The Wicked and the Wondrous

by Christine Feehan

  “Kate made me late,” Matt told Inez, and the interested group of actors crushed together to see the fireworks when Inez told Matt off. Matt exchanged a long, slow smile with Kate while he listened to Inez politely.

  “I believe him,” Jonas said. “You know how the Drake sisters are. Barbie doll alone takes three hours to get ready for anything. Put them all together, it could take days.”

  Kate glared at both former Rangers and took Hannah’s hand. “Why aren’t you participating this year, Jonas?” she asked sweetly. “Inez, didn’t he promise you last year? I could have sworn Sarah told me Jonas really wanted to play a major role.”

  “He likes to stand out,” Hannah added, smiling at Inez. “If you don’t offer him a lead, he won’t cooperate. You know Jonas. He has to be the star.”

  Inez turned to the sheriff. “Why didn’t you sign up this year?”

  “I didn’t sign up,” Matt pointed out.

  “We don’t have time for this argument,” Jonas said, glaring at Kate. “Traffic is going to be backed up from here to hell and back. Get this show on the road, Inez, or we’ll have to shut it down.”

  Inez began barking orders like a drill sergeant. Hannah nudged Jonas. “Don’t look so smug. I’m putting your name in for the role of donkey next year. I’m certain Inez will come up with a suitable costume.”

  Deliberately the sheriff leaned into her, so close her body was pressed up against his. “That’s great, baby doll, as long as you’re the one riding me.” He breathed the words against her ear, then stalked away from her.

  The wind rushed over him and sent his hat sailing toward the river. He glanced back, his grin wide. “You have such a bad temper, Hannah. Merry Christmas.”

  Matt tried to cling to Kate but was dragged firmly away and forced into his satin costume. He did his best not to notice the other actors hiding their smiles behind their hands as they looked at him, or that Inez and Donna looked horrified. The streets were lined with townspeople, from the oldest to the youngest. Even Sylvia had turned up, with one side of her face covered in a red rash.

  The parade began, and Matt was forced to endure trudging through the streets where everyone could see Inez’s bizarre creation. The other two wise men went before him. He thought they looked somewhat ridiculous in their robes of velvet, but if he squinted enough, he could use the word regal. Cursing the fact that his costume looked more like a woman’s bathrobe than a king’s robe, Matt thought it took an eternity to get through town, with everyone singing slightly off-key, and to finally catch sight of the town square. Worse, he couldn’t prevent the silly grin from breaking out on his face. It just wouldn’t go away, and he knew it had to look like he was enjoying parading through town in a woman’s bathrobe. He knew Kate and her sisters had grabbed a spot near the makeshift stables to wait for him, and he kept a sharp eye out for them. He let out a sigh of relief when he finally spotted them.

  “You look really good in that satin robe, bro,” Danny declared, nudging his brother with the hooked end of his staff.

  “Shut up, Danny, or I’m going to kick your butt,” Matt threatened out of the side of his mouth. He kept his eyes straight ahead, trudging like a man doomed, carrying his gift of frankincense on a white satin pillow out in front of him. He’d argued the wise men hadn’t had white satin pillows to use carrying the foul-smelling stuff, but not a single person had listened, and his protests had earned him a black scowl from Inez. He kept his eyes straight ahead, not looking at the waving townspeople as he marched stoically onward to the town square with his silly grin on his face.

  Danny whistled at him. “That robe manages to show your butt off nicely, Matt.” He tapped the offending part of Matt’s anatomy with the staff again. “Sorry, little accident, couldn’t help myself.”

  “I hope you have life insurance,” Matt said in his most menacing voice. He made the mistake of looking up to judge the distance to the square. He had to know the exact amount of time he would have to suffer further humiliation. Kate stood there with her sisters. Every last one of them had a huge smile on her face. Matt entertained the idea of throwing the frankincense at their feet and hauling Kate over his shoulder like the Neanderthal they all thought he was. He’d keep the robe, it might come in handy.

  Danny poked him with the staff again. “Get along there little dogie,” he teased.

  Matt’s furious gaze settled on Old Man Mars. He stood slightly apart, watching the pageant with a peculiar look on his face, somewhere between mortification and shock. It was obvious he shared Matt’s view of the idiotic robes. The old man caught his eye, read the pain on Matt’s face, and stepped closer to commiserate. He walked alongside Matt.

  “She made you do this, didn’t she?” Mars asked.

  “Damn right. Otherwise, I wouldn’t be caught dead in this getup,” Matt replied, hope beginning to stir.

  Mars nodded as if he understood Matt’s total misery and stepped back away from him with his arms folded. Behind him, Danny began the mantra. “Don’t say it. Don’t say it. Don’t say it.” He glanced nervously at the old man as he approached him.

  “Merry Christmas.” Matt turned back with a cheerful grin. “Merry Christmas, Mr. Mars,” he said happily.

  A black scowl settled over Old Man Mars’s face. His craggy brows drew together in a straight thick line. He made a single sound of disgust and spat on the ground. The old man delivered his yearly kick right to Danny’s shin and shuffled off, muttering something about tomatoes. Danny howled and jumped around, holding his injured shin. The staff swung around in a wide circle so that the participants had to break ranks and run for safety. Matt kept walking straight past Inez and the outraged look on her face. Kate met him at the stable, lifting her face for his kiss, while Inez followed Danny, giving him her annual Christmas lecture on behavior.

  “All in all, Katie,” Matt said, holding her close, “I’d say this was a very satisfactory pageant.”

  epilogue

  “SO, DID YOUR WISH COME TRUE?” SARAH asked.

  Matt reached out to take the snowglobe from her, turning it over and over in his hands. He looked across the room at Kate. His Kate. The flames leaped and danced in the fireplace. The Drake sisters were decorating a live tree they’d brought in for Christmas Day. The next day they would plant it on their property near the many other trees that marked the passing of the years.

  The house smelled of cedar and pine and cinnamon and spice. Berry candles adorned the mantel and the aroma of fresh-baked cookies drifted from the kitchen. Jonas appeared in the doorway of the kitchen. Red and green frosting smeared his face and fingers, and an apron covered his clothes. “No one asked me if my wish came true,” he complained.

  “You’re such a baby, Jonas,” Joley informed him with a little sniff. She caught the apron strings and dragged him backward. “You were the one who said there was nothing to baking cookies, and we should try our hand at doing it the old-fashioned way.”

  Jonas escaped and raced back into the living room. “You! You!” he protested. “Women bake cookies. That’s what they do. They sit around the house looking pretty and hand their man a plate of cookies and a drink when he comes home.”

  Jonas grinned at the women tauntingly. Matt groaned and covered his face with his hands, looking between his fingers. He already felt power moving in the air. Curtains swayed. Hair stood up. Crackles of electricity snapped and sizzled. The flames on the candles and in the fireplace leaped and danced. Jonas watched the sisters, clearly expecting reprisal. It came from behind him. The small fish tank lifted into the air and tilted part of the contents over Jonas’s head. Water rushed over his head. He stiffened, but he didn’t turn around, nor did he attempt to wipe it off.

  “I just want to point out that this is Christmas Day,” he said. “And you all just came back from church.”

  Joley sat down at the upright, perfectly tuned piano. “And we’re all feeling full of love and goodwill, Jonas. Which is why you aren’t swimming in the sea with the shar
ks right now. Shall I play something cheerful?”

  “Oh, please do, Joley,” Hannah entreated wickedly. “I’m feeling very cheerful.”

  “You would be,” Jonas muttered. He took the towel Libby handed him and wiped off his face and hair.

  Hannah blew him a kiss.

  “Matt didn’t answer my question,” Sarah persisted.

  “The globe only works for family,” Abbey said.

  Music swelled in volume, filling every corner of the house with joy. Matt heard the sound of feminine laughter, felt his heart respond. Kate walked around the tree, an ornament in her hand. She moved with grace and elegance, his perfect Kate. Feeling the weight of his gaze, she looked across the room at him and smiled.

  “Yes, that’s true, Abbey,” Sarah said. “It only works for family. Matt? Did the globe grant your wish?”

  He cleared his throat. “Yes.” The affirmation came out on a husky note.

  Joley’s fingers stilled on the piano. She turned to look at him. Libby put her hand out to Hannah. Abbey put her arm around Elle. All of the Drakes looked at Matt. Kate’s sisters. The magical witches of Sea Haven. He thought he fit in rather nicely.

  “What did you wish for, Matthew?” Sarah asked. She sat down in Damon’s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

  “I wished for Katie, of course,” he answered honestly.

  Kate walked over to him, leaning down to kiss him. “I wished for you,” she whispered aloud.

  “So that little jewelry box in your jacket pocket means something?” Elle asked.

  “It means Kate said yes,” Matt said. He believed his grin was a permanent fixture on his face.

  Jonas shook his head, still mopping up the water. “You got her to say yes just by wishing on that snowglobe?”

  “That’s what it took,” Matt said. “But they say it only works for family. I guess it acknowledged that Katie belonged with me.”

  “Really? It can reason all that out, can it?” Jonas stared at the snowglobe sitting so innocently on the shelf. “Family, huh? Well, I’ve been family for about as long as I can remember.”

  A collective gasp went up from the seven Drake sisters as Jonas reached for the snowglobe.

  “No! Jonas, don’t touch that.” Hannah sounded frightened.

  “You can’t, Jonas,” Sarah said.

  His hand hovered over it. Matt could swear he heard hearts beating loudly in the sudden silence. Jonas picked up the globe. Almost at once it sprang to life, the tiny lights on the tree glowing, the fog beginning to swirl.

  “Jonas, put it down right now and step away from it,” Joley warned.

  “You can’t play with things in this house,” Elle added. “They can be dangerous.”

  “Jonas,” Abbey said, “it isn’t funny.”

  Jonas turned toward the women, his hands absently cradling the globe. “Aren’t you all supposed to be cooking dinner for us? Jackson’s going to be here any minute, expecting the full Christmas fare, and all he’s going to get is some cookies I made.” As he spoke, he kept his gaze on Hannah. All the while his palm rubbed the globe as if he could conjure up a genie.

  “Don’t you dare wish on that globe, Jonas Harrington,” Hannah hissed. She actually backed a step away from him. “I’m sorry about the fish tank. And the silly hat thing as well. Just put the globe down and keep your mind blank. We’ll call it even.”

  “Are you watching this, Matt?” Jonas asked, clearly taunting Hannah. “This is called power.”

  “Not for long,” Kate said. She held out her hand for the globe. “Hand it over and stop tormenting Hannah. We’re liable to serve you up dragon’s liver for dinner.”

  “All right,” Jonas agreed. He looked into the glass. “It’s certainly beautiful.” Instead of giving it to her, he stared into it for a long moment. The fog swirled into a frenzy, obliterating the house until only the lights on the tree blazed, then it slowly subsided, leaving the glass clear and the lights fading away. Only then did he hand it over to Kate.

  There was a long silence. Jonas grinned at them. “I’m teasing. You all take things so seriously.” He nudged Matt. “I’m not a dreamer like my friend here. I wouldn’t let a snowglobe decide my fate. Come on, let’s get that turkey carved.”

  Kate accepted Matt’s kiss and watched him go into the kitchen with Damon and Jonas. She joined her sisters as she did each year in surrounding the tree, hands connecting them in a continuous circle. The overhead lights went off, leaving them in the shadows with the flickering candles and Christmas lights. She felt the familiar power running up and down her arms. Running through her. Tiny sparks leaped into the air like little fireflies. Electricity crackled around them. She could feel the minuscule threads in the tapestry of power that wove them together. Energy sprang from one to the other.

  Matt stood in the doorway with Damon and Jonas and Jackson, who had come in through the kitchen, and watched the seven women as they stood hand in hand circling the Christmas tree. The women looked beautiful and fey, with their heads thrown back and the sparks leaping around them like miniature fireworks.

  Jonas nudged him. “Welcome to the world of the Drake sisters, Matt. And Merry Christmas.”

  Matt couldn’t imagine a better one.

  AFTER THE MUSIC

  dedication

  For Manda and Christina, may you always be survivors. Much love.

  acknowledgments

  Special thanks to Dr. Mathew King for all of his help with the research needed for this book. Also to Burn Survivors online. Thank you for your courtesy and patience and all the offers of help. And of course, to Bobbi and Mark Smith of the Holy Smoke Band, who gave me their time and help with my persistent questions.

  chapter

  1

  JESSICA FITZPATRICK WOKE UP screaming, her heart pounding out a rhythm of terror. Fear was a living, breathing entity in the darkness of her room. The weight of it crushed her, held her helpless; she was unable to move. She could taste it in her mouth, and feel it coursing through her bloodstream. Around her, the air seemed so thick that her lungs burned for oxygen. She knew something monstrous was stirring deep in the bowels of the earth. For a moment she lay frozen, her ears straining to hear the murmur of voices rising and falling, chanting words in an ancient tongue that should never be spoken. Red, glowing eyes searched through the darkness, summoning her, beckoning her closer. She felt the power of those eyes as they neared, focused on her, and came ever closer. Her own eyes flew open; the need to flee was paramount in her mind.

  The entire room lurched, flinging her from the narrow bunk to the floor. At once the cold air brought her out of her nightmare and into the realization that they were not safe in their beds at home, but in the cabin of a wildly pitching boat in the middle of a ferocious storm. The craft, tossed from wave to powerful wave, was taking a pounding.

  Jessica scrambled to her feet, gripping the edge of the bunk as she dragged herself toward the two children, Tara and Trevor Wentworth, who clung together, their faces pale and frightened. Tara screamed, her terrified gaze locked on Jessica. Jessica managed to make it halfway to the twins before the next wild bucking sent her to floor again.

  “Trevor, get your life jacket back on this minute!” She reached them by crawling on her hands and knees, and then curled a supporting arm around each of them. “Don’t be afraid, we’ll be fine.”

  The boat rose on a wave, teetered and slid fast, tossing the three of them in all directions. Salt water poured in a torrent onto the deck and raced down the steps into the cabin, covering the floor with an inch of ice-cold water. Tara screamed, and clutched at her brother’s arm, desperately trying to help him buckle his life jacket. “It’s him. He’s doing this, he’s trying to kill us.”

  Jessica gasped, horrified. “Tara! Nobody controls the weather. It’s a storm. Plain and simple, just a storm. Captain Long will get us safely to the island.”

  “He’s hideous. A monster. And I don’t want to go.” Tara covered her face with her hands
and sobbed. “I want to go home. Please take me home, Jessie.”

  Jessica tested Trevor’s life jacket to make certain he was safe. “Don’t talk that way, Tara. Trev, stay here with Tara while I go see what I can do to help.” She had to shout to make herself heard in the howling wind and booming sea.

  Tara flung herself into Jessica’s arms. “Don’t leave me—we’ll die. I just know it—we’re all going to die just like Mama Rita did.”

  Trevor wrapped his arms around his twin sister. “No, we’re not, sis, don’t cry. Captain Long has been in terrible storms before, lots of them,” he assured. He looked up at Jessica with his piercing blue eyes. “Right, Jessie?”

  “You’re exactly right, Trevor,” she agreed. Jessica had a firm hold on the banister and began to make her way up the stairs to the deck.

  Rain fell in sheets; black clouds churned and boiled in the sky. The wind rose to an eerie shriek. Jessica held her breath, watched as Long struggled to navigate the boat through the heavier waves, taking them ever closer to the island. It seemed the age-old struggle between man and nature. Slowly, through the sheets of rain, the solid mass of the island began to take shape. Salt water sprayed and foamed off the rocks but the sea was calmer as they approached the shore. She knew it was only the captain’s knowledge of the region and his expertise that allowed him to guide the craft to the dock in the terrible storm.

  The rain was pouring from the sky. The clouds were so black and heavy overhead that the night seemed unrelentingly dark. Yet Jessica caught glimpses of the moon, an eerie sight with the swirling black of the clouds veiling its light.

  “Let’s go, Jessie,” Captain Long yelled. “Bring up the kids and your luggage. I want you off this boat now.” The words were nearly lost in the ferocity of the storm, but his frantic beckoning was plain.

  She hurried, tossing Trevor most of the packs while she helped Tara up the stairs and across the slippery deck. Captain Long lifted Tara to the dock before aiding Trevor to shore. He caught Jessica’s arm in a tight grip and pulled her close so he could be heard. “I don’t like this—Jess, I hope he’s expecting you. Once I leave you, you’re stuck. You know he isn’t the most pleasant man.”