Of Time & Spells

by Jennifer Snyder

  Looked like I’d have company during my travels across Europe. I wasn’t disappointed.

  I tossed my pajamas into my duffle bag and slung it over my shoulder. My eyes scanned the room, searching for anything I might have left behind. The orange rock Kalisa had given me caught my eye on the dresser. I picked it up and crammed it into my front pocket.

  As I opened my bedroom door, chaos found me. Everyone was scrambling around, but I wasn’t sure why. The second I stepped into the living room, everything became clear.

  The Vodun had sent an army to say hello.

  Chapter 5

  We were surrounded by the most badass-looking women I’d ever seen. They came in all shapes and sizes, but each with one goal in mind—to kill me.

  “Oh crap.” My eyes bounced from one dangerous looking weapon to the next. “I don’t like this.”

  “Why now with the army? Why perform the Snake of Possession spell themselves earlier?” Anna asked no one in particular. “It doesn’t make any sense. In fact, it’s backward if you ask me.”

  “Not all of their soldiers can perform magic,” Liam insisted as though stating a fact. “They aren’t all witches.”

  Anna shifted to face him. “That’s an interesting theory. I wonder if it’s true.”

  “Doesn’t matter,” Jasper chimed in. “They’re here, right now, magic or no magic.”

  “What do we do?” Tristan peeked through the blinds covering the window closest to him.

  “We fight,” my brother insisted, sending chills along my spine. “Everyone, gather what you need to go head-to-head and leave the rest behind.”

  I dropped my duffle bag at my feet, knowing there wasn’t anything in it that would do me any good. My fingers went for the dagger I’d strapped inside my boot next. The hilt was cold to the touch. Adrenaline spiked through me from the sensation of it in my hand.

  “You got your other dagger?” Jasper had stepped to my side. I knew he was going over his checklist of every weapon and spell we had available between the two of us.

  “Yeah.” I nodded.

  “And your cloaks?” His eyes locked with mine. I nodded again. “Good. Let’s do this.” He kissed me on the forehead and then headed to Anna’s side. Before he could ask her if she was prepared, Liam opened the door and all hell broke loose.

  Wind barreled through the door as though magic had been building there, pressing against it with great force. I knew it wasn’t from the protective cloak Jasper had placed on the house. This magic was different. Once I noticed a strange earthiness in the air, there was no denying whom it belonged to—the Vodun. The problem was, I didn’t know what it meant. Was it something left over from the Snake of Possession or something entirely different?

  My thoughts scattered as women rushed up the stairs of the porch and burst past Liam through the front door. They didn’t touch him. Nor did they go after anyone else. Their eyes were zeroed in on me and me alone. Determination flickered through them. If I could have read their thoughts, I knew it would be something like, “Kill. Destroy. Piper must die.”

  I pulled in a breath. In movies, when a moment like this happened, everything would turn into slow motion. Whoever was being pursued would gain a chance to prioritize who posed as the biggest threat based off the distance separating them and then take them out. This wasn’t a movie though, this was real, and in real life, things like that didn’t happen.

  In real life, the person is on you in a matter of seconds.

  I barely had time to shift into a fighting stance, let alone determine who was going to kiss the tip of my dagger first. Obviously, it would be whoever reached me, which looked as though it was going to be a woman with long blond hair and a curvy physique. Bloodlust glistened in her eyes. Her arm lifted up, exposing the sharp blade of the sword she carried, and my heart stalled. Just before the woman lashed out with her sword, Meili appeared in front of me. Her dark hair whipped me in the face as she performed the most badass roundhouse kick I’d ever seen. I didn’t have time to marvel at her move though, because another woman charged me.

  She slipped past Meili only to connect with the edge of Jasper’s dagger. It sank deep into her side, causing her eyes to bulge and a strangled cry of pain to burst past her lips. My gaze shifted to my brother as my hands fell to my sides. Shock rippled through me. I’d never seen him hurt anyone, much less give a blow that could end someone’s life.

  “She was going to kill you, Piper.” His gaze was on me. He knew what I was thinking. “I had to do it.” A plea softened his voice, as though he was begging me to see he’d done the right thing and not judge him for it.

  There was no time for me to respond, even if I’d wanted to. Another woman charged past him. Jasper swung at her, gaining her attention. I scanned those around me, taking in the entire scene. Everyone was locked in his or her own battle, even Anna whom I hadn’t thought knew how to hit. She was too nice to know the right way to throw a punch. I assumed Jasper had squeezed in some lessons with her last night—once he realized she wasn’t planning on being left behind like he wanted. The second my eyes fell to Tristan, my heart nearly stopped. Two women were on him, and he was being backed against a wall.

  I didn’t think. I only acted.

  I lunged across the room with my dagger ready to strike, my shoes pounding against the hardwood floors in sync with my rapid heartbeat. Rough fingers wove their way through my hair. Someone tugged me back before I could make it to him. Pain prickled across my scalp, sending a tiny scream past my lips. I swung my arm up, hoping to connect with whoever had pulled me by my damn hair. My blow was blocked by something solid as steel, resorting in a numbing vibration surging down my arm. The woman holding me was made out of solid muscle and determination. The hint of a smirk twisted her full lips as she lifted the knife she held, ready to plunge it through me.

  “Your blood on my hands will be the sweetest reward,” she hissed.

  ”Not if I can help it.” I reached beneath my pant leg for one of the cloaks I’d hidden there. I didn’t care which one I grabbed; all that mattered was that it bought me enough time to get this crazy lady off me so I could help Tristan.

  Cool glass touched my skin as I plucked one free. Putting all my strength behind the blow, I reared back and smashed the bottle into the woman’s face. The act alone seemed to be enough to stall her movements, which allowed me to wiggle free from her grasp. When she remained immobile, I gathered it must have been due to the cloak I’d released. I didn’t waste time on throwing punches. Instead, I went straight for the kill and dug my dagger deep into her chest. Warmth oozed from the wound, collecting around my palm as I refused to let go of the blade.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered, staring into her eyes. She couldn’t see me, her eyes bounced around too much, but she could hear me. “It was either you or me.” My lips quivered as the words pushed from my mouth. Even though it was the truth, it didn’t lessen the guilt I felt.

  Killing wasn’t something I enjoyed. Jasper was right when he said it was necessary to my survival though. It was either kill or be killed. There was no in between. Not in this situation.

  Closing my eyes, I tugged my dagger free from the woman’s chest. She wobbled on her feet as her hands moved to her open wound in the hopes of sealing it off so that she might live. The determination to kill me reflected in her eyes seconds before had morphed into a resolve to save herself.

  I turned away, refusing to watch her life fade. I reached for another cloak. This time it was one for invisibility. A sense of gratefulness washed over me; the cloak would grant me a few seconds to gather myself.

  I didn’t get to enjoy those few seconds. My eyes landed on Tristan instead.

  His back was against the wall, but he hadn’t stopped fighting. Somehow he’d acquired two swords in the short span of time since I’d last looked at him and was using them both. They whipped around his face, clanking against the two women’s swords as they swung at him in rapid succession. It was clear from his movemen
ts and the strained look on his face he hadn’t prepared for a fight of this caliber.

  With one leap, I erased the distance between myself and the woman closest to me. My hand shook as I drove my dagger into her back. It wasn’t a fatal blow. Instead, it seemed as though it only pissed her off. She spun around, arching her long sword behind her. I ducked seconds before the blade sliced into me.

  The woman’s eyes darted around. She didn’t seem the least bit surprised I was invisible. Had the witches told her to expect tricks of the mind when fighting against us or was it something she knew?

  Her sword flew at me again, much closer this time. Kick. Punch. Stab. That was my strategy, or at least it was before the tip of her sword grazed my shoulder on her next swing. Blood trickled from my tiny wound, allowing the crazed woman to pinpoint where I was. Excitement flashed through her oddly colored eyes.

  “Found you.” Her eyes zeroed in on the blood dripping to the floor. When she hurled her sword back, I dove straight for her chest. My dagger punctured her skin, and again I felt the sticky warmth of blood that wasn’t my own touch me around the hilt.

  “Invisible or not, I’ll still kick your ass.” My voice was steady, and my heartbeat was wild.

  Removing my knife from her chest, I scanned the room to make sure there wasn’t anyone else waiting to charge at me. My cloak was already wearing off.

  Tristan bumped into me from behind. His back pressed flush against mine. “Thanks for the help. Two on one is harder than they make it look in the movies.”

  “No problem.” I gripped my dagger and spun around with him in a slow circle. Bodies lay on the floor all around us, but none of them were anyone I knew. Thankfully.

  “Everyone okay?” My brother’s voice boomed through the house. Besides being out of breath, there was a cut running along his left cheek. Other than that, there didn’t seem to be anything wrong with him. “Piper? You all right?”

  “Yeah.” I nodded. “I’m fine.”

  “Anna?” he called out. She was moving to the couch, her right hand securing her left arm to her middle.

  “I’m okay. I think one of those bitches tugged my shoulder out of its socket though,” she growled.

  My jaw slacked. I’d never heard Anna cuss. There was something hilarious about hearing such a bad word slip past her lips.

  Jasper chuckled—probably having the same thought I had—and then moved on to make sure everyone else was all right. I sank to the floor where I stood. Exhaustion pulsed through me as my adrenaline faded and sweat beaded across my brow. The fight was over, and I was still breathing. I was still alive.

  “Round one, over.” Tristan folded himself into a sitting position beside me. He leaned back on his hands as he struggled to catch his breath.

  My fingertips moved to the cut on my shoulder as I thought of how I’d barely survived. “And round two hasn’t even commenced,” I added, knowing we were both thinking it.

  Chapter 6

  Jasper barely gave us time to lick our wounds before he pushed us out the door. His philosophy was this: sitting around recharging would be what the Vodun expected. If we didn’t miss a beat, then we’d have a level of surprise.

  “Here, doctor yourselves up on the way there.” Jasper pulled a first aid kit from his glove compartment and handed it to me.

  The box was light, but inside was an assortment of bandages and salves. I chose a bandage I thought would fit my cut and read through the salves, searching for one to use. There was burn cream, bruise cream, and even butt cream. I laughed as I held up the tiny jar.

  “What do you need butt cream for?” I asked, staring at Jasper through the rearview mirror.

  He locked eyes with me. “You never know.”

  I shook my head and placed the cream back in its spot.

  “Here, wipe it with this before you put anything on it.” Tristan handed me an alcohol wipe.

  I took it from him and unwrapped it. The sharp scent of alcohol burned my nose. “I know how to clean a cut, but thank you.”

  The sting of germs dying was strong enough to keep my mind away from thoughts of where we were headed. It was only temporary though. Once I removed the little cloth piece, my mind flooded with thoughts of the Vodun and how close we were to their house again. Tristan unwrapped my bandage and handed it to me. I wiped salve on the gauze part before placing it over my wound.

  “My turn to play doctor.” I shifted to face him in my seat.

  A grin festered at the corners of his mouth. I arched a brow, knowing what he was thinking. I could practically see the doctor jokes burning through his mind.

  “Thanks.” He winked.

  “Could you pass me a few of those alcohol wipes?” Anna asked from in the passenger seat.

  “Sure.” I grabbed a handful and held them out to her as something smacked into the windshield.

  “Not again,” Jasper groaned. “Damn birds. When are they going to toss something original at us?”

  I leaned between the front seats to get a better look at what was happening. Birds were flying at us from all sides. “What, the Snake of Possession wasn’t original enough for you?”

  “Oh, it was. I just wish they’d give the birds a rest,” Jasper insisted.

  “You and me both,” Anna muttered barely loud enough for me to hear.

  I wanted to offer her some soothing words in regards to her having been killed by them on the highway, or at least show some semblance of sympathy, but couldn’t think of anything worth saying. Another bird slammed into the windshield startling me.

  Before long the sound of birds hitting the glass became the drumline to a song; it was so frequent.

  “How is this supposed to be a deterrent for anything?” Tristan asked. “They have to know this wouldn’t be enough to stop us from coming.”

  A large bird slammed into the windshield, causing it to crack. Jasper slowed his speed to a crawl. I didn’t blame him; another smacking into it hard might cause it to shatter.

  “One, your tribe will be paying to have that fixed.” He pointed to the windshield, and then rubbed his brow as though he was trying to gather himself before he lost his cool. His truck was his baby. “And two, it’s probably meant to slow us down, which they’ve succeeded.”

  It took double the time it should have for us to reach the Vodun’s house, but we made it, and with Jasper’s windshield still intact. When we came to a rolling stop in front of the large white house, the Vodun witches were standing on the front porch. They were holding one another’s hands, facing us as though we were getting ready to play an intense game of Red Rover.

  I narrowed my eyes. “So much for the element of surprise.”

  “Didn’t you realize that with the birds? Their presence meant we didn’t have that factor going for us from the get-go,” Jasper grumbled.

  “Why are there four?” Anna asked. “Shouldn’t there only be three of them?”

  I skimmed the females standing shoulder to shoulder on the large porch. Anna was right; there were four. According to everything we’d been told, one of them had died seven years ago, which meant there should only be three. Unless one of them was a ghost, I didn’t see how we could be staring at the four original Vodun witches.

  “Maybe the mother had another daughter,” Tristan suggested.

  “Yeah, I’m thinkin’ no.” I unbuckled my seat belt while keeping my eyes trained on the women. “They’re all too old to be born in the last couple years. People pay to make themselves look younger with magic, not appear older.”

  The sound of doors closing behind us caught my attention. Meili had arrived, and from the looks of it, she wasn’t about to sit inside her van and stare. She was all about the action.

  “Worry about it later. Let’s move.” Jasper cut the engine on his truck and climbed out. “Good morning, ladies.” I watched him as he made his way to the front of the truck. While I didn’t know what he was thinking, I knew he had a plan. My brother always did. He never acted without one.


  I climbed out of the back of his truck; anxiety prickled along my spine. This was it. It was time for the inevitable showdown.

  “Not much on talking, okay. I understand. Let me just cut to the chase then.” Jasper paused beside Meili, who was about a foot away from the first step to their porch, to rub along his jawline. “Why don’t you hand over the special mirror you have hidden back there, and we can all go about our day.”

  “There was never a time for negotiations,” the oldest of the four women said.

  Her eyes landed on me, and I felt as though I was being pulled in her direction by an unseen force. My body wasn’t moving, but I still felt movement. It was almost as though my insides were being pulled her way.

  Or my blood.

  I wasn’t sure if what I was feeling was in response to my parents’ blood coursing through the cloak placed on the mirror somewhere inside calling to me, or if it was a reaction to the Vodun witches themselves. My eyes locked with the eldest witch’s, whom I assumed was the mother, and I became lost in the knowledge rolling through their color. This woman was ancient. I gathered right away she had seen more in the span of her lifetime than I could imagine.

  Who the hell were these women? Where did they come from?

  “Right, okay.” Jasper nodded his head. “Guess I’ll have to press forward then.” He cupped his hands in front of his mouth and blew a green powder toward them.

  I knew what he sent their way. I’d seen it before. Heck, I’d used it on one of the women back at the house. The cloak of immobility. It was similar to a hoodoo spell I’d seen once before called a Static spell. The difference between the two was a Static spell caused a person to remain where they were, meaning they couldn’t physically move. It was a sense of paralysis. As far as a spell of immobility went, it dealt only with a person’s mind. Our cloak tricked a person into thinking they couldn’t move physically when in fact they could.