All Spell is Breaking Loose: Lexi Balefire: Matchmaking Witch (Fate Weaver Book 2)

by Welling, ReGina

  With the immediate danger over, the compulsion faded, and I had to make a choice: go back to the restaurant and salvage things with Kin and his mother, or confront Jett and Serena in a public setting and hope things didn't turn ugly.

  I'm ashamed to say I went with option two.

  As confrontations go, it was a bit of a non-starter. Jett tossed a tired repetition of how he'd made it his mission in life to undo my every good deed. He attempted to appeal to my softer side with a lament about how I had my mother back, but he'd never see his again. I called Serena a few names, and we traded insults until a group of tourists showed up, and I revisited my options.

  No one is going to give me a medal for being an ideal girlfriend, but at least I skipped stopping in at the office to grab my cell phone on the way back to the restaurant. Just in time to see Kin and his mother walking out the door with Delta.

  Delta.

  And Kin.

  Bells, warning whistles, and an air raid siren went off in my head, which didn't explode, but not for lack of trying. I ducked into the nearest recessed doorway for cover and watched Delta--minus the biker-babe makeup and clothes--lay a scarlet-tipped hand on Kin's arm. You read about people saying their blood boiled, but until it happens to you, the whole concept is just a piece of purple prose. The woman was laying claim to the fact that she could get to my man, and right in front of me. Was she simply driving home the message that anything less than my full cooperation would not be tolerated, or was she letting me know she didn't trust me as far as she could throw me if I were in league with Sylvana? That if I stepped out of line, my boyfriend would pay the price? This was exactly the type of situation I'd been tossing and turning over every night. Kin would probably be better off alone with a broken heart than with me.

  It occurred to me a moment too late that I could have cast a spell to overhear the conversation instead of watching it speculatively. I ducked back when Kin's head turned my way, and when I felt it was safe enough to look again, he and his mother had gone, and Delta was walking toward my hiding place.

  Triumph flared to life inside me. Our game of cat and mouse with alternating roles was about to end and with me being the cat for once. I'd grab her as she passed by, then drag the confrontation out into the street. That wicked blade of hers was bound to stay sheathed in a public setting. She said she wanted to talk, well, I was finally ready to listen, so I waited.

  I waited for longer than it should have taken her to get to where I stood, and then the ookie-spookies set in. Was she right there waiting for me to stick my head out? Or had she simply poofed? She is a supernatural hunter, which meant poofing was a possibility.

  No spell for seeing around corners came to mind, and since I wasn't carrying my purse, I couldn't try the old mirror technique, so my only option was to stick my neck out. Assuming I'd be less of a target, I crouched and gingerly poked my head around the corner.

  Known to the locals as café ally, Pearl Street ran through the heart of a city beautification project initiated some twenty years ago. The once sterile brick and mortar canyon sported a line of trees dotted with wrought-iron street lamps, and benches. There was no sign of Delta.

  It took forty-five minutes to thoroughly check every place of business between where I'd hidden and where I'd last seen her, so when she stepped out of a recessed doorway and blocked my path, I was a bit taken aback; the mouse again, despite my best efforts.

  "What do you think you're doing, talking to my boyfriend? I'm going to make this very clear; stay away from me; stay away from my mother; and stay far, far away from my boyfriend."

  Delta raised an eyebrow and fixed me with a condescending stare that clearly indicated she thought I was acting like a jealous teenager. "I needed to get your attention, that was all. You need to listen to me, or you're going to be sorry."

  "What's the big deal? I'm looking for the blasted bow, what more do you want?"

  "There are other things to worry about. Like whether you're even going to be able to lead the other Fate Weavers. I'm starting to doubt the sanity of the gods, choosing you to wield the Bow of Destiny."

  "What are you talking about--lead the other Fate Weavers? What planet have you been living on? There are no other Fate Weavers. I'm the first in 200 years."

  "No, you're just the most powerful. And only since you came into your magic."

  "I don't believe you," I said stubbornly. I trusted Salem's familiar friends more than I trusted Delta; in fact, I think I'd have trusted Salem more even before he could do anything but meow to get his point across.

  "Then you're colossally stupid; regardless, I've been instructed to--" Delta froze again, and I felt Sylvana's presence at my back. Only a few seconds had passed before Delta unfroze this time, and she was spitting nails when she came back to vibrant life.

  "I learned my lesson last--" Frozen again, Delta stopped mid-sentence. Each time she shook off the spell a little bit faster, and as she closed in on us, reaching for her rapier and reminding me of a flip book, Sylvana grabbed my hand. I felt my power grow, funneling the energy into her palm until Delta was immobilized.

  "Come on, let's get out of here."

  I dropped my mother off at her apartment and declined her invitation to dinner. My nerves were raw, my head felt like it was about to lift off into the air, and I could tell I was keyed up by the gnawing feeling in the pit of my stomach. Or maybe my gut was simply reiterating that I was in for a fight with Kin. And rightfully so.

  Chapter Eighteen

  I tiptoed through Kin's unlocked front door several hours later than originally planned. It seemed to be turning into a theme; I couldn't remember the last time I had seen his face up close during daylight hours. The place was dead silent, and I knew that didn't bode well for me. Not only had I simply not shown up to dinner, but I had also been unable to return any of Kin's calls or text messages, and now I was going to have to pay the piper.

  He was sitting on the couch in the living room, hunched forward with his elbows on his knees, shrouded in complete darkness. I flipped on a lamp as I sat down beside him, illuminating the hard, set lines of his jaw and face.

  "Kin, I'm so so sorry. I know you're angry with me, but I couldn't help it--"

  "Stop. I know what you're about to say. Something important came up; someone needed you; the world was in peril! I get it. There's always something more important when you've got magical powers. Who was it this time? Sylvana? Flix? Your damned cat? Or one of your four frickin' faerie godmothers?"

  "It was Jett and Serena. And I couldn't just let them loose after what they did last time." I saw his eyes flash with concern at my mention of Jett, but he tamped it down.

  "See, what am I supposed to say to that? I'm mad, and I can't even be mad because you've always got a good reason. But I can't help if it makes me wonder whether or not I'm ever going to fit into your life. Are you all right? You're all shaky again, like last time." He couldn't help but add.

  "I'm fine," I waved his concerns away, but it irked me to no end that he noticed and insisted on pointing out my heightened energy levels every time I did a lot of magic. "But they nearly broke up a pair of soul mates, and then I saw you talking to Delta, and I freaked out. Can you blame me?"

  "Delta? What?" He looked genuinely confused, and a little freaked out.

  "That was her, the woman you were speaking to outside the restaurant. What did she say to you?"

  "Nothing, she asked for directions, that's all. And she seemed perfectly nice."

  "Right, because people intending to do you bodily harm always tell you what they're up to first. She cornered me afterward and spouted a bunch of lies about how there are other Fate Weavers out there. Salem has already discovered I'm the only one; she's just trying to get under my skin and force me to find the bow that much faster."

  Kin nodded, but refused to ask any more questions or satiate his curiosity. "Do you have any idea how embarrassed I was, sitting in that restaurant, assuring my mom that you'd be along at any mo
ment even though you were completely MIA, and then finally having to admit that you weren't coming after all? I'm pretty sure she thinks I made you up to get her off my case."

  I had never seen Kin's anger turned in my direction before. Heck, I had never even seen him irritated with me, and now it had been twice in quick succession. Every new development in our relationship was a new development for me. I had no frame of reference for what happens after true love's kiss--my clients don't tend to bother me with whatever inevitable relationship issues they faced down the road; romantic comedies leave you with yet another vague happily ever after, and it wasn't as though I had any personal examples for comparison.

  "I'm sorry; I know it was important to you, and I tried my best. Was I just supposed to leave another unsuspecting couple at Jett and Serena's mercy--stand by while they were ripped apart for no good reason when I was fully capable of preventing it? You can't ask me to do that; I won't."

  "I'm not asking you to do anything, Lexi, but I'm disappointed that you couldn't have taken two seconds to let me know what was going on."

  "Don't you think I would have if I could have? I'm sure your mother will understand that something vitally important came up; I'll meet her next time. In fact, I'll probably make a better impression than I would have today. Don't you want me to be comfortable and in the right frame of mind?"

  "If you didn't want to meet her, then why did you agree to dinner?" Of course Kin zeroed in on the one thing I had hoped not to let slip--my reluctance to take our relationship to the next level. It didn't matter that my trepidation had more to do with the uncertainty I felt about my future, let alone anyone who tried to hitch a ride on my wagon than it did about my commitment to him. Had I not been quite so big an idiot, I would have realized that Kin had insecurities as well, but all I felt was a surge of irritation and self-righteous indignation.

  And that's when I finally snapped. "It's not about not wanting to meet your mom, but do you have any idea how much maternal baggage I'm dragging around right now? We've only been dating for a few weeks, and meeting your mother is kind of a big deal! There's no way she's going to like me when I'm so preoccupied that I can't hold a conversation, and I don't want to screw it up. Why can't we just wait a little longer, see what happens, and then I can meet her when we know more about where this is going?"

  "Where this is going, Lexi? We had true love's kiss, remember? We're soul mates. You know it; I know it; apparently, the gods know it. So what's the problem? That isn't enough for you? Or is all this power going to your head? Because it sure seems like it has to me."

  Now, this conversation had gone down a path I hadn't foreseen, even with my advanced divination skills. I was beginning to wonder if I should consult the crystal ball every time I left the house. Perhaps I should start carrying it around with me, like some witchy version of a magic 8-ball to let me know whether signs point to yes or outlook not so good.

  "It's not about how I feel or what I want. I'm not the master of my destiny; I can't see our future any clearer than you can. But I won't turn my back on my heritage, either. Not for you; not for anyone. You need to decide whether or not you can deal with that--and if you can't, we might need to rethink exactly what true love's kiss meant in the first place. Call me when you've made your choice."

  And with that, I slipped back through the front door, choking back a sob as I stumbled down the porch stairs.

  ***

  I rushed out of Kin's yard and around the corner, slowing my pace only when I was beyond his line of sight; not that I thought he was going to follow me anyway. The still night air calmed my rattled nerves, and I felt a sudden, overwhelming urge to sink my toes into the earth--to ground myself and release the flood of pent-up adrenaline and anger from my battered body and soul.

  I pulled the sandals off my feet and felt cool, dewy grass tickle my heels just before the soft soil below squished up through my toes in a satisfying, nostalgic slurp. I hoped old Mrs. Chatterly wasn't watching me through the lace curtains in her upstairs bedroom while I skipped barefoot on her front lawn. And that if she was, she was in a good enough mood to simply yell at me rather than calling the police, as was her custom whenever something happened around the neighborhood that she considered inappropriate.

  Just as that thought flitted through my mind, I saw one of the curtains twitch, and Bigfoot, her fat yellow tiger cat, hopped up onto the window sill to stare fixedly in my direction. By the time I realized it wasn't Mrs. Chatterly herself, I was halfway down the block and at my own front door. That's when something caught my eye from across the street.

  Light sparkling off the quartz and mica embedded in the granite form of my grandmother was not a new phenomenon except for it was happening in the dead of night. Not even a sliver of moon lit the darkness, much less the statue.

  The glints drew me to her; roiling emotion sent me to a seated position in the damp grass at her feet.

  Ignoring the futility of yelling at an unresponsive hunk of rock I cut loose.

  "Who did you kill to end up like this? And what were you thinking? It's not that hard to do the right thing. I do it all the time. Is it too much to ask that my family have at least some semblance of decency? What I need is a role model and look at you, you stone cold witch."

  I gave her skirts a solid, toe-damaging kick, then limped home.

  Chapter Nineteen

  When Mona called and asked me to meet her at the gym for some cardio-yoga, the newest mystifying, oxymoronic fitness craze to crop up on the net, I figured I'd take the cosmic hint and get some of my aggression out in a productive way. I grabbed a pair of leggings and a fitted tank top from the closet and fished my nearly forgotten running shoes from beneath one of the encumbered racks, flipped the sign on my office door to Sorry, we're closed. Please call the office to make an appointment, and headed downtown.

  Mona had already found me a mat and was seated on a matching one three feet to its right, her knees bent butterfly-style, her head pressed snugly against the floor between them. She looked like a human pretzel, and my regret-o-meter starting clanging like a klaxon. What had I signed up for?

  "Isn't this a beginner class?" I asked, settling onto my mat and attempting to copy Mona's posture. I made it about halfway and noticed her sink even lower as she exhaled a deep breath.

  "No, it's an advanced class. I thought you were a yogi--I mean, you've always got that zen kind of calm thing going on...I mean, you've been a bit, uh, preoccupied lately, so I thought you could use a little detox. Do you want to leave? There's a spin class going on next door."

  And walk away from a challenge? "No, this is good, I'll follow along."

  Before I could start questioning her about how I seemed, uh, preoccupied lately (not that I could argue, but if I've got people questioning my sanity, I'd like a heads up before being involuntarily committed), a woman clad head-to-toe in Lululemon tiptoed in and dimmed the lights. A hush spread over the group, and before the giggle I was already preparing to squelch could bubble out of my throat, the drill Sargent-cum-yoga instructor began running us through a series of poses created, I could only imagine, as some form of medieval torture method.

  "Get taller on the inhale; lift up through the top of your head, elongating your spine...and as you exhale, lean even deeper into the twist."

  Yeah, because that's doable when you're standing on one leg, bent over with your palms together in prayer pose, twisting to look up at the ceiling. The fact that everyone around me wore serene expressions--eyes lightly closed, tiny, smug smiles on their relaxed faces, while I huffed and puffed, trying not to make too much noise and wobbling all over the place--only made me want to try harder.

  I concentrated on each word Lululemon uttered as she wandered through the crowd occasionally placing her hands on a back or a neck or a waist and making tiny adjustments, and poured all of my will and intention into not making a complete fool out of myself. My breathing steadied, and I stopped shaking convulsively through every balance pose, manag
ing to avoid tumbling over and taking Mona down with me--and, I hoped, finished the session without making a complete fool out of myself.

  "Good job, Lexi." Mona's smile didn't quite meet her eyes when the lights finally came back on, but she was too nice to hurt my feelings.

  As we made our way to the weight room and got in the long line for a post-workout smoothie (brilliant idea, kudos to whoever decided to put smoothie bars in gyms), Mona gave me the details of Vivianne and Levi's relationship.

  "She's like a whole new woman, Lexi! I can't tell you how grateful I am to you. First, you found me Mark, and now my mom is happier than she has been in years. God, I hope she doesn't try to talk me into a double wedding! Wouldn't that be just the worst? She's been shopping; I haven't seen the woman doll herself up in years, and suddenly she's buying cocktail dresses and dangerously high heels! It's fantastic, and I think my dad would be really happy for her."

  Mona prattled on, and I realized that either I had gained more from the yoga class than I thought, or that I had been in more dire need of a girlfriend than I had realized. I enjoyed the duality of Mona: on the one hand, she was driven, focused, and attentive to the tiniest detail in her work; and on the other, she was frantic and appeared to suffer from attention deficit disorder--both in equal measure.

  At least my job was done; one more successful match and this time the personal connection made my pro-bono work even more worth it.

  While an impossibly petite and perfectly-toned girl whizzed up a mixed berry smoothie with a vitamin shot, I surveyed the equipment room and noticed a crowd forming near the bank of free weights lined up along the wall to our left. Several women were practically falling off their treadmills; their necks were craned so far in that direction.

  Mona and I exchanged a puzzled look and wandered over to see what all the fuss was about; lo and behold, there was Flix, bench pressing about twice his body weight as half the people in the place watched in fascination.