owners after the death of the previous owner, William Cowan.
“We will provide updates as more information becomes available.”
Ashe switched off the radio, a rock in her stomach. Spilled oil. Candle. Attic. She finished toweling off from the shower, put on a robe, and then phoned Holly. More and more, she was calling her sister when she needed to talk something out.
“How’s Eden?”
“Enjoying spaghetti, meatballs, and television.”
“No wonder she loves going to your place. Thanks again for looking after her. I know you’re swamped.”
“Not a problem. She’s actually not a bad little baby-sitter.”
Ashe felt an almost irrational pride in her daughter. Way to go, Eden. Then her mind flipped into business mode. “Hey, you hear about the fire?”
“Yeah.”
Ashe hunched, feeling the loss of her childhood bookstore like a physical pain. “I think I might have started it. I spilled the extra oil you sent. I left the candle burning when I had to run.”
“I don’t know if that’s enough to make a blaze that hot.” Holly sounded doubtful. “There was a lot of magic going on. That can change things. Plus, that place is stuffed with old paper.”
“Oh, Hol, all those old books. I loved that place.”
“At least we’re sure that poor little-girl ghost is freed.”
“What if the urn was in there?”
“Did Reynard say anything about feeling it?”
“No.”
“Then probably not.”
Ashe was silent for a moment. “I burned down Mr. Cowan’s bookstore.”
Holly’s voice dropped to her special talking-Asheoff-the-ledge tone. “You don’t know that. The demon might have done something. If he tried to shut down the spell, that might have made something go wrong. Don’t jump to conclusions. You went there to cleanse the store. Maybe this is how it had to happen.”
Ashe was silent. If only demons burned as easily as vampires, but the Tony demon would still be out there, and now it would be pissed.
Before Ashe could dwell on that horrific idea, Holly brought up something else. “Alessandro’s going to meet Lore down there as soon as it’s full dark. Lore’s hounds were guarding the place when it went up, but from the sound of it, they didn’t see anything. Sandro’s going to check the place over for himself.”
Ashe looked out the window at the fading light. “Alessandro’s leaving you and the kids on your own?”
“I’m not helpless, Ashe. Plus we’ve got more hellhounds digging up the flower beds outside.”
Ashe smiled at her sister’s disgusted tone. “You don’t mind keeping the kiddo a bit longer?”
“Let her stay overnight. It’s safe here. No vampires. No demons. You should come stay, too.”
“Thanks, Hol, but I’ve got to meet with Reynard. Did your esteemed vamp- in-residence find out anything about the visiting fangsters?”
“He’s got the locals out looking, but so far no joy.”
“Damn.”
“It won’t take long to find out where they’re staying. Vamps are territorial, so the natives are motivated. So, what’s with you and Reynard?”
“There’s nothing to tell.” Ashe could tell she sounded grumpy.
“Yeah, right. You like each other.”
“Sure we do. That’s it. There’s way too much going on to complicate things.”
“Too bad. I mean, the guy’ll probably get out of the Castle only this once. Someone should show him a good time.”
Ashe laughed, but it sounded forced. “He’s got no soul. I’m so over men like that.”
“Well, we’re only talking a couple of nights here at most.”
“He deserves more than a pity fuck. And don’t talk about him like that.” Ashe bit off the next thing she was going to say, bewildered by her sharp response. “Sorry. His situation’s gotten to me.”
“Sure, yeah. And I shouldn’t be joking like that, anyway. But y’know, Grandma said he was great with Eden.”
“He was pure gold.”
Holly was silent for a moment, as if not sure where to take that thread of conversation. Then she jumped tracks altogether. “How’d the meeting with the lawyer go?”
Ashe filled her in on everything that had happened that afternoon. “He’s so fired.”
“Shouldn’t he be arrested?” Holly asked. “He’s doing business deals with a demon, and not a nice one like Mac!”
“I’m pretty sure his office partners are building a big legal fortress around him as we speak. But I’ve got a better idea. I’m going to tail him. Wherever Tony goes next, now that his bookstore is gone, Bannerman is sure to be at his beck and call. We’ll find him that way.”
“There’s a spell—”
Ashe heard Robin’s cry in the background.
“You need to go,” Ashe said. “That sounded hungry.”
“Yeah, catch you later.” Holly hung up.
Ashe disconnected, setting the phone back in its cradle. She wished Holly had left Reynard out of the conversation. There were a handful of people she’d do anything for: Eden, Grandma, Holly, a few of her hunter friends, and, on a good day, Alessandro. Reynard’s name was starting to creep onto that list, fading into view like invisible ink slowly revealed by the heat of a flame.
Reynard needed far more from her than a booty call. He needed someone willing to fight for him, to break the chains that bound him in darkness.
And when she was done fighting? That happy-ever-after thing always slipped through her grasp. She wasn’t Sleeping Beauty or Cinderella. She was one of the knights, slapping the prince on the back and buying him a round after they ganked the dragon.
Awkward.
An interval of quiet followed, but it was short-lived. Ashe had barely pulled on fresh jeans and a tank top and started to make herself a sandwich when the burned-toast smell of a portal came drifting from the living room.
“Hello?” she called, holding the butter knife in one hand. She set it down and shoved open the window to clear the air before the fire alarm went off.
Reynard sauntered into the kitchen, clean, tidy, and looking around with a speculative air. He set the sunglasses on the pale yellow counter. Ashe looked at them, then at him.
“You can see okay?”
“I’m getting used to the light.” He looked around, still squinting a little. “You have a comfortable home.”
Ashe buttered bread. “It’s small, but it’s all right.”
“Where is Eden?”
“Still at Holly’s. She’s safest there, protected by the magic of the house. Caravelli should be up soon. And the hounds are still camped out in the yard, making like super-ugly garden gnomes. I phoned to check in.”
“Garden gnomes? I thought they lived farther south.”
Ashe put the lid back on the butter dish. “Imports.” He watched her open the fridge and bring out containers of leftover chicken, mayo, and salad. He pulled up one of the cafe stools and sat on it as she worked. It was all weirdly domestic, and it made her twitchy.
“So tell me something about yourself I don’t know,” she said.
“Such as?”
“We’re usually trying to kill something when we’re together. Or on the move. I’m not sure what to expect now that we’re just sitting in a kitchen.”
He gave a slight smile. “Once upon a time I was considered a skillful conversationalist. I used to have more talents than fighting.”
