I'm suddenly awake. My eyes fly open but I'm not seeing. Or, I am seeing but not the here and now. I know the threads of spacetime. I could touch them, weave them. I breathe and the universe breathes with me. I smell the sun rise, though our black out curtains don't allow in any light.

I roll out of bed and grab. The curtain rod breaks, bringing heavy fabric cascading towards me. I look up and, instinctively, it stops.

Ashira stirs and rolls over. "Rin? Rinny!" She springs from the bed. She wraps her arms around me but I'm transfixed by my reflection in the window.

Grey hair standing on end, silver sparkling eyes pulsing with my heartbeat, pointed canines pressing against my lip. I numbly reach up to wipe away a drop of blAood from the corner of my eye.

"I-" my voice rasps as I try not to scream. "I think the wall has been brought down. The magic is free."

Ashira's eyes widen in confusion. But before I can explain more, her alarm goes off. I'm on my feet faster than thought. I tug at her arm. "oh shit, I forgot. You have (ADD LAWYER SHIT HERE). You need to get ready! Jump in the shower while I make breakfast. You need to hurry so you have time to shave."

Ashira remains on the floor. "Rin, you're hair is grey. And-" her tone rises as I try to drag her into the bathroom. "and you were crying blood!"

I sigh and plop down next to her. "I promise I'll explain later. But for now you have a case to win. Your job is important. Even if the world is ending." I can see the interrobangs rising from her head but I hop up and scurry to the kitchen. A few minutes later, I hear the shower start.

As Ashira opens the door, I jump up. "Wait!" I begin. "Before you do anything rash, know that she now only feeds from willing donors."

Ashira stops short. "What? What are you talking about?"

I quickly continue, "She's a vampire. But she hasn't killed anyone in decades." When this doesn't seem to convince her, I plead, "and she's a guest." I know Ashira doesn't understand the magical power of hospitality, or any magic really. I take a deep breath and try to explain. "Elizabeth is an old friend and-"

Elizabeth injects, "Is that any way to talk about your sister?"

I glare at her. "Half-sister. And, yes, she's a vampire. She offered me this-" I show off the silver and garnet bracelet now around my right wrist, "in return for blood. It gives me a temporary boost of magic."

Ashira looks somewhat stunned. Carefully putting her briefcase on the table, she says, "Are you telling me that not only are vampires real, so is magic?"

I ring my hands and look around for something to do to break the tension. My eyes fall on the bloody wine glass on the coffee table. I snatch it up and take it to the sink, gathering the dirty paring knife as I pass the counter.

Elizabeth smiles and folds her hands. "We're very much real and so is magic. In fact, your partner is one of the most powerful mages in the world."

I keep my eyes fixedly on the sink as I run the water. "Am not."

My sister chuckles. "of course you are. Not only are you a child of the Wild God, you were also trained by -if I may- one of the best English witches."

I place the glass in the drying rack with a loud clink. "Not that any of that matters. This bracelet only has a day's juice."