by Linda Wisdom
She had just started to fall off to sleep when her door opened wider and a furry body leaped onto the bed, curling up at the foot of the bed with nose to tail.
“I really hate Roan,” she said sleepily, digging her toes against Jake’s back.
***
“They’ll want a proper act of contrition on your part,” Trev instructed during the drive to Snow Farms Resort. “You’ll have to take all the blame for Horace’s actions. Especially since you directed him to go up there.”
“They beat Jake and put an enchanted collar on him so he couldn’t return to human form and they want us to play nice?” Blair’s lip curled. She sat in the back seat of Trev’s new Cayenne. “They’re lucky that all I told Horace to do was surround them with bags of flaming wolf poo. He could have been let loose to try some of his own ideas, which can rival Fluff and Puff’s.” Muffled sounds from her ankle argued that they could have done a lot more damage than anyone could imagine. Blair was wearing all black, including her favorite black patent leather boots with three-inch spike heels, which she felt enhanced her witchy image—and right now, she needed all the help she could get.
“How did you all manage to survive all these centuries?” he asked.
“Very nicely, thank you very much,” Stasi said. “We don’t like bullies, Trev, so don’t even think of trying that tactic with us. Roan is a bully, and I’m not too happy with what he’s done, all in his idiotic quest to acquire our land.”
Trev turned the Cayenne over to a parking valet, who looked at them as if they were something he’d wipe off his shoe. One fulminating look from Trev’s glittering cobalt blue eyes ensured he wouldn’t abuse the vehicle.
Trev entered the building with Stasi on one side and Blair on the other.
“Trevor Barnes to see Roan Thorpe,” he told the desk clerk, who picked up the phone and murmured into it.
“Mr. Thorpe’s assistant will be out momentarily.” Her eyes were cold as she gazed at the two witches.
“Guess no more spa treatments or chocolate soufflés up here,” Blair muttered.
“I wouldn’t even want to think what they’d slip into the soufflé,” Stasi whispered back.
Blair was surprised to see Jennifer Santiago walk out. As before, her Were grace was apparent in her walk and she knew the Were’s lightweight wool suit cost more than half her own wardrobe.
“Being Roan Thorpe’s assistant must pay well.” She returned Trev’s warning glare. “It’s just an observation.”
Jennifer’s smile turned wary when she saw Blair.
“Right this way.” She directed them down the hallway to a conference room where she offered coffee, which they all declined. “Mr. Thorpe will be with you in a moment.”
“Making us wait to show who’s in charge?” Blair asked Trev. “Stasi and I took business classes when we started our shops,” she said in answer to his skeptical look. “She aced the classes. I passed.”
“Sorry to keep you waiting.” Roan breezed in. He frowned when he noticed the bare table. “Didn’t Jen offer you coffee?” He glanced at his assistant, who cringed under his regard.
“Yes, she did, but we’re fine,” Trev said.
Blair stood looking at the Were, at the arrogance stamped on his features, and felt her temper rising like lava in a dangerous volcano. “Give me the spell to release Jake’s collar.”
Roan ignored her demand and kept his gaze trained on Trev. “It took my staff most of the day to clear out the mess your witch’s minion left.”
“I am not anyone’s witch but my own! And all I did was return what you left behind on our property.” Blair released just enough power to float in the air between them. “Right now I am a pissed-off witch who resents that you intruded into our territory without permission.”
“So I was allowed to be at the lake that I understand you two own, but not visit you at your home?” he drawled.
“You weren’t invited, and the way you showed up revealed grade-A arrogance. Your Pack has grown and you need land. Fine. Montana and Wyoming have a lot, and I bet you could even find a ski resort for a nice cover up there, too, or even build your own wolfie compound. Just not here.”
“We’re not Fae, Blair. We aren’t being deceptive, as they were last year. From the beginning we have been upfront with you about purchasing more land. And I’d like to add we have no wish to move out of the state. Now, as to the damage done yesterday…” He snapped his fingers and Jen immediately placed a sheet of paper in his hand. “I have the costs of cleanup here.”
“Damage? Did you not hear me? You left it in our yard. I just returned it. And it was nothing compared to what you did to Jake. I want that spell.” Her power moved up a notch until the air was close and difficult to breathe.
He speared her with a steely glare but she didn’t back down an inch. “Pack members play rough.”
“Pack members don’t throw an enthralled collar on each other. That’s cruel—I can’t even say inhuman, since you aren’t human. Why did you do it?”
Roan turned to Trev. “Did you know she was this much out of control?”
“I’d say she has a valid question, Thorpe,” Trev said easily. “I did some research late last night, and I found a very old law that had to do with collaring a rogue Pack member if they were considered dangerous to the Pack. Except that collar left the Were in human form, not animal, which weakened his power. I found nothing about the collar forcing a Pack member to remain in animal form. Nor have I seen or heard any indication that Jake has been dangerous to you since he left your Pack decades ago. Is that why you showed up here? Because you consider Jake a rogue and after all these years you decided you wanted to teach him a lesson? Last I heard, a Pack member can voluntarily leave the Pack, which Jake did, or be beaten and thrown out. It seems all he did was chose the safer course.”
“Is that it?” Blair interrupted. “You decided to do the honors now because Jake left without any of you having the chance to beat the shit out of him? You would have thrown him out of the Pack anyway, because he’s not wolf. He made his own choice to leave. He made a new life for himself, and he never asked any of you for a thing. I am so glad I’m not a Were.”
“You’re not helping,” Trev muttered under his breath.
Blair turned to the wizard. “Trev, I adore you and I know Stasi loves you, but I’m firing you as my lawyer. Why don’t you and Stasi wait outside for me?”
Trev opened his mouth to argue, but Stasi took one look at her friend’s determined stance and tugged on her lover’s arm.
“Good idea.” She pushed and pulled Trev out of the room and closed the door behind them.
Roan studied Blair for several moments. Jennifer remained in the background, still silent but watchful.
“As I said before, it’s too bad you’re a witch, when you have arrogance worthy of a Were,” Roan said with a hint of admiration.
“No reason to be too nasty here.” Blair kept her power out in the open, leaving the air heavy with electricity. “I can be bitchy enough once a month without throwing a fur coat into the mix. All I want is the spell. Give it to me and I’ll make sure Horace doesn’t come for another visit. And let me tell you, if we leave him to his own devices, anything can happen.”
Roan took the chair at the head of the table but didn’t invite Blair to sit. She chose a seat at the opposite end of the table and leaned back in the high-backed leather chair, her arms resting lightly on the chair arms.
“How did you get the elves to clean up their act?” He deliberately ignored her request.
“I didn’t. Agnes did, thanks to her fantastic lasagna and her need to mother, even if it’s a bunch of elves. She’s in her element when she’s in charge of a project and turning those nasty little creatures into clean-cut guys that will enliven the carnival is one of the best things she’s done in years.”
Roan leaned back and pressed his fingers together steeple fashion as he regarded Blair.
“We never venture into any s
ituation without a great deal of research,” he said. “But it seems we didn’t do the right kind of research here. We did know that two witches lived up here and owned a great deal of the surrounding land. Still, we had looked at this area for some time and my stepfather felt this was close enough to the main Pack’s compound, but far enough away that we wouldn’t be living in each other’s pockets. The fact that the resort was up for a quick sale at a low price was nothing more than a bonus.”
“Aren’t you the lucky one?” She knew she was tapping big time into her inner bitch and it might not be a good idea since Roan held the spell to release Jake’s collar, but she wanted to draw some blood, too.
She also noticed that Jennifer was listening intently to their conversation.
“But after our first encounter I did some additional digging and learned that none of you witches like to follow rules. Obviously, you don’t believe in a well-ordered life.”
“Too boring,” she mimicked his drawl. “The spell?”
“The land?” He cocked an eyebrow. “And don’t think about taking this before the Were Council, Blair. We did nothing wrong and we can back up any actions we took.”
Blair’s brain processed the Were’s words and felt her hopes sink like the proverbial stone.
Roan smiled and named a price that was a bare fraction of what the land was actually worth. He was basically holding the spell hostage in return for their selling him the land. Except she still had a few aces up her sleeve.
Oh boy, I’m thinking in clichés!
She stood up while Roan remained seated.
“Thank you, Roan,” she said, pleased to see the cautious surprise spring into his eyes. Her smile grew so large her face ached. “You have made this so much easier for me. The good news is, Jake’s away from your Pack and I will make sure he’s protected against anything you try ever again. He has his own Pack now, and I’m taking the position of Alpha bitch. The bad news for you is you will never get our land. So do yourselves a favor and look for a real estate broker in Siberia.” She slapped her palms against the table and walked out.
“Ms. Fitzgerald? Blair?” Jennifer caught up with Blair before she reached the end of the hallway. Blair stopped, curious why the Were was calling to her.
Jennifer looked over her shoulder as she approached Blair. The hallway was empty.
“I didn’t know what happened until this morning when I heard the others talking about it. Roan knew Jake would follow him after we left your house,” she whispered. “Roan sent me back here. He said he and the rest were going hunting. I had no idea that they did that to Jake.”
“Then help me get the spell,” Blair insisted. “You must have an idea what they used and how they did it.”
Jennifer bit her lower lip. “I—I heard talk, but nothing definitive. And I could be in a lot of trouble if I’m caught.” She started to back up as if Blair would overpower her even though her strength was greater than the witch’s. Tears glittered in her deep purple eyes. “I’m sorry, I can’t.”
“Jennifer, please,” she pleaded, pulling the words up from her heart. “At least point me in the right direction. Right now I’m willing to steal the spell and never say you helped me. This isn’t right. Jake doesn’t deserve this kind of punishment. You have no idea how much he’s suffering.”
Jennifer shook her head and continued to back up. “I just wanted you to know that if there was a way I could have talked them out of hurting him, I would have.”
Blair wasn’t sure whether to cry or scream. For a second, both sounded good.
“Tell Jake…” Jennifer threw up her hands. “Tell him I’m sorry.” She turned and hurried away.
Blair swallowed her frustration and hurried out to the lobby where Trev and Stasi waited.
“Let’s go,” she said in a clipped voice, walking toward the door without bothering to see if they were following her.
“Magick levels were elevated but not out of control,” Trev commented, as he climbed behind the wheel, while Blair huddled in the back seat. “What happened in there?”
Blair ducked her head so she could swipe her hand over her damp eyes without anyone seeing.
“Nothing, other than Roan Thorpe being willing to give up the spell to release Jake’s collar—if we sell the land to him.” She practically choked on the words.
“I gather your response wasn’t what he expected.” Stasi turned in the seat and reached out to cover Blair’s hand with hers.
“No.” She turned her hand and gripped Stasi’s. “It was nothing more than extortion and I refused to give in. Jake would have been furious if we had. So I have to find a way to release the collar.”
“We have to find a way,” Stasi corrected her. “We’re in this together.”
“Why do I feel as if I might need to bail you two out at some time in the near future?” Trev groaned.
“I told you. We covered our tracks very thoroughly when we broke Jake out of the shelter.”
“Do not say another word, Stasi! You performed an illegal act,” he tersely reminded her. “I’m still an officer of the bar, wizard and mortal. I ought to report the two of you for what you did.”
“He gets a bit testy when we break the rules he follows so strictly,” Stasi grinned at him and then back at Blair.
For the first time in hours, Blair felt lighter at heart. She wasn’t alone in battling Roan to help Jake, and with that knowledge came strength flowing through her veins. “You know what? We’re going to win this all the way around. Either Roan Thorpe backs off and settles for what he has, or he can move to Siberia, where I’m sure he’d have all the land he wanted. And we’ll get that damn collar off, because I finally got Jake and I absolutely refuse to have a dog for a boyfriend!”
“Is she always like this?” Trev asked Stasi.
She shrugged. “This is actually a good day for her. Sometimes she’s worse.”
Chapter 14
Once she was back in Moonstone Lake, Blair headed down to the Sit ’N Eat café, where she found Ginny behind the counter setting plates down in front of hungry customers. The minute she saw Blair, she inclined her head toward the rear of the restaurant while she filled a carafe with coffee.
Blair was barely seated at a table before Ginny joined her, flipping over the coffee cups already set on the table, filling them, and setting down a plate of muffins between them.
“Since I know for a fact that you refuse money for what you do, I can at least feed you,” she said, nudging the plate toward Blair, who promptly chose a lemon muffin with lemon cream cheese filling.
“Did you talk to your mother yet?”
“She and my dad left this morning to spend a week at one of the casinos.” Ginny breathed a sigh of relief. “She thinks I had a bad allergy attack last night, and I’m wearing so much concealer today that I feel as if I’m wearing a mask.”
“You did a great job. I don’t see any signs.” Blair picked up her bag and pulled out a small, dark-orange silk bag. She pulled open the drawstrings and pulled out a stone disk the same color as the bag. “Leave this under the register. It’s nothing major. People will come in and they’ll feel hungrier than usual. They’ll experience the need to order a side dish or dessert when they normally wouldn’t. It will last about six months and after that I can strengthen the charm. It’s designed to help the café and not affect you directly.”
Ginny shot a questioning look at Blair, who nodded encouragingly. Ginny lightly stroked the disc’s surface. “I don’t know what to say.”
Blair nibbled on her muffin and moaned with delight. “Between you and Mrs. Benedict, Stasi and I should be the size of buildings.”
“But you’re not, damn you,” Ginny teased.
“There are days we worry it will all catch up with us and we’ll wake up one morning and find that our beds are broken and we can’t fit through the door.” She set the muffin down and took a sip of coffee before continuing. “Now, as to Dave.”
Ginny stiffened, but nod
ded and kept her composure.
“Thanks to the key fob I was able to do a location spell last night. I couldn’t see much, but I saw enough to lead me to believe he’s on an island. And with that I was able to focus a spell on him where he will encounter bad luck at every turn. He’ll lose money at local casinos, and he will come under the eye of the authorities, and not in a good way. Who knows, he might even show up in the States again.”
Ginny’s smile broadened. “This kind of bad luck can turn into a very good thing. I already feel better. I know whatever you laid on him will work wonders, and maybe he’ll think twice before he tries to con another woman. The women in this town—and even some men—know what you’ve done for others, especially what you recently did for Hetty and Jason. Vic is still a jerk, but since that day he’s improved his treatment of Jason and his attitude toward Hetty.”
“I don’t like bullies,” Blair said, thinking of Roan and what she’d really like to do to him, if there wouldn’t be any repercussions. But she’d rather expend her energy finding a release spell for Jake.
She stayed a little while longer, enjoying the company, pleased to see Ginny smiling and acting more like her usual self. She knew it would take the woman a while to get over her lover’s betrayal, but she also knew that Ginny was made of stern stuff and would move forward and eventually meet a man who was worthy of her.
“I’d better head down to Grady’s and see how the elves are doing.” She said goodbye to Ginny, pulled her leopard print fleece cap down over her ears, and walked swiftly down the sidewalk.
Blair wasn’t sure what she’d find, but discovering ten elves swarming over the RV, now painted white, soft gray, and blue to resemble snow and ice, was a major surprise.
Elves ’R Us. Available for parties, fairs, and holiday gatherings. www.elvesrus.net was written across the top in emerald green lettering.
“Hey, toots!” Alberic scampered down a ladder and headed for her. Green paint was splashed across his tiny cheeks. “Whaddya think?”
