Marcy hurried out from the green room area toward me and I reached for Brett.
She shook her head, grabbing my hand in hers. “You can’t help him like that. Focus on the succu-bitch.”
My gaze snapped to Marla as rage bubbled up from deep within me.
Dana glanced at us and something in her expression changed.
The strangest sensation came over me. It was as if I just knew that if the three of us connected and held hands, we’d be able to stop the woman, succubus-witch-bitch or not.
Dana evidently got the same vibe. She ran to me and grabbed my other hand.
The three of us faced Marla head on.
“Poppy, do what feels natural, sugar,” said a deep familiar voice, with a very Southern accent from near the base of the stairs.
My grandfather was back and was standing there, looking anything but see-through now. I fought the urge to run to him and throw my arms around his neck.
I had a million questions for him, and had missed him dearly, but first we had to do something to help Brett, Jeffrey, and Austin.
My grandfather nodded as if reading my mind. “She holds power over males, Poppy. She can’t fully enthrall the ones here, because they’ve met their true mates. She can’t conquer that kind of destiny and that bond of love. But she can hurt them. But she can’t control powerful women who know what she is and stand against her. Show her what she’s dealing with. Show her the power of friendship, of sisterhood.”
I took a deep breath and focused on the woman who had wrecked my marriage and made my life a living hell for six months. I thought about how she’d first wanted my home in California and then the one here in Grimm Cove. About what she’d done with Thomas and about how much my children loathed her. Anger built in me and then erupted.
Another bolt of lightning came through the open door, hitting her. She shrieked and I laughed as if that was the funniest thing I’d heard all day. She didn’t turn into dust like the man had. No. She turned into a huge ball of green smoke that smelled like sulfur before it dissipated.
There was nothing left of Marla except the smell. It was as if someone had doused the entranceway with the scent of rotten eggs.
Fitting.
I clung to my best friends for dear life. We all just sort of remained in place, as if we were each doing our best to wrap our heads around what had just happened.
Dana began to laugh softly. “Ding-dong, the succu-bitch is dead.”
Marcy giggled. “She is. Her aura was not pretty.”
Brett stood, as did Jeffrey and Austin. They each appeared to be a little unsteady, as if whatever she’d done to them had taken a toll.
“Poppy-seed, what did you do?” asked Brett, his voice barely there. He put a hand out in the direction the green smoke had been. “She’s gone.”
My grandfather was beaming with pride. “My granddaughter taught that no-good, two-bit, power-stealing hussy a lesson she’ll never forget.”
“Grandpa!”
I’d never heard him speak like that before.
He winked. “I’m not wrong. Now, come give your grandad a hug.”
I ran to him and went to hug him, a little worried I’d fall right through him. I connected with a solid mass and it was as if twenty years hadn’t passed since I’d last seen him and he wasn’t actually dead.
He squeezed me tight and kissed the top of my head. “I’ve missed you.”
I teared up. “I missed you too.”
He held me back from him at arm’s length. “Poppy, I tried my best to keep you out of the house and safe from the darkness she brought in.”
Dana snorted. “Ha! It was him doing the key bit at the door.”
My grandfather nodded. “It was. But then I realized that no matter how worried I was, the time had come for you all to be here—where you belong. In Grimm Cove. In this house—at least for now.”
I hugged him again, fighting tears. “Will you go now that the evil is gone? Wait, it is gone, right?”
“I sure in the hell hope it is,” said Dana.
My grandfather laughed softly. “The darkness in the home is gone. It can’t ever return so long as there is good residing and living here. Key word being living.”
“He made a funny,” said Dana. “I really like him. Can we keep him?”
“The ghost of my grandfather is not a pet,” I said sternly.
Grandpa hugged me more. “No. I’m not a pet, but I can reside here on the grounds and within the home for as long as you’ll have me.”
I started to say forever and stopped myself. “Will that keep you from Grandma?”
“Not in the least,” he said quickly.
I glanced around. “Is she here too?”
“Not at the moment,” he said. “She’s preoccupied. But I suspect she’ll be here before long. She’ll be happy to know the two-bit hussy of a succu-witch is dead and gone now too.”
I stiffened. “Really, Grandpa. Who have you been hanging around with on the other side? They’ve clearly been a bad influence.”
“You have your dead grandfather standing in front of you, in the flesh—I think—and you’re worked up over how he talked about that succu-bitch?” asked Dana.
I thought about it more. “Yes?”
“Girl, we need to open some wine and have a long talk,” said Dana.
My grandfather grinned. “She’ll have to pass on the wine. It’s not good for the little ones.”
Marcy squealed, making me jump. “Yay! I was right. It’s happening.”
Brett grabbed for me, pulling me against him. He hugged me to him, shaking slightly. “I thought we’d get here too late. That I’d find you dead.”
I hugged him back.
He froze and looked toward my not-so-dearly-departed grandfather. “Tuck? Little ones?”
Grandpa chuckled and nodded. “Looks like Poppy will be having another set of twins. Like before, a boy and girl. Tucker and Pepper will be so excited. They’re going to love you, Brett. Just like you already love them. And their no-good father will grow to tolerate you, especially since he’ll be living in Grimm Cove too.”
“What?” Brett and I asked together.
Grandpa smiled wider. “Sorry, you don’t know the news yet. Your grandmother was filling me in before the succu-bit—erm—witch got here. Thomas is on his way. He’s already figured out Marla wasn’t human. He’s also figuring out that neither are you, Poppy. Took him a bit to put it all together, but he did. He’ll take some time to get used to the idea his children are natural-born witches, but he won’t be an issue. He’ll remain here and carve out a new life. He’ll be supportive of you with Brett.”
I gasped. “The twins. Are they okay? All these things came at us tonight. Did any of them go at the twins? I talked to them earlier and they were headed out to eat, but I think they were lying to me. Ohmygod, are they hurt?”
I tried to break away from Brett to call my children.
He held me to him.
“They’re fine,” Grandpa said. “Grandma is back with them now. They’re driving this way with some of Brett’s men who had been watching over them and protecting them.”
“Say what?” I asked, and then remembered hearing a voice on the other end of the call with the twins that had sounded remarkably like my grandmother’s. “Whoa. I did hear her earlier?”
“You did,” said Grandpa.
I thought more on what he’d said. My gaze snapped to Brett. “You’ve had who doing what with my children?”
Brett grimaced. “I love you.”
I gave him a stern look. “I love you too.”
“Remember that when you’re yelling at me later. Also, you’re my wife and apparently carrying my little ones already.”
“I’m so excited!” shouted Marcy. “I’m going to be an aunt again. Burgess will be so happy to hear. He loves children.”
Dana groaned. “Yay, more crotch goblins.”
Grandpa snorted. “Stop. You’re not fooling anyone. I know
you like children.”
She lifted a brow in his direction. “I’m not above sprinkling holy water on you, Gramps.”
He laughed more. “That’s the spirit.”
“Ha. You made another funny,” she said with a smile. “I think I’m going to really like you, Tuck. Just don’t eat me or anything, okay?”
He blinked several times. “Eat you?”
“Don’t ask,” I said.
Just then, a huge bolt of lightning streaked across the sky and the rain increased.
Renewed interest came to me as I found all eyes focused on me. Cringing, I lifted my shoulders. “I don’t know how to stop it.”
Grandpa chuckled. “I’ve got this.”
He snapped his fingers and just like that, the storm stopped.
Dana nodded. “You’re handy. Without you I think we’d have needed to start building an ark.”
He grinned.
Brett kissed the top of my head and then directed my attention to him. “Poppy-seed, we’re going to have little ones.”
I tensed. “Brett, I’m forty. I don’t think I have it in me to chase babies around again. They’re a lot of work.”
He flashed a wide smile. “I have it in me. And I love you.”
Dana gagged and went for the green room.
“Dana?” I asked.
“I’m grabbing brooms. We’ve got a lot of vampire dust everywhere. It’s grossing me out,” she said. “Make yourself useful there, wolfie. Come help.”
Jeffrey ran behind her. “Yes, ma’am.”
THE END
Did you enjoy this book? Want to read Dana and Jeffrey’s story next? Be sure to check out Hexing with a Chance of Tornadoes, book two in the Grimm Cove Series.
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