Chapter 42

"This might be the craziest night I've ever had," Ephie whispered as they approached the impressive front doors of Elenora Ellingham's estate. There were some incredible mansions in the Garden District, but this place made them look like guesthouses. Very nice guesthouses, but still.

"That might be true for me, too," Remy said. "But don't be nervous. Elenora might be intimidating, but she's a good woman. Kind, generous, and deeply protective of her town and its citizens."

Ephie exhaled. "I hope she can help me." Hope was all she had right now. The way Solomon had been able to control her with his voice had shaken Ephie to her core.

"She will. If she's at all able." He knocked.

A butler answered. "Remy Lafitte?"

Remy nodded. "And Ms. Ephelia Moreau."

"Ms. Ellingham is expecting you. Right this way." He led them through to a sitting room, where Elenora and Alice were already seated in matching chairs. They each had a cup of tea beside them. Nearby was a two-tiered cart bearing a full tea set and plates of cookies and small cakes.

Remy nodded at them. "Thank you for seeing us, Elenora. I appreciate your time."

She smiled. "Anything for one of Nocturne Falls' finest." She gestured toward the sofa. "Please, have a seat. Would you like something to eat or drink?"

"I'm fine," Remy said, looking at Ephie.

Ephie shook her head as she and Remy took seats on the couch. "I'm good. We just ate dinner before we came here. It's very nice to meet you, Elenora. And nice to see you again, Alice."

"Nice to see you again, too," Alice said. "I didn't think it would be quite so soon. You seem to be recovering very well."

"I'm still a little bit weak, but the change has been remarkable."

"And now you're one of us," Elenora said.

Ephie smiled. "I suppose I am."

Elenora folded her hands in her lap. The hand on top bore an enormous gumdrop-size amethyst surrounded by diamonds. "Alice has apprised me of the adventure you've had since arriving in our little town. Not exactly the vacation you imagined, I suppose."

"No, not exactly," Ephie confessed. "I'm really sorry about the fire at the motel. I don't have much money, but if you want me to pay for that, I'll do whatever I can."

Elenora's smile expanded. "That is so generous of you to offer, but as I see it, you were in a fight for your life and were only acting in self-defense. The motel has been appropriately compensated."

Ephie's mouth opened. "Oh. Thank you. Did you, I mean, for me? I feel so bad. That had to be so expensive."

Elenora arched one brow as her gaze shifted to Remy. "You didn't tell her?"

He shook his head. "It didn't come up. We've had other things to deal with."

"I guess you have," Elenora said.

"Tell me what?" Ephie looked from Elenora to Remy.

He rubbed his chin. "I took care of things with the motel."

"You did?"

"We can talk about it later, if you want."

"Okay." Now wasn't the time, but they were definitely going to talk about it at some point.

Elenora sipped from a teacup as delicate as a hummingbird. "I understand your maker wishes to take you home with him."

Ephie quickly nodded. "He does. He's also my father, not that he was in my life or anything. He basically used his magic to take advantage of my mother, got her pregnant and then disappeared."

Alice tipped her head slightly. "He has the power of compulsion?"

"He does," Remy said. "I suspect it's exceptionally strong when it comes to Ephie because of their blood bond, but we already know he used it on Ephie's mother."

"Who is a witch," Alice stated.

Ephie nodded. "She is, but the true power tends to skip a generation, so my grandmother has a good deal of it, but my mother really doesn't. A tiny bit but nothing spectacular."

"Even so," Alice said. "His power must be considerable to have used it on someone with their own gifts, however minor." She looked at Elenora. "We might need to consult Allard."

"As it happens, I already have. About this very thing." Elenora smiled. "My grandson, Sebastian, and his wife, Tessa, adopted a child recently. Her name is Ellie." Elenora's smile widened. "Short for Elenora."

"Congratulations on the addition," Ephie said. "That's wonderful."

"I agree," Elenora said. "And thank you. Ellie is a dhampir, like yourself, Ephelia."

"So she's half vampire and half witch, too?" Ephie asked.

"She's half vampire," Elenora replied. "But we don't know the rest of her makeup. Perhaps one day it will make itself known, but for now, nothing has presented itself, and we haven't concerned ourselves with tests."

Alice reached for her tea. "I doubt her other half is witch or I would have picked up on it."

Remy nodded. "I'm sure you would have."

Elenora touched the saucer her cup rested on. "Naturally, I had some questions and concerns. Not because I was in any way against the adoption. I was overjoyed. Ellie is a delightful child, and I love her as I love all my great-grandchildren. But my instincts drove me to find out more about dhampirs and their characteristics. Also, what would happen if the child's maker came for her someday."

"Wow," Ephie breathed out. "That was so thoughtful on your part." She was full of hope. Elenora was on top of things. "That means you must know what I need to do."

"I believe I do." Elenora picked up her tea, sipped it, then set it back on the saucer. "First, I should tell you that my information comes from Allard Desmarais. He is an ancient vampire. He was turned more than eight centuries ago. Thankfully, unlike some, age has made him wiser. He is my maker, and so, accordingly, his bloodline runs through my grandsons, as I turned them. I tell you all of that because I want you to understand I trust him implicitly."

"Of course." Ephie nodded. Eight hundred years was an incredible amount of time. This vampire would be a great resource about all kinds of things.

Elenora glanced at Alice. "You know something of dhampirs as well."

Alice leaned forward. "Dhampirs are unique creatures. The only real prerequisite to becoming one is that one parent is a vampire. The other might be anything from human to shifter or, in your case, witch. So long as they are magically and biologically compatible with their partner, of course. There is no explanation as to why some pairings produce offspring and others do not. Magic is capricious that way."

Ephie had an odd feeling that she was about to get bad news. She reached over and took Remy's hand, glad he was close. "I understand."

Elenora chimed in. "Of course, you are no longer technically a dhampir. You're a full-fledged vampire. With the powers of a fire witch." She took a deep breath, something Ephie interpreted as a means of bracing herself for what came next, because Elenora clearly didn't need to breathe.

Ephie swallowed, anticipating whatever Elenora was about to say.

The woman glanced at her hands, moving her fingers to adjust the giant amethyst ring, then looked up at Ephie. "Forgive me for not getting to the point. There is only one tried and true method for breaking the bond between a vampire and their maker."

Remy's hand tightened around Ephie's. "And that is?"

Elenora interlaced her fingers. "Either the vampire, or their maker, must die."