My heart gave a tug at the mention of my parents. “I know you’re just trying to change the subject.” I looked around at my aunts, noting that not one would make eye contact with me.
“Looks like you’ve inherited her culinary skills,” laughed Beverly, though her face held traces of sadness.
“You could never teach Amelia anything,” commented Dolores as she eyed one of the simmering pots on the stove, angling her body like she was contemplating whether she should grab the pot and dump it.
“Her head was always in the clouds,” added Ruth, looking up at the ceiling as though she could see the sky through layers of drywall, subfloor, and roof shingles.
“Not in the clouds,” said Beverly. “She was thinking of Sean. It was always about Sean. Her world revolved around him. You could never get her to settle down and try to learn spells or anything to do with magic.”
Dolores sighed heavily through her nose. “If it didn’t involve Sean, she wasn’t interested.”
So true. And that also included me.
I’d come to terms with my mother’s lack of parenting skills over the years, her ignoring me as she worshiped the ground my dad walked on. She wasn’t perfect by any means, but she was my mother. It’s not like I could trade her in for another.
“Oh, I know what this is!” shrilled Beverly, her green eyes sparkling with delight. “You’re cooking for a man. Aren’t you?”
“You know what they say?” offered Ruth, her smile lighting up her face. “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.”
“No, it isn’t,” laughed Beverly. “Everyone knows the way to a man’s heart is how well you perform in the bedroom.”
“Spoken like a true tramp,” muttered Dolores, winning a glare from Beverly.
Yikes. This was getting ugly.
I wiped my forehead with the back of my hand. “Actually, this is for you.” My face grew warm from embarrassment. “Well,” I straightened. “This was my way of saying thank you for letting me stay with you for a while. I wanted to do something nice. You weren’t supposed to be back for another hour.” My shoulders sagged. “It was supposed to be a surprise.”
Dolores met my gaze, her eyebrows high on her forehead. “Oh, it is a surprise,” she laughed. “We have no idea what this is. What are you trying to make or are we supposed to guess?”
“Tofu avocado tacos,” I said. “I wanted to make dinner for you guys. Guess I should stick to making book covers, huh?”
“Nonsense.” Ruth came over and gave me a shoulder hug. “That was very generous and kind of you to want to do this, Tessa.”
“It was?” Dolores lifted the top of one of the pots and took a sniff, her face twisting. “More like trying to poison us.” She howled in laughter.
Ruth laughed. Beverly laughed. I laughed. It was better than crying.
“Should I throw this out, then?” Hands on my hips, I looked around. Jeez. It looked like a food fight, or that the kitchen had thrown up.
“Nonsense. We never throw away food. I think I can fix this.” Ruth pulled out an apron and tied it around her middle. “You should keep studying, Tessa. I can manage.”
I thought about protesting, but I knew Ruth could probably salvage my cooking.
“You went to see Marcus? Why?” I wiped my hands on my jeans, wondering if he’d called my aunts after my little temper tantrum. What a baby. That’s what he was. A giant, handsome baby, who needed a good ol’ spanking. I wouldn’t mind spanking his nice behind.
“To try and talk some sense into that thick skull of his.” Dolores pulled up a chair and sat at the kitchen table, looking like she’d want nothing better than to throw Marcus in the basement with the other men. “Bringing the Unseen in our town won’t solve anything.”
“More like scare everyone,” said Beverly as a glimmer of annoyance crossed her pretty face.
I nodded. “The demon. The wards. Do you have any idea who’s behind this?”
“Not yet,” answered Dolores.
“Did he mention me by any chance?” I regretted the words as soon as they spewed out of my mouth. What the hell was I thinking?
Dolores cut me a look. “No. Why?”
“No reason.” I popped a cherry tomato into my mouth so she couldn’t make me say anything else. Until I ate the tiny tomato.
“We’re not going to give up,” said Dolores still eyeing me, her dark eyes calculating like she was trying to read my mind. “The town might not pay us anymore, but it doesn’t change who and what we are. We swore an oath to protect our town. And we will. With or without their money or their help.”
“I was hoping you’d say that.” I was really looking forward to testing my newly acquired power words. A couple would work wonders on Marcus’s face.
Dolores tapped the table with her finger. “The town needs us, more than ever. We won’t let them down.”
“What about the Unseen?” I asked, my flash of excitement growing. “What are we going to do about them?”
The kitchen back door crashed open.
“Quick! Hide!” cried Ronin, his face flushed from what I suspected was running over here.
I searched his face. “Is this a weird town thing where we all join in a game of hide and seek?” I’d always known Hollow Cove was a little out there when it came to the town festivals. I wouldn’t be surprised if this was one of their regular activities.
Ronin shook his head. “The Unseen. They’re coming.”
Dolores let out an exasperated breath. “We know they’re coming, boy. You were there at the town meeting. This shouldn’t come as a surprise. You seem a bit slow for a vampire.”
“No.” He shut the door behind him and locked it. “They’re coming here. Like—right now.”
“Here?” I jumped forward, my heart thrashing in my chest like a jackhammer. “What are you talking about? Why would they want to come here?”
The vampire flicked a nervous gaze over us and then said, “They want Davenport House.”
14
You know that moment of shock where it feels like everything is at a standstill while you’re trying to process what you just heard because it just can’t be true? Well, it was happening.
My aunts and I stood still in the kitchen, staring at Ronin as though it was the first time we’d laid eyes on him. Silence soaked in, but I could almost hear my aunts formulating deadly plans in their heads.
Dolores straightened her back, pulling herself to her full height. “Ladies,” she said, and turned on her heel out of the kitchen, moving quickly down the hallway toward the front door.
Ruth raced to join her, not bothering to take off her apron. Beverly’s heels clicked on the hardwood floor as she hurried behind her sisters.
A wicked smile formed on my lips as I looked at Ronin. “Showtime,” I said and ran to catch up to my aunts.
“Why don’t I like the sound of that!” said Ronin running behind me.
My pulse thrashed at the thought of seeing my aunts do some serious magic. Yes, they might be a little gray-haired, their reflexes a little slow, but these witches were in their prime. They had years of knowledge and magical wisdom. Knowledge was power.
Dolores was the first at the door. It swung open on its own, as though an invisible butler had opened it for her.
I was nearly jumping out of my skin with excitement.
Dolores stepped on to the front porch with Ruth and Beverly on either side of her, a united front.
When I neared the doorway, a wave of energy hit me, like I’d stepped into a pool of cold water. My skin prickled from its strength. Power touched my skin like the flowing of a wild river—a strong, powerful, current. Their lips were moving, and their hands gesturing. My aunts’ clothes and hair lifted and moved in an invisible breeze. The hair on the back of my neck pricked at the sudden rise of power, a crapload of it.
They were witches, and their strength lay in their magic.
I stepped onto the porch and moved around them so I could get a cl
ear view of the action because there would be lots of it. When I had a clear view, my breath caught.
Below the front porch, standing on the flagstone path, was a cluster of five figures.
Dressed all in black, the only thing that stood out was the golden masks that hid their faces. They stood with a casual and predatory edge, the way a person stands when they know they have the upper hand in a battle.
The masks were a creepy touch. Though their faces were hidden behind them, they were shadowed but confident. Without the masks, I didn’t see what the fuss was about. Okay, two out of five looked like they were professional wrestlers, but the others weren’t so large. I was sure the last one on the left was female.
My breath came slowly, and I rocked forward on my boots, feeling the stir of adrenaline.
Ronin bumped into my side. “You’d think they were at a costume party,” he commented as he positioned himself next to me.
“Is there something I can help you with?” Dolores’s voice cut through the silence like a sledgehammer pounding on rock.
The largest of the Unseen, male no doubt, with a mass of long, wild red hair, broke from the rest and took a step forward. “We want your house,” said the Unseen, his voice thick and heavy like his body. “There’s no inn or hotel in this place. Your house is the largest here, and it has enough rooms for all of us. It’s the best house in your crappy little town. And we’ll take it.”
“At least he’s direct,” I mumbled.
“And stupid,” said Ronin.
“How did you know they were coming here?” I asked, keeping my eyes on the Unseen.
“I overheard them,” answered Ronin.
I raised a brow. “You were spying on them.”
The vampire flashed a smile. “It’s one of my many talents.”
“Davenport House is not for sale,” continued Dolores. “Best be on your way.”
The beefy Unseen’s shoulders rolled in laughter, and the others joined in, sounding like the cackles of wild hyenas. “We’re not here to buy it, old witch. We’re here to take it. The Unseen take what we want.”
My blood raced. My body was both hot and cold from the nerve of this giant SOB. “You’re even more stupid than you look in your faerie masks if you think you can take this house,” I growled.
Blue eyes flashed behind his gold mask as the same Unseen’s attention snapped to me. “What’s this? A little witch with little threats? You think you can scare me with your little voice?”
“Maybe not,” I said, my voice strong and bold, “but I can still kick your ass.”
At that, all the Unseen threw back their heads in laughter. Okay, that didn’t help my ego. But I didn’t care about my ego. I cared about this house. It was the only home I had, and no way were they taking it. Not without a fight.
The large Unseen tilted his head, and a red beard peeked beneath the mask. I heard him sniff the air. “Smells like you’re cooking something. I’m hungry. Haven’t had a good home-cooked meal in ages.” His eyes moved along my aunts. “I don’t want to have to kill three old ladies and a little mouse of a woman, but I will. The Unseen take what we want.”
My lips parted. “Did he just call me a mouse?”
Ronin snorted. “He did.”
There was a murmur of consensus among the Unseen and a snicker from the one I pegged as a woman. I would kick her ass first.
“Seeing as I’m in a very good mood tonight,” said the bearded Unseen. “I’m going to give you the chance to walk away.” He lifted his arms and gestured like we were too daft to understand the meaning in his words.
“You’ll be dead by the time you step onto this porch,” challenged Dolores. “Davenport House belongs to the Davenport witches. It will not be soiled by the likes of the Unseen.”
The big Unseen chuckled. “The house belongs to the one who can take it from you. That’s me”—he gestured behind him— “and that’s them.”
Beverly moved forward. “How dare you speak to us like this? Don’t you know who we are?”
The Unseen snickered. “No. And I don’t care. But you… on the other hand… are much older than I usually like my women… but I might make an exception. You have a pretty face. It won’t take long. That’s a promise.”
A volley of curses flew from Beverly’s mouth and she ended them with a spit on the floor, which only made the large Unseen laugh harder. Bastard.
Ruth braved herself forward. “Who do you think you are? You can’t barge in here with pitchforks and torches!”
The Unseen looked over his shoulder at his cronies. “We don’t have pitchforks or torches.”
“You know what I mean,” said Ruth, her cheeks bright pink. “This is private property. You’re trespassing.”
The Unseen took another step forward. “Oh my goodness!” he made a show of stomping his boot. “Look. I’m trespassin’ again. What are you going to do about it?”
“Listen here, Ginger,” I seethed and moved down the first step. “You’ve got balls coming here. I’ll give you that. But only the stupid would challenge the Davenport witches.”
Ronin let out a chuckle. “You can’t cure stupid.”
“Tessa, watch yourself,” said Ruth. “These guys don’t play by the rules.”
“Good.”
“They’ll kill you.”
No one was killing me tonight. “They can try.”
I focused my will and pulled on the raw energy of the surrounding elements. It answered. I felt it in the rain clouds that covered the night sky and felt it in the moving winds, in the earth, and in the roots of the ancient trees that surrounded our property. The energy of the elements interacted, moving as they waited for my command.
The same Unseen pulled a long gleaming sword from under his jacket. “I don’t think I like your tone, little mouse,” he said his voice making my skin crawl. “Pity that I’ll have to cut that pretty face of yours.”
“How about you take off the mask first,” I said, pulling on the energy of elements around me. A lot of energy waited to be used, up there, where the forces of ancient nature brawled and tumbled. Only a fool would tap into such power. That fool was me.
“Only a coward hides behind a mask,” I continued. “Is that what you are? A coward?”
The big Unseen shifted on his feet. I couldn’t see his face, but his body hardened in anger. He pounced, moving faster than I thought a man his size could move, his gleaming sword coming at me.
Words spilled from Dolores’s mouth. But I was faster.
“Accendo!” I shouted. A ball of fire sprouted from my palm and I sent it hurtling at the Unseen.
It flew straight over his head.
Whoops.
The Unseen spun around. Latin spewed out of his mouth, and a sphere of blue energy rose and caught my fireball, extinguishing it with a simple pop.
Crap. The red-bearded Unseen was a witch. Damn, I did not see that coming.
“Um. That was a serious airball, Tess,” expressed Ronin. “You might want to work on your aim.”
If I wasn’t occupied in a one-on-one witch duel with the Unseen, I would have punched Ronin in the face.
The beefy Unseen turned his ugly golden mask toward me. “My turn.” Was the only warning I got as he and his cronies sprinted toward us—
A gust of kinetic force blew from my aunts’ outstretched hands, hitting the five Unseen and sending them sprawling back to roll over our front lawn like tumbleweeds in an old Western movie. Impressive.
“Oh, darn. There go my rose bushes,” said Ruth, scorn ringing in her tone. “Now I’m really, really mad.”
“Be glad the thorns pierced their little parts,” smiled Beverly. And the three sisters snickered. Was there something about the roses I didn’t know?
The Unseen howled as they leaped from the ground, running their hands all over their bodies frantically—under their shirts and pants like they were trying to get rid of an itch that wouldn’t go away.
Ruth saw me watching and said, �
��Poison roses.”
“Ah.”
“What’s going on here?”
I looked past the Unseen to see Marcus marching up the flagstone path. His face was screwed up in anger, the light from the porch reflecting in his gray eyes. I was truly amazed that he looked that good when he was angry. Pretty people—so annoying.
“These old bags put a spell on us!” shrieked a female voice as she stood up, her arms a blur as she scratched her neck, her arms, and her chest, giving everyone a glimpse of her red bra and her thighs all at once.
“I knew it!” I raised my fist in the air, which at the time, I thought had been a good idea. But I lowered it at the scowl on Marcus’s face.
“You really know how to get on the guy’s bad side,” whispered Ronin. “I love it.”
Curses and hisses flew from the mouths of the Unseen as they got to their feet, their bodies twitching and fidgeting. It was an awesome sight.
“Ants in your pants?” smirked Ronin. “The hives that come with it are out-of-this-world disgusting. You’re going to love ’em.”
The red-bearded Unseen approached Marcus, his mask in his hand giving everyone a good look at his face, which was marred with nasty-looking rashes. Thick, red eyebrows were high on his forehead, and thin lines creased around his eyes and mouth, making him look to be in his mid-forties. But if this guy was a witch, he could be a lot older than that.
“We were just having an amicable discussion,” began the redhead, scratching his neck with his thick hand. “When these bags of bones”—he gestured with his mask at me and my aunts—“drew the first blow.”
Marcus looked up at the porch. “Is this true?”
Dolores let out a puff of air. “Only because these nitwits threatened to take our house!”
“Yeah!” agreed Ruth, and she stomped her foot like a little girl, getting a nod of approval from Beverly.
“Take your house?” Marcus turned his attention back on the Unseen with the beard. “Emmet? Did you try to take Davenport House? Please tell me you didn’t.”
Shadow Witch (The Witches of Hollow Cove Book 1) Page 10
