Holding steady with her glowing white ruatum wi Zoe. “As you have caught me.” She smacked her lips. “Magi find ways around many things, mostly studying. You pull up what you need, almost like having a supernatural i.” Tatum walked out and pulled Zoe to the front to stand with her and Stelin. “Now, it’s my idea that after this mess with the fire is over, whe deeper into how you use these gifts that Gaia has provided..it will be done so with lots of food and very informal.” She smiled at the small group. “The more we look the part of a magic-user, the easier the enemy has to spot us.” Tatum ughed, “Ideally we want to surprise the vampires.”

  “Tatum.” A voice came from the back, a little more deep yet still feminine. “What is io keep you from being ‘The Loved One’? I personally have no i in having my young daughter fall into another cult.”

  Waving for the others to open a pathway so she could see, Tatum’s features rexed and she felt her heart boung heavily in her chest. “Oh child. e here a me see you, I also want to see that precious baby of yours.” Tatum looked at the rest of her fused students, “Ladies aleme your Assistant Teacher…or my fellow archmage, Captaiher Addison.” Tatum looked at all the fused young mages. “She is primarily a healer, but she does know magic quite equal to my own.” Tatum looked around as the look on her face lost its luster. “She knows ‘The Raven’ personally. Their stro…” Tatum watched as Heather slowly made her way betweeher students and into her arms, a grateful hug immediately afterward. “...Have you been trying to find Vivienne? I have heard a rumor that you spoke to her just before ‘The Loved One’ perished.”

  Although clearly older than a woman should have been to have a small child attached to her chest, Heather kissed her small baby. “Tatum, no. I have been making sure this little one was safe.” Heather looked around and poio the glow of ial Heights burning into ash. “Vampires?”

  Collectively shaking their heads, all of the students held off answering the question in favor of defaulting to their leader. “Doctor Addison..” Tatum watched the older woman’s brown-gray hair blow in a hot wind. “...It appears I will answer your questions soon.” She turned around and added the bloodstone-enhanced ‘sticky’ water akin to tree sap to her house and spread the remaining dust across her sidewalk and stairs so she could get in and out of the house. “That should give us a little privacy for a bit.” Tatum looked at the others. “I will get to our expectations ter. Take another walk around the subdivision and see if there are any breaks ier, I am sure we all felt that heat wave, the fires are moving.” Tatum looped her arm through Heathers’ and waved for Zoe to follow. “I will need a witness Zoe…” Tatum gave a small kiss to the infant and then as she walked into her home gave Heather a treasured look. “I have something to give you.”

  With a polite and quick little expnation of the rooms they were passing, Tatum stopped her small talk when she opened a heavy oak door to her offibsp; Rows of case w and statutes for both US w and Virginia state w covered most of the walls. A huge mahogany desk sat in front of a retively good-sized bay window and was adorned with a very expensive leather executive chair and untrolled stacks of paper everywhere. “Excuse the mess, I haven’t had time to up sihe lovely Halloween season began.” Tatum walked to her chair and sat down. “Please, you both have a seat.” She poio Zoe. “You dear are the witness in this situation. All you have to do is sit there and give us your pretty little smile.”

  While Zoe plopped into the chair she was asked to sit in, It took a little more time for Heather to situate the baby and the herself fortable within the lush leather seat. “You didn’t expect to have pregnant women or women with children in the office did you, Tatum?” Heather half smiled and ran her fihrough her brown and gray hair. “Trust me, when I found out I regnant at fifty, it shocked me.” She shrugged, “Okay. What is so important here?”

  With a quick finger in the air, Tatum began tearing through the papers on her desk. It was only after she’d knocked over two different rge bundles and they floated all across the floor, that she found what she was looking for. “Ah, My only blue folder.” She wi Heather. “Color of Kyanite.”

  “Also Vivienne’s eyes.” Heather shivered. “If it weren’t for this one…” She kissed her daughter on her cap-covered head, “...then I would be looking for her right now.”

  “Be careful of what you wish for, dear.” Tatum tapped on the folder and then ha to Heather. “You might want to resider hunting the un-huntable.” Tatum cleared her throat and had a calm look cross over her features as she poio her quill and ink. “So old fashioned for things like this.” Tatum took a deep breath and tinued. “Heather Addison, if you could for our witness provide identification to your person, that would satisfy the terms of the agreement you are about to see.”

  With a curs Zoe, Heather groaned and picked up her handbag from the floor and found her driver’s lise. “Want my passport too, Miss Bckwell?” Heather offered sarcastically then hahe identification to Zoe. “I assure you I am me.”

  “Ass.” Tatum ented jovially. “I have a serious thing to take care of, so let me do my job.” Tatum took the lise as Zoe offered it to her. “Miss , is the dy beside you in fa all appearao be Heather Addison?”

  “This is so weird.” Zoe looked pitifully at Heather, “Sorry you have to be in this weird situation.” She turned back to see a partly aatum. “Yes, Miss Bckwell. I affirm…that it is in fact Heather Addison.”

  “Perfect!” Tatum announced and then sat ba her chair. “Miss Addison, open the folder and I will expihing you see.”