Page 49 of Blue Moon Mistress

“Hell?”

The call connects and I don’t give her the opportunity to say hello. “When were you going to tell me Aphrodite Lourdes had moved to town?”

“Is that where she wound up?” My mother sighs, and I can imagine her shaking her head. “I wouldn’t worry about it, she’s all bluster and no spark. The last time she tried to do anything powerful enough to worry about she blew the power grid for half of Springfield. Her line might have rivaled the oldest in recorded history, but she fizzles faster than a baby witch. She wants shortcuts. And that has left her lacking all skill and finesse. Generational power is only as good as the time and effort you put into it.”

“And it turned more than one of her spells into a sledge hammer. I thought the coven was going to deal with her.”

“We did.”

“Funny, she’s acting like nothing at all has changed.”

“She’s just saving face.” Another sigh, this time for me. “Don’t worry about her.”

“Mom—“

But before I can tell her about the tracker and the warnaway—both of which I am now certain Aphrodite placed—she quickly says, “I have to go, love you! You can handle anything that girl decides to try.”

The phone goes silent and I stare at my reflection in the window.

I’m used to her not taking me seriously about things, but for some reason, this time it feels like an actual insult.

Or maybe it’s simply because this feels like a mess she ought to have cleaned up before Aphrodite even got the idea in her head to make her way to my little slice of solitude.

I take a few deep breaths of the freezing, salty air, before I turn back to the door to Wexxon’s.

“Scarlette!” Anthony looks up from his work with a smile so wide, I’m certain he’s completely forgotten that I might be mad at him. “I was just talking about you.”

To Aphrodite no doubt.

Her surprise at seeing me was feigned, just like I thought.

“Nothing bad, I hope.”

“There’s nothing bad to tell.” He leans on the counter between us, clearly hopeful there’s a possibility the date with Joshua was a one-off. “What can I get for you today? My shipment didn’t show up, so there’s nothing fun to show you.”

“That’s alright. I just need a few basic things.”

Seven

Thomas pullsthe door open with a huge grin before I finish making it up the steps. But I don’t get to ask why he’s wearing a shirt for a cricket league I amcertainhe isn’t a part of.

“Is it silly that I missed you?” he asks.

“Maybe just a little.” I let him take my coat as the door swings shut behind me.

Chase pokes his head out from the living room. “As the person in the house who hasn’t seen her for three days, I’m the one who gets dibs on missing her.”

When Thomas turns to hang my coat on the rack, Chase crosses the room to me and scoops me up into a spinning hug. “We have,all, missed you though.”

The kiss he presses to my neck, just below my jaw makes me shiver, and I have to admit. “I’ve missed all of you too.”

Chase inhales deeply and turns a sly look on Thomas. “So that’s where you disappeared to this morning.”

“Couldn’t you smell me on him?”

“Even if he hadn’t been doing something in his room since he got home, we don’t usually getthisclose.”

“Not without you.” Thomas corrects him, crowding close, just long enough to kiss me. “Come on, you have games to choose from!”

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