Spirits and Spells (Warlocks MacGregor Book 5)

by Michelle M. Pillow

  “Ugh, put that hideous book away.” Malina waved her hand, sending the binder flying through the air.

  Margareta countered the gesture with one of her own, ordering the book back onto the bed before it even hit the floor. “Do as you’re told.”

  Malina huffed but touched Charlotte’s hair. She combed her fingers through it, working her way up to the scalp. Charlotte could hear her muttering under her breath but didn’t understand the words. She tried to pull away as her scalp began to tingle.

  “Happy?” Malina asked her mother.

  “It looks good,” Jane told Charlotte.

  “She always looks pretty,” Lydia said.

  “What is that on your finger?” Margareta demanded, pointing at Malina.

  Malina held out her hand, showing a tattooed swirl around her ring finger. “You said Dar and I should have wedding rings. How do you like it?”

  “This is what I get for sending ya to live with the English when ya were a babe,” Margareta sighed.

  “What about number sixty-three for Niall, Ma?” Malina asked with a small grin.

  Charlotte arched a brow, seeing that Malina was changing the subject at her brother’s expense. She pushed up from the bed to look in the mirror by the dresser. Malina’s magick had stripped the red from her hair, turning it back to her natural shade of brown. There was a shine to the waves as if she’d just left a salon. It was pretty, she’d give Malina that much.

  “Sixty-three?” Margareta said thoughtfully, as she turned to the book. “Oh, the cherub choir shooting a bridge of arrows as the bride and groom float on a magickal cloud of…wait, no. This will never do for Niall. He wouldn’t wear a silk loincloth. What about a rustic theme? Garlands of flowers hanging from the trees as the couple walks down a gemstone path to the sound of violins and flutes. Fairy lights everywhere and…”

  Charlotte desperately grabbed Lydia by the arm. “Make this stop.”

  Lydia nodded. “Ma, I don’t think Niall and Charlotte are engaged.”

  “But?” Margareta looked at Charlotte for confirmation.

  “We’re not even boyfriend and girlfriend.” Charlotte tried to keep a neutral expression. She wanted there to be more between her and Niall than friendship, but she did not want his mother suspecting as much.

  “But…” She motioned to the bed.

  “All right, Ma, come on.” Malina motioned that her mother should follow. “Bring your book. Let me tell you a little something about how boys and girls work in the modern age.”

  “I don’t understand my children. I thought Niall would have at least asked her before going into battle with Helena.” Margareta let her daughter lead her out of the room.

  “Don’t worry.” Malina’s voice became softer as she led her mother away. “I promise when it comes time for Euann to marry, I’ll make sure he wears the silk cherub diaper and you can have as many spellbound doves as your heart desires.”

  “What the hell just happened?” Charlotte asked, looking at Lydia and Jane.

  “You got MacGregored,” Jane said with a small laugh.

  “Omigod, so you have to spill,” Lydia demanded. “What is going on with you and Niall?”

  “Sex,” Charlotte answered bluntly.

  Jane gave a laugh of surprise and quickly covered her mouth to contain it.

  “Please tell me Margareta is the crazy one today, not me,” Charlotte said. “I woke up thinking I had lost time again.”

  “How should we put it?” Jane asked Lydia.

  “She’s the epitome of the stereotypical mother wanting to marry off her sons so that she can get grandchildren,” Lydia said. “Then again, she’s been waiting for hundreds of years.”

  “Should someone explain that you don’t have to be married to—?” Charlotte started to ask.

  “No,” Lydia and Jane answered in unison.

  “You do not want a Margareta MacGregor sex talk,” Lydia said. “And don’t mention being on birth control.”

  “Anyone else think it’s strange that the MacGregors move here and suddenly, after waiting so long, all of them are suddenly getting married?” Charlotte looked around for a pair of shoes and found her boots tucked under the edge of the bed. She pulled them on, not caring that her outfit was a definite fashion don’t. It’s not like anyone would let her go home to get her own clothes. “I mean, what are the odds that the rest of them will find someone after all these years? You two were lucky.”

  “I don’t think it’s luck,” Jane said. “I asked Iain about it. He said this town is special. It lies on a powerful convergence of energy that gives fuel to the supernatural. That’s why the family was attracted to this place. It’s also why other paranormal creatures are drawn here. I think it’s why I stayed. The second I drove into town, it felt like home.”

  “Wait, so are you saying you’re…?” Charlotte looked at Lydia.

  “My mother was a bean nighe, which makes me half,” Jane said.

  “What’s a bean nighe?” Charlotte asked.

  “Banshee,” Lydia said.

  “Don’t be scared. I’m not some screaming death omen, or anything. I’m more of a power conduit for warlocks, and I have a way with plants.” Jane crossed to the window and pulled back the curtains. “Here, watch.”

  Charlotte moved to look out the window. Jane pressed her hands to the glass and closed her eyes. Charlotte watched over the treetops stretching in the distance against the dawn.

  “I don’t see anything,” Charlotte said. “What am I looking for?”

  Suddenly, vines crept over the glass from below, growing impossibly fast to cover the entire window. Jane lowered her hand.

  “That’s freaking cool!” Charlotte exclaimed.

  Jane chuckled. “I’m still learning how to control it, but I have to say it’s been great for business. No more losing nursery inventory, and it comes in helpful when I can ripen tomatoes for the farmers’ market faster than before. Small-town businesses are hard enough to make flourish.”

  “So that’s how you got all those extra fresh herbs at work,” Charlotte said to Lydia.

  “Jane lets me pay her in lotions and teas,” Lydia explained.

  Charlotte leaned against the window, peeking through the vines. Her expression fell as she thought about the statue hidden in the woods. “When do we go after Helena?”

  “What do you mean?” Lydia asked.

  “Helena, in the forest. When do we go?” Charlotte looked at them expectantly.

  “Niall, Iain, Erik, and Euann left this morning,” Jane said. “We’re supposed to stay inside. Helena wants to hurt their women. We’re safer here.”

  “I’m not staying behind,” Charlotte countered. “I have to go with them. The bitch threatened me. She brought me out to her statue and said we were the same. I’m not going to hide while someone else goes and deals with it.”

  “Don’t be stupid,” Lydia said. “It’s not some schoolyard bully they’re up against. You’ll only be in the way and make it harder for them. They’ll be in more danger if they’re focused on protecting you. I know you’re worried, we all are—”

  “I have to.” Charlotte couldn’t explain why, but she was compelled to fight. She’d seen inside Niall, and that gave her a strong feeling of what she needed to do.

  “Please, Charlotte, don’t,” Jane said, trying to stop Charlotte from leaving the bedroom. She followed her into the hall. “Iain is out there.”

  Charlotte frowned, not following.

  “What Jane means is that when we were attacked, you pulled Iain’s powers. You both have been a little unsteady around each other since,” Lydia explained.

  “I can’t stay here.” What Charlotte wasn’t saying is that she didn’t want Niall fighting her battles for her. She wanted to prove she didn’t need to be protected or lied to like some delicate flower they had to keep erasing. Sure, it might be stupid, but she needed to prove herself—to the MacGregors, to Niall, but mostly to herself. But that was only a small, selfish part
of it. Seeing Jane’s worry, she said, “I promise, I’ll stay away from Iain. If I feel anything is amiss, I promise I’ll run in the other direction from him.”

  Charlotte found Angus waiting at the bottom of the stairs. “I had a feeling ya would be coming down soon. It’s good to see ya know to follow your intuition.” He held out his hand, showing her a small bottle resting on his palm. “Ya will need this.”

  “What is it for?” Charlotte hesitated before she took it. Then leaning forward, she whispered, “Do you know what I’m supposed to do once I get there?”

  “When the time is right, and the battle lost, drink it. I can feel my son’s magick in ya. Follow your feelings.” Angus stepped out of her way. “Ya might want to run. I can hear the screams.”

  Charlotte didn’t understand, but found herself running for the garden door.

  “And welcome to the family, lassie,” Angus yelled behind her.

  Chapter Twenty

  Niall knew the wraith was toying with them. Her wailing screams came from all directions. It started just after dawn. He’d walked out of the house with his brothers, potion vials still warm in their hands from the cauldron. Cait had insisted they wear amulets of black obsidian for protection. The stones were supposed to help in the breaking of curses and ridding them of spirits who had become attached.

  “Let me fly up and see if I can find her,” Iain suggested, trying as the screams came from yet another direction. He was able to shift into various birds of prey. But, like Niall, the wildness of their shifted selves could be hard to control. It wasn’t easy for Iain to know he could fly high above everything, wild and free. The right catalyst would keep him from transforming back into his human self.

  “No,” Niall said, his tone not leaving any room for argument. “Ya will be too exposed. She’s too powerful. One gust and she could kill ya.”

  “We have to do something.” Euann came from behind the statue of Helena.

  Niall had noticed Euann wasn’t meeting his gaze. It was also obvious that his family suspected there was much more going on between Niall and Charlotte than he was telling them.

  “It’s cracked near her heart.” Euann motioned to Helena’s likeness. “That is where she escaped.”

  “It doesn’t matter how she got out, the fact is she’s here and she’s pissed,” Erik said.

  “Maybe we should take these off.” Niall reached inside the neckline of his shirt and pulled out the amulet.

  “Cait said not to.” Euann lifted his potion bottle. “They’re meant to protect us from the dark energy.”

  “Maybe they are doing too good a job,” Iain said, agreeing with Niall.

  “Leave the amulets on for now.” Erik leaned over and reached into the duffel bag he’d brought with him. He pulled out a large clear container of salt. He tossed it at Euann. “Draw a circle around the area, make it thick, but leave an opening. If we can get her to come to us, we might be able to trap her inside.”

  “Aye,” Euann agreed, doing as Erik requested.

  The wailing continued. Niall reached for his neck. Without waiting for permission, he jerked the chain holding the protection stone. The necklace broke and he tossed it toward Iain when the other two weren’t looking. His brother nodded at him and shoved it into his pocket.

  The screaming stopped.

  “Where is she?” Euann asked looking around.

  Niall used his shifter hearing to listen to the wind. The sound of footsteps on the path caught his attention. A wraith would not be running.

  “Crap,” Niall swore.

  “What?” Iain and Euann asked in unison.

  “Who’s out there?” Erik asked.

  “Charlotte.” Niall knew the answer even before he saw her. The sound of her running was like a signature. He knew everything about her.

  “What is she doing out here?” Euann demanded.

  Tension rolled over Niall and his brothers.

  “Erik, I have held my tongue,” Euann insisted. “Ya told me Niall would protect her if I backed off my suit. This is not protection. We have to get her out of here.”

  “Euann, guilt is not love,” Erik said. “No matter how many times ya say ya love the lassie does not make it true. Ya do not love Charlotte, not in the way ya should.”

  “He’s right, brother,” Iain added. “Every woman deserves a man who loves them fully.”

  “It is our fault she’s damaged. She needs to be protected,” Euann said. “She can’t be out here. Not with Helena out of her prison.”

  Niall did not answer his brothers.

  Niall’s senses prickled in warning. Euann was right. Charlotte should not be in the forest. It was too dangerous. He went to the path and watched for Charlotte. He listened to her heavy breathing.

  She came into view. Her steps slowed. “Niall—”

  Helena flew from the trees, cutting off her words. She slammed into Charlotte, dragging her off the path into the trees.

  Niall growled, shifting to run after them.

  The darkness in Helena radiated from her, and he tracked them through the underbrush. He heard a thud and then running.

  “Niall!” Charlotte cried out.

  He ran toward her voice. He found her bent over on the forest floor.

  “What the hell do ya think ya are doing?” The sound of his words was gruff as he came out of his shifted form, and barely understandable. He ran to her and pulled her into his embrace. His clothes had fallen off when he shifted and he didn’t bother to materialize them back on.

  Charlotte lifted her hand to show him a potion bottle. “I’m here to help. Angus told me to use this.”

  “Ya need to be back at the house where it is safe,” he ordered. “He should not have let ya leave.”

  “She’s after me. I need to be out here with you.” Her eyes met his and they begged him to trust her.

  “We need to lure her to the statue.” Niall pointed in the direction of his brothers.

  Charlotte gave a slight smile at his instruction and nodded.

  Helena flew down from the trees. Niall jumped in front of her. He braced his feet as the wraith slammed into him.

  Charlotte took off into the trees, running the way he’d indicated. He tried to hold on to Helena. She lifted him off the ground. His feet swung as he tried to find footing. Suddenly, her body lost its corporeal form and he fell.

  Niall landed on all fours. Pain shot up his wrists and ankles. He didn’t care as he leapt forward to chase after Charlotte. He saw her running and darted to join her.

  Niall materialized a kilt on his waist to protect him from the whip of low branches. He swept his arm around her, lifting her over his shoulder as he covered ground faster. Erik came from the forest and joined them in panther form, running behind Niall.

  Euann held the container of salt near the opening he’d left in the circle. Niall dug in his heels, stopping before they crashed into the statue. He dropped Charlotte to her feet. Her breathing was still hard and fast from the run, but he swore she gave him a small smile. Her eyes gleamed as the adrenaline pumped through her veins.

  Niall resisted the urge to shift, and stood next to her as a man.

  “You sure do know how to show a girl a good time,” Charlotte said. “If this weren’t so important, I’d be enjoying myself.”

  Erik jumped into the salt circle. Helena chased him. She swooped down, flying to the side as she hit the barrier. She found the opening near Euann and came for Charlotte. Euann dumped the salt to complete the circle. Charlotte ducked. Helena hit the barrier and flew the other way, bouncing over them as she tried to break free. Niall pulled Charlotte close, holding her against him.

  “Get out of the circle,” Euann yelled. He stood on the other side of the salt barrier.

  Erik and Iain jumped out. Niall tried to lift Charlotte with him but Helena appeared, blocking them. The wraith appeared calm. Charlotte’s breathing was the only sound in the forest.

  “They will only hurt you,” Helena said. “Bre
ak you down. That is what the devil does. Tricks you with sweet smiles.”

  “No one wanted to hurt you,” Charlotte said. “They tried to help. They did not call the demon that night to hurt your grandmother.”

  “How does she know that?” Euann asked. Niall ignored his brother.

  “Helena, it is time for ya to move on,” Niall commanded, trying to draw Helena’s attention from Charlotte. He saw his brothers walking around the circle.

  “You’re right. It is time I moved on.” Helena became a blur as she ran at Charlotte. The spirit slipped inside her body. Charlotte gasped, falling to her knees.

  Niall went to the ground beside her, holding her. “Charlotte?”

  His brothers gathered around them. Charlotte couldn’t speak as she fought the spirit taking hold. She lifted her hand, still clutching the potion. She tried to open it but couldn’t coordinate her movements. Niall did it for her, and Charlotte opened her mouth, indicating she wanted to drink it.

  Niall didn’t hesitate. He poured the liquid into her mouth.

  As she swallowed, Helena reappeared, jerking out of her body.

  Euann and Iain tried to help Charlotte up. “Get her out of here,” Niall ordered.

  “How?” Helena howled, clutching her stomach as she doubled over in pain. “The gaps within you are filled!”

  “I am not you,” Charlotte croaked. “I found my lost memories. Niall helped me. He tried to help you, too, but you wouldn’t let him.”

  Helena began to scream. Blue flames erupted over her translucent skin. They grew, consuming her completely. Charlotte covered her ears.

  In an instant, the flames died, filtering to the sky in blue smoke.

  Charlotte dropped her hands. Iain and Euann let go of her arms. Niall rushed to her side, catching her as she wobbled on unsteady legs.

  “Is it over?” she asked.

  “Aye. Ya set her free,” Niall said. “What was in that potion?”

  “I don’t know, but Angus told me I’d know when to use it,” she said.

  Niall held Charlotte closer, and had no intention of ever letting her go. Rocks hit the ground, and they watched as the statue crumbled to a pile of pebbles at their feet.