by Mina Carter
She arched a thin brow at the fairy. “I would like that very much. Oh, and be sure to call him that, while you’re at it.”
Ginger put a hand to her forehead and gave a sharp salute. “Got it!” she said, and then darted through the serving window. From the back of the diner, Anika could hear a tiny voice say, “Hey, beefcake…”
Chapter Twelve
As she and Drake drove through the iron gates, Anika was surprised to see that the grounds of Mystic Manor were packed full of unfamiliar vehicles. The manor wasn’t used to seeing that much life. Only a few witches and students were in residence at any given time, and considering it was past the witching hour, early Saturday morning, the place should have been a ghost town. After finding a parking space between the hedges of the garden, Anika got off the bike and placed her hand in Drake’s.
“I wasn’t expecting an audience for my final trial.”
He pushed his disheveled hair out of his face and coughed, clearing his throat. “Maybe someone died.”
Anika stopped walking and blinked slowly…twice. “That’s not funny. What if something horrible did happen? You’d feel like an ass for saying that, as you should.”
He nodded slowly, as if he were taking what she said seriously. “So no dead person jokes?”
She crossed her arms and then uncrossed them. “Whatever, I’m just strung tight right now, being overly sensitive. But even so, you should be kissing me or giving my tired muscles a proper rub down, not poking fun.” With a hidden smile, she turned to walk away. “Some boyfriend, you are.”
Before she knew what was happening, Drake swung her into his arms. Her legs dangled across his bulging biceps as he eagerly lowered his mouth to hers, presumably, to shut her up. The tips of his fingers played across her skin, making it hard for her to think or even move. A moan escaped from between their joined lips.
She shuddered, languishing in the velvet caress of his tongue. She brushed a hand across the bare skin of his neck and pulled him closer, pushing her tongue deeper, taking more, swallowing his heated breath. But it was not enough. Kissing him was an erotic tease, act one of unimaginable pleasure, but it left her craving more of what she knew he could offer her. She needed to be closer, so Anika pressed into him, but then abruptly pulled back at the sound of a tiny roar and a yell like a tinkling bell.
“Hey! Let us out of here before you squash us with your gross love-moves!”
Anika looked down through hooded eyelashes. Drake groaned and raised an eyebrow.
Anika whispered, “I could flush both of you down a toilet and not even feel the slightest guilt over it.”
Drake chuckled.
The dragon flew out of the pocket’s opening and hovered in front of them with Ginger perched on his back like an ethereal cowgirl.
Drake gave them both a withering look. “Faing, you already know where to go. Take that mosquito with you.”
“Yee-haw!” Ginger hollered. “You heard the beefcake, let’s vamoose! Giddy-up, dragon!”
Faing threw his head back and roared. Fire erupted from his mouth, and he reared back like a fierce stallion in midair. To Anika’s surprise, he was actually playing along with the fairy. She smiled. Asking Ginger to move in was, without a doubt, a wonderful idea. Anika pressed the tips of her fingers to her still wet lips. That’s if you don’t count the fairy’s bad timing, she thought, more than a little irritated.
Before they took off, Ginger waved good-bye. Anika smiled and waved back, watching as both the dragon and the fairy flew off, disappearing over the roof of the manor.
* * *
A tall, beautiful, middle aged woman standing across the room was the first thing Anika saw as she walked through the front door. The witch had long, black hair that snaked in a shimmering wave over her left shoulder. The raven locks fell across rounded breasts that were cinched, pushed up high, inside a royal blue and black corseted ball gown.
The next thing she noticed were the two or three dozen witches and warlocks gathered around, wearing evening attire and bright, plastered-on smiles. Each one of them had their eyes resting on Anika. She could hear Drake shifting nervously behind her, a dead giveaway that he had prior notice of whatever was going on.
“Darling, you finally made it,” the beautiful woman said as she strolled across the room. “Drake was supposed to have you here well over an hour ago, that no-good son of mine.”
Drake picked up the High Priestess’s hand and kissed the back of it tenderly. “Mother, you look stunning, as always.”
A smile curved her lush mouth. “No wonder, you’re my favorite pup out of the litter.” She nodded in the direction of the billiards room. “Speaking of my precious offspring, your youngest brother is keeping company with one of my coven witches.”
Drake grinned. “If Jaxon was ever to be found not in the company of a young, attractive woman, then I’d worry.”
Her brows rose imperially. “It may be of some interest to your lovely lady, with whom he is entertaining himself tonight.”
Anika peered through the open doors that led to the billiards room. Over a table that was lavishly adorned with flowers, and behind a couple of witches arguing over whose turn it was to shoot at ‘the black ball,’ Anika spotted the woman to whom Skye, the High Priestess, referred.
“Tamra,” Anika said, almost too quietly for anyone to hear.
“Yes, dear, it’s your nemesis,” Skye agreed, while nodding her head. “It would seem as though we have much to discuss on that matter.”
Anika’s eyes shot to Skye’s. “How do you know what’s going on between Tamra and me?”
Skye gave Anika an easy, light smile that betrayed nothing. “I’m sorry for not being up front with you from the beginning, child, but watching your shocked expression while you figured out that this was your party was too good to pass up.”
“So this is my party? I wasn’t sure, considering that I haven’t performed the final spell required to pass my trial,” Anika said, looking around.
“But, child, you did pass. And if I may be so bold as to say, you kicked some major ass.” The High Priestess winked at her. “You even managed to make my eldest brat look good in the process.”
Chapter Thirteen
There Anika was, sitting in front of the High Priestess, with no clue of what was going on. It would be disturbing if she weren’t already used to the all-knowing ways of the exceptionally powerful witch, Skye. She listened intently as her superior described her actions over the last few hours in detail. It seemed that not only did she know about the malevolence that had escaped the manor, but she’d also had a front-row seat to the battle that ensued, watching all the while, through her divining mirror.
Studying Anika’s face as she rose, Skye said, “Tamra will need to be dealt with. It seems that she is almost lost to us completely, her soul quickly filling with darkness.”
Anika altered her position in the chair, so she could watch Skye walk the room. Despite the friendship she’d once shared with Tamra, she understood the High Priestess’s need for action in the matter. Anika had tried to reach Tamra through all her stubbornness and jealousy. She wanted to see the best in her, but Skye was right. There wasn’t much goodness left, if any, to try and salvage in her former best friend.
Anika nodded solemnly. “What is your decree for punishment?” Jaw firm and gaze focused, she waited for the Priestess to answer.
“From all the choices afforded me, there is one in particular that seems fitting.” Skye ran her fingers lightly over a tall, gem-encrusted lamp. The tips caressed the rounded base and fluttered playfully over the tube-like top. She drew her hand back and lifted the lamp off the table. “Drake had an intriguing idea earlier, when he ran into Tamra in the stairwell, before finding you in your sanctuary. I kind of liked it, and I think it will do well for her crimes against her coven and sister-witch.”
Anika drew her head back in shock. “You’ve been watching us since then?”
Skye smiled, her powerful g
aze coursing a heated path across Anika. “I’ve been watching you for quite some time now, dear. After all, you’re my star pupil, as well as the apple of my darling Drake’s eye. I’d be a fool not to keep such a valuable and influential witch on the divinity mirror’s speed dial.”
Anika wasn’t happy to find that she’d been spied upon. She’d known that being part of a coven placed her and her abilities under strict watch and guidelines, but having every facet of her life scrutinized was something she’d never counted on. She would make it a point to put a stop to that invasion the moment she left those hallowed walls. As soon as the High Priestess officially announced to the coven that she passed the final trial, Anika was out of there. Until then, she would plaster on a smile.
“What will the punishment be, then? I wasn’t around when Drake ran into Tamra.”
The High Priestess approached her. Capturing Anika’s hand, she shoved the lamp into it. “Drake will know what to do. He is strong enough to perform the necessary spell that will enact Tamra’s punishment and wise enough to know what to do once it’s done.” She smoothed her dress and turned away. “Run up to your room and change before you come back down to the party. I had one of the first-year witches drop off a gown for you there. I hope you like white.”
* * *
As soon as Anika shut the door to her private chamber, her sanctuary for the past four years, she spotted the dress that Skye had mentioned. It was draped across her chaise lounge. Her breath caught in her throat, and her hand fluttered to her chest. The gown was stunning. Even though the High Priestess of the coven was on her shit list for spying on her, she had to hand it to her; the old witch had exquisite taste.
“Do you like it?” a tiny voice said from the bookshelf.
Anika was pleased to see Ginger sitting on the top shelf, her feet dangling over the edge. She was wearing a joyful expression across her pointy face as her legs swung back and forth.
“I hid when a young witch dropped that off. I wasn’t sure if you told anyone about me yet.”
Anika walked the bottle lamp over to her workspace and placed it on the counter next to her cauldron, which was sitting on the stove. “I don’t see a reason to keep you a secret. You remained fairy-folk of your own free will, and I will take complete responsibility for you.”
Ginger adopted a pleased look. “Then I will stop hiding. I hated doing it, anyway. Wings as grand as mine need to be shown off as often as possible. Her wings began to flutter, and she gave a tinkling laugh. “Heads up, Webb. We will soon have company.”
“Webb?”
“Yup, it’s your last name, isn’t it? I read it in that journal you have hidden on the top shelf. There’s some pretty juicy stuff in there.”
Anika’s face flamed red. “You didn’t!”
Ginger shrugged. “I did. Was that bad?” She paced back and forth. “I couldn’t help it. I tried to walk away, but the damn thing called to me, so I read some of it. I’ll try not to do it again.”
Anika glanced at her journal on the shelf and sighed. “I guess I should have warned you about what it would be like to be a fairy.”
Ginger stopped pacing and watched Anika intently.
“First, fairies are notorious for being little snoops. They can’t help it; it’s in their nature. The fairy-folk are also nesters. If you haven’t already, you’ll pick a spot of your own and begin hoarding stuff to fill it with. That’s not really that bad, but if you pair that with how curious your kind is, well, it can get a little bothersome if you start swiping things from people.”
Ginger’s eyebrows rose. “Anything else I should know about?”
The door swung open and Drake walked in. He was dressed in a black tuxedo and looked good enough to nibble on. “Hello, darlin’. Mother sent me to help you with your dress. She also said you have something for me.” He waggled his brows. “Whatever it is, I’ll trade it in for one of your sweet kisses.”
“Wait your turn, beefcake. She’s busy breaking the bad news to me.” Ginger crossed her arms and frowned.
Drake’s face blanked. “What is she talking about?”
The room was filled to bursting with questions, and Anika could do nothing, but answer them. She turned her back on both of them and fingered the crystal beadwork at the imperial waistline of her gown. The dress was truly beautiful. She longed to slip it on, but first, she’d have to spell herself clean, as well as pin up her hair and apply her makeup with a vanity charm. She was girly enough that she couldn’t wait to get all dolled up. Resigned to alleviate her loved ones’ curiosities, Anika pulled away from the dress.
“There is only one more thing you need to know about your kind, Ginger.” A muscle twitched at Anika’s jaw. “You are bound by fairy-law to report to your Queen once a year. If you fail to do so, Queen Belladonna will send her army of bane soldiers to find you.”
“So what you’re saying is that I am a snoop and a thief, who also has a Queen with a bunch of boogie men to answer to?”
“That about sums it up.”
“You could have led with the boogie man thing; I like to hear bad news first. But no worries. I’ll live and do my fairy duty. Oddly enough, everything you said feels right to me. It’s like I already know what I should do. If you’ll help me, I will go introduce myself to my Queen as soon as possible.”
“It would be my pleasure to help in any way.”
With that settled, Anika walked over to her work station and grabbed the lamp. “This is for you. Your mother said you’d know what to do with it, in regard to Tamra’s punishment.” Relieved to get it off her hands, she turned it over to Drake.
Staring at the bottle, he spoke through clenched teeth. “She wouldn’t dare make me do this.”
His frustrated tone had her eyes searching his furious ones. “What does she want you to do?”
“This is a djinn lamp, darlin’. She wants me to hex Tamra into it. If I do that, the magic inside will capture her and then turn her into a genie.” Drake closed his eyes. “Was this my mother’s final decree?”
Anika thought back to her conversation with Skye. After carefully combing over their every word, she nodded. “It was.”
He let out a deep breath. “It’s final, then. I’ll do it tonight.”
Chapter Fourteen
“This damn corset itches,” Ginger grumbled as she flew behind Drake and Anika.
Drake looked at the fairy with an exhausted expression. “You’re the one who wanted to dress up. Beauty is pain, mosquito.”
As Drake and Anika reached the end of the stairway, the crowd stopped what they were doing and stared at Anika. One by one, they all began to clap, filling the room with a felicitous sound of congratulations.
Tamra stepped from the crowd. A fake smiled curved her full, red lips. She wore her long, blonde locks wrapped into a stylish up-do, and she had on a red ball gown that hugged her body tight enough to show off all her curves.
“Merry meet, sister-witch.” Her voice was sharp enough to cut through the tension building between them. “How did you ever find the time to perform your final trials for our High Priestess? I heard you were gone, somewhere in town, goofing off or doing something else equally unproductive.”
Anika’s blood boiled. She was tired of being nice to the evil and nasty bitch of a witch. “You know exactly what I was doing tonight. Lucky for me, so does our Priestess. I guess cleaning up after a bad witch counts as extra credit.”
Tamra’s eyes squinted and she leaned forward. “If you dare breathe a word to our leader, I will...”
“Oh, she doesn’t have to, my dear errant child. I witnessed the entire scene as it unfolded.” Skye walked up to the group, pressing her lips together. Stopping in front of Tamra, she tsked. “You are as wicked as they come.”
Tamra flicked a look at Anika. “Tell her it was an accident. We are best friends; I would never hurt you in any way, not on purpose.”
Anika shook her head. “Stop groveling, Tamra. Your efforts are useless this ti
me. I’m fed up with making excuses for you.”
Tamra’s eyes glittered, and she curled her lips into a devious smile. “It will never be over. As long as I live, my hate for you will never end.”
“I’ve heard enough of this,” Drake said, stepping in front of Tamra. “You have been found guilty of criminal acts against your sister-witch and coven.”
“Is that so? What are you going to do to me, handsome? Bend me over your knee and give the big, bad witch a spanking?”
Drake reached into the side pocket of his jacket and pulled out the djinn lamp. “Nope, it’s nothing as vomit-inducing as that. Your punishment is to live out eternity granting wishes to any mortal who holds your bottle.”
Tamra’s smile faltered. “No.”
“Yes, my child.” Skye lifted her arm and whispered a chant. After only a few seconds, Tamra was rendered immobile. “Hurry it along, Drake dear. We have a ball to attend.”
Drake drew closer to Tamra and pressed the djinn bottle into her frozen hand. He had to move each one of her fingers around it, so it wouldn’t fall from her grasp. After he was finished with that, he shut his eyes and raised both hands. “Et hoc solum est, modo tuis in carcerem.” The lights flickered on and off as he chanted. Besides his lilting words, the room was as still as death. It continued for a full minute, Drake chanting, the lights wavering, until Tamra’s eyes shot wide with pain.
“Stop! You’re killing her!” Anika screamed.
Ginger flew over and landed on her shoulder, twining her fingers through Anika’s hair. “This shit is no joke, Webb. What did you bring me to, some kind of high-class cult ritual?”
Anika had no idea what the hell was going on. Instead of poofing into the bottle like Anika had expected her to do, Tamra was clearly being tortured. Anika bolted forward…and was stopped in her tracks. Her arms and legs were frozen, but she could move her neck. She turned to look at the High Priestess. “This is wrong,” Anika whispered as loud as she could.