Page 51 of Midnight Enchantment

“Is she all right?” Lily asked anxiously.

“She’s fine. She’s crafted a medallion for you, similar to the ones she once made for the Knights of the Dark Wood.”

“Why? I don’t need something to tell me when our kind are nearby.”

“It’s to alert you to the presence of Transylvanian vampires,” Callie explained. “Like Varden.”

“Oh.” Lily frowned. What was the point? There were no vampires of his ilk in the country.

Callie blew out a long breath. “She wants you to return to New Orleans to see if it works.”

“Oh!” Lily brightened immediately at the thought of going back to the States.

“I can see you’re not opposed to the idea,” Quill said dryly.

Lily shrugged one shoulder. “I love living with Granny.”

Quill grunted, but said nothing.

“Can I go?” Lily asked.

Quill made a vague gesture with his hand. “I’m against it, but your mother has agreed. I’ll take you whenever you’re ready.”

Jumping to her feet, Lily threw her arms around his neck.

Quill looked at Callie over their daughter’s head. He had a bad feeling about sending Lily back to New Orleans, but they couldn’t keep her locked up forever, he thought glumly, and wished for the days when she had been a little girl and he could keep her home, safe in his arms.

Later, in her bedroom, Lily let out a shout of joy, then twirled around the room the way she had when she was a little girl. She was going back to Ava’s. No more castle walls to keep her inside. She would be able to come and go as she pleased again, albeit with Ava’s approval. But there was so much to do in New Orleans, so many places she hadn’t seen yet. She would have to be vigilant, of course, but if Ava’s medallion worked, she would have plenty of warning whenever danger was near. With that and her own magic, she should easily be able to evade or out-maneuver anyone looking for her.

Grinning, she pulled her suitcase from the closet. While tossing her underwear inside, she wondered what Raedan would think when she told him.

When she finished packing, she spent the rest of the day with her parents. They went out to dinner at Lily’s favorite restaurant, and then dancing. She had always loved to dance with her father, from the time she was little and she had stood on his shoes, until now. He was tall and handsome and she couldn’t help noticing that all the women in the place stared at him.

“Does Mom ever get jealous?” Lily asked, “knowing all these women are drooling over you.”

“I think she’s used to it by now,” he muttered. “And it’s not really me, you know.”

“Of course it is. Don’t give me that vampire allure speech. Even if you were human they’d be staring.”

“If you say so.”

Quill walked her back to their table when the music ended and when a new song began, he led Callie onto the dance floor.

Lily smiled as she watched them. They made a beautiful couple, and they were so obviously in love.

As soon as they returned home, Lily called Raedan to let him know she was going back to Ava’s. His cell rang a dozen times. She told herself he was out hunting, that he would return her call as soon as he could, but an hour dragged by, and then another.

Where could he be?

She waited as long as she could and then she tried again.

And again.

She stared out the window as her imagination went into overdrive. He’d been hurt. Captured by hunters. Killed.

Or had he left her again? For her own good? He had done it twice before. She knew he was afraid of what the demon might force him to do.

She jumped when there was a knock at the door.

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