the apples lifted from the bowl and came to her hand.
Stunned, Callie dropped into one of the kitchen chairs. “I really am a witch.”
“So it would appear. How do you feel?”
“I don’t know. Kind of . . . I don’t know, sort of elated and drained at the same time, as if I’d been working really hard to accomplish a goal and I finally attained it.”
“It will get easier with practice, and you’ll be able to manipulate heavier objects. And summon items you can’t see.”
Callie stared up at him. For a vampire, he seemed to know a great deal about witchcraft. And an awful lot about her grandmother’s magic. She recalled the dream she’d had about Quill and Ava. If she hadn’t known it was impossible, she would have sworn Quill and Ava had known each other.
And then she frowned. Why was it impossible? Her grandmother had lived a good long life. And Quill had lived even longer. They could have met decades ago, way back before she was born, although it seemed unlikely that their paths would have crossed. With a shake of her head, Callie thrust the disconcerting thought away.
“You went out earlier,” he said.
“I went shopping and I met a lady named Wendy. She seemed very friendly. She told me this place doesn’t show up on maps and very few people even know it exists. How is that possible? Did the vampires do something?”
“Three hundred years ago, a very powerful witch and an equally powerful vampire got together and concocted a spell that shields the town from anyone who intends to do us harm.” Anyone except the Knights, he thought ruefully. Their medallions gave them a kind of supernatural power of their own. Thus far, they hadn’t been able to locate the town, though they knew of its existence.
Placing his hand on her shoulder, Quill said, “Why don’t you rest a bit? I need to go out for a while.”
“In the rain?”
“I’m not like the Wicked Witch of the West. I won’t melt if I get wet,” he said with a grin. “You, however, better be careful.”
“Very funny. Will you be gone long?”
“No.” Bending down, he cupped her cheek in his palm and kissed her. “Don’t burn the house down.”
Quill left the kitchen through the back door, then lingered beside the window, out of sight. He had seen the growing suspicion in Callie’s eyes. Curious to know the reason behind it, he let his mind brush hers. As he’d feared, she was beginning to wonder if he had known Ava and if so, how and when.
He frowned as he transported himself to the next town.
Perhaps it was time to tell her the truth.
* * *
Callie was sitting at the table, eating a ham and cheese sandwich, when a bolt of lightning lit up the sky, followed by a drumroll of thunder that shook the house. She had always loved storms. Rising, she put her sandwich aside and went to the window, hoping to see another flash of lightning.
She let out a startled shriek when a black cat, its fur plastered against its body, jumped up on the ledge outside the window. “What on earth are you doing out there?” Callie exclaimed, and then grinned. “I guess sometimes it really does rain cats and dogs.”
The wet feline stared back at her through unblinking yellow-gold eyes.
With a shake of her head, Callie opened the back door. She’d no sooner done so than the cat streaked into the house.
“Well, come on in, why don’t you?” she muttered.
The cat looked up at her, as though waiting for something.
Callie frowned, then pulled a dish towel from a drawer and began drying the cat’s fur. A deep, rumbling purr was her thanks.
When the cat was dry, Callie opened a can of tuna fish, scooped a little onto a small plate and offered it to her guest. The cat nodded at her—nodded at her!—then crouched down and devoured the tuna. When it was done, the cat padded into the living room, curled up in front of the fireplace and went to sleep.
“That’s okay, just make yourself at home,” Callie said, a note of sarcasm creeping into her tone as, with a wave of her hand and a few muttered words, she called forth fire in the hearth.
* * *
Quill returned an hour later, bringing with him the scent of damp wool and rain. He came to an abrupt halt when he saw Callie sitting on the sofa and the cat sleeping in front of