Page 103 of Starry with a Chance of Nightshade

Stratton pointed at her. “You’re not keeping any bits. No.”

Her bottom lip jutted out as Cadee drew her back from the fire.

Elis shook his head and went to Marcy. “Okay, I need to get you home before your husband realizes that—shit.”

There was a flapping noise, and then a tall dark-haired man with green eyes came storming around from the side of the history building. He was glaring at Elis, and he didn’t look happy in the least.

“Hey, boss, I swear she came on her own,” said Elis.

Marcy offered a broad smile and rushed at the tall man. She tossed herself at him, and he caught her with ease, sweeping her against his body. “Honey-bear, you missed all the excitement. Astria put a broom handle through a monster’s eye. Stratton said I can’t keep any monster parts. He’s no fun.”

“Are you injured in any manner?” asked the man, his Eastern European accent thick.

She smiled. “No. I’m fine.

Burgess came rushing out of the shadows near the building. He scaled Marcy and ended up on her shoulder.

She laughed and kissed her husband before touching his chest. “Can I keep just a few bits? I bet I can make some really interesting things with them. I wonder if they’re good ground up in skin cream.”

Bram Van Helsing stood there looking both tired and amused by his wife. “No.”

She frowned. “Are you sure?”

Elis stepped closer. “I’m going to take over answering for the big guy because you’ll offer sexual favors to him in exchange for monster parts. He’s weak and will cave. No monster parts. Period.”

“Honey-bear?” asked Marcy, tugging on her lower lip.

Bram eyed the burning piles of parts. “Perhaps a few toes or something?”

Elis groaned.

Austin went for Cadee. “You all right?”

She tipped her head and gasped as she raked her gaze over him. “You’re bleeding.”

Austin touched his lower lip. “Aww, this is nothing. One just got a good hit in on me. That’s all. No biggie. It will heal up in a minute or two.”

Cadee launched herself at him, and Austin caught her, pulling her close.

The young slayer held her in a protective manner, his hands staying where they should. “I swear I’m fine.”

Cadee began to cry.

Austin kissed the top of her head. “Shh, babes, it’s okay. They’re all dead. Okay, more dead than before. They can’t hurt you now.”

Stratton focused on Astria, who was avoiding making eye contact with him. His hands shook with raw need. He wanted to touch her, to run his hands over her fully, to be sure she was unharmed.

Elis glanced at the last of the bodies as they burned. “Craig talked about these things. He didn’t know exactly what they were, but he said he fought against them years ago, at the old funeral home on Gallows Lane. That the girl he was dating, she was there and then she wasn’t. That was you he was with, wasn’t it, Astria?”

Stratton tensed.

Astria rubbed her left arm, her hand coming to a rest on one of the sigils. She didn’t look up, but she nodded. “We weren’t dating, but yes, it was me. He ran in during it all. He tried to help. So did a vampire, a gargoyle, and two professors.”

Stratton felt dizzy for a moment as he realized who she was. It was her—the girl with the purple hair. The one he’d spent so many years worried about, wondering if she was alive or dead. Everything made sense to him now. Any doubt that he might have had about Astria being his mate vanished in that second.

No longer able to contain himself, Stratton went at her, lifted her, hugged her and spun her in a circle.

She pushed on his arms. “Put me down.”

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