Page 36 of Hallows End

“I’m pretty sure the earth moved,” I say. “Literally. Was there an earthquake?”

“Maybe a small one.”

When I look up into his face, he’s grinning with so much pride it makes me giggle.

Suddenly, Nera starts to bark downstairs.

“You’ve got to be kidding me, Nera,” I mutter as I get out of bed and pull my robe around me. “I told him not to bug us unless it was an emergency.”

“We should bring him up here,” Jonas suggests. “He’s not used to being without you.”

“Sometimes a girl needs some privacy,” I remind him with a wink and then walk out of the bedroom and downstairs to where Nera is standing, looking into the apothecary and snarling. “What is it?”

He doesn’t even look back at me, he just continues barking and growling, the hair on his back standing on end.

“Nera?”

But he only gets louder. I call out to Jonas.Help!

I hear his footsteps above me as he hurries from the bed and down the stairs. When he reaches us, he walks directly in front of us and starts to speak.

“You hold no power here.” His voice is strong and firm. “You are not welcome. Get out of this house and don’t return.”

Nera whimpers and leans into my side, and I gently pet his back from his neck to his tail in long, reassuring strokes.

A quick wind passes through, and then everything goes quiet once more.

“I have wards.” I hear the shakiness in my voice. “I place spells and jars all over this building. How in the world was something able to get in?”

“It’s strong,” is all Jonas says, his face set in grim lines. “And first thing tomorrow, we’re calling the coven to come and set protection spells around not only this house but Breena’s and Lorelei’s, as well. I felt what happened at Breena’s today.”

“Oh.” I blink, surprised. “I didn’t even connect this to that.”

“It’s the same.” He props his hands on his hips. He’s still shirtless, and his jeans hang low on his lean hips.

I could just bite him.

“I don’t know why it’s attempting to get to each of you now. Unless it’s trying to scare you away and keep you from helpingme.”

ButIknow why. Damn it, I should have realized earlier today what it was.

“Jonas. It has to be the same entity that killed my mother. The one that’s killed them all.”

“In that case, we’ll do more than cast spells. And we won’t wait for morning.”

ChapterNine

Jonas

“It’s almost dawn,” Lucy murmurs. Nera hasn’t left her side all night as we traveled as a coven from house to house, starting at Lucy’s and then going to Lorelei’s. Now, we’re at Breena’s.

I was impressed by how quickly the members of the coven came together. How they jumped into action, bringing their tools with them so we could work as a team to add layers of protection to each of the homes.

We’ve just finished a mirror spell, completing the night’s work. The rest of the coven members have taken their leave, looking weary and on edge as they head home to ward their own homes, just in case.

So far, only the three cousins have been under any kind of attack, but there are still several weeks to go until Samhain, and anything could happen.

After saying goodbye to the last members to leave, Xander joins me, the cousins, and Giles, who stayed back. Giles’s face is set in grim lines, and his hands are on his hips.