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"You seem to have plenty of time to spare when it comes to playing cat and mouse with Delilah." I smirked, making a mad dash for my car. Chase was my sister's boyfriend, all right, but he still liked to flirt. At least with me, it was harmless, and he knew he wouldn't get anywhere.
Home is a three-story Victorian with a full basement, set on the outskirts of the slightly seedy Belles-Faire district of Seattle. We purchased the house when we first came Earthside thanks to a trust fund set up by Maria D'Artigo, our mother, an orphan who fell in love with our father in Madrid during the height of World War II.
With nothing to tie her Earthside—her foster parents had died in a car crash a few years before—Maria returned to Otherworld with Father. There, she married him and settled in to life on the outskirts of the Court and Crown, but she never fully gave up her ties over here. She also made certain that the three of us had roots in this world via Social Security numbers, a bank account, and birth certificates that fudged our origins. When the portals opened and the government had to face the truth about the Fae, we had them amended so now they read, "Birthplace: Y'Elestrial, Otherworld," and they listed our father's name and race.
To her dying day our mother was our protector and advocate. And our Father loves us, too. Who can ask for more? But unfortunately, our mixed blood makes life hell at times.
I'm Camille D'Artigo, the oldest, and I'm pledged under the Moon Mother's service. I've been called a lot of things—slut, seductive, passionate, dangerous, warped—but mainly, I'm just a witch who adores my magic, my family, and my lovers. A clotheshorse, yes. And a makeup junkie. And sure, my magic short-circuits—sometimes at a really bad time. But life can be exciting when you never know where the lightning will strike.
Delilah, the second-born, is a werecat. She changes into a golden tabby when stressed out by family affairs and on nights when the moon is full. And now, thanks to a recent visit to the Autumn Lord—we think—she also changes into a black panther when he decides it necessary. He claimed her to be one of his Death Maidens, and she's spirit-bound to reap souls for him during the harvest on Samhain Eve. But that's another story. We tend to pussyfoot around the subject, since there's nothing anybody can do to turn back time.
And then, there's Menolly. Back in Otherworld, Menolly was an acrobat—a souped-up spy, you might say—until she was captured by a group of rogue vampires. After torturing her until she begged for death. Dredge, the meanest vampire who ever lived, forced her to drink from his vein. She died, he helped her rise, and then he sent her home to kill our family. I managed to summon aid before she hurt any of us. But our family's never been the same since that night. Menolly's learning to live with being a vampire. Again, not much else she can do, so might as well make the best of it. We seem to be having a lot of those make-the-best-of-it adventures, lately.
My sisters and I work for the OIA, or rather, we did until civil war broke out back home. To avoid the death threats on our head back in Y'Elestrial, we've decided to park it right here, Earthside. Even if we could go home, we wouldn't. Because behind all the mayhem lurks a threat that could wipe out both Earth and Otherworld.
Shadow Wing, a greater demon lord from the Subterranean Realms, is after the spirit seals, artifacts that can rip open the portals that join the three realms. If he wins, both Earth and OW bite the dust, razed to the ground by his hordes of minions. If we find them before he does, we'll be able to keep the precarious balance, guarded by the Hags of Fate.
Right now, we're two for two. And Shadow Wing is pissed, which makes him infinitely dangerous. And which makes our job infinitely harder.
As I jumped out of my car, I glanced around the yard. Iris had been busy the past few weeks. I'd been so rushed I barely noticed. But now I caught sight of a spurt of daffodils blooming beneath the oak and maple. A profusion of yellow in a sea of green that was more moss than grass.
Rosebushes sported leaf buds where—later—there would be hundreds of rich, red blossoms filling the air with their scent.
Skirting the house, a rainbow of irises and gladiolas nestled, close to blooming. And grape hyacinths snuggled among thick batches of bluebells, primroses, and tulips.
I paused by a large patch of plants. My herb garden. When I'd planted it early on last year, I had no idea of how long we'd be here, so I started a number of seedlings in case our stay was extended. Now, I was glad for that forethought. Belladonna and nettle, thyme and rosemary, spearmint and calendula and lavender all vied for space with the three dozen other plants in the cobblestone-bordered beds.
As I knelt beside the herbs, I could hear them whispering to one another. Just what they were saying, I couldn't quite catch. I'd have to tune in, reach deep into the soil and commune with them to find out. But they were active and aware. Neither of my sisters seemed to master talking to plants, but it was all part of the package once I cast my lot with the Moon Mother. More than once, I'd enjoyed a warm summer afternoon in lengthy communication with some wild bramble. Of course, the plants back in Otherworld were more friendly than the ones here.
Inhaling deeply, as the scent of rich loam and wet cedar filled my lungs, I rose and joined Chase by his SUV. I helped him open the tailgate, and we guided Feddrah-Dahns out of the back. I was relieved to see that the unicorn had refrained from leaving a calling card, beyond a few white silken hairs on the carpeted floor.
Chase just shook his head as he slammed the door shut and followed us up the stairs.
"Easy now, don't take them too quickly," I said as Feddrah-Dahns's hooves clipped a staccato beat on the wood. I was more worried about our porch than his health, to be honest. With those feathered hooves, he could probably punch a hole right through the weaker spots of the planks.
As I opened the door, I almost ran into Iris, who was passing through the hall on her way to the kitchen. She was carrying a tray filled with half-eaten sandwiches, a bowl of stale Cheetos, and two open soda cans. Delilah's doing, no doubt. Iris gave me a tight smile. She hadn't seen the unicorn yet.
"Camille, you have to do something about Delilah. I ask her to pick up after herself, but it just doesn't sink in. You'd think being a werecat she'd be fastidious, but she's rapidly descending into slobhood—" She stopped, staring beyond me. "There's a unicorn on the porch."
"Yeah… about that… I brought home a houseguest," I said, giving her a guilty grin.
"Where on Earth… how… oh my goodness! Let me get rid of this tray!" Flustered, Iris scurried off toward the kitchen as I led Feddrah-Dahns into the living room.
I moved the rocking chair so he'd have a clear space in which to stand. "Chase, can you go upstairs and find out if Delilah's home? Menolly should be up soon enough." I glanced at the clock. Six oh five. Another ten minutes, and she'd be awake.
Chase took off for the stairs as Iris came bustling back in. She cautiously approached the unicorn, bowing deeply. She was so petite compared to the horned horse that I hoped nothing would startle him. Iris stood barely over four feet. It would be easy to trample her.
But Feddrah-Dahns gazed down at her, then slowly edged his way down to where he was kneeling on his front legs. He bowed his head to her.
"Priestess" was all he said, but his tone conveyed one hell of a lot. We'd only recently found out that Iris was a priestess of Undutar, the Finnish goddess of mists and fog. She worked with ice magic and snow, and I had a feeling we'd only skimmed the surface of what the Talon-haltija was capable of.
Iris curtsied and reached up to slide her hands over the downy hair of his forehead. He looked like he was enjoying the attention. She whispered something to him, and he whinnied. Backing away, she tapped me on the arm.
"Come help me in the kitchen."
I followed her, wondering what she wanted to tell me. We'd barely entered the kitchen when Iris spun around, her eyes wide.
"Do you know who that is?"
