“You think so?”
“You, my queen, can do anything,” Ben said and kissed her hand.
“You’re just buttering me up. What do you want?” She asked in a playful warning tone.
“The rest of your cookies.” He said and reached for her bag of butter cookies.
“Hey, hands off mister. I agreed to share my life with you, not my cookies. Besides, I’m sure the staff would love to grab us another bag.” Bella said and pushed the call button.
Within seconds, a flight attendant was hurrying to their side.
“More cookies?” The slender man asked. “How about some more champagne? Or, would you like a beer, sir?”
“A beer would be great. Something fancy, but not too fancy. Also, some more of the butter cookies and a bag of pretzels.” Ben said.
“Anything for you, Ma’am?”
“Is there a meal on this flight?” Bella asked.
“No, Ma’am. The flight isn’t long enough for a meal to be served.” The attendant said regretfully.
“Hmm. Because I’m ravenous and these cookies just aren’t hitting the spot.”
Bella thought about it for a moment and then snapped her fingers twice.
“Let me ask, sir.” She said in a syrupy sweet voice. “Is there a meal served on this flight.”
“Yes, Ma’am. Would you like the spaghetti with hand rolled meatballs or the prime rib?”
“I’ll take the spaghetti,” Bella said. “Does it come with bread, because if it does, I’d like extra bread.” She smiled.
“It does, and I’ll bring you extra bread.” The attendant turned his attention to Ben. “And for you sir?”
“I’ll have the prime rib. I didn’t even know you could serve prime rib on an airplane.” Bella punched his arm playfully.
“Right away.” Was the stewards only response.
Belladonna relished the heady feeling of being able to control the world around her. She understood very quickly that this was a thing that could get out of hand. Was this how dark magic was born? As good as it felt, she’d have to be careful how she used her powers.
Luke and Murielle picked them up at the airport and drove the newlyweds back to Winterfield. Once they were back at the home that was once Belladonna’s but they now shared, Ben and Bella realized that there was a surprise welcome home party waiting for them.
Aunt Sumac had even rented a chocolate fountain that she’d set up in the middle of the dining room table. An array of fruits, candies, mini desserts, and of course marshmallows in every size, shape, and flavor imaginable was arranged around the cascading chocolate.
Music bellowed from the stereo system Belladonna and Ben had gotten as a wedding present. The kitchen windows were open, and you could hear all of the people in the backyard talking and having fun. There was quite a turnout for the welcome home party. Winterfield had missed their favorite witch and her Police Chief husband.
The smell of barbecue wafted through the house and made Bella’s stomach growl. Ben was surprised that Luke had let someone else anywhere near the grill, but as soon as they’d gotten back, Luke had rushed outside to take over. Within moments the wolf shifter had tongs in one hand and a giant metal spatula in the other. He inspected his temporary apprentice's work and nodded his head in acknowledgment.
“You’ve done an adequate job.” He said to the tall, lanky high school boy whose instructions were to put the first round of meat on the grill and not let it burn.
“Thanks, Mr. Perry.” The kid said awkwardly. “I put it on as soon as you called. It should be ready to turn soon.”
“I’ll be the judge of that.” Luke returned.
Ben kissed Belladonna and left her with the women. He drifted outside to check out what Luke was grilling. His mouth watered at the steaks, chops, salmon, shrimp, and chicken sizzling away. It even appeared as though Luke was using several assorted flavors of barbecue sauce ranging from something super spicy to a sweet honey mustard.
“Chipotle,” Luke said like a surgeon asking for a scalpel as he stuck his hand out toward the gangly kid who was still standing right next to him watching Luke’s every move.
“Here you go.” The kid said.
Luke squirted some of the sauce on a chicken breast and then brushed it on with enough precision that not one drop dripped over the side. He then requested another flavor, something hickory or smoky, and dressed some pork chops with the thick, dark brown sauce.
“You're really going all out for this,” Ben said when Luke handed him a beer.
“You know how much I love to cook out. Any excuse is good enough for me, but you and Belladonna’s return is something to celebrate.”
“We weren’t gone that long.” Ben chuckled. “You act like we took off for weeks or months.”
“No, but you left me in charge, and you know how much I hate that. Oh, and Muri missed Bella like crazy. Those two are practically sisters, you know.”
“Well, we missed you guys too. Had a crazy time.” Ben said and took a long draw of the cold brew in his hand. “It was a good honeymoon, but I’d be lying if I said everything went according to plan.”
“You’ll have to tell me all about it. Murielle wants to go to that island on our next vacation. She liked the one we went to, but my wife’s up for new tropical paradises. Now that she’s been to one, she’s talking about going to them all.”
While Ben regaled Luke with tales from the trip, there was a knock at the front door. Everyone in the room looked at each other. The party was a popular event in Winterfield, so it was strange that someone would knock. Most people knew to just come on in. Belladonna and Aunt Sumac answered it, and they were surprised to see a complete stranger standing before them on the front porch.
“Hello.” The man said in a friendly, if not rehearsed, voice. “I’m Jimmy Kismit. Brynhilder sent me to fill in as Mayor of Winterfield.”
“What?” Aunt Sumac said before Bella could get any words out.
“There’s a crazy person at the door. Somebody go get the police hunks from the back and tell em to bring their guns.” Granny Pepper said as she drifted up behind Bella and Sumac.
“Granny Pepper.” Belladonna scolded. “I’m sorry sir, why don’t you come in? But, I hope you won’t mind if we call Brynhildr and check the validity of your statement. She hasn’t contacted any of us about this as far as I know.”
Belladonna looked at everyone in the room, and everyone shook their heads no. It did seem very strange, but Brynhildr was an incredibly busy woman. Perhaps she’d forgotten to tell them. The race for a Senate seat was ten times more intense than the Mayor of Winterfield had expected.
She’d sent Belladonna an email a while back telling her about how difficult everything had become, and how quickly the entire process had blown up. Bella had asked if Bryn had wanted to drop out of the race, but the Mayor had said that she’d find a way to make it work.
“Already on it,” Murielle called as she walked upstairs to speak with Brynhildr in private.
Everyone stood around feeling awkward until Bella broke the silence. She didn’t want to be rude to the new guest, and Belladonna had the itch to start sizing him up as well. She could feel some sort of magic emanating from Jimmy, but it was evident he wasn’t a witch.
“Can I get you a drink?” Bella offered. “We’ve got iced tea, sodas, and beer. I think someone might have a bottle of rum floating around here as well. If you’re into that kind of thing. Oh, and I might have some juice boxes in the fridge. If my Aunt didn’t drink them all while house sitting.”
“There’s a chocolate fountain in the dining room.” Aunt Sumac added proudly.
“Oh, that sounds fantastic. Do you mind? I have been traveling all day, and I haven’t eaten much.”
“I can understand that,” Belladonna said and led Jimmy into the dining room. “I’m always hungry.”
A few minutes later, Murielle came down the stairs. She told the group that Brynhildr had verified Jimmy’s story. Bell
adonna breathed a sigh of relief. She’d wanted Jimmy’s credentials to check out because if he’d been some sort of evil Trojan Horse, it would have ruined the party altogether. It was messy business slaying evil-doers, and there was a chocolate fountain to enjoy. Nobody wanted to be in the middle of a battle. They wanted to eat barbecue and in some cases, mountains of marshmallow.
“She apologized for not letting us know. Apparently, her Senate campaign is practically killing her, and she isn’t sure she’ll be able to return to Winterfield very often unless she loses the election. Instead of leaving us hanging, she decided to send one of her top advisors, Jimmy here, to help out in Winterfield for the time being. He’s honorary Mayor or something. She said that we could hold another election and that Jimmy would assist us in the interim even if we decide not to keep him as Mayor. But, she said we should give him a shot, and that he has her utmost confidence.”
“Brynhildr’s not coming back?” Belladonna said sadly. “Hopefully, she’ll at least visit us. I guess she is doing what’s best for us magicals.”
“I’m sorry to drop in like this and cast a shadow over your party. I just figured that it would be a good time for us to get acquainted.” Jimmy said regretfully.
“Oh, no. It’s not your fault, Jimmy. We’re happy to have you here. I’m okay. We’ll just miss Brynhildr. But, let’s take you outside and introduce you around. My husband will be happy to meet you. He’s the Chief of Police. Ben, that’s my husband, and Luke, that’s Murielle’s husband, are out manning the grill.”
“That would be great,” Jimmy said. “I’m looking forward to meeting everyone in Winterfield, and the Chief of Police is high on my priority list.”
His overly formal tone gave Belladonna pause, but perhaps he was just nervous. He’d been thrust into an awkward position with what appeared to be little warning. It could also have been his usual demeanor. Jimmy was a politician, after all. That would take some adjustment as the residents of Winterfield were accustomed to their town being led by someone who wasn’t a rehearsed office-bearer.
Belladonna led Jimmy out the back door and introduced him to Ben and Luke. Dozens of heads swiveled away from their conversations, and a hush fell over the crowd in the back yard as the newcomer stepped into the collective spotlight. It was clear that people were uncertain what to make of Jimmy. Residents were often guarded around new people until they knew what they were like. At the very least, many folks would want to know what kind of paranormal Jimmy was, and as of yet, he hadn’t made that clear.
Bella gave them all a thumbs up sign behind Jimmy’s back, and everyone relaxed and went back to their food and conversation. Winterfieldians did trust Belladonna and the entire Nightshade coven. If she said everything was fine, then they could give the introduction of Jimmy Kismit time to play out.
Moments later, thunder crashed in the sky, and a heavy rain started to pour. Belladonna thought it odd because there hadn’t been a cloud in the sky previously. The storm had come out of nowhere, and that usually meant something supernatural was at work. Storms could be good or bad depending on who wielded them. They were either refreshing or a tool of destruction. She needed to know if she had to protect her guests.
“I apologize.” She heard Jimmy murmur. “This isn’t the best way for me to make my introductions. I honestly didn’t mean for this to happen.”
When Bella turned around, Jimmy had changed. He still looked like the same man, but his skin had transformed into shiny scales. His entire body was covered with them from head to toe. They shone in different hues of purple, turquoise, and pink in the flickering light from the grill. His hair, which had previously been short, cropped, and a vibrant shade of brown had transformed into a mane of long, curly dishwater blond waves. Jimmy’s eyes had also grown to about twice their normal size, and his body was now covered in a thick layer of rippling muscles under the scales.
Fortunately, Ben and Luke were stationed under the covered porch, so the rain didn’t put out the grill’s flames. The barbecue would be spared, despite the sudden torrential rain, and that meant that Luke wouldn’t be going werewolf crazy on the new guy.
While everyone else ran for cover, Jimmy just smiled and let the rain soak him. Bella watched with fascination for a few moments as the fat raindrops his skin and immediately absorbed.
Belladonna joined Ben and Luke under the porch’s ceiling, and she studied the strange man standing just feet away from her in the deluge.
“I’m sorry.” He said again.
“Why are you sorry?” Bella asked, but she was pretty sure she already knew the answer.
“This is kind of my fault,” Jimmy stated and then pointed towards the clouds. “You see, I’m half merman and half Sjora.”
“Sjora?” Luke asked as he continued flipping the meat he cooked.
“It’s a Nordic shield spirit. The Sjora are fresh water protectors, and my father was one. My mother was a mermaid. Don’t ask for the details on that particular pairing. It’s not a story fit for polite company.” He said with a smirk. “Anyway, If I get too parched, the elements obey and protect me. Even if I don’t ask them too. So, could I get a glass of water? I apologize for letting myself get a little too dried out while standing near the grill.”
Murielle ran inside and got Jimmy a glass of water. He drank it down in a few huge gulps, and magically, the rain ceased. Everyone came back outside, and the party resumed.
Belladonna couldn’t help but notice that Jessie was missing. She asked around, and everyone said that Jessie’s said she be there in time for the party. People were kinda bummed out because she was in charge of bringing the desserts. Well, the desserts other than the massive chocolate fountain.
Bella took out her phone and called Jessie. She answered on the first ring.
“Bella, sweetie. Welcome home! I’m sorry I’m not at your party. I didn’t want to ruin it. I was debating what I should do.” Jessie gushed into the phone.
“How would you ruin my party?” Dread settled in Bella’s stomach like a lead ball.
“I’m afraid I’ve got bad news.”
Chapter Six
Zoe was hurrying into the Devil’s Pesto. Jessie had been swamped all day, and she’d needed to get out of the bakery in time for Belladonna and Ben’s welcome home party. The only issue was that Abrielle, the owner of the Devil’s Pesto, had ordered a huge amount of garlic knots for the evening’s menu. Abrielle frequently ordered bread from Big Bun’s Bakery, but she’d wanted something special to serve with a new pasta dish she’d been ready to debut that night.
She’d convinced herself that the new pasta meal would put her on the map. Abrielle had told both Zoe and Jessie that she’d probably end up on one of those food shows where some guy traveled around and ate different foods.
“The Devil’s Pesto will be famous, and so will your bakery.” Abrielle had gushed to Jessie over the phone when she’d made the weekly order. I need as many of them as you can make. My restaurant is going to be packed with people from all over the state that night.”
The garlic knots were a unique challenge for Jessie because they had to be baked separately from everything else so that the other pastries and bread didn't come out smelling like garlic. They were buttery and delicious, but they used a lot of garlic. Abrielle had felt that they’d balance out the delicate nature of her angel hair dish.
Jessie'd gotten it all done in time, though. She had pulled the last batch out of the oven as Zoe walked in for her afternoon shift. The two of them worked together to get the extra butter and a layer of garlic salt applied to every twisted bun in under thirty minutes. Watching them would have been like watching dancers move around the kitchen. The elven woman and her teenage assistant were about as in sync at that point as two unrelated people could get.
Then, Zoe just had to run the bread over to the restaurant and get back to the bakery so that Jessie could leave for the day. Zoe would work the rest of her shift, close the bakery for the day, and then head over to Bell
adonna's to see if there was any chocolate fountain left.
That had been the plan.
The first sign of trouble was that front entrance doors were locked and all of the lights were off. The Devil's Pesto served lunch every day, so the restaurant should have been open. Well, the first sign of trouble was actually the empty parking lot, but Zoe didn’t notice that until she was already at the entrance doors tugging on them stubbornly with one hand while holding a box carefully with the other.
Zoe pulled out her cell phone and tried to call Abrielle, but no one answered. She could hear the phone ringing inside, but the place looked abandoned. Before calling Jessie, she decided to check the kitchen door. Maybe Abrielle was just really busy getting things ready for the evening service. If there wasn’t any business after lunch, she figured it was possible that the restaurant had been closed for a couple of hours.
The back door was unlocked, so Zoe propped it open with a brick and went back to Jessie's truck to get the first load of bread.
She called out as she stepped over the threshold with the tray, "Is anyone around? I've got your food order."
Zoe was met with a complete silence that she found unnerving for reasons she didn't yet understand. The door was unlocked, but it appeared that no one was in the restaurant.
She set the bread down on one of the kitchen's many counters and pulled out her phone again. Luke and Ben were probably already at the party, but there were at least two other Winterfield police officers who could come to the Devil's Pesto and check the place out. Something wasn't right.
She was about to dial when something over by the dishwashing station caught her eye. It was a crumpled up apron that looked to have brown and red smudges all over it. Zoe gulped because she suspected the stains were blood, but she couldn't compel her feet to stop moving towards her discovery.
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