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Annie gulps, clearly not comforted by my words. “So it was a ghost? A…ghost child? Who died in this house?”
“Many people have died in this house,” I say gently. I don’t want to scare her, but death is as much a part of life here in Nightfall as it is everywhere else. Most paranormal creatures live longer than humans, but we all die. Eventually. Even vampires. “At the time this home was built, most people died in their beds. And there are accidents, of course. The nearest hospital is an hour away and most of our residents are unable to seek help there without risking exposing us all to the human world.”
“And doctors don’t know how to fix humans half the time,” Blaire says, “let alone shifters and vampires.” She pats Annie’s back. “It’s fine. If Darcy says we don’t need to worry about the ghosts, then we won’t. And he’s going to help us with the kraken and anything else that arises. By the time we’re finished with this place, it will be safer than Fort Knox. I promise.”
Annie nods and shoots me a grateful smile that’s very sweet, making me feel terrible for thinking uncharitable thoughts about her appearance. She’s a darling woman, inside and out. She’s just not good for Colin and vice versa.
On impulse, I touch a gentle hand to her arm. “Don’t worry, love. We’ll keep you safe. You’re a Blackmore now and we keep close watch over our own.”
Behind her, Blaire scowls, but it isn’t until she’s fetched the lemon juice and met me in the front yard that I realize why.
“And what happens when Annie doesn’t become a Blackmore?” she asks as she joins me by the bush by the fence. “Will you still help keep her safe? I’m not the kind of person who usually needs help or who likes to ask for it even when I do, but…” She sighs as she glances up at the bathroom window. “I have no idea what I’m doing here. And I don’t want my failure to beat the learning curve to end with Annie getting hurt. Or worse.”
“Absolutely,” I assure her. “I’m here for you both. You have nothing to worry about.”
She huffs. “Right. Except the kraken and the house falling apart and whatever’s up with this spider.” She arches a brow and lowers her voice. “What is up with the spider, by the way?”
“Possibly nothing.” I motion toward the browning fall grass beside the bush. “Sprinkle some of the lemon juice there and let’s see. Spiders don’t care for citrus, but jorogumo find it irresistible.”
“Interesting,” she says, “that so many supernatural creatures have a thing with citrus, one way or another. And no, I’m not even going to ask what a jorogumo is. You can let me know if or when I have one for sure. I’m tapped out on learning new things. Sally gave me a run down on all the Nightfall species while she was beautifying me yesterday and my head is still spinning.”
“Jorogumos aren’t native to the area,” I say as she spritzes the grass with brightly scented juice. “They’re an invasive species and primarily monstrous.”
“As opposed to you?” she asks, that teasing, playful note in her tone I’m becoming more familiar with. “Who is only secondarily monstrous?”
“Yes,” I say. “I was human before I became a vampire, and my spirit is human still. With spider shifters, their human form is a mask they wear to get close to their prey. They don’t have any connection to the—” I break off as a spider the size of a closed fist plops onto the grass from a low-hanging flower, leaving it bobbing in its wake.
But unlike most women I know, Blaire doesn’t shudder or back away from the creature. She actually leans closer and murmurs, “Okay, Mama Spider. Here’s your moment of truth. I hope you’re one of the good guys. I’d like us to be friends.”
The spider crawls a few cautious steps toward the juice, freezes with its head cocked to one side, then quickly scuttles back the way it came, disappearing under the bush.
Blaire exhales a relieved sigh. “Well, that’s good at least. I’ve always liked spiders. I’d hate to have to exterminate one. Even if it was a monster in its spare time.”
“They eat human bones. Only once or twice a year but…”
“But that’s enough,” she says, sucking in a breath through her teeth. “Jesus. I’m going to have to make a list of all the predators around here to keep on the fridge. Just so Annie and I can remind ourselves of all the ways we need to watch our asses while we’re fetching cream for our coffee every morning.” She props her hands on her hips with a sigh. “It also makes me realize how shitty the real world is. How sad is it that Nightfall still seems like a better option, even after being attacked by a tentacle in my shower and narrowly avoided having my bones munched?”
“The real world is rigged against our kind. At least in Nightfall the rules are made with supernaturals in mind.”
“But I’m basically human,” she says, her voice soft and vulnerable. “I didn’t know I was a witch before and neither did anyone else. I should have been able to pull off living a normal human life and keeping my sisters safe, but…”
“You did your best. That’s all anyone can do.” I loop an arm around her waist and draw her to my chest, tucking her below my chin where she fits just right.
Surprisingly, she allows it.
She doesn’t pull away or tense up. She simply rests her cheek on my chest with a sigh, and I…hold her.
I hold her and realize I haven’t held a woman—just held her, without an agenda except to give her comfort—in so long I can’t remember the last occasion.
All I know is that it feels wonderful and sad and confusing as hell.
And that I don’t want to let her go, not even when Annie calls out that their bags are ready to go.
Chapter Fourteen
Blaire
I’m not a hugger. I never have been.
