Dangerous Designs by Dale Mayer [paranormal/YA]

head. "You two looked so great together."
    "Maybe. Unlikely. I don't know. I wouldn't get my hopes up, if I were you." Storey knew her Mom had watched her social life with a wary eye during her relationship with Jeff and immediately afterwards.
    "Well, if it's meant to be and all that." She smiled. "Why don't you come down and have a cup of tea with me?"
    "Who's here?"
    The smile dropped from her mom's face fast. She hesitated. "Do you resent all the company? I never thought." She nibbled on her bottom lip. "We do have a lot of company though, don't we? I'm sorry. It's your home, too."
    Oh, brother. "Mom. Stop. I'm fine with the company. I'm glad you have so many friends. That you're happy with your life and your beliefs." Mostly, anyways, but she wasn't going to open up that discussion. Not now.
    A smile peeped out. "I wish you'd consider joining..."
    "I know. At the moment, I'm not feeling it." Although after what she'd seen today, Wiccan didn't seem as odd or farfetched as it had yesterday. "I'll make my own decision. I just need some time."
    "Then time you shall have." She smiled. "And there's no one downstairs right now. Let's go have a cup of tea and some fresh poppy seed cake."
    "Best offer I've had all day." In a rare moment of concord, the two linked arms and headed for the kitchen.
    Storey could only hope her bedroom would still be empty when she returned. She'd forgotten to consider one tiny problem – how to close the portal she'd created from her side.

CHAPTER NINE
    G etting along with your mother beat trying to avoid her. Two hours later, Storey headed to her bedroom door, yawning. She had homework to finish but no energy to care about such minor details. Pushing her door open, she came to a sudden halt.
    She gasped, checked behind her to make sure she was alone before stepping in a shutting the door behind her. "Oh my God," she hissed. "What are you doing here?" Leaning against the door, she stared at Eric, who lay half asleep on her bed. Damn, he looked good there. As if he belonged.
    Not.
    "About time you got here. I've been waiting forever."
    "Why? What do you want from me?" Pulling out her computer chair, she sat down facing him, before her knees gave out on her. "And how did you get in?"
    "Same way you did, only I removed the paper as I went through so we couldn't be followed."
    She raised an eyebrow. "Cool. Too bad I didn't think of that. Then again, I wasn't sure if it would work in the first place."
    "Well, it's not there anymore."
    "Thank God. It's a little creepy to have people entering my bedroom from another dimension. Maybe the kitchen or living room, but not my bedroom, thanks."
    He just stared at her.
    "Okay, I'm babbling. Sorry. It's just a little unnerving to have you here out of the blue like that." She stared out the window.
    "They want me to bring you back."
    She tilted her head and studied the look on his face. Odd wording. Hmmm. "And what do you want to do?"
    "I don't want you to go over there again."
    She raised an eyebrow. So much for seeing where the relationship with Eric might go. Long distance didn't quite cut it, as she already knew. Look what had happened to her and Jeff.
    "Good, then I won't. The last visit was enough for me, anyway."
    "They'll send someone else if I don't bring you back."
    The shadows lengthened in the early evening light. "They again." She watched him carefully, sensing more to the story. "How much force will 'they' use to make me go back?"
    His face paled.
    Her stomach twisted. "That much, huh?" She didn't want to dwell on it. They didn't look like the kind of group that lived and let live. "Did they come to an agreement about the Louers yet?"
    Eric shook his head. "I think they're more concerned about you being a loose end."
    Her eyes widened. "They're afraid of me? Of what I might say? Do?" At each successive nod, the knots in her stomach tightened. She closed her eyes. Think, damn it. There had to be a way out of this mess. "What are my options?"
    "I don't