by Vella Day
James nodded then stood. “Gentlemen, I have some work to do and people to contact. I’ll be in touch.”
Kalan rose, and after he shook James’s hand, Kip followed suit.
“Thank you,” Kip said.
As soon as they stepped outside, Kip wanted to hear what Kalan thought of the meeting—strange as it was. He didn’t like that his friend’s posture was rigid. Perhaps he believed the immortal could hear their conversation.
Kip walked up to him. “Well?”
“If James is helping, we have a shot.”
That calmed him a bit. “So now what?”
“We wait.”
Damn.
*
Teagan was happy to be working at the spa and even arrived a few minutes early. Now that she understood her visions could help those she cared about, her attitude had improved.
Missy stepped out from the back. “I thought you were going to take a few days off.”
“I changed my mind.” Teagan smiled.
Missy grabbed her arm and walked her back behind the counter. “Okay, you look too happy. What changed? Spill.” She clasped a hand over her mouth. “Are you back with Kip?” She tilted her head. “You had wild make up sex, didn’t you?”
Heat climbed up her face, and then Teagan laughed. She loved how her cousin’s mind was like a Gatling gun, shooting out possible scenarios one after the other. “Kip did stop over and we did enjoy each other, but that isn’t what changed.”
“Oh, I don’t know about that. If I had some passionate sex, I bet my attitude would certainly improve.”
Teagan laughed again. “Okay, that did help, but your sister talked me into seeing Rosa Rivera.”
“Rosa? Didn’t her husband pass away recently?”
“Yes.” Teagan told Missy about their conversation, though it was more of a one-sided discussion. “Rosa convinced me that having my visions can help those around me.”
Missy wagged a finger at her. “Didn’t I tell you to warn Kip the first time you had your vision—so you could help him?”
She had. “Guilty, but it’s hard to tell someone about a vague threat. You know I don’t like scaring people or being wrong. Remember, I never see exactly what could happen, just that it won’t be good. When I saw myself with Kip, I thought I could change things.”
Missy rubbed her arm. “I know you had your reasons, but regardless of what happened in the past, I’m really happy you’ve decided not to hide anymore.”
“Actually, I am too.”
A customer entered, cutting their powwow short. Miriam Sanchez was there for a massage. Teagan escorted her to the back room, and immediately the incense and aromatherapy calmed her. Once Miriam changed, Teagan began her work, allowing her mind to wander. With her new attitude, she hoped her visions might be more positive and perhaps less intense. It would be nice if she could anticipate a pregnancy or a job promotion—something nice for a change. That kind of premonition she’d be willing to share.
An hour later, after finishing with Miriam, Teagan spent twenty minutes educating two ladies on the value of aromatherapy. While she was personable, her mind was still on her recent decision. Sitting by and doing nothing while Kip’s brother was in pain was no longer acceptable. Teagan really wanted to help Randy. Her motivation wasn’t simply to get back into Kip’s good graces; she genuinely cared about his brother. But she wouldn’t blame Kip if he never forgave her for not running to the hospital on the night Randy was stabbed.
The past was something she couldn’t change, but she could alter her behavior in the future. Instead of bemoaning her visions, she could use her powers to help others.
And who better to guide her on how to accomplish her lofty goal than Ophelia? The only stumbling block was finding the recluse. According to Izzy, she didn’t own a phone, and Teagan didn’t know where she lived. The only person who ever seemed to be able to reach her at will was Izzy, and right now, her cousin was teaching school. That meant Teagan would have to wait until the afternoon. Unfortunately, patience wasn’t her strong suit.
By the time lunch rolled around, Teagan was starving and quite fidgety, in part because she wasn’t sure she should leave the store. Aunt Kathryn was giving Mr. Murdoch an aura cleansing back at the Cove in Izzy’s old house, and Missy had a healing session with one client and had promised to help another lady with buying crystals a half hour later.
When the first of Missy’s clients left, Teagan rushed up to her. “Do you mind if I take my lunch first. I know you’re booked for the next hour.”
“Sure. Mom should be back shortly.”
“Great. Do you want me to bring you something?” Missy frequently ate in the store.
“I’d like to get out. It won’t be long before winter is here, and I want to enjoy the delicious fall weather while I can.”
“I hear ya.” Teagan grabbed her purse and dashed out. Relishing a chance for some exercise, she decided to walk to the Silver Lake Café on the north end of town, across from Hope Church.
Halfway there, she thought it would be easier to text Izzy now, rather than wait to call until after school let out. Perhaps in between classes, she could contact Ophelia and set up an appointment.
Teagan pulled out her phone, found the number, and then had to think how she wanted to word her request. A horn honked just as a kid on a skateboard rushed by on the sidewalk. He nearly clipped her shoulder and forced her to jump close to the curb.
Her heart sped up. “Hey. Watch where you’re going!” she shouted at the retreating figure.
The kid ignored her and disappeared quickly from sight. What was he doing out of school anyway? Biting back her frustration, Teagan mentally composed her text, making sure that if anyone looked at Izzy’s phone messages, there would be no way to tell Teagan was asking for a meeting with the most powerful Wendayan witch in town. If Teagan’s mom were here she might have been able to contact Ophelia. They’d interacted on many occasions.
Teagan crossed Oak Avenue and was almost to the Church when she finished her text to Izzy. So engrossed in making sure the message was exactly how she wanted that she ran right into a city trashcan and knocked it over. Garbage tumbled out over the sidewalk.
“Shit.” She’d bruised her knee in the collision and had nearly dropped her cell. Now she’d have to pick up the stupid trash! Her lunch break already was too short.
Stunned that she’d been so careless, she backed up and rubbed her sore knee. Then anger at all the crappy things that had happened in the last few days came rushing back, and she whipped her hands upward in total dismay and dropped back her head. The next thing she knew, the trashcan went flying a good ten feet and smashed into the side of a parked pickup truck.
Holy fuck. She’d done that—by mistake—all because she lost control. Heart pounding and stomach tumbling, Teagan whipped around to check if anyone had seen her telekinetic feat. The well-kept secret of the Wendayan’s existence would be exposed if anyone had.
She checked the streets. If someone had seen her little exhibition, she hoped they might believe a sudden gust of wind had picked up the metal can and tossed it about. Fingers crossed.
No one was near the church, and the sidewalk across the street was empty. Teagan looked at the sky and mentally thanked whoever was watching over her.
Move the can.
She pressed send on her cell to deliver the message to Izzy then stuffed it back into her purse. Now more than ever, she needed Ophelia’s help. Teagan would have to add anger management to her list of questions.
She picked up the can then returned it to its original position. Even with much of the trash out of it, it was damn heavy. Next, she rushed to the truck to check for damage. No insurance would cover it if there had been a dent, and she sure didn’t have any excess funds to pay for it.
Teagan shook her head in disgust. What a shame her visions never foretold her future—only those of others—or else she might have been more careful. The most frustrating part was that she’d cau
sed this whole thing by being annoyed.
Teagan ran her hand down the truck’s metal side panel, but other than some slime, the vehicle seemed okay. She blew out a breath and rushed to pick up what trash hadn’t blown away.
She was halfway done when a girl about eighteen stopped to help, renewing her faith in kids. As she was nearly finished, a gentleman in his thirties with close-cropped blond hair and a small goatee also stopped to pick up a few pieces.
“Did the wind knock this over?” he asked. “It really made a mess.”
“Actually, I bumped into it.”
“Ah. That’s the reason you’re picking up the trash.”
She chuckled. “Yes.”
From the way he glanced to the side before returning his gaze to her, she didn’t think he believed her, but right now she didn’t care. Once they retrieved as much of the can’s contents as possible, she stood, anxious to leave the crime scene. Not only was she totally embarrassed by what happened, her hands were filthy and her clothes smelled. Could this day get any worse?
Teagan looked to the sky once more. Don’t answer that.
*
Brother Jacob closed his desk drawer and leaned back, dreaming about how to use the newfound magic. Robbing Randy Landon of his ability to manipulate electricity was a stroke of genius. At will, Brother Jacob would be able to cut power to any building, disrupt cell phone service, and electrocute his enemy. The opportunities were endless! Robbing a bank would take a lot of planning, but the reward would be high.
The knock on his office door instantly put him in a foul mood since he detested interruptions. “Come in.” Ah, it was Brother William. “What do you want? I’m busy.”
The interloper rubbed his goatee, a sure sign he was uncomfortable. “I saw someone perform an amazing feat, sir. She’s a Wendayan.”
The possibility of another theft had his heart pumping fast, even though it would mean finding more sardonyx. “Tell me.”
In stops and starts, Brother Williams described a woman capable of hurling heavy objects with a raise of an arm. “I did some research on her. Her name is Teagan Pompley. She’s associated with Kip Landon, the twin of the man whose magic we stole. She’s also a psychic. Apparently, her premonitions are quite accurate.”
To be able to see into the future would be immensely valuable, perhaps more so than the ability to control electricity. “Bring her to me. And don’t fail.”
Brother William bowed his head. “Yes, sir.”
Chapter Seven
‡
Around four o’clock, Teagan received an answer from Izzy regarding her text. Ophelia could meet with her at five thirty at Izzy’s former house. Yes! While Teagan was a bit nervous speaking with the old but wise woman, she was really excited to find out what she could do to help Randy get his magic back. If time permitted, Teagan would ask if there was a spell or something Ophelia could do to help with Teagan’s telekinetic outbursts.
“Everything okay?” Missy asked, sneaking up on her.
Teagan’s heart spiked. She had to stop spacing out like that. It was bad enough that she’d run into the trashcan and had almost exposed her powers in town. She’d thanked the gods in heaven profusely for having the street completely empty for a change, but perhaps she needed to give praise more often.
“I texted Izzy about something and she answered.” Teagan waved her cell. “That’s all.”
Missy looked at her quizzically as if she thought Teagan might be lying. “About what?”
If her sister Izzy should mention that Teagan asked to speak with Ophelia, and Teagan hadn’t confided in Missy, her cousin would be upset. Because no one else was in the store, she decided to tell her. Hopefully, Missy wouldn’t ask too many questions. “I needed to make an appointment with Ophelia. That’s all. Izzy set it up for me.”
“Why do you need to see Ophelia?” Concern flooded her face.
Wendayans didn’t often ask to see the powerful witch. “If you must know, I want to see if there is anything I can do to help Randy retrieve his magic back.”
Missy’s face scrunched up. “Are you insane?” She leaned closer. “If Changelings are involved, you could be killed.”
Teagan waved a hand. “I’m not planning to drive into the mountains and ask questions.”
Missy’s shoulders sagged a little. “Then what?”
“I’m not sure. I want to know what a vision about a Changeling would look like in case I have another one. Every one of us is at risk, and I refuse to stand by with my thumb up my ass and watch while other witches have their magic stolen.”
Missy’s eyes widened, probably because Teagan hadn’t been this passionate about doing something in a long time.
“I’m well aware of the danger, and I also agree that those evil werewolves might not be happy at just stealing Randy’s magic. I imagine they will desire to take everyone’s. Why wouldn’t they want to go big and try to rule the world?”
A shiver rippled up Teagan’s spine. “Exactly. It’s bad enough they can shift into a werewolf and even morph into another human. Add magic into the mix, and they could be unstoppable.”
“Horrible thought. Perhaps we should take shooting lessons.”
Teagan almost laughed. “My luck, I’d be carrying a gun, and when I pointed it at the Changeling, I’d lose my courage. Then he’d wrestle it away from me and kill me with it.”
“You have a point,” Missy said. “Let me know what Ophelia says. I would like to help too, but my powers aren’t conducive to becoming a super hero.”
Teagan hugged her. “I know. Mine aren’t either, but there has to be something I can do.”
“Let me know what she says.”
For the next hour, Teagan kept busy, trying not to dwell on the meeting. She needed to figure out how to phrase her concerns in the most succinct manner. Most likely, Ophelia, who she’d met only a few times, would talk in circles then disappear, and Teagan wanted to make sure she asked her questions quickly and effectively. Elana had told her that the old witch had held Elana’s hand and hummed, which meant that Teagan had to remind herself not be disappointed with the outcome.
At five fifteen, she said goodbye to Missy who was closing out the cash register, and then headed back to the Cove. Izzy’s house was the last home before Cove Lake and afforded the most privacy, which was probably why Ophelia had chosen that spot instead of meeting at Teagan’s house.
When she parked in Izzy’s driveway, it wasn’t until she’d slipped from her car that she spotted the diminutive lady stepping from behind a tree. It was a strange hiding place, but Teagan was sure she had her reasons.
Teagan rushed up to her. “Thank you, Ophelia, for meeting with me.”
“These are serious times.”
Izzy must have filled her in on what happened to Kip’s brother. Even though Teagan had practiced what she wanted to say, she wasn’t sure how to begin. Taking care of her anger issues might be the most pressing problem. “I had an incident this afternoon that occurred because I lost my temper. Is there some kind of spell you can perform to help calm me?”
“A spell? I could perform one, but I don’t think that would make you happy. You have the ability within you to control your life. Just slow your pulse and eject negative thoughts.”
That was easier said than done. She needed a more direct approach with this woman. “Okay then, can you tell me what I might do about my undisciplined telekinesis powers that keep erupting at all the wrong times?”
Ophelia grabbed both of her wrists then closed her eyes. She hummed just as she had with Elana. A moment later, she let go then looked at her. “Practice. You have a lot of talent within you, and you need to recognize it for what it is.”
That was kind of like what Rosa had said. “I’ll try. I don’t know if you heard or not, but Kip Landon’s twin brother, Randy, had his magic stolen, and I’d like to help get his powers back.”
Ophelia’s gaze went straight through her, sending uncomfortable pulses of fear al
l the way down to her toes. “Destiny must play out. Interfering with fate can have consequences you can’t foresee.”
“I don’t plan to charge into the mountains and search for the location of the stolen magic.” Though if she thought she’d be successful she would try.
“I’m glad you realize that would be dangerous.”
“I do.” Teagan wasn’t surprised she said that, but she couldn’t let the subject drop. “Do you have any idea what our magic by itself would look like?”
“It glows,” Ophelia said as if she’d seen a witch’s powers outside of her body.
“It glows? Like a firefly?”
A small smile lifted her lips. “Precisely, though different powers give off different colored auras.”
The old witch was talking in riddles again. “Is there anything I can do to help Randy, and maybe future Wendayans who are robbed of their most precious commodity?”
“There is a black aura over our kind, but if you use your powers for the good, you can help eliminate this aura for a long time.”
Excitement pulsed through her veins. “What do I need to do?”
She tapped an area on the left side of her chest. “Your heart will lead the way.”
Really? That was all she could offer? Teagan needed answers, not platitudes.
Ophelia smiled, turned, and headed toward the lake. Don’t go! While Teagan was tempted to follow her, she had to respect the woman’s privacy.
Aargh. Teagan clenched her fists to keep from sending a branch or a rock flying through the air. With her luck today, it would hit Ophelia in the head. The old witch was right. Teagan seriously needed some help with her self-control. Damn. She had so many other questions to ask, but the old witch had thrown her off her game by humming and talking nonsense.
Once back in the car, Teagan called Kip hoping he could help her figure out a few things.
He answered on the first ring. “Hey, I didn’t expect to hear from you so soon.”
When he’d left after their fantastic lovemaking session, she had told him she needed time. “I’ve come to my senses. Would you be up for dinner?”
