Essence of the Witch

by Deanna Chase

  While Miranda worked on his infected finger, Gerry stood and continued to chant and monitor the potion level in the IV bag. “Just a little more, Gideon,” she said under her breath. Miranda had just gotten the salve on Gideon’s finger when Gerry nodded at the IV bag as if satisfied and then raised her arms in the air.

  “Goddess of healing, come to us, lay your heart and hand upon this man. Free his physical body of the toxins suffocating him and fill his lungs with a fresh start. Fix the mistakes and show mercy for us both.”

  Fix the mistakes? Miranda was completely taken aback. What mistakes?

  Magic crackled around the room, flashing like tiny bolts of lightning that hung in the air. And when Gerry swept her arms down and pressed her hands to Gideon’s chest, the tiny bolts shot through the air and right into Gideon. The glow around his body turned such a bright red that Miranda had to shield her eyes before the layer hardened like a shell and shattered into tiny pieces that faded away into the ether.

  Gerry stared down at Gideon.

  Miranda, who was still holding Gideon’s hand, squeezed slightly and said, “Gideon?”

  His eyelids popped open, and his gaze darted around the room. He was frowning, and his expression was full of confusion until his gaze finally landed on Miranda. The change in his body language was palpable. His face relaxed, and a tiny smile claimed his lips. “Hey there. How are you feeling this morning?”

  “Better than you.” She gestured to his hand, the one she was still holding. “Your cut became infected, and Gerry had to flex her considerable magic muscles to get you back online.”

  His gaze traveled to his finger that was swollen and covered with a salve. “The cut made me that sick?”

  “No,” Gerry said. “You had an allergic reaction to the salve Martin used on your cut that was supposed to stimulate healing. If Miranda hadn’t been here and called me, there’s a very good possibility you wouldn’t have survived this. I’m going to write down the formula for the salve we used. You must tell any healer you see in the future about your allergy so this doesn’t happen again.”

  Gideon seemed to be stunned into silence.

  “He could’ve died?” Miranda whispered as her head spun with the news.

  “Yes. That kind of reaction can be fatal.” Gerry sat on the edge of the bed again and said, “I’m going to check your vitals to make sure you’re stable.”

  “And if I am?” he asked, sitting up in the bed and pressing his good hand to his head.

  “Headache?” Gerry asked, using a light to peer at his pupils.

  “Yeah. It’s kind of like a hangover.”

  “That’s pretty normal after the amount of magic I used to counteract your allergic response. Don’t worry about it unless the headache persists into tomorrow.”

  “Okay.” Gideon sat propped in the bed while Gerry finished her examination.

  “Looks good,” Gerry finally said. “The only side effect seems to be the headache. That’s pretty remarkable.” She turned to Miranda. “He can have a simple pain potion every six hours if he needs it. Otherwise, just keep an eye on him. If he starts running a temperature, even a minor one, call me right away. Got it?”

  Miranda nodded, “I will.”

  “Good.” Turning back to Gideon she said, “I am so sorry. Reactions like that are really rare. Looks like the swelling in your finger is already going down, though. Hopefully by tomorrow you’ll be back on your feet.”

  “I hope so, too,” he said. “Thanks for bringing me back from the edge.”

  “You’re welcome, but it’s Miranda you should be thanking. Her quick thinking saved the day.” Gerry unhooked the IV and collected her supplies. Once she had everything packed up, she squeezed Gideon’s hand and told him to rest for at least a few days.

  Miranda followed her downstairs and offered her some tea before she left.

  Gerry shook her head. “I need to get back to the office. But thank you.” She took a step to move toward the front door but then stopped and turned around to hug Miranda. “You’re one hell of a witch,” she whispered. “Thank the goddess for you.”

  When Miranda pulled back, she couldn’t miss the tears in the healer’s eyes and her own filled again. “Right back at you, Gerry. Thank you for saving the love of my life.”

  Gerry let out a small choked sound of emotion, wiped at her eyes and straightened her shoulders. “We all just do what we can, right?” She smiled. “By the way, your aura is a pretty pastel rainbow today. Looks like that curse is gone for good.”

  “That’s good,” Miranda said, nodding. “Now maybe I won’t light anyone else’s hair on fire just because they have the audacity to take me to dinner.”

  Gerry chuckled. After a moment, the two women shared a watery smile as Gerry collected her things and then quietly left the small cabin.

  Miranda let out a slow breath, completely overwhelmed by the morning’s events. She glanced up the stairs, but instead of heading back up to Gideon right away, she sank to the floor and sobbed.

  Chapter Twenty

  Gideon was completely drained. After the healer left, he slept fitfully on and off all day. In between naps, Miranda was there with tea or soup and plenty of affection. He could tell that the events of the morning had completely wrecked her, but the only thing he could do was hold her.

  “That feels good,” he said to her when he woke to find her sitting next to him and caressing his head.

  “Has the headache gone away?” she asked. Her eyes were bloodshot, and her hair was a mess. She’d tied it up in a messy bun, but instead of looking casually chic like it usually did, today it resembled something more like a bird’s nest. And dammit, if all of that didn’t make him want her even more. She’d spent all day watching over him, worrying, and waiting on him hand and foot. It was time he returned the favor.

  “It’s mostly gone. I think a shower might help.”

  “I’ll get the water started for you,” she said.

  He laughed and grabbed her hand, stopping her. “Miranda,” he said with a smile. “I’m a grown-ass man. I think I can manage turning on the shower.”

  “Of course you are,” she said, giving him a sheepish smile. “It’s just… I can’t seem to stop hovering, I guess.”

  “In that case, how about you join me?” he gave her a wicked look.

  “Shower? Together?” Her creamy cheeks heated and flushed a lovely shade of pink. “I guess that means someone is feeling better.”

  He chuckled and swung his feet out of the bed. But as soon as he stood, he swayed a little.

  “Whoa, big boy,” she said, steadying him. “You sure you’re up for this? I could give you an old-fashioned sponge bath.”

  He snorted. "As fun as that might sound, I’d rather us both get in the shower.” He took her by the hand and led her into the adjoining bathroom.

  “What about that finger? Can you get it wet yet?” she asked.

  He lifted his hand, showing off the now closed wound. Gerry’s intense magic hadn’t just healed his feverish state.

  “You don’t really think we’re going to… you know,” she said, eyeing the shower stall.

  “Going to what?” he teased as he reached into the shower to turn on the spray.

  “Get lucky. I think it’s a little too risky considering we’re both in a little bit of a weakened state.” She raised an eyebrow as if to challenge him.

  “Speak for yourself.”

  Miranda rolled her eyes but then said, “Shh, don’t tell anyone, but I think you might be feeling slightly better.”

  “I think you might be right.” He leaned in and kissed her lightly on the lips before moving to her jawline and down her neck to her collarbone. When she let out a little moan of pleasure, he slipped his hands under her T-shirt and tugged it over her head, leaving her upper body bare and glorious. His own body stirred to life, and even though he knew she was right about him being too weak to do much of anything physical, he welcomed the sensation. His desire made him
feel alive and present, which was a nice change since he’d felt like he’d been floating in a dream state all day.

  Miranda wrapped her arms around him, holding him close, making him feel like he was the luckiest man in the world. He decided he’d be content to stand there in her arms forever, but when she gave a tiny shiver and he noticed the gooseflesh on her arms, he quickly stripped them both of the rest of their clothes and tugged her into the shower.

  He was careful to turn Miranda so that the hot spray cascaded down her back.

  She closed her eyes and let out a moan of pleasure, one that had his body waking up and saying hello all over the place. But he ignored his libido and went to work on gently washing Miranda with her honey-scented soap. Her skin was soft and warm to his touch. Comforting. He could have stood there in the shower forever, touching and caressing her, but eventually the hot water would run out.

  “Turn around,” he said, grabbing the shampoo bottle.

  She leaned in and gave him a slow kiss before turning into the spray.

  “Your body is incredible, Mandy,” he whispered, working the shampoo into her thick hair. “Your curves are driving me insane.”

  “And here I thought you had a thing for my hair,” she teased.

  “I do.” He brought his hands down to her shoulders and kneaded the muscles, easing her tension. After tasting her sweet neck, he said, “I might be obsessed with all of you.”

  She chuckled. “If this is how you handle your obsession, I’m all for it.”

  Gideon took his time, massaging Miranda’s scalp, then rinsing, conditioning, and making sure every bit of her was taken care of. They talked and teased, falling back into an old rhythm they’d had years ago as she took her turn exploring his naked body with the honey-scented soap. And when her fingers went to work on his scalp, washing his hair, he thought he’d died and gone to heaven. Her touch was incredible.

  When they were finally done and the water started to run cold, Gideon turned off the water and helped her dry off, stopping intermittently to steal her kisses and graze his lips over her naked body. She was enjoying doing the same to him… until her phone started to buzz.

  “I better get that,” she said, slipping into her robe. “It could be Gerry.” She quickly snatched up the phone and grimaced when she saw the name. “Dammit. I forgot.”

  “Forgot what?” Gideon asked

  Miranda held her hand up, indicating for him to wait for her answer, and into the phone, she said, “Hey, Shannon. Am I late? What time were we meeting tonight?”

  Gideon glanced around for his clothes. His jeans and Henley shirt had been placed on a chair in the corner, and his boxer briefs were still in the bathroom where they’d left them. He considered putting them back on but rejected the idea. He’d sweated right through them during his feverish ordeal. He’d rather go commando than put them back on his clean body. Instead he headed for his jeans, but a quick scan of them revealed they were bloodstained. It was his turn to grimace.

  “Oh, okay. Sure. Let me just check something,” Miranda said and then pulled the phone away from her ear and spoke to Gideon. “I was supposed to go to Hope’s tonight for girls’ night, but…” She let her gaze travel over his still naked body. Heat flashed in her eyes and she licked her lips.

  Normally, Gideon would’ve been right there with her, but after the shower, he was feeling a little worn out. The near-death experience had really taken its toll. “You should go. I’m not going to be good company anyway. I’ll get dressed and head back to the inn.”

  “No,” she said and pointed to the bed. “You’re staying here so that I can keep an eye on you.”

  His lips twitched with amusement. “Really? Don’t I get a say in this?”

  “Nope. If you leave, I’ll just follow you. Gerry said to watch you, so that’s what I’m going to do.”

  He pursed his lips and nodded his head. “Okay, fine. I’ll stay, but I do need to get some clean clothes and my toiletries from the inn. Is that acceptable?”

  “I guess so.” She said the words as if she were put out, but her smile gave her away as she pressed the phone to her ear. “Okay. It’s all good. I’ll meet you there in a half hour. Thanks for the call.”

  Gideon glanced at his bloodstained jeans again. If he was headed to the inn, he didn’t have a choice, did he? He scooped them off the chair and quickly got dressed.

  “You look like someone from Night of the Living Dead,” she said, arching one eyebrow. “One wouldn’t think that would be sexy, but it is.”

  He barked out a laugh and pulled her into him. “I missed this.”

  “My sparkling personality and biting wit?” she asked, batting her eyelashes at him.

  “Yes. And so much more.” He gave her a slow, tender kiss, running his hands up her back. But before either of them could take it any further, he stepped back. “You need to get dressed, and I need to head to the inn.”

  She pushed her lower lip out in an exaggerated pout.

  He chuckled, running his thumb over her bottom lip. “Later. Go have fun with your friends. I’ll be here when you get back.”

  Her tongue darted out, tasting his thumb. And judging by the look in her eyes, he was certain she was going to blow off Shannon and fall back into bed with him. But she let out a frustrated groan and stepped back, putting some distance between them. “You’re right. There are a couple of brides desperate for my opinion on their wedding festivities. We wouldn’t want to disappoint them.”

  “Definitely not,” he agreed, still thinking about dragging her to the bed.

  She laughed, no doubt reading his mind. “Go.” She gave him a tiny shove. “If you don’t, I’m never going to stuff myself into my favorite jeans, dry this hair, or slap some makeup on. You need to go before I turn into the Cryptkeeper because I can’t remember how to do a smoky eye.”

  Chuckling, he shook his head and said, “Now that really would be tragic.”

  “You have no idea.” She flipped her wet hair over her shoulder and disappeared into the bathroom.

  “See you later,” he called and took off down the stairs. He had an overnight bag to pack.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  “But I don’t want floating penises at my wedding,” Shannon insisted as she wrinkled her nose. “Talk about tacky.”

  Shannon, Hope, Hanna, and Miranda were sitting on throw pillows around Hope’s coffee table, trying to help Shannon decide what magical elements to incorporate into her and Brian’s wedding on Valentine’s Day. Shannon rolled her eyes when she explained it was the day Brian wanted, but no matter how put-upon she acted, that didn’t stop the grin from creeping in, even when she was trying to hide it.

  Hope sighed dramatically. “How many times do I have to tell you they are cupid-shaped candles, not penises. They just look like that because of the drip plate.”

  “It’s a drip plate with lopsided balls,” Shannon insisted.

  Miranda sipped from the world’s weakest margarita ever made and chuckled to herself.

  “I hear you laughing over there, Miss Giggles. Don’t think we didn’t notice the dreamy look on your face when you got here.” Shannon pointed a red-tipped finger at her. “You must spill. What exactly happened at Incantation Café between Gideon and Cameron? Hanna said Gideon looked like he wanted to scratch Cameron’s eyes out and then punch him in the balls.”

  “That was… colorful,” Miranda said diplomatically. “And it seems like a slight exaggeration of something Hanna would say.”

  Hanna cackled. “You’re not wrong.”

  “Come on, spill it,” Hope encouraged.

  Miranda put her margarita down. “Weren’t Abby and Yvette supposed to be here?”

  “Nice dodge.” Hope snickered. “Abby’s too busy trying to get all her holiday orders out. Her new radiant skincare line is a huge hit. She’s thinking she might even need to hire an assistant earth witch to help her keep up with demand.”

  “And Yvette?” Miranda eyed the pretty blonde,
amazed at how things had worked out for her. It couldn’t have been easy finding out you have four half-sisters and a half-brother all in the span of weeks. Going from having no family to being part of an iconic one in the town of Keating Hollow must have been overwhelming to say the least. But then, Miranda had come to learn that the Townsends were good people. Her friend Jacob had married well.

  Hope’s green eyes danced. “Brian volunteered to take Skye for the evening. They’re making Christmas cookies, or rather Brian is making cookies and Skye is making a mess. But that left a quiet night alone for Jacob and Yvette. I bet they’re dancing around the house naked already.”

  “I think that dance is called the horizontal mambo,” Shannon said with a snicker.

  The women raised their drinks in a salute to Jacob and Yvette’s date night. Miranda laughed and joined them. “Good for them.”

  Shannon picked up the magazine with the penis candles and then eyed Hope. “Would you order these for your wedding?”

  Hope’s cheeks flushed as she shrugged, giving a noncommittal response.

  “It’s not a matter of would,” Hanna said as she threw her head back and laughed.

  “What?” Shannon’s brow furrowed as she turned to the café owner. “What does—omigod.” Her eyes widened as she met Hope’s eyes. “You already ordered these! But why? I thought your theme was casual elegance. These are…”

  “Tacky,” everyone but Hope said at the same time.

  Hope’s face flushed a deeper red as she said, “I was kinda tipsy when I placed the order. I don’t know what I was thinking, but I thought they were little fairy candles. That would’ve been nice, right?”

  “Sure. Fairies fluttering around the vineyard at night would’ve been very cool. Especially on New Year’s Eve,” Hanna reassured her. “But penis candles? Maybe they’re more appropriate for Times Square.”