Page 62 of All My Witches
“To a wonderful new place.” Chief Terry smoothed his cape. “Followme.”
We fell into step behind him as he crossed theroom.
“Does anyone else think Aunt Tillie’s version of vampires is ridiculous?” Clove asked. “I mean … he doesn’t fly oranything.”
“I think we should be thankful that things turned out this way and leave it at that,” Landon said. “Things could be so muchworse.”
I stopped abruptly, grimacing when Thistle smacked into me. I leveled a dark look at Landon, though he didn’t look bothered by myfury.
“What?”
“You totally jinxed us,” I barked. “Now that you said that, wherever Chief Terry is taking us will be all kinds of awful. Why would you dothat?”
Landon shrugged. “I don’t know. It just slipped out. Things will be fine. Don’t have a fit for noreason.”
I wanted to believe him, but I knew darned well things weren’t going to be fine. “When this blows up in our faces, I’m totally going to blameyou.”
“That seems more thanfair.”
* * *
How many timeshas that dude been married? It’s in double digits now, right? Why wouldn’t they stop issuing marriage licenses and for the love of all that’s holy, why would anyone marry him? His wives keep ending up dead, and you just know he’s not paying alimony to the few who survived. It’sridiculous.
– Thistle on soap operaromance
Fifteen
Chief Terry kept spouting nonsense– I couldn’t wait to tell him about Aunt Tillie’s take on his vampire persona when we were out of this mess – as he led us through a series of winding hallways. His vampire knowledge was immense – and straight out of a series of bad books and televisionshows.
“I’m the first of my kind,” Chief Terry explained. “I came here because I wanted peace and solitude. I found somethingelse.”
“And what was that?” Landon asked, keeping a firm grip on my hand. The shadows on either side obviously made him nervous. He scanned the darkness with each step to make sure nothing jumped out and attempted to devourus.
“I found mydestiny.”
Landon made a rueful face. “When I tell the real Terry how you’re acting, he’ll be mortified. I’m never going to let him live it down. I’m going to bring it up from now untileternity.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Chief Terry paused in front of an ornate door. This one was white and decorated with bright flowers. It almost looked festive despite the murky lighting. “I am who I have alwaysbeen.”
“Yeah, the real Terry is going to toss Aunt Tillie in jail for this one.” Landon looked thrilled at the prospect. “I hope he throws away the key. I hope he makes her eat gruel and never allows her to watch soaps again. That should be herpunishment.”
“That sounds nice.” I was trying to appease him, even though I knew it would never happen. “I’ll bring it up to him at breakfast … if we ever get to breakfast, thatis.”
“Oh, we’ll get there. I can see it already. Blueberry pancakes. Eggs. Hash browns. Mountains of bacon. We’re definitely getting tobreakfast.”
As if on cue, his stomach growled. I smiled as I pressed my hand to his flat abdomen. “Hungry?”
“I want out of here,” Landon clarified. “That’s what I want more thananything.”
“Well, let’s see what’s next forus.”
Chief Terry opened the door and gestured for us to go through it. Marcus, Sam, Thistle and Clove kept their heads down as they passed over the threshold. Landon stopped in front of Chief Terry long enough to give his outfit another appraisinglook.
“I wish we could take photographshere.”
A small woman wearing a red suit and a bright smile poked her head through the open door. I didn’t recognize her, but she seemed to know us. “Photographs will be available at the end of the show. They’ll be in the gift shop and they’re priced for bulkcopies.”
“Oh, well … .” Landon licked his lips. “Okay then.” He turned to me. “Did you hear that? There’s a giftshop.”
