“Finn is going to be so worried!”

  “Don’t worry about Finn,” Marty said, smiling. “I called him to let him know you’d be gone all day, even though I wasn’t sure when you’d be back. He’s happily playing video games with Astrid.”

  Satisfied with Marty’s response, I turned towards the hearse and all three of us piled in while Marty fired up the engine as I reached for the phone in my pocket and dialed Roy. He answered on the second ring and once I explained the situation, said he’d leave the Half-Moon immediately to go keep watch over Astrid and Finn, well, and Darla and Libby, too.

  After I hung up with Roy, I could breathe a sigh of relief. Well, momentary relief, anyway. Next, I dialed Olga, and she was more than willing to help us.

  “We need to swing by and pick up Olga after we pick up Lorcan,” I informed Marty.

  “Do you mind telling me what the hell is going on?” Marty asked once we were on the highway, heading back towards Haven Hollow and Lorcan’s office. The sky was completely overcast and dark, so I was hopeful Lorcan would be in residence.

  “We’ve got a massive situation on our hands.”

  “What sort of massive situation?” Henner asked from the rear of the hearse.

  I took a deep breath as I thought about the best way to inform Henner that his grandmother was still alive—or still mostly alive. “Wanda and I… found Betanya Tayir,” I managed.

  Henner gaped at me, and Marty almost drove off the highway.

  “What?” they asked in unison.

  “How?” Henner asked, shaking his head as if to say he was in shock.

  So I explained everything I knew so far—from the moment Wanda and I entered the veil to the moment we’d met Florence and then, finally, when we’d come across Betanya. Even though I didn’t want to explain how badly off Betanya appeared, I also didn’t want to give Henner false hope, so I told him she was hurt.

  “How bad is it?” he asked in a weak voice.

  “I don’t know,” I answered honestly. “But, Roscoe got to her before he escaped the veil.”

  Henner nodded and grew silent. It was at least five seconds before he spoke again.

  “All this time, I’d silently hoped she was alive, but this is… it’s almost too much to believe!”

  “Well, it’s not all good news,” I continued. “Like I said, Roscoe escaped, and he’s wandering Haven Hollow. He’s the weird guy everyone’s been seeing around town.” I cleared my throat because I knew this next part would be tough for Henner to hear. “And… he murdered Mrs. Nicholson.”

  “I’m… I don’t even know what to say,” Henner answered, and seemed deeply saddened. “Mrs. Nicholson was like family to me… I’ve known her my whole life.”

  He didn’t say anything after that, but I could tell by the expression on his face that he was deeply upset by the news. And of course it made sense—her death had been an awful one. I kept that little tidbit to myself, but I was sure Henner was busily painting his own picture.

  “So how do we get Roscoe back into the maze?” Marty asked.

  “We don’t get Roscoe back into the maze. We need to destroy him.”

  “And how do we do that?” Marty asked.

  “According to Florence, Betanya’s zombie, Betanya’s the only person who can destroy him.”

  “So what was the reason Roscoe was looking into everyone’s windows?” Henner asked.

  “Well, I don’t know for sure, but when I asked Florence, she could only guess that Roscoe must have thought Betanya had fled the maze too, and that she was somewhere in Haven Hollow. He was searching for her.” I paused for a second or so. “Apparently, Roscoe is sort of… a raving lunatic at this point. Living so long with the blood bond unbroken has completely deprived him of any sort of rational logic. He’s basically a feral animal.”

  “Great,” Marty grumbled.

  He skidded to the curb in front of Lorcan’s office and didn’t slow quickly enough, so the hearse hopped the curb a bit before chunking into the parking spot. I wasted no time and sprang from the passenger door, running full bore for the double doors leading into Lorcan’s dental office. Throwing them open, I didn’t bother with Lorcan’s assistant at the front desk. Instead, I ran past her and yelled out Lorcan’s name. The man in question appeared momentarily, emerging from one of his offices.

  “Well, if it isn’t Potion Poppy!”

  “Lorcan!” I blurted, shaking my head to let him know this wasn’t the time for inconsequential pleasantries. “I need your help. Wanda needs your help.”

  His smile fell instantly. “Is she hurt?”

  “She’s okay,” I answered, and then started leading him back down the hallway. “But I need you to come with me right away.”

  Without another question, Lorcan followed me out of his office, down the pathway and climbed into the back of the hearse, but didn’t get into his empty coffin—even though I half-expected him to. Of course, with the dark sky, he didn’t need to take cover in the thing. He gave Henner and Marty each a brief nod and then faced me once I was seated and belted in.

  I explained everything, and to Lorcan’s credit, he responded with a few head nods and seemed to take everything in stride. Of course, that was Lorcan’s way. He was one of those people who didn’t appear to allow the little things to get under his skin—just the opposite of Wanda, which was yet another reason why they were so good together.

  We immediately headed for one of Lorcan’s rental properties, where Olga Fischer was currently residing, until Wanda figured out what to do with her. According to the Sanctum Spell rules, there could only be one witch living in Haven Hollow and that position was already filled by Wanda, herself. I had a feeling Wanda would solve the issue by forming her own coven, but that subject was still up in the air for now.

  Olga was waiting for us outside her house with Franz, her familiar, by her side. Spotting us, she hurried into the hearse and I explained the whole situation to both of them, though I doubted Franz understood one word because he only understood German.

  When we arrived in front of Betanya’s house, Henner led us through the massive mansion and back into the washroom, which was a good thing because I was fairly sure if it were left up to me, I would’ve gotten us all lost.

  “Have you traveled into a veil before?” I asked Olga.

  “Ya,” she answered with a succinct nod. That was enough for me.

  “Wait for us here,” I told Marty and Henner when we stood in front of the door behind the ironing table. “It might take us a while to return like last time.”

  “We’ll be here,” Henner said as Marty reached out and pulled me into his arms again, whispering into my ear, “Be careful, Pops.”

  I nodded and gave him a quick smile before I turned to face the doorway into the veil once more. Taking a deep breath, I anointed the doorway with the Mystic Veil one more time, just to be certain the potion was active enough to allow us through. Then I anointed Lorcan, Olga, and myself before corking the potion and plopping it back inside my pocket to ensure we’d be able to get back out again. After saying a silent prayer and hoping everything would go as planned, I took each of their hands.

  “Ready?”

  Lorcan and Olga nodded, so we stepped through the breach.

  The instant my foot touched down inside Betanya’s maze, my palm started towing me forward, as if an invisible string were tied around it and someone was pulling on the opposite end. It was the connection between Wanda and me, forged by the Mystic Veil and her blood magic.

  “This way,” I said as I started hurrying through the labyrinth, Lorcan and Olga right behind me.

  Lorcan reared back when we came upon Mrs. Nicholson’s body.

  “What the devil happened to this poor soul?” he asked as he slowed and I cursed myself for not having remembered to warn them about the body.

  “We can’t do anything for her now, Lorcan.”

  But he didn’t budge. “My God, her throat’s been torn out!”

  “Yes,” I agreed, but kept going.

  “Zee awful vampire did zis?” Olga asked me.

  I nodded and tugged them both forward. “Come on. We can’t help her, but we can help Betanya.”

  ***

  We burst into the chamber where Wanda and Florence waited for us. As soon as Wanda looked up to see us, she sprang to her feet and rushed Lorcan. I wasn’t sure what to expect, but her throwing her arms around his neck and kissing him wasn’t it.

  “You came!” she called out with a giant smile as soon as she divorced her lips from his. If I were surprised, Lorcan appeared even more so.

  “Of course, my darling,” he answered and kissed her again just as enthusiastically. “I would cross into the depths of hell itself were you there.”

  “Okay, Romeo and Juliet,” I started. “Focus please.”

  Wanda appeared to remember herself and immediately separated from Lorcan, a rose blush stealing over her cheeks. She cleared her throat and ran her hands down the front of her pants as she gave me a little embarrassed smile.

  “Yes, right,” she said and refused to look at Lorcan, who simply looked down at her with a huge grin.

  That was when she noticed Olga.

  “Olga?” she questioned and appeared surprised to see the older witch.

  “I thought we needed all the magical manpower we could get,” I explained as I smiled at Olga, who returned it. “Or, magical womanpower, in this case.”

  Wanda looked at me, then Olga, and nodded. “Unfortunately, only Betanya’s magic will work while we’re within the maze, but I’d rather have you here, Olga, than not.”

  “Und I am happy to be here.”

  “Lorcan and Olga, this is Florence,” I said as I motioned to the other woman in the room.

  “Pleased to meet you,” Lorcan started, as he took Florence’s hand. As soon as he touched her, her eyes went wide.

  “You’re a vampire!” she started, as her gaze clouded with panic. She immediately dropped his hand and pulled away from him.

  “It’s okay, Florence,” Wanda said as she placed a hand on the zombie and quieted her. I had to wonder if Wanda’s being a Blood Witch had some sort of control over Florence or if Florence’s change in demeanor was just purely owing to Wanda being Wanda.

  “Lorcan is here to rescue Betanya,” I said. “Not harm her.”

  “If Wanda trusts you, then I can too,” Florence said as she looked at Lorcan, apparently caring little for my vote of confidence.

  “I trust zee vampire az vell,” Olga added and gave Florence a quick nod. “Und I am a vitch.”

  Florence then gave Lorcan a quick but still somewhat reserved smile before she glanced down at her maker.

  “Can you save her?”

  Lorcan’s eyes settled on Betanya as Wanda took his hand and pulled him down to his knees, where he could better inspect the still witch. When Wanda looked up at him, her eyes were hopeful.

  “She’s lost a lot of blood and she’s weak,” Wanda said.

  Lorcan further knelt down beside Betanya and touched her pale cheek. He studied her for a moment or two before he looked up at Wanda again.

  “She doesn’t have much blood left.”

  Wanda nodded. “Roscoe really did a number on her—it was enough to weaken her magic which weakened the strength of the wards which bound him to this maze.”

  “Ah, right, that’s how he got out?” Lorcan asked. “At least, that’s what Poppy said.”

  Wanda nodded. “That’s how he got out.”

  “You can bring her back, can’t you?” I asked Lorcan.

  “I can certainly try.”

  Wanda raised her eyes to his and there was something in them that looked a lot like adoration, trust and… and love. And it was about damned time.

  “How will you help her?” I asked him.

  He looked at me and shrugged, as if the answer were obvious. “I shall donate my blood.”

  I nodded as Wanda chewed her lower lip. “If you donate your blood to Betanya, would you somehow override Roscoe’s claim on her?” she asked. “Would you become her new sire?”

  Even though she posed the question the way she did, I was more than sure she was really asking if giving Betanya his blood would make Lorcan desire her, just as he desired Wanda. No doubt, she was worried he might obsess over Betanya the same way he obsessed over her.

  “No, my dear, fear not,” he answered on a chuckle and reached forward, gripping Wanda around the back of her neck and pulling her into him so he could plop a kiss on her forehead.

  Wanda immediately pulled away. Clearly, she wasn’t fully okay with public displays of affection, which was just as well because, at the moment, we were in a major hurry.

  “I wasn’t afraid,” she said immediately. “I just… wanted to make sure.”

  “I would not be able to supplant Roscoe’s claim to Betanya even if I wanted to—which I don’t—but my blood will heal her.”

  “As soon as you do whatever it is that you need to do, can we get out of this place?” I asked.

  Lorcan looked around himself before he focused on me again. “I do believe so, yes.”

  “Where will we take her?” I asked as I focused on Wanda.

  “To my house,” she answered quickly. “My Sanctum Spell will block Roscoe from attacking her.”

  “No more conversation for the time being, please,” Lorcan said, looking at us both. “I require full concentration.” Then he stared down at Betanya. He went very still and no one said another word. But, he didn’t do anything for a few seconds—just kneeled there, staring at Betanya, who was just as unmoving as she had been.

  After another second, Lorcan raised his hand to his mouth and opened wide as piercing fangs lengthened from his white canines. His fangs elongated to sharp points, and I felt my heartbeat speed up in spite of myself. Fear traveled through me, and even though I knew and trusted Lorcan, I was suddenly well aware of the fact that he was an incredibly powerful creature. If he wanted to, he could rip each of us apart, just like Roscoe had attempted to do to Betanya. Good thing for us that Lorcan still possessed his mental faculties...

  He sank his fangs into the flesh of his wrist and when he pulled away, there was blood dripping from his mouth and even more bubbling from the punctures in his wrist.

  Then he scooped his powerful fingers under Betanya’s neck and lifted her head off the floor as he positioned his wrist above her face. Drops of blood, almost the same color as her hair, fell on her mouth and cheeks and, in response, her nostrils flared and her eyelids began to shift as if she were experiencing REM sleep.

  Even though she was still beyond weak, I could see the stirrings of life within her. She opened her mouth and, in response, Lorcan pushed his wrist down to her lips. She latched on like a baby and at the first swallow of his blood, she locked her lips around the wound and sucked his blood like her life depended on it, drinking in greedy gulps.

  I looked at Wanda to see how she was handling the whole thing, but she wore a poker face. Her lips were compressed into a tight, white line, but she didn’t speak. I thought for a brief moment that she shouldn’t have been here to witness this, because it was quite a bit more… personal than I thought it would be, but there was no way out now.

  “Stop looking at me like that, Poppy,” she said from the corner of her mouth.

  “Oh,” I answered, surprised she’d caught me. “I’m sorry… I just wanted to make sure you were… okay.”

  “I’m fine,” she replied stonily.

  After a few minutes, Lorcan pried his wrist away from Betanya with trouble because she didn’t appear to want to release him or it anytime soon.

  “That’s enough, my dear,” he said as he brought his wrist to his mouth and licked the punctures. When he pulled his hand away from his mouth, both holes were completely gone, healed.

  “You feel better now, I hope?” he continued, smiling down at Betanya.

  Betanya blinked and then stared straight ahead, as if she weren’t sure where she was. Her eyes were like emeralds in her porcelain face.

  “Betanya?” Florence repeated as she bent down over her maker and began brushing Betanya’s hair with her fingers like I’d seen Libby do to Wanda.

  Betanya focused on Florence, and an expression of recognition overcame her gaze. Then she turned to look at Lorcan and appeared to be in a haze, almost as if she were drunk. For a second, their eyes locked, and then Betanya collapsed on the floor.

  Florence immediately leaned down, attempting to cradle her head. “Betanya—no!”

  “Is she dead?” Wanda asked as she turned to face Lorcan, her expression now almost as panicked as Florence’s.

  “She is far from dead,” he answered on a slight chuckle—as if he thought Wanda’s concern was amusing. Whatever Lorcan was or wasn’t, he was definitely unique.

  “She sort of looks dead,” I said.

  “She will recover,” he answered as he stood up. “And that means we can remove her from the void now.” Lorcan then leaned over and picked Betanya up effortlessly, cradling her in his arms. Then he faced Wanda and me.

  “Lead the way, ladies.”

  Chapter Ten

  When I stepped through the veil and back into Henner’s house, something odd happened.

  The Mystic Veil with which I’d anointed myself and the opening to the void began to pulsate, almost feeling like a legion of ants marching across my skin. As I glanced down at the pulse points in my wrists and my elbows, the potion began to glow with a bright blue light—something I’d never witnessed before with any other potions I’d brewed. I glanced back at the entrance to the veil and noticed the entire doorway was also glowing with the same faint azure.

  At seeing us, Henner jumped up so fast, he kicked over a Parcheesi board which was arranged on the floor in front of them. In fact, when I came through the veil, I nearly tripped over it.

  “You’re back!” he called out.

  I found Marty and Henner slouching in Bergere chairs they’d no doubt taken from the living room, each nursing a drink in his hand. But, I couldn’t say my attention was on them at the moment. Instead, it was still stuck on the strange blue glow that was now fully encapsulating me.