Page 137 of Kick the Candle (Knight Games 2)
I thought about that. "I guess I have."
"And do you know what you want?"
My head immediately filled with images of Rick. "I think I do."
Poe shook his head and coughed. "Don't think, know!"
"Okay, I do! I know what I want."
He met my eyes. "And do you feel you are worthy of what you want?"
I searched Poe's face and my innermost thoughts. "Yes. I'm worth it. I deserve Rick. I deserve this house. Gary wasn't my fault and neither was the financial situation he put me in. I'm a great witch, Poe."
"Very good." He hopped back to the windowsill. "Then I was the right familiar for you after all. Big day tomorrow. I recommend you get some sleep." He tapped on the glass.
I obliged by partially opening the window again. "Thanks, Poe."
"Don't mention it."
* * * * *
... take a walk with your sister the moon... Bono's croon of Mysterious Ways popped my eyes open. My ringtone. I pried the phone from my bedside charger; the screen read 11:00 a.m. My heart started to palpitate. How had I slept so late? One hour until the winter solstice and I still had sheet marks on my cheek!
My dad's face filled the screen, his real estate agent smile promising unicorns and rainbows. I punched the screen and brought the phone to my ear. "Dad?"
"Grateful, I'm glad I caught you."
"What's up?"
"I just wanted to give you a heads up, Mr. Nekomata is going to stop by the house this afternoon. He was completely fine with you living there another week but he wants to survey the property."
"Wait. What? Today is not a good time, Dad."
"He said it would only take a few minutes."
"Call him back and tell him he needs to come a different day. Today, is bad for me. Very, very bad." My heart was threatening to jump out of my mouth. Down deep, my intuition was playing a dirge, throwing up caution flags like confetti.
"Nekomata is a very busy man, Grateful, and it is his house now."
Across the inside of my arms and down my sides, a prickling sensation scampered like an army of tiny bugs had invaded my skin. I forced myself to swallow before confirming what I knew to be true. "You sold the house."
"Don't worry, Honey, I got it in writing that you have permission to stay there a few more weeks."
"But you sold it. The house is no longer legally yours."
"Correct. We closed this morning. The paperwork is still being processed but he effectively owns the house."
"Oh Dad. Why? Why!" I screamed into the phone, but I knew, the nekomata would make it impossible for him to deny them. If they couldn't convince him the human way, they would simply have a nightmare possess him, like Avery. Nothing was going to stop these guys from reaching the book, especially not a human man.
Silence. Our call was still connected, but Dad didn't respond to my screaming. After a few awkward moments, he finally said, "I'm sorry. If it makes you feel more comfortable, Seraphina is with him. You won't be alone with a strange man in the house."
"Seraphina? Why would Seraphina be with him?" I thought my Dad was breaking up with her not sending her out with clients.
"She's his niece, Grateful. That's how we met."
A series of images seized me, causing my fist to clench around the phone. Her superhuman beauty and grace, the way she made my chest tighten. How could I have missed it? Seraphina was a nekomata. The whole time, she wasn't interested in my father, she was interested in making sure he sold my house.
"I've got to go, Dad," I mumbled.
