by Rose Pressey
“I think they just wanted to get to you. I suppose they wanted the book.” Nicolas took both my hands in his. “Let’s do it right now.”
I quirked an eyebrow. “What exactly are you talking about?”
“I mean let’s get married right now. I don’t want to wait any longer.” Nicolas searched my eyes.
“You want to elope?” I asked.
I hadn’t expected that. Nicolas had been angry with me just a short time ago. Plus, I’d thought he was never coming back.
“Yes, that’s the plan. I think we should go for it.”
Wow, I was speechless. Why was I so nervous? I’d been planning this wedding for a while now. It wasn’t a new concept. Though I supposed I had planned on having a lot of nerves on the day of the wedding. Now it had hit me all at once. It was kind of like when you’re almost in an accident and the adrenaline kicks in. That was the way I felt right now.
“This is unexpected. What made you decide this?” I asked.
“Being away from you. That gave me time to think,” Nicolas said.
Well, I guessed I hadn’t thought of that at all while he’d been away. Not that I hadn’t thought of him, but he’d kind of been acting strange, so what was I supposed to believe? Had he really just asked me to marry him right now? What about all the wedding plans? Though I had to admit this had gone on longer than I’d anticipated. I was kind of getting tired of it and the thought of just doing it was kind of appealing.
“What do you say?” Nicolas asked.
The confidence in his voice slipped away by the second. My thoughts went a million miles a minute. I had to think this over, but Nicolas was staring at me, waiting for an answer. How long would he give me to think about this? I supposed that would ruin the spontaneity of it. The longer I waited to answer his question the more disturbed he looked. I sucked in a deep breath and released it, hoping that would help me think clearer. It didn’t work. I loved Nicolas and I needed to tell him that. Tell him before he took off again, thinking that I didn’t care.
“So what do I think?” I repeated his question. Of course that was just a way to stall for more time.
He nodded. “Yes, what do you think? Us getting married right now.”
I studied his face for a moment. Without giving it much more thought, I said, “Yes. Let’s do it now.”
A huge smile spread across his face. “Do you mean it?”
I nodded. “Yes, let’s do it.”
I had no idea where we were even going to do this.
Nicolas wrapped his arms around me. “I’m glad you said yes. You had me worried for a bit.”
I supposed I had taken a bit to say yes. It was because I had thought of Liam when he asked. The kiss that we’d shared while Nicolas was gone. What would Nicolas say about the kiss? He’d gotten upset over the hug. I knew Liam hadn’t told Nicolas about the kiss.
Nicolas took my hand in his and guided me toward the door. Were we really doing this? It looked that way. Now I had to break the news to my mother. She was standing by her car.
“What’s happening?” She eyed us up and down.
Nicolas and I looked at each other. I had hoped he would tell her.
“Nicolas and I have decided to elope.”
“I think that’s a wonderful idea,” she said. “The engagement has gone on long enough. We’ll just plan a date and we can go to the courthouse. At least you can still wear your dress.”
My phone rang, breaking the wedding attire topic.
“It’s Liam,” I said.
“Oh, I hope that Mrs. Whitmore isn’t causing more problems,” my mother said.
“Hallie, I just received a call with some important information,” Liam said when I answered.
“Should I be sitting down?” I asked.
“Rumor has it that a witch has been working with that demon. The one who stalks the leaders. She’s providing him with spells.”
I sighed. “You don’t know the witch’s identity?”
“No. I guess you’ll have to track her down,” Liam said. “I’ll be back to the manor in just a second.”
Another wicked witch? How would I find her?
“I just have one quick question,” my mother said.
“What’s that?” I asked.
“Where did you get that big cauldron that’s in the parlor and why is it there?”
“Oh, Gramps sent it.”
“He sent you a cauldron?” My mother placed her hands on her hips.
“I knew you’d be suspicious about it,” I said.
“Well, I guess you can understand why I would be a tad suspicious. Have you used the thing?” she asked.
“No, but I have to admit that the pull to use it is extremely strong. I’ve managed to control myself and I promised Liam that I’d check into the thing before I actually used it.”
“Well, it’s a good thing that he talked some sense into you.”
“It’s probably best if you wait,” Nicolas said.
“The cauldron is gorgeous though,” my mother said. “I don’t understand why the pull to use the cauldron is so strong.”
“I’m mesmerized by the thing,” I said.
“That’s what makes me suspicious,” Nicolas said.
“I agree.” My mother pointed. “Where did he get this cauldron? That’s the first question that you should ask.”
“Oh, trust me, I called and asked him. He said he found it in an abandoned house and that he kept it for many years. He had forgotten about it. The Book of Mystics says it’s supposed to be used by the leader of the Underworld.”
“That still sounds suspicious,” my mother said. “Something fishy is going on.”
Nicolas nodded. “Don’t trust anything until we find out where it came from for sure.”
“I think you should call Gramps and ask more questions,” my mother said.
“He pretty much told me everything he knew,” I said.
“Well, just the same, I think I’ll give him a call and see if I can get anything else out of him.” My mother pulled out her phone from her big purse. “I just don’t trust him,” she mumbled as she dialed.
“You don’t trust anyone,” I said.
“It’s ringing,” she said as she held the phone up to her ear.
Apparently he answered right away because she bombarded him with questions. She listened to Gramps respond as Nicolas and waited to hear the other end of the conversation.
“So you just walked into this place and happened to find a cauldron? Is that what you’re telling me?” my mother said.
Another pause while she listened.
“Okay, hold on just a minute.” She handed me the phone. “He wants to speak with you.”
“What’s going on, Gramps?” I asked when I took the phone.
“Why is she being so accusatory?” he asked. “Can’t she just understand that I found it? I don’t know why it was there. It was meant for the leader of the Underworld, so it was mine.”
“Gramps, you know she’s naturally skeptical,” I said.
My mother placed her hands on her hips. “And rightfully so. I want to know the address of this house. We’ll go by there.”
“What’s the address for that house, Gramps?” I asked.
“Oh, they tore that house down a long time ago,” he said. “No one will have information about that cauldron after all these years.”
I shook my head. “There is no house now, mom.”
She tossed her hands up. “Great.”
“No one would remember the cauldron?” I pressed.
“The house is gone and whoever owned it back then isn’t around,” Gramps said.
“That we know of,” I said.
“I suppose there was the recent phone call,” he said with a click of his tongue.
“What phone call?” I tried to lower my voice so that my mother wouldn’t hear the question.
Yeah, that was wishful thinking. My mother narrowed her eyes as she stared at me.
; “The person asking about the cauldron,” Gramps said.
“Someone asked you about the cauldron?”
Oops. I shouldn’t have said that out loud.
“I knew it,” my mother said. “This is bad news.”
“Gramps, this is a huge big deal. Who was it?” I asked.
“I don’t know who she was. She didn’t give her name.”
“Why didn’t you ask?”
“I can’t think of everything. I’m old, remember? She said she’s a witch and that the cauldron is rightfully hers since it was her grandmother’s. I just figured it was some crazy nut trying to get the Book of Mystics, so I hung up.”
Oh dear. I saw a problem coming.
“You should’ve told me about this sooner, Gramps,” I said.
“Well, I just now remembered,” he said.
My mother scoffed. “I think he selectively forgot. So he admits that there’s something fishy going on?”
She looked at Nicolas and he winked.
“Gramps, call me if this person ever calls you back,” I said.
“Will do. My tee time is soon. Chat later, dear,” Gramps said in a cheery tone.
Gramps ended the call and Liam had returned from Mrs. Whitmore’s place. Should I tell him now that Nicolas and I were getting married right away? I’d just opened my mouth to speak when movement caught my attention. It was a long way away, but I knew for sure that someone was walking past the driveway.
“Who is that?” I pointed.
We stared for a moment and then I realized who it was. The mystery man. He’d returned again.
“I want to get rid of this guy. He can’t keep harassing me. I don’t want him to bother anyone,” I said.
I was afraid he would go after Annabelle again. Maybe my mother, Liam or Nicolas. He walked past the driveway without looking over at the manor. But I knew what he was doing. He couldn’t come in the driveway, so he would probably just stalk the outside. He went past the gates and he was now out of sight. But he was probably lingering somewhere nearby just waiting for a chance. Probably waiting for me to go out of the drive.
“I think I should confront him right now,” I said as I stepped off the front porch.
Liam and Nicolas stepped in front of me.
“Hallie, you should just let it go,” Liam said.
“We’ll find another way to take care of this. Confronting him now will just cause more problems,” Nicolas said.
“I can’t just ignore the problem. I have to let him know he’s not welcome here. If I give it to him in a stern voice, I think he’ll understand.”
“You’re messing with the devil,” Liam said. “It doesn’t work that way.”
I released a deep breath. “Yes, I suppose I’m not dealing with just a normal person.”
I could have told a human to stay away and they might have listened, but Liam was right, it wouldn’t work that way with a demon. I’d have to handle it the hard way.
“I’ll let it go for now, but I have to figure this out. If a witch is helping the demon, then I’ll find them.”
Before that thought was even out of my mind, I spotted a woman. She walked by the driveway just as the demon had. She didn’t look over at the manor. The woman wore a long black dress and her long dark hair flowed past her shoulders. I couldn’t make out much more of her features since she was so far away. However, I had a feeling that maybe she was with the mystery man. Actually, I would almost guarantee it. This wasn’t exactly a high traffic area for pedestrians. It would be highly unusual unless their car had broken down.
If her car had broken down, then I hoped she wasn’t going to the mystery man for help because he would just cause problems for her. Dealing with the devil was never a good thing.
“I have a feeling she’s with the mystery man,” I said. “We need to go check this out. I know you said I shouldn’t go, but when she walked by I changed my mind immediately.”
“You’re not walking down there by yourself,” my mother said.
“I’ll drive,” Liam said. “Get in the car.”
Nicolas and I rushed over to Liam’s shiny black BMW.
“I’m going too. I’m going too.” My mother waved her arms.
She jumped in the backseat next to me. Nicolas slid into the passenger seat next to Liam. It would be much faster to drive to the end of the driveway than if we walked or ran. I didn’t want to give the woman time to get away. If she hadn’t gotten into a car or whipped up magic, then we would find her. She couldn’t get away that quickly.
“There’s always some kind of weird thing going on at LaVeau Manor,” my mother said as she buckled up.
Liam pointed the car down the driveway, punching the gas so that we could get there in a hurry. When we pulled up to the end of the driveway, we all got out, peering down the road to the left and then to the right.
“How could she have gotten away so quickly?” my mother asked.
There was no sign of the women or the mystery man for that matter. I knew they had to be together.
“Let’s get back in the car and drive down the road just a bit to see if we find them,” I said.
We hurried back in the car and Liam pulled out onto the road.
“I’m getting an uneasy feeling about this,” my mother said.
I hated to worry her, but I was feeling the same way. It was almost as if they had wanted us to come out here to confront them. They might get more than they bargained for though. I certainly wouldn’t go down without a fight.
Liam drove down the road to just past Mrs. Whitmore‘s house. Unfortunately, there was no sign of them or a car anywhere. We turned around and headed back in the other direction, just in case, but they weren’t there either.
“It looks as if they disappeared into thin air,” Liam said as he pulled back into the manor’s driveway.
“I suspect that she’s the witch who has been helping the mystery man. Now I just have to find out who she is.”
“Don’t worry, Hallie, we’ve got this,” Liam said.
“Thank you, Liam. This is like a team effort just keeping the bad guys away. I’m lucky to have you guys though,” I said.
“We’re lucky to have you,” my mother said.
I wasn’t so sure about that, but the past was behind me now. There was no point in dwelling on that. After getting out of the car Nicolas, Liam, my mother and I stood on the porch peering out over the property. Movement caught my attention and I spotted the cat strolling down the driveway. It was about time Thomas returned. He’d be sorry he missed all the action.
It looked as if more adventures were in store for us at LaVeau Manor. The job of the leader of the Underworld was never done.
The end
About the Author
Rose Pressey is a USA Today bestselling author. She enjoys writing quirky and fun novels with a paranormal twist. The paranormal has always captured her interest. The thought of finding answers to the unexplained fascinates her.
When she’s not writing about werewolves, vampires and every other supernatural creature, she loves eating cupcakes with sprinkles, reading, spending time with family, and listening to oldies from the fifties.
Rose suffers from Psoriatic Arthritis and has knee replacements. She might just set the world record for joint replacements. She’s soon having her hips replaced, elbows, and at least one shoulder.
Rose lives in the beautiful commonwealth of Kentucky with her husband, son, and two sassy Chihuahuas.
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