Hemlocked and Loaded

by Annabel Chase

  "Emma," she said, and I heard the note of urgency in her voice. "What's wrong? Is it hemlock?"

  My head lolled to the side. “I feel it now." The words came slowly, but they came.

  "There’s no antidote for hemlock, right?” she said. Her expression was frantic. I'd never seen the Valkyrie look scared before. "I need to get the healer here, but I don't want to leave you."

  The adjoining door opened and I caught sight of Althea's concerned face as my eyes began to flutter.

  "What in Hades’ name?" the Gorgon said. Her snakes hissed wildly. “I leave for one lousy nail appointment and this is what I come back to?”

  The scene must have looked insane to her with a frozen werelynx and the sheriff hovering over me as I slumped in the chair.

  "Tomlin has poisoned Emma with hemlock," Astrid said. "I need you to go for the healer. If he doesn't get here soon, she won't make it."

  Althea came to stand beside us. "There's nothing a druid can do for this, Sheriff Astrid.”

  The Valkyrie grimaced. "What are you saying? There's nothing we can do? She’s still alive. We have a chance.”

  Althea began to unwrap her headscarf. "I said there's nothing the druid can do. I didn’t say there was nothing I could do. Close your eyes, Sheriff.”

  Althea gently closed my eyes with her index finger.

  “You’re going to put her out of her misery before the hemlock can take effect?” Astrid queried.

  “Don’t be ridiculous. I’m a Gorgon, girl,” she said, and I heard the snap of her fingers. "My snakes have abilities that most paranormals aren't even aware of."

  “Some kind of healing venom?” Astrid asked.

  “No, but wouldn’t that be nice? What my snakes do have are two hollow fangs each where they can store their venom if they feel the need,” Althea explained.

  “What good will venom do?”

  “Not their venom, Sheriff. Their hollow fangs. Do you follow?”

  “You’re going to have the snakes suck the poison from her blood and store it in their hollow fangs?” Astrid sounded incredulous.

  “Need I remind you,” Althea said, “these are no ordinary snakes.”

  "Will they hurt her?" Astrid’s voice was shaking.

  "Not as much as dying will,” Althea said.

  I didn’t like the sound of that. I had a wedding aisle to march down in a matter of weeks. Whatever she was proposing, I wanted her to hurry up and do it.

  Astrid hesitated. “Go on then. Do it now.”

  I felt Althea kneel beside me as she took my bare arm in her hands. My arms were so numb, I didn’t feel any pain when their fangs pierced my flesh. I don't know how many snakes were feeding on me, but I hoped there were enough to get the job done. I tried to stay conscious, but when darkness finally came, I was too weak to fight it.

  Chapter 19

  When I awoke, my arm felt like I’d donated blood a hundred times over. I raised my head to look for Astrid and Althea, and quickly realized I was no longer in my office. This was my bed in my own home. When did that happen?

  Gareth’s grumpy face appeared next to mine. "If you want to die so badly, all you need to do is ask. I have plenty of resources at my disposal.”

  I broke into a smile. "I'm not Socrates," I said. "I didn't know I was sucking down a hemlock latte.”

  "I'll let Halo Boy know you're awake,” he said. “He’s been driving me to distraction with his constant pacing.”

  “How will you manage that?” I asked. “Daniel can’t hear you.”

  Gareth wiggled his eyebrows. “I’ll have Magpie do the dirty work.”

  I winced at the thought of the hellbeast attempting to herd Daniel upstairs. “Keep him in check, please. I don’t need any more drama today.”

  Welcome back, Sleeping Beauty, Sedgwick said from his perch.

  As I sat up and tried to smooth my hair, my fingers got caught in the knots. “Ouch. I need a brush.”

  Whoa. Let’s revise my statement to simply ‘welcome back.’

  Before I had a chance to reply, Daniel bolted through the doorway. The angel practically smothered me with relieved kisses.

  “You can breathe now. I’m okay," I reassured him.

  His lips brushed against mine. “I didn’t save you from drowning in Swan Lake so that you could die from hemlock poisoning.”

  “I do believe I’m the one who saved you at Swan Lake.” I gazed at him adoringly. Not a moment passed that I didn't feel incredibly fortunate to live another day with Daniel by my side. The chance to experience this kind of unconditional and all-consuming love was truly a gift from the gods, the universe, or whatever the source for such powerful emotions. I would never take it for granted. Never.

  “This time, I think we can both agree that Althea saved you,” Daniel said.

  I gripped his hand. "Her snakes are alive, right? The hemlock didn’t kill any of them, did it?”

  Daniel touched my cheek gently. "It was only a small amount of hemlock. Plus, she made sure to use enough snakes that no single snake ingested too much of the poison. She’s one smart Gorgon.”

  "And I was one lucky sorceress,” I added. "If we hadn’t been in my office, Althea wouldn’t have been able to save me." I would’ve never forgiven myself if anything had happened to one of her snakes. Even though I was firmly in the Indiana Jones camp when it came to snakes, I had no desire to sacrifice any of her girls to save me.

  Daniel stroked the skin on the back of my hand and my whole body tingled. “You can’t die on me, Emma. I have big plans to grow old with you.”

  From his perch, Sedgwick groaned. I’d rather roll my feathers in tar than listen to this drivel.

  “You’re an angel,” I replied, ignoring my familiar. “Growing old will take a very long time.”

  “I sure hope so.” The intensity of his gaze warmed me from head to toe. “So what happened to Tomlin?”

  “Astrid managed to take him into custody before the freeze spell wore off,” Gareth interjected. I’d been too busy swooning over my fiancé to realize he was back in the room.

  My good mood quickly soured. “Poor Tomlin.”

  Daniel reeled back. "You can't be serious. He killed Seamus and then he tried to kill you to cover it up.”

  “Aye, he doesn’t deserve your pity,” Gareth agreed.

  “Killing Seamus was an accident,” I said. “He was trying to make amends with his friend. He was trying to be better."

  "There is no try," Daniel said. "Only do."

  I patted his cheek. "My pop-culture references are rubbing off on you."

  He kissed my forehead. "One of these days, I'm actually going to see one of the films you reference."

  I thought about the secret lair with its magic mirror. I couldn't take him there. The remedial witches would cry foul.

  I smiled vaguely. “We’ll figure something out." I decided to broach my reception idea with him while he was in a good mood.

  “The whole town?” he repeated, incredulous.

  “We can afford it,” I argued. “And it would be so much fun to include everyone.”

  “This isn’t a primary school birthday party,” Gareth interjected. “You don’t need to include everyone.”

  “I know, but I want to,” I told him. “I’ve met so many paranormals since I’ve moved here and every single one has left a lasting impression.”

  “You’re even going to invite Sheriff Hugo?” Daniel asked. “His lasting impression isn’t so positive.”

  “Former Sheriff Hugo,” I said. “And, yes, even him. If he doesn’t want to come, that’s his decision.”

  “And what about former Mayor Knightsbridge?’ Daniel queried. “I have no doubt she’d cause trouble for us.”

  “She’s under house arrest, remember?” I said. “She wouldn’t be allowed to come under the terms of her arrangement.” Unless her petition for early release was granted, of course, but I didn’t want to worry Daniel with that tidbit.

  Daniel threaded his fi
ngers through mine. “Sounds like you’ve got it all figured out, Miss Smartypants.”

  Overachiever, Sedgwick griped from his perch in the corner of the room.

  I kissed my angel lightly on the lips. “Not all, but it’s fun to try.”

  Now that the wedding plans were coming together and Tomlin’s case was closed, I finally gathered the courage to read through the rest of my mother’s letters. I sat on the sofa with my legs tucked underneath my bottom, absorbing every finely curved word.

  Gareth floated into the room with a cup of tea and set it on the end table. “For you.”

  I beamed at him. “Thanks. I still can’t believe how well you’re doing with the physical world.”

  He gave a mock bow. “You’re not the only overachiever in the house, you know.”

  Magpie came tearing into the room and leaped onto the arm of the sofa, his tail nearly knocking over the cup. I grabbed it before it toppled over.

  “That’s not for you,” I said firmly.

  “He saw me carrying it,” Gareth said sheepishly. “I suppose he expected the contents of the cup to be for him.”

  “Talk about spoiled.” I stuck out my tongue at Magpie and he hissed in response, before jumping to the floor.

  “How far have you gotten with the letters?” Gareth hovered behind me for a better look at the letter in my hand.

  “Not as far as I’d like. I want to know more about her role as Warden of the West. It’s all so fascinating. I never expected my mother to be a badass. It’s like discovering I’m the secret daughter of Wonder Woman.”

  Gareth tried to grab the letter, but his hand went straight through the paper. “That’s what I get for not focusing my will.”

  I smiled. “You don’t need to hold it. I’ll read it out loud for both of us.” I cleared my throat.

  “Be sure to enunciate,” Gareth said. “Sometimes you mumble.”

  “I do not mumble!” I unfolded the next letter and began to read in a loud, clear voice. “My dearest Geri and Barron, I hope this letter finds you and my darling daughter well. I had hoped to send better news of my situation, but, alas, there is no rest for a busy Warden of the West. I was recently handed a difficult case by the Enforcer of the East in Europe. One of his marks managed to escape across the Atlantic and I tracked him as far as what was once Ridge Valley.”

  “Fancy that,” Gareth said. “She mentions the old name for Spellbound.”

  “It reminds me of another case from long ago, when I was still in training to be a warden. As I am sure you recall, that town remains inaccessible to our kind because of the curse that resulted…”

  I stopped reading aloud as my eyes tracked the remainder of the paragraph.

  “What about the curse?” Gareth prompted. “Did your mother know something that might help us?”

  I continued to stare at the remaining words on the page. A lump formed in my throat and I could scarcely draw breath.

  “Emma, what does the rest of the letter say?” he implored.

  I blinked back tears as I looked my vampire ghost roommate in the eye. “Spell’s bells, Gareth. I think my mother is the one who put the curse on Spellbound.”

  Thank You For Reading

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