Free BloodMoon by David VanDyke, Drew VanDyke Page A

dog-thing trot over and follow her into the open space that flowed from the kitchen into the informal dining and family room. Amber kept her petite hand on his collar.
    “What a beautiful specimen,” Sister Lena commented and the rest of the witches ooh ed and ahh ed.
    “He doesn’t behave very well, at least not yet. We just got him from the pound,”
Amber said. “Siegfried, sit.”
    He did.
    Sister Lena raised her hand and the standard white poodle trotted over to her and sat at her feet. Without a treat. She looked into his eyes and I could feel the communication going on, but for once I was not privy to its contents, thank God. Give me my own head space for a bit.
    Lena looked at Amber and said quietly, “He says you haven’t done the familiar communication spell.”
    “Not yet.” Amber looked away and it suddenly dawned on me: she was scared to try. “I’m not scared,” she answered my unspoken comment. “I just. I guess, I mean, it feels like if I do this, then…”
    “There’s no going back,” I finished for her.
    “Yeah,” she said, and then shut down the bond.
    “And you’re afraid of…?” Sister Lena said.
    “What if someone finds out? What will I ever say?”
    “Whose business is it anyway?” I asked. “As long as you fly under the radar.”
    “Yes, but what about Rhonda?” she blurted.
    “Oh.” I’d forgotten about that. Our stepmom has a terrible history as a gossip. For a while there, after my Dad and she got married, it seemed that no matter what we talked about to her or even just Dad, it would suddenly be broadcast among the Scott clan or her own family, her daughters and siblings, with whom we had occasional contact. Eventually we learned only to share things with Dad and Rhonda if we didn’t mind it getting out. But with Rhonda involved with Street Witches, let’s just say the warning signs read “complicated.”
    “I bet Rhonda will have more to lose than you if she tells Dad. That’s why they moved out of California anyway, so they wouldn’t have to deal with us as much.”
    “You’re probably right,” Amber said, but she didn’t look convinced. She then turned to Sister Lena and filled her in on our stepmother’s visit.
    “You know, if you’d like,” the head witch offered, “the Street Witches can keep your stepmother busy while she’s here. We have so many events, lectures, and activities, I bet we could fill her schedule so tight you’d hardly have to see her.”
    “See, Amber? No sweat,” I said. “I bet after the first day she’ll be dying to stay at the hotel so she doesn’t have to put up with our chaos. And you know the pack and I would be happy to provide a little chaos for you. You need any landscaping done? Or you could finally enlarge your walk-in closet and that would make the guest room a catchall for all your clothes in the meantime. I bet Darcy would give you a discount; she still works at California Closets.”
    “I have been wanting more shoe space,” she said wistfully.
    “See, now there you go,” I said, but I thought, between witches, werewolves and wardrobe, I think we’ve got you covered.
    “So, the familiar communication spell…” Sister Lena said.
    “And, once Amber does it, will I have my head to myself again?”
    Sister Lena looked at me with a sad face and said, “No, sorry, ducks. I’m afraid you’re stuck with him.” She shrugged. “It’s a dog thing.”
    Hey! How did she know? I thought, but I kept my mouth shut. Just another bullet point to add to “Ashlee’s list of things she should probably learn about.”
    Amber pulled Lena aside as I got down to cleaning up after the witches. They were soon trickling out the door to wherever the night was calling them.
    I heard the name Jeanetta Macdonald mentioned and pricked up my ears, sliding into a position I could see them. Sister Lena was speaking. “You know, we have sister witches who work in the prison system and it’s their job to keep the paranormals