“What about you, Cash?” I ask him.
“I’m a cop.”
“You’re a man. One of the six. You can’t be alone, either.”
He blows out a breath. “The eclipse is less than two weeks away. I’ll talk to my boss about also taking a little time. He knows what we’re up against. I don’t think he’ll balk.”
“Good.” I sigh in relief and look at each of them, one by one. “I love you all so much. And we’ve already been through hell and back with this. We’ve defeated him twice. I promise we won’t fail this time.”
“No, we won’t.” Jack kisses my hand. “Who’s going to call Miss Sophia and talk her into staying with us for a while?”
“That means Mama’s coming, too,” Brielle says with a sigh. “It’ll be a full house.”
“It’s a big house,” Millie says, reminding us all. “We’ll make it work.”
“I think Millie should talk to Miss Sophia,” I say and grin when my sister turns wide eyes to me.
“Why me?”
“Because you’re her favorite. And she’s your great-granddaughter. Tell her she either does what you say, or she gets a time-out.”
“I don’t think it works that way,” Millie says with a laugh. “I don’t think I can put Miss Sophia in time-out.”
“I was kidding—sort of. But you are her favorite, and she is your great-granddaughter. She’ll listen to you. Just be honest. Explain our fears.”
“Daphne’s right, my love,” Lucien says. “I won’t let him get to her.”
“Agreed.” Millie sighs. “Okay, I’ll talk to her. But she’s stubborn.”
“So are you,” I remind her.
Chapter Fourteen
“Violent delights tend to have violent ends.”
-Richard Ramirez, The Night Stalker
“Those little bitches,” he growls after he picks himself up from being thrown out of his playtime with his toys. They just marched right in and threw him out.
“They think they’re so smart,” he says. He has to curl up into a tight little ball because they zapped so much of his energy. The new energy that he’d just pulled from his toy.
The skin peeled away so beautifully. It hadn’t been the first time he’d wished he could do it himself, with his own two hands, but watching was its own kind of beauty. She’d bled out sooner than he would have liked, but still, it was a masterpiece.
They interrupted him before he could finish with the other toy. The six were together now, and they cast a spell on him.
How dare they? Why did they refuse to understand—to believe—that everything he did, every single thing, was for his girls?
“Those men are brainwashing them,” he mutters in disgust. “Women are so weak. So easy to manipulate. I have to get rid of the men, and then I’ll be able to get through to my girls. Make them understand. I got rid of Jackson once. Killed his parents, and made him go. I can do it again. I can get through to all of them.”
Happy with that plan, he moves to his special mirror, the one he’s gained most of his energy from. When he has to wait much longer than ever before, he grows impatient.
“Where is he?” Horace complains but waits some more.
Hours later, when the toy hasn’t returned, Horace punches at the glass and surprises himself when it breaks.
He’s weak.
He has to find more energy.
So, he leaves the mirror and decides to start early with the next toy.
But when he tries to slip into those mirrors, a powerful spell blocks him. He tries again and again, but every mirror he attempts is protected.
Rage surges with an energy all its own.
“How dare they?” he demands, baring his teeth.
This won’t do.
This won’t do at all.
Now he has to teach them a new lesson and search for another toy. One who isn’t connected to a coven. A random plaything.
But as an idea takes shape in his mind, he calms.
Oh, yes. This will be a delight.
Chapter Fifteen
Jackson
“Your room is on the main floor,” Millie says to Miss Sophia after they tour the house.
Honestly, I’m shocked that she agreed to stay. The fact that she did tells me that the thing we’re up against is scarier than any of us wants to admit.
“Oh, this is lovely,” I hear Miss Sophia say as they walk into a room off the kitchen. “You didn’t have to put fresh flowers in here.”
Daphne and I share a smile.
Of course, we did. Butter her up a bit.
“We’re just so happy you’re here,” Millie says. “I know it’s a full house of people, but it won’t be for long. I want to keep you safe.”
“Ruth and I will be just fine,” Miss Sophia says as the three of them come into the kitchen. “I didn’t agree to come because I’m afraid for us.”
Ruth pours herself a cup of tea and takes a seat next to Daphne at the bar.
“Then why?” Millie asks.
“Because I fear there’s more to know, more to learn than I originally thought. We’ve only scratched the surface. And now that he’s targeting witches, it sends this whole thing into a new ballgame, so to speak. I’ll be busy with research, but I also want to keep my eye on you girls. And Ruth, as well.”
“There’s safety in numbers,” Ruth adds. “It’s smart to be together. Where are Brielle and Cash?”
“They just left a bit ago to get started on her first ghost tour of the day,” I reply. “Cash will be with her at work every day until this is over.”
“Good,” Miss Sophia says. “I don’t want any of you alone.”
“We have the library set up as a workspace,” Millie says. “There are some extra desks in there, as well. It seems appropriate, and I really like the atmosphere in there.”
“Well, that makes sense,” Miss Sophia says with a soft smile. “I’ve heard stories about the many hours you spent in the library during your last lifetime.”
It’s still so weird to me to think that Millie and Lucien lived in this very house a hundred years ago in a previous life.
And that Miss Sophia is their direct descendent from that time.
It’s just…crazy.
My phone pings with a text.
Miss A: Hello, darlin’. Oliver and I can go home today. Would you be able to drive us?
Me: Of course. I’ll head that way now.
“Oliver’s being released from the hospital.” I stand and lean over to kiss Daphne’s cheek. “I’m going to go take him and Miss Annabelle home.”
“I’ll go with you,” Daphne says, standing with me.
“You don’t have to—”
“No one goes alone, remember?” Daphne winks and glances at Millie. “Do you need us to stop and grab anything for dinner?”
“Oh, no, I have everything,” Millie says. “Be safe out there.”
We have to fight traffic to get to the hospital. When we finally walk into Oliver’s room, he’s dressed and ready to go.