Charmed Ever After (The Halloween LaVeau Series Book 6)

by Rose Pressey

  My mother glanced at me and her eyes widened. Her mouth dropped open. Something felt different now. Brent looked at me strangely. Suddenly, the room was all a-chatter. What was happening? My heart thumped and my stomach flipped. Something was definitely wrong.

  “What are you doing here?” His nostrils flared and his veins popped out on the side of his temples. When I looked at my mother again, she was herself. Annabelle’s appearance was back to normal too. The spell was broken and now we were in the middle of this room with all of the witches. Our true identity had been revealed. We were in big trouble now. It looked as if it was time for us to get out of there. I guessed our odds of escaping were pretty slim though.

  “Run,” I yelled as I jumped up from the chair. I helped my mother, practically pushing her toward the door.

  “Stop them,” Brent yelled.

  Suddenly arms stretched out toward us from every direction, reaching out to grab us. Someone made contact with the back of my shirt, but I managed to yank away. We had broken free from the back room now and were in the main part of the bar again. The space seemed a whole lot bigger than when we first entered. The door seemed a million miles away. People at the bar and around the room didn’t seem to notice us at first, but when we ran through the room with a bunch of other people running behind us it became apparent that something was wrong. My mother stumbled and I yanked her arm, practically throwing her out the door. Now we were back on the sidewalk.

  “Get in the car,” I screamed.

  I jumped in the backseat, lying down as my mother took off away from the curb. I couldn’t believe we’d gotten away. Her crazy driving skills left me clinging to the seat, trying not to be flung around like a t shirt in a washing machine.

  After a couple more minutes, I asked, “Is it safe to sit up yet?”

  “I don’t see anyone following us,” my mother said.

  I leaned up in the seat and looked out the back window. How would we know if someone was following us?

  After getting out of town, we decided to head back to LaVeau Manor. Brent had said Monique was there, so if I wanted to know more, I would have to go directly to the source. I wasn’t sure what we would do once we got there. Apparently, I never had a plan. There was more to Monique than she was letting me know and I had to find out.

  The closer we came to the manor the more anxious I became. The place used to feel like home, but now I was just confused.

  We were almost to the gated entrance.

  “What should we do now?” my mother asked.

  “I wouldn’t recommend pulling into the driveway,” Annabelle said. “That didn’t work out well the last time we did it.”

  “I think she would do more than call the police this time,” my mother said.

  “We should just wait outside for a while. See what she does,” I said.

  “Maybe she never leaves the place after sunset,” my mother said.

  “That would be a problem. I guess it wouldn’t hurt to watch the place for a little bit. If she doesn’t make a move in an hour or so we could think of another plan,” I said. “Go down just a bit and turn around.”

  “Headed that way.” My mother punched the gas pedal.

  “There’s a place on the side of the road where we can pull off. It would be down just enough that we can still see if anyone comes or goes.”

  “Will she see us?” Annabelle asked.

  “I don’t think so. It’s far enough away that she probably wouldn’t think to even look down that way. And since it’s going away from town, I doubt she would turn that way if she left, so we don’t have to worry about her catching us that way,” I said.

  It all sounded good in my mind, but I didn’t know if it would work that way in reality. The crickets chirped around us. No other cars passed. It was desolate and spooky. The moon peeked out from behind the gray clouds. If she came up behind the car out of nowhere we would all freak out. Needless to say, my anxiety was high.

  “Look, there’s a car leaving.” My mother pointed.

  The black car pulled out of the driveway and headed in the opposite direction. It looked just like the one we’d seen before, but I couldn’t be sure that it was the same one. I hadn’t gotten a good enough look at the car earlier since we’d been too far away. I wondered if they’d seen us sitting there. Surely they would have pulled up and confronted us if they’d seen us. Unless they just liked playing a game of cat and mouse.

  “What should we do?” my mother asked.

  “We need to follow them,” I said.

  My mother started the car and shifted it into gear. “If you say so.”

  Sure, I had my doubts, but I was willing to give it a try.

  My mother took off. “I hope she doesn’t realize that we’re following her.”

  “She deserves it after following us like that earlier,” I said.

  “How do we even know she’s in the car?” Annabelle asked.

  “I guess we won’t know for sure. Maybe we can get close enough. I have a feeling she’s in there,” I said.

  “If we can get close enough then maybe we can see her in the car,” Annabelle said.

  “Sure, but then she’ll be able to see us,” my mother said.

  “They’re going into town,” I said.

  It made me nervous to think that they might know we were following them. There was no telling where they would lead us to. We made a couple turns, trying to stay at a safe distance so they wouldn’t notice. Finally, they slowed down and then turned into the parking lot.

  “I think they’re going to the Bubbling Cauldron,” I said.

  “What should we do now?” my mother asked.

  “Find a parking space and we’ll go in too.”

  “Uh-oh, I hope this doesn’t end badly,” Annabelle said.

  “It’ll be okay, I promise.”

  The Bubbling Cauldron was the go-to nightclub for all the witches in Enchantment Pointe. I hadn’t been since losing my leader position. I hadn’t exactly felt like socializing. My mother parked the car along the street on the other side. We watched as Monique got out of the car with another dark-haired man. I’d never seen him before. Maybe that was the new Enchantment Pointe leader. I eyed the man up and down. It made me furious that he’d taken Nicolas’ job. We watched as they went into the bar.

  I wasn’t much for the night club scene, but occasionally I liked to let loose and dance.

  My other sat up in the seat. “Can we dance tonight? I want to get my groove on.”

  Annabelle’s mouth dropped.

  “I don’t think we have time for any grooving tonight,” I said.

  Annabelle snickered.

  “Maybe some other time,” my mother said.

  “Yeah, some other time.” I looked back at Annabelle and mouthed, “No way.”

  “I guess it’s safe for us to go in now,” I said.

  “I’m not really dressed for a nightclub.” My mother checked her reflection in the rear-view mirror.

  “I think it’s safe to say we all look like hell. At least I’m no longer a man,” I said.

  My mother and Annabelle laughed as we got out of the car.

  “Glad to know I’m still providing amusement for you all,” I said with a laugh.

  It was the first time I’d laughed in a long time and it didn’t last long.

  I had no idea what we would do once we got inside. I hoped it didn’t turn into some kind of huge embarrassing scene. But we were going to sort this out once and for all.

  There was a small line when we reached the front entrance. We were the last in that line. No one waiting outside seemed to recognize me. Not that I thought they should. It seemed like many years since I’d been the leader.

  I shifted from foot to foot. “I’m exhausted.”

  “Me too.” My mother rubbed her back.

  It had been a long day and I was no closer to locating Nicolas or Liam. The longer they were gone the harder it would be to find them. Finally, the line moved and we w
ere at the door. The muscular man held his arm out, stopping us from entering.

  He looked us up and down. “I’m afraid the club is full.”

  I looked over his shoulder through the open door. “I can see in there and it doesn’t look like it’s full.”

  “That’s not for you to decide now, is it?” He crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  “Are we seriously being kicked out?” I asked.

  “Technically, we haven’t allowed you in, so you can’t be kicked out.”

  “Oh, good, a wiseass,” I said.

  Calling him names probably did nothing to help our cause.

  “Sorry, there’s nothing I can do.” He motioned for the people behind me to go inside.

  “You just said it was full. Why are you allowing them to go inside?” I gestured.

  “They had reservations,” he said with a smug smile.

  “Reservations, my patootie,” my mother said.

  It looked as if this was getting us nowhere.

  “Come on, ladies, let’s get out of here.” My mother motioned.

  I felt eyes focused on me. When I glanced inside the club, I spotted Monique. She glared at me. Then she started across the dance floor.

  That was when I remembered the dress. Maybe it wasn’t such a good idea to have a confrontation with her right now. Not until I figured out what was going on with the trunk and the dress.

  I grabbed Annabelle and my mother’s arms. “Let’s hurry.”

  I knew she’d be out of there and after us in no time. We hurried down the sidewalk and then across the street.

  Chapter 17

  I wasn’t sure how safe we were even in the car. When I looked over at the Bubbling Cauldron, Monique was standing outside the entrance. She glared at us as we drove by. A couple other men were standing beside her. I was pretty sure that one of them had been at my mother’s place earlier. That didn’t surprise me at all.

  She lifted her arm in order to cast a spell our way, but my mother pulled away quickly. Thank goodness for her crazy driving skills. Otherwise we might have been zapped by who knew what kind of spell.

  “Whew. Thank goodness we got away from there,” Annabelle said.

  “She really has it out for me,” I said. “And I don’t know why because she already has the book.”

  “I think you have something else she wants,” my mother said.

  “But what?” I asked.

  “I don’t know, but one thing, you can’t go back to the apartment. She’ll be looking for you there.”

  My mother was probably right and I didn’t want to go to Annabelle’s place and put her in danger. We no longer had the protection of the Underworld detectives.

  “You’ll just have to stay with me,” my mother said. “I’ll send a friend over to get your things and Pluto.”

  Great. Now I had gone back to this… living with my mother. Maybe I could get another twenty cats to complete my identity. We pulled up to Annabelle’s place.

  “Are you sure you don’t want to stay with us at my mom’s?” I asked.

  Annabelle shook her head as she climbed out of the car. “No, I’ll be fine. I just need to sleep in my own bed.” She walked toward her house.

  “If anything happens to her it’s totally my fault,” I said.

  My mother didn’t argue with me. Once at her home, I settled into my room… the guestroom. Well, it used to be my room, but now it had her exercise equipment and a bed crammed into the corner. Not even a little mint on the pillow. Maybe I was too used to being the innkeeper. My mother did have photos of me all over the house from various events that involved my leader status. Before I’d become the leader she just had pictures of the two of us together, her usually frowning because I’d just performed a bad spell. I guess she’d have to go back to those old photos. My mother’s friend had brought over Pluto. I was happy to be reunited, though he didn’t seem impressed other than knowing I had food for him. He slept at the end of the bed, curling up in a ball.

  Immediately I pulled out the book and started working on the spells. It was all I had to ease my stress at the moment. As I wrote the next spell I wondered if I should try a little one. Maybe just a small spell wouldn’t hurt. My mother had done so well with the one that I’d written in this down that maybe this book really would help me.

  I recited the words and waved my hands in the air. The lights zoomed around the room and it looked like it was going well so far. Maybe I should have tried a spell a lot sooner. I wanted to see if it would guide me to Nicolas and Liam.

  I’d just finished the spell when my mother screamed. She yelled for me and I knew that something had gone terribly wrong. Why did I even bother with spells? I jumped off the bed and hurried for the door and then down the hallway. My thoughts raced as I ran for her. What if the leader had gotten into the house and attacked my mother? No one messed with my mother. Powerful witch or not… I would let Monique have it if she touched my mother.

  “Mom, what’s wrong?” I yelled. “Where are you?”

  “I’m in the living room. You have to come now.” Her voice was full of panic.

  “I’m coming,” I yelled.

  So I’d messed up another spell. When I reached the living room, I stopped in my tracks. There was a man sitting on the sofa. He looked at us and smiled, as if it was totally normal for him to be in her home. He had dark hair with a little bit of gray sprinkled in, blue eyes, and dimples. He was very handsome. I guessed he was probably in his late fifties. He wore a black suit, white shirt, and blue tie. Was he a salesman?

  “Whatever you’re selling buddy, we’re not buying. Come back at a normal time of day and maybe we’d consider it. I take that back, don’t come back. You broke into my mother’s house. You are bonkers. I will have you tossed out of here on your butt.”

  Okay, clearly I was a little wound up, but finding a strange man in the living room was enough to do that to anyone.

  My mother picked up her yellow and white polka-dot umbrella. Since it wasn’t raining, I assumed she was going to use this as a weapon. “Halloween LaVeau, can you tell me why there’s a man in my living room?”

  Did I have an answer for her? Absolutely not. I knew it was due to my spell, and she knew that too.

  “What spell have you cast?” She pointed the umbrella at him.

  The man held his hands up, but still hadn’t said a word.

  “I just wanted to find Nicolas and Liam. I thought a little one wouldn’t hurt.” I pinched my index finger and thumb together for a demonstration of size.

  “You should know a little one is just as bad as a big one.” She kept the polka-dotted weapon aimed at him.

  The man was still smiling at us.

  “Who are you?” I asked.

  He pushed to his feet and moved a little closer.

  I took a protective stance. I was ready to fight if he made one aggressive move. “Don’t come any closer.”

  My mother poked at him with the umbrella.

  “I don’t want to frighten you, ladies,” he said. “My name is Ben.”

  “Well, Ben, what are you doing in my mother’s living room?” I asked.

  He looked around the room. “And a lovely living room it is.”

  My mother and I stared at him.

  “Anyway, I’m here because of you. Your spell brought me here.”

  I’d had a feeling that was what had happened, although he could just be saying that because my mother had mentioned it. “But who are you? Where did you come from and why would my spell bring you here?”

  “I was hoping you could tell me,” he said. “I don’t know why you brought me here.”

  “Do you know Nicolas and Liam?” I asked.

  It was a long shot and maybe that was a ridiculous question, but I had to ask.

  “I’ve never heard of any Nicolas or Liam,” he said.

  “Well, you will have to leave,” my mother said as she glared at him.

  He flashed a handsome smile at her. “I�
�m afraid that can’t happen.” He moved back over to the sofa and sat down. “I have nowhere else to go.”

  “You can’t stay here, so you have to go.” My mother motioned toward the door.

  “I can’t do that. Now that the spell was cast I’m here to stay.”

  “I’ve never heard of a spell like that in my life. Of course you can leave,” I said.

  “Maybe you want to check your spellbook,” he said.

  I glared at him. “I don’t need your smart remarks.”

  My mother reached out and grabbed Ben’s arm, pulling him up from the sofa. “Come on, you’re leaving.” She rushed him over to the door.

  Ben practically grabbed the side table in the hallway to keep my mother from pushing him out the door. “I don’t want to go back out there. Don’t make me leave.”

  He was acting like a small child who didn’t want to go to school. I could tell him though that no matter what kind of hissy fit he threw, my mother would make him leave anyway. I never got to skip school and he wouldn’t get out of this.

  My mother shoved Ben out the door. He was still complaining as she closed the door in his face. She locked the door, looked back at me, and then blew the hair out of her eyes. “Well, that was weird.”

  “I feel a little bad for him. I’m the one who brought him here.”

  “So he claims,” my mother said. “He could be anyone. Maybe he’s just saying that. Monique could have sent him here.”

  “True, but wouldn’t he have done something to us when he had the chance?” I asked.

  She shrugged. “I suppose.”

  I moved over to the door and peeked out the little side window. My mother looked out the other window. Ben was still standing on the front porch. He looked like a lost little puppy.

  “Look at him standing out there. Do you think he’s hungry?” I asked. “I think it’s going to rain. Maybe you could give him that umbrella you almost impaled him with.”

  “I know what you’re doing, Halloween,” my mother said.

  “What? I’m just talking. I do feel sorry for him though.”

  She waved her finger at me. “You are too kind for your own good. This is why I always worry about you. You don’t always make the best decisions. You do things like this all the time.”