by Judith Post
Leaning back, she closed her eyes, letting her mind go blank for a few minutes, washing away the events of the day.
"Tired?" Prosper's voice jolted her to attention. He stood, framed, by the patio gate.
"I didn't hear your car." Babet's hearing was as good as his.
"Hatchet dropped me off at the street. I walked down the alley."
"Why?"
"Too tired to drive. He's picking me up on the way to work tomorrow." He came to sag into the chair next to hers.
"Want a beer?" She didn't really want to heave herself to her feet, but she would, for him.
"Not tonight. That would do me in."
"Good. Once I finish my wine, I'll give you some sleeping pills and two beers and we'll hang the dream catchers. Nola can't reach you."
"I ordered a pizza. It should be here soon." He pulled his wallet from his pocket and handed it to her. "Tell me about your trip to the hospital."
She explained about Cicero and Claude between sips of wine. When she finished, the delivery man rapped on their door and she went to deal with him. Prosper came into the kitchen, and they ate at the small, round table. He drank two beers, helped toss their paper plates, and then took his sleeping pill. He was sound asleep before she got the dream catchers hung on the bed's brass rails. Babet tossed her clothes on the floor to join his. Morgana curled next to Prosper's side of the bed, and none of them stirred until Prosper's alarm went off in the morning.
He rolled over and kissed her eyelids. "I'm fine this morning. No need to get up with me. I'll see you tonight."
She didn't argue. She slept for a few more hours and woke up feeling dull and sluggish. The slatted blinds made zebra stripes of sunlight on the cream-colored, bedroom walls. She rubbed her hand over her face and stumbled to the kitchen. A cup of coffee and a quick shower, and she was ready to hit the spell books again.
This time, she wore short-shorts and a sleeveless T-shirt to sit upstairs and sweat. She pulled her unruly, dark hair into a high ponytail. The humidity could make it crink into frizz. It would still curl enough to escape. She took out one book after another until finally, when she'd reached nearly the end of the left row, she found what she was looking for.
She carried the book into the living room, propped it open on the coffee table, and called her mom. "I found some spells that might help me. I'll read them to you. Tell me what you think."
She read the spell for following "others" into their own worlds. She probably didn't need it, but it couldn't hurt to have back-up in case her dream catcher was PMSing. "Witches can block follow spells, but I don't think wraiths can. What do you think?"
"Wraiths don't really practice magic," her mom said. "They interact with our world, but they're limited. This will work. What else do you have?"
She explained about meeting Cicero and Claude. "Claude said that the Netherworld's huge, that it's easy to get so lost, you can't find your way back. This is a return spell." She read the chant.
"I used that spell once. It worked."
Did she want to know? After a moment, Babet asked, "When did you use it?"
"When I followed an enemy into the pits. I wanted to make sure she stayed there." Her mom sighed. "Even if you can get in and out of the Netherworld, it doesn't mean that you can find Prosper and Nola."
"I bespelled his ring. It matches mine. That should help."
"It might." Her mom didn't sound sure. "Do you have a spell for an amulet he can wear? Something that binds you?"
"I can make one."
"I'd do that," her mom said. "Then you can trace him, no matter where he is."
"Thanks, Mom, that's what I'll do next."
"I'm glad you called. Since I heard the spells, they're mine. If you don't come back, the coven will come in after you."
Prosper had told her that Hatchet said the same thing yesterday. Druid magic would get him there. And if he didn't make it out, Colleen was determined to find a way to come in after him. Hell, half of the supernaturals of River City could end up stuck in Dreamland. Babet decided to make follow and return amulets for all of them.
"Is it a good idea for all of us to end up there?" Babet asked. "What if we end up lost in there?"
Her mother chuckled. "Then the Netherworld would never be the same."
Babet had to smile. With that many magicks stuck in a land of mists and alter reality, who knew what would happen? "Let's hope it doesn’t come to that," she said.
Her mother sighed. "Your father's ready to rope the Netherworld to the pits and follow you in himself, if he needs to."
Babet bit her bottom lip. Who knew she had such an awesome father? She hadn't…until just recently. "That's pretty awesome."
"Oh, yeah," her mom's tone was dry. "It will be fun mixing demons and dreams."
This time, Babet laughed. "Then keep your fingers crossed that the dream catcher holds."
Her mom's voice turned serious. "That will save Prosper, and don't get me wrong. That would make us all happy. But this Nola has to be stopped. She gives wraiths a bad name."
"Do they care?" Babet had always heard that wraiths were sensual, easy-going creatures, ruled by mutual consent. What had happened to Nola? Did she get a bad gene somewhere?
"I'm not sure this has ever happened before," her mother said.
"Then this is a good place to stop it." Babet would take down every wraith there was if she had to.
"Good luck, kid. But if you need us, we'll come."
Babet returned to her work with new confidence. Nola had made a bad choice when she tried to enthrall the mate of a witch. By the time Prosper returned that night, she'd made an amulet for him to wear on a chain around his neck that would work as a beacon and call to her, no matter where he was. She'd cast her follow and return spells, using her yellow bungalow as her home base. She'd bespelled amulets for their friends, too. If Nola was smart, she'd step away and try to ensnare some other, helpless mortal. But Babet was pretty sure that wasn't going to happen. Nola, for whatever reason, was obsessed with Prosper's father and now Prosper. She obviously didn't like being turned down. What girl did? But most learned to move on and deal with it. Nola must be one, sick, little wraith.
* * * *
For the next few weeks, Babet and Prosper slept, dreamless. That didn't surprise Babet. Nola didn't have anyone to care for the bodies of the men she claimed. Summer wrapped River City in its hot, humid arms. Tourists braved the heat to clog the streets, dashing in and out of air-conditioned shops. Cat fish swam in the river's muddy depths, and clients came and went, paying for Babet's magic. But Babet felt like she was constantly holding her breath, waiting for the second shoe to drop. And in late August, it did.
The dream catcher above Prosper's head vibrated with tension, trying to serve as a barrier between Prosper and the Netherworld. Morgana darted at it, trying to warn them. Babet came instantly awake. She pressed a hand against Prosper's chest and shot more energy into him to help resist Nola's pull. The dream catcher whipped back and forth on its brass railing before it finally settled.
Jerking awake, Prosper wiped a hand across his forehead. "That was close."
"Too close. Nola must have found a new servant." Babet's hands shook. She felt jumpy and disoriented. How strong was Nola? Babet thought the dream catcher was going to fly across the room at one point. "Maybe I'll make an early trip to visit Sy. We owe her candy in three days. No reason not to take it now."
"You're worried about me." Prosper rubbed a hand across his forehead. "It felt like someone was having a tug of war inside my head."
Worry was putting it mildly. "Nola was tugging at your subconscious, and I was trying to wake you up." She leaned close to him. She needed to feel him, to assure herself he was all right.
He tugged her closer. "I've been thinking. If Nola takes me, maybe it would be better for you if you moved on. Don't look for my body. It will be somewhere with someone looking after it. And don't try to follow me. You might not make it out."
She
pulled back to stare at him. "And you'd do that if someone took me? Count your losses and move on?"
"Hell, no. I married you. That means for better or worse."
"For the man? Not the woman?"
He sighed. "Don't do that. All that I'm saying is that neither of us has ever come up against a crazy wraith before. We don't know what to do, how to win."
"You wouldn't leave me in the Netherworld."
He gripped her arm a little too tightly. "I couldn't."
"Well, I can't leave you either. So quit that line of reasoning, okay?"
"I don't want anything bad to happen to you."
"Neither do I, but I sure as hell don't want to sit here, doing nothing, if you're in trouble. That would make me crazier than Nola."
He grinned. "We wouldn't want that. You're dangerous enough already."
"My point. So knock it off."
He pulled her down with him and wrapped her in his embrace. "I couldn't stand it if I made it out and you didn't."
She let her body meld to his. "Neither could I, so we're stuck with each other—good or bad." She lowered her head to kiss him. Her hands moved and found something hard and erect to play with.
He groaned. "No fair, you're distracting me."
"Really?" She wriggled on top of him, matching parts to parts. Adrenaline pumped through her. She needed a release.
Obviously, he did, too. Nola was forgotten for a good amount of time, and when they finished their pleasuring, they both pushed her from their minds. They couldn't return to sleep, though. When Prosper's alarm went off, Babet got up, too. "I'll go to Sy's today. Maybe she'll have something new to tell me."
"Take caramels." He tousled her dark hair and kissed her forehead. "Go back to sleep. You might need it, and you're scary when you're grouchy."
She couldn't argue with that. He was safe, and she was tired. She settled back on her pillow.
She woke before eight. Coffee and a shower made her presentable for a new day. This time, Morgana went with her. The snake liked Sy.
On the drive out of the city, Babet stopped at the same candy store they'd visited before to buy a variety of goodies and plenty of caramels. She blasted the air conditioner on the long trip, but didn't turn on music. She let her mind drift as the miles rolled beneath her. Prosper's dream catcher had whipped back and forth when Nola tried to call him to her. Would she have succeeded if he'd been easier to tease into a dream, if Babet hadn't been there to push magic into him?
She thought about Cicero. When she'd called to check on him, he was strong enough to return home, but he still took sleeping pills every night, and Nola still came for him, off and on. Why wouldn't Nola just leave him alone? Zulime had been letting him waste away, so Nola didn't want to keep him much longer. Why not send him back to his body, whole? Why not content herself, like other wraiths did, with men who drifted back and forth to her? With temporary pleasures?
When Babet pulled to a stop by the rope bridge that led to Sy's house, she took a second to collect herself. Then she grabbed her candy, let Morgana out of the car, and made her way across the bridge.
Sy opened the front door before she reached it. "I felt the ripples in the DreamWorld last night. Nola must be angry." She took the crisp, white bags of candy and motioned Babet inside.
Babet started to the far side of the room, near the windows, where they usually sat, but stopped so suddenly, Morgana nearly smacked into her ankles. A large, brown bear turned its head to huff at them.
Really? How did it get inside the small house? It surely couldn't fit through one of the doors. Sy walked to it and patted its cheek. The small, frail, Indian woman looked even tinier beside the huge animal.
"Are you feeling better now?" she asked it.
The bear nodded.
Sy stroked it again. It reminded Babet of Prosper when he shifted, but she didn't think this was a Were. Sy nuzzled her cheek against the thick, brown fur. "Thank you for coming to me, Bruin. I'm sorry for your loss."
The bear closed its eyes for a moment, then opened them to glance at Babet and Morgana. With another chuff, it started to disappear—just evaporate into the air.
Babet bit her bottom lip. Spirit magic. She had a feeling this spirit was a good one, though, not like Nola.
Sy went to the couch that looked out over the marsh and sank onto its cushions. "Bruin's one of my spirit guides. He looks after the forests." She sighed. "Men are cutting down another huge tract of trees to build a housing addition. It pains him."
Babet had never thought about animal spirits in the modern world. It couldn't be easy for them.
Sy nodded for Babet to go to the same tall, corner cupboard where she'd stored her and Prosper's dream catchers. Babet found a new one on a middle shelf.
"For the poor man you saved," Sy said. "I don't have his blood or hair, but if he adds those himself, they'll make his catcher stronger."
Babet told her about Nola trying to call to Prosper last night.
Sy pressed her lips together in a tight line. "The wraith is strong and determined. Soon, she'll find a way past the catcher. Can you protect your shifter then?"
Babet nodded.
"Good, then my magic bought you some time. When you find this wraith, destroy her. She won't quit what she's doing, and she has no honor. She'll break any promises she makes to you."
"I don't think she'll even try to negotiate. She'll try to kill me, like she did before, so that she can keep Prosper."
The old woman shrugged. "It's of no matter. Whatever she says will be useless."
When Babet was ready to leave, Sy said, "Remember. Return to me each month. The old ways have changed. I've changed. Even when this is over, you and your friends interest me."
Babet smiled. "We've never met anyone like you either. We'll come."
On the drive home, Babet thought about the bear that had visited Sy. Had an animal spirit breathed part of itself into a mortal? Is that how shifters began? Would Prosper and Bruin have a special affinity if they met?
She dropped the dream catcher off at Cicero's house on her way home. "I'd keep taking the sleeping pills for now," she told him. "But the catcher should help."
Cicero looked as if he were nearly back to full health. That made Babet feel better. She turned on music for the drive through the city. She made quick stops to deliver the amulets to her mom and Hennie and to grab ingredients at a farmer's market a few blocks from her house. By the time Prosper got home that night, she had pasta primavera waiting for him with a mixed green salad.
"Nice." He sat across from her at the wrought iron table on the back patio.
She told him about her trip to Sy's, the bear spirit guide, and the dream catcher for Cicero.
When she finished, he sighed and ran a hand through his thick, brown hair. "I just want this over. The longer it goes on, the less sleep I get, and the more tired I am. You, too. Maybe we should just let Nola take me tonight and battle her while we're strong."
Babet had been wondering the same thing. She didn't think the wraith would give up and move on. "You're right. She's wearing us down, and we've gained all we can. There's no reason to wait anymore."
He finished his beer. "Then if she comes tonight, we're ready. We'll fight her."
"Do you think you can fight her?" Babet had never considered that possibility, but could Prosper change into his bear form in the Netherworld? His father hadn't been able to, but he'd had four, silver bullets in him. Cicero was only a mortal. He hadn't had a chance. Maybe Nola had underestimated her victim this time.
Babet hugged herself. She had no desire to enter the Netherworld, but she didn't think they had a choice. "I'm ready. Let's do this."
They cleaned the kitchen together and watched a little TV to relax. Babet didn't think she'd be able to sleep, but Prosper had to, or Nola couldn’t come to lure him to her world. They both slipped into pajamas. No running around naked tonight. Prosper's breathing didn't smooth into slumber mode until almost two in the morning. Babet
lay there, listening to him, but the dream catcher hung limp. Sleep! she told herself, but an hour later, she heard footsteps in front of their house. The bungalow had a tiny, front yard, only a few feet from the public sidewalk and street. She heard the wrought iron gate swing open, and Babet hurriedly chanted a spell to shut off the wards on their home.
Babet wanted whoever was sneaking about outside to enter their house. Then she'd seal it.
Someone fiddled with the lock on the door. Then quietly, it opened. Footsteps moved cautiously into the living room, and Babet reset her wards. The front door slammed shut and sealed. Babet smiled when she heard a small squeal of fright. Whoever it was should be afraid. She'd just been trapped in a witch's lair.
A flashlight flipped on, and the bright beam played along the walls. Footsteps started for their room. Morgana raised her head and hissed. Babet slid out of bed and moved into the shadows. She chanted a protective bubble over Prosper's sleeping form. Then she held her palms toward the door, ready to battle.
A tall, sturdy woman stepped over the threshold. She raised a gun, aiming at Prosper. Babet called for the gun, and it flew to her.
There was a loud gasp, and the woman turned to run. Babet motioned to Morgana, and they raced after her. When they found her, she had her foot braced against the frame of the kitchen door, trying to wrestle it open. She whirled when she heard them. Grabbing a butcher knife on the counter, she pulled her lips back in a snarl. Her teeth lengthened into fangs and scales covered her skin.
What the hell kind of shifter was she? A mutant? She looked dangerous. Not that Babet was too worried. Before she could cast a spell, Morgana darted forward and sank her teeth into the woman's ankle.
Oh, well, that was probably easier and faster. The poison hit her system before she took two steps toward Babet. And then she fell. She was dead before she hit the floor.
Morgana's tongue flicked in and out.
"You didn't like her, did you?" The snake was always protective, but rarely this aggressive. Maybe because the woman was part snake? Was that the gimmick Nola thought she'd use to get rid of Prosper's mate? She'd send a half-ass shifter to kill a witch? Or maybe there were enough silver bullets in her gun to shoot anyone and everyone in the house.
