“Then why are you here?” I asked and my eyebrows raised at the slightly embarrassed look on Aidan’s face.
“Looking for you,” he repeated.
“I’m going to need a little more information than that,” I replied, crossing my hands in front of my chest with a frown. Seriously, what was with this guy? And why couldn’t he answer a simple question?
Aidan dragged a hand down his face with a frustrated sigh.
“I wanted to ask you out,” he finally said. “For a drink.”
“You stalked me through a forest to ask me out?” I couldn’t help the peal of laughter that exploded out of me and Aidan scowled.
“I didn’t think it was that horrible of an idea,” he muttered as I laughed. After a few more seconds of near-hysterical laughing, I finally managed to get a grip on myself.
“I’m sorry,” I gasped. “I’m not laughing at you, I promise. You just caught me by surprise.”
Aidan quirked an eyebrow. “Surprise?” he asked. “You’re an attractive woman, Heidi. Why would it be surprising that someone wanted to ask you out?”
My cheeks flushed at his compliment, despite the fact that I was still unsure of whether or not I could completely trust him. Since the divorce, I hadn’t even considered dating. As a matter of fact, I had sworn off dating entirely, figuring I’d just spend the rest of my life as a single woman. Relationships were messy and I wasn’t sure I could handle another attachment after leaving my ex-husband. Especially if he turned out to be a cheating jerk, too. But as I stared at Aidan, I felt something like hope spark in my chest, hope for something better than what I had with Josh.
Slow down, Heidi. You don’t even know this guy. And he did just stalk you through a forest like a creeper.
I shook my head, trying to clear the mushy thoughts from my mind.
“Who are you really, Aidan?” I managed to ask. “And who do you work for?”
For all I knew, he could be lying about all this in an attempt to lure me into a false sense of security. I needed to keep my guard up.
“You don’t know?” Aidan asked and he actually looked surprised.
“Know what?” I replied, more confused than ever. Aidan frowned as if he wasn’t expecting my response.
“Graves Private Eye works for the Order, the organization in charge of tracking and policing all magical entities throughout the world.”
My head spun. The Order? Was this the “higher power” that Lilith was talking about earlier? Whatever it was, it sounded ominous.
“There are several divisions that work for the Order,” Aidan continued. “And I’m in one of them. We’re in charge of investigating any paranormal or magical occurrences that attract the public’s attention. It’s the Order’s goal to keep magic out of the public eye as much as possible. My division assesses any potential threats and deals with them accordingly.”
I could barely keep up with the information Aidan was giving me. It was almost too much to process, especially since I hadn’t even known about the existence of magic until a couple of days ago. Even though Lilith had mentioned it during our brief conversation, the fact that there was a secret organization in charge of tracking magic throughout Clover Pointe still boggled my mind.
I really needed to sit down.
Seeing as there weren’t any cushy chairs around, I picked the most comfortable-looking tree root and nearly collapsed onto it. Aidan reached for me again, but I batted his hand away.
I wasn’t quite ready to trust him, yet. Especially if it turned out that he was in any way connected to Lilith Blackwater. Something told me that she was totally the type to bribe people into doing her bidding.
“We have special devices that can detect magical energy,” Aidan explained. “It makes tracking you a lot easier.”
Tracking? So, he really had been stalking me. Great. My vision spun and I stuck my head between my knees in an attempt to prevent a full-blown panic attack.
“You’ve been on our radar for about a year,” Aidan said softly. “I assumed you already knew about your powers and were just trying to keep them a secret. I tried to play along at the coffee shop.”
“Nope,” I panted, trying to regulate my erratic breathing. “I had absolutely no idea until a couple of days ago.”
When I was certain that I wasn’t going to pass out -- or puke -- I lifted my head and met Aidan’s sympathetic gaze.
“It’s a lot to process, I know,” he said, and I barked out a hoarse laugh.
“That’s a bit of an understatement.”
Thankfully, the pressure in my chest had started to lessen and my knees had stopped wobbling enough that I felt like I could stand again without falling right back down. Aidan offered his hand once more and, this time, I took it, allowing him to pull me to my feet. My magic stayed mercifully quiet and I was proud that my cheeks didn’t flush at the contact. Small victories.
“You said someone was trying to kill you?” he asked, letting go of my hand.
I still didn’t know if Aidan was secretly working for Lilith or not, but the forest was getting darker and darker, and, at this point, I was sure that I wouldn’t be able to make it out without a guide. For the moment, I had to trust Aidan. And hope that he didn’t plan on murdering me.
“I was attacked by some sort of demon,” I told him. “Crazy sharp nails, glowing eyes, red hair that moved like snakes.” I wiggled my fingers to illustrate and Aidan grimaced.
“Sounds like a demon,” he said.
“And she flung ice spikes at me,” I continued. “Which shattered both my windshields and dented my car door. Oh, and almost killed me.”
Aidan’s grimace deepened.
“Any idea why a demon would be after you?” he asked. “They can be nasty creatures, but usually they don’t attack unprovoked.”
“I have a theory,” I replied. “But I need a favor, first.”
Aidan raised an eyebrow.
“Help me get to my mom’s house,” I said. “It’s just north of here, up the hill. I need to make sure she’s safe. I’m afraid the person who sent the demon after me will try to go after her next.”
Aidan nodded, his mouth set in a grim line.
“Sounds fair to me,” he said. “My car’s just a little way away.”
Gratefully, I followed him through the trees. Even in the evening light, I could still make out his outline and I couldn’t help but notice that he didn’t have a weapon holster.
“How are you supposed to defend yourself against a murderous demon if you don’t have a weapon?” I asked. Aidan briefly turned to glance at me over his shoulder, his teeth flashing white in the dark.
“I have my ways,” he said. I huffed and resisted the urge to flash an unfriendly hand gesture in his direction.
“Do you have magical abilities, too? Or do you just beat monsters into submission with your bare hands?”
Aidan just chuckled at my sarcasm and my cheeks flushed in response.
Calm down, Heidi, I told myself sternly. He’s just a guy.
A smoking hot guy who may or may not be strong enough to fend off demons with his bare hands. I swallowed and fanned myself a little.
Dark shadows stretched across the forest floor and it was getting harder and harder for me to see. Aidan seemed to know where he was going, though, and we eventually pushed through the last of the trees and wound back up at the bottom of the hill. I did a quick scan of the horizon, making sure Lilith’s minion hadn’t stuck around. I breathed a sigh of relief when I couldn’t see her SUV parked at the top of the hill. In the distance, I could barely make out my car and I was surprised at how far away we were. I had gone farther through the forest than I originally thought.
Aidan’s blue Sedan was parked a couple of feet away from the edge of the forest and I gratefully slumped into the passenger seat as soon as he opened the door for me.
“Painkillers are in the glove department,” he said, getting behind the steering wheel. “And I have some ointment for the scratc
h on your face if you want it.”
I gently felt around my cheek and winced when my finger brushed over a single cut. Thankfully, it didn’t seem that deep, but it stung like hell.
“Yes to the ointment,” I said. I opened up the glove department and dug around until my hand connected with a little pill bottle. With a murmur of thanks, I took the water bottle Aidan offered me and swallowed down the medicine. He handed me a small, silver tin next and an all-too-familiar scent washed over me. I couldn’t help but laugh and Aidan raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
“Are you finally losing it on me, Heidi?” he asked with a playful smile.
“Jury’s still out on that,” I responded, taking the tin from his hand. “This is the same balm my mom gave me for my knee the other night. I guess you both know Trixie.”
Aidan’s eyes brightened.
“Trixie Smith,” he said. “I don’t know what she puts in all her concoctions, but they work miracles.”
“Is she a witch, too?” I asked curiously and Aidan shook his head.
“Not that I know of,” he said. “Never got any energy readings off her. I guess she just knows her way around homemade remedies.”
I took a little of the balm and applied it to the cut on my cheek. Almost immediately, the sting went away and was replaced by a pleasant tingle. I rolled up both of my pant legs and applied a little to my knees.
“Is it possible that the devices you use to detect magic could be wrong sometimes?” I asked, handing the balm back to Aidan. He shoved it into the front pocket of his shirt with a shrug.
“Maybe,” he said. “Maybe not. They’ve always been accurate before, but like I said, sometimes things slip through the cracks.”
As Aiden started up the car, I wondered about my mother. If we truly did descend from a long line of powerful witches, it didn’t quite make sense that the magic would skip her entirely. I thought about what Lilith had said earlier, that magic sometimes took a long time to manifest. It was certainly a possibility that my mom’s magic hadn’t manifested yet.
“Do you need to get anything from your car?” Aidan asked, drawing me out of my thoughts.
“I should get my cell phone and purse,” I said.
With a nod, Aidan pulled a quick U-turn and headed in the direction of my car. As we approached, I winced at the sight of the shattered windshields. Aidan let out a low whistle when his car’s headlights illuminated the large dent in my driver’s side door.
“You’re lucky you didn’t get killed,” he said, pulling to a stop. I swallowed hard and fought back the hysterical laughter that threatened to burst from my throat.
Hoping that my purse hadn’t been stolen while I was hiding in the forest, I got out of Aidan’s car and leaned over the front seat of my car, trying to avoid the broken glass shards that had fallen there. I sent up a silent prayer of thanks when I saw my purse sitting safely on the passenger side floor. I snatched it up and walked as quickly as I could back to the safety of Aidan’s car.
“Damn, my phone’s dead,” I said, tapping at the screen. The low battery signal blinked back at me pitifully.
“I hope this car can go fast,” I told Aiden, throwing my phone back in my purse. “My mom’s house is at the top of the hill, at the end of the road. I need to make sure she’s safe. Sooner rather than later.”
“Got it,” he said, throwing the car into drive.
I was a little skeptical that we’d be able to make it back up the steep hill without stalling or getting stuck, but both Aidan and his car seemed determined. We crested the hill in no time and were back on the road, speeding towards my mom’s house.
“So, are you going to tell me who you think is after you?” Aidan asked, expertly navigating the sharp turns of the road as we got closer to my mom’s house. I bit at my fingernails, feeling conflicted.
On one hand, Aidan had essentially saved me from wandering around the forest for hours in the dark. On the other hand, the jury was still out on whether he was actually on my side. For all I knew, he could still be waiting for the perfect opportunity to kill me.
Oh, what the hell. It’s not like I have much of a choice, anyway. Plus, I need all the potential allies I can get right now.
“Lilith Blackwater,” I finally said. “And I don’t think she’s after me. I know she’s after me. Did you know that she wants to rule over Clover Pointe like some evil, witchy queen?”
Aidan grimaced and relief washed over me at the look of genuine disgust on his face.
“I’m assuming this isn’t news to you?” I asked.
“Lilith is an old and powerful witch,” he replied. “We’ve been keeping an eye on her for years. I knew she was bad news and that we’d have to deal with her power-hungry nature soon. I just didn’t think it would be this soon.”
He glanced over at me. “Why is she after you, specifically?”
“Even though she’s powerful, she isn’t powerful enough to control the minds of everyone in Clover Pointe,” I said. “My family’s magic is as powerful as hers, if not more. Lilith thinks if we work together, we’d be able to take over the town easily.”
Aidan snorted, his gaze returning to the road.
“No way in hell would she consider ruling with someone else,” he said. “Most likely, she’d find a way to kill you as soon as she had Clover Pointe under her thumb.”
A wave of nausea rolled through me.
Even though Lilith hadn’t outright said it, a part of me suspected that was always the case. Someone like her definitely didn’t seem like the type to share power and Aiden just confirmed it.
The car slowed as we finally reached the end of the road leading to my mom’s house.
“Is this it?” Aidan asked, squinting out through the windshield. “It’s pretty dark. Does your mom usually stay out this late?”
My stomach plummeted in dread.
“No,” I said, quickly unstrapping my seatbelt and rushing from the car.
“Heidi, wait!” Aidan called after me, but I didn’t stop.
Ignoring the pain that shot through my legs, I raced across the driveway and past my mom’s parked car. The house was eerily dark and the hairs on my arms stood on end as my magic crackled to life in warning. Something was wrong. Horribly wrong.
I barreled through the front door, which was unlocked.
“Ma!” I shouted into the darkness. “Ma! Are you there?”
No answer.
I frantically searched for a light switch, and when the lights finally flickered on, I let out a low wail.
Someone had upended all of my mom’s potted plants. Shattered ceramic pots and dirt littered the floor, and I let out a choked sob at the sight of trampled flowers and herbs ground into the carpet. Books and papers were scattered everywhere and several of my mom’s ceramic figurines had also been smashed.
“Jesus.” I barely registered Aidan’s sharp exclamation as I fell to my knees.
“She’s gone,” I whispered, despair almost choking me. “Lilith took her.”
Chapter 12
“I know you’re upset, but we need to wait for backup.” I could barely hear Aidan’s voice over the rushing in my ears as we sped through the darkened streets of downtown Clover Pointe.
I knew in my gut Lilith would be holding my mother at the Olympia Country Club and the way my magic jolted through my head confirmed it. I could barely repress the static coming off me in waves as the radio in Aidan’s car crackled in and out. Tiny little sparks flew from my fingertips and Aidan gave me a sharp look.
“Did you hear me, Heidi? We need to wait,” he said.
“I’m not waiting.” The growl that escaped from my throat startled me. I was almost feral in my rage and the magic thrumming through my veins hummed its approval. If there was any chance that my mother was hurt, I needed to get to her as soon as possible. And hopefully fry Lilith in the process. Aidan scowled.
“You will wait in the car,” he ordered. There was a dangerous rumble in his chest that would have
had me cowering in fear under any other circumstances. But my magic wasn’t having it. More sparks flew out of my fingertips and Aidan seemed to have the sense to back off.
“At least let me go in with you on this suicide mission,” he grumbled, returning his gaze to the road. I nodded stiffly. I wasn’t sure how he planned on defending himself -- or me -- against the wrath of a hundreds-year-old witch and her demon minion, but it was a little too late to worry about it.
We pulled into the parking lot of the Olympia Country Club, which was empty save for the white SUV parked near the front.
So, the demon is definitely here. Great.
I could see a sickly green glow emanating from the windows on the bottom floor and my heartbeat sped up. Whatever that light was, it couldn’t be good, and I prayed that my mom wasn’t hurt.
“Are you sure you don’t want to wait for backup?” Aidan asked, a grim set to his mouth as he regarded the green glow. “I’ve never seen anything like this.”
“I need to save my mom,” I said, tears threatening to clog my throat. I had a feeling that this could very well end badly for me, but I couldn’t stand the thought of my mom being alone with Lilith for one more second. More sparks flew from my fingertips and I took a deep, steadying breath.
“Do you know any spells that could help you in a fight?” Aidan asked as we both got out of the car and rushed towards the front doors.
“I can light a candle,” I admitted reluctantly. Aidan froze and regarded me with an incredulous look.
“You can light a candle?” he asked, disbelief in his voice.
“Yes, that’s the extent of my knowledge. For now, anyway,” I said. “I’m hoping that my magic decides to flare up enough to distract Lilith. Hopefully by then your backup will have showed up and I can get my mom to safety.”
Aidan grabbed my elbow, stopping me in my tracks.
“I changed my mind,” he said. “I’m not letting you go in there. It’s too risky, especially when you don’t know how to protect yourself.”
I tried to pull my arm free, but he held fast, and my magic crackled dangerously.
My So-Called Magical Life Page 8
