Page 68 of Mated to the Monster Under my Bed
I blinked at her, stunned.
“Really? You don’t think he’s… he’s dead?”
“From your description of what happened, no I don’t. If the soul-sucker had swallowed him, I would think he was gone. But since you say he faded out of existence, I think it’s probable that he was unable to hold his corporeal shape and returned to the Shadow Lands.”
I clutched my mug tighter, afraid to hope.
“It doesn’t matter,” I whispered. “Even if he’s not dead, I’ll never see him again.”
Goody patted my hand again.
“Now, my dear, don’t despair just yet. If this had happened any other time of the year, I would have no hope for your plight. But since tonight is All Hallows Eve, we may be able to help you.”
I looked at her hopefully.
“What do you mean?”
“The Veil that separates the Mortal Realm from the Shadow Lands is thin tonight,” she explained. “And we’ll have all the witches of the town gathered in order to restore the bubble. We could conceivably conjure a door between here and the Shadow Lands at the same time.”
My heart gave a painful little jump.
“Of course,” she continued, “it will be up to you to open it. Your magic alone can break the seal and allow your Shadow lover to return to you.”
“But I don’t have any magic!” I cried. “If I did, don’t you think I would have tried to fight that thing that killed Shadow?”
“You weren’t thinking about trying to use your magic—you were concentrating on getting away from the evil that was seeking your life,” Goody Albright said gently. “Tonight, when we call a doorway to the Shadow Lands, you must reach inside yourself and concentrate on your love for Shadow. Call him back to you. I’m certain you can do it—you’re a powerful witch—you just haven’t had much time to practice your magic yet.”
She squeezed my arm.
“Now don’t fret. Go home and try to eat something and get some rest. Get ready for tonight. We’ll be calling the circle in the middle of Main Street, which is the center of town, when the moon rises. And remember—if you are able to get your monster under the bed back, you must bind him to you quickly. For the magic we cast won’t last forever.”
I swallowed hard.
“I understand. I know it won’t be easy.”
But for the first time since last night, I felt something stirring in my chest.
Hope—real hope.
I stood, setting my mug down carefully.
“I’m going to do my best to bring him through that door,” I said quietly. “And if I get him back, I’m never letting go of him again.”
39
DANNI
I was naked under my cloak.
Naked. On Main Street. In public.
Okay, technically, it was the middle of the night and the witches of Hidden Hollow had gathered for the All Hallows Eve ceremony where being "skyclad"—a polite witchy word for butt-naked—was apparently a requirement.
So at least I wasn’t the only one. Still, the chilly autumn air kept making me shiver in places that hadn’t seen the light of day in years.
When Goody Albright and the others had first arrived, I’d been bundled up in boots, jeans, and a knit hat as well as my adult-sized kid coat. But then I realized I was the only one wearing anything underneath her coat. Everyone else—Harmony, Goldie, Willow, Celia, Sarah, and even Goody Albright herself—was completely bare beneath the flowing cloaks and swirling capes they wore.
I’d gaped until Harmony, cheeks pink with cold, leaned over and whispered,
