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He smiled sheepishly. “Maybe. Who’s this?”
Cara glanced at Nick and hesitated. “A friend from college,” she said, deliberately not saying his name. “Why don’t we all go inside?”
Nick shrugged. “Sure. What did you say the dog’s name was?”
“Finn,” she said, and the dog finally turned his eyes to Nick.
“Don’t worry if he doesn’t like you,” she added. “He takes a while to warm up to strangers.”
Nick held out his hand, and the dog padded over to him, sniffing his hand and looking at him with strangely intense eyes. The dog observed him for a moment, as if casting judgement, and then he pushed his head against Nick’s hand and let him pet him.
“Oh,” she said. “He’s never that friendly with strangers.”
“He’s beautiful,” Nick said. “And massive. Good boy.”
The dog turned and led the way inside the house, and Nick followed him, completely unaware of the two witches staring at him.
“That was weird, right?” Jay said quietly.
“Very,” she said.
***
“Is that beer?” Cara said, glancing at the bottle on the counter of the standalone island in the middle of the kitchen.
Jay shrugged. “Yeah. I didn’t know how long I’d be here. There’s more in the fridge, do you want one?”
Cara shook her head, but Nick took one, and she sighed. Meanwhile, Finn had wandered over to his basket in the corner of the room and curled up, resting his head on his paws as he watched them.
Nick went over to the dog and crouched beside him, rubbing his head.
“Listen, Jay, we need help,” Cara said. “There are vampires involved, and we need to talk to someone who knows what they’re doing. My parents, ideally, but maybe the elders would help us. Or your family. Are your mothers around? They might know what to do.”
“My parents are out of town,” Jay said. “As far as the elders... Why do you need them?” He glanced at Nick again. “You said we need help. Who’s we?”
“I meant me,” Cara said, but the lie fell flat, and Jay’s eyes narrowed.
“Who are you?” he asked. “I didn’t get your name.”
Nick slowly stood up. “I didn’t give it,” he said.
“You’re not a witch,” Jay said, stepping around the island. “How are you involved?”
“Jay, wait,” Cara said.
“No. I think I know exactly who this is. Your parents tried to keep tabs on you, to make sure you were safe at your college house, or on the campus, or wherever you go with your friends. You vanished a while ago. No tracking spells, no magic, nothing could find your location.”
Nick set down the beer on the table beside him.
“They went to find you,” Jay said, eyes still locked on Nick. He stood a few feet from him, but he didn’t close the distance. Not yet. “There’s only one thing that could cause you to disappear like that.”
“Jay...”
“He’s the void.”
Nick frowned. “They can’t track her because she’s near me?”
“Don’t pretend to be surprised.”
