by Billy London
“Oh my God.”
“Romely helpfully came over and told me the rules. Family had to go. I would continue to be a monster until I learned to love as one would love me. She was narcissistic enough to think it would be her.”
“What was the rest for? The manic depression, the lack of control over every part of your life?”
He gave a slight shrug. “Complete dependency on her. I suppose it should have helped me love her more. But I lost everything. My money, family my freedom. I suffered depression, knowing what was taken from me and how I would more than likely never get it back.”
“She would have needed a psychiatrist to verify the diagnosis.”
“If she had a ream of notes to say I was indulging in reckless behaviour, that my family had left because of me, I was spending ridiculous amounts of money, I was going out nearly every night of the week—why wouldn’t a shrink agree with her? Everything I was doing displayed the symptoms. My refusing to acknowledge there was anything wrong with me just made matters worse. There was already a provision in my trust that if I showed any mental illness or incapacity confirmed by a professional, then the original trustees would operate a lasting power of attorney on my behalf. Bastards couldn’t wait to get their hands on my money.”
“I suppose the trustees wouldn’t know that incapacity for manic behaviour is on a situation basis? Even if you were manic at one stage, you wouldn’t be incapable of everything for the rest of your life.”
“Hells, they didn’t care.” Auden sighed. “Once the recommendation was received from the first psychiatrist, Romely just sent regular updates, saying I wasn’t responding to medication, my illness wasn’t improving, I wasn’t connecting with the counselling. Basically giving them carte blanche to carry on. It wasn’t as if any of them wanted a second opinion. If I got better, then they’d be out of a free bank account again.”
The sheer amount of manipulation of documentation, drug tests and medical professionals it had taken to pull this off on a patient was incredible. If she weren’t so utterly demented, Helena could have admired her tenacity. “And she thought all of this would make you love her?”
“How would I begin to forgive someone who said they loved me and yet wanted me to be a monster for the rest of my days? When they’ve destroyed everything about me and my life in their path?”
Helena heard the anger in his voice and ventured, “If you kill her it won’t help you.”
He stroked the back of his fingers over her cheek. “What will help me? Other than you?”
Her cheeks burned with pleasure. “I don’t know. I’ve always wanted to race at Silverstone.”
“You’re doing your doctor’s voice with me,” he murmured. “Although that would be a pretty good idea.”
“Don’t waste any more time on her. Now you can talk—”
“How do I explain the spell?”
“No, we’ll just make sure you get a second opinion and make it clear that Dr Deans has inappropriate feelings for you and she’s continually manipulated you for her own perverse gain.”
“That won’t work with her. She doesn’t abide by the rules of those who aren’t what she sees as ‘special’. She’s messed up, Hells.”
Helena thought for a moment. “There are rules for everything and everyone. Just like Romely couldn’t cast a spell to force you to love her, there must be someone or a body in charge of enforcing those rules. We’d need to find them.”
Auden gave a small smile. “That would be my mother.”
“Excuse me?”
“Head of the coven? Yeah, my mum.”
“Your—”
Auden glanced up at the sky, rubbed his palms together and Helena blinked something white from her eyelash. “You’re making it snow?”
“Just over you,” he said from his warm patch of earth as flakes frosted her hair. “I don’t think she’d have been able to hand the reins over to someone else before Romely made her leave. Sorry love, are you cold?” He curled his fingers through the veil of snow and cuddled her into him once more. “But she’d be able to find out.”
“Is the spell really broken, or what?”
He was quiet for a long time. “I haven’t had much reason to hope. Most of it is all you and what you’ve done. The other is me. I’m one step from taking that leap of faith. Then it’ll break. Does that make sense?”
So, he was holding back. While she understood, it stung just a tiny bit that he couldn’t fully trust the way he felt about her. “Yes. It does. Can we go inside now, I’m sodding freezing!”
“Or how about, this?” The temperature in the garden lifted, and a fire bloomed next to them. A whirlwind of rose petals came together forming the shape of a canopy bed. “I haven’t seen the sky like this since I was with you in the forest.” He looked at her, his eyes bright with hope and excitement. “Let’s make camp.”
“That sounds really filthy, but I’ll take it.”
Chapter Twelve
It rained during the night, but Auden lifted a lazy hand and the water traversed around them, like a waterfall parted over rocks. Awake for a few minutes, Helena watched the rain, the noise comforting her back to sleep. Eight peaceful hours later, she woke to sunshine, a sheet of petals keeping them warm and still as fresh as if scattered over them seconds before.
“Auden,” she whispered, trailing her mouth against his stubbled jaw. “We need to behave like normal, non-magical people.”
He gave a sleepy murmur. “Why?”
“Because I’d like to be clean and I want to eat at a table. With clothes on.”
“Charlie brought you up too well,” he grumbled. “Come on then.” The ground was wet beneath her bare toes before Auden swung her into his arms. “You realise I’m obliged to never leave your side until I save you?”
“Get me breakfast and we’re all square,” she teased. All joking aside, she didn’t quite know how she would explain all this to her family, who were quite right in thinking she was the cautious one who never really let down her barriers, always protected herself. Hi Mum, Dad, Fee, Des. I’m completely in love with a guitar banding scruff. Wedding in Sekondi?
“Maybe if I say it better than that,” she told herself, scrubbing her feet in the shower. “Little less frivolous, a lot more serious.”
Dad, you know that guy you’ve been treating for seven months? Yeah, his doctor is a witch bitch who put him under a spell. Do you mind preparing a recommendation of his valuable contribution to society as a mentally capable human being? Daddy, please don’t kill him.
“Go with the last bit,” she said. “You know Dad won’t say no to you.”
Helena chose a maxi dress from the overflowing piles of clothes, and wondered when it would be best to tell Auden that she’d already met his mother and it felt like Mama Garceau approved. She padded into the kitchen, where Auden had tied his hair back and was whistling as he fried a breakfast of bacon and eggs.
“Clean?” he asked as she leaned over to press a kiss to his mouth.
“Very.”
“That suits you, you should keep it,” he said, admiring the dress with a heated glance.
“Thank you.” He flipped the eggs and bacon onto two plates, presenting them to her in a flourish.
“Can you get us some drinks while I make the toast?”
She did as she was asked and sat to dig in, not waiting for him. “Sorry, hungry. All this spell breaking is really exhausting.”
“It really is,” he admitted. “I’m not quite sure what to do with myself. I’m partway between locking myself in a room with you for about a month and getting on the first plane to New Zealand with you.”
“Not sure how work will let me get away with that, but I’ll see what I can do. Whatever you decide.”
He sat opposite her with the prepared slices of toast and a pot of butter. “I have spent a prison sentence here. Anywhere else will be a massive improvement.”
“You can come to my place. It’s not as big as this, but it�
��s a decent sized house. Unless you’d feel claustrophobic in London?”
“No, the change of scenery is more important. I don’t know, Hells. I feel really weird—like I’m imagining this.” He ate quietly, obviously consumed by what his freedom could mean.
“Let’s go for a walk in the gardens,” she suggested once their plates were clear and tidied away. “Work off all those calories.”
“After-meal walks, I like that.” He smiled and held out his hand to her.
“Can I ask you something?” she blurted, just as they reached where their rose-petal, canopy bed had been.
“Anything, love.”
“Where were you born?”
He gave a gruff laugh. “Ghana.”
“Wait. What?”
“Wiccan gathering. My mum didn’t want to miss it, she was in Africa anyway, God knows why. I popped out around four in the morning. Another woman gave birth at the same time.”
“Where in Ghana?”
“Saltpond.” He caught her open mouthed stare. “What?”
“It’s just that’s—”
Auden gave a grunt before he wrapped his arms around his waist. “Oh fuck, no.”
She clutched his arms, “What’s happening?”
“I’m changing,” he gasped as hair began to sprout all over his face. “Romely’s here, she knows.” Another groan of pain seemed to be wrenched from him. “Helena, run.”
“You won’t hurt me.”
Teeth elongated in his mouth and his hands began to turn claw-like. “I don’t want to, but she’ll make me,” he grunted.
“Aud—”
He glanced up at her, eyes solid black. “Run!” he roared.
Helena had no idea where she was running to, but that roar shook her to the marrow. Evil relatives and witch doctors were one thing, fighting an enchanted lion who was the love of her life—a whole other session of therapy. She skidded on the hem of the dress and would’ve crashed into a tree had she not held her hands out to stop herself. The bark exploded, ripping at the silk and scratching her skin. Not good, not good, not good.
She spun left, trying to increase her speed. Then she did something silly. She risked a look behind her and saw the lion was all of three inches behind her, teeth bared, eyes black. It stole her voice, her breath and she nearly stopped altogether. Until he snapped his teeth at her.
“No!” she screamed, and her heel slid on rain logged mud. She hit the ground and carried on sliding, the momentum sending her barrelling to an uncovered swimming pool, dotted with violet rose petals. The water closed over her head before she scrambled to the surface, panting with horror and exertion.
The lion came to a halt at the edge of the water, still growling at her.
“Auden,” she called firmly, blinking chlorinated water from her eyes. “It’s me.”
“He doesn’t recognise you,” Romely said, coming to stand a few meters from the edge of the pool. “No one’s pussy is that good.”
“That bullshit is not going to work with me,” Helena snapped. “I know what you did to him.”
“One good insult deserves another.” Romely shrugged, brushing imaginary hairs from a bold blue dress. “And I’ve had enough of you now.”
Helena bared her teeth. “You can fuck right off. I haven’t even started with you. Believe me, you don’t want me to.”
Romely glanced up and started to laugh. “You know, if you weren’t so intent on getting in the middle of my relationship, I may have liked you.”
“The feeling is not mutual. You’re not in a relationship with Auden.”
Romely fumed viciously, “I am! He is mine. He has been since he was ten years old and nothing will take that away from me.”
“Have you thought about seeking professional help?” Helena taunted.
“That’s not very nice. Auden,” She turned to the lion. “Bite her head off.”
The lion padded to the edge of the pool, his eyes still coal black.
“Auden,” Helena said softly, swimming carefully closer, until she could have reached out and touched his nose. The lion snapped at her, his teeth coming so close they grazed her cheek. Fear made her splash backwards before she controlled herself. “Auden, listen to me. It’s not what you do, it’s how you feel. Just think about how you felt when you met me under the moonlight, when we sang together at that stupid retreat. I know you felt guilty about ruining my dress in the forest, and you didn’t make fun of me for not knowing what rosemary is.”
A risked glance at Romely told her she was worried. “Auden.”
Helena turned back to the lion who again lunged at her. This time she stayed firm. “I haven’t slept through the night in over twenty years. But I did because I was with you. You got on a train, into posh flamin’ Angel to come and get me. Why would you do that if you didn’t feel something for me?”
His eyes cleared and, just as before, the fur began to melt away from his body.
“You have me, all of me, heart, body and soul. But you won’t keep me around unless you let yourself feel. I’m not like her, I have no reason to hurt you. My love is honest, real and true. I swear to you. You need to let me know the same is true for you too.”
Romely lost her patience and her eyes flashed blue light. Helena was thrust beneath the water, held down by an unseen force. She could have laughed. If only Romely knew what happened to the last people who tried to drown her. Helena pressed the tips of her fingers together. Time stilled and Helena pulled herself out of the water. Auden was fully human, posed as if to rugby-tackle Romely to the ground.
Helena stood in front of a frozen Romely, a smirk of pleasure on her stilled features, and touched three fingers to the woman’s belly. As soon as Helena touched Romely, time moved again for Helena to see the look of complete surprise on Romely’s face before Romely was jerked out of the garden, catapulted across the sky just beyond the gates of Auden’s house.
He turned and stared at her. Oh yes. That little unmentioned subject of her being a witch. She shrugged uneasily. “Sort of undignified, isn’t it? Fighting over a man, I mean.”
Chapter Thirteen
Auden couldn’t stop staring at her. He’d been holding back, remaining within the last bounds of the spell. If he stayed enchanted, then he couldn’t be disappointed, he couldn’t be hurt. It was safer than to trust everything to her. Until he heard her words, every single last one. That’s when the binding of the spell snapped—melted away in the blinding heat of pure love until he was himself again. Then he’d watched Romely thrown out of his grounds by his innocent-looking Helena. It was difficult to comprehend that he’d exchanged one witch for another.
Helena stood shivering in her dress, the wet material clinging like skin. “We probably need to talk, don’t we?”
He bent and gathered the shredded remains of his clothing. “About you being able to throw people around with your mind, what you did to your aunt and that witch doctor, or me changing into a lion?”
Her teeth chattered. “All of the above, I think. I thought you couldn’t remember things when you weren’t yourself?”
“Spell’s broken,” he said simply. “Right. You’re a witch, I was a lion; we’re just missing a fucking wardrobe.”
She burst into laughter and offered her hand to him. “Can I go inside and warm up please?”
He took her hand and they walked in silence back to his house. What could he say? He mentally felt around for remnants of Romely’s spell and felt nothing but his love for Helena. She’d freed him completely. It was unreal. He’d wanted to be released so badly maybe he was in a catatonic state, imagining all this.
“Did I hurt you?” he asked, as they padded to the nearest bathroom.
She felt for her cheek. “Nearly, but I’m okay. I promise.”
He gently removed the dress from her body and took a towel from the heated cupboard. Drying her carefully, he said, “Thank you.”
“I’d have thrown her further if I’d concentrated a bit more.”
Her mouth opened and shut, before she found her voice. “Well, I just—” He lifted a brow as she danced verbally around her feelings. “You’re lovely so I was—” The other brow joined in the what-the-fuck contest. She gave a sigh of defeat. “Couldn’t really help it. I just didn’t want to say it out loud because we have spent a nanosecond together.”
“Doesn’t matter. You do.” He wrapped a dry towel around her hair and a huge bath sheet around her body. They sat in the living room, knowing there was a world of things to talk about and no idea where to start. “What did Romely mean about you belonging to her since you were ten?”
Christ, the worst thing to start with. “It’s not something I’m particularly proud of.”
“Tell me.”
“Don’t you already know?”
“Why would I?” She folded the towel beneath her thighs. He sat next to her and curled an arm around her waist.
“People like us don’t necessarily have to say things to communicate a history.”
“That’s not talking,” Helena frowned with disapproval. He leaned forward and pressed his mouth between her brows, feeling the fold of skin melt beneath his lips.
“It was the worst event of my life and Romely took advantage of that. In some ways, I probably encouraged her feeling that I was beholden to her, because of what happened. That I owed her. If I had gone straight home or told my mother what was going on…” He breathed out. “I tell Charlie all the time, I made one decision and everything went wrong from there.”
“You can talk to me,” Helena insisted. “Please trust me.”
He pressed his stubbled jaw into her shoulder, following with his mouth. “I can do this better if I’m touching you.”
“Do it.”
