She’d always thought of herself as independent, capable of handling anything. But this loneliness, the empty nights with nothing to look forward to but a cheap TV dinner, being without her brother, had seeped into her bones.
As though a fog had lifted, being with these people had reminded her that she’d been doing nothing more than surviving. Yet, she wanted more, and if Jersey was where her happiness was, she wanted to have a life again. She wanted friends and maybe a hobby—something to fill the void she was so afraid of slipping back into if she had to go back.
Clearing her throat, she asked, “So maybe we could see a movie—your choice, of course. No rom-coms. Or just have a conversation sometime? I’d like to keep in touch with Carl, too…”
Nina nudged her shoulder. “I’m kidding, Princess Sparkly. Of course we’ll text and hang out and do all the fun shit we paranormals do. Christmas and Easter and effin’ Groundhog Day included. There’s always something to celebrate with this lot. Because that’s what we do. I’m not talking about the vague, empty promises people make when they say those words, either. We really do this shit. Besides, Carl would miss the crap outta ya if you didn’t keep in touch, kiddo. Since Quinn became Aphrodite, she’s been crazy busy making matches and hasn’t had a lot of time to read to him. He loves your stories—even if you can’t remember Sleeping Beauty didn’t have seven dwarves and a fucking library the size of NASA.”
She fought the lump in her throat, keeping her eyes down so Nina wouldn’t see her cry, and whispered, “Thank you.”
“You do know you’ll never be alone now, right? We’ll always be there, Princess. Sometimes you won’t even have to call. We’ll just show the hell up with some crappy casserole Marty baked that I can’t eat, or extra fresh loaves of bread hot out of the oven from Arch, who doesn’t know what to do with them, and who you haven’t met but will make you what I hear are the best chicken wings on the planet. Like I’d fucking know, right? You still need to meet Darnell, because who the fuck wants a day to go by without a bear hug from our favorite escaped demon? We’ll Skype you, and text you, and in general torture the living shit out of you every damn time you think you might be safe from us bunch o’ nutbags. Most of all, we’ll protect you—”
Toni lunged at Nina, stopping her words, words she so needed to hear. Wrapping her arms around the vampire’s waist, Toni buried her face in her shoulder.
Nina thumped her on the back with an awkward pat, letting her chin rest on the top of Toni’s head for the briefest of moments. “No one will hurt you ever again. Count on that crap.”
“Group hug!” Marty called out, wrapping her arms around them, with Wanda right behind her.
Dannan joined in, too, sheltering them with his big body as he pulled them all close and purred a grumble.
“Princess thought if this King Dick says she has to go back to Jersey, she’d be rid of us. Now get the fuck off me and tell her we’re framily. You know, the friends-and-family shit, and then tell her ditching us just won’t fly.”
“How could you ever think something like that, Toni?” Wanda asked, tugging a length of Toni’s hair. “Who else understands you and what you’ve been through better than us?”
“I said that shit,” Nina groused, rubbing her knuckles on the top of Toni’s head.
Marty brushed Toni’s tears away from her cold cheeks and dropped a kiss on her forehead. “Aw, is Nina being reassuring again? God, just when you thought it was safe to go back in the water, huh?”
Nina flipped her the middle finger. “Fuck you, Marty.”
Marty swatted her with the furry muff Flauta had given her to keep her hands warm for the last leg of their journey. “That’s so mean! Take it back.”
“Okay, unfuck you, Marty.”
Toni laughed, wiping away her tears and squaring her shoulders. “Okay, enough of the girlie crap, let’s get this show on the road. We have a ball to attend and we need to get you guys back home so you don’t miss Christmas with your families.”
“About the castle,” Jon interrupted them, clearing his throat.
“What about it, Flawless?” Nina asked, her eyes wary.
Jon gave them a sheepish glance. “We have a small problem.”
Alarm skittered up Toni’s spine. “Which is?”
He sighed, his wide chest puffing outward. “The mote below us and no boat to take us to the land’s edge. They must have taken all the boats inland after bringing the guests from the surrounding mainland for the ball tomorrow.”
“Is there no way to send a signal, lad?” Dannan wondered.
“Who would be in the towers now, my friend? The drawbridge is up. Everyone is preparing for the ball. No enemies dare interfere. You know the king and his parties. Even some of our least supportive wouldn’t dare miss it.”
Toni’s feet began to tingle as she looked out over the cliff. “So you just need someone to put the drawbridge down?”