Tracking a Supe in a place like La Rosa is stupid easy. People love to hate something, and in towns like this they zero in on Supes.


    I mean, the smart ones know how to hide. From the Munds, that is. For Witches, like me, it still meant a location with very little magical traffic.


    Oh, don''t give me that look. You knew I was a Witch before you walked into this room. That''s in your fancy little report there. I know, because I''ve written a thousand just like it.


    Anyway, La Rosa, Viv''s sister.


    The first thing you gotta understand is that each type of Supe has it''s own unique... Well, Gramps called ''em Auras.


    And yeah, it varies from person to person, but the underlying flavor remains the same with each group. Humans, Witches, Thropes. Even Vamps, back when they existed. You can always tell from the Aura what type of being someone is.


    Except when you can''t.


    See, some beings can mask their Aura. Most of the time, that means hiding it. Sometimes, though, one gets real clever and makes their Aura look like the Aura of something else, usually something weaker.


    I''m telling you this so that you can get a full understanding of why things happened the way they did.


    And so you can prepare for what''s coming.


    So, when I Scryed for Auras, of course I found three. First, obviously, was Viv''s. The second was another Thrope, probably her sister. The third, to no one''s surprise, was a Mage.


    ... Really? Did you not listen to a single thing I was saying about Auras?


    Please tell me you''re not the one getting my job. If idiots like you get in, the I.T.A. is done for.


    Now, stop interrupting me.


    So this Mage. Their Aura was stronger than mine, but that would only matter in a one on one fight, which was unlikely, you know, considering Viv.


    See, for unraveling spells, strength doesn''t really matter. It''s more a matter of skill, which I had plenty of.


    Assuming Viv''s sister really was Charmed. I mean, I trust Viv, but her knowledge of magic has always been.... Limited.


    So, I took a note of where in town the Auras were located, then put a pin in it. I couldn''t risk exposing myself in town until my business here was completed.


    After all, once they knew what I was, the town would do it''s best to drive me out.


    So I left Viv at our room in The Rose Garden while I went to my appointment with one Angela Davenport.


    As far as attorney offices go, it was definitely different. Because it wasn''t really an office. And, yeah, I get that working from home is getting more and more common, but I was still surprised. Especially when you take into account that Ms. Davenports house was more of a mansion.


    It was expansive, the house alone taking enough space for a whole city block. The place was painted in a creamy kind of off-white color with dusky gold highlights.Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.


    Then you had the gardens. A sprawling expanse of lush green grass, spotted with trees, and containing every type of flower. Except roses, thank gods.


    The most surprising thing about it, though? No security. No gate, no fence, no guards. I mean, I get the whole small town vibe thing, but still. NO security?


    The walk up to the house was a long one, but it was lined with cherry blossom trees, so at least it was nice, I guess.


    The doorbell, when pressed, played the intro theme to Star Wars. Which was weird. And cool.


    I was greeted with another surprise when Angela answered the door herself. Place like that, you definitely expect servants. And, I''m not gonna lie, it took me a minute to pick my jaw up off the floor.


    Her long golden hair fell down to her waist in a loose, relaxed wave, accenting her slightly oval face and emerald green eyes. She had on this little black dress that set off her lightly tanned skin, and made me realize her legs kind of went on forever.


    Plus, y''know, her... ah.... assets were nothing to sneeze at.


    Hey, fuck off. I''m not a perv, okay?


    Besides, if I''m any judge, the smile she gave me wasn''t pure business anyway. "You must be Miss Blake." She held her hand out.


    I just stared for a second, then came to my senses. "Ah... Y-yeah..." I shook her hand, trying to ignore how warm it seemed.


    Her smile widened. "It''s a pleasure. I have to say, you aren''t at all what I expected."


    "Thought I''d be taller?"


    Her laugh, light and breezy, flowed along my skin. "Something like that. But really, I thought you''d look more like Laura."


    "Yeah, well..."


    Something in my face must have given me away, because her smile turned a little sympathetic. "Sorry, I should''ve realized that was a sore spot. Please, come in."


    I stepped inside, happy when the smell of lilacs greeted me. I couldn''t stop the smile, and Angela noticed, making her grin. "Glad to get away from those awful roses?" She teased.


    "Well...."


    She laughed again. "Relax, I get it. This town takes it''s name WAY too seriously. Anyway, I looked into it a little, and the property is yours, free and clear." She hesitated. "But..."


    I looked around as she brought us into an office straight out of a Sherlock Holmes story. Fireplace, bookshelves, rugs (which I assume were persian), old desk, this room had it all. "But?"


    She hesitated again as we took our respective seats. "Well, I hope you aren''t seriously considering moving here. If people were to find out about your... status, it could happen all over again, you know? And I''ve received some very generous offers on the property. Even if you were to take the cheapest one, you''d be able to buy a new home somewhere more... open to our kind."


    I waited a moment. "Done?" She nodded. "Kay. Appreciate the concern, but no. Those assholes wanna try that shit again? I''ll make what they did to Laura look peaceful."


    Her face slowly went pale. She cleared her throat and pushed a paper and pen across the desk. "Very well. Just sign here, and it''s all yours."


    When it was done, I smiled. "Great. Anything else?"


    "Ah, no. Your sister paid in advance, so everything is taken care of."


    I nodded, then left


    This probably would have been a good point to take a little break, get a hold of Viv, and let her know what was going on. But, this had nothing to do with the I.T.A., or her sister.


    So, I went back to the start, alone.


    Right back to that damned shed.


    It hadn''t changed a bit, unfortunately. Which, okay, yeah, I had seen it the day before, but part of me had been hoping that it had somehow fallen apart anyway. In that, as in so many other things, I was doomed to disappointment.


    There wasn''t even any dust inside when I opened it up.


    Let me guess, you''re expecting me to tell you about some magical shit in there, yeah? Potions lab, Devils trap, yada yada yada?


    Well, it was actually just filled with a bunch of gardening stuff.


    I mean, until I emptied it out. Then it was just an empty shed with a trapdoor covered in Runes.


    I took hold of the handle and heaved it open with a grunt.


    Hey, don''t judge. We made that thing heavy.


    I climbed down the worn wooden ladder, bringing me back to that old stone chamber. The one place I had hoped to never see again. Torches flared to life as I stepped up and examined the man standing in the Devils trap in the middle of the room.


    His hair was still short and glossy black, matched by intense blue eyes set deep in a hawkish face. And of course, his lean build was clothed in a black suit. Probably Armani.


    The smug bastard.


    I felt my jaw clench as he looked up and met my eyes, a smile slowly spreading across his face. "Ah, how good of you to come back. And how have you been, my darling Granddaughter?"