move,” she explained.
“So we’ve got a demon in league with the Venifucus coming here.” Tim boiled the situation down to the bare facts. Rafe let out a low whistle between his teeth. Nobody looked pleased at the idea.
“We’ll lose the outer perimeter guards if we don’t pull them back,” Rafe said, sitting back in his chair. “They’re the youngest and least experienced of our fighters,” he explained, probably for Maggie’s benefit.
“Then pull them back,” Betina said swiftly. There was a decisive air about her. “This is not something that can be fought solely on the physical plane. I fear this is a job for Allie and I. And Maggie,” Betina nodded toward her, shocking Maggie speechless.
“No.” Rocky shot up from his chair, clearly agitated. “There’s got to be something I can do.”
“Oh, there is Rocco.” Betina smiled at him and he seemed to calm down. “This evil thing must be fought on the spiritual plane by us women, but you can deal with the body that presents itself in your front yard.”
“You’ve seen something, haven’t you?” Rocky asked as he took his seat again, calmer now.
“I didn’t know what it meant until just now, but I think you’ll get the fight you want, and it will be out there…” She gestured toward the front of the house where there was a small clearing in addition to the gravel drive. “And you will wear the heartstone to protect you from its magical assault,” she announced.
“When?” was Rocky’s only question.
This one Maggie could answer. “Not for a few weeks yet, judging by my experience. But if I’m going to fight instead of flee this time, we all need to prepare. I don’t want anyone been caught off guard. The evil in this thing is unlike anything I ever could’ve contemplated. I don’t want anyone to die—and especially not be killed by this demon—on my account.”
“Forewarned is forearmed,” Tim agreed.
“Don’t worry, Maggie,” Rafe put in. “Now that we know what we’re up against, we can formulate a better plan.”
They left it at that and Maggie’s heart was a little lighter now that the problem was out in the open. Even better, Betina had given her a name for the faceless danger that had plagued her dreams for so many months.
After that momentous evening, the day before Thanksgiving dawned bright and clear and the work crews showed up early. This was the day they were planning on joining the newly sealed addition to the main house. All the windows and doors had been completed the week before, along with heating ducts and electrical wiring.
The plan was to join the two halves so work could continue inside. Rocky’s parents would be the first to try out the addition, moving into the large guest room that had been prepared for them. It wasn’t entirely finished, but it would do.
The mood brightened when the hole was cut. The men cleaned up as they went, so that by the time they left at around three o’clock, the kitchen was clean and ready to use. Marissa took over then, organizing a celebration dinner for the family. She’d already sent every man on the work crew home with a pie she’d baked the day before, in addition to the big al fresco luncheon she’d served.
The woman was in her element cooking for the crew. Maggie remembered how Marissa had always enjoyed entertaining and throwing parties back when Rocky and she were kids. It seemed like Marissa was really enjoying the opportunity to cater to so many hungry shifters.
The family spent the evening admiring the newly expanded kitchen and adding little finishing touches. Maggie mostly watched, keeping an eye on the boys while Rocky and his dad moved things around at Marissa and Maggie’s direction. Before long, the place looked as if it had always been as big as it was now. Seamless. That’s how good the construction was, even if it had been accomplished at record pace.
When it came time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner the next day, Maggie
“So we’ve got a demon in league with the Venifucus coming here.” Tim boiled the situation down to the bare facts. Rafe let out a low whistle between his teeth. Nobody looked pleased at the idea.
“We’ll lose the outer perimeter guards if we don’t pull them back,” Rafe said, sitting back in his chair. “They’re the youngest and least experienced of our fighters,” he explained, probably for Maggie’s benefit.
“Then pull them back,” Betina said swiftly. There was a decisive air about her. “This is not something that can be fought solely on the physical plane. I fear this is a job for Allie and I. And Maggie,” Betina nodded toward her, shocking Maggie speechless.
“No.” Rocky shot up from his chair, clearly agitated. “There’s got to be something I can do.”
“Oh, there is Rocco.” Betina smiled at him and he seemed to calm down. “This evil thing must be fought on the spiritual plane by us women, but you can deal with the body that presents itself in your front yard.”
“You’ve seen something, haven’t you?” Rocky asked as he took his seat again, calmer now.
“I didn’t know what it meant until just now, but I think you’ll get the fight you want, and it will be out there…” She gestured toward the front of the house where there was a small clearing in addition to the gravel drive. “And you will wear the heartstone to protect you from its magical assault,” she announced.
“When?” was Rocky’s only question.
This one Maggie could answer. “Not for a few weeks yet, judging by my experience. But if I’m going to fight instead of flee this time, we all need to prepare. I don’t want anyone been caught off guard. The evil in this thing is unlike anything I ever could’ve contemplated. I don’t want anyone to die—and especially not be killed by this demon—on my account.”
“Forewarned is forearmed,” Tim agreed.
“Don’t worry, Maggie,” Rafe put in. “Now that we know what we’re up against, we can formulate a better plan.”
They left it at that and Maggie’s heart was a little lighter now that the problem was out in the open. Even better, Betina had given her a name for the faceless danger that had plagued her dreams for so many months.
After that momentous evening, the day before Thanksgiving dawned bright and clear and the work crews showed up early. This was the day they were planning on joining the newly sealed addition to the main house. All the windows and doors had been completed the week before, along with heating ducts and electrical wiring.
The plan was to join the two halves so work could continue inside. Rocky’s parents would be the first to try out the addition, moving into the large guest room that had been prepared for them. It wasn’t entirely finished, but it would do.
The mood brightened when the hole was cut. The men cleaned up as they went, so that by the time they left at around three o’clock, the kitchen was clean and ready to use. Marissa took over then, organizing a celebration dinner for the family. She’d already sent every man on the work crew home with a pie she’d baked the day before, in addition to the big al fresco luncheon she’d served.
The woman was in her element cooking for the crew. Maggie remembered how Marissa had always enjoyed entertaining and throwing parties back when Rocky and she were kids. It seemed like Marissa was really enjoying the opportunity to cater to so many hungry shifters.
The family spent the evening admiring the newly expanded kitchen and adding little finishing touches. Maggie mostly watched, keeping an eye on the boys while Rocky and his dad moved things around at Marissa and Maggie’s direction. Before long, the place looked as if it had always been as big as it was now. Seamless. That’s how good the construction was, even if it had been accomplished at record pace.
When it came time to prepare Thanksgiving dinner the next day, Maggie
Similar Books
