Dead Is Not an Option by Marlene Perez Page A

walked into the room. Mr. Bone had sent the task force. Interesting.
    "Where's Grandfather?" Liam asked Claudia, but she didn't answer. She stared at the blood and then, without warning, lunged. Liam moved so quickly I didn't even see him leave the doorway, but in an instant he had grabbed Claudia by the arm and was restraining her.
    She broke into loud sobs. "It's okay," he said. "It's okay." He patted her shoulder. "She isn't as old as I am," he explained to us. "She has a harder time fighting the urge."
    He led her into one of the bedrooms, and after ripping off his wig, Wolfie followed.
    "Daisy, are you and Ryan okay?" Nicholas asked. "Poppy and Rose are freaking out."
    "We're okay," I said. "But Circe, she's definitely not okay."
    "What did you tell the San Carlos police?" Chief Mendez asked.
    "We didn't say anything about council business," Ryan said. "Just that three strangers came in, shot Circe, and left."
    "I also didn't tell them that I'd seen the woman before," I said. "I saw her at Mr. Devereaux's condo."
    "Are you sure you saw her there?" the chief said.
    "Positive. She said her name was Trinity, and that was what one of the guys with her tonight called her." I paused remembering something else. "She might have had something to do with Elise Wilder's attack, too."
    The chief nodded. "She does fit the description that Miss Wilder gave us."
    We told them everything that happened, but I found myself falling asleep as we talked.
    "Ryan, Nicholas will drive you and Daisy home," his dad said. "Mort and I have to get Wolfgang and Claudia to a new location."
    I noticed Balthazar was shivering in the corner, and I scooped him up. "I'll take Balthazar home with me," I said.
    I was intrigued to see that Nicholas and Liam shook hands before everyone went their separate ways. At least my sisters' boyfriends were getting along, even if the rest of Nightshade was not.
    Ryan and I didn't talk on the drive back to Nightshade, but Balthazar curled up in the back seat and snored all the way home while I kept replaying the night over and over again in my head.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN
    By the next day, we got word that Circe was expected to make a full recovery. I didn't know how long she'd be in the hospital, and I knew that this might be my only chance to free Lily and Balthazar. But I would need Natalie's help.
    One of my sisters had the car, so I called Sam to pick me up and take me to Slim's. When she pulled up to my house and I walked out carrying the supplies for the spell, and Balthazar, she seemed surprised.
    "I hope you don't mind if he rides with us," I said.
    "I just hope Sean doesn't get jealous," she said, laughing as the pig hopped into the front passenger seat.
    I spotted Natalie through the window of Slim's and we rushed inside.
    "Are you going to be here for a while?" I asked her breathlessly.
    "I'm just hanging out," she replied.
    "I found everything we need to break the spell," I said. "I'll be right back." I could hear my voice shaking with excitement.
    My heart jumped. I went to Sam's car and grabbed the library books, the pen, and the dress. It had been making me nervous carrying around the very items that might save Lil from her jukebox. It might not work, but it was the only shot we had.
    Natalie went into the back kitchen and then came out a few minutes later. She turned the sign to Closed and locked the front door.
    "Slim's hoping we can get this over with before we completely ruin his dinner rush," Natalie said. "But I asked him to close just for a little while so we could try the spell." She was waving her hands around as she spoke.
    I grinned at her. "I couldn't help but notice that enormous sparkler on your hand," I said.
    She grinned back. "Yep, Slim and I are engaged."
    We talked wedding details for a few minutes but then got down to business.
    I handed Natalie one of the books I'd checked out of the library. "I marked the page where it talks about halting the aging process," I said. "Do you think it will