Magic & Mythos
Starry Hollow Witches, Book 8
Annabel Chase
Red Palm Press LLC
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
Also by Annabel Chase
Chapter One
The ceiling fan whirred above my head. I watched each blade as it passed the small crack in the ceiling. Thirty-one. Thirty-two. I only wanted to focus on the movement of the fan. Nothing else. Life was easier this way.
“Mom?”
“In here,” I called weakly.
Marley appeared in the doorway. She frowned when she saw me sprawled across the bed. “Are you sick?”
“Sort of.”
She sighed and crawled into bed beside me. “You can’t keep going like this.”
“You underestimate my abilities,” I replied.
My daughter laughed softly. “I wouldn’t dare.”
I flipped onto my side to face her. “This is what guilt looks like, Marley. Take a good, hard look, so you don’t ever have to subject yourself to it.”
“Get a grip. You didn’t kill anyone,” she insisted. “You listened to your heart. Finally.”
I wrapped an arm around her. I didn’t want to talk about it anymore. It had been three days since I broke up with Sheriff Nash and I still felt terrible for hurting him. Since then, a tight ball of guilt had lodged in my chest and refused to budge.
“I think I need a healer,” I said. “Maybe we should call Cephas.”
“What you need is a kick in the pants,” Marley replied. “You made a tough decision and now you have to live with the consequences, but the bright side is that you made the choice. No one made it for you. It’s much harder to suffer the consequences when you didn’t play a role in the decision, like when Dad died.”
I squinted at her. “Are you sure you’re only eleven?”
“What can I say? I inherited your deep well of wisdom.”
I laughed in her face. “It’s a deep well of something. Not sure we can call what I have wisdom.” I rolled onto my back. “You need to get ready for school. Can’t have you showing up late on your last day.” Now that Marley had come into her magic, Aunt Hyacinth had wasted no time in registering her at the exclusive Black Cloak Academy.
“If you need me, I’ll stay here.”
My heart squeezed. How did I get so lucky? “I’m an adult, most of the time. It’s not your job to worry about me. How are you feeling about your last day?” A little deflection never hurt anybody.
“My friends are sad I’m leaving, of course, but I’ll only be right down the street.” She beamed. “I can’t wait until orientation.”
“Don’t you think it will be strange to only have classes with witches and wizards?” I asked.
She laughed. “Don’t you think it was strange to have classes with any paranormals when we first came here? My New Jersey school had plenty of weirdos, but no vampires or werewolves.” Normally, a move to a new town and a new school would throw a kid for a loop. Not Marley. The transition to life in Starry Hollow had been a positive experience for her and, for that, I was grateful.
“Fair point, but at least there’s diversity in the public school here.” Marley was friends with elves, fairies, vampires—at the academy, she’d only develop close bonds with paranormals like her. We’d need to make an effort to expand her friendship circle. I didn’t want her growing up in an echo chamber.
“The upside is I won’t have to be you, Mom,” she said.
“Gee, thanks. Way to kick me when I’m down.”
She giggled. “You know what I mean. Grown up and learning magic for the first time. The academy will make sure I know how to use magic responsibly from a young age.”
I gave her a pointed look. “Are you suggesting I’m not responsible?”
“I’m suggesting that you missed out on not going to magic school, that’s all.”
“I missed out on a lot more than that, you know.” A mother. A sense of family.
She nestled in the crook of my arm. “I know. I’m sorry. I wasn’t trying to be difficult. That’s at least two more years away.”
I jabbed her gently with my elbow. “Very funny. You will not be a typical teenager, Marley. Promise me right now.”
“I promise. I’ll save my moodiness for when I go away to college and then I’ll have no friends.”
I patted my chest. “Hey, there isn’t room for any more guilt in here. Stop where you are.”
Don’t worry. I’ll keep her in line, a voice said. Raoul, my raccoon familiar, stuck his head out of a drawer. He quickly snatched a pair of my pajama bottoms off his head.
I bolted upright. “Sweet baby Elvis. How long have you been there?”
I fell asleep. It was so cozy in there.
“In my pajama drawer?”
Reluctantly, he left the comfort of the drawer and scampered over to the bed. Your ugly crying needs work, by the way. The grimace isn’t quite where it needs to be, but we can work on it.
You weren’t supposed to be watching me like a creeper, I told him.
I’m concerned, he replied. I’m your familiar. I can tell when you’re upset.
Then let me know you’re here for me instead of hiding in a drawer. It’s bizarre and very unwelcome.
So ungrateful, he muttered.
“Would you mind taking PP3 out for a walk before school?” I asked Marley. “I haven’t been downstairs yet and I heard him jump off the bed a little while ago.” Our Yorkshire terrier, Prescott Peabody III, was getting up there in years, so he wasn’t as desperate for outside time as he used to be. He took so long to poop these days that I felt the desire to bring him a newspaper and a cup of coffee.
“Sure, Mom. No problem.” Marley failed to make a move.
“What?” I prompted.
She chewed her lip. “I was just wondering…It’s been a few days and I’m sure Alec has heard the news by now. Have you talked to him since you broke up with the sheriff?”
A groan rumbled inside me. “Not yet.” I knew he was giving me space. He’d shown up in my bedroom the other night and blew up my world. My neat and tidy world where I dated the loyal and emotionally available werewolf Granger Nash. In a shocking turn of events, the vampire admitted his feelings for me and claimed he was ready to move forward with our relationship. Like the ceiling fan, my world hadn’t stopped spinning since then. So far, I’d successfully avoided the Vox Populi office where he was the editor-in-chief and I worked as a fledgling reporter.
“You are going to date him, aren’t you?” she asked. “I hope this isn’t going to be one of those choosing yourself moments because you’ve been alone long enough.”
“I’m not alone,” I objected. “I have you and PP3.”
And me, Raoul added.
Not all company is created equal, I said.
Hey! Watch your tongue or I’ll spend the next few hours in your underwear drawer.
I wrinkled my nose in disgust.
“You know what I mean,” Marley said. “If you broke up with Sheriff Nash because of Alec, then you need to give him a real chance. Otherwise, what’s the point?”
I shifted back to face the ceiling fan again. “I broke up with the sheriff because of me, but yes—to answer your question—I’m giving him a chance.” That was the reason I’d
broken up with the sheriff the very same night Alec came to see me. I knew I couldn’t string him along for another second. He deserved better. That didn’t stop me from feeling sick over it, though. I had feelings for Granger, that much was true. They just weren’t as powerful as what I felt for Alec. If there was a chance we could make it work, I owed it to myself to try.
“Make sure you have magic lessons today,” Marley said. “Don’t cancel. You need to stay active.”
“Yes, Mom,” I said in a mock bored tone. “And I’m going to work, too. It’s time to get the circulation flowing again.” I’d cancelled my previous lessons without explanation. I didn’t need the whole town gossiping, though I knew they probably were anyway.
Marley kissed my cheek. “I’m proud of you, Mom.”
I blinked at her. “You are? Why?” I’d crushed a good werewolf’s heart after finally agreeing to date him. I didn’t deserve praise. I deserved a bowl of spaghetti over the head.
“I think what you did was brave,” she replied. “I know it doesn’t seem that way.”
“No, it doesn’t at all. It seems selfish and foolish.” Alec would likely change his mind after three weeks and I’d have thrown away any hope of a healthy relationship with Granger.
“Trust your gut,” Marley said. “Isn’t that what you always tell me? You had instincts about Alec, that there’s a decent vampire lurking underneath the cool exterior. He’s just not as obvious about his goodness as the sheriff. It’s like he’s ashamed of it or something. There’s a story there.”
“He’s a vampire,” I said. “I suspect there are lots of stories there.” He wasn’t born emotionally unavailable. Something happened to make him that way. That was something I’d been thinking a lot about during my special time with the ceiling fan. How could I start us off on the right path so that he didn’t shut down when we hit a rough patch, as we inevitably would?
A bark from downstairs interrupted us.
“I think PP3 has reached the limits of his patience.” Marley rolled off the bed. “Try to have a great day, okay?”
“I will.”
Liar, Raoul said.
I glared at the raccoon as I called after Marley, “I hope it’s a fabulous last day!” It seemed that Marley and I were both crossing a threshold this week. At least hers didn’t involve destroying anyone’s soul, unless you counted her English teacher, who’d surely miss Marley’s clever insights.
Please tell me you’re going to shower today, Raoul said. This room smells like a football locker room after the Super Bowl. He inhaled deeply. Not that I mind.
“You’re disgusting.” I flipped back the covers and hurried to the bathroom to shower off the stench. Only when I closed the door did I hear the faint laughter of my familiar.
Chapter Two
“Well, well, well. Look what the ill wind blew in.” Bentley Smith observed me with interest as I shuffled from the door to my desk at Vox Populi.
“It’s good to see you, Ember,” Tanya said. “We were starting to worry.”
“I think ‘we’ is overstating it slightly,” Bentley said.
“Sorry that I haven’t been here,” I said. “There’s been a lot going on.”
“Same here. I was hoping you’d both be in today because I have news,” Tanya said. The office manager came fluttering over to my desk.
“So do I,” I said. I wasn’t sure how much of my news to share. Probably best to limit it to the sheriff. Alec guarded his privacy like a dragon with treasure.
“Me first,” Bentley said, shooting up from his seat. “I’ve been waiting all morning.”
My gaze shifted to the clock on the wall. “An entire hour, Bentley? How ever have you managed?” I cast a glance at Tanya. “Man, I’d hate to be his parents on Christmas morning.” Or any morning, really.
Bentley broke into a broad smile. “Meadow and I are engaged.”
I gaped at the elf. “Wow. Like to be married?”
“No, we’re engaged in a riveting game of Dungeons & Dragons,” he huffed. “Yes, of course to be married.”
“That’s wonderful, Bentley.” Tanya zoomed over to him to offer a motherly hug. “Meadow is absolutely lovely. I’m delighted for you both.”
“You’re very lucky,” I said. “Meadow is a catch. When’s the big day?”
“It’s still under discussion,” he replied. “Meadow has a few difficult family members and…”
I held up my hand. “Okay, I don’t need all the details. My news is pressing.”
Bentley folded his arms. “What a surprise. Sixty seconds of Bentley. Now I suppose it’s sixty minutes of Ember.”
I dropped into the chair beside him. “Fine. I won’t tell you.”
Tanya clasped her hands together, her wings fluttering madly. “My news is rather pressing, so I should probably just blurt it out. My niece is back in town.”
At first I didn’t understand the implication. “That’s nice. Is she staying with you?”
Tanya cocked her head at me. “Unfortunately, she is. I’m hoping it’s only a brief visit. She’s apparently been named the beneficiary in a will and she’s come to claim it. Money is about the only thing that girl responds to.”
“I can think of something besides money,” Bentley muttered.
“What’s with the weird vibe?” I asked, looking from Bentley to Tanya. “We all have annoying family members we have to suffer through. At least yours doesn’t live at the end of your driveway.”
“I think it’s safe to say there’s a comfortable distance between Rose Cottage and Thornhold,” Bentley pointed out. “The estate isn’t exactly quaint.”
No, Thornhold was massive and I could go weeks without seeing anyone if I planned my day right. Of course, Aunt Hyacinth would demand my presence at Sunday dinner, and it would be difficult to hide if she came searching for me.
Tanya tapped her finger pads together. “Oh, dear. I hate to be the one to remind you, Ember, but my niece is Tatiana.” The fairy waited expectantly.
“Okay,” I said slowly.
“Oh, for gods’ sake,” Bentley said, tossing a pen over his shoulder in frustration. “Tatiana is the fairy that broke the hearts of both of your illustrious suitors. The reason they despise each other.”
Tanya held up a finger. “To be fair, werewolves and vampires have a long history of difficult relations.”
My head was spinning as the information sunk in. That Tatiana.
“Does Alec know?” Bentley asked.
“I don’t believe so,” Tanya said. “She only darkened my doorstep last evening, without warning, I might add. A little notice would’ve been nice. I’d just settled down with a book and a cup of wistberry tea.”
“Well, your news is more interesting than I expected,” I said. I thought she was going to produce a scarf she knitted without a pattern or something equally snore-inducing.
Tanya smiled at the compliment. “Thank you.”
My brain was still fuzzy. Tatiana had pitted Alec and Granger against each other and then broke both their hearts by leaving town with a centaur. Of course, she’d used more than her feminine wiles to do it—she’d used magic. This was not great timing, especially under the circumstances.
Before I could ask more questions, the front door opened and Alec breezed in. Whistling. The stoic vampire was whistling. Although he wore one of his expensive custom suits, there was a casual air to his presence. Even his blond hair wasn’t as slick as usual. It looked soft and inviting and I fought the urge to scurry over and run my fingers through it. He must’ve heard the news about the sheriff.
I wasn’t the only one to notice the change in demeanor. Bentley and Tanya stared at him, unsure what to think of their relaxed boss. Had he avoided the office the last few days, too?
“Good morning, Alec,” Tanya said. “I hope your days off were productive. Can I get you anything?”
Alec greeted her with a smile. “Not today, Tanya. I have everything I need.” He looked at me and winked. “D
on’t I, Miss Rose?”
I gulped. I thought we’d play it cool. Apparently not.
Now it was Bentley and Tanya’s turn to stare at me.
“I’ll be in my office,” Alec said. “I have a call in twenty minutes, so I would appreciate no interruptions.” He strode back to his private office with a spring in his step. The undead seemed to have come back to life.
My colleagues waited until they heard the soft click of his door to turn on me. “What was that all about?” Bentley asked. If his eyes grew any bigger, I worried they’d pop out of their sockets.
I shrugged and turned on my computer. “I told you I had news. You weren’t interested.”
Bentley jumped out of his chair and smacked his hands on the corner of my desk. “I take it all back. I’m more than happy to endure sixty minutes of All About Ember.”
I kept my gaze fixed on my screen. “I’ll bet you are.”
Tanya clapped her hands together. “I have no idea what the details are, but I feel extremely pleased with this development.”
Bentley turned to look at her. “I thought you liked Sheriff Nash.”
“Oh, I absolutely do, but Alec is family,” Tanya replied. “You always want the best for your family.” She frowned. “Even the ones that make life challenging.”
Bentley peered at me. “So you dumped the sheriff? Does this mean I’ll be able to accompany him on investigations now?”
I laughed. “That’s your concern?”
He straightened. “It’s not a concern. Just thinking out loud.”
I groaned. “You’re so transparent, Bentley. You may as well be made of glass.”
“What happened then?” Tanya asked. “I thought you and the sheriff were officially an item.”
My throat tightened as I remembered the pained expression on Granger’s face when I ended things. It was excruciating. I nearly changed my mind at the last second, but I knew I had to do it. It wasn’t fair to him. He’d been so good to me. And to Marley.
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