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My hair was a bright shade of red—just like every other member of the O’Neil slayer family—and with the move to Magiford I’d decided to go shorter, so my curly hair had a bob cut that was just a touch past my chin.

I loved the new style, but it took a bazillion pins to keep it out of my face.

Pulling the hair back from my face emphasized my freckles and made my green eyes look huge, but if I didn’t pin it back my hair would bounce around inside my hood and stick to my mask. Besides, no one would see it once I put the mask on.

Next came my gloves—fitted and made of special fabric to improve my gripping ability. The gloves weren’t part of the Magical Enforcement Task Force, but they were slayer tradition.

I checked to make sure the neckline of my black undershirt was hitched high enough—the goal was to cover every square inch of my body while on patrols—then pulled my hood up, grabbed my belt and gear, and made my way to the meeting room.

Each night my squad held musters where we were read into any incidences or ongoing investigations before our shift.

The meeting room was another relic of human TV with glass windows that served as walls, thin blue and gold carpeting, and rows of tables with blue, plastic chairs that matched the carpeting.

There were whiteboards at the front of the room—or rather, there were those smart screen boards. No one in the Department of Supernatural Law Enforcement knew how to use them, so they were treated like whiteboards.

Nobody was in the meeting room yet, so I picked a table in the middle of the room and sat down.

Brody and Binx—a werecat shifter—prowled into the room together, their voices lowered.

Both were wearing the short sleeved, summer-appropriate variation of our uniform—something I couldn’t risk as a slayer—but Brody had a barely visible set of dusty paw prints adorning the belly of his shirt and wolf hair stuck to his pants. It seemed his Pack had given him a particularly enthusiastic sendoff tonight.

Binx’s uniform, on the other hand, was perfect—wrinkle free with the seams lined up—and her dark brown pixie haircut was slicked back into perfect order.

I straightened in my chair.I need to say hello to them. This is the perfect chance for small talk.

As Brody and Binx settled at a table in the back of the room, they glanced in my direction. Brody gave me a wolf head-bob, and Binx nodded—both wordless ways of communication.

Wait, if they used body language, should I? Would it annoy them if I said something?

I snapped my mouth shut and instead initiated an awkward wave. I’d taken too long, and the duo had returned to their conversation without seeing my wave.

Do they think I ignored their greeting? I didn’t mean to be rude—why can’t I think faster in these situations?

I held in a sigh and let my hand fall into my lap.

Well, I should at least do something useful with my time.

I removed my handgun from its holster, along with my extra magazine. I was one of the only task force members to be issued a handgun since I’d trained and worked with guns as a vampire slayer.

I also had two pairs of magic canceling cuffs, my personal daggers—which I’d cleared with Sarge for use—and a few small potion vials.

I was issued less gear, to keep me lighter and faster, so my movements weren’t hindered when I fought. Larger members of the task force—like Brody—carried extra cuffs—while designated medics—like Grove—carried potions.

I was in the process of inspecting my spare magazine when an impression of sunlight tickled at my senses.

I looked up just in time to see my one hardcore friend in the Department of Supernatural Law Enforcement, Sunshine, skip past the meeting room.

Sunshine was a brownie—a petite, but willow-y fae with warm brown skin, brown hair, and a smile that was equal parts brightness and sass. She carried a massive purse that was bigger than her head, and she was wearing the white lab coat that was part of her TV inspired uniform. She wasn’t on the task force; she was in a different division inside our department where she processed and organized evidence and cases.

When Sunshine got to the edge of the room she glanced inside, then skid to a stop and did a double take. She slipped through the doorway—elbowing her way past Tetiana—and trotted up to my table. “Jade—my dazzling jewel!”

I smiled, my awkwardness melting away under the glow of Sunshine’s affectionate nickname. “Hi, Sunshine. Did you have a good day at work?”

Sunshine rolled her expressive brown eyes. “It was fine, but it’s way less fun since you left the dayshift.”

“You could also swap to the evening shift,” I suggested.

“I’m from the Day Court. Which means that, unlike you—Miss Night Owl—I don’t roll like that. Daylight is the best.” Sunshine glanced over her shoulder at Binx and Brody, then back at me. “I read the report from the fight last night. It sounds like you kicked some fae butt!”