Page 73 of Stalked

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WE SPENT THEnext hour devising a plan to draw out the vampires into the open before they found me first. The last thing we needed was someone to sneak up on us and catch us off-guard. We needed to keep my friends down here while we scoped out some of Salem’s most prominent vampire clans. The problem was that they’d smell me a mile away, compromising the group, and we’d be ambushed. We needed to find a spell to mask my scent.

Shannon texted me that she was sitting on the couch and ready. I wasn’t sure how long we’d be at the safe house. These vampires weren’t going away after this weekend, but keeping her close until we saw what we were up against was the wisest and safest move. Riley still wasn’t answering his phone, but I left a message about where to find us.

My next call was to the hospital where Cami was admitted. I spoke with a nurse who informed me she had woken up an hour ago, but wasn’t talking to anyone at the hospital, not even her doctor.

She’s at least alive.

“Cami’s awake,” I told everyone, shutting my phone down.

Lily’s entire face lit up. “Thank God!”

“The spell must have been broken when Kylan died,” Joel explained.

“She’s still not safe, Joel. Can you bring her here, too?” I asked, hopefully.

Joel shook his head. “No, Mercy. She’s been through enough. Pulling her through that portal could be what ultimately kills her. I don’t think it would be the best thing for her health to put her through that,” he said.

It pained my heart to hear him say that, but I understood. I knew it was best not to put Cami’s body through any more stress, but not having her here, where I knew she’d be safe, worried the hell out of me.

Kylan may be dead, but the danger was still out there. The threats weren’t going to stop.

Joel lowered his eyes and caught my gaze again. “The only spell I can think of is a cloaking spell. The nurses and doctors will be able to see and tend to her, but she’ll be shielded from the supernatural. Meaning, not evenyoucan see her.”

I nodded in agreement. “Do it, then. Please. It’s the best chance she has,” I said optimistically.

“But Mercy, I can only do it for one person because it’s linked to me. We will need to secure Shannon down here and hope no one penetrates the locks.”

I nodded.

“Okay. Do it.” I looked up at the clock and saw that it was half-past two in the morning.

Joel immediately went to work on the cloaking spell from the kitchen and building the portal through which he’d teleport Shannon.

They’ll be safe soon.

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SHANNON’S EYES WENTwide with shock as she scanned the safe house. It looked like she was finally seeing the world for the first time, as it really was. Her hair had been disheveled from her journey through the portal, and she was shaking profusely. The amount of supernatural information was probably overwhelming her, so I waited until she spoke first, giving her a moment to let it sink in.

“Mercy, I … it’s like a took a pill to wake me up.” Shannon shivered and braced herself on the wall next to her. “I’m a little bit scared,” she admitted.

“You’re allowed to be,” I said.

Abigail stood quietly in the doorway to the kitchen, looking into the dining area where we were.

“Why is that woman staring at me like that?” Shannon asked, her voice trembling. “I mean?—she’s not a witch, right? Is she something else?”

Abigail rolled her eyes. “Oh, for God’s sake. I’m not going to bite you.”

Shannon stepped back until her rear hit the wall. “Stop looking at me like that, then!”

“If I were going to eat you, I would have done it before you could ask that ridiculous question.”

Shannon gulped, but kept her eyes locked on Abigail’s. Caleb was in the lair’s training room, pounding out his frustration on a boxing bag, while Lily and Joel were working on making Cami invisible for the time being.

Lily broke from Joel and welcomed Shannon with a hug.

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