Page 41 of Haunted Eclipse

Crystal opened the box and offered her one, then she and I strolled over to the refreshments table. A few couples were dancing, but most were standing around chatting.

“This is about as exciting as it was when we were teens,” I said, lowering my voice.

“Yeah, but hey, it’s a night out,” Crystal said. She set the brownies on the table and we picked up paper plates.

I made sure to grab a brownie before we moved on to the sliced fruit and cheese trays. Chips and dip, arancini, crackers, sliced deli meats and breads, and condiments made up the majority of the food, along with several desserts. For drinks, we had a choice between the fruit punch and sparkling water. The club never did have much of a budget for food.

As I filled my plate, a tall man with dark skin and topaz eyes wandered over. He had a glowering look, but his energy seemed almost gentle. His pupils were slits, like a cat’s.

“How do you do? I don’t think I’ve seen either of you here,” he said.

I smiled. His energy was anything but slimy, and I felt a mood boost standing near him. “I’m Maisy Tripwater. I just moved back to town after being gone for a long time.”

“I’m Crystal Jagger, and I run the Mocha Express, downtown on Clearwater Street. Maisy opened up a shop next to me.” Crystal extended her hand and he shook it.

“Well, that’s exciting,” he said. “I’m Niren Wallace. I’m a doctor—general practice,” he said. “My twin brother works over in Whisper Hollow. He’s a doctor, as well.”

Right then, I knew he was a snake-shifter. A number of them entered the medical fields.

“Really? I’m on the lookout for a new doctor since I moved back to town,” I said. “Do you have a card?”

“Of course.” Niren handed me a card and I dropped it in my purse.

“Thank you. We’d better get back to our friend,” Crystal said. She poured herself a glass of sparkling water and I did the same. We said goodbye to the hot, handsome doctor and headed back to the table.

“He’s yummy looking,” she whispered as we moved out of earshot.

“Yes, but he’s not the star witch I’m looking for,” I said, grinning. Before we approached the table again, I asked, “What’s Bee’s story? Is she a shifter?”

“No, actually. She’s a dryad.”

I blinked. “She’sFae? What’s she doing here? I didn’t think the Fae mingled with humans…or shifters…or witches.”

“They don’t all that often, but Bealissa is the liaison between the Fae and the city government. She’s on the city council, and helps keep the peace by stopping developers who are threatening to develop over sacred areas. She actually holds a powerful place in Midnight Point, and it’s good to have her on your side. She’s agreed to set aside the issues with thanking theFae, for the opportunity to keep the wild places in Midnight Point.”

I nodded as we returned to the table.

The Fae were tricky and dangerous to deal with, and they controlled natural forces that even earth witches didn’t know about. But it occurred to me that my aunt might like to meet her, if she hadn’t already, to ask for some tips on her gardens.

As we ate, watching the crowd, I turned to Bee. “Do you mind if I ask you something?”

She furrowed her brow, then said, “Go ahead.”

“Do you ever do consultations on gardens? My aunt is an earth witch and she’s always looking for ways to strengthen her garden. I think the soil in the yard is deficient, but she’s tried everything, and she still has problems growing some of her favorite flowers and vegetables.”

Bee tilted her head, and then I caught the look behind the glamour. I saw the odd tilt to her eyes, the features so chiseled that you could cut diamonds on them. She was mesmerizingly beautiful to a dangerous degree.

“I’ll be happy to come over and take a look. I’m always there for someone trying to improve the soil make their plants happy. Here, let me give you my number.”

We exchanged numbers, and I was about ready to suggest that Crystal and I leave—nothing much was going on—when the door slammed open and an older woman wandered in. She was carrying a crystal ball with her, cradled in her arm, and she glanced around the room. Her pupils were white and glazed over, but I still had the feeling that she could see everything. Everyone fell silent, moving back.

“Holy crap,” Crystal said. “We need to get out of here.”

“Who’s that?” I asked.

“Don’t you remember? Skula?The Wandering Eye?” Crystal dragged me out of my chair, but before we could skirt around to the exit, the woman turned toward us.

I suddenly remembered. Skula, a blind oracle, was a spirit in the town. She appeared before important events—usually of dire nature—and she would pick one person to focus on and give her reading. She was never seen other than when something bad was going to happen, and people she delivered her prophecies to had a way of either getting hurt, or disappearing for good.

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