Magic & Monsters (Starry Hollow Witches Book 12)

by Annabel Chase

  Magic & Monsters

  Starry Hollow Witches, Book 12

  Annabel Chase

  Contents

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter One

  “Good morning, my moon and stars,” I said, sweeping into the office of Vox Populi with a cinnamon latte and a sunny smile.

  Bentley Smith glanced up from his computer screen, deep lines of suspicion creasing his brow. “Does this mean you finally got a full night’s sleep? If not, I’d like to request a desk change.”

  “Oh, please. One cranky day and you act like I’m a menace to society.” I’d been plagued by nightmares this week and unable to sleep through the night. I finally understood what Marley must’ve gone through. It seemed like only yesterday that my daughter was curled up in bed beside me, smacking me in the face with a wayward hand and encroaching on my personal space.

  Bentley pointed to his chin. “This mark is going to scar.”

  “I threw a stress ball, Bentley, not a stapler.” I eased into my chair at the neighboring desk. “If you must know, I tried a sleeping potion that Linnea recommended and it worked like a charm.” Generally, I was hesitant to take any kind of sleep aid when I was the only adult in the house. I didn’t want to put Marley in a vulnerable position where she discovered me unconscious and was unable to be roused. An incident like that could result in hours of therapy in the future. That being said, a mother on the verge of a mental breakdown due to lack of sleep could result in years of therapy, not hours, so I chose the cheaper option and drank the potion.

  “I’m glad you took the potion. Self-care is important,” Tanya said. The office manager fluttered from the supply closet to her desk.

  “I think we can agree that we all benefit from a rested Ember,” Bentley said. “Especially me.”

  I booted up my computer. “Stop exaggerating.”

  “Exaggerating? Yesterday you threatened to reshape my ears with the help of a hole puncher.” He rubbed the point of his elfin ear. “I’d prefer not to live in fear.”

  I popped the lid off my cup and blew off the steam before taking a careful sip of my latte. Yesterday I scalded my tongue on the way here, which may have contributed to my attitude toward Bentley. I wasn’t ready to swear a blood oath to it, but I was open to the possibility.

  “Where’s the boss?” I asked. Alec Hale was the editor-in-chief of the paper as well as my handsome vampire boyfriend. It was easy to look forward to coming to work when I knew I’d get to lay eyes on his exquisite vampiric form. I craned my neck to see whether his office door was open or closed. Hmm. Closed.

  “He’s been holed up in there since before I arrived,” Tanya said, following my gaze. “I think he’s working on a new book.”

  I frowned. “A new book?” He was purportedly three-quarters of the way through his current work-in-progress, which was why we hadn’t been spending that much time together lately. He couldn’t possibly have finished that quickly. Epic fantasy took epic hours to write.

  Tanya leaned over and lowered her voice. “I don’t mean to alarm you, but I heard him laughing.”

  My hand froze with the edge of the cup only millimeters from my lip. “Laughing? Alec?” The stoic vampire wasn’t known for belting out the laughs and certainly not over his fantasy world where everything was dire and fates were forever hanging in the balance. “How would you categorize it?”

  Tanya licked her lips, thinking. “More of a guffaw.”

  I shot a quizzical look at Bentley. “Did you hear this alleged guffaw?”

  His head dipped. “I did.”

  I pushed back my chair. “And no one thought to check on him?”

  “He’s your boyfriend,” Bentley said accusingly.

  I started toward the back office. “And he’s your editor-in-chief. If he’s guffawing, you should want to know why.” I harrumphed. “Some inquisitive reporter you are.”

  “No one’s writing a story on what makes Alec Hale laugh,” Bentley grumbled.

  “Well, maybe they should be!” I straightened my shirt before rapping on the door. “Little pig, little pig, won’t you let me come in?” I didn’t wait for a response. I clicked open the door and poked my head inside.

  Alec stared at his laptop screen with a lopsided grin. His brilliant green eyes met mine and the grin broadened. “Perfect. Just the face I wanted to see.”

  “According to reliable sources, you’ve been holed up in here for hours and laughing to yourself like a deranged hyena. What are you working on?”

  He dragged a hand through his golden blond hair. “I had an idea for a new book the other day and the muse refused to let me go.”

  I moved to peer over his shoulder at the screen. “What’s it about?”

  “A supernatural agent that hunts demons,” he said.

  “That sounds fun.”

  “Yes, and she’s a self-loathing fury.”

  “Ooh, dangerous.” I perched on the edge of his desk. “And funny, too, from the sound of it.”

  “She is. And she has this insane family.” He chuckled to himself. “I’m basing the grandmother on a more ill-mannered version of Hyacinth, but please don’t tell her. The comparison won’t be flattering.”

  I pretended to button my lip. “I’m glad you’re having fun with it.”

  He reached for my knee and tugged me closer. “You’ll never guess who inspired the fury.”

  “I’m not sure I know what a fury is.” I’d have to ask Marley. She was my own personal Google, although she’d told me repeatedly that Google itself was actually my own personal Google.

  His hand traveled up my thigh. “She’s smart and sexy and sassy and very powerful.”

  “My kind of woman.”

  “And mine.” He gazed at me with a sexy smile that made my stomach flutter.

  I bent forward and brushed my lips against his. “I’ve missed you at the cottage. Marley too.”

  “And I’ve missed you.” His lips lingered on mine and I enjoyed the taste of fresh strawberries. He withdrew and sighed contentedly. “I’m glad you’re here. Did Linnea’s potion work?”

  “If I had any nightmares, they didn’t wake me.” Linnea had wanted to know more about the nightmares so that she could mix the right potion, but I couldn’t tell her that they started after I opened our ancestor Ivy Rose’s Book of Shadows. If I told Linnea, that increased the risk that Aunt Hyacinth would find out and the older witch was the last paranormal I wanted to know. Thankfully, the concoction seemed to do the trick without the need for details.

  “Good, then I can brief you on your new assignment.”

  “I have one?” The lazy part of me had hoped to skate by this week as I attempted to recover from my bouts of disrupted sleep.

  “You do. A very good one, in fact. Expect a disgruntled response from Bentley.”

  Uh oh. “Are you sure you don’t want to let him have the story?”

  He brought my hand to his mouth and left a trail of butterfly kisses across my knuckle. “Trust me. You want this one. It’s a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Marley will be interested too.”

  His fang gently pricked the skin on my hand and a small gasp escaped me. How did he manage to make that feel so
erotic? I pushed the heel of my hand against his forehead.

  “Down, boy, before I straddle you right here.”

  He cocked an eyebrow. “You’re not exactly persuading me to stop with talk like that.”

  I took a few steps backward to put physical distance between the vampire’s seductive charm and me.

  “Why don’t you tell me about the assignment in the safety of the main office?” I asked. Where I was guaranteed to remain fully clothed and appropriate.

  Alec rose to his feet and adjusted his cufflinks. “That’s a splendid idea.”

  I hurried back to my desk and scooped up my latte for a greedy sip. Ah, it was now the ideal temperature. Flirting with my boss had multiple advantages.

  Alec stood in front of our desks. “I have exciting news to share with everyone. I’m sure you’re familiar with Winston York.”

  “He’s a legend,” Tanya said.

  “Of course,” Bentley added. “Who isn’t? You’d have to be living under a rock not to know.”

  Slowly, I raised my hand. “Who’s Winston York?”

  Bentley rolled his eyes. “Or from New Jersey.”

  “Winston York is the most famous creature hunter in the world and he lives right here in Starry Hollow,” Tanya said.

  I cringed. “He hunts magical creatures? That’s terrible.”

  “No, hunts them as in he tracks them down,” Alec said. “He doesn’t hurt them. He’s only interested in recording them to share with the world.”

  “He doesn’t do it anymore though,” Bentley said. “He retired last year.”

  Alec clasped his hands in front of him. “That’s part of the big news. It seems he’s come out of seclusion.”

  “Why now?” I asked.

  “There’s been a sighting of a tepen right here in Starry Hollow,” Alec said.

  Tanya and Bentley lit up like someone just told them they’d won front row tickets to a Bruce Springsteen concert. Well, it’s how they’d light up if they loved the Boss as much as I did.

  “What’s a tepen?” I asked.

  Bentley groaned and buried his face in his hands.

  “You’ll have ample time to learn as you’ll be covering the story,” Alec said.

  The elf’s face drained of color, leaving his freckles even more pronounced. “You’re assigning the story to Ember?”

  “Hyacinth insisted on it,” Alec said with a shrug that said ‘what can you do?’ At least that explained Alec’s willingness to give me the story. Bentley was much more suited to covering a story about the David Attenborough of the paranormal world. I tended to fall asleep watching nature shows that featured the actual David Attenborough, much to Marley’s dismay.

  Bentley folded his arms in a huff. “What am I supposed to work on this week while the rookie is covering the best story we’ve had in years?”

  “I have no doubt you’ll find a worthy topic,” Alec said.

  Bentley’s sigh was louder than he intended and he immediately swiveled his chair around to avoid making eye contact with Alec.

  “Where can I find this wonder of the world?” I asked.

  “The tepen is elusive,” Alec said.

  “I meant the old dude.”

  “Ah, Winston will be at Balefire Beach later today to record a segment,” Alec said. “He’s agreed to meet with you there.”

  I gulped down the rest of my latte. “Should I bring any protective gear? How dangerous is this creature?”

  “I doubt you’ll be seeing the tepen,” Alec said. “As I said, it’s elusive. It won’t be parading along the beach.”

  “The tepen is an incredibly rare type of sea serpent,” Bentley said with a trace of bitterness. “You might want to research it before you show up and embarrass yourself.”

  “Nah, I prefer to wing it. Makes life more interesting.” I chucked my empty cup in the garbage can.

  Bentley simmered in anger and resentment. “She won’t do the story justice, Alec.”

  “Then I suggest you take it up with Hyacinth,” Alec said.

  Bentley recoiled. Nobody in their right mind wanted to take up anything with Hyacinth Rose-Muldoon. She was the intimidating owner of the weekly newspaper, the wealthy grand dame of Starry Hollow society, a descendant of the One True Witch, and, most importantly, my aunt.

  “I’ll find my own story,” Bentley mumbled, his head bent in resignation.

  As tempting as it was, I resisted the urge to gloat. Bentley looked far too miserable. “Cheer up,” I said. “I bet your story will end up being way cooler than mine.” I burst into laughter. “Who am I kidding? My story is the Marcia to your Jan.” Okay, so resistance was futile.

  Bentley glowered at me. “Mine will be the talk of the town. You’ll see.”

  “Yeah, sure. Have fun writing up the Lost Items column. Oh, and don’t forget to include your dignity.”

  Chapter Two

  I stood outside the front door of Rose Cottage with my aging Yorkshire terrier on a leash. Prescott Peabody III, or PP3 as he was affectionately known, sniffed the grass like he was checking for bombs in the field during World War II.

  “Hey, buddy. If you could hurry things along because I’m kind of on a tight schedule today,” I said. I wasn’t sure why I bothered to say anything. The Yorkie moved at his own agitatingly slow pace, like an old lady with a walker crossing a busy intersection.

  A familiar witch on a bicycle came into view and I urged PP3 to finish his business. I didn’t want to be late for my lesson with Marigold, the coven’s Mistress of Psychic Skills. She’d insist on sticking to the full hour and then I’d be late for my meeting with Winston York.

  The witch was pedaling so furiously that I expected her to rise into the air like Miss Gulch in The Wizard of Oz. She screeched to a halt at the gate and leaned the bicycle against the fence.

  I inclined my head toward the Yorkie. “I have the perfect little dog for your wicker basket.”

  Marigold frowned. “Is this one of your pop culture references?” She marched up the walkway like the drill sergeant she secretly wanted to be.

  “It’s not one of my references. The Wizard of Oz belongs to everyone.” PP3 finally peed and I leaned down to give him a reaffirming pat on the head. “Who’s a good boy? That’s right. You are.”

  Marigold adjusted the hem of her pink cotton sweater. “Are you ready or do you need a few more minutes to spoil that canine creature?”

  “We need to finish on time today because I have to meet some guy at the beach.”

  Marigold arched an eyebrow. “Does Alec know about this?”

  “I didn’t meet him on Tinder. It’s a work assignment. I need to interview Winston York.”

  Marigold threw up a hand to steady herself against the front door. “Wait, you have an interview with the Winston York?”

  “That’s right.” I crouched down to unleash the dog.

  She gaped at me in disbelief. “But he’s a hermit now. He doesn’t give interviews anymore.”

  I pushed open the door and nudged the dog inside. “Apparently he’s breaking his silence for the sake of nature nerds everywhere.”

  The witch grabbed my arm. “Take me with you.”

  “I’m talking to an old man about a messed-up sea serpent. How interesting can it be?”

  “You have no idea,” Marigold said.

  “Clearly.”

  “For a man his age, he still manages to be devastatingly rugged and handsome.”

  “Years in the wild will do that to a guy, I guess.”

  Marigold fanned herself and I felt a surge of pride when I noticed that she was wearing the bracelet I made for her that protects against menopausal symptoms. “I used to have the most elaborate fantasies about what would happen if he tracked me deep in the woods and wrestled me to the ground.”

  I held my hands over my ears. “And I think we’re done here.”

  She jostled my elbow. “Come on then. You can’t risk being late. Let’s get our lesson out of the way.”
>
  Together we traipsed to the woods behind the cottage where she preferred to hold the lessons. Although she claimed it was because of her great love for the outdoors, I suspected it was because she worried I’d destroy the interior of Rose Cottage with my misguided attempts to perform psychic magic.

  “How’s the bracelet working out for you?” I asked.

  The witch smiled. “Really well, actually. Whatever you did, I’m impressed. You’d better be careful, I mentioned it to a few friends in a similar condition, so you may have a few orders coming in.”

  I positioned myself in front of one of the live oak trees. “I don’t see myself as a jewelry maker. That was a twofer. I got you to stop complaining about your hot flashes and I got Hazel to stop complaining that I don’t take her lessons seriously.” I rolled up my sleeves. “What’s on the agenda today, Mr. Miyagi? If we’re waxing on and waxing off, we should probably start with your chin and upper lip.”

  Marigold narrowed her eyes. “Hormonal changes will do that. Just you wait, Ember. A few more years and you won’t think it’s so amusing.”

  “I don’t think it’s amusing now. I already have a clown named Hazel that makes me feel like I’m being taught circus tricks. No need to add the bearded lady.”

  She folded her arms. “Let’s get started before I decide to do a body swap and embarrass you beyond repair.”

  I balked. “I’m sorry. Do a what now?”

  “Body swap.”

  “You can Freaky Friday me? Why have you never mentioned this before?”

  Her smile was full of mischievous confidence. “It’s always good practice to keep an ace up your sleeve, Ember. You never know when you might need it.”

  “You have lipstick on your teeth. You might want to fix that before you meet your celebrity crush.”

  She rubbed away the pink spots with her finger. “Your aunt requested that we practice astral projection again.”