In the plush SUV, I was the captain and it smelled like a mix of citrus and pine, thanks to a permanent charm bestowed to each car in the company fleet. If you turned in a car with so much as a stray French Fry under the seat, Delphine Morris, the witch in charge of maintenance and repairs, would have your hide for it. Delphine was a petite blonde who, at first glance, looked like she could be a kindergarten teacher, but was, in fact, a sarcastic mechanic with a beauty-pageant smile and the vocabulary of a sailor.
As I drove, I wondered what I should say to Aurelia. Would she want to talk about the scene at the wedding show, or would it be better to pretend nothing had happened? Caleb had called me the night before and told me no one was filing charges over the whole scene. It was clear Hyacinth wanted me to make some show of power, but that wasn’t going to happen. I’d run her errands, but I wasn’t going to recite her script. If Aurelia had made a mistake with the Taylor dress, it was a one-time slip-up. Nothing worth getting your Spanx in a knot over.
Ten minutes later, I pulled up alongside the curb outside Aurelia’s shop right as the street light a few yards ahead popped on and cast a faint pool of light over the sidewalk. Aurelia’s shop was sandwiched between an art gallery and a daycare. Both of the shops looked closed for the evening. I glanced at my watch and frowned. It seemed early for the gallery to be closed, but then, it wasn’t in the right part of town to enjoy any foot traffic as people waited for their table at one of the fancy restaurants along the water.
I cut the engine and grabbed my purse. I’d told Delphine I’d bring the vehicle back in the morning, so as soon as I was done with Aurelia and ran the dress to the venue, I’d call it a night and head back to my condo. My mind was already mentally flipping through the takeout menus in my kitchen as I approached Aurelia’s front doors. Her shop was dark except for a soft glittery light set against the back of her display window that showcased the dress she’d sent down the runway over the weekend. I smiled as I remembered the rush of emotions I’d felt when I first saw it. It was clear that Aurelia was proud of her dream-come-true design and I was happy to see it featured so prominently in her window.
It was after her posted hours, but I knew she’d still be in waiting for me. I walked inside and called out, “Hello?”
Shuffling noises coming from the back room caught my attention as I approached the counter and goosebumps skittered over my skin. I placed the SUV keys on the polished marble and leaned forward. The door was closed, but a sliver of light shone underneath, spilling onto the polished tile floor. “Aurelia?” I called out. “It’s Anastasia Winters. I’m here to pick up the Taylor gown. Hyacinth said you were expecting me.”
More shuffling. Was someone back there with her? I knew little of the designer’s personal life. Did she have children? A husband? Boyfriend? I hoped I hadn’t interrupted something. But then, she’d known I was on my way.
I was about to offer to come back first thing in the morning—though, Hyacinth would hex me into next month—but before the words left my lips, the door opened and Aurelia stepped out. Her long hair was swept back into a sleek updo, held in place by a trio of pins with pearls nestled along the silky strands. Her complexion was flushed and I noted her hands were clasped together in front of her. “Ana,” she said softly, “I’m so sorry to have kept you waiting.”
“Oh, no need to apologize. Is everything all right?”
Her gaze tracked to the right but she stopped short of glancing over her shoulder. “Yes,” she said quickly. She licked her lips and then went to a brass rolling rack she had wheeled behind the counter. As she lifted her hands to flip through the garment bags hanging there to check the handwritten tags, I thought I noticed a small wavering to her nimble fingers.
“Uh, how was the rest of the convention? I didn’t see you on Sunday,” I said, uncomfortable with the silence.
Aurelia took down one of the hangers and rounded the counter. “It was just fine. Thank you for asking.”
I took the bag when she presented it to me and she glanced at the empty doorway. “Aurelia, are you sure you’re all right?”
Her eyes snapped back to mine and she swallowed hard. After a moment, she ducked her chin and offered a small nod. “Yes. Thank you. I’m quite all right. Listen, um, I’m running late for a dinner.”
“Oh! Okay. I’ll get out of your hair then.”
Aurelia looked away again. “Great. I’ll—uh—speak with you soon. Thank you for coming by.”
Something tugged at me, but I batted it away and turned to leave the shop. “Have a nice time at dinner.”
Aurelia didn’t reply.
The bell on the front door tinkled as I left the shop. I waited for a truck to pass before crossing the street, struggling with the large garment bag in my arms. When I reached the SUV, beads of sweat sprouted across my brow. I shifted the dress to one arm and awkwardly dug into my purse in search of the keys. With a groan, I remembered placing them on the counter back inside Aurelia’s shop.
I muttered curses at myself as I marched back across the street and found the doors locked. “Great,” I growled. “Now what am I supposed to do? Haul this thing onto a Shimmer Bus?”
I didn’t want to bother Aurelia, especially knowing she had dinner plans, but I had to try. I knocked on the glass. “Aurelia?” I called, pressing my face against the glass, trying to get a peek inside.
Suddenly, a flash of green light exploded through the shop. I cried out and whipped away from the door, holding my face in my hands just as the glass on the doors and windows blasted into a million pieces and sprayed over me.
In a split second, the street fell silent again, or maybe I couldn’t hear anything over the ringing in my ears. It took a second for my brain to catch up with my body and when it did, I realized my legs had sprung into action seemingly of their own autonomy and I was racing into the shop, the garment bag abandoned on the sidewalk among the wreckage.
Chapter Three
“Aurelia!” I screamed her name as I darted past toppled mannequins and debris from the blast. The counter that had been the picture of order moments before was a mess of scattered paperwork, business cards, and broken trinkets. The shop’s phone was on the floor along with the vintage-style cash register.
Only when I was halfway into the shop did an alarm go off in the back of my head, warning me that I’d potentially charged into danger. I had no idea where the green light or the blast had come from. Would it happen again? I thought about turning back but I heard sounds of movement from the back of the shop and charged forward again.
“Aurelia?” I held out my hands, wishing I could conjure the magic that ran through my veins. I knew it was there, but due to lack of use and inexperience, most of my limited power lay dormant. Harmony had been trying to teach me spells and I’d learned some basics, but nothing that would shield me from such a blast of force. My magic would be as effective as a plastic parka in a tsunami.
My purse—and phone—were out on the sidewalk, abandoned with the dress. When no answer came from the back room, I backtracked to pick up the shop’s phone. The sound of a dial tone flooded me with relief and I dialed the emergency number for the SPA.
Carrying the phone with me, I rounded the counter and crept toward the supply room. The cord went taut and I stopped walking just as the operator came on and asked what the emergency was.
“This is Anastasia Winters,” I whispered, pausing with my back flat against the wall. “I’m at Aurelia Pierre’s dress shop on Fairy Joy Lane and there’s been an explosion. Please send agents. Quick.”
“Was it the result of a potion or spellwork gone wrong?” the operator asked, entirely too calm considering what I’d just told her, though I supposed that’s what they were trained to do.
“No,” I whispered. “At least, I don’t think so. Please, just send someone. I think Aurelia might be hurt … or …”
I didn’t let myself finish the sentence. Aurelia was okay. I couldn’t think of an alternative.
&nb
sp; “Yes, Ms. Winters, agents are on the way. Can you tell me what’s going on right now?”
I glanced around the shop. Apart from the disarray and broken windows and doors, nothing appeared to be happening. What had happened? What was the green light? Some kind of curse or spell? Surely, Aurelia hadn’t been the one to halfway blow up her own shop. Then, there was her strange behavior. I’d thought she might have had company. If so, where were they now? And more importantly, who were they?
“I—I really don’t know. It’s quiet now. I need to find Aurelia. She could be hurt. There was a flash of light and then an explosion. It blew out all the windows and doors. Everything is a mess. Please,” I whimpered, “I don’t know what’s happened. I just need help.”
If the operator had an inkling, she didn’t share it.
A shadow appeared on the open door of the back room and I smothered a gasp. The shadow was shaped like a man but moved like a ghost, sliding into the room. I sucked in a breath, realizing there was no one there. The shadow moved of its own volition. Its head shifted, and though there was no face, I could feel its eyes on me.
The phone slipped from my fingers and I took a scrambled step back. My thighs hit the edge of the counter and I raised my hands, shielding my face, but it was useless. The shadow moved like a strike of lightning. A flare of pain exploded through my head and then the world went black.
My head pounded like the entire academy marching band had taken up residence inside my cranium. Boom. Boom. BOOM.
“Ana?”
A voice cut through the rat-a-tat of pain and pressure. A male voice. One I knew. I tensed as another wave of pain coursed through my head before I forced my eyes open. My heart swelled and a sob broke through as Caleb’s face came into focus.
His eyes fluttered closed for a moment and then he smiled softly and ran a thumb down my cheek. “Thank the stars, you’re all right.”
I nodded gingerly and tried to swallow the lump in my throat. “I—I think so.”
I didn’t immediately recognize my surroundings and any attempt to move my head was met with a throbbing whack of pain. From what I could see, I figured I was in some kind of hospital room. White walls and ceiling tiles, a blue curtain hanging in my peripheral. The last time I’d been in the hospital was years ago following an unfortunate incident with a kitchen knife—the last time I’d bothered attempting to cook something that didn’t come in a package, pre-cut.
“You’re safe,” Caleb told me as I continued to try looking around. “A healer came in to see you right before you woke up. Despite some nasty cuts and what I suspect is going to turn into one hell of a shiner, you’re okay. They treated the cuts and they should be bringing a potion for the pain any minute now.”
I tried to smile but that hurt too. Instead, I reached up and placed my hand over Caleb’s as he cradled the side of my face. Suddenly, a dark thought percolated up through the tangled web of questions swirling through my head. “Aurelia?” I asked, panic in my voice.
Caleb’s face fell.
Fear plunged through my heart. “No,” I whispered. “She’s okay. She has to be.”
Caleb leaned back, taking his hand off my face but keeping it intertwined with mine as he rested it on the bed. “She’s here at the hospital, in the critical wounds department. She has a team of healers working to help her, but she hasn’t woken up yet, and at this point, the healers aren’t sure she’s going to.”
“What—what happened to her?”
He drew in a breath. “Well, we aren’t really sure. We were hoping you’d be able to help us put together the pieces. Our agents arrived a few minutes after your call and found both you and Aurelia in the shop. We rushed both of you here. I have agents on the scene investigating, but so far we don’t have a lot to work with. Everything is a mess. In your call, you said there was an explosion?”
I could see he was torn between wanting to let me recover and wanting answers. The detective side of him was warring with his role as my boyfriend and the battle played out on his forehead, the line between his brows twitching as he chose his next words. “If you need time—”
I held up a hand. “I want to help.”
Caleb hesitated but then retrieved the pad of paper he always kept in his back pocket. It was a small pad, the size of a business card, but like all SPA agents, it was an essential tool when conducting interviews. The notes he wrote would sink into the page, vanishing after a few seconds, only visible to those who knew the warded spell to reveal it.
“If you’re sure …” he said, his pen already poised.
I struggled to sit up and Caleb adjusted the pillows behind me. A healer came into the room before Caleb asked his first question and dosed me with a strong tea. The bitterness lingered in my mouth, but it was worth it for the immediate flow of relief. The thrumming in my head died away and my tense muscles started to relax as it faded.
“I left my office at five-forty to go to Aurelia’s shop. She was expecting me at six to pick up a dress.”
He made a note. “Go on.”
“I went inside and Aurelia came out. She got me the dress and we made a little small talk, but the entire time, I got this strange feeling like she didn’t want me there. She said she was running late for dinner plans, but … that doesn’t make sense. She told Hyacinth to have me meet her at six. Why would she have done that if she also had dinner reservations at six?” I paused, trying to put my finger on why I’d felt so uncomfortable during the exchange. “The whole thing was weird. Something seemed off. She kept looking at the back room, right behind the counter, and when I first got there, I thought maybe she had someone back there with her.”
Caleb’s eyebrows lifted. “You heard someone else?”
“Not exactly,” I replied thoughtfully. “Maybe footsteps, but I couldn’t quite tell. Aurelia is usually so warm and friendly, but tonight, it was like she couldn’t wait to get rid of me, like I was bothering her. But maybe she was feeling a little embarrassed after the whole scene at the wedding convention. I don’t know.”
“Okay.” Caleb jotted down another note. “So, you got the dress and then what?”
“I left. I’d parked the company car across the street and when I got back to it, I realized I’d left the keys in Aurelia’s shop. I went back but the doors were locked. Before I could figure out what to do, I saw this green flash of light. It was really bright, like a firework going off right in front of me, and then the glass blew out on the doors and windows.”
“Explains your cuts,” Caleb said, his eyes moving over my face. I hadn’t seen myself in a mirror yet, but from the look he gave me, I wasn’t sure I wanted to just yet. “Was that when you called it in?” he asked.
I hesitated. In hindsight, that’s when I should have called. I shouldn’t have set foot inside the shop.
“My ears were ringing and I wasn’t really thinking clearly, so I went inside and started calling for Aurelia.”
Caleb cringed.
I shifted, fidgeting with the ceramic mug the healer had given me. “I know. It was dumb. I should have stayed outside.”
Caleb softened. “You were trying to help.”
“The shop was a mess. The blast of power or magic or whatever it was took out everything. I didn’t see Aurelia and the lights were off, or blown out, I guess. I was about to go in the back room, figuring Aurelia would be there still, but I heard a noise and decided to call it in using the shop’s phone.”
The lump returned to my throat and my nose stung as tears formed in my eyes.
Caleb set the notepad aside and gathered me into his arms. One of his hands went to the back of my head, holding me still and close as the tears slipped down my cheeks. “I was—so—so scared,” I whispered.
“It’s over now,” he told me, his voice low and reassuring. “You’re safe now. Here, with me.”
I closed my eyes and breathed him in, letting him be my anchor.
The door of the room opened again and I opened my eyes at the sound of hea
vy footsteps. Caleb released me and turned to look over his shoulder and then quickly sprang to his feet. “Agent Bloom,” he said.
The man who’d entered the room looked to be in his mid-forties, with salt-and-pepper hair cropped close to his head and the hint of a belly was starting to bulge at the waist of his black pants. He fell short of Caleb by a few inches but looked at least twice as wide with a barrel chest and thick arms. Caleb was buff, but the man before us was a mountain. “Agent McCord,” he said, his tone as hard as his muscles. “I need a word.”
Caleb looked at me, his expression torn. I gave a reassuring nod.
“Right, Sir. Of course.”
Caleb followed the older agent out into the hall, closing my door behind him. Alone, I sagged back against the pillows but then sat back upright again. I was safe. My head knew that, but my body was still on edge. I closed my eyes and the shadow I’d seen before the attack flashed through my mind and my eyes snapped back open.
When Caleb stepped back into the room, he was alone. He noticed my shallow breaths and hurried to my side. “Ana? Are you okay?” He took my hands and the furrow between his brows deepened. “You’re shaking.”
I tried to stop trembling but it was as if the harder I tried, the more unraveled I became. I searched the room, assuring myself the shadow wasn’t there with me, but couldn’t shake the feeling that I was somehow being watched. That I was seen.
“Should I get the healer to bring something to help you sleep?” Caleb asked. “I think they want to keep you overnight to make sure you’re okay.”
I shook my head. “No. I want to go home. I want to sleep in my own bed.”
Caleb eyed me but he didn’t object.
Witchy Weddings: A Magic Witch Mystery Series: The complete Touch of Magic series Page 20
