When she didn't answer, I looked up and still couldn't read her expression.
"I'm waiting for the rest of your story."
Wow, she really was pissed. I didn't have the energy to respond with any emotion so I just flopped back on the bed and told her as much as I could about the last couple of months.
"Yeah," she said when I was done. "You probably shouldn't have told me that over the phone."
I stared at the ceiling.
"If I had known even half of that, I would have been on an airplane to Denver."
"I wouldn't want you in danger."
"Well, if you don't stay here, you're going to be back in danger pretty quick."
"Actually." I held up my hands and called my magic. The energy burned through me, more powerful than I had ever experienced. "I think it's the Andersons who are in over their head."
Star stared at the swirl of lavender motes that circled my hand.
"The demon, well, she stretched my abilities to the point where I think I can use magic like I've been practicing my whole life now. She also left me with a bunch of knowledge. I don't even know what all I know now."
"She did something to your vampire. Saved him or something."
I thought for a minute and managed to call up the memory. "Doc can't really deal with demon blood. Or, well, he couldn't. I think she fixed that."
"He was willing to die to save you?"
"Yeah, I guess so."
"How do you manage to find four great guys, even if they aren't human, or even from our time, and I can't find anything but a lame ass beach bum."
"You still dating the lame ass?"
"No."
"Well, that's good at least."
She sighed. "Yeah. I guess. So…" Her eyes glinted. "How'd your dad take you dating more than one guy?"
"Oh, I didn't mention that, he totally doesn't know. Well, I mean, he didn't. I'm not sure what they think now. I don't exactly remember everything."
"Well, he really didn't like Nikolai being Russian. Wait, which one does he think you're dating?"
"Doc. Like I told you over the phone."
"Oh, how'd he take that? He's kind of…intolerant, if you had never noticed."
"I hadn't actually noticed until recently." I sighed. "And he freaked out about it a little. I told him off, and he's mostly behaving now. Well, he was anyway."
Star giggled. "Well, they're all hot. And werewolves? What's that like?"
"Big dogs with no sense of personal space. They're great." I heard the diesel engine pull up outside our room, and I glanced toward the door, grinning.
"Back, huh?"
"How could you tell?"
"Your face just lit up like it was Christmas." She smiled.
I got up and peaked out the spy hole in the door before opening it. I knew it was them, but even so, I wasn't about to open the door without checking.
Ed came in first, grabbed me around the waist and spun me around, before sitting on the end of the bed and pulling me onto his lap. I cuddled against him while the others hurried in out of the cold.
"Nothing fancy, but the store was open," Allan said. "We got some toothpaste, too."
Doc sat down next to Ed and put his arm around me so that I was pressed against both of them.
Allan and Nikolai sorted through the bags and got out stuff for sandwiches. "Who's hungry?" Allan glanced at us.
"Everyone." Ed laughed.
Star nodded. I wasn't hungry, but I probably would be once I actually put something in my mouth.
Doc squeezed my shoulder and got up. He headed for the bathroom, pulling off his shirt as he went. Pretty sure my heart skipped a couple of beats, and I didn't hide that I stared.
Of course, Nikolai and Allan stared, too. I caught them looking when I finally wrenched my gaze away. They quickly went back to making sandwiches for everyone, and we all stuffed our faces and took turns in the bathroom. While none of us had clean clothing, showering and brushing my teeth felt amazing.
Once we had all cycled through the shower and the werewolves had stuffed their faces, we piled back into Doc's truck and headed back to my house.
I couldn't hide how nervous I was. I sat on Allan's lap this time, and Nikolai had claimed my legs. Everyone, maybe even Star, could hear my heart thudding in my chest.
We hadn't discussed what to tell anyone, and I didn't know what to do. Facing my parents scared me more than facing the Andersons. At least I knew what to do about them. I rubbed at my wrists. The bindings had left scars around my wrists, except where my magical tattoo had protected my skin. They weren't bad, but the texture threw me off every time I touched it. The guys either hadn't noticed yet or had decided not to say anything until I did.
All too soon, we pulled into the parking area at my parents' house. We all hesitated, partially not wanting to leave the warm truck and partially not wanting to deal with my parents. The storm had calmed, but it was cold enough that breathing the air hurt.
"Well, I guess if it really comes down to it, I can practice my rusty mind control on everyone and make them forget it all happened." Doc sounded resigned.
"Will that work on werewolves?" Nikolai asked.
"Yeah."
"Nikolai, I'm pretty sure you actually know more about vampires than I do, and I am one. Kind of. How could you not know that?"
"Eh, usually we kill the werewolves. There is no need for mind control on dead wolves. I am not sure it ever came up."
"Ah."
"On that completely disturbing note, I'm going in the house." Star got out of the truck, and the rest of us reluctantly followed.
We all piled into the house. Mom surprised me with a tight hug
