Paris’ face turned pensive. “No. Should I? Please tell me they’re not after Sami.”
Zoe laughed, humorless and hollow. “No. They’re something else. Vampires are after Sami.”
Paris’ eyes went wide. “Are you joking? If so, that’s not funny.”
“Yes, because I often joke about my mouthy teenager being in mortal peril.” Zoe frowned. “It’s the truth. Rafael warned us before they descended on the house. We’re fine. The dog is fine, although he’s with Aric’s parents. We followed a trail a few hours north to a town called Hawthorne Hollow, and that’s where we are.”
“Hawthorne Hollow?” Paris was suddenly intrigued. “That’s a magical nexus.”
Zoe’s expression remained neutral. “Is that supposed to mean something to me?”
“Magical beings converge on that spot, kind of like Covenant College, although I hear they have a magical team to handle any enthusiastic evil-doers.”
Zoe jabbed her finger in my direction. “She’s a member of that team.”
“Of course she is.” Paris’ smile was back. “Have you ever considered that you attract magical weirdos? I’m not saying it’s a bad thing, but you really do have a knack.”
“She’s okay. She saved Rafael and Sami last night. In my book, that puts her at the top of the magical weirdo pile.”
“I’m right there with you. Do these Children of the Stars have something to do with what’s going on with you?”
Zoe shook her head. “No. Scout needs information. It’s a side mission, something for her. I thought I would ask if you’d ever heard of them since you’re the smartest person I’ve ever met.”
“I take umbrage at that remark,” Aric called out. He only appeared to have half an ear on the conversation because he and Gunner had their heads together and looked to be discussing something serious.
Zoe ignored him and kept her focus on Paris. “It’s important to Scout, and I owe her. Do you think you can look?”
“As long as you remember you already owe me and that’s why you’re coming to visit.”
“I could hardly forget.”
Paris offered up a huge smile. “I’ll see what I can find.”
“Thank you.”
“I’ll be in touch.”
“Oh, I expect Sami will be calling you to complain about how unreasonable we are before the night is out. She’s mad because she’s a ‘woman’ now and doesn’t need a babysitter.”
“Ah.” Paris smirked. “That’s what a godmother is for, to complain to.” She turned serious. “Do you need me up there?”
“Actually, we have plenty of backup right now. We’re good. You worry about your problem and we’ll worry about ours. In two weeks, we’ll get together and I’ll fix your problem because I know you won’t get it done without me leading the charge.”
Paris rolled her eyes. “That right there is why we don’t see each other more than a few times a year. You’re a pain in the ass.”
Zoe’s grin was contagious. “I miss you, too. Thanks for doing this.”
“Something tells me you’re worth it.”
“And then some.”
ZOE DIDN’T BOTHER WITH MAKEUP. She and Aric dressed down in simple jeans and T-shirts, Aric adding a flannel to his ensemble. Sami, however, was decked out in fresh capris and a pretty peasant blouse and she was excited when we landed at the Cauldron.
“Do you have other hot guys on your team?” she asked, keeping pace with Gunner, who led us toward the patio area located at the back of the bar.
Exasperated, Aric snagged the back of her shirt and tugged to bring her back to him, then shot a look at Zoe. “This is your fault.”
“It was just a question,” Sami protested.
“Here’s your answer,” Aric fired back. “There are no hot guys here other than me. That’s it. Just me and nobody else.”
Sami rolled her eyes in dramatic fashion. “You’re my dad. If I think you’re hot, I’ll get locked up in some prison for mental defectives.”
“That’s not true. It’s okay to crush on your dad.”
Sami looked horrified. “Mom! Dad has gone off the deep end again.”
Zoe chuckled. “Stop torturing her, Aric. We want her on her best behavior tonight in case one of these people gets stuck watching her.”
Aric shook his head. “I’m being serious. There’s nothing wrong with having a crush on your father.”
“Only in really weird backwoods families,” Zoe said. “We don’t happen to be one of those families.”
Aric looked as if he was about to lose it. “She’s boy crazy, Zoe.”
“She’s fourteen, Aric,” Zoe shot back. “That’s normal.”
“No.” Aric shook his head. “She’s too young.”
“I’m four years younger than Mom when you fell in love with her,” Sami pointed out. “Four years. That’s nothing.”
“Your mother wasn’t four years older than you when I fell in love with her.”
Zoe arched an eyebrow. “Really? When did you fall in love with me? Last time I checked, you claimed to have fallen in love with me the moment you saw me.”
That’s true.” Aric’s grin was indulgent. “You were the prettiest snark machine I’d ever crossed paths with.”
“I was eighteen when we met that day in the bookstore.”
Aric vehemently shook his head. “No, you were much older.”
“No, I wasn’t.”
Aric glanced between his wife and child. “Fine. Then here’s the truth, Sami. I was a dirty pervert back then. I preyed upon your mother, who was an innocent girl just like you. Your grandfather should’ve had me castrated.”
Zoe’s eye roll was exaggerated. “Wow. You’ll say anything.”
Aric clamped his hands over Sami’s ears. “She’s fourteen!”
“You’re losing it, Aric. You cannot keep her locked in a bubble for the rest of her life. That plan you have to keep her from dating until she’s forty is not going to work. My father had the same plan. In fact, do you remember the first night you slept at my house up north?” she continued, not missing a beat. “My father patrolled the hallway with a shotgun to make sure you didn’t try to sneak into my room. He felt the same way then that you do now.”
Aric was appalled. “He should’ve shot me. I was going to sneak into your room before I heard him cocking
