Chapter Twelve

The bedside telephone rang, and I shot Vaughn a look. Nobody but Granny knew we were here.

Vaughn answered it and had a short conversation. “There’s a package for you downstairs. Someone’s bringing it up.”

I jumped when the knock came, then handed the woman a small tip. “Thanks.”

After I closed the door, I looked at the return address. “It’s from Granny.”

I ripped open the box and found a neon-green gift bag.

He glanced over. “More protection?”

“I haven’t opened it yet.” I pushed the tissue paper aside and stared down at a box of condoms. My face flamed. “You could say that,” I wheezed out. I hastily stowed it by my luggage.

“Let’s see what’s making you blush,” he said. I made a mad scramble for the bag, but his arms were longer than mine.

He tore the tissue out of the bag and then stilled. “Open in case of emergency,” he read in a choked voice and then shook his head. “Only Granny Mariotti.”

We couldn’t look at each other.

After a long, embarrassed silence, I sat back and sighed. “I need to call her and check in.”

“While you do that, I’ll see if I can scrounge up some candy,” he said. “I think I saw some interesting choices in the gift shop.”

Vaughn and his sweet tooth. After he kissed my cheek and left the room, I FaceTimed my grandmother.

“Tansy, how is everything going?” she asked.

“Not good enough that I needed a box of condoms,” I said. “I’m looking for Skyler, not a hookup, Granny.”

“I know that,” she said gently. “But I also know that you and Vaughn have a lot of unresolved feelings. I want you to be protected in case you two decide to act on those feelings.”

It was embarrassing and touching. “Thanks,” I said. “I appreciate it. Now, quickly changing the subject—we still haven’t found Skyler. But we’re pretty sure she’s in Diablo.”

“With the vampires?”

I flinched at the word. “Yes.”

“Then we need to work on a few spells,” she said.

“I seem to be able to resist vampire compulsion,” I told her. “Not always, but I’m getting better at it.”

“Of course you are,” she replied. “You’re a Mariotti witch. But I’ve neglected your education.”

“Are the charms the reason?” I asked. “Skyler lost her necklace, and since then, she can’t seem to resist Travis.”

“That’s part of it,” she said. “It wouldn’t work with a really old vampire.”

“That’s why Travis threw it away.”

“Probably.”

Part of me wanted to tell her about the file with all our secrets in it, but the other part wanted to keep my mouth shut. I didn’t want her to tell me it was too dangerous and that I had to come home. Besides, she wasn’t the only one who could keep a secret.

“Okay, Granny,” I said. “Let’s do this.”

“The first thing you need to practice is visualization,” she said. Her face looked tiny on my screen, and I suddenly missed her fiercely. Her brown eyes seemed flat and tired, and she was paler than normal. I was still mad at her, but I loved her anyway.

“Close your eyes,” she continued. “And think about your intention. What you want to have happen. Now intent into action.”

“What should I think about?” I asked.

“That’s up to you,” she said.

“I want to see if I can move something with my mind.”

Granny laughed. “That’s not a power most witches can do.”

“Okay. Then what can they do?” I groaned. When I found Skyler and we were back home, Granny and I were going to have a long talk.

She sighed. “Tansy…that kind of magic is tricky.”

“Let me try,” I said. “I’ll be right back.” There were a few apples on the small table, and I went to get one. “Okay, let’s do this,” I said when I returned.

Granny’s lips were in a flat line. “Maybe we shouldn’t…” she said.

Maybe you shouldn’t lie to me, I thought.

And the apple exploded.

I sucked in a breath. Well, fang my life.

I had more power than I’d ever dreamed.

“Well, that was interesting.” Granny must have decided I’d had enough practice. “Oops, my break’s over,” she said. “I’m closing at the library tonight. Don’t try that again. Love you.”

“Love you, too,” I said.

Vaughn came back with a bag of chocolate-covered peanuts and a couple of candy bars.

“I can’t stand to sit in this room one second longer,” I said.

Vaughn glanced around at the exploded apple bits. “Then let’s get out of here.”

I hesitated. “We can’t let their human roadie or any of their human superfans see us. We no longer have the element of surprise to rescue Skyler. I have a feeling he won’t let her go without a fight.”

“Why don’t we take a walk on the beach? Get some air?” Vaughn suggested.

I grabbed a couple of elastic ties and braided my hair into two tight plaits, then piled them on top of my head. I’d brought a hat because, hello, summer in California meant I didn’t go anywhere without one.

I put the hat on my head. “See, I’m almost unrecognizable.”

“Almost,” he said. He grabbed his lightweight hoodie and said, “Wear this. It’ll help.”

“It’ll be huge on me,” I said.

“Exactly.”

Vaughn helped me into it, zipped it up, and then stared into my eyes for a long minute. I wondered if he was going to kiss me, but instead he asked, “Do I need a disguise, too?”

I studied him. “Sunglasses and a hat will probably be enough.”

We grabbed our hotel key cards and left. In the elevator, Vaughn stood close to me.

We took a set of wooden stairs to the beach. When we reached the sand, I kicked off my flip-flops, and Vaughn took my hand. The water shimmered on the horizon, and the rush of the ocean calmed me. We walked along the shoreline, not speaking, our toes burrowing in the sand as we went.

Vaughn bought us ice-cream cones from the snack stand, and we sat on the sand and ate.

“I already feel better,” I admitted. He smiled at me, his dimples showing briefly.

He said, “Should we head back?”

I started to answer him when the hairs on my arms stood up. “Someone is watching us.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I spotted Rose and Thorn.

They approached us, but Thorn was scowling.

“Why are you following us?” I asked.

“It’s our job,” Thorn said.

I put my hands on my hips and glared at them. “Why is it your job?”

“We’re after Travis Grando, too.”

“Why?”

“We’re currently assigned to the vampire observation and extermination team,” Rose said.

I gaped at them. “You’re vampire hunters?”

Rose wrinkled her nose. “That implies we do it for sport. We don’t hunt vampires in general, just the rogue ones. The ones who do not follow PAC rules.”

“Is Travis not following the rules?”

They didn’t answer me at first.

“That has not yet been determined,” Rose said, but Thorn’s hand went to her side, where her dagger was currently hidden, probably so she didn’t scare the tourists.

“You are looking for your friend, yes? We know where she is,” Rose said.

My heart started beating so fast, I couldn’t talk, so I just nodded.

“Would you like for us to bring you to her?” she asked. I wished they’d stop following us around, but I’d let them if they helped me find Skyler.

“Yes please,” I said.

She nodded. “It’s not too far. We can walk.”

I started to follow her, but Vaughn caught me by the arm. “Tansy, what if it’s a trap?”

I gave him a hard look. “What if it’s not?”