Ravenous

Yeah, right. Goals seemed laughably out of reach. She'd settle for twenty-four hours of something approaching a normal life.

When she was dressed, she phoned Grandma.

'I had a blackout,' Holly began.

'So either your detective is a real keeper or a complete bore. Wake up with anybody you didn't recognize?'

Great. The bad-old-lady routine. 'No. I woke up in my own bed, fully dressed, alone.'

'Where's the fun in that?' She heard Grandma exhale smoke. 'Get a life, girl.'

'I'm serious. I don't remember leaving Mac's place, or driving home, or anything after we finished eating.'

Grandma's voice dropped, becoming serious. 'How do you feel?'

'Fine. Tired, but injury-free and unmolested.' And blue, she added silently.

Kibs jumped up on the table, pushing his head under her hand. She petted him absently, scratching under the white bib of his chin.

'Were you wearing one of the charms I gave you?' Grandma asked.

'Yup. I was wearing it when I woke up.'

She heard Grandma's breath release. 'Then I wouldn't worry. You warded the whole house yesterday, more work than you're used to doing. Stretching your magic has resulted in memory loss before. You probably just pulled a muscle in your interior spell factory.'

'You think so? That's a pretty poor performance.'

'Well, you're not used to doing that sort of thing, are you? It takes practice.'

The hearty note in Grandma's voice didn't fool her. A blackout of any kind was serious, but they'd been down this road before. The holes in Holly's memory had always been a mystery. No medicine or magic had ever helped. Now that she felt fine, it seemed almost pointless to bring it up.

'What should I do?' Holly asked, more because she wanted comfort than anything else.

She wasn't going to get any. 'Stop worrying and go do something useful. I'm busy hunting down demon prophylactics.'

Demon prophylactics? 'Antidemon spell' sounds so much better. 'Is there any way of getting back my memory of last night?'

'Probably not, and playing with memory is dangerous. Is it that important?'

Frustration nipped at her. 'I keep feeling like there's something I should be taking care of. Something urgent.'

'Like what?'

'I haven't a clue.'

'Does it have to do with your first day at the university?'

'Could be. I'm not sure.'

'Wouldn't surprise me. You've got a lot to think about, especially right now,' Grandma said grimly. 'Adult students have more on their plates, you know. There's stress even without the demons.'

Holly sighed. 'I just wish I could do something about the demon.'

'Like what?'

'Anything. I'm still not a hundred percent about going to school with this thing on the loose. If you want, I could pick up the reading lists and then come over and give you a hand.'

Grandma made an exasperated noise. 'Go. Be educated. There's nothing you can really do to help me today. I can re-search faster without you hovering, and I'll feel better knowing you're in a public place. Most demons prefer the old classic dark alleys.'

At first, Macmillan wasn't sure where he was. Nothing made sense until he felt the sheet drag across his skin, and then the soft brush of a female knee over his thigh. She was with him in his bed, in his home.

Daylight filtering through the curtains gave the place a soft-focus glow. Jenny's hair scattered like corn silk across his chest, the long strands stirring as her fingers traced the arch of his ribs. He only vaguely remembered the night. At some point they had returned from the hospital. At some point friends from the police station had come, checking in. Jenny had sent them away, bespelled and trading jokes about Mac finally getting some. Jenny had come and gone after that, sliding into his bed as dawn warmed into day.

And then he had slid into her, over and over. It had been a revelation of hungers.

So many irrelevancies had fallen away, including concepts like 'him' and 'his.' The borders of his self were breaking down, and he was becoming one of Jenny's limbs. Everything was Jenny, and she was all. Mac was merely a half-forgotten state of mind.

At the moment the universe was all female and pushing a breast into his eager hand, the nipple hard and ready for communion. Mac obliged, rubbing its tip with his palm, tweaking its crest. Whatever pleasure he gave, he was rewarded a thousandfold with the taste of her.

Jenny had gone out hunting, drinking souls, feeding on wandering humans with her kiss. She brought the silver energy home, giving him that sustenance one sip at a time. She did so now, leaving him shivering with pleasure, hard and ravenous for more.

'I want you to do something for me,' she said.

'Anything.' He suckled at her breast, making her close her eyes with a little gasp.

'The vampire who is always with the witch, Omara's man—what is his name?'

'Caravelli.'

'I want you to phone him.' She took Mac's face in her hands, forcing him to look up.

'And say what?'

'I'll tell you what I need you to say. I have a plan. I have a dream.' Her finger traced the curve of his lips. 'And you're part of it. You, my love, gave me the power of your formidable strength and will. It called to me like a strong and savory scent. What a gift.' She kissed him lightly. 'And I have been growing stronger since.'

Mac felt a welling happiness. He had pleased her. Then he felt sad. 'I am not enough. You need others.'

'You have been the best'—she kissed her fingers and pressed them to his mouth—'but I want the Carver witch. She has real power.'

Mac smoothed the tumble of her hair. 'Yes, she would be good.' He had kissed Holly. Now that he had changed, he understood the strength of what he had tasted.

'She's been too strong for me up until now, but she trusts her friend the detective. You, my love, can take her by surprise.'

Mac imagined Holly's power, imagined how it would caress his tongue. Holly has more power than she knows how to use. But in many ways she is weak, while I am growing stronger. 'Can I be there at the end?'

Jenny reached up a hand, stroking his forehead, his cheek. 'You want a taste of her. We can arrange that, yes. You are precocious, my love.'

He grabbed her hand, kissing the palm, tasting the echo of her magic in the salt of her skin. She gave a low laugh, other hand searching under the covers until she found the prize she sought. 'You will need to learn to hunt for yourself soon.'

'Please,' he whispered, begging. 'Teach me.' He had already tired of mere scraps. He could feel the need building inside like a slow, rolling thunder. A taste here and there was not nearly enough.

He'd never been one to pick at his food.

Once Holly was on the campus, back-to-school excitement finally kicked in. She endured the gauntlet of the bookstore, emerging one of an overburdened and penniless herd. Tonight was a late class, and the soft blue-gray of the early evening wrapped the walkways and buildings in a water-color shroud. A needling rain dampened the air, making the smells of coffee and cedar sharply extravagant. Her backpack was heavy with clean new textbooks and pristine highlighters. A rare fresh start was ahead. She treasured the mood, imprinting it into her