by Zoe Arden
He walked closely up to her. She could smell his bitter, stale breath as he spoke calmly, almost quietly. "Your organization is a nuisance but you will never be a threat."
"Then why even bother to deny our claims? If no one's paying attention, then what does it matter what we say?"
Dean's eyes shifted uneasily and she knew he was more anxious than he was letting on.
"Your organization, and I use the word loosely," Dean said snidely, "consists of a couple dozen members with zero credibility and no infrastructure. Do you even know who's in charge of your group? Because every time I turn around, it seems like there's four or five of you who think you're in command."
Sally's face lit up red. "Renee, Bebe, and I started this group together," she shouted. "We're all in charge."
"That's right," Bebe said. "And Vivian helped a lot, too."
"Vivian's got enough to do with the PTA, let alone MAPP," Sally snapped. "No one here wants here wants a leader who can't make time to lead."
"Well, there's also Mary and Tatum..." Bebe continued, counting off women on her fingers as Dean shook his head, wearing a smile that said "I told you so."
Renee bit her bottom lip. Dean had a point. She liked to think of herself as a leader but so did Bebe and Sally and a few others. Vivian Henderson came up beside them.
"Renee's in charge," Vivian said and shot Sally a look so sour it made Renee's throat tighten. "The new president of Mothers Against Paranormal Predators."
"Oh," Renee said, looking around. The members of their group had closed in around her. "I'm not sure that... I mean, I would love to but shouldn't we vote on it?"
"Who here thinks that Renee should be president?" Vivian shouted. Two-thirds of the group raised their hands. "That's the majority," Vivian said. "That makes it official."
Renee looked to Sally and Bebe, who were smiling a little too gleefully. She knew they would each have preferred to be president themselves but two-thirds was two-thirds. Who was she to argue with that?
"Well, then," Renee said, "I guess that makes Sally and Bebe co-vice presidents." Their grins turned into something more natural and Renee felt herself relax.
Dean Lampton rolled his eyes. "It doesn't matter," he said. The reporters were getting into their vans now. "You'll never prove anything. Not that there's anything to prove."
"I'll prove that the paranormal is real if it's the last thing I do," Renee said and knew she sounded like a cliché.
Dean shook his head and went back inside Plungers, Inc. Renee turned to address her group. She was the president now. And she wouldn't let them down.
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CHAPTER
ONE
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I looked up as the bell chimed above the bakery's door and Randall Coogan walked in. He smiled politely, his eyes moving eagerly to the display cases. He always looked like an excited kid when he came in to the Mystic Cupcake, even though he was pushing thirty. Cakes and cookies often had that effect on people.
Mystic Cupcake wasn't your typical bakery, at least not compared to human bakeries. We sold the standard bakery items—cookies, cakes, cupcakes, etc.—but everything was infused with a dose of magic. Even the items we sold to human tourists usually contained magic; they just didn't know it.
Natalie Vargas glanced at Randall then continued with what she'd been saying. If it had been Lottie Mudget or someone else who'd entered, Natalie would have drawn them into the conversation but Randall wasn't the sort to gossip, so Natalie had no use for him.
"Ava, I'm telling you, Mothers Against Paranormal Predators is dangerous. The only thing that might stop them is..." She leaned in closer to me and my aunts, laying her arm on the counter by the cash register. She lowered her voice enough to let us know what she was about to tell us was a secret but kept it loud enough so that anyone within earshot could still hear. "According to what I've heard, MAPP's members are on the verge of getting locked up in an institution. People think they're crazy."
My father, Eli, set a tray of chocolate bear claws with sweet dream extract on top of the counter and turned to Natalie. "I seriously doubt that any human judge is going to lock up a bunch of women for behaving neurotically. He'd have to lock up women everywhere if that happened."
My aunts, Trixie and Eleanor, both threw cinnamon rolls at him. They bounced off his shoulder and landed on the floor.
"If women are neurotic," Trixie said, "it's men who've made us that way." She tilted her chin up and grunted at him. Her mood ring began to glow a neon purple, a warning that she was about to erupt.
Eli chuckled. "I was only joking," he said, picking up the rolls.
"Tone that ring down, will you?" Aunt Eleanor said to her sister, holding up a hand to shield her eyes from the multicolored lights that were now filling the bakery. Trixie closed her eyes, took a breath, and her ring settled back to its normal rose color.
Ever since Trixie had discovered "mood jewelry," it had become increasingly impossible to get any work done at the bakery without flashing lights and rainbow colors. That was one powerful little mood ring she had, and she wore it almost every day now. Eleanor was getting ready to put a stop to it and ban mood jewelry entirely; I didn't blame her. Sometimes, with the way Trixie acted, you'd have thought she was in her twenties instead of her early forties. It was nice that she could be so carefree but sometimes she was a little too carefree. Especially when it came to business. At least Eleanor was there to balance her out.
"If my sources are right, MAPP is a real threat. One we need to take seriously," Natalie said, pulling herself away from the counter and circling the bakery like a vulture. Her hands were planted firmly on her hips and she pursed her lips tightly as she straightened her back. She didn't like being contradicted on her gossipy statements. The fact that she was frequently wrong did nothing to deter her from spreading her rumors.
Randall looked at Natalie as she brushed past him. "How can MAPP be a threat if they're locked up somewhere?" he asked, curious.
Natalie let out an exasperated sigh and threw her hands in the air. "Because they won't be locked up forever, and when they get out, they'll be angry. And angry people are dangerous people."
"Oh," Randall said and turned back to the display cases. "Are those chocolate bear claws?" he asked, pointing to the tray my dad had set down. "I'll try one of those today, I think."
My dad rang Randall up and handed him the bear claw in a small paper bag. Randall devoured it almost immediately.
"This is fantastic!" he said, almost choking on it he ate it so fast. His mouth was still full when he opened it to talk. His face turned bright pink and a dreamy look came over his eyes. Me, Trixie, and Eleanor exchanged a look. It always pleased us to see people enjoying our creations.
Trixie, beaming now, her mood ring a deep yellow-gold, turned back to Natalie. "If you're going to stay in here all day without buying something, then I'd rather discuss the mayor's ball. Have you heard anything about who's going to get the catering job? Is it us?"
I noted that both my dad and Eleanor leaned eagerly forward, anticipation shining on their faces. Even though Natalie's intel was often wrong, it wasn't always wrong. Natalie seemed to have a sixth sense about certain things, like parties. When it came to who was going to throw the biggest and best parties and what bakery or restaurant would be catering said parties, Natalie got it right about two-thirds of the time.
Natalie rolled her eyes. "Otis is still deciding," she told them and their faces fell. The mayor's ball was the biggest event of the year in Sweetland. We'd always done it but that was when we were the only bakery in town. Now there was Sweets n' Treats to contend with, and nothing was set in stone.
Trixie gently shoved Eleanor's shoulder. "You're married to Otis’ best friend. Can't you get Sheriff Knoxx to put in a good word for us?"
Eleanor's cheeks pinkened. "Zane is Otis’ former boss, not his best friend.
And I won't ask him to do something that would put him in an awkward position. Just because Otis used to be one of his deputies doesn't mean he'll listen to him now anyway."
Eleanor started wiping down the glass cases, ignoring Trixie's feverish stare. Sheriff Knoxx was a good man but I thought Eleanor was right. If she asked him to say something to Otis, he'd only feel embarrassed about it. He'd do it for Aunt Eleanor's sake—he'd do just about anything for her—but that didn't mean he'd be happy about it. Besides, Otis could make his own decisions. He was mayor, after all, and a darned good one so far. He'd already fixed several of the roads and sidewalks in Sweetland Cove and was talking about cleaning up the touristy parts of the beaches.
"Otis would be crazy not to use Mystic Cupcake for his ball," Randall said, wiping his hands on his pants and tossing the paper bag into the trashcan. "You make the best pastries on Heavenly Haven."
Trixie and Eleanor beamed at him. "Thank you," Eleanor said. "Just for saying that..." She handed him a chocolate fudge ball to go.
"Thanks!"
"I don't know how you can all discuss the mayor when MAPP is threatening our very existence," Natalie said.
"MAPP is harmless," Randall said so casually that Natalie's head began to spin.
"It's precisely that attitude that is going to get paranormals killed," she fumed but Randall was already halfway out the door. The bell chimed as he exited the bakery. Natalie turned, exasperated, to us. "Why won't anyone listen? MAPP is crazy, and that woman in charge of them now, Renee, is the craziest one of all."
The bell chimed again and my eyes turned to see Damon Tellinger walk into the store. I felt my cheeks begin to glow red and hoped he hadn't just heard Natalie talking about his mom. From the way his bright blue eyes darkened to navy-black, though, I thought he'd caught at least part of it.
"Damon!" I shouted in case Natalie had somehow missed his entrance. I was glad to see that she looked properly chastised. She stared out the window and stopped talking. "What are you doing here?" I asked him, coming out from behind the counter. The bakery looked small from the outside but inside it was quite large. Eleanor had a permanent expansion charm in place that kept the inside spacious, allowing a few tables and chairs along with the display cases.
Damon's eyes stayed on Natalie a second longer before he turned to me. His black hair was growing out again. It was almost down to his shoulders. He couldn't seem to decide how he wanted it. I'd always preferred it long. Not that my preferences were the ones that mattered anymore.
"Somewhere we can talk?" he asked. I nodded toward the back room where the baking ovens and supplies were, and we headed back there, my aunts and father as curious as Natalie as to what Damon wanted.
Damon and I had dated over a year ago and things had ended badly. He'd left Sweetland Cove—in fact, he'd left Heavenly Haven altogether. He'd only returned a short while ago and it had come as a surprise. I was glad he was living in Mistmoor Point, the only other town on Heavenly Haven. Mistmoor and Sweetland had a bit of a history and liked to consider themselves rivals but lately things between the two towns had softened. A bit. Randomly bumping into Damon like this was still awkward and would have been far worse if he'd returned to Sweetland, so I considered his move to Mistmoor one of the best ideas he'd had.
"What's up?" I asked when we were alone.
"I didn't realize that you and your family stood around gossiping about my mother when I wasn't around," he said, his eyes dark and his face crimson.
"We don't. And Natalie's not family, you know that." I waited a beat then tried again. "So, what's up?"
This time, Damon let out a sigh. "I just wanted to give you a head's up... My mom is coming to the island."
My eyebrows shot up. If Damon's return to the island had been a surprise, his mother's return was a heart-thundering shock.
"Why?" I asked. "She hates it here. She hates everyone and everything about this place. What could she possibly want here except to cause us trouble?"
"She's not that bad," Damon said defensively. "I mean, not anymore. She's changed. Kind of."
"Changed? Damon, your mother is the president of MAPP. She hasn't changed. If anything, she's gotten worse." My voice was rising and I tried to control it. I saw the door to the back room prop open and Trixie's blond head peeked around the corner. I shot her a look and she ducked back out.
"Look, I didn't have to tell you at all," Damon shouted. "I just thought you ought to know, considering how things went last time you two met. I didn't want you running into her and freaking out."
"Freaking out?" I scoffed. "It's not me who'd be freaking out. Your mom hated me when we were dating, and I'm pretty sure she hates me even more now."
Damon sucked in a frustrated breath. "Look, she's staying with me in Mistmoor, so you probably won't even see her."
"So, she's just coming to visit?" I asked skeptically.
"She wants to meet Betsey."
I knew it was wrong but I laughed. The idea was just so ridiculous. "Betsey? Do you think that's wise? She flipped out when you were dating me; how's she going to react to Betsey? Humans aren't supposed to date paranormals according to her, remember?"
Damon's lips thinned. "She doesn't know Betsey is half-fairy. She thinks she's human. Anyway, I don't think she'll have a problem with it when she finds out. Fairies aren't the same as witches. It's witches she hates." His crimson face deepened to a maroon "I mean... she doesn't hate you."
"Yes, she does." I shrugged. "Whatever. Thanks for the warning, I guess." I was irritated that Damon didn't seem to see the problem with his mother coming to the island. He might have been in denial but I wasn't. His mother's face had been all over the paranormal television stations lately. She was out to get us and everyone knew it. She might be coming to visit Damon but something told me that wasn't the only reason.
"If this is how you're gonna act, then next time I'll do myself the favor and not say anything." He stormed out of the back room.
"Good!" I shouted, following after him. "It'll be easier for us both that way."
"No wonder my mom hates witches," Damon yelled. "It's easy when they act like you!"
"Oh, yeah?" I shouted, following him out the door. I didn't know why I was so mad at him and told myself it had nothing to do with the way he'd so bitterly ended our relationship a year ago. I'd let go of that long ago. I had a new boyfriend. A better boyfriend. I raised my finger and pointed it in Damon's direction.
"I don't need your help!" I yelled to his back. When I spun around again, I collided with Colt Hudson, my new and improved boyfriend, who didn't look happy.
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CHAPTER
TWO
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Colt's eyes narrowed as he held the door open for me. Ever since we'd started dating, he'd been jealous of Damon. Now that he was back, it had only gotten worse. I didn't know what he had to be jealous about. Not really. Yes, Damon had been my first love but Colt was my longest lasting love. I thought that counted for a whole lot more. With model-quality looks, Colt got stares from women everywhere he went. Yet I didn't go around acting jealous all the time.
He stepped into the bakery behind me and shut the door. He was dressed to the nines, as usual. His stellar wardrobe only added to his looks. Most men I knew wore jeans and t-shirts but Colt wore suits and ties. He looked like he was going to a glitzy Hollywood party instead of his day job.
Colt worked as an agent for the Council on Magic and Human Affairs and said that he dressed for success. It worked, too. He was one of the top agents in the company. It was part of what had gotten him stationed on Heavenly Haven—a rare permanent assignment on what most people considered an island paradise. The island was about the size of Molokai, a Hawaiian Island, and held roughly five thousand people split between Sweetland Cove and Mistmoor Point.
"What was that about?" Colt was trying to sound casual but his eyes betr
ayed his real feelings. Burning curiosity. Irritation. Jealousy.
"Nothing," I mumbled. "Just Damon being Damon."
My aunts and father were watching us. I knew they were probably a little surprised at the argument I'd had with Damon, and suddenly I started to feel silly. He'd only been trying to help. I shouldn't have gotten so angry. Why could he still get to me so easily after all this time?
"Didn't look like nothing to me," Colt said.
I flashed an irritated look at him and he backed off. Slightly. Natalie Vargas was eyeing us greedily, taking mental notes so that she could spread whatever rumor about me might garner her the most attention.
Gratefully, Aunt Eleanor understood the look I was giving her. "Natalie," she began carefully, "if you're going to buy something, you'd better do it now. Our afternoon rush will be starting soon and I wouldn't want you to get caught in it. Besides, don't you need to pick up your children from their Magic Scouts meeting soon?"
I could see the disappointment wash over her face. "Oh, yeah. I almost forgot. My husband would probably be a little miffed if he came home later and found our children missing." She grabbed a box of chocolate chip cookies with happy extract—a classic—and paid for it before casting a longing glance behind her as she flew out the door. Eleanor, Trixie, and my dad let out a sigh of relief.
"That woman is... fatiguing," my dad said.
"That's one word for it all right," Trixie replied.
"So, what are you doing here?" I asked Colt, irritated with Natalie's butting in almost as much as the blind eye Damon seemed to be turning to his mother's irrational behavior. "I don't have a lot of time to talk right now." He looked at me, a mixture of irritation and hurt, and I realized how that had come out. Like I was mad at him.