Midnight Web: A Moonshadow Bay Novel Book 2 Read online

  I leaned down and scratched their heads. “Little goobers,” I whispered, feeling grateful for everything going on in my life. “Hangover much?” I asked Ari.

  She shook her head. “Surprisingly, no. I feel oddly clear for knocking back… How much did we drink?”

  “The whole bottle. I know—I expected to feel like death warmed over, but I don’t.”

  “Well, that’s a plus.” She laughed. “Maybe it was the magic. I think we were both way too drunk to do any real damage.” She paused by the fruit bowl on the table and popped a few grapes in her mouth. “So, what are we doing today? I know tonight we’re meeting at Vino Italiano for dinner, but what do you want to do today? Meagan had to go out of town for work, so I canceled all my appointments and I’m at your beck and call.”

  “Perfect,” I said. “I want you to do my hair.”

  She laughed. “You want me to work? All right, what do you want to do with it?”

  “Hey, I’ll pay you, so no griping. I want a dark violet red.” I grinned as she blinked. I’d been several shades of brown, and had had one disastrous run-in as a blonde, but never red.

  “Are you sure? Actually, I can see it—that should be gorgeous on you. And no talk about paying me. It’s a present.”

  “Don’t even go there. I’m paying you. And yes, I want a dramatic change. This will be fun, and it fits with the transformations I’ve been making.” I glanced in the fridge. We had everything for breakfast, but I didn’t feel like cooking. “Want to go out for waffles first?”

  She nodded. “Do you mind if we stop by my house first so I can change? I still smell like rum. Then we’ll paint the town red.” Laughing, we headed into the living room, ready for the day, but in the back of my mind, I couldn’t shake the feeling that something more than a drunken wishcraft ritual had happened. I just couldn’t remember what.

  Ari changed into a pair of skinny jeans and a cold-shoulder blouse, then we had breakfast at the Waffle Shack. After waffles and bacon and sausage, we went back to her home, to the salon that she had situated in what had once been a large family room. She had turned it into a workspace and had a separate entrance built so that clients didn’t have to walk through her personal space. She had also had the contractors build a half-bath in place of a closet on the other side of the wall, so there was a bathroom right there for customers. The overhaul had been expensive—she had had a lot of plumbing work done—but worth it, and she was one of the top hairdressers in the area.

  Ari settled me in the chair, then mixed up the bleach to lighten my hair a couple levels before adding the red. Rather than just talk, she turned on a movie we’d been wanting to see and we spent the morning watching Chris Pine save the day as Captain Kirk. By the time it was over, she was done and I stared at myself in the mirror, grinning. My hair was now a vivid violet red, and it seemed odd and yet it fit me.

  “I love it! It’s wonderful,” I said, turning my head so I could see it all the way around.

  “You look great. It’s a great look for you. You need to come back every five to six weeks so I can do the roots,” Ari said, removing her gloves and putting away her supplies.

  “That’s all right, I don’t mind. I don’t usually splurge much on myself, but I’m willing to for this.” I stepped out of the chair and spun around. “I’m ready to face my forties. And you know what? I’m looking forward to it.”

  Ari handed me my coat. “Come on, Forty-One, let’s go shopping!”

  As we headed out into the cold but clear afternoon, I glanced up at the sky. It was thirty-five degrees, and while the snow from December had melted, we were due for more in the coming week. I had the sudden hope we’d see a foot of it. I was ready to take on the world, and that included a crisp white blanket of snow.

  Chapter Three

  After a full day of shopping, we headed for the restaurant for my birthday dinner. I had found two dresses, though I had the feeling I was going to have to order online for the styles I liked, and I had also bought two pairs of shoes and more makeup than I had bought in the past five years.

  The restaurant was full when we got there, but we had reservations and our table was waiting for us. I felt oddly conspicuous as we walked through the restaurant. I could feel people watching me, and my insecurities flared, but I tried to calm them, chalking it up to nerves.

  My aunt Teran was already there, and I leaned down to give her a kiss. She had brought her latest beau with her, Andrew, a man in his early fifties. He was about ten years younger than she was, and seemed absolutely smitten. A professor at Western Washington University, he specialized in quantum physics. Andrew was also born into a witchblood family and he merged his knowledge of physics with his magical abilities.

  As I sat down next to Teran, Killian texted that he was going to be a few minutes late, and I texted back that we’d wait for him as long as it wasn’t too long.

  Also joining us were my coworkers, Tad, Hank, Wren, and Caitlin. Tad was my boss, a geeky young intellect who was human. He had some psychic abilities, but no magical blood in his veins. Hank was one of the witchblood and he specialized in bilocation. Caitlin was a bobcat shifter, and Wren was a human who could communicate with birds. As they settled in around the table, Caitlin complimented me on my hair.

  “I’m thirsty,” Tad said, glancing around. “Where’s the waitress? I’d like a drink.”

  I raised my hand and motioned to the nearest waiter, who started to ignore me but then did a double take and swung over to our table. “We’d like to place drink orders while we wait for the last member of our party,” I said.

  He whipped out his pad and pencil. “I’m so sorry I made you wait. Will these be on separate checks?”

  Tad shook his head. “My treat tonight.”

  “No—I invited you,” I started to say but he cut me off.

  “My parents are loaded, and that means I’m loaded. Dinner’s on me.” When Tad wanted, he could be firm, and right now, he was being quite firm.

  “Well, when you put it like that,” I said, grinning, “how can I help but accept? Thank you.” I looked up at the waiter. “I’ll have a triple mocha with a shot of Baileys.”

  “Very nice,” the waiter said, and I realized he was talking to my boobs and not to me. I cleared my throat and he blushed, quickly turning to Ari.

  “Red wine,” she said.

  Caitlin ordered a lemon drop, Wren asked for hot tea, Teran asked for a tequila sunrise, Andrew ordered a scotch, neat, and Hank and Tad ordered microbrews. Western Washington was famous for its wineries and microbreweries, and there were literally dozens of choices. I asked for a basket of breadsticks to hold us till Killian arrived, and the waiter headed back toward the bar.

  “So, forty-one?” Wren asked. She had been on vacation when I first joined Conjure Ink, but within an hour of meeting her, we were gabbing like old friends. She was a soft-spoken woman who reminded me of my aunt, and she loved to garden, bake, and do all those things that would have made her the perfect housewife. Wren was slight, though, where my aunt was tall and stocky, and she had long blond hair while my aunt continually dyed hers. Teran was currently sporting an edgy mix of green, aqua, and black curls. I wasn’t sure how she managed to change her hair color so drastically without ruining it, but she kept saying if that happened, she’d just shave her head and start over.

  “When’s Killian getting here?” Teran asked.

  I glanced at my phone. He had just texted me again. “He’ll be here in five minutes.”

  “Good, because I’m hungry and I don’t want to drink on an empty stomach.” But she winked at me. Then, pausing, she cocked her head. “Something’s different about you, but I can’t put my finger on it. Besides your hair—which is gorgeous, by the way. Red suits you.”

  “Thanks. If you’re joking about me getting older—”

  “No, that’s not it. Just…there’s a different feel to your aura. I swear, when you walked in the restaurant tonight, for just a moment, you just looked all soft focus and glamour girl.”

  “She’s right,” Tad spoke up, staring at me. “There’s a subtle difference—whatever you’ve been doing, keep it up. You look great.”

  The conspicuous feeling I had felt first walking through the restaurant returned. I shrugged. “Ari and I partied a little too much last night, so maybe I’m just feeling the aftereffects of that.”

  At that moment, Killian arrived. He was tall and muscled, with shoulder-length curly brown hair that he always pulled back into a ponytail. His eyes were the color of emeralds, and he had the softest lips of any man I’d ever kissed. And best of all, he was my boyfriend.

  I looked up as he leaned down and planted his lips against mine. The warmth was palpable, and the scent of caramel and cinnamon and musk flooded my senses. Killian was a wolf shifter, and there was something rumbly about him—he wasn’t the alpha of his pack, but he was an alpha in terms of energy, and he had the makings of a good leader. He was sensitive to the needs of others, and his love for his profession—veterinarian—shone through in the way he treated both animals and people.

  He was carrying a wrapped box, and he put it on the side table that was covered with presents. It had been a long time since anybody had paid more than cursory notice to my birthday, and it made me feel odd. Ellison had always given me a gift, but it was perfunctory—an obligation that he found tiresome. And then it hit me—I was feeling conspicuous because tonight was about me, and I wasn’t used to being the center of attention.

  I scooted over toward my aunt to make room so Killian could slide into his chair.

  “Happy birthday, love,” he said, kissing me again. “Before anybody gets the bright idea, I’m the one who gets to spank her, if any spanking’s to be done.” He arched his eyebrows and I blushed.

  “Nobody’s spanking anybody,” I said, which resulted in a chorus of boos.

  Killian took my hand, holding it firmly in his. “I promise you’ll enjoy it,” he said with a grin.

  “That custom bit the dust years ago, dude,” I said. “But you can help me celebrate in other ways, if you like. When we’re alone.”

  “Glad to oblige,” he said, winking.

  The waiter arrived, handing us our drinks, and when Killian ordered black coffee, he got a frown in return. “Are you sure you don’t want a cocktail?” the waiter asked, staring at our hands.

  This was a shifter-owned restaurant, but as far as I knew it wasn’t a particularly strict one, so I held onto Killian’s hand. Some shifter-owned restaurants were fairly strict about no PDAs. But there was something about the waiter I didn’t like.

  “I think we’re about ready to order,” I said, turning to Killian. “Do you need some extra time?”

  He shook his head. “I looked at the menu online while I was warming up my car. I didn’t want to hold up things.”

  The waiter cleared his throat. “All righty, then. What will you have?” he said, pointedly turning to me.

  Irritated at the attitude that was wafting off him like bad BO, I frowned. “I’ll have the southern fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and a side of sliced tomatoes, please.”

  The waiter wrote down my order, then went around the table, finishing up with Killian. He then stalked off, looking as irritated as I now felt.

  “What’s up with him?” I asked, leaning forward. “He’d better tone it down or we’re not leaving him a good tip. Did I say anything to piss him off? I thought we were being polite.”

  “I don’t know, but he shifted gears the moment he arrived at the table with our drinks,” Teran said. “Well, never mind him. Let’s drink to your health, and then you open presents while we wait for our dinner.”

  So I lifted my glass with the others, and tried to ignore the oddities of the evening.

  Two hours later, Killian and I were back at my house. He had stripped down to his boxers, and I was wearing a long sleep shirt that came down to my thighs. I was pleasantly full—the food had been good, even though the waiter had acted odd all evening—and I was getting sleepy.

  “By the way, I don’t think I told you how much I like your hair,” Killian said. “Red suits you well, especially that shade.”

  “Thank you. I like it a lot.” I found what I was looking for—I had been poking around in the cupboard for a box of after-dinner mints, which I finally found—and returned to the living room, curling up on the sofa beside Killian. He wrapped his arm around me and pulled me in for a long kiss. I leaned my head against his shoulder.

  “So, you and Ari really got trashed last night?”

  “Majorly. I can’t remember much of it, and neither can Ari. We did a wishcraft ceremony and…hell, I’m not even clear on what I wished for. There was a matchbook, a perfume bottle, and a book of ghost stories on the altar when I woke up.” I grinned, handing him a mint as I popped one in my mouth.

  “Matches, huh? You’re not taking up smoking, are you?” Killian kissed my forehead.

  “No, goofball.” I paused as Xi jumped up on my lap, then crawled over to Killian. While Klaus liked Killian, Xi adored him and whenever he came over, she made a beeline for his shoulder, where she liked to hang out, staring over the room like a parrot on a pirate.

  He laughed, stroking her chin. “Well, I’m gaining clients. Apparently, word of mouth is that I’m a regular Dr. Dolittle.”

  “I’m glad,” I said, twisting around so that I was lying with my head in his lap, staring up at the ceiling. “So, tonight things felt very odd. Did you notice?”

  “Odd? Hmm, the only thing I noticed was the way that waiter was looking at your boobs. I was about ready to faceplant him.”

  “Then I wasn’t imagining it?” I still had a hard time acknowledging that men could notice me, especially when I was around women like Ari and Caitlin. It did help that neither of them thrived on the attention—Ari was gay and couldn’t care less if men noticed her, and Caitlin was engaged, but had a secret crush on our boss, Tad.

  “No, you were not. He was trying to look down your dress all evening. And thanks to the dress, he managed to get an eyeful.” Killian laughed, stroking my hair. “Never mind about him, though. Did you have a good birthday?”

  I nodded. “Yes, actually. I haven’t had a birthday this good since I was…well…since before I met Ellison. Even when he truly loved me, he was never one for celebrations. We never kept track of the holidays, other than fulfilling obligatory expectations. I wanted to, but he wasn’t much for it. And it didn’t help that my holidays and his were different.”

  “Did you like your gift?” Killian asked. He had bought me a gorgeous messenger bag I’d had my eye on, but hadn’t been able to bring myself to buy. Made of rich black leather, it was an elegant shoulder bag, big enough for my laptop and everything else, and so blinged out with silver studs and chains that it met all my aesthetic needs.

  “I love it,” I said, rolling over and pushing myself to my knees. I picked up the remote and turned the TV off, then straddled his lap, my knees resting on the sofa cushions. I lowered myself to where I was sitting on him and wrapped my arms around his neck. “I’d like another present, now, if you wouldn’t mind.”

  He caught his breath, staring into my eyes. I was five-nine, just short of his height, and the feel of him hardening beneath me made my nipples stiffen. He slid his arms around my waist and pulled me closer and I met his lips with my own, my tongue playing against his. I kissed him, long and low and deep, and every fiber of my body stirred as my pulse quickened.

  Killian broke away. “Upstairs or here, on the sofa?”

  “Here. Take me here. Now. I want you inside me,” I whispered, nibbling on his ear as I rubbed my breasts against his chest. “Undress.”

  He lifted me off his lap and stood. As he dimmed the light on the end table next to us, I pulled off my night shirt and dropped it on the floor. Yes, I was ready for a birthday present that didn’t involve bows and ribbons, but only the soft slide of flesh on flesh.

  Monday morning, I was ready for work again. Killian and I had spent all Sunday together, taking a drive out into the country. The temperature had dropped again and as the snow level lowered, the rain stopped, and cool, bleak skies covered the skies. We were supposed to see a round of snow by Tuesday morning, and forecasters warned it might last for a while.

  I was wearing a pair of new jeans that hugged my curves, a black tank top with a matching drape-lapel cardigan, and a pair of high-heeled ankle boots. I had gathered my hair into a ponytail and I was carrying my new messenger bag.

  As I set my bag by the side of my desk, I saw that Tad was talking on the phone, and Caitlin and Hank were both monitoring the websites that belonged to Urban Legends, Inc., the umbrella group housing Conjure Ink as well as its sister sites.

  Wren was watching the front desk. Conjure Ink was in an office complex located in a strip mall, and we were right on the edge of Mystic Wood State Park—a huge copse that ran through the backside of Moonshadow Bay. My house also bordered the park, and very few people wandered through the wood without taking a friend along, or some other sort of protection.

  We had a large office that had a reception area and then the back rooms, which were kept locked due to the tens of thousands of dollars of equipment we had—computer equipment up the wazoo, and electronic monitoring gadgets for when we went out on cases.

  Conjure Ink was a paranormal investigations agency. Our main focus was to study paranormal activity around Western Washington, and we often went to check out haunted houses and other urban legends, many of which actually proved to be true. But we also took cases on, where we were hired to take care of ghosts and other such mysteries by people who couldn’t handle matters themselves. My first case, the month before, involved a haunted asylum, which also had a guest in residence—a massive land wight. That had been loads of fun…not.