The cocktails had loosened my lips. "My daughter thinks it's because he's making an effort to keep me at arm’s length. If he doesn't use my first name, then he’s managing to maintain distance from me."

  "I guess he doesn't like to befriend his employees," Ben mused. “It’s tough to be a boss like that. Not that I would know. My relationship with Robina is as personal as it is professional."

  "Tell me more about that," I said. "You mentioned at your shop that she’s like a mother to you. How did you two meet?"

  "She’d just moved to town," Ben said. "I own an apartment building, and she became one of my tenants. We became friendly because I live on the top floor and we’d bump into each other all the time. She told me later that she worried I wouldn’t rent to her because of her criminal history."

  I took another sip of my drink. "But you rented to her anyway?"

  Ben nodded. "Everyone deserves a second chance," he said. "She served her time. There was no need to punish her further. I felt it was my civic duty to help get her started on the path to rehabilitation."

  "That's very noble of you," I said.

  "More selfish than noble, really," he said. "She had this motherly quality from the moment we met. I really warmed to her. And she makes a mean cup of tea."

  "Would you mind if I ask what her crime was? The sheriff said it was serious, but no one said what it was."

  "She used fairy magic to divert funds from senior citizens in Blue Moon Valley," Ben revealed.

  "That's horrible," I said. Robina seemed like such a nice woman. I couldn’t imagine her doing something so awful to innocent people. Then again, it was hard to really and truly know someone’s character. It was always on the news—neighbors and family members expressing disbelief over the actions of a person they thought they knew well.

  "She’s very sorry for what she did," Ben said. "I know she wishes she could take it all back. She's not that fairy anymore."

  "I guess not, without her wings," I said. I clamped my hand over my mouth. "Sorry, that was a little rude."

  “She’s still a fairy at heart," Ben said. "You can take her wings and her wand, but the fairy still lives inside her."

  "So they took her wand away, too?” I asked. "Can't she just get another one?"

  Ben shook his head. "She's on a ‘no wand’ list. If she goes into any wand shop in a paranormal town, her name will come up as someone who’s banned from practicing magic."

  “Is that why she had to have her fairy friend help with the magic in the shop?”

  Ben nodded mutely.

  "Wow," I breathed. "That's hardcore."

  "The paranormal world takes magical crimes very seriously," Ben said.

  "What about the kind of magic that's turning bachelors into frogs?" I asked. "Is that a serious crime?"

  Ben appeared thoughtful. "I don't know about serious, but it's definitely a crime."

  I thought of poor Florian, trapped inside an amphibian’s body. I wondered whether he was uncomfortable, wherever he was.

  "What are you thinking about?" Ben asked.

  I gave a quick shake of my head. "Just taking it all in. This new life is pretty weird, if I'm being honest." I suddenly became acutely aware of my full bladder. "Can you point me to the restroom?"

  Ben gestured to the back of the bar. "There’s an alcove back there with both restrooms."

  "No finishing my drink while I'm gone," I said, wagging a finger at him. I was definitely buzzed.

  "I'm happy to get you another one while you're gone," Ben said. "Unless you'd like to try something else."

  "I think if I have another one of anything, you'll end up carrying me out over your shoulder," I said. "That's probably not what you want."

  He chuckled. "My upper body strength isn't what it should be." He flexed a puny muscle. "Elf genes, you see. Not much I can do about those."

  I smiled. "I'll be back as quickly as I can."

  I maneuvered my way through the crowd to the alcove, bumping into a few bodies along the way and muttering apologies. Alec emerged from the men's room just as I entered the alcove.

  "How about that?" I said. "It didn't occur to me that vampires would need to pee."

  He gave me an amused look. "We drink and eat," he said. "The waste needs to go somewhere."

  "I guess if you can make babies, then you can urinate," I said, and my cheeks burned. That alcohol was hitting me hard. I needed to stop talking.

  Alec moved closer to me. “Apologies. What's this about making babies?" His voice was soft and inviting. I hoped I was able to shield my thoughts successfully while drunk. I had a feeling I was doing a poor job of it.

  "You're doing fine," he said, his breath warm on the curve of my neck. "And might I add, you look particularly lovely tonight. You should wear that dress to the office."

  I looked up and gazed into his green eyes. They were absolutely mesmerizing. "When will you call me Ember?"

  "Why? Do you dislike being called Miss Rose? I like to think it’s respectful.“

  My heart beat rapidly inside my chest. His lips were only inches from mine.

  "A rose by any other name smells as sweet," I said. "But I guess you know that, being a secret author and all."

  He grinned. "I'm not a secret author. Simply because you don't know something doesn't make it a secret."

  "I want to read something of yours," I said, and pressed my palms flat against his chest. "I want to glimpse your soul." Then I laughed. "Wait a minute. You don't have a soul, silly. You’re a vampire."

  In the dim light, I saw the points of his fangs appear. "I am. And you should not forget it." He gripped my hands and gently pushed them away, although I realized that he had not let go. We were still holding hands when Ben appeared in the alcove.

  "I only came to check on you," he said, his gaze flitting from Alec to me. “I was worried that you were too drunk to find your way back."

  "She is fully conscious, as you can see," Alec said, stepping back. "I'll leave you to your evening."

  He disappeared before I could say anything else. I slipped into the bathroom to pee and felt guilty for making Ben wait in the alcove. When I emerged from the bathroom, he was slouched against the wall, his gaze pinned to the floor.

  "It's hard to compete with a guy like that,” he said. “His suit costs more than my mortgage.”

  “First, you’re acting as a new friend and showing me around,” I said. “There’s no competition. Second, Alec’s my boss. There’s no way I'm getting involved with him. This job is a big opportunity for me and I wouldn’t want to do anything to jeopardize it."

  Ben remained sullen. “But he’s so perfect. He could have any woman in this bar.” He paused. “He probably has.”

  “I don’t know about that,” I said. “He’s not much of a player from what I’ve seen. He keeps to himself.”

  Ben smiled. “Except when he comes to Elixir.”

  “I guess so. To be honest, I’m also a little afraid of him," I admitted. "I know you must be used to vampires, but I'm still adjusting to the idea. I see his fangs every time he looks at me."

  "Is that so?" Ben asked.

  "Of course," I said. "Like I said, he's a vampire."

  Ben gave me a funny look. "Just so you know, you don't always see a vampire's fangs."

  "No, you don’t. It probably depends on their teeth and the shape of their mouth."

  Ben laughed, his sullen mood lifted. "Okay, let's go with that." He slipped an arm across my shoulders. "Come on, Miss Rose. You’ve had enough to drink. Let me take you home."

  Chapter Twelve

  I stood at the bottom of the steps of the marble building, admiring the six enormous columns at the front. A statue of a witch stood atop the roof, holding a moon skyward.

  “Are you excited for your first coven meeting?” Aster asked. She’d driven me to the Silver Moon headquarters after Mrs. Babcock, Thornhold’s resident brownie, arrived to look after Marley.

  “This place looks more intimidating than I expected,” I said. I’d only seen it from the air when Marley and I had taken the broomstick tour of the town.

  Aster patted my arm. “It’ll be fine. Let’s go in. Mother likes us to be punctual. It sets an example for the rest of the coven.”

  We walked up the steps together and walked through the portico entrance doors. A man stopped us inside.

  “I need to check your bag, miss,” he said. He stuck out his wand and touched the outside of my bag. “All clear, thank you.”

  I shot a brief glance at Aster. “Security?”

  “Dillon is the Watchman,” Aster said. “He handles safety and security for the coven, among other things. Dillon Stanton-Summer, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Ember Rose. This is her first coven meeting.”

  “Welcome to the Silver Moon coven,” Dillon said. He was an attractive wizard with light brown hair, a square jaw, and plenty of muscles.

  “Thank you,” I replied.

  Dillon gave Aster a quick peck on the cheek. “You look beautiful, as always. Where’s my cousin?”

  Aster sighed. “Sterling will be here. He’s running late. You know how he is with work.”

  “He needs to slow down and enjoy life a little more,” Dillon said. “He’ll work himself into an early grave.”

  “I wouldn’t object if you told him that directly,” Aster said. She flashed an encouraging smile.

  Dillon offered a sympathetic look before focusing on me. “If you ever need a protective ward or some other type of magical protection, that’s what I’m here for.”

  “Is security really an issue for the coven?” I asked. “I mean, what did you think you’d find in my bag?”

  Dillon fixed his hazel eyes on me. “Your cousin Florian is currently living out his days as a frog.”

  I twitched at the mention of Florian. Marley and I still hadn’t told anyone that Florian was quite possibly living out his amphibious life in the woods behind the estate.

  “Imagine if whoever cast that spell did it during a coven meeting,” Dillon continued. “You’d have an entire room full of frogs. It would be anarchy.”

  “But whoever cast the spell on Florian wasn’t in the dining room with us, or with the other two guys when they became frogs. How would you have prevented that?” I was genuinely curious.

  “If we know there’s the potential for harm, we can arrange a protective spell,” Dillon said, his square jaw set and serious. “But we can’t prevent every attack. It simply isn’t possible.”

  Aster clapped the Watchman on the shoulder. “You do an excellent job for the coven, Dillon. No one’s suggesting otherwise.”

  “I really wasn’t,” I added. “I’m new. I’ve got no clue how things work.” And should probably keep my big mouth shut.

  Aster looped her arm through mine. “Come along, Ember. Let’s mingle before the meeting. This is a good time for a chat with other members of the coven.”

  A thin elderly man approached us. Unfortunately, his balding head was right at my eye level, which left me no choice but to stare at the strands of gray hair that swept across the top of his shiny dome.

  “Excuse me, Miss Rose,” he said in his gravelly voice, “but there’s the matter of your dues to discuss.”

  I blinked. “My dues?”

  “Argyle Pennywhistle is the Pursewarden,” Aster said.

  The last name sounded familiar. “Are you related to Bryony Pennywhistle?” I asked.

  “My granddaughter,” he said. “She’s the best mixologist in the coven. Owns a cute little store in town called Charmed, I’m Sure.”

  “Yes, I’ve been there,” I said. I didn’t feel the need to mention why. Argyle probably didn’t want to know his granddaughter had been hot and heavy with an incubus.

  “It would be nice to have the best mixologist in the coven attend a meeting on occasion,” Aster said. The reprimand was loud and clear, although I felt sorry for Argyle. It wasn’t his fault if Bryony chose not to come.

  “I wholeheartedly agree,” Argyle said. He peered at me. “Now, young lady, about your dues…”

  “Speak to Mother,” Aster interjected. “She’ll take care of it.”

  “Very well, then,” he replied with a slight bow. He caught sight of someone behind me and his face paled. “Mind your backs, witches, Camille is headed this way.”

  He scurried off before the dreaded Camille reached us.

  “Who’s Camille?” I asked, but there was no time for a response.

  “Why, hello, my lovely new sister.” Camille’s loud voice reverberated throughout the room. Even worse, it had that annoying singsong quality. Where was Dillon and his protective spell when I needed him?

  “Camille, I’d like you to meet my cousin, Ember Rose.” Aster turned to me. “Ember, this is the coven Bard, Camille Poppywick.”

  “Bard?” I asked. “Like Shakespeare?”

  “I’m the musical director,” Camille said, practically bursting into song. With her large body, ample bosom, and blond braids sticking out from behind her ears, she reminded me of the cartoon version of an opera singer. Stick a Viking helmet on her head and she’d be perfectly cast.

  I inclined my head. “The coven performs musicals?”

  “Once a year,” Camille replied. “My main responsibilities are to keep our original songs and ballads alive. I also lead the coven in chants or songs during rituals.”

  “Camille also provides accompaniment on a variety of instruments,” Aster said. “She’s the boys’ piano teacher.”

  “And they are progressing very nicely, my dear,” Camille said. “Not that I’m a bit surprised. The Roses are chock full of talent, after all.” Camille examined me. “You seem like you might be good at something. How’s your singing voice?”

  “You’d have to ask my shower,” I said. “The acoustics in there are excellent, though, so probably not an accurate assessment.”

  “Showers always are,” Camille agreed. “I’d love to have you involved. I’m always on the hunt for musical volunteers.”

  “Always,” Aster said with a tight smile.

  The sound of ringing bells sent everyone scurrying to the next room. I followed Aster inside the cavernous hall and tried to keep my jaw from hitting the floor. The hall was incredible. The only light came from the hundreds of candles set up along the perimeter of the room and from three candlelit chandeliers above. There were three enormous wooden tables in the middle of the hall, about twenty feet long and five feet wide. At the front of the room was a single, smaller table that faced the hall. I recognized the witches and wizards seated there because I’d met them during my induction ceremony. The High Priestess, the High Priest, the Summoner, the Crone, the Mother, and the Maiden. On the end of the table sat Gardenia, the Scribe. Her iPhone was already on the table in front of her, ready for copious note-taking. My gaze zeroed in on the Summoner. He was as creepy now as he was the night of my ceremony. Beside him rested his signature blackthorn staff.

  Aster guided me to seats toward the front. Linnea was already there with Aunt Hyacinth. I cringed when I noticed the empty seat beside her—probably Florian’s. My aunt gave me a slight nod as I slipped into my chair.

  I glanced across the table and saw Hazel and Marigold huddled next to each other. They were probably comparing notes to see in which class I sucked more. My money was on runecraft.

  I felt dozens of pairs of eyes on me, which was understandable, since I was an oddity. A new witch in town from the human world with no knowledge of her powers. Definite weirdo.

  Another bell rang and the room quieted. Iris Sandstone, the High Priestess, stood in her silver cloak. The Silver Moon crown on her head glistened in the candlelit room.

  She raised her arms in the shape of a V. “O’ wondrous Goddess of the Moon. Let us give thanks.”

  A gust of wind blew through the hall and the flames flickered. I got goosebumps on my arms, ready to experience a majorly atmospheric meeting—until the Scribe stood to speak.

  “The monthly Silver Moon coven meeting is now called to order,” she said, and proceeded to summarize the minutes from the previous meeting. “And now the Pursewarden will give us the financial report.”

  Argyle stood from his place at the middle table. “The homemade candle fundraiser made a net profit of $1,200,” he reported. “That leaves enough money in the budget for new robes for the incoming class.”

  “Class?” I whispered to Aster.

  “The eleven-year-olds who come into their magic,” Aster replied in a hushed tone.

  I surveyed the room but saw no sign of small people. “Why aren’t there any kids here?”

  “The children don’t start attending coven meetings until they turn eighteen,” she whispered.

  Aunt Hyacinth gave us both a look that would have wilted a cactus. I straightened in my chair and resolved to save all my questions for the end.

  The rest of the meeting was uneventful. It was like attending a PTA meeting, not that I was ever able to participate in many of those, between my work schedule and single parenthood. Most school events were designed around a two-parent household.

  After the Crone announced changes to her individual counseling schedule, the High Priestess stood and opened the floor to new business.

  Aunt Hyacinth pushed back her chair without waiting to be acknowledged. Everyone turned to her with rapt attention.

  “Good evening, my lovely coven. First, I’d like to take a moment to welcome my niece, Ember Rose, to her first official coven meeting.”

  A smattering of applause greeted me and I found myself smiling so hard that my cheeks began to ache.

  “As many of you know, Ember left Starry Hollow as an infant and was raised in the human world. We’re taking great care to slowly introduce her to the world of magic. For those instructors who haven’t yet heard from me, rest assured that you will.”

  Across the room, a hand shot up. Aunt Hyacinth nodded crisply.

  “You don’t think incantations should be higher on the priority list?” a deep male voice asked.

  Aunt Hyacinth bristled. “Are you questioning my approach, Wren?”

 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43 44 45 46 47 48 49 50