Wicked by Any Other Name

by Linda Wisdom

  Trev had thought Stasi was beautiful the first time he met her, and each time he saw her reinforced that feeling. Tonight she took his breath away. The hint of lace in the neckline of her jacket had him wondering just what was under that soft wool fabric.

  “You look lovely,” he murmured in her ear as he helped her on with her cream wool ankle-length coat. Her hair was pulled behind her ears with tiny clips holding back the loose curls. He could smell the scent of spring on her skin and hair.

  She lowered her lashes with a demure expression on her face. “Thank you.” She picked up her bag, which instantly transformed itself from a black leather tote to a small purse that matched her suit perfectly. She slipped the gold chain over her shoulder.

  “You kids be good now,” Blair chirped from her sprawled position on the couch with a glass of wine nearby. “And have my baby back by midnight.”

  “She thinks she’s a sitcom mom.” Stasi headed for the door. “I worry that the day will come when I’ll find her vacuuming and wearing a housedress and pearls.”

  “You care for each other like sisters,” he said, as he helped her into his Jag. In deference to the cold weather he’d left the top up.

  “We’ve been friends for so long we feel more like family than any blood relative,” she admitted, settling back against the buttery soft leather. She leaned over and placed her hand on his arm as he pushed the keyless start. “May I ask for one thing this evening? No talk about what really brought you up to Moonstone Lake?”

  He cocked an eyebrow, as he couldn’t resist teasing her. “Even if you were the reason I came up here?”

  She frowned at him, schoolmarm at an unruly student. “You know what I mean, Trev.”

  He was relieved that she felt the same way he did. The last thing he wanted to discuss tonight was business. “Tonight is for us.” He clicked on the ignition and backed the car out.

  As they drove down the quiet street, Trev noticed a shadow alongside the building that held the general store, which carried everything from hoes to penny candy. It wasn’t until a hint of light caught the wispy features that he realized it was a ghost wearing clothing from the 1800s, and he looked upset. He noticed that Stasi saw the ghost also and sat forward a bit. Before either could make a comment the spirit disappeared. Since Stasi didn’t say anything Trev thought it best to remain silent.

  The drive up the winding road to the resort was short and didn’t give them much time for conversation.

  “Do you come up here often?” Trev asked.

  She nodded. “They offer lovely spa treatments and it makes for a nice getaway.” Her grin flashed in the dashboard lights. “Their restaurant also has some killer desserts.”

  The warm temperature inside the resort’s lobby was a welcome change from the night chill as they crossed the carpeted expanse to the dining room’s entrance.

  Trev gave his name to the maitre d’ and helped Stasi off with her coat before shrugging off his leather coat.

  They were soon seated near a window at a table placed a little apart, offering privacy from the other diners. True to habit Trev took the side that had his back to the wall and where he had a prime view of the foyer. This was the act of a male in protection mode.

  The tiniest of smiles tipped Stasi’s lips upward. “Ah, the protective wizard. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy inside.” And then she slid her pantsuit jacket off.

  Trev almost swallowed his tongue as he surveyed the all too sexy lace top. She had even added a hint of a pearlized powder to her exposed shoulders and collarbones that left her skin gleaming. He reminded himself he had to say something without sounding like a fool, but so far nothing had come to mind.

  “Why did you and Blair choose Moonstone Lake?” Trev asked after the waiter brought them their drinks, Johnny Walker Black Label straight up for him and a glass of Chardonnay for her.

  She sipped her wine as if figuring out her reply. “In some ways, because of the lake. At that time, Blair and I had been working in a medicine show.” She took a deep breath and spoke softly enough that only Trev heard her words. “Step right up, ladies and gentlemen! Right here in my hand I have the cure for all reasons. The cure for all seasons. All you need is Professor Phinneas Peggins’ Soothing Syrup. One teaspoon of this magic elixir every morning and night will have your heart singing the Hallelujah Chorus, your lungs open and clear, and your bowels will never work better.” She laughed softly at Trev’s wince, but she didn’t stop her patter. “Ladies, you will never worry again about female trouble or monthly hysteria once you take this medicine of the ages. And a teaspoon once a day to your children will have them happy and healthy with never a day sick. Only ten cents a bottle, ladies and gentlemen. One tenth of a dollar. One thin dime. Nowhere can you buy this kind of protection and it’s cheaper than seeing a sawbones who will want to cut off your leg and charge you a dollar for it. Don’t wait too long because your health is the most important thing there is. Who will be the first to want to keep their vigor?”

  He was stunned. “You actually were out there selling that poison?”

  “Back then people didn’t consider it harmful, although Blair and I were more familiar with what the ingredients could do,” she defended herself. “Since we didn’t want to see anyone sick or dying from it the way people did from drinking various other forms of those patent medicines, we managed to tweak the professor’s formula—which was originally a non-healthy dose of opium. It might not have cured everyone’s ills, but it didn’t turn them into addicts, either.”

  Trev grinned. He had seen his share of medicine shows back when they were popular, so he knew any woman in the show was scantily clad to prompt the men to buy. The idea of Stasi in a bit of fluff was tantalizing his senses.

  “So what happened?”

  “It was a bitterly cold winter that year and to stay warm the professor drank too much of his own medicine. Instead, he didn’t wake up,” she explained, remembering. “Blair and I were stranded there, out of work, no money because the professor hadn’t paid us in months, and the restaurant in town needed waitresses. Not as glamorous maybe, but it was work. Back then Moonstone Lake was nothing more than a tent city and jobs for women weren’t plentiful unless you wanted to work in one of the saloons or gambling halls. We were lucky to get what we did. Ginny Chao’s great-grandparents were some of the first mortals to befriend us.”

  “You could easily have conjured up stagecoach tickets and left town.”

  She shook her head. “We’re not allowed to use our magick for personal gain and our obtaining tickets without using cold hard cash would have been considered that.” She traced the snowy white tablecloth with her fingertip, her pink polished nail shimmering in the soft candlelight. “When we were expelled from the academy we were told we were fully on our own. We had to make our way using our wits, not our magick. Over the years we discovered it was fascinating to see what we could do to make a living.” She wrinkled her nose as if recalling some of her past jobs. “Eurydice wanted to make sure our banishment wasn’t easy for us.”

  “What prompted you to return to Moonstone Lake so often?” he asked.

  “I guess a part of it was how we felt about the lake from the first day we were there. It seemed to call to us.”

  Trev toyed with his glass. “Called to you as in magick?”

  She shook her head. “Not exactly. The town wasn’t called Moonstone Lake back then. Rain and mud was an everyday occurrence during the spring, and our first spring here had more rain than usual. The lake overflowed its banks. Blair and I were afraid it would flood the town, so we went out there one night to set up protection. What we saw was a lake surface the color of a moonstone. Moonstone means sanctuary. We felt it was a sign for us and we decided to stay as long as we could.”

  “How long did you stay that first time?”

  “Almost ten years. We used some glamour for subtle aging p
urposes. We found a way to buy the building we have now and we’ve kept it going all these years. In between times we were here, we rented out the building.”

  “And now that everyone knows what you are? Will you stay past the time you’d normally leave?” He finished his drink and shook his head when the waiter came by to see if he wanted a second one.

  “No, we won’t stay. Even with them knowing about us we wouldn’t feel right seeing them grow older while they see us stay the same, and even if we used a glamour to appear older for a while, they would know it wasn’t so. It would be… hard.” She set the menu down.

  “How would you feel about Chateaubriand for two?” Trev asked when the waiter approached them.

  “It sounds wonderful.”

  A nod of Trev’s head had the waiter returning and he placed their orders. “And something tells me the lady would love to indulge in the chocolate soufflé for dessert,” he said.

  Stasi’s mouth watered at the thought of the dessert that the resort’s dining room was famous for. And for a second the image of a chocolate-covered Trev entered her mind.

  Bad Stasi! Bad!

  She quickly brought herself under control. She recalled her resolution to be Ms. Tough Witch and settled back in her chair with a small smile.

  “So why did you go into law?”

  “Family tradition. Every son has gone into some form of the law.”

  “Is going into law a tradition you enjoy or one you’ve felt compelled to follow because it was expected of you? You just don’t seem like a lawyer to me,” she commented, wrapping her fingers around the stem of her wine glass.

  “A tradition I very much enjoy. I like the intricacies of the legal profession and I even practiced a few times among the humans for a while, so I could better understand their law,” he replied. “You might not believe it, but law has many challenges and I like nothing better than a challenge.”

  She studied the expression in his cobalt eyes and was positive he was looking at her as another challenge. The room suddenly felt warm, but even warmer was the heat that simmered deep within her body.

  She wanted to fight the attraction she felt for Trev, but no matter how hard she tried to see him as the enemy, she feared she was in the midst of a losing battle. She knew she was in a conflict that would leave behind at least one casualty since there was no chance anything could ever come of this. The supernatural communities were very tightly knit, and veering out of expected protocol wasn’t easy. That Jazz and Nick managed to do so was something Stasi envied.

  But she couldn’t see that happening with Trev and hearts over their heads notwithstanding, she didn’t want to think about romance with him. She reminded herself that she was a witch and he was a wizard. She was the defendant in a lawsuit, and when the day came that the case would be heard in Wizards’ Court, he would sit at the opposite table and do his best to destroy her life. So why couldn’t she just stay away from this man before he took her heart, too?

  She enjoyed her simple life, and judging by the cost of the Egyptian cotton button-down shirt and well-tailored wool slacks he wore, she knew he lived a vastly different lifestyle. One she had no desire to share.

  So why did the idea that the day would come when he would walk away with her heart bother her so much?

  To distract herself, Stasi looked around the dining room, only half filled since it was the middle of the week and skiing season wasn’t in full gear yet. Her gaze was arrested by one set of eyes that looked at her as if they wanted to slice her in half.

  Stasi didn’t know Connie Benton well, other than that the woman occasionally shopped in her boutique around the holiday season for gifts for her nieces. But she did know that the woman was a close friend of Carrie’s. There was no missing Connie reaching into her purse and pulling out her cell phone. The woman was faster than the Internet in getting the news out. Stasi had a bad feeling that if Carrie was home, she could end up here and wouldn’t be averse to creating a big scene. She mentally urged the chef to cook fast.

  Trev noticed her distraction and looked around.

  “Someone you know?”

  She shook her head. “She’s from town and one of Carrie’s closest friends. This isn’t good.”

  “There’s no crime in our having dinner together. For all the woman knows we’re discussing the case. It’s nothing new in our world.” He dismissed her worries.

  “It’s a big problem in their eyes. Don’t forget that Carrie’s idea of the court system is what she sees on television and that has nothing to do with our world at all. The plaintiff’s attorney wouldn’t be having dinner with the defendant.”

  Trev leaned back when the waiter set their salad plates before them and the sommelier brought a bottle of Chateau Latour Pauillac that Stasi feared cost more than the entire meal.

  “If you allow her to bother you, she wins,” he said softly. “Is that what you want?”

  “Not at all. Especially since I intend to win.” She picked up her wine glass and tasted the Bordeaux. “This is very nice.”

  Stasi did her best to ignore Connie’s venomous gaze and enjoyed her dinner. It turned out to be remarkably easy, since Trev kept the conversation going, discussing his travels over the years. They were both surprised to learn they had sometimes been in the same cities at the same time.

  “Really? I know that hotel very well!” Stasi exclaimed when he mentioned his frequent stays in Lisbon.

  “You stayed there also?”

  She laughed and shook her head. “I worked as a maid there for several months. Who knows, I may have made up your bed for you,” she teased.

  His eyes darkened. “A pity you made it up and not the opposite.”

  That all too familiar sexual heat flickered to life again as she thought of Trev tumbling her into his bed. She reached for her water glass since she was positive the wine started a major wildfire in her stomach. Judging by the cerulean glow in his eyes, the feeling was definitely mutual.

  Trev held up his wine glass. “To a lovely evening and getting to know you better.”

  Stasi stared at him, convinced the red hearts that plagued her every time she saw him were pulsing to a seductive beat. Coupled with this, she had a wild vision of a naked Trev and herself equally nude lying among tumbled covers. For a moment she couldn’t breathe. She was amazed her hand wasn’t trembling as she picked up her wine glass and softly clinked it against his, but she didn’t say a word. She feared if she did speak it would be closer to the kind of remark Horace would make than the sort of polite words she would ordinarily come up with. If she didn’t know any better, she’d swear she was bespelled by the man.

  It’s Cupid’s hearts doing this. It’s creating an attraction that wouldn’t ordinarily be there.

  “Hic!” She wasn’t sure what was more horrifying—that she had hiccupped or that the bubble floated from her lips to Trev, suspended momentarily in front of his mouth before it winked out of sight. If he had said one word she would have gladly crawled under the table and made herself disappear. Luckily, he settled for a smile and changed the conversation.

  Dinner was perfect and by the time the rich chocolate soufflé and coffee arrived, Stasi had forgotten that anyone else existed in the semi-private world their table provided them.

  “After the main course I didn’t think I could eat another bite,” she lamented, staring at her now empty plate. “I’m just glad you helped eat the soufflé so I didn’t feel like a glutton.”

  “I’m a sucker for chocolate too.”

  She eyed his lean frame. “No one would know it.”

  “I only indulge on special occasions.”

  “The great thing about chocolate is that it doesn’t need a special occasion.” Stasi smiled. “This was very nice, thank you.” She noticed a change in his expression. “What is it? Please don’t tell me I have something between my teeth.”
<
br />   Trev pulled in a deep breath and blew it out. “Please don’t take this the wrong way, but I’d like the chance for us to have more time to talk.”

  “I thought that’s what we were doing now.”

  “I mean privately.” He pulled a plastic card out of his jacket pocket and placed it on the table. “I thought we could go upstairs to my suite where we’d have more privacy.”

  Stasi stared at the gold plastic key card positive it was pulsing with a life of its own and mouthing the words say yes. She found she couldn’t ignore the room key card any more than the red hearts over Trev’s head or the knowledge she had her own share of the damn images courtesy of Cupid.

  “Anastasia?” he whispered her name, his expression showing he was unsure about her response. “Nothing has to happen. I just want to talk to you in a place where we don’t have to worry about anyone overhearing our conversation. I’m sure if we went back to your place Blair would be all ears.” He flashed a brief grin. “My room is large enough to make you feel comfortable. I want to know more about you and I’m not talking about the case. Please,” he added in a whisper that said more than all the words before it.

  His plea made her decision easier to make, but that didn’t mean she wanted to make it easy for him.

  She remained silent for so long, she could tell that Trev thought she was going to reject him.

  “One thing I could never get enough of here is their chocolate soufflé,” she murmured. “Why don’t you see if they’ll have one sent up to the room?”

  She was surprised to see more relief in his eyes than triumph. That told her she’d made the right decision. He pushed the key card across the table toward her. “It’s room 422.” He drew his black AmEx out of his wallet. “If you care to go up first, I’ll follow after I ask for a soufflé to be sent up to the room.”

  Stasi picked up the card and left the restaurant, veering left to the elevators. She pushed the button for the fourth floor and walked into the waiting car.

  I’ve lost my mind.

  She was blind to her reflection echoing in the mirrors all around her.