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I held on to her hand when I stood, wearing a pair of flannel pajamas with unicorns I’d found in the closet. They had looked too big but had magically adjusted to my frame perfectly when I put them on.

“I thought the Island was secret?”

She scoffed. “Not a well-kept one in witch circles. Well, the location is, but the existence of it is infamous. I’ve always wanted to find it.”

My shoulders lowered a good inch when her eyes twinkled with delight. She was the rock of our little clan and had been through so much. I hated to put her through more. As strong as she looked on the outside with her short-cropped hair and tanned physique, I knew the hurt she hid inside. I’d seen it on her aura since Dad left. I’d heard her crying in the night when she thought no one would. But now, her aura held the bright blue of truth and the deep purple of curiosity. She was excited to be here.

“What about the ranch?” I asked, not wanting to leave anything unsaid to fester.

Mom smiled again. “A mysterious offer came in to buy it and the horses. Someone named Carver. I accepted immediately. It’s been getting harder to care for them all properly. Besides, I’m looking into acquiring a unicorn.” She poked one of the ones on my shoulder.

“Okay. Well, in that case, I admit I’m thrilled that we’re all living together again.” I clapped my hands and motioned for Zoe to join us so I could hug them both. “But I have to get dressed because I am going to work at noon.”

A glance at the clock showed it was already after eleven, so I shooed them out with Mom promising to whip up a meal so I could be properly fed before I went.

“And a pot of coffee, please!” I called as I shut the door.

A perusal of the closet in daylight proved futile. I didn’t wear many dresses, thus borrowing the red one for special occasions like the disastrous date I’d gone on the night before. Luckily, Zoe had thought ahead and left a duffle with my things. I rummaged through and put on the least wrinkled outfit I could find, which consisted of an ivory satin blouse and a pair of black trousers. Then I slipped on my heels from the night before and wrestled my hair into a messy bun that would be suitable for work. I never wore much makeup, but for whatever reason, Zoe had stuck a few staples in the bag, and the dark shadows under my eyes demanded some concealer so I didn’t meet anyone looking like a zombie instead of a psychic. That could cause all sorts of issues.

By the time I emerged, Mom had a feast waiting on the round table in the dining area. My stomach rumbled as I sat down to a veggie omelet, toast, and a steaming cup of caffeine that Zoe was just finishing adding sugar to as she chewed a piece of bacon.

I yanked the rest from her mouth and stuffed it in mine, then mumbled a “thank you” through the deliciousness.

When the doorbell chimed at precisely noon, I’d just finished.

Crap. The realization my new boss—a vampire—was on the other side of the door hit me like an anvil. This was not going to go over well with the fam. It could even change their feelings about moving here.

Zoe moved toward the door, but I intercepted her, pressing my back to the wood with a grin I knew had to be too big.

“That’s my ride. Gotta go to work. See you later.”

Then I slipped out the smallest opening I could make and ran smack into Julian’s tank of a body.

“Ouch.” I finished, clicking the door shut with one hand while rubbing my forehead with the other.

“Good afternoon, Charlotte. I trust you slept well.” Julian waited like a stubborn tree trunk in the same spot on the porch, ignoring our collision. He wore a black uniform that looked a lot like Private Jensen’s the night before but decorated with gold buttons and regalia.

“Let’s talk on the way.” I steered him toward the steps and down the cobblestones to an identical car to the one he’d rescued me in yesterday.

“Eager to get to work I see,” he said as he moved infuriatingly slowly toward the vehicle.

He’d opened the passenger door for me when his gaze locked on something over my shoulder. I knew without a doubt what had gotten his attention, and I cringed.

“You must be Charlotte’s mother and sister. Pleasure to meet you.” He strode away from the open door and reached out a hand to shake. Poor fool.

“I’m Darlene, and this is my daughter, Zoe,” Mama said with a voice that was so polite it was dangerous.

I spun to find her shaking his hand, Zoe behind her, aura the bright red of anger and distrust as she tensed every muscle in her body. For her part, Mama was doing a good job pretending to be cordial, but her aura pulsed with anger as well as a good measure of confusion.

Clearing my throat, I hurried to Julian’s side. We’d been so close…

“Mom, Zoe, this is Lieutenant C—”

“Call me Julian,” he said over me with a debonaire smile.

“Right. Well, Julian here works for SHADE,” I explained, trying to justify why I was getting in the car with a vampire. “He actually saved my life yesterday.”

“I don’t believe your life was in danger. They wanted you alive,” Julian corrected, placing a hand on my shoulder.