Christmas and Curses

by Amanda A. Allen

  “What did you do?” Harper demanded as Scarlett stepped out the car to greet her sister.

  “Luna’s super excited about you taking her to the movies. And Ella is super excited about cheese enchiladas for lunch and popcorn at the movies.” Scarlett added the last just so she wouldn’t have to worry about lunch too. Not that Harper wouldn’t have fed then, but Ella loved the mexican place.

  Harper glanced at the girls who had rolled down their windows and said, “I…”

  “We’re excited too,” Quinton interjected quickly. “Do you think it’s ok if we smuggle in slushies?”

  The girls eyes widened and glee crossed their faces. The remaining haunted look in their gaze faded as they started whispering together again.

  “Thank you,” Scarlett said. What she’d been through must have been obvious to Harper who chucked Scarlett on the bicep.

  “Did they see?” Harper whispered not needing to explain what she meant.

  Scarlett shook her head, but she added, “We were following the knowing…like Mom used to do with us.”

  “Oh.” Harper winced, looking over Scarlett’s shoulder, eyes fixed on the Suburban. “That’s crap.”

  Scarlett rubbed the space between her brows. What an understatement.

  Harper asked, “What were you laughing about last night? You and Lex? About me.”

  “Something,” Scarlett said. “Something.”

  She wasn’t going to answer for real and Harper’s gaze narrowed on Scarlett. She tried pressing at Scarlett with her magic and then Harper’s face changed. She stepped back…looking shocked.

  “What?” Scarlett sniffed and glanced behind her almost expecting to see a body tumbling off of a stretcher. She turned back to her sister and repeated, “What?”

  Harper shook her head. “Nothing.”

  Before Scarlett could press Harper again about what she was hiding, Harper sidestepped Scarlett to look around. The ambulances and police cars were empty. The young idiot who had been the meter maid was now putting up police tape around the wooded area where they’d…found what they found.

  Scarlett said, “Ella is afraid of the knowing now.”

  Scarlett glanced over her shoulder at her car where her babies were so innocent even though they had just experienced something so dark.

  “She’ll be fine. She’s tough,” Harper said. She didn’t sound unconcerned because Ella and Luna were precious to Harper but she wasn’t too worried. Scarlett hoped that Harper’s confidence in Ella and Luna was well placed.

  “Why is this happening to us?” A huge piece of her wanted to shake her fist up at the heavens. Fate was a stupid cow.

  Harper wrapped her arms around Scarlett. She glanced past her sister and saw Lex the moment he stepped out of the trees. Across the distance, their gazes met. He turned and said something to the people behind him and then focused on Scarlett. He started walking towards them, but whoever was behind him did not follow.

  They watched him come and Harper said, “I’d have said it was something I did, except they went after Gus. Given it’s Gus, I’d have guessed you did something. But first, you’re upstanding. And second, in Mystic Cove everyone knows your business.”

  Scarlett sighed and stepped away. “So you think that because it wasn’t Lex or Quinton…”

  “Whatever druid did this—knows us well enough to know we all think of Gus as family. And that he’d be alone. And that an attack on him would distract all of us.”

  Scarlett wasn’t so sure. If something happened to Quinton, Scarlett would have been distracted and worried. The same if something happened to Lex—Harper wouldn’t just let that go.

  “It has to be the victim,” Scarlett said realizing why Lex’s people were waiting. He didn’t want the girls to see the body. By the stars, how she loved him. Even when she wasn’t thinking straight, he was. He was protecting her girls despite being irritated with her, and she knew he’d always protect them. Even if they broke up and he hated her, he’d take care of her daughters. The surety of that made the love for him burn higher in her than it had in far too long. “He needs the girls to go before they can bring whoever it is out.”

  Harper tossed Scarlett the keys to the black muscle car and crossed to the Suburban. She climbed inside, waiting for Quinton to follow. They took off a moment later. This time, Harper didn’t rev the engine or drive wild. Not with the girls in the car. Scarlett ached to go after them, but…her family was being targeted by whoever had put the body into the trees here. That person had to be discovered and stopped before they scarred Scarlett’s daughter for life. Or, for that matter, ruined her relationship with Lex.

  The lioness inside of Scarlett…that core of her…that mother, that lover—she couldn’t let what was happening go by her without fighting back. She couldn’t just take her babies to the movies and pretend that all was well.

  She watched Lex wave the people out of the trees, saw the stretcher, and her eyes narrowed. Inside that black bag, someone had been murdered. Anything else wouldn’t take so much magic and work to cover up. It couldn’t be allowed to continue. Scarlett pulled out her phone and called Gram.

  “What?” Gram said as she sniffed and then said, “It’s not your turn yet José. Quit cheating.”

  He laughed like a loon in the background of Gram’s phone call. They were the weirdest couple, Scarlett thought, unable to use the word boyfriend again. Mr. Jueavas…Gram’s…something.

  “There’s a body,” Scarlett said simply.

  Gram immediately cursed and then said, “A body? Who is it? A murder? Of course a murder. ”

  “No idea,” Scarlett said. “I’d say yes on murder. Given the dump site and what I felt there…the killer is a druid. It has to be whoever messed with Gus and my place.”

  Gram cursed again. The people with her had fallen silent at the word murder, and Scarlett was sure they were listening intently. Knowing Gram, it was Mr. Jueavas, Henna, and Mr. Throdmore.

  “Gram—” It was Scarlett who wanted to curse. She needed to tell the best druid she knew what had happened and hope that Gram would know how being led to a body by the knowing would affect Ella and Luna. “Gram, I was teaching the girls to use the knowing. Their knowing led them to the body. They’re…Ella especially…she’s more sensitive, you know. Luna is wise, but she’s pragmatic. Ella’s my flower. Luna’s my oak…in the best of ways…you know that right? Ella’s a dream of a daughter even when she’s sassy. I don’t mean it to sound like Ella is less.”

  Gram cursed again. Probably because Scarlett was babbling and Gram wasn’t one to indulge melodrama.

  Scarlett’s voice cracked and she dropped down onto a rock on the side of the road, staring at the ocean, so she didn’t have to see the body any longer.

  “Are you crying?”

  “Maybe,” Scarlett sniffed and wiped a tear away.

  “Suck it up,” Gram said. “We have a killer to find. The girls will be fine.”

  Scarlett sniffed again and said, “I want to have hot cocoa with too many marshmallows with my babies and bake dark chocolate peppermint cake and not turn my bakery over to Henna while I find a killer.”

  “I believe I said to suck it up, whiner child.”

  Scarlett took a deep breath, tears indulged and gone in mere moments, and said, “Let’s end this.”

  “There’s my girl.”

  “I gotta go, Lex is coming.”

  “Can you feel him?”

  “Maybe.”

  “Interesting.”

  “What does that even mean?”

  “Just that it’s interesting. You’re pretty emotional for you. He break up with you?”

  “What? No!”

  “Not so sure this Christmas curse isn’t Oakens getting knocked up. Maybe that’s why you’re emotional. You should probably pee on a stick or whatever they do these days. If he’s not mad at you, I figure you’re only a crier when you’re hormonal.”

  “Oh my goodness,” Scarlett said slowly. “Please s
top talking.”

  “She could be on her period,” Mr. Jueavas said and Scarlett gasped. She had to hang up before her head exploded.

  “You ok?”

  “Gram…” Scarlett stared at him for a moment, gaping at the end of that conversation and the shook it off to walk into Lex’s arms and let him squeeze her close. “She’s horrible.”

  “You love her.” He sounded amused. The jerk.

  “So much,” Scarlett said, breathing in the scent of him and grateful to feel his strong arms around her.

  “I was thinking…” Lex said carefully. There was something in his tone that had her pulling back and staring into his face. “I was thinking it might be a good idea to send the kids away. Just until this is wrapped up.”

  “To Oaken house?”

  “To my parents,” Lex said, gaze flicking from hers.

  “To your parents,” Scarlett choked out. What parents? He’d never once mentioned them. When she asked about them, he’d said they weren’t around. His tone had told her there was baggage there. She’d thought it was mourning. She hadn’t wanted to prod him when it hurt, so she’d let it go. Assuming like an asinine fool that they were dead. “Are you kidding me?”

  “Scarlett…I…”

  “How many more secrets are you gonna haul out of your bag?”

  “I…”

  “You let me think they were gone.”

  “We’re not close,” he said as if that were an answer. She yanked herself out of his arms. Enraged by so many things he was saying.

  “But you want to send our girls there? Lex…I…parents?!”

  She’d had enough. She spun around and stalked to Harper’s car.

  “Scarlett!”

  She didn’t turn. She was feeling melodramatic again, but she felt it was pretty deserved. Use the knowing to traumatize your daughters, find a body, discover our boyfriend—heavy on the boy is a liar. Again.

  “Scarlett,” Lex tried again with the smallest bit of appeal in his tone.

  She unlocked the door of the car, slid inside, placed her foot on the break, and started the car with the push of a button. She glanced at him, and he shrugged that enigmatic, wordless shrug and pushed a new flood of fury through her.

  “Scarlett,” Lex stepped in front of the car. He held his hands out to the side like he was surrendering, but what utter nonsense. He wasn’t surrounding, he was attempting and failing to placate her. To talk her out of her anger and get her to—once again—listen to him lie to her.

  Her eyes narrowed on him.

  “Let’s talk about this. They’re not safe.”

  Was he still talking about that? Because there was no way in the world she’d send her daughters away, to people she didn’t know, the week of Christmas. Her eyes narrowed on him, and she revved the engine. He didn’t move. Did he think this was a game of chicken? It wasn’t. It was a game of move or die. She was so angry her hands were shaking. When she didn’t move the car, he stepped forward thinking she was going to give him a chance to talk her into sending her daughters to his parents. People he didn’t ever mention. Ever. For the love of all that was beautiful.

  Scarlett backed away from him and when she was clear, pulled a Harper, and squealed away. Certainly she shot gravel at him when she’d sped away. And certainly, she didn’t care.

  Chapter 7

  Scarlett rolled up outside her own bakery where Gram and Henna and their boyfriends were helping themselves to whatever they wanted and honked. They simply looked out the window and then Gram slowly raised a brow.

  She stared at the bakery but Gram didn’t even look back at Scarlett again. She saw the window curtains in her apartment above twitch and figured either Mom or Gus or both would be in the bakery soon. Scarlett sighed and slammed into the bakery. She threw her bag onto a table and placed her hands on her hips. Someone, Henna probably, had made a pot of coffee. Someone, Gram probably, had removed one of the pies from the fridge and warmed it. An open container of vanilla ice cream was sitting at the table melting because none of them had bothered to return it to the freezer.

  “What’s got you all in a ruffle?” Gram asked idly as if she wasn’t working her way through Scarlett’s stock for the next day.

  She crossed to the area behind the glass front fridge and grabbed the peppermint chocolate cheesecake. She took the whole thing and a fork and crossed back to the table next to the four friends. She scowled at all of them, pointedly stared at the ice cream, and then said, “I hate everyone. I hate the stupid druid cow who is ruining our Christmas and you know…murdering people. And Lex! Oh my stars, how I hate him.”

  She felt guilty for a moment, realized that no…no…she really was that angry. She tried for puffy cloud thoughts, failed, and snarled.

  “Oh-ho!” Gram said that single brow was raised again.

  Scarlett had just blocked it out and jabbed her fork into the cheesecake, took a monstrous bite, and remembered again that she hated everyone.

  “Tell me,” Gram ordered, taking a sip of her coffee, and not returning the ice cream to the freezer.

  Scarlett’s eyes narrowed on it and realized that it was too late. That ice cream was already ruined. She was going to have to make another batch in the morning. It had better be mostly empty. It had…stop thinking about ice cream, she thought and took another bite of the cheesecake. It was amazing. Smooth and delicious. The perfect dark chocolatey goodness and she hated it too.

  Gus walked into the bakery from the apartment above as Scarlett ignored her Gram to shove another bite of the offensive cheesecake into her mouth.

  He took a glance around, gaze settling on the cheesecake and grabbed his own fork.

  “Your mom says I can’t leave yet,” he said, taking the cheesecake from her, taking a bite, and handing it back.

  “She’s probably right. Given that bodies are turning up,” Scarlett said, digging her fork into the cheesecake and realizing it would infuriate Lex that Gus was staying. Scarlett smiled evilly at Gus and he leaned back a little bit.

  “Gus,” Gram said, groaning, “Shut your mouth. She was about to tell us the good stuff.”

  Gus stole another bite of cheesecake when Scarlett wouldn’t hand the plate over and then said, “Don’t let me stop you. Spill, Scarlett. What’s up with the body.”

  “Not that,” Gram snapped, “Lex!”

  “Lex is just a never-ending round of discovery.” Scarlett made it sound like she’d said he had some horrible venereal disease and everyone glanced at each other. Even she heard how angry she was—she could hear the edge of heartbreak.

  “Oh honey,” Henna said, taking Scarlett’s hand.

  “Shut it,” Gram ordered Henna, but she wasn’t one to be cowed by Gram.

  “He’s not like us,” Henna said, gently. She took Scarlett’s hand in one of hers and brushed back some of her loose hair with another. “Gus is like us. He should have been born a druid. But Lex…Lex doesn’t know how to be in a family. He needs time and he’s going to have a few failures.”

  Scarlett sighed, thinking back to something similar Luna had said. It didn’t make lying ok. It just didn’t. Not when she’d trusted him with her heart, her daughters, and her body. Not when she’d brought him into the Oaken family. Not when she’d started to need him.

  “I didn’t used to know either,” Gus said comfortingly. “I…”

  Scarlett stared at him, realizing he was comforting her about Lex. Gus hadn’t done that before. He’d been so upset when Scarlett had found love with Lex instead.

  “What happened to your girl, Gus?” Scarlett asked, trying to sound as kind as Henna.

  Gus glanced at Scarlett and then at Gram and admitted, “She…left.”

  “We have eyeballs, boy,” Gram said. “Why? You’re rich. You’re gorgeous. You’re talented. No one dumps you.”

  “Why aren’t you asking Scarlett about the body?” Gus demanded, squirming. His gaze was darting around the room, avoiding everyone.

  Henna laughed under
her breath and then refilled coffee for everyone around the table and pouring new cups for Scarlett and Gus. Mr. Jueavas and Mr. Throdmore watched and said nothing, though Mr. Throdmore did scoop himself some more ice cream. Scarlett felt better both because it was being eaten and because it really was getting pretty sloppy.

  “We’ll get to it,” Gram said, eyes narrowing. “What happened to your girl?”

  Gus sighed and then said, “She left.”

  “She realized you think you’re in love with Scarlett?”

  Scarlett jumped at that and Gram said, “He’s just in love with the family, Scarlett. He always has been. Get over yourself.”

  Scarlett didn’t reply. She glanced at Gus whose ears and turned red, and he squirmed in his seat, powerful vampire or not. Scarlett had pity on him and handed over the cheesecake.

  “Of course, I love you all,” Gus said, “I’ve been closer to you than my own family since the first time I came over to play with Scarlett. I’m not going to pretend I haven’t always wanted to be one of you.”

  Scarlett took his hand at that. He was one of them. He’d been since…always. It was why he’d had Christmas with her family even after she’d moved away. It was why Mom had him in their family pictures.

  “Gus. Stupid boy,” Gram said, smacking him on the side of the head. “You’re an Oaken whether you’re with Scarlett or not. That’s why the druid hit you. You are one of us, but you were on your own. Dodging the family since Scarlett started dating Lex. The only member of the Oaken family who lives alone now that Harper and Quinton are in each other’s pockets.”

  Gus blinked. Gram hadn’t hurt him when she’d smacked him, but she still seemed to have knocked him senseless.

  He didn’t say a word. His gaze was fixed on Gram, but he mouth was clenched tight.

  “Boy, your parents are worthless. We’ve loved you since Scarlett first brought you home. Maye even told me she was going to keep you.”

  He blinked.

  “But Scarlett has never been right for you. Not in the way you think you want.”