upload

Her tail shot straight up, then arched forward at a sharp angle.“Don’t be. I’m fine.”

Merlin’s tail immediately rearranged itself into the same position. “I said it would be dangerous and that you should stay back, but you refused to listen. Look what happened! You could have been hurt. One of the kittens could have been hurt!”

“I’m not a delicate flower, and I’m not a child,” Luna hissed as she stood ramrod straight, refusing to budge.

“Oh, you think—”

“Enough!” I cut in. “We’re all on the same side here. If we fight among ourselves, we don’t stand a chance. As it is, we have no idea what we’re doing. Let’s not make this even harder than it already is.”

Luna relaxed her stance and dipped her head apologetically.“You’re right, dear. Of course, you’re right.”

Even though Merlin was technically my boss, I decided to take charge of the situation. It was the only way we’d make any progress at all. “Merlin, I know you just want to keep your family safe, but you have to let Luna decide for herself what that entails. You know she wouldn’t knowingly put herself or the kittens in danger. She’s smart and strong, and we need her help if she’s willing to give it.”

Neither cat said anything, but at least they didn’t argue with my hasty decree.

After a few moments of tense silence, I went on.“Okay, our first plan wasn’t exactly a success, so I think it’s time to make a new one. I know you’recatsona non grata in Nocturna, Merlin, but I really think that’s where we ought to go next. I mean, we think our zombie master may be Dash, and we know Dash is interested in our bloodlines.”

“We already met with the blood witch. We know exactly what we are and how we’re connected.” Merlin still stood in an awkward stance, though he had lowered his tail to a less hostile position.

When I shook my head to disagree, his tail shot back up into that mean forward hook.

I sighed. Why did everything have to be a battle for dominance? I just wanted to figure out this zombie thing before we were attacked again. If we could avoid that, I’d be one happy lady.

Still, I proceeded carefully.“Clearly there’s something more that we’re missing. I think we should go back and see if we can find out what that is.”

Luna stretched out her back legs as she moved toward me.“And before you say anything, I’m coming, too.”

“Neither of you can go if I refuse to take you there,” Merlin pointed out with a half-hearted snarl. He’d already begun to deflate again.

“Then it’s a good thing you’re not refusing,” I said with a cheeky grin.

“What about Tom and his cronies?” Merlin asked. “They’re probably still looking for me so we can finish our duel.”

More than a month had passed since that run-in, but I knew very well that cats could hold grudges for longer that.“Can’t you use magic to change your appearance?” I suggested with a shrug.

“I’m a sky witch, and you know that. Illusions are out of my wheelhouse.” He yawned and fell over onto his side dramatically.

“I can give you a makeover if you want?”

“Hard pass.” Merlin jumped up and stalked down the hall.

“Where are you going?” I called after him.

“The portal to Nocturna doesn’t open until sundown. I’m taking a nap,” came his mumbled reply.

Luna yawned.“That sounds like a good idea,” she said before heading through the cat flap and to her favorite spot in the rear garden.

That just left me, alone in the kitchen.

Maybe I could pound out some work on my master’s thesis, make something of this day yet.

“I see you’re still alive and well. How awful for me,” a ghostly Virginia droned as she phased through the wall and came to hover before me.

Yeah, no. I was not dealing with her if I could avoid it.

I grabbed my keys and left the house in a hurry.

I had no idea where I was going, but hopefully I could at least get a few hours of peace and quiet before diving even deeper into this zombie adventure of ours.

11

My life was in a sad state, considering the only place I could think to go was my place of work, Harold’s House of Coffee. No, I was not scheduled that day. Yes, my social life had probably hit rock bottom.

In truth, I hadn’t taken the time to get to know many people since relocating to Elderberry Heights. All my family was back home in Michigan, other than Grandma Grace who’d moved to the Florida Keys. I’d left my friends back in my old college town, and all my new neighbors had a good forty years on me.

My boss Kelley had become a good friend over the last couple months, though. I’d supported her through her father’s death and the resulting murder investigation and stayed by her side as she rebranded Harold’s House of Coffee to serve all pumpkin spice lattes all the time.

She was also dating Drake, which made her the perfect person to mine for some info about him and the nighttime troubles Mr. Fluffikins had spoken of.

As far as I knew, Kelley was one-hundred percent certified human. But I’d assumed that Drake had been, too.

Who even knew anymore?

“Hey, girl. What can I get you?” Kelley sang out the moment I walked into the cafe.