Acting Witchy (Witch Hunters)

by King, Thayer

  Though she studied the cover of the rag, she resisted the temptation to pick it up. The magazines often distorted the truth or out and out made up lies.

  The clerk scanned her items and bagged them with speed. Since her engagement to Sean, she’d been recognized more and she’d begun to wear dark shades while out. She need not have bothered today. The male clerk didn’t even look at her. Most of the paparazzi had followed Sean to London, also. They no longer lurked outside her condo. She should have anticipated seeing a story accusing him of cheating. Because of his playboy reputation, it was expected of him. People were placing bets on how long their relationship would last.

  Sean was due back tonight and she wanted to fix him a special dinner. The prospect of being with him again had her giddy and excited all day. The calls, texts and e-mails kept her going but couldn’t compare to the feel of being in his arms again, inhaling the scent of his skin or feeling his mouth on hers, his hands on her body.

  Wedding plans were going well. They’d chosen The Beverly Hills Hotel as the venue. Neva had to pull some serious strings to get them a booking this late. Weddings were often planned years in advance. Their wedding would be in three months. It would be a small affair with no more than one hundred guests. So far, none of the details had made their way to the press.

  At home, she seasoned the steaks she’d purchased. Though no gourmet, she could handle steak and potatoes. She had to check online for recipes for asparagus. She was somewhat worried about timing everything so it would all be hot and ready at the same time.

  A knock sounded at the door as she was setting the table. It was at that moment that she realized that she didn’t have anything other than water, coffee, and juice to drink. Swearing under her breath, she went to answer the door.

  She squealed in delight at seeing Sean there. He swept her up in his arms and swung her around. He rained kisses from her temple to her mouth. She captured his head and held his mouth over hers.

  “You’re early,” she said at last.

  “I caught an earlier flight. I wrapped up one last piece of business sooner than I thought.”

  A thud sounded behind them. In her haste, Mystique had left the door open. A tall man was dropping bags onto the floor. His hair was thick and white, falling to the middle of his back. She separated from Sean. “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you. I’ll get your tip.”

  Sean caught her wrist when she would have gone for her purse. “Baby, he’s not the cab driver. I invited him.”

  “Oh? I’m sorry.” She frowned, her thoughts immediately going to the dinner she’d prepared for two. Maybe if she cut the steaks she could divvy it up for three people. She held her hand out to the stranger. “Hi, I’m Mystique Gray.”

  His warm blue eyes studied her as he clasped her hand with both of his. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Mystique. I’m Seamus O’Toole.”

  She gasped, her eyes flying to Sean. Her heart thumped hard in her chest. “You…you’re—”

  “I’m your father,” Seamus said. He still held her hands. He pulled her to him and cupped her face with trembling hands. “So beautiful. I never imagined—”

  Mystique broke from him. Confusion and anger warred for supremacy as she faced the father she’d never met. “Why are you here now? You haven’t been here for a single day of my life. What do you want? Money?”

  Seamus recoiled as though struck. “I don’t want your money.”

  She didn’t believe him. “Sean, why did you bring this man here?”

  Sean took her hand. “Because you need to know him. You should hear what he has to say. Do you think I would have brought him here if he wanted money?” She said nothing. His fingers tightened over hers. “Please, baby?”

  She shook her head but sat on her sofa, an unspoken invitation. Her throat was too tight for speech. They joined her, Sean sitting at her side and throwing an arm around her shoulders, Seamus taking a seat in the chair facing her.

  Mystique tapped her foot in agitation, wishing he would just begin and be gone. Anger had won the battle. Where was this man while she was growing up? When she needed a parent to love her unconditionally?

  But he remained silent. Finally she looked up at him.

  “Mystique, I loved your mother. She was my one. I still love her.”

  “Liar.”

  “No. It’s true. We met in college. I was a young college professor. She wasn’t in my class, but I saw her on the quad and she stole my heart the first time I saw her. She was so beautiful and confident. I met her at one of those parties professors throw and invite their students to.” He ran a hand over the top of his head, though the hair there was perfectly smooth. His eyes took on a faraway look. “We hit it off instantly. I wanted to be with her forever. And I thought she felt the same.”

  “She did,” Mystique assured him. “And then you left us.”

  “No,” he said again, his voice quiet and calm. “Your mother was rebellious when I met her. She wanted to see the world, but all that changed when your grandfather died. She began to feel guilty, said she had to continue the family legacy.” He looked down at his hands. “She couldn’t do that with me at her side. She told me to leave her or…she’d be forced to—” He shook his head. “I don’t believe she would have harmed me.” He fell silent for a moment. “I didn’t know about you until Sean came looking for me. If I had known…I never would have left my child. All these years. I’ve missed so much.”

  Mystique swallowed, tears brimming her eyes. All this time, her mother had led her to believe that he had abandoned them. Abandoned her, his child, without a care. “Why would she do that?”

  “She was devastated by her father’s death. She’d been rebelling against him for years. I think part of what she liked about me was that I was the ultimate middle finger to her father. But when he passed, she was filled with remorse. She was angry with herself, but she turned that anger on me. The guilt of having him die before they could patch up the rift between them ate at her. She couldn’t seem to accept it. She needed someone to blame. And that someone was me.”

  “And me,” Mystique whispered. Sean squeezed her shoulder and kissed her temple. She took a deep breath. “She’s told me over and over that witches are evil and not to be trusted.”

  Seamus sucked in a hurt breath. “I’m not here to badmouth your mother. I’m here to meet my daughter.”

  ****

  Their dinner was filled with awkward silences, but it was a beginning. Seamus was going to stay in the states for a month and he wanted to spend as much time with Mystique as possible. At the door, he hesitated but then grabbed her up into a bear hug. She couldn’t help but smile. They made plans to have lunch the following day.

  Sean waited for her in the bedroom. “So, how did you find him?”

  “I had Neva hire a private detective to track him down.”

  Mystique shook her head. “This could have gone so poorly. What were you thinking?”

  He took her hands and kissed her forehead. “I was thinking that I’m in love with a beautiful dynamic woman who deserves the world. I wanted you to have a parent who loves you for who you are—half human, half witch, one hundred percent fucking incredible.”

  Stunned, she sat down on the end of the bed. He kept amazing her with his priceless gifts, the things that money could not buy. He’d given her parents, a dream she’d given up on so long ago. “This is the other errand you had to run in London?”

  “Yes. You needed to see your father wasn’t an evil womanizing wizard. He was just a man in love.”

  “He couldn’t have been as determined as you; otherwise, my mother would have never given him up.”

  Sean shrugged. “You can’t discount your mother’s…um, strong will.”

  She laughed. “You can call it that.” She sobered with a shake of her head. “Wow, this is so much new information, it’s difficult to process. My mother, a rebel. I mean, I don’t doubt his story. But, just, wow.”

  “There’s something els
e I took care of while I was in London.”

  “What’s that?”

  “I bought you a little something.” He grinned and pulled a Tiffany blue ring box from his pocket. Snapping open the lid, he revealed a princess cut yellow diamond large enough to be impressive but not so big as to be gaudy. It sparkled and flashed as he dropped to one knee before her. “Somewhere along the way, I was remiss in doing this. Mystique Gray, will you marry me?”

  “Of course,” she whispered. She kissed him softly. “Because we all know you always get what you want.” Her lips curled up in a smile. Sean blinked as a wet snowflake hit him on the cheek. “I thought it deserved a repeat performance,” she murmured against his mouth. “This time, I’ll help with the cleanup.”

  The End

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  Other Books by Thayer King:

  Whimsy

  Evernight Publishing

  www.evernightpublishing.com