Page 57 of Enchant the Dawn

They made small talk while they ate—the weather was cool, it looked like rain. She had a postcard from her parents. They were in Paris.

And all the while, in the back of her mind, Maddy wrestled with the thought that she might be a witch. She couldn’t decide how she felt about it. Blessed? Or cursed? Gradually, she ran out of things to say, and silence fell between them.

Dominic sensed her thoughts but couldn’t think of anything to say that would ease her mind. All the advice in the world wouldn’t help.

“Do you want to take a walk through the mall?” Dominic asked as they left the food court.

“Might as well. I don’t have anything else to do.”

Hand in hand, they strolled from store to store, stopping now and then to look in this window or that.

Maddy came to an abrupt halt in front of a store already selling Halloween costumes, her gaze focusing on a mannequin dressed as a witch—black dress, black cloak, pointy black hat, a broom at her side. “Are you a good witch or a bad witch?” she muttered under her breath.

Sensing her distress, Dominic drew her into his arms, heedless of the other people strolling past. “It’ll be all right, darlin’. I’m here for you,” he murmured. And then wondered if that was the right thing to say. If not for him, none of this would have happened.

* * *

Maddy was silent on the drive home.

Dominic sat beside her, trying not to read her mind. But her thoughts came through crystal clear. She was afraid. She was curious. In the morning, she planned to go online and read everything she could find about witches and magic, black and white.

At home, she parked in the driveway, exited the car without waiting for him to open her door.

Dominic followed her up the stairs, waited while she unlocked the door, but didn’t follow her inside.

She turned when she realized he wasn’t behind her. “Aren’t you coming in?”

“I didn’t think you’d want me to.”

Reaching out, she took his hand and tugged him across the threshold.

“That odd shift in the air I feel every time you come in, that’s because you’re a vampire, isn’t it?”

“Yes. Most people don’t notice it.”

“What does it mean?” she asked as she threw her coat over the back of the sofa and sat down, gesturing for him to join her.

“Thresholds have power.”

“What do you mean?”

“Not all thresholds,” he explained. “Not businesses or public buildings. Just homes. Vampires can’t enter uninvited. And can’t remain in a house if their invitation is rescinded. It’s an ancient protection that has survived for centuries and doubtless saved a lot of mortal lives.”

“Amazing,” she murmured. “Do you like being a vampire?”

“I didn’t really have a choice in the matter, but yes, I like it fine.”

“Does your sister like being a witch?”

“Yeah. She thinks it’s great fun.”

“And your mother?”

Dominic grinned. “She didn’t know she was a witch for a long time. From what I’ve heard, she was surprised at first. She’s very powerful now, almost as powerful as Ava.”

“Is your sister married?”

“No. My father is very protective of Lily. He’s a powerful man. So far, he’s managed to scare off every boyfriend she’s had.”