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"Damn you, Dorian," I whispered to myself

Two hard knocks echoed behind my front door I froze, afraid to find out as on the other side I didn’t have a lot of visitors, and the ones I did have only ca out of the chair, I hurried to the knife block onthe handle, my palm suddenly sweaty, I inched closer to the door

"Who is it?" It was times like these that I wished I had a peephole It didn’t nize the responder’s voice I wouldn’t open the door

"It’s Micah," a sed in relief I flipped the lock and opened the door Micah, my ex, local detective and olf, stood with his ary brown hair was a tangled mess as if he had just hopped out of bed and headed over here Dark circled lined his eyes and his skin was a shade paler now that I could see hied five years

"Hey," I said "Co the door behind hi to drink? I think I have some iced tea"

Micah eyed the knife in my hand and then arched a brow at me

I smiled sheepishly "You can never be too careful"

"No, I’ off my hospitality "The reason I came by was to tell you I think you should keep the store closed, at least until rogues stop coainst the counter and studied Micah’s face "You mean because the other business owners don’t want me to reopen"

Micah rubbed his stubble-lined jaw as he stared at the floor When he looked up his aotten complaints," he adood idea to lay low I don’t knohat happened while you were in Moon, but the residents of Flora aren’t happy you brought the trouble back with you"

I snorted "It’s not like I invited the rogues here to kill me or wreak havoc in our peaceful little town"

It was Micah’s case that started the entire mess, one that I should have kept ood Ian Despereaux targeted me before I even knew he existed I was dooht was between the witches and va the proble Micah, and every other person orked on the case, out of the loop

"I’ that, Gwen," Micah said "It’s just…what did happen in Moon? I thought the NAWC and the VC were taking care of the probleain "Oh they are, but Holly, our trusted council leader, was in on the entire thing Like I " I took a er "She’s supposedly locked up and awaiting trial while the other NAWCaround the clock to reset the protection spell of our blood Until then, I have to dodge rogues and whatever else Holly throws overnovern of which, what do you know about the Veil?"

Micah sat down at the table, leaning back in the chair "I thought they were a myth, a story that paranoid supes told Up until now they’ve beenthe knife to the block, I joined him at the table

"So, what do you know about the Veil? I tried looking the"

Micah chuckled "They’re a secret, underground group, Gwen They’re not going to advertise their services on a website" He pointed to the co at straws, Micah I have no way of finding out about theive it a shot"

"Why not ask Dorian?" Micah asked

"Hht before he left" I was trying very hard to not allow Dorian’s runaway act angerso far I had plenty of tiht the angrier I got Deues wanted ure out why he couldn’t seewas for sure, I was onthose precautions Dorian was so fond of bitching at e look Micah was givinghis head and lowering his eyes

"It’s sohtfrom me"

"I can setically "Were you and him…"

"No," I snapped "And that’s TMI" It was impossible for a person to retain their modesty when they were around vampires and olves They saw, heard or sged "Getting back on track, the Veil is ues, creatures who don’t want to play along with society’s rules Once they join the Veil they forfeit their souls to the dark side for the chance of gaining power No one knohere their headquarters are, and the only way to contact theic spell"