Page 41 of Midlife Vampire Unexpected

Having Kartika around, the conversation had shifted from being one about how we were going to stop the attacks on the cemetery and protect Bianca from the headhunters to a general conversation about the properties of stones and the gentle nuances of metaphysics. It was a much safer conversation and frankly, I was relieved. It had been a long time that we had been running and fighting. It felt nice to hang out around the table and have a human connection talking about random things. It was nice to have a break from saving the universe.

“Are you staying at the Crown Hotel?” I asked.

“How did you guess?” Kartika asked.

“It’s the only hotel in town, so if you weren’t staying there, then you have a long drive to the next town over.” Mae moved around the table collecting empty plates.

“I was going to stay a week out here on vacation.”

“You’re on vacation in southern Oregon?” Mae looked over at Hilda and Trina.

“It’s a beautiful place,” Hilda said. “Why wouldn’t people want to come and here?”

“It’s a lot different from Cottonwood,” Kartika gave us a dimpled smile. “Where I come from it’s all rocks and mountains and no trees.”

“How do you know Frank?” Antonio asked.

“He’s a really good friend of mine. We pay play poker on Friday night after work.”

“What kind of work is there out in Cottonwood?” I asked.

“I work for myself,” Kartika said. “I’m a journalist. My husband and I went exploring and one day found Cottonwood and we there and raised our kids. I’ve been there ever since. Even after he divorced me and left. You know what? I say good riddance.”

“You’re not bitter?” Mae asked.

“No, why do I have to be bitter?” Kartika said. “He gave me my children. I love my children and he’s a dumb ass.”

I glanced at Mae. There was a strange vibration in the room. I didn’t know if she could sense it. It was a gentle vibration going through the room. I glanced at Jane and she nodded toward me, feeling it also.

We could all sense it. I looked over my shoulder. Bianca stood at the door to the kitchen.

“Well, hello there,” I said quietly, the energy palpable in the air.

“Thanks for saving me,” she said gruffly before coming in and sitting down on the bench next to me. She leaned her head on my shoulder. I sat there stiffly, uncomfortable at the proximity but then realized this was probably what normal people with friends did. I patted her on the arm, still feeling awkward but knowing it was a good thing to do.

“Something’s going on,” she said.

“There’s a lot going on,” Trina commented.

“No, that’s not what I mean,” Bianca clarified. “There’s something here that’s really good and I’m trying to put my finger on it.

I looked at Mae, but she gave me a slight shake of her head.

“Chloe, why don’t you follow Kartika down to her hotel?” Mae asked. I stood up, understanding I was being told to do something and not minding. I liked orders. At least when they came from someone I trusted, and I trusted Mae completely. I trusted her with my life. As I walked by her and glanced down at her chest, I saw the pendant. Even from there I could see it was glowing. She quickly pulled her hand over it and turned away.

It didn’t take me long to follow Kartika to the Crown Hotel. At first it felt a little bit awkward dropping her at a place where I knew a demon had destroyed one of the rooms, but the demon was dead. He was back with the demon king, and with a bit of luck things would slowly go back to normal. At least I knew the murderer was taken care of, even if the guy who called the hit wasn’t.

I made a cursory glance of the hotel. It looked quiet and safe.

“I’m going to be here a week,” Kartika said. “I’ll connect with you guys later. I want to find out how you use the crystals and you know, maybe you can show me around if you have time. I wouldn’t want to impose.”

She had a bubbly vivacious personality, which was the exact opposite of me. Where I was upright and stiff, she was fluid and smooth. Where I was heavy-handed and hard, she was tingling and light. I liked her immediately, but I wasn’t sure she was ready to have a whole shit show of the paranormal world dumped on top of her. Hell, the reality was I wasn’t sure I was either. I was trying to make the best of it as we went along.

Chapter 29

She had no idea she’d been drawn here by the pendant to be in a coven with us.

For whatever reason, Mae didn’t want to tell her yet.

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