“I am,” Vivian replied instead, noticing Chris for the first time.
“Oh.” He looked at her appraisingly. “Can I take a cheek swab? It’s painless.”
“Maybe later.” Vivian did a double take. “I’m sorry, but who are you?”
“This is Chris Roberts, Vivian, my colleague from Yale. He’s a molecular biologist.” I passed the sugar and gave Chris a pinch on the arm to keep him quiet. “Can we possibly talk in the family room?
My head is killing me—and my feet are swelling up like balloons.”
“Somebody complained to the Congregation about covenant violations in Madison County,” Vivian told us when we were comfortably ensconced in the sofas and armchairs arranged in front of the TV.
“Do you know who it was?” Sarah asked.
“Cassie and Lydia.” Vivian stared morosely into her coffee.
“The cheerleaders narked us out?” Sarah was dumfounded.
“Figures,” I said. They’d been inseparable since childhood, insufferable since adolescence, and indistinguishable since high school with their softly curling blond hair and blue eyes. Neither Cassie nor Lydia had let her witchy ancestry keep her in the shadows. Together they had co-captained the cheerleading squad and witches credited them with giving Madison its most successful football season in history by inserting victory spells into every chant and routine.
“And what are the charges—exactly?” Matthew had switched into lawyer mode.
“That Diana and Sarah have been consorting with vampires,” Vivian muttered.
“Consorting?” Sarah’s outrage was clear.
Vivian flung her hands up in the air. “I know, I know. It sounds positively lewd, but I assure you those were Sidonie’s exact words. Happily, Sidonie is in Las Vegas and can’t come in person to investigate. The Clark County covens are too heavily invested in real estate, and they’re using spells to try to shore up the housing market.”
“So what happens now?” I asked Vivian.
“I have to respond. In writing.”
“Thank goodness. That means you can lie,” I said, relieved.
“No way, Diana. She’s too smart. I saw Sidonie question the SoHo coven two years ago when they opened up that haunted house on Spring Street, right where the Halloween parade lineup begins. It was masterful.” Vivian shuddered. “She even got them to divulge how they suspended a bubbling cauldron over their parade float for six hours. After Sidonie’s visit the coven was grounded for a full year—no flying, no apparating, and positively no exorcisms. They’re still haven’t recovered.”
“What kind of witch is she?” I asked.
“A powerful one,” Vivian said with a snort. But that’s not what I meant.
“Is her power elemental or based in the craft?”
“She’s got a good grasp of spells, from what I hear,” Sarah said.
“Sidonie can fly, and she’s a respected seer, too,” Vivian added.
Chris raised his hand.
“Yes, Chris?” Sarah sounded like a schoolmarm.
“Smart, powerful, flying—it doesn’t matter. You can’t let her find out about Diana’s children, what with the Bad Seed’s latest research project and this covenant you’re all worried about.”
“Bad Seed?” Vivian stared at Chris blankly.
“Matthew’s son knocked up a witch. It seems that reproductive abilities run in the Clairmont family.” Chris glared at Matthew. “And about this covenant you’ve all agreed to. I take it that witches aren’t supposed to hang out with vampires?”