I woke up to a soft pair of paws kneading into my side.
“Merlin?” I mumbled. “Luna?”
But when I opened my eyes, I saw the elderly Himalayan female sitting at my side wearing a concerned expression.
“Do you still want to use our portal?” she asked as she continued to paw at me.
“I’m fine, thank you.” I sat up and rubbed the sleep from my eyes.
“Are you all right, dear? You look pretty run-down.”
Dear.That was Luna’s pet name for me. If I closed my eyes again, I could almost imagine that she and Merlin were right here with me. But no, I was all on my own.
Forever.
I broke into a giant racking sob and let loose a pained wail.
“Let’s find you something to warm your belly. Come with me,” the kind stranger said, and I let her guide me toward her home.
“I don’t think you’ll fit comfortably inside, but please wait here and I will bring you a bit of milk,” she said before running into her small, thatched cottage.
I waited, my tummy rumbling at the thought of obtaining nourishment. I’d been too scared, sad, tired, what-have-you to notice my hunger until now.
I tried to focus on my surroundings rather than the deep hunger in my belly.
Nearby, the village began to rouse. Nightfall was fast approaching, which meant it was time for them to start their day. And I watched as cats of all colors and stripes exited their homes and set out on journeys to places unknown.
A litter of black and white patched kittens followed after their mother in a little line, moving their paws quickly in an effort to keep up.
I smiled to myself. My world had ended, but all around me life went on. There were still happy endings and new beginnings. And I could make them happen for myself as long as I didn’t give up.
I spied a brown fluffy cat racing up and down the pavement with an all-white kitten clutched in its mouth. As the pair drew closer, I realized that the baby couldn’t have been more than a few days old. Its eyes hadn’t even opened yet.
Oh, gosh. I hoped everything was okay.
I stood and moved toward the Himalayan couple’s front door, knocking gently. “Excuse me, ma’am. I think there might be some trouble.”
She hissed in fright, then peered at me through the window.“What trouble did you bring to my door?” she asked with wide eyes.
“I didn’t mean to. I mean, I don’t think, I—”
“Cat got your tongue,” Merlin said from behind me. His voice came out muffled, but I would recognize it anywhere.
I spun to face him, and there he stood. He was the brown fluff ball racing through the streets with that white kitten in his mouth.
“Is that…?” My voice cracked, and I began to cry.
Yes, again.
“Here. Take him,” Merlin said through a mouthful of fur.
I stretched my palms forward and allowed him to lay the tiny kitten onto my hands, then stood, lifting him to my face.
“So tiny!” I squealed.
“What’s his name?” I asked with the biggest smile ever lighting my face.
Merlin raised his head high and sniffed at the night sky.“He doesn’t have one yet. Luna and I had something more pressing to take care of first.”
“Luna! Is she okay?”
“Yes, she’s no worse for the wear. Came through the birth like a champ to deliver four healthy babes. Three girls and this boy.”
“Oh!” I cried again between peppering light kisses to the tiny fluffer-nutter in my hands. “Thank you for bringing him to see me.”
“I didn’t bring him to see you,” Merlin corrected, his face lightening into a smile. “I brought him to take you home.”
I straightened with a start.“What?”
“My genius wifey pointed something out to me after I returned.”
“Yeah, and what was that?”
“You’re tied to my blood.”
“Yes, and you’re no longer magical, which is why I’m stuck here.”
“I’m not, but I’m no longer the only one with my blood.”
I stared down at the baby in my hands.“You don’t mean.”
“He got me here,” Merlin pointed out. “Now let’s see if he can get you back home. We need you there, Gracie. You’re one of us.”
Cue a whole lake of tears from Ms. Gracie Springs. At the end of the day, it seemed my last name fit me like a glove.
“Thank you for helping me, but I’m going now,” I called to the peeping seal-point Himalayan before crouching back down to meet Merlin head-on.
“Let’s go home,” I said, holding the kitten in one hand while petting him with the other.
“Finally. I thought you’d never ask.”
29
Everything back home was exactly as I’d left it the night before. Everything except the addition of four squirming newborn kittens.
“I just love them. Every single one of them,” I gushed to Luna as she introduced me to each of the three girls. They all looked just like their father, while the sole boy took after his mother.
“You’ll have to help us figure out what to call them. Merlin and I can’t agree on a single name,” she said, helping the smallest of the three girls latch on for feeding time.
“I’d be happy to.”
Virginia chose that precise moment to pop out of the wall and shout,“Boo!”
The kittens shrieked and burrowed into Luna for safety.
“You did not just scare my cat nieces and nephews!” I bit out, seething with a rage like I’d never felt before.
Virginia cackled.“I’m going to like having the bitty brats around, I think.”
“It was you!” I snapped, carefully pushing myself to my feet and charging at the ghost.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” she said, already growing bored with me apparently, as she floated back toward the wall.
But I refused to let her off that easily.“You were spying on us for weeks. You told Dash when he could get a clear shot at Luna to make the switch. I’m guessing you also told him where he could hide her. Or was it just a coincidence that she ended up at the bottom of Kelley’s well?”
“My well. My house!” Virginia corrected. “And what does it matter? Somehow you fools still managed to win in the end, so who cares about what part I had in things?”
“I care,” I said, jabbing my thumb toward my chest. “Especially since you’re spooking the babies.”
“Oh, boo hoo.” Virginia laughed uproariously at her own joke.
I reached into my pocket and took out my cell phone.
“What are you doing?” Virginia asked, fright creeping into her voice.
“Calling the exterminator,” I said with a deliciously wicked grin.
Drake answered after the second ring.“Yellow.”
“Hi, Drake. Are you with Mr. Fluffikins?” I asked breathlessly.
“Yup.”
“I need a favor.” I quickly explained our problem.
“Yeah, we can help with that,” Drake said before hanging up.
About five minutes later, Drake, Mr. Fluffikins, and an old man with a long white beard popped into my living room.
I screamed and stretched out my arms to form a protective barricade for Luna and the kittens.“Dash is right behind you!” I yelled in warning.
Drake stared at me, his brow scrunched with confusion.“What? Oh, that’s not Dash. This is—”
Virginia let out a terrible wail, drowning out Drake’s words.
I glanced over just in time to see the Dash doppelg?nger swish a massive scythe and suck Virginia’s disembodied spirit into the blade.
“What just happened?” I asked, equal parts thrilled and terrified.
Drake waggled his eyebrows.“You had a soul to reap, so I brought my reaper friend.”
The old guy in the suit bowed, then went to check out the contents of my fridge.
“Thank you,” I called after him.
He simply lifted a hand in acknowledgment and returned to foraging about my refrigerator.
“He doesn’t talk much,” Drake said with a shrug.
“C’mon, you two. I want you to meet the kittens,” I said, grabbing Drake’s hand and pulling him after me.
Mr. Fluffikins followed us to the far corner of my bedroom where Luna had arranged a pile of blankets and old clothes to create a nest for her and the kittens.