The Memory Witch

by Wood, Heather Topham

  “This isn’t right…” Mason’s voice was low and argumentative.

  Stella didn’t let him finish his thought. “This is my house and as long as I’m alive, you have no say in who I have stay in it.”

  “She’s a young girl and you’re exploiting her for your own purposes. Let her leave and live her life,” Mason argued.

  “She has too much talent to ignore. I haven’t seen raw talent like hers since your mother. She was able to cast only after a couple of minutes. Most witches have at least a dozen failures before they’re successful.”

  “If you won’t let her leave, at least tell her the truth…”

  “Don’t help her uncover her past. Trust me, Mason. We need to protect her from ever finding out the truth,” Stella said with conviction.

  “What happened to her?”

  “It’s none of your concern. You never had a problem before with how I conducted my business. Her mother owed a debt and Quinn is here to pay it. That’s as much of the story you need to know.”

  A tickle in my throat forced a loud cough out of my throat. The noise halted their conversation and I continued walking into the kitchen as if I heard nothing. My focus on their discussion had me forget momentarily about my clothing. However, Mason’s inspective glare made me shift side to side and silently beg to disappear into the floorboards below.

  “Isn’t she beautiful?” Stella breathed.

  I looked at my feet and grimaced as I underwent his careful examination. I was holding my breath as he spoke. “I don’t like it. It makes her look unnatural. She’s much prettier the way she is.”

  I could’ve cried. If Mason didn’t want me to fall for him, he was making it very complicated. A handsome, older and mysterious guy saying that I was pretty turned me into a ball of emotion. I wrung out my hands in front of me and didn’t dare meet his eyes. I wanted to hide the yearning he may find there. “Thank you,” I managed.

  Stella looked put out. “I never said she wasn’t pretty. I just wanted her transformed into the beautiful witch that will enchant anyone who crosses her path.”

  His aunt shot him an infuriated look when he winked at me. “You shouldn’t try to fix what isn’t broken.”

  I was losing my inner battle to stop any developing feelings for Mason. In the span of minutes, he had my pulse racing in a way that I never experienced before. This was bad, I thought. Things with Tanner had developed slowly. If I were already dazzled in this manner by Mason, it would put me at even more of a risk of having my heart broken again.

  After dinner, Stella ushered me and Mason out of the backdoor. She was sending him home with leftovers of the stew and the chocolate cake she had made. I balanced his trays of food while he carried a collection of packages that Stella wished for him to mail out the following day.

  We moved silently across the backyard. I was trying to come up with something witty to say, but found myself at a loss. I still didn’t know much about him, which made most conversation starters awkward.

  He did me a favor by breaking the silence. “My aunt is…”

  “Crazy, irrational, mean-spirited,” I supplied for him.

  “Yes, she can certainly be all of those things,” he agreed. “But she can also be swayed to see reason. If you’re uncomfortable with something she asks of you, don’t be afraid to say no. She won’t use magic against you or your family just because you disagree with her.”

  “Thanks for the advice,” I replied as we reached his front door. It was hard to determine what Stella was capable of. Although there were brief glimpses of her humanity, I had little doubt that she would’ve made my mother lose her mind if I hadn’t agreed to come to her estate. “You know, you should come to dinner more often.”

  “I think I’ve had my fill of Aunt Stella’s abuse for awhile now,” he said wryly. He ran a hand through his black hair and leaned his back against the door to his cottage. “Aunt Stella usually falls asleep early. When I was younger, I used to sneak out by putting a little bourbon in her tea. It conked her out for the night and when she woke up she was none the wiser of my exploits.” He laughed at the memory. He continued, “Anyway, it must be awful being stuck here all the time. If you want, you could come out with me one night.”

  “Where?”

  “My good friend is a bartender at a small pub in town. He’ll have no problem with you there if you’re with me,” Mason said.

  I lowered my eyelashes and asked, “Are you asking me out?”

  “Yes…as a friend,” he said and turned away from me to open the door. I frowned at his back and kicked myself for not being able to control my verbal diarrhea. I followed him inside and set the dishes on his counter. “I meant what I said about not dating witches. Besides, I’m not a good guy. You don’t want to be involved with someone like me.”

  My awkwardness subsided and I giggled at his proclamation. “That’s like the worst thing to say to a girl you want to scare away. If anything it will make her want you more.”

  “I mean it, Quinn,” he said. “It’s not good for either of us to pursue anything more. We’re going to be living together for the next ten months and a messy relationship would make things difficult.”

  “Aren’t you full of yourself? I did just break up with my boyfriend. I’m not looking to get involved with someone else already,” I said and lifted my chin defiantly.

  My answer satisfied him and he nodded. “Good. I want us to be friends. I actually never had a friend that’s a girl before.”

  “Why is that? And what’s up with the one night stands?”

  “It’s not like I can have a relationship. How could I introduce my aunt to anyone? If I told them she was a witch and I was her caretaker, they would think I was crazy. I couldn’t lie, too many strange things happen at Chadwick to explain away.” He shrugged and said, “It’s simply easier to not get involved.”

  “Well, then we’re on the same page. When can you spring me?” I asked.

  “How about Saturday night?” I nodded and he instructed, “Meet me at the edge of the front driveway at ten. She doesn’t have a view of that spot from her window.”

  “Sounds like a non-date then.”

  Chapter Sixteen

  I thought time would slow down as I anticipated my non-date with Mason. In actuality, Stella kept me busy enough practicing simple spells that I put the outing in the back of my mind. Yet, there was no denying that the idea of having a night out eased the sting of my imprisonment at the Chadwick House.

  After giving the matter some thought, I decided that Mason was right to put the brakes on something romantic happening between us. If I was completely honest with myself, it was probably for the best. He was older and he probably had expectations I would not be able to meet. The issues I had with sex weren’t going to disappear overnight. My body may respond to Mason, but my head would never let me give myself freely to him.

  I was thankful that I didn’t end up consummating things with Tanner. I would’ve been left with a hell of a lot of regrets after discovering his deception. My guilt over not sleeping with him had faded. My instincts told me that he would’ve slept with Amber whether or not we had sex.

  I wondered if Stella had suspicions of my plans to sneak out. She seemed bent on exhausting me by giving me task after task to complete without so much of a bathroom break. By the afternoon, she had me mixing a new batch of potions while she checked through her books for a spell I could take a crack at. Her conundrum lied in the fact she hating using magic unnecessarily. Nevertheless, she didn’t feel I was quite ready to start practicing on her clients.

  “How about a financial gain spell?” she asked looking over the book.

  “Yes! My mother could definitely use the help while I’m away,” I said and mentally kicked myself for not thinking of it sooner.

  “Think about what you could sacrifice in return,” Stella advised.

  This was always the toughest part of casting. What could I give up to provide my mother with a little fina
ncial stability while I was away? I went to my bedroom and looked over my possessions. As I judged each of my belongings, I had to look past the monetary value and decide how much it was worth to me on an emotional level. My eyes fell to my wrist—I was wearing the diamond tennis bracelet Tanner had given me over Christmas. It was my favorite piece of jewelry and I rarely took it off. Maybe it was time to let go of Tanner completely.

  I walked downstairs and told Stella I was ready to perform the spell. Her trust was building and she didn’t even question what I planned to give up in order to complete the incantation.

  After I announced my attention to forfeit the bracelet, Stella removed it from my wrist and slipped it into the pocket of her housecoat. My wrist felt barren and I paused briefly to mourn the loss of not only my favorite jewelry piece, but also the year I had with Tanner. As much as I despised him now, I had been happy for a brief time. Maybe I had fooled myself in believing that I was truly in love with him, but I couldn’t deny that he had been a welcome distraction from the damage I felt lived inside of me.

  I turned my attention back to the cast. After surrounding a green and blue candle with silver coins, I anointed each with cinnamon and bayberry oil. After lighting them, I pictured my mother and her gratitude over receiving an unexpected windfall. I willed money into her bank account while saying, “Sky above and earth below, make my mother’s money grow and grow.” I continued the chant until I felt the familiar rush of power go through me. The candles were to stay lit at the end of the spell until they burned out on their own.

  My eyes remain fixed on the flame as I wondered aloud, “How will I know it worked?”

  “I expect you’ll hear something tomorrow when you call your mother,” Stella said with such authority that I smiled. A call with good news was most welcomed. Lately, my conversations with my mom had been strained as I tried to hold back tears as we talked about my breakup with Tanner. I hadn’t given her all of the dirty details, but I guessed she had suspected his infidelity. I was relieved that she hadn’t felt the need to gloat and point out that she had warned me to end things with him.

  I left the workshop in high spirits. My mother would have cash in her bank account and not have to work overtime to pay the mortgage. Not to mention, I was finally getting out of Chadwick House for a few hours.

  I had no idea what type of establishments Mason visited during his nights of debauchery. This made it difficult to settle on my outfit choice. I never been to a bar before and wasn’t sure how much of an effort I should make. Trying too hard may send the message that I wanted more than friendship from Mason. After throwing about every piece of clothing on my bed, I settled on a pair of dark jeans, black heels and a slinky tank top with a cowl neckline. I would have to be conscious about not bending over to prevent giving the patrons a sneak peek of my black lace bra.

  At five minutes before ten, I held my heels in my hands as I snuck down the staircase. Every creek sounded amplified and I waited for Stella to rush out of her room and pull me by the ear back to my bedroom. As I quietly closed the front door, I breathed out a sigh of relief.

  Mason was waiting at the curb. I climbed into the truck and smiled at him. “My heart is racing. I never had to sneak out before since my mom was usually never home at night.”

  “That must have been lonely.”

  “No, I had Amber usually to keep me company and then Tanner once we started dating,” I explained. I shook my head to clear my thoughts. Tanner and Amber were the last people in the world I wanted to think about. “What about you? How long have you lived with your aunt?”

  “Since I was fourteen,” he replied shortly. His tone suggested the subject was closed.

  “How old are you?”

  “Twenty-one,” he said before glancing my way. “You look nice.”

  “Thank you,” I replied, “but that’s a date-like thing to say.”

  “You have a point,” Mason laughed.

  He looked hot enough that I was inclined to start fanning myself in the car. His muscles stretched the fabric of his polo shirt and I could see every ripple each time he moved. He was freshly shaven with his hair still damp from a shower. His good looks were certain to attract every available female within the bar. I just hoped he wasn’t planning to pick up a date while I was out with him. Would he ask me to sit in the rear jump seat of the truck’s cab to make room for his one nightstand?

  I followed him into the Marksmith once we arrived in front of a mid-sized pub. The bar was about ten minutes from the house and on a street containing several small businesses. The place was crowded, but not to the point where we weren’t able to make our way over to the bar without crashing into a sea of people. He pulled out a stool for me and I hopped up. He sat down next to me and asked me what I wanted to drink.

  “Last time I drank, I almost puked all over your aunt’s car,” I reminded him.

  “Definitely no hard alcohol for you then,” he affirmed. “I’ll have Mike give you a glass of wine instead.”

  I shrugged my shoulders and took a look around as Mason ordered our drinks. I saw a few girls looking at me and sizing me up. I wondered if many of Mason’s conquests frequented the bar. I almost wanted to sock him for his lack of shame. Women shouldn’t be treated in such a disposable way.

  “What’s wrong?” he asked handing me a drink.

  “I feel a lot of eyes on me,” I confessed. “I’m guessing you come here a lot.”

  He let out a frustrated sigh. “I’m not a complete scumbag. I tell the girl exactly how I feel and what I want. What happens is between two consenting adults.”

  I made a noncommittal sound and felt Mason’s eyes bore into me as I pivoted around to face away from the bar. I took a sip of the wine and said, “It’s none of my business. I shouldn’t have brought it up.”

  Mason didn’t reply and was distracted by a couple of twenty-something guys that approached him. He introduced me to his friends. After a couple of minutes of small talk, I tuned out once the guys started talking sports. Mason’s voice cut into my thoughts. “Jake and Dylan want me to play a game of darts, do you want to come?”

  No way did I want to be perceived as one of Mason’s groupies. As it was, the boys had paid little attention to me, most likely figuring Mason wouldn’t bother to remember my name, so they didn’t have to make an effort either. “That’s okay, you go ahead. I’ll just finish my drink here.”

  Mason looked uncertain, but finally left after I insisted. I nursed my drink until I felt someone approach me from behind. “Hi, I don’t think we met.” The voice was overly bright and the undertone of malice was barely disguised. I wondered if I could just keep my back to the girl and hope she went away.

  I inched my body around and did a quick inventory of the girl. It was one of the girls who had been staring at me earlier. She was certainly beautiful and I wondered if Mason questioned his non-involvement policy for her. Her reddish brown hair fell in thick waves down her back. Her complexion was creamy perfection and her dark lashes complemented her hazel eyes. Maybe allowing Mason to leave me unprotected wasn’t a good idea. “I’m Quinn.”

  “Never seen you here before. How do you know Mason?” No beating around the bush for this one. She was going straight for the jugular.

  “He’s just a friend,” I replied and went to turn away.

  She grabbed my arm. “Mason doesn’t have girlfriends. Girl to girl, let me give you some advice. Mason Corey is a player who will treat you like shit as soon as he gets what he wants.”

  “Thanks for the advice, but I’m not interested in Mason,” I said and removed her hand from my arm.

  Her laugh was mirthless. “Sure, you’re not. I’ve known Mason a long time and you’re exactly his type. Steer clear of him unless you want to end up as another one of his scores.”

  I was flabbergasted. Before I could summon an appropriate reply, a voice cut in. “Hey Faye, lay off. Mason just gave her a ride. She’s actually here with me.”

  I moved my e
yes to the sound of the voice and was met with a kind face. The guy looked about Mason’s age and had an easygoing smile. He grinned at me and reached for my hand. I was too surprised to do anything except hold it.

  “Oh.” Faye looked startled by this development. “Sorry Connor, I didn’t know.”

  Without any more ammunition to hurl my way, Faye spun on her heels and headed back into the crowd. I smiled at my savoir. “Thanks for that.”

  He let go of my hand and laughed. “Faye’s a raging psycho and you’re not the first girl she’s gone after for talking to Mason.”

  “Do you know him?”

  “Yes. There are two bars in town, so we end up running into each other whenever we both go out,” Connor explained.

  As he fell silent, I took a minute to study him. His brown hair fell past his chin and he had a distinct five o’clock shadow. Along with his distressed band t-shirt and frayed jeans, I got a friendly and laidback vibe from him. He was very cute, but I languished over the realization that Mason had invaded my brain in a way that prevented me from feeling anything while looking at Connor.

  “So, how do you know Mason?”

  “I’m a friend of the family. I’m staying at the Chadwick House for an extended visit.” It had the ring of truthiness to it, so I settled on that for an explanation.

  “And what you said about Mason? You’re just friends?” he asked with interest.

  “Yes,” I admitted. Maybe some harmless flirting with a cute guy would help me forget all about Mason and his dark good looks.

  ***

  Connor was hilarious. More than once, I had resorted to snorting and was afraid the wine would come squirting out of my nose. He was nice and he had plenty of hilarious stories about his job in a vet’s office. When he moved his stool closer to me so that our legs were touching, I didn’t pull away. He was very polite and I had a feeling he wouldn’t try to maul me in the middle of the bar.