****
I’d already arranged for my furniture to arrive later that day. Everything is finally coming together smoothly. With a feeling of immense relief, I climb into my car and head for the off license. Today deserves a celebration bottle of champagne.
I decide I’ll give Victor and Kheda a ring, to see if they would like to help celebrate the signing of the deeds to my new home. I realize to do so will cause great problems. How can I explain to my gran I am associating with a vampire and werewolf? I know the dangers, and yes, I am willing to be around them, but I cannot jeopardize my gran’s life by having a party that might put her life in danger.
I will have them over later after dinner for a celebration. I will tell my grandmother I will be having Victor and Kheda over, and she is welcome to stay. But most importantly of all, I will tell her the truth about Jasmine. Well, once I have permission and when we are all at the old Winters’ house just in case the person snooping around Gran’s house left any magical or technical listening devise.
As I climb back into my car, I tell her my plan for the party, and about telling my grandmother about her. After all Jasmine can now stay human if she wants, especially when safely on the property of the old Winters’ house.
With a sigh of understanding and a bark to confirm her agreement, she gives me the permission I need to tell my grandmother the truth. I hope she will understand about her, but also about Victor and Kheda as well.
Chapter 9
“A shapeshifter! You willingly brought a shifter into my house?” Eve demands, as she angrily paces the sitting room in my new home.
I watch in alarm as Gran wrings her hands together, as if wringing my neck. More worryingly, I notice how she makes great effort to relax her hands. Finally taking three deep breaths and releasing them, she turns toward me.
“What were you thinking?” she screams in frustration and fear. Obviously, she has not calmed down or got herself under any form of control.
“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you the truth, Gran, but, until a couple of days ago, she was stuck in her dog form. We didn’t even know if she was going to be able to come out of it,” I explain as calmly as I can, though to be honest I’m getting annoyed by my grandmother’s extreme reaction. What the hell would her reaction be concerning my association with Victor and Kheda? If she can’t handle them, how the hell will she react to the girls from the army, who became my sisters in arms as well as life? All of us are a supernatural of some sort or another.
“In my army unit, I became friends, and then chosen sisters, with the women in my unit. We depended on each other for our survival and our abilities. Our supernatural abilities, especially, brought us closer and saved our lives on more than one occasion. Each one of us is from one type or another supernatural heritage. Grandma, if you can’t accept her, you can’t accept me either. I never restrict myself to being friends with just witches and humans. I’m surprised you do.” I bluntly finish my statement with a frown, as I shake my head in regret.
I watch Eve staring at me, as if she is finally seeing the woman I have become, and realizes she doesn’t know me at all.
A witch who speaks to the Goddess and who the Goddess speaks back to, as if to an equal. A woman, who is friends with not only shifters, but also other supernaturals. One who views them as family. Finally I see the distrust, and with a shake of her head, Eve takes a large step back. Numerous emotions flicker across her face: regret, confusion, fear, anger, and finally repulsion.
“I’m sorry, Candi, I have to think. I also think it will be best if you moved in here as quickly as possible,” Eve mutters, anger and confusion lacing her voice, before she turns and flees my new home.
I watch in stunned silence as she leaves, heading toward her car. I can’t believe I had allowed my grandmother to run away. I notice the moment she stumbles, her head bent, a hand reaching up to swipe at her face. It looks like she’s crying.
“Oh Goddess, I made my grandmother cry. There probably is a special place in hell for people like me,” I mutter in disgust at myself.
Hearing Jasmine laugh, I turn toward her and give her a wry grimace. “It’s not funny,” I chide her.
“It is, Candi; you can’t seriously believe you have done anything wrong. Being friends without discrimination is not bad, far from it, in fact. Okay, maybe it is dangerous, but definitely not bad. Candi, you are family, and so I will tell you something, your grandmother has a problem. It has nothing to do with you. You are not at fault. Let her have her space, she knows where to find you. She loves you; she will be in touch as soon as she is ready.”
With a great big groan of dissatisfaction, I plop down on the sofa with a thud and put my head in my hands.
“I know life is not easy, but does it have to be so hard?” I moan in frustration. I don’t expect a reply to my complaint.
“No, it doesn’t have to be so hard, Candi. If you want, I’ll leave,” she replies quietly, but seriously.
“Don’t you dare! That’s not an option. I meant what I said to my grandmother, if she can’t accept you or the rest of my friends including Victor and Kheda, she can’t accept me.
“I am not losing you, or giving anyone up, to make life easier for others, because it would be miserable for me,” I calmly state. Looking at her, it’s obvious she hates the thought of the trouble she might cause me by staying.
Taking a deep breath, I decide to head over to my gran’s house, collect what I can fit in my car, and see if she’s up to talking yet. At least if she isn’t, she will know I’m not mad at her. With my decision made, I turn toward Jasmine.
“I’m going to go and get our stuff from my grandmother’s house. Please stay here, I invited Kheda and Victor over,” I hastily carry on before she interrupts.
Grabbing my car keys, phone, and jacket, I pause on my way out the door. “Jasmine, you’re my sister, never, ever, think by leaving, you would be helping, because you wouldn’t, far from it.
“Also, outside of discriminations and fears, we have far bigger things to be solving. We need to stick together, now, more than ever.” I give her a quick hug, before turning and leaving my new home.
****
I quickly cross to my car, unlock it, climb in and drive to my grandmother’s house. When I arrive, I notice her car isn’t there. Letting myself in, I collect Jasmine’s things first and load them into my car. Then I go upstairs to my room, and pack my clothes and toiletries. Once they’re packed I bring them downstairs and load them into my car.
Returning upstairs to my room, I cross to my writing desk and quickly write my grandmother a note. I’m getting a really bad feeling about her absence.
Hey Grandma,
I collected my things and was surprised you weren’t here. I’ll see you for lunch tomorrow, but can we meet at twelve o’clock instead of one please? Give me a ring if this doesn’t suit you. Thanks for coming over tonight. I’ll see you tomorrow.
Love, Candi
My grandmother and I have no lunch plans for tomorrow, but if something has happened to her, they wouldn’t know it. I cross my fingers that I’ll get a phone call from my grandmother, asking me what the hell I’m talking about. Picking up my note, I bring it down to the kitchen, leaving it on the counter with a mug containing a tea bag on top of it. A simple guarantee it’ll be noticed, as the mug will have to be moved to read the complete note. Also, if anyone other than my gran picks up the note, we can get fingerprints off it.
Hopefully it won’t come to it, I think giving a slight grimace, before going back to my room to collect my desk. I give it a thorough going over to make sure no bugs have been planted on it. Finding none, I bring it downstairs and load it into my car, then finally, go back upstairs for my chair.
I go over it carefully, but this time I find a tiny device on one leg. Leaving it there, I carry it downstairs, and once I cross the threshold of the house I stumble, reposition my grip on the chair with a peeved Fuck’s sake. Sadly, I manage to knock off the device, and w
hoops, stand on it. I load the chair into my car, return to the house, and lock up. Climbing into my car, I drive off.
On returning home, I quickly get out of my car and grab my desk chair, and walk into my home.
Jasmine is just coming to help. I quickly shake my head. As I move into the sitting room, I check the chair again. Finding nothing, I tell her to stay in the sitting room and check everything I bring into the house for devices.
Going back to my car, I collect my desk next, and slowly I unload and “check” to make sure I haven’t dropped anything while unloading
I crawl out of my car, after collecting a scarf. I knock a small listening device onto the ground, and with great satisfaction, I stand on it and crush it. Locking up, I return to my home with my scarf held loosely in my hand, in case anyone was watching.
When I arrive in the sitting room, it’s Jasmine’s turn to put a finger to her lips. She has found three more devices.
I decide to flush them down the toilet; wrapping them in tissue, I drop them into the loo and flush. I stare into the toilet until I’m sure they’re gone. Quickly I wash my hands and return to Jasmine.
“I flushed them,” I explain to her raised eyebrow.
Between us, we tidy everything up and put the lot upstairs into our rooms. Once everything is put away, we meet in the sitting room, where I update her on what has happened at my grandmother’s.
“To be honest, I think something has happened to her,” I finish with a frustrated sigh. “I hope I’m wrong, but finding these listening devices is not helping.” Getting up from the sofa, I start pacing. Back and forth, back and forth before finally with a growl of annoyance I run upstairs and pull on sweats.
I’m going for a run and check out her house to see if she’s back yet. When I exit my room, it’s to find Jasmine in dog form, wagging her tail with her tongue lolling out the side of her mouth.
“Thank you my sister,” I whisper in gratitude.
As we descend the stairs, there is a knock on the back door. Quickly we head toward the kitchen and open the door to find Victor and Kheda. I let them in and explain the situation.
“I have to go and make sure she’s okay. I’m so sorry, but I have to cancel tonight,” I apologize.
“I’m going with you,” Victor answers, looking me in the eye.
“I’m sure Kheda is, as well as Jasmine, so shall we go look for her? I gather we’re going through the woods. Would you like me to flit you there? Kheda and Jasmine can run over.”
“Are you sure? Thanks, yes, if it’s okay,” I stammer in shock at the offer of so much help.
In the next instant I’m in Victor’s arms as if I weigh nothing, then we’re speeding through the woods with Jasmine and Kheda running behind us in the distance.
Chapter 10
We arrive at the outskirts of my gran’s property, in the woods to keep us invisible, her car is still missing, but we notice someone skulking in the bushes further ahead. As Victor releases me from his arms, I slide down his body and carefully place my feet on the ground. No way in hell do I want the skulking bastard to hear us because of me stepping on a twig!
Besides, Victor’s body is rock hard. And wow, a girl has to enjoy herself, even under extreme circumstances. Like trying to figure out if my gran has just gone out and about, and all this is a major coincidence.
“Damn, there really is a special place in hell for bad grandchildren, or if there isn’t, there should be,” I mutter under my breath.
“What’s the matter, Candi? Did you enjoy being in my arms a little too much?” Victor enquires with a wicked smile and gleam in his eyes. “If it helps, I enjoyed you being in my arms, and especially, you sliding slowly down my body.”
“Hem, ahhhh, you, yeah,” I stammer, flushing a bright beetroot color. Sadly I do not do flushing prettily.
“It’s all right. I’m not going to take you right here, right now, however much I would like to,” Victor interrupts my stammering with a slight rumble of laughter flowing up his body to mix delightfully with his rich sinful voice.
“My God, phone sex with you would be amazing,” I blurt out, before clapping a hand over my mouth. My eyes have widened so much I can feel the delicate skin around them stretching. Holy shit, I had spoken out loud!
“We are definitely going to have a very private talk later Candi Reynolds, but sadly our two furry friends are just arriving, and we must decide what to do with him,” gestures Victor, pointing toward the man hiding in the bushes.
****
Jasmine and Kheda trot up at that moment. Kheda huge in his wolf form, with inky black fur and glowing green eyes. Jasmine shifts back into her human form and raises an elegant eyebrow at me when she notices my bright red face. Before she can say anything, I quietly point out the hiding man, so no one will make any noise.
“What’s the plan? Are you going to avoid him or question him?” she quietly asks.
“Question him, but not here, in case it gets noisy,” I whisper. “We need to take him somewhere private where no one will think to look for him. I’m positive there are more of them involved in this spying, if not outright kidnapping and murder.”
Noticing Victor looking at me, as if only just seeing me properly for the first time, I give him a puzzled look in return.
“You object?”
“No.”
“So why are you looking at me so”—waving my hand back and forth as if it was going to supply the rest of my statement—“weirdly,” I finish still not satisfied with my phrasing.
“You’ve surprised me, that’s all. I had assumed you wouldn’t want to...take him somewhere private to question him.”
“Well, if he screams, I can’t have anyone running to his rescue,” I bluntly reply.
“I have a warehouse that is soundproof,” Victor supplies with a blink of his beautiful eyes. His only indication of surprise. “But I must insist our good friend here”—Victor waves his hand at Kheda, letting everyone know which good friend he’s talking about—“Does not come with us. I’m sorry, Kheda, but at the end of the day you’re a detective, and we can’t have you there.”
“It’s best you go now, Kheda, because he is going to tell me everything I need to know, and to be honest, if he has hurt my gran, well let’s just say it’s not going to be pretty,” I state, with vehemence dripping from my words.
Feeling the surprised look of Victor and Kheda, I give a gentle snort. “What, you expect me to ask politely and hope he gives me an honest answer? No, he will tell me everything I need to know, and everything he knows. I’ll need music; do you have a CD player, Victor?”
“Yes, why do you ne...”
“Jasmine, will you run back to our house and collect my CD bag please,” I politely instruct, as I interrupt Victor.
“Where shall I meet you?” enquires Jasmine before transforming back into a dog.
I notice Victor staring at us with an expression of dawning comprehension, as he realizes it will be me, not him, extracting the information from the man.
Finally, Victor looks back at Jasmine and answers her question. “Where you and Candi were when you first saw me, before we met.”
In the next instant, she stealthily runs back the way she’d come, with Kheda by her side.
****
In a blink of an eye, I crouch down, and silently head toward my target. So quietly not even a leaf rustles beneath me, I move through the woods. A silent, deadly predator, stalking my prey, until finally I’m in position and pounce with accuracy and deadly precision onto the man’s back.
“Where is my grandmother?” I growl low and threatening in his ear.
With a shudder and a gasp of surprise, as all air whooshes from his body at the sudden and brutal attack, the man underneath me wheezes out, “I’ll tell you nothing, witch!”
“Ah, but you will tell me everything you know by the time I’m done with you, that I promise,” I croon, as I give a quick hand chop to the side of the man’s neck rendering him uncons
cious.
I squat and pick him up, sling him over my shoulder. Standing up slowly to keep my balance, I turn toward Victor who’s staring at me with his jaw hanging open. Raising an eyebrow at Victor, with a slight smile of amusement, I wonder if he’s been turned into a statue.
“Are you all right, Victor? You seem to be gaping in rather an unbecoming fashion, or you’re trying to catch flies.” I snicker at him.
Snapping out of his stupor, Victor quickly crosses to me and relieves me of the unconscious man. Turning my back to him, I once again crouch down. Grabbing a fallen twig with some leaves on it, I quickly brush over the ground to remove any trace of the disturbance caused in capturing the unknown man. Returning to Victor, once I have completed my task, I give him an expectant look.
“Where to next? You’re the only one who knows where we’re going?” I ask as I throw the twig far into the trees. Victor grabs me, one arm around my waist pulling me flush against his side, and with a wicked grin whispers, “Hold on tight.”
****
Wrapping my arms around his neck, I cling to him, as he shoots up into the air, holding the unconscious man and me. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck. Good thing he’s already dead or he would have passed out through lack of oxygen.
Tangling my legs around his, I’m half-tempted to wrap them around his waist, but it would have caused the man dangling over Victor’s shoulders to fall, and I wanted to question him, not have him free falling from the sky.
We land beside a warehouse in the middle of the woods. In one smooth motion, Victor releases me, punches in a security number by the door, and opens it, before I have my balance back. I follow him into the warehouse as he flips switches.
I’m surprised how spacious and non-warehouse-like it is inside. There’s a kitchen and dining table big enough to seat twelve to the left. On my right a sitting room with two three-seater sofas and two single chairs, a coffee table, and a TV.
We walk pass these and head toward the back of the warehouse where some rooms have been constructed. A spacious bathroom is on the right with a bedroom next to it. On the left, another bedroom and next to it…a room with a cage. Its contents hold a metal bed frame and chair, both bolted to the floor. I turn to Victor with a raised eyebrow.
Double Magick in the Falls Page 8
