by M. L. Briers
“Is this going to be like a cat fight?” I heard Malachi ask my sisters. “Shall I get the paddling pool and some mud?”
“Why don’t you go get a digger, make a big hole, and…” Moira got no further.
“You take mean girl to another level,” Malachi offered back, and I had to smile inwardly because the new witch was now staring at me and I didn’t want her to think that she was welcome.
The ravenous beauty also had piercing jade green eyes that could probably make a man’s little brain override his big one in a matter of seconds, and the likes of which I’d ever seen before. This was Scotland, and green eyes weren’t a rarity, but that colour still wasn’t an everyday occurrence.
“Are you lost?” I asked. Surrounded by tourists and islanders; I thought it was the only way to ask the woman what she thought she was doing in my bistro without actually asking the question.
“Such a beautiful island — I was drawn here,” she offered back, equally mindful of her surroundings.
“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder; it can also be a dangerous place.” I was close enough to her now that I could keep my voice low as I delivered my words of warning.
“Something is brewing, and I’m not talking about a cup of tea.” It wasn’t so much what she said, but the way that she said it. It flicked a switch of recognition inside of me — I’d felt that way lately.
“Coffee is on the house. Let me help you plan your route around the Isle,” I said, motioning to Sadie behind the counter to give the woman what she wanted for free. “It’s noisy in here; we can talk outside.”
“I’ll be right behind you,” she offered back.
I wasn’t picking up any bad vibes from her, no noticeable deceit, but maybe Malachi could. I turned on my heels and started to the side door, motioning for Malachi to follow me.
I also wanted to see if she knew about vampires. I wasn’t going to offer up the information for Malachi’s sake, but that didn’t mean that he couldn’t be useful in other ways, like his mind warp thing.
“So, she looks interesting…” Malachi whispered as he sauntered up beside me and leaned in.
“You’re dead — get over yourself,” I hissed back.
“I might be … older than I look, but things still work just fine, better in fact. But your jealously suits you, little Miss Prickly Pear.”
What was it with the Jungle Book references in my mind every time someone mentioned that fruit? And, of course, he was right. The witch had thrown me for a loop, and so had his reaction to her. The man was a dog with fleas, and he’d probably pee up anyone’s tree given half a chance.
Why had I expected more?
Shouldn’t I have learned by now that men were … well, men. It didn’t matter if they were human, vampire, or werewolf; they still had an ingrained need to flirt, drool, and act like horny dogs whenever possible.
I guess being an octogenarian didn’t change much, except most men that reached that age couldn’t do much about it. Malachi’s youthful looks and rapidly regenerating body made him frozen in his twenties, and boy did he look good – not that I was noticing or anything.
~
“So, you have a pet werewolf and a pet vampire,” the witch offered as her opening salvo as she strolled from the bistro, takeaway coffee in hand, and eyed Malachi as if he was something that had just crawled out from under a rock.
Maybe she wasn’t so bad after all.
I had to wonder if my sisters and I were the only witches on the planet that hadn’t know vampires and werewolves really did exist in the real world. It made me question what else was missing from my witchy education.
“When you say drawn to Skye?” I asked, trying to sound bored.
I wasn’t going to play her game of divide and conquer. If she was testing the waters between Malachi and me, then she could go whistle. For better or for worse, and for the moment, Malachi was part of my family, and this witch was just brethren that I didn’t know, and I didn’t owe her anything but a hearing.
“Pulled by an unseen force…”
“I know what drawn means, but thanks for being obnoxious.” I offered back putting a light quality to my voice to show her that she hadn’t gotten to me. I did feel the urge to put a few extra holes in her body with my trusty mental fork, but that was just natural.
“Well, if you haven’t felt it then you’re not the witch that I thought you were,” she offered back.
Okay, that one got to me.
“And what witch is that?”
“One of three,” she said, and I hope I didn’t flinch, grimace, or make any other slight tick movement that she might have picked up on — I made a mental note to ask Malachi about that later.
I liked my poker face; I only hoped that I was wearing it well.
“So, how long are you planning on staying?” I asked, deflecting her question because it didn’t warrant an answer, and saw the slight amusement in her eyes.
“As long as it takes to find the source,” she offered back.
I had the feeling that this witch was a no-nonsense kind of a girl. I liked that, I respected that, and still I didn’t want her on my territory for longer than needs be. But what were those needs?
“Special sauce,” Malachi chuckled. He had his game face on as well, and I hated that it was better than mine. Still, he’d had a much longer time to perfect it.
“We don’t have a MacDonald’s. You might want to try the mainland.” I saw the way she tensed her muscles, it was subtle, but it was there.
I’ll give Malachi his due; I was learning more from him each day. I never thought before to watch a person so intently that I could pick up on all the subtle little clues as to what they were thinking, feeling, and about to do.
I still didn’t know for sure what every little nuance meant, but if I were a betting woman, I’d bet this witch was looking for a way in.
Maybe she should lose the attitude. Ms Mysterio biker witch from hell wasn’t working for her because it wasn’t working for me. We could all project attitude when wanted — but could she back it up with her magic?
“You might need me,” she said.
“Now, if I was the witch you seem to think I am then why would I need you?” It was a reasonable question in my mind. I neither confirmed nor denied her suspicions, but I did turn it back on her, and hey, I got a little – mine is bigger than yours – in there as well.
I knew that I’d hit my mark when the vampire smirked at me. Goddess, if I’d changed so much that I was becoming like Malachi, maybe I should rethink my wicked ways.
Nah.
“Apparently, and maybe because you live here – you can’t feel it drawing you in.”
Witch! She had a point – I guess. That was if she wasn’t lying through her straight and brilliant white teeth.
I shot a quick look at Malachi, and his face was blank. Not the time I would have chosen for him to have that mask in place, but still, I suppose I had to make a few decisions for myself every now and again.
“Dinner tonight, my house, meet the family,” I tossed back, yanking the small pad and pencil from my back pocket that I used for really confusing tourist food orders, like all of those, on the side, things that people thought was cute, and I scribbled down my address before ripping off the paper and holding it out to her.
“You are one of three, right?” She asked, taking it and stashing it in her inside pocket.
“You should be careful out there on that bike, Skye isn’t known for its smooth roads.” I gave her the brush off, and she took it well enough as she inclined her head, smiled, and then sauntered off away from the bistro, her Jessica Rabbit hips swinging from side to side.
“You get a look inside her mind or are you just too fixated on her backside?” I asked Malachi as he watched her go.
“I’m sorry, was I supposed to?” He feigned innocence, and I murdered him about ten different ways with my mind, enjoying every one of them.
“Numpty,” I muttered, turning
back towards the door so that I didn’t actually unleash my magic on him.
“No,” he whispered against my hair, and I bit down on another shiver. “She plays in the same spellbook you do, which reminds me…”
“Eerrrr, noooo, we’re not sharing…”
“Because sharing is caring, got it, but…”
“Nope, I’d still fry your backside in a heartbeat if push came to shove.” I would have as well, maybe, if it was entirely necessary.
“I think I’m growing on you…”
“What’s that you say? I was laughing so hard in my mind I didn’t catch it.” I shot him a quick look and got caught in his eyes. They sure were sexy eyes – and he knew it!
“I’m you’re go-to guy for…”
“Oh, please say sex, and I’ll convert to Christianity,” Moira announced, rounding the building from the back end like the little sneak that she was. She was grinning from ear to ear with glee, and Ross was coming up behind her.
He didn’t look so enthusiastic about her declaration, and I was guessing it was more to do with the thought of Malachi and me bumping hips than his mate becoming part of the God-squad.
“Yes, sex, we have lots and lots of sex,” I announced and watched that smile slowly die a death on Moira’s face. The thing with Moira was that she couldn’t always tell when I was pulling her leg. “Shall I get the Vicar or would you rather a Priest?” I offered back.
Malachi slung an arm around my shoulders, pulling me hip to hip with him, and sending a rush of excitement through my body that I would rather not have felt. “She loves the fangs,” Malachi offered in a loud whisper in Moira’s general direction, and all that my sister could do was blink, over and over again.
I have to admit; it was fun to watch – my sister, lost for words as her brain farted like she’d fed it a whole tin of beans. If she stuttered like her car going uphill, then I might just pee my panties.
“They’re pulling your leg,” Ross growled, and his voice seemed to snap her out of her waking coma.
“Am not,” I hissed in denial. I was enjoying my sister’s reaction too much to let it go that easily.
“Are too…” Ross snapped back.
“Want me to tell you where she has a mole?” Malachi offered my sister another witch slap, and she curled her lip in disgust as her eyes flashed with surprise.
“No!” she snapped as if he’d just offered to drink from her vein.
“Too bad, it’s…” I hit him with a silencing spell, and his mouth moved, but he was on mute.
“Wow,” Ross looked impressed.
“Oh, please, we do that to each other all the time,” Moira snorted, folding her arms and looking unimpressed by my little spell.
I felt the tap of Malachi’s fingers against my shoulder and realised that his arm was still wrapped around me, funny, it had felt so natural being there that I hadn’t really noticed. I shot him a questioning look; while he shot back what I can only describe as … impatient, murderous intent.
I grinned, offered him a warm grimace of amusement, shucked off his arm, and shrugged.
“Well, back to work,” I said. Before I could make my escape, his hand snapped around my wrist in a gentle hold that kept me rooted to the spot, and I had to bite down on a chuckle. “Hmm?” I enquired with as much innocence as I could muster.
He raised just the one eyebrow at me, and I feigned more innocence. I liked this new dance we were doing and his newfound silence. It was … fun.
“Speak,” Moira teased him.
“Or forever hold your…”
“Maggie, do not go Christian on me,” Moira berated me.
“Right, that’s your job, and good luck telling Gran,” I grinned.
“Are you going to un-mute him?” Ross chuckled, and I considered it for a long moment, playing it out while the vampire patiently waited. It felt as if he should have his arms folded, his foot tapping against the ground and his eyes rolling in exasperation at my antics, but, he just stared.
“I don’t know. I kind of like men to be the strong, silent type, and now he is.” I giggled as he shot me a death glare. “Oh, poor baby.”
“Yeah, not even as a joke,” Moira said, shaking her head. “You two aren’t…? Cos that would be…” She seemed to have run out of words again.
Two birds – one stone – how could this moment be wrong?
“Odd?” I said and yanked my magic back from Malachi.
“Against all that is Holy?” He said, jumping right back onto that horse now that he had his voice back.
“Weird,” Ross shrugged, pulling a face that Gran would have warned would stick if the wind changed.
“All the above,” Moira grimaced at me.
“Then I’ll not invite you two to the Christening of our firstborn,” I tossed back.
“Vampires can’t have kids,” Moira reminded me, and I could have kicked myself.
“No, but we can steal them,” Malachi said, and I did a Gran, my head snapped around so fast that the bones in my neck crunched. “What? Too soon for vampire humour?”
“Go, be gone,” I hissed at him, and got a damn sexy grin in return. He really could test my patience at times.
The man was a menace in more ways than one.
CHAPTER THREE
~
The more I thought about it, the more I thought that witch was right. Trouble was coming, I could feel it in my bones, and it felt as if the storm clouds were gathering above our island that had nothing to do with the unpredictable weather.
The more I tried to tune into that feeling the more something tried to push me away. Perhaps whatever it was wasn’t meant for me. Perhaps whatever it was didn’t want me to know about it. That sent up some red flags, big ones, and maybe Gran could shed some light on what was going on.
I turned at the corner of the bistro and almost ran face to chest into a man that sent my alarm bells ringing even more. My magic fizzled and sizzled within me, drawing itself into a tight ball of energy in my midsection, and I could feel the electricity at my fingertips ready to be released.
I loved that I no longer needed to work so hard to draw my magic to weapon readiness, but I hated the fact that life had changed so much that it needed to do it.
“One of the witches — that’s unfortunate,” the big man said over his broad shoulder toward someone that I could only see part of, and that part was all muscled shoulder and arm — but it was the depth of the man’s tone and the underlying rumble of a growl that piqued my interest.
“What do we do?” Muscles asked, and that didn’t pique my interest, but it certainly did raise the warning level within me.
“Well, that would depend on if you wanted your backsides fried or not,” I offered back.
I know that I wasn’t supposed to challenge a werewolf, but they made it so hard not to.
“Perhaps we should take her with us until we find Ross,” the first one said.
It was true that the man was big and brawny, and looked like he belonged on the cover of a men’s magazine, he also looked at me as if he couldn’t quite make up his mind if he wanted to kill me or not. That didn’t bode well for any of us.
Tourists still dotted the area and an altercation between us, either physical or magical, could have been caught on a phone camera.
“What do you want with Ross?” I had to ask. Well, I didn’t, I could have kept my mouth shut, but it wasn’t in me to do it.
“That’s none of your business,” muscles tossed back, and when I took a step to one side so that I could see who I was talking to, I kind of wished I hadn’t.
The man was a behemoth. The first guy was big, but the second, well, let’s just say that he’d fill a doorway without leaving many gaps.
“You know, steroids are bad for you,” I offered him a smirk to go with my sarcasm, and why not? It wasn’t as if I was trying to make friends.
“We could just rip off her head…” the first guy said, and I snorted a chuckle.
“And I
could just rip off one of your overstuffed arms and beat you to death with it.” I was actually glad to see Malachi. I certainly hadn’t relished the thought of going two on one with the shifters, and the uneasy looks that they shot in his direction did make me chuckle.
“Oh, you thought you were picking on a female that didn’t have backup and couldn’t use her magic,” I announced, feeling the warm glow of satisfaction inside me.
So, vampires were good for something other than prettying up the place.
“Oops,” Malachi said, offering them a smirk and following it up with a grimace. “Now you’ve made her mad, and didn’t anyone tell you, boys, that a mad witch isn’t going to brighten your day with sunbeams and unicorns?”
“We’re just here to…” the first one started, and I snorted my contempt for him.
“Did you ask permission?” I cut him off and made his top lip twitch in anger.
He returned his gaze to mine, and I was glad he wasn’t a Warlock, because if looks could kill without magic, then I’d be boots up.
“I’m nae asking your permission,” Muscles bit out.
“No?” I gave him the double-barrelled look of both of my eyebrows going up and a steely gaze to boot. He narrowed his dark eyes on me and held his nerve. “How about you?” I turned my attention towards the man closest to me.
“I told you why we’re here,” he growled, just a little rumble but it was enough to get my full attention.
“To find Ross, and what would you be doing once you found him?” I demanded.
With Malachi backing me up I no longer felt as if I needed to hold back. What could they do? Kidnap me? Shift? Nope, I now had the upper hand, and if they wanted to dance with the Devil, well, I’d give them something to remember me by.
“Ross is the alpha,” Muscles said, and I have to admit that threw me for a moment.