Cornbread & Crossroads

by Bella Falls

  “Why are you grinning?” Dash asked, the left side of his mouth twitching up in amusement.

  “Because we’re going to win,” I said, following Nana’s advice and trusting my gut. “We’ve got a decent plan in the works, a way to protect my soul, and literal luck on our side in the form of a leprechaun king.”

  Mason chuckled at my boast. “Yeah, but you forgot one thing. Wherever you go, there’s one thing that always seems to show up.”

  “What’s that?” I asked.

  “Trouble,” both Mason and Dash said at the same time.

  Chapter Twenty-One

  The world was full of unusual smells, and ever since I’d gone through the binding ceremony with Dash, I experienced the world in a whole new way.

  “Quit scenting the wind,” Dash grumbled as he waited beside me.

  Annoyance ruffled my confidence, and I didn’t know if it came from him or me. I stood at the edge of the field in front of the Founders’ Tree. Although none of us from last night could agree with the meaning of Nana’s three words, I decided on meeting Lorelei under the live oak’s curling branches. Maybe its protective powers would keep me safe, and it couldn’t hurt to hedge the huge bet I was getting ready to make.

  After the binding ceremony, Nick had contacted his sister through his own phone that still worked. He baited her into coming today and set up the meeting under the tree. Lucky picked the crucial time of twilight as its in-between properties boosted the powers of the fae.

  “I can hear the beating of wings and the pitter-pat of rapid heartbeats,” I muttered to Dash.

  “Shifter hearing,” he said in a low tone, tapping his ear.

  My eyes scanned the field as I tried to guesstimate how far away Lucky and the rest of the fae residents were from me. “You can always detect things from this distance?”

  “Depends on what other noises there might be, who I need to block out, and more,” he explained. “I’ve got more practice than you, but you need to try and stay focused. And please try to slow your heart rate. The more nervous you get, the harder you make it for me and my wolf.” His eyes blazed yellow, affected by my stress.

  I drew in deep breaths, holding them in for a few seconds, and blowing them out slowly. The rhythm of my heartbeat slowed, and I regained a fraction of my confidence back.

  Bright purple and fuchsia streaked the sky. Dark, gray-hued clouds skittered across as the end of daylight drew near. Right above the tree line on the western side of the field, the last rays of the sun blended red and orange into the celestial painting.

  “You’ve got this, Charli,” Dash said. “Nick and Lucky told you how to make sure you keep the terms of the contract specific enough that she can’t weasel her way out. They’ll both be here at the ready with me. We’ve all taken great measures to make sure this goes our way. And if it looks like it isn’t, then there’s some decent backup ready to fight.”

  A cool breeze blew between us, and I shivered. Dash involuntarily quaked next to me. “Dang, this binding is messing with both of us. You witches get cold too easily.”

  My body warmed in a wave of sudden heat. “Did you do that?”

  “I guess,” the shifter said. “I thought about how us shifters run a little on the hot side.”

  I sighed. “If we’d had more time, we could have practiced.”

  “You and I both decided that we needed to push things as fast as possible for the sake of your grandmother’s health and so we can break this bond before Mason comes and tries to fracture my head,” Dash said.

  The colors in the sky deepened as the sun set a little further. “It’s almost time, assuming Nick’s sister stays on schedule.”

  “Lucky will give us the signal. He’s got some of the pixies stationed through the town to monitor her entry point and let him know when she’s approaching.” The shifter leaned his head to the left and right, cracking his neck. A sudden urge to do the same filled me, and I stretched my neck as well.

  Dash chuckled. “I wonder what will happen when my wolf rears his head.”

  “Frosted fairy wings, I didn’t think about that. Will I shift?” I panicked.

  He grinned. “You’re not an actual shifter, so I doubt it. But you might succumb to your more basic instincts and needs.”

  “Like an animal.” I wondered what kind I would be if I could change into one. Crow like Biddy? Cat like Peaches? Or something a little wilder like a mountain lion. Or a grizzly bear, much bigger than Dash so I could kick his butt at least one time.

  I giggled, and Dash snickered. “What has us so amused?”

  “Doesn’t matter. But do me a favor. When things start to happen, try your best not to go all wolfy protective from your position,” I begged. “I don’t want to get distracted.”

  Impatient annoyance made us both frown. “I can’t make any guarantees,” Dash said. “But I’ll do my best.”

  I heard someone’s voice that sounded like Lucky but couldn’t discern the exact words. While I got a hint of some of the shifter’s abilities, I didn’t possess his actual powers.

  “One of the pixies reported that the sister’s on her way.” Dash squeezed my hand. “You’ll be fine. Stick to the plan and make sure she stays inside the circle.” He pointed at the ring of red-capped mushrooms surrounding me. “Lucky says if we do this right, Nick’s sister won’t bother anyone for a very long time.”

  “You better get to your post,” I insisted.

  He turned to go but stopped. Taking me by my arms in a gentle grip, he leaned in and kissed my cheek. A swirl of emotions crashed over me like a tidal wave, and I knew in that one moment exactly how the shifter felt without him saying a word. But if our connection worked both ways, then he knew that I couldn’t return the sweet sentiment.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  He placed his warm fingers under my chin. “Don’t be. Life has a way of working things out the way they should be.”

  “And if Fate is fair, then she’ll make sure you find someone who’ll return those feelings,” I said, hoping my words were true. “Now, git.”

  The Spanish moss rustled underneath the Founders’ Tree. Cicadas sang their evening tune while the crickets chirped, but all of nature’s noises stopped the second Nick’s sister reached the edge of the field.

  I closed my eyes and listened to the sounds coming from her direction. The young woman cursed and complained under her breath as her heels sunk into the field underneath her feet. She wore a tight miniskirt and a dark green shirt with a deep V-neck. Her jewelry sparkled with her movement, and the numerous bangles stacked on her arms clinked as she waved her arms in the air, trying so hard to stay upright. It wasn’t until she almost reached me that she looked up.

  “Eww.” With a scrunched-up face, she stepped over the line of mushrooms, dismissing it as an icky part of nature. “So, I was expecting my brother Nick. I’m guessing you must be some girl he’s used his specific charms on in order to date him?” She giggled at her poor joke.

  I ignored the overwhelming initial instinct to curl my lips back and show her my teeth, adding a growl for good measure.

  “My name’s Charli Goodwin.” My voice held more rasp in it than normal. “And I know exactly who you are and what you want, Lorelei.”

  She snorted and ignored me, rummaging around in the large purse slung over her shoulder. “Oh, please. Is my big brother so much of a coward that he sent you to fight his own battles? Why did he ask me to meet here instead of at the rundown house he purchased for his little side project?”

  “I thought it best for us to conduct our business right here under the same tree where our town was founded.

  Lorelei squealed and slapped her bare legs. “I’ll be eaten alive by mosquitoes or drained of all my blood.”

  “There are residents here that could fulfill that job,” I said, hoping that the vampire contingency was as good at hearing as Dash.

  “Yes, Nicky told me about your motley band of citizens here.” She popped off the t
op to a shiny tube of lipstick and smeared it on her pouty lips. “Guess the ugly and unwanted need to live somewhere. But you know what Daddy taught me?” Lorelei blotted her lips once and glowered at me while she waited.

  I suppressed an eye roll. “What?”

  “The ones nobody wants make the best clients. They’re the easiest marks because they’ll give away more for so much less.” Her shoulders shook as she tittered away.

  “Speaking of deals, I’m prepared to make one with you.” Rolling my shoulders back, I relied a little on Dash’s confidence to boost my own.

  Lorelei looked me up and down. “You want a full makeover? Bigger breasts, thinner waist, more manageable hair? Hmm, maybe slim down your backside?”

  My hands curled in and out of fists at the nerve of her trying to size me up. “No.”

  She looked at me like I had unicorn manure spread all over me. “Need some money to get out of this dump? Maybe you want to get rich fast?”

  “Money isn’t an issue for me,” I dismissed, wanting her to shut up and let me say what I’d rehearsed with Nick and Lucky. “Listen—”

  “I don’t know why Nicky’s wasting my time with sending you here.” Lorelei retrieved her phone from her bag and scrolled through it. “It’s getting dark, I’m going to get more mosquito bites, and I’m bored.” She flashed the fakest smile. “Tell my older brother that I’ll be reporting this to Daddy.”

  Nick’s sister started to walk away, leaving the enclosed targeted area. Dash’s anger mixed with my panic and almost choked me.

  I reached out in her direction as if I were close enough to grab her and drag her back before she crossed over the mushrooms again. “I’m a witch!” I shouted.

  She stumbled forward and stopped moving a step shy of leaving the circle. “Good for you,” she said with mock appreciation. “And what does that have to do with me?”

  A figure walked out of the tree line behind Lorelei. “Everything, sis,” Nick shouted.

  Chapter Twenty-Two

  An immediate rush of anger and nerves hit me. Words that weren’t mine pressed into my head. Traitor. Not planned. Danger. I needed to change tactics, but I couldn’t think when my thoughts weren’t the only ones taking up brain space.

  “Nicky,” Lorelei crooned. She held out her hands for her brother to embrace her. After they hugged, she pulled away and hit him. “You’re late, and your choice in locations is abysmal.”

  “Sorry, Lorelei,” Nick said with great affection. “The choice of place was hers.” A predatory smile spread on his face. “Hello, Charli. Did you honestly think you had the upper hand? You’ve been played this whole time, and now I get to gift my little sis her surprise. It’s a shame you couldn’t have gotten dressed up in prettier packaging.”

  His sister shared a laugh with him. “Oh, Nicky, it’s not her fault for being so plain. She is limited by the gifts she was born with.” She clapped her hands together. “Now, give me my present.”

  Nick nodded at me. “You’re looking at it.”

  “Be serious.” His sister pouted. “Well, whatever it is about her, you better tell me fast.” She patted her large handbag. “I’ve got a payment to collect.”

  I narrowed my eyes at Nick, wondering if any of the story he’d fed me was true. Still unsure of what to do, I stayed still while he paced around me.

  “Like she said, Charli is a witch, and that makes her soul a little more valuable to begin with. But,” the demon paused as he stood close enough I could smell scented oil on his skin, “it’s her talents that make her the perfect present for you. How would you like your own personal tracker at your beck and call?”

  Lorelei stared at me, her mouth agape with her upper lip curled just enough to convey her absolute disbelief. “You’re joking. You know that Daddy had to pay a pretty penny to even find someone with abilities like that to locate you. If I had a witch with tracking abilities, I could rise to the top.”

  “And once you’re in a better position, you can help me get ahead as well,” Nick encouraged.

  “Yeah. Sure.” His sister approached a little closer to examine me. “We’d have to do something about her wardrobe. Cut and color her hair. If she’s going to be out there attached to my name, then she has to look appropriate.”

  Nick flourished his hands and a pen and parchment scroll appeared in them. “All you have to do is write up the contract and she’s all yours.”

  “What kind of a present is that, making me do all the work?” Lorelei complained.

  With a sniff, Nick shrugged. “If you want the contract done in my name, then I’ll be more than happy to claim her magic for my own use.”

  “Not on your life!” his sister shrieked, taking a picture of me and blinding me with the flash. “But if you want to fill everything out for me, that would be super helpful.”

  Nick cleared his throat. “Name?”

  I refused to answer, unsure of whether or not to call in the cavalry.

  A pointed talon-like nail poked into my side. “Answer his questions, witch.”

  “Charlotte Vivian Goodwin,” I stated.

  He scribbled it down on the parchment. “Occupation…tracker. We can skip over the part about physical details for the moment. Let’s get right down to what it is she wants.” Nick widened his eyes and raised his eyebrows at me. “Didn’t you tell me specifically what it is you’d be willing to make a deal for?”

  Questions filled my head, but I did my best to block them out. “Yes, specific details. I want for all the residents of Honeysuckle you affected to be returned to their original state.”

  “Original or how they were prior to their change?” Nick clarified.

  Lorelei stopped texting on her phone. “Why are you helping her?”

  “Sorry. I got used to trying to satisfy the customers at the spa,” he apologized. “Please continue.”

  I chose my words with care, a little relieved to find him still on my team. “My grandmother needs to be released from whatever spell she’s under and have her health returned to how it was before she was affected.” If I was making demands, why not shoot for the moon? “In fact, I’d like for her to be healthy enough to live for several more decades.”

  Lorelei snorted. “You’re willing to make a deal so an old fart can live longer. That’s smart.”

  “I’m not finished,” I said, getting revved up. “You and any of your kind are never to step foot across our borders ever again. I don’t care if someone from the inside calls you directly and begs you. Every current resident and future possible town citizen are off-limits to you, your family, or any of your kind for the rest of eternity. Consider Honeysuckle Hollow off your radar for good.”

  Nick opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, I held up a finger. “Oh, and just so you don’t find a loophole, anyone from here or any of their future generations cannot be approached, even if they are not living in our town. If someone can trace their roots back to Honeysuckle, then they cannot be messed with by any of your kind.”

  Lorelei stomped over to stand next to her brother and look over his shoulder. “You’re being very thorough with your requests. This last one is a little out of our jurisdiction,” she mused, reading the details. “Are her abilities worth all of this trouble?”

  “I have tested her talents already just to be sure, and I can tell you that you won’t be disappointed,” Nick lied.

  “Hmm,” Lorelei grunted. “I’m assuming that’s all, so if you would be so kind as to sign at the bottom…no, wait. I’m sorry. The more I think about it, the less I’m inclined to give you what you want.”

  Nick’s pen faltered on the paper. “But I thought you’d be happy to have a tracker at your disposal.”

  “It would be a fantastic thing. An amazing acquisition. The problem is, Nicky dear,” she grabbed his chin with her fingers and leaned closer. “I don’t trust you.” With a vicious shove, she pushed Nick’s face, scratching his skin and making him bleed.

  With a sneer, she s
natched the contract and ripped it into shreds. “Oh, Nick. Did you really think you’d be able to make a fool out of me? You’d send me back to the company, thinking I had a witch with tracking abilities only to find out she couldn’t deliver.”

  “Why would I do that?” he asked.

  “So that you could swoop in with whatever you think you’ve gained from here and use it to get a promotion to rise above me,” she replied with venomous distaste. “Isn’t that just what Daddy would love. All those years where your traitorous mother hid you plus your lack of experience would be erased, and he’d finally have his firstborn, his beloved son, right there by his side. And then where would I be?”

  “Lorelei, you’ve got it all wrong,” attempted Nick.

  His sister reached into her bag and pulled out a glass jar with a multicolored glowing liquid sloshing inside it. “I found your secret hiding place. Did you think you could collect the souls and keep them from me? And why didn’t you create contracts for them?” Lorelei shook the contents, and my breath caught in fear of her breaking the bottle.

  Nick stopped trying to placate his sister and turned on her. “Fine, you want the truth, you can have it. My biggest regret is that I ever allowed my father to manipulate me into thinking we could be a happy family if I came back with him. That I was missing out on something that would make me whole. Or that you actually cared at all for me.”

  “Yes, Daddy said you were the easiest mark he’d ever manipulated. We plotted together to figure out the absolute best way to reel you in. Playing the doting little sister was fun at first but it’s gotten dull enough.” She yawned. “About all you were good for was doing my grunt work. And based on your lack of contracts, you couldn’t even get that right.”

  “Why would I try to help you?” Nick challenged. “You think you hid your true self from me while acting like a loving sister? I’ve known all along that you were biding your time to slide your proverbial knife into my back. And wait until our father finds out about your little venture here.”