“Same thing as always, to check up on you.”

“I’m fine, thanks.”

“Well, you’re not the one I care about.” The ring of sincerity in his voice startles me.

That’s why I don’t shut the door in his face.

I duck under Xander’s arm because he’s gripping the door now like he’ll close it.

“What are you doing here?” I ask him. “Tell the truth.”

Roman hesitates. “We were following him. I was hoping for a word with you. But we saw the balloons on the porch, and apparently, Willow loves birthdays.”

Willow pokes her head out from behind Roman with a wide grin on her face. “Hello!” Her eyes subtly shift to Xander, carefully assessing him. If she thinks he’s a threat, she doesn’t show it.

“I’m very sorry to intrude. I just miss birthday parties so much.”

“Because you have a big family you haven’t seen since you started training?”

She looks surprised. “You remembered that. Yeah.” She hesitates. “We had at least one a month.”

Xander stares down at me. “You know them?”

I glare at Roman, whose expression doesn’t change. “He told me to stay away from you.”

Xander barks a laugh. “Well, I’m guessing that encouraged her, so thank you.”

He’s right, of course, but I don’t know how he’d know that about me yet.

Roman says nothing, but he’s staring at me like he’s trying to figure out a puzzle, and I don’t like it.

Xander jerks his head toward Willow. “You have one too this time.”

“Yes, she’s very good.” Roman looks me over again. “Yours seems rather delicate, which is why I warned her off in the first place, like you should have.”

I bristle.

“She has quite the bite,” Xander replies with a smirk.

Roman stares at my lips for a moment too long, like he might be picturing the fangs I keep hidden underneath, and I have to stop myself from announcing that I’m not, in fact, a bloodsucker.

“Ava?” Deb hollers from somewhere in the house.

Whatever’s really going on here, I don’t have time for it.

“I’ve got to go. I’ve got a house full of twelve-year-olds waiting for a performance.”

Willow holds up a slender case in her hand. “Can I perform too?”

“Umm…” Three magicians are better than one, but I also don’t want to piss off the person who offered to train me.

Xander’s scowling, but he shrugs at me.

I pull the door open wider. “Come on in, then.”

Willow squeals. “You won’t regret it.” Spinning around, she sets the case she’s carrying on the entryway bench, pops the latches, and pulls out a shining silver flute. I don’t know what I was expecting, but it wasn’t that.