Mystic Caravan 11 - Freaky Mage

by Amanda M. Lee

  “Is that a good or bad memory?”

  “Good. It was a few months after Max plucked me from the streets of Detroit. I was still feeling guilty about leaving the others and was rather surly.”

  “Totally surly,” Naida agreed, not looking up from her nail file. “She was a belligerent little beast.”

  “I don’t remember you being all that friendly to me then,” I pointed out.

  If Naida was bothered by my tone, she didn’t show it. “I hadn’t decided if I could trust you yet. You had a bad attitude, and the only one you’d bonded with those first few weeks was Luke. That was hardly the most auspicious of starts.”

  She had a point. “I kept waiting for Max to show his true colors,” I explained. “At the time, I didn’t think he could possibly be on the up and up. On the street, nobody was ever really pure of heart. I know now that Max never wanted to hurt me. But back then I was just waiting for something bad to happen.”

  “Which made her miserable,” Naida noted. “In turn, that made us miserable because she was an absolute pain to be around.”

  “Oh, I didn’t think she was that bad,” Nixie countered. “I recognized she had a pure heart. All that fear she was harboring was hard to swallow, though.”

  “Obviously things worked out,” Kade said. “You guys are all in love with each other now.”

  “Yes, we’re totally lovable,” Nixie agreed.

  “Savannah was the place I began to relax,” I said. “We were close to the water and I got to spend a lot of time looking at the river. My suspicion finally started to dissipate. Of course, that was only after we were attacked by a group of unruly ghosts and Max and I combined our magic to get rid of them.”

  “Ghosts?” Kade didn’t look thrilled at the prospect. “I don’t like ghosts.”

  “Then you’re going to hate Savannah,” Naida said, holding out her hand to survey her handiwork. “It’s one of the most haunted cities in the country.”

  “Really?” Kade’s nose wrinkled. “Why is that?”

  “Savannah has undergone a lot of tragedy,” I explained. “Twice it had fires — I think they were twenty-five years apart back in the late 1700s and early 1800s — that wiped out half the city. On top of that, there was an outbreak of yellow fever right on the heels of the second fire that wiped out a tenth of the city’s population.”

  Kade let loose a low whistle. “That is some bad luck.”

  “It devastated the population,” I said. “Nobody was unscathed. Plus, when you take into account the fact that the city was a major slavery port, there’s a whole lot of misery packed into the city’s history.”

  “Savannah is the most haunted city in America,” Naida added. “It’s not one of the most haunted cities. It’s right at the top. The city politicians wisely embraced that history and included ghosts in their tourism plans. They’ve been booming for years because of that decision.”

  “So, you’ve seen ghosts here?” Kade asked, his eyes on me.

  I nodded. “I’ve seen ghosts. But before you get yourself all worked up, most ghosts are not evil spirits. They’re actually benevolent. They don’t want to hurt anybody.”

  “In most cases, ghosts stay behind because they were ripped from their lives so violently that they’re either tortured or don’t realize they’re dead.”

  Kade’s brow furrowed. “I thought reapers absorbed souls so they pass over. Isn’t their entire job to ensure that no souls are left behind?”

  “In theory, yes. But in practice, it’s not that easy. Souls escape all the time. Once left to their devices, some of them go insane. Those are the stories you hear about because they make for more excitement. But a lot of the souls that escape just like to hang around and do their own thing.”

  “Why don’t the reapers collect them after the fact?”

  “I’m guessing it’s a manpower issue,” I replied. “Also, there’s a rumor about Savannah. Supposedly, a crossroads demon made a deal with a witch more than three-hundred years ago that allows for Savannah to be a safe place for the dead to walk without the reapers intervening. Whether that’s true or not, I can’t say. I guess I should’ve asked the Grimlocks about it when we were in Detroit.”

  Kade rubbed his chin as he took a turn that pointed us toward the river. “That’s a lot to take in.”

  “You don’t have to worry,” I reassured him. “We rarely have trouble with ghosts.”

  “Weren’t those ghosts that terrorized us in northern California?”

  “Kind of, but not really.”

  “I think they were technically ghosts,” Naida argued.

  “I think they were enslaved shades,” I shot back.

  “I’m pretty sure they’re the same thing.”

  “And I’m pretty sure they’re not.”

  Kade cleared his throat to draw our attention and halt the brewing argument. Just the two of us usually drove between sites, but with Naida and Nixie’s vehicle in the shop for repairs, somebody had to take them. Somehow — and I was still trying to figure out how — that ended up being us.

  “Why do you love the city so much, Nixie?” Kade asked, clearly trying to redirect the conversation to a safer topic.

  “I love the magic,” Nixie replied, her turquoise eyes sparkling. “You can feel it bubbling beneath the surface.”

  “A lot of paranormals find their way to Savannah,” I explained. “The location is ideal because of the water, and like I said, there’s rumored to be a ‘no reapers allowed’ policy that appeals to a lot of creatures.”

  “I’m not sure that would appeal to me,” Kade said. “I kind of like the idea of reapers running around making sure souls get to where they’re supposed to be going.”

  “No system is perfect,” I reminded him. “There are plenty of cities overrun by ghosts. I’m guessing that’s because the reaper systems in those areas are either lazy or corrupt. I wouldn’t rule out either option.”

  “That makes me sad.”

  “Only because you met reapers who were good at their jobs. Not all reapers are as enjoyable as the Grimlocks.”

  “That also makes me sad.”

  “It is what it is.” I was quiet a moment before twisting in my seat to look between the two pixies. “What about you guys? I heard you have special guests coming for a visit this week.”

  Nixie’s smile was so wide it threatened to swallow her entire face. “Our cousin Pemberley is coming.”

  Now it was my turn to make a face. “Like the house in Pride and Prejudice?”

  “He picked his own name,” Naida explained. “Nixie and I kept ours, but he hated his.”

  “He was always a big fan of books, movies and music,” Nixie said. “I think one of the first books he read when we landed on this side was Pride and Prejudice. It stuck with him, to the point he thinks Keira Knightley is a plague for making that movie and trying to tarnish the name of good cinema.”

  I was only vaguely familiar with the movie. “I kind of liked it.”

  “I wouldn’t mention that to him,” Naida said. “He really hates that movie, and it’s hard for him because he loves Bend it Like Beckham and Pirates of the Caribbean.”

  “He sounds like an interesting guy,” Kade noted. “What does he do for a living?”

  “He’s a wedding coordinator.”

  “Really?” That sounded odd. “He’s a pixie from another plane and he decided to live on this side so he could coordinate weddings?”

  Kade cast me a sidelong look. “Do you have something against weddings?”

  I shrugged, noncommittal. “They’re kind of a waste of money. Why would you drop forty-thousand dollars on a party when you could buy a house with the money instead?”

  Kade’s chuckle was dry. “You’re such a rational little thing sometimes. Haven’t you ever dreamed about the romance of it all?”

  His soul was far more romantic than mine. I didn’t want to dampen his enthusiasm. “There wasn’t much time for that on the street. I’ve seen it in
movies. Sometimes it seems fun. Other times it seems overblown.”

  “Well, Pemberley loves the overblown,” Naida replied. “There’s little he loves more than a tiara and flowing white dress. I guess he served as the wedding coordinator fifteen years ago for the people he’s bringing with him.”

  Surprise washed over me. “He’s bringing people with him? I thought he was coming to visit you.”

  “Actually, he’s going on some sort of ghost adventure with this family,” Naida said. “They recently crossed paths again. The couple now has a fourteen-year-old daughter he’s in love with. They were talking about a family vacation to get away from it all and he suggested Savannah.”

  There was something about the story that didn’t make sense. ““Why would a family go on vacation with their wedding coordinator from fifteen years ago?”

  “Your guess is as good as mine. We keep in contact with him, talking on the phone once a month, and when we mentioned we would be in Savannah he arranged his schedule so he could see us.”

  “That sounds nice,” Kade said. “How long has it been since you’ve seen him?”

  Naida shrugged. “I don’t know. Time has little meaning for me anymore. I’d say it’s been fifty years or so.”

  Nixie made a face. “Oh, it hasn’t been nearly that long.”

  “How can you be sure?” I asked.

  “We went to the theater together and saw one of those Twilight movies.”

  “Oh, right.” Naida’s expression turned even more dark. “Which one was it again?”

  “The one you didn’t like.”

  “That’s not narrowing it down.”

  “The one where they had the baby.”

  “Yeah, that one.” Naida’s lips flattened into a twisted grimace. “There was something wrong with that baby, other than the obvious. She didn’t look real.”

  “I’m pretty sure that’s because they used bad CGI to do her face,” I offered.

  “That movie wasn’t realistic,” Naida said. “Everybody knows that vampires can’t procreate unless they’re born vampires, which are rare. The made ones – like in that movie – don’t have swimmers that can swim.”

  “I didn’t know that,” Kade said.

  “That’s because you know absolutely nothing about the paranormal world. Poet has taken it easy on you because she thinks you’re dreamy. Anybody else who joined our team would’ve been required to read up and pass quizzes. You don’t have to because you share a bed with her.”

  Slowly, Kade’s gaze tracked to me. “Is that true?”

  There was no way I was going to answer that question. “Look.” I pointed at the rippling water as we drove past it. “We’re almost there.”

  Kade’s scowl was pronounced. “We’re going to talk about this later,” he warned. “I don’t want special treatment.”

  “Oh, oh!” Excited, Nixie leaned forward and raised her hand. “I would love to be his tutor. You have no idea how much I love teaching things to humans.”

  If anybody else had made the offer, I would’ve assumed it was an attempt at flirting. Nixie was far too oblivious, though. “He’s not a human,” I reminded her. “He’s a mage. He’s already learned a great deal. I very much doubt you’ll accelerate his learning curve because he does better when he learns on the job.”

  “I’m pretty sure there’s an insult buried in there,” Kade said dryly.

  “And I’m pretty sure you’re overreacting,” I said. “Don’t turn it into a thing. This day already feels as if it’s lasted forever.”

  “I think it’s been nice.” Her eyes dreamy, Nixie was back to looking out the window.

  Naida, on the other hand, was clearly as fed up as I was. “To get back to our previous topic, I’m not sure what Pemberley has going on with these people. He’s being somewhat secretive.”

  “Is that normal for him?”

  “Nothing he does is normal. He’s so flamboyant he makes Luke look straight. And he manscapes to the point he could pass for a woman sometimes.”

  “I’m pretty sure you’re not supposed to say things like that,” I said. “People might take it as homophobic.”

  “Yeah, pixies can’t be homophobic. We don’t believe genders should line up a specific way. You love who you love. I’m not giving him grief because he’s gay. I’m giving him grief because he’s weird.”

  “It does seem a little strange,” Kade said. “I mean ... would you want to take a wedding coordinator on vacation with us fifteen years in the future?”

  “Absolutely not.”

  He frowned. “Because you don’t ever want to get married?”

  The pointed questions made me squirm on my seat. “I ... um .. haven’t really thought about it that much. The marriage thing, I mean. As for a wedding, I guarantee I won’t want some overblown extravaganza. Ten people on a beach at sunset sounds far more romantic.”

  Thankfully, the answer seemed to placate him because the smile he graced me with was warm and happy. “That sounds like fun,” he agreed. “When is your cousin arriving, Naida?”

  “I don’t know yet. Once we set up the fairgrounds, we’re supposed to call him and arrange a time to meet.”

  “Well, I hope it’s a nice reunion,” I said, meaning every word. Even if Naida wasn’t excited to see her cousin, Nixie clearly was. “Here are the fairgrounds right now. I’m sure you’ll be calling him in a few hours.”

  “I can’t wait,” Nixie said. “There’s nothing I like better than visiting with family.”

  That hadn’t been an option for me in a very long time, but I nodded. “I’m sure you’ll have a great time.”

  “Of course I will. It’s Savannah.”

  2

  Two

  At the circus grounds where we would be spending the next week, I hauled myself out of Kade’s truck with an eye on starting our normal routine. Kade caught me from behind before I could pull down the tailgate and kissed my neck.

  “I love you.”

  The words made me grin. “I love you too.”

  His eyes were somber when I glanced over my shoulder, and his head shake threw me off. “I wasn’t finished.”

  “There’s more?” He wasn’t always easy to read, and today was one of those days he could be thinking one thing and plotting something entirely different.

  “There is.” He brushed his thumb over my cheek, the touch gentle as a breeze. “I love you, but we can never ride with Nixie and Naida again. I think they might’ve given me heartburn from the whiplash between sweet and acidic.”

  “They’re fine. Besides, it wasn’t all that long. It was, like ... only five hours.”

  “It felt like five days.” He tipped up my chin and gave me a lingering kiss before separating. His eyes were keen as he took in our surroundings. “Water, but not the ocean.”

  “That is the Savannah River. I sleep really well here because the water lulls me to sleep.”

  “I thought I lulled you to sleep.”

  “That, too.” I watched as he hopped into the back of the truck and reached for the chairs that matched the bistro table we normally set up between our trailer and the one shared by my best friend Luke Bishop and his boyfriend Cole Ryan. The first crew had already set up the trailers, now we simply had to add our personal touches. I held up my arms to accept the chairs. “I really do like this location.”

  “So you’ve said.” He inclined his chin toward Cole and Luke as they approached to help. “I’m still a little freaked out about the things you said regarding the ghosts. I’ll grab the table next.”

  “No problem,” Cole said as he joined us. He had an easygoing nature that contrasted drastically with Luke’s more high-strung reaction to ... well ... just about everything. “We’ve been here thirty minutes and already gotten a lot done. We were starting to get worried about you guys.”

  Kade’s expression was dark. “Nixie has the bladder of a six-year-old. She made us stop at three rest areas. One time she didn’t even make it seventy mile
s before she had to go again.”

  “Aw, you fell for that?” Luke made a clucking sound with his tongue as he accepted another chair from Kade. “Didn’t you tell him that Nixie just likes rest areas, Poet?”

  Kade’s eyes narrowed. “What do you mean?”

  I shot Luke a death glare and then held out my hands and shrugged. “Don’t listen to Luke. He’s just trying to get you riled up.”

  “I’m definitely trying to get you riled up,” Luke agreed. “That doesn’t mean I’m not telling the truth. Nixie has a rest area fetish.”

  Kade straightened, dumbfounded disbelief rolling off of him. “Who has a rest area fetish?”

  “Nobody,” I answered automatically.

  “Stop lying to him,” Luke said. “That’s no way to build a relationship. You need truth above all else.”

  That was rich coming from him. “Last night, before we went to bed, you told Cole that you were elected prom king at your high school.”

  Luke made a slashing motion across his throat to silence me.

  “You didn’t even graduate from high school,” I reminded him. “We took our GEDs together after we joined the circus. Max insisted.”

  “That doesn’t mean I wasn’t prom king,” Luke hissed.

  “You have to be a senior to be prom king. You dropped out in your junior year.”

  “Yes, well, thank you Poet!” Luke’s eyes flashed, signaling retribution was coming my way at some point. “I can’t tell you how thankful we all are for your incessant need to tell everyone my private business.”

  I risked a glance at Kade and found him smirking as he handed Cole the metal table. They both looked amused. “I’m just saying ... .”

  “Just stop talking,” Luke ordered.

  “You’re the one who brought up honesty in a relationship,” I reminded him.

  “Because you were telling fibs about Nixie.” Luke turned his full attention to Kade. “Poet knows that Nixie likes to hunt at rest areas. In fact, she’s known it for years … which is why nobody ever wants to ride with them.”

  “Hunt?” Kade looked perplexed.

  “Hunt for evil-doers,” I explained. “She has a theory about perverts and rest areas.”