“I think she’s our daughter and we have the right to know.” The queen wasn’t having it. “I was convinced to send her away because she was magic and now I get here and find out she has none. She could have stayed with her family.”
Erna stared the queen down. “Yes, her family. You’re the ones who created her, the ones who gave magic a human form. You are not the ones who raised her, who had to deal with the outcomes of your ridiculous choices.”
Dean’s head came up. “I would watch what you say. You know how Summer feels about them. If you let your tongue get the best of you, they won’t stay here, won’t get the help they need, and Summer will blame you. Worse, she’ll blame herself, and she doesn’t need any more guilt.”
“Oh, I think I’d like to hear what the witch has to say.” Zoey had dropped her queenly attitude in favor of her scrappy, pissed-off, street fighter who would cut a bitch.
“Or we could deal with the king’s injuries.” I knew how to get the queen to focus. Or the wife, I suppose. The last thing we needed was a smackdown with the very person who might be able to help us get the king back. “Daniel doesn’t need us all fighting. Mistress Erna, my name is Kelsey Owens. I’m from the Earth plane. I fell through a painting looking for Devinshea Quinn. On our plane, he's the High Priest of Faery, but apparently the ancient god residing in his body couldn’t figure out how to not get sucked into artwork.”
Bris’s eyes glowed in the moonlight. “Well, it all happened quickly.”
I ignored him because I figured I had one shot to calm the witch down and I didn’t want a bloodbath. When the queen got really pissed, that’s what would happen, and I didn’t care how strong the witch was. Zoey Donovan-Quinn was meaner. “So my dumb ass fell through said painting, and then the king and queen of our plane decided they had some FOMO, and here we all are. Except that one is supposed to be a vampire king who is pretty much indestructible, but I think he’s got a concussion. I’m looking for a favor here. I saved your girl from someone named Turi earlier today.”
Erna’s jaw went tight. “I hate that man.”
“Well he’s down about six soldiers. You’re welcome,” I said and gestured toward the queen. “That woman right there will do everything she can to help you get Summer back.”
“I scarcely think I need a human’s help,” Erna replied.
“Summer is on the Vampire plane already,” Dean pointed out. “And they’ll be ready for magic.”
“The queen is a thief. An excellent thief, and it won’t be the first time she’s broken someone out of jail.” I knew the minute I had her. I intended to press my advantage. “Zoey knows how to handle this situation better than any of us. Quinn there can do things with plants that would curl your insides. Also, the fertility god can do other things that make people’s toes curl. I’m the muscle.”
“You?” Erna looked me up and down and obviously found me wanting.
“She can kick my ass,” Dean admitted. “And she really did take out Turi’s men, according to Summer. She’s got a lot of power. I felt it.”
“And the other male?” Erna looked to Donovan. “What can he do to get my charge back?”
“Well, normally I would say I can fly, influence the minds of most creatures, and generally beat the shit out of anything I can’t influence,” Donovan said.
“Don’t forget you can call wolves.” He should go through the whole list.
“Yeah, that, too.” He put a hand to his head. “Though mostly today my superpower is throwing up. Excuse me.”
The queen and Quinn followed Donovan as he dashed back through the magical curtain that shielded us.
Erna stared out and sure enough, I could see Donovan on his knees puking his guts out while Quinn and Zoey tried to support him. The good news, the magical barrier seemed to totally work on smells. All I was getting was lavender and something baking in the cottage.
“So that man with you claims to be a vampire?” Erna seemed far more interested than she’d been before. “He doesn’t look like a vampire. Why isn’t he wearing protective gear? The sun on this plane is harsh for vampires.”
“He’s an earthbound vampire,” Dean said. “Or at least he