Cimmerian Shade: A Limited Edition Paranormal Romance & Urban Fantasy Collection

by Kiki Howell

  “I’m envious,” Paige told her. “I was here. Nothing but leftover chocolate.”

  “You poor thing.”

  “Aha!” Summer called out in triumph, holding up a curly piece of moss.

  Paige frowned. “I’m pretty sure I don’t need moss.”

  “It isn’t moss.” She flattened the greenery. “It’s a leaf. Yarrow, specifically. It’s your white flower.”

  Gwen stooped to take a look. “You need white flowers? No flowers for months, right? I mean, I’m not a gardener, but...”

  “She’s right,” Summer agreed. “In your dream, was it summer?”

  “You’re having dreams?” Gwen asked, voice pitched high in surprise.

  “Yeah, and no, Summer, it was late fall, Halloween-ish.”

  “Dried flowers?” the lead witch asked.

  “Yeah.”

  She sighed. “Sadly, unlike our predecessors, we didn’t gather or preserve anything. You might be stuck.”

  Paige blew a loud raspberry.

  “Hey, at least you can try to win him the old-fashioned way.” Summer dusted her hands.

  “Win?” Gwen asked.

  “I know a love spell,” Paige explained, “but I’m short a couple ingredients.”

  “Bummer.” Gwen offered her dark friend a hand up. Summer held the door open for them. “I hope you find a way around. I’d love to see another spell.”

  “What?” Ember asked, catching only the last words.

  “Magic. Paige has a spell.”

  The redhead didn’t have any of the curiosity of her roommates. “Oh, well, I just made myself a salad. I’ll eat it in my room.”

  Summer stepped into Ember’s path, whispering with her. Paige turned her focus to the fridge, assembling the ingredients for a sandwich and opening a can of soup. Gwen circled, putting together her own meal. By the time they reached the table, Ember had sat down and was eating.

  Gwen asked her, “What did you do over the holiday?”

  From that point, the only time the conversation drifted to magic was when Paige told them about her find, and they didn’t linger on that topic.

  Sunday, Paige woke and poked around in her box. The green jade caught her attention. “For growing,” she muttered. She gasped as the realization dawned on her. In her PJs, she ran down the stairs into the yard. Cursing, she burst back inside for shoes on the cold, wet lawn.

  The noise brought all three roommates out of bed and down the stairs. Summer, wrapped in her rain slicker, came out first.

  “Oh, good.” Paige held the stone out. “How do I use this?”

  Summer grabbed for it. “Of course.” She squatted and buried the jade in the dirt where the yarrow leaves sat. Then she held her hands over it.

  Paige felt the magic flowing from Summer, through the stone, into the plant. When she pulled her hands back, a sprig of bright green leaves broke through the soil.

  “Yes! Can I try?” Paige knelt down, ignoring the cold seeping into her cotton pants. Summer stood and shifted away so she had access to the new shoots. Now, she just had to find her power. Closing her eyes, she thought she felt it. When the stem touched her hands, she tried not to be startled, but just lift them until the poke of the stem turned into something larger, rounder.

  She opened her eyes and smiled at the white flowers, exactly like those she remembered. Sinking her fingers in the dirt, she recovered the jade.

  Gwen leaned over and used a pair of scissors to cut it, then offered the stem to Paige. “That was awesome.”

  “Yeah, thanks. I wonder if I can find any bleeding hearts in the neighborhood?”

  Gwen chuckled. “I recommend getting dressed before you go looking.”

  She brushed off her wet knees. “Oh, yeah, good idea.”

  “Can I come with you? Try doing what you did?” Gwen’s smile beamed.

  “For sure.” She wrapped her arm around Gwen, as much to gather some warmth as to include her. “Let’s have a cup of coffee first and then we’ll go on a garden walk.”

  “Garden walk?” Ember asked.

  “Nothing you’d be interested in,” Paige muttered. “I’m going to shower quick.”

  Paige was glad to have a white companion as she poked into people’s yards. In fact, she sent Gwen in first with the pictures of bleeding heart she had printed. She looked specifically at the leaves, the only parts they could find above ground.

  “This is it!” Gwen called, motioning for Paige to come up. “Give me the jade.”

  In this case, the base of the plant was obvious and when Gwen summoned her magic, it didn’t create a single stem.

  “Uh oh. What are we going to do with all of it?” Paige asked, halting Gwen’s progress.

  Like Summer and Paige, Gwen closed her eyes to concentrate, but opening them, she traced all the different branches. “Hmm. Maybe I can...” She wrapped her hands around one branch and it continued to grow while the others stayed low and small. She had to step back before the buds formed. “You have the scissors?” she asked.

  Paige held the pair over the bottom of the branch, waiting for the pink drops to form into hearts. “There.” She cut it and it fell into Gwen’s hand. Paige dug around for the jade again.

  “What’s going on over there?” a voice called form the sidewalk. They turned to find a wrinkled man scowling at them.

  Paige looked at Gwen and whispered, “What do we tell him?”

  “My bus pass blew away. Got it.” She stuck her hand in her pocket as though it was the non-existent pass.

  “Oh. Happy holidays.” He nodded and continued down the lane.

  Paige sighed in relief. “Good thinking.”

  “Yeah, but let’s get out of here.” Gwen passed the stem back to her and headed from the garden path to the public sidewalk, Paige hot on her heels.

  PAIGE PULLED THE PAN out of the warm oven, the smell of yarrow and bleeding heart wafting out. It would be perfect for her spell. Hurrying upstairs, she wanted to add them to the pile of herbs and rose petals she had built. That done, it looked just as she remembered. Once her candle was lit, Paige held the loop of the ankh in the flame instead of the cross. She wanted to catch attraction, not attack it.

  “You are sure this is what she did?” Summer asked.

  Gwen sat holding her knees and grinning at the flickering flame.

  Ember had followed along through the preparations, but as soon as the ankh touched the flame, she retreated to a corner. “This doesn’t feel right.”

  “I’m sure,” Paige told them.

  “And this forged love,” Summer continued, “are you sure you don’t want—”

  “I’m sure,” she said through clenched teeth. “Look, I’m grateful for your help, but I’ve got this. You and Ember don’t have to stick around.”

  “Bye.” Ember bolted and Paige’s confidence wavered. She was terrified. Why?

  Summer sighed. “No, I’ll stay and shut up.” She crossed her arms and moved to sit beside Gwen but didn’t say anything more.

  Focusing on Dr. Gonzales, Paige closed her eyes and searched for the power she had felt grow over the last few days. Damn Ember. She’d been sure this would work a minute ago.

  If Jane could do it, so could she! She shoved the loop amid the leaves. “Seal his eyes to me. Deliver me the heart I seek.” Using both hands, she wafted the resulting scent over herself. Then she recovered the talisman and, with a shoelace, strung it around her neck. It was still warm but not hot.

  “That’s it?” Summer asked.

  “That’s it. Did you want to use any of these?” Rising, she grabbed the wooden box from her dresser and held it open for Summer. “You can, any time.”

  Her roommate ran her fingers over an amethyst. “Yeah. I’ll borrow this one. I think I can ease Ember’s fears.”

  “Good. I didn’t mean to scare her.”

  “I don’t think it was you.” Summer looked to the pile of leaves. “The magic. I think she’s afraid of it, afraid we can’t control it.”


  Gwen nodded but Paige didn’t agree.

  “Why? It’s part of us. We can control it the same as our voices, or sleeping, or eating. She doesn’t lose control of those.”

  Summer shrugged. “It’s only a guess. And Paige?”

  Hand on one hip Paige sighed. “Yeah?”

  “Wouldn’t you rather get his attention the normal way?”

  Her hand moved to the ankh. Soon it would be cool enough to tuck under her shirt. “Yeah, I tried that. It didn’t work.”

  “Maybe there’s a reason.”

  Paige threw up her hands. “Enough. The spell is done. If it works, yay for me. If it doesn’t, no one gets hurt, right?”

  “Right,” Summer said in a tone that conveyed zero agreement. “Thanks.” She waved the amethyst before exiting through the door.

  Paige folded the newspaper that kept the leaves off the carpet, trapping them inside and Gwen held the door for her so she could take it downstairs, to the kitchen garbage where the smell wouldn’t be as obvious. Ember edged past them and out into the yard.

  “Is she okay?” Gwen asked.

  Summer joined them in the kitchen, going to the door and peering through the window. “Yeah, she’s fine. Just seems angry with me.”

  “Why?”

  “She didn’t like me trying to soothe her with this.” She plopped the purple stone in Paige’s palm.

  “Soothing?” She turned the crystal.

  “Cleansing, actually, but that usually has the same effect.”

  “Cleansing,” Paige mused. “Could it work on this?” She pointed to a blemish just breaking out above her eyebrow.

  “Sure. Rub it between your hands.” Summer, demonstrating, moved her hands back and forth at speed.

  Paige did the same, feeling the facets of the stone as it rolled.

  “Then place your hands where needed.”

  Paige closed her fingers over the stone and put the palm of the other hand over her eye. It tingled similar to her astringent. Pulling her hand away, she took out a knife to check her reflection. A tiny red mark was all that remained and even that faded while she watched.

  “That’s awesome!”

  “Can I borrow that?” Gwen asked.

  “Of course. Getting witchy with it?” She dropped the stone into Gwen’s palm. “Seems we’re all tiptoeing into it”

  “Yeah, thanks. I still know nothing, but maybe I’ll see something, something to spark a memory.” Gwen took the amethyst and headed toward the bathroom.

  Paige turned to Summer. “Are you still having dreams?”

  She shook her head. “Hardly any. Most of it seems to come from nowhere, but instead of dreaming Mary’s life, I seem to have cloudy memories instead. You still have them.”

  Paige nodded. “They’re weird and make me feel...inferior. I mean, I like to think I’m a loud, proud black woman, but in those dreams, as a black slave, it is more comfortable than I could have imagined.”

  Summer put a hand on Paige’s shoulder. “I get it. In the dream you are Jane, and she has never known anything but the world as it was then.”

  Paige gave herself a shake. “Well, I’m going to set about this life in this world.”

  “Perfect.”

  Chapter Six

  PAIGE ENTERED THE classroom, curious to see if her spell had any effect. In fact, the results were obvious and instantaneous. From the moment he glimpsed her, Dr. Gonzales ceased to see any other women in the room, something that irked the member of the Barbie squad that had been speaking to him.

  “Good morning Miss—Paige. You don’t mind me calling you Paige?”

  Heat filled her cheeks at the intensity of his gaze and she shifted her books to one arm. “Yes, of course, Doctor—”

  “Jose, please.” When she didn’t echo him, he added, “Please, let me hear you say it.”

  The heat intensified. Her skin color might hide a mild blush, but surely even the white students could see this. Eunice, still at her side, snickered.

  “Yes, Jose.”

  He closed his eyes and took her hand. “Yes. That is perfect.” When he didn’t release her, she pulled her hand free.

  “Don’t you need to begin the lecture?”

  “Ah, yes, you will have no trouble with today’s lesson, but if you do, I could meet you after, for coffee. Clarify anything.”

  “Thank you. Coffee sounds good.” She broke eye contact and found herself looking at Ben, already seated for lecture.

  Large and dark, he had an easy time being intimidating, but this was the first time Paige feared her jocular friend. The first time that dark countenance had been aimed at her.

  “Ben? Is something wrong?”

  He took his feet off the chair back in front of him. “No. Course not. Just wishing he’d get on with it.”

  Paige took another moment opening her notebook and when she turned her attention to the front, Dr. Gonzales was staring at her again, as were several students.

  “The lymphatic system,” he began and his lecture seemed to be given directly to her. He paused when she turned pages and sped up or slowed down to suit her. It was too good to be true, and for the first time, she wondered if she made a mistake.

  “What’s with him? He discover you over the holiday?” Eunice asked when the period ended.

  Paige shrugged. “Maybe? Maybe he missed me.” A crack behind her preceded Ben cursing and dropping a pen leaking ink. “In any case, I can’t wait for that coffee.”

  Eunice’s smile rose only part way. “Be careful? He seems...weird.”

  Paige glowered at that comment. “Weird because he noticed me?”

  “What? No! I mean...obsessive weird.”

  “I’ll be fine. I’m a big girl. And it’s coffee, not an apartment or office, very public.”

  That settled Eunice. “Yeah, right, good. Ben, let’s bail. Leave the love sick.”

  Ben followed Eunice out, but not before giving Paige a look that made her chest tighten. His warm eyes cooled with sadness, which added to his downcast mouth and hunched shoulders, struck like a blow.

  But why? She wasn’t with Ben, didn’t owe him a heads-up or an explanation.

  “Paige?” Dr. Gonzales’ warm tenor with a hint of Mexican accent swept away any concerns. “Shall we go?” He offered a hand, which she took, walking at his side and talking, first about class and then about family. She told him about her kid brother and he told her about being one in the middle of six children.

  “Getting a good job was necessary. Getting one with prestige was my way of getting the attention of my mother. When I received my doctorate, I asked her, ‘Are you proud of me now?’ She told me she had always been proud of me and that she was sorry for not making sure I knew that.”

  The more they talked, the less odd his attention seemed, but when she tried to leave, memory of the spell returned.

  “Must you? I could tutor you, teach you everything. We could do it together.”

  “No,” she insisted. “I will go to this class. You must have another to teach.”

  He was silent, staring at her. “No, already missed it.”

  Paige frowned. “You have to go. Don’t...don’t skip things. I’ll wait, I promise.”

  “I trust you, but I also want to be with you. We could go to my apartment and work on your classes.”

  Paige held up her hands. “Whoa there. Slow down. I’m going to class and you aren’t coming with me.”

  He didn’t answer, smile fixed.

  “Goodbye.” She turned away, but he circled before she got anywhere.

  “Goodbye.” He took her face in his hands and kissed her.

  She’d dreamed of this, many times, and his mouth was as warm as she imagined. His lips, firmer than she expected, crushed her own, claiming them with his tongue, which slipped out to touch them.

  Her lips parted and his tongue moved along hers, bitter like coffee. She pressed back, tasting more of him.

  One of his hands trailed down her shoul
der and arm until it reached her waist. Hand on the small of her back, he pulled her flush to him, her breasts flattened to his chest and his hardness poking into her thigh.

  “Not now,” she murmured, afraid she might give in then and there if he asked. “Not here. Later?”

  “When?” he demanded, not releasing her.

  “Four. I’ll be here at four.”

  He examined her face, eyes roaming from her own to settle on her lips. She licked them, which made him growl. “I will wait until four.” Still he held her, kissing her again with enough intensity to make her knees wobble and insides crave what he pressed to her thigh.

  Breaking the kiss, he opened his arms. She took two steps away and looked back. He continued to watch her.

  Remembering the time, she rushed off, unable to outrun his gaze.

  PAIGE ROLLED TO THE left, tangling her sheets. Jose curled up to her, kissing her temple and running his fingers along her ribs, around her breast.

  “Aren’t you tired?” she wondered. She was exhausted, even though he seemed to have no limit of steam. She’d lost count of the ways they’d coupled, the things he did to her between. She’d had sex before, but never like this. It was always quick and clandestine, taking the fewest moments when and where she could find them. Here, in the house, there was no shame, no guilty looks from her parents, just two adults sharing their pleasure.

  He reached past her to the nightstand and the ankh she had placed there, not noticing it until they undressed one another.

  He dropped it and pulled his hand back, clutching his fingers.

  Paige’s eyes widened. Had he felt the magic? Disrupted the spell? She took his hand and sucked one of his fingers. He relaxed and moved to make love to her again.

  After his next climax, she excused herself to use the bathroom. At this rate, she going to need to ask one of her roommates for more condoms. She heard whispering downstairs and a light was on in the kitchen.

  “Do you think it’s part of the spell? It didn’t seem that broad.”

  “Maybe he’s just seized what he hadn’t stopped to notice before, but it doesn’t feel right.”