There was a commotion behind us, and the “ass buster” light at the DJ pit started to spin. Darth had gone down, taking three people with him. I was silent as my thoughts drifted from Marshal’s goals to mine, and then to Ivy. God, I hoped she was all right. It seemed so cold to be out enjoying myself when she was trying to find out who had killed Kisten. But it wasn’t as if I could go into a den of vamps and demand information. Like I said, she did the vamps, I did the demons.

“Hey,” Marshal said, giving me a tentative punch on my arm. “You weren’t supposed to go all serious.” I smiled up at him, and he added, “You want something to drink?”

I glanced at the clock yet again. “Sure. Sounds good.”

Together we angled ourselves past the trio of traditionally dressed witches complete with black hats, arm in arm as they tried to do the cancan. We took the step up together onto the carpeted rest area, and I took a fast breath as my momentum cycled down to nothing in two seconds flat. The air suddenly felt warmer, and the music louder. It was only when I stopped that I realized how fast we’d been going. Again, sort of like my life.

I tucked my hair behind my ear when Marshal leaned in so I could hear him better. “What do you want?” he asked, his eyes on the line.

Besides to know what the hell is going on? “How about a slushie?” I suggested. “Something green.”

“Something green,” he repeated. “You got it. Why don’t you grab a table?”

I nodded, and he moved to the line, settling in with his attention on the glowing menu. Looking at the clock, I felt like Cinderella. We had lots of time, but I honestly didn’t know how vampires did this. Most public places had emergency sun shelters that they charged you beaucoup bucks for. Sacred ground was a little more difficult to come by.