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“I wanted to see how you felt. Your aunt called me earlier today to tell me about what happened and I wanted to make sure that Killian was all right. Also, we found something about the necklace. Hank’s going to drop over in a bit with the information.”
I started to say that he could give it to me over the phone but then I realized that they wanted to help as much as they could. “Killian’s healing up, though he’s going to be sore for a few days. Thank gods nothing was broken. Thank you for checking. I have more information about the Covenant of Chaos, but I’ll give that to Hank so he can write it down.”
“Good going. We miss you but I want you rested for your wedding. I want you to be worry-free next week.”
I smiled. Tad was, as always, being the gentleman he was. “Thanks, Tad. I appreciate everything you’re doing. Hey, can you ask Hank to drop by a coffee shop and bring me a triple peppermint mocha, and Killian would probably like a large coffee with cream and two sugars?” Truth was, we could have made the drinks here, but since Hank was still trying to make up for the Bigfoot incident, asking for small favors would go a long way in reducing his guilt.
“Of course. I’ll talk to you later.”
As Tad hung up, I returned to the table and settled in. Stabbing a sausage with my fork, I said, “Hank’s coming over. Rowan, after brunch you and Tarvish should head home and take care of your kittens. We’ll be fine. I’ll call you if anything happens. And leave the dishes. It will give me something to do.”
“Are you sure?”
“Positive.”
We finished the meal, which had filled the house with a heavenly aroma, as Hank rang the bell. I motioned to the dining room as I let him in. “There’s still plenty of food if you’re hungry.”
I took the coffees from him and carried them in. Handing Killian his coffee, I set mine on the table and gave Rowan and Tarvish a peck on the cheek. “Thank you so much for all your help. I’ll call you if anything happens. And you call me if you find out anything else.” I walked them to the door as Hank gave them a friendly nod and grabbed a plate.
Rowan paused before heading out. “Be careful, my dear. I know you and Killian are more than capable of taking care of yourselves, but the fact is the Covenant of Chaos has put a target on your back, and trust me—that’s not an easy burden to bear. That’s why I kept your father’s birth quiet. They had me targeted even back then, though I’ve always been a couple steps ahead of them.”
I waved as they crunched through the snow. The clouds were holding for the moment, but they had that silvery sheen that always precedes a snowfall, and my breath appeared in puffs of white as I stood there, arms crossed. Across the driveway, Ari had pulled in. She was getting out of her car even as Rowan and Tarvish took off. She saw me and waved, jogging over through the snow.
“Hey, woman. How are you doing? I thought I’d go in and look over the damage since you said the fire marshal okayed it. How are you?” She was wearing a flannel shirt and blue jeans with a puffy jacket, a knitted ski cap pulled down over her ears.
“Not that great,” I said. “You want to come in?”
“I wish I could, but after I figure out what I can salvage, I need to contact my insurance agency and then tonight, we’re working on the nursery for the kids,” she said. “When it rains, it pours.”
“Boy, do I know that. I’ll call my insurance agent this morning and have them start the assessment. They may be able to save you some money on paint and stuff, since that’s technically part of the house. I’m so glad you weren’t all moved in.” I hesitated. “Youdostill want to move in? I won’t hold you to the lease if you don’t. The Covenant of Chaos is targeting me, Ari. They may make another attempt.”
“You aren’t getting rid of me that easily,” she said, though her brow wrinkled, telling me she wasn’t as nonchalant as she was trying to be.
“Well, good on that. Also, I got word that Ellison broke free from his house arrest. He’s on the lam and nobody knows where the fuck he is.” I stared at the sky. “This winter’s beginning to feel bleak, isn’t it?”
She made a face. “If I see him, I’ll put a stop to him. He’s a walking menace. I’ll try to drop over before I leave. If you get a few minutes, come over and keep me company.”
I hugged her before she left and turned back inside the house. I was freezing, but on my way back to the kitchen, I stopped by one of the nearby heating vents and stood over it, letting the air rise around me. The heat felt good, almost comforting, and it was hard to step away from the warmth.
Hank was finishing a plate of eggs and sausage and fruit salad when I returned to the dining room. He tapped the sides of his mouth with the napkin. I saw that Killian had already cleared the rest of the dishes, and now Hank jumped up to help him finish clearing the table.
“Ari’s next door, going through the house to see how badly it was damaged. I should go over and help her, but my headache’s hanging on the edge and I think being around the smell of smoke and seeing the damage would trigger me.” I sat down at the table and rubbed my hand along the wood. “So, Tad said you found out something about my necklace?”
Hank nodded. “Yes, we did. At least, a few things. It seems it was made for a woman named Anna Lissa. She was the mistress of a vampire, and the necklace was enchanted to protect her against glamour. That’s all we know so far, but at least it’s not bad.”
“That’s good news, for a change.” My phone rang. Rowan was calling. “Sorry, but I should probably take this. Give me a moment.” I answered. “Hey, did you make it home?”
“Yes, we did, but that’s not why I’m calling. Talk about a shitstorm of activity.”
That didn’t sound good. “What’s going on?”
“I got a call from Millie. You’ll never guess what the fuck has happened.” Rowan sounded both disturbed and irate at the same time.
“What?”
“The cops found Daya in the Mystic Wood—in a dark section near where Mothman made his appearance.”
“What’s she doing there?” I asked.
