Page 7

CHAPTER SEVEN

After handing in my paper, and chatting a little more with Alexa, I headed home, relieved to be done for the day. It had been a long one, and I was worried about the test. I thought I’d passed, but I wouldn’t know until next week.

Astra was on her stationary bike when I unlocked the door and slipped inside. She was watching a TV show called A Study of Natural Beauty .

“What’s the episode about this week?” I asked, tossing my book bag on the sofa and shrugging off my jacket. I sat in the rocking chair and slipped my hands under my shirt, unhooking my bra and sliding it off through the armholes. “Oh man, that feels good. Underwire is my friend, but around this time of day, it becomes my enemy.”

Astra snorted and paused the program. “I hear that. That’s why I wear a sports bra to work out. This week they’re visiting the Painted Desert. It’s gorgeous, but I’m not sure I’d be comfortable there. The desert is wide open and windswept in a way that no other place is.”

“True that,” I said, yawning and leaning back. “I totally forgot to eat dinner.”

“We’re out of leftovers, so either you order pizza or other takeout, or cook fresh,” she said. “I just made some ramen for dinner.”

“That sounds good,” I said, perking up. I loved ramen. “I think I’ll do the same.”

“We have plenty of things to add to it?—”

“Nope. You know I’m a purist. I want my ramen with broth, and nothing else in it. But I’ll find something on the side.” I headed in the kitchen. “How long do you have left?”

“Ten minutes,” she said as I passed by. “I’ve managed twenty minutes so far, and in ten, I’ll have done five miles.”

I poured a cup and a half of water in a pan and set it to boil. I liked my broth reduced and saltier. Then, pulling out a package of ham-flavored ramen, I gave it a couple whacks before opening, to break up the noodles. We had ham, so while the water was coming to a boil, I cut a thick slice off of it, setting it on a bread and butter plate. I lowered the heat and used a fork to help break up the noodles before adding the seasoning packet, then poured it all into a wide bowl and carried it out to the dining table.

Astra had finished her biking by then. She wiped her forehead with a towel and yawned. “I needed that. The older I get, the more I realize how important it is to keep as mobile as I can. How did class go?”

“We had a quiz. I’m not expecting an ‘A’ given how little study I managed to put in, but we’ll see.” I began eating my soup, suddenly feeling the weight of the day on my shoulders. “I’m tired, Auntie. I’m feeling better than this morning, emotionally, but I just feel tired.”

“Last night’s vision quest had to be exhausting, plus everything else you’ve been dealing with lately. What did Nightshade have to say?”

“Oh, that’s right,” I said, remembering. “She wants me to wear some sort of ritual gear for Saturday night. I’m going to be initiated into the Dark Moon Society then, and she said you could help me find something to wear.” I paused, then added, “Saturday night, Crystal goes through her initiation.”

“She should do fine,” Astra said. “Please don’t worry about her.”

I nodded. “That’s essentially what Nightshade told me. What should I wear?”

“Do you have time tomorrow? We can go shopping.”

“The only thing on my schedule for tomorrow is Zandre, tomorrow night at nine. So, yeah, I can. I’ll take the afternoon off. Is there a place in town that will have the appropriate regalia that I’ll need?” It wasn’t exactly standard to find ritual dress in most department stores, not even in a shadow town.

“There are several magical shops around that carry regalia. We’ll go there. But you’d be surprised what you can find in the right stores, even if they’re mainstream.” Astra yawned. “I think I’ll turn in. You ready for bed, or are you going to stay up for a while?”

I finished my soup. “Nope, I’m definitely ready for bed.” I carried my dishes into the kitchen, then gave Astra a kiss. “Night, Auntie.”

“Night, sweet girl. Sleep well.” With Dahlia at her heels, she shut the door behind her as I headed into my bedroom.

Miss P. was there already, sprawled out on my bed. I stripped and pulled on my nightshirt, then sprawled across the bed with her.

“Hey, fuzzbutt, how’s my baby girl?” I snuggled her, burying my face in her fur. She smelled dusty, in a cozy sort of way, and began to purr, a deep, sonorous rumble that helped me relax. I took a few moments to brush my teeth and wash my face, then slid under the covers. With Miss P. curling up next to my head on my pillow, I fell into a deep sleep and didn’t dream once.

* * *

Next day I decided what the hell, I’d take the whole day off. I didn’t have any appointments till Zandre, so I stuck a note on my door stating I’d be back the following day, then joined Astra for brunch. We decided to eat at the Pacific Blue, a diner on Forsythia Street. Their food was some of the best diner food I’d ever tasted.

Astra ordered a ham and cheese omelet with a side of pancakes, while I ordered a Belgian waffle, sausage, and fried eggs. As we waited for our food, I looked outside, watching the pedestrians pass by the diner. “Do you have any tips for when I meet with Zandre tonight?”

“If you wear silver, hide it. It’s rude to attend a meeting decked out in silver when you know a vamp is going to be there. Second, I strongly suggest you wear silver to the meeting.”

I laughed. “I’ll always be your little girl, won’t I?”

“You’re the only daughter I’ll ever have,” she said, smiling. “Just tuck a necklace beneath your shirt. Even with silver, they can glamour you, but I doubt if you’ll have much problem with that. I did a little research on Zandre when you first mentioned him, and given he’s Midnight Point’s representative to the Northwest Vampire Collection, he has to be cautious.” She laughed. “I remember when I met my first vampire. Well, the first that I knew of. You can’t always go by looks, although there’s always something that stands out about them.”

“I feel like my horizons are broadening out now that I’m back in Midnight Point,” I said. “First I meet two Fae, then I meet a vampire. I’m becoming worldly!”

Astra laughed. “I suppose you could put it that way—” She stopped as my phone chimed.

I glanced at the lock screen notification. “Oh, speak of the devil, Ginger just texted me.” I opened my phone.

hey, I really enjoyed meeting you. would you like to go out to dinner together on Sunday evening?

I pulled my pocket planner out of my purse and glanced at the week. sure, i’d like that. where do you want to eat, and when?

how about abernathy’s? they have a variety of food and they’re not too pricey. say seven?

sounds good to me, I texted back. putting it on my calendar now.

“What does she want?” Astra asked.

“She just asked me to dinner Sunday night. I said yes. I’d like to get to know her a bit better. The Fae have always intrigued me, and I feel like she’s a connection I’m going to value.”

The waitress brought our food then, and we settled in to eat. We chatted away, about Miss P. and Dahlia, about the kitchen remodel we were planning, about a little bit of everything, until we were nearly finished with our brunch.

“So, where are these magical shops you’ve been talking about?” I asked. Even in the two and a half months I’d been home, I hadn’t managed to reacquaint myself fully with the town.

“The first is down near the docks. Come on, I’ll get the check.”

“Let me get the tip, then?”

She nodded. “Sounds good.”

As she paid the bill, I left a generous tip on the table. Times were tough, and waitressing wasn’t the easiest way to earn a living.

* * *

The drive down to the docks was easy enough, and parking was plentiful. Most people were at work, or they didn’t fancy being down at the pier on a blustery day. And blustery it was. February often saw snow in Western Washington, or stormy, rainy days. We’d had the snow in January and the forecast said we were probably through with it for the winter, but the rain and chill just kept coming.

“I’m looking forward to spring,” I said. “My favorite season is autumn, but this has been a long winter, and it started in November for me.”

“How much do you miss your old job?” Astra asked.

“I don’t, not really. In fact, when I think about it, I’m kind of relieved. They were a bunch of assholes, and I hated having to dim my light. But the downside is that I got used to making so many matches there that I feel rather useless here. And now, Aphrodite’s saying I may not be walking fully in the right direction, so I don’t know what to think.”

“Do you believe she’s right?” My aunt put the car in park, and we unfastened our seatbelts.

As I slung my purse over my shoulder, I frowned, wanting to answer honestly. “Yes, and no. I suppose. I don’t know. The part of me that wants to see those successes pile up, well, that side of me feels like I’m failing. I feel like I’ve slacked off. I know, though, that here—in Midnight Point—I can’t just hustle like I used to. Life doesn’t work like that here.”

“True enough, and that’s a valuable lesson to learn. For what it’s worth, Maisy, I’m proud of you. I see you struggling with this, but in the end, what matters is the quality of what you’ve done, not sheer volume. You could make a dozen matches in a week but if over half of them fall apart, then they really don’t count.”

I laughed. “With divorce rates what they are, I guess I’m doing pretty good. I checked in on some of my previous clients from my old job, and they’re all still together. I have like…a 99 percent track record, which is excellent.”

“Excellent? It’s almost perfect. I doubt if most matchmakers can claim that.”

The strip mall down by the ferry was laid out in a long row of shops in a building tucked under the hill, the concrete walls built into the face of the cliff like a rammed earth house or a hobbit hole. They held a diverse group of offerings.

There was a pot shop—A Little Help From My Friends; a pizza place—Just A Slice; a bar—Papa Mojito’s; a gift shop for Otherkin—Baby’s First Fang; and then the magic shop—Ona Sera’s Roots. The shops were all colorful and?—

“Ona Sera? She’s the woman you wanted me to meet last month, isn’t she?”

“Yes, she owns this shop.” Astra led me over to the brightly lit magic shop.

As we entered, I felt the subtle twinge of magic surrounding me. It was gentle, but powerful, and I had the feeling that—at full force—whoever had cast the wards was an incredibly powerful witch.

The Strega weren’t exactly Fam-Trad, born to a family lineage, but rather a branch of the witchblood who had evolved with their own talents in magic. The Voudoun practitioners were the same—they had their own magical structure. Not all of the outlier witchblood clans answered to the Court Magika, but neither did they break the rules. At least, most of them didn’t.

The woman behind the counter could have been forty or one hundred and forty. The moment I laid eyes on her, I understood that she was one of those women who confounded time—battling it with genetics and with her own form of magic.

She was short and thin, wearing a long skirt of deep forest green that flowed to her ankles, beneath which I could see a pair of suede boots. Her top reminded me of a thermal underwear tank top, mustard-colored, and she wore a brown suede belt. Her brown hair was caught back in thin braids that dangled down her back, and her skin had an olive undertone that brought to mind the people of the Mediterranean.

As her eyes lit up and she headed our way, I found myself stepping back. There was an intensity about her that made me feel nervous.

But she stopped by Astra and spread her arms. “Mama Astra, give us a hug!”

Astra embraced her, towering over her by several inches. “Ona Sera, you’re back!”

“Of course I’m back. I can’t stay on vacation forever,” Ona Sera said. “And you’ve brought company! Is this your niece?”

“Yes, this is my niece, Maisy. Maisy, meet Ona Sera,” Astra said pulling away with a smile on her face.

“Maisy, you look just like your aunt told me you would. A pretty thing you are.”

Before I could mutter a hello, Ona Sera had pulled me into a bear hug, then let go just as quickly. For such a slight woman, she was incredibly strong.

“Well, then, what’s the occasion for the visit?”

Grateful she hadn’t asked how I liked being back in Midnight Point, I deferred to my aunt. It seemed like everybody I met who found out that I had once lived in town wanted to know how I felt it had changed and did I like being home and why did I return, along with a dozen other questions I didn’t fancy answering.

“Maisy’s joining the Dark Moon Society this weekend. We need appropriate regalia for her.” Astra sounded as proud as she had when I had won the state spelling bee at age thirteen. I hadn’t continued in my pursuit of the perfect vocabulary—the spelling bee world was fiercely competitive—but I still loved playing with words.

“Well then, let’s see what we have.” Ona Sera led us over to the area of the store with clothing racks. There were magical gowns and cloaks galore, in all colors and sizes, along with what looked like Ren Faire garb.

But Astra knew what she wanted. Well—wanted for me , and she headed directly for the rack of long, black gowns. She thumbed through them, finally pulling out a gown that looked like a sundress. Chiffon, it had a fitted corset-type bodice, cap sleeves, and a flowing skirt.

“This will work well. Do you like it?” She held it up for me to look at.

It was pretty, though out of my usual comfort zone. But I noticed the detail on it. The bodice was embossed with black-on-black roses. The skirt had garters that could be used to shorten it by gathering it up in scallops. The dress had a side zipper, making it easy to get on and off. And as I examined it, I realized the stitching was exquisite—straight, even, and pressed to a smooth finish.

“This is extremely well made,” I said, holding the hem as I examined it. “It’s really pretty. Does this come in my size?”

Ona Sera took the dress from Astra, then flipped through the dresses on the rack, finally pulling one out. “Right here, and it’s a petite, so it’s not going to drag on the ground. Would you like to try it on?”

I nodded, so she turned me toward the dressing rooms and gave me a little push. “The room on the left has the best lighting,” she said.

Surprised by the generous size of the fitting room, I stripped. I’d dressed for clothes shopping: a pair of gauchos, an easy-off tank, and slip-on flats. I cautiously stepped into the dress. It seemed the easiest way to get it on. As I zipped the side, then adjusted my boobs and stood back to look at myself, I wasn’t prepared for the image in the mirror.

Whether it was the dress, or just me and the way my mindset was changing, when I saw my reflection, I gasped. For the first time in…perhaps ever …I truly felt like I could see my own beauty. I was glowing with magic.

I pressed my hand to my chest, my eyes welling up. The dress signified something . I knew that, though I wasn’t sure yet exactly what it meant to me. But in this dress, I felt like I was magic incarnate. In this dress, I felt worthy of being Aphrodite’s priestess. It was as though I could see into my own nature, and for the first time, I wasn’t dissatisfied.

I opened the dressing room door and stepped out. “What do you think?

My question came out almost shyly, but as Astra and Ona Sera looked at me, they both gasped. Auntie stood there, tears in her eyes as well.

“You’re so beautiful. That dress might have been made for you,” she said.

Ona Sera beamed. “A true match.”

I leaned against the corner of the wall. “Only two other times have clothes made me feel this way. The first was my wedding dress, and it made me feel like a bride. I actually felt radiant in that dress. And then, my dress for pledging to Aphrodite. That dress made me feel…worthy. This dress…it makes me feel like I do embody magic, like I do deserve to join the Dark Moon Society.”

“I know they say clothes don’t make the man,” Ona Sera said, “but there’s something to be said for the way certain outfits can make you feel about yourself. It’s not the outfits themselves that bring those magical feelings…it’s the way they fit on you. The way they help peel off the masks and expose your inner nature.”

“Makeup is the same way,” I said. “I love playing with it, because it’s like…choosing your mood for the day. What emotion or part of myself do I feel like putting face-forward today?”

“True enough,” Ona Sera said. “I take it you want this dress?”

I nodded. “Yes, but what kind of shoes should I wear with it, Auntie? I’m not certain of the dress code.”

“Most meetings, we wear a black dress or pantsuit—whatever is comfortable, clean, and tidy. This dress will be your formal ritual gown for most events. You’re never to wear it for just any mundane party or holiday.”

“Got it. Reserve the dress for high holidays,” I said, nodding.

“As far as shoes, something you can walk through a field in, if necessary. A pair of comfortable flats, nonskid, that are all black as well.”

Ona Sera sighed. “That, I cannot help you with. I have some shoes but they don’t fit the bill. They’re more for the Ren Faire crowd. Anything else?”

“Maisy’s going to need a new dagger, one for Society rituals. She has her own, of course, for her personal workings. But she’ll need one for Society events.” Astra was looking at the athames in a long glass case.

I took off the dress, then joined her as Ona Sera began to wrap it up in a big white box. The array of daggers was startling—she had at least thirty options. I quickly scanned the blades, but none of them caught my eye.

“I like them, they’re pretty, but none of them are calling to me,” I said.

“Then we’ll wait. You can’t just pick a random blade for this.” She paused, then—as Ona Sera finished wrapping the dress—added, “I need some more Protection Powder, along with some Spring Clean spray.”

Ona Sera retrieved both from her shelves. “Is that all you need?”

Astra nodded. “How much?”

“You are not paying for my dress,” I said, pulling out my wallet. “In fact, I’m getting this, so if you need anything else, add it now.”

Astra gave me a long look, then put away her credit card. “Well, I could use another set of directional candles, as well as some Blessing Powder.”

“You’ve got it,” Ona Sera said, adding the items to the pile. She paused, then glanced at me. “Keep your warding up. And don’t trust that everything is as it seems on the surface. Don’t just assume you know someone at their core, just because they’re dear to you. And watch the judgment. We all judge, but don’t destroy something dear because you are unwilling to accept differences. Just a little extra advice.”

The way she said it made me shiver. It was like one of those truths that came out of the blue, struck like lightning, then vanished as quickly as it had come. I thanked her, paid for our purchases, and then followed my aunt out of the store.