“We’d better get going. I was thinking of taking my nieces and Pfeiffer out to dinner. You know, to sort of have her in a place where she won’t make a scene. But that’s not going to work with her. If she’s upset, which doesn’t happen all that often, she doesn’t care who is around.” They pulled up in front of the home Pfeiffer was renting for now and were greeted by a couple of dogs coming out to see them. Shifters, she realized. Big ones that seemed to know they weren’t human and stayed back. CJ just didn’t understand why she wouldn’t just stay with them. It was much safer than living alone out here. “They were sent here by Melisandre, I’m thinking.”
As it turned out, the dogs didn’t take long to warm up to them. As they entered the house to see if they could talk to Pfeiffer, she met them in the living room with the most terrified look he’d ever seen on a woman’s face.
~*~
Pfeiffer sat down on the couch. She hated the thing, really, but it was that, or she was going to go back home. It scared her to no end that while she was looking for something to snack on before her dinner, the carrot sticks and peanut butter appeared on plates. Plates that she knew she didn’t own. Looking at CJ, she asked her to explain.
“Okay. How do you want this, Pfeiffer? Straight up or a little at a time.” She wanted it slowly but thought she’d be better off getting it right up front. At least until she was overwhelmed. She told her that. “All right. I’m not really your sister. I’m a faerie.”
Pfeiffer looked at Don, then back at CJ. After laughing just a little to let the tension she was feeling slide off her, she nodded. Then she told her what she knew.
“I’ve known that for years, CJ.” Good, she thought. She’d thrown her off if the look on her face was any indication. “I knew you weren’t my little sister when Mom and Dad came back, and you were…how should I put this? You were different. I saw you doing magical things that— Something has happened, hasn’t it? Something important, and you’ve shared some of what you have with me. That’s why there were carrot sticks on the table.”
“Yes.” CJ leaned back on the couch and looked at her. Pfeiffer took her hand into hers. “I thought for sure you were going to leave me here. That you’d be so pissed off that you’d never have anything to do with me again.”
“That would be stupid. It doesn’t matter that you aren’t my blood relative—you’re still the sister of my heart. I love you. Nothing is going to change that.” She smiled at CJ. “Tell me why I have carrot sticks.”
“You need to tell me why you’re all hung up on carrot sticks first.” Pfeiffer told her what had happened in the kitchen. “All right. That is something I didn’t know you’d be able to do. There might be more. I’m not at all sure what you might have gotten. I can make you immortal, for one thing. And the girls.”
“I know what that word means, but I have a feeling it’s something entirely different when you tell me this.” CJ told her it meant she could never be killed. By any means. “All right. And Rachel and Sally? They’ll be the same?”
“Yes. As a matter of fact, Rachel is healed now and will be returning to you soon. I did that until I can talk to the three of you about being around forever. Also, the two of them will have magic.” She asked her what sort. “Think of something you’d like to have on other than what you’re wearing. Not the size or anything, just something you’d like to have.”
The dress appeared on her and fit her so well she had to touch it. The soft material made her skin feel lovely, her body nicely trimmed. When she looked down at her feet, there were heavy socks, the kind she liked to wear when she didn’t care what she had on. Looking at Don when he laughed, Pfeiffer asked him what was so funny.
“That is exactly what I pictured you in. Something beautiful yet serviceable. You and your sister have excellent tastes when it comes to clothing. Beautiful women need to be in beautiful clothing, I’ve always thought.”
Pfeiffer couldn’t remember the last time someone told her she was beautiful. Not even Robert had ever told her that. He would usually put her down for— Stopping that train of thought, she asked what else she needed to know.
“We’re going to buy you a home close to where we’re living. In fact, there is a house on the property we’re looking at that has six bedrooms, as well as a full kitchen. I don’t know why, but I’m assuming it was a butler’s home. I want you to live there so I can go and see you when I want. If it needs to be remodeled, you won’t have to worry about that either.” She asked if she was going to work for CJ. “No. Never. I want you to live a life of leisure. I want you to be able to come and go as you please and have your own life. However, like I said, I would like for you to be close to me. I need you like I need air.”
“So long as I can have furniture that doesn’t feel like I’m sitting on a bail of hay when
