“We’re filling the vacuum.” Now Eric leaned forward, eagerness flushed in his face. “I’ve given this a lot of thought. Hell, not a whole lot to do around here, so I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. People like us are coming into our own because the virus took out the noise, the mind-sets against, the numbers.”

“Those numbers were people. I can’t believe, and won’t, that what’s a celebration of light, of love, of life, blossomed out of death and suffering.”

“It’s a theory.” Eric shrugged. “We didn’t cause the virus. The harm, the death. Think of it like power punched through.”

“I’ve given it some thought myself,” Max said dryly. “I think of it as a kind of balancing. We’ve been given more, or what we had already has surfaced so we can balance out the dark and the death. Help rebuild, help restructure a world with more light. More kindness, more tolerance.”

“Pretty much the same thing.”

“With practice and study, I think you’ll see the difference.”

As he slumped back, Eric’s eyes went sulky. “So, what, I’m going to school, with you as the teacher?”

“Consider it a way to start making it up to everyone.”

Eric had to smile, even toasted Max with his beer. “Boxed me right in on that one. Okay, okay. When do we start?”

“We already have.”

With a nod, Eric studied his beer. “I haven’t brought it up because I … But do you think Mom and Dad are alive?”

“I hope they are. I hope they’re safe and well.”

“They might be like us. They could be.”

“They could.” He’d never seen the smallest sign in either of them. Then again, he hadn’t in Eric, either. “One thing I know is you’re my brother. You’re my family, and we’re together.”

“I was an asshole to you this morning.”

“That’s done now. We start here.” Reaching over, Max laid a hand over Eric’s.

“Okay.”

Lana waited until Max sat back. Hearing Eric ask about their parents helped tamp down some of her lingering resentment. Besides, he was her child’s uncle. Blood kin.

“Anybody hungry?”

Eric rose quickly. “I can set the table.”

“Kim’s already done it, but I’ll take you up on the cleanup offer.”

“You got it. I’m really sorry, Lana.”

“I know. Why don’t you tell Allegra dinner’s ready? Eating together as a group, as a family, might soothe some bruised feelings.”

“You’re right. We’ve got to be a team, pull together. I’ll go get her.”

Max rose as Eric hurried out.

“You’re still a little pissed at him, and I can’t blame you.”

“Not as much as I was. I’ll get over it, especially if he doesn’t pull anything like this again.”

“We’ll make sure he doesn’t. He needs guidance, and he’s willing to accept it.”

“Good. I have reason to know he couldn’t have a better mentor than you.”

“He’ll get annoyed and resentful, I’ll get impatient. But…” Max crossed to her. “That’s how we roll. You look happy.”

“I am happy.” Thrilled, she thought as she leaned into him, and a little terrified. “And I’ll be happier if we can have a little time to ourselves after dinner.”

“I’ve missed time to ourselves. We could take a walk.”

“I was thinking more an evening alone, in our room.”

“Were you?” He kissed her forehead, her cheeks, her lips.

“Yes. Let’s go upstairs after dinner, Max, shut the door. Shut out everything but us.”

“Then let’s eat.” He drew her closer, let the next kiss linger. “Fast.”

The mood during dinner proved markedly different from the morning. If bygones weren’t altogether bygones, they seemed well on their way. Maybe a good meal, Poe’s pride in his fresh bread, and the bounty of supplies erased a lot of resentment. And Eric certainly made an effort.

He joked with Shaun until Shaun’s gloomy face brightened, talked with Poe about splitting wood, challenged the group at large to a board game tournament.

“Dinner was great,” he told Lana. “Thanks. And kudos on the bread, Poe. I’m on cleanup. Kim ought to figure out the rules and terms for the tournament. She’s the big brain.”

“That’ll give Joe and me time to take our walk. Come on, dude.” Eddie patted his thigh as he rose. Joe rolled over, crawled out from under the table.

“Lana and I will take a pass on game night.” Max took her hand as he pushed back from the table. “I have a lesson plan to work out.”

“Oh, man!” But Eric said it with a laugh.

“It’s good.” Lana glanced back as she and Max walked upstairs. “It feels like we’ve all turned a corner. Maybe we needed the blowup to clear the air, bring on some unity.”

“They’re young.”

“And we’re so old.”

He laughed. “Younger. They can use a night of dissing each other over games, trash talking and bragging.”

He drew her into the bedroom, and into his arms. “And we can use this,” he said, took her mouth.

“There are things I want to tell you.”

“We’ve got all night to talk. I’ve missed you, Lana.” He drew out the pins she’d used to bundle her hair up while cooking. “I’ve missed shutting the world out so it’s just you and me.”

This first then, she thought. Yes, this first. The world shut away so all that remained was love.

He lit the fire; she lit the candles. And the glow of magick joined love.

From two feet away, she turned down the duvet with a sweep of her hand, making him laugh.

“A little something I’ve been working on.”

“So I see. Well, not to be outdone…” He lifted his hands, drew them down in the air. Her clothes slid off to pool at her feet.

Delighted, she looked down at herself. “This doesn’t seem like the act of a serious and sober witch.”

“It’s the act of a man who wants you. My lovely Lana. I haven’t taken enough time to just look at you.”

“We’ll take it now.” She opened her arms.

Yes, this, she thought. This time, with their hands on each other, their mouths meeting. She drew his sweater off to feel the shape of him—leaner than he had been, tauter. So much stress, she thought, so much work and worry.

She’d give him more than that tonight. So much more.

She thrilled at the way he swept her up, wrapped around her as they lay together on the cool sheets. He pressed her hand to his heart, then to his lips. She drew him down so their mouths met. Blessed, she thought, she was blessed to be so loved, to have such love inside her.

His hands, palms rougher than they’d been, roamed over her. He knew, he knew where she yearned to be touched, what glide and press would quicken her pulse. He knew where to taste to send the blood swimming under her skin.

Weak with love, she gave herself to him. Dizzy with lust, she shifted to rush kisses over his chest. His heart beat so strong, so vital. Hers galloped to match it.

She opened, took him in, held tight and close.

“This,” she whispered. “Just this for a moment.”

No movement, no urgency. Just held together, fitted into one. Just that moment of being with his eyes, that rich smoke, locked with hers.

Then she arched, lifted to him. Rose and fell with him, and let the moment, and the next, the next, the next, sweep them both away.

She thought of the night weeks ago, a world away, when they’d curled together like this, replete. When the light inside her had been struck.

With the fire simmering, the candles flickering, she combed her fingers through his hair. A little choppy, she thought with a smile, from her amateur attempt to trim it for him. She brushed her fingers over his cheek—rough with several days’ worth of stubble.

So many changes, she thought, small and enormous for both of them.