Page 32 of The Vampire and the Case of the Hellacious Hag

Still snuggling into Connor, I swiped to answer. ‘Hey, Sidnee, what’s up?’ I yawned into the phone. Shadow clearly had heard me move and padded into the room. The moment he appeared, he started to scream loudly at me; hungry cats were difficult to ignore. ‘Just a minute, buddy,’ I said to the impatient lynx.

Sidnee laughed. ‘I heard that. Give Shadow an ear scritch from me.’

‘Will do.’ I yawned again. Abruptly I realised why she was calling so early. ‘How did things go with you and Thomas?’

‘Amazing!’ The word burst out like she couldn’t contain it anymore. ‘Oh my God, he is so good in bed, Bunny. Like … the best ever.’

Connorrolled out of bed. ‘I don’t need to hear this,’ he murmured as he pressed a kiss to my bare shoulder. Sometimes vampire hearing was a pain in the ass; no phone conversation was ever private. He strolled buck-naked into the bathroom and moments later I heard the shower.

I stifled a grin and focused on Sidnee. ‘I amsohappy for you. So are you and Thomas moving forward?’

‘Yes – and I have a plan.’

‘Yeah?’

‘I’m going to throw a fabulous New Year’s Eve party, and we’re going to out ourselves as a couple then the whole town will know.’

‘Is Thomas okay with that?’ I asked cautiously. He often struck me as a private man.

‘He is if it’s what I want.’

‘And is it?’

‘You bet! I want to scream from the rooftops that he’s mine.’

‘Okay. So, a party?’

‘Yes!’

I instantly visualised my best friend bouncing on her toes the way she did when she was excited, but I wanted to groan. At Sidnee’s last party, I’d made a complete fool of myself. I’d drunk too much and apparently treated the whole town to a table dance, complete with somekaraoke-level singing. But since she was my best friend… ‘Sounds great. Do you need help with anything?’

‘Yes! What I need for you to do is to show up with your party on and bring Connor. I got the rest.’

Sidnee did love to throw a party and she was great at it. ‘That I can do,’ I promised. ‘Where are you holding it?’

‘The hotel. They have the best facilities.’ That was where she’d thrown the last one, too.

‘Can you get it all ready in three days?’ I asked incredulously.

She snickered. ‘I’ve had the idea for a while – about a New Year’s Eve party, anyway. I wasn’t sure if I’d follow through, but I booked it and started planning while we were in Sitka. I needed something to look forward to.’

I got that; the academy had been tough. Long hours, little-to-no down time, and a rampaging poltergeist. Yeah, a party was just what we deserved, a reason to let our hair down.

I laughed. ‘I hear you. I’m excited for it already.’

‘Me too!’ she said brightly. ‘Now, get ready and get your ass into the office. I need some coffee and girl time before the town wakes up and things get crazy.’

I laughed again; things always got crazy. ‘I’m getting up,’ I promised. ‘See you soon.’

If Ihurried, Sidnee and I would cross over for a couple of hours. I fed my animals and jumped in the shower, which had been newly vacated by Connor. By the time I was dressed, he’d made us each a hot drink – coffee for him, tea for me – and several rounds of toast.

I held my nose and forced down some blood before wolfing his offerings, then Connor drove us all to the office, stopping to get us more drinks on the way and a takeout cup for Sidnee. He dropped me outside the office and drove off to Kamluck with a promise to see me later.

‘Thirsty?’ I asked Sidnee as I breezed in.

‘You read my mind!’ she exclaimed.

I stifled a grin; she had demanded that I get her a cup of joe on the way in so it was hardly surprising that I’d done so.

---