Spellbinding Starters

by Annabel Chase

  My cheeks reddened. "I was not going to give myself a concussion," I insisted.

  He spread his arms wide. "You can test the entire length of the border. I promise you, you can't get out. Over the years, I have tested every inch of the barrier. The magic is firmly intact."

  “How can the enchantress have cursed the whole town and then left you here to rot?” I asked. “Even if she had been mistreated, it seems harsh to leave the inhabitants and their offspring cursed for eternity. The younger generations are innocent.”

  Daniel shrugged. “Our world can be cruel and indifferent like yours,” he said. “Just different methods.”

  “Do you remember her?” I asked. “The enchantress.”

  His expression darkened. “I don’t want to talk about the curse. It’s ancient history.”

  “It seems very present for all of you,” I said. “And now for me.” I studied him for a moment, the knowledge stirring in my heart. "You really weren't just thinking up on that clifftop, were you?"

  “Of course I was. I told you. That's my safe spot to think.”

  “To think about killing yourself," I said softly. Looking at him now, I was certain of it. “I’ll bet you were going to jump. Keep your wings closed and plummet into the water. I’ll bet you can’t swim because of the wings.” They’d drag him down like bricks tied to his back.

  His jaw tensed. “I thought you were a lawyer in the human world, not a psychoanalyst.”

  “You know a lot about my world considering you’ve been stuck here forever and a day.”

  “We’re not completely cut off from information. There are ways of keeping tabs if you’re so inclined.”

  I’d need to ask more about that. If there was a way of keeping up with my favorite television shows, I was totally on board with that. Bring on the magical Netflix.

  “You’re an angel,” I said. “How could your existence here be so terrible that you’d want to end it all?”

  “I told you…” he began, and then his features suddenly softened. “Okay, fine. You know what? I feel like being honest with you. You’re right. I’d heard the news about Gareth and I realized that I wasn't sad like I should have been. I was jealous. He had gotten out, yet I was still here. For eternity. I couldn’t bear the thought for a minute more.”

  “Is the town so awful?" I asked. "I mean, I didn't exactly make plans to relocate here, but it seems like an amazing place."

  “Enjoying it so much that you came here to escape?” He gave me a gentle smile.

  “I’m freaked out right now. Otherwise, I’d really be enjoying it.”

  He raked a hand through his blond hair. "Do you think you’ll be saying that after a hundred years or so?”

  "I don't know yet," I said. "I guess ask me in a hundred years." I mustered a smile.

  “If it makes you feel any better,” he said, “I’m not considering it anymore. I’ve been doing a little soul-searching and I feel the fog lifting.”

  I wondered if he spent less time up his own ass, if he’d be any less emo.

  “I heard you need to start classes at the witch academy,” he said. “I know Lady Weatherby can be a little intimidating."

  “A little?” I'd come up against a lot of surly judges in my professional career, but not one of them made me quake in my boots the way Lady Weatherby did.

  “Look on the bright side,” Daniel said. “It must be exciting for you to realize you have powers you didn’t even know about. Humans love that stuff.”

  “I’m sure if I were any good at…well, anything, I’d be over the moon. I’m pretty sure I won’t be able to live up to Lady Weatherby’s exacting standards.”

  He patted my back. “Give it time, Emma. You’ve only just arrived. Things will get better.”

  “Says the angel contemplating suicide.”

  He narrowed his eyes at me. “Let’s not speak of it again. Agreed?”

  “As long as you don’t tell anyone about me making a run for the border.” God, I even missed Taco Bell. Maybe it was PMS talking.

  “How about I take you home?” he said.

  “Only if we can walk,” I replied. “I don’t think I can handle another flight so soon.”

  He held out his hand and smiled. “Then let’s walk.”

  Chapter Four

  We only made it as far as the first set of buildings in town when Lucy found me.

  “There you are,” she said cheerfully, as though she’d misplaced me. “We should go and get you settled in for the night.”

  Reluctantly, I released Daniel’s hand. “I’ll see you around town, I guess.”

  “Definitely.”

  He flew off in a blaze of white wings, and I forced my attention back to Lucy. “How far is it?”

  She pulled out her wand. “Don’t worry about those delicate feet of yours. I’m going to sprinkle you with fairy dust. Mayor Knightsbridge lent me a packet of hers.”

  “Wait,” I said, and held out my hands to repel the sparkling magic powder. Too late.

  My feet lifted off the ground and I began to float. Lucy grasped my hand, giggling, and fluttered her wings.

  “I’m not strong enough to carry you,” she said, “but I can guide you there with a little help.”

  I’m not going to lie. I threw up somewhere over a pasture. I was just relieved it didn’t land on someone’s house. Lucy was polite enough not to mention it.

  Gareth’s house was located in the northwest corner on the outskirts of town. Lucy’s small, pink wings slowed and we floated down to the ground.

  The house was a large Victorian with beautiful stained glass windows. Two red Adirondack chairs were carefully arranged on the wraparound front porch.

  “It’s lovely,” I said. Much nicer than any home I’d ever lived in. My current apartment was about six hundred square feet with shag carpet and a bathroom suite the shade of avocado.

  “You’ll probably want to make some alterations,” Lucy said, and lifted the base of the gargoyle at the bottom of the steps. A chunky silver key appeared in her hand. We walked onto the front porch where she unlocked the door and pushed it open.

  “I’m sure it’s perfect as it is,” I said. Aside from the gargoyle. I’d definitely get rid of that.

  The second I stepped into the entryway, I longed to snatch back the words. Although the outside was charming, the inside appeared to have been decorated by a goth. Dark purple paint stained the walls and blackout curtains obscured the gorgeous windows.

  “What was wrong with Gareth?” I asked. “Was he some kind of hermit?” And, if so, how did he manage to get himself murdered?

  “No, silly,” Lucy said. “Gareth was a vampire.”

  A shiver ran down my spine. I was going to inhabit the home of a vampire?

  “The public defender was a vampire?” I queried.

  “Yes. And Lord Gilder sits on the council. We have a healthy and thriving vampire community here in Spellbound.”

  A healthy and thriving vampire community? Was that because they had open access to veins in this town?

  Lucy must have read my mind because she added, “Not to worry. Vampires own the Blood Bank. It’s a cooperative venture. They get all the blood they need from there.”

  A vampire co-op. How progressive.

  “I think you’re right. A little renovation work will be in order,” I said. Dark colors aside, the interior seemed a bit neglected. A banister with chipped black paint and a missing support post, half a stair runner, and threadbare rugs.

  “Goodness me,” Lucy exclaimed. “No one noticed the embers still burning in the fireplace?”

  I was surprised he used the fireplace at all since it was about seventy degrees outside. Then again, he was a vampire, so I guess poor circulation was an issue for him.

  She fluttered into the adjoining room where an enormous fireplace took center stage. The mantel appeared to be made of concrete and adorned with scrolls. It was the kind of mantel that cried out for Christmas decorations. Despite my ne
rvousness, I felt a little rise of excitement at the prospect of decorating a house like this.

  Lucy produced her glittery wand and snuffed out the remaining orange glow. “That’s better. We wouldn’t want this lovely house to burn to the ground now, would we?”

  The term lovely was debatable. Other than that, I agreed with her.

  “I take it Gareth wasn’t into decorating.”

  “Oh, he had wonderful style,” she said. “But I don’t think he spent much time on this floor of the house. You’ll probably find other areas of the home less neglected.”

  I sure hoped so. I began to count the cobwebs in the living room but stopped when I reached double digits.

  “Do you know anything about the case he was working on before he died?” I asked.

  “Yes, everybody knows. He was defending a goblin called Mumford. He’s been accused of stealing jewelry from the dwarves.”

  “Do dwarves wear a lot of jewelry?” I asked. It was hard to imagine fat, hairy men decked out in sparkling gemstones, but I wasn’t one to judge.

  “No, silly. Dwarves are master craftsmen. They mine the gems and make the jewelry by hand. They’re famous for it. Deacon’s store in town is very popular. That’s where the jewels were stolen from.”

  “What’s the evidence?” I asked.

  “I don’t know the details, but I believe they found a loose diamond in Mumford’s pocket. The rest of the jewelry is still missing.”

  “Where does Mumford say he got the diamond?”

  “He says he found it on the road on the way into town. That the real thief must have dropped it during his escape.”

  It was plausible, especially if they hadn’t managed to locate the rest of the stolen items.

  "How was Gareth killed?" If he was a vampire, I had to imagine it had not been easy.

  "He was staked.” She shuddered. “They found him on a bed of leaves in the forest. The sheriff hasn't found the murder weapon, though."

  “So you're looking for a piece of wood in the woods?” Talk about a needle in a haystack.

  "The sheriff and his deputy have been searching high and low. I have every confidence they’ll find it.” Her enthusiasm seemed entirely genuine. It was both sweet and disconcerting.

  “Why don’t you show me the rest of the house?” I suggested.

  Lucy giggled. “This is so fun. I would have been a realtor if Mayor Knightsbridge hadn’t hired me.”

  I followed her back to the depressing staircase and we headed downstairs. “There’s a basement?”

  “Not quite,” she said.

  Not quite was correct. The entire downstairs level was Gareth’s master bedroom. There was a glossy black coffin on a raised platform in the middle of the room with a shiny disco ball hanging directly above it. The interior of the coffin appeared to be made of white silk.

  “This is…not what I expected,” I said. How could downstairs Gareth be the same as upstairs Gareth?

  “It’s an amazing space,” Lucy said. “Except for the lack of natural light, of course. But you can use the bedrooms upstairs. There’s no reason for you to use this room as your own.”

  No, I probably—definitely—wouldn’t.

  “Lord Gilder was outside during the day,” I said. Unless there were underground passages that led to the Great Hall. “Can vampires walk around in daylight here?”

  “They can,” Lucy said. “The paranormal towns have a special atmospheric layer that protects vampires from the sun. They still prefer darkness, however. It’s more natural for them.”

  “Is that a closet?” I asked, pointing across the room.

  “Yes. It looks like that whole wall is lined with closet space.”

  Wow. This room was bigger than my apartment and my neighbor’s apartment combined.

  “You know, I only have the outfit I came in,” I said. “Is there any way I can get clothes and pajamas?” And matching socks, of course. As a fairy, I thought Lucy might be able to bibbety bobbety some clothes for me.

  “Absolutely. In fact, Mayor Knightsbridge has instructed me to take you shopping tomorrow.”

  “That’s kind of her.”

  “We’ll just take it out of the emergency budget.” She laughed gaily. “After all, that’s what it’s for. Emergencies.”

  “I’ll need toiletries too,” I said. In fact, I would need every basic necessity. An image of my white bunny slippers flashed in my mind and I ached with longing. I knew I was too old for them, but I didn’t care. No one ever saw me at bedtime anyway. It wasn’t like I had a boyfriend staying over or anyone dropping by unannounced. That was one of the upsides of not having a family. They couldn’t annoy me with unexpected visits, or other kinds of behavior people with loved ones complained about.

  Lucy linked her arm through mine. “Not to worry, Miss Hart. We’ll get you all set up so you can get to work on your very first case.”

  And start witch training. And I thought my old life was stressful. I had a feeling that Spellbound was about to take stress and anxiety to a whole new level.

  The next morning, the sound of a horn jolted me to my feet. I peered out the front door to see Lucy seated in the driver’s seat of a bright orange jalopy. It reminded me of a Ford Model T but with more sparkles.

  “What does this thing run on?” I asked, climbing into the passenger seat. The dashboard made no sense to me at all. It didn’t include any of the usual ‘ometers and interior fixtures.

  “Magical energy, of course,” Lucy said. “The town is full of it.”

  “And you harness it to run your vehicles?”

  “Basically.”

  I thought about my own beloved car at the bottom of Swan Lake. “How fast can this go?” It looked like it might fall apart over forty miles per hour.

  Lucy wiggled her eyebrows. “Let’s find out.” She pressed a button rather than a pedal and we lurched forward.

  As I gripped the dashboard and gritted my teeth, I swear I experienced a temporary facelift.

  “Okay, the answer is fast,” I managed to squeak.

  She slowed to a normal pace. “That was fun.”

  “Are you sure you’re not a demon?” I asked.

  “Only in the bedroom, Miss Hart,” she said with a wink.

  “Do you have the expression TMI here?” I asked. “If not, I’ll be sure to introduce it into the Spellbound vernacular.”

  Lucy hopped excitedly in her seat. “Where shall we go first? Clothes shopping?”

  “A few outfits would probably be a good idea,” I said. Although I’d showered in Gareth’s oversized bathroom, I still wore the same clothes I’d arrived in. I’d slept naked just to give my clothes a break.

  We passed by an enormous row of shrubs. “What’s that?”

  “You should definitely check it out when you get a chance. It’s an elaborate maze designed by our resident minotaur, Markos. He also runs a children’s bouncy house maze across town.” She gave me a pointed look. “He does very well for himself”—she lowered her voice—“and he’s hung like a…well, like a minotaur.”

  Having witnessed plenty of Lucy’s sweet side, I now seemed to be getting a glimpse of the fairy’s saucy side.

  “If he’s such a catch, why don’t you go out with him?” I asked.

  “He’s not into wings,” she said sadly. “At least you’ve got a chance.”

  “I’m good, thanks.”

  Lucy pulled into a parking lot on a side street near the town square. “There are heaps of places within walking distance from here.”

  We left the parking lot and I caught sight of the largest, most impressive fountain I’d ever seen. It easily could have doubled as a lake. There were twelve statues of dolphins and mermaids around the perimeter and the water spouted ten feet into the air.

  “It’s pretty, isn’t it?” Lucy asked, noting the object of my attention. “The naiads do an amazing job. You should definitely hire them if you ever decide to put in a pool.”

  A pool. The suggestion mad
e my presence here sound so permanent. Even though I knew that it was, part of me still clung to the belief that this was a temporary mistake that would get straightened out. Eventually.

  We passed a shop window with a huge heart etched in the glass. “That’s Pandora’s matchmaking office. She’s a nymph. If you decide you’d like to meet that special someone, she can help. She also runs a speed dating night on Thursdays. I’ve been a few times. It’s a lot of fun.”

  I had no plans for speed dating here, or dating of any kind. I found human dating stressful enough.

  “Oh, look. There’s the big boss.” Lucy beamed at the sight of Mayor Knightsbridge. The blue-winged fairy strode toward us on the cobblestone, flanked by two large hounds.

  “What kind of dogs are they?” I asked.

  “Hellhounds,” Lucy replied matter-of-factly. “Just don’t pet the wrong one or you might lose a hand.”

  The wrong one? They looked identical. Which one was the wrong one?

  “Lucy, I’m so pleased to see you’ve taken our new resident under your wing. Are you enjoying the town, Miss Hart?”

  “It’s wonderful,” I said, keeping one eye trained on the hellhounds. “Are these your security detail?”

  Mayor Knightsbridge chuckled. “In a manner of speaking, I suppose. Zeus is to my right. He still thinks he’s a puppy. Chases squirrels and likes belly rubs. Hera is a real bitch.” She glanced at the hound on her left. “Trouble is they look alike, so you must take care when approaching them.”

  Note to self: no belly rubs for hellhounds. Not worth the risk to life and limb.

  “You should take her to Ricardo’s shop,” Mayor Knightsbridge said. “He’s running a huge sale at the moment.”

  “We’re on the way there now,” Lucy said.

  “Excellent. I’ll see you at the mansion later, Lucy.” She gave me a crisp nod before carrying on.

  “Is Ricardo a fairy, too?” I asked.

  “No, he’s a wereferret with impeccable taste.” She looped her arm through mine. “I’m excited about the sale. He only runs them occasionally.”

  We rounded the corner and I recognized the town square and the clock tower. The shop was called, aptly enough, Ready-to-Were.