Mystic Tides

by Kate Allenton

  MYSTIC TIDES

  FIRE & ICE

  KATE ALLENTON

  PUSH & PULL

  DEVIN GOVAERE

  SONG & SEA

  LAURIE KECK

  DREAMS & MAGIC

  DELLA LEWIS

  Fire and Ice

  Kate Allenton

  Copyright © 2015 Coastal Escape Publishing, LLC

  All rights reserved.

  The unauthorized reproduction or distribution of this copyrighted work is illegal. Criminal copyright infringement (including infringement without monetary gain) is investigated by the FBI and is punishable by up to 5 years in federal prison and a fine of $250,000.

  Please purchase only authorize electronic editions and do not participate in, or encourage, the electronic piracy of Copyrighted materials. Your support of the author’s rights is appreciated.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, character, places, and incidents are the products of the author’s imagination or use fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual events, locals or persons, living or dead, is entirely coincidental.

  All rights reserved. Except for use in any review, the reproduction or utilization of this work, in whole or in part, in any form by any electronic, mechanical or other means now known or hereafter invented, is forbidden without the written permission of the publisher.

  Published by Coastal Escape Publishing

  DEDICATION

  This book is dedicated to Helen Blansett

  For all that you are and for the gifts of friendship that you’ve provided me.

  TABLE OF CONTENTS

  DEDICATION

  PROLOGUE

  CHAPTER 1

  CHAPTER 2

  CHAPTER 3

  CHAPTER 4

  CHAPTER 5

  CHAPTER 6

  CHAPTER 7

  CHAPTER 8

  Prologue

  They lived in Blansett, North Carolina, population 18,943 if you didn't count the things that weren't human. But everyone for miles around called it Magicville, and there were good reasons for that. Magic generally flowed through the ley lines, but when it came within shouting distance of Blansett, it suddenly veered and stopped by to say hello. Nearly everyone who lived there was affected in some way, some more than others, but those who weren’t affected, and those who came to visit, sensed something existed beyond their sight because the magic that drifted through Blansett was potent and powerful. Though it brought both heartache and happiness, both danger and adventure, when it brought love, it became truly magical.

  Chapter 1

  Blansett, North Carolina

  June

  Grey Sinclair sauntered down Main Street on her way to work at Mystic Tides, the magic shop she and her three cousins owned. The black leather of her skirt stuck to her skin in the warm summer air. The strapless matching corset left little to the imagination. Her body was made for sin, and she wasn’t afraid to show it. The strands from her fire engine red hair floated on the breeze. Her five-inch heels clicked on the concrete sidewalk with each step, and her hips swayed seductively from side to side. Women rolled their eyes as she passed, and the men…well, the men never changed. Whiplash was the order of the day. Chiropractors everywhere should have devoted a shrine in her name. The seventy-year-old men yelled catcalls and blew whistles from the barber shop across the street, a ritual they did most mornings. They had the hearts of construction workers that never grew old. She puckered her lips and blew a kiss at the old geezers before winking.

  She called out her daily greeting. “Good morning, boys.”

  “Do you mind?” Charlie, one of the oldest and loudest gentlemen in the joint, called out while standing just outside the door, holding up his unlit cigar.

  The fire built in her core, rumbling to life like a bear waking from hibernation. Her heart skipped a beat, and her arms and hands burned from the inside out. A quick snap of her fingers and the tip of the cigar brightened, bringing the red embers to life.

  Charlie took a drag, blowing ringlets from his mouth as he spoke. “Thanks, doll, I left my lighter at home.”

  “That shit’s going to kill you, Charlie.”

  “At least I’ll die a happy man.” He grinned.

  "Way to keep your priorities straight," Grey mumbled to herself as she crossed the street to the family-owned magic store, only stopping long enough at the door to check her hair in the reflection. She winked and walked in.

  “Who am I covering for today?” she asked in a sing-song voice as she ran her finger across the crystal balls. The gesture was a habit she’d been doing since she was a little girl.

  “Me,” Halona answered as she stepped out from behind a row of Buddhas and other figurines sitting on a shelf. She leaned in and kissed Grey’s cheek.

  Grey scanned the room for the little rodent that Halona called a pet. “Your puppy missing you already?”

  “The water’s calling.”

  “Ah.” Grey winked. “It’s time for a fish fry.”

  Halona’s mouth parted, and her eyes widened. Rendering Halona and her other cousins speechless was just another one of the Sinclair charms.

  “Geez, woman, it was a joke. Something to get that broomstick out of your ass.” Grey smacked Halona's butt as she passed, making her cousin jump. “Go have fun swimming with the fishies.”

  “I swear, Grey…”

  Grey slowly turned, her eyebrow arched. “You swear what?”

  Halona smiled and clasped her hands in front of her, a vision of school-girl innocence. “I swear one day you’re going to meet your match, and I’m going to enjoy watching every minute of it.”

  “Keep dreaming, dear.” Grey turned and headed for the stairs. She wiggled her fingers as she called out behind her. “Go have fun, and get laid while you’re out. God knows you need to loosen up.”

  Grey reached the sitting area at the top of the stairs. The small place was the cousins’ oasis away from the tourists. The little landing with leather couches and a small kitchen overlooked the shop. Another cousin, Sydney, looking as radiant as ever, was lounging on one of the long couches, her honey-blonde hair styled to perfection.

  “Must you bait her?” Sydney asked with a twinkle in her eye.

  “What?” Grey asked, not really caring to answer. That was her way of showing Halona some love. They had a special bond. They all did, but it was Halona that Grey worried about most. “I’m just giving Halona a gentle reminder that she isn’t dead and still has feelings. Even if they aren't all love and light.”

  Grey walked over to the coffee pot and poured herself a mug. She tipped the bottle of creamer in a constant stream until her black gold turned a light tan color. Yum. She turned to regard the cousin that had been voted most likely to succeed in high school. “Besides, she knows I was teasing.”

  Sydney rose, rolling her magazine in her hands. Her knee-length straight navy skirt and cream blouse did little to tease the tourists or the locals. She was dressed all business today in a bookish-nerdy kind of way. “Are you going to be okay here by yourself for an hour?”

  “Girl, please.” Grey rubbed Sydney’s arm in passing as she headed for the stairs. “I’m going to be just fine. Might even spend some time in the special collections section and catch up on my reading.”

  “You wouldn’t dare.”

  Who knew a little fire-producing sneeze in the direction of Sydney’s precious books would get Grey banned from that area of the shop for life. Within twenty-four hours, her three cousins had installed fire extinguishers. Fifteen to be exact, and that was only on the first floor. Another five hung on the walls upstairs. Talk about overkill. At least she no longer had to dust.

  Grey stoppe
d on the second step and glanced over her shoulder. “You’re right. I’m just teasing you too. That’s what I do best.”

  Sydney strolled down the stairs behind Grey. “Are we still on for tonight?”

  “Tonight?” Grey questioned, glancing over her shoulder with a grin as she headed to the register, where she’d spend the next few hours perched on the uncomfortable chair. Unable to bend her legs into a sitting position in the tight skirt, Grey snapped her fingers, replacing the unforgiving fabric with a pair of loose leather pants.

  “Yes tonight! You promised I could raid your closet. I need a ball gown for the annual Summer Solstice Festival closing ball next weekend and don’t forget you promised to be my date.”

  Grey pulled out the half-finished crossword puzzle she’d shoved in the top drawer the last time she’d worked. “No need to raid anything. This morning I made you a fabulous sapphire-colored floor-length number in just your size. That little baby is going to make your eyes pop and your body rock. You’ll be the envy of every Blansett woman in attendance, except me of course.”

  Sydney leaned across the counter and pulled Grey into her arms, squeezing her tight. “I knew you had a heart. They all tried to tell me you didn’t, but I knew better.”

  Grey leaned out of Sydney’s hold and nudged her back across the counter. “Yeah, well, we’re family, so keep that crap to yourself.”

  “You’re just a mushy marshmallow beneath all that bark.”

  Grey clasped her fingers together and rested them on the glass countertop. “You want me to burn the dress?”

  “Don’t be ridiculous.” Sydney swiveled on her heels and headed for the door. As she pulled it open, the bell above chimed. “Oh I forgot to tell you.” Sydney’s smile grew by the second. A smile that Grey knew all too well meant trouble. “You’ve got five minutes before the fire department gets here to check if we’re up to code.”

  Grey’s mouth parted. A snappy comeback escaped her.

  “We only do it out of love, Cuz. Sometimes payback’s a bitch.” She grinned. “Make friends with the hunky men that might one day save your house when you're bedridden with the flu and fire starts shooting out of your nose.” Sydney chuckled while wiggling her fingers and walking out the door, leaving Grey to deal with the men in town who hated her almost as much as they feared her.

  ****

  Beck rode in the back seat of the red fire truck to a scheduled appointment.

  He nudged Josh, the guy sitting next to him. “If this is just an inspection, why are we in full gear and driving ol’ Bessie?”

  “Precautions, my good man. When we go see her, we have to be prepared for anything.”

  “Her? Who is her?”

  Josh smiled like a kid stealing the last chocolate chip cookie. “Sparky. You’ll see.”

  As the driver parked against the curb, the hydraulics on Bessie’s brakes let out a swish before the engine cut off. Old women dressed in jogging suits waved as they strolled by while doing their ritual exercise.

  Mystic Tides was scrolled in white along the windowpane next to a witch sitting on a broom. Sunlight danced off the crystals hanging in the window. A sign saying “Psychic Inside” was perched in full view.

  “You’ve got to be kidding me.”

  “In and out, try not to piss her off, and keep it professional,” Cappy said. “Beck, since you’re the rookie, it’s time you get your first taste of Grey Sinclair because it definitely won’t be your last. You’ll keep her occupied while we handle the rest.” Cappy grabbed his clipboard and slid out of the truck.

  Josh rubbed his hands together. “This should be fun.”

  Beck followed the others into the eclectic shop. The store didn’t shock him. Crystal balls, Buddha figurines, and the smell of sage and incense were like home to him, having grown up around all that crap. He kept his face unreadable and his mouth shut.

  He walked farther into the room, his eyes trained to scan the room for all possible exits and fire extinguishers, things that would help and not hinder his job.

  “Cappy,” a woman called out in a soft, sultry voice as she rounded the counter.

  Beck watched as the little redhead approached the captain. A smile split her lips, and her emerald eyes sparkled with mischief. A surge of need shot through him at first glance. When her flowery perfume floated across the room and drifted to his nose, he closed his eyes and inhaled. What the hell had he walked into? His body’s reaction to her was instant and undeniable.

  This isn’t happening. Not here, not now.

  Her leather pants hung low and loose on her hips, and the corset pushed her perky breasts up, giving all of the guys a glimpse of her creamy skin fighting the constrains of the seams. Keep moving. Keep moving, he repeated in his head. But his feet felt as if they were stuck in concrete, and his body ignored his command. Damn.

  “Sparky,” Beck whispered beneath his breath, drawing her gaze to his.

  Her brow lifted as she took her time perusing his body from his boots to the top of his head.

  “Hmm.” She cocked a brow before her smile widened as she turned back to the captain.

  “It’s always a pleasure, Grey. We’ll be as quick as possible so we don’t have another incident like last time.”

  “Well, dogs and I don’t get along. You didn’t know.” She chuckled. “I’m glad he’s all right. You’re welcome to look around, Cappy. The pleasure’s all mine.” She lifted her arms to encompass the room. “Have at it, boys. I know the drill.” She wiggled her hips and held Beck’s gaze.

  Beck took another leisurely look down her body, all the way to her painted toenails and back up to her face, only stopping briefly at her chest.

  “Way to be professional.” Josh chuckled, knocking Beck’s shoulder as he passed. “I’ve got the top.”

  “You always do,” Grey teased and winked at Josh before she turned around to go back behind the counter.

  Cappy tilted his head for Beck to follow as he walked over to the counter. “Grey, this is Beck Marshall. Beck, this is Grey Sinclair. She and her cousins own this store, and she’s a descendent of the town’s founding family.”

  “I heard the founders were all...unique.”

  “Unique?” Grey’s smile slipped, and her playfulness disappeared. She pressed her lips together and narrowed her eyes. “Is that your way of saying crazy?”

  “I’m sure he didn’t mean it that way, Grey.” Cappy gave Beck a quick shake of his head. “He’d never talk that way about his new neighbor.” Cappy lifted his clipboard as he walked away, leaving them alone. “Let’s make this quick, boys.”

  Beck noted the urgency in Cappy’s voice. Pissing off the little redhead might not have been a great idea, but damn it was fun.

  “You in the two-story on the beach?” Beck asked, changing the subject.

  “Yep. I guess you rented Helena-Marie’s property next door?”

  “I sure did.”

  “Nice tattoo. Is that a Celtic design?”

  She rolled her eyes. “It’s a trinity circle with a heart. I designed it for me and my cousins.”

  “Nice.” His eyes roamed from her slender arm down to her chest. When he realized he was staring, he lowered his gaze to the glass display.

  He kept his expression neutral when he noticed the mystical items in the case. Pendants for everything from protection to love and money were on display. One specifically stood out, making him blink to make sure he wasn’t imagining the little jewel. He rubbed at the mystical, one-of-a-kind pendant out of sight beneath his shirt. It had been forged specifically for him in a design he’d never seen before or since. The familiar weight lay heavy against his chest. He pointed into the case at the identical replica of his one-of-a-kind pendant. The only difference between this one and his was the color. The one on display was ruby red. His brow creased.

  “Where did you get that?”

  Grey shrugged one of her petite shoulders. “I’d have to ask my cousin. She’s all the time bringing in odd thin
gs, but I’m pretty sure Helena-Marie brought this little baby back from a trip she took a couple months back.”

  Beck held her stare, looking at the little spitfire in a new light. He couldn’t hide the confusion written on his face. An exact copy of his pendant lay in the case. It didn’t make sense. His mother and aunts had forged his with their own hands. It was virtually impossible that there’d been a duplicate made. The effects and spell were related to his gifts. Was it possible that this shop and these owners were even more than they appeared to be?

  “How much for the pendant?” He pointed to the one he wanted.

  She regarded him and reached into the case, pulling it out. Her lips quirked. “You mean this one?”

  “Yes,” he answered, and his playful tone changed to one of determination.

  As she held his gaze, he could see the fire in her eyes, along with determination, one that rivaled his own, written all over her face. She slid the black strand holding the mystical red pendant, which matched the blue one beneath his shirt, over her head. The lucky stone nestled between her breasts.

  She grinned. “It’s not for sale.”

  Beck held back his growl of frustration. He’d been warned about this woman. He should have listened to the others and possibly come back when one of the other cousins might have been working. Maybe then he wouldn’t have tipped his hand.

  “So. You own the store.” Beck cleared his throat and crossed his arms over his chest. “What’s your specialty? Medium, psychic, clairvoyant…jeweler?”

  Grey rested her crossed arms on the counter, pressing her breasts closer together. He held her gaze, refusing to take the bait and fall under her spell yet again.

  “Town bitch.” She smiled.