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I have more going on than the average mother, I know, and the fact that if I get hurt, Elena can get hurt adds to my anxiety. I don’t do well with sitting around waiting for the other shoe to fall, which is partly why Tabatha offered to take me shopping today, and it’s been really freaking nice to get out of the house and think about something other than demons and vampires wanting to wage war on humans, though I’m ready to get back to checking things off my list, because the longer it takes to confront my problems, the worse they usually are.
“I take you it got your invitations to the baby shower next month.” I dip another piece of pita bread in the vinegar, letting it soak it up for a second.
“Yes, and I may have gone slightly overboard buying sweet little Elena things.” Tabatha beams. “I thought it might take a few more years before I got a grandchild to spoil.”
“I didn’t think I’d be the first one in our circle to have a baby,” I admit and look at Kristy. “I thought it would be you years before me. And then I’d get to the point where I’m too old to have kids, so I’d just have to settle for cats, lots of cats.”
“I think that’s my future,” Kristy grumbles, and I laugh.
“No way. You’re a catch!”
“She’s right,” Evander says, and when they look at each other, my own heart skips a beat. “You just have to find the right person.”
Like you, Evander, like you. Now kiss her!
“I’ve said it before, I need to find a hot, rich vampire,” Kristy laughs. “It worked for Callie.”
Dammit, thanks, guys, for sinking the shipping I had going on, though I’m still not giving up hope for those two. “You know what they say. Once you go vamp, you can’t go back. But for real,” I press and pick up my water, more thirsty than usual from eating so much vinegar, which I know sounds disgusting, yet the weird combination is so good right now. “I think it would be really disappointing to go back to a human man after being with Lucas. I mean, put the fact that I love him more than anything aside and he’s made me a very selfish lover.”
“Oh goodness,” Tabatha scoffs, trying to keep the amusement off her face. “You’re pregnant, so I’m well aware what goes on behind closed doors, but I don’t need to be part of this conversation.”
“At least we can have this conversation now,” Kristy says. “It’s okay for you to know about Callie’s relationship with a vampire.”
It really wasn’t that long ago when the less Tabatha knew about us, the better. She was at risk herself by not reporting us, and it was only until most of the coven took a stand and demanded I be let back in that we’ve been able to acknowledge my relationship due to the whole witches and vampires shouldn’t be together thing.
“It’s really time for that rule to go away,” I say and pick up the last piece of pita bread from my appetizer plate. “If that extremist vampire was right about anything, it’s that the rule forbidding witches to be with vampires and vampires to be with witches needs to be rejected.”
“It is something I’m bringing up with the Grand Coven,” Tabatha tells me. “Oh, and speaking of them, I’ve informed the Grand Coven about the possible attacks on the Ley lines, and a coven from Florida has reported strange influxes of power over the last few days. It could be from the changing moon phase, and the lines can be slightly unpredictable during a new moon.”
My phone, which is on the table next to my plate—terrible habit, I know—vibrates with a text. I flip my phone over and see Melinda’s name on my screen. I unlock my phone, not really paying attention to what Tabatha’s saying at the moment.
Melinda: Hey, Callie! The news hasn’t hit the general public yet, so you probably haven’t seen. We have a friend in the Tampa area who told me three bodies were found, strung up with their throats slit in Philippe Park (in the Tampa area). Victims all seem random too, with one being a tourist from Asia coming for a visit.
I put my phone down and look at Tabatha. “This coven that felt energy fluxes…is it by any chance in the Tampa area?”
“Yes,” she says. “It is. Why do you ask?”
“Because three more bodies were found there this morning.”Chapter 27“How do you know?” Tabatha asks, looking alarmed.
“Melinda just texted me. This is all she said. ‘Hey, Callie! The news hasn’t hit the general public yet, so you probably haven’t seen. We have a friend in the Tampa area who told me three bodies were found, strung up with their throats slit in Philippe Park (in the Tampa area). Victims all seem random too, with one being a tourist from Asia coming for a visit.’ I’ll text her back now.”
