Page 88 of Blood Union (Dark Witch Chronicles 3)

“What did you do?” Delaney asks, coming to stand beside me. “I thought this was just movie night?”

Rainey shrugs. “It was, but then I figured, since we may all die tomorrow, why not celebrate the things we have to be happy for. AKA, baby on the way.” She presses a hand to Delaney’s stomach, then wraps an arm around my shoulders. “And Mrs. Shay Tarnley-to-be.”

“You are too damned much, Rainey Astor,” I choke out.

She beams at me. “I like to keep everyone on their toes.”

“This is too much.” Delaney’s tears stream steadily down her cheeks as she presses both hands to her stomach and moves further into the room. Paloma is the first to move forward and wrap her arms around Delaney in a soft embrace.

“I am so happy for you, Delaney. You deserve all the happiness.”

When she pulls away, Delaney is a sobbing mess. “Thank you.”

The police captain shifts to me. “And you, too, Bronywyn. After everything you’ve—” she breaks off, emotion too much to keep speaking.

“Thank you, Paloma.”

“Oh, come here!” she wraps both arms around me, and Rainey moves around behind her, using her thumb and pinky to mimic downing a drink and pointing to Paloma. When she pulls away, I smell the liquor on her breath.

“Thank you,” I tell her with a smile.

“You are so welcome!”

“Great, now who’s ready to party!” Rainey asks as she rushes over to the stereo and presses a button. Music fills the room, and all of the women start calling out, hooting, hollering, and laughing loudly as the party begins.

I’m struck once again by how utterly lonely my life had been before Rainey Astor was wheeled into my clinic.

That may have been the day my life descended into the chaos it is today, but in a lot of ways, it’s the day I really, truly began living.