Witch Kissed

by K. E. O'Connor

  “You should change it back.” Bryony stared at Vanessa’s retreating form and then giggled. “Well, leave it for a little while. It does sort of suit her.”

  “Interesting that she’s got her evil sights set on Bruce,” said Ivy.

  “It is. Agatha does like the complicated life,” said Bryony. “First she runs away from the man of her dreams, then she kisses a man she shouldn’t be kissing who may have cursed her. She has a terrifying mother to deal with and now she’s got Vanessa chasing after Bruce. I wouldn’t want to be in her shoes.”

  “Let’s deal with the problem she came to us with. The rest she’ll have to sort out herself. We focus on finding the creepy guy who put the curse on Agatha and make him reverse it,” said Ivy.

  “You’re right,” said Bryony. “We can only do so much to help her.”

  “Time to go. Let’s shut the store, find our evil spell caster and make him change his mind.”

  “I’ll get the lights and you do the door,” said Bryony.

  “Deal,” said Ivy.

  Two minutes later, they were buttoned in their coats and the store secured, when a knock sounded on the window.

  “Whoever it is, we’re closed,” shouted Ivy.

  “You’re never closed for your mother.”

  Ivy groaned and Bryony smiled. “Looks like our plans may have just changed,” she said.

  Chapter 15

  “We were in the area and wanted to see how things are going.” Adeline walked through the store door Bryony had unlocked, their Aunt Odessa with her, wearing a striking burgundy velvet dress, her long hair loose around her face.

  “We’re going out tonight,” said Ivy.

  “But we can always postpone our plans,” said Bryony. “It’s always nice to see you here.”

  “What about Agatha?” asked Ivy.

  “Are you still dealing with your kiss cursed client?” asked Adeline.

  “We’ve almost solved the mystery,” said Ivy.

  Bryony nodded. “We need to find a mystery man who gave Agatha the curse and get him to reverse it.”

  “Let’s hope whoever did it is receptive to your request,” said Aunt Odessa. “The curse must have been given for a good reason. They may not want to reverse the magic.”

  “They won’t have a choice,” muttered Ivy. “I’ll convince them it’s in their best interests to do so.”

  “You always were persuasive as a child,” said Adeline, patting Ivy on the cheek. “Now, why don’t you tell me who this is?” She pointed to the red blood on the sofa.

  Bryony shook her head. She should have known their mother would see through any magic she cast. “We don’t know his name, but he’s involved in the curse case. Agatha kissed a red blood to see what would happen. As you can see, the result wasn’t great.”

  “And rumor has it,” said Aunt Odessa, “there are more red bloods in the village under the same magic. Does Agatha have anything to do with that?”

  “Sadly yes,” said Bryony. “She got a bit gung ho with her affections over the border and ended up kissing three red bloods. The Charm Police got to them before we could, but we managed to save this one and have been trying different spells to get him to wake up from the curse.”

  “He doesn’t look too well.” Aunt Odessa peered at the red blood, her nose only an inch from him. “And he has a strange smell. Are you sure he isn’t rotting?”

  “Aunt Odessa, he’s not dead!” said Bryony. “He’s in a magical coma. That’s the best way to describe it. He has said a few words, but the curse he’s under is strong, and so far we’ve not been able to break it.”

  “Have you tried samphire root and meadow flower?” asked Adeline. “You might like to add some dried bats wing and possibly a splash of gremlin blood, too. All powerful curse breakers when used in the correct quantities.”

  “We’ve tried dozens of spells and potions,” said Ivy. “What we need is to get our hands on the sleaze who put the curse on Agatha in the first place. When we reverse that, the red bloods should wake up.”

  “And throwing all this magic at the poor human won’t do him any good,” said Bryony. “I’ve left him alone today because I was worried too much magic would be a strain for him.”

  The store door opened and Gabriel walked through. All four witches stood in front of the sofa, innocent smiles on their faces.

  Gabriel paused, looking at each of the women. “I hope I’m not interrupting a family gathering.”

  “No, come in,” said Bryony. “We were deciding what to do this evening.”

  “How are you, Gabriel?” Adeline strode over to him and gave him a kiss on the cheek. “It’s been too long since I’ve seen you.”

  “I’m well, Mrs. Thornheart,” said Gabriel. “The Charm Police keep me busy as always.”

  “None of this Mrs. Thornheart business,” said Adeline. “You know I’m a single lady.”

  Gabriel smiled. “Of course, silly of me to forget. And how are you?”

  “It’s so nice of you to ask,” said Adeline. “The family keeps me occupied as always. And I’m always worrying about my girls here.”

  “We’re not children,” grumbled Ivy. “We can look after ourselves.”

  “A mother never stops worrying about her children,” said Adeline. “I’m sure your mother is the same, Gabriel.”

  Gabriel frowned. “Well, I haven’t seen her since the whole becoming a fallen angel incident. The people in charge aren’t letting her see me. It’s tricky, her being a full angel still. There’s always so much work to be done. Too many people need help and there aren’t enough angels to go around.”

  “You poor thing,” said Adeline. “An orphan here in Old Sarum. I hate to think of such a thing. You must come to dinner. There’s always room at our table for another hungry mouth.”

  “That’s very kind of you,” said Gabriel. “But I’m used to being on my own. And the Charm Police are like my family these days. I spend so much time at work, they may as well adopt me.”

  “Isn’t that sweet.” Adeline patted his arm. “But know you are always welcome at ours.”

  “Thank you, Mrs... I mean, Adeline.”

  “Good boy,” said Adeline. “Now, did you want anything while you were here?”

  Gabriel looked over at Bryony. “If I can tear you away for a second, I wanted to have a quick word.”

  “Oh, yes, of course,” said Bryony, feeling her heart beat speed up.

  “We could go outside.” Gabriel gestured towards the door.

  “Good plan.” Bryony grabbed hold of Gabriel's arm and almost shoved him out of the store door in her eagerness to get away from the curious stares of her family.

  “Hope I wasn’t interrupting anything important,” said Gabriel.

  “No, we were just gossiping.” Bryony cast a quick look into the store to make sure the red blood was concealed. “What can I do for you?”

  “This isn’t the best time.” Gabriel twisted his hands together. “I should come back.”

  “You’re here now, don’t be silly. What was it you needed?”

  “I’ve been thinking. I know we’re friends, but I wondered if you’d like to go out as more than friends. On a real date.”

  Bryony’s eyes widened. “With you?”

  “Yes! I’m not asking for a friend,” said Gabriel. “I like you, Bryony. And I think you like me, too. It is nice that we’re friends, but I’m hoping you think of me as more than that.”

  Bryony felt her chin wobble and bit on her bottom lip. “Gabriel, that’s sweet of you to ask. But you know what I’m going to say.”

  “That you don’t think of me that way? That you see me as only a friend? Is that why you’re blushing and your mouth is trembling?” asked Gabriel with a frustrated sigh. “I wish you’d give us a chance.”

  “It’s not that simple,” said Bryony. “There are other people to think about.”

  “Like who?” asked Gabriel. “I know you’re close to your family, but they like me. We
ll, most of them do. I’m still undecided about Ivy. Your mom just tried to adopt me! Surely the fact she likes me is a good sign that I’m worth taking a chance on. One tiny date, that’s all I’m asking for.”

  “It’s a sign she’s not being sensible,” said Bryony. “Mom knows I don’t date.”

  “I get that the Thornheart women are independent,” said Gabriel. “But you don’t need to be like your mom or aunts. You can rely on a man. You can rely on me if you want to.”

  “I don’t need to rely on anyone else.” Bryony tilted her chin up. “We do fine just as we are.”

  “No, I didn’t mean like that. I didn’t mean to say you needed a man. But maybe you’d like one,” said Gabriel. “Maybe you’d like me in your life.”

  Bryony tried to ignore the way Gabriel’s blond hair dipped into his eyes. She wanted nothing more than to push it off his face, grab hold of him and kiss him. But that would lead into dangerous territory for her and her sister. “I’m sorry, but it’s not possible, not now. Maybe in the future, when things are settled and everyone is happy and safe.”

  “That doesn’t make sense,” said Gabriel.

  “It may not make sense to you,” said Bryony. “But it’s complicated, and I can’t explain it to you any better than that. All I can say is that in the future a date may be possible. But for now, I can’t see anything happening between us.”

  “Is it because you’re so busy at the store?” asked Gabriel. “We could just see each other on weekends, or whenever you’re free.”

  “No, it’s not the store, although it does keep me busy.” Bryony smiled at him, eager to break the tension between them. “Besides, you’d hate the fact you came second to a magic store. And if we were to have a relationship, I’d want to invest as much time as possible in you. I wouldn’t expect you to hang around waiting for my call and any spare five minutes I had. That wouldn’t be fair to either of us.”

  Gabriel hung his head, defeat washing over him. “Nothing worse than a guy who sounds like a desperate loser.”

  Bryony took hold of his hand. “You don’t sound desperate, or a loser. You sound sweet and utterly charming. And I do wish I could accept your offer. But not now, it’s not the right time.”

  “Will you let me know when it is?” Gabriel raised his head and tightened his grip on Bryony’s hand.

  “If and when the time is right, I will,” said Bryony. “But please, don’t wait for me. It could be years before I can date you.”

  “I’m in no hurry,” said Gabriel. “And in case you’ve forgotten, fallen angels live a very long time. As do witches.”

  Bryony couldn’t help but smile. “Well, that’s good news.”

  Gabriel kissed the back of Bryony’s hand and then let go. “Sorry to interfere with your family meeting.”

  “It was nothing important,” said Bryony. “Have a nice evening.”

  “And you.” Gabriel walked away, turning and looking back at Bryony a couple of times as he did so.

  Bryony let out a huge sigh before turning to the store. She did want to date Gabriel but knew how risky that was. If he turned out to be as nice as she thought he was, she’d be in real trouble, as would Ivy. Bryony pulled open the store door and walked inside.

  “Did he just ask you on a date?” Adeline and Aunt Odessa stood by the door.

  “You were obviously eavesdropping,” said Bryony, with a shake of her head. “You can answer that question yourselves.”

  “He’s such a lovely young man,” said Adeline. “I wish there was a way the two of you could date.”

  “But there isn’t,” said Ivy. “Unless you want me to die.”

  “Bryony going on a date with Gabriel won’t mean you die,” said Aunt Odessa. “I date lots of men. I just make sure I never fall for any of them.”

  “So you pick ugly trolls and mean spirited gremlins to date?” asked Ivy.

  “No, I just know when to cut my ties with a man before it becomes serious,” said Aunt Odessa. “It makes me sad that neither of you girls will even go on a date.”

  “It’s too risky,” said Bryony.

  “What if Bryony and Mr. Perfect went out together and fell ridiculously in love on the first date?” asked Ivy. She wrapped a hand around her throat and made a choking sound. “Bye, bye Ivy Thornheart.”

  “That’s not going to happen,” said Bryony. “I turned Gabriel down. There will be no dates.”

  “But there was a kiss,” said Ivy. “He kissed your hand.”

  “That’s not going to make me fall in love with him,” said Bryony.

  “I wouldn’t put it past you,” muttered Ivy.

  “Gabriel is a charming man,” said Aunt Odessa. “If he is the right one for our Bryony, then he will wait for her. And when the time is right, and our curse is lifted, they can be together.”

  “How many times have you tried to break the family curse?” asked Ivy. “Hundreds of years have gone past, and no one has figured out how to stop it.”

  “I never give up hope,” said Aunt Odessa. “Neither should the two of you.”

  The store door opened again and a female elf in a bright green uniform walked through with a large bouquet of flowers and a box of chocolates. “Delivery for Bryony Thornheart.”

  Ivy groaned. “I am doomed to die. The curse is making sure Bryony falls in love with someone. That’s the fifth delivery this week.”

  “Either that or someone is trying to make Bryony fat,” said Aunt Odessa. “That box of chocolates is enormous.” She took the box from the delivery elf, signed for the order, opened the lid and tucked into the chocolates.

  Bryony took the flowers and showed the elf out. “It’s a good job I don’t suffer from any allergies. All of these flowers are overwhelming.” She arranged the flowers next to several other bunches on the counter.

  “I know the curse is making men fall in love with Bryony easily.” Adeline tucked a strand of Bryony’s hair behind one ear. “But she is so easy to love. I’m sure there would be plenty of bouquets of flowers and gifts even if the curse wasn’t active.”

  “I’m guessing that doesn’t apply to me,” growled Ivy.

  “You’re lovely too.” Adeline walked to Ivy and smoothed her dark hair from her face. “Your particular talents appeal to a more specific kind of man. One who may not see flowers and chocolates as acceptable gifts for such a powerful witch. But your match is out there, and he will fall in love with you too, when the time is right.”

  “What about Kristoff?” asked Bryony. “No matter how mean you are to him, he keeps coming in the store. I’m sure he likes you.”

  “Kristoff Dash?” asked Aunt Odessa. “He’s not suitable husband material.”

  “No man is suitable husband material,” said Ivy. “I’m not seeing Kristoff or anyone else.”

  “Best you don’t get involved with Kristoff,” said Adeline. “His demon ancestors are of a particularly chaotic nature. You need to find a nice warlock or half goblin perhaps? Someone with a little mischief about them, but no malicious intent. Involvement with the Dash family will not lead to a happy ending.”

  “No warlocks. No demons. No goblins. I’m happy alone,” said Ivy.

  “And so am I,” said Bryony. “We’re fine as we are.”

  “I’ll have you both married before I turn up my toes,” said Aunt Odessa.

  “You’re going to live for about five hundred years then,” said Ivy.

  Aunt Odessa sniffed. “That’s entirely possible.”

  “Let’s go and have some dinner,” said Adeline. “We can talk about this some more.”

  “We’re busy tonight,” said Ivy. “And we’re meeting up tomorrow for the Stonehenge pilgrimage anyway. Unless you aren’t bothering with that anymore.”

  “We are bothering with that,” said Adeline. “But I’ve made a double portion of lasagne tonight. And there’s a strudel for dessert.”

  “We could hunt for the curse giver another night,” said Bryony.

  Ivy sighed. �
��That doesn’t sound terrible. We’ll come on one condition.”

  “What’s that?” asked Adeline.

  “No more marriage talk.”

  “Or dating talk,” said Bryony. “We’ll figure out our own relationships.”

  “Very well. Men are off limits this evening.” Adeline smiled at her daughters. “But as your aunt said, we will see you both happily married one day.”

  The girls groaned.

  “Excellent.” Aunt Odessa smiled brightly. “Let’s go home.”

  Chapter 16

  Gabriel wanted to curl into a ball and hide away from the rest of the world. Why did he think it was a good idea to go to the Love Cauldron after he’d had a couple of drinks in Maggie’s tavern? He was never great at holding his alcohol, and three large drafts of real ale later, he’d made the idiot decision to ask Bryony out on a date, again. He knew what the answer would be. She must have turned him down fifty times. Why would this time be any different?

  He kicked a stone on the road, and it skittered off and clattered against something metallic. Every time he asked her out she refused him. When was he going to realize she didn’t like him in that way?

  “Looks like you’ve got the weight of the world on those broad shoulders.” Vapid Vanessa stepped out of her smart white car and smiled at Gabriel. “I hear sharing a trouble halves the burden. And I have a free ear if you’d like to share.”

  Gabriel stared at Vanessa through his ale tinted vision. She looked paler than usual, her new black hair didn’t do her any favors. He didn’t know her well, and never had any reason to call upon Vanessa's services as a communicator with dead animals.

  “It’s nothing. Just work,” said Gabriel.

  “I’ve been hearing rumors about cursed red bloods,” said Vanessa. “Is there any truth to that?”

  “I can’t share information about an ongoing case,” said Gabriel.

  “So it’s true.” Vanessa’s mouth formed an O of surprise. “How scary.”

  “It will be sorted soon,” said Gabriel. His gaze turned to the Love Cauldron. He wanted to go back, no matter that Bryony had rejected him so soundly.

  “I saw you coming out of the Love Cauldron,” said Vanessa. “Not talking to those Thornheart girls were you?”