When Eilidh returned to the store after her wasted trip to the Elder's Council, she had a detailed list of tasks in her head for Miriam to take care of during the day.

"I want you to get hold of Lesley Sharp's office and engage her for tomorrow evening. Don't take no for an answer. I don't care what else she's got going on, tell her we'll pay double, triple, if we have to."

"Who's Lesley Sharp?" Flip narrowed her eyes in suspicion but Eilidh barely noticed as she continued to write instructions down for Miriam.

"She's a private investigator for The Lights. She's known for getting the job done, no matter what. I'm done playing, Flip. If your friend at the council won't help, I have no other option."

"Vander Canmore is not my friend. He wasn't before, and he sure as fuck isn't now. But I don't think a private investigator is a good idea either. Especially one like that. And really? You can afford triple normal rates? From this place?"

"You never listen to a thing I say, do you, sister? Some of these books are worth more than you've ever earned in your entire vampire lifetime. I can pay. Not that it's your problem. It's mine."

Flip threw her hands up in the air and stormed around the counter to stand right in front of Eilidh so she couldn't ignore her.

"I knew it! You're pissed at me because I couldn't find her! Your daughter's smarter than you give her credit for, Eilidh, and she doesn't want to be found. Least of all by you. And why is that, Eilidh, hmmm? What is you did that pissed your daughter off so much that she's hiding so well that even I can't find her?"

Miriam began to back away from the counter as the tension in the room rose. The two customers currently browsing in the Quill & Query began to inch towards the door. Everyone knew not to make any sudden moves in front of angry vampires.

"Stop right there, Miriam. I need you. Flip. I don't want to hear it. You couldn't find her so now I need someone who can. Simple. Now get out of my way, I don't have time for this."

But Flip didn't get out of the way. Instead, she jumped over the counter and punched Eilidh in her jaw.

The next few minutes passed in a blur of punches, swearing, kicking, and screams of rage for the onlookers in the store as the two vampire sisters fought.

By the time the customers had made it to the door, Eilidh and Flip had run out of steam and both vampire sisters were lying on the floor behind the counter waiting for their wounds to heal and their bones to knit back together.

Eilidh heard the bell over the door as the customers left and then she caught the rare scent of a human entering her store. She decided a human wasn't worth lifting her head up for and continued to lay where she was, listening to Miriam's attempts to get the human out of there.

"Miss? Are you lost?" Miriam asked.

The blue-haired, plump, young woman smiled shyly at Miriam. She wore torn black jeans and an ACDC tshirt with black, chunky boots.

This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

"Umm, no, I think this is where I want to be. Morgan, from...from the pub...in the Village? She suggested you might be able to help me. I'm looking for a copy of Winnie Stalverson's grimoire, if you have one?"

Miriam was surprised. "You're a witch? Sorry, that was a bit rude, wasn't it?"

"Oh, no, that's fine. I'm not a witch, no, I'm human. I do a bit of IT work for some of the supernatural folk who visit the Village and I want to do some research to help out a client. I can...I can leave if its not allowed. You know, if I shouldn't be here?"

Miriam wanted the girl to leave, for her own sake. She didn't know if Eilidh and Flip were done hurting each other, and as a human, she could be in serious danger.

But, there was something about her that made Miriam want to help. She didn't get to talk to humans a lot and surely Eilidh would appreciate the sale. Especially if she was going to hire a private investigator to find Reagan.

"Sure, yes. Actually we have Winnie's original grimoire, her great great grand-daughter donated it to us after she converted to christianity."

The young woman's eyes grew wide for a moment before she looked down again. "I'd love to see that, if possible, but honestly, I doubt I can afford the original. I'm not sure I can afford a copy to be honest, but Morgan said you might have a payment plan or something? Or perhaps you need some IT work done? Oh!"

Eilidh suddenly appeared upright next to Miriam and startled the young woman. By this time, her wounds and healed and she'd readjusted her clothes although she still had a long rip in her silk blouse and a hole in her sleeve.

"What is your name? And please don't tell me it's Blue." Eilidh had automatically switched to business mode.

The girl let out a quiet giggle and said "No, my name is Karah. Karah Moore. It's nice to meet you...um...?"

"Eilidh Moss. The proprietor. This is my assistant, Miriam. If you were to work for me, in any capacity, you would answer to her. You understand who, and what I am?"

"Yes, you're a well-known businesswoman and collector of books. And you're a vampire." Karah looked in the general direction of Eilidh's face without looking at her eyes.

"You don't seem afraid of me, Karah Moore. Why is that?" Eilidh's tone was curious rather than challenging.

"Well, ummm, I don't know...I guess...I live on the edge of the forest, between the Village and the Lights. I've seen many different...um...people...since I moved here. I tend to take...people...as I find them. And so far, you haven't done anything to scare me."

"Wait 'til you see the orange suit she wears to business meetings, you'll be fucking terrified of her then." Flip had seemingly healed enough that she had her voice back at least.

For a moment, Eilidh considered punching Flip again but she decided against it. She was far too interested in this young woman standing in front of her. Miriam seemed to like her too and Miriam was usually right about such things.

"Alright. Miriam, show our new friend the Stalverson grimoire and give her a copy to take home with her. Ms Moore, I'll expect to see you here tomorrow afternoon at 1pm for three hours work. I've been thinking of setting up a website and online sales for some time now and you can work off the cost of the copy and then we'll see how we're getting all getting along. Miriam will need some help in the store for the next few days as I have other matters to attend to."

Eilidh watched Karah and Miriam as they made their way to the witchcraft section.

"You don't think that's a bit risky? Hiring someone you don't know and didn't even bother to interview to work in your store while you're looking for your missing daughter? Her walking in right now doesn't make you suspicious?"

"No, it doesn't. I trust Morgan Stewart implictly and I also trust Miriam's judgement. If they think she's trustworthy, then she probably is. Having extra help in the store will free up more of Miriam's time to help me" She snorted inelegantly. "It's your judgement I don't trust. Especially, when you're friendly with politicians.""Local politicians. Small fry. Especially in this town. And I wouldn't say friendly. And there's nothing wrong with my judgement. By the way, congratulations, you're kickboxing skills seem to have improved. You actually did some damage there, for a change."

"Honestly, Flip, are we not too old for fighting like stroppy teenagers?"

:Flip smiled. "Apparently not. It's given me an idea though. Do you remember when you and I got into that fight because was dating the guy you were trying to buy the demonic self-help books from?"

"Dating? That's what you're calling it?" Eilidh remembered it well.

"Yeah yeah, whatever. Anyhow, that guy has all kinds of demon contacts, if I can track him down, he may have heard something. It's nearly sundown now, tomorrow night I'll track him down and if I still come up with nothing, I'll pay for the private investigator myself."

Suddenly, Eilidh was too tired to argue anymore.

"Alright. Tomorrow night, but that's it, Flip. I feel like she's still out there somewhere but I'm starting to think she may not be for much longer. I need to find my child."

"We will, sis, we will."