Page 57 of Midlife Witch Unexpected

“If by badass, you mean disgusting and terrifying, I think I’ll agree with you.” The words tumbled out of my mouth as my body was shaking and I was laughing. “All those years of self-defense just came in handy.”

Branson shifted back into his human form, standing there, fortunately, fully clothed. He rushed forward towards me. “You’re okay,” he said, his hands gripping each of my shoulders.

“I am.” I smiled up at him. “I’m just a little grossed out.” I motioned to the vampire remnants that were spattered over me.

Branson chuckled and began to help wipe me off. Even Anita, with a disgusted look on her face, grabbed a towel and brought it over to me.

“Can we just get back to The Estate?” I asked. My body was shaking and I felt the distinct need to be enclosed in someplace safe, warm, and protected.

“Sure thing,” Branson said. “My truck is down below.”

“How did you find me?” I asked.

“I don’t have your finder magic,” Branson said, “but shifters can track with our senses. It comes with the genes.”

“And I told him where Vampy’s hideout was,” Anita rolled her eyes.

I chuckled.

“I really thought he was going to kill me,” Anita added solemnly.

“I know,” I said, wrapping her in a big hug. “Me too. But he didn’t. We made it.”

“Anita!” Trina cried, running into the room. “I’m going to love you until the very last days of your life and then beyond.”

She grabbed her daughter in a tight hug. It tugged at my heartstrings and choked me up. It was the hug only a daughter could give. It was all-consuming.

I missed my daughter.

“You did it, then,” Hilda said, her hands on her hips as she looked me up and down. “And none the worse for wear, I see.”

“It was a little bit nerve-racking, but we made it through alive,” I said with a smile.

Trina made eye contact with me. “Thank you,” she said with deep sincerity glowing in her eyes.

“Never thank me for saving a member of the coven,” I pointed out. “But we still haven’t solved the problem. The vampire Joachim he came here because he sensed weakness. We need to show whoever is waiting for our weakness, that we have strength.”

“You just killed one of their vampire scouts,” Drake said. “Don’t you think that will show them we have a strong region?”

“I don’t know if it’s enough,” I said. “We need to show them the cemetery is impenetrable. We still need to find the Folded Cross. I’m going to do a locator spell on it, and I don’t care where it’s at. We need to know. If it’s somewhere in the cemetery or if it’s on the other side of the planet, I’m going to send my magic to find it. It must be replaced.”

Branson looked dubious. “You realize it could be anywhere and this is the perfect way to get the demigods involved. They could see your tracer lights.”

"We have one job to do, protect the cemetery," I said. "For some reason, we've lost one of the talismans. We need to get it back, and it seems the best way to do that is to use my magical talent.”

Trina was still hugging her daughter, but she looked over at me and there was even a hint of admiration in her gaze. “Whatever you need us to do to help,” Trina said. “I’m with you. Thank you for helping my daughter.”

“You would do the same for me,” I said. “And one day my daughter will be The Hayes and she’ll need protection, too. This coven is created by the strength of our bond together. We can’t doubt each other, and we can’t lose sight of each other. This coven forms the foundation layer for our protection. But there’s been a breach and a weakness shown. We need to find the Folded Cross and replace it to fix the wards.

“We are all with you,” Hilda said and the other three nodded. I made eye contact with Branson.

“You had my back even when I didn’t want you to,” I said. “Thanks for doing your job.”

I ignored the look of disappointment that crossed his face. I wanted to tell him how I still thought of him every night right before I went to sleep and, in the mornings when I woke up. And his body, while divine, was nothing compared to his loyalty, his fierceness, and his desire to protect me. There was nothing, absolutely nothing, I wanted to do but keep this man by my side. But I needed his guardianship more than I needed his sexiness. And I wasn’t about to mess up him working for me as a Guardian by taking him to my bed.

No way.

This was going to be strictly professional if he was going to stay on.

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