Page 61 of All My Witches
“Alexis Kane,” I supplied. “She’s supposed to be a big deal around theseparts.”
“Alexis Kane is the queen of everything,” Chief Terry explained. “She is not part of the living dead team. In fact, she tries to kill our kind. We’re atwar.”
“Of course you are.” Landon smiled as he patted Chief Terry’s head. “Mousse, huh? Your hair is a bitcrispy.”
“Of course it is,” Thistle said. “Vampires have to slick back their hair. It’s one of therules.”
“Edward Cullen didn’t,” Cloveprotested.
“Don’t bring up that name again,” Thistle warned. “He’s not a realvampire.”
“There’s no such thing as vampires,” Landon scoffed. “This is an Aunt Tillie thing. It’s kind of fun. You should stand up so we can see the full cape effect,Terry.”
“We don’t know that vampires aren’t real,” Clove countered. “Just because we’ve never seen one doesn’t mean they’re notreal.”
Landon looked to me. “Tell her they’re notreal.”
“Well … .” I chewed my bottom lip. “She’s not technically wrong. We don’t know that vampires aren’treal.”
“Come on.” Landon was annoyed. “You guys are just messing with menow.”
“We’re not,” I countered. “We’re … simply telling it like it is. We don’t know if vampires are real. We’ve gotten conflicting reports while growingup.”
Landon glanced at Thistle. “Surely you don’t believe invampires.”
“I don’t know what I believe,” Thistle replied. “The thing is, I’ll bet you didn’t believe in witches a year and a half ago. How did that work out foryou?”
Landon balked. “That’s completelydifferent.”
“How?”
“Because … well … because there’s a perfectly good reason for witches to exist,” Landon replied. “You guys are magical, but not dead or anything. Vampires aredead.”
“Undead,” Samsaid.
“Living dead,” Chief Terry corrected. “We’re living dead. Zombies are undead. They have their own little part of thestory.”
My shoulders tensed. “Thisstory?”
Chief Terry’s smile was mischievous – and a bit evil. “Another story. You won’t get to play in that worldtoday.”
“Thank the Goddess for small favors,” Clovemuttered.
“As for me, I’m king of the vampires,” Chief Terry said. “You must do what Isay.”
“And what is that?” Landon wasn’t in the mood to mess around. “What must we do? Whatever it is, it had better be quick. I have a proper hangover to get to and it won’t happen in thisworld.”
Chief Terry stared at him for a moment. “Do you really want toknow?”
“That’s why Iasked.”
“Well then … .” Chief Terry moved to climb out of the coffin, sweeping his arms out so the cape flowed around him. Instead of moving with grace and agility, he tripped over the cape as he tried to clear his escape and pitched forward. He hit the ground face first, groaning as his forehead smacked into the pavement. “Ow.”
“I’m guessing that’s not how that was supposed to go,” Landon saiddryly.
“I will make you join my living dead army if you’re not careful,” Chief Terry warned. “I won’t give you a good job, either. I’ll make you a janitor or something. How do you likethat?”
“As long as I can wear a shirt I’m fine with it.” Landon grabbed Chief Terry under his arms and hauled him to his feet. “So, where are wegoing?”
