Page 50 of Toadstools and Vampire Kisses

“It’s usually only a tiny amount of blood,” I tell her as my eyes scan over the same patch of branches for what feels like the hundredth time. “You’ve seen cousin Ted walking around looking just fine and he’s been helping Reynard. And then there is the gentleman with the vampires, Edward. That is what he does, and he is provided for by taking care of their feeding needs. They’re just people with something different about them. But they are also powerful and that makes the bad among them very bad, just like a powerful witch can be very bad if they desire to hurt people.”

“Oh. That makes sense,” she whispers.

Feeling the weight of eyes on me, I look up and meet Jack’s thoughtful gaze. His lips curl faintly as he inclines his head in my direction. I’m not sure if he’s acknowledging what I said or thanking me for it, but it has eased a certain tension within him and I’m glad for it. He certainly did not ask to be out here protecting me from a deranged vampire queen.

As if in answer to my thoughts, there’s a loud crack along the outer wall of the branches and Tiffany jumps, swallowing back a scream. Her nails dig into my arm as the other children duck their heads and lean into me with frightened whimpers. I murmur reassuringly to them, running my hands over little shoulders and backs as I send my power into the hedge and begin to draw forth more prickly branches. Pulling at them, I lengthen them and bend them as I thread them through where I feel a massive break in the trunk of one of the bushes. I seek to stabilize it, but the energy whips back as they splinter almost immediately.

I cry out, my back bowing from the shattering pain. Whatever had broken the branches had done it before I could disconnect from them. Hot agony raises all over me, and thirteen sets of arms suddenly wrap around me and hug me tight. There are numerous pulses of fledgling magic that have not yet manifested, but Tiffany’s magic stands out among them as it runs over me in a soothing balm. Tears of relief spring to my eyes as the psychic burn lessens, and I smile tearily at her as I cup her face, drawing her attention to me.

“I didn’t know you were gifted with healing.”

She blushes and makes a face, momentarily distracted from the danger we’re in as I sense more and more branches rapidly splintering away.

“It’s a lame gift,” she replies quietly. “I can’t throw witchfire or manipulate things like others can. Mom just said that it’s a very nice power. That practically spells out that it sucks.”

“No, it doesn’t. It’s incredibly helpful. I can do a lot for the body with my potions by knowing the magical and medicinal nature of things. With the plants, I can feel it the moment I touch them, and they tell me what properties they have. But you can soothe and repair within the limits of your capabilities, energy, and strength. Compared to you, I’m sure others of the coven might see my own gifts as rather useless. I’m just the crazy cousin who talks to plants.”

Her eyes widen in response. “Oh no, they would never think that. The way you can make the plants do whatever you ask them to is so cool. Everyone likes you and how much you selflessly give to the coven.”

Not so selflessly anymore.I gently pat her arm. I search for some sense of guilt for my decision. Instead of guilt, there is a startling amount of peace and happy anticipation that Ishouldprobably feel guilty about. But everything just feels… right, and I know that with Eleanor and all of my other dear cousins that the coven will move on just fine without me. It is a relief, actually. Hopefully, I will survive long enough to actually enjoy it.

Jack stiffens, growling as he stops at the wall. Tension coils through me as I feel more of the branches snap away. This isn’t just a random attack along the maze’s walls. Whatever is there is insidiously working through the wall quicker than I can repair it.

“Jack,” I croak. “Come back.”

Instead of looking over at me or heading my way, he leans forward to peer at the branches. A strange feeling skitters over my nerves as I watch, and I shake my head in fearful frustration. Something is wrong. Very, very wrong.

“Jack!” I shout.

He pulls back and looks over at me questioningly just as several thick branches burst inward toward his face. With a snarl he skitters back, his blonde hair falling loose from its short ponytail. His nostrils flare as if picking up a scent, and he delivers a venomous hiss toward the bushes. Chilling feminine laughter rises in response, and my skin crawls. We weren’t merely followed by guards, which would have been bad enough, but somehow the vampire queen herself is here.

But if she’s here, what happened to Reynard? My heart lurches painfully, and I blink back tears as my gaze fastens to the spot where the laughter seems to be coming from.

“Very, very clever to bring her out here, Jack Bell, though I am sure that this was Reynard’s idea. But this power is all due to one otherwise insignificant witch. It truly is remarkable to see it in action,” she muses from wherever she stands at the other side of the hedges. “Bring her out here. You could have a valued place in my court if only you comply. I am ever so fond of the Bell males. Reynard was spectacular before he turned away from me and then betrayed me. You have so much potential. A young dragori waiting to be molded. Mine could be that loving hand.”

“A hand soiled by murder and stinking of death,” Jack retorts as he herds us behind him, further from the wall. “Go trade your charms elsewhere. I will not betray my cousin. I know exactly what you are and the rivers that flowed at your court for your amusement,Queen.” A cocky grin suddenly spreads across his face “Besides, there is a witch I fancy, and I can’t have you killing her relations, now, can I?”

A vexed snarl meets his sally, but the lunatic laughs. Gods, he was a horny dumbassandsuicidal. I should have escaped with one of the nice, quiet ones… Connor or Jace, I think their names are. My mother was right to stand up to her in defense of her coven, but what Jack is doing sounds closer to baiting the vampiress and that feels colossally stupid.

“What are you trying to do, you idiot?” I grab his coat and hiss. “Piss her off so that she breaks in here even faster? I swear, if she murders me, I will come back and make sure every plant near you comes to choke the life out of you.”

“That’s rather violent,” he replies with a disgusting cheerfulness. “I can see how you and my cousin suit one another so well. I wasn’t so sure about it for a while, since you seem all soft and proper, but that there shows the proper amount of bloodthirstiness that will balance him.”

“Jack, you are an idiot,” I huff, letting him go as he crows softly with amusement.

“See, and that right there? Just like Reynard. The gods made you for each other. You hear that?” he shouts. “Reynard would never have stayed with you even if you hadn’t put him in the sleep. Fran here was made for him, unlike your shit-wading, treacherous self.”

“That’s it. You’re fucking insane,” I moan softly as I try to cover the ears of the younger children closest to me and failing miserably because I have a mouth like a sailor when I’m stressed and not enough hands. Their parents are never going to let me near them again. “I swear I’m going to murder you. Or let Reynard do it while I just take pleasure in watching your demise.”

A loud, angry snarl fills the air and several more branches crack, the hedge shuddering with the weight of the vampiress’s attack. I hear shrubbery being torn away, but I can’t get a true sense of what is happening to any degree without connecting with the same plants crying out around me. The hedges shuddering and shake beneath the assault, branches of holly and prickly hawthorns fall to the ground, among trailing, thick webs of ivy. I give Jack a venomous look as the children huddle closer and cry. He grimaces apologetically and drops back to my side.

Ducking his head toward me, he whispers urgently, “I may be an idiot, and I know you want to murder me right now, but Titania is going to get through this shield whether we like it or not. Do you want her focused on trying to murder me for the insults and giving you a little more time while you make your way further into the labyrinth, or do you want all her attention for yourself?”

I glare at him, but he makes a point. Unfortunately, my threats aside, I don’t want to see him hurt. Although Reynard and I haven’t finished this whole claiming business, I can’t ignore that Jack is now family in a very real way.

Muttering an incantation, I gather up my power to send several vines shooting out from the hedges with the hope of entangling our unseen assailant and slowing her further. They lash through the air at my command, searching to entangle anyone who is nearby. A frustrated snarl follows, and then a ripping sound as the vines are torn up from the ground. I hear the soft rustle as they hit the ground a short distance away and then the hedge begins shuddering again. The small interlude had barely given me enough time to begin to repair some of the damage, but Jack is right—it isn’t going to be enough to stop her.

“Fuck,” I growl. “I can’t see her to get ahold of her.”

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