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“And they can’t harness the power for themselves,” added Bliss.

“That’s right,” Esme said. “But Montgomery can.”

They came at the witching hour, because of course they’d do something dramatic like that.

The first phase was to defeat them before they could step foot inside. Esme Bliss and Ivy would see to that. If they can’t keep them out, Willow and Montgomery would be inside with a replica of the original deed to the property, owned by one Montgomery Harland. It was a fake conjured up by Esme, but the twilight coven didn’t have to know that.

The four of them cast a protection on the perimeter of the Moonstone. It was as good as any magical ‘keep out’ sign, but shortly after midnight, a light rain began to fall. And everybody knows rain makes for terrible shielding spell conditions.

Still, they were all in place, ready for any tricks the bad witches might come up with.

It was not just after three in the morning, and Willow peered out the front window where Esme and her sisters stood guard. Every few minutes they’d take turns going round to the back alley.

“I know this doesn’t mean much coming from me,” Montgomery said to Willow, stroking the hair from her neck and kissing her behind the ear. “But I was proud of you today.”

Willow sighed, rolling her head to the side to give him better access.

“It means the world, coming from you,” she replied, a little breathy. If he kept at this, she’d be a puddle on the floor and then they’d find out just how useful she really was.

She turned in his arms and gave him her mouth and…

Tap, tap, tap.

Esme scowled at them from the other side of the widow.

“I can see you guys in there you know.”

She made a gesture to shoo them away from the window. “Stay in the back of the shop. When they come, I want you hidden.”

Willow did as she was told, casting a little extra protection over the windowsills.

“I’m going upstairs to your apartment to check the lock on the window,” Montgomery said. “I’ll be right back. I promise.”

He kissed her long and demanding, as men do in the movies when they’re about to go off to war or on one of those wilderness survival trips. There’s always that one guy who breaks a leg or cheats, ruining the whole camping experience for the others.

Willow didn’t care for those shows.

She clutched her garnet, listening for his footsteps on the stair. He’d only been thirty seconds (she counted) when she sensed something behind her.

Spinning around, she found the Hobby Lobby crystal ball on top of one of the small end tables. It certainly hadn’t been there before.

“Monty…” she called, not taking her eyes off of it. “Monty… hurry!”

She realized briefly there was little Montgomery could do against a menacing crystal ball, but she just felt safer with him near. He could also make himself useful by alerting Esme for her.

Then smoke started to come out of the thing. Big, pillowy clouds of smoke. And from the smoke, arose a looming figure. Then the figure split off into three. Then five. And as the smoke cleared, there stood the Daughters of the Twilight Veil.

It was a pretty good trick; she’d give them that.

The five witches seemed rather pleased with themselves, and each had a wicked smile spread across their features.

From the corner of her eye, Willow saw Esme through the front window, rushing toward the door. But before Esme could reach it, Nadine flicked her wrist, locking down the shop from the inside, dropping the blinds, and turning them from canvas to a heavy, impenetrable steel.

“Did you think you could stop us with your birthday party magic?” Nadine sneered.

“I don’t care for pink,” said Daria. “It got in my hair.”

Rowena scowled. “Nice try blocking us in the woods. The silver didn’t work.”