MARY ANN WAS SCARED. Very, very scared. Apparently, Aden had kidnapped the kidnapped witch, and no one knew where they were. Yet. Victoria had told Riley what had happened, what Aden planned, and then teleported away before Riley could scream at her. Or tell her that her father was still alive. Where had the princess gone? To help Aden?
And God, how was she going to react to the news about her father? Mary Ann had never met the guy, and she was still reeling. After discovering the truth, she and Riley had searched the grounds but had found no sign of him.
Riley was distraught. Mary Ann had never seen him so upset. His new king—was Aden still his king now that Vlad was walking around?—and his princess had been—were—in danger, and he hadn’t protected them. At least he and his brothers could feel Aden tugging at them. Well, as long as Mary Ann was out of the way. When Mary Ann was with them, and Riley at her side, they could still feel the tug, but it was somewhat muted. So they were now on the hunt for Aden. Without her.
Mary Ann had thought to use the time searching for Victoria, but no. That idea had been quickly discarded. Where would she begin looking? She couldn’t go to the vampire mansion on her own and simply driving around town, which was all she could have done, wouldn’t have been productive.
So here she was. At home. Riley had driven her and dropped her off after giving her the quickest, most distracted of kisses. She’d spent the past hour with her dad, hugging him as she’d wanted and telling him how much she loved him. He’d laughed and joked with her, and it had seemed as if they’d gone back in time, before she’d found out about her mother. Victoria’s Voice Voodoo had worked its magic, because he never once interrogated her about where she’d been.
But her nervousness was growing with every minute that ticked by. Was Aden okay? Were Riley and Victoria okay? Was this her last night alive?
“You’re distracted again,” her dad said with an ever-patient grin.
They were sitting at the kitchen table, playing cards. War, of all things. She glanced down at her pile, picked a card and flipped it over. An eight of hearts. Her dad’s card was a three of diamonds, so she gathered that round into her deck.
“Want to tell me what’s on your mind?”
“I’m fine,” she lied. She hated the necessity, but wouldn’t cave. He didn’t believe in the paranormal, even when the evidence of it was right under his nose, and she wasn’t in the mood to fight. Or receive a therapy session.
“Problems with Riley?” he persisted.
Riley, her sweet Riley. The boy she would date for one more day, then never speak to again. At that, her heart actually lurched inside her chest. “Dad, what do you do when you know you’re no good for the person you love?”
He looked at her for a moment, then sighed and pushed his cards aside. He propped his elbows on the table and stared over at her intently. “I hadn’t realized you and Riley had reached the I love you stage yet.”
Her cheeks heated. “We haven’t said it to each other, no.”
He relaxed a little. “So why isn’t he good for you, sweetie?” Gently asked.
She squirmed uncomfortably in her seat. She couldn’t tell him that it was the other way around. That she wasn’t good for Riley. He wouldn’t believe her. “What would you tell a patient who asked you the same question?”
His lips twitched at the corners. “I see what you’re doing. Deflecting. I’ve taught you well. So, are you asking what I’d say to a patient if she refused to share all the details with me?”
She nodded.
Another sigh. “I’d tell her to ask herself a very important question. Will the person cause her harm, emotionally or physically?”
He still had it backward, but the answer was yes. She, too, pushed her cards away. She’d been right, then, to break things off with Riley. She’d been wrong to let things start back up again. But she couldn’t regret her actions. She’d had that one glorious night with him, and she could die without regrets. For the most part.
Die. She swallowed the lump in her throat.
“If the answer is yes, I always tell my patients to leave the relationship.” He reached over and took her hand. “Always. Now. Do I need to get my shotgun? What’d that boy do?”
She laughed. “You hate guns, and therefore don’t own one. Besides, Riley hasn’t hurt me or anything like that. He never would, either. He’s very protective.” And I need to be protective of him.
“Then what’s the problem? You can tell me. This is a safe space.”
Another laugh, though this one was forced. “That may be true with your patients, but that’s never been the case with me.” Which she understood. She was his daughter. Everything was personal. “So anyway,” she said, quickly changing the subject. “I’ve been wondering. If you knew you only had one more day to live, what would you want to do?”
“Planning on killing me?”
She rolled her eyes. “Be serious.”
“You’ve never been this morbid before, but I guess I can play along.” He released her and tapped a fingertip against his chin. “I’d pay the premium for a higher life insurance policy, make sure you were going to be properly cared for, and then spend the rest of my time here, with you.”
Tears filled her eyes, burning. “Thank you.”
“And I’d want to tell you the truth about something, since I’ve learned my lesson about keeping secrets.”
Her mind locked onto that one word—secrets—and she froze. Even her heart skipped a beat as panic whipped through her. “Wh-what?”
“I, well, I met someone,” he said, a blush staining his cheeks.
Her eyes widened. “Really? Who? When? Where? Tell me everything!”
He laughed. “So many questions at once. Yes, really. I met her yesterday, at the grocery. And I, well…I asked her out on a date.”
“Dad!”
“I haven’t been on a date in ages, but I couldn’t help myself. She was just so intelligent and, well, pretty.”
Mary Ann was…glad. He deserved to be happy. Especially if she…if she…no, she wouldn’t think like that. He just deserved to be happy. “You’re leaving details out. What’d you guys talk about? What’s she like? Where are you going to take—”
The doorbell rang, and they both jumped.
Her dad grinned sheepishly. “We’ll resume this conversation in a bit. I’ll get the door.” He uncoiled from the chair and strode off while Mary Ann cleaned up the cards, marveling at the turn of events. Her dad. On a date. Oh, he’d been on one or two over the years, but nothing serious, and not once had he lit up like that. His interest had always been detached.
A few seconds later, she heard a female voice and laughter. Her dad’s laughter, and it was such a sweet sound. What was going on in there?
“Mary Ann,” he called. “Come on in here, honey.”
She padded into the living room, hands stuffed into her jean pockets. Soon she was standing in her mother’s rainbow living room, staring over at her dad, who was grinning like a loon and saying something to a young, gorgeous blonde wearing a white silk blouse and a flowing white skirt. Her skin was flawless, almost too much so. Her features were perfect and heart-achingly lovely. Could this be the mysterious grocery store babe?
Mary Ann cleared her throat.
Her dad glanced over at her, radiating so much excitement she actually had to look away. “Mary Ann, this is the woman I was telling you about.”
The blonde nodded in greeting, though her gaze didn’t leave Mary Ann’s dad. She was petting his cheek, as if he was a favored puppy. “Mary Ann. I’ve heard so much about you.”
From their one conversation at the grocery? Don’t be petty. This was a good thing. “Nice to meet you,” she said.
Finally the newcomer turned and faced her, and Mary Ann gasped in horror. Those eyes…glowing, wide and brown, revealing the sheen of glitter in her too-perfect skin. This was no human.