Third Charm: A Reverse Harem Tale (Lovin' the Coven Book 3)

by Jacquelyn Faye

  "What's in it?"

  "Ritualistic magic for just about anything and everything. My grandmother's spell book is scary enough in the wrong hands, the Blackwell Grimoire could be potentially devastating if they could read it."

  "Don't take this the wrong way, but what the hell was it doing in a museum?"

  "Mother being Mother. Figured it was safer than in my grandmother's hands."

  "You don't think your grandmother…"

  "No. She's powerful enough without them. I can't imagine what she would need them for. Not to mention, she is a Blackwell. She could have just asked for them back, too."

  "So, one of the witches in town?"

  "Or one of the ones moving with us? That's what you're thinking."

  "Maybe."

  "Don't worry. I was, too."

  With my vantage point of having my back to the door, I couldn't see the gathering storm, but I could feel it. Chief's face gave me a pretty good warning, too.

  "My mother is coming this way, isn't she?"

  "Yeah."

  "She looks pretty pissed off, too, doesn't she?"

  "How can you tell?"

  "I can feel it." I picked up my coffee and took a sip when the chime over the door rattled instead of ringing. "Hello, Mother."

  "Don't hello me. What did you do?"

  "Turned the museum into a bog. Chief Blakeslee was being a douche."

  "That's not what I am referring to." She stood next to our table, arms crossed and foot tapping impatiently against the linoleum beneath it.

  I blinked in surprise. "Don't tell me you think I stole the grimoires."

  "Who else would? I don't see why you didn't just ask me for them. I would have gladly given them to you."

  "Gee, thanks, but I didn't take them."

  "You did not?"

  "That's what I just said. If I had, I would have told you."

  That gave her pause for thinking. When she finally nodded, she slid into the booth next to Chief. Jenny ran over with a cup of tea and set it down in front of her. "Thank you, Child."

  "Any idea who could have taken them?"

  She shook her head. "If it wasn't you, I'm at a loss."

  "Are you sure it wasn't your mother?" Chief stressed the word at my mother.

  "She couldn't have. I have alarms in place to warn me if she draws too near the museum."

  "Why?"

  "Because, with her spell book, she has a tendency to blow things up. I tired of paying to have the damages fixed."

  "And you want her to move to Cedar Falls with us?" I didn't even attempt to keep the snarky tone from my voice.

  "Without her books, she is mostly containable. And it was not my idea, Daughter."

  I sighed and nodded, wondering what I had agreed to, and what other troubles we were inviting.

  Chapter 5

  "Hi, Alister," I said and smiled at Alista's twin as he strode into my mother's study.

  "Greetings, Lady." He bowed low and took the seat across from me. Only then did he greet Chief with a small nod.

  "Alister, this is Chief of Police William Bates of Cedar Falls, a member of our coven."

  "Pleased to meet you, sir."

  "Just call me Bill."

  "Bill." He nodded.

  "Your sister tells me you wish to pack up the bakery and move to our little town. I'm all for it, I just wanted to make sure you both were happy with the idea of moving?"

  He gave me a smile I had seen a hundred times over the past few weeks. They might be fraternal, but their smiles were identical. "Alista might be a little more excited about the move than I, but yes. I definitely think a change in scenery would do us both a world of good."

  "Great. I have a spot in mind for your shop, if you trust me. I'd be making the land purchase and leasing it to you, with a grace period until you get business going. Your sister seemed okay with the idea, I just wanted your input."

  "Not necessary, but I'm grateful for your assistance. She probably told you we have a buyer in mind for the location here."

  "She did. I told her to use that money to handle equipment and housing."

  "Then we accept. You have our thanks."

  "I don't know if she told you, but the bookstore I am opening will also be selling your baked goods? Hopefully."

  "Yes. I've been in contact with her nightly. She seems very excited, and I'll be honest. If it weren't for the nervous butterflies in my stomach, I might be just as excited. Change never comes easy for our kind, I thank you for assisting with the transition."

  "I wish to make the town as much as a sanctuary for our kind as Ashville. I can't do it alone," I answered with a smile. The interview with Alister had been a formality. He already had a place in Cedar Falls. I just wanted to make sure he wasn't reluctantly following his sister's whims. Alister had the business sense, and his sister the artistic touch that made their goods almost magical in quality. I couldn't wait to sample them on a regular basis. "You and your sister are both more than welcome to Cedar Falls."

  "Thank you, Lady."

  I nodded as he stood. "Send in the next person, please."

  He exited the room and I looked up at Chief, a smile on my face.

  "You didn't ask him about the grimoires."

  "No. Nor shall I. That is between my mother and the police. They have until we leave to find the thief."

  "But what if it is one of the witches moving to Cedar Falls?"

  "Then it becomes our problem."

  He didn't look too happy but nodded as another witch walked into the study. I smiled at the familiar face. "Trevon! Good to see you."

  "Dot, always a pleasure. I apologize, as it is Lady now, is it not?"

  "It is, but call me Dot. This is Bill," I said and pointed beside me. It was time to shorten the introductions and get through the interviews. I had little patience for them, and they were more to assuage Bill than pass any judgement. Of course, he didn't know that. "I was surprised to see your name on the list."

  "Surely not as surprised as I to write it."

  "What?"

  Trevon sighed and leaned forward in his seat. "Call it what you will, a drive, a whim, the guiding hand of the goddess… I felt the need to move."

  "But your move will leave Ashville without a…pharmacist."

  "No. My daughter, Aliya, will remain here. I'm opening a second apothecary."

  "Oh. I had wondered at her absence from the list."

  "Would you rather have her make the move?"

  "Not at all. You are more than welcome. Chief?" I looked up over my shoulder.

  "Pharmacist?"

  "Yes. I am a purveyor of rare herbs and components. Do you not have an apothecary in your town?"

  "Uh. We have a drug store?"

  "Spell components, medicinal herbs for potions, the odd magical implements," I explained. I was never big on potion making or charms, but Mother and Grandmother were experts.

  "Oh. I see. I shall trust your judgement then, Lady."

  "Trevon, welcome to Cedar Falls. My assistant Jason will be contacting you in the next few days to expedite your move. We shall eagerly await your arrival."

  "My thanks, Lady." He bowed low and left the office.

  "Potions? We have some references to them, but nobody in our coven remembers how they work. Won't that alert the humans?"

  "As I said, things are getting ready to make a major change. The coven is healed, but we still need a good education. I'm even nothing when compared to my mother and grandmother. As for the normal folk, they usually buy medicinal herbs and the odd love potion or two," I said with a smile, not letting him know some of the more interesting things that had happened…

  He just nodded and went to get the next candidate. He came back leading a cloaked figure hidden in the shadows of their hood. The cloak alone was enough to let me know who had sat down in front of me. While I had never seen his face, the elegant nature of his movements, his slight frame, and the almost nonexistent presence couldn't have been hidden under
ten cloaks.

  "Greetings, Shea."

  "Greetings, Lady." The cowl of the cloak dipped slightly.

  "You wish to move?"

  Again, nothing more than a slight nod and a shrug.

  "Why?"

  I could see the chest of the cloak lift slightly as he sighed even though not a wisp of sound escaped his lips. "Change. I've always been an outsider in the coven. I wish to...grow. Become more active."

  "Do you think you can do that by moving with us to a smaller coven?"

  Again, nothing but a nod answered our question.

  "I mean no disrespect, but are you a man or a woman?" Curiosity colored Chief's question. Shea, when he wasn't blending in the shadows, often evoked that from the people who finally paid attention to him. It was almost as if they couldn't stand not knowing what lie beneath the cloak. I'd known Shea for fifty years, had spoken to him less than a dozen times, and never seen his face other than a quick glance as he turned.

  "I am male." He spoke, but hearing his soprano voice wasn't very reassuring, I'm sure.

  "What do you do?" Chief asked, trying to keep the conversation going.

  "Pardon?"

  "He is the chief librarian for both the town and the coven. I guess you could call him a scholar of sorts."

  "Oh. We do have a library, but I don't know if there are any positions available…" Chief almost sounded sad. I was surprised by his reaction.

  "But I am opening a book store. I'm sure I can find a position for Shea."

  "That's true."

  "So, what are you thinking, Chief?"

  "It's a yes from me, on one condition."

  "You wish to see my face," Shea answered, almost expecting the response.

  "Call it the cop in me, but I don't like not knowing what a person looks like."

  "That is fair, but it might be a deal breaker for you."

  "Why?"

  Instead of answering, he pulled his hood back and I couldn't help it, I gasped. Shea was beautiful, not handsome. There wasn't a masculine bone in his body. Long brown hair swept back from a prominent widow's peak, waves cascading back into the depths of his hood. Large, almost too large, green eyes blinked at us in the unaccustomed light of the study. He had no facial hair, I truly doubted he could grow any, and his ears tapered up into slight points. He wasn't an elf, but he had fae blood, like Candace. It was for that reason and that reason alone, he kept his features hidden. Many people, witches included, would either naturally shy away from his otherworldly features, or become so enamored with him, they would resort to stalking. And then there was those who would hunt him simply for the blood he carried. I didn't blame him for staying hidden, even among the coven.

  "Wow." That was all the speech Chief was capable of.

  "You wish to have me?"

  "Excuse me?" Chief sounded a little strange.

  "I think he means in Cedar Falls, Chief." I chuckled a little.

  "Oh. Yes."

  I sighed, thinking of Candace. She had lived all those years in Cedar Falls without resorting to cloaks or magic to hide what she was. She didn't have any human friends that I knew of, but I did know that the people she worked with shied away from her. Maybe she could teach Shea a few things. "We have another witch with fae blood. You might not be as alone there as you were here."

  "Another?"

  "Yes. Candace. I'll introduce her to you when you move."

  "I am ready whenever you are."

  "What about your house, your things?"

  "I am keeping my home here. I shall purchase another. I can have my things boxed and shipped."

  I hadn't been expecting that. Most of the witches planning the move would slowly trickle in over the next few months. Even my grandmother would need time to make the transition. "Then book a flight for tomorrow at ten in the morning. We are leaving then. Unless you need me to arrange transportation."

  "I dislike human transportation. May I ride your shadow?"

  "Pardon me?"

  "Your mother did not share my particular talents?"

  "Um, my mother isn't exactly a sharing type of person."

  "My apologies." He stood and motioned to the other side of the desk. I nodded and stood as he walked around. The desk lamp cast my shadow behind me. I turned, following his movements as he stood between me and the wall and stepped back until his back brushed against the wood and plaster. He then melted into the shadow until his cloak blended perfectly and he faded from view.

  "Where'd he go?" Chief reached out and touched the wall, feeling around.

  "He's a shadow walker. I've read about them, but never seen one. You won't find him."

  "What's a shadow walker?" He turned and stared at me in disbelief.

  I smiled as Shea stepped forward, back into the light and solidified behind Chief, reaching out and touching his arm.

  To Chief's credit, he didn't scream. He did, however, let out a yelp and jumped. "Don't do that!"

  I laughed and the faint etchings of a smile graced Shea's lips. "A shadow walker. I can step between this world and the shadow realm. Time and movement are much different there. I can ride someone's shadow or jump from shadow to shadow there if I know where I'm going. Since I've never been to Cedar Falls, I will be forced to be by Lady's side until we arrive."

  "That's pretty cool," Chief said, dumbfounded.

  "It has its uses. Especially since I will be able to travel from Cedar Falls to Ashville at any time. If there is nothing else, I shall make ready to depart."

  "Welcome to Cedar Falls, Shea."

  "Thank you, Lady."

  The rest of the interviews were more mundane, including our brief interview with Josie's mom, Miranda. She basically marched into the study imperiously and told us she would be joining us as soon as possible. The rest just seemed to want to get away from my mother, not that I could blame them. Chief didn't say no to one of them, either. I think he realized about halfway through that this had been a waste of time on his part. Anyone not worthy of moving to Cedar Falls would not have had a place in Mother's coven to begin with. However, if it set his mind at ease, then so be it. It was nice to visit, but I was definitely looking forward to getting on the plane and going home in the morning.

  The food was set up by the time the interviews were over, and we ate and mingled, getting the additions to our new coven to become more acquainted with each other and discuss plans for moving. Those with less could share the cost of moving trucks and hammer out timelines. By the time I had forked the last of my pulled pork into my mouth, I felt the change in the air. Something or someone was coming, full bore. They had just hit the edge of town.

  I set my fork down and glanced at Chief, who didn't seem to be sensing anything out of the ordinary. Even my mother was at the head of the table, sipping her wine as if a rocket wasn't bearing down on all of us like a thermonuclear warhead. I barely had time to stand and turn toward the front door when it burst open in a blast of shards and glass.

  Everyone spun, defensive spells flaming in their hands when the vampire latched itself to my chest and we both landed on the floor in a heap. I knew in an instant who it was. I felt the bond between us flare and I could feel her shaking in my arms.

  The group around us calmed down when I lifted my hand above us, signaling them everything was okay. The only sound echoing in the dining room was my mother, slowly walking to where Yuki and I were lying in a crumbled heap.

  "Daughter, who is this?"

  "Um. My friend, Yuki."

  "Is Yuki a skilled carpenter?"

  I looked over at the shattered remains of my mother's front door and sighed. "I'll fix it as soon as we get up."

  "Hmm. Yes, you will. After the both of you follow me to my study and explain what is going on."

  She turned and walked away, heading to the depths of the office.

  "You okay?" I whispered into Yuki's ear.

  "Now. I couldn't bear it anymore. I'm sorry. I almost made it here last night. As soon as the sun went down, I fini
shed my journey."

  "You ran?"

  I felt her nod against my chest.

  "I'm sorry. I didn't realize it would have been that much of a problem. Next time, we'll just figure out how to bring you with us."

  She lifted her head and looked into my eyes, seeing the sincerity. I felt horrible. I thought she could have handled just a few short days away from me. I guessed wrong.

  "It was the single most horrible feeling in the world. Don't ever do that to me again, please."

  "I won't. But you might want to rethink your words. We need to go speak to my mother. That might be worse."

  "I doubt it."

  She crawled off me and helped me to stand. I took a deep breath, nodded at a very confused looking Chief, and led Yuki into my mother's study. She was sitting in the chair I'd been using all day. I took one of the seats in front of her and Yuki slinked into the other.

  "Now then, what is all this about?"

  I didn't even entertain the thought of lying to her. She would have seen through it in a minute. I'd never been able to be anything but truthful with the woman and I hated it. Especially growing up.

  "I was too long away from my familiar."

  To Mother's credit, she didn't even blink. "I see. Would you care to explain how this happened?"

  "I gave her some of my blood to heal her wounds." Yuki sounded apologetic and wondered if it was the bond forcing her to defend me, even to my mother. Either way it was me my mother looked to for further explanation.

  "She's not lying. That was all that happened. No ritual, no magic, nothing. I merely drank some of her blood and the bond was complete."

  "I did not think you would do something as foolish as trying to bring a vampire to your side as a familiar. My shock comes from the fact that you did not, and had planned on not, telling me."

  "Oh. Well. I didn't think of it until I found my arms full of vampire in your living room."

  "That is a lie."

  "Maybe. If you were me would you have told Grandmother?"

  "I see your point. Do you want things to remain the same, or do you wish the bond to be broken?"