Kade ran his hands over my back as he chuckled. “Other than that, I don’t see any bruises. No magical fights or anything?”
I shook my head and swayed. “Nope. Just homemade wine. Oh, and Nellie danced naked with the witches.”
Kade stiffened. “There was actual naked dancing?”
“Only with the older witches, so don’t let your mind run away with you. Landon and Bay did not get naked. Although … they’re probably naked now.”
“Oh, you think?” Raven drank as much as I did, but she seemed steadier on her feet. “Those two were about to mount each other in the middle of the clearing. They’re definitely naked.”
“Definitely,” Luke echoed, rubbing the sides of his mouth. “I wish Landon would’ve danced naked.”
“Me, too,” Melissa said as she handed Luke his keys. “I’m going to bed to dream about it.”
Luke beamed at her. “Me, too.”
I merely shook my head. “How did your night go?”
Kade took the bulk of my weight and dragged me toward the steps. “We’ll talk about it in the morning.”
I searched his face for a hint of discontent, but he looked fine. “You’re okay, right?”
He nodded. “Yup. You’re the one who needs looking after tonight.”
“I’m fine.”
“You’re going to have a hangover unless we get some aspirin and water into you.”
“I’m fine,” I repeated. “I can hold my liquor.”
“You’re still drinking a bottle of water and taking aspirin.”
“Okay.” I wasn’t in the mood to argue, especially since my head was on the verge of spinning. “Have I told you lately that I love you?”
“Yes.” He kissed my forehead when we reached the top of the stairs. “It’s always nice to hear.”
“Yeah. You know what?”
“Hmm.” He was distracted as he opened the door.
“I think I might be drunk.”
He laughed as he pulled me inside. “I think you might be, too.”
MY HEAD ACHED WHEN I woke the next morning and tugged the covers over my face. I violently cursed the sun – and my own stupidity – as I tried to force my stomach to cease rolling. I could’ve been on a rollercoaster with all the ups and downs.
“Hey, Sunshine.” Kade appeared in the doorway, already showered and dressed. His smile was wide when I peeked from beneath the covers and scowled. “How is my favorite mind reader?”
That had to be a trick question. “How about you read my mind?” I suggested, annoyance rolling through me in waves. “What am I thinking?”
He winced as he moved closer to the bed. “Is that any way to treat your knight in shining armor?” He held up a bottle of water. “Last time I checked, you were telling me how much you loved me while trying to get me naked.”
I vaguely remembered that. “I seem to recall you refusing to get naked.”
“Yes, well, I might adore you to distraction, but that won’t last if I let you puke on me.”
“I was in no danger of puking,” I argued as I forced myself to a sitting position. “In fact … ugh.” I felt lightheaded as my stomach threatened revolt.
“Not good, huh?” He tsked in sympathy as he slid onto the bed next to me and surrendered the water. “Drink that.” He held up his other hand and shoved another bottle in my direction, this one pink and promising stomach relief. “And take a few shots of that.”
I glowered at the amused expression on his handsome face. “You’re enjoying this way too much.”
He grinned. “I’m not enjoying this as much as … how much did you drink last night?” He changed course quickly when he realized I wasn’t going to believe the denial no matter what.
“I honestly don’t think I drank that much,” I said, frowning when I couldn’t untwist the bottle cap. “Oh, why is nothing going my way?”
Kade attempted to smother a laugh … and failed. “Hand it over.” He took back the bottle and opened it. “You’re very cranky when you’re hungover. You rarely drink too much, so I guess I forgot. The last time you were like this was when you thought I didn’t want anything to do with you.”
“You didn’t want anything to do with me,” I reminded him, taking the bottle and sucking down half the contents before speaking again. “We were on a timeout.”
“I was upset because of the Max situation.”
“Yeah.” I leaned against the pillows and took a moment to look him up and down. “Are you okay? I didn’t get a chance to ask how your thing went last night. I’m guessing that means I got a big red mark in the girlfriend column last night, huh?”
“If this were a regular occurrence, I might agree with that. I was so happy to see you alive, so I opted to look at it as a good thing. You broke bread and drank wine with your enemies.”
“They’re not our enemies.” I meant that. “I don’t know that they’re our friends – they have secrets they want to keep, the same as us – but they’re definitely not our enemies.”
“I’m glad for that.” Kade’s fingers were gentle as they brushed the hair from my face. “It would be nice if we didn’t have to wage a magical war before leaving town.”
“It would be,” I agreed, resting my head against his shoulder. “Tell me about your night with Max.”
“You don’t have to listen before you feel better.”
“I want to listen.”
“I … don’t know how to describe it.” An emotion I couldn’t quite identify washed over his features. “I was afraid when I first went out there with him, afraid that he might make me so angry I might explode.”
“You’re still not over the fact that he lied about being your father,” I mused. “I get it.”
“I don’t feel angry. I mean … I’m disappointed. I think about all the things I lost out on as a kid, and it makes me sad.”
“You’re angry at your mother,” I noted quietly. “Part of you wishes she was still around so you could yell at her for keeping him from you.”
“Do you think that’s wrong?”
I shook my head. “No. You thought he was a family friend, an uncle of sorts who stepped in and spent time with you because you didn’t have a father. He was giving with his time. In truth, he was a father who didn’t spend enough time with you.
“When you add to that the fact that he passed on some of his magic to you, it’s a lot to swallow,” I continued. “You’ve had to absorb a lot over the past few months. First you found out magic was real, and that was a blow. Then you found out Max was your father and that I hid it from you. That was a knife to the chest. Then you found out you were magical, and that was kind of like being run over by a truck.
“I think you’ve handled it better than most people would’ve been able to do,” I said. “You’re the strongest person I know, simply because you didn’t shut down when all this was thrown at you. I think you’re pretty remarkable.”
He was quiet so long I had to turn my eyes to him to make sure I hadn’t somehow made him angry. He was smiling.
“I think that’s the nicest thing anyone has ever said to me.” He leaned over and pressed a kiss to the tip of my nose. “You might think I’m strong, but I know you’re the strongest person I’ve ever met. For you to say that … it means a lot.”
My heart went out to him. “I couldn’t not say it, because it’s true.”
“It still means a lot.”
“Yeah, well … .” I was embarrassed. “I like you a great deal.”
His grin widened. “I like you a great deal more.”
“Is this a competition?”
He shrugged. “I have no idea. I’m just enjoying the moment. I have a feeling you’re going to turn crabby again the second you get out of bed.”
The statement was like a heavy wet blanket thrown over my head. “I have no idea why I allowed this to happen. I thought I was fine until … well … now.”
“That’s the way it goes with homemade hooch. My mother had a frie
nd who made wine in her garage. It would knock you on your ass.”
“I definitely feel as if I’ve been knocked on my ass.”
“Well, we’ll get some breakfast into you, and a lot of fluids, and that should help. You need to shower before that happens, though. You smell like stale grapes.”
I shot him a look. “I smell like a field full of daisies.”
“If that’s what you need to tell yourself.”
“I want to hear about your night first,” I pressed. “You started to tell me about it and then conveniently tried to distract me. I want to know how it went.”
He sighed. “It was … good. I was afraid at first, and for more than one reason. I thought I might hurt him – and he was right about not having you there because that would’ve paralyzed me – but I got over it. Once I was over it, he started to test my abilities. He seemed … impressed.”
Kade’s cheeks colored under my steady scrutiny.
“You’re impressive,” I said finally. “What did you manage to do?”
“Not much. He asked me to set a tree on fire, which I was terrified to do. He promised to douse it right away so there was no danger of a forest fire.”
“And you did it?”
He nodded. “I did it a few times. Then I doused it myself. That was harder, but I managed it. I think he wanted me to know that I was capable of multiple things, and that burning down the world wasn’t my true purpose.”
My heart grew at his smile. “Of course that’s not your true purpose. Those who burn the world down only have hate to fuel them. You’re the best person I know. You have too much love to allow that to be your destiny.”
His smile was heartfelt. “How do you know the exact right thing to say?”
I shrugged. “I thought that was your superpower.”
“Maybe we share it.”
“That would be nice, huh?” I snuggled closer and sipped my water. “I kind of wish you’d been with me last night. I would like to get your take on the Winchesters, to make sure I don’t like them simply because I want to like them. It sounds as if you got exactly what you needed last night.”
“I did. Next time, I want you with me. Max agrees it’s probably good for you to be there so I can get over the fear of hurting you.”
“You won’t hurt me. I wish you wouldn’t think things like that.”
“That’s why I want you there next time. I … like having you close. You’re kind of like a cool breeze on a really hot day.”
“Oh, that’s sweet.” I leaned in for a kiss but he pulled away, causing my stomach to threaten a riot. “What’s wrong?”
“You know you’re my favorite person in the world, right?”
His tone set my teeth on edge. “I guess.”
“You know,” he corrected. “You’re my favorite person in the world … but your breath is horrible thanks to the stale wine. I need you to brush your teeth before we get mushy.”
I frowned. “I thought our adoration was eternal … and without limits.”
“Oh, it is. Kisses are another story.”
I rolled my eyes and pulled away. “You’re no longer my favorite person.”
“Oh, don’t be like that,” he called to my back, although I heard the laughter in his voice.
“No, no, no.” I stomped my feet against the trailer floor. “Luke is going to be so happy to have his crown back.”
“You’ll feel differently once you have breakfast in you.”
“You’re on my list,” I barked.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“Oh, you’ll find out. I know all about lists now.” That was true. Tillie told me about her list and how it worked. I was enamored with the idea. “Oh, boy, you’re not going to like being on the list.”
“I’ll take your word for it.”
17
Seventeen
I wasn’t above using a little magic to cure my hangover. I didn’t possess the appropriate skills, though, so I had to slip away from Kade and track down Nixie. She appeared to be ready for me, because she held out a packet of herbs the second she took in my wan complexion.
“You were one of the bad ones last night, too, huh?”
I pursed my lips. “What makes you think I was bad?”
She grinned, the expression lighting her perky features. “Luke was here before sunup asking for a cure. Nellie just helped himself to what he needed.”
“And Raven?” I asked, suspicious.
Nixie merely shrugged. “Raven doesn’t get hangovers.”
“Is that a lamia thing?” It didn’t seem fair.
“She’s too mean to be hungover,” Nixie replied. “Take the herbs with a glass of water and you’ll be fine.”
I nodded in thanks and pocketed the offering. There was something I wanted to say, but I wasn’t sure how to broach it. As if reading my mind, Nixie’s smile grew broader.
“I’ll keep it between us and pretend you didn’t need the help,” she volunteered, which was enough to have some of the tension weighing down my shoulders dissipate.
“Thanks.” I was rueful. “This morning reminded me of exactly why I don’t drink myself to oblivion very often. I feel like the stuff you scrape from your tongue after a three-day bender.”
Nixie made a face. “Lovely.”
“Well, that’s how I feel.”
“Take the herbs. You’ll feel better as soon as you do.”
I GRABBED A BOTTLE OF water from the kitchen area before disappearing into my tent. I hadn’t been inside for more than a cursory glance since we’d arrived, but everything was arranged exactly as I liked it. That meant Melissa had been busy. I had to remember to thank her later … for more than one thing.
I upended the packet of herbs into my water and secured the cap before giving it a good shake. The water turned a disgusting green, but I ignored it. The color meant nothing. The magic in the herbs was what I wanted.
I steeled myself for the awful taste – it truly was gross – and downed the entire bottle, closing my eyes as I swallowed. I was already feeling markedly better when I finished, and I wiped the corners of my mouth as I sucked in a steadying breath.
That’s when I felt Kade’s presence in the tent. When I opened my eyes, I expected to find him laughing at me. My intention was to let him think I’d overcome the hangover on my own so I didn’t have to be embarrassed. Now that he knew otherwise I would simply have to let the laughter roll off me.
To my surprise, Kade wasn’t laughing.
“What is it?” I asked, hopping to my feet. The look on his face told me something had gone very wrong. “Are you okay?”
He nodded as he stepped forward, a muscle working in his jaw. “We have a situation.”
Those weren’t words I wanted to hear. “What situation?”
“Come with me.”
“Why?”
“Just … come on.” He held out his hand.
I trusted him implicitly, so I took it. “I’m going to hate this, aren’t I?”
There was no hesitation in his answer. “We’re all going to hate this.”
I DEFINITELY HATED WHAT he had to show me. In fact, I was so agitated my right eye began twitching.
“Son of a … !” I rubbed my eye and shifted from one foot to the other. “I don’t understand how this happened.”
Kade looked as uncomfortable as I felt as he pressed the heel of his hand to his forehead. “I don’t know either. I didn’t walk the perimeter when I returned last night.” He dropped to one knee so he could get a better look at the body on the ground because, yes, there was most definitely a body. “I have no idea when this happened, but it’s on me.”
Fury bubbled up in my chest. “This is not your fault.”
“No?” Kade didn’t look convinced. “He’s one of ours, Poet.”
He most certainly was. Boney Billy, the midway worker who ran the ring toss booth, was spread eagle on the ground between the House of Mirrors and the midway. The area where his body ha
d been discovered was empty – it would be filled with people milling about the following day – but there was no attraction in the locale.
Billy, who earned his name because he was ridiculously thin – and enjoyed dropping his pants at the drop of a hat – looked to have died screaming. His mouth was frozen in a silent “O” and his eyes were wide. Someone had carved a rune into his forehead, but the blood made it difficult to ascertain the design.
“I can’t believe this,” I muttered, rubbing my cheeks to get the blood flowing and ward off the shock. “I don’t understand. I … .”
“He’s dead,” Raven offered helpfully as she moved from the House of Mirrors to the body. “I’m guessing someone killed him while we were out playing Whack-A-Witch last night.”
Her smug attitude made me want to throttle her. “Oh, really?” I drawled, disdain dripping from my tongue. “Is that what happened?”
Raven didn’t appear bothered by my tone. “In my expert opinion, that’s exactly what happened.”
In an effort to keep me from attacking, Kade slipped his arm around my waist and anchored me to his side. “Not now,” he whispered as I fought the constraint. “Did anyone see anything?” He took his job as security chief seriously, and the sadness etched on his face told me he blamed himself for what happened. That was enough to still my temper.
“No one heard anything,” Seth replied, stepping out from the group of gathering workers. “We were here last night. We didn’t hear a thing.”
“What were you doing?” I asked, thankful when Kade tentatively eased his grip on me. He seemed to sense I was no longer in the mood to attack Raven.
“We sat by the fire,” Seth replied. “We told stories, walked the perimeter three times. Didn’t see a thing.”
“Were you drunk?” I recognized the hypocrisy of the accusation even as the words were escaping my mouth. That didn’t stop me. “Is there a chance you missed what happened?”
Seth didn’t as much as flinch. “No. We had a few beers. Not many. We would’ve heard. Besides, you can see his body for yourself. That was a ritual death. The dreamcatcher should’ve sounded.”
Freaky Witches (A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book 7) Page 16