“What in the world,” I started as I looked at Lorcan and then at Betanya in his arms. My eyes widened as the same bluish glow outlined her completely.

  “Your magic,” Olga said as she gave me a brief nod. “It allowed us entry into zee veil and zee veil ist powered by Betanya. Thus, your magic und Betanya’s magic… merged.”

  “Oh,” I started and Olga reached out, patting my hand.

  “It ist nozing to vorry about.”

  “Pops,” Marty started, but then he fell silent and his jaw dropped when he spotted Lorcan and, more pointedly, the person Lorcan was carrying.

  “That isn’t…” Marty began.

  “Betanya Tayir in the flesh,” I responded.

  “My grandmother,” Henner said, sounding shocked as he looked from her to me. “Is she… is she okay?”

  “She will be fine,” Lorcan answered.

  “Should we… take her to a hospital?” Henner continued.

  Lorcan shook his head. “No need. Her body is busily integrating my blood into her own, and she will be alert and well momentarily. For now, she needs her rest.”

  “Her bedroom is upstairs,” Henner started, but Wanda shook her head, interrupting him.

  “Betanya needs to be under the care of another Blood Witch, not a human.” I didn’t think she meant to sound rude or impertinent (since this was Henner’s grandmother, after all), but there it was.

  “And I need to stay with her for the foreseeable future,” Lorcan continued with a nod. “In case she requires more of my blood.”

  “I think it’s what’s best for your grandmother, Henner,” I said, and gave him a smile.

  He nodded. “I understand.”

  Then I turned to Marty. “We need to borrow the hearse.” A second or so later I realized not all of us would fit in the hearse.

  “Wanda and I will need to keep close to Betanya,” Lorcan announced, and I figured he was dictating driving arrangements.

  I nodded and faced Marty again. “Will you take Olga in my Jeep and meet us at Wanda’s?” Then I looked to Henner. “And, Henner, can you drive Wanda’s Escalade back?”

  “It would be my pleasure,” Henner answered.

  “And be careful!” Wanda added, giving him an expression that said he’d better be exactly that.

  “You bet.”

  Those of us who needed to traded keys and as we did Lorcan began barking directions to Marty and Henner about removing his coffin from the hearse. Then, apparently realizing he’d have more luck pulling the heavy thing out himself, he handed Betanya to Henner and then yanked the coffin out of the hearse as if it weighed no more than five pounds. Once the coffin was sitting on the ground, Lorcan popped open the top and laid Betanya in it. Rather than closing the top and sealing her inside, he grabbed a sweatshirt Marty had left in the back of the hearse and wedged it into the coffin. Then he closed the lid atop the sweatshirt so there was a sizable gap and Betanya wouldn’t suffocate. Loading the coffin back into the rear of the hearse, he faced me and gave me a brief nod, to which I hurried to climb in beside Betanya.

  “Tut tut, my dear,” Lorcan said as he looked at me and shook his head.

  “What?”

  “When in the hearse, I do not care to drive it.”

  “Oh, for the love of,” I started, but then figured there was no use in arguing. I simply climbed into the front seat as Wanda took the passenger seat and Florence and Lorcan, the rear. I fired up the engine as Marty did the same with my Jeep and Henner was already waiting in the Escalade. Then I followed Marty down the long and winding driveway of the Tayir mansion as we traveled towards Haven Hollow.

  ***

  I parked in front of Wanda’s duplex and all the while I had this sinking feeling in my gut. Where was Roscoe at this moment? Was he watching us? Had he seen us remove Betanya from the house? Was he following us? Thank God, I’d decided to leave Finn at Wanda’s—it was pretty much the safest place for him, owing to the Sanctum Spell which disallowed anyone within to befall harm. That and Roy.

  I couldn’t help but cast sidelong glances up and down the street while Lorcan set to removing Betanya from the back of the hearse. Wanda held the rear door of the hearse open for Lorcan so he could carry Betanya into the duplex.

  “I’ll need to sleep soon,” Lorcan announced as he walked up the stairs.

  I followed his gaze. The sun was coming up in the eastern sky and spreading light over Haven Hollow. We’d been inside the void for nine hours…

  Lorcan carried Betanya to Wanda’s couch and settled her down on the cushions as Wanda covered her with a blanket. A moment or so later, Hellcat bounded onto the arm of the couch and inspected Betanya’s still form with interest.

  “What is this?” he demanded in his highfalutin, English accent.

  “This is Betanya Tayir,” I answered.

  “The Blood Witch?” the cat continued, nearly spitting out the words.

  “Mom!” Finn called out, interrupting the grumpy feline, as he ran up to me and threw his arms around me. “You’ve been gone forever!”

  “We were getting worried,” Astrid added as they both appeared from the kitchen.

  I hugged Finn immediately and, as soon as we separated, he noticed Betanya.

  “Who is that?”

  “That is another redheaded upstart,” Hellcat answered.

  “That’s Henner’s grandmother,” I corrected, giving the cat a frown in the process. “Betanya Tayir.”

  “She’s alive?” Astrid asked, her mouth dropping open in shock.

  “She is alive,” Lorcan answered as he studied Betanya, as if trying to deduce just how long she’d remain alive.

  That was when Roy walked out from the living room and immediately smiled at me. His smile wavered as soon as his eyes settled on Marty, who was also looking at me. Ergh…

  “I’m nervous about Roscoe,” I said, my stomach still riding into my throat regarding that exact topic.

  Florence looked at me. “Once Roscoe learns Betanya survived and that she escaped the void, he’ll come after her.”

  “Just like he’s been doing,” I said somewhat absentmindedly. “Searching for her in Haven Hollow.”

  “But now that they’re both in the mortal world, he’ll be able to track her,” Florence said.

  “Then we have to find him before he finds us,” Wanda concluded.

  “Und vee destroy him,” Olga added.

  Just then, Betanya groaned. We all looked down at her as she began to shift her head and a moment later, opened her eyes. Her glossy red hair, large and round green eyes and full mouth made her appear truly beautiful, not to mention young. She looked like she was in her early forties—no one would ever guess she was centuries old.

  “What am I…” Her eyelashes fluttered, and she looked around, frowning as she did so. “Where am I?”

  “You’re safe, Betanya,” Wanda offered.

  Betanya’s eyes snapped to Lorcan, and her countenance turned to solid granite. “Vampire!”

  Before anyone could move, Betanya lunged off the couch (or more like fell off the couch) but she immediately began forming a ball of energy between her hands and there was fear in her eyes. Fear and anger.

  Wanda immediately sprang between Betanya and Lorcan, throwing up her hands at the exact moment when Betanya unloaded the energy ball. The power pounded into Wanda’s palms and a deafening explosion boomed out from the point of impact. It felt like it shook the whole house, and I heard myself gasp. A second later, I glanced around and noticed the house wasn’t any the worse for wear, even though I was expecting the windows to have blown out, at the very least.

  “We aren’t your enemies,” Wanda said as she faced Betanya and the latter moved from the floor, back to the couch. She was panting and obviously exhausted, even with the added benefit of Lorcan’s blood.

  “And that’s no way to show gratitude to the man who just saved your life,” Lorcan added.

  “Ve are all friends here,” Olga said, nodding.

  Betanya squared her shoulders. “What… what are you talking about?”

  “This vampire,” Florence said from where she stood behind Betanya, “Rescued you by donating his blood.”

  Betanya turned around to face Florence and immediately smiled when she recognized her friend. “Florence, are you… well?”

  Florence nodded. “They are our friends, Betanya and we can trust them.”

  “This is Lorcan Rowe,” I said as I stepped forward and faced Betanya with a smile. “He saved your life in the void. Don’t you remember?” Betanya narrowed her eyes and appeared to be attempting to do just that before she shook her head as if to say she couldn’t remember.

  “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.