Page 76 of Luna Rising
She blinked up at him and nodded enthusiastically, and I felt confident that she would have agreed with any name he said. I made introductions before the situation became any more awkward for me. Even Birch looked a little awed in the face of Penn’s, well, face.
“So, what you really mean to say is that Drake sent you along to be with the other alpha’s mates?” I teased Penn as he eased his large body into an armchair.
“She gave me a choice between you guys and Walter.”
I laughed. “I would have been highly offended if you hadn’t picked us.”
Once everyone got over the initial shock of Penn, both his romance novel cover good looks and position as mate and beta to a lady alpha, the conversation flowed as easily his hair. It felt right to be sitting there with the three of them and even Birch, who’d joined us instead of lurking on the perimeter. I had initially felt a little slighted about not being invited to Ewan’s meeting but not enough to fight about it. Having company that I actually liked made me care even less.
I also learned a lot about my mother thanks to Penn. Prior to settling down with Drake, he had spent a lot of time traveling to retrieve items the pack couldn’t grow in the Snake Mountains or buy in the human towns nearby. Mom had spent some time in a few of the same strange supernatural areas of the world, once again proving that I really didn’t know much about her life before me. At least I still had the opportunity to change that, and I would. I had visited another realm, and yet Mom still had the more interesting life so far it seemed.
Charlie, Winter, and Colleen arrived unannounced via portal in the late afternoon, and they brought plenty of food to feed the mortals in my house. I wouldn’t have thought much about them coming if not for the anxiety in Winter’s part of our bond. She, her mother, and Charlie were all smiles, putting on a good front, so I didn’t say anything in front of the others.
Instead, I waited until Winter went to the kitchen for more to drink and followed her. “What’s wrong? Did something happen? Why is Charlie with you? Where’s Walter?”
“It’s Webber. He’s dead by now.”
“And you just left him to die alone?” I demanded, incredulous.
“Walter took him somewhere to be turned. By, like, a normal vampire. We would’ve told you beforehand, but there wasn’t time. He flatlined. Mom and Walter figured since we still didn’t know the ramifications of you or Ewan turning him that a regular vampire was best.”
“And your father had one on standby?” I pursed my lips.
“Walter gave me coordinates and told me to open a portal. It all happened too fast to ask questions.”
I sighed. “Okay, well, did it work?”
“I don’t know. He hasn’t called yet.”
I made a face. “That can’t be a good sign, right?”
“How would I know? You’re the vampire.”
“You went to college,” I pointed out.
“Um, for one semester. Not even. And I don’t think Arcane University offers a class on vampirism effectiveness as it relates to casters from other realms.”
“Okay. Touche, I guess.”
She rolled her eyes. “Is it really that hard for you to be wrong?”
“I have no problem being wrong. It’s admitting it that I can’t do.” I reached past her and opened the fridge, retrieving a bottle of bloody. “How’s Archer?”
She shrugged. “The same.”
“Is he here?” For some ridiculous reason, I lowered my voice like it mattered.
“No. He’s with Missy and Reggie in Traitor’s Hell, tailing Enzo, Hayden, and Mat.” She laughed. “He’s having way too much fun being a ghost PI.”
So the unholy trinity was in all in the spooky little town. Interesting.
“They all went to visit this woman. A seer. Reggie says she’s very exclusive, like, only takes consults with certain people. Neither Missy nor Archer can get inside her apartment to eavesdrop. So annoying.” Winter shook her head.
It was annoying, but in Traitor’s Hell, everyone could see ghosts, so eavesdropping wasn’t quite as easy as other places, anyhow.
“Do you know her name?” I asked as if there was a chance I might recognize it or know this seer.
“Mallory? Marcy? Malia, maybe? It had alliteration, I remember that. Reggie called her Madam Malia, or whatever. I thought it sounded so fortuneteller-at-a-fair.”
