Freaky Witches (A Mystic Caravan Mystery Book 7)

by Amanda M. Lee

  “SO ... THEY’RE ON THEIR way back to Ohio?”

  Kade listened to me recount my day in the shade of a large maple tree on the edge of the fairgrounds several hours later. He read the weariness weighing on my shoulders the minute he saw me, and he was all too happy to drag me away for a private talk. That included positioning me so I was cushioned between his legs as he rested against the tree. When I told him the story, instead of being upset, he couldn’t stop laughing.

  “They are,” I confirmed, rubbing the back of my neck. “It’s not funny.”

  “It’s a little funny.” He nudged my hands so he could massage away the tension. “I was starting to get worried when you were gone so long. If I’d known you were busy babysitting, I wouldn’t have bothered.”

  “You’re having way too much fun with this story.” I groaned when he hit a particularly sensitive spot. “Ugh. Right there.”

  “If you hold still I’ll massage you until my fingers fall off.”

  “Don’t make promises you can’t keep.”

  “That’s not my style.” He kissed the back of my head and kept rubbing. “Did you learn anything else?”

  That was a loaded question. “I learned that sixteen is the new thirty, at least according to Lizzy and Kaley. They’re totally mature, man.”

  Kade chuckled. “I’m sorry I missed Tillie and Nellie wrestling with teenagers. That sounds fun.”

  “Then the story is missing something in the telling.”

  “Oh, don’t be a spoilsport.” Another kiss brushed against my hair as he worked overtime to relax me. “How did the girls take it when you called Landon?”

  I pictured their faces when we handed them over to the handsome FBI agent. “Well, it wasn’t as bad as I thought. They whined a bit. There was some foot-stomping. They were so wowed by his good looks they forgot what they were crying about pretty quickly.”

  “He’s not that good looking.”

  I grinned, even though he couldn’t see it. “He’s pretty good looking. I can see why Bay is head-over-heels for him.”

  Kade gripped my muscles a little tighter than necessary. “Whoops. Sorry. I got a little overzealous.”

  I snorted. “You’re handsome, too.”

  He squeezed again. “I’m way more handsome than him. What kind of FBI agent is allowed to have hair like that?”

  “I asked Bay during the ride back to town. She said he grew his hair for undercover work.”

  “I don’t get the feeling he’s undercover very often these days.”

  “No. She says he likes it, primps in the bathroom longer than her in the morning.”

  Kade’s fingers were back to being gentle. “You like her.” It was a statement, not a question.

  “I do, but she’s still hiding something”

  “What do you think that is?”

  “I don’t know.” I’d been asking myself that question for most of the afternoon. “I think it has something to do with her abilities. I think she’s stronger than the rest.”

  “Even stronger than Tillie? I thought you said she was really strong.”

  “She is. The power is ... different. I don’t know how to explain it. Bay is more contained. She’s not flashy like her great-aunt. They’re both powerful, and they share some attributes. Bay has something extra.”

  “Have you considered asking her what that extra is?”

  “Yeah, but it seems invasive.” I leaned back to rest against his chest. He stopped rubbing and wrapped his arms around me, placing his chin on my shoulder as we relaxed in the shade. “It might not be important. Luke says I’m a busybody. Maybe that’s all this is.”

  “Luke is the busybody.”

  “I can’t pretend I’m innocent when it comes to that. Remember when you first joined Mystic Caravan and I spent all my time trying to find information about you? That wasn’t technically my place.”

  Kade’s lips curved against my cheek. “I like to think you did that because you were hot for me and didn’t want to admit it.”

  “Hot for you, huh?”

  “Yup. I was hot for you, too. It all worked out in the end.”

  “Yeah.” I pressed my eyes shut, absorbing his strength and warmth. “It worked out better than I imagined.” I wasn’t planning on saying the words, but they slipped out. “I love you.”

  He froze almost instantaneously, making me realize what I said far too late to cover.

  “I mean ... .” I tripped over my tongue as my brain spun out of control. “I shouldn’t have said that. I ... um ... .”

  “Shh.” Kade’s breath was a gentle breeze on the ridge of my ear. “Don’t take it back.”

  I couldn’t take it back if I wanted to, which I didn’t. Still, I felt exposed. “This probably wasn’t the right time to say that.”

  “There is no right or wrong time to say it.”

  “That’s easy for you to say,” I muttered, shifting so I could escape his arms. “I should probably head back. We need to make dinner.”

  “No, no, no.” He tightened his hold on me. I could’ve fought the effort, utilized my magic to force him to release me. That would’ve made things worse.

  “I really think I should get back,” I persisted.

  “Why?”

  “What do you mean? I feel like an idiot.” That was an understatement. “Don’t look at me.” Tears, unbidden, threatened to spill. “I have to go.”

  “Don’t cry.” He was firm as he kissed my cheek. “You’re making this more difficult than it has to be.”

  “I’m making it difficult?” I wanted to pinch him. “How am I making it difficult?”

  “Because you’re uncomfortable and you always make things difficult when you’re uncomfortable. Stop squirming.” He rubbed his cheek against mine. “I have something I want to say to you.”

  I wasn’t sure I wanted to hear it. “I think we’ve said enough for one day.”

  “Not even close. Shh. No, shh.” He linked his fingers with mine and exhaled heavily. “I love you, too.”

  The words were like a salve. I didn’t say “I love you” because I expected him to say it back. It was something that happened in the moment, something I felt from my soul. I had a feeling he felt that way — I certainly knew I did — but I thought exchanging the words would come a bit down the line. We always balked when it came up before, even in jest.

  “I love you,” he said again, trying the words on for size. “Don’t be embarrassed or turn away.”

  “I’m not embarrassed.” I was mortified to my very bones. “I just didn’t think you were going to say it, too.”

  “You didn’t give me a chance to say it.”

  “I gave you plenty of chances.”

  “Shh.” He kissed my ear and shifted me so I faced him. The look of naked emotion on his face was enough to cause my heart to stutter. “I wanted to tell you first. I had a big plan.”

  “You had a plan?”

  His smile was sheepish. “Candles. Romance. Schmaltzy stuff.”

  “Why didn’t that happen?” I was legitimately curious.

  “Because my hands caught fire and I’ve spent the last two weeks feeling sorry for myself.”

  Well, at least he was honest. “I wish you would’ve talked to me about that. I have hands that can make fire, too. It’s not exactly the same, but I could’ve helped.”

  “I know. I wasn’t ready.”

  “Are you ready now?”

  He nodded. “Yeah, but I’m still kind of annoyed you said it first.”

  He could have no idea how that simple statement made me feel like the luckiest woman alive. “Well, you weren’t all that far behind.”

  “I guess.”

  “I was still first, though.”

  He poked my side. “I love you.” His words were simple and to the point. “Now I’ve said it three times to your one.”

  I barked out a laugh. “Are we keeping score?”

  He shrugged. “It’s a relief to be able to say it.”
r />   He wasn’t wrong. “How about we skip dinner tonight, go to bed early, and see who can say it the most times before dawn?”

  His lips slid into a sly grin. “That’s the best offer I’ve had all day.” He leaned forward and kissed me. “I bet I’ll win.”

  “I bet I’ll win.”

  “I guess we’d better get to competing, huh?”

  “You’re on.”

  21

  Twenty-One

  No one questioned why we retired early. Even Luke didn’t knock on the door to rouse us ... or to complain pathetically outside our window. Everything was blissfully silent for our bonding exercise. It was early when we fell asleep, but neither of us cared. It was the perfect evening.

  Until it wasn’t.

  I bolted awake just after midnight, something causing my brain to switch on as I rolled to a sitting position and stared into the darkness. There was nothing to see in our bedroom. When I looked through the window, which was mostly covered by the blinds, I didn’t see anything – or anyone, for that matter.

  That didn’t mean we were safe.

  “What is it, Poet?” Kade murmured, his hand finding my back.

  “I don’t know.” That was the truth. I had no idea how to answer him. Instead, I cocked my head and listened with my ears and senses. “I think someone is outside.”

  Before, Kade had sounded sleepy when he asked what was wrong. Now, all traces of weariness were gone from his voice. “Where?”

  “I don’t know.” I got out of bed and felt along the floor until I found my shirt. I pulled it on without thinking (or bothering with a bra) and grabbed a pair of yoga pants from the dresser at the far end of the room. When I turned, Kade was already dressed in gym shorts and a T-shirt. His eyes were trained on me instead of the door.

  “What?” I asked, suddenly self-conscious.

  “The fact that you’re not wearing underwear gives me ideas,” he admitted.

  The look I shot him was withering. “Is now really the time for that?”

  “No, but I’ll remember it for later.”

  “Yeah, yeah, yeah.”

  Kade’s hands were deft when we reached the front door. He opened it without a sound. He wasn’t armed, which I found interesting. When he first arrived at Mystic Caravan he thought weapons were necessary. It appeared he finally realized he was a weapon, which was an intriguing – and perhaps frightening – development.

  The fairgrounds were quiet when we landed in front of our trailer. I took a long time to look to my left and right, hoping I’d spy a hint of movement.

  There was nothing.

  “What do you think?” Kade’s mouth was directly next to my ear when he spoke. “Are we in danger?”

  I wasn’t sure how to answer. Finally, I shrugged. I honestly didn’t know.

  He met my gaze for what felt like forever, and I was convinced he was going to start yelling ... or at least make a snarky comment. Instead, he merely nodded and pointed toward the left.

  I understood what he was saying. He wanted us to take the main aisle through the circus. If someone else was present, we would have a better chance of discovering him or her from that vantage point. I nodded, allowing him to squeeze my hand before we started moving through the silent attractions.

  Most people would find a dark and empty circus freaky. The mere idea of creepy clowns hiding behind tents would be enough to cause “normal” individuals to run screaming into the night. I wasn’t most people, and I knew the circus layout better than anyone.

  I was sure-footed as I moved through the gloom. Fog had settled over the area sometime while we slumbered, which only served to remind me of the ordeal in Eureka. Fog haunted us as much as the witches and ghosts during that stay, and it wasn’t something I wanted to revisit.

  Kade obviously felt the same way.

  “Ugh. I hate this stuff,” he grumbled under his breath. “It reminds me of every bad horror movie I’ve ever seen.”

  I shot him a sympathetic look before continuing. The closer I got to the heart of the circus, the more my inner alarms screamed to be noticed. The thing was, they weren’t exactly pinging “danger” as much as “intruder.” It was an interesting feeling.

  I opened my mouth to explain just that to Kade when I caught a hint of movement out of the corner of my eye. I jerked my head in that direction, my muscles going tense, and I felt Kade’s body press against mine from behind.

  “I don’t see anything,” he whispered.

  “There’s something over there.” I felt it more than saw it. “Prepare yourself.”

  “For what?”

  That was the question, wasn’t it? I didn’t answer. I couldn’t. Instead I turned down the nearest cross aisle and headed toward the movement, my hands ready to call for magic in an instant as they flexed at my sides.

  We didn’t have to go far. The sound of voices told me we’d found our quarry before I managed to make out movement again. I recognized the voices.

  “Knock it off, Clove.”

  “You knock it off, Thistle.”

  “You’re being stupid. Stop shifting like that. You’re going to draw attention.”

  Three figures stood in the spot where Boney Billy’s body was found. I recognized them right away, even though I’d had limited contact with them.

  “Shut up,” Bay snapped, her eyes expectant as she stared at something near the entrance to the midway. “I need to concentrate.”

  “Is he here?” Clove asked.

  Bay nodded. “He is.”

  “Was he always here or did you make him appear?” Thistle countered. “What? Don’t look at me that way. It’s an honest question.”

  I was confused. Who was the “he” they were referring to? I saw only three figures, and they were alone. Kade was pressed to my back as he watched over my shoulder. His expression was hard to read when I slid him a glance, but he didn’t look happy.

  “Just make him answer your questions and then let’s get out of here,” Clove whined. “You know I don’t like sneaking into places where clowns could attack. That’s my least favorite thing to do.”

  Thistle made an exaggerated face, which was only visible because of the large moon. “When have we ever snuck into a place where attacking clowns were a legitimate worry?”

  “Exactly.” Clove bobbed her dark head. “That’s something we don’t want to happen. I mean .... why would we want it to happen? That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

  Despite the surreal situation, I relaxed a bit. The witches obviously weren’t here to hurt us, although what they were doing remained a mystery.

  “I’m going over there,” I whispered to Kade.

  He shook his head and grabbed my wrist. “They could hurt you.”

  “They’re not here to hurt me.” I wasn’t sure what they were here to do, but I had a feeling it had more to do with investigating than maiming. “Trust me.”

  He shot me a dark look but moved to follow. I was barely out of the shadow of the nearest tent — which belonged to Nellie — when Thistle’s head snapped up and she stared directly at me.

  “Bay, there’s someone over there,” she said urgently, her hand shooting out and grabbing Clove’s arm. “We need to get out of here right now.”

  Bay, who had been intent on a point of interest behind the other two, turned her head to the left. I thought she might run, try to save face. Instead, all hell broke loose.

  I’m still not sure the order of events. I know that Clove screamed, but I’m pretty sure it was in reaction to seeing Nellie and Dolph rush out of the nearby tent. Nellie had his ax and looked to be out for blood, but he didn’t swing.

  Thistle instinctively shoved Clove out of the way as she barked a small curse and sent a wall of energy flowing in Dolph’s direction. It wasn’t a strong spell, but it caused him to rock backward as he tried to maintain his footing.

  For her part, Bay’s eyes went wide as the area surrounding her illuminated with ethereal spirits. I recognized
Billy as one of them, and I was fairly certain the face floating behind her belonged to Darren Rappaport. I did not recognize the woman on her left, but she was obviously a ghost, too.

  “Protect,” Bay intoned, her voice going deep. The ghosts instantly hopped to attention and raced toward Dolph and Nellie, their intentions obvious.

  “Wait!” I almost tripped when I raced out to join the fray, waving my hand to get everyone’s attention.

  Bay looked in my direction a split second before Billy broke off from the rest of the ghosts and careened toward me. He didn’t look as if he recognized me, and it was obvious he was ready to dole out pain.

  “No!” My fingers sparked as I threw up a protection charm, which was basically a wall that cut Kade and me off from the ghosts.

  Kade’s hands were in the air, fire floating around his fingertips, but he looked terrified to risk unleashing it. I didn’t blame him. It was utter bedlam, which was about to get worse.

  The sky above us lit up, almost as if fireworks were igniting in every direction, and Max appeared out of the shadows. His expression was terrible, as if he was ready to raze the world, and I could sense the pooling magic as he geared up to release it.

  “Don’t!” I gasped, jerking in his direction.

  Kade stopped me with a hand around my waist. “Don’t get involved,” he ordered. “Max has this.” He sounded relieved.

  “He doesn’t have anything.” I squirmed to escape from Kade’s iron grip. “I think this is a misunderstanding.”

  “It doesn’t look like a misunderstanding to me,” Raven said as she moved to my left and watched the unfolding scene. “Max is going to massacre them. This looks like fun.”

  That was hardly the word I would’ve used. “No!”

  My scream was drowned out by the appearance of another figure, this one cutting in from the west. It was Tillie, and she was dressed for war. She boasted leggings that looked as if they had spider webs on them, and her combat helmet was firmly in place. She was unarmed, but the gun was obviously unnecessary.

  “Tempestas!” She screeched the word as she raised her hands above her head.

  In an instant, the previously clear sky turned cloudy and thunder roared in conjunction with the approaching storm.