Tequila for Two: An Althea Rose Mystery (The Althea Rose Series Book 2)

by Tricia O'Malley

  “Interesting. I’m sure there’s a need for it here,” Horace replied, running one hand lightly up and down a large wooden staff he carried.

  “It pays the bills,” Miss Elva quipped, and I almost smiled.

  “Indeed. Well, you’ve shown up a little late, Althea. I’m not sure if you’ll have time to give any readings before our ceremony.”

  Oh darn.

  I shrugged. “I’m sorry. I told you I would have to check my schedule, and I was booked solid today. Maybe next time you could call ahead.”

  Horace didn’t seem to like that, and he raised his staff a little in my direction. Without thinking, I put a mental shield up, something my mother had taught me how to do a long time ago, for protection in case anyone tried to mentally harm me. At the time, I hadn’t really understood why anyone would do that, but she had insisted that I study it anyway. And, I’m sad to say, this isn’t the first time I’ve had to raise my shield.

  I felt Horace’s energy bounce off my mental shield and he winced slightly as I sent it back to him twofold, all while smiling brightly at him.

  His eyes narrowed.

  “Horace, have you heard about the murder last night?”

  Luna and Miss Elva both sucked in a breath; I imagined they would’ve pummeled me if they could have.

  “I have. Terrible tragedy,” Horace said immediately. Screw this, I thought and reached out to scan his thoughts.

  I was surprised when all I found was a black hole of nothingness. No thoughts, No emotions. No memories.

  I’d never encountered such a thing before.

  “It is. We’re all praying for the poor man’s family,” Miss Elva said, effectively ending the conversation.

  “Of course. We’ll be sure to send a prayer to the gods and goddesses to protect his spirit and ask that it be given to the light,” Horace said smoothly. He glanced up at the sky to the see the last of the sun fading at the horizon, leaving the sky in darkness.

  “I must be starting the ceremony soon. Follow me.”

  I was fairly certain that was an order, and looked quickly at Luna for confirmation on what to do. She shrugged and nodded.

  “I don’t like that man,” Rafe muttered in my ear as we followed Horace through the throngs of people emptying out of tents and funneling towards what looked like a huge pile of sticks.

  “You and me both, Rafe.”

  CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

  “WHY CAN’T I question him about the murder?” I hissed to Miss Elva as we fell behind Horace, his horns visible among the crowd of people heading for the ritual space.

  “Child, that man is not going to give you any information.”

  “Do you think he did it?”

  “I think he’s just about capable of anything. Horace is bat shit crazy.”

  “I tried to read his mind.”

  Miss Elva swung her head to look at me.

  “What did you find?”

  “Nothing. Not a thing. No memories, no thoughts. It was like a yawning abyss of nothingness.”

  “He blocked you,” Luna said, overhearing our conversation.

  “I blocked him,” I corrected Luna.

  “Blocked him from what?” she asked.

  “He tried to send some sort of energy at me. Actually, I got the feeling he wanted to take from my energy. You know, like a psychic vampire? So I blocked him the way Mom taught me when I was younger. He knew it, too. I sent it back at him and he didn’t like it.”

  Luna and Miss Elva stopped, giving each other looks before turning to me with matching postures, their hands on their hips.

  “What?” I asked, genuinely confused.

  “Child, you sure know a lot more magick than you are letting on about,” Miss Elva said, clearly annoyed with me.

  “No kidding. What the heck, Althea?” Luna asked, perturbed.

  “I do?”

  “Yeah, that’s some higher level magick there. Blocking is one thing. Sending it back at him is another. I think Abigail and I need to have a talk,” Luna said, speaking of my mother.

  “I honestly didn’t know I was doing magick. I thought that was just something you did to protect yourself from people stealing your power,” I exclaimed. I was really beginning to get annoyed with everyone keeping me in the dark on things.

  “Explain to me how she taught you,” Miss Elva demanded.

  “Right now?” We were nearing the edge of the circle, and I realized that huge pile of sticks was meant to be for a bonfire of sorts.

  “I think we’re going to need it,” she said and I whipped my head around, watching as Horace began to circle the pile of sticks.

  “You think he’ll take your power?”

  “I think he’s going to try,” Luna agreed.

  “Don’t you know any protection spells?”

  “We do, but you already beat him at his own game. So I want to know what you did specifically,” Luna said.

  I thought back to what my mother had taught me when I was younger.

  “It’s kind of tricky, now that I think about it. Essentially it’s like you have to let his power in for a brief second, almost as if you’re tasting it, getting the flavor of it, you know? Then you counteract that particular flavor with whatever would be the power that would send it away – um, shoot, I’m not explaining this very well – like the opposite power,” I said, stumbling over my words.

  “So if his power is black licorice you would fight it with seafood,” Luna mused.

  “Or if his power was mud on the floor you’d use Mr. Clean,” Miss Elva said.

  “Yes! Like that. But you double up on it and kind of rubber-band it back, so it hits him twofold. You’ll end up taking a ding out of his power while yours stays intact.”

  I really couldn’t believe all the words that were coming out of my mouth. All those years spent listening at my mother’s knee were starting to pay off.

  “So Abigail must be magick,” Luna mused, as we moved forward into the crowd.

  “I think she and I need to have a conversation sometime soon,” I agreed.

  “Where is she now?”

  “Probably Ireland. September,” I mused and then paused. “Huh, maybe she is a witch if she always heads to Ireland for the September equinox.”

  Luna slapped her hand to her forehead and shook her head at me. “I can’t believe that I haven’t picked up on this from her. Or that you haven’t.”

  Okay, perhaps I’m not the most observant person. But it wasn’t like my mom had said she was a witch. I just knew she was one of the best psychics in the world. The two are not synonymous.

  Nor are they mutually exclusive.

  Rolling that new thought around in my brain, I followed Luna and Miss Elva as we flowed with the crowd around to where Horace was pacing by the pile of sticks. Then two of his henchmen – can I call them that? I’m calling them that – used large torches to set the structure alight. It was all very primal, and as the flames licked along the wood, a sense of foreboding snuck over me.

  “Guys, let’s stay back behind everyone,” I whispered as a hush fell over the crowd and drums began to beat in unison. It was a weird, pulsing, rhythmic beat and I began to feel the sound reverberate through me as voices took up a chant.

  “Is this normal?” I hissed to Luna, and she turned and smiled at me.

  “So far, yes. Drums and chanting are very much a part of Pagan rituals. So far, so good. It’s Horace we need to keep an eye on.”

  So I kept my eyes on Horace as he began to address the crowd. As speakers went, he was fairly animated, and I could see the wave of charisma pouring off him as he spoke to his audience. It was easy to see why this man had cultivated so many followers of his radical offshoot to the traditional Pagan religion. I began to wonder where the “radical” part came in, because Luna seemed to think that most of what we’d seen today was status quo for a Pagan festival.

  “And now, I’d like to bring forth three special guests.”

  I was jerked out of my tho
ughts and my mouth dropped open to see Horace with both his arms extended, welcoming us forward as the crowd parted around us. The fire danced behind him, illuminating the horns but keeping Horace’s eyes in shadow as the chanting rose and people began to push us forward.

  I’d just discovered the radical part.

  CHAPTER NINETEEN

  THE CROWD SURGED excitedly around us, people chanting and cheering as we were pushed forward to where Horace stood. The cheers were good-natured and people seemed to be looking forward to the main ceremony of Mabon with excitement. I suspected we were the only ones with any sort of distrust towards Horace.

  “I know you didn’t just put your hand on my cloak,” Miss Elva scolded an over zealous man wearing a nothing but a white linen maxi skirt and a crown of laurel leaves.

  He raised his hands. “It’s all good,” he said.

  “It most certainly is not. These crystals are hand sewn,” Miss Elva said, and with a glittery swirl of her cape, she left the man gaping behind her. I shrugged my shoulders helplessly at him as I passed.

  You don’t mess with Miss Elva’s cloak.

  Horace turned, his hands raised high in the air, to quiet the crowd. The drums continued, now with a softer rhythm, so when his voice rang out across the crowd, it seemed to hold an ominous undertone. The flames flickering behind him coupled with the light from the full moon created an eerie backdrop.

  “Brothers and sisters, I want to provide a special welcome for our guests,” Horace intoned, his horns bobbing wildly on his head as he shouted to the crowd. Alarm bells started ringing in my head and I saw Miss Elva’s hand tighten into a fist.

  “We are so lucky to have such esteemed guests with us today,” Horace continued, a maniacal smile on his face, his eyes catching the light of the fire.

  “Please welcome Luna, Tequila Key’s own white witch; Althea, a psychic and sorceress; and the one and only – Miss Elva, the most famous voodoo priestess in all of Florida!”

  My mouth went dry as our identities were outed and the crowd cheered in welcome.

  Here’s the thing: I don’t hide the fact that I’m a psychic. I mean, I make my living from it. But Luna doesn’t let on that she’s a white witch to anyone except her fellow Wiccans and her closest friends. Chalk up another check mark in the naughty column for ol’ Horace. He’d also clearly known who Miss Elva was and had pretended only he hadn’t. My distrust for Horace grew.

  Twice now I’d been referred to as a sorceress. While I appreciated the elevation of my humble title of psychic to something much more glamorous, I was going to have to have a talk with Luna when this was all over.

  For now, I focused my attention back on Horace, my shoulders tensed as I waited for whatever would come next.

  “Blessed be, my followers,” Horace began, reaching his arms high to the sky again as he began to hop gently from one foot to the other, each footfall in time with the beat of the drum.

  I thought it was interesting that he called the Pagans his followers. From what I knew of the Pagan religion, festivals were put on collectively by a council each year and while there was a Master of Ceremonies of sorts, the group followed a religion, not a person. Which just goes to show the power of a charismatic, fanatical, and highly egotistical leader, I thought, almost rolling my eyes but catching myself because Horace was watching me.

  “Tonight, we honor our Gods and Goddesses of above and of below, as in this moment day and night are equal forces and darkness begin its ascendancy.”

  Luna whipped her head around to meet my eyes.

  “I’m assuming this isn’t normal?” I whispered.

  “Not even close. He’s going to summon the darkness. Protect yourself, now,” Luna ordered and I saw Miss Elva nod in my direction.

  I watched as Horace began to cast a circle, invoking the watchtowers I’d learned the other night on the beach. I noticed that he cast the circle smaller, around himself and the three of us, while the crowd of people remained outside of it.

  “I think this is the part in the movies where we’re supposed to run,” I said to Miss Elva. She just shook her head at me, her eyes wide in her face.

  “Don’t break the circle, Althea. We’re in this now.”

  Crap, I thought as I dug my toe into the dirt, wondering if my cell phone would work out here. I had stashed it in my bra, ‘cause I’m smart like that. Okay, well, maybe not, but I was trying to be better about learning from past experiences.

  “Be here, oh gods and goddesses of the darkness, and bless us with your presence,” Horace intoned, his voice a low monotone. The beat of the drum picked up as he turned to the crowd and began to chant.

  “Hoof and horn, hoof and horn,

  All who die shall be reborn.”

  I shivered at the words and cast a glance at Luna.

  “Not an atypical chant. It’s meant to celebrate the cyclical nature of life, but I don’t think that’s how Horace is using it. He keeps calling the gods of the dark, which is not a Pagan practice.”

  “I will now draw down the moon,” Horace called and the cheers rose. As the drumbeats intensified, I began to feel a pulsing energy pushing at me.

  “What the hell does that mean?” I hissed to Miss Elva.

  “It’s usually a way to communicate with the goddess, but he’s not going to do that. Ladies, protect yourselves. Immediately,” Miss Elva said, stepping one foot in front of us and spreading her cloak wide with her hands.

  Rafe buzzed around her head, worry etched across his face, as he trained his eyes on Horace.

  “Althea, do the bubble of white light,” Luna hissed and then closed her eyes; I could see her mouth moving as she chanted something to herself.

  The bubble of white light Luna was referring to was an imagery she had taught me earlier this month; in fact, it was one of the first things she had taught me when she figured out I had some magick in me. Essentially, all I had to do was envision a ball of white light surrounding me, while asking my angels to protect me. I’d tried it a few times before and found it to be fairly easy.

  My eyes flicked back to the chanting crowd. Guilt kicked up in my gut and I shook my head, hoping I wasn’t going to open myself to harm by including them in my vision. But I couldn’t just not protect them.

  Closing my eyes for a moment, I centered myself and took a deep breath, then envisioned a circular donut of white light, a hole in the middle where the fire and Horace stood, coming down and enclosing myself, Luna, Miss Elva, Rafe, and the entire crowd in its warm glow of protection.

  “Harm none,” I began to chant, not knowing if what I was saying was correct, but the intention was pure. Opening my eyes, I saw Miss Elva and Luna looking at me, surprise painted across their faces.

  I turned to watch Horace, trying to hold the donut of protection – so sue me, I like donuts – while he hopped ever more fervently from side to side, his horns bouncing back and forth, his chest thrust to the sky.

  “Oh goddess of the moon, shine light into darkness, and enter me now as I pull all power to me. Come within, come within, come within!”

  I gasped as I felt Horace fire a bolt of energy directly at me. It was much like what he’d done earlier, but tenfold the power this time. I finally realized what he was trying to do.

  “He’s trying to steal everyone’s powers,” I gasped, throwing my mental shield up as well as holding the protective donut strong. This was beyond ridiculous, I thought as a trickle of sweat snaked down my neck and beneath my dress.

  “A psychic vampire,” Miss Elva hissed.

  “He’s trying to steal our powers and summon powers from below. We’d better step back, now,” Luna insisted, as Horace’s eyes rolled back in his head and he began to speak in tongues, guttural snorts and spittle frothing from his mouth.

  I found myself unable to look away as we pressed backwards into the crowd, allowing ourselves to be swallowed by the people. This time, the crowd murmured angrily amongst themselves and a low rumble of protest began as Horace cont
inued to dance.

  “What’s happening?” I asked Miss Elva.

  “He was supposed to draw down the moon. It’s a ceremony used to contact one of the Goddesses. Instead he’s trying to take the power of those in the circle and of a demon. His ego has gotten the better of him.”

  I gasped and whipped my head around. “Luna! We broke the circle!”

  “It’s okay, I’ve got us,” Luna said, biting her bottom lip as sweat poured over her brow. I was momentarily distracted. Luna never sweats.

  The earth began to tremble beneath our feet and I won’t lie, I shrieked.

  “Hold your protection,” Miss Elva shouted and I focused.

  “Harm none, harm none, harm none,” I chanted, out loud this time, not caring who heard me.

  The earth shook, like an honest to god earthquake, and split. A flash of light, far brighter than any lightening, blinded us, causing the crowd to scream.

  Silence fell over the entire assembly for a single second.

  “Run,” Luna shouted.

  And run we did.

  CHAPTER TWENTY

  IT’S NOT LIKE I’m totally out of shape, but by the time we got to the car, I kind of felt like I was going to throw up. I’m blaming it on the humidity.

  “What the hell was that?” I shrieked, as Luna floored her Bug past the surprised man sitting at the registration table. Yes, that was twice in one day that I’d shrieked. Let’s not dwell on it too much.

  “That man is out of his damn mind,” Miss Elva puffed from the front seat, waving her hands at her face to cool herself down. Luna hit the button for the air conditioner as we barreled down the gravel road away from the festival.

  “Are you all right, my lovemountain?” Rafe asked and Miss Elva chuckled.

  “I like having him around,” she decided.

  “He’s all yours,” I insisted and Miss Elva laughed again.

  “Luna, what happened back there?” I asked, my breathing beginning to return to a slightly more normal pace, though my back was sticky with sweat.