Rest For The Wicked - The Claire Wiche Chronicles Book 1

by Cate Dean

  REST FOR THE WICKED

  THE CLAIRE WICHE CHRONICLES

  Cate Dean

  CONTENTS

  One

  Two

  Three

  Four

  Five

  Six

  Seven

  Eight

  Nine

  Ten

  Eleven

  Twelve

  Thirteen

  Fourteen

  Fifteen

  Sixteen

  Seventeen

  Reader’s Guide to the Claire Wiche Mythology

  Author’s Note

  About the Author

  ONE

  Claire Wiche guided her unhappy customer through her shop, one arm around the woman’s hunched shoulders.

  “You know I don’t do love spells, Mildred.”

  “But I know if he could see me, really see me, he’d fall desperately in—”

  “Would it be real, if he’s under an enchantment?”

  Mildred pouted, not a pretty sight on an eighty-year-old woman. “What happened to the customer is always right?”

  Biting her lip on a smile, Claire walked her through the open door.

  “Never been my policy. And I have good reasons for that.” She rubbed the old woman’s arm. “You go on home now. I’ll phone you when my new shipment of crystals shows up.”

  Leaning against the narrow porch post, Claire watched her toddle down the sidewalk, sunlight bouncing off the thin silver poodle curls. The morning gloom had burned off early, and it looked like the start of another beautiful day.

  She crossed her arms, cold despite the sweater she slipped on earlier. It took longer to warm up lately, a fact she did her best to ignore.

  “Are you cold again, Claire? It’s got to be at least 80 in the store.”

  Unless, of course, a well-meaning friend shoved it in her face.

  She turned around, forced a smile. “Is it, Annie? I must have forgotten to turn it down this morning.”

  “How could you not notice? The candles are sweating.” Annie Sullivan—the lively, no-holds-barred friend Claire never expected to have in her life—stepped across the small porch that ran along the front of the shop, her almost six foot height topping Claire by a good ten inches. She caught one hand before Claire could shove them in her pockets. “You’re like ice. Again.” She looked down at Claire, concern in her warm brown eyes. “And you’re avoiding. Again.”

  With a sigh, Claire squeezed her hand before easing out of it. The warmth in Annie’s fingers made her skin tingle, yearn.

  “Time to turn that heat down before the candles become a puddle.”

  Annie followed her back inside, hovering while she adjusted the thermostat to a more reasonable temperature. She would need a heavier sweater.

  “Come on,” Annie said, hands on her hips. “Give.”

  Shaking her head, Claire smiled, a real smile this time. “Would I’m just cold and tired do it for you?”

  “Hardly.” Annie stood in front of the counter, looking like a golden Amazon ready for battle. “But it’ll have to until I can get you drunk and pry the truth out of you.”

  Laughter burst out of Claire. “I’d like to see that.”

  “Yeah, so would I. If you actually touched the stuff.” She gave Claire a wicked smile. “I could always slip you a mickey.”

  “You could—if I wasn’t able to smell it from across the room.”

  “Slapped down again. Hey—what if we just tried—”

  “Not again. Never again.” Claire still felt the residual agony from her one failed attempt at social drinking.

  “How do you do that?” Those warm brown eyes narrowed as they studied her. “How do you always know what I’m going to say?”

  Claire reached up and patted her cheek. “I’m a witch, sweetheart. It’s what I do.”

  “Wait.” She grabbed Claire’s hand, pushed her sleeve up to reveal the bandage that peeked out. “Is that another tattoo? What is it this time?”

  Claire flushed. The second reason she put on a sweater this morning.

  “A triquetra.”

  “More protection? Jeez, Claire, the pentacle on your hip isn’t enough?”

  “There is no such thing as too much protection.” She pulled free and walked around the counter. “And the subject is closed.”

  “Okay, I can take a hint. I’ll drop in sometime tomorrow, see if you need any help during the festival madness.”

  “That will be most appreciated.”

  Annie strode to the door, her long legs taking her through the small shop in a few paces. She paused in the doorway. “Hey, Claire—I’m worried, and I poke when I’m worried. I’ll leave it alone for now. But if you don’t get better, I’ll do more than poke.”

  “Annie.” She stuck her head back in. “Don’t you even think about taking on Mildred’s love spell.”

  Color rushed into her cheeks.

  “I wasn’t—”

  “I mean it. Last time you nearly had your victim falling in love with her cat.”

  “Never gonna let me live that one down, are you?”

  Claire smiled. “Not if it keeps you from trying again.”

  Annie cursed under her breath and stalked out.

  Chuckling, Claire made a mental note to put feelers out. Annie had more than enough power, and just enough knowledge to make her dangerous.

  Without warning the pain stabbed her; a blade of ice in her gut.

  Bracing her hands on the counter, she fought to breathe, fought to keep herself upright. Shaking so hard her rings clattered against the granite countertop, she gained enough control to lower herself to the chair that she recently added, out of necessity.

  “God above—” She pressed both arms against her stomach, prayed for a slow morning. If she believed God would actually listen to her, after all this time, she’d ask the single question that haunted her.

  Is this how it feels to be dying?

  *

  Eric watched, helpless, as the beautiful creature tortured his sister Katelyn.

  Not a woman, not anymore—but she may have been human once. She had looked human, and harmless, as she stood on the porch when Eric opened the door to her this morning. But now power coiled around her, dark and ugly. Power she’d hidden under a smile, and the name of a mutual friend who had recommended his clinic. That power held him against the wall with invisible chains, locked his voice in his throat. He tried to scream as she dragged the knife across Katelyn’s bare stomach.

  “She will feel that, and not know why.” The creature trailed one hand across the shallow wound, studying the blood that tipped her fingers. “You are so delicate, so easily broken. Why would she choose such a life, when immortality is hers?”

  Katelyn no longer tugged at the ropes that tied her down to their heavy farmhouse table. She stared up at the creature bent over her, the bright light of the chandelier washing out her pale skin, and moaned deep in her throat every time those narrow hands touched her. Wearing only her faded jeans, she looked fragile, defenseless.

  Fight her, Kate—damn it, you have to fight her until I can free—

  “You would do best to save your strength, Eric. I have an important task for you.”

  He would kill himself before he agreed to any bloody deed she had for him.

  Katelyn recoiled, gasping as the tip of the blade moved up her torso, stopping just below her ribcage. Eric fought against the invisible restraints, his heart pounding so hard he could barely hear the silken voice over it.

  “Your life, your soul, will help me crack open a door. Soon I will be able to return
home in triumph, with the most coveted prize in my grasp. Sweet Katelyn—I will owe you all that I become.” The creature leaned in and pressed her lips to Katelyn’s cheek. “Thank you. Now I will send her a message she will not soon forget. Close your eyes, my innocent girl, and there will be no more pain.”

  Eric’s scream echoed in his head as the creature shoved the knife into Katelyn.

  She arched off the table, then collapsed, blood spilling down her skin, pooling on the scarred wood. Eric slumped against the wall. He didn’t care what the devil did to him now. He had just watched her kill the only important part of his life, his only family. Now he wanted her to end him, before the pain kicked in. Before he started to feel again.

  She glided over to him, a beautiful, deadly predator.

  “Now, my darling Eric.” He tried to jerk away from the hand caressing him. She simply smiled, and the restraints tightened until he fought to breathe. After an endless minute they loosened, just enough for him to take in a ragged breath. “I will not tolerate defiance. Do we have an understanding?”

  “I won’t—obey you, bitch.” He sucked in another breath, bracing himself for the final blow. “So just kill me.”

  “Ah, Eric. Your bravado is refreshing. Most of your kind simply cower, or grovel. I do abhor the groveling.”

  She sounded like someone out of an old novel. He searched for the term—then forgot everything when she kissed him.

  Heat scorched him. He gasped against her lips, agony following the trail of fire straight to the center of him.

  “There.” She whispered into his mouth, her hand on his chest, the touch like a branding iron.

  He moaned, and she took it in, her lips claiming him. When she finally tore away, he felt like part of him had been torn away with her. Struggling to catch his breath, he lowered his head, and saw the amulet in her palm. A stylized goat’s head, the gold edged with black, like it had been—burned. Just looking at it had dread and unnamable terror slithering through him. Then her hand dropped out of sight, and he forgot what he was thinking, and why sweat slicked every inch of him.

  The woman smiled at him, and dark lust squeezed his gut. “You will find her, Eric, and bring her to me. Hurt her if you must—and you most likely will need to, in order to subdue her. But I want her alive.”

  “Whatever you want. I am yours . . .”

  “Natasha. You can call me Natasha. Now watch, darling Eric, and remember.”

  He stared into the dark green eyes, watched in wonder as her image shimmered, and another face laid over hers, an opaque mask. Her green eyes became a silvery blue. The mask expanded, and color bled out of her black hair, replaced by a rich brown. It grew, long and waving, until it reached her waist. He followed the progress of the shimmering mask, the part of his mind not trapped by her screaming in horror. Her touch silenced it.

  Looking up, he met the soft, silver blue eyes, the sculpted face framed by masses of hair that seemed to engulf her delicate figure.

  “Find me, Eric. It is time for me to go home.”

  Fingers slid over his face, burning the image of her into his mind. He sank into the waiting darkness, followed by a single word. A name.

  Claire.

  TWO

  Eric walked into joyful chaos.

  Some kind of festival filled the streets, hampering him. He wanted to snarl at every body that stepped in his way. The part of him that needed to find her kept his rage in check.

  Asking proved useless; he kept getting sent in the wrong direction. His frustration built, faster, hotter, until he knew he had to get away from the crowds before he lashed out.

  He pushed past a group of witches. Dressed in cheap velvet robes and pointy black hats, they looked like a convention of cut-rate spell casters. It almost made him smile.

  And then he saw her. His body froze, his heart pounding so hard he expected it to burst apart against his ribs.

  She stood outside a small store across the street, arms crossed, a smile on her face as she talked to a young couple.

  Claire.

  Just her name made Eric itch for the knife strapped to his calf. He didn’t remember where he got it; he only knew it would hurt her, kill her. And that was all he wanted. For Katelyn. He hoped that he would die in the process, because to live with the agony clenching his gut would be unbearable.

  Yes, he would make sure her death cost his life.

  His gaze moved past her, to the lettering on the store window. The Wiche’s Broom: catering to the dabbler and the devout.

  God protect me—

  He didn’t expect her to flaunt her power, to make her living on the pain of innocent people.

  “Not for long. I promise you, bitch, it won’t be for long.”

  “What was that, young man?” He jumped at the harsh voice that came from somewhere near his elbow. An ancient woman stared up at him, her dark brown eyes narrowed. “Who would you be swearing at?”

  “Not you, ma’am.” He flashed her a smile. “You caught me. I came to see an old girlfriend, hoping she’d be miserable without me. Turns out I was wrong.”

  “You don’t need to worry that handsome head.” Spindly fingers clutched his arm. He wanted to jerk away, to cross the street and bury his knife in the murdering bitch. “You just head over to The Wiche’s Broom, and Claire will set you up with a nice love spell. Your girl won’t stand a chance.” She winked at him, and it took every ounce of control he had not to recoil. “Don’t tell her I sent you. She likes to think she brings in business on her own.”

  The woman finally let him go, and made her way to the bakery two doors down, screeching at anyone who got in her path. Eric lifted one hand and brushed hair off his forehead. He was sweating, his hand shaking, his control slipping.

  He didn’t remember how he got to Santa Luna, this insignificant beach town. He found himself gripping a key, soaked in sweat and standing in the middle of a strange hotel room. Now all he wanted to do was kill the woman who smiled, who breathed, who lived when Katelyn was dead.

  She waved to the couple and turned away from the street, stepping back into her store. Now. He could take her now—

  A laughing group of teenage girls ran in front of him and straight into the store. Rage blinded him—until a car horn jerked him around. He stood in the street, and people stared at him. Lowering his head, he moved to the sidewalk, kept going until he was safely around the corner. He leaned against the stucco wall of a gallery, clenched his shaking hands.

  He couldn’t draw attention to himself. He had to kill her quietly, get it over with before she—

  Agony burst through his head, nearly doubled him. Clutching the wall, he inched himself up.

  “Hey, man—you okay?” Strong hands grabbed his arm. He blinked his eyes clear, met the concerned gaze of a sixty-something hippie. “Thought you were gonna do a face plant right here.”

  “Let me go.”

  The man retreated from Eric’s raw fury. Eric felt the darkness that coiled in him, around him, fought to rein it in. That dark fury was meant for only one person.

  “Hey.” The man raised his hands in the universal I’m-not-going-to-hurt-you gesture. “Just trying to be the good Samaritan, man.”

  “Then tell me where I can find the nearest bar.”

  The hippie raised his eyebrows, but he kept from commenting on Eric’s condition.

  “Cross the street. Hotel restaurant’s got just what you need. Hey.” Eric turned on him, fists clenched. “Take care, man.”

  He let out his breath, and some of the rage went with it.

  “Thank you. Sorry about—sorry. Bad day.”

  “I hear you. Get a good drunk on, sleep it off. Tomorrow you’ll be a new man.”

  Nodding at Eric, he walked around the corner.

  Eric sagged against the wall, pushed sweat-damp hair off his forehead with shaking fingers. The back of his t-shirt was soaked through, clammy against his suddenly cold skin.

  Exhausted, he had no strength to fight the gr
ief that reared up to replace the rage, clawing at his heart. By tomorrow he wanted this to be done.

  By tomorrow, he planned to be dead.

  THREE

  “And who told you I do love spells?”

  Claire studied the chattering girls, hands on her hips in mock disapproval. The chatter died down, some of them looking at each other, some at the floor. One girl shuffled her foot against the hardwood floor before finally working up the courage to speak.

  “Ms. Macey.”

  “Mildred?” That ancient sneak. Claire wondered how many other people she handed that whopper to today. She knew she would be finding out—one at a time, all day long. “I want you to listen, girls. Love spells are for lonely, desperate people. You want the boy of your dreams to notice you, am I right?”

  They all nodded, their eyes wide. A couple smiled, realizing she included Mildred in that description. Claire tapped her lips with one finger to hide her own smile.

  “Now, I may not be able to offer a love spell, but I can give you each something that will make you shine. Come on over and let me show you my latest acquisition.” Claire led them over to the jewelry counter, pointed out the chunky heart pendants. “Pick the one that jumps out at you—that’s important. And on special, for the next five minutes—one free to a customer.”

  The squealing should have shattered her front window. Smiling, she stepped back and let them crowd around the display, their voices dancing through the air. Claire wanted to preserve the moment, so she could take it out and relive it from time to time. Her own teen years had been rough—which made gifting the pendants to these girls all the sweeter. It would make a memory they could carry, along with the heart.

  Annie stepped into the shop, and Claire mouthed the words “love spell” over the lowered heads. Guilt flared across her friend’s face; Claire made a mental note to watch her over the next couple of days. Annie had a soft spot for the lovelorn.

  She met Claire at the front counter, radiating sunshine in her yellow sundress, short blonde curls framing her face. “How’s business?”