Free An Imperfect Witch by Debora Geary

Fifteen, sixteen maybe.”  Exactly the type the darker side of Berkeley would gobble as an appetizer.
    “You sure she’s hit the streets?”  Trinity’s voice was loaded with disdain.  “New kids don’t last long.”
    Which was exactly why the street tough had a soft spot in her heart for them—and why Lizard had come to find her.  “I know.  I don’t think she made it as far as the streets.”  Raven wasn’t broken enough for that.  Living on the edge, just like Lizard had always done, but not over it.
    Until a stupid realtor had spooked her.
    “What’s she look like?”  Trinity snapped her fingers in front of Lizard’s face.  “Your missing kid.  Time’s ticking, noodle lady.  Gonna be deep dark before much longer.  New kids don’t know shit about the dark.”
    Fear grabbed a new fistful of Lizard’s insides.  “Small, like me.  Dark hair, big attitude.”
    “We all got attitudes, sister.  Hers just smells shiny and new.”
    Not for long.  Lizard tried to think—panicking wasn’t going to help anyone.  “She’s smart.  Thinks.”
    “Yeah.  That house gig was a damn good idea.”  Trinity looked thoughtful.
    Just what she needed.  “It would have landed her ass in juvie.”
    “If she got caught.  Which she did.”  The street-wise girl shrugged.  “Not so smart, then.”
    Hard to hide from a witch.  “Blue hoodie, grungy jeans.  And she had this bag.”  Lizard tried to pull Raven’s gear up in her head—she’d only seen the bag for a few seconds.  “Big, ugly, Dr. Who logo.  One of those phone-booth things.”
    “A Tardis, girl—where you been?”  Trinity shook her head.  “That’ll work.  Peeps will be wanting a piece of that, so they’ll remember her.”
    Acid burned up Lizard’s throat.  “She’ll be hungry—she skipped out on food.”
    “Amateur.”  Trinity shook her head a second time and then stuck it back in her digs.  “Yo, people.  We gotta find a runner.  Mini like noodle lady here, dark hair, hoodie, carrying a Tardis bag.  New, so look in all the dumb places.”  She pulled her head back out and eyed Lizard.  “You offering a reward?”
    Her next month’s paycheck.  “Yeah.  I won’t puke on your shoes if you find her.”
    Trinity smirked.  “Good enough.”
    Shadows made their way out of the opening.  Kids who knew how to blend.
    Lizard turned to go.  She knew some places to check.
    A hand on her arm stopped her.  “You go home.”
    Fury boiled under Lizard’s ribs.  “I know the streets well enough.”
    “You did.”  Dark eyes met hers steadily—and dark fingers traced the bracelet on her wrist.  “But you’re different now.  You let stuff get to you.  And I’m sure as shit not sending out a search party for two minis.”
    “I’m tougher than I look.”  And it mattered right now, for some reason she couldn’t fathom.  “And so’s Raven.”
    “That’s good.”  Something that was almost respect eased into Trinity’s eyes.  “Gives me some places to start looking.”
    Lizard followed her down the alleyway, totally at sea.  “Where’s that?”
    “Go home, sister—you’ll just slow me down.  And kiss that sexy man for me.”  Trinity turned, eyes fierce.  “You have a home to go to.  That makes you strong, and that girl’s gonna need you strong.  I’ll find her.  You figure out how to keep her the hell off my streets.”
    -o0o-
    “I’m gonna squish you into little itty-bitty smooshie stuff and feed you to the fishies!”
    “Nuh, uh.  Not if I eat your toes first.”
    “MonsterZilla toes will make your tummy burp purple bubbles, evil Darth.  ROOOAAARRR!”
    Lauren listened as her husband let out an enormous burp and dissolved himself and his pint-sized playmate into storms of laughter.  There were very few adults in the world as capable of outrageous silliness as Devin Sullivan.
    And not too many who could burp that loudly, either.
    She was sitting on her couch, laptop