3.

[Karin]

Karin re-read the email from the blonde girl and sighed. This was a delicate matter, and she was not sure how to approach it.

She dialed a number and waited for Rob to pick up. "I need your advice."

Her brother snickered. "Of course you do. How long has it been, a year?"

Karin closed her eyes for a moment. "Someone's been hexed, and I need you to help reverse it."

"And why should I help you? What have you done for me lately?"

"Nothing, but perhaps besting Charles Meade will sway you."

An impenetrable silence ensued before he finally said, "Very well. One hour, at the usual place."

[Faye]

The interview had gone well and Faye was scheduled to work on both Saturday and Sunday at the librarian's tent. "What should I wear?"

Karin had given her a brief glance. "Your usual red and black."

She'd tossed it off like an offhand comment, but Faye quickly figured out that Karin was the real deal. "How do you do it?"

"What?"

"This." Faye tapped her temple impatiently.

"I don't know. It just happens."

"Happens...how exactly?"

Karin sighed in exasperation. "Brief glimpses. Snatches of thought. Even dreams."

"No Ouija boards or Tarot cards?"

The answer was a derisive snort. "Those are props."

"So what? Everyone uses them."

Karin stood up abruptly. "Not me. And if you try bringing anything, then I'll fire you on the spot."

"Not even Rider-Waite?"

"Not even." When Faye stood staring, Karin added, "You know the way out."

And with that, she was summarily dismissed with a slammed door between her and an honest to goodness psychic.

Imagine what I can do with this, she thought with glee.

The door opened a crack and Karin said, "Absolutely nothing."

Faye stood staring at Karin's single black eye before the door closed again and she hurried off with raised goose bumps up and down her arms.

[Adam]

oh the air was shining
shining like a wedding ring
barbed like sex
i felt 10,000 volts

Cascade, Lyrics by Siouxsie and the Banshees

The Boathouse was stuffed to the gills with teenagers and families enjoying the cheap eats. Ethan wove his way through the aisles to speak to his many friends. All except for Charles Meade and Dawn Chamberlain, who gazed out furtively from the far corner.

To Adam's surprise, Cassie walked in and looked around for a seat, avoiding his eyes and starting to move away from him. "Cassie, over here," he called, pointing to the last stool at the counter.

Indecision crossed her face and was swiftly replaced with an uncertain smile. "Not sure this is a good idea." Cassie took her seat and accepted a glass of water from him.

"Are you OK?" he asked softly, not wanting his father to overhear.

Cassie looked at the menu and answered without looking at him. "I'll have a chocolate milkshake, and yeah, I'm good."

Adam scratched her order onto his pad and handed it off to his Dad, who greeted Cassie on his way to the other counter with brimming beer steins. "Really?" Adam searched the pale moon of her face with concern. "Could have fooled me."

Her brow furrowed. "Do we have to do this here?"

"Of course not. We can go anywhere."

She put down her menu and threw down a five. "I can't do this, Adam."

He could see the turmoil in her gaze and all he wanted to do was hold her. "I know. But we're still friends, and you know I'm here for you."

Cassie jumped off the stool and said, "Try being here for her."

Adam spied Diana just coming in with Faye and Melissa. They stopped short, sensing the tension shooting between Adam and Cassie but only Diana seemed to understand what was happening. With a covert look through her hair, she nodded toward the windows where a family was just leaving. Charles Meade gave him a stern glance and started moving toward his daughter, but then he stopped dead, watching the door with something approaching dread as a tall blonde man and woman came in.

The blonde man scanned the room and flashed a chilling smile at Charles before shouldering his way past and grabbing the last booth. The woman seemed mostly amused as she came to the counter and extended her hand. "Hello, Adam. It's nice to finally meet you."

He crinkled his forehead. "Excuse me?"

"I'm Karin, and you'll be seeing a lot of me."

With that strange greeting, the woman turned and joined the blonde man. Adam started to grab menus, but Ethan beat him to it, saying only, "I've got this one, son."

Adam watched his father and was stunned when Ethan leaned down and gave the woman a hug.

You'll be seeing a lot of me. Count on it.

His eyes widened as Karin winked at him, her hands joined with Ethan's as he took the seat next to her.

God, can this night get any worse?

A clap of thunder shook the room and rain started coming down in torrents. The people on the deck ran inside and suddenly the room felt suffocating.

Adam had to get some air, and the moment he did, he felt someone following him. He whirled around and was face to face with Faye.

"What do you want?"

"See that blonde guy in there? He's big trouble."

The rain was soaking him to the skin and he wanted to escape to his Jeep. "How's that?"

"He wants our power."

At this moment, Adam didn't give a rat's ass. "He can have it."

There was nothing more to say, and with that, he jumped in his truck and escaped from the madness that was surely descending on him.