The woman popped up and said, “Oh my, it’s been so long!” And then squeezed Mara for all she was worth.
Confused, Mara hugged her back. Then, to Mara’s relief, the door swung open and there stood another woman, with the same copper hair as the porch witch, only taller.
The porch witch released Mara, clapped her hands and said, “Birdie, look! It’s Tillie come for a visit. After all these years!”
The woman frowned, adding a few more wrinkles to her mature face. “I am Birdie Geraghty and you, young lady, are not Tillie MacDougal.”
Just then, a tall girl with strawberry blond hair appeared, trailed by the biggest dog Mara had ever seen. He looked like Maramaduke. They were descending the stairs when something seemed to trip her. She lurched forward then leaned back to catch herself to no avail. Her feet flew out from under her and she bounced all the way down the stairs, landing on the hallway floor.
“What the hell?” the girl said and looked back up the stairs.
Birdie closed her eyes, composed her face, then introduced the girl. “This is my granddaughter, Stacy.”
Stacy stood up, brushing herself off, and joined them on the porch. “Birdie, why on Earth is there a toad jumping up the stairs? Please tell me it’s not for a special recipe.”
Mara and Gus looked at each other. “I didn’t see a toad,” Gus said, straight-faced. “Maybe the dog pushed you.”
Mara elbowed him and he rolled his eyes. “It was probably a shadow. Shadows can be tricky that way,” Mara said, clearing her throat.
Stacy gave Mara a funny look and turned toward the stairs for a final inspection.
Mara turned back to Birdie. “Tillie’s my great-aunt. I’m Mara Stephens. And this is my friend, Gus. Tillie…”
Birdie held up a hand to cut her off. She tilted her head, as if listening. “Tillie is…dead?” Birdie rolled her eyes and said to the witch on the porch, “Lolly, have you ever heard of anything so irresponsible? Now what are we supposed to do?”
Lolly shrugged.
“Aunt Tillie said we needed to be here, so you could have a full coven supporting you tonight.”
“I thought your Aunt Tillie was dead,” Stacy said, and then she lurched forward again as if something shoved her.
“Seriously, what the heck?” Stacy twirled all the way around to see what was poking her.
“She is dead,” Mara said, glancing at Birdie. “She just doesn’t let it stand in her way.”
Birdie turned and glared at Mara, eyeing her up and down. Then she eyed Gus. “There’s only one room set aside for Tillie. You’ll have to get a room at the motel on the interstate.”
“Please excuse my grandmother,” Stacy said to Mara. “It isn’t that she has no manners. She’s just been in a bad mood for thirty years.”
Mara hesitated, but Gus pushed her forward. “I’m not fussy. I’m willing to share. As long as she keeps her girl cooties away from me.”
Birdie snorted, eyeing Mara again. “You’re a poor substitute, but I suppose you’ll have to do.”
Stacy turned to Birdie and said, “She’ll have to do what?”
Birdie looked at Stacy, exasperated. Then, as if it explained everything, she said, “Samhain.”
Chapter Four
Stacy Justice was pouring a shot of Jameson into her Aunt Lolly’s coffee cup when she noticed Mara eyeing her. They were about the same age and apparently came from the same kind of crazy, although Mara seemed to handle it better. Stacy envied that and she suddenly felt a kinship to the girl. Mara had soft eyes, but a determined set to her face, and Stacy thought they might get along well.
“She doesn’t fully believe, but she’s close,” Tillie whispered into Mara’s ear. “Something must have steered her from the path.”
“No kidding,” Mara said to her aunt.
Stacy smiled nervously at her guest. “I know it may look strange, but whiskey actually keeps Lolly sharp. And apparently,” Stacy said, rolling her eyes, “we’ll be needing her at her best.”
Lolly downed the mug and went into the pantry.
“Where’s Gus?” Stacy asked.
“Still unpacking. He likes to have everything put away exactly where he wants it or his brain goes on strike. At least, that’s what he tells me.”
Thor trotted through the kitchen and slapped the back door with his huge paw. It was warm for this October night so the outer door was open and the screen was unlatched. It flung open and Thor trotted out the door. Stacy watched as it banged behind him.
Mara laughed and said, “I need to teach my Dobermans to do that.”
Stacy put a cup of coffee in front of Mara and said, “Oh, I love Dobies. Smart dogs. I can’t take credit for Thor though, he came pre-trained.” She was about to sit down when she nearly doubled over, gripping her stomach, and then put her hand to her forehead. She closed her eyes and leaned against the table. Sweat poured from her.
“Are you okay?” Mara rushed to Stacy’s side, careful not to touch her, lest she cause her more pain. She didn’t know what was going on, but she suspected it was about this weekend. The plan, as far as she knew, was dinner and then a midnight scrying session to get more information on the danger they were about to face.
Suddenly, Stacy stood upright, her face set to pissed off and said, “I got it, Tillie! Now stop harassing me or I’ll…I’ll send you to a very dark, very cold place for all eternity!”
Stacy took a deep breath and said to Mara, “Geez I thought my grandmother and aunts were bad, but this one’s worse than even Birdie.”
Then she went to the sink for a glass of water. She poured it and turned back to Mara. “Your aunt is kicking my ass.” She wiped her brow with a towel.
“What did she say?” Mara asked.
Stacy took a deep breath. “I can’t hear dead people. I only get feelings and images. From what I gather, I think she’s pushing me around because she’s afraid I’m going to miss or ignore or forget something in my vision. If you get the chance, please tell her the visions I get are photographic imprints on my mind.” She looked at Mara pointedly. “I never forget, so she can ease back on the kung-foo fighting.”
Mara smiled. “I’ll tell her. What was the vision?”
Stacy shuddered rather violently. “This is going to sound crazy–”
Mara interrupted her. “My whole life is about crazy. That toad you’ve been tripping over? His name is Grundleshanks. He’s dead. He travelled here with us, along with Aunt Tillie. And you’ve met Gus, right? There is nothing you can say to me that will make me think you’re crazy.”
The two women faced each other and Mara grabbed Stacy’s hand. Stacy opened her mouth to reply – but couldn’t.
The lights brightened, nearly blinded them, and then, in a flash, the lights burst and sparks rained down on them. Then they were plunged into darkness.
A second later, the room was back normal, the lights were fine and it was calm.
Mara looked at Stacy and dropped her hand.
“You saw it! You captured my vision!” Stacy said. “I can see it in your eyes.”
Mara nodded. “Blackness and then shadows. Hills, valleys and then gaping nothingness.”
Stacy picked up the vision. “And torturous uncertainty, a vacuous void of pain and then loss…”
“A veil of tears.”
They looked at each other.
“Do you know what it means?” Stacy asked.
Mara said, “Whatever is coming is bad.”
“I got that much,” Stacy said.
Mara closed her eyes, as if she was listening to someone. “We need to be prepared now. It’s going to start tonight.”
Stacy sighed, “Okay. Where do we start?”
Mara relaxed. “First, I have to ask. Can you really send aunt Tillie to a cold, dark place for all eternity?”
Stacy smiled. “No. But I can sing ‘Ninety-Nine Bottles of Beer on the Wall’ until she wants to go to one.”
Only Mara could hear Tillie say, “
I heard that, punk.”
Chapter Five
The aroma of fresh-baked chocolate chip cookies filled the house. Gus and Mara joined Stacy, Birdie and Lolly in the parlor for tea and cookies while they waited for the rest of the coven to arrive.
From what Mara understood, most of the sworn coven resided miles away, but the town was filled with wannabe witches and on this night there was no time to waste so Birdie had made a few phone calls.
The door opened and the third Geraghty sister entered loaded down with shopping bags. She reminded Mara of Ann Margaret.
“Fiona,” Birdie said. “Did you see any members of the coven?”
“Iris Merriweather and Gladys Sharp were both behind me. Gladys said she was bringing more supplies.” Fiona set the bags down and smiled wide at her guests.
After introductions and hugs, and tea all around, the front door opened again and a man walked in, carrying a large, black suitcase. His face was shadowed under his hat and more shadows oozed around him, like an oil slick.
He brushed past Fiona as he walked through the room, toward the check-in counter. Fiona’s face blanched and she set down her tea.
Mara studied the man closely. He almost seemed more shadow than human. She glanced at Stacy, who was also watching the man, her face tight with a mixture of suspicion and revulsion.
“I made a reservation for two rooms.” He tipped his hat, but kept his eyes covered. “Henderson.”
Thor growled, deep in his throat, and Stacy placed a hand on his collar.
Birdie cleared her throat. “Of course. Your rooms are up the stairs, to the left. Will your wife be joining you soon?”
“I don’t have a wife,” he said. He turned, ascended the stairs. Then paused and said, “I have some rather large items out on the curb. Please have them placed in the second room.”
As the bedroom door above them opened and shut, Stacy turned to Birdie. “Sure, we’ll just strap the packages to Thor and haul them on up.”
“This is why women are always going to need men and men are completely self-sufficient,” Gus said. “I’ll go bring them in.”
“Don’t get too enamored with yourself. Men still need us to continue the gene pool,” Mara said.
“For now,” Gus replied, walking out of the house.
“What the heck was that, Birdie?” Stacy turned to her grandmother, eyeing the upstairs.
“Trouble.” Birdie tightened her mouth.
“I don’t feel so good,” Fiona said, sitting down. Her face was white, and she was sweating.
Stacy shot Fiona a concerned look.
Then she stood, Thor at her hip, as she said to Birdie, “Do you want me to get rid of him? I can tell him we found termites and we have to shut down. No wait, rats. Rats would be better. Or cockroaches.”
Gus came back in, loaded down with packages and looking like a pack mule. “Keep your friends close, keep your enemies under your feet,” Gus muttered, as he schlepped up the stairs.
Mara closed her eyes, focusing on something. “He’s not the enemy,” she said, “but what he brings is.”
“Packages get stolen all the time,” Stacy said. “We could toss whatever he’s bringing in the dumpster behind the bar.”
“Too bad his bedroom faces the street,” Birdie said. “I’m sure he’s keeping a close eye on his baggage.”
“It’s not a literal package.” Mara sighed, relaxed, listening. “It’s more…what’s bringing him.” Her eyes snapped open. “He’s a vessel.” She turned and looked at Stacy. “My Aunt Tillie says that we’re going to need you.”
Suddenly, there was a thump. They all turned. Fiona had slid off the chair and onto the floor, unconscious.
Birdie and Lolly rushed over to their sister, feeling for a pulse.
“She’s still breathing.” Birdie’s face paled. “Wake up, Fiona. Come back here, right now.”
“I’ll call 9-1-1.” Stacy said, grabbing the phone.
Lolly looked up at her. “This isn’t medical,” she said. “It’s magic. Bad magic.”
As one, everyone turned and looked up the stairs, at Mr. Henderson’s door.
“Aunt Tillie,” Mara called out. “Can you tell us what’s wrong with Fiona?”
A fog coalesced around Fiona’s body. As it dissipated, Mara gasped.
“What are we dealing with?” Stacy asked, anxious. “Stroke? Heart attack? Should I call the paramedics?”
“It’s too late.” Mara looked over at Stacy, horrified. “Fiona’s soul is missing.”
Chapter Six
The next several hours were spent deep in preparation. Birdie had hauled out a specially-crafted and magically prepared ceremonial dagger for Stacy. A Seeker of Justice talisman, she called it. Mara and Gus left for a while, then returned with a sparkling crystal wand and a double-edged sword, both blessed by a local Native American shaman who had done battle with Soul Stealers in the past. Thanks to his advice, they also came back with a game plan and a warning.
“This is the only time of the year the Soul Stealer can roam the night undetected. Some people think he’s in costume, others just think he’s a shadow. Wherever he goes, there’s a rash of people falling into a coma, followed by death. It’s usually blamed on tainted candy,” Gus said, filling everyone in on the information he and Mara had been given by the Shaman.
Stacy shook her head, confused. “That’s why he’s doing it on Halloween? Because he can blame it on the candy?”
“People are more vulnerable when they’re guising,” Gus replied.
“Otherwise known as wearing masks and costumes,” Mara explained. “It’s like they’re already sharing their body with whatever they’re dressed up as. It makes their souls that much easier to prey on.”
“What does he do with the poor souls?” Lolly asked.
“Serves them as a wake-up snack to the Soul Eater,” Gus said, grimly. “Once the beast is fortified with the energy from those souls, the coming winter will be hell on earth. Literally.”
*
The aunts set big, full bowls of candy outside on the porch so they wouldn’t be disturbed during the evening’s work by intrepid trick-or-treaters. Deep in the basement, underneath the Geraghty Girls’ house, the full coven circled around a flaming cauldron. Fiona’s body lay by a large black cauldron, on a flocked air mattress, still unconscious.
Mara, Stacy and Gus sat on the floor, forming an inner circle around Fiona and the cauldron. They were deep in meditation, preparing to enter a trance. Stacy held the dagger, Mara gripped the crystal wand and Gus wielded the sword. All three items were charged with an herbal mixture of toadflax (for hex-breaking), mugwort (for astral projection), dragon’s blood (for power) and myrrh (for protection). The three of them were so focused on what they were about to do, they were barely aware of what was happening in the rest of the room.
Forming a slightly larger circle around them, Birdie, Lolly and three of the coveners joined hands. The remaining seven members of the coven joined hands to form an outer circle around the entire grouping.
“We’re all clear on what we need to do, right?” Lolly asked. “The inner circle forms a layer of protection around the center. The outer ring is the battery, generating power and force.”
Birdie’s face was stoic as she continued the instructions. “Stacy’s going to use her visions to locate Fiona’s soul. Mara’s going to create a portal between the visions and this dimension. Gus will travel with them to provide protection. Together, they’re going to retrieve the soul and send it back here.”
“We hope,” Lolly muttered.
Birdie glared at her, and then at everyone else. “I don’t want any screw-ups,” Birdie said forcefully. “This is a dangerous night. Lives will hang in the balance.”
Lolly nodded. Birdie signaled the coven and the outer ring started chanting and circling, around and around and around.
After a few minutes, the vibrations from the chanting shook the space and suddenly Mara, Gus and Stacy felt the floor d
rop out from under them. Then the ceiling cracked open, and their psyches separated from their bodies as they journeyed out into the depths of Halloween night.
When the motion stopped, they examined their surroundings. They were outside Mr. Henderson’s room, only the color scheme of the hallway was reversed somehow. The carpet was gold with navy vines instead of the other way around. The room number was owt rather than two, and the door knob was on the left instead of the right side of the door.
“He’s opened a portal,” Mara whispered behind Stacy.
Stacy jumped. She hadn’t noticed Mara there a second ago.
“To where?” Stacy asked.
“Let’s find out.” Gus walked through the door and the girls followed.
Henderson was nowhere in sight. But in the middle of the room, an immense black hole bubbled and oozed on the floor.
“Tartarus. The demon dimension. Oh, yeah. This is going to be a fun night,” Gus said.
Mara sucked in a breath. “Has anything come through?”
Gus sniffed. “Nope. No smell of sulphur or brimstone. Yet. He must be out collecting souls.”
Stacy noticed a flyer for the big Halloween parade on the desk. “I think I know where he is.”
“I’m not leaving here. Not with that big mucking vortex on the floor.” Gus turned to the girls. “You two go without me. I’ll stay here and be the unwelcome wagon for whatever tries to come through that portal.” He swung his sword, as if he was cleaving a demon in half.
Mara and Stacy weren’t keen on leaving Gus to deal with demons on his own, but they had no time to argue. Stacy grabbed Mara’s hand, clamped her eyes shut and concentrated on conjuring the image of the street in front of the library. Everyone was going to walk from there to the park after the parade, for food, drink and festivities.
Stacy’s breath came in long waves as she focused. Finally, the room faded. Then it ceased to exist. Suddenly Stacy was in front of the library. This time, she felt Mara squeezing through the vision with her.
They looked around them in horror, at costumed bodies scattered on the ground, surrounded by anxious and grief-stricken family and friends. In the distance, the sound of sirens wailed through the night.
Every Witch Way but Wicked Page 2
