Page 5 of A Leaner Meaner Midlife

Gideon immediately took Alana Catherine and covered her with his body. Gram and Mr. Jackson tried their best to calm the old gals, but nothing helped.

“What’s happening?” I demanded, trying to get the Nephilim talk to me.

“Don’t know. Don’t know,” Dimple said, joining Jolly Sue on the floor.

“Might be the blood they got in their systems,” Gabe said, doing his best to get them off the ground.

Tory, as depleted as she was, approached the panic-stricken old ladies and touched each one of them. Silver crystals formed a small funnel and rained gently down on the trio. Immediately, they grew serene. Gabe grabbed Tory’s small frame before she collapsed. Cradling her in his arms he gently placed her on the couch. His features were tight with concern.

Candy Vargo settled the Nephilim back on the loveseat and checked them over. Mr. Jackson and Gram hovered in the air over Tory.

I approached the gals and squatted down to their level. “Do you know what just happened?”

Lura Belle was still pale, but was more herself after Tory had touched her. “I don’t. Just got a real bad feeling.”

“Real bad,” Jolly Sue added.

I glanced over at Candy Vargo.

She shook her head and shrugged. “Don’t know.” She pulled a handful of toothpicks out and shoved them into her mouth. “Most likely it’s a reaction to the blood.”

The front door opened, and Heather walked inside. “I’m back.”

“That was fast,” I said.

She laughed. “Wasn’t enough room in the car,” she replied, looking around. “What’s happening here?”

My phone vibrated in my pocket. I ignored it. I was glad for the extra backup on whatever was going on with the Nephilim. I welcomed my sister’s intelligence and intuition. Maybe she could figure out what the hell was happening. “Not exactly sure,” I informed her. “They just started acting strange a few seconds ago. Tory tried to help, but her energy is too far drained at this point.”

Heather assessed the situation and moved to a very weak and pale Tory. “Get up,” she told Gabe. “I want to check her over.”

Gabe stood and joined me by the Nephilim. His body was tense and leaving Tory didn’t make him happy. However, Heather had powers that could help her. Gabe wouldn’t stand in our sister’s way.

Tim popped his head into the living room. I was surprised he hadn’t heard the ruckus. “Where did everyone go? Food’s almost ready.”

“Piggly Wiggly,” I said, then quickly added. “I think they went to get some dessert.” Hurting Tim’s feelings wasn’t on the table.

My pocket kept buzzing. I briefly wondered if they got to the Piggly Wiggly and had no money. The thought was absurd. While the queens might have sticky fingers, the rest of my crew were law-abiding citizens.

“You got a vibratin’ dildo in your pants or are you just happy to see me?” Candy inquired with a chuckle.

“Nope,” I said with a grin as I pulled out my phone and glanced at it.

I read the text once. Confused, I read it again. Then I read it once more.

My body felt hot. The phone felt like a venomous snake in my hand. My brain raced, and my stomach tightened to the point of pain. Breathing was difficult, and I pulled from all the power I possessed to stay calm.

“Gideon,” I said in an outwardly relaxed tone while my insides screamed in terror. “Alana Catherine needs her diaper changed. Can you take her up and change it, please?”

“Happy to,” he said, not noticing my inner freakout.

That was good. If he didn’t notice, there was no way anyone else did.

Glancing down at the phone again, I prayed hard that I’d misconstrued what I’d seen. I hadn’t. It was a text message from Heather at the Piggly Wiggly asking if I wanted blueberry donuts as well as glazed. Heather was at the store… but she was also on the couch with Tory, and no one else was in reaching distance except for two ghosts who wouldn’t be much help if shit hit the fan.

My fingers began to spark, and my hair blew wildly around my head.

It wasn’t Heather sitting on my couch, not unless she could magically be in two places at once. The sick feeling in the pit of my stomach grew until I thought it would swallow me up.

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