The Curse that Bites

by Kennedy Layne

  Oh, dear hexed one, now might be the time for a bit of tough love. You’ll need to spell this out—no pun intended—a bit clearer for the alien hunter so that he understands the ramifications of his decision.

  “It won’t matter if you’re dead,” Knox countered uncharacteristically, giving us a glimpse of the man he’d been during his time with the Marine Raiders. He usually remained on the sidelines, ever watchful over the choices we made and the eventual consequences of those decisions. It was good to know that he was fully invested in us the same as we were with him. “There are two facts that you need to accept, Cornelia. One, Piper has the ability to heal and cure disease and injuries. Two, you’re going to need for her to be able to do her job unhindered when the time comes. It’s that simple. Get rid of the warding spell, protection spell, or whatever you want to call your safe space. That’s really the only option you have right now—so do what is necessary for your survival or suffer the consequences.”

  Oh, my. If I weren’t a familiar, I might have to give you a run for your money, Miss Lilura.

  I shot Pearl a glare that she couldn’t mistake for anything else but annoyance.

  We must enjoy the little moments in life, for we know not what tomorrow may bring. Have we not covered this topic before? Oh, that’s right…we have. Besides, we’re safely ensconced inside the RV until the storm passes. In case you didn’t know it, dear hexed one, humor is what alleviates the paralyzing side effects of fear. We should thoroughly utilize all the weapons at our disposal.

  “Well, your type of humor is not helping me in the least,” Orwin criticized in what sounded like pure exhaustion before leaning his head back against the booth in frustration. Maybe his position would help alleviate some of his allergy symptoms. His nose was turning an odd shade of ripe pomegranate red. “There’s got to be another way.”

  Death, but I would hope you would want to avoid what would seem to be a rather permanent solution to a temporary problem.

  Orwin was definitely going to need a few moments to get on board with lowering the only defense he had against Ammeline. I completely understood his inner quandary. With that said, Knox certainly hadn’t sugarcoated the truth, as Pearl had so thoroughly pointed out. Unfortunately, there really was only one viable choice available.

  “It would have made our situation much easier had I seen whoever it was that attacked you in my vision. We weren’t that lucky, Orwin, which leaves us with basically no alternatives.”

  Did you happen to see the fishing poles in the corner of the cabin, Miss Lilura? I’d say the location we are looking for is near a pond or a lake. Once again, I must point out the obvious that Mr. Cornelia should stay far away from any cabin if we all decide to stay together.

  Knox and I both leaned forward at the same time, with me scooting closer so that we could slide the map toward us in order to see what bodies of water were close to our location. Pearl had mentioned the twenty-four-hour grace period after my premonition. Usually, the person either fell victim to the impending vision within that time or we somehow managed to change the outcome. I could hear the phantom ticks of the second hand as if there was an antique pocket watch pressed against my ear.

  “There looks to be a small lake around a half click from here.” Knox pointed toward a spot on the map, while I grabbed a highlighter that Piper had been using to line our route to the campsite. “Here’s another.”

  I began circling the locations where Orwin’s attack could possibly have occurred, beginning to make a grid that he should stay far away from until we had more information.

  That’s easier said than done, Miss Lilura. What if the alien hunter and I are chatting away inside the RV about those little green men of his, only to be forced out by one of the undead creatures of the night? My sweet Piper could cast a cloaking enchantment around our traveling home so that it blends in with our surroundings.

  “The vampires living in these mountains couldn’t have covered their scent without help,” Orwin pointed out, purposefully dodging the decision about his protection ward. “The only reason Knox was able to detect them was due to the direction of the wind at the base of the peak. There are few supernatural servant beings who have the ability to cast a masking spell.”

  A very odd combination, indeed. It’s not an everyday occurrence when a witch or druid team up with a vampire.

  I sat back in the booth, handing off the yellow highlighter to Knox. He continued to scan for areas where my premonition might have occurred, leaving me to plan the next twenty-four hours. There was only one objective—keeping Orwin alive.

  “That would be nice,” Orwin muttered, finally reaching for his coffee. He’d taken an allergy pill out of one of the many bottles he’d placed strategically around the RV. I grimaced at what must have been a lukewarm swallow. “I mean, how hard can it be to find a vampire who apparently kills me while a witch does her best to hide his presence on a mountain that goes on for what must be miles?”

  I’m going to assume that was a figurative question, Mr. Cornelia. If not, I actually have the odds of our success, if you care to hear them.

  “We might have a bigger problem on our hands,” Piper announced rather breathlessly as she rejoined us back at the table. In her grasp was the amethyst that she used when scribing for an object or a person. In this case, our missing medium. “Cassandra Opal Saruman is no longer at our final destination.”

  Oh, dear. This itty-bitty revelation is about to lead us right into a snowbank, isn’t it, my sweet Piper?

  “Cassandra’s here,” Piper confirmed, pointing to the small town on a map that just so happened to be twenty miles away from our little overlook of the mountain. “She’s maybe a mile away from the campsite we reserved for the next couple of days. She has to be the one who is helping the vampire stay hidden, but why would she do that?”

  Knox finished marking areas on the map where the cabin was most likely located, pushing the local atlas back into the middle of the table. He clicked the cap into place on the highlighter, but kept the marker in his hand.

  “Why would the medium we’re searching for team up with a vampire?” Knox asked distractedly, flipping the highlighter over his knuckles in an unconscious gesture. He finally set his golden gaze on each one of us until he came to me, as if he’d reached a conclusion. “I presume it’s for protection.”

  Is our resident werewolf trying to say that Miss Saruman is seeking protection from us? I must say that I’m a bit offended, dear hexed one.

  I thought back over the last month, quickly connecting some dots that we’d never even thought to link. Orwin had, by chance, discovered Cassandra’s séance video that had been nothing but a sorority prank at the time.

  “What if we weren’t the only ones to see that video?” I asked, wondering if I wasn’t stretching for an answer to suit our needs. “What if someone else reached out to Cassandra?”

  Are you wondering if you’re beginning to sound like our alien hunter? Not quite, Miss Lilura. I’ll be the first to yank you back to reality should that be the case.

  “Is it possible that Cassandra went into hiding, all because someone else discovered that the séance she’d hosted had some very real elements?” I put forth the question, having already answered myself. This was no conspiracy, and it all actually made sense. It was also technically good news for us. “The first thing we need to do when this storm lifts is to find Cassandra before whomever else is pursuing her achieves that goal. It’s best we convince her that we mean no harm, nor do we want to use her abilities for some dark purpose.”

  “If I were in Cassandra’s shoes, I’d only listen to what we had to say if we promised to help her in some way,” Piper added, reclaiming her seat. I shifted to make room for her, making sure I took my coffee cup with me. “There must be a reason she didn’t seek shelter in her own coven, which means it’s best to offer safety in one of ours.”

  My sweet Piper, not everyone is as trusting as you. It might take some convincing on our par
t, especially seeing as we are seeking her out for her special abilities. We want to use her gift as well, regardless if it is to stop the insanity a Lich Queen or not.

  I could sense the weight of Knox’s stare. He had to be curious as to why I hadn’t sought the safety of my own coven after being hexed by Ammeline. It wasn’t as if I was hiding anything, but talking about my parents and my former coven wasn’t high on my list of favorite topics. Orwin most likely felt the same, especially given the fact that he’d been the first to join me in this hunt for the Lich Queen…and now his life was in danger.

  “I’ll lower the ward of protection.”

  Orwin’s abrupt declaration had garnered all of our attention, but he was mainly focused on Piper. He pushed up his black-rimmed glasses as if he needed a bit more clarity to witness her reaction.

  “Are you sure?” Piper asked gently, clearly searching for a reason for Orwin’s change of heart.

  “I trust you to save me, Piper.” Orwin’s admission had been heartfelt. He reached across the table for her hand, which she hesitantly offered after what I could only assume was an internal struggle. The weight of responsibility I usually shouldered alone had settled somewhere in her soul. It wasn’t a pleasant feeling at all. “We stick together.”

  We all murmured our agreement for tomorrow’s plan, and it wasn’t long before Orwin and Piper vacated the table to remove his warding spell.

  “You okay?” I asked Pearl softly, who was still settled on the back ledge of the booth. She hadn’t muttered aloud one of her usual quips. Her emerald green eyes had followed Piper as she reached for one of the pestles behind us that we had stored in one of the many cabinets. “You’re awfully quiet.”

  I worry about my sweet Piper, dear hexed one. She’s very young to have the responsibility of someone’s life in her hands. Yes, it’s her gift, but that does not make it any less of a burden.

  Pearl was always attempting to lighten our days and nights any way she could, and I certainly hadn’t made it easy on her. The weight I’d referred to rested on her shoulders as well. This journey we were on had placed all of us in a very precarious situation. I needed to keep reminding myself that I wasn’t the only one carrying around a burden.

  There was only one thing left to do.

  “A familiar walks into a bar…”

  You’re learning, dear hexed one. There’s hope for you yet.

  I chuckled as Pearl stretched her front legs, eventually arching her back before she hopped down from the ledge in order to join Orwin and Piper. It was nice to hear the light tinkering laugh she emitted at the end of my joke.

  “I can always shove Orwin into the passenger seat of my Land Rover and not stop until we hit the East Coast. I’m pretty sure that cabin you saw wasn’t at the beach,” Knox offered up, attempting to ease my concern. I twisted the mug in my hand around and around to give myself something to do, because sitting around and waiting wasn’t something I was very good at. “There’s got to be some UFO sighting he wants to check out in Jersey.”

  “I’m almost certain there is, but whatever decision we make might be the path leading Orwin directly to that cabin, and you know it.” I shook my head, my intuition telling me that no matter what choice we made…Orwin would still be holding the side of his throat while staggering into that abandoned shack. “We stick together, making sure the Pearl and Piper are right by Orwin’s side. He’ll just have to up his allergy dose tonight.”

  Morning couldn’t come soon enough. That did leave us in a bit of a quandary concerning sleeping arrangements. Knox didn’t like the confinement of the RV, and he usually slept outside underneath the stars in a tent. Well, we weren’t in a place for that to happen.

  “Looks like you’re staying with us tonight.”

  “That it does,” Knox replied, his golden eyes darkening just a bit as he met my gaze.

  I’m pretty sure that I wasn’t going to have to worry about the temperature inside the RV tonight, especially considering the hot flash that washed over me upon his reply. There was no denying that Knox Emeric had a special appeal that would make almost any woman swoon. I had to remind myself that I wasn’t the swooning type, and that one of our own was in imminent danger.

  Every single decision I made in the next twenty-four hours could affect Orwin’s final moments, and I would do well to remember that fact.

  Chapter Five

  “I wouldn’t technically call this a town,” Orwin muttered, shoving his hands into the warm pockets of his new goose down winter jacket. He’d been wearing his old one in my premonition, so I’d done my best to begin altering the outcome as much as possible. So far, so good. “Some of these structures are pretty far apart. At best, it’s a loose collection of buildings with a post office slash gas station slash hardware store combo.”

  Fourteen hours had passed before we’d been able to finally make our way into this almost nonexistent town. We’d managed to clear out a path for the RV, the Land Rover, and the Wrangler, all of which had managed to collect six inches of fresh snow that had fallen after we’d sought protection at the lookout area. Once that task had been completed, we drove to the campsite and carved out a spot for the RV and repositioned the vehicles for quick access. There was no time to take the RV to a local garage for service. Besides, we needed a commercial truck mechanic.

  That was when the disagreements had begun, though I hesitated to call them arguments. They were more like difference of opinions.

  “They were definitely arguments,” Orwin countered wryly, opening the door to the diner. At least, I think it was a diner. The place also seemed to serve the townsfolk as a gas station, a hardware store, and what according to the sign was a post office in the back. The odd scents mixing together proved to be quite interesting. “Emeric can take care of himself, you know.”

  “That’s not the point. Knox shouldn’t have gone off into the woods by himself.”

  I still wasn’t sure how he’d convinced all of us that it would be best if he patrolled the mountainside facing the town alone. He’d mentioned being able to search the areas we’d circled on the map for any sign of a vampire’s nest without the restrictions of moving by vehicle. Granted, he was right, but that didn’t make it the safest alternative for any of us.

  “In case you forgot, it’s not Knox we need to worry about,” Orwin reminded me, pushing up his glasses as a young girl asked if we needed fuel or help checking under the hood. We’d stopped directly in front of the countertop. “We’re actually hoping you can help us locate my sister. It’s a family emergency, and our cell phone provider doesn’t seem to be working in this area.”

  Orwin’s cover story had been brilliant, and he’d even pulled his cell phone out to prove his story. It hadn’t taken him long to do his techy thing to give weight to his lie, and what he really wanted to do was show the young girl a photograph of Cassandra he’d saved as a screensaver.

  “Oh, that’s Cassie. That Jerry’s bae.”

  It was one thing to see Orwin’s thin black eyebrow lift at anything he couldn’t quite figure out, but it was entirely another to see his reaction to the moniker bae. He might be twenty-two years old, but he was definitely an old soul.

  “Girlfriend,” I translated, wondering how he’d survived three and a half years at college. I turned back to the brunette, who was still studying us warily. “Do you know where we can find Jerry and Cassie? It really is a family emergency.”

  Had we come looking for Cassandra with any other excuse, I had no doubt we would have been shunned and shown the door. Close-knit communities like this took care of their own, and it sounded as if this Jerry guy had deep roots in the community. Folks who wanted to be left alone out in areas like this learned to leave people to their own business. My plea seemed to work, though, when she called to someone over her shoulder.

  “Hal, have you seen Jerry today? He was supposed to stop in to pick up that package from Minnesota.” The young girl didn’t wait for an answer, but instead turned back aro
und to introduce herself. “I’m Tina. Jerry and I went to high school together before they closed it and moved everything to the next town over. He flunked out of college, but that’s where he met Cassie. He’s totally crazy about your sister, by the way. Give me a second. Hal’s a bit deaf.”

  It was hard to tell if Tina was giving us the brush-off, thus alerting Jerry and Cassandra that there were two strangers in town asking for their whereabouts. Orwin quickly dispelled my concern, though.

  “Hal is in his seventies, but he still runs the mail side of the business—Post Office regulations and all that. He lost a fair part of his hearing a while back.” Orwin shared with me what had been on Tina’s mind before she’d gone in search of Hal. Orwin shifted his weight back and forth on his black boots, impatient for the other ten hours to pass in my vision’s timeframe. “All is good so far. Let’s just hope that we can find Cassie before it’s too late.”

  Orwin was talking in code, as agreed upon. Just as werewolves were known for their extraordinary abilities, so were vampires. They had their own collection of talents. They could hear over long distances, though not as far as werewolves. Same with scent, though vampires hungered for the taste of blood and that tended to distract them. We had on our side, however, the ultimate bane of the strongest vampires. Even a weak werewolf could destroy a run-of-the-mill bloodsucker. We had a Mackenzie Valley Werewolf that could obliterate an entire den of Dracula types with very little effort.

  We had a clear visual of the diner from our location by the counter, and it was evident that we’d attracted some attention. If there was a vampire anywhere inside this building, he or she would have heard every single word we’d exchanged with Tina.

  As it stood, a man was enjoying breakfast as he made no effort to hide the fact that he was watching us intently with each bite he shoved into his mouth. An older couple was sitting in one of the few booths against the far wall, and a twenty-something year old woman sat by herself while drinking a cup of coffee and reading a book. There only seemed to be one waitress on staff, with a cook at the small grill toward the back of the building.