her. Poor simple Foster." Gwydion nodded in mock sympathy, but Toby could see a simmering rage flickering in his eyes. "I want you to look long and hard at this pitiful creature before you. Right now, he isn't so bad off, but as time goes by…there will be terrible things awaiting him--decomposition, a loss of sanity. Is that what you want for all those that your banshee neglects? A life equivalent to a zombie?"
Gwydion strode to the center of the room.
"Think it over," he said to the other two wizards. In a flash of light, he was gone, leaving behind a very confused dead man who blinked in confusion at the two wizards.
"Would someone please tell me what the hell is going on?" Daniel asked.
"I agree." Angela's fearful voice had both men turning to look at her. She stood a few yards away, staring in awe at the frozen bar patrons and the spot where Gwydion had just been. "I've been drinking way too much tonight. Is this a dream?"
"I guess your time spell didn't cover the bathroom. You deal with her," Toby instructed his son. "I've got some things to check on. I need to contact a few people, see if Gwydion's story about the deaths in Ireland are true. Use a memory spell on her if you have to."
"What are you talking about? Why is everyone frozen?" Angela's voice had taken on a shrill note of hysteria. "Memory spell?"
"And what about me?" Daniel asked. "I've got a bit of chest wound here."
"Are you sure I should do that? She might be safer knowing what's going on." Gabe ignored Daniel and ran a hand through his hair. "I think we should tell the truth."
"You know how I feel about that. Magic is not for mortals." Toby shot Gabe a severe look. "I trust you to do the right thing here. Look, just take her to my office. I'll close the bar and then take care of getting in touch with my Irish contacts. Daniel, you come with me. You can stay at my place until we figure out how to kill you properly."
"What?" Daniel shook his head, trying to make sense of it all. "Kill me? I just want to be back home in me own bed."
"Well, we've all got our little problems today, pal," Toby said and snapped his fingers. The time spell sped up. He couldn't help but chuckle at the disbelief on Daniel and Angela's face at seeing everyone rush to life again.
At least, she wasn't screaming.
He noticed Gabe watching too, studying her reaction to the magical transition occurring. Toby felt a pang of sadness. It would be difficult for Gabe to ever have a life with anyone outside the supernatural world. It was too hard keeping secrets from the one you cared about.
Still…in their line of work, secrets were a necessary evil.
As he watched Gabe lead the pretty redhead to the office, Toby had no doubt that his son would do the right thing and erase Angela's memory of all that she'd just seen.
Chapter 5
Gabe and Angela stared at each other in awkward silence.
Fear and fascination alternately rotated on her face. Was she afraid of him now? Afraid he would physically harm her?
The idea gnawed at Gabe, vaguely irritating him.
"So…" Angela said, finally.” Is this how you get all your girlfriends?"
"Not exactly." Gabe smiled, relieved she still had her sense of humor. "I've found this is the kind of thing that usually frightens the chicks off."
"So what are you?" Angela sat on the couch, but he could sense she was wary of him and ready to bolt if he got too close. "A witch? Vampire? Leprechaun?"
"Leprechaun?"
"I'm shooting blanks here, Gabe. Give me something I can work with."
"Wizard." He watched her eyebrows lift in surprise. "I'm a wizard."
"Like Harry Potter?"
"Um…older and less nerdy, but yeah. Like Harry Potter."
"Is Toby one, too?"
"Yes."
"Does Jacqueline know?"
"Yeah."
"Is that why she went away?"
Gabe shifted his gaze, uncomfortable. After Jacqueline's last transition, he'd disagreed with his father about keeping Angela in the dark. She had a right to know what she might be up against in case the banshee contacted her. After all, who really knew how dark Jacqueline's thoughts were these days? And now that she was pregnant? Gabe had heard of women being emotional during pregnancy, but what would that mean in Jacqueline's case? Angela could unknowingly say one wrong thing and trigger her best friend's deadly wrath.
"It's part of it, but not all." Gabe chose his words carefully. "She