“So, when the Hulk smashes everything he’s incredible, but when I do it I’m a slut.” I nodded and stood up from the couch. “Okay. Thanks, ma. Nice talk. Happy Christmas.”
“Savannah…”
I shook my head and walked across the living room. “Goodnight, a bit too late apparently.”
“Come back,” my mother yelled after me. “Savannah Grace, where are you going?”
I paused at the hallway and glanced back at her with a fake wide grin. “To bed. I wouldn’t come knocking either, I have a boy sneaking in my window in about ten minutes.”
She yelled something but I didn’t listen. I just turned and sprinted upstairs to my bedroom then slammed my door shut for dramatic effect. I groaned and collapsed on my bed. Note to self, mom forgot how to take a joke.
Her sense of humor used to be fun and easy going, I used to be able to say any kind of joke but the long hours at the hospital had burned that out of her. Mom was a healer, a Cups alumnus from Edenburg with a particular skill for patching up demon inflicted wounds. Salem had been the perfect spot for her, which was why she uprooted our family out of Eden all those years ago. And since Samhain she worked more and longer hours.
Dad worked the same hours she did so they’d be off work together. I had no idea what my father did for work. He was a Pentacles alumnus, which meant he did adulting type of work but for witches.
I wanted to go back to Edenburg so bad. To get a real education so I could do something useful with my life and magic. But mom saw too many demon inflicted fatalities to let me live away from them. I’d been wearing on them…until The Coven evacuated all of Eden recently. So I was screwed.
Ozzy Osbourne sang from my back pocket as my phone vibrated and rang.
“Who the hell is calling me at three in the morning?” I scowled and pulled it out – my eyes widened. I answered it immediately. “Landreia?”
“Savannah, hi, I’m sorry to wake you—”
I sat up straight, not liking the sharp tone in her voice one bit. “No, I’m up. What’s wrong?”
“Is Saffie there with you?” She asked in what was supposed to be a fake cheerful voice.
My pulse quickened. “No. She said she wanted to spend tonight with you.”
“She did, she was…” Landreia cursed. “I can’t find her anywhere. She’s missing—”
“WHAT?” I jumped to my feet as my heart shot up my throat. “What do you mean she’s missing?”
She groaned and whimpered. “It was after dinner. She wanted to go see her therapist Dr. Troy at Midnight Mass around the corner…but she never came home. I’ve checked the church three times in the last two hours or so. I’ve checked everywhere.”
My stomach turned. “I’m coming, okay? Just hang tight. Imma grab Gigi and we’ll be there in less than ten.”
“Okay, be careful.”
The line went dead. I cursed and dove for my Uggs at the foot of my bed. “Hey Siri, call Gigi on speaker,” I shouted to my phone as I struggled to get my boots on in a panic.
The phone rang six times before Gigi answered. “Savannah, it’s three in the morning—”
“Saffie’s missing!” I slid my sweater on over my head then wrapped a scarf around my neck.
“WHAT?”
“I’ll pick you up, be outside in one minute—”
“Where are we going?”
“To help Landreia look for her, obviously!” I plucked my phone off my bed and sprinted out of my room. “I’m coming now, G.”
“O-okay. I’ll go down.”
I shoved my phone in my back pocket then sped down the stairs and into the kitchen.
“Savannah?” My mom yelled from the living room. “Savannah Grace, where do you think you’re going?”
I didn’t stop, I didn’t have the time. I rushed for the coatrack by the door and grabbed my coat. “I gotta go, Ma—”
“Go where?” She shouted from right behind me. “SAVANNAH.”
“SAFFIE IS MISSING!”
Mom gasped.
I threw on my coat and grabbed my keys off the hook.
“WAIT!”
I spun around. “Ma, I have to—”
“Take my car.”
“What?” I shook my head, she was standing there in her scrubs ready to go to work. “But then how will you get to work?”
“Dad was gonna take me anyway.” She hurried over to her purse and dug her truck keys out then tossed them to me. “It’s been snowing for hours. I don’t want you driving in a panic in your car so take mine.”