The crystal ball on Gwyneira’s desk almost vibrated off into the floor. A plume of crimson smoke emitted from the glass orb in the form of ghostly snakes, and she jumped back with a startle when one of the snakes hissed at her.  She certainly did not recognize that magic as a friend’s or former client’s.  

If such magic tricks were supposed to scare her, they’d need to try a lot harder than that.  Gwyneira let her frazzled heartbeat settle back into a steady rhythm before reaching out for the crystal ball to accept the call, silently gesturing for Emrys to keep his mouth shut from where he was still sprawled out on her chair.  He simply gave her a thumbs up in response.

As the mist cleared, a very familiar face with dark crimson eyes and a charming smile with sharp fangs filled the glass.  Mr. Bloodworth.  What could he possibly want?  Something told her it probably had to do with Emrys’ happy tailend perched across from her like that chair now belonged to him.

“Ah, Ms. Grimheart. I hope I’m not disturbing you by calling so early.” 

“Not at all,” Gwyneira told him.  “But, pray tell, why are you calling, Mr. Bloodworth?  I hope this doesn’t have anything to do with any of my clients.” She watched the smile vanish from his face like a wilted rose touched by winter’s deadly kiss.

“Have you been in contact with Emrys Hawthorn recently?”

“He dropped by earlier,” Gwyneira answered honestly, although she neglected to add that he had yet to even leave her office.  “I told him about your offer.  He wasn’t interested in it, unfortunately.”

“Gwyneira, listen to me carefully-”

“This must be pretty important since you actually pronounced my name properly,” Gwyneira cut him off with a sneer.

“Please, I’m only concerned for your safety.” The way Mr. Bloodworth’s piercing eyes softened had her wondering if he was truly being genuine with her. “I admire you and the work you do, so it would be a damned shame if someone put a bullet in you.  I’d miss seeing you around the courthouse.”

“You’ll have to do better than that if you wish to rile me up.  This isn’t my first showdown, you know that right?  Or have you forgotten all about the vicious mob who left me daily death threats at the office for defending a murderous wolf?” Gwyneira asked.

“This is different.  Neither I nor that brother-in-law bat cop of yours can protect you from the mafia.  Just let me handle Emrys and the Hawthorn family, okay?  Hells, I’ll even be willing to partner with you on this one case.”

“Absolutely not.” Gwyneira let out a bitter laugh in disbelief. 

That vamp lawyer really had a lot of nerve. All because he was losing a potential client with a family willing to pay him the big bucks. Gwyneira really thought he might be sincere until he offered her that pitiful partnership. She knew full well what it would be like to work under his fangs. A nightmare. 

“Would it really be that awful working together, Gwyneira? Come on, I’m asking this as a favor. I don’t want to see you get yourself killed.”

“I appreciate your concerns, Mr. Bloodworth, but I respectfully decline.” Gwyneira would not work alongside a vampire, not when she knew their manipulative tricks to sign away their human rights and everything they own. 

Gwyneira had handled plenty of cases involving shady vamps who stole everything from innocent business owners. She would not let someone like Bloodworth take her clinic and everything she’d worked so hard on accomplishing. And she’d hex herself before ever letting him take a single drop of her blood. 

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” Mr. Bloodworth’s face distorted into a hazy mist, until nothing remained of him in her crystal ball.

“I seriously cannot believe that man.” Gwyneira huffed.  

“See, that’s why I was smart and brought you a pie.” Emrys turned the page of his romance book, lips curving in a mischievous grin.  “Nobody can say no to a delicious pie.”

Gwyneira bit back her own smile because she would not be charmed by that vamp.  Not even if she found the way his pointy ears perked up when he was in a good mood endearing.  That certainly was not enough to woo her heart over.  Not one single bit.  Besides, he was a client now.  It was highly unprofessional to think of clients in any romantic sense.

Morning sunlight soon streamed through the frosted glass window panes and Gwyneira fought back a yawn, rubbing at her tired eye. While Emrys read his romance novel, she worked on two of her other cases to prepare for court tomorrow night. 

Her first case was an adoption of a dhampir baby and the second a divorce hearing.  One family growing together and another drifting far apart.  

Gwyneira tended to get adoption cases fairly often when it came to dhampir babies and the human mother couldn’t properly care for the child herself.  She couldn’t help but think about what Emrys had told her about his own past and wished his mother had considered something similar back then.

A series of pounding knocks came at her door, and Gwyneira glanced up with a frown. Who would be there so early in the morning? She pulled her wand out, trying to ignore the way her heartbeat hammered in her chest. 

Surely bloodthirsty mafia members wouldn’t come politely knock on her door, right? She met Emrys’ gaze as he slunk down in his seat, silently shaking his head. 

“Who is it?” Gwyneira called out. 

“Just me.” Relief flooded through Gwyneira at the sound of her brother-in-law’s voice. “Can I come in for a spell, Gwyn? I really need to talk to you about Emrys Hawthorn.” 

Emrys’ eyes widened, his lips parting to silently plead with her not to let him in. She understood his concerns. While Percy would do anything to keep her safe, he wouldn’t mind throwing Emrys and his sorry fangs in jail thinking it would protect her. 

“Sure, just give me one second,” Gwyneria replied to him as she climbed to her feet. However, she didn’t rush to open the front door.

Gwyneira stood before her bookcase and cast a silent incantation to reveal her hidden bedroom. Embers of shiny blue pulsed along the frame as she gestured for him to get his behind in there. Much to her relief, he put those quick vampire reflexes to work and shifted into a bat to hide in there. 

As much as she did not fancy sticking a client in her personal bedroom, she knew Percy would never find him in there. Nobody else knew about her hidden quarters within her office. None but Emrys now, of course.

With another wave of her wand, she sealed him up inside and plastered on a smile before moseying over to greet her brother-in-law.  A blast of icy air pelted Gwyneira’s face when she unlocked the door for Percy. He stood there in his crimson uniform, snowflakes dusting his knitted hat.

“Come in, get out of that unforgiving cold.” Gwyneira shivered, coaxing a bit of magic from her fingertips to float her blanket over to her.  She draped it over her shoulders and closed the door behind them.

“Thanks, Gwyn.”

“Of course.  Now, tell me what brings you here.  Has something happened with Iron Fang’s case” Gwyneira asked.

Percy removed his hat, his pointy ears twitching as he rubbed the back of his neck.  “We found an eye-witness who saw Emrys invite Iron Fang to his room.  Our witness heard them argue about an illegal prescription of blood stimulants.”

“Oh my.”

“I’m worried about you, Gwyn. That wolf walker case was hard enough on you, but defending a vampire murderer?”

“He’s not a murderer.” Gwyneira crossed her arms over her chest. “I know things look bad for him right now, but I believe he’s innocent.”

“You always see the good in people.” Percy gave her a half smile, yet it didn’t reach his dark crimson eyes. “Why do you think Emrys came to you?”

Gwyneira raised a brow. “Because he needed a lawyer. Why do you think he hired me?”

“You’re a very beautiful, and smart, female witch.  He wants to take advantage of you and your kindness.  That’s what vamps like him do.  He’s a damn trust fund baby out on his own now and doing what the Hawthorn family does best.”

“And what’s that?” Gwyneira asked.

“Drain you dry.  Emotionally, psychologically, and maybe physically too if you’re not careful.”

“Is this judgement based solely on his family?” Gwyneira questioned with a deepening frown.  “Because you know damn well how my father and I felt about you when we learned of your bloodline.”

“Gwyn, please.”

“Let me do my job, Percy.  I wouldn’t fly down to the station and insist you not take the case if a serial killer witch went around cursing vampires to death.”

“Fair enough.” Percy raised his hands in mock surrender.  “I’m sorry, but I just don’t trust that vamp.  Be careful with him, okay?  When’s the last time you saw him?  Because we’ve been looking all over Sanguine City for him but he’s turned into a ghost.”

“He came here to sign our contract earlier, but I’m not sure where he went after.” Gwyneira didn’t fancy lying to her brother-in-law, but it wasn’t like she could just yank Emrys out of her hidden bedroom now, could she? 

“I see.” Percy frowned.  “Next time you see him, will you please bring him down to the station?  He’s not under arrest yet, but he has a lot of explaining to do.”

“I’ll see to it that he drops by as soon as possible.” Gwyneira followed him to the door as regret formed knots in her chest. She knew lying would surely come to bite her in her own arse. 

“Be careful, Gwyn. I’m serious. I don’t like this.” Percy’s hardened features softened as he stepped outside, pausing at the door frame with one hand lingering on it. “Make sure Emrys is at the station by nightfall. You hear me?”

Gwyneira nodded. “Yes, of course. I’ll do my best to get him there.”

Once she closed the door, she breathed a sigh of relief.  That had been too close.  What in the devil’s name was she even thinking? Hiding a potential suspect in her secret bedroom, who just happened to be her client, from the law? She had to have lost her damn crystal balls.