Shit just got real

The drive back to Joey’s apartment felt different after Crystal’s place.

Less confused.

More dangerous.

Nobody said it out loud, but the carved tracking sigil changed things.

This was real now.

Hunters were actively searching for them.

And judging by Cassandra’s increasingly distant expression as she stared out the car window, she was already planning for war.

Crystal finally broke the silence.

“So…” she said slowly from the passenger seat, “how many psychotic vampire **** people are there exactly?”

Cassandra considered the question.

“Enough.”

Crystal groaned loudly.

“That is not a number!”

“It is the correct number.”

Joey snorted despite the tension.

Crystal pointed accusingly at Cassandra. “You do that on purpose.”

“Yes.”

“At least she’s honest,” Joey muttered.

Cassandra glanced toward him in the rearview mirror.

The tiny pulse of warmth through their bond made Joey instantly aware of her attention again.

Which was becoming a serious problem.

Especially because now he could also feel when Cassandra was amused.

Or smug.

Or attracted to someone.

Which became extremely unfortunate about five minutes later.

“Pull into that parking lot,” Cassandra suddenly said.

Joey blinked. “The antique store?”

“It’s not an antique store.”

The faded neon sign outside literally read:

## *MADAME ZORA’S ANTIQUES & ODDITIES*

Joey pointed at it.

“It says antique store.”

“It says many things.”

“That sounded ominous.”

“It was meant to.”

Crystal leaned forward slightly. “Wait… this is supernatural stuff, isn’t it?”

Cassandra smiled faintly.

“Very.”

The shop sat squeezed between a laundromat and a closed pawn shop, its windows cluttered with strange statues, old books, candles, jewelry, and enough creepy dolls to violate several laws of nature.

Joey parked reluctantly.

“I hate this place already.”

“You hate all my favorite places.”

“That cannot possibly be true.”

Cassandra opened the car door gracefully.

“You survived a vampire attack and still think Burger Chief is acceptable food. Your opinions are questionable.”

Crystal burst out laughing while Joey looked betrayed.

“I cooked for you!”

“And it was adorable.”

Joey groaned as the girls climbed out of the car together.

Then paused.

Because he noticed something.

People were staring.

Not at him.

At Cassandra and Crystal.

Which made sense.

Cassandra looked like immortal gothic temptation incarnate.

Crystal looked like the kind of woman people accidentally walked into walls staring at.

Standing together?

It was unfair to civilization.

And now Joey’s enhanced senses could actually hear nearby men whispering.

“…holy shit…”

“…which one do you think is dating him…”

“…how the hell…”

Joey immediately walked faster.

Crystal noticed instantly.

“…Are you jealous?”

“What? No.”

“You literally sped up.”

“I’m trying not to get murdered by vampire hunters.”

Cassandra smirked slightly.

Through the bond Joey felt a distinct wave of amusement.

And satisfaction.

Which confused him until he realized—

she liked that he was protective.

That thought alone nearly made him walk into the shop door.

The bell above the entrance jingled softly as they entered.

The inside smelled like incense, dust, and old paper.

The lights were dim.

Too dim.

Shelves packed with strange objects lined the walls.

Animal skulls.

Silver knives.

Bundles of dried herbs.

Ancient-looking books.

And at the back counter sat a massive woman in a red velvet robe reading a magazine.

Without looking up, she spoke.

“You brought hunters to my street, Cassandra.”

Her voice was deep enough to shake furniture.

“Lovely to see you too, Greta,” Cassandra replied smoothly.

Now the woman looked up.

Her eyes immediately landed on Joey.

Then Crystal.

Then slowly back to Cassandra.

Greta’s eyebrows climbed toward the ceiling.

“…Well,” she rumbled. “You’ve been busy.”

Crystal coughed awkwardly.

Joey wanted to disappear forever.

Cassandra looked entirely too calm.

“We need supplies.”

“You usually need corpses.”

“Different kind of evening.”

Greta tossed the magazine aside and stood.

She was enormous.

Tall, broad, intimidating.

Joey immediately understood why nobody robbed this place.

Greta circled Joey slowly.

“Hm.”

Joey stiffened.

“Uh…”

Then Greta leaned down slightly and sniffed the air near him.

“…Interesting.”

Joey looked horrified.

“She just smell-tested me!”

Cassandra actually laughed.

“You smell partially vampire now,” Greta explained casually. “It’s unusual.”

Crystal pointed immediately.

“THANK YOU. Finally somebody says how weird this all is.”

Greta ignored her entirely.

Instead she looked directly at Cassandra.

“He fed you willingly.”

Not a question.

Cassandra’s expression shifted slightly.

“…Yes.”

Greta’s eyes flicked toward Joey again with sudden interest.

“Well now,” she murmured.

Joey hated how mysterious everyone was being around him lately.

“I’m standing right here, by the way.”

“Naturally,” Greta replied.

Crystal wandered toward a nearby shelf while Cassandra discussed supplies.

Silver-resistant salves.

Protective charms.

Ammunition.

Things Joey absolutely did not want explained in detail.

Then Crystal held something up.

“…Why is this handcuff fuzzy?”

Greta answered without missing a beat.

“Depends who bought it.”

Joey nearly choked.

Cassandra looked delighted.

Crystal smirked slightly while inspecting the cuffs.

“Huh.”

Joey immediately pointed.

“No.”

Crystal blinked innocently. “No what?”

“You know exactly what.”

Cassandra drifted over beside Crystal smoothly.

“Mmm,” she purred while examining the cuffs. “Leather lining. Good craftsmanship.”

Joey closed his eyes.

“This is punishment for something.”

Crystal looked between Cassandra and the handcuffs with growing curiosity.

“…You know,” she said carefully, “I’m starting to think maybe *you* weren’t kidding earlier.”

Cassandra tilted her head.

“About?”

Crystal hesitated.

Then quietly:

“…The being told what to do thing.”

Joey physically slapped a hand over his own face.

“Oh my God.”

Cassandra’s eyes gleamed crimson for half a second.

Not hypnotizing.

Interested.

Predatory.

“Crystal,” she said softly, “if I wanted to manipulate you, you would know.”

The air suddenly felt warmer.

Crystal swallowed visibly.

And Joey—

thanks to the emotional bond—

felt exactly how much Cassandra was enjoying the reaction she was getting.

Which somehow made *him* flustered too.

“This entire store is cursed,” Joey muttered.

Greta barked out a booming laugh from across the room.

“Oh, I like him,” she announced.

“That makes one of us,” Joey grumbled.

Eventually Cassandra finished gathering supplies into a black duffel bag:

* silver-resistant bandages,

* enchanted chalk,

* protective charms,

* knives,

* small vials of dark liquid Joey absolutely did not ask about.

As they headed toward the door, Greta stopped Cassandra with one final sentence.

“Be careful.”

The humor vanished instantly.

Greta looked genuinely serious now.

“The hunters are getting organized again.”

Cassandra’s expression darkened.

“…I noticed.”

Greta’s gaze shifted toward Joey.

Then Crystal.

“Which means they’ll come after the people around you first.”

That silenced everyone.

The weight of those words followed them all the way back to the car.

And as Joey drove them home through the darkening Louisiana streets—

he couldn’t shake the feeling that something out there was already watching them