A Halloween LaVeau Box Set Books 1-3: Forever Charmed, Charmed Again and Third Time's A Charm: A Witch Cozy Mystery Box Set - Books 1, 2, 3 (The Halloween LaVeau Series)

by Rose Pressey

  “Is that why I’ve had the blacking out episodes?” I asked.

  “Yes…” Annabelle closed her eyes.

  “Are you still here?” I asked.

  Annabelle popped open her eyes and blinked at me. “You need to find the other necklace. The pendant is larger than the other necklaces. It’s in the house. It will unlock the writings of the book.”

  “Where in the house?” I pushed.

  Annabelle shut her eyes again, then leaned her head back against the back of the chair. After a second, she opened her eyes again. The blue shade had returned.

  Gina was gone. How would I find the necklace now?

  “Annabelle, is that you?” I asked.

  Annabelle wiped her forehead with the back of her hand and looked around. “Why are you all staring at me like that? Aren’t we going to do the séance?”

  She didn’t know. It would be so easy not to tell her, but I knew I had to. She needed to know the truth.

  “It’s over,” Jon said.

  Annabelle shrugged. She didn’t seem to mind that it was over, but she did look suspiciously at us. I was positive that she knew something strange had happened.

  “We need to break the circle and extinguish the candles.” Sierra waved her hands through the air.

  Once we broke the circle, Sierra blew out the candles, signaling the end of the séance.

  “Thank you, spirit, for joining us,” Sierra said.

  A whisper of a breeze blew across my skin. Had Gina’s spirit left the room?

  Chapter Twenty-Five

  When I opened the car door, I spotted the single rose resting on the seat. My breath caught in my throat.

  “How did this get here?” I showed the flower to everyone.

  Annabelle scrunched her brow. “That’s odd. Where did you find it?”

  “It was on my seat.” I pointed.

  I looked to Liam and Jon, but there only response was a shrug. Where were the roses coming from?

  As we drove back to LaVeau Manor, I knew I had my work cut out for me. Now there was a necklace to find? Why had no one told me about this to begin with? Hadn’t the Coven known about this? Weren’t they supposed to know about all this witchcraft stuff? They always acted so superior. As it turned out, they didn’t know half as much as they thought they did.

  “I’ve made at least one decision tonight,” I said.

  “What’s that?” Liam asked while keeping his focus on the road.

  “I’m asking Jacobson to step down as the leader of the New Orleans Coven. It’s something I should have done when I met the jackass,” I said.

  Liam’s eyes widened when he glanced over at me. “He’s not going to like this at all.”

  “He won’t have a choice,” I said with forced confidence.

  “Who will you get to take his place?” Liam steered the car around a slight curve.

  I shrugged. “I have no idea, but one problem at a time.”

  “When do you plan on doing this?” he asked.

  “I’d like to do it tonight, but I’ll have to find him first. When I get back to LaVeau Manor, I have to look for this necklace.” I leaned my head back against the seat.

  “I’ll help you look,” he said with a smile.

  I met his gaze momentarily. “Thank you. I’d like that. Do you think this necklace is related to the one I found at the plantation?”

  “I hadn’t thought of it, but it’s possible,” Liam said.

  The car’s engine faded into a meaningless drone, making me drowsy. I must have drifted off to sleep because the next thing I knew we were pulling up in front of LaVeau Manor. Night had settled over the manor and I knew that searching for the necklace tonight would be pointless. As I peered up at the stars, I wondered where Nicolas was and if he was okay. I inhaled the sweet perfume from the rose. Was he thinking of me too?

  After filling Annabelle in on what had happened at the séance, I figured she’d never speak to me again, but she did. It seemed like I kept dishing out bad things to my friend, and she just kept rolling with the punches. That was true friendship. Luckily, she knew I’d do the same for her.

  I said goodbye to Annabelle knowing that she was in good hands. Jon seemed like a nice guy and I felt like I could trust him. Okay, I’d only known him for two days, but he gave off a good vibe. But now that Annabelle had pulled out of the driveway with Jon, I was alone with Liam. At least I thought I was alone because there were no lights on in the manor. I figured that the new best friends Catherin and Claude had stepped out for more cupcakes or friendship bracelets. They were probably out celebrating my pathetic witchcraft skills and their good fortune because of it.

  As soon as Liam and I stepped through the door of LaVeau Manor, in one swift movement, Liam grabbed me in his arms and planted a kiss on me. He caressed his tongue over my lips and I momentarily gave in to the pleasure. Nothing could have prepared me for this mind-blowing lip lock. As his mouth moved from my lips to my neck, his fangs whispered over the exposed skin. If my head hadn’t been spinning before, it definitely was now. It was hard to resist Liam Rankin.

  What if Nicolas really did want to be with the witches now? I couldn’t really wait around, right? Since I was having a tough time resisting Liam, I melted into his arms and kissed him back. As my mouth moved across his, my legs went weak. Unfortunately, as magnificent as the kiss was, his lips weren’t the reason for my weakened state. I knew that someone had unleashed a spell against me again. The room darkened and I fell to the floor.

  When I woke, I was on the sofa in the parlor. I scanned the room, trying to remember what had happened. The single rose was on the table across from me. Liam must have placed it there. He knelt down beside me as I tried to sit up. “What happened?”

  Liam grabbed my arms and lowered me back to the sofa. “Just lie there. Don’t try to get up. You’re being attacked with a spell again.”

  “I blacked out again?” I rubbed my head.

  He nodded. “We have to find this necklace.”

  I tried to get up again. “We need to look through the house. Gina said it was in the house.”

  He gently pushed me back again. “You need rest. We’ll find it in the morning. Just try to relax. You’re safe here with me tonight.”

  I wasn’t so sure. I’d been attacked with a spell in my own house. Nowhere was safe. Without warning, Liam scooped me up in his arms.

  “Where are you taking me?” I asked breathlessly.

  “To your bed.” Liam carried me in his strong arms with ease.

  “Will you stay with me?” I whispered in his ear.

  “I won’t leave,” he said in a low voice.

  A knot rose in my throat. Had there been desire in his words?

  As we turned the corner of the second floor landing, Catherin appeared from her room. Liam sat me on my feet, wrapping his arm around me for support.

  “I didn’t think you were here,” I said with surprise.

  “Is everything okay, dear?” she asked with a quirk of her eyebrow.

  “I’m just really tired and Liam is helping me.” I gestured toward Liam.

  Catherin quirked a disapproving eyebrow, then shrugged. “Well, I guess it’s your home now and you can do whatever you like.”

  “Is Claude here? I didn’t think you all were home because all the lights were out.” I gestured with my hand.

  “Yes, he is,” Catherin said snippily. “I’m going to talk with him now.” She marched down the hallway, releasing a loud huff in her wake.

  Was she going to tattle on me? At least I had Claude to keep Catherin occupied while I figured out this other mess. As soon as I had time I’d find a way to get rid of both of them.

  ***

  When I woke, Liam’s arms were wrapped around me. I paused for a moment, wondering if this was a dream. Nope. It was all too real. He’d kept his word and slept in the bed with me all night. I hadn’t wanted to be alone. Not last night. Liam was still fully clothed though, so he’d been a perfect gen
tleman. I still hadn’t decided if that was a good or bad thing. One thing was for certain, I was thankful I hadn’t drooled on him while I’d slept.

  When I turned to look at Liam, he opened his eyes and smiled. “Good morning,” he said.

  I stretched, trying to add as casual as possible. “We should start looking for the necklace.”

  Liam nodded. “Your guest will probably want to know what we’re doing. She wasn’t very happy with you last night.”

  “She doesn’t seem happy about anything,” I said, pulling the sheet up tighter around my body.

  Liam climbed out of my bed. I looked up at his powerful set of shoulders and let my gaze drift, studying every inch of his muscular physique as he moved. Maybe it was my imagination, but he seemed as if he was in a hurry to get out of the room.

  “I’ll leave so you can get ready.” He paused with his hand on the doorknob. “If you need me I’ll be in my room.”

  I nodded, but didn’t say anything. For once I was at a loss for words. How could I possibly know what to say when I didn’t even know what I was thinking? He stepped out of the room without looking back. I hoped that I hadn’t hurt his feelings.

  When I stepped out into the hallway, I noticed Catherin’s room door was open. I peeked down the hallway. Claude’s door was open too. Had they already gone out? Where were they headed off to all the time? Maybe they were already downstairs and Catherin was making breakfast. It was obvious that she didn’t trust my cooking abilities.

  After heading downstairs, I searched every room on the first level, looking for my guests. They were nowhere to be found. When I stepped into the kitchen, there was no sign of Catherin or Claude there either. I’d expected to see remnants of cupcakes or some other delicious breakfast that Catherin had whipped up with her magic.

  As I peered out the back window, contemplating my next move, someone touched my back. I jumped and spun around with my fists in the air.

  Liam stood behind me. “Whoa. Settle down, killer. I didn’t mean to startle you.”

  I clutched my chest. “It’s okay, I guess. I was expecting to find Jacobson behind me when I turned around.”

  “Where are Catherin and Claude?” Liam asked, looking over my shoulder out the window.

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. They must have left.”

  Liam opened his full lips as if he wanted to comment, but he obviously changed his mind because he didn’t utter a word.

  “What?” I pushed.

  Finally, he asked, “Don’t you think they are acting weird? What do you think is going on with them?”

  I leaned against the counter and tucked a strand of hair behind my ear. “I don’t know, but you’re right.” I couldn’t deny that I’d become suspicious of their behavior. “They’re always together now. I mean, maybe they just have a lot in common, or they share a bond because I brought both of them back…”

  His eyebrows rose inquiringly. “Or maybe it’s something more than that?”

  “How will I know?” I searched his eyes for an answer.

  “Have you snooped in their rooms?” Liam asked.

  “I can’t do that. That’s against the bed-and-breakfast proprietor code,” I said. Technically, I had snooped in Liam’s room and I had checked out his underwear, but I had a perfectly valid excuse for that. Okay, and I had snooped in Catherin’s room too, but I digress.

  “Well, it’s not like they are paying guests.” Liam shoved his hands in his pockets and leaned on the counter next to me.

  Liam’s sexual magnetism invaded my personal space. I stepped away from the counter and motioned for him to follow. “That’s true. Come on. Let’s see what’s going on, although I doubt we’ll find anything.”

  He didn’t allow me to move too far before grabbing my hand and guiding me out of the room. “Maybe we’ll find out where they’ve been going every day.”

  I tried to throttle the dizzying current racing through me as Liam guided me through the manor. “Let’s hope so.”

  We made it to Catherin’s room first. The room was tidy and nothing seemed out of place. She’d even made up the bed with military precision.

  Easing into the room, I headed over to the closet and peeked inside. Several pieces of clothing hung on the rack and a couple pairs of new shoes sat on the floor. Apparently, Catherin had been shopping.

  I held up a bright pink sweater from the closet. “She has a lot of new clothes. That might explain what Catherin and Claude have been doing. It’s nothing more than hanging out as friends, I guess. But I’m not clear on where she got her money.”

  Liam walked across the room and looked out the window. “I’m still suspicious. There’s just something about them that I don’t trust.”

  When I scanned the room, something caught beside the bed. The item was gold and shiny. “There’s a necklace,” I said, pointing across the room.

  Liam followed me across the room. I knelt down and picked up the necklace. When I saw the pendant attached to the chain, it was as if someone had punched me in the stomach.

  “It’s the same symbol as the necklace we found at the plantation,” I said with shock in my voice.

  Liam took the necklace from my outstretched hand. His expression tensed as he studied it. “I can’t believe it. It’s the same damn thing.”

  “Do you think the necklace is Catherin’s?” I asked.

  “I can’t imagine why it would be in her room if it wasn’t,” Liam said.

  “It can’t be the necklace Gina told us about because she said it was larger. I’ve never seen Catherin wear this.” I scanned the room to make sure we were still alone. “We have to find out what that symbol means. Come on, let’s check Claude’s room, then we’ll look for the necklace that Nicolas’ mother was talking about,” I said.

  After searching through Claude’s room and finding nothing, I headed for my room to grab the Book of Mystics. I wanted to see if it would present a spell to me. What kind of spell, I wasn’t sure, but at this point I was out of ideas. If I got lucky, I’d cast a spell that would help lead me to this necklace that Nicolas’ mother was talking about.

  After grabbing the book, I joined Liam in the kitchen where he’d been waiting for me. He was still studying the necklace that I’d found in Catherin’s room.

  “I brought the necklace from the plantation so we can compare them,” I said, handing him the other necklace.

  He placed both of them on the kitchen counter, stretching both out side-by-side.

  “They look like an exact match,” I said.

  “You’re right, they look alike and that isn’t a coincidence. This must be some kind of special witchcraft symbol. They share some kind of common bond,” Liam said, as he ran his hand through his thick hair.

  “But why was Nicolas wearing this necklace? Do you know if he was involved with any special magic?” I asked.

  Liam shook his head. “No, not that I know of. Of course, we haven’t been the best of friends lately.”

  “Well, I know one thing for certain. I’m calling a meeting of the New Orleans Coven today and removing Jacobson as the leader.” I felt as depleted as my voice sounded.

  “You know I’ll support you any way that I can.” Liam touched my hand.

  The doorbell rang, echoing through the house, and my stomach dipped. The last thing I wanted was another unannounced guest. I exchanged a glance with Liam.

  “I’ll see who it is,” he said, walking out of the kitchen toward the front door.

  He reached the door before me and opened it immediately for the person. The open door blocked my view of the unexpected guest.

  “Oh, it’s you,” Liam said.

  Chapter Twenty-Six

  When I stepped into the hallway, I finally got a view of who’d been at the door. Annabelle and Jon stood in the foyer, holding hands.

  “I didn’t expect to see you two here so early.” I gave Annabelle a knowing smile.

  If this mess was ever finished, I wanted full details from
her on what had led to the quick handholding.

  Annabelle returned a bashful grin. “We figured you needed help looking for that necklace.”

  “Yeah, well, we already found one necklace today.” I displayed the found object.

  She quirked her eyebrow questioningly. “What are you talking about?”

  I let the necklace dangle from my hand. “We found this in Catherin’s room.”

  Jon took the necklace. “It looks just like the one you found at the plantation.”

  I looked at him. “Yeah, I’m surprised you remembered.”

  “It’s a unique symbol. Hard to forget something like that,” he said.

  I shook my head. “It’s not that unique. We’ve found two. I still have to figure out what it means.”

  “That’s why we’re here to help,” Annabelle offered.

  “I have a plan for the day. Number one: find the necklace that Nicolas’ mother told us about and number two: call a meeting for the New Orleans coven,” I said.

  Before anyone had a chance to respond, the strange vibe fell over me again. I knew by now what was coming on when it hit me. The walls were closing in on me and the room grew darker and darker. My legs went weak and I fell to the ground again.

  When I woke, I was on the sofa again with everyone standing around me. This was becoming a routine—one that I wasn’t fond of either.

  “Are you okay?” Annabelle reached down and touched my forehead.

  Liam paced beside the sofa. “This is beyond out of control.”

  “I’m feeling fine now,” I said, rubbing my head.

  “Since Jon is here he can help us cast a counter-spell. You can draw on the elements from us,” Liam said, gesturing toward Jon.

  “I’ll help if I can,” Jon said with a shrug of his wide shoulders.

  It was about the only shot I had. If I could cast a spell to help lead me to the necklace, then I could unravel the puzzle. There had to be a reason why Nicolas was with the witches. What spell had they cast on him and how would I reverse it? Would I need to find him first before I cast a spell?