This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are products of the author’s imagination, or the author has used them fictitiously.
Copyright © 2014 Nikki Jefford
Cover Design: © Once Upon a Time Covers
Editing: Bright Side Editorial
All rights reserved
_______________________________________________
For magic lovers of all ages.
_______________________________________________
The airport security line folded in on itself like an accordion. By now, the line should have been shrinking, but it only seemed to expand.
Lee sighed. “Tis the season.”
Beside her, Raj raised one dark eyebrow. “To be waiting?”
She snorted in answer.
The two young sisters poking each other in front of her weren’t helping Lee relax.
“Okay, you two,” their mother said. “Grab your packs, we’re moving forward.”
Forward one foot.
Lee and Raj followed a step behind.
“Excited about your first trip abroad?” Raj asked.
“I suppose it beats going home for the holidays and having to pretend to be Mr. Morehouse’s daughter.”
Actually, Lee would have rather spent Christmas in Spain, but Gray had settled down with Adrian in Paris.
Adrian and Paris… now there were two things Lee had trouble believing her duplicate could come to love. Perhaps the love whammy Gray fell into had lingering effects. Anyone who originated from Lee would snap her way as far from Montez the Magician—The Avenger—as quickly as she could.
Gray assured her Adrian retired from the business of avenging. No more sleazy set-ups to break couples apart, balding spells or body transfers. No more hexing for hire.
They were performers now—magicians and illusionists. Yet another tidbit Lee had a difficult time taking seriously.
Lee’s vision blurred the more she thought about it. The travelers surrounding her became smudges of color against the terminal’s bright lights. Their conversations turned to din.
“I know what you’re thinking,” Raj said beside her ear.
His grinning lips came into focus.
Lee narrowed her eyes. “Are you reading my mind?”
Raj’s smile widened. “I don’t have to. I know you, Lee. I understand your doubts. Believe me, I had them, too, but Adrian seems to really care about Gray and I think they’re happy together.”
Why didn’t Lee find that reassuring? Maybe because she’d never seen them together. Raj had when he rushed off to Paris over the summer, thinking he was rescuing Gray from Adrian’s evil clutches.
It turned out Gray had an actual thing for the big bad warlock. Or so everyone said. Lee wasn’t convinced.
The line moved another foot.
“Are we sure that love spell actually broke?” Lee asked. “She could still be under his influence and not even realize.”
“Lee,” Raj said.
Lee turned to him. “What?”
“Gray’s fine.”
The line moved another two feet. Lee’s shoulders were beginning to ache from the weight of her backpack.
“We may not understand or even agree with her choices, but they’re hers to make. The important thing is we survived our first semester of college and we’re spending Christmas together… in Paris.”
It was nearly impossible not to smile back at Raj when he looked at Lee with such open adoration. Plus, he was a hot half Indian who had his mother’s bronzed skin and lush dark hair. From his father, he’d inherited a set of startling green eyes more arresting than emeralds. Lee had always had a thing for the unique—from fashion to magic to men, she found herself drawn to the extraordinary.
Raj McKenna was no longer the delinquent she’d avoided and tried to resist junior year of high school. She didn’t have to worry about him snapping off a professor’s blouse for humiliating her in front of the class. Those actions might have endeared him to her on a primal level, but she liked the mature and studious Raj. She appreciated how responsible he’d become. How she could count on him. If anything, she loved him even more.
That’s what Lee ought to be thinking about, not festering over Gray and Adrian. Love like Raj’s was a gift to be cherished.
As Lee relaxed, the line seemed to speed up. Soon she and Raj were handing over their passports and boarding tickets at the first security check. The TSA worker leaned against his podium, looking over their IDs. He opened and closed Raj’s quickly. When he got to Lee’s photo, he kept staring then looked up as though noticing her for the first time.
Lee frowned as his eyes lingered over hers.
Yeah, yeah, yeah. This body was gorgeous. Long blond hair, vibrant blue eyes, size zero, tall with perky size C cups. It had belonged to McKinley High socialite Stacey Lee Morehouse before Charlene had caused an accident that put Stacey into a permanent coma. Raj had used his mind healing powers to try and help Stacey, only to find she was no longer there.
But she had been present when Lee drifted along as a spirit in need of a body. By that time, Stacey was ready to go, but it still didn’t sit right with Lee. How could she ever be comfortable in her own skin when it wasn’t her skin at all?
The TSA guard finally handed back their passports and boarding passes.
Lee and Raj joined the line for the X-Ray.
While the mother in front of them bent down helping her girls take off their shoes, Raj snapped his fingers. An instant later, his sneakers appeared in one of the plastic security bins.
Lee bent down to remove her own by hand.
Raj’s smile quickly faded. “Sorry, I wasn’t thinking.”
Lee had given up her powers to save her duplicate Gray from certain death. Magic could never be simple, could it? When The Contact had come after Gray and started sucking away her life force, it was like watching her own death.
Lee had acted on instinct. She couldn’t allow her duplicate to die.
But now she was powerless and tired of the guilty look Raj got on his face whenever he used his abilities in front of her.
She didn’t want Raj to apologize for using magic.
It was his birthright.
She worried that being with her was holding him back.
Lee plopped her shoes into a bin and set her backpack inside another one. Once the family in front of them had sent their shoes and bags down the belt to the X-Ray, Lee pushed her items along. Raj set his messenger bag and shoes on the belt behind her things.
Lee walked through. Another TSA worker openly stared at her. She passed by him and snatched up her shoes once they cleared the X-Ray. While she bent over to put them back on, the conveyer belt stopped.
“Sir, is that your bag?” the woman operating the X-Ray asked Raj.
Raj frowned. “Yes.”
The woman turned to a TSA guard behind her. A moment later, the belt started back up, sending Raj’s messenger bag out of the machine. The TSA guard grabbed it.
“Come with me,” he said.
Raj and Lee looked at each other. She slung her backpack over her shoulder and followed him over to the table where the guard waited with Raj’s bag. Raj turned to her and said, “Can you wait for me?” He inclined his head toward a set of vinyl chairs beside a trash bin just outside the security area.
“Sure,” Lee said.
He smiled in gratitude and hurried over to the guard.
Lee stood in place a moment wondering what the heck it was he didn’t want her to see inside his bag.
Her jaw dropped as wedding bells rang inside her head. He wouldn’t dare. Lee quickly closed her mouth and took a seat. She tapped her foot as she waited.
It wasn’t long before Raj walked over; bag slung ove
r one shoulder, and grinned. “All clear.”
Lee cocked her head to one side, taking a good look at him. Raj slipped his fingers inside the front pockets of his faded blue jeans. He wore a navy and red flannel shirt that Lee had wrapped her arms around many times over the course of the semester. He was one of a kind; her one and only, but that didn’t mean she wanted to settle down.
Raj raised his eyebrows. “You have a peculiar look on your face,” he said.
Lee stood up and wagged a finger at him. “There better not be an engagement ring in there, buddy. I’m only eighteen.”
Raj shot her a megawatt smile. “But Paris would be such a romantic place to propose.”
“Raj,” Lee said in a warning voice.
“Kidding,” Raj said. “I figured you’d want to finish college before you started having my babies.”
Lee smacked his arm.
“Kidding again.” Raj rubbed his shoulder where she’d cuffed him.
“So what was with the bag search?” Lee asked.
“I must have been lucky number a hundred and one or something.”
“Uh-huh. And why didn’t you want me to see what’s in your bag?”
Raj’s grin widened. “It’s a surprise.”
“I don’t like surprises.”
“Trust me, you’ll like this one.”
Lee did trust Raj—more than any other living soul on the planet—but she still wasn’t fond of surprises. She had enough excitement to get through while spending Christmas with Gray and Adrian.
***
The taxi ride into Paris didn’t take half as long as the line to actually obtain a cab. This was the first time Lee had traveled during the holidays and she was impressed by the mass of humanity all inching forward on their journey back to family and friends. It didn’t matter what country it was. People wanted to be together for the holidays.
A sharp pang stabbed at Lee’s heart as she thought about her mother. This would be their first Christmas apart.
She could have gone home, but Gray had sounded so hopeful over the phone when she called to invite her and Raj to spend Christmas and New Year’s in Paris. With Lee and Raj attending college on the East Coast, it didn’t take any longer to go to Europe than to get back home to Washington State. Besides, she wanted to check in on her duplicate and see how she was really doing. Gray had been through a lot and although she wasn’t a sister, she was family. Just like Raj and even Mr. Morehouse. Supernatural forces had brought them together, and they were all bound for life.
Lee continued to shift her gaze from the cab’s running meter to the scenery outside. The sky was overcast, but the roads were dry.
For some reason, Lee expected to see great big fountains, cathedrals, statues and gargoyles on the drive to Adrian’s apartment. Gray had told her they lived around all the best attractions. This was Europe. Where were the castles? Not in the middle of the city, of course, but it would have been cool to pass one on the way in.
So far, all Lee had seen was a lot of traffic. The cars were smaller and the license plates thinner and longer, but other than that it reminded her of the congestion around Seattle.
Once they entered the city itself, the buildings took on an old world charm with their stone facades, columns and wrought iron cresting.
Eventually the cab driver pulled over in front of a set of double doors outside a large stone building. Lee pulled her wallet out of her purse and handed the cabby Euros with extra for tip. He thanked her and went round back to take their luggage out of the trunk and set it on the curb.
“Here we are,” Lee said, standing on the Paris sidewalk, looking up at the building.
A hollow ache filled her chest.
At least she had Raj. She didn’t wasn’t sure how she felt about shacking up with Gray and Adrian.
Raj charged ahead, apparently immune to the holiday blues, and hit the buzzer outside the glass doors.
The outer intercom crackled.
“Oui?” a woman said.
Her voice sounded a lot like Lee’s old voice, but it was hard to tell with all static interference.
Raj leaned into the intercom. “Gray?”
“Raj?”
“Yeah. Lee and I made it.”
“Oh my god!” Gray cried. “Come on up.”
There was a loud click and the intercom went silent. Raj looked at Lee and grinned. He reached out for the door’s handle and pulled back.
“Ready to do this?” he asked.
Lee lifted her chin. “Oui,” she said, mimicking Gray. “See? I can speak French.”
He chuckled as he followed Lee into the lobby. “I really should have brought an engagement ring so you could tell me yes in French.”
Lee snorted. “You’re beginning to worry me, McKenna.”
He smiled. “Don’t worry. I got you something way better than a ring.”
“Oh really?” Lee asked, smiling back. If it were alarming enough to warrant a bag search, it must be good. And Raj gave the most touching gifts.
“But you have to wait until Christmas,” he said.
“Tease.” Lee grinned back.
She scanned the lobby. There didn’t appear to be an elevator so Lee went for the stairwell, Raj right behind her.
Maybe Christmas wouldn’t be a bust, after all. Not if Raj had something special he planned on presenting to Lee. She’d been crazy about the luck amulet he’d gifted her in high school.
Along with her powers, Lee had passed it on to Gray. She’d looked so sad after Raj chose Lee as the true Graylee Perez, keeper of his heart. Lee figured Gray could use a bit of comfort and luck during her trip to Barcelona seven months ago.
But Adrian had managed to curse the amulet, as well. Now it was somewhere at the bottom of the Seine. It had been the only way to break the love spell Adrian’s grandmother placed over the object, and effectively Gray.
So everyone said.
Lee would be the judge of that soon enough.
A blond head popped into the dimly lit corridor when they reached Gray’s floor.
“Lee! Raj!” She exclaimed. As soon as they reached her, Gray rushed up to Lee and kissed her on each cheek then moved to Raj and repeated the gesture.
“Happy holidays,” Raj said, grinning.
“Joyeux Noël,” Gray returned. “Well, in a couple days, anyway. Come in and make yourselves comfortable.”
Raj inclined his head for Lee to step inside first. She entered a high ceilinged entryway lit by a modern silver chrome chandelier. About six feet ahead, a wide opening led into the main room. The doors, paneling, frames and even curtains were bluish-gray, appearing bold against the white walls and ceiling above.
Adrian appeared from around a wall, his footsteps creaking over the oak floors. His smile always reminded Lee too much of a smirk. Thick, fashionably disheveled brown hair framed Adrian’s face. Dark stubble covered his jawline and chin.
It wasn’t even Adrian’s body originally. Talk about vain. Though, according to Gray, he’d fallen off a building as a boy and broken his original body beyond repair. Gray claimed Adrian’s grandmother performed a body transfer against his will.
Right, like anything ever happened against Adrian’s will. If Lee still had her powers, she’d snap the smug right off Adrian’s face.
“Hello, Lee,” Adrian said. “Let me get that for you.” He reached for Lee’s suitcase. She quickly dropped the handle to prevent their fingers from touching.
At least he hadn’t tried to kiss her on the cheeks. That would have been pushing it considering the magical warfare that had erupted inside his magic shop back home. The whole thing suddenly seemed ludicrous—Adrian, Raj, Gray and Lee spending the holiday together as though everything was all eggnog and reindeer.
The very last time Lee had seen him, Adrian went after Gray with a frying pan. Now, present day Gray joined his side and pressed against him. Adrian snaked his free arm around her waist.
“We are so happy to have you here spending Christmas w
ith us,” Gray said cheerfully.
Right. Gray was definitely still under a spell.
“We have you all set up in the guest bedroom,” Adrian said, pulling Gray to him for a kiss on the cheek before breaking away.
Lee glanced at Raj, wondering if he was as disturbed by the PDA as she. He smiled good-naturedly. Either he was an exceptionally good fake, or he didn’t see what was going on.
Adrian led them past a fireplace and glass dining table into a small bedroom. He set Lee’s suitcase against the wall.
“This is where Adrian’s nan stays when she’s with us,” Gray said. “She’s spending the holiday back home.”
Lee could only assume that meant Washington. Adrian probably didn’t have that option. The state’s coven leaders would be after him faster than a fire-breathing dragon if he ever showed his face anywhere near Kent again. Not after he’d temporarily sabotaged every witch and warlock in the area by making their magic backfire.
Was Lee the only one who hadn’t forgotten these not-so-minor details about Adrian Montez?
“Make yourselves at home, and if you need anything just ask,” Gray said.
She led them back into the main living quarters. White lights and pastel ornaments decorated a five-foot fir tree in the corner. It was the first time Lee had been taller than a Christmas tree.
Gray pointed to the window.
“Look, Lee, you can see the Eiffel Tower from our living room.”
Lee walked up to the window and stared at the towering structure across the city. That was pretty dang cool. Too bad Gray wouldn’t get to enjoy it much longer.
Paris: City of love and deception.
Lee and Gray might not share DNA, but they shared the same mind. Life and experience inevitably reshaped their thoughts and values, but that didn’t change their origins, and Lee wasn’t about to stand back and let Adrian take advantage of Gray.
***
The last traces of daylight seeped out of the sky. Above Paris, the December skies turned a deep cobalt. Below, the city lit up—including the Eiffel Tower, which illuminated with a rainbow of changing color that moved up and down the tower in constant motion.
Holiday Magic Page 1