Page 6 of Soaring into the Midlife

"Taking care of a magical critter and dodging near-death experiences by angry wardens is good for them?" Luke quirked an eyebrow, his skepticism practically its own entity in the room.

"It’s character building," I said with a flourish of my hand. "They need some grit in their manicures." I smiled at the thought of Avery and Allison getting down and dirty in the countryside; it was like imagining two unicorns plowing a field.

A snort from the doorway had me spinning around. Jax stood there, flanked by Janice and Xander. Their faces were painted with amusement, clearly having caught the tail end of our conversation.

"Did I just overhear something about mucking out stalls?" Jax tried to sound stern, but the laugh that followed ruined it.

Janice crossed her arms, the ghost of a grin playing on her lips. "I gotta say, I'm a little disappointed. No grand rescue mission tonight?" She shook her head and then looked at Xander. "Come on, I'll show you where you can crash." Janice gestured toward the hallway that led to the basement. If the situation were any less bizarre, I might have found the image of a hunter offering hospitality to a vampire downright heartwarming.

They disappeared down the stairs before I turned to Jax with a lifted brow. "Okay, spill. What's up with Xander slumming it in our basement?"

"Xander is done. He's been quietly training his second for months now. Everything is set for a smooth transition. He's just... tired of leading."

"He’s retiring?" My mind conjured up images of Xander trading New York's skyscrapers for our... well, more modest accommodations. "So he's swapping the Big Apple for Philly cheesesteaks indefinitely?"

"Only for a little while, to decompress." Jax shrugged, but his eyes held a warmth that spoke volumes about his understanding of the burden of leadership. "He's had enough of the politics, the power plays. He hated being in charge."

"Ah." I let out a chuckle, imagining Mr. New York Vampire trading in his nights of glamorous bloodsucking for lazy evenings with Netflix and popcorn. "The more the merrier, I guess. Our home is becoming the choice destination for the supernatural."

"Looks like it." Jax grinned, leaning in to plant a kiss on my forehead. "You okay with this?"

"Absolutely." I waved away any concern. The more the merrier.

3

My phone buzzed abruptlyon the table, causing both Kendra and me to jump. A text notification from Jordan Leslie popped up on the screen, and I grinned at the timing.

I swiped open the message. "Jordan's got a skip job for us."

“Should we take it or give it to one of the crew?” she asked.

"Apparently, this one is a lower-level case he wouldn't normally take on." I scanned Jordan's text. "But he says it should be easy-peasy, lemon squeezy."

Kendra snorted at my choice of words, and I rolled my eyes playfully. "Well, you know what they say, when life gives you lemons…"

"Throw them back and demand chocolate," we chimed in unison, dissolving into laughter.

She sighed and squinted at me. "Sounds like it could be perfect for Zara."

"Zara?" I asked, surprised by the suggestion. But then I remembered how eager she had been to join The Bond Girls. Toprove to me that she was a new, improved, rehabilitated vampire and not the newbie rogue who tried to kill me. "You know, that's not a bad idea. This could be an excellent opportunity for her to gain some experience, and we can go along to supervise."

"Exactly." Kendra nodded enthusiastically. "And maybe, just maybe, you'll get to like her a bit more."

I sighed, running a hand through my hair. Not that I disliked Zara, per se. It was more that she'd been trying too hard to make me like her. Her constant attempts at bonding had become overwhelming, and I’d been considering the possibility of pawning her off on one of the territories in the US.

"Maybe," I said, my tone dubious. "But let's focus on the task at hand first, getting her some experience."

"That sounds good," Kendra said

I glanced down at my phone, my fingers flying across the screen as I typed out a quick message to Zara. Operation: Get Zara Some Street Cred was officially in motion.

Hey Zara, got a simple skip job for you. Be ready to roll in 10 minutes. We'll be there to supervise.

I hit send and waited for her response.

Are you sure? I mean, I’m excited too, but… are you sure?

Yes, I think you can handle it. You got this. Now come on.