Legend of Witchtrot Road

by E.J. Stevens

  I cal ed Emma and she picked up on the first ring.

  “You better be tied up and held captive by the J-team AGAIN, because I can’t think of another acceptable reason why you’d ignore my cal s today,” Emma said dryly.

  Son of a dung beetle.

  “Sorry,” I said. “I didn’t mean to make you worry.”

  “So you haven’t been kidnapped by Neanderthal footbal players who want you to resurrect their dead quarterback?” Emma asked.

  “No,” I said. Not today. “You know, when you say it like that it sounds kind of crazy.”

  I couldn’t help myself. The whole thing suddenly seemed so ridiculous that I started to giggle.

  “I’m glad someone thinks this is funny,” Emma said.

  “Sorry, the whole J-team thing just seems so surreal right now,” I said.

  “So where are you anyway?” Emma asked. “My shift ends in fifteen minutes. You want to do something? I could pick up Tofutti and Rice Dream ice cream after work and we could do some Internet research on Witchtrot Road.”

  “Oh em gees, that sounds awesome!” I said. “I’m not actual y home though. Want to meet me at the cabin? I’m on my way there now with Gabriel. He’s driving.”

  “You’re in that environment destroying, gas guzzling beast?” Emma asked.

  Gabriel looked at me encouragingly when I mentioned his name to Emma and I hoped that he didn’t hear what she just said. He had no idea how misplaced his heart was, but I guess that’s why they cal ed it a crush. Unless he traded in his Hummer for a Prius and completely revamped his selfish personality, Gabriel was going to receive a broken heart with this visit to Wakefield. Hopeful y, like the tacky t-shirts we sel to tourists, this souvenir would fade with time.

  Of course, there would probably be a lot of complaining first. I was already dreading the fal out.

  “Um, it wasn’t my idea,” I said. “I was doing a favor for Cal, but I’m on my way back to the cabin now. Meet me there?”

  “Okay, I’l be there soon,” Emma said. “We can do vegan ice cream later.”

  “You rock,” I said, smiling.

  “I know,” Emma said. “And Yuki…I real y was worried about you. Until we get this mess with the J-team straightened out, promise me you’l keep your cel phone on.”

  “I promise,” I said.

  I real y did have the best friends. Ever.

  *****

  Cal was standing in the cabin doorway, hands in his low-slung jean pockets, as Gabriel struggled to park his SUV without trampling any trees. Gabriel, who was worried more about his precious Hummer than the beautiful hundred year old oaks, final y brought us to a stop. I smiled at Cal who winked back with a toothy grin. I couldn’t wait to get out of The Bratmobile. I struggled with the handle and started to fal as I pushed open the heavy door.

  I was caught in Cal’s wel -muscled arms.

  “You fal for al the guys, or just for me?” Cal quipped.

  I gasped and looked up into his smiling face. He had been standing in the cabin doorway only moments before.

  Thank goodness for werewolf speed…and swoon-worthy muscles. Blushing, I looked up into Cal’s blue eyes.

  “Just you,” I said, breathless.

  Cal leaned in to brush his lips against my own. He teased me with a kiss at the corner of my mouth, but I turned my head to meet his kiss. It was a good thing he was stil holding me in his arms. I may have melted into a little puddle of happy right there in the Hummer’s shadow.

  Cal pul ed away with a little moan and rested his forehead against mine, breath ragged and warm on my face.

  Had it only been a day since I had seen him last? It felt as though we had been apart for an eternity.

  “I never did get to reward you for being my hero yesterday,” I said, wrapping my hands more tightly around Cal’s neck. I didn’t want him to pul away. Not yet. “It’s not every day that you get to rescue me like a damsel in distress.”

  “No, just every other day,” Simon said.

  Leave it to Simon to interrupt our romantic moment.

  Gabriel bristled at Simon’s sudden appearance and Cal let out a sigh. I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to calm myself before turning my head to glare at Simon. I did my best to instil fear, but the effect was diluted somewhat by being held aloft in Cal’s arms. At least it made it easier to look down my nose at Simon.

  “I do not require constant rescuing,” I said. “I can take care of myself.”

  “Obviously, love,” Simon said with a bemused smile.

  “My mistake.”

  Simon quirked an eyebrow and looked pointedly at Cal’s arms holding me off the ground. Simon could be so…so infuriating. I felt my face redden, gritted my teeth, and tried to think of a comeback. Nothing came to me. Cal must have sensed my frustration because he reluctantly released me to stand on my own two feet.

  See, not needing help. I started to march to the cabin door when Gabriel shot Cal a sulky look.

  “I was hoping you’d carry her over the threshold,” Gabriel said. “I need to see how it’s done so I’m prepared.”

  “Prepared for what?” Cal asked.

  “For when I carry Emma over the threshold,” Gabriel said. “For when I make her my mate.”

  Cal’s jaw fel open and it was a good thing he was no longer carrying me—he probably would have dropped me on my head. I don’t think I’ve ever seen him that surprised.

  Cal continued to blink at Gabriel, but when I turned to laugh about it with Simon, his face was a whirlwind of shifting emotions. Confusion, anger, indifference, and pain al chased each other across Simon’s scarred face. I smel ed the heady scent of lavender and honey, but didn’t have a chance to wonder at its significance.

  “Hey Yuki!” Emma shouted. She was walking up the gravel drive holding pints of vegan ice cream above her head. “Grab some spoons. I can’t wait to hear your good news.”

  Okaaay. This was awkward.

  “I thought we were doing ice cream later?” I shouted back.

  “Dude, it’s chocolate Tofuti, I couldn’t resist,” Emma said. “I even grabbed some strawberry for the guys.” Simon clenched his hands, thrust his fists into his pockets, and spun on his heel to stalk away from us into the woods.

  “Was it something I said?” Emma asked, walking up beside me. “He seriously didn’t have to leave. I wasn’t going to force him to eat Tofuti.”

  “I don’t know,” I said.

  I real y didn’t have a clue. Something was going on with my friends, but I didn’t know what it was—or even where to begin deciphering their odd behavior.

  “So what’s this about good news?” Cal asked.

  “I’m bored,” Gabriel said. “And what’s Tofuti? Emma, come inside and tel me about it.”

  Smooth, Gabe, smooth.

  “I found some cool info while doing research at the library today,” I said.

  “Research?” Emma asked, perking up. “Dude, spil .”

  “I’l tel you al about it, but we better go inside before Gabriel has a stroke,” I said.

  Gabriel was standing in the cabin doorway with hands fisted on his hips and his face pinched into a sour look like someone had double-wolf dared him to suck down a dozen pixie sticks. As I watched, hair sprouted from his ears and his canines elongated, pushing past pinched lips and stretching them into an ugly frown. So not attractive.

  It was easy to forget that The Brat contained the power of a wolf. Normal y I’d suggest he train with us under Simon’s tutelage, he obviously needed some lessons on self-control, but that didn’t seem like a good idea. No, Gabriel’s hatred for Simon ran too deeply to become his wil ing student.

  “Patience,” Cal said, facing Gabriel.

  Gabriel stomped his foot and disappeared inside the cabin. As we fol owed Gabriel inside, I caught a whiff of lavender and honey behind me. I turned to see a huge, silver wolf staring mournful y at Emma. Simon. His eyes fol owed Emma as she walked into the cabin. When she was final y
out of sight, he turned away and with a swish of his tail was gone. Only a swaying hemlock branch marked the place where Simon had stood looking at Emma with sad human eyes staring out of a wolf’s face.

  With a shake of my head, I fol owed Emma inside, and tried to force a smile. Something strange was definitely going on with those two, but I needed to tel my friends my good news. I could at least give them one less thing to worry about.

  *****

  I wasn’t quite prepared for the bachelor mayhem that threatened to pul my eyes from their sockets. What the heck? The cabin was a riot of color from paint splashes and odds and ends strewn on every surface. It looked like a tornado had come through tossing everything that wasn’t nailed down, and a few things that I’m pretty sure had been, every which way.

  Gabriel sat sulking in a bright blue beanbag chair while Emma and I gaped at the mess. Son of a dung beetle.

  “What happened in here?” I asked.

  “Simon and Gabriel happened,” Cal said, running his hands through his shaggy hair. “Gabriel announced that he was moving in and tried emptying his entire Humvee into the cabin.”

  “It was just a few things,” Gabriel muttered.

  “I take it that didn’t go over wel ?” Emma asked, raising an eyebrow at the mess.

  “No, it didn’t go wel at al ,” Cal said. He let out a sigh like the air deflating from an abandoned bal oon. “We’ve been sorting and cleaning, but the fight that broke out created a huge mess…as you can see.”

  “I was only trying to make myself comfortable,” Gabriel said petulantly.

  “You can’t just barge into someone else’s home, even if it is a slummy old cabin, and move in,” Emma said.

  “Slummy old cabin?” I asked. “I like this place!” Emma turned to me and winked. Ahhh, I get it. If anyone could convince Gabriel that he didn’t want to stay here it was Emma.

  “It is kind of drafty…and smal ,” Gabriel admitted. “It would probably be beneath me to live in such a place.” I saw Cal tense and hoped he wasn’t too offended.

  Emma hadn’t had a chance to fil him in on her plan.

  “I’l be sad to see you go, but agree it is probably for the best,” Cal said. His shoulders twitched and I realized Cal was trying hard not to laugh.

  “So Gabriel, want some help moving your stuff?” I asked.

  “It’s the least we can do,” Cal said.

  “I’l dish out ice cream while you get started,” Emma said, smiling at Gabriel.

  “I would be honored to eat your ice cream,” Gabriel said.

  Gabriel made a stiff attempt at a bow and started hauling stuff out to his Hummer. Wow, Emma was amazing. I’d have to warn her about Gabriel’s intentions though. I’m sure she had no idea that he planned to make her his mate. I shuddered at the thought. Not only was that guy a brat, he was also pretty darn creepy. I was happy that he wouldn’t be living here with Simon and Cal.

  We continued to pack up Gabriel’s clutter, with frequent ice cream pit stops, but Simon didn’t return. Leave it to Simon to get out of cleaning up the mess he helped to create. Clever werewolf. I sometimes felt as though someone, or something, was watching us, but I didn’t see Simon again that night.

  When we final y finished packing, and Gabriel was on his way to a hotel on Main Street, I grabbed one more bowl of Tofutti and told Cal and Emma about the papers I found at the library.

  “That’s awesome,” said Emma. “I can help design a map of the town with areas of past murders and battles.”

  “Cool,” I said, bumping knuckles with Emma.

  Samhain may be months away, but it felt good to have a plan.

  “I agree that this information is real y helpful…” Cal said.

  “But?” I asked.

  Cal sucked in his lip then let out a heavy sigh.

  “I’m just not sure about giving the amulet back,” Cal said, running his hand through his hair. “What if the map isn’t enough? What if you can’t avoid the spirits of the dead?”

  “He has a point,” Emma said. “You are kind of a ghost magnet.”

  I let out my own sigh and bit the inside of my cheek to keep from screaming. How could I explain how I felt about Nera’s amulet? I wasn’t even sure myself, but I had become increasingly uncomfortable about keeping it. It felt wrong to hold onto something stolen, even if it had been for a good reason, and the idea of Salem witches tracking me down and seeking revenge was…creepy.

  “Okay, I’m just a little bit freaked out about keeping the amulet,” I admitted. “I mean, I don’t like the idea of keeping something that doesn’t belong to me, but the fact we stole it from witches makes my skin crawl. Don’t you ever worry what might happen if they find out it was us?”

  “You’re right,” Cal said. “I just worry about you. I wish we had more of a plan. There’s no way of knowing if avoiding evil spirit hot spots wil work.”

  “Al the more reason to help as many ghosts as possible,” I said, smiling.

  “Ooh, I like it,” Emma said grinning. “Didn’t you say that Mr. Greene was one of the happy spirits surrounding you that night?”

  “Exactly,” I said nodding.

  Cal tilted his head, curious, then his eyes widened in surprise.

  “You’re going to have your own army of good spirits to protect you!” Cal said.

  “That’s my plan,” I said. “Wel , it’s my backup plan.

  Plan A is to put al of this information into a useful map so we can avoid as many Grays as possible.”

  “Where do we start?” Emma asked.

  “We begin with Dylan Jacobs,” I said. “Surviving Samhain without Nera’s amulet would be fabulous, but first I have to survive high school.”

  *****

  There was, of course, a flying monkey wrench in my plan. The ful moon was only two nights away. With the ful moon fast approaching, and the pack preparing to get furry, Emma and I would soon be on our own.

  “I’m so sorry,” Cal said. “We can stay through tomorrow evening, but by midnight Sunday we should be on the road for Wolf Camp. Normal y I’d leave Simon here with you, but with everything going on with Gabriel…”

  “No, take Simon with you,” I said. “We’l be alright.”

  “Promise you’l cal Gordy or your parents if the J-team comes anywhere near you?” Cal asked.

  “Seriously, I’l dial 9-1-1 if they come near me again,” I said. “I’m not taking any chances.”

  Cal reached out and slid his hand into mine, our fingers interwoven like two vines grown together over time. It was difficult to tel where I ended and he began. I made a silent, selfish wish that he didn’t have to leave.

  I squeezed Cal’s hand and he pul ed me to his chest.

  His eyes darkened as I reached up with my free hand to run my fingers along his tanned neck. Even during the depths of Maine winter he managed to maintain his sun-kissed complexion. Cal let his shaggy hair fal into his face, tilting his head down as a shiver coursed through his body.

  “I real y wish that I didn’t have to go,” Cal said.

  “I know,” I said.

  “I love you,” Cal said. “I would do anything for you.”

  “Then kiss me,” I said, pulse racing.

  Cal’s lips met mine and our hands parted so he could run his fingers down my back. He left a tingling trail of sensation everywhere he touched. I pressed closer, but Cal pul ed away with a sigh.

  “We better slow down,” Cal said.

  “Wow, um, yeah,” I said. “Good idea.”

  At some point during our kiss I had started panting and Cal looked disheveled. Had I done that to his hair? My traitorous fingers twitched as I restrained myself from running them through his shaggy locks. Yes, that must have been me. Definitely time to cool down.

  Emma chose that moment to walk back in from outside. She had exited the cabin to take a cal from her mom before Cal had a chance to tel us about the ful moon. Our crazy kiss had gone unnoticed. I hope.

  “Sorry guy
s, but I need to go home early,” Emma said.

  “Yuki, rain check on our movies and ice cream night?”

  “Sure, no problem,” I said.

  “Everything okay?” Cal asked.

  “Yes, just my parents wanting a family night,” Emma said. “I think the empty nest thing is starting. Ever since I got accepted to Tufts University, they’ve been acting strange. Fortunately for me, they have a house ful of pets.

  There’s no way they’l be lonely when I’m gone.”

  “Tel your mom I said hi,” I said.

  “Um, Emma?” Cal said. “I was just tel ing Yuki, but I have to leave for Wolf Camp tomorrow night with the rest of the pack. It’s almost the ful moon…”

  “Don’t worry,” Emma said. “I’l look after her.”

  “Ugh, I don’t need looking after,” I said. “I’l be fine.”

  “Right,” Emma said, rol ing her eyes. “Anyway, we should get together to do more research on Dylan and the curse of Witchtrot Road.”

  “Wel , okay,” I said. “See you tomorrow.”

  “See you,” Emma said.

  As she turned to leave, Emma winked at Cal.

  Apparently doing research was also her way of keeping an eye on me. I sighed and started gathering my things.

  “I should probably go home too,” I said.

  “I’l get my keys,” Cal said.

  We didn’t say much on the ride to my house. My thoughts were a tangle of curses, death threats, evil spirits, and the warm lips of a werewolf that I was beginning to want a little too much. I real y wasn’t sure which of these things was the most dangerous.

  Chapter 8

  After Cal dropped me off, I changed into my favorite pajamas, covered in pink and black smiling skul s, and went up to bed. It was stil early, but the past few days had been exhausting. I tossed and turned, but eventual y fel into a fitful slumber. Something tickled my nose, and though I tried to brush it away, it persisted in touching me. Oh em gees, I hope it’s not a spider.

  There was one determined spider living in the corner of my bedroom that had thwarted al of Emma’s efforts at