Another cold night, another stakeout in a cemetery, another chance for Riley Adams to rethink all of her life choices. Somewhere deep in her heart, Riley knew she loved what she did and she couldn’t imagine doing anything else but every once in a while, like now sitting against a headstone in the cold, she wondered what it would be like to have a normal life. She knew, logically, that after years of being a paranormal investigator in a city that had an abnormally high level of paranormal problems that she’d be bored doing something more normal but it was nice to think about sometimes. 

Riley was pulled out of her thoughts by the voice of her best friend, Alice “AJ” Mitchell saying, “Riley? Did you hear what I said?”

Riley shook her head, as if to shake herself awake, and turned to AJ. “No, sorry. What?”

AJ gave her a concerned look. “Are you okay? You’re not worried about this Strudwick thing, are you?”

Riley waved a hand dismissively. “No, of course not. As far as vampire mob bosses go, Strudwick is small potatoes. I’ve busted him before, I’m sure I can do it again.”

It was true. While Tobias Strudwick was a decently powerful vampire he was, in fact, a terrible criminal and Riley had had no problem taking him down in the past. She knew tonight would be no different. She might have to rough his gang up a bit but that was it. She hadn’t even bothered to enlist anyone else on her team aside from AJ who, as assistant editor of the H City Times, wanted to get a first hand account of the action. And, apparently, as Riley’s best friend, also wanted to talk about something. 

Something that Riley should have been paying attention to. 

“So you didn’t hear what I said? About this Artemis thing?” AJ asked, bringing Riley back to the present. 

Artemis Bly was a boisterous time traveler and interdimensional adventurer from a few dimensions over who had become a crucial part of Riley’s team and, perhaps more importantly, AJ’s serious girlfriend. Riley shook her head. “No, sorry, dude. What’s up with Artemis? You guys good?”

“We’re great, Really, really great, in fact. And that’s the problem,” AJ said. 

Riley raised an eyebrow. “How is that a problem? You’ve been happier than I’ve ever seen you in all the years I’ve known you.”

AJ stared out across the cemetery. “I am. Artemis is amazing and I’m pretty sure she’s the love of my life.”

Riley heard rustling and peaked over the top of the tombstone she was crouched behind. She could just make out a couple of figures coming through the trees. “I’m still not seeing a problem here, AJ. You’re happy, Artemis is great, if a little strange. What’s going on?”

AJ was noticeably nervous which was a big contrast to her usual easy going personality. She took a deep breath. “I just…I…I want to tell her that I love her but I don’t know how. Like, I know she knows because I know she loves me but we haven’t said it yet. And I want to.”

Riley watched as Tobias Strudwick, a lanky man with greasy slicked back hair and black blazer, stepped out from the trees followed by a couple of his goons. She pulled her trusty revolver from the holster on its back as she said, “Just say it. What’s so hard about that? It’s only three words.”

Riley could sense AJ rolling her eyes. “I forgot you have the emotional intelligence of a brick.” 

Riley couldn’t really argue with that. She knew she wasn’t great with feelings and emotions, including her own. “True but this really seems like a no brainer. You love her and I’m pretty sure she loves you. So just say it.”

Strudwick and his men approached an old well and went to work hauling up what turned out to be a big wooden crate. They set it down and Strudwick opened it, revealing a stack of rifles. “Gotcha,” Riley muttered to herself. She turned to AJ, “I’m going to bust this dingus. Got my back?”

AJ nodded and followed Riley as she snuck through between the gravestones. “What if Artemis isn’t ready to say it? Or what if she doesn’t say it back? I’ve never really done this before and Artemis is special.”

Riley sighed. She knew AJ needed reassurance and guidance but she wasn’t sure she could give it to her. “AJ, you and Artemis have the happiest, healthiest relationship I’ve ever seen. You’ll be fine no matter what.”

AJ thought about this as they continued to sneak towards Strudwick and his gang. “You think so?”

“Absolutely,” Riley said and then added, “And if she breaks your heart, I’ll deck her.”

“Awww, Riles, you old softie,” AJ said with a grin. “Now I just have to find the right moment to say. I want it to be special, a moment neither of us will ever forget.”

“A tall order for a relationship that started after Artemis had a time travel mishap,” Riley commented and then immediately regretted it when AJ’s face fell. 

“You’re right! How am I ever going to top that?” AJ lamented. 

Riley cocked her revolver and did a quick count of  Strudwick’s goons. Only three, nothing she couldn’t handle. And, she knew, those guns weren’t loaded. “You’ll find your moment,” Riley assured her. “Now, come one, let’s take care of this so we can get a drink.” 

AJ still seemed deep in thought as Riley popped up and strode towards Strudwick. “Evening, gentlemen,” she said. “Doing some illegal gun running again, I see.”

Strudwick turned and stared her down. “Adams,” he growled. “I should have known.” A wicked grin crossed his face and before Riley could reply, he continued, “Oh wait, I did know.” He snapped his fingers and a dozen more goons came out of the trees and surrounded them. 

Riley looked around. This, she thought, was about to go sideways. She looked over her shoulder at AJ, hoping maybe she had stayed hidden but one of the vampires had grabbed her and was holding a knife to her throat. It had, in fact, gone sideways. 

Strudwick strode towards Riley. “Looks like I’ve got the upperhand for once here, Adams.
He reached her and got in her face. “Here’s what’s going to go down. You’re going to let me walk away with these guns and you’re not going to follow us and in return, I won’t kill you and your friend over there. Deal?”

Riley was seething. She wanted to punch Strudwick in his smarmy face with every fiber of her being. She knew she couldn’t risk AJ’s life. She had to give in, at least for. “I guess I don’t have a choice,” Riley growled. 

Strudwick leaned in closer. “It’s a good deal, babe,” he said. “You know even  you couldn’t fight off all of us.” He stepped back and threw his arms out, a victorious smile on his face. 

Riley’s mind raced, trying to come up with a plan but before she could respond, a voice called from behind her, “Maybe she can’t, but we sure can!” 

The voice had a Yorkshire accent and Riley immediately recognized it as belonging to none other than Artemis Bly. Riley turned to see Artemis along with Riley’s FBI pals Mattie Certantez and Alex Turner. It was her turn to grin as she turned back to Strudwick. “Now that’s more of a fair fight.” 

Riley took advantage of Strudwick’s shock and punched him hard in the jaw. After that, chaos ensued. Artemis, Mattie, and Alex all sprung into action, taking on the goons. AJ elbowed the goon holding her and then shoved him back, giving her the opportunity to bolt away. 

Seeing this and bolstered by the surprise backup, Riley joined in the fray. She got off a couple shots with her revolver which wouldn’t kill a vampire but definitely slowed them down, allowing her to get in some punches. Mattie was using the same tactic while Alex was using her much more refined martial arts skills and Artemis was taking pot shots with her trusty laser rifle. 

It all seemed to be going well after a few minutes with most of the goons either having run away or gone down for the count but then Riley realized she’d lost track of Strudwick. She looked around and spotted him. He had grabbed AJ by the back of her shirt and was dragging her towards the well. 

“AJ!” Riley called. She barreled through the vampire in front of her, trying to get to AJ and Strudwick. 

“Deals off, Adams!” Strudwick called. He overpowered AJ, shoving her to the edge of the well. She did her best to fight him off but he had her on brute strength. 

Riley ran, praying she’d make it in time. Her efforts turned out to be unneeded though, because Artemis, true to her nature, came bounding out of nowhere and hit Strudwick hard in the back of the head with the butt of her laser rifle. He stumbled, disoriented, and fell down the well.

Riley heard a loud, satisfying thunk as Tobias hit the bottom of the well and smiled to herself as she made her way over. 

Artemis pulled AJ to her feet and into her arms. “Thanks for the save,” AJ said. 

“Anytime,” Artemis replied with a smile. “I love you.”

AJ briefly caught Riley’s eye and a huge, goofy grin passed over her face. Riley gave her a wink and AJ looked up at Artemis and said, “I love you too.” 

AJ and Artemis shared a kiss and Riley smiled as she turned to find Alex and Mattie looking down in the well. “How long should we leave him down there?” Riley asked. 

Mattie stretched and said lazily, “Well, it’s going to take awhile to go through that crate of guns and catalog everything and then round up all the idiots so ...maybe a couple of hours?”

“Plus we have to take a coffee break first,” Alex added, holstering her gun. 

“So no rush then,” Riley said, laughing. The she thought of something. “Hey, what made you guys come out here tonight?”

“Artemis called,” Mattie said. “Said she had a hunch things would get a little crazy and she was right.”

Riley wondered where, exactly, Artemis’s hunch had come from but decided that was a quandary for when she was less exhausted. “Of course. Well, I appreciate the help.”

Artemis and AJ joined them and Riley couldn’t help but notice they both had big smiles. “So, drinks?” She asked. 

“Absolutely,” AJ said.

They bid farewell to Alex and Mattie, leaving them to the official work. As they walked toward the cemetery entrance, Riley nudged AJ and asked, “Perfect moment?”

AJ smiled, “Perfect moment.”

Riley smiled and couldn’t help but think that despite things going briefly sideways, love won out in the end. And that was a good reason to keep doing what she did.