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Tearing my eyes away fro down the road I pick up Binx,for a run with her cat

Which is totally normal, I know

“When I’ht,” I start and let hi weird happens, coht away”

Chapter 2

“Hey, Rene” I slide onto a barstool, s at a pretty red-headed vampire

“Hey, Callie,” she replies cheerfully “Red or white tonight?”

“I’m in the mood for red”

Rene ss She keeps the it helps with tips “Salass and a bottle froe under the bar

Halliwell’s Taproom and Grill—or just The Taprooht, as it usually is For a hipster bar located in one of the more expensive parts of Lincoln Park, this place does very well for itself

“Thanks,” I say, taking the wine from her Rene tends to other customers while I sip h socialh while Lucas talks with Eliza in the office

Kristy calls, and I finish my wine and answer It’s too loud to hear her, so I tell her to hang on and slip out the back and into a little alley that runs behind the businesses on this street

“Sorry,” I say into the phone

“Are you at Lucas’s bar again?”

“Yeah” I lean against the outside of the building “He’s ht to talk about that whole anti-assimilation issue”

“Sounds fun Be careful though, Callie”

“I’hs “Okay, not always, but this ti out at the bar drinking free wine”

“Tell the truth That’s the real reason you’re sleeping with Lucas”

“You do kno ain sometime soon”

“A girls’ night in Chicago does sound nice Anyway, the reason I called was to tell you the good news” She pauses,me wait

“And?”

“Francine Henderson canmuch better”

“Yes!” I exclai to do with that health spell you did last night, does it?”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” Kristy laughs “I’ her book to the children and not me It’s crazy our little event sold completely out”

“It’s going to be great,” I tell her, knowing she’s still a bit nervous for the Story Time event we have planned at our bookstore to is for charity, with all the roup We have three authors co to read their favorite children’s book to the kids participating, and then Kristy has the cutest book-themed crafts planned after that

But the best part is that we’re all supposed to dress like our favorite book character

“Thanks I hope it goes smoothly”

“It will,” I assure her “You’ve worked so hard on this It’s going to be a Take a deep breath and leave the store”

“How did you knoas still here?”

“I know you” I shake o home”

“Fine Leaving now Love you, Cal”

“Love you too” I hang up, stick o back in the way I came out “Dammit,” I mutter when I realize the door locks from the inside, and I’ve accidentally locked myself out

Which isn’t a big deal since I could just walk around to the front of the bar and go back in But I’m a witch, and locks aren’t usually an issue forthe incantation

“So, you’re Lucas King’s latest plaything?” A voice rings out behind et the door unlocked

“Excuseat thedark hair swept back and secured in a low ponytail He looks like he’d fit right in with the hipsters at this bar, but he’s had that hairstyle for centuries For he’s not a ertips, and I suck in a breath, tying to hold it back

The va to startle me I cock an eyebrow, unas, yet still doesn’t get a reaction out of ers into my fist

“Don’t think you’ve gone unnoticed,hasn’t taken interest in a human in well over a hundred years What ers dancing over ular vein My heart skips a beat, but I s my fear

I’e in the energy that’s coenerous Barely half the age of my beloved

r />“Don’t you know?” I rasp, slowly bringing ers “I’m a witch”

The vampire jerks back, eyes wide “You’re a—”

“Any vaic,” I shoot back, not entirely sure I used that phrase correctly The ertips “But you didn’t, did you? You have no idea how easily I could kill you right no I could burn you from the inside out”

The va fro “And do you have any idea how fast I could rip you to shreds?”

“You’d die trying, you undead asshole”

“You’ve got ato you I’”

“I’ that I pulled that line When a vampire claims ownership over a human, it makes them off limits to other vampires

“For now” The vaood as you’ll taste”

“Fuck off,” I retort, getting annoyed with hihter

“You’re a gru”

I narrowone more time”

He snarls “Worthless plaything,” he spits

“I warned you” I throwin ht flash through his body, lighting up every vein under his skin