Any Witch Way (The Witch Next Door Book 3)

by Judith Berens

  “Huh?” He blinked at her, his spoon of seafood and rice paused halfway to his mouth.

  “You’ve been watching someone since you dragged me away from the band.” She shifted her weight and gestured with her spoon toward the now even larger crowd of dancers. “Which, by the way, wasn’t as subtle as you thought it was.”

  Romeo sighed, glanced across the plaza, and leaned toward her. “You were having such a good time. I didn’t wanna say anything.”

  “Well, now I’m asking you to.”

  “Okay. Do you see the guy in the dark-green polo?”

  She swept her gaze across the plaza and masked her hasty glance at the man with a smile and a continuous search of the celebration around them. “The one staring at us with his friend?”

  “Yep.”

  “Witches?”

  “No, I’m reasonably sure they’re only regular humans. But they still give me a bad feeling. They were…”

  Lily returned her attention to him, still smiling but way more than merely a little curious now. “They were what?”

  He held his breath for a moment before he released it sharply. “Watching you and not in a very friendly way. Or maybe a little too friendly. I dunno.” He stuck the spoon in his bowl and settled his arm over her shoulders again. “Let’s keep walking for a minute. I think they’re trying to follow you.”

  “Us,” she corrected.

  “Right.” He smirked. “I don’t think they’re all that worried about me.”

  “Yeah, well, they should be.”

  “There’s a woman in a red dress and a man with her. They’re part of it too, whatever it is. I honestly don’t like it.”

  She moved her rice bowl to her other hand and put her arm around his waist. “I don’t either. And to be clear, you telling me this doesn’t in any way ruin how much fun I’m having. For future reference, of course.”

  “Got it.” He chuckled. “I won’t try to spare you any discomfort in the future.”

  Her sideways glance was both serious and playful. “That’s very much appreciated, Romeo.”

  A red-crowned parrot swooped from the fenced-in trees on their right and fluttered past them and over the milling crowd in the plaza. She pointed at it and used the opportunity to turn and search the faces behind them again. “Yes, I’m pointing at a bird. And yes, those guys are following us.”

  “Awesome.”

  The couple passed the group of kids tossing a frisbee and slowed a little as they turned once again to apparently watch the parrot. She let her gaze settle on the two men who were definitely following them, and the guy in the dark-green polo saw her looking at him. His lips parted in a crude smile, and he ran his tongue over the edge of his teeth and actually winked at her.

  “Oh, gross.” Lily looked away when one of the kids beside them flung the frisbee across his circle of friends. She pointed casually at the frisbee and flicked her wrist toward man. The plastic disk rose over the kids’ outstretched hands and sliced in a perfect sweep to crack against the creepy man’s nose. He cried out in pain and doubled over, his hand on his face. A collective groan of sympathy sounded from all the people who’d witnessed the obvious misfortune of a bad throw, and a few kids laughed.

  “Lo siento!” one of them shouted, darted toward the man to retrieve the frisbee, and fled, his friends calling out behind him as they sprinted across the plaza.

  Their pursuer removed his hands from his face and stared at the blood that poured from his nose and splattered the cobbled stones. A low, smoky laugh spilled from the woman in the red dress who stood only a few yards away as the man’s companion leaned forward, probably to ask if his friend was okay.

  “I’m never gonna stop telling you how much I love that.” Romeo smirked, rested his hand against the small of her back, and led her away down the path beside the fenced-in greenery toward the lit fountain.

  “Did you see the way he looked at me?”

  “Yep. I’d say he deserved it.”

  “He’ll deserve much more than that if he keeps following us.” She brandished her spoon as if to emphasize her point and took another warm, delicious mouthful of rice, shellfish, and spices. He laughed and removed his hand to continue his meal. “Hey, what were you talking about with the vendor?”

  “Oh. I asked what was going on here tonight. That’s the municipal palace.” He jerked his head at the long two-story building with all the lit windows and arches. “And apparently, this happens almost every weekend. At least, when it’s not raining, so it’s a good night for it now.” He glanced at the clear night sky and the stars mostly drowned by the plaza’s bright lights. “I guess it’s the rainy season down here right now.”

  “Huh.” She looked at the sky. “That explains why it’s so nice out right now.”

  “I think it’s gonna get colder.”

  “Well, we gotta take advantage of no rain in the rainy season, don’t we?” She made a face at him and took another bite.

  By the time they finished walking the long loop around the fenced-in park in front of the municipal palace, the temperature had dropped dramatically. “Man.” She rubbed her bare arms, free now of the paper bowls and plastic spoons they’d dumped in a trash can on their stroll. “You know, in a lotta ways, this feels like Charleston—humidity, nightlife, and amazing food. It does not get this cold back home, though.”

  He chuckled. “I think maybe by ‘rainy season,’ what they really mean is winter. Maybe.”

  “It’s almost July.” She rolled her eyes dramatically. “Please don’t start talking about winter when it’s almost July.”

  “Fair enough. Do you feel like staying out or should we head back?”

  “I feel like being warm.” She slipped her arm through his and curled both hands around his bicep. “And I think the best way to do that is to get to the Winnie. With you.” She grinned disarmingly and he laughed.

  “Are you sure you can’t read minds too?”

  “Admittedly, that’s a different kind of magic I don’t have.”

  They completed the circle and found the alley through which they’d entered the plaza less than two hours before. For most people in Córdoba, the night was still young. The couple slipped through the alleyway between the brightly colored buildings that had now faded to shades of gray in the darkness.

  Before they reached the other end, a loud metallic click echoed behind them, followed by a scrape of metal against stone. “Oye!”

  They both turned swiftly. The man in the green polo stood in the entrance to the alley, his face illuminated by the outer reach of the plaza lighting. His nose was clearly broken and had swelled alarmingly, and he clutched a switchblade in his hand.

  “Seriously?” Lily muttered. Their pursuer’s friend turned into the alley behind him, his hands still thrust into his pockets.

  “Come on.” Romeo put a hand on her back again and guided her down the alley. In a moment, the man who still thought it necessary to wear his sunglasses on his head blocked their path. The woman in the red dress leaned against the wall and appeared to study her manicured nails despite the lack of light.

  “Okay…” The couple stepped back again to center themselves between their would-be attackers. “No queremos problemas,” he said and raised his hands in surrender.

  “Do you think they’re gonna let us talk our way out of this?” Lily muttered.

  “You mean bribe our way out of this.” He turned sideways in the alley so he could easily see each duo hovering at either end. “I would’ve said maybe if he hadn’t already pulled a knife.”

  “Okay,” the wounded man shouted. “Ningunas problemas si me das un…regalo.” His friend sniggered.

  Romeo leaned toward Lily and whispered, “He says he wants a present.”

  She glared at the man and pressed her lips together. “I don’t think he’ll like what we give him.”

  The woman in the red dress pushed off the wall and took a few slow, carefree steps toward them, her heels echoing on the stone.
“Si no tienes dinero”—she shrugged—“está bien. Apuesto a que ella vale mucho más.” She stopped and pursed her lips to scrutinize Lily from top to toe.

  The witch scowled at her. “Okay, I’m a little rusty,” she said to her friend, “but did she start talking about how much I’m worth?”

  “Yeah, that’s what gave me a bad feeling about these guys.” His knuckles cracked and he balled his hands into fists.

  The men on the plaza side of the alley chuckled. “Que bonita,” the first added, clicked his tongue, and waved the switchblade from side to side.

  “Well, that I understood.” Lily raised her hands a little from her sides and wiggled her fingers. “I’m officially done trying to be nice.”

  “I’m right there with you.”

  The woman in the red dress uttered a mocking little sigh and tilted her head in a gesture toward the tourists she was so certain would give in to her rather demanding offer. “Eliges.”

  Romeo met her gaze and leaned forward a little to be sure she heard him clearly. “No.”

  Her lips twitched into a bitter smile and she nodded at the armed man and his friend. They both chuckled and the sound echoed through the alley and was quickly swallowed by the music and the noise of so many people behind them in the brightly lit plaza. “Ven acá.”

  Lily tilted her head. “I’d rather not.”

  The man with the blade leapt toward her, and Romeo stepped into his path to catch the wrist of the hand that swiped viciously with the knife. She focused on his partner, who half-crouched in a shifting fighting stance, his arms raised at the ready and his fingers wiggling as if they itched to snatch her out of the alley. The sound of her friend’s head when it pounded into his partner’s already broken nose startled him out of his focus on her.

  She stepped forward and struck him in the jaw with a swift right hook. He reeled under the blow and his eyes narrowed furiously, while she shook her hand out with a grimace of pain. The wounded man shrieked in agony, followed by the sound of his opponent’s fist connecting somewhere on his body—and that body thumping against the alley wall—and she spun and brought her heel into the side of the other man’s head with a resounding crack. His eyes rolled back before he dropped.

  “Hazlo tu.” The woman in the red dress nodded at the man with the sunglasses. He drew a knife from his pocket and stalked down the alley with a sneer.

  “This is ridiculous,” Lily muttered. Before he even moved close enough to pose a real threat, she swiped her finger through the air and her quick spell jerked his feet out from under him. He thumped onto his back with a gasp of surprise. The couple moved down the alley, and Romeo paused only long enough to stand beside the man who would’ve attacked them and deliver a punch that was both fast and powerful enough to bring the unconscious-idiot count to three. He stood, wiped his hands on his shorts, and followed his friend.

  Her chin tilted defiantly, the woman in the red dress scowled at their approach. “Mala decisión, gringos. Te encontraremos y—”

  The witch flicked her hand at the woman’s face to expel a burst of glittering blue fumes that made the target’s eyelids flutter rapidly. By the time she crumpled, they had already exited the alley.

  He turned slightly to assess the slumped forms of four bodies in the darkness. “Is that gonna wipe twelve hours of her memory too?”

  She shrugged waited for the next car to pass before she stepped into the street to cross it. “Maybe. I simply wanted her to stop talking.”

  “I guess that works.” He snorted. “That last guy’s gonna remember your spell taking him out, though.”

  “For all he knows, he slipped on something in an alley. We didn’t need my magic or your wolf for two of those idiots. Red Dress Lady won’t remember us, but she’ll have more than enough proof that it’s a bad idea to try anything else.”

  They stepped onto the sidewalk and made their way back toward the Winnie in the hotel parking lot. “Not that I can take it very seriously now, but she did say she’d find us.” He stopped to retrieve the keys from his pocket and unlock the RV’s side door before he opened it for her.

  “Well, we’ll be long gone by the time any of them can even try.” She looked at him and smirked as she stepped into the Winnie, but he grabbed her hand and spun her back toward him.

  “This is still the best trip to Mexico I’ve ever had.”

  She shifted all her weigh on one foot and cocked her head. “Even with non-magicals trying to rob us or…what, kidnap me?”

  “Especially with non-magicals trying to rob us or kidnap you.”

  A wry laugh escaped her. “Why’s that?”

  He set his hands firmly on her hips and pulled her closer. “Because you don’t need anyone to save you. And we make the best freakin’ team.” Whatever else she might have said was cut off by his fierce kiss. She laughed again when he lifted her up the two steps into the vehicle and let the side door slam shut behind them.

  Five

  While they didn’t anticipate further trouble, they decided to move the Winnie somewhere else for the night anyway. Romeo found a huge shopping center in the Dos Caminos barrio—northwest of central Córdoba—and they slept with the cool air from the Sierra Madre mountain range blowing through the open windows and the warmth of sharing Lily’s queen-sized bed in the tiny RV bedroom.

  They woke early the next morning and made a few brief stops in the city before heading out—first to refill the giant RV water tank and to buy more bottled water to keep in the vehicle, which was far more expensive down there but offset by the relatively cheap food. With a small bag of produce and a few local staples safely stored, he drove them toward the Playa del 21 Mayo park. “We need breakfast,” he said. “And coffee.”

  Lily laughed. “Don’t we still have coffee?”

  “Not like this, we don’t.” He raised his eyebrows and blinked at her. “Wait, are you telling me you haven’t even heard of café Veracruzana?”

  “Well, I didn’t actually tell you anything, but judging by that look…” She couldn’t hold back another giggle. “Is it really that good?”

  “This place literally has a coffee tour.”

  “Well, now we have to go.”

  He smirked at her and caught her hand. “That was already the plan.”

  They stopped at a little shop on Calle 2 called Hêrmann Thômas Coffee Masters and bought themselves the largest sizes available of café con leche and a few donut-like conchas to go. “This is really the biggest one they have?” She lifted the cup that maybe held sixteen ounces.

  Romeo took his first sip and closed his eyes. “It’s all you need.”

  The conchas weren’t half bad, either. “You know, if this was any other trip for any other reason…” Lily sipped her coffee and gazed lovingly at her cup. “Mm.”

  “You mean if we weren’t following your mom’s clues?” They walked down Calle 2 and simply enjoyed the morning and the cool, damp air.

  “Yeah. If this was a vacation with only you and me, I don’t think I’d ever wanna leave.”

  “Well, maybe we’ll get the chance.” He smiled at her over the lid of his cup and slurped. She rolled her eyes and grinned. “Wait, that includes the adventuremobile, right?”

  “Oh, are you developing an attachment to my Winnie 2.0?”

  “Actually, yeah. We’ve had a lotta good times in that thing.” He winked. “But it’s more like 1.5. As soon as I can take a shower without rushing to finish under four and a half minutes, we can call her new and improved.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Okay, that mechanic in Sombrerete said there was absolutely nothing wrong with the water tank or the shower pipes.”

  “Yeah, but you didn’t tell him your hard-water spell backfired.”

  “I’m not gonna tell a non-magical mechanic that my magic screwed the shower up.” Smirking, she shook her head and gave a half-hearted shrug. “Fine. The next magical RV expert we find, I’ll bare my soul and beg them to fix it.”

  “Woah. Yo
u don’t have to go that far.” He nudged her with his elbow and grinned. “Don’t try to pretend you wouldn’t be a little happier with a nice, long, steaming-hot shower—”

  “Okay! Yes. I’ll get someone to fix it.” She tilted her head and turned to shoot him an exasperated glance. “Happy now?”

  Romeo laughed. “Very happy.” When he held his hand out, she slapped the paper bag from her conchas into his open palm and he tossed it with his as they passed a trashcan on the street. He opened his hand again, stared straight ahead, and shook it in front of her.

  Lily snorted, sipped her café con leche, and held his hand all the way back to the Winnie.

  By the time they navigated the RV out of downtown Córdoba and onto Mexico Highway 150, the morning sun had disappeared behind a thick blanket of dark-gray storm clouds. “That was fast.” She leaned forward in the driver’s seat to peer into the blackening sky.

  “Rainy season,” he muttered.

  “Yeah, no kidding.”

  “If you want me to drive when it starts raining, I have no problem with it.”

  She glanced at him and smiled. “Thanks, but I think I can handle a little rain.”

  He tipped his head and pressed his lips together. “Cool.”

  “This is so not cool.” Lily gripped the steering wheel so tightly her fingers hurt and squinted to see through the windshield and beyond the deluge that poured onto the 150.

  Romeo leaned toward his window but it wasn’t like that gave him a better view of the thick sheet of rain in every direction. “Yep.”

  “Okay, it was perfectly clear last night. The weather was perfect last night. We had almost four hours on the highway without any rain at all, and now…what, I get to drive right into a hurricane?”

  “It’s the rainy season.”

  She scoffed and wanted to stare at him but the real possibility that it would cause them to hydroplane all over the highway stopped her. “Will you stop saying that?”

  He chuckled. “Sorry. Do you want me to drive?”