Spell Hell
An Undercover Witch
Witch’s Brew Series Book One
N.L. HOFFMANN
Table of Contents
Title Page
Spell Hell: An Undercover Witch
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty-One
Spell Hell
Copyright © 2016 by N.L. Hoffmann
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would to share this book with another person please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1979, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior express, written consent of the author.
Cover Art: Y. Nikolova at Ammonia Book Covers
Editing: Missed Period Editing for Indies
To my husband...
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I am grateful for the support of my family as I continue this journey in writing. Thank you for always being amazing. I love you.
My amazing husband for supporting me in my writing... I love you with all my heart.
As always my amazing beta team! Your support has been wonderful. Don’t ever leave me! I love you Ruth, Amy, Lee Ann, Sara, Amanda, Pamela, Christy, Christine, and Reesa.
Lee Ann and Sara, you always go above and beyond for me.
Chapter One
Beeeeeeeeelch!
The silence in the room was loud. How could it be loud? Well, it was roaring in my ears. The burp was a complete accident. Came out of nowhere. I couldn’t have stopped it if I tried. I sunk in my chair, twisting my can of soda in one hand. “Excuse me,” I said softly, as the group of women looked at one another. Apparently, they didn’t know what to do.
Head Mistress, Daphne Holstein, glared at me from her spot at the head of the table, her nearly black eyes boring holes into me. “If you’re finished, Ms. Dexter, we would like to continue our discussion about the Riverdale Murders.”
Nodding, I wiped at my mouth with my napkin, shoving away my soda. That was enough of that. Never again would I drink soda in a meeting, especially with my digestive issues. That was far too embarrassing. Some of the women were still staring at me with horrified expressions. As if they never farted or burped in their life!
“We need someone to go undercover. That’s the only idea I have. We simply can’t have the Vampire Council knowing we are investigating their people. They have already ruled the murders accidental,” Daphne said to the group as she brushed back her perfect red hair.
Feeling self-conscious, I ran my fingers through my straight, blonde tendrils. My hair was long, reaching the center of my back. Some say it was my best feature. But today it was a complete rat’s nest. I stayed up late working on some spells, managing to wake up ten minutes before the mandatory meeting this morning. I was a wreck, and everyone knew it. Not that they were surprised, of course. I was Merlin’s daughter, and he hardly cared about hygiene. Not that I knew him very well. I met him only once, in passing, when he came to a Magic Convention. The man was nearly two thousand years old, but didn’t look a day over thirty-two. Which was where I also stopped aging. I was actually fifty-two, but only thirty-two in appearance. You have to love the immortal life of a Witch.
“Sophie?”
Someone was calling my name. My thoughts were on Merlin, and not on the task at hand. Mentally swearing, I turned to Daphne, who had a questioning look on her pale face. “Did you hear me?”
“Sure.” I said, flashing what I hoped was my charming smile.
Daphne rolled her eyes, and everyone chuckled. They were used to my behavior, and probably only showed up to the meetings because I was the entertainment. I wasn't sure if I should have been offended or not. My sense of humor was something I got from my mother—or so I was told. She used to be the Head Mistress of our Witch’s Council, but she had long since passed, nearly five years earlier. The circumstances of her death were unknown. She was just found in her room without a pulse. There had been some residue of magic left behind, but the signature of the Witch who did it had been erased. It had been a professional hit.
“Sophie!”
My gaze snapped back up to Daphne. Man, my thoughts were all over the place. Shaking my head, I focused on the woman at the head of the table. “Sorry, what did you need?”
“We’ve voted.”
Confused, I looked at every one of the fifteen faces in the room. None of them were my friends. Some tried, but that was only so they could get dirt on me. My parents were famous, and being friends with the wacky child of Merlin was bound to make you popular. Because of that, making friends didn’t come easy for me. I only had two that I could call close, and both of them were currently away on a Witch’s Council case. Jealousy raised its evil head when I thought about Mikey and Jenna’s case. My last one was nearly a year ago, but who could blame them after the fiasco I created? Who knew that it was unwise to gift children horror movies about clowns? Who cared if I let them watch while their parents were gone for the night? I’d been on a case to find out who was pranking one of the Witch families in our region. It was a small case. I warned them about letting me around children.
“What did you vote on?” I asked, looking around the room. Over half of them appeared to be amused. Was it a joke? What had they voted on?
Daphne stood up, pressing the palms of her hands to the table. “We’ve decided that you’re going undercover as an employee of Drake Jacobi.”
I jumped up, my chair flying backwards onto the floor with a loud smack. “Are you sure I’m the best one for the job?”
Daphne smiled, as if she was pleased over the fact that I was getting set up for failure. “Yes, you’re his type. The Witches that have worked for him seem to have been of the...flighty variety.”
When I opened my mouth to snap something bitchy, the door of the room swung open. Daphne’s head assassin stomped in, carrying something. I squinted to see, since I didn’t have my contacts in. It was a head. A fucking head.
My hand went flying to my mouth. Everyone else did the same, horrified squeals breaking out all over the room. Why the hell was he walking into the room with a damn head in his clutches? The man had always been a beast. I never did like talking to him because he was abrupt and had no problem suggesting sexual favors.
He was damn handsome, though. His blond hair was slicked back from having endured a hard evening out. Kevin Michaels was every bit of bad boy if you wanted one. Sweat sheened over his face, some soaking his back. Blood was smeared over the left side of his face. I pressed a hand t
o my stomach, nostrils flaring as the scent of it washed over me. It was one of those moments I wished we Witches didn’t have a heightened sense of smell.
“Kevin, what is the meaning of this?” Daphne demanded, standing up from her chair.
Grinning, Kevin slammed the head of a woman on the table. “I’ve brought the evidence you asked for. Now I want my payment.”
“That’s disgusting!” someone murmured.
“What a prick!” another person said.
“He’s so yummy.” A woman—wait, no that was me. Everyone turned to look at me, including him.
Daphne rolled her eyes before returning her attention to Kevin. “This could have waited until later.”
“I need my money now.” Kevin slammed the head on the table again for emphasis.
Shaking her head in disapproval, Daphne started toward the door of the library we were in. “Sophie, prepare your things. You’ll be shipped out to Riverdale tonight.”
“I have plans!” I shouted after her.
Daphne didn’t even bother to turn around. “Cancel them.”
Annoyed, I look at the rest of the women. They stare at me with smirks on their faces. Deciding I had enough of them ganging up on me, I briefly close my eyes to gain some focus. Then, with little thought, I gesture to the head on the table, a smoky cloud flowing from my fingers. The head started rolling along the table, blood splashing at the ladies. They gasped in horror, jumping from their seats.
Kevin started laughing before he followed Daphne out. He sent me a tickled smile and left the room. What I did was wrong and I knew it, but I was tired of being pushed around. I was going to prove to the rest of the Council that I was better than them. That I could find the real murderer of our Witches. If it was Drake, then he was going down.
Chapter Two
Shoving clothes in my bag, I grumbled my annoyance with Daphne. The bitch wanted me to fail. I could tell. She’d had it out for me since she found out my real identity. First, she hated that I was the daughter of Rebecca Dexter. Second, she hated it even more than I was related to the infamous Merlin. I was his only child, and he never took another lover after my mother. At least, that was the rumor. Not that I kept track of his sex life or anything.
I had no idea where to begin. All I knew about the Riverdale Murders was that three out of the last five employed administrative assistances were Witches, and they were the ones that ended up dead. Drake went through a lot of employees, apparently, and I found the entire thing odd. Why didn’t he keep them? And why did he just kill the Witches? Didn’t he know that would pop up on someone’s radar?
Shaking my head, I grabbed my bag of makeup and set it next to my suitcase. Riverdale was about three hours away. I wasn’t looking forward to the drive, and I bet more than anything they left me a crappy car to use. The Council had their own cars, and usually they were all used. Except the cargo van that looked like it was one of those vans where a stranger hid inside with candy, trying to attract children.
Checking my clothes in the mirror, I nodded to myself. I was in yoga pants and a loose-fitting shirt, perfect for traveling. Typically, I was a jeans and T-shirt kind of gal, but this trip called for comfort.
My phone buzzed to let me know that I had a text message. It was just Jenna informing me that they would be returning in the evening, and my cat would be okay. I had a black cat named Stubby. She had three legs, and tended to get in the way more often than not. Still, she was my heart, and I would have been sad if anything happened to her.
Giving Stubby a final rub behind the ears, I grabbed my bags and headed for the door. I could use my personal vehicle, but it was on its last legs. I was due for a bonus from the Council, but they claimed I hadn’t completed any cases in a year, so I needed to do that first. Once I busted the Riverdale case wide open, I was buying myself a fancy truck. Or maybe an SUV, so Stubby and me could ride in style. Fancy rims and everything. The bonuses were usually pretty impressive, depending on the severity of the case.
Going down the steps to my beat-up Toyota, I waved to the neighbors. They weren’t used to me leaving my home. I tended to be a hermit, only coming out on Witch business. We usually stuck with our own kind when we chose a place to live, but I had to go cheap, so I went into a mixed community for a more affordable rent. It was sad that it worked that way, but Witches stuck with their own kind.
The Toyota gleamed in random spots under the sun. It was only shiny in the areas where the paint hadn’t peeled off. The rusty, red piece of crap taunted me. The Council really should pay better. Salary was based on experience, and I was new at this. When people found out whose daughter I was, they offered me the position immediately. Only problem was, I had to start at the very bottom, which was the wage equivalent of a fast food worker. Which was okay, considering I was still making money, but the longer I stayed on the Council, the more experience I gained. Eventually, I would be taking over it.
Chuckling at myself, I rolled my eyes. Yeah, right. They would probably protest with pitchforks if I was to attempt to take over the position. It was a dream.
The Toyota protested when I turned it over. It backfired once, and then quit. Sighing, I tried again, ignoring the stares of neighbors. I hated the dumb thing. It was embarrassing, but at least it was paid off, right? Trying again, I smiled when it started. I patted the steering wheel for a reward. “All right, you stupid beast. Let’s go take care of business!”
Hitting the gas, the car growled its way to the exit of the parking lot. I was about two miles away from the Council House where Daphne lived. The Head Mistress always got the home—which Daphne certainly didn’t deserve. She made her way into the position by promising favors to most of the Council. Of course, after that, she was voted into the position. The bitch.
Fighting my way to the Council House, I pulled into the parking lot, raising my head to see if I could find what cars were available for use. They were just basic models, but one year they splurged by getting some luxury vehicles at the request of one of the higher up Council members. Grinning when I spotted one good car left, I parked my piece of shit at the curb and hurried over to the office.
I saw someone else running for the office as well. She glanced in my direction, her eyes widening when she realized I was probably coming after the car. Her speed increased. Swearing, I started to run, grateful for being in good shape. Even though I hadn’t been on many cases yet, I stayed in shape for when one would pop up that would require fitness. It was always good to be in shape, considering you never knew what kind of position you could find yourself in.
Slowing down as the girl made it to the door, I glared. She flashed me a grin and swung it open to get inside. “Great. A shit car for me,” I grumbled, entering the office. The man was already handing the keys to her before he gave me a sympathetic look.
“Too late.” The girl hurried past me, not even looking back to see the despair on my face.
The guy smiled. “Unfortunately, I only have the van for you.”
I looked at him, returning the smile. He was in his fifties, with gray hairs coming through his dark locks. “It’s okay. I wish they would just get rid of the beast. Cargo vans are hardly conspicuous.”
He nodded in agreement, handing me the keys. “The Head Mistress doesn’t want to get rid of it. I think she has it out for someone, to be honest.”
Was she saving the piece of shit for me? I clenched my fist, releasing one to accept the keys for the Hell Beast. “Doesn’t surprise me.”
Chuckling, he waved to me as I left. I was glad he found the whole damn situation humorous. I headed to the brown van, groaning louder with each dreaded step. When I pulled on the door handle of the driver’s side, I found it unlocked. They didn’t even care if someone stole it.
Opening the door, I was met with a wave of a rotting smell from so many people leaving food and who knew what else inside of it. I climbed in, debating if I should just go and rent a car myself. It would cost me a lot of money because I didn’t kno
w how long I’d need it for. Part of me wanted to cry for what was happening to me. The rest wanted to go inside and strangle the horrid bitch. The Head Mistress had too much time on her hands if she was thinking of ways to piss me off.
Glancing down at my phone when it made a sound, I found an email from the bitch herself. She sent instructions on how to get to Riverdale, along with the information they had on the case. Deciding I would use the Council credit card to get a hotel, I started the van. It refused to turn over the first time, sputtering until it finally stopped. Taking a deep breath, I let it out slowly, turning the key again. It started right up. Relief washed over me. Why didn’t I just use the Council card to rent a car? Knowing the High Mistress, she would probably take it out of my pay while saying, “We had a perfectly good van in the parking lot.” Of course, she would have that snarky-ass grin on her face the entire time.
The trip was going to be a long one, especially since it was already getting dark. I wasn’t a big fan of driving in the dark, but we all had to do things that we didn’t like. So, I kept telling myself to feel better. I wouldn’t even be able to see some of the landscape as I drove, which made it even less fun. It wasn’t often that I went outside of town, considering a lot of my duties required me to be local. Witch business was always a pain in the ass. More often than not, I was in charge of taking complaints about other Witches. We were like the police for our kind. Any time I received a complaint that required police work, I had to dispatch our team called the Magicteers. A weird name, but that’s what they called our police that handled witchy problems. Our actual army was known as Nightshades. They were the ones that were allowed to dabble in more of the black magic. It was illegal to use magic that caused harm onto others. Yet, the army was allowed to use it if the situation warranted it.
Only once did I use black magic, and it had been accidental. Someone made me so angry in the coffee shop when they cut in line, that I nearly set their hair on fire. My magic wasn’t inconspicuous, either. It was dark and smoky, capturing anyone and everyone’s attention.
Spell Hell: An Undercover Witch (Witch's Brew Book 1) Page 1
