This wish manifested as a pause in the rain. The wind slowed to a warm summer swirl; clouds pulled apart to reveal a patch of blue that allowed one sweet, golden spear of sunlight to scatter across the waves.
The crowd which had been restless and loud, held very still.
Someone laughed, someone else whistled, and then the blue sky was swallowed, the rain sifted down, and the wind buffeted us all.
The moment had passed, the event was over, and I was confident the people in town who were unaware of magic were now convinced they’d seen a stormy ocean, driftwood, and maybe a whale.
Too bad none of their pictures or videos would be viable.
“I love it when you do that,” Jean said. “Makes me all shivery.”
Hogan had his arms around her and kissed her on the mouth, quick. “You’re welcome.”
“Is that it?” Ryder asked. “Did it work?”
Chris tipped his head to one side like he was trying to get water out of his ear. “Yup. He’s good.”
“Thanks, Hogan,” I said. “You’re a lifesaver.”
“No problem.”
“And thank you, too, Chris,” I said. “That would have been a nightmare without you out in the water.”
“Happy to do it,” he said. “Anyone want to warm up and get a beer? On me.”
That got everyone’s attention. More than half the gods were up for it, and the vamps were suddenly all headed his way. So were the werewolves now that they and the weather had sent the crowd packing.
Chris was carried away in a crowd of weres and vamps and gods.
Crow, Myra and Bathin, Jean and Hogan, and Ryder and I all walked back to our vehicles.
“Wanna go get a beer?” Jean asked, yelling over the wind. “I mean until the next curse hits?”
“You’re on duty,” Myra yelled back.
Jean tipped her face to the stormy sky and howled a silent, “Why!” then spit salty rain out of her mouth. She tipped her head back down. “Right. Of course. And I love my job! Love working outside in a storm. Love my wet socks. Love my wet bra.”
Myra laughed. “We can get out of the weather. If another sticker is removed, we’ll see the beam of light.”
“You still going with electric lines?” Bathin asked.
“Yes,” she said. “The power outages make a perfect cover story. Why?”
He shrugged. “You know if you wanted a little demon mojo, I’m more than happy to lend you my services.”
Myra gave him an arch look. “I think adding demon mojo to an avalanche of curses might not be the safest way to go, don’t you agree?”
“Oh, baby, since when do you drive in the safe lane?”
Even in the dim light, I could see my sister blush. “No mojo,” she admonished.
He crossed his chest. “Hope to die.”
“That’s not where your heart is.”
He winked and ducked down into the passenger side of the cruiser.
Hogan had swung up into Jean’s truck, and I was next to Ryder at the door of his, but both my sisters and Crow were still standing out in the storm, looking at me.
