.”

  Betanya sank onto the couch and rested her head in her hands. “And yet I feel like I can’t even stand up unassisted,” she said, looking up at us as she shook her head. “I’m exhausted.”

  “You’re still healing,” Lorcan told her. “And what you require to regain your strength is sleep.”

  “And you shouldn’t be sleeping on the couch,” Wanda added. “You should be in a proper bed where you can actually get some sleep.”

  “I’m a danger to all of you,” Betanya said, shaking her head again, this time on a sigh. “I shouldn’t be here at all.”

  “You won’t be safe in your own home,” Wanda argued. “It would be too easy for Roscoe to find you, and the place isn’t protected by magic. My house is.”

  “While that might be so, it doesn’t change the fact that having me around puts you all in jeopardy.”

  I turned to look at Wanda. “Betanya has a good point.”

  “If we bolstered the wards and protections on your house, could Astrid stay with you for a little while?” Wanda asked, her thoughts clearly on Astrid, just as mine were on Finn.

  “Uh...” Marty interrupted. “I know I’m just a mundane and you all are the magical ones, but I think Astrid would be safer at my house… or RJ’s.” He turned to face me. “Finn too, Poppy.” I nodded as he continued. “Your house is too close to Wanda’s and, in this case, it would be best not to take any chances.” He faced Wanda then. “What if you warded my house instead?”

  “Or Astrid and Finn could both stay with me,” Roy suddenly offered, stepping forward.

  “But, what about the bar?” I asked.

  Roy shook his head. “Their safety is more important.”

  “I think… I think we’ll need you to help us with Roscoe,” I answered.

  “Finn and Astrid will be fine with me,” Marty insisted, giving Roy an expression that Roy gave right back to him.

  Ugh, men.

  I faced Marty then, because he was really the only choice since we needed Roy and he was right—my house was too close to Wanda’s, too close to Betanya. “Would you mind having them stay with you? Just for a couple of days?”

  Marty beamed at me. “Of course not. I’d be delighted.”

  “Und I can veave zee magic of zee vards,” Olga offered with a quick nod.

  Wanda looked at her and smiled. “Which saves me the time of having to do it myself.” Olga just nodded again as Wanda clapped her hands together. “Then that settles it. If you give me a moment, Marty, I’ll pack Astrid’s things and send them with you,” Wanda said as she helped Betanya up and then walked her down the hall to Astrid’s bedroom.

  “I’ll need to pack Finn’s things too,” I said as I faced Marty.

  He smiled at me. “You know… you could always stay with me too.”

  “She, uh, she doesn’t need to do that,” Roy answered immediately, taking a step towards me.

  Marty looked up at him and frowned. “Poppy’s not any safer in her house than Finn is.”

  “She can stay with me,” Roy said, his lips as tight as his narrowed eyes. “I can protect her better than anyone can.”

  “Well, that is debatable,” Lorcan started.

  Roy glared at him. “You sleep during the day.”

  Lorcan cocked his head to the side and nodded. “I suppose that is true.”

  Just then, Wanda returned with a large pink duffel bag that was crammed to the brim with clothing and bathroom incidentals. She handed it to Marty who slung it over his shoulder.

  “I’m not staying with anyone,” I insisted.

  “Mom,” Finn said, giving me an expression of worry.

  “Finn’s right to be concerned,” Wanda said and looked at me in that knowing way of hers. “I think it would be best if you stayed with me because your house isn’t protected and we don’t have the time to ward both Marty’s house and yours.”

  “But, where—” I started.

  “We could make room for you in the living room.”

  “Or you could stay with us!” Darla offered excitedly, but at the prospect of staying with Darla and Libby, I’d rather take my chances with Roscoe.

  “I have a blow up mattress,” Marty added.

  “Or you could just stay with me,” Roy said.

  I looked at Roy and shook my head. “I don’t… I don’t think that’s a good idea.” Then I took a deep breath and faced everyone. “I think Wanda is right—I’m going to stay with her.”

  Marty nodded. “Well, I’ll take care of Finn and Astrid as if they were my own.”

  “I know you will.” I gave him a smile and was suddenly incredibly grateful for him. He was truly the best sort of friend.

  ***

  A couple of hours later, Olga had finished her protection warding spell on Marty’s house and I’d gotten both Finn and Astrid all settled in. Darla had also opted to stay with them, probably because she wanted to flirt with Marty.

  Now, it was time for Olga and me to return to Wanda’s. As I walked towards the Jeep, with Olga right beside me, Marty took a step nearer to me and grabbed my arm, pulling me aside.

  “I want you to promise me something, Pops.” He dropped his voice to a confidential whisper.

  “What?”

  “I want you to promise me you won’t do anything stupid when it comes to searching for Roscoe.” He gave me a broad smile. “Just remember, you might be magical, but you’re also still human.”

  “What makes you think I’d do something stupid?”

  “I’m just worried about you,” he answered on a sigh as he shook his head and wore his worry in the frown on his lips and the creases in his forehead.

  “Marty,” I started, but he interrupted.

  “We’re all used to Lorcan’s kind of vampire—the reasonable, considerate, caring, sort of rational person who helps his neighbors and protects the lives of those he cares about. Roscoe is nothing like Lorcan. I mean… he’s insane. He’s more than insane. He’s bloodthirsty, vindictive, murderous, and sadistic.”

  I nodded because he had a point and he didn’t even know just how powerful Roscoe really was, owing to the fact that he’d been absorbing Betanya’s magic all these years. “Yeah. I know.”

  Marty shook his head. “If it were up to me, I wouldn’t want you going after him at all.”

  “Somebody has to do something,” I pointed out, frowning, because while I appreciated his caring, I didn’t appreciate his doubts. I knew what we were up against and it wasn’t like I was going to treat Roscoe like a goofy Golden Retriever. I knew what he was—what he was capable of. I’d seen it with my own eyes.

  “Let the others deal with it, Poppy.”

  I shook my head again. “I can’t just sit back and not help.”

  Marty shrugged. “I know. I’m just… if anything happened to you, Poppy…” Apparently, he couldn’t finish the sentence.

  I took his hand and smiled up at him. “I’m going to be careful.”

  “Okay,” he breathed. “I guess I have to live with that.”

  “I don’t want to put myself in danger—if for no other reason than for Finn.”

  “I would hope for me too,” he answered and gave me a strange expression, one I didn’t understand and didn’t have time to understand presently.

  “Anyway, Olga and I should get back,” I started as Marty nodded and gave me a weak smile.

  ***

  “I can’t believe it,” Wanda breathed, shaking her head as she paced her living room. Olga and I had just returned and Roy, Libby and Lorcan were still present and accounted for. Florence and Henner were keeping watch over Betanya in Astrid’s bedroom. The only reason Lorcan was still up when it was now nine in the morning, was owing to the fact that it was dark and miserable outside.

  “There is nothing good about the re-appearance of another Blood Witch,” Hellcat mewed from his spot on the armchair beside the couch.

  “Oh, stick a paw in it,” Wanda called to him over her shoulder.

  “I can’t believe Betanya’s really here—alive—right under my roof!” she continued. “I never would have thought it was even possible.”

  “It’s beyond good news,” I agreed.

  “But it leaves open zee question of what you vill do with Betanya und me,” Olga said as she faced Wanda.

  Wanda nodded, but then waved Olga’s question away. “I can’t think about that right now.” She turned to face Lorcan. “Do you realize what this means for us? For the blood bond?”

  “Don’t get your hopes up,” Lorcan answered, and the expression on his face was one of concern. “Bringing Betanya back doesn’t guarantee we’ll be able to break the blood bond. If you recall—”

  “She never broke it, yes, I know,” Wanda finished in a snarky tone and then breathed out her frustration on a sigh.

  I reached out and patted her arm. “Even though Betanya’s being alive might not solve the issues with the blood bond, it’s still a big improvement on what was once impossible, isn’t it?”

  Wanda nodded. “All right, no more talking. We need to find Roscoe.”

  “And how are we going to do that when you can’t scry Roscoe’s location?” I asked.

  “I might not be able to locate him, but we have an alternative,” she answered.

  “What’s our alternative?”

  “Lorcan.”

  “Lorcan?” I repeated. “Um…”

  “Please keep your overarching confidence in my abilities to yourself,” Lorcan said as he frowned at me.

  “I’m sorry, I just…” I turned back to face Wanda. “I’m not sure how Lorcan is really going to be able to help us.”

  “Well, witch magic doesn’t seem to work on Roscoe, owing to the witch blood flowing through him so,” Wanda started.