Forever Charmed

by Rose Pressey

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Liam was supposed to meet me in the parlor. When I reached the entrance to the room, he was already there, looking out the window. He seemed deep in thought.

  “What are you looking at?” I asked.

  He turned around and drank in my appearance. “You look beautiful.”

  I smiled. That was a good way to start the evening. Had he been looking at the ghosts? I hoped they weren’t waiting for me when we went outside. I was glad that Nicolas hadn’t been downstairs when Liam and I left for our date. It would have been awkward to see him.

  “Where are you taking me?” I asked as we stepped out onto the veranda.

  “I thought we’d eat at a great little place in town.” He held the car door open for me.

  “That sounds lovely.”

  We slipped into Liam’s sleek black car and eased down the driveway. When I glanced in the side mirror, I saw Nicolas looking out the library window at us. My heart sank. What had he tried to warn me about? Why was I in danger?

  A strange vibe buzzed around us, but I wasn’t sure what feeling was or where it came from. It was a different sensation from what I felt from the books. I glanced over at Liam and he smiled. Could he be what Nicolas was warning me about? No, he just didn’t want me to go out with him. Nothing more.

  “Have you always been great with your witchcraft powers?” I asked.

  Liam glanced over at me as he steered around the corner. “Um, I suppose so. Like with everything I improve with practice. Why do you ask?”

  “I don’t think it’s any secret that my magic wasn’t the best before I got the spell book.”

  He stared at the road. “No, it wasn’t a secret. But that’s the past now. I wouldn’t worry about that.”

  I studied his handsome profile. “Speaking of past, you and Nicolas are still enigmatic about your past. Why don’t you tell me more about yourself? After all, people having dinner together usually talk about themselves and share details.”

  He glanced over again. “There’s not much to say. I’m just a boring guy. After college I began working for the Underworld. I’ve been there for ten years now.”

  “Do you have a ton of cases?”

  “I keep busy, yes. You’re the most interesting so far though.” A smile played at the corners of his mouth.

  I would have said that he and Nicolas were the most interesting guests I’d had so far, but they were the only guests. If any future guests were more interesting I would definitely reconsider the bed-and-breakfast business.

  We made it into town and parked along the curb in front of the little restaurant. Liam opened the car door for me and I slipped out. With his hand on the small of my back, he guided me toward the restaurant’s entrance. Stars sparkled in the black ceiling of sky.

  “I’m glad you agreed to go out with me.” Liam’s presence was resilient as he walked along beside me.

  I glanced over at him as we walked into the restaurant.

  “I wasn’t sure if you just wanted to go out because of your weird competition with Nicolas.”

  “There is no competition,” he said with a smile.

  Checkered tablecloths covered the tables dotting the room. Candles were placed in empty wine glasses with wax dripping down the sides in the middle of the tables. Luckily, Liam had made reservations or we probably would have been waiting for a long time. We weaved around tables full of people and were seated at the back of the restaurant. We ordered pasta and wine from the menu.

  Taking a sip of my wine, I studied Liam’s handsome face. “Why did you come to LaVeau Manor?”

  I didn’t want to beat round the bush any longer. I’d just come out with it.

  He sipped his wine then offered an easy smile. “You don’t waste any time.”

  “I feel like I’ve waited long enough to ask. I trust you’ll give me honest answers.” I folded my hands in front of me on the table and waited for a response.

  He set his glass down. “The law in the Underworld doesn’t want a witch to rule who shouldn’t be in that position. They sent me to make sure the book didn’t get in the wrong hands.”

  “Then why do you want to destroy it? Wouldn’t that end law and order?”

  He shrugged. “Maybe it’s time for a change in the Underworld.”

  “A change for the worse? How long have things been tumultuous?” I asked.

  “Not long,” he offered. “It didn’t take long for things to get out of control.”

  “So why change now?”

  He shrugged. “Things change. Why not make it now?”

  “I haven’t seen anyone show up other than you and Nicolas who want the book. So why should I take your word for it?” Maybe there was too much distrust in my voice, but I felt it was justified.

  Well, no one other than the men and Isabeau had shown up. But I didn’t think she had any interest in the book other than wanting to make sure she wasn’t turned back into a ghost, although I didn’t know that for sure. She had been performing a lot of spells.

  “Mara hasn’t tracked you down yet, but she will.” His tone was apologetic.

  “How were you able to find me before she was?”

  “That’s my job. That’s why I was hired as a detective for the Underworld and she wasn’t.”

  I guessed he did have a point.

  “Who is this Mara?” I asked as our food was placed down in front of us.

  I didn’t waste any time sinking my fork into the food. Planning the Halloween Ball, running from ghosts and vampires, and having dinner with mysterious gorgeous men was hard work. It made me hungry.

  “She’s the estranged sister of the last leader. Mara feels she should be the one in charge, that her sister’s death somehow made her in line to get the book. She’ll eventually be able to track down where the book is,” he said.

  “Why wouldn’t she be the new leader then? How is this decided?”

  “It’s usually decided by the current leader and a team. That’s if the leader retired, but if something happens to the last leader, then it’s a completely different scenario. Apparently the last leader felt that her sister would get the book—that was why she had your aunt hide the book.”

  “What happened to the last leader?” I asked, almost afraid to find out the answer.

  “She was murdered,” he replied softly.