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“Sounds good to go. Iris, any chance you can have a quick meal waiting for us when we get up? Something light but protein-rich and sweet?”
She nodded, weary herself. “Not a problem. Since I’m not heading out to the hills with you, I can rest later, after you leave. Meanwhile, I’ll get the herb cuttings tended to until you have time to plant them.”
I turned back to Roz and Vanzir. “So, tell us what we’re facing.”
“The seal’s located in a cave up in the Snoqualmie foothills. Rumors say the cave is haunted. I wouldn’t dismiss them lightly. There’s some sort of spiritual activity going on up there, although I sense demons better than ghosts,” Vanzir said.
He slipped the pack of playing cards into his pocket, then continued. “Karvanak won’t cut us any quarter. If he can break through the memory seal I performed, he’ll jump on the information. Either way, the poor guy is dead. Either the RÄksasa will break his mind, or he’ll break his body.”
Shuddering, I followed them into the house.
Iris immediately slipped downstairs to fetch Maggie, then returned to the living room and handed the gargoyle off to Smoky, who frowned but took her anyway.
“Since you’re going to be sitting here talking, I might as well put you to work. You can watch the baby while I make dinner.” Iris brooked no rebuke, and Smoky, along with every other member of our extended family, obeyed her.
Maggie moophed and promptly planted a slobbery kiss on the dragon’s cheek. Smoky grinned as a lock of his hair rose up to tickle her under the chin. Maggie loved to play with Smoky’s hair, and he would tease her with it like he might tease a cat with a string.
With a chuckle, Iris scurried back to the kitchen, and the clanging of pots and pans promised that dinner would be ready when we woke up. I glanced at the clock. Another ninety minutes, and Menolly would be awake.
“To bed,” I said, heading for the stairs. Camille trudged along behind me, followed by Morio, who looked as tired as we were. They peeled off at the second floor, giving me a small wave.
“See you at the table,” Camille said as they disappeared into her bedroom.
I dashed up to the third floor, gauging the most effective way to fall asleep. So tired I didn’t even bother to undress, I shifted form, then jumped up on the bed and curled up at the bottom. I always slept better as a cat, and sure enough, within moments, I was drifting off into a deep, utterly wonderful, catnap.
“Delilah, Delilah? Time to wake up!” A woman was lifting me into her arms, and still half-asleep, I purred as she started a delightfully luxurious ear-scritch around my head. After a moment, I shook myself awake and looked up into Menolly’s eyes. I let out a loud purp, and she tossed me lightly on the bed, where I leisurely transformed back to two legs.
I stretched and yawned. “Oh, that felt good. How long did I sleep?”
“I made the others give you and Camille two hours instead ninety minutes. That extra time can play a big difference in reflexes and alertness. Feel good enough to go for it tonight?” Menolly was dressed for the woods: jeans, long-sleeved turtleneck, a denim vest, her lace-up-to-the-knee Doc Martens boots. She gave me a toothy grin, and I could smell blood on her breath.
“You ate already, I take it?” I grimaced and shook my head.
“Shit. Breath stinking again?” She rolled her eyes.
“Yeah. Here. Try this. I keep telling you to start carrying one around.” I tossed her a pocket-sized Listerine breath spray. Mint. Strong mint. I loved it, because it reminded me of catnip without making me do something stupid. My sisters knew my little secret: Catnip—be it tea or the herb—was as potent for me as tequila was for some FBHs, even when I was in two-legged form. I never told anybody else because I didn’t want any practical jokers trying to see how far they could push it.
Menolly couldn’t drink or eat anything but blood, but the breath spray didn’t bother her like food. She gave herself a few good squirts until I couldn’t smell the blood anymore. Holding up the spray, she asked, “Can I keep this?”
Nodding, I glanced down at my outfit. Grungy, yeah, but where we were going, it wouldn’t matter. “Think I’m dressed okay? It worked over in OW this morning. I might as well wear it tonight. I’m just going to get filthy again. I know it. I’m about as much of a klutz as Smoky is a clean freak. Have you noticed that he never seems to get dirty?”
“Oh, yeah, and I dare you to ask him how.”
“Already did.” I snorted. “He just gave me that smart-assed grin of his. Maybe Camille can get it out of him. He’s sure a close one with information, that’s for sure. You think he’s told her his real name yet?”
“Ha! I doubt it. After all, he is a dragon.” Menolly grinned. “Come on, Kitten. Iris is holding dinner. Camille and Morio should be at the table by now.”
As I clattered down the stairs, my sister silently gliding behind me, I could smell the aromas of hamburgers and fresh fruit. My mouth watered, and I bounced into the kitchen, suddenly feeling jazzed. So what if we were on the tail of one of the spirit seals? We’d come through. We always did. Well, not always, but we had the jump on the fourth seal, and this time, we wouldn’t let Karvanak win.
Iris handed me a burger and a thick slice of melon as I slid into a chair. Camille and Morio were already eating. Smoky was leaning over a map with Roz, and Vanzir was sitting in the corner. Menolly reached into the playpen and hoisted the Magster onto her hip. Maggie gurgled something and planted a fat kiss on Menolly’s cheek.
“So here’s the plan. We’ve got a forty-minute drive to the Skattercreek Road turnoff.” Roz traced the route along the map as I leaned across the table to watch. “Once we get there, the grade takes a steep incline, so we’ll want to take vehicles that can weather the conditions. Your Jeep should do fine. Camille, leave the Lexus at home. Same with the Jag, Menolly.”
As his gaze flickered over to Menolly, a little bell went off in the back of my mind. Something was going on between them. Or was going to, even if neither one realized it yet. Of course, Roz had been trying to get in Menolly’s pants for some time, but had my sister decided to open the gates to her garden? They would be one hell of a match, for sure. The incubus and the vampire.
I decided to keep my mouth shut. So did Camille, though she caught my gaze and arched her eyebrows.
“So if we take my Jeep, there are . . . how many of us?” I counted. Smoky, Roz, Vanzir, Camille, Menolly, and me. “Six. I can fit that many, but it will be a tight squeeze.”
