‘The one who looks like Jude Law?’

‘Yes, tell Jude to get to work on Mare, that he’s got competition. I’ll take care of Crunch.’

‘Crash.’

‘Whatever. Get that pendant and warn Jude.’ Maxine turned to go and Xan got a look at her chest in profile. ‘Maxine, what the hell are you wearing?’

‘Push-up bra,’ Maxine said, adjusting her breasts. ‘I’m making all the night waitresses wear them. We’ll get more customers.’

‘It’s a diner, Maxine, not the Salem’s Fork Hooters.’

‘I bet the tips go up.’ Maxine checked her watch. ‘My break’s over. Gotta go.’

She disappeared into the portal without so much as a

‘See ya,’ let alone a genuflect, and Xan thought about smiting her through the see glass and decided that being Maxine was probably punishment enough.

She looked back at the glass, worried now. Dee and Danny were still in the diner; she could see their heads bent close together over the table. They’d be fine, they were half in love now and would fall completely by Sunday.

The glow from the workroom window told her that Lizzie and Elric were there. She ignored a stab of jealousy to focus on the problem: Elric had no business teaching Lizzie to use her magic, but if Maxine got the amethyst it would slow down her learning curve so badly he might get frustrated and just take Lizzie’s power from her. And then take Lizzie, keeping her safe and powerless in Toledo. Xan felt a real twinge at that; being kept in Toledo by Elric would be dark and erotic and mesmerizing, and her hand slipped on the glass just thinking about it; maybe when she was young again – she closed her eyes at the thought, young again – maybe when she had the girls’ powers, Elric would look at her differently, but no, he was meant to be with Lizzie and there were other men, although none like Elric. But then, accidents could happen. And Lizzie might not make it through.

Of course she was going to do her best to see that the girls survived the loss of their powers. She was their aunt, after all – she only wanted the best for them. But Lizzie was already more frail than the other two…

No. Youth is enough. Youth and power. Who needs Elric?

And then there was Mare. Xan could see her through the hideous neon that filled the plate-glass windows of Value Video!!, Jude gazing at her adoringly. He really was attractive, Mare surely would prefer him over some mechanic named Crash. Loud, oblivious Mare, who never stopping clumping around shouting long enough to notice what was going on around her. She was going to be the easiest, if she’d just ignore the mechanic and take the vice president, who had to be far superior…

She looked down at the diner. Maxine was heading for Dee and Danny again.

It was damn difficult getting good help for a supernatural power snatch these days. The awe just wasn’t there. She glanced at the time and realized that Vincent would be there soon. It was damn difficult getting good supernatural lovers, too. It might almost be easier being human.

Don’t be ridiculous, she told herself, and double-locked the portal.


Dee picked at her mandarin chicken salad and wondered what the hell she’d been thinking. Dinner with Danny James, the most-sensual man she’d ever met? The very man who was threatening her with her past?

Who was she kidding? She’d been thinking that it was yet another Friday night in an endless series of Friday nights she’d sat home alone while Mare and Lizzie were off having normal social lives. But this one time, she had a chance to throw over the traces just a little. Just enough.

And she’d enjoyed this last hour. They’d talked about inconsequentials: Danny’s travels, small-town life in Salem’s Fork, popular culture, sports. And Danny had stayed so far away from his true purpose here that Dee had almost been able to think he’d asked her to dinner just because he wanted to spend time with her.

He finished wiping his hands with the red and white checked napkin and set it down. ‘Well, that was good,’ he said, leaning back in his seat. ‘I can’t remember when I had such a good dinner. Tough to find good burgers in France.’

Dee looked up from the scattered lettuce on her plate. ‘I’d love to find out someday.’

He shook his head. ‘I’m still surprised that you haven’t traveled. I mean, you have to admit there was some high living with your parents.’

Dee just shook her head. She really should have left while she had the chance. ‘We didn’t travel.’

‘Can I ask you why?’

Dinner, it seemed, was officially over. The chicken salad threatened a surprise return.

‘You mean you don’t want to talk about travel?’

His grin was bright. ‘Sure. When we see each other again for fun instead of business.’

Those images were back, and this time there was no question. He was starring in them. His bare back, his smile, the wash of golden light on his skin, and her at her easel. She sucked in a breath, trying her best to ease her heart rate a little. ‘Again with the lame comeons. Don’t you have anything better?’

The gleam in his eyes was as amused as it was delighted. ‘You’ll just have to hang around and find out, won’t you?’

Picking up his second longneck, he took a deep swig, never looking away. And that bead of perspiration just had to slide right down his Adam’s apple. He made her want to laugh. He made her restless and unsure and hungry.

‘Do you think your sisters would mind talking to me?’

‘Yes.’ The answer was instinctive. She’d mind. How could he possibly appreciate her sisters on such short association? It had taken the people of Salem’s Fork a solid year to look past Mare’s outfits and Lizzie’s shyness to discover the real beauty beneath. And this was the first town where they’d actually felt as if they belonged. Dee didn’t want them hurt again.

But, oh, hell, it wasn’t her call to make. It hadn’t been for a long while. She shifted her shoulders a bit, trying to work out the stiffness. She shook her head. ‘They were pretty young when my parents died. I’m not sure they’d have much to say. But it’s their decision.’

Come to think of it, it might be worth the price of admission to see what Mare could do to this guy. He might work for a world-famous author, but she’d bet he’d never dealt with the Queen of the Universe.

Just that thought soothed her enough to relax again and finish her drink.

‘What do you think they’d say about your parents’ deaths?’ he asked. ‘I know you’re aware of the suggestion that their deaths were suspicious, coming on the eve of their incarceration.’

She should have expected this. It was definitely the wrong time to run out of martini. ‘The coroner ruled that they died of hypothermia. They’d been participating in a spiritual cleansing in the ocean, and stayed in the water too long.’

‘You don’t think it was suspicious?’

Yes. Yes.

‘Of course not. My parents were rather notorious for their lack of common sense. They went swimming alone in a cold ocean and lost track of time. I’m just surprised they made it all the way home before they collapsed.’

In the middle of the foyer. She’d found them there, lying on the floor with Xan bent over them, smiling. Smiling.

‘And you disappeared after they died because?’

Because my aunt had just murdered my parents and was turning her sights on us. It had all been there in that smile. Only no one else had seen it.

‘It was decided that it would be healthier for us to be out of that environment.’

He considered her a moment, which ratcheted up her nerves. And you don’t think they might have stayed in the water accidentally on purpose?’

Dee was having trouble breathing again. But then, she always did when she thought of her bright, frivolous, unworldly parents. ‘No. They might not have been the most mature adults on earth, but they wouldn’t have left us on purpose. My mother was upset enough that they had to leave us to go to prison.’

She’d made Dee promise to take care of her sisters. And she’d given her the jewelry box.

‘And have you been here all this time?’ he asked.

‘Places like it.’

‘Your family took you in?’

‘Yes.’

It didn’t seem to occur to him that she might be lying through her teeth. Before he could continue, Maxine returned.

‘Here you are, honey,’ she announced, handing the bill to Danny. Sometime during dinner she’d applied a fresh coat of black eyeliner and, evidently, her Wonder-bra. She was bending way over now, as if she couldn’t quite see over her breasts, which was a distinct possibility. ‘I hope everything was to your liking.’

Danny reached around to pull out his wallet. ‘I haven’t had a hamburger this good since BillyBurgers closed back home.’

‘Then I’m glad Dee brought you here.’ Maxine gave him a little smack on the arm. Maxine smacked everybody. ‘So, you in love with her yet?’

His smile damn near sent Maxine toppling over. ‘I even offered to have her babies. She was sensible enough to say no.’

Maxine laughed and gave him another open-handed smack and then turned to Dee. ‘Dee, you tell Mare that Italy is no place for a good American girl like her.’

Dee found herself blinking a bit stupidly. ‘I’m sorry. What?’

Maxine perked up, ‘You didn’t know? Crash is back, honey. He asked Mare to marry him and go off to Italy, if you please. She said she’d think about it, but you know that’s no good…’

Dee tuned her out. Crash? Crash? Dee had to get herself over to the Value Video!! and find out what the hell was going on.

‘Oh,’ she said, interrupting some diatribe Maxine was giving on some wonderful guy named Jude. ‘Yeah. That.’

‘The betting’s at two to five she’ll say yes,’ Pauline informed her on the way by.

Dee shook her head. Crash. ‘Well, put me in for a tenner’

‘For or against?’

Italy. Dee grabbed her briefcase. ‘Either way. You should never think you can predict what Mare’s going to do.’ Pauline laughed and Dee slid across the seat. ‘Uh, I have to…’

Danny James was already on his feet, sliding his wallet into his back pocket. ‘Come walking with me,’ he said, taking her by the hand. ‘You know you want to.’

Dee damn near pulled him over on his head. Of all the things to whisper to her.

You know you want to, Deirdre, Xan had whispered. You want to be like me. But you can’t without my help. Without me, you’ll create disaster.

Dee’s stomach dropped. Hell, she was nauseous. ‘No, thank you. I need to talk to my sister.’

But he was already dragging her to her feet. She barely hung on to her briefcase as she was summarily yanked from the booth, with not one patron of the Fork coming to her aid. No, they were smiling, as if they were extras in Love Story, or something. Before she could so much as protest, she was out the door onto the sidewalk.

‘Now,’ Danny said, making it a point to fill his lungs with air. ‘Isn’t this better?’

‘No,’ she said, even though it was a lie. ‘It’s just windier.’

He tapped her on the nose. ‘Live a little.’

Dee struggled to keep her skirt pulled low and her dudgeon high. How did he do it? She wanted to go with him. She wanted to run down the sidewalk hand in hand like a kid and whoop at the moon. And if anybody knew better, it was Deirdre Dolores Fortune.

‘Mr James…’

‘Danny.’ He took her hand and turned her toward the river. ‘If you want, we’ll walk over to ask your sister why she’d ever want to get married and move to Italy with somebody who sounds like he can’t drive. But on the way, there are still some questions I have.’

‘Lucky me.’

‘It’s painless, I promise,’ he said with that sly grin of his. ‘What’s up there?’ he suddenly asked, pointing toward the orange-tinted trees that crowned the bluffs across the river.

Dee followed his gaze. ‘Salem’s Mountain.’

‘Can you see the sunset from up there?’

‘What’s left of it.’ The clocks had just turned the week before, and it was still a surprise to see the sun up at seven.

‘Let’s go see.’

Dee just blinked at him. ‘Now?’

He laughed and Dee wanted to smile right back. ‘It would be pointless to do it later. C’mon.’

Her heart was stuttering again. Temptation whispered in her ear. Mare could wait. The rest of the world would continue to spin on its axis if she took just a little time and watched the sunset with a handsome man. Before she had a chance to really think about it, she let him pull on her hand, and she followed him down the street.