The Vampire Next Door by Ashlyn Chase Read Free Book Online Page B

boomerangs on the sender. I can’t turn her into a toad unless I want warts on my face.”
    Morgaine pushed on the door. “Aren’t you going to let me in?”
    Gwyneth wasn’t prepared for the hard shove and the door flew open, revealing two wine glasses and several lit candles around the apartment. Soft music was playing in the background.
    “This might not be as bad as it looks, Morgaine. Don’t jump to conclusions.”
    Morgaine crossed her arms. “Are you expecting someone?”
    Gwyneth turned her nose up in the air. “That’s none of your beeswax.”
    “If you’re trying to seduce Sly, I have a news flash for you.”
    Gwyneth shrugged one shoulder casually. “Oh?”
    “Yeah, he’s on to you… and he doesn’t appreciate it.”
    “I don’t see him up here tellin’ me to stop. I just see a jealous older woman about to have a stinkin’ fit.”
    Morgaine said, “I know I can’t use magic to make my point, but…” She flew at her cousin and knocked her over. Gwyneth yelped and then grabbed Morgaine’s hair and gave it a hard tug.
    Oh, man. I saw this coming, and I’m not even psychic.
    Morgaine threw a couple of punches. Chad hadn’t known she had it in her.
    “Come on, girls. Stop this. As Gwyneth would say, y’all are like two cats in a sack right now. Wait until you cool off.”
    Gwyneth tried to connect with Morgaine’s face and missed. She tried again and missed again. It was as if her fist slid off an invisible barrier. Morgaine laughed and got up.
    “I see you didn’t bother putting the protection spell I showed you in place.”
    Gwyneth scrambled to her feet. “I’ll show you how worthwhile your protection spell is…” She grabbed a lamp and heaved it toward her cousin. Morgaine leaned back and the lamp missed her—barely. “You only protected yourself from people, not inanimate objects.”
    Morgaine’s eyes and lips thinned, and she trembled as if she were about to erupt. She grabbed the base of the lamp that hadn’t shattered, and just as she was winding up for the pitch, Gwyneth’s image slowly faded into invisibility.
    Morgaine’s mouth dropped open.
    A door downstairs opened. Jules, the super, called up through the stairwell, “What’s going on up there?”
    “Oh! Uh, it’s nothing, Mr. Vernon,” Morgaine called back.
    “Just a little spat is all,” Gwyneth added— from somewhere.
    “Well, take it outside. I don’t want to have to replace the wallpaper or light fixtures.”
    “Sorry, Mr. Vernon. I think it’s over now.” Morgaine glanced around the empty hallway.
    “We’ll be quiet,” Gwyneth answered.
    “Good,” Jules said, and slammed his door shut.
    Morgaine crossed her arms and stared at Gwyneth’s open door. It didn’t move. Eventually, she whispered, “Where are you, Gwyneth?”
    Gwyneth faded in. When she was fully formed, she stood there blowing on her fingernails with a smug look on her face.
    “Where did…? How the…?” Morgaine, never at a loss for words before, just stared at her student cousin.
    “Didn’t think I was as powerful as y’all, didja?” Gwyneth touched the red spot on her cheek where she’d been hit and winced.
    “I, uh… I always knew you had it in you. We’re both hereditary witches from the same stock. I just didn’t think you were spending as much time studying as I was.”
    “Well, guess what? I was.” Gwyneth swept a hand over her cheek, and the red spot disappeared. She smiled, looking quite satisfied with herself.
    “You didn’t seem that interested.”
    “And you didn’t seem to give me credit for all the hard work I did to catch up.”
    “Okay, witchy chicks. This seems to have ended in a stalemate, so why don’t you shake hands and try to cool it for a while.”
    “For once, Chad’s right,” Morgaine said.
    “I agree.”
    They shook hands and went back to their respective apartments.
    “For once? What does that mean?”

Chapter 5

    Pungent evergreen shrubs outside the apartment windows