Blood Betrothed Book 4 Series of Entered

Yes, Jennifer, there are vampires

Okay Book. I know I have mentioned all of this in spots elsewhere inside of you (and your sister Book) but I think it is time to try and compile this all in one spot and try to make sense of it all. After the meeting I went to this evening, I am not sure it all plays off as my imagination anymore.

Another strange night at work. Not that working with Zoey has ever been anything less than strange, but it was a fun type of strange. As she told me the day she hired me back when the original 'Eye of' was going near Coastside- 'It will never be boring'.

She didn't lie. Some of the things that went on in that place still has me wondering. I watched that woman bring people to tears of sorrow and joy with a flip of a card. Now personally, I never put much into the tarot, so if people bought that game from her that was fine, but the scary part was how many returned and told her how right she was with her predictions. Helping her make potions, going through box lot auction finds to find he treasures hiding in the junk. (Somewhere in a warehouse I know she still has 12 dozen food processors missing the main rotor blades sitting in wait for the perfect person for her to unload them on). It was a crazy type of wonderland and I was along for the ride.

The one evening almost 3 years ago, something changed. 

Book, you know I love the woman. She has always been more of a big sister type to me. Never saw her as a 'momma' like Iris does. (She doesn't say it, but I can tell) She has never given me a single reason to be afraid of her.

But one evening in September I showed up and the place was locked up. I did not see her for days after that. When Zoey finally came back to work, she looked pale. She explained to me she had been in the hospital having tests done. She had been diagnosed with Photosensitivity or Sun Allergy. When exposed to sunlight, her body's immune system went crazy and attacked causing her skin to blister and burn. So I suddenly had a promotion. I would run the place during the daytime. Some other adjustments were made. Sunshades across the windows to keep the light out for the occasional days she would be in to do readings. (She lived upstairs, so there was no issue with her coming or going in the now problematic sunlight) Things then seemed to go back to normal.

That's when the 'goths' began to start appearing. I was used to weird people coming in the shop. They were Zo's bread and butter basically, but these people pushed the package a bit. I began to feel uncomfortable for the first time. I was used to being stared at. Not vain at all, but I get my fair share of looks from guys as the norm. But these (and women too) began to look at me like I was a piece of candy or something. I spoke to Zo about it and soon it stopped as if she had flipped a magic light switch somewhere. Was weird. 

She began disappearing a lot as well. Some days I would come to work and find a pile of items she had never had in the shop before waiting for me to clean up, organize and store for future use and sale. Nice stuff too. I still keep the one necklace she gave me safe (especially after I had it appraised and discovered the jewels were real) Zo was always generous to me. A demanding boss, yes- but always willing to reward the efforts. Two groups or regulars began to form. The normal day crowds and now the night ones. Some of them were great while others...

Sundial (must have had a hippie mother like Zo did) was one of the great ones. All bubbly, happy. Hugging, funny. She did the night shift now. There was nothing I could put my finger on solidly, but she had the same presence as my boss had now. 

Then we had to move when the landlord jacked up the rent to insane levels because property values jumped when the Eden nightclub opened. Oh, Zo had a major fit about that, but what we were making could not cover expenses. That's when another of Zo's new friends showed their face. She had been in before several times. (I never spoke to her, but saw the woman. Ginny hated her.) and suddenly I was told stop prepping stuff for storage, but get it ready for moving. We had a new place in the soon to be opening Honeymead Marketplace. We can't afford to keep the old place, but we can afford Honeymead all of the sudden? Something did not add up, but it wasn't my business. I know Zo sometimes did less than legal things and she always kept me out of being involved, but this made me think. And new employees came as well. Karina (such a sweetheart) and Zaph (equally so) did good work, but I noticed the 'goths' going to them for their needs rather than me. And then we had a need for a security expert. We could never afford one in Coastside, but here we could? And who does she get? Some guy that made Andre the Giant look puny. (this guy is HUGE! I swear!) Every time I walked by him I felt like a prison guard was watching me. He never bothered me. Was always respectful, but he had that same quality to him Iris had. I asked Zo privately how would we be able to afford all of this. The pair of us had tagged team for several years keeping our noses above the water line but she had not consulted me on any of this.