Discord Jones: Black Magic Shadows Part 10

We left the carnival about eleven, and decided to walk to visit Tase.

The Barrows were more active and crowded at night. Vampires required their six hours of recharging during daylight hours, though some did need to hit the coffin just before sunrise. Others wouldn't rise until after the sun set.

Even then, I'd learned their deady-bye times varied from season to season, based on the amount of daylight. That had been a downer for me, since I'd thought those times were set in stone.

But no, only that each slept at a full six hours was a firm rule. Because of that, there were always vampires awake in the Barrows, even during the day. They just had to stay out of the sun.

The tourists were out in full force at night, too, dressed for partying. We pa.s.sed groups of young adults and older teens, and held hands to keep from being separated. "I don't get it."

"Don't get what?" Logan glanced at me, Mr. Pansy tucked under his other arm.

"Why so many people want to mingle with vampires. What's the allure?"

"They're different."

"Yeah, but this different is also dangerous, and those two things usually cause fear. Fear can turn to hatred, and that tends to result in prejudice." Or so said my twenty-one years of conscious experience. "And humans have a habit of wanting to be the same, or trying to force people to be like them."

He thought about that for a few steps. "As far as I know, that's not something that only applies to humans. Every species forms groups. Like-minded groups, that feel they're right or special in some fashion."

"I guess. Maybe I'm missing the vamp groupie gene." Probably the elf groupie gene too. "Because I did not like getting bitten and having my blood sucked."

"Some people do." Logan guided me through a knot of drunken revelers. "Couldn't tell you why."

"I also don't get the allure of immortality. Who wants to live forever? At some point, it has to become boring."

"Not if you don't remember all of it."

I made a face. "How can they forget?"

"Brains aren't limitless storage boxes, not even for elves or vampires. h.e.l.l, I can't remember what I ate last week, or every single thing I did each day. Can you?"

"No."

Logan smiled. "Pretty sure they can't, either. But we do remember the big events, and the special ones."

"True, but after a few thousand years, those kinds of events are going to repeat, aren't they?"

"I suppose, but they won't be exactly the same."

Wrinkling my nose, I said, "I still think it'd get boring."

"So do I, but then, I'm not an elf or vampire."

By then we'd reached the correct street to turn down. One or more of the gargoyles' neighbors appeared to be having parties, judging by the lights, noise, and groups of people dotting the street.

The gates were closed when we reached the late Esme's estate. I looked up at the gargoyle perched on the left wall. "h.e.l.lo. We've come to visit Tase."

The gargoyle came to life to look down. "You may enter. Please close the gate behind you."

"Sure. Thanks." The double gates had a simple lift and drop latch. Logan reset the latch once we'd walked through.

A small blur flew toward us. I hastily lifted my hand. "Hey, Tase."

"h.e.l.lo." The baby gargoyle landed neatly on my palm. "Who is he?"

"This is my friend, Logan."

"h.e.l.lo, Logan."

"Hi, Tase."

The little guy settled his wings and sat up. "I'm pleased to meet you."

"Same here."

I wondered if Logan was as charmed by Tase as I was. "Mama says we can sit in the garden to visit."

"Okay." I patted my purse. "I brought a sponge."

We'd stopped on the way to the Barrows to buy one.

"Neat." Tase leaped from my hand, his wings flapping. He flew a circle around Mr. Pansy's head. "Sponges are really big."

I giggled. "That's not the sponge. It's a stuffed animal."

"Then what is that?"

"It's a toy bear."

"Oh. This way." Tase banked, turned, and flew down the walk. We followed. He led us to a small, gra.s.sy square with a round stone table and cushion-topped benches.

Tase landed on the table and watched as Logan sat Mr. Pansy on one of the benches. I pulled out a small bottle of water and the cellophane-wrapped sponge before sitting down. Logan sat beside me, the faint curve of his lips hinting at amus.e.m.e.nt.

"This is a sponge." I opened both of my show-and-tell props and demonstrated the sponge's ability to soak up spilled water. After that, we tried to explain why we were carrying a stuffed animal around, and chit-chatted for a little while. Finally, I said, "it's getting late. We should go."

"May I have the sponge?"

"Sure."

Tase's tail whipped left and right as he wrinkled his tiny snout into a grin. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Do you want me to carry it for you?"

"I can carry it. When will you come see me again?"

"In a few days." I stroked his back with my finger, making a note to bring him another present. Something better than a kitchen sponge. "See you then, and please tell your mother we said h.e.l.lo."

"I will. Bye." The baby gargoyle pounced on the sponge, digging his claws into it, and unfurled his wings. "Bye, Logan."

"Good night, Tase." Logan slid off the bench to retrieve Mr. Pansy. I rose, collecting the wrapper and empty water bottle.

Tase managed to lift the sponge two inches off the table, and slowly, drunkenly, flapped away.

"How cute is he?" I asked when we began walking.

"Extremely."

"Do you think he'd like some blocks or toy cars?"

"Maybe." Logan reached for my hand. "You might have to explain them to him."

When we reached the gate, I paused. "How safe is it here, with all the gargoyles? At night, I mean."

"It's probably the safest place in the city. Why?"

"Safe enough to bring my brothers to meet Tase?"

He nodded. "Yes. Gargoyles are particularly fond of children, from the stories I've heard."

"Cool." All I'd have to do is talk Dad and Betty into allowing me to bring the boys. Probably easier thought of than done. Shelving the idea for future consideration, I unlatched the gate.

"I had a really good time." We were at my front door. Logan had refused my offer of coffee, mentioning he knew my weekend would be busy.

"So did I. I guess we'll see each other at the ball."

"Yeah." Where I'd be someone else's date. Stupid elf.

"Okay." Logan touched my cheek, tilting his head, and I accepted his implicit invitation, meeting his lips.

There were few things I enjoyed more than kissing him, though I suspected the physical stuff would only get better as our relationship progressed.

"Good night," he said, once the kiss ended.

"Night." Watching him leave, I couldn't stop smiling. If nothing else in my life was going right, at least this one thing-Logan and me-seemed to be.

TEN.

I didn't sleep in the next morning, knowing I probably would Sunday thanks to my overnight guests.

After jogging, shower, and breakfast, I spent a couple of hours washing clothes before going grocery shopping. By the time I'd unloaded and put things away, it was time to go pick up Tonya.

I drove, in case she wanted to stop somewhere before we headed home, and she did. Once we'd said "Bye" to Mom, and the teen's husky, Kyra, and were in my car, Tonya said, "Video store?"

"Logan hooked up my TV to the home network. We can rent online."

"Okay. Dollar store?"

"For what?"

The teen bounced. "Nail stuff and makeup. How else are we going to do makeovers?"

"Okay." On the street, I asked, "How's the studies going?"

She turned a huge, bright smile my way. "They think I'm nearly ready for a familiar."

"That's a big step, right?"

"Huge step. I'll be able to do more than light candles and mix the easy potions with a familiar."

"Awesome." I wondered how long she'd been comatose after the Melding. Tonya would've been eight or nine when it happened. From past conversations, I knew most of my witch buddies had slept for a month or two. All of them, except Tonya, were a few years older than me. Deciding it wasn't too intrusive, I asked, "How long did the Melding knock you out for?"

"Forty-three days." Her smile was gone. "I missed my mom's funeral."

"I'm sorry." c.r.a.p, I shouldn't have asked.

"Wasn't your fault. We'd left the fireworks show early, trying to avoid traffic. A drunk driver ran a red light." Tonya lifted her shoulder. "She hit us. I remember the car spinning around, and hitting my head on the door. Then I woke up in the hospital all that time later."

Ah. That's why no one had realized she was a witch before. "They thought your coma was because of the accident."

"Yeah. I did too." She let her shoulder fall and grinned. "But no, I'm one of the freaks."

I lifted my hand from the shifter k.n.o.b, and made a fist. "Freak power."

"Freak power." Tonya fist-b.u.mped me, and we both laughed.

Terra and Alanna were waiting on the front porch when we arrived. Both bounced up to hurry to the car, and hugs ensued all around.

It seemed sort of funny they were excited about the sleepover. The clan held regular gatherings, and they spent a lot of time together every day.

Then again, maybe that was why, because spending a night elsewhere was unusual. Even if the elsewhere wasn't all that far from home.

"I bought stuff to make pizzas," I said once we were inside.

"I'll help." Terra left Alanna at the dinette table with Tonya, ignoring the lure of makeup and twenty different colors of nail polish.

"I cheated. Picked up readymade crusts."

"Okay." We pulled out all the makings while Tonya talked Alanna into being the first makeover victim.

Terra started slicing the bell peppers. "How was the big date?"