Elanah, it turned out, loved candy. “It’s so colorful and delicious,” she exclaimed. So in the mornings she came and helped Dean stock shelves and organize the different treats. Dean paid her in lollipops.
“I hope this isn’t taking away from your important work of creating that spell. I can handle stocking the store myself.”
Elanah waved away his concern. “I am working on the spell. I’ve done some ‘testing’ so to speak, without much success, so doing physical labour helps me think. I use the mornings to turn the problem over in my mind. So I guess I should thank you instead, for keeping me busy.”
Dean found Elanah easy to talk to. Only a few years older than him, physically anyway, she’d had so many different experiences he found fascinating. He enjoyed her company, and she had a laugh that left a warm feeling in his chest. It didn’t hurt that Elanah was very easy on the eyes. She looked great in jeans and form fitting shirts. “I love these clothes,” she admitted, “they’re so convenient.”
Her smile elicited a harmless tug of attraction in him. Right now they were chatting about the spell she was planning for the summer solstice, and she was sucking on a round, cherry lollipop. Dean found himself staring at her mouth as she enjoyed her treat, pulling it out with a loud sucking noise, obviously enjoying the tart flavour. He could see little bite marks where she’d been worrying it with her teeth. Her tongue rolled over it and he felt a tightening in his groin. He looked up and Elanah was watching him. The tip of her tongue darted out and swept the bottom of her lip. Dean swallowed and looked away.
“I’d better finish this and get back to the factory,” he said gruffly, touching his chest.
Elanah hid a small smile. “I’ll see you tomorrow, then. It’s time I got back to work and figure out the spell.”
As she left she touched his arm and felt a magical push back.
It was as she thought. He had an amulet hidden under his shirt. How interesting.
She could tell it was definitely Fae wrought. Elanah shrugged mentally. It didn’t really matter what it was. She could feel Dean’s eyes on her as she left the quaint little store. She knew she looked great in her new jeans and allowed herself a small, self-satisfied smile. She enjoyed being the object of a male’s appreciative gaze. Amulet or not, nothing beat natural attraction, and the extremely gorgeous Dean Croft was definitely feeling a spark of it for her.
Dean finished up quickly, locked the store, and headed back to the office. He felt energized, and if he had to admit it, lusty. His visit with Elanah had left him wanting to see his beloved very badly. He felt a bit guilty that he enjoyed Elanah’s company so much, even though he knew it was harmless. He may like Elanah, but he was absolutely crazy about Nathalie.
Once he arrived at the office he went straight to Nathalie’s department, marketing and design. She was at her desk and busy working on her Halloween creations. He didn’t say anything as he grabbed her hand and hauled her into the stairwell, pulling her into his arms and kissing her passionately. She opened her mouth and let him in, curling her fingers in his hair and holding his mouth to hers. He cupped her breast and the nipple hardened under her skimpy bra and silk blouse. He locked his other hand tightly in her soft brown hair and devoured her mouth with his. They made loud sucking noises as they kissed and his tongue slid in and out of her mouth. “Let’s go home for lunch,” he whispered. He very badly wanted her naked and in his arms.
Nathalie just laughed. “Which home? My mom’s at home today, and so is yours.”
Dean groaned. “We need our own place.”
“Yes, we do.” She hesitated for a moment. “I would do it.”
Dean looked at her quizzically. “Do what?”
Nathalie smiled, kissing his mouth and running her hands through his curly hair. “Move out. You know…live together. We need our own place, Dean. We’re adults and we need privacy. We both work…I think it would be great. We’re getting married anyway,” she said shyly.
Dean seemed a little stunned. “Are you serious? Waiting until we’re married doesn’t matter to you?”
Nathalie shook her head. “No. You matter to me. Our life together matters to me. Our privacy matters to me,” she said significantly.
“My God, I’d love that…” Dean said, thrilled beyond words. Nathalie in his bed every night? Boo-yaa. That definitely worked for him.
“Well, I didn’t tell you, but I spoke to Clara Innes and she said we can have her old place over her shop.”
Dean frowned. “Where Beth lived?” The witch that had hexed him, controlled him, and forced him into some hanky-panky that had gotten him in trouble with Nathalie.
Nathalie nodded. “Hear me out. I’ve been kind of planning this for a while, ever since we almost got caught fooling around in your room by your twin brothers.”
Dean shuddered. That didn’t bear thinking about.
“I spoke to Clara in the fall and she agreed to rent it to me, starting this summer. I spent the winter cleaning and repainting. Sadie and I did three ritual cleansings to clear out any residual evil. According to her, not even a roach would move into that place now, it’s that clean.”
“Wow…hey wait a second. So that’s what all the girl’s nights were for!”
“That and wedding planning with Sadie, of course. I wanted it to be a surprise. You said once that you wanted to do it, so I just took it from there. Surprise!”
Dean hugged Nathalie to him. “We can have sex every night,” he said with wonder. “You’d be able to scream as loud as you want.”
Hmmph. Nathalie blushed. “I’m not the only screamer,” she pointed out dryly.
“True, but I’m not ashamed to admit it.”
“Very true,” she agreed, resting against him and running her hands over his neck and back. She loved him so much.
“So when do we move in?”
“The beginning of July. I thought we should give our parents time to adjust once we tell them.”
“Good idea,” he said, kissing the top of her head.
“Any news about Sadie?”
“Nothing yet, baby. Nothing yet.”
Elanah watched through the window as Dean stretched and placed boxes on the upper shelves at the back of the store. Lean and muscular, Dean looked great in a suit. She enjoyed their mornings together, and the pull of attraction she felt for him was getting stronger. She was a bit surprised as he looked nothing like Sean, who’d been the love of her life. It was Dean’s manner, she decided as she entered the bright and colourful store. She appreciated his loyalty to his friends, and his particular devotion to his girlfriend was extremely appealing.
She had dressed carefully today. She’d gone to Town Circle and picked up a few new items. The Barringtons had been very generous with her, calling the clothing store in advance and requesting the bill be sent to them. She didn’t spend much, she didn’t think. A frilly pink blouse cut low, and some very nice undergarments. She wondered if he’d notice the blouse. The undergarments…would have to wait.
As she strolled into the shop, Dean turned and smiled, his eyes taking in her new blouse. She was certain that was appreciation in his eyes.
“I’m here to help,” Elanah said with a warm smile.
Dean flushed a bit. “Great…we need to get the chocolate into the display in the front window.”
The chocolate boxes were at the door and the display was set up. He went over with his box-cutting knife and sliced them open for her. She moved to peer at the merchandise. The smell of chocolate wafted to her. It was heaven.
She stood so close to Dean that she could feel the heat of his body. She looked up at him and he took a step back, clearing his throat. “So, I have some great news.”
“Tell me,” Elanah said with an inviting smile.
“Nathalie and I are moving in together,” he said happily.
Elanah’s expression never changed, although she felt a jolt of shock. “That’s wonderful, Dean!” she said with enthusiasm, putting her hand on his arm. “There’s no
thing like coming home to someone you love.”
“Yeah,” he said, nodding vigorously. “Nathalie means everything to me.”
John appeared at the door and greeted them. “Just checking how things are going.”
“Moving along. Elanah’s been a godsend. Any news on Sadie?” Dean inquired. The search parties had been out for days, with Luke at the head.
John shook his head no, worry for his young daughter-in-law etched in his face. He wanted to help with the hunt, but there were enough people and many other pressing problems—like opening a hotel and getting Elanah’s spell ingredients so they could cure their sick witches.
“Unfortunately, I need to steal Elanah. Bill Farmer thinks he found the rare root she needs for the neutralizing spell and wants her to have a look at it.”
Elanah gave Dean a small wave as she left.
The smell of lavender, Elanah’s smell, lingered in the small room. Dean watched them leave and realized he was sweating.
Chapter 14 – Finding Crazy
Barrington County, Present Day
Luke had been scouring the woods looking for Sadie ever since she went missing. Teams of volunteers, organized by Sheriff Holt, had been helping with the search for days. They had lookout points where people could mobilize and have something to eat or drink. Luke and the Sheriff were looking at a map of the surrounding woods when a woman appeared, startling them.
She was dressed in cargo pants, a tee shirt, and a hooded sweater with a backpack of supplies, including a raincoat. Tall and muscular, she looked like an Amazon fighter. She nodded to the Sheriff before training her eyes on Luke.
“I’m guessing you’re Luke Barrington? I’m Vailendra, Elanah’s daughter. You can call me Vail for short.”
Luke looked at Vail. It took a few moments for his sight to kick in—days of minimal sleep and forced meals were taking its toll. What he saw before him was a woman who shimmered with a pure, white light. A feeling of comfort and hope stole over him, and for the first time since Sadie’s disappearance, he felt his feelings of panic and despair lessen. She reminded him of Taline, a Fae he trusted and cared about very much. She had the same strength and nobility of bearing. Luke suddenly felt as if everything was going to be all right.
Overwhelmed with emotion, Luke hugged her, tears in his eyes. “Yes, I’m Luke. Can you find her?”
Vail had heard about this great love between the Seer and the Witch. It hadn’t been an exaggeration. She gave a small chuckle and hugged him back. God, he was so young.
“I am going to find her,” she said, putting her hands on his shoulders and looking into his face. “You may as well call off the search. They won’t be able to find her. She may be temporarily out of her mind, but her protective instincts will still kick in. She’s going to hide if she sees people. And although her power is corrupted, and may only come in fits and starts, it’ll still cloak her. Plus, she’s very dangerous right now.”
“Will you be able to see her?”
Vail nodded. “Yes, and it will be easier for me if I don’t have a forest full of well-intentioned people driving her into hiding.”
Sheriff Holt knew of Vail, and while John Barrington had vouched for her, he took a moment to assess her himself. He must have seen something in her he trusted implicitly because his next action was a serious one. He put his walkie talkie to his mouth. “Okay, teams. Back to base. The search has been called off. We have secured the services of an expert tracker who needs the woods cleared. Everybody out.”
“Roger that,” could be heard as the team leads reported in.
“Pack up!” he yelled, watching people spring to his command.
Vail smiled appreciatively. “Thank you, Sheriff.”
“I’m coming with you,” Luke said, a look of determination on his face.
Vail looked at him with sympathy. “I can’t take you, Luke, I’m sorry.”
“Why not?” The question was a plea. He was suffering badly.
“Luke, she’s been exposed for three days. No food, probably just water if she even thinks to stop and drink. She may even be…”
“Dead.” He bent over, beginning to hyperventilate as his heart raced in fear. Sadie’s mark had been bleeding three days ago. God only knew what it looked like now.
“You have to be strong, Luke,” Vail said, putting her hand on his shoulder. “If you come with me you’ll only slow me down. I move at four times your speed, so you won’t be able to keep up. And—” she put up a hand to forestall his comments as he looked up, “you are in no condition yourself. You’re exhausted, and it looks as if you’re starving.”
Luke looked defeated.
“Go home, eat, and get some rest. When I find her I will take her to the cabin. I will call you the moment I arrive.”
“I’ll just wait up there,” he said, brightening.
“No, you won’t. I have a cabin full of sick, nervous witches who are barely recovering. The last thing they need is a strange male hanging around. Who knows what they’ll do. Just wait for my call and we’ll talk then. I have to get going.”
With that Vail left, heading north. Within seconds she was lost from sight.
Vail found Sadie a few hours later, near dusk. Without all those people tramping in the woods, it was easy for Vail to sense her. She was lying under a bush drinking water from a small stream running alongside. She was gaunt and dirty, and she crouched like a wild animal as Vail approached her. Her eyes weren’t glowing, but confusion and madness shadowed them.
Vail felt anger at her mother and pity for the girls suffering through this sickness. How could she have done this?
Sadie’s hands, face, and legs were scratched and bleeding from her time in the woods. She looked frail, but Vail knew she wasn’t. She was very aware of the immense power the girl controlled. She was a predator, not prey.
“Sadie,” she said soothingly. “I’m here to help.”
Sadie narrowed her eyes, and Vail could feel her gathering her power. Her control was fitful as the hair on her arms stood on end. Vail could feel her hair floating in response, and Sadie’s twisted like it was alive. Her eyes began to glow a sick, greenish hue.
She didn’t know Vail, so her self-defense mechanism was kicking in and about to deliver one hell of a wallop. Vail used Sadie’s weakness instead. “Listen to me, Sadie. Luke sent me. He is desperate to find you. He’s terrified for your safety. All you have to do is let me help you.”
At Luke’s name, Sadie’s eyes cleared for a brief moment. Love and anguish passed through them.
Vail didn’t hesitate. “Take my hand and you’ll see,” she coaxed, crouching down and holding out her hand to make it easier. Sadie only hesitated a second before reaching.
Then Vail had her. “Sleep,” she said with a flicker of blue power. The suggestion knocked Sadie out.
Vail sat back on her heels and sighed before she called her father for help.
With Sadie safely at the cabin, Luke squashed his overwhelming desire to drive up there and be with her, even though Vail had forbidden it. Something else was bothering him. His “spidey” senses were tingling. Something was very wrong in this town, and it wasn’t only the poison. Something else was off, and he was going to figure out what that was. In the meantime he headed to the library, his sanctuary. Liz, the librarian, would let him close up, and he could stay as long as he liked. He needed to think.
Chapter 15 – A Plea
Limerick: Summer 1591
Willow Kellar crept silently toward the quiet farmstead that sat nestled between the trees. Her heart beat wildly as she approached. She’d left her horse grazing in the woods a ways back so she wouldn’t be heard. She desperately needed to talk to Elanah, and secrecy was imperative. She knew Elanah was alone right now, without visitors. Elanah’s parents and her rotten brother were all accounted for in town, and Hiram was in his fields. She raced to the front door and knocked frantically. “Elanah? Elanah! It’s Willow! Willow Kellar! I need to speak with you!”
Elanah swung open the door and ushered Willow in, shutting it quickly behind her. “What are you doing here, Willow? Are you mad? Suppose my brother had been visiting!” Despite the purple shadows marking the pale white skin under her eyes, Willow was a sight to behold. The girl was so beautiful even Elanah ached when she looked at her.
“Trust me, I know his whereabouts at the moment. That is why I am here! Something must be done about Karl!” Willow said anxiously, clutching Elanah’s hands in hers. “I thought this would all be done with once he found out I was a happily married woman, but instead it is worsening. Your brother is getting more persistent, not less! Now he is spreading vile, vicious rumours about my Jesse, calling him a half-breed. The townsfolk are getting riled. God only knows what they will do. It did not take even that much for them to form a mob and burn Dame Sooker at the stake last year. My poor husband, my sweet son, they are both in danger! I need your help. You must speak with your brother. Tell him to stay away from me and my family. Please beseech your father on my behalf. You are my last hope,” Willow exclaimed before bursting into tears.
Elanah gnawed at the nail of her thumb, watching as Willow dissolved emotionally from the stress of the situation she was in. She didn’t know what to say. She couldn’t help Willow, and she knew that because she’d already tried. Karl had told her to mind her own business, or she’d find her own secret spread around Limerick. The thought of her and Sean exposed made her shudder. Her husband Hiram would be furious as the cuckold, not to mention the shame she would bring upon all their families, including Sean’s. They had plans. She had to protect him at all costs.
“I did try talking to my brother,” Elanah explained to the frightened girl, giving her a small handkerchief to wipe the tears from her face, “but there is no reasoning with him.”
“Your parents do nothing to control him!”
“My father is blind when it comes to his son,” Elanah said with some bitterness, “and my parents are snobs. My father doesn’t care what happens so long as his reputation is not tarnished in Limerick’s upper class society. The problems of people outside their community are of no concern to them, and he is not convinced Karl is serious about his intentions.”
Malice: A Barrington County Novel Page 14