by K E O'Connor
“There are a few suspects, but I’m not convinced by any of them. I would like another word with Bart, Dewey, and Serath’s buddy, but Dazielle is pulling rank.”
“That’s not a bad idea to speak to him.” Aurora glanced at Toby and looked away. “Especially if the killer is targeting that group. Bart could be the next victim.”
I hadn’t thought about that. I’d earmarked him as a potential killer, but he could be vulnerable. “It’s possible their killer was waiting for them to come back to Willow Tree Falls to get revenge.”
Aurora bit her bottom lip. “If that’s so, Bart needs to watch his back.”
I tilted my head. “Do you know him?”
Aurora looked at the floor. “No, not really.”
Her nose had just wrinkled. She was lying to me. “Toby, you asked if you can help. Why don’t you get us some cupcakes? I haven’t had any lunch yet.”
“You ladies deserve something better than cupcakes for lunch.” Toby turned to Aurora. “My dear, what would you like?”
Aurora glanced at me. “Actually, cupcakes will be great.”
“Your wish is my command.” He kissed the back of her hand before leaving the store.
Wiggles watched him go. “You can do so much better.”
“Wiggles! Don’t be cheeky.” Aurora frowned at him. “No more belly rubs if you’re nasty to Toby.”
Wiggles grunted and vanished behind the counter.
“What gives?” I asked Aurora. “What do you know about Bart?”
“Not much.” Aurora looked at the closed door and clasped her hands together. “Oh dear, this is embarrassing, and I didn’t want to say anything in front of Toby.”
“Don’t tell me Bart tried it on with you.”
“Absolutely not. Well, I’m not really sure what he tried.”
I sucked in a breath. “Aurora, what did he do?”
“I found myself in Puddles’ house. I was there with Bart.”
My eyes widened. “Found yourself? What were you doing there?”
“That’s the thing. I don’t remember going there. Bart came to the store and asked for dried silver leaf. I gave it to him, but he didn’t leave. He wanted to chat. I didn’t mind. I wasn’t too busy. Then he asked me out for a drink with him. Of course, I said no. I told him I’m happily involved with Toby.”
“But you still went back to Puddles’ house with him?”
“No! That’s just it. I definitely didn’t. At least, I don’t remember doing that. All I know for sure is that Bart was friendly and flirting with me, and I was gently giving him the brush off. The rest is hazy. I remember him touching the back of my hand and thinking how cold and slimy his finger felt. My next memory is of me standing halfway up the stairs in Puddles’ house. Bart was at the top, beckoning for me to follow him.”
My fingers clenched into fists. “That sleazy little magic user. He used something on you, some sort of compulsion spell. He was trying to get you to go back to his room.”
Aurora’s bottom lip jutted out. “I didn’t want to think badly of him, but I came to the same conclusion. His motives seemed less than honorable.”
“Less than honorable! He used magic to try to get you into bed. Why didn’t you tell me about this?”
“I felt humiliated being duped by him. I can’t believe someone would be so underhanded.”
“I can believe it with any of Dewey Lavern’s friends. Bart didn’t hurt you, did he?”
“No, but he got a shock when the magic faded. Bart made an excuse about me being unwell and he thought I’d like a lie down.”
“I bet he did.” I scowled out the window. “You haven’t told anyone about this? Not even Toby?”
“Definitely not. He’d kill Bart if he knew what he’d done. I think Bart used a seduction spell on me.” Her hand went to the amber pendant around her neck, and her thumb rubbed across it.
“Rhett’s gang mentioned Bart was trying to buy sleazy spells like that when they met in the forest.”
“My magic eraser did its job.” Aurora always wore a piece of smooth amber set in a silver pendant. She needed something to avoid any side-effects produced by dealing with spells and potions every day.
“I can imagine his disappointment.” My shoulders tensed. “He can’t get away with this. He could be trying this magic on other women.”
“Perhaps he learned his lesson with me,” Aurora said. “The next day, he came into the store and was so apologetic. I felt sorry for him.”
I snorted. “He was only sorry because he didn’t get to have his wicked way with you while you were under the influence of his nasty magic.”
“Bart said he had a terrible time finding nice women. He said he knew he’d never stand a chance with someone as lovely as me and promised he only wanted to talk and get to know me better.”
“So, he used a seduction spell on you. Good guys don’t do that.” I shook my head. Aurora was always so quick to forgive and see the good in everyone.
Aurora sighed. “I know it was wrong of him.”
“He’s not getting away with this,” I said. “I’d figured Bart wasn’t a strong magic user. Now I’m thinking again. If he’s willing to use something as sketchy as a seduction spell, he’d have no boundaries when it comes to using other kinds of magic. That includes dark magic and curses.”
“A curse that kills is in a different league to a seduction spell.”
“But it shows that Bart has no morals. He uses magic to get what he wants, whether that’s a kiss from you or killing his best friends. In fact, Dewey said something about how lousy Bart is when it comes to women. Maybe they teased him one too many times.”
“Someone must have given him the curse magic. Bart’s magic was weak when he used it on me. That seduction spell wore off quickly.”
“Even so, I need to remind him how to treat women.” I staggered as Frank’s energy curled up my spine. He was as angry as I was about how Bart had manipulated Aurora. For once, I was happy to feed off his anger.
Aurora inhaled sharply and took a step back. “Now, Tempest, there’s no need to do anything rash. Bart has apologized. He knows what he did was wrong. Don’t let Frank deal with this.”
“Maybe that’s what Bart needs. A little demon trouble to remind him to be on his best behavior.”
“I’d be happy to talk to this feeble magic user.” Frank’s fury made his words shake in my head. “He dares to touch what belongs to me.”
Aurora did not belong to Frank, but now was not the time to have that argument. Frank also had no morals and would be happy to teach Bart a lesson he’d never forget.
The door into the store opened. Toby strolled through with a box in his hands. He froze to the spot and stared at me. “Is something wrong?”
“Toby, quick, get a cupcake and feed it to Tempest.” Aurora edged around the counter.
He stared at her as if she’d spoken a different language.
“Quick! It’s the only way to calm her demon.” Aurora pointed at the box in his hand.
“Oh! Of course!” Toby scrabbled to open the box lid.
“It’s too late for cake.” I grabbed the box of cupcakes and flung it to the ground before marching out and slamming the door shut, leaving everyone else behind.
Energized by Frank, I ignored Aurora’s cries to stop. Normally, Frank would pick hunting Aurora over everything else but not this time. We wanted to hunt Bart and hurt him. He needed educating in how to treat women.
I reached Puddles’ front door and slammed my fist against it. I didn’t stop thumping until it was opened.
Bart stood there, the annoyed look on his face turning to alarm as I grabbed him around the throat.
“What the—” Bart lost the power to speak as my grip tightened.
I walked him into the house, his feet dangling off the floor, and whacked his head against the wall. “What did you do to my sister?”
“Who’s your sister?” Bart gasped.
I growled in his fac
e. “Aurora Crypt. You used magic to get her into this house.”
“I didn’t,” he choked out.
My fingers tightened around his neck. I was so angry I wasn’t certain who was in charge. Frank’s energy pulsed inside me, but I still had control of my actions. “You’re lying.”
“Stop shaking me, and I’ll tell you what happened.”
I released my grip around Bart’s throat a fraction. “I’m waiting.”
Bart licked his lips, his eyes wide. “I did try to seduce Aurora with magic.”
I sneered at him. “Is that the only way you can get a woman?”
“No! Well, maybe. I have trouble getting women to see me in a romantic way. They friend zone me before they’ve given me a chance.”
“It’s illegal to use that sort of magic.”
Bart shrugged. “She liked me! Aurora was being coy. It’s her thing.”
I thumped him against the wall again and only stopped when he begged me to. “My sister was not being coy. She’s not interested in you.”
“I know that now! The magic I used wasn’t strong. It wore off before anything happened. I just wanted to spend time with her, so she’d get to know me and realize what a great guy I am.”
I snorted in his face. “Good guys don’t use magic to get women into bed.”
Bart’s head sagged. “I’m sorry. Your sister’s so cute. And she was being really friendly. I thought I stood a chance with her.”
“That’s because she is friendly, you idiot. And you need to apologize to her, not me.”
“I will. I’ll see her tomorrow and make it up to her. I’ll buy her something nice, whatever she wants.”
My eyes narrowed. “Don’t bother. Don’t even breathe the same air as her.”
“I won’t. If that’s what you want. I’m leaving Willow Tree Falls tomorrow, anyway. I won’t be back. I only came to visit because Dewey twisted my arm.”
I sucked in a deep breath and pushed Frank back a fraction. Now I had Bart by the throat, I could question him about the murders. “Not so fast. You’ve got some explaining to do.”
“About what?”
“Two dead friends.”
“Oh! Well, it sucks. They were cool guys.” Bart pointed at my hand that was still clamped on his neck. “Any chance you can let me go?”
“No. Where were you on the nights they died?”
His brow wrinkled. “I already told the angels this.”
“Tell me.”
“I was with Dewey, sleeping in a crypt the first night. I was with Puddles when Dewey went missing.”
“You could have cursed Dewey and then returned to Puddles’ house.”
Bart shook his head. “As your sister has experienced, my magic is lame. I can’t even keep a simple seduction spell active for more than a few minutes.”
“You could be concealing stronger abilities.”
“I’ve always been lousy at magic. My mom, who’s a witch, married a human. I got half her ability, and she isn’t a powerful witch. I tend not to bother with magic much. It’s easier to blend in when I’m in the outside world if I’m not flicking magic around all the time.”
I had to admit I didn’t get a sense I was dealing with anyone with great power. “Tell me about your meeting with Rhett’s gang.”
Bart blinked at me. “The biker gang?”
“They told me you’ve been skulking around the forest.”
“If you let go of my neck and stop smacking my head against the wall, I’ll tell you everything.”
I took a step back, Frank’s energy still boiling inside me, desperate to leak out and pound this piece of dirt into the ground. I needed to get better control of him, or this could turn into a mess I’d have trouble explaining.
“It was Dewey’s idea,” Bart said. “He was bragging that he knew the local biker gang and they were friends.”
“You decided to see if that was true?”
Bart nodded. “Dewey reckoned they wanted him to join, but he kept turning them down. We insisted we meet them and find out if it was true. At first, Dewey didn’t want to take us, but when we challenged him, he caved in. He dragged us into those woods.”
“What happened?”
“We met a gang member; in fact, we met several.” Bart rolled his shoulders. “They weren’t interested in Dewey. They laughed in his face and treated him like a joke.”
“Yet you still bought produce from them?”
Bart scratched his head. “We didn’t have much choice. They got a bit rough. To calm things down, I said I’d buy their supplies. It worked. They were happy enough to take our money. But they cheated us. What they gave us didn’t work. We ate the whole batch and didn’t feel anything.”
“Did any of the gang members hurt you?”
“They were threatening to but didn’t follow through. Why, do you think they’re involved with killing Serath and Dewey?”
“I’m more interested in you right now,” I said. “Don’t leave Willow Tree Falls until this investigation is over.”
“You don’t think I’m a suspect, do you?” Bart’s laugh was startled. “My magic is rubbish, and I have alibis for both nights.”
“You knew the two victims, and you were with both of them the nights they died.”
“That’s not true. Serath stomped off in a rage after we teased him because that cute barmaid shut him down. I wasn’t with Dewey when he died. He went off with a woman. I don’t know what happened after that.”
I nodded as I remembered hearing about Dewey’s hot mystery date. “Who did Dewey meet that night?”
“I don’t know who she was. The whole thing was weird. We went out to grab something to eat, then went for a few drinks at the Ancient Imp. Dewey went to the bathroom and was gone for ages. When he came back, he was acting strangely. His eyes were glazed over, and he kept muttering to himself. I thought he’d had too much to drink. Then he said he had to go and walked out of the bar, leaving half an ale and me standing alone.”
“Where did he go?”
“I tried to follow, but he told me to stay where I was.” Bart stuffed his hands into his pants pockets. “I went outside anyway and saw him wandering toward the forest. He was wasted, staggering from side to side. It was funny to watch. There was someone waiting for him. I’m sure it was a woman, but she had a hood pulled over her head, so I couldn’t see her face. I saw long hair poking out the sides. Dewey met her, and they walked into the woods together. I figured he’d gotten lucky and was taking her off for some fun.”
“You didn’t see her face at all?”
“No. It was dark, and she was a long way away. She was short, though. She only came up to Dewey’s shoulder.”
“What was the color of her hair?”
“Not blonde, but that’s all I can tell you. That was the last time I saw Dewey. I decided not to follow him. I’m not some pervert who watches his friends make out with a girl.”
“No, you’re just a pervert who uses dodgy magic to get women into your bedroom.”
Bart muttered under his breath and scuffed a foot on the floor. “I said I was sorry.”
This left me with a puzzle. There were no women in Rhett’s biker gang, so it made it unlikely that whoever killed Dewey had a link with them. Puddles and Izzie fit the female criteria, but I couldn’t imagine Puddles stooping to wearing a hoodie. If she did, it would be lemon-yellow or sky-blue. That left Izzie. My gut tightened. She owned several hoodies.
“I promise you I had nothing to do with either of their deaths. I’ll admit to messing with your sister, but that’s it.”
I glared at Bart. “Don’t do it again. Not with anybody.”
“I only did it because that’s what Dewey and Serath do when they like someone.”
“They’ve used seduction magic to get women?” My blood boiled again, and Frank’s energy reared up. Maybe I shouldn’t waste my time investigating their deaths. It wasn’t a bad thing that someone had gotten rid of them.
“They
said it’s easier than having to go on dozens of dates and spend loads of money before the girl decides she doesn’t like you and you’ve wasted your time.”
My fist slammed against the wall, right by Bart’s ear. “You need to rethink your seduction techniques. No more magic.”
The sound of running feet had me turning. Dazielle raced to the door, closely followed by Wiggles. “Tempest, you’re here! We had a report of a fight at this address.”
“There’s no fight here, is there?” I glared at Bart.
He swallowed loudly. “No, sure. Everything is fine. We were having a chat. Real friendly, like.”
“You’ll have to finish your friendly chat later,” Dazielle said. “There’s a problem.”
“What’s wrong?” I asked.
“We think Axel’s been taken. He’s the curse killer’s next victim.”
Chapter 16
I left a startled looking Bart and raced out of the cottage with Dazielle. “Why do you think Axel’s been targeted by the killer?”
“We’ve been trying to find him since this morning,” Dazielle said. “I sent an angel to his house regarding a complaint of lewd behavior.”
“What did he do?”
Dazielle grimaced. “Nothing pretty. There was no answer at his place. When Sablo looked through a ground-floor window, she noticed furniture knocked over and signs of a fight. We think he’s been abducted.”
My heart raced as we sped along the street. Axel gone, as well. This was not a coincidence.
“What about Rhett?”
Dazielle nodded. “I’ve dispatched an angel to his home to see if there are signs of an attack.”
At last, the angels were taking this seriously. It only took the abduction of a wealthy, well-connected half-demon to spur them into action.
Wiggles nudged me with his nose. “Is everything good?”
I shot him an apologetic look. “Sorry for leaving you behind. Frank wanted to teach Bart a lesson regarding his treatment of Aurora.”
“Did it work?”
“Bart won’t be seducing women with magic ever again.”
Wiggles nodded. “That’s all that matters, and I got a chance to eat all the dropped cupcakes in Heaven’s Door. They were delicious.”
