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“There’s a ritual she thinks could work.”

“Does it require a sacrifice?”

“I didn’t ask for the details. She’s meeting us at the dock.” He tilted his head to study me. “Still think I should bring Mesharu?”

I couldn’t decide whether I truly deemed it necessary, or whether I only wanted a glimpse of the ancient weapon now that I knew what it was truly capable of.

“I’ll leave it up to you.”

“I’ll decide on the way.” He unlocked the doors. “Great work with Yume, Maya. You’re a natural.”

“Thanks.” I sank against the passenger seat. I wasn’t a natural anything. I’d been forged in the fires of the Fates. A sword to be wielded.

And now I would fashion myself into the shield that would protect Evermore.

CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Vale, Cowboy, and I rode to Evermore in a small electric boat under the cloak of darkness. Gage, Harriet, and the two Chrises were in a second boat bound for a different shore.

I hated that I had to ask Vale’s team for help. It was basically announcing to the Neighborhood that I couldn’t do my job. With my luck, Justine would fire me and request a budget increase to hire two more Pennys.

I couldn’t worry about job security right now, though. Keith was the immediate threat. I’d sweat my future later.

“Watch out for the Aspidochelone,” I warned, as the island came into view. “It’s been lurking close to shore.”

“You might have mentioned that sooner,” Vale said.

I looked at him. “Would you have done something different?”

“A bigger boat, for starters.”

“We’re sneaking in, remember? A bigger boat wasn’t an option.”

Cowboy glanced between us. “What’s an Aspidochelone?”

“Something you’d be far more likely to see in the deepest part of the ocean,” Vale replied.

“Might as well be the deepest part of the ocean,” the vampire said, peering at the black water that surrounded us. “Too dark to see a damn thing here.”

Vale cut the engine as we neared the shore. “We should unload here,” he advised, and dropped the anchor.

Cowboy rolled up his pant legs, and one by one, we disembarked into the cool water and waded to shore.

“This is a far cry from storming the beaches of Normandy,” Cowboy said. He snatched a floating tennis ball from the foam and chucked it on the sand.

“Don’t sound so disappointed,” I told him.

The beach was empty, which I expected at this hour.

“Where to next?” Vale asked.

“I’d like to get to my cottage. I have weapons there.”

“You don’t think this werewolf will have eyes on your place?” Cowboy asked.

“I’m sure he does.”

Vale didn’t miss a beat. “Then you’re not going alone. We’ll go with you.”