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CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

By five-fifteen, I was nervous again, but at least I had some plan of action. I was still at work, and a few minutes later, as the sun went down, I called Zandre.

“Zandre, it’s Maisy Tripwater.”

The hope in his voice wasn’t lost on me. “Maisy! You returned my call.” He sounded surprised. “How was your weekend?”

As he spoke, I could hear the loneliness in his voice and it struck me how hard it must be to watch the centuries go by, to watch people you loved die and vanish into the dust of time. Now that I had time to calm the panic, I could hear the hunger in his voice for someone to talk to. He meant it, I thought. He wanted a companion he could talk to, someone he could be real with. He didn’t just want a woman in his bed to fuck.

“Zandre, I…” I’m not sure what it was, but I suddenly changed my mind. “It was a rough weekend. Listen, I’m willing to go out to dinner with you, but as a friend . In fact, I’d like to bring my best friend, if you don’t mind.” It occurred to me that maybe Crystal would lead him to his match—sometimes it took a series of events to set things in motion. Like when Brenda met her match because of the accident we’d had.

After a brief silence, he said, “All right. When and where would you like to meet?” He sounded disappointed, but the fact that he actually agreed told me he wanted friends as well as a partner.

“I’ll text you in a bit. Meanwhile, I’m looking for your match. I just wanted you to know that.” I paused, then decided to give him a little more. “I would have started sooner, but this weekend things went south and stayed there.”

“What happened?”

He sounded genuinely concerned so I told him about the field trip to Hollow Hill and the ferandal. “I’m pretty beat up.”

“I hope that professor loses his job. That’s the least he deserves. Would you like me to pay a visit to him so that he never thinks of doing that again?”

Whoops . I suddenly realized what it might mean to have a vampire for a friend.

“No, no—I contacted the school about him, so don’t worry about it. I doubt he’ll ever do anything like that again.” I quickly backtracked, told Zandre I needed to go because I had an evening class, and hung up.

As I gathered my things together, I called Crystal.

“Hey, what’s up? I’m in the drive-thru line at the Burger Barn. I decided I didn’t want to cook tonight,” she said.

“I’m headed to grab a bite to eat, and then to class tonight. Not Jason’s class, obviously. So, what night do you have free to go out to dinner with Zandre and me? I still have a feeling that—somehow—meeting you will help him find his way to his match. I have dinner with Kyle tomorrow night, then exorcism class Wednesday night. What about Thursday?”

“Thursday night works, but you’re paying.” Crystal paused and, through the phone, I heard her say, “I’d like a double cheeseburger, a strawberry shake, a six-piece chicken nuggets with barbecue sauce, and a small fries.”

“That sounds good,” I said. “Anyway, Thursday night at seven? At the Numa Steak House? We can ride together, if you want.”

“It’s a date. Talk to you tomorrow!”

As she hung up, I headed out, arming the security system and locking the door behind me. Once in my car, I texted Zandre, giving him the date, time, and place. Then, deciding that Crystal’s dinner sounded so good I wanted the same for myself, I headed for the Burger Barn.

* * *

The advanced protection class was fast-paced and packed with information. We had been working on herbal charms, but tonight, the teacher was talking about erecting crystal grids on the astral plane. It involved building a sphere around either yourself or your house and land, much like a geodesic dome but spherical, of protection energy, and using crystals to energize the sphere. Toward the end of the class, the teacher recapped what we were learning.

“The reason we build a sphere instead of just a dome is…why?” Professor Markus looked around the room. She pointed to me. “Maisy?”

I cleared my throat. “We build a sphere because energy can enter from all directions. For example, an incoming cord or negative spell isn’t bound by physical barriers like the ground, unless we’ve enchanted that ground. So we create a sphere to protect from all directions.”

“Good. Correct. Now, can we mix energies into the same protection grid? Lonny?”

Lonny nodded. “Yes, you can mix crystal energy along with herbs or energy from wands or woods or whatever else you like. As long as they’re compatible.”

“Excellent. So, for your homework this week, I want you to create a protection grid for yourself, of a spherical nature. Be prepared for me to examine it next week. I won’t need to go to where you build it, because I’ll be able to see it in your aura if you’re properly prepared. Class dismissed.” She began to gather her things.

As everyone else started to pack up to go, I walked over to talk to her. “Professor Markus, can you tell me if a grid protection spell will keep a vampire at bay?”

She blinked, but then sat down at her desk, thinking. “What exactly are you thinking of? How do you want to keep them distant?”

“I don’t want to keep them from talking to me, but from glamouring me.”

“Well then, you’ll want to include clear quartz in your grid, as well as energy from the air element, and I’d make sure that your third-eye chakra is wide open, but your first and second chakras are protected. I’d close them off if you’re meeting up with a vampire. You can close them for periods of time without harm, if it’s not more than a few days.”

“Thank you,” I said. “I don’t want to offend him by wearing silver, but I don’t want to extend an open invitation, either.”

She nodded. “You might also infuse silver into the energy of the grid. Use a silver blade or wand to draw the circle and it should creep into the spell as you create it.”

“I can do that,” I said. “If I create a physical charm to go with it, would it work to add silver beads to it?”

She nodded. “That will help. But remember: vampires are clever. They’re apex predators, even if they adopt a seemingly meek persona. You can never fully trust them,” she added. “I’m not being a bigot, either. Nobody is fully trustworthy, to be honest. Some things can set off the most pacifistic shifter, and some things can set off even the most trustworthy vampire. It’s simply the nature of existence.”

As I left class, her words stayed with me. I needed to make sure that I wasn’t letting my empathy outweigh my common sense. I went home and immediately cleared my third eye and cast a protection spell for the rest of my chakras.

* * *

The next day I had two readings show up—fairly run-of-the-mill questions, but the women were happy with what I told them and they scheduled readings once a month for the next six months. Another woman dropped in around three.

“Hi, I’m wondering—do you do house blessings? I just bought a new home and I’d like to have it cleansed and blessed before I move in,” she said.

“I can do that. I charge $150 for blessings, $200 for cleansings unless something shows up that I have to exorcise or put extra time into.” I had come up with the prices on the fly.

I waited for her to answer. I’d learned never to reach for my calendar before they were ready to commit because it put unwanted pressure on the client, and they more often than not backed out. If I waited for them to decide, though, they usually booked a time with me.

“If you need to invest extra time, but I don’t have the extra money to pay for it, can you just leave it at a general house cleansing?” she asked.

“I could, though I wouldn’t guarantee it would work if there are firmly entrenched entities there,” I said. “I can come out and get a feel for the house first, if you like—while it won’t guarantee that something won’t come up as we get into the cleansing, I’m usually pretty adept at spotting latent problems.”

“That would be great,” she said. “Can I book you for mid-March?”

“What about…March twelfth? It’s a Saturday, which might make it easier for you, unless you work on the weekends? At one p.m.?”

“That works for me,” she said. “My name is Andrea Shale. What do you want for a deposit?”

“One hundred, which is refundable up until March tenth at noon.”

She handed me her credit card.

I printed out the receipt and handed it to her. “I’ll contact you in a couple weeks to make sure we’re still on.”

“Thanks,” she said, waving as she headed for the door.

The readings and booking the house cleansing put me in a better mood. At least I felt like I was attracting some business. It suddenly occurred to me that I’d have a bigger business if I opened up Married At First Bite to become a dating service as well as a matchmaking service, but I wasn’t quite ready to go that far.

* * *

At home, Astra was on the phone, ordering takeout. She waved as I headed toward my room to dress for my date with Kyle. I wasn’t sure what to wear—I didn’t know if this was a real date. We were in that weird place where couples find themselves before they know if they really like each other well enough to date. I decided on a brown skirt, a hunter green turtleneck, and a pair of knee-high brown leather boots. I freshened my makeup, brushed my hair, and headed back downstairs.

Astra glanced at me and smiled. “You look lovely, dear. Are you meeting him, or will he pick you up?”

“I’m meeting him. I’ll be at Flora’s. Here’s hoping it goes well.” I paused, then said, “I think I really like him, Auntie.”

“I think you do, too. Have a good dinner,” she said, waving as I grabbed my jacket and keys.

* * *

Flora’s was an upscale seafood restaurant that had a cozy, ambient atmosphere, but served gourmet quality seafood, as well as the standard fish and chips, chowder, and calamari. I stopped at the hostess stand.

“I’m meeting someone—” I paused as Kyle entered the restaurant.

“I’m sorry I’m late,” he said. “I got caught in traffic.”

“Hey, you’re here now,” I said. “Plus, I just got here.”

He turned to the waitress. “Kyle Frost, reservation for two.”

I was surprised when Kyle gave the hostess his name. Midnight Point was small enough that the restaurants usually didn’t need reservations, but he had made one anyway.

As the hostess led us to our table, the smells from the kitchen made my stomach rumble. I blushed, but laughed.

“I guess I’m hungrier than I thought,” I said, patting my tummy.

“So am I,” Kyle said. He pulled out my chair for me, and I gave him a smile and sat down. “This was a good suggestion,” he said.

“I’ve been here twice,” I said, uncertain of what to say now that we weren’t being chased by a monster.

Kyle must have been feeling the same because he laughed. “So, what do we talk about now that things are relatively normal?”

I grinned at him. “I’m not sure. Did you make the complaint to Principal Morrison?”

“I did. If you hear anything, let me know. I tell you, Jason Willows is fucked up. That field trip was a disaster waiting to happen.”

“I found out more about him,” I said, proceeding to tell him about the seventh-grade girl.

“I hope they nail his ass to the wall, then,” Kyle said.

The waitress came to take our orders. “Our specialties tonight are calamari steak, and a surf-and-turf platter with filet mignon and lobster tail.”

“I think I want a bowl of chowder, and the halibut fish and chips. And I’ll have a glass of white wine, please.” I handed her my menu.

“I’ll try the turf-and-surf, with a starter of a cup of chowder,” Kyle said. “White wine for me, too.”

Once she brought our drinks, the nervousness began to wear off and we started talking. I found out that Kyle had been born in Terameth Lake, but he felt more comfortable here in Midnight Point, near the water. He had family there, and while they didn’t get together for holidays every year, he got along with his sister and parents.

“Is your sister a tech mage as well?”

He nodded. “Everybody in my family is, even though, as I said before, I was the first one the Aseer formally assessed as such. My sister’s younger, and she was assessed as a techno witch as well. My parents are air witches, but they’re really early techno witches.” He paused to sip his wine. “So, you were born here?”

I nodded. “Yes. My parents died in a plane crash on the way to the UK. They were going on vacation and had left me in the care of my aunts. Astra and Sara took custody of me—they were my guardians appointed in my parents’ wills—and so, from the time I was seven, they brought me up.”

“You were married, right?” he asked.

I nodded, and—because it felt right—I told him about Dan. “It was a good marriage. Not perfect, but it was good. And I do miss him,” I added.

“I imagine you must.”

The questions turned into conversation as our dinner came, and I realized that I was already invested in Kyle, whether it turned into a friendship or something more. I liked him, and by the end of dinner, I’d decided that I wanted to see him again.

In the parking lot, he turned to me. “So…”

“So…” I said.

“So, I guess the next question is: where is this going? Although I should probably ask if you’re interested in it going anywhere?” Kyle leaned against my car, a questioning smile on his lips.

I took a deep breath. Time to be upfront and not dodge the question.

“I’m interested in seeing where this goes,” I said. “I think…we’re already friends. I’d like to see if we might…be compatible as more than just friends.” I felt so awkward that I stumbled over the words. I wanted to say kiss me …but I wasn’t ready to go that far.

Kyle held my gaze, then slowly leaned down, pressing his lips against mine. I leaned in, and he wrapped his arms around me, pulling me close. His lips were soft against mine, and I felt lightheaded, almost faint. It had been so long since I’d kissed anyone. Kyle’s chest was warm as he pulled me into his embrace, and for the first time in two years, my body ached to be touched, to be loved.

“Maisy, you’re so beautiful,” he whispered, then kissed me again.

I kissed him back, eagerly, and then—as the heady kiss went on—I suddenly froze as a wave of guilt swept over me. I pulled back, both wanting more and wanting to run.

“What’s wrong?” he whispered. “Did I move too fast?”

“No…yes…” I broke out of his embrace. “I… I don’t know. It’s not you—not at all.”

“You’re not ready, are you? You need some time.” He sounded disappointed, but he wasn’t planting a guilt trip on me.

I stared at the ground. “I like you, so much. But…I didn’t know I was going to respond that way. I didn’t know it would shake me up so much.” I looked up, about ready to cry. “I feel so confused, and now I’ve ruined everything.”

“No, no—you haven’t,” he said, reaching out to take my hand. “Listen, we’re just getting to know each other. It’s only been two years since you lost your husband. If this is your first…”

“It is,” I said. “I haven’t been on a real date since Dan died. Friends tried to fix me up, but I just couldn’t go through it. This is the first time I’ve wanted to go out with somebody. I like you, Kyle, and I would like to see where things go, but I’m going to have to take it slowly. If you aren’t willing to wait, I do understand.”

“I’m not going to just run off because you need some time. What about a hug instead of a kiss? And if you’re free, maybe we can go to a matinee on Saturday? I know you have coven meetings Saturday nights.”

“Not every Saturday night, but this upcoming one, yes. And I’d like that. I think I can handle that pace.” I hesitantly opened my arms and he embraced me again, but gentler, and it felt warm and soft and comforting. He kissed me on the top of my head and then let go.

“What do you think will happen to class?” he asked.

“I don’t know. If they let him continue to teach, I’ll be contacting the media.” I yawned. I was tired and emotional and feeling all sorts of confused. “I think I need to go home and go to bed. I’m exhausted.”

“I’ll drive behind you to make sure you get home all right, if you like.” He opened my car door for me after I pressed the key fob.

“That’s all right, but thank you for caring enough to offer.” As I slid into the driver’s seat, it occurred to me that I was a lucky woman. Not many men would be patient enough to wait for a widow to be ready for a kiss.

Kyle winked at me, then watched as I pulled out of the parking lot. All the way home, my thoughts were on the feel of his lips, the feel of his arms around me, and though I still felt guilty, I had to admit to myself that I’d liked it, and I hoped I’d be ready for another kiss sooner than later.