by Anna Abner
“Are you okay?” Georgie asked again, playing with a candy, but not eating it. “What happened?”
All the things Dani couldn’t say aloud flashed inside her mind. Sleep spells. Jackass necromancers. Spell of binding. She fumbled for words that wouldn’t make her sound like a mental patient.
“I, uh,” she said, was put to sleep against my will, “got abducted.” She lowered her eyes, ashamed, which didn’t make any sense. She hadn’t done anything to be embarrassed about. But the emotion lingered.
Georgie only looked more concerned. “Who would do that to you? I can’t even comprehend.” Her fingers flexed like she wanted to grasp Dani’s hand.
Dani stared at the magical webs, invisible to Georgie, running up both arms. She could touch her friend. She could let Georgie embrace her. But that old fear wouldn’t allow it. If Dani opened the door to physical contact, then how would she ever go back once she reclaimed her magic?
Holding David’s hand was different. She could handle that contact because they were temporary allies and she had every reason to believe she’d never see him after Cole woke up. But Georgie was a permanent part of her everyday life, and her feelings would be bruised by the inevitable rejection.
“I’m not sure.” Dani ate another candy and her stomach soured from the sudden rush of sugar. “It might have been for money. Who knows? They were crazy.”
“How bad did it get?” At Dani’s grimace, Georgie shook herself. “Never mind. You’re home, and you’re safe, and that’s all that matters.”
“Thanks,” she said and meant it because Georgie was the most genuinely nice person Dani knew. “I hate to ask you for more, but I need a ride to David’s place in Auburn. Can you take me?”
“Daniela Ferraro,” Georgie chided. “I would do anything for you! Let’s go.” Georgie grabbed her purse and then paused. “Wait. David?” Her eyebrows rose. “David Wilkes? That seems random.”
“We were held hostage together.”
Georgia stomped her foot in disbelief. “You’ve got to be kidding!”
Georgie had been the misguided cupid for Dani and David’s one and only date. She’d witnessed the sparks every time David picked up Ryan from Dani’s class. And by setting them up, she’d given Dani hope that she might someday live a normal life.
“It’s all mixed up in my head. I just need to talk to him.”
“Of course. Anything.” Georgie rattled her keys. “But I have to get to work today. Since you, uh…we’re short a teacher. I can be late, just not very late.”
“I really appreciate it.” She grabbed her things and followed Georgie outside.
On the way out Dani checked her purse. Cell phone, credit cards, ID, cash. It was all there. But despite looking like herself, wearing her own clothes, and carrying her favorite bag, everything felt different now. She flexed her webbed fingers.
She didn’t know how to be anything other than a witch.
Georgie revved the engine of her Dodge sedan as Dani sank into the passenger seat and called her work. Her boss, Regina Mason, answered.
“Regina, it’s Dani. I’m taking a couple days off. If you have to fire me for that, fine, but I’m not in the right mental state to care for children right now.” That was an understatement.
“Oh, I’m not going to fire you,” Regina said with false friendliness. “You’ll just be home with no pay. No worries. I’ll cover for you.”
Dani hung up without saying good-bye.
“Regina’s had her sister-in-law substituting in your class,” Georgie explained. “I think she’d be happy if you quit so she could hire her full time.”
“I’m tempted.” But she wouldn’t quit. She loved her job too much to walk away.
“Please don’t quit,” Georgie exclaimed. “You can’t leave me there by myself.”
Dani swept her gaze over Georgie. Being in that basement had messed with her emotions. Or maybe it was the sleep deprivation and dehydration, but she couldn’t breathe for a moment because of all the love she felt for her friend.
“Hey,” Dani began, “I just want you to know that I really appreciate your friendship.”
“Get outta here.” Georgie laughed. “I know you do.”
“No. I mean it.” Dani cleared her throat and twined her fingers in her lap. “It must be hard to be friends with me.” When Georgie tried to interrupt, Dani talked right over her. “I’m closed off. I don’t like to be touched. Plus I’m emotionally stunted. But you’ve been a true friend to me, and I wanted to say thank you.”
Georgie pulled over, threw the car in park, and swiveled in her seat. “Where is this coming from?”
“The abduction, I guess.” Dani’s voice wobbled. “It made me think about a lot of things.”
“Well, you listen to me, now, Miss Ferraro. Yeah, you’re a little strange, but that’s what I like about you. And it’s not a hardship being your friend, just so you know. It’s not like it’s one-sided or anything. Remember when my ex was in the hospital and you stayed with me? Or what about all the times you covered my class when I was late, and you never ratted me out to Regina.”
“Yeah, but—”
“But nothing.” Her expression softened. “You’re a good person, and I hate that this bad thing happened to you. I love you, you goofball.”
“I love you, too.” She sniffed back tears.
Georgie slapped her hands on her knees. “Can I hug you now?”
Dani glanced at her arms. Bound magic was harmless magic. “Just this once.”
Georgie threw her arms around Dani’s neck, her blonde curls tickling Dani’s nose. For the first time she hugged her friend back.
“Okay,” Georgie said, straightening. “Enough sappy stuff. Let’s get you to Prince Charming.”
David lived in a posh condominium complex in Auburn, about an hour from Dani’s much less posh apartment in Springfield.
Georgie pulled her sedan into the driveway behind a shiny silver Volvo. “Call me in an hour,” she ordered. “I’ll be at work by then. I want to make sure you’re okay.”
“Thanks, I will.” Dani said good-bye and strolled up the driveway.
Dani had known David for two years. She’d been his son Ryan’s preschool and day care provider from nine in the morning until five at night. She was always there when he picked up his son. Of course she’d noticed he was sexy and tall and ripped under his dress shirts and slacks. But she’d never considered dating him until Georgie made it happen.
It had been a bad idea from the start, but he was so nice and charming and good looking that she let herself think what if? What if she never lost control and consequently never fried his brain with magic? What if she could open up to a man about her secrets and her supernatural gifts? What if he learned everything about her and still accepted her, loved her even?
So, a year ago, he’d picked Dani up at her apartment, driven her to Papa Luigi’s, and they’d had a lovely first date. Epic. She hadn’t been able to keep the goofy grin off her face all night.
After dinner and dessert and finally coffee, they’d walked outside together. At the hood of his black Suburban, he’d kissed her. He’d cupped her face and pressed his warm, soft mouth on hers. Oh, it had been a battle not to throw her arms around him and kiss him back. But she’d had a flash of Bailey Haas, and she’d frozen up like soda pop in a freezer.
David had kindly pulled back and smiled at her, but the glow was gone. He’d driven her home. They’d said good night, and she went in to her apartment alone. About a month later he’d pulled Ryan out of Happy Trails and moved away.
All those silly fantasies had evaporated like fog in the afternoon sun. And that’s exactly what they were—silly. She’d never have a boyfriend, let alone a husband or a family.
She needed David to wake up Cole so her friend could unbind her magic. The quicker the better. And then she’d work on finding the Dark Caster and his minions from her home in Springfield. David would go back to his new life in Auburn. And they never
had to see each other again.
Gathering her courage, Dani knocked on David’s front door.
Chapter Seven
David answered Dani’s knock looking like a pale shade of his usual self. He’d changed his filthy undershirt for a clean one, but he hadn’t showered. Smears of dried blood peeked around his collar and out from under his shirt sleeves.
“Is something wrong?” he asked.
“No. But we need to talk. It’s important.”
“Can you talk while I pack?” He didn’t seem particularly excited to see her, more like irritated that he had one more thing to worry about. He gestured for her to enter, and Dani followed him into his bedroom. It smelled like him—earth and leather and musk.
On his bed lay a half-packed suitcase and a heap of laundry.
“Going somewhere?” she asked.
“Ryan is. My mom is taking him south to Savannah for a few days to stay with an old friend.” He caught her eye. “That information doesn’t leave this room.”
“Of course not.”
His hands shook as he sorted little boy’s clothes from the laundry pile. Jeans. T-shirts. Cartoon character-covered underwear.
“I’ll feel a lot safer with them out of sight for a little while. No one will know where they are. I’m sending a private detective with them.” David checked his watch. “In fact, he should be here any minute. When you knocked I thought it was him.”
“Nowhere is completely safe,” Dani reminded him. Because they weren’t dealing with run-of-the-mill human criminals. Witches and necromancers had skills and talents other people didn’t.
“What do you mean? No one knows any of the details. How could those people find them?”
“They have spirit companions.” God, he really was a novice. “They can send them anywhere to watch anyone.”
He threw a rolled up pair of socks into the suitcase so hard it bounced out and wobbled across the floor. “They’re not safe anywhere? Then how do I protect my son?” His voice cracked. “Spirits can spy on me? Are there any here now?”
“You tell me.”
He narrowed his eyes. “Hilarious.”
She glanced away, uncomfortable. They needed to quit screwing around and make a solid plan. “Send them away, for now. The people who took us probably won’t make a road trip to find Ryan when they can just abduct you again a lot more easily. After all, Ryan’s not a necromancer. You are.”
“I’m nothing like them.” David rounded the bed, retrieved the socks, and continued packing. “What did you come to talk about?”
Dani’s flight instinct rumbled to life again the way it had in the woods the night before. It would be so easy to say “Never mind” and leave in a rush. She could get home, lock her door, and stay in bed for the next few days. Or weeks.
Screw the Carver and the Dark Caster and all of it.
But if she quit now, Cole was lost, and she’d never get her powers back.
“I need your help. Jeff bound my magic.” She pushed her long sleeves up to her elbows, revealing black spider webs only he and she could see. “And he’s hurting my friend, Cole. Only another necromancer can break those spells. You’re a necromancer.” David started to interrupt, but Dani talked over him. “I’ll teach you the basics. The spells are easy. And once we wake up Cole, he’ll unbind my magic so we can go after the Dark Caster and the Carver and anyone else who wants to hurt us.”
He zipped the bag with a resounding rip. “I don’t want anything to do with the crap I saw in that basement. I just want to raise my son in peace.”
Time for a little tough love. She got in his eye line and he had no choice but to look at her. “They may never stop chasing you. I’m not trying to scare you. It’s the truth. If they need a necromancer this badly, they will do whatever it takes to acquire you. The police will investigate, but you saw what Jeff is capable of. The best defense is an equal or better offense. Learn some spells, gather power, and make sure they never bother you again.”
“You’re going to let the police handle this.” David sidestepped her and carried the suitcase into the hall. “These people are violent and dangerous. You’re not going vigilante on me. We’re not in a movie.”
Of course Captain Safety would say that, but it might not be that simple. “I’m not a vigilante,” Dani said, right on his heels. “I’m not even a witch.” She showed him her arms again. “But more importantly, Cole is trapped in a nightmare spell. Maybe you’ve never heard of one. The magic takes your greatest fears and twists them into horrific nightmares that go on indefinitely. They probably didn’t mean to keep him trapped in the spell this long because too long in a nightmare spell will drive you insane. From what I’ve heard, you start to believe the nightmare is real and then your mind crumbles under the horrors.”
He shook his head. “I’m sorry about your friend, but—”
“Good. Then you’ll help him.”
A door slammed, and Ryan padded into the room in a pair of footy pajamas, his blond hair sticking up in at least four different directions.
“Daddy? I woke up.” Then he saw Dani and smiled in recognition. “Miss Dani?” He threw himself against her legs, wrapping his small, but strong, arms all the way around her thighs.
She did what she always did when a child hugged her. She locked her elbows to her ribs, hands buried under the opposite arm.
“Hey Baby Bear,” she cooed, smiling down at him. She’d given him the nickname two years ago because he’d had the soft, fuzzy hair of a teddy bear. “I’m so glad to see you. I missed you when you moved.”
“Me, too.” He released her only to gallop into his father. “What are you doing at my house?”
“I came to talk to your dad.” She smiled warmly at the little guy. He’d been a favorite of hers even before she’d dated his father. Ryan was the kind of kid who was always happy, no matter what was going on around him. He had endless energy and a child’s zeal for life. She adored him.
“Ry,” David said, “Grandma will be here soon. Go pick out some toys for the car ride.”
The four-year-old happily obliged and padded back into his bedroom.
“I can’t talk about this stuff,” David whispered to Dani. “My mom ran home to pack and should be back by now. The private detective is on his way. I have to get them all headed south where they’ll be safe. Then,” he stressed, “I can think about the mess we’re in. Okay?”
She couldn’t argue. Didn’t want to. “No problem. I’ll wait in the kitchen.”
He stomped down the hall, presumably to help his son get dressed, and she poured herself a cup of coffee from the pot on the counter. Her stomach growled for something more substantial, but it had to be content with coffee for now.
Within ten minutes David’s mother arrived, a noisy and harried mess of a woman with bloodshot eyes. She cast Dani an unhappy glance, not even saying hello before finding her son. In her shadow followed the private detective, an armed forces type dressed in civilian clothes.
“Hi. Mitchell Sims.” The private eye crossed the room, his right hand extended. “You are?”
“Dani.” She refused to shake. It was a habit she wasn’t comfortable breaking even with her magic bound.
“You a germaphobe?” he asked, sizing her up. God knew what he surmised.
“It’s nothing personal.”
“Right. And you’re the female who shared the same cell as Mr. Wilkes.”
It wasn’t a question, and Dani didn’t elaborate. He seemed like a prick, and no human detective had a chance of getting her magic back or waking up Cole, so she ignored him. Let him think what he wanted.
David and his mother returned. Dani caught the tail end of Mrs. Wilkes’s statement.
“…she’s gone by the time we get back.”
David didn’t say anything, which hurt her feelings. Again, she got the impression she was just one more problem he had to sort out this morning.
“Mitchell,” David instructed, “don’t let them out of your
sight. Mom,” he turned toward Joan, “stay under the speed limit, you hear me? And all the buckles have to be latched on Ryan’s car seat.”
The kid in question reappeared in jean shorts and a “Trouble Is My Middle Name” T-shirt.
David knelt, and the two Wilkes boys were eye to eye. “Be good for Grandma,” David said, smoothing Ryan’s messy hair to the side. “I’m going to miss you, but you’ll be home in a few days.” Ryan launched himself at his dad, throwing his arms around his neck.
“I love you, Daddy.”
Standing with his son plastered to his chest, David gave him a bouncy hug. “I love you, too, buddy.”
Like a Peeping Tom, Dani lingered in the kitchen doorway filled with a longing she’d tried so hard to bury and beat down and silence. She pictured herself right there, her arms around both of them. They wouldn’t be saying good-bye, though, they’d be sharing a loving, end-of-the-night embrace before bedtime. A family.
Snapping back to reality, she popped her mental balloon because that was never going to happen. Aside from the fact that she couldn’t trust herself to lay her hands on a man, let alone a fragile child, David had made it very clear he didn’t want any part of her.
* * *
David hustled his mother and son into her silver Volvo and then, his empty stomach in knots, waved from the end of the driveway as they drove off. It was sad to see them go, no way around it, but they’d be safe in Savannah for a little while, freeing him to aid the police in tracking down the son of a bitch responsible for this disaster.
Speaking of disasters, Dani was no less than a category five hurricane. Just when she had him fooled that she might have an actual beating heart in that icy chest of hers, she rebuffed his son. Ryan! Everyone adored Ryan. But when he’d hugged her with love in his eyes for his old teacher she wouldn’t even touch him. Just kept those hands around her middle like he was a dog with a disease. Ryan! The happiest, friendliest kid in the world.
If David hadn’t known before, he did now. Dani could never fit in his life. He needed a warm and loving person to enhance their world. Dani was a block of ice with a heartbeat. His son was not growing up in a house where his own mother refused to hug him.