"Libby?" I looked up and saw Lorcan standing nearby. "The queen would like to talk to you." His arm was around a teenaged girl who was dressed in black. She had black-rimmed eyes and an eyebrow ring. Her hair was as shiny and dark as a raven's wing, except for two cherry-red stripes on either side of her face. "This is Tamara. She'll watch the boys."
"She will?" I asked.
Her eyebrows went up, giving emphasis to the silver ring.
"She's a great babysitter," said Ralph.
"Yeah," said Tamara. "I do all my Satanic rituals after the kids are asleep."
"What?"
Lorcan laughed. "She's teasing, Libby."
"Thanks for watching the boys, Tamara," said Ralph in a choked voice. Suspicious, I looked at Ralph. Yep. He was laughing, too. He got up and helped me to my feet. I looked over my shoulder and saw Tamara sit down next to the boys. She caught my gaze and waved. It didn't make me feel any better. I felt very protective of Stephen and Michael. We all traipsed over to the other side of the room. Mom and Dad squeezed in next to Lorcan and Eva on a yellow couch. Ralph and I took a blue, puffy chair. Once again, I sat down and he leaned on the armrest.
Ruadan and Ash had joined us and there, hiding behind Damian, was Stan. He was such a chicken-shit. I saw Zerina, too, and a few others I didn't recognize. This was quite the get-together. Everyone quieted and looked at Patsy, who sat on the center couch with her husband, Gabriel. She opened her mouth.
"I'm so pleased to meet all of you," burst out Mom. She turned solicitously to the queen. "How are you feeling, dear?"
"Fine," said Patsy. She looked flummoxed. Well, Mom did that to people a lot.
"I'm so glad to hear it. And just think, if my daughter hadn't saved your life, you wouldn't be sitting here now." Mom tsk-tsked. "Not to mention what might've happened to your poor babies!"
Did Mom know how to give a warning tucked into warm fuzzies or what? I bit my lip to keep from grinning. Mom was probably the only human around who wouldn't be instantly cowed by vampires and werewolves. And dragons.
"Libby kicked ass," said Patsy. She glanced at my mother. "Would you like me to high-five her?"
"Maybe later," said Mom.
Gabriel snorted a laugh, which earned him a pinch on the leg from his wife.
"It's getting close to dawn, so let's just get down to brass tacks. Libby killed Lia. I ain't too sorry about it. I've wanted to blow that bitch up since the day I met her." She waved off the various reactions, which ranged from gasps to chuckles. "Lorcan and Eva used their
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