A low thrumming was forming in the center of Maddy’s brain as he forced himself out of the shower and into his work uniform, the only other clothes he had on him. He desperately needed to sleep, but as the yelling- mostly from Bill surprisingly- he realized that it was becoming less and less likely he’d get it.

  He took one last look in the mirror and placed his towel around his neck to cover the bite mark. Maybe it was the way Greyson referred to as a servant bite that made him feel embarrassed about it, but the last thing he wanted was for others to see it and if Dee saw it he’d never hear the end of it. His brain already started whirring with ways to talk about what happened tonight, without opening up too much. The dance, the game, of hiding the truth coming to him so naturally, even when he wanted to be honest.

  He walked down the stairs and noticed an odd tension in the air. Dee was leaning over the couch, her arms dangled over the back. Her hair and clothes were slightly damp. It must have started to rain outside. One quick glance at Bill with a soaked shirt and jeans confirmed it.

  Meanwhile, Taiyo still stood in the kitchen, half a dozen odd-shaped mugs rested on the counter by the stove as he ripped open a box of snacks and placed them in a bowl before setting it down on the table already donned with a store-bought babka.

  Maddy grinned. For someone who resisted having guests over, Taiyo certainly took the job of host very seriously. His scent of ash and scotch filled the space.

  Instinct told him to turn his head and he found a pair of silver hues looking back at him, the corners crinkled with subtle delight as if their owner was saying, “Hello, again.”

  His own smile was quickly wiped off his face at the shrill sound of Dee calling his name when she noticed who Greyson was looking up at. “Maddy, baby! I didn’t mean to leave you tonight, but you looked fine drinking with Alfonzo. I thought you’d be fine,” She hopped off the couch to greet him by the stairs, pulling him into a tight hug. His whole body stiffened and he snapped his jaw shut to keep from screaming as pain shot up his back. “But the minute I found out you left I came racing back. Had to grab Bill of course, and then there was the issue of waiting for a car to pick us up-“

  “I think it would be best if you let him go,” Greyson said placing a hand on Dee’s shoulder.

  She looked up at him with furrowed brows but stepped back. Turning her face once again to Maddy. “Why? Are you hurt?”

  “Just a little sore,” He said heat climbing up his cheeks.

  Before Dee could ask, Bill came from behind Greyson and asked, “What happened.” His eyes immediately narrowed at Greyson. “Did he hurt you?”

  “Oh, you would that wouldn’t you.” Greyson rolled his eyes.

  “I told you to get out,” Bill growled.

  Greyson turned to face him. “And I already told you no. I was invited in and if you have a bone to pick, do it with your owner.”

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  “Fuck you,” Bill cursed as Taiyo snapped at Greyson from the kitchen, “Watch your mouth.”

  A pit formed in Maddy’s stomach. Did all not get along with one another? He’d only ever known witches and they weren’t too kind to him, but he just figured it was because he was an annoying little human the Tarkirk’s adopted. It wasn’t like they could guess anything else.

  Dee tugged on his arm. When he looked down at her she gestured with her head to the door. But he hesitated. He knew going with her meant speaking with Dr.Tarkirk and another spell. It was the right thing to do, but he needed answers. How did the hunter find him? Could he be the one to kill Mr. Nanabo? There were burn marks all over his body.

  “Let’s go,” She whispered as Taiyo continued to admonish Greyson tearing open another bag of snacks and placing it on the table. “We don’t need them. You’ll be okay with me.”

  Those words could have been a spell. He nodded, her comfort turning his worry into goo, and started walking toward the front door.

  “Where the hell do you think you’re going?” Greyson snapped at her.

  “Home,” Dee jutted her chin at him. “It’s late and Maddy needs rest. You two can continue your pissing contest without him.”

  Greyson was at the door in three long strides, leaving Bill to scowl by the stairs. “There is a hunter out there-”

  “What the hell?!” Her eyes went wide glancing between him and Greyson. “Is that what you meant by being a little sore? We have to leave.” She tried to move around Greyson, but he was too quick for her. “My father is the greatest-“ Dee began her hands growing warm in Maddy’s hand.

  “What aren’t you understanding? A hunter is trying to drag him back to the border. You go out there, you’re practically asking to get caught and killed.” Greyson raised his voice, smacking his hand on the door.

  “Border?” Maddy turned to Greyson with furrowed brows, “You mentioned that at the park. What Border?” Willow Creek was in the middle of Massachusetts there weren’t any borders around.

  Greyson’s eyes went wide before his gaze narrowed, a mix of disbelief and anger crossing his face. He placed that look on Dee. “He doesn’t know.”

  Dee scoffed. “Of course he knows,” She waved a hand. “He just can’t talk about it. Right Maddy?”

  Maddy looked down at her, she did her best to keep her expression calm, but he wasn’t sure if it was his heartbeat or hers that thumped into the hands they shared. She was talking about that place. The place where all were from- where his real parents were from, but she’d failed to tell him that there was some magical entrance to it at the park, park.

  Greyson clicked his tongue, “That’s not what I meant and you know it. He doesn’t know that he lived twenty fucking minutes from his kind.”

  Suddenly it was as if Dee was the only other person in the room. The blood in his veins thrummed in his ears, he spoke slowly partially from disbelief and the other from fear of what the spell might do to him if he said the wrong thing. “Is this… True?”

  She opened her mouth, but the kettle on the stove let out a loud whistle, and for a moment that was the only sound that filled the space.

  The spell around him squeezed and slithered around his body, but like a flashlight without any juice it wasn’t strong enough to stop an onslaught of questions and memories of the times he’d been so close to the border and a zap of pain would ward him off, only to forget the interaction a moment later.

  Taiyo eventually stood to take the kettle off the stove and when he did Greyson spoke again through a clenched jaw, his eyes boring holes into Dee, “Sit. Down. Now.”