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“I’m heading out now actually.” Cynthia threw a thumb over her shoulder toward the window. “I have a long way to go and don’t want to waste night hours. Text me if you want to catch up.” She opened the window, and before Ashley could reply, Cynthia poofed into a bat and fluttered out into the night.
Ashley sat back on her box. There it was. Just when she thought maybe she could build a stronger relationship with Cynthia, she was gone. Ashley was on her own.
And that was when she puked blood all over her card wall.
38
Esther
The streetlights were on by the time Esther made it back to August’s house. Uther waited for her on the porch. She hadn’t even finished climbing the steps before he bombarded her with questions.
“Did you talk to her? What did she say? Is she taking the potion? Are you back together again? Are you going to be a vampire?”
“Okay, hold on.” Esther walked past him to the door. “Let’s go inside, and I can catch you up.”
“Oh.” He took a step, blocking her path. “Um, what if we just sat out here for a bit and caught up?”
“Is something wrong?”
“No, it’s just…” He glanced at the front door. “Okay, so August has someone over.”
“What do you mean, August has someone over?” She walked around Uther and peered through the window, cupping her hands to block the glare.
Uther grabbed her arm and pulled her from the glass. “Can you be less subtle?”
“Probably.” An idea that sounded a lot like Ashley popped into her head, and she grabbed the doorknob and yanked it open. “Hey, August.” She spoke so her voice traveled through the house. “What are you up to?”
August appeared in the kitchen doorway, followed by a much smaller woman in a severe bun. “Esther, you’re back.” His voice was annoyed and grumbly. “You remember my Aunt Hannah.”
“Ms. Comstock.”Crap. “Yes, we spoke once before, about the journal from the collection. Thank you again for the interview. It was instrumental in clarifying discrepancies in my final report.”
“Indeed.” Hannah sniffed dismissively and walked back into the kitchen.
August and Uther shared an obvious and wordless conversation. From what Esther deduced from their body language and facial expressions, Uther had been tasked with providing August with privacy while entertaining his aunt and could he please try harder next time, and Uther made gestures toward Esther that seemed rather rude in her opinion.
“Your friends may join us,” Hannah called from the kitchen.
Esther pushed past August before he could interject and joined his aunt at the table. A few moments passed before August and Uther joined them. They were probably silently arguing again.
“Are you sure you want them here for this?” August remained by the doorway, shifting his weight back and forth, as though he’d run right out the door again if it were socially permissible.
Hannah met him with a stern look, and he took his seat next to her.
“You say it’s in the tea.” Hannah nodded to the cup in front of her.
Esther hadn’t noticed until then that tea had been served.
August glanced at Esther before answering. “I’m not sure we should be talking?—”
“I know they are familiar with vampires.” Hannah folded her hands gently on the table in front of her. “You are all terrible at keeping secrets. But it is not an issue at present, so please, continue.”
“I, umm…” August blinked repeatedly, before regaining his momentum. “Yes. You drink the tea, and it will reverse the vampire curse.”
“I see.” She turned the glass ninety degrees, as though inspecting every angle for abnormalities.
It was only then Esther pieced together the very private moment she’d barged into. Her attempt at making a bold choice had led to an awkward intrusion into a personal moment.Classic Esther.
Esther stood again, her chair scraping against the kitchen linoleum. “I can give you some privacy.”
