Page 44 of Grimoires & Glamoury

“Piper, she’s four. Chloe was ecstatic when she found out she was staying with her cousin for a few days.”

I nodded. “I bet Chloe will have a blast.”

“She’ll handle being apart from me, better than I will from her,” he admitted with a chuckle.

I spotted the sign for the turn off to Hemlock Hollow. “Here we go,” I said, hitting the turn signal and slowing down for the exit.

Hemlock Hollow was a small rural town. There was a grand total of two stoplights, and it was arranged around a central town square that had a green lawn, several flower beds, and a large white gazebo at its center. Being the last stop before state parks and the Ozark waterways, it also boasted a thriving tourist trade. Driving down Hemlock Lane, I passed a drug store and ice cream parlor and then I parked in front of Bittersweet Books.

The red brick building that held the bookstore was two stories tall. On the second floor a trio of tall narrow windows overlooked the town square, and on the ground level, a fanciful carved wooden door flanked a wide display window. As we exited the car, I noticed there was a nice flow of foot traffic even at a quarter to five, and I wondered how many people were locals as opposed to tourists.

My next thought had me frowning.

“What is it?” Charles asked quietly as he joined me on my side of the car.

“I was wondering how many of them are Supes,” I tipped my head towards the folks out shopping and walking. “Because in Hemlock Hollow you need to keep your guard up.”

“Meaning?” he asked.

“Meaning, you can literally bump into a Lycan, a Vampire, Witch, some variation of a Supernatural Hybrid, or—gods help us—a Fae, at any time...even in town.”

Psyching myself up I took a moment to switch my sunglasses to my regular glasses. I stuck the truck keys in my purse, and walked forward, reaching for the bookstore’s door handle. To my surprise, Charles stepped protectively in front of me.

“Allow me,” he said, opening the door.

I’d barely crossed the threshold, when I spotted a female with long copper hair, wearing a deep purple dress. She stepped gracefully out from behind the front counter and smiled when she saw me.

“Lorna!” She walked toward me, her arms open for a hug.

“Hey Ruby!” I said, accepting and returning the hug.

We stepped apart and I turned to introduce her to Charles.

“Nice to meet you,” she said, and held out her hand, which surprised me. Supes rarely touched another unknown Supe.

Charles shook her hand and said hello politely.

Ruby tugged him slightly closer and looked him square in the eyes. “Ooh. You have power,” she said appreciatively. “Ceremonialist or Druid?” she asked him, still holding his hand.

Charles smiled. “Both actually.”

Ruby narrowed her eyes. “Yeah, that tracks. I can see it in your aura.”

“And you are more than a Witch,” Charles said, considering her every bit as carefully as she had studied him.

Oh, here we go, I thought and stepped back a bit from the two of them.

“Ding, ding.” Ruby chuckled at that.

“You’re a Vampire too, aren’t you?” he asked.

Ruby smiled, flashing the tiniest bit of fang and released his hand. “Give the Mage a prize.”

A second female came from the back rolling a cart full of books toward the front. She was petite, pretty and had dark hair that featured a deep blue stripe. One look at her and I knew she was also a fellow Witch.

“This is Harper,” Ruby said, introducing us.

“Hey, y’all.” Harper gave us a friendly smile and walked past us to go flip the sign over to ‘Closed’ and lock the door.