“Hey, I want to talk to you about Val—” I started to say, but he held up his hand.

  “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to be such an ass. But after the other night, I just really wanted to clock him.”

  “I love that you care about me and want to protect me, but you were being stupid.”

  “I know,” he whispered, kissing me.

  “So, tell me what happened.” I sat down beside him and curled up against his shoulder.

  “To my surprise, Val apologized and promised he won’t harass you again.” He paused. “You know, he’s really not so bad, for a vampire.”

  “Yeah, Mr. Not-So-Bad is apparently a philanthropist, as well. That surprised me,” I said.

  “I still wish you would have told me about the roses. We’re a couple. Couples need to communicate,” Killian said, pulling me onto his lap. I leaned against the arm of the sofa as he wrapped his arms around my waist. I draped my arms around his neck and began kissing him. He let out a low growl, one that I by now recognized as arousal, and I could feel him hardening beneath my ass.

  “I know what you want,” I murmured, “but after what just happened, I’d like to wait for a little bit.”

  “I can wait,” Killian said, “as long as you promise to give me all of your attention soon.” His voice was low, and I melted into the safety that always surrounded me when he was holding me close.

  “Why don’t you two lovebirds make dinner?” Teran asked, carrying a tray with a teapot and three cups on it as she headed toward the stairs. “I made enough tea for Rameer and Louise, too, should they want any.”

  I kissed Killian again on the lips, then on the nose. Hopping off his lap, I held out my hand and pulled him up. “Come on, let’s see what’s in the fridge.”

  Luckily, I had bought several frozen entrees, given sometimes I didn’t feel like cooking, and I pulled out two packs of frozen lasagna. “Why don’t you make a salad while I get this in the oven. Then we can toast some French bread to go with it. We have ice cream for dessert.”

  As we worked together in a comfortable silence, Xi came dashing in and climbed up Killian’s leg. He laughed, setting down the head of lettuce to sweep her up in his arms.

  “You are soon going to be too big to do that, little one,” he murmured. He gave her a kiss on the head, and then set her on the floor next to the food dish.

  I popped the casseroles in the oven, then sliced the bread and spread it with butter and a very light sprinkling of garlic powder. I arranged the slices on a cookie sheet and set the pan to the side until the lasagna was almost ready. After I finished, I poured a glass of wine for myself, and one for Killian.

  “So, I have other news,” I said, thinking about Rowan. “I found out something about—” The doorbell rang. “Will you answer that?” I asked, feeling just a tad bit gun-shy after everything that had happened that afternoon.

  Killian obliged, and returned with Ari in tow.

  “I had the feeling something was wrong,” she said. “So I decided to take a brisk evening walk to find out.”

  “You must not have been that worried if you didn’t text,” I said, wrinkling my nose at her. “And yes, you’re right. It has been one hell of a day. You staying for dinner?”

  She nodded. “Sure. So, what happened?”

  I told her about what had happened at the Spit & Whistle, and then with the shadow man. “I’m thinking we need to bring in an exorcist, but that’s not going to take care of the vortex or the shadow men.”

  “I’m pretty sure that between the two of us, we can deal with the shadow men there—you’ve got a lot of untapped skills,” she said. “And if we could ask your aunt to help us, too?”

  “We might be able to do something at that. Esmara started me on a refresher course last night. She walked me through casting a circle again and I felt it take.” I paused. “Wait, how did the shadow man get through the circle?”

  Because you didn’t fully ward the entire house. You need to do more than cast a circle, Esmara said.

  “Oh, that make sense,” I said.

  “What?” Killian asked.

  “Esmara just told me that I didn’t fully ward the house.” I turned to Ari. “Can you help me? I have some idea of what my mother used to do, but it’s been quite a long time.”

  “I can. In fact, tonight after dinner, we’ll go through and really ward this place. You need strong wards, given you’re right up against the Mystic Wood. Maybe Teran will join us.” Ari began setting the table. “How many for dinner?”

  “Rameer, Teran, Louise, and the three of us. The doctor. Seven altogether, though you might want to put three of those on trays. Louise is too weak to get out of bed, and both the doctor and Rameer will want to stay upstairs near her.” I began to fix myself another mocha. “Caffeine?”

  “I wouldn’t be me without it,” Ari said, grinning. “Make it a triple if we’re going to be working magic tonight after dinner.”

  As I fixed mochas for the three of us, Teran reappeared. “What smells so good? Oh, hey, Ari.” She gave Ari a hug and helped her to finish setting the table. “And what kind of magic are we talking about?”

  “We’re going to ward the house. Want to join us?” I asked.

  Teran agreed, so while dinner cooked, and Killian finished making the salad, the three of us withdrew to the library to begin planning out the ritual.

  Chapter Sixteen

  Killian was in the living room, ready should we need him. I asked Rameer to stay with Louise, as long as she was protected for the next forty-eight hours. Teran and Ari and I had divided the ritual into sections. First, we would cleanse the house, clearing out residue energy. Then we would ward each room in turn, drawing a binding rune on every door, window, and vent. Finally, we would walk the perimeter of the house, or tromp our way around it, rather—given the more than twelve inches of snow that was glistening on the ground—to seal the warding. Warding the yard would take another day’s work since it was so large, and because the property was buttressed against the Mystic Wood, which had its own special energy.

  As we readied ourselves, each washing with the special ritual bar of soap my mother kept for just such occasions and then using sage and cedar sticks to cleanse our auras, I felt a wriggle of excitement in my stomach.

  I washed my hands with the rose-scented soap, feeling a calmness sweep over me that I hadn’t felt in a long time. Memories came back…preparing for ritual with my mother, learning what herbs would heal, what herbs would hex, what herbs would seal, what herbs would protect.

  Snatches of her teachings began to filter back, and I found myself remembering summer nights—warm but not overly hot—spent under the full moon in the backyard as we toasted the gods with sparkling water and Mexican wedding cake cookies, and then she would point out different places in the Mystic Wood while I focused, trying to hone my inner sight.

  How could I have swept that entire side of me under the rug for my ex?

  The realization that I had blocked out an entire part of my life to try to make someone else happy made me want to cry. I had pretended it didn’t matter. I had buried an integral part of myself, and now it felt like it was reemerging, springing up through the soil like fine tendrils seeking the sunlight. Only for me, those tendrils were reaching for moonbeams.

  I let out a long sigh and dried my hands on the hand towel. I swept my hair back into a ponytail and stared at myself in the mirror.

  “January Jaxson, never let go of this part of yourself again,” I whispered to my reflection. “This is who you are. This is as much a part of your life as breathing.”

  Feeling centered and grounded, I emerged from the bathroom to find Teran and Ari waiting there. Ari stared at me for a moment.

  “You look different,” she said.

  “I feel different.” I paused, then said, “I feel like I just reclaimed a part of myself that’s been missing for a very long time.”

  “Shall we begin?” Teran said. She was wearing the same thing as Ari and me—jeans and a heavy sweater. Going outside would be cold work, and our magic adapted with the elements.

  We had decided that my room would be the best place to start. Teran asked me to cast the circle, since this was my house. She and Ari would call in the elements, and together, the three of us would summon Druantia for her blessing and strength.

  I cast the circle, remembering the instructions Esmara had given me. After I cast the circle, Ari invoked the Earth and Fire, and Teran invoked Water and Air. Then we cleansed the room, spraying it with Protection water and clearing it with sacred smoke. After that, we invoked Druantia.

  Gracious queen of woodland and earth,

  To our spell, please give birth.

  Protect this house and all within,

  As our magic, we do spin.

  As our words died away, the room felt lighter and stronger, and I could feel the soft seal as the spell took hold. We went through each room, working around Louise, who watched us silently as we worked. Even she seemed more comfortable after we finished with the guest room.

  “Don’t forget the attic,” Teran said, so we crept up the retractable ladder into the spacious room above. The room had been outfitted into a crafting room for my mother, with storage on the other side. I could feel energy moving and shifting, and little creatures slinking out through the walls, leaving the space as our magic seeped into every corner, driving away the cobwebs.

  Once we were done with the upstairs, we moved down to the first story and once again, we moved through each room, our spell feeling stronger the longer we wove it. Killian watched us in silence, a reverent look on his face. Once we finished inside, we moved to the outside, first putting on our coats and boots.

  The sky was clear for the first time in a while, and the stars glittered down, brilliant and icy from the height of the heavens. I looked up, seeing the Milky Way spread out, a filmy veil of stars. All the magic we had been doing suddenly swept through my system, leaving me feeling buoyed up and floating. I caught my breath and closed my eyes as everything around me began to spin.

  “January! Come down here, now.” Teran’s voice echoed through the air and I opened my eyes, startled to find I was no longer standing in the snow. Instead, I was about three feet off the ground, hovering in mid-air. Of course, the moment I realized what was going on, I immediately dropped down into the snow.

  “What the… Was I levitating?” I stared at them from where I was sprawled on the icy snowbank. I burst out into delighted laughter.

  “Yeah, you were,” Ari said, her eyes wide. “I knew that was possible, but I don’t know if I have ever met someone who could do it.”

  “You have,” Teran said, staring at me. “Rowan can levitate. She can do a number of other things, too.”

  I sobered. “Okay, then.”

  “Where did you learn that?” Ari persisted.

  “I don’t know,” I said. “I can’t ever remember doing it before, but…” I wanted to tell her about Rowan, but with my aunt there, I wasn’t sure if I should.

  “Let’s finish the warding and then we can talk,” Teran said.

  I scrambled up with their help; it was as much of a chore to get out of a snowbank as it was a bean bag chair. Still dizzy with an odd sort of glee—it wasn’t every day that I found myself floating in the air—we finished the ritual, walking the perimeter of the house, blessing and sealing the layers of protection, until we were done, back at the front door.

  I glanced out at the street. “Well, that takes care of that. I suppose we should leave the yard for a day when it’s clear?”

  “That would be easiest, and I think this will make your house safe from intruders for the time being,” Teran said. “All right, let’s head inside. We’re nearing eleven and while it’s stopped snowing, the temperature is dropping. It’s colder than a witch’s tit. And my nipples prove it.”

  Laughing, we headed inside where Killian had made a batch of hot mulled apple cider. We shed our coats and boots, and gathered in the living room to relax.

  “So,” I asked Teran over my second mug of cider, “do you think you can help us exorcise Louise’s restaurant?”

  “It’s not going to be easy—”

  My phone rang and I answered it. Rowan was on the other line and I felt suddenly shy, wondering whether to say anything about what Teran had told me.

  “I talked to Clarence again,” she said. “He verified there is a portal in there, and he told me how to shut it down. He just asked that we leave him out of any reports. He’s afraid that if the Covenant of Chaos knows that he helped us, they’ll quit ignoring him and come after him.”

  “Would they really do that?” I asked. “It seems—”

  “Yes, they would. They’re not just a group of frat boys running around, January. They’re a well-oiled organization that’s geared toward the destruction of order. They have killed before, and they will probably kill again, especially if they believe a member betrayed them. If you’ll recall, members are in for life. Clarence can run as far as he likes, but if they choose to come after him, they’ll know where to find him.” She paused, then said, “She told you, didn’t she?”

  I blinked, startled by the swift change of subject. I hesitated, then said, “Yes, she did. I didn’t know whether to bring it up.”

  “Don’t tell anyone. Oh, I know you’ll tell your boyfriend and Ari, but warn them to keep things quiet. For your sake, you need to pretend we’re just friends. At least for now. I’ll explain later, but do you understand?”

  I didn’t, but I said yes. “But can you tell me…how does that affect me? I mean, I thought my father’s blood was from the Jaxsons.”

  “We’ll talk soon. There’s a great deal I need to tell you about your background.” She paused. “In my family lineage, the women bear the power. The men are strong and have psychic flashes, but the magic itself? Only comes through the women. Men carry the gene, like your father, but women are dominant.”

  “I thought you came down from the Merlin.”

  “Yes…and there’s a story there, as well. But one for another time.” She paused, then added, “I’d better help you with the portal. I don’t think you’re strong enough to handle the magic yourself, not yet. But you will be soon, now that you’ve returned to Moonshadow Bay. The magic inherent within the community encourages powers to blossom and grow.”

  “When should we tackle the job? The Spit & Whistle? I need to call my boss and tell him what we’re going to do.” I also needed to tell Louise what we were going to do.

  “The dark of the moon is coming up, so we’ll go then. Let me check my calendar.”

  I heard her set down the phone. I glanced over at Ari and Teran. “Rowan’s coming with us to take care of the restaurant. She found out how to close the portal.”

  Ari cocked her head, looking at me with an odd expression. “What are you not telling us?”

  Teran started to shake her head but I said, “I’ll tell you in a few minutes. It’s…about Rowan and she’s given me permission to tell you.”

  “I’m back. We’ll want to go down there tomorrow night. We don’t want to wait until the moon begins to wax. Always banish on a waning moon. I’ll come over around four tomorrow and we’ll prepare.” And with that, she ended the conversation. Grandmother or not, Rowan was still abrupt.

  I set down my phone and turned to Teran. “She said I could tell Ari and Killian.”

  “Of course,” Teran said, laughing.

  “She also told me that otherwise, I need to keep it secret.”

  “Tell us what?” Ari said, leaning forward. “What’s going on?”

  I turned to my best friend. “Ari, you know everything about me, but here’s something that even I didn’t know. Here’s the thing…it turns out that my father’s parents? The Jaxsons? They were his foster parents. He never knew that his real mother was Rowan Firesong. So…she’s my—”

  “Rowan is your grandmother?” Ari stared at me. If her eyes had been lasers, she would have burned a hole directly through me.

  “Yeah, she is. Teran told me.”

  “I had to tell you,” Teran said. “As you and Rowan became closer friends, you would have sensed it. I know you. And she agreed with me that it’s better you know right now, so that you don’t make any stupid magical mistakes. Rowan’s the most powerful witch in town. Together with the Ladies from your mother’s side, that’s going to make you one heck of a sorceress. When you and Ari cast that wishcraft ritual, I realized I needed to tell you. Antics like that can backfire hellishly on a witch who doesn’t realize her own strength.” My aunt stood and went to the cupboard. “Do you have any chips?”

  I absently rose and found them for her, carrying the bag over to the counter where I poured them in a bowl and set them on the table.

  Ari couldn’t stop staring at me. “I still can’t believe Rowan’s your grandmother. She must have been…how old when she had your father?”

  I shrugged. “Given she knew my great-grandfather and was here when the town was founded, she had to be up there. But the Craft preserves, after all.”

  It was well-known that women with witchblood tended to look younger than they actually were. And they often acted younger, too.

  At that moment, Rameer entered the kitchen, ducking as he came through the doorway. “Louise asked me if I could bring her some tea and crackers.”

  “Of course,” I said, but Teran jumped up.

  “Let me get it for her.”

  “While I have you here,” I said to Rameer, “I wanted to ask you if, before you leave, would you mind giving me an interview? I know this sounds kind of cheesy, but if you would meet with a Professor Jamil Madison, he can authenticate that you’re a djinn.” I hurried to add, “It’s not that I don’t believe you, but if you decide to let me interview you for an article, I need to verify that you are truly one of the djinn.”