by Amy Boyles
Hot breath caressed my skin.
“Pepper,” Garrick warned, “he hasn’t hurt anyone yet, but if he touches you, I’ll shoot him.”
“Don’t,” I said.
The beast sniffed me for a moment and then lowered his head. I stroked the coarse fur. The creature quivered. His muscles trembled. He was scared. Whether it was Axel who was terrified or whether it was the creature, I didn’t know. All I was certain of was that you get a group of men together to corner any living thing and that animal will be terrified. I know I would’ve been.
Then a single word flared in my head. The beast projected it there, and I knew it as plain as the nose on my face.
Help, he said.
The word crushed my heart but also made my chest swell. I could communicate with Axel in this form. He knew who and what he was, and he hadn’t hurt anybody.
“Barnaby, are you ready?” I said softly, not wanting to startle the creature.
“Sure am,” he said from behind me.
I heard Barnaby explain to Garrick. “I can return the wolf to his human form.”
Garrick said, “Do it. Let’s end this nightmare.”
“We’re going to turn you back,” I said to the creature. “Hang on.”
I tucked my hand to my side and stepped away, giving Barnaby the room he needed.
The werewolf kept a steady gaze on Barnaby as the wizard held the labradorite. Golden magic zoomed skyward from the stone as Barnaby spoke quietly.
The light flared up and then flew into the werewolf, encompassing him in a cocoon. The beast fought and snarled.
“Watch him, boys,” Garrick said. “Get back.”
We all shuffled back.
I reached out to him. “It’s okay. No one’s going to hurt you.”
But he snarled more.
“What’s going on?” I said to Barnaby.
“We’re forcing transformation. It probably hurts.”
I pressed my fingers to my forehead in worry. “Can you do anything to help?”
Barnaby shook his head. “It’ll be over in a moment.”
The werewolf continued to fight the magic, whirling on the men. He sank back on his haunches and lunged forward. Garrick lifted the shotgun and fired.
I screamed.
The wolf landed on the ground, unconscious. I rushed over to him. The beast finally started to change, morphing back into Axel. The fur fell out, the bones shortened and his face shrank into the one I knew.
When he’d shifted completely, I noticed a small bullet wound in his shoulder.
Garrick strode over. “It’s silver and will hurt him pretty bad if we don’t get it out now.” He turned to his men. “Come on! Let’s get Axel to the doctor. There’s not a minute to waste.”
TWENTY-SEVEN
It was two weeks later and a beautiful Saturday morning. Summer was finally retreating and cool autumn wind blew through Magnolia Cove. The leaves had started turning beautiful shades of amber and gold, and happiness buoyed in my chest as I strolled down Bubbling Cauldron on my way to open Familiar Place.
I unlocked the door with the golden key Uncle Donovan had sent me in the mail in a life that felt far, far away.
As soon as the door swung wide, the kittens meowed, the puppies barked and the birds chirped.
Feed us!
We’re starving!
What took you so long?
I chuckled as I flipped light switches, topped off water bowls and filled food pans.
I had just turned the plastic window sign to OPEN when the bell above the door tinkled.
Axel strolled in, his left arm in a sling. “Morning.” He placed a Styrofoam container on the counter.
I quirked a brow. “What’s that?”
“Sweet tea for my sweet.”
I laughed and stepped inside his single outstretched arm.
He pulled me in for a long kiss and hug. “I’ve missed you.”
“You just saw me yesterday.”
“Like I said, I’ve missed you.”
I giggled. “How’s the arm feel this morning?”
He rotated his shoulder. “Better. Doc says I’ll be free of this sling in another week.”
I clicked my tongue. “Betty offered to heal it for you.”
When Axel shook his head, dark tendrils tumbled into his eyes. He raked them away. “Like I told you, I wanted to remember what happened. I want a reminder.”
I shook my head. “I don’t know why you’re punishing yourself. It wasn’t your fault.”
He slumped back and leaned on the counter. “I know, but I need this.”
I rubbed his good shoulder. “The community’s behind you. No one was hurt.”
“This time.”
A flare of pain swelled in me. “We connected, Axel. I know you don’t remember, but I spoke to the wolf and he responded. You’re not completely lost when you become the beast.”
He sighed.
I smiled. “I know you don’t believe me, but it’s true.” A flicker of movement caught my gaze, and I glanced outside to see Barnaby Battle strolling down Bubbling Cauldron. “What happened with Delilah?”
Axel’s blue eyes fixed on me. “She was sentenced today. After her full confession the judge didn’t go easy on her—life in prison.”
I grimaced. “She was a cold-blooded killer.”
He nodded. “I never would’ve guessed. But anyway, she confessed to having an obsession with killing and enjoying it.”
I pressed a finger to my lips. “And Samuel never told you who sneaked him into the Vault to steal the box?”
Axel shook his head. “Not directly, though if I had to guess, I’d say that Erasmus must’ve helped him in some way.”
I quirked a brow. “Erasmus? But he’s dedicated to keeping the contents safe.”
“Doesn’t mean the guardian doesn’t prefer a little drama now and then.”
“You’ve got a good point.” Just then Erasmus passed in front of the store. “I guess he resigned from his post?”
“I think he’s taking a sabbatical.”
I clicked my tongue. “Can’t say I blame him.” I folded my arms and smiled at Axel. “I’m just glad you’re okay.”
He wrapped me in another hug and kissed my forehead. “And I feel the same about you.” Axel studied me with those gorgeous blue eyes of his, and my heart ballooned. “You ready to get out of here tonight? Go on a real date?”
I exhaled. “So ready. Think we have to worry about Rufus?”
Axel chuckled. “From what you told me, I think Rufus’ll leave you alone for a while. You gave that sorcerer a run for his money.”
I smiled. “I’m finally getting the hang of these powers.”
He brushed a strand of red hair from my eyes. “About time.”
I swatted his chest.
“Ouch!”
“That didn’t hurt. I missed your injured shoulder.”
Axel kissed my lips again and headed toward the door. “See you in a few hours.”
I waved and smiled. “Looking forward to it.”
He blew me a kiss, which was like so seriously romantic. Yes, I was such a cheese ball that I caught it.
Axel disappeared, and I stood in the still silence for a few minutes, ruminating on how much he meant to me and how happy I was that when he’d come to and realized the havoc he’d created in town while loose in his wolf form, that Axel hadn’t brooded about it. He took it with his chin up, relieved that no one had been hurt and thankful that the police had been willing to take him down but hadn’t.
And so the question remained—had it been the silver bullet that changed him back, or the labradorite?
We’d never know, but it didn’t matter. Axel was himself, Rufus was beaten back to whatever hole he’d crawled out of, and the killer had been caught.
Whew. All in a week’s work.
A scraping from the rear of the store caught my attention. It sounded like someone entering the back door, but that was impossible. I was the only person with a
key.
Concerned, I stepped into the hall. Sure enough, the doorknob turned as if someone was about to enter.
Then they did. A man stumbled through, a golden key that matched mine in his hand.
He had thinning white hair and oval spectacles resting on his nose. I instantly recognized him.
“Uncle Donovan,” I said, reaching for him.
My supposed-to-be-dead uncle fell to his knees. I wrapped my arms around him, barely processing what was happening.
“Uncle?” I repeated, confused as heck and unsure if this was a ghost or a man I was touching.
Donovan stared ahead for a moment before blinking at me. His eyes seemed to focus, and his head jerked. “Pepper! Thank goodness you’re here.”
“What’s going on?”
Donovan heaved himself off the floor and grabbed my arms. “Pepper. I’m in grave danger. I’m afraid you might be, too. I need your help if we’re both going to survive what’s coming.”
I nearly slapped my forehead. Oh boy, here we go again.
THANK Y’ALL!
Pepper’s adventures continue in Southern Curses, the next book in the Sweet Tea Witch Mysteries Series.
Click HERE to order.
Thank you so much for reading SOUTHERN SORCERY. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review. Reviews help other readers decide whether they’d like to take a chance on a book. If you think they should take a chance on this one, let them know!
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And I love to hear from you! Please feel free to drop me a line anytime. You can email me [email protected].
Also by Amy Boyles
SWEET TEA WICH MYSTERIES
SOUTHERN MAGIC
SOUTHERN SPELLS
SOUTHERN MYTHS
SOUTHERN SORCERY
SOUTHERN CURSES
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BLESS YOUR WITCH SERIES
SCARED WITCHLESS
KISS MY WITCH
QUEEN WITCH
QUIT YOUR WITCHIN'
FOR WITCH'S SAKE
DON'T GIVE A WITCH
WITCH MY GRITS
FRIED GREEN WITCH
SOUTHERN WITCHING
Y’ALL WITCHES
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SOUTHERN SINGLE MOM PARANORMAL MYSTERIES
The Witch’s Handbook to Hunting Vampires
The Witch’s Handbook to Catching Werewolves
The Witch’s Handbook to Trapping Demons
About the Author
Amy Boyles grew up reading Judy Blume and Christopher Pike. Somehow, the combination of coming of age books and teenage murder mysteries made her want to be a writer. After graduating college at DePauw University, she spent some time living in Chicago, Louisville, and New York before settling back in the South. Now, she spends her time chasing two preschoolers while trying to stir up trouble in Silver Springs, Alabama, the fictional town where Dylan Apel and her sisters are trying to master witchcraft, tame their crazy relatives, and juggle their love lives. She loves to hear from readers! You can email her at [email protected].
