Page 141 of Dream Weaver

Like the sound of Claire’s laughter, coming from the living room. Cooper was reading her a story — something aboutmermaids, from the sound of it — and I closed my eyes, listening to the low rumble of his voice.

In a few months, he would be off fighting fires, and that would be hard, but we would figure it out. We had to, because firefighting was important to him — not to mention to the crew and the communities depending on them. Besides, Cooper didn’t hold me back. In fact, he set me free. So, I would do the same for him.

Set me free…a voice whispered eagerly in my mind.

“Just a second,” I whispered, walking toward the mesa.

There was a boulder there where I’d first shifted into bear form, three weeks earlier, and I’d been going there to shift each time since. I was still a novice, and anything that helped me make the transition was a plus.

In the distance, a door creaked then slammed shut. Pippa had offered to stay with Claire while Cooper and I went out, so she was on her way over to my house, while Cooper had given me a head start.

“See you soon,” Pippa called to Ingo, then strode toward the main house. Spotting me, she waved. “I’m on my way over to Claire now.”

“Thanks a lot.” I waved back.

One day, I hoped to pay her back if — no, when — she and Ingo had kids. And the way those two carried on, kids couldn’t be too far off in the future.

I walked on toward that special rock. The one directly below “my” vortex, farther upslope.

My vortex, like Erin’s and Pippa’s, had been strangely quiet for a while. We’d worried that Liselle might have inflicted permanent damage on Sedona’s hidden hot spots, but the ADMSA had sent a committee of experienced witches to investigate around town, and Ingo had shown us their report.

Tests conducted at all known vortexes demonstrated normal energy levels. The outlets that are currently dormant represent fluctuations in a natural cycle and do not reflect any impact caused by human or supernatural interference.

So, whew. The next part of the report had been more startling, though.

Our data supports that of the 1972 Watkins study, which suggests that Sedona’s vortexes are not discrete entities, but rather, one interconnected system originating at a single source. The hunt for that source, however, must continue.

One source…like the ranch?Pippa had asked when we’d first read the report.

We weren’t sure, and we didn’t want to find out. More importantly, we didn’t wantanyoneto find out, especially if that single source turned out to be beneath our ranch.

So far, we’d managed to keep our vortexes — and our magical abilities — out of the ADMSA’s official reports. We hoped it would stay that way, too. Happily, Ingo agreed.

And as for magic… Well, I was finally embracing who and what I was — a hephaestid, named for the blacksmith to the Greek gods. My ability to control metal came from my father, and my affinity for fire came from my dragon shifter mother.

But I was me, not them, and I could be damn proud of that.

I’d finally agreed to lessons from Mike and Greg to better control my abilities — just in case. I didn’t want to inadvertently make another lucky ax — or a luckyanything, for that matter — that could be used for ill means.

As for my own father… I hadn’t heard from Ed since he’d visited the shop that day, so hopefully he’d gotten the message. I had to give him one thing, though — he’d been right about the Edelweiss Corporation, though neither of us could have predicted how personal that danger had been.

Nobody would have predicted the news we’d recently received either.

Entrepreneur Harlon Greene found dead at his residence while released on bail pending trial for racketeering, fraud, and embezzlement,the headlines had said. Authorities suspected foul play, but so far, the perpetrator hadn’t been found.

It was Erin who’d come up with the most plausible explanation.If he managed to make enemies of us, he must have made lots of other enemies. Really dangerous ones, like mafia guys…

Vampires…Pippa added grimly.

Shifters… I threw in.

Or other warlocks,Erin finished.

Well, whoever did it, we all agreed that Harlon had it coming — and that we would never have to look over our shoulders again as far as he was concerned.

So, whew. That was all behind us now, and I was living my best life. A new life with a wonderful, loving partner.

I glanced back, eager for Cooper to join me. But story time came first, so he would be a few minutes yet.

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