Unfortunately for her, I had anticipated the possibility. I dropped to my knees and skidded to a stop, my jeans ripping against the hard earth as my skin tore underneath, but I dodged the returned spell.
“Moriri!”
I had never cast a death curse. I never thought I would have to. The people I loved most in the world were in this field, though, and we would all die if we didn’t take out Hazel. It wasn’t like with Dani. I was still on the fence if there was something redeemable in her. I did not have that dilemma with Hazel.
The magic ripped out of me with enough force that it grabbed the ghosts, who abandoned their fight with Valerie and turned on Hazel.
At that moment, realization dawned on Hazel’s face. She saw the anticipation of the ghosts as they moved in her direction. She was strong, but not fast. She couldn’t dodge the spell. At the moment the magic hit her, the ghosts descended — and began ripping her soul apart.
I closed my eyes, blocking out the pain and destruction, and sucked in a breath.
Hazel didn’t scream. She was gone almost before it began. Nobody cheered. Nobody looked. It was too terrible to watch.
I waited for the sounds to die down. They’d been gone a long time before I registered it, and then I felt Landon’s arms come around me from behind.
“You did so good,” he whispered, drawing me close. “You ... are amazing.”
With that, I allowed myself to lean back.
It was over, though the ramifications would reverberate for a very long time.
Twenty-Eight
Dani was gone by the time we got back to the house. I wasn’t surprised. Landon looked as if he wanted to press the issue when he was told what had happened, but his concern for me overwhelmed him. He simply nodded and said Dani was on her own.
He didn’t want me alone, but he and Chief Terry had things that needed to be done on the property. I wasn’t sure how they were going to explain it — I really didn’t want to know — and I was more than happy to leave with Thistle and Aunt Tillie when they gave us the go-ahead.
“Put her to bed at the inn,” Landon instructed in a low voice. “I do not want her anyplace alone. I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
Thistle hesitated and then nodded. “She’ll be okay.”
“She will be,” he agreed, forcing a smile for my benefit as he slid over and pressed a kiss to my forehead. “I love you, Bay. You did everything exactly right.”
In my head, I knew that. The results were still jarring. “I’m just tired. I’ll be fine tomorrow.”
He didn’t look convinced, but he nodded. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
I didn’t think I would sleep, but I dropped off the second my head hit the pillow. I didn’t even hear him enter the room, but I sensed the moment he climbed into the bed ... and my dreams shifted from dark to warm. There were even doughnuts.
When I opened my eyes the next morning I felt refreshed, but shaking the memories of the night before wasn’t easy.
“I have to check on Valerie,” I murmured when I felt Landon’s arms tighten around me. He’d spooned up behind me in sleep without moving the entire night, as if standing guard for whatever might come and comforting me at the same time. He was good like that.
“You don’t have to do that today.”
“I do. We have no idea if she’s still dangerous.”
He hesitated and then sighed. “I’m not certain what I saw, Bay, but I’m pretty sure Valerie’s ghost is already gone.”
“What do you mean?”
“I saw her. I’m not sure how, but I saw her. And I saw Viola. When Hazel fell, the other ghosts ... ripped her apart.”
I swallowed hard, a lump suddenly forming in my throat. “How did you see them?”
“I don’t know. It’s not the first time I’ve seen ghosts.”
That was true. Once, the ghost of a little girl from a long-forgotten era appeared and told him I was in trouble so he could arrive in time to help hold off a murderous threat.
“I’m sorry for her,” I said after a few seconds. “I was hoping to save her.”
“Bay, you can’t save everyone.”
“I didn’t save anyone this time.”
“That’s not true.” He shifted me in his arms so I had no choice but to look at his face. “You saved Chief Terry ... and Thistle ... and Aunt Tillie. You gave Dani a fighting chance. She might still screw up, but it’s not on you if she does. You save me every day of our lives.”
Tears burned the back of my eyes. “That was kind of sweet.”
He chuckled at my reaction before leaning in to give me a soft kiss. “I’m a sweet guy.”
“That’s why you smell like doughnuts.”
His grin widened. “Does this mean you’re finally going to give me some love for that? I’ve been waiting.”
I hesitated before answering. It felt wrong to enjoy myself given the fact that I’d killed a woman the night before, but what was the point of being in this world if we didn’t live our lives to the fullest?
“Yes,” I said finally. “But not here. I want to go home and spend the entire day holed up with you. I don’t want anyone to bother us. I just want to watch movies, hang with you, and enjoy the aroma of doughnuts.”
He nodded solemnly. “It sounds like a tough job, but I think I’m up for it. We need breakfast first. Your mother won’t let us go without giving you a good once-over.”
I hadn’t considered that. I’d barely seen them the night before. I hadn’t wanted to answer a lot of questions, so Aunt Tillie sent me upstairs. I was grateful for the reprieve. That would end this morning. I found, oddly enough, I was okay with it.
“Breakfast and then a hermit day.” I brushed my fingers over his stubbled cheek. “And you can’t shave. I like when you look like a male model.”
He smirked, his eyes flashing. “Whatever you want today, you get.”
“I might want pizza delivered later.”
“Just for the record, Bay, you never have to worry about me wanting pizza.”
“Okay.” I burrowed close. “Just give me five minutes and we’ll go down.”
He held me as tightly as humanly possible without crushing me, his lips brushing my forehead. “However long you want. I’ll be right here.”
ONE WEEK LATER
Life returned to normal — well, normal for the Winchester family — and memories of Hazel’s death faded faster than I would’ve thought possible.
I went back to work, published the paper with a special memorial section for Heather, Eric, and Valerie, and resumed sparring with Thistle and Clove, the latter demanding we participate in another competition to see who would be the baby’s favorite aunt. So far, we were resisting, but that would probably change.
Breakfasts continued at the inn, as did dinners. In fact, it was a dinner I was leaving tonight, the warm summer air a comfortable blanket as I exited through the back door. Landon had already headed back to the guesthouse — he’d received a work text during dinner and realized he’d forgotten to send a file — so I was on my own. I was happy for a few minutes to myself to ponder how things had fallen into place so quickly.
Hazel’s death was ruled a heart attack. At least that’s what the medical examiner put in his report. Part of me would always wonder if Landon exerted pressure for a ruling that included natural causes to protect me. He would never admit to it, but I felt it ... and I was okay with it. Hazel wasn’t worth my tears, or guilt, so I refused to engage in either. She’d gotten what was coming to her. My part in her downfall might always be a cause for concern, but I tried not to dwell on it.
Aunt Tillie always said dwelling on the past was a great way to waste a future. For once, I took the words to heart.
I was halfway back to the guesthouse when I noticed twinkling lights on the bluff where we held our solstice rituals (and occasionally danced naked under the full moon). I was certain my mother and aunts were still at the inn, though I didn’t recall seeing them when I left
. I decided to investigate. It was likely Aunt Tillie doing ... well, Aunt Tillie things, but I wanted to be certain.
The minute I stepped into the clearing I found myself transported to a magical land.
Above me, thousands of multicolored lights twinkled. They floated free, unattached to electrical cords.
Around me, white butterflies flapped their wings as they flitted through the open area, leaving trails of glowing dust as the entire clearing lit up with magical intent.
There were candles. Thousands of them. Someone had not only lit them, they’d enchanted them to float.
And there, in the center of everything, was Landon. He wore a tuxedo and a smile.
“What is ... ?” I trailed off when I saw the velvet box in his hand, my heart skipping as the scene began to coalesce.
He waited. It was as if he knew I needed a moment to collect my breath. In the back of my mind I knew this would eventually happen ... and yet I didn’t picture it like this. I figured he would sit next to me on the couch one day, toss a ring in my lap, and say something like, ‘How about it?’ while laughing like a loon. This was beyond all of my wildest dreams.
“How ... ?” My eyes drifted to one of the butterflies. It wasn’t real. It was an imagining out of some romantic’s fevered dream. It was beautiful, and it stole my breath.
“You didn’t think I was going to go small, did you?” He looked pleased with himself.
“I ... um ... .” My mouth was dry and I couldn’t seem to find the right words.
“I’m a little nervous,” he admitted, grinning as he wiped his free hand on his trousers. “I’ve been practicing this in my head for weeks. Then when you were looking through my sock drawer I thought everything was ruined. Of course, even if you’d found the ring this could never be ruined.”
That’s when his odd behavior over the past few weeks began making sense. “You had the ring in the sock drawer ... and that’s why you freaked out about me looking in there. You weren’t hiding anything else.” I spoke more for my own benefit than his, but the realization made me smile.
“What did you think I was hiding?”
“I don’t know.” That was the truth. “I just knew you were acting odd and it freaked me out. You kept whispering to my mother ... and then there was the incident with my father ... and the sock drawer.”
He smiled. “I asked your mother’s permission. She thought it was funny and wanted to know why it took me so long. I asked your father afterward because ... well ... I thought I should. I even made sure Chief Terry knew, because I wanted to cover all of the bases.”
“You’ve been very thorough.”
His grin broadened. “I love you, Bay. I think I always have. I think from that first moment you stomped over to us at that corn maze and told us to shut our mouths I knew I was supposed to be with you.
“It’s hard to explain,” he continued, his voice soft. “You were ... larger than life. You made my heart race and you made my mind cloudy. I remember those first few meetings after the corn maze when I was supposed to be filling my boss in on my undercover work. All I could think about was you.
“I told myself at the time that it was because you were acting suspicious and I thought you might somehow be involved, but I knew that wasn’t true,” he continued. “I felt you here.” He tapped the spot above his heart and the first tear slid down my cheek. “I know I broke your heart when I said I needed to think after I found out about the witch stuff.
“I think back to that time often and I’m ... angry. Not with you, with me. I didn’t want to leave you that day, but I was confused. I thought I knew what my life was going to be. Then I met you and I was convinced you would become the center of my world ... and you did. The witch part just threw me.
“That day as I was walking down the hill, I could sense you behind me. You said your heart broke. Mine did too. I wanted to turn around and say it didn’t matter, but I wasn’t brave enough. You were already inside of me by then. I could not stay away from you because ... you’re it for me. You’re all I ever want.
“So, here it is.” He licked his lips, his eyes never leaving my face. “This is what I want. You and me. I want to live in the guesthouse with you. Then I want to build a home with you. I want to have children with you. I want to get really excited when those children leave the house and it’s just you and me again. I want to grow old together.”
I fought to hold back a torrent of tears at the naked emotion in his eyes.
“I promise that I will love you forever,” he said. “I promise that I’ll never leave you ... or cheat on you ... or even want to look at another woman. You’ve crawled inside of me and made me whole. I wasn’t a complete person before you.
“And I know what you’re going to say,” he continued, cracking a smile. “You’re going to say that you don’t need another person to be whole. I agree ... for other people. I need you, though. You’re all I’ll ever want. And while I know you can do absolutely anything you set your mind to, I think you need me.”
I nodded. “I do. I ... .”
“Shh.” He grinned as he lifted his finger to his lips. “This is my moment. You can gush all over me as soon as I finish. I told you I’ve been practicing. I’m so nervous all of this stuff is going to fly out of my head and I’m going to just repeat ‘I love you’ over and over again until you say yes.”
“Maybe that’s all you have to say,” I suggested.
“Maybe,” he conceded. “But I want to say more, and here it is. I don’t know that I ever believed in soulmates before you. I thought it was something made up for books and movies. I was wrong. I was ... so, so wrong.
“You’re the one thing in this world I absolutely cannot live without. My heart yearns for you when we’re not together. You’re the first thing I think of every morning, and the last thing I thank the Goddess for bringing me every night. You fill my heart with love, my mind with joy, and my life with laughter. You are ... the best thing that’s ever happened to me.
“I know we’ve been through a lot, and there are times when I wonder how you’re still on your feet because other people wouldn’t be able to put up with the crushing weight that’s often heaped on your shoulders. We’re going to go through a lot more, but I have faith we can do it together.
“I want you to be my wife. You’re already my family. You’re already my heart. I want you to be joined to me forever.”
The tears were back and I no longer had the urge to stop them.
“I love that crazy, wacky mind of yours,” he said. “I love your crazy, wacky family. I love the way you make me feel ... and the fact that I want to be a better man for you. I love that you’re crabby in the morning but still want to cuddle. I love that you’re giggly at night and willing to dress up like bacon just to make me laugh. There’s nothing I don’t love about you. So ... .” He took a deep breath and opened the box.
The stone was bigger than I’d envisioned. It looked to be almost two carats. It was a simple setting, white gold and an emerald-cut solitaire diamond. It was my dream ring, which made me wonder if he’d had help picking it out.
“Bay Winchester, I want to give you everything you could possibly want.” He dropped to one knee in front of me. “I want to be your husband. More importantly, I want to be your forever. I don’t want to be without you. Not a single day for the rest of our lives. Will you marry me?”
Tears cascaded down my cheeks and I hated that I had to snort in a huge sniffle. After a few seconds of my staring at him, he cleared his throat.
“I’m starting to get a complex, Bay. You need to answer me.”
That was enough to snap me out of my fugue state. “Oh.” I dropped to my knees in front of him, allowing the tears to fall. “Can I speak now?”
He looked pained. “Don’t you just want to say yes so we can go back to the guesthouse and celebrate?”
“Don’t make this uncomfortable,” a voice called from the shadows. I recognized it as belonging to my father.
That’s when I realized we weren’t alone. “I ... are they all out there?” Wonderment filled me as I realized the darkness beyond the butterflies was made up of silhouettes — and they all belonged to people I loved.
“I wanted you to get your moment.” He brought his fingers up to brush my hair from my face. “I really need you to say yes soon, Bay. I’m going to freak out if you don’t.”
I nodded and held out my hand. “Yes, but you have to listen to my list of things I love about you.”
“I guess I can live with that.”
“You make me smile. Sometimes you’re grumpy because you think I do stupid things, but I know that’s because you love me. You’ve opened my eyes to love in a way I never thought possible, and I’m not just talking about your bacon fetish.”
He laughed, the sound clear and lovely.
“You’re the most loyal person I know. Even when I do things that drive you crazy you still try to bolster me. When I’m sad, you make me laugh. When I’m afraid you refuse to leave my side. And when I have to stand on my own two feet you give me the room to do it ... while standing two feet behind to make sure I don’t fall.”
“I never want you to fall, sweetie,” he reassured me.
“I love you so much.” My voice cracked, causing him to frown.
“Don’t cry. I hate when you cry.”
“These are happy tears.”
“I think that’s an oxymoron.”
“Well, it’s not.” I moved my hands to his cheeks and grinned. “I want to be with you forever. No matter what life throws at us, I know we’ll be okay because we’ll have each other. I don’t know much in this world, but I do know that.”
“Give me your hand.”
I did as he instructed, sighing as the ring slid into place. It looked natural, as if it had always belonged there.
To Love a Witch Page 28