Vamping and Glamping (Enchanted Shores Book 2) Page 3

  "Eddie, it's Jake. How can Sadie get in touch with her family?"

  "Oh, well if it's Jake that's asking…" Eddie said, his voice rising as if that changed everything. "Forget about it!" He laughed scornfully.

  Then I had an idea. Maybe Eddie wanted to talk with his daughter, Daphne, before he went to magic jail.

  "I can't get you out of here but I can get a message to Daphne for you," I said. "Once you're in magic jail, no visitors, you know. Not even family."

  His voice dropped an octave. "I know."

  "We can even bring her here to talk to you. Would you like that, Eddie?" Jake asked.

  Would Daphne even want to see her father after all that he had done? She'd been building a life for herself in Enchanted Shores, but Eddie had ruined everything by kidnapping me and setting off a manhunt through the mountains outside of town. Would anyone ever think of Daphne without remembering her father and all the trouble he'd caused?

  "I'm sure you have a lot to explain to your daughter," Jake continued. He caught my eye and grimaced.

  Eddie was silent. I held my breath and hoped.

  "You would do that?" Eddie asked. "You'd bring Daphne here?"

  "First you have to tell me where my family is," I said. "That's all."

  "Hmmm…" Eddie said, considering it. "First, tell me why. Why do you need to know where they are?"

  "Because I need to find them. They're in trouble."

  Eddie laughed, his voice dark. "Let's see if I have this right. The sea witches who destroyed my life are in trouble? And you want me to help?"

  "Don't look at it like that," I said, grasping at straws. "Look at it as you helping yourself."

  "Just consider it," Jake said.

  "Well…" Eddie said from inside.

  "You'll be able to talk to your daughter," I reminded him. "I just need directions or an address or a way to contact them."

  He paused. "No. Just get me out of here," he said finally. "Then I'll tell you where your family lives and I'll talk with Daphne too."

  "I'm not breaking you out of jail!" I hollered. "I'm the one who put you in there to begin with!"

  "Thanks for reminding me! I'm not helping you!" he yelled back. "And you made a big mistake!"

  I folded my arms across my chest. Great! Now what?

  "Excuse me," a new male voice said from inside the jail. "Allow me to be of service, if I may?"

  "Who is that?" I hissed at Steve, who was at my feet, continuing his bath.

  The kitten looked up mid-lick and shrugged.

  "Leonardo Tarquin, at your service." His voice was deep and refined with a slight accent.

  Jake and I glanced at each other. He shrugged.

  "Are you in jail too?" I asked, even though it was obvious that he was inside the bars with Eddie.

  "A case of mistaken identity, I'm afraid," Leonardo Tarquin said. "However, I am a certified mediator. Allow me to mediate the issue at hand between Eddie and Sadie. That is your name, yes? Sadie?"

  "Yes, I'm Sadie."

  "But who are you?" Jake asked. "Leonardo Tarquin?"

  "He's a vampire!" Eddie exclaimed. "And he murdered someone!"

  "I most certainly did not," Leonardo Tarquin said, his voice rising as if the very idea of it was appalling.

  "Then why was a homeless man found dead with puncture wounds?" Eddie taunted.

  "How do you know so much, little man?" Leonardo Tarquin asked.

  "I heard all the gossip," Eddie bragged.

  "From who?" Leonardo Tarquin sounded put out.

  Eddie laughed. "Enchanted Shores police officers, they do love to gossip over donuts. Also that air vent goes straight into the cafeteria. You were all the talk at break time."

  "I didn't kill that homeless man. There's no evidence I did."

  "That's true, that's what the officers were all saying. You were brought in for the safety of the citizens. Because of the puncture wounds. You're the only vampire in Enchanted Shores."

  "I did not kill him."

  "How long have you lived here?" Jake asked. "We've never met."

  I could hear bristling through the window. "Not very long."

  "Long enough to kill," Eddie said.

  Leonardo Tarquin's voice rose, sounding more and more agitated. "Why would I kill the person who sells me his blood? I wouldn't. I even offered Monty my guest house, but he prefers to live outside." He paused. "Preferred."

  Then it hit me. I knew the man who had died. "Monty? Wait. The Monty who is usually in the park?" He’d been so sweet! "He's dead?"

  "Sadly, yes," Leonardo Tarquin said. "They found his body by the wharf."

  "No!" Another death in Enchanted Shores? I couldn't believe it.

  A woosh sounded from inside the jail cell, and then with a blast of air, a man appeared standing next to us.

  Had he turned into a bat and flown out here? He was a vampire.

  "Leonardo Tarquin. But you can call me Leo."

  The vampire was tall and handsome, and somehow other-worldly despite the flannel shirt and heavy khakis that most of the men wore in Enchanted Shores. Did he have a mysterious air about him or did I just think that because he was a vampire?

  "Pleased to meet you, Sadie and Jack." He offered his hand, and I shook it. His flesh was cold to the touch, but also vibrating with an eerie energy.

  No, he was definitely mysterious and other-worldly.

  A real vampire. Would the secrets of Enchanted Shores ever stop amazing me? "Nice to meet you too," I said.

  "It's Jake." Jake narrowed his eyes and quickly shook Leo's hand, dropping it as quickly as he picked it up.

  Leo glanced down at Steve. "And you are?"

  "You can call me Steve," the kitten hissed. "But my blood is not up for grabs."

  "Hello there, Steve."

  "You can understand him?" Jake huffed. "You hear words and not meowing?"

  Leo just shrugged.

  The vampire was the kind of person you would notice in a crowd. "Why haven't I ever met you before?" I wondered. Then it hit me. "Oh…"

  "What?" Leo asked.

  "If you're a vampire, your hair doesn't grow. You'd never need a haircut."

  "And?"

  "I'm a hair stylist at the Shaggy Puppy."

  "Ahh! The hair salon for children. I tend to stay away from places of children. I don't want to scare their mothers."

  Jake edged his shoulder between Leo and me. "Are you escaping from jail right now? Is that what's happening here?"

  Leo stood up tall. He was well over six feet, but leaner than Jake. "Of course I'm not escaping. I just felt this conversation would be better conducted face to face. Mediation 101."

  Jake continued, "So you'll go back in? I don't want to be charged with aiding and abetting a jail break."

  "No, no. I'll go back in. I'm not an idiot. I know what would happen if I evaded the long arm of the law."

  "Tell me more about Monty," I said.

  A shadow of grief passed over Leo's face. "The homeless man sold his blood to me, but that was only the beginning of our relationship. With time, Monty became my friend, and I can't believe he's gone. I need to clear my name so I can find out what happened to him."

  Leo beckoned us away from the jail cell window. He held a finger to his lips to quiet us.

  "What is it?" Jake whispered.

  "I'll work on Eddie to get the location of your family, Sadie, if you'll talk to Mrs. G for me."

  "How do you know about Mrs. G?" I asked.

  Mrs. G was my guardian angel. Literally. She was also a fire starter. Mrs. G was taking a well-deserved vacation with Mr. G after watching over me for more than twenty years. They had returned to heaven to recover, and I didn't want to be the one to disturb them. Especially Mr. G, who suffered from signs of dementia.

  The vampire sucked his teeth. "Monty told me about her. She'll be able to confirm my story of being Monty's friend. Will you talk to her for me?"

  "Monty knew Mrs. G?" Did he know she was supernatural?
"Was he supernatural?"

  "Will you contact her for me?" The vampire raked his hand through his thick, dark hair.

  Mrs. G might also know where my family lived. I needed to ask her and I might as well ask about Monty too.

  "I'll do my best," I said. "Can you get Eddie to tell you where my family lives?"

  "I'll do my best." He stuck out his hand. "So we have a deal?"

  I shook. A chill of gooseflesh ran up my arm and I almost yanked away. I gulped. "Yes."

  With a swoosh and a blast of air, the vampire disappeared.

  A ruckus sounded from inside the window.

  "Get off me, vampire!" Eddie yelled.

  "Let's get out of here," Steve hissed.

  Jake took my hand. "Ready?"

  "I'm ready," I said, and we crept away.

  I needed answers and Mrs. G was the logical person to give them to me—even if it disrupted her vacation. I would just have to do my best to cause as little trouble as possible.

  If only I knew how to get in touch with someone who lived in heaven.

  Chapter 4

  Sadie

  It was that time between summer and fall, those few weeks when the air was cool but the sun was still strong. The usual Enchanted Shores tourist traffic had dropped along with the temperature.

  Jake, Steve, and I headed back towards town.

  "That was creepy," Jake said. "I've never met a vampire before. Bad things are happening in Enchanted Shores. Maybe it's connected to the sea witches being back."

  "That's crazy. The only sea witch here is me. And I haven't done anything except protect myself."

  "There's Eddie."

  "Eddie isn't a sea witch." He'd been my manny when I was a baby, but he wasn't a sea witch. Not anymore. My family had taken away his powers after he'd lost me.

  "After decades of peace and quiet, there have been two deaths in two weeks. Cormac is right to protect the town. And you."

  I stopped cold and pulled my hand from Jake's warmth. "Wait a second. You think he's right to lie to me about Eddie being in town? That's crazy."

  "Think about it. He wants to protect you."

  "I protected myself, if you'll recall. I was the one who captured Eddie when all you shifters had gone into the forest. Now you're treating me like someone who isn't worthy of talking directly with the man who harassed me? No. Cormac is wrong. And so are you."

  I stormed down the sidewalk by myself.

  "Sadie, wait!" Jake called.

  I ignored him.

  "I never liked Jake," Steve meowed. "Good move."

  "Shut up, Steve," I grumbled.

  "Sadie, wait!" Jake ran after me. "You're right. I'll talk to Cormac. But will you do something for me?"

  "What?" I crossed my arms over my chest.

  "Just think about possibly letting this go. Remember that sea witches are banished. Maybe Cormac didn't go about it the right way by hiding Eddie, but he just wants to keep you safe. And so do I. I'm sure he doesn't want to have to banish you."

  My heart dropped. "Banish me? Why would he do that? He's known me practically my whole life."

  "Can you blame him? Sea witches are banned. He didn't make the rules. But it is his job to enforce them."

  "Of course I blame him!"

  "Are you really putting the family you don't actually know before the people who have cared for you your whole life? And don't forget they didn't try to find you for twenty years."

  Tears filled my eyes. Why was Jake being so mean? I looked down at my hands. "Don't you see? That's why I need to go to my family as soon as possible, even if I don't want to leave Enchanted Shores. I need to find out what happened."

  A tear rolled down my cheek.

  Jake rubbed my arms. "Hey, I'm sorry," he said.

  I sniffed and continued, "It doesn't have to be a choice. I should be able to have both my family and my old friends. But if Cormac doesn't treat me like an adult, he's not on my side."

  "But you don't even know those people."

  "They're my family, Jake." I grabbed his arm. Why didn't he understand? "And my aunt told me that my family requires me. I've never been required before. Have you?"

  "Every day. My family requires my help and my presence every day."

  "Well, this is my first. And I need to go to my family. You have your family—you've never not had them. I've been waiting my whole life!"

  That stopped him cold. He nodded. "Yeah. I get it. I'll talk to Cormac."

  "You promise?"

  "Of course. And I want you to promise me something. Even though this day has taken an odd turn, don't forget that we have plans tonight."

  "Our date."

  He took my hands. "Yes, our very special date. Had you forgotten?"

  I shook my head. "I don't know though."

  "Let's connect at the end of the day. Even on the phone. Promise?"

  "I promise. I do."

  "Good. Now I can go talk to Cormac." Jake hugged me.

  I felt an urgency to get moving so I held up my hand. "Right now," I said, shooing him away. "Go."

  Jake scowled and started to speak. Then he stopped and balled his hands into fists.

  "What?"

  "I just don't want you to think I'm not on your team. I am."

  "Then show me," I said.

  He nodded. He left.

  "Well played," Steve meowed as he leapt into my arms.

  I petted him mindlessly. I needed to talk with my best friend. Hannah was at the Shaggy Puppy so that was where I headed.

  "We can talk," Steve said.

  "Are you reading my mind now, Steve?"

  "What? Me? No?" He jumped down.

  "What are you anyway? Are you a genie? A cat shifter?"

  "I'm just a talented kitty cat," he hissed, trotting beside me

  "Try again."

  "Think of me as a small genius who happens to adore you out of all other people."

  "No. You're magical. Obviously. But what are you? And why are you with me out of all the supernatural beings in Enchanted Shores?"

  "Why does it matter? Let's just say I'm here while you need me. Even if you don't yet know why. Did it occur to you that I don't know why either? Maybe I don't know what I am either? Maybe I just exist. Like you."

  "Is that true?" I asked.

  He laughed and his whiskers shook. "Maybe."

  I sighed. "I'm glad you're with me. But you can trust me, you know? I need to trust someone and mutual trust is a good thing."

  "I'll keep that in mind," he meowed.

  Then I had to wonder. "Can I trust you, Steve?"

  He trotted silently for a moment before saying, "Of course you can trust me, Sadie."

  He didn't fill me with confidence. I glanced down at him.

  Could he read my mind? Can you? I thought as loud as I could.

  Steve stared straight ahead, walking beside me. His little white whiskers glinted in the afternoon sun.

  Get out of my mind, I thought. Just in case.

  A week ago I hadn’t known Steve or Jake or my family, and now they were filling my days. I hadn’t known that Mrs. G was an angel or that Cormac was a wolf shifter. Of course I hadn’t known that I had magical powers either.

  Everything had changed. Everything except Hannah, of course. She was still Hannah. I needed to bring her up to speed on everything that had happened. I knew I could trust my best friend.

  I hurried up the street.

  At the Shaggy Puppy, Hannah's face lit up when I walked in. Her colorful tattooed arms shimmered as she swept the short curls from under her station.

  She put down her broom. "You're back already! How'd it go?"

  I plopped onto the front couch. "Horrible. I need to talk with you."

  She shook her head and glanced at the clock. "I'm just about to leave. Barry is on his way for couples' therapy. Anyway, I have to talk with you too. Something weird has started happening."

  "What?"

  "You won't believe it."

  I laug
hed. "I'll believe anything."

  "Okay… Why?"

  It was time to tell Hannah about sea witches. Maybe it would be easier if I said it really fast? I took a breath. "Because Enchanted Shores is full of supernatural beings, that's why. And I never knew it. But I'm one of them. I'm a sea witch. Or, I was. Yesterday. But something happened and I lost my powers," I blurted out.

  Hannah blinked. She sat down on the Labrador chair.

  Why didn't she say anything?

  "You think I'm crazy, right?" I asked.

  "No. I'm just relieved to find out I'm not crazy."

  "What do you mean?"

  She blinked several times. Then she said quickly, "I’ve been seeing ghosts. And they're talking to me."

  "Ghosts?"

  "Dead people. I haven't told anyone. Not even Barry." She nodded. "What is going on?"

  "You're a medium?" I wasn't completely shocked.

  "I guess…? I think of it more like being an empath." She shrugged. "Or I'm crazy…?"

  "You're not crazy." I jumped up and hugged her.

  "You're not either," she said, hugging me back.

  Hannah had always been compassionate, but I hadn't realized she had paranormal abilities. I sat back down. Was everyone in Enchanted Shores ‘special’?

  "What are the ghosts saying?" I asked.

  "Remember the homeless man who was always at the park?"

  "Monty?" I gasped.

  "He died!"

  "I know! It's horrible!"

  Hannah picked a piece of lint off her dress. "He doesn't seem that upset about it. He just keeps bugging me about… well, about you!"

  "Me?"

  She nodded. "He wants me to find you. He has a message for you."

  "What is it?"

  "I don't know." She stood and continued sweeping, averting her eyes. "I've been trying to ignore him."

  "Is he here now?"

  "He's sitting on the Doberman chair, picking at his fingernails." Hannah pointed to the chair.

  I turned to look. The chair was empty. "Monty?" I said.

  Nothing.

  I continued, "I'm so sorry you died. Who did this to you?"

  I turned back to Hannah. She was looking at the Doberman chair, listening.

  "He just says to tell Leo to find my gerbils."

  "Gerbils?"

  "Yup." Hannah shrugged. "Who's Leo?"

  "What does he mean gerbils?"