“Lie still,” Alexis commands as she puts her hands on my stomach.

“Your hands are cold,” I gripe.

“They’ll warm up, as you know,” she answers.

Faye, her hair now white as snow and clipped short against her head, rolls her eyes. “You two are like an old married couple,” she says.

“Amy is pushing her body too hard, too fast,” Alexis says.

“Amy needs to get back in shape as quickly as possible,” I answer, mimicking her sarcastic tone.

I feel the warmth of Alexis’ magic as it courses through me. She has been working on me for the past three weeks, since the attack, trying to help me heal faster, trying to restore my body’s ability to procreate – not that having babies is at the top of my to-do list. Still, if Damon ever comes back, perhaps…

No, I should not allow myself to get into the game of what-if’s. I am haunted by that look on Damon’s face, but does it really change anything? I wasn’t thinking of children at all, and certainly we would not even consider bringing another human into the world until we were certain it was a safe world to begin with.

“Even with the support of healing magic, your injuries were very severe, and they followed other significant and severe injuries,” Alexis says. “Your body has been through a lot. You should give it time to rest.”

“Spoken like a healer, not like a cop,” I say.

“Amy,” Faye says, “Your aura is a mess, very conflicted.”

“Thank you, Captain Obvious,” I say, wincing a little as Alexis’ magic hits a spot deep within me that is sensitive.

“You won’t be able to hone your abilities if your thoughts are such a jumble. You need to be clear-headed and focused,” she says.

“For what?” I ask.

“Your path needs to merge with that of the coven,” she says.

“Ivanka, Mika, and Joseph, you mean,” I say. “You said it needs to merge, not that it would. What’s the difference? Will they be able to help me?”

“As you know, I can only see threads, not always why or what will happen. Right now, I can see that your threads need to intertwine with theirs. I suspect this has to do with your abilities, but I cannot be sure. I can only advise that though they were once like us, they are no longer.”

“Yeah, yeah,” I say. “They are vampires and I can’t trust them. I have heard it all before.”

“Oh, I’m sorry,” Faye snaps, “I didn’t realize you had become such an expert in the single year you’ve even been aware of the supernatural. I’ll cease any advisements that might save your life from here on out.”

Just as I open my mouth to respond, a sharp flare of Alexis’ magic makes my insides feel like they are burning. I arch off the table with a surprised cry of pain and she pulls her hand away.

“There is still extensive damage,” she says quietly. “While you were lucky that the stab wounds did not affect major organs, you had artery damage, nerve damage, and muscle damage. It is hard to know just where, though, until I feel it with my magic. I apologize if I hurt you.”

Tears sting my eyes. “It’s fine,” I say, swallowing. “I appreciate your help.”

Alexis takes a moment to center herself while I sit up, a little woozy. After a few, quiet moments, she says, “Faye is right, though, Amy. You need to be careful with the coven. They are not to be trusted.”

“It’s this type of mistrust that has caused this whole situation. One of us deciding that they don’t deserve to live,” I say.

“I don’t think either of us is saying they don’t deserve to live,” Alexis says. “We just want you to be safe. You tend to…”

“Run in without thinking?” Faye finishes.

“I do not run in without thinking,” I say.

“You totally do,” Faye answers. “It’s your MO, and we get it. You fight for people you care about. It’s a valiant quality, but it is reckless. When you go in to see the cove, think before you speak. Think before you agree to anything. Think about what you see, smell, and hear, but also about what you feel. Walk away if you feel manipulated.”

“I can’t be compelled,” I say.

“Maybe not in the way they are used to compelling people,” Faye answers, her eyes fierce. “But you don’t think you were compelled by Olivia? When she knew you would do anything to protect your friend Cara? Or Vincent? You don’t think she pulled all of your strings to get you to work to her ends?”

“She did play me,” I admit.

“Like a fiddle,” Faye says. “I know you think you can do everything on your own, that you don’t need anyone’s help, but I ask you to stop before you act. Can you do that?”

“Yes,” I answer. “Yes. And I’m sorry. You’re right.”

Alexis looks at her phone and says, “I’ve got to get to the club. Amy, any leads?”

I shake my head. “Not a one. And you’re sure you’ve never seen the owner? Never heard a name tossed around?”

“I’m sure,” she says. “I have searched every nook and cranny of the offices and found nothing leading to any one person.”

“We do have the dagger,” I say. “The one in the hidden desk drawer. Faye said sometimes touching it could trigger a rebound memory, something about its owner, right?”

“Yes,” Faye answers, “That’s right.”

“Have you looked at it?” I ask Alexis.

“I have, and I touched everything, but I felt nothing,” she answers.

I nod. “Well, I guess I’ll have to get back in there and see if it triggers anything for me, then.”

Faye makes a face. I think it means she thinks this is a good idea but one never really knows with Faye. I raise an eyebrow at her in question and she nods. “Yes, you are the strongest with visions,” she says. “It’s a good plan.”

“I assume I don’t need to buy a private lap dance to get access?” I ask.

Alexis laughs. “No, just come in whenever you can.”

“Okay, I’ll follow you to work, then,” I answer, standing and wiping my sweaty palms on the front of my pants.

We say goodbye to Faye and I follow Alexis to the club. It’s still early, so no one is around. As I wander back to the office, I find the door locked. Alexis tries to open it with her master key, to no avail.

We meet each other’s eyes, both realizing that this means someone knows we were poking around where we weren’t supposed to. We look at the cameras at either end of the hallways.

“I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling like I’m being watched a little,” I say.

“Always,” Alexis says.

“Do you feel safe when you’re here?” I ask as we make our way back to the main club area.

“Usually, yes,” Alexis says. “There is definitely a darkness here, a stifling sort of magic, but I haven’t yet figured out the source of it. I don’t think it was the items in that drawer.”

“I concur” I answer.

Alexis goes behind the bar and gets us both glasses of water. After she takes a sip, she says, “I’m beginning to think there is some sort of portal here.”

“Like the Hellmouth?” I ask. At Alexis’ blank expression, I say, “Sorry. My nerd is showing. That was a Buffy reference.”

She gives a thin smile. “Anyway. I’m concerned that there’s more to this place than meets the eye.”

“Well, that seems obvious,” I say. “Four girls dead, drawer full of witchy paraphernalia, strong scent of magic.”

“Yes, but…why? Why this place? Why those girls?” Alexis asks.

“That’s what I aim to find out,” I answer. “But I think I need to sharpen my own tools first. I’m going to go see the coven.”

The next word that pops into my head is a call and I feel it when he hears me.

Vincent.