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them was no honeymoon. At least not right now. They’d do that in a couple of months. They lived in Vegas, after all. Exotic enough to a southern girl like Stacy, and still very new to her. She couldn’t wait to show Vegas off to the family.
    “Honey, don’t try and plan too much for your folks. Let’s just cruise the Strip and let ‘em pick. We’ll go in wherever a show hits their fancy. And if we can’t get in one they want one night, we’ll get reservations for the next night.”
    “Works for me. But one thing you can count on.”
    “Which is?”
    “Magic shows.”
    “We don’t got enough magic of our own? We got a private little family coven, remember?"
    “Not that kind of magic. Mom’s got a thing for magic shows. Oh, look!” Stacy pointed at one of the large casinos. “There’s one!” She reached in her pants pocket and pulled out her phone, clicking to camera mode and snapping a shot. “This way we’ll remember all of ‘em.”
    “She does? I’ve never asked but—your folks, are they, well, magical themselves? Seeing as how you and Ariel—”
    Stacy slowed her pace and pursed her lips in thought. “I honestly don’t know. I don’t know where Ariel and I came from. Our magic, I mean, of course I know where we came from, don’t even.”
    “Damn. Temptation shot down. That was almost irresistible, you know.”
    “I know. But honestly, I don’t know if magic’s inherited or just inherent in each new little soul. Or old little soul, as the case may be. I’m pretty sure Dad doesn’t have it. If Mom does, I don’t think she knows it. I mean, she never tried to explain anything to us about it. Wouldn’t a parent with power try and help their kids understand theirs? ”
    “You’d think, yeah. Hell, Mom, tried to help me. I just wasn’t having any of it. I figured the magic in that family—and it wasn’t just Chad, looking back Mom just—well, she glowed. Kinda like you and Ariel do. Anyway, there was a lot of magic in that house. And being a foster child, no blood connection, I figured I was out for the count. And then came you. And Daytona.”
    “Well. Anyway, whether Mom does or doesn’t have magic, knows or doesn’t know she does—she loves magic acts. Always has. And look! Another magic show! Oh, yeah! Mom’s goin’ to love Vegas!”
     
    * * *
     
    “Hate to say it, but actually—I’m glad.” Michael took a long swig of his beer.
    “You’re glad we’re gonna go through all this shit again?”
    “I’m glad you’ve got a breach in your division. You kept insisting it was impossible and since I know damn well I got one and Rafe knows damn well he’s got one—”
    “Rafe’s sitting right here, you know.” Rafael took a long draw from his mug, too. “And he can talk. You’re always trying to take over, Michael.”
    “Well, just excuse me to hell and back!”
    “Wait a damn minute here! Back up! Are you saying just because I wasn’t sure I had a breach, you thought I knew damn well there was one? And thereby might be the broken arrow? Me?! ”
    “G uys! Can it!” Rafe hissed. “Incoming waitress.”
    “Here you go, boys! Y’all must be hungry, never saw such scowls! Don’t worry, this’ll fix you right up! Anything else?”
    “This’ll do it, honey, thank you.”
    “Y’all save some room for desert now, hear?” Jenny headed back to the kitchen.
    “Man, what is it about southern girls?” Michael shook his head as he watched her rear retreat. “Aren’t they just the best? ”
    “You just told me you thought I was the broken arrow and you’re sitting there now stuffing your face and watching a waitress’s rear-end? I don’t believe you, man!”
    Rafael reached across into the bread basket for a piece of toast. “Gabriel, calm down. He’s still bent out of shape ‘cause you opted out of the last brouhaha and decided to stay down on earth a while.”
    “Call it like it is, brother.” Michael sucked the last morsels of meat off his first rib