Have I mentioned that my mom is a totally awesome person, despite having made one really bad life choice? One of the awesome parts is that she never, ever makes me feel that she regrets it.

“I will.”

“Come see me when you can. I’ll read the cards for you.”

I nodded, too tired to remember she couldn’t see me. “I will. That’s a good idea, thanks.”

“Anytime,” she said before hanging up, blowing kisses into the phone. “Love you always, Daisy, baby.”

“Me, too.”

I set my alarm and slept.

Chapter Five

Five

Two hours later, my clock radio blared to life, shouting out tunes from a classic rock station. Not my usual choice of music, but it does the trick. I jolted into wakefulness and slapped it off, then dragged myself into the shower. The hot water invigorated me. I stood naked beneath the spray, twitching my tail back and forth in a luxuriant manner, letting the water wash me clean.

Okay.

Fresh jeans and a scoop-necked T-shirt, check. Cereal for breakfast, check. Call in vain for Mogwai and fill his bowl, check.

I was meeting Cody at the station at eleven o’clock a.m. That gave me twenty minutes to run an errand.

Plenty of time. Or, at least, it would have been if Casimir had what I needed.

The Fabulous Casimir—I think he’d trademarked the name—was our resident head witch and the proprietor of Sisters of Selene, Pemkowet’s local occult store. He was as shrewd as he was flamboyant, and his affinity for cross-dressing had roots in a number of shamanic traditions; although, truth be told, I think he probably would have done it anyway. I’d done business with him a number of times. In fact, the watch I’d bought the chief came from his shop. He greeted me effusively when I entered, the chimes on the door ringing. “Daisy, dahling! It’s too horrible for words! Tell me, is it true?”

I blinked, still a bit sleep-deprived. “Is what?”

Blinking back at me with long artificial lashes, he lowered his voice. “The Vanderheis’ oldest son?” He drew one manicured forefinger across his throat. “Last night? He went glug-glug?”

Anger rose in me, setting the door chimes to shivering faintly. “For God’s sake, Cas! It’s not a joke!”

He looked contrite. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it was. So it is true?”

I sighed. “Yes. And I need a strand of freshwater pearls.”

Casimir shook his turbaned head. “Don’t keep them in stock, dahling. Sorry. Try the bead shop down the street. They’re damn near putting me out of business. Stupid mundanes, don’t know quality from crapola.”

“Will they work?” I asked him. “For a summoning?”

He struck a pose, tilting his chin and weighing invisible scales on his hands. “Comme ci, comme ça. Maybe. It depends on their mood, Miss Daisy. You know.”