Page 103 of Magic and Muffins

They wouldn’t have.

Vivian calmed instantly, which was another layer of terrifying. He wasnotstable.

“I see the truth in your eyes,” he said. “You know I’m right.”

“Fine. You want revenge. Why the portal?”

“And ruin the surprise? Believe me, this is going to be a nightmare to remember.”

He made a video call on the tripod phone and withdrew another phone from his pocket to answer the call. When he did, his face showed on the tripod’s phone. He changed the view so I saw myself, milky and slightly distorted by the portal.

“It’s sad that now it’s your face I see when I answer his call.” He gently stroked the phone. “Is this called poetic justice? Summoning your lovers who killed my lover on his phone? I think so.” He placed a kiss on it before turning to me.

“Now we can keep in touch,” he said with a wicked grin. “I know you’ll miss me, but I’ll be back. It’s a promise.” He cocked his head to the side. “And I keep my promises, unlike other blood-sucking bitches.”

“Where are you going?” I yelled as he blurred out of sight.

His laughter echoed from the phone on the tripod, and I saw he was still watching me as he ran away.

So, I did what any rational person trapped in a fae portal by the vampire who wanted to kill her lovers would do. I flipped him off and turned around to look for a way out of the situation I was in.

Barefoot, I walked away from the portal, watching the ground and my surroundings. There wasn’t much to see. Just the indistinct purple-blue grass with small yellow flowers at my feet and the never-ending mist in the air.

Pausing, I glanced back and felt a moment of panic when I couldn’t see the portal. However, the path of yellow flowers led me back to where I’d come from like a yellow brick road. And I peered out of the portal one more time.

Vivian grinned when he saw me again. Rather than flip him off a second time, I hardened my resolve to keep searching. I retraced my steps on the same flower trail and kept going this time. Not long after, I saw another portal ahead.

No fog obscured the view through the second portal. I clearly saw the soft glow emitting from the pink flowers growing on the other side. I stared, mesmerized by their beauty and by the odd butterfly that fluttered toward it. The butterfly paused and turned toward me.

I screeched and tumbled back from the portal, falling on my ass then scrambling to my feet, only to trip again and sprawl face-first on the ground.

A fairy!

Briefly choking myself when my hand caught on my necklace as I pushed myself to my feet, I blindly ran away from what had been the most messed-up fairy I’d ever seen. I didn’t stop until I was winded. Unable to draw in enough air, I put my hands on my knees.

The multiple bruises on my throat made each gasping inhale burn, and bending over hurt my back where Vivian had pushed me into the car.

Why fairies, I inwardly whined.

Knowing I didn’t have time to feel sorry for myself, I straightened and turned away to retrace my steps and flinched.

An older woman stood behind me, her walking stick drawn back over her head. The shock of seeing someone blinded me to her intent until she swung at me. I dodged at the last second. The stick hit the ground and she pulled back for another swing as her gaze shot to mine.

My mouth dropped open in shock.

“Grandma Hunter?”

It was as if the woman had been ripped straight from my memories and planted here. Grey hair pulled back into a low bun, brown eyes like Vena’s, and a toned yet weathered and petite body. She hadn’t aged a day.

She paused with her walking stick ready.

“It’s me. Everly Reid, Vena’s friend.”

Grandma Hunter’s eyes went wide.

“Barnaby! It’s Everly!”

She dropped her walking stick and swept me up in a hard hug. I hugged her back just as hard, ignoring my aches in my shock that she was there.

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