Page 56 of Bloodline Unbound

I sprawled, helpless and sated, in the moss.

Holy shit.

Iwasn’t sure how long we all lay there on the forest floor. My skin still buzzed from the impact of Logan’s power surge. I curled tighter around her. Seth had fallen asleep with his face pressed against her sternum. It was all more relaxing than it had any right to be. I’d have thought the forest would have put me on edge, but I was too damn content.

I kept a halfhearted watch as Logan and Seth slept, too sated to be on high alert.

Twilight washed over the forest, and before night fully claimed its domain, Logan finally stirred.

“I feel like I’ve been run over.” She groaned and stretched, rousing Seth with her movements.

He blinked sleepily. “What’s happening?”

“We should get back,” I said. “Hopefully Melinda hasn’t left already.”

I rose gingerly and gathered up Logan’s clothes. She was limp as a cooked noodle as I helped her dress. I scooped her into my arms, bridal style. “Seth, I don’t know the exact way out. Can you shift and lead us back?”

He shimmied out of the rest of his clothes and dropped the bundle of them into Logan’s lap before melting down to his panther form. Seth sniffed around and wrapped his tail around my leg.

This way.

I followed him on the walk back to town. It seemed like it took a lot longer to leave than it had to get to the clearing, but we’d had the benefit of sunlight on the journey in. The lights were still on in Melinda’s apartment above the shop when we broke through the edge of the forest. Seth climbed the stairs ahead of us and whacked his paw on the glass.

The door swung open and Melinda popped her head out. “Oh, well done. Not a single one of you was incinerated! Come in.”

The three of us ventured inside and Melinda had two suitcases standing ready at the door.

“You left us out there, thinking one of us would die?” I asked, hackles rising.

“I’m not your babysitter, panther. I never agreed to teach anyone anything about their magic. I gave her the most basic tool and the rest is up to her. You have a chance of survival now. If I’d left her locked down, you’d be dead within a month.” Melinda crossed her arms. “If you haven’t noticed, I have to get my ass out of Dodge because of you three. Shut down my business, flee the fucking country, because you’re bringing a magic eater here. So, fuck you very much. I didn’t have to help you at all.”

She’s got a point. Seth sat at my feet.

“Rest here if you need to before you go, but I’m heading to the airport in less than an hour.” Melinda closed the patio door behind us and sat in her chair.

Logan squirmed and I let her down, keeping a steadying hand on her waist.

“Not a fan of your methods, but thank you,” said Logan, “for helping us. I’m sorry we’re causing you trouble.”

Melinda softened. “It would have wandered here eventually. At least now I have a heads up to get out.” Something flickered in her gaze and Melinda fished out her phone, tapping away before turning the screen to Logan. “I’m supposed to show you this.”

“Oh my gods! They found out who she is.” Logan grabbed the phone and showed me. “Virginia Burke. She went missing in 1972. Her remaining family is going to have a funeral and bury her in the family plot when everything settles down.”

“Why am I supposed to tell you about a missing person from 1972?” Melinda asked.

“We found her body in the Appalachians. Her spirit led us,” said Logan.

“Interesting. Mediumship is usually one of the first gifts that manifests with a lot of us.”

“Is it?”

Melinda shook her head in exasperation. “Precious girl, you have so much to learn. Were a monster not on your tail I would try to help more, but there isn’t time for this.”

I pushed down a hiss. Melinda might be useful, but that didn’t mean I liked her. I kept a protective arm around Logan, not wanting to get too comfortable here again.

Melinda dragged a card out of an ancient Rolodex sitting on a crowded desk. She passed it over to Logan. “You should try to meet up with Anya. She’s something of a record keeper for our kind. If anyone can help you sort out what line you’re from, she can. The book I’m leaving you will have some answers, but not all. My ancestor obviously didn’t know every witch and certainly wouldn’t have had access to information about every line.”

“Oh, thank you.” Logan tucked the card into her pocket.

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