CHAPTER SEVEN
After performing protection magick for my own home, the bookstore, and Kathleen’s house to boot, I staggered off to bed around midnight.
Unfortunately, I didn’t sleep very well, nor had I expected to.
When the sun finally rose the next morning, I shuffled toward the bathroom and took a long hot shower.
Basically on autopilot, I moved through my morning routine and was out the door on time armed with a large travel thermos of very strong coffee and a liberal application of under eye concealer.
By some gracious whim of the gods, Dex had the day off. Otherwise, he would have taken one look at me and known something major was wrong. And I so wasn’t in the mood for that.
However, today it would be only me and Kathleen on the floor. She was scheduled to arrive at noon, and the routine, rhythm and quiet of the bookstore helped ground me like nothing else could have. I spent the morning emptying out the front window display and waiting on customers.
By afternoon, the pace picked up. It was a gorgeous spring day, bright and sunny, and foot traffic in Five Points was brisk. I was busy ringing up purchases, and Kathleen was floating out on the floor, doing what she did best—chatting up the customers and helping them pick out books.
“Enjoy the novels,” I said to my customer, as I handed over her shopping bag.
“Kathleen swears these are the hottest historical romances she’s read in years.”
“I’d believe her.” I chuckled. “She loves a good spicy romance.”
“Thanks,” the customer said. Taking her bag, she left with a smile.
The bells over the door rang as they opened and I glanced up. “Good afternoon,” I said, and my friendly smile faded.
Because to my complete surprise, Charles Montgomery strolled right into my bookstore holding hands with Chloe. Today he wore dress slacks with his pale blue button-down shirt tucked in. Chloe had her hair in a ponytail and wore a lilac-colored dress and pink sneakers. They looked adorable together.
Hang on... my inner monologue questioned. Did I just refer to Charles Montgomery as adorable?
Obviously, I was suffering more from sleep deprivation than I’d thought.
“Lorna.” He nodded politely. “Chloe and I are here for some new storybooks.”
“Hello, Chloe,” I said to the child, who was looking at everything with very wide eyes.
“Daddy there are stars on the ceiling,” she whispered.
Pointing up toward the constellations painted on the bookstore’s ceiling, I asked, “Do you like them?”
“The lights are stars too.” Chloe grinned up at the dangling golden pendant lighting. “They’re pretty.”
“The children’s books are this way,” I said and gestured for them to follow me. We’d gone maybe five steps when Kathleen popped up and offered to take Chloe to the children’s section.
Once we were alone, Charles angled his body closer to mine. “My Supe contact in real estate that I mentioned last night?”
“Yes?”
“They told me that there had been rumblings throughout the wider community.” He spoke carefully to avoid using the word ‘Vampire’ in public. “And that there has been an issue in the Birmingham area.”
“What sort of issue?”
Charles moved a tad closer. “Regional skirmish.”
He was close enough to me now that I caught a whiff of his aftershave. He smells amazing and looks like a walking advertisement for a ‘hot daddy,’ I thought, as I stared up into his face.
“Lorna?” Charles asked. “Are you okay?”
Damn it! I swore at myself and my wandering random lusty thoughts. With everything that was going on, distracted was not a good thing for a Witch of my standing to be. Wisely I took a step back, putting some space between us before I spoke.
“When you say ‘regional skirmish,’ you mean as in no one notified the other party before moving through their…” I paused, searching for the proper word, “Territory?”
“Correct,” he said softly.
Before I could respond, a shopper wandered closer to us, and Charles completely changed the volume and tone of his voice to ask me if we carried a popular new bestseller.
“Right this way.” I smiled and gestured for him to follow me. Together we moved over toward one of my central tables that held a display of new releases. Even as we spoke casually about the book and its reviews, my mind was racing.
As the Magistra, someone should have reached out to me if there was a problem within the Supernatural community. True I didn’t deal with Lycans or Vampires very often, but we got along fairly well, simply because we gave each other plenty of space and respect.
The bells over the front door jingled again, and I glanced over and froze—in the way animals do when they sense a predator nearby. I managed to hold my composure, only because showing any sort of weakness or fear at that moment would be very, very foolish.
The female who entered my bookstore in broad daylight was clearly a Supe.
And as she cleared the threshold, she snapped her black umbrella closed.
She was dressed in a way I could only think of as Boho Goth.
She wore dark round sunglasses, a loose black maxi dress and a deep green silk shawl that was draped over her shoulders.
Her brown hair was glossy and brushed her shoulders in beautifully styled waves.
With a leisurely hand, she lifted her sunglasses and tucked them on top of her hair.
Turning her head to survey the store, she focused on me and gave me the slightest of smiles.
She walked directly over to me, and her heavy ankle boots were silent against the hardwood floors.
Definitely a Vampire, I decided.
Reaching into the pocket of her dress, she pulled out a small scarlet-colored envelope. In a split second I knew this was no greeting card. As she extended her hand to me, I spotted the family crest of the Olarescu House embossed upon it.
“Your presence is required, Magistra,” she said in a low voice.
“In what way is it required?” I asked very politely, accepting the envelope.
Her lips shifted into a full smile. “You are hereby summoned to the Olarescu House this evening.”
“Summoned?” Charles asked her.
The Vampire slanted amused eyes over to him. “If it helps, Mr. Montgomery, think of this as a very firm invitation.” She then produced a second scarlet envelope and passed it to Charles. “And for you.”
He took it with a sort of half laugh.
Placing my hand on Charles’ arm to keep him from saying anything to offend the messenger, I inclined my head to the Vampire. “We understand.”
“Wonderful,” she said. “I’ll let them know. We’ll send a car to your home for you at nine tonight, Magistra.”
“I’ll be ready,” I told her.
She dropped her sunglasses back into place and turned away, making her long skirt billow out.
In a blink she was across the sales floor and at the threshold again.
The Vampire pushed the door open, stuck her umbrella through and gave it a little shake.
With a snap it popped open, and she stepped outside, ducking under its shade.
“Well, that was different,” I murmured to Charles as we both watched her walk down the sidewalk. “I wonder why she didn’t offer to send a car for you?”
“Probably because we live in the same building,” he said, tucking the envelope in his slacks’ pocket. “The Olarescus have the West Penthouse.”
I stared at him in silence for a long ten seconds before I spoke. “They’re your neighbors? You neglected to mention that last night.”
He raised a single brow at me. “Just as you did not mention that you astral traveled a couple of weeks ago to Sawyer’s house to see what you could learn.”
I narrowed my eyes at that. “Have you been spying on me, Montgomery?”
“Watching out for you,” he said. “I noticed the crystals that were left out on the sideboard in the living room, the evening I brought you pizza. That and the big circles that were under your eyes. It wasn’t hard to figure out why you were so drained that night.”
Torn between anger and embarrassment that he’d read me so easily, I pulled in a deep breath through my nose and prayed to the gods for serenity.
“I’m worried for your safety, Lorna.”
“I can handle myself,” I said firmly.
“Daddy, look at my books!” Chloe’s delighted voice carried over to where we stood.
She raced over to her father and was jumping up and down in excitement, showing all of the titles to him. Taking advantage of the ruckus, I slipped away to help another customer who had moved up to the checkout counter.
Charles bought all of the books Chloe had chosen and also ended up purchasing that new bestseller that he’d asked me about. With Kathleen chatting to Chloe, I did my best to ring up Charles and his daughter, treating them with friendly politeness, exactly like I would with any other customer.
“See you tonight,” he said as he ushered his daughter out.
I simply nodded in reply, that scarlet envelope weighing heavily in my pocket.
“What’s that all about?” Kathleen nudged me with her elbow. “The whole ‘I’ll see you tonight’ thing. You going on a date?”
“No,” I said. “It’s a community thing. A meeting.”
“That’s a very nice-looking man,” Kathleen said. “He’s a good father too. You can tell by how he interacts with his daughter.”
“I suppose.”
Kathleen elbow nudged me. “What are you blind? That man is yummy.”
I would not laugh. Even if it was an accurate description. Instead, I changed the subject and asked, “You up for helping me re-work the front window display?”
“Sounds like fun,” she said. “What’s the theme?”
I smiled. “Gardening.”
“Oh, hell yeah!” She rubbed her hands together.
Thankful that I’d distracted her, I slipped in the back room and pulled out one of the totes stored there.
Inside of it were all sorts of props that I used for seasonal displays.
To begin with, we tossed a soft green linen tablecloth over the various pillars and stands in the front window, creating a springy-looking backdrop.