Free Blood of an Ancient by Rinda Elliott

all over the house looking for Blythe. I found the room she was using—I could tell by the huge freaking yellow bag—but I finally located her in the greenhouse holding the tiny box I’d made. Her spirit guide stood a few feet behind her, silent as always. I shivered, hugged my arms to my chest and wished I’d put on a sweater. And shoes. Blythe had left the door open, so it was freezing in here.
    “I took it from Dooby because I don’t think the sprite will like this.” Blythe opened the lid, sniffed it and wrinkled her nose. “It’s like a coffin.”
    “Then I did better than I thought. Don’t vampires sleep in coffins?”
    She frowned. “In the movies, but not in real life. And why would they? Think about it. You’re basically dead, but it would be sad to be dead, so why sleep in something that’s just a reminder that you’re dead?”
    Phro appeared beside me and hopped up on one of the two tables. “Here she goes.”
    I stared at Phro, still pissed about her disappearance earlier. “Blythe, it’s a vampire. It’s not alive and did you notice his cape and tuxedo? Trust me, he sleeps in a coffin. It’s like he swallowed the entire old-vampire movie collection when he was turned.”
    She set it down and picked up a bigger piece of wood. “I think I could build him a better box, one that would give him room for stuff. Maybe paint it yellow so it’s cheerful.”
    Pain throbbed behind my eyes again, so I rubbed my temples and sighed. “I’m sure he’d appreciate your offer of a yellow mini-apartment, but I couldn’t care less about how he feels right now. Just think about how dark a nature vampires have, think about all the little pieces of furniture he had on that table. Think he wants to live in anything yellow?”
    “I suppose not. But he’s a sprite too. I met sprites once—at a witches’ summit. They were always flying around me and telling me how pretty I looked in my dresses. They said I looked and smelled like flowers.”
    “You do smell like flowers. It’s better than the dirt you said I smelled like.”
    Blythe dropped the wood and propped her hands on her hips. “I said you smelled like honeysuckle and clean dirt. There’s a big difference. But lately, you smell kind of—” She broke off and covered her mouth with her hand.
    “What? That sprite said the hell dimension. Those dweller demons smelled like vomit. Please tell me I don’t smell like that.”
    “Oh no, no. But you do have a little of that ill smell to you. It’s faintly metallic. And it’s stronger than it was earlier today. But the honeysuckle is still there and it’s nice.”
    “You don’t have to flatter me, Blythe. I’m a big girl.” I looked at the little box. “As for his new sleeping container, just remember that the vamp virus probably canceled out all that sprite happy.” I leaned my hip against the table, not caring that I’d get dirt on my clothes. I already had it on me. “Your dream spell sent me to Nikolos. I think that’s why the hell dimension smell is stronger.”
    Blue eyes went global. “He didn’t come to you?”
    I shook my head. “I just woke up with him. Didn’t get to see how to get there or anything. But it’s bad. I don’t want him there any longer, so I’m ready to head out. You can sleep in the car.”
    “Take this first.” She handed me a beautiful silver ring with a flat, hammered top. There was a tiny, delicate white petal in the center with something clear over it. “I had to use resin. It’s not as pretty as something I’d normally make, but I didn’t have a lot of time.” She shrugged. “Resin works fast and, this way, I could get the Master of the Woods plant in something permanent. I spelled the rings for extra protection.”
    I looked around for ashes, sniffed the air for smoke.
    She blushed. “I don’t cause a fire every time I do magic, Beri. And this was a simple wish spell. The magic was in the creation of the rings and in the