“What about Mandy and my quad?”

“Well, yeah, she did mention that you guys had a cockroach problem. But that was it. I put two and two together. She was around when I cleaned out that frat house—I saw her as I left.”

“Did you really get rid of all the cockroaches?”

“Yep, I did.”

“How?”

“Trade secret. But I will say I used an old remedy I stumbled over this summer that was in Old English. I know how it works, but it seems to. Got rid of the lice, too.” The last was said with a certain amount of smugness.

“Amazing. Must be some herbal ingredient that the critters can’t stand.”

Kat didn’t reply, but laid her head on his shoulder. Softly, she said, “I’m sorry, Kev. I owe you one.”

Kevin took a final swig of his beer and then gently lifted her head, one finger under her chin. “For what?”

“I dumped you. I wasn’t really very nice about it.”

“Well, I’m here now. I wasn’t too busted up about it, though I did wonder why. Why did you?”

Kat laid her head back on his shoulder and refused to meet his eye. After a long pause she answered, “Because I knew nothing could ever come of it. You’re going to go places I can’t go. Do things I can’t do, not even be a part of. Not if I’m going to be what I have to be.”

Kevin shook his head. He wondered if the one beer he’d had, had gotten to him. It didn’t seem likely. “You want to try that again?”

Softly, Kat sighed and raised her head. “I really am a witch, Kevin. I do have some powers, whether you believe it or not. I don’t understand them very well, but I do trust them, now.

“I didn’t last spring. Or rather, I didn’t want to. I got spooked by them and didn’t want to accept what they were telling me.”

“Which was what?”

Kevin eyes locked with Kat’s and slowly she said, “That if I kept going out with you, you’d die. Maybe not soon, but before your time. I didn’t want to be responsible for that.”

Kevin blinked several times, not certain he understood. “How could you be responsible for that? I mean, without killing me.”

“By changing your life.”

“I’m surprised that you called, then. That still holds true, doesn’t it?”

Kat nodded. “But I found out something even worse. If I don’t… if I don’t put you on this road, a lot worse will happen. A lot of people might die.”

“Oh, come on now, Kat. Be reasonable. You’re talking nonsense now.”

“No, I’m not. And in about two hours, you’ll know I’m not.” She straightened up entirely, her arm still locked in Kevin’s and said, “Let’s go to your quad. I might as well get that done, now. It’s been a nice night and maybe that would be the best way to end it.”

Kevin regarded her for a long moment and then frowned. “Maybe that’s not such a good idea. I think maybe I’ll head on by myself and let you think things over. You’re not making a lot of sense right now.”

Kat laughed, bleakly. “No, I suppose from your point of view, I’m not. It doesn’t matter. In a couple of hours you’ll know whether or not I’m what I say I am and then things can go on their normal way. I wish I knew what that was going to be, but I don’t. I think that means I’m part of it. I don’t see my own future worth a damn.”