Page 94 of Enchant the Dawn

Dominic watched in amazement as the smoke took on the shape of a Knight.

“The stronghold is to the north,” Ava said, her voice deep and sounding disembodied.

Dominic darted forward as her face paled, his arm snaking around her waist to hold her steady. “What the hell!”

With a shake of her head, she murmured, “I’m all right.” Smiling, she pointed at the ground. “Look.”

Dominic and Claret both looked downward. A faintly glowing path cut through the forest, heading toward the north.

Ava quickly replaced her implements in the bag and tucked it under the table. “Let’s go,” she said briskly. “We don’t have much time before dawn.”

* * *

Maddy stared out the window. Dominic, Claret, and Ava had left hours ago. She had tried to get some sleep, but it was no use. It was so unfair! They had taken that horrible vampire Claret with them but left her behind. So, she wasn’t a vampire and she wasn’t a powerful witch like Ava, but she might have been able to help in some small way. Sitting here, waiting for their return, was driving her crazy.

Taking up Ava’s grimoire, she turned the pages, looking for a spell that would transport her to Connecticut. Sadly, she didn’t have the nerve to try any of the invocations in the book. But what she did have was a credit card.

Picking up her cell phone, she called the airport. Thirty minutes later, she had a flight to Cornwall, Connecticut.

* * *

The rising sun was painting the sky with glowing shades of pink, orange, and lavender when Claret went to ground.

Ava shuddered as the dirt closed over the vampire. “Have you ever done that?”

“Not yet.”

“It’s like being buried alive,” Ava muttered. “Although technically she’s not alive.”

Dominic glanced around. Deep in the shadow of three mountains, the forest received little sunlight. “I’m going to get some rest,” he said as he sat down, his back against a tree. “Are you going to be all right?”

“There’s no one else around. I’ll conjure a protective spell around us. It’ll be safe enough.” Chanting softly, she made several gestures with her hands. A moment later, her table and the bag holding her magical implements appeared. “Don’t worry about me. I’m working on a new spell.”

With a nod, he closed his eyes and surrendered to the darkness, his last conscious thought of Maddy.

* * *

Maddy yawned as she stepped off the plane, small suitcase in hand. The flight had been uneventful, for which she was grateful. She hated flying and nothing less than her love for Dominic and her concern for his safety had given her the nerve to get on a plane and fly across the country.

After renting a car, she drove to the nearest restaurant for breakfast. Thanks to Ava’s slip of the tongue, she knew where the three were headed. Waiting for her order, she picked up her cell phone, called up Google, and asked for directions to the Dark Forest. She only hoped that once she arrived, she would be able to use her magic to find Dominic and the others.

She thanked the waitress who brought her breakfast, frowned when it occurred to her that Dominic and Claret would likely be at rest at this time of the day. She hoped Ava would be awake and happy to see her—assuming she could even find the witch.

And that Dominic wouldn’t be angry with her for following him.

* * *

Dominic jackknifed to a sitting position, nostrils flaring as he glanced around.

“What’s wrong?” Ava asked.

“Maddy’s here!”

“What?”

Gaining his feet, he lifted his head. “How the hell did she get here?”

“How should I know?”

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