Page 70 of Seph

When they’re more afraid of forgetting you than dying... is that love?

Chapter Twenty

“I know everyone is so busy with Halloween preparations—” Simeon didn’t get to finish his apology.

Emmy stopped in her tracks behind the vampire, staring at a dozen people moving frantically through the shop despite the sign reading closed.

“Oh, you’re here. Thank goodness!”

“Ulp!” Emily found herself pulled into a bear hug by a petite redhead with a very pregnant middle that smacked her in the chest. “Hi?”

“Emily Van Helsing, this is Tessa Roscommon, an uncommonly powerful witch.” Mr. Minegold introduced them with a grave smile.

“And my best friend is a vampire’s wife, and she’s carrying his baby. Jakob told us about the curse, or the deal, whatever you call it.” Tessa’s eyes immediately overflowed. “Sorry. I’m trying not to get emotional.”

“Thank God you’re going to help.”

Emily tried not to jump as a bluish-gray being walked across the shop to shake her hand, tentacles propelling him. “Kraken?” she muttered under her breath, smiling uneasily.

“Distant descendant of Poseidon. Jakob asked me to come just in case I could offer some inside knowledge. I know I can’t, but when someone’s in trouble, we show up.”

Emily found herself whirled between the dozen people, some who looked perfectly human, some who did not. She recognizedmany of them from her job at the grocery store, but now they were all rummaging through herbs and crystals, pulling spellbooks and scrolls from shelves and spreading them on the table.

But they all stopped to talk to her and thank her and Simeon.

Thanking me. Like I’m a hero.

Her whole life, she had been trained to be a hero and never, ever felt like one.

Maybe because to feel like a hero, you have to feel like you’re accomplishing something good, and if the person training you to slay demons never says “good job,” you start to believe that even your successes are failures.

“Why are they thanking me?” Emily murmured into Simeon’s ear.

“Because you’re trying to save their friends and families. Jakob, Jesse, Sophie, little J.J., and the baby Sophie’s carrying. Robbie and the baby Charlotte’s carrying. And me. I’m newer here than the rest, but the people seem to take us supernatural sorts under their wings.”

“Can’t I go with you?” Mr. Minegold suddenly demanded, the usually calm, dapper vampire running a distraught hand through his hair.

“No, mate, we’ll—”

Mr. Minegold entered their huddle, voice a ragged hiss. “I gave my life for the first time to save my wife and children. These are my children now.” He made a sweeping gesture to the people behind him. “I could help on the front lines.”

“If we need backup, we’ll ring you. I swear. But I think this is a stealth mission,” Simeon soothed, jaw working. “You need to stay here and keep all the vamps and their families safe. Maybe see if there’s a way to cloak what you are, so that if I fail—”

“You’re not going to fail if you can get Hades to bring you something,” Calder the Kraken suddenly called out, tentaclesrippling across the floor with a swishing slap as he hurried over. “There’s something mortals can take to protect against earthly memory tampering. Water from the Lethe.”

“The what?” Emily demanded.

“It’s one of the four rivers in the Underworld. Drinking from it makes you forget, but it’s not fun to swallow—burns like fire. But if we have some, we can use it in this potion, and it’ll protect you from any memory tampering.”

Simeon removed the phone from his pocket. “That’s a damn good start. But what about immortals? Can we give some to Seph? And yours truly?” He tapped his chest.

“I can magnify the strength of any potion with the coven’s help,” Tessa spoke up. “It should work on immortals... but I don’t know about gods, honestly.”

“Well. One way to find out.” Simeon looked at her. “Should we call Milly or Zag? Or the boss man?”

“Call Zag. I think he’ll get it done fast without bothering his dad—plus he’ll know stuff.”

“It’ll be great if we can get Seph’s memory back, even for a few minutes. Should help to get her out of there—once we find her. Which is going to be hard enough to do. If they’ve looked for a thousand years—”

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