Page 97 of Slaying With Sylphs

His smile goes bigger, and my heart melts. My girls have found the most perfect mates, and I couldn’t be happier for them.

Shepherd leans over the booth table and shoves my hand away, snatching a fry.

When I growl, he winks at me. “You literally just taught us about the snack tax, and Alo and I are protecting everybody all the time. I need to catch up on back tax snack tax.”

I snort, then Wren follows suit, and everybody but Abemet laughs. And seeing the ever-stern look on his face as he watches us laugh makes me laugh harder. Finally, finally, he cracks the barest of smiles.

When our group’s laughter dies, I kick Shepherd under the table. “I want to go back to the wraith motel today. I’ve got questions for them after reading some books that Vikand dropped off. Are you guys up for a little adventure?”

Morgan glances at her mate. “That’s safe, right?”

“Safe as anywhere within the wards, my darling.” He strokes a stray bang back behind her ear. His eyes flick toward the door and narrow. He glances back at me with the hint of a smile. “But, actually, Arkan and I reached out to an old friend, a blue witch, to see if she might be willing to help. And she’s just walked in the door, so…”

We all whirl around in our seats to see who he’s talking about. A stunning, pale vampire female stands in the doorway, talking with Taylor, the centaur host. She’s got a smile like a true predator, all vicious intensity. Stark white hair is drawn back and up into a loose, effortlessly messy bun. She’s hot, and she looks like a badass. Even her outfit is awesome—tight black leather leggings and a red collared shirt with a fitted black leather vest. She’s a sexy vampiric schoolmarm, and suddenly I’m wondering how the guys might feel about a foursome.

“Jesus, she’s hot,” Thea mutters.

I spin back around and squirm in my seat, looking at Abe. “That hot vampire is the blue witch?”

He grins at me. But as he opens his mouth to speak, a gust of wind ruffles my hair, and the hot vampire lady appears to my left. She plants both hands on her hips and beams at me, twin fangs poking her bottom lip.

Oh fuck. I forgot that vampires can slip quickly over short distances.

“Name’s Laerith,” she says confidently. “And, yes, I’m the blue witch. And a vampire like Abemet here, so my hearing is quite excellent.”

“Fuck,” Thea and I mutter at the same time.

“No thanks,” she chirps. “But I’m told you need to learn blue magic quickly, so let’s go.”

I cough. “Now?!” It seems dangerous to take off with a woman I just met, given everything that’s going on right now.

“You’re safe with Laerith,” Abe says. “I’ve known her for centuries. Probably safer than anywhere else, to be honest.”

“We’ll come with you,” Morgan states, rising from her seat.

“You won’t,” Laerith says, her tone brooking no argument. I bristle, knowing Morgan won’t let it go.

But somehow, she does. I bet fifty bucks Abe is squeezing her thigh under the table.

“Come on, Witch,” Laerith says, heading for the door. She doesn’t look back to see if I’m coming. I stare around at my girls, who all look a little worried. Except for Wren, who, like always, wears a knowing smile on her face.

“You’ll be fine, Auntie,” she says quietly. “Go learn about your power, alright?”

That comment gets me moving. I rise and reach for my wallet in my back pocket, but Shepherd stays my hand. “Go on, Lou,” he says kindly. “We’ve got this.”

I thank them, gulping as I head for the exit.

I really, really hope I’ve got this.

My mind wanders to Caroline. If she were here, she’d tell me I’ve got this, too. She’d tell me I deserve to learn about my power, to see what it can do. Maybe she’d even tell me that she was a witch too, and she knew about this mystical, magical world beyond the human one I remember from my childhood.

I’m certain of one thing. She’d say that I should take a chance on Laerith.

Plus, Abe wouldn’t tell me it was safe if it wasn’t.

Outside the door, the hot vampire stands with her hands on her hips. When I emerge, she jerks her head up Sycamore Street. “Let’s head for the woods in Shifter Hollow. We need peace and quiet and to not have onlookers.”

I resist the urge to ask if I can call my mates. I think she’d say no. And this female is crazy intimidating. Still, the bratty side of my nature that sometimes doesn’t know what’s good for me rears her head. When I open my mouth to say something, Laerith’s elegant nostrils flare.

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