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“But also awesome, right? Since you love this stuff?” She arches a brow my way as she unpacks scones, fruit, pasta and sauce, and other easy-to-prepare groceries from her bag, setting each item on the counter beside the teapot.
I grin. “Totally. And I’m actually getting paid for the work since Baron’s agreed to donate a chunk of the collection to the library.”
“Sounds like a win-win.” Her voice takes on a sly note as she adds, “Or a win, win, win…if you happen to enjoy the company of grumpy vampires with sexy beards.”
Nostrils flaring, I bring a finger to my lips and hiss, “First of all, hush, he’s right downstairs, the floors are thin, and I’m pretty sure he’s a light sleeper. Secondly, I have no idea if this gamble is going to work. He’s…not happy about me being here.”
She narrows her gaze. “I’m not so sure about that. I mean, he agreed to let you stay,” she whispers. “I overheard Blaire and Darcy gossiping about it last night when I got home. Sounds like that’s pretty unprecedented for him. The only woman who’s ever slept over is his pet bear.”
“I’m sleeping on the couch, not sleeping over,” I say, leaning into the sink to peer out the window into the swamp behind the cabin. “And Laura is like his daughter. Which she proved this morning by telling me I wasn’t her boss and barging outside to do…whatever mostly tame bears do when they’re mad that they can’t go into the sitting room until all the books are taken care of.”
Casey grunts. “Well, I still think this is progress. Big progress.”
“That remains to be seen,” I say, a part of me wishing I could tell Casey just how complicated this truly is. After all, convincing a man to date you and convincing him that he should be overjoyed baby is about to make three are two totally different things.
My stomach churns at the thought and I reach for a scone, freeing it from its foil wrapping. “Now, if you don’t mind, I need you to talk nerdy to me. Was Sophie able to find the parchment paper I need? And possibly a few more fans and a couple gallons of gas for the generator?”
Casey takes a sip of her tea and grabs her own scone from the pile. “Yes, and she’s going to send that out later with whoever she can bully into playing delivery boy. She could only find a few rolls of parchment paper at the local grocery, but it’s enough to get you started. She’s making a trip into one of the human towns close by to get more this afternoon.”
I sigh. “Perfect. The sooner I have the most delicate books parchment papered and weighted down, the better. There’s still a chance they’ll pull through without major damage.”
From there, the conversation turns to Amy’s first night at daycare—a triumph, where she made two new friends and kept her cap on to cover her horns the entire time—and Blaire’s decision to move into Darcy’s house for a few days. We finish eating and Casey swings her now empty pack back over one shoulder.
“I can come get your dirty clothes and bring clean ones in a few days if you need me to,” she says as we step outside. “Doesn’t look like Baron has a washing machine in there.”
“He has one, but it’s out in the back yard and has a hand crank thing on the side,” I say. “It doesn’t look like it would be much fun to use in twenty-degree weather, but you don’t have to worry. I brought plenty of clothes.” I hug her again by the bike. “Get home safe and text when you have news. Service is spotty out here, but I get a bar every now and then when the wind blows from the south. Unfortunately, Baron’s landline was damaged in the break-in so my cell is our only hope.”
She nods. “Gotcha. Or I’ll send a messenger if I have to. Blaire says the local teens are always eager to earn a few bucks running messages when the phones are down. I’m guessing it’s the only thing keeping them from rioting and demanding the town elders spring for a cell tower closer to town so they can disappear into their devices like the rest of America’s youth.”
I grin. “You could be right. Though I like to think the kids here are smart enough to see dark magic at work and steer clear. Sophie’s always warning the kids at the library that the ‘free’ apps are making money by sucking their time, energy, and attention-span away from them. If that’s not dark magic, I don’t know what is.”
“Maybe,” she says. “If so, they’re wise beyond their years. Getting hooked on that cell phone dopamine hit is so bad for you, but it feels soooo good.” She sighs. “I miss playing Puzzle Magic before bed. It was the only way I could turn off my brain when I was stressed about Manny accidentally setting the trailer ablaze while we slept.”
I squeeze her arm. “You don’t have to worry about Manny anymore. Not now or ever again.”
She frowns, her dark eyes glittering with worry as she gazes over my head toward the swamp and the mountain beyond. “I know you’re right, but I’ve had the weirdest feeling the past few days. Like Manny’s close and…watching me.”
“Really?” The hairs lift at the back of my neck. “Have you told Blaire? Or Darcy?”
She shakes her head. “No. Darcy’s already done so much for Amy and me. I don’t want to put more on his plate, especially when I’m probably worried for no reason.” She shrugs and rolls her eyes. “Except like…the trauma of being Manny’s stupid human sex slave for so long and almost losing Amy in that cave-in and all that fun stuff.”
“You aren’t stupid. Don’t say that. You’re a good, trusting person who had no idea demons were real, let alone that they had mind control powers. And you’re one of the least paranoid people I know. Colin and Darcy think whoever stole the plans to the Blackmore estate is a vampire planning a takeover, but it could be Manny. Or someone else altogether. Until we know for sure, it’s best to examine every possibility. You should tell them what you’ve been feeling. As soon as you get home.”
Casey chews her bottom lip before pulling in a breath and giving a little nod.
I arch a brow. “Is that a yes? You promise?”
“Yes, I promise. Better to say something and feel silly than not say something and regret it when someone gets hurt.”
“Exactly.” My shoulders relax. “Let me know how it goes. In the meantime, I’ll see if I can find anything on demons in Baron’s collection. At the very least, we can prepare ourselves for Amy’s next growth spurt. At best, maybe we can find a way to keep Manny away from you for good. Supernatural creatures tend to be more powerful than humans, but they also have at least one major Achilles’ heel. Like vampires and sunlight. If we can find out what Manny’s weakness is, we can exploit it to keep you and Amy safe.”
“Knowledge is power,” she says, her lips curving. “That’s what you always used to say when we were little, remember? Thank you, by the way. For always being there for the rest of us, for giving us a childhood even though you didn’t get to have one yourself. I don’t know that I’ve ever said that out loud before, but…I should have.”
“Of course,” I say, fighting the tears rising in my eyes. “You’re my sister, my family. I’m always here for you.”
“And I’m here for you,” she says with a firmer nod. “If you decide you want help with the books, after all, let me know. I can drop Amy off early at daycare tonight and come parchment paper books for a couple of hours before I clock in.”
I smile. “Thanks, but I’ll be fine on my own. There isn’t room in there for more than one person now that the books are all off the shelves.”
