“You’re perfectly respectable,” Abigail reassured her. “I always check before waking you.”
“The fact that you check isn’t going to cut down on the embarrassment factor,” Hannah argued, struggling to a sitting position. “I know you’re my grandmother and all, but it could still turn ultra-weird if we’re not careful.”
“I wouldn’t wake you up if I saw you were in a compromising position,” Abigail reassured her, grinning. “You wouldn’t even know what I saw because I would never mention it.”
“That sounds practical,” Cooper muttered, dragging a hand through his morning-tousled hair. “What’s with the book?”
“I saw the research you guys were conducting last night,” Abigail explained. “You’re not looking in the right place. That’s the correct book.” She inclined her head toward the leather tome that had landed between Hannah and Cooper.
“How do you know what we’re looking for?” Hannah queried, rubbing the sleep from her eyes as Cooper flipped open the book. There was a bookmark lodged between two pages and he assumed that’s where he was supposed to start reading.
“Because I’ve been hearing whispers,” Abigail replied. “The paranormal crowd is all atwitter. This is a big deal. It’s a magical nexus, after all.”
Hannah’s eyebrows drew together and she forced her attention on the book. The page in question showed a grotesque drawing of seven magical beasts, all of whom were snakelike in appearance at what should’ve been their feet. “Are they one entity?”
Abigail shook her head. “It’s fair to say that they work for the same goal. They are not one entity. They are, however, joined by a magical convergence.”
“This says they’re furies,” Cooper noted, his mind busy. He shrugged off sleep faster than Hannah, who was still trying to figure out what time of day it was. “I thought furies were women.”
“You’re thinking of the furies from mythology,” Abigail countered. “Those three were famous because they hunted men for sport ... and revenge ... and a few other reasons.”
“What other reasons?” Hannah asked, curious despite herself.
“They wanted penises for potions.”
“Oh, ugh.”
“Ugh is right.” Cooper shifted, distinctly uncomfortable. “I could’ve gone my whole life without hearing that story.”
Abigail’s eyes twinkled. “You asked. Those three furies were famous because their story went viral back in the day. They were only a small contingent of a larger army, though. True furies can be both male and female.”
“And that’s what we’re dealing with here?” Hannah queried.
“It makes as much sense as anything, doesn’t it?” Abigail pressed. “The embodiment of the seven deadly sins has been used as a weapon in paranormal circles for years. It’s almost passé now.”
“And yet they’re here,” Hannah murmured.
“They are,” Abigail agreed. “You have seven enemies. I can see the magical lines of power. Whether they’re really the seven deadly sins, I can’t say. That’s the persona they’ve decided to adopt, though.”
“Then we’re down to six,” Cooper mused. “Hannah took out one last night.”
“She did.” Abigail bobbed her head. “The others will most certainly know that. They’ll be doubling their efforts. You have to prepare yourselves.”
Cooper let loose a sigh. “Can we have coffee before we start preparing for the war?”
“I guess, but you’d better make it fast.”
“I appreciate your support.”
“You always have that. This is serious, though.”
Cooper knew that without having to be told. “It is. We’ll figure it out.” He squeezed Hannah’s hand reassuringly. “We’re already ahead of where we were six hours ago. It’s going to be okay.”
“Do you ever get tired of promising that?” Hannah asked, finding her voice.
“Not when it’s true.”
“Fair enough.” She let loose a sigh. “I definitely need coffee before we delve into this. I hate to say it, but I could use some breakfast, too.”
When they left the restaurant the previous evening, Cooper was convinced he would never eat again. Reality wouldn’t allow for that, though. “Breakfast is definitely on the menu. You can count on that.”
11
Eleven
Since they were both out of their element, Cooper and Hannah called in reinforcements ... in the form of Danielle Garrett and Jackie Metcalf, two members of the local coven.
“Furies?” Danielle pursed her lips as Hannah showed them the book. “That’s ... new.”
“Not really,” Jackie countered. She was the de facto leader of the coven and was normally unflappable. Now she seemed distressed. “A lot of what people assume to be demons are actually furies.”
“So you’re familiar with them?” Cooper looked hopeful as he opened the bag of McDonald’s takeout Tyler had brought to feed the group.
“I’ve heard of them,” Jackie clarified. “I’ve never taken any on. I mean ... I’m not even sure if they can be killed.”
“Hannah killed one last night,” Cooper countered, inhaling deeply as he unwrapped his McGriddle. Much like Hannah, he was starving. “Oh, this must be what Heaven smells like.”
Hannah didn’t hide her amusement. “I kind of wish you looked at me with the same lust you’re reserving for that sandwich.”
“Oh, I look at you with lust.” Cooper grinned as he shoved a bagel sandwich in her direction. “This sandwich is just ... exactly what I need right now.”
“It’s good to know the way to your heart,” Hannah teased as she took the open chair next to him. Her stomach let loose a hearty growl at the exact moment everyone else fell silent, causing her cheeks to color. “Of course, I might be a little hungry, too.”
“Hey, from what you described with the dude at the restaurant last night, I’m not surprised that you lost your appetite for a bit,” Tyler offered. He’d purchased two sandwiches for himself and didn’t appear bothered in the least by the odd looks he was getting. “What? I’m hungry. McDonald’s has the best breakfast sandwiches ever invented.”
“We just want to make sure you’re not infected,” Hannah teased.
“He’s not,” Cooper reassured her. “I can vouch for him. We’ve eaten McDonald’s breakfast sandwiches together at least once
