Somewhere outside of Rideten, Present Time(Do you really intend to get naked in front of the cameras?) Heath raised an eyebrow.(Nope.) She was grinning so hard her cheeks hurt. (I was tempted to get one of you four to do it. But there’s a less naked option.) Ember had been hovering by the door, watching alert for trouble, so Aislen assumed Samuel was outside, patrolling for danger, or arranging their accommodations for the night with the werewolf soldiers.(Ah.) Heath nodded as he realized her intention.“You’re doing it again,” Addison’s eyes had tracked their looks and expressions. “That silent communication.”“We’re going to need to go outside,” Aislen told them. “Is that going to be a problem?”“An outside demonstration,” Allistaire was intrigued but skeptical. “I’m all for it.”“Guys?” Rhonda glanced at her camera and sound techs. “Let’s go then,” she rose gracefully to her feet and began to pick her way across the tangle of cords towards the door.“Howard?” Patrick looked at h

Havermouth, Present TimeMeguitte took the familiar path to the laboratory. The magic was beginning to fade, the vines withdrawing, leaving behind imprints on the walls where they had clung. She paused by the nursery and saw that someone had installed UV lights and misters. The seedlings within were growing well.Verina looked up from where she used a pestle and mortar to pulp. “Hello, Meguitte.”“Hello,” Meguitte drifted over and looked inside the bowl.“Eggshell,” Verina explained. “It is good for the soil.”“The magic is fading,” Meguitte told her.“What does that mean?” Verina looked around at her garden. “Are the children safe?”“They will be soon. The main plant will shrivel and die, but not affect those connected to it,” she hoped. It was not a spell she had cast before, and sometimes spells came with nasty surprises. “I am not sure what will become of the seedlings.”“Well… I will do my best to keep them alive,” Verina decided. “It seems a shame, otherwise. These little babies

Havermouth, Present Time“As I was saying just before your arrival,” Fatima said to Meguitte. “Harry has been…” She shook her head in admiration. “Devoted. They did not leave Jules’ body… Jules,” she amended. “I was sure that Jules was dead. We kept the supply of both human and vampire blood flowing to Harry, who insisted on feeding Jules despite there being no response. Harry also tended to Jules’ wound…”“Who fed Harry?” Leighton wondered and Meguitte glanced his way. He was watching attentively, his eyes sharp and his expression thoughtful. “You said both human and vampire blood.”“Well, it might have been werewolf blood. There is little difference in my opinion,” Fatima amended with a slight shrug. “We are supplied from the volunteers at the hospital as our normal supply chains have not been re-established. In addition, the ancient retirees in the safe houses have been coming to feed Harry and offer blood for both Harry and Jules’ wounds. I have also fed Harry,” she added, with a

Somewhere outside of Rideten, Present TimePhillip led the way into the rear of the house. Rhett glanced in at the bedrooms with curiosity. They were cluttered with suitcases and backpacks, and most had bunk beds. The house wasn’t lived in. It was clear it was kept for accommodation.“This is where everyone is sleeping?” He wondered and hoped that Talen found somewhere more private. His mate had left Rhett collecting the blood donations with a whispered explanation that had left Rhett disguising an awkward erection.“Some I imagine,” Phillip wasn’t interested. “There is a barrack in one of the sheds.”“Lovely,” Rhett wrinkled his nose. If they ended up in the barrack, there would be no tying Cameron down and making him bleed, as Talen had suggested. He’d been looking forward to that and knew his mate needed it from their conversation in the shower the night before.“Hmm. I have claimed my bunk,” Phillip replied. “You would be wise to do the same.”There was a bathroom to Rhett’s left,

Havermouth, Present Time Harry stirred as the door opened immediately alert to the intrusion although they registered that it was Sigrid, Meguitte, and Fatima who entered the bedroom. They eased away from Jules carefully, rising to cross the room to where a dressing gown was draped over a chair. They pulled it on before turning to where their sisters and the vampiress waited, their eyes discretely averted. “You can come in,” Harry told them. “You know I am not modest.” “You don’t possess a modest bone in your body,” Sigrid agreed, keeping her voice low as she led the way into the room. Fatima collected the empty cups of blood, and left, pulling the door closed behind her. Sigrid paused by the foot of the bed, looking down at the still-sleeping Jules, but Meguitte crossed to Harry. “Let me see,” she reached up toward their face, and they leaned down so that she could examine their eye, her fingers gentle and soothingly cool against their skin. “Oh, Harry,” she said softly, and they