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“I haven’t seen any others,” Samantha said with a pout. “I still think it’s creepy, the one who showed up at the store. Maybe Eduardo killed her there.”

Casting a startled look at her, Jeff hesitated in his steps.

“Just a thought,” she said.

“A disturbing one.”

“That’s how our life rolls, huh?” Samantha said.

“Yeah, sadly.”

The continuous whir of the air conditioning made Samantha sigh. The hot weather was going to wreck her budget. The electric bill was going to be enormous with the triple digit weather Austin was experiencing, but the utility bill was the least of her worries with all the bad guys lurking out in the world.

After claiming a bottle of water from the refrigerator, Jeff collected his wallet and keys. “Call me later, okay? I want to make sure everything went okay tonight.”

“Don’t worry about me. I’m a bad ass,” Samantha assured him. Clad in a summer dress adorned with bright red flowers she didn’t look dangerous, but Samantha knew she was more than capable of handling herself.

“Well, you do own a pink Glock.”

“Uh huh.” She tilted her head to catch his kiss on her lips. “I’m dangerous.”

“And I love it,” Jeff whispered, his grin affectionate.

Walking with him to the front door, Samantha held onto his hand, reluctant to let him leave. Every day she spent with Jeff was another day of her falling more deeply in love with him. He was funny, smart, and the nicest person she’d ever known. His quiet strength and support of what she was going through only made her love him all the more.

“I’ll be the best phasmagus that ever existed in no time at all,” she said confidently.

Jeff grinned at her, pressed a kiss to her cheek, and opened the front door.

Benchley and Alexia stood on the stoop ready to knock. The sky was darkening behind the siblings, stars dotting the indigo. The gentle buzz of the cicadas in the trees always made Samantha think of peaceful summer evenings on the porch of her childhood home. She longed to curl up on her porch swing with Jeff and enjoy the last bit of the sunset. However, she knew the night was the most dangerous time now for all of them.

“Hey, Shark Boy!” Samantha waved, trying to keep herself lighthearted despite the fear she felt slowly blooming inside of her. Using her powers was always a bit unnerving. “Hi, Lex.”

“Ready to teach my girlfriend how to kick ass and take names?” Jeff asked his friends.

Benchley’s round cheeks reddened. “Uh, sure, but only if she wears a super heroine costume.”

“Sexist,” Alexia growled, shoving her brother into the house. “We’ve got it covered. No worries, Jeff.”

Samantha gently pushed Jeff out the door. “Go do what you have to do. I’ll be good and train.”

“I just feel like I’m leaving you defenseless,” Jeff said, sighing.

“I’m fine,” she answered. “The ward is up and holding.”

Jeff looked upward, but she knew he couldn’t see the transparent dome that encapsulated her house. It resembled a soap bubble, the colors of the rainbow sliding over its surface as the light caught it. Aimee had set a ward over the house right after the battle with The Summoner and Samantha had worried that the neighbors would freak out at the sight of the magical barrier. It had taken her a few days to realize that regular humans couldn’t see it.

“It’s been too quiet since that night in the graveyard,” Jeff said finally.

“Don’t jinx us,” Samantha chided.

“Right. I’ll shut up now. Love you.” Jeff pressed one last kiss to her lips then hurried to his beat-up Land Rover.

Samantha waved until he drove off, then stepped back into the house. Benchley was already rummaging around in her kitchen for snack food while Alexia hooked up a laptop to Samantha’s television.

“I got this whole presentation ready for you to watch,” the diminutive young woman said from behind the flat screen. “It’s going to rock. Benchley figured out some exercises for you to do to develop your abilities.”

Flopping onto the sofa, Samantha propped her bare feet on the coffee table. “Teach me, oh wise one.”