His eyes met mine, cutting me off. They weren't angry, they weren't sad, they were…empty. "Let me say something, and then I'll go," he said. "I think I'm allowed that much."

Depressed, I crossed my arms over my middle. My stomach hurt. "I'll get the shunning removed," I said. "You know this is a mistake. I'm not a black witch."

"When I went to the registrar's office about your classes this morning, my supervisor came in. He told me not to see you anymore," he said abruptly. "I think that's funny."

Funny. That's what he'd said, but his face was grim. "Marshal…"

"I don't like people telling me what I can't do," he added, sounding angry this time.

"Marshal, please."

His broad chest expanded and contracted, and he looked past me, toward the snowy garden. "Don't worry about it." Bringing his focus back into the kitchen, he shifted forward to reach into a back pocket of his jeans. "Here's your check. It will be a rainy day in the ever-after before they will cash it."

Swallowing, I stared at the envelope, feeling unreal as I took it. It was heavier than it should be, and I looked inside. My eyes widened. "Two tickets to the party at the top of the Carew Tower?" I said, shocked he even had them, much less was giving them to me. "Why?"

Marshal grimaced, eyes on the floor. "I was going to ask you if you wanted to come with me to a New Year's Eve party tonight," he said, "but why don't you just take both tickets. You're going to need a lot of ambient energy to make that charm work. The top of the tower ought to be close enough."

My lips parted, and I stared at the formal invitations in my hand. I didn't know what was going on anymore. Jenks had said he was mad. Why was he helping me? "I can't take these."

He cracked his neck and backed up a step. "Sure you can. Put them in your pocket and say thank you. My supervisor is going to be there." Marshal sniffed. "You should meet him."

An uncertain smile came over my face. He wanted me to meet his supervisor? Maybe get a picture of us together? "And I thought I was wicked," I said, eyes warming. Damn it, he's leaving me. Well, what did I expect?

Marshal didn't smile back. "He's got red hair. Can't miss him." Gaze distant, he took up his coffee. "It's a fund-raiser for the university. Kalamack will be there. He's a major benefactor, so he's always invited. He's not a witch, so he probably won't care if you're shunned. You'll have someone to talk to until someone tells him."

My face lost expression at the utter blankness he had given the word "shunned," like it meant nothing. "Thank you," I said meekly. "Marshal, I'm sorry," I said as he reached for his coat, on the back of his chair, and I just about died when he put up a hand to stop me before I could get close. I froze where I was, feeling the hurt.

"It was fun," Marshal said, eyes down. "But then you got shunned, and, Rachel…" His gaze rose to mine, anger in it. "I like you. I like your family. I have fun when we get together, but what pisses me off is that I let myself start to think about spending my life with you, and then you go do something so stupid that it gets you shunned. I don't even want to know what it was."

"Marshal." I never had a choice. I never had a damned choice!

"I don't want to do this," he said, not letting me interrupt. "And trust me," he said, gesturing, "I thought hard about it, really weighed what I wanted and what I was willing to give for a possible life with you. I came over here ready to curse the world, to try to find out who did this to you and find a way to get the shunning rescinded, but then…" Marshal gritted his teeth, making his jaw muscles bunch. "I'm only going to get myself shunned. I can't live outside society. You're a fun, beautiful, fabulous woman," he said, as if trying to convince himself. "Even if you do get the shunning rescinded, what are you going to do next? I like my life." He looked at me, and I blinked fast. "Now I'm just angry that you can't be a part of it," he finished.

I couldn't seem to breathe, and I held the edge of the center counter to hide my vertigo.

"No hard feelings, okay?" he said as he turned.

I nodded. "No hard feelings," I breathed. Marshal wasn't a bad man for wanting out. He wanted to be part of something, and I clearly wasn't able to put my needs aside and put ours first. Maybe if my life wasn't so crappy, it wouldn't show as much and we could have tried, but not now. It wasn't his fault. I'd screwed up, and asking him to pay the price with me wasn't fair.

"Thanks, Marshal," I whispered. "For everything. And if you ever need help from the dark side…" I gestured helplessly as my throat closed. "Call me."

A faint smile turned the edges of his mouth up. "No one else."

And then he was gone, his steps fading as he walked away from me. I heard a soft murmur as he said good-bye to the pixies, and then the closing of a door.

Numb, I sank into my chair at the table. Eyes unseeing, I pulled my spell book closer, covering up the letter from the university. Wiping my eyes, I opened it and started searching.

Twenty-six

The wind funneling between the tall buildings down by the river picked up tiny bits of ice and grit, and they hit my legs like pinpricks. I hated nylons. Even black ones with glitter. Hunching into my dressy long felt coat, I hustled after Ivy, head down and pace fast. Trying to do this charm in the parking garage would have been miserable, and I was glad for the invitations if only for that, but now that we'd be inside, Jenks could come. He was currently in my bag sitting on one of those hand warmers hunters use. With him at my back and Ivy guarding the ladies' bathroom door, this would be a snap. That is, if we got up there in time. If we didn't hurry, we'd be in the elevator at midnight.

A gust of wind brought me the scent of fried vendor food, and I squinted ahead to one of Carew Tower's street entrances. Carew Tower was right over Fountain Square, and people were everywhere, milling through the closed-off streets as both FIB and I.S. cruisers blocked the way. It wasn't as bad as the solstice, when they closed the circle by lottery, but the uproar at midnight ought to be a big enough collective emotion to do the spell. Actually, it was a lot like the night I had first summoned Pierce, trying to bring my dad back for some parental advice, weather and all.

Reminded, I held my bulging bag tighter, trying not to squish Jenks. I had everything in it I'd need to do the charm, including a set of clothes for Pierce, and my splat gun. Beside me, Ivy's steps were short and fast because of her heels.

"Sure are a lot of witches," she said as we made our way across the street.

"Any excuse to party, right?" I said, then took a longer look. She was pale in her long coat with her hair whipping in the wind. And worried. "We make you nervous, don't we?"

She met my eyes as we stepped up onto the curb. "You don't."

I smiled. "Thanks." I understood. Most vampires made me nervous, especially when they gathered.

The doorman opened the glass doors for us so we didn't have to use the revolving entryway, and we entered together. The cessation of the wind was a blessed relief, and I immediately opened my bag. "You okay, Jenks?" I said, peering down to find him sitting awkwardly beside the warmer.

"Freaking fantabulous," he muttered. "Tink's tampons, I think my wing snapped off. What are you doing out there? Jumping jacks?"

"Stay put until we get up there," I said so he wouldn't come out to prove that the echoing entryway wasn't too cold—which it was. "I only have two invitations."

"Like they could stop me?" he said, and I smiled at Ivy's snicker.

I left the bag unzipped as Ivy and I clacked our feminine way to the restaurant's elevator, where the man in the white uniform checked our invitations and then our coats. The night air from the revolving door was cold on my bare shoulders, and I let my coat go with regret. The doors to the elevator had been polished to a shine, and I resisted the urge to adjust my nylons as I shifted to get a better appreciation of the work I had done to look like this.