Applebottom Magic: Paranormal Romance

by S Cinders

  Mother motioned for us to look around our home. Instead of the rolling hills and glittering lake, there lying before us was a Grand Canyon. There were rugged cliffs and jagged mountainsides in every direction. There was red dirt and small rivers, it was nothing like before.

  'Our lives have been torn apart, just like this earth has been. Find the beauty in it, love this earth, and guard it well. And someday, when we meet again let me know what you have learned.' She faded away after that and we never saw her again."

  CHAPTER 4- Apple

  Tears coursed down my cheeks and I hugged my family, "I'm so sorry that happened to you all."

  "There now dear," Nana sadly wiped away my tears. "It was a long time ago. But it’s part of your heritage, there are always lessons to learn from those that have gone before. Even my father in is grief taught us to treasure each day despite what trials befall you. I wish that he could have learned this himself, I wish that he could have seen what he was leaving behind."

  Sally nodded and continued to explain, "We are lucky we had each other, and because of our magic we never were at risk of starving. But we were a bit wild growing up without adult supervision. We found that our magic only worked when we were on our lands. That is another reason why your grandmother didn't share this with you before. She had no way of proving it unless she brought you here.

  The magical world has grown much smaller over the centuries, and as you know, we no longer share our magic with the normal world. The witch trials certainly put a stop to that.

  Our land which became known to the human world as the Grand Canyon still holds us here. And although hundreds of thousands of normals have come to see the beauty here, they have no idea what grief caused the lands to rip apart or what magic that goes into keeping it alive and flourishing.

  We have ancient books on magic that helped us perfect our skills. We each took some time to explore the world. We each found love for a while, we found happiness and we finally figured out what was the greatest treasure is about this place.

  It's not the highest peaks or the majestic sights. It's the legacy that lives within ourselves; we are the greatest blessing our mother and father had left behind. And you child are the greatest blessing we have been given, someone to carry on our traditions, someone to embrace the magic and someone in whom we can trust with our family secrets."

  Nana took my hand, "I was the only one out of the three of us to have a child. But my son didn't understand nor care about our heritage. I bore him out of wedlock and he was too ashamed of that fact to want to learn more about caring for our lands.

  I didn't see him for years and then one day he showed up here with you. He said he was sick, he had gotten involved in drugs and wasn't fit to raise you.

  I argued that he could change, but I could see in his heart it wasn't his will. He said I could raise you, if I gave you a normal life, away from all this.

  So, I left my sisters again and took you far away. I've done all I can to raise you to the best of my abilities.

  You are named after my mother Harriet Prudence Applebottom. She was an amazing woman and I see so much of her in you.

  Now I must ask you the same thing I asked your father. Do you wish to stay and learn the magic of your heritage and claim your birthright?"

  "Think long and hard on this child," Jessica added.

  The sisters sat staring at me with baited breath. This was all so overwhelming, me a witch?

  I couldn't even pass chemistry in high school, how would I perfect a complicated spell?

  What if I wasn't good enough? Would I disappoint my only family and my Nana, easily the greatest person in my life?

  You will be the greatest one yet, I heard whispered in my heart. You can do this.

  "Yes," I smiled as they broke into celebratory hugs and kisses.

  So, my family vacation to the Grand Canyon really was the beginning of a whole new life for me.

  CHAPTER 5- Apple

  3 Weeks Later

  "So, Nana, I stink at this magic stuff. I was trying to levitate that candle on the table, but instead of lifting it..."

  "She melted it, or really... exploded it." Aunt Jessica finished for me.

  "There was wax everywhere. I'm still picking pieces out of my hair." She ran her perfectly manicured nails through her short electric blue bob. There was no wax anywhere near her hair.

  Aunt Jess is nothing short of gorgeous, blue hair and all.

  I rolled my eyes at her and she chuckled, "Maybe it wasn't quite that bad."

  "Ugh!" I grumbled picking up a pillow and sinking into our cream leather sofa. Placing it on my lap I had a strong desire to either scream into the pillow or throw it as hard and far as I could.

  Obviously, I was taking the mature approach.

  "Darling, you need to relax.” Nana gently took the pillow from me and set it down beside her.

  "I promise you Apple, you are doing fine! Learning to wield magic takes time." Aunt Jess added.

  I looked between the two of them. No one in their right mind would ever believe that they were my grandmother and great aunt. They looked to be a few years older than myself.

  I had lived with my grandmother my entire life. But she didn't look like she does now. She actually looked the age of a grandmother.

  Apparently, witches stop aging at 25, seriously, it was the coolest thing I've found out yet about witchcraft.

  Also, to access the magic, we must be on our lands. Most normals know it as the Grand Canyon, what they don't know is that it was formed centuries ago by an accident. It was my great grandfather doing some dark magic.

  My grandmother had promised my dad that she would raise me away from all of this. So, until a few months ago, I was clueless, just like all normals are.

  Now, I'm living in the Grand Canyon in a magical cabin hidden from the outside world, with my Nana and two great aunts, who look like super models, talk about a reality shock.

  And to top it all off… I still look just like I always did. Normal. I've got straight blond hair and chocolate eyes. But otherwise there really isn't anything special about me.

  I wish that I was taller and that my boobs were bigger. I wish that I never got pimples or had to shave my legs. I'm sure there is some magical way to do all of this. But the adult posse isn't budging on learning advanced spells until I master the beginner level.

  And like I said, I stink at magic.

  Aunt Sally walked in the door, her long pale blond ponytail swinging behind her.

  "Girls," She cried, "You will never guess what I just saw, skootch over a bit."

  We slid over and she plopped herself down next to us on the sofa, fanning her flawless face.

  "So?" Aunt Jess reminded, "Don't leave us hanging!"

  "I just saw the finest pieces of male flesh that I have seen in quite some time. Damn, they looked good. I tweaked the heat up a notch or two and Girls, they did not disappoint. Shirts came off, six packs came out and sweat was glistening in the summer sun. I thought for a moment I'd stepped into heaven."

  Aunt Jess jumped up, "Where are they? Why are we just sitting here talking about it? Did they see you? Let's go!"

  Nana laughed at her older sisters. Even though the aunts, twins at that, and three years older than Nana, they acted so much younger. What is three years in a millennial case anyway?

  As to their real age, I couldn't tell you to be honest, I'm not sure they even know. But I do know we are talking centuries here.

  "I'm with Aunt Jess!" I piped in grinning. It had been some time since I'd had any man candy. And I would LOVE to skip out on my magic lessons.

  "Nonsense, it's time to get supper on. Apple, you and Jess can get the table set. Sally would you make us a green salad?" Nana shuffled us all off to complete our tasks and we grudgingly complied.

  Dinner consisted of fried chicken, corn on the cob, fresh fruit and an amazing green salad. This was one thing I loved about magic. We had never eaten so good, magic makes even the worst chef gou
rmet.

  Just as I placed the final dish in the cabinet after cleaning up we heard a knock at the door.

  Everyone looked at each other in shock. There are magical wards all over this place repelling normals. This had NEVER happened before.

  "What do we do?" Aunt Jess whispered.

  "Do we answer it?" I asked.

  For a moment we sat in silence, but again there was a knock, the pounding on the door echoing throughout the cabin.

  "I will answer it," Sally said bravely, “You girls just stay back behind me."

  Ignoring her completely we all approached the door together and carefully opened it.

  There standing with his shirt in his hands stood the most amazing body I had ever seen. Muscles rippled down his six pack and his arms truly gave meaning behind the term "guns".

  "Damn," I muttered, not able to stop staring.

  With a quirk of his lips he smiled down at the three of us, "Isn't that my line?"

  Oh, hell no! Did I say that out loud?

  His rough low voice rolled over me like honey, warming every part of my body.

  The amusement in his hazel eyes rendered me speechless. I'm in so much trouble.

  CHAPTER 6 – Apple

  Thank heavens Nana was thinking clearly, because Jess, Sally and I had been rendered speechless.

  "What can we do for you, young man?" She asked.

  "Young man" He repeated eyes twinkling, "I think I'm about the same age as you ladies here."

  Nana caught on quickly to her blunder, "Yes, right. Whatever could I have been thinking? Well, what can we help you with?"

  Her words were friendly, but short and direct. Nana had also moved to block the doorway with her body, rendering our view useless, spoil sport.

  "I'm looking for Gladys Applebottom." He replied.

  "Why?" Jess blurted out.

  "I'm afraid that's personal mam." The smile he cracked at us went straight to my gut. Good goddess above, no one should be that handsome.

  "I'm Gladys Applebottom," Nana said hesitantly.

  "Can I speak to you in private, Miss Applebottom?"

  He could speak to me in private any old time that he wanted. Why was Nana so lucky?

  "Anything you have to say to me young man, you can say in front of my family." Nana huffed impatiently, waving her arm at him.

  It really was quite a crack up to see such a beautiful woman act like she was in her 80's.

  "Alright Miss Applebottom, if you are sure?" Giving her one last time for privacy was quite gentlemanly.

  At her nod he continued, "You are under arrest for failure to register with the united magical Department. Under the magical decree code 738, it states that all magical beings must register each century with their local magical organization. I'm sorry mam, but you will need to come with me, you are in contempt of magical court."

  "Oh, hell no," Sally shouted pushing Nana behind her. "You can't come in here with your washboard abs and a smile and think you are going to haul my sister away without a fight. That's not happening."

  "Mam, I don't mean to cause you any harm. I'm just doing my job. They send me out to get the Rogue ones. I've been searching for Miss Applebottom for the past 18 years. I'd just as soon get this finished up and get on with my life. It's nothing personal."

  I'd had just about enough of Mr. Hottie Pants. "First off, put your damn shirt on, you can't threaten someone and stand there looking good enough to eat, it confuses people. Second, for the last 18 years my grandmother has been raising me as a normal so she had nothing to do with magic during that time. Third, if you think you can come on Applebottom lands and threaten us, you have another thing coming, and I don't think you will like it."

  "You tell him Apple!" Jess encouraged although to be fair she was kind of cowering behind me.

  His eyes shot straight to me, taking his time to really look at my face, ugh why didn’t I put on makeup today?

  "You are just about the most adorable thing I've ever seen." His smile was dazzling, I wanted to kill him.

  Nana choked on a laugh, why wasn't she more concerned about this?

  "I assume you are the only magical COW out on this case?" She asked.

  At his nod, she motioned for him to enter. We grudgingly stepped back as he came into the cabin pulling his grey t-shirt over his rock-hard abs. He still looked magnificent, damn him.

  "Wait a minute; did you just call him a cow?" I teetered, knowing full well what it really meant.

  For the first time an annoyed expression crossed over his handsome visage.

  "Not cow as in 'moo'" he said exasperated, "I'm a Commanding Oppositional Warlock or a COW."

  "Right," I replied snottily, "Not to get confused with PIG."

  Both Sally and Nana snorted this time, why were they so calm?? Aunt Jess was still hiding behind me.

  "You do know that I could have you arrested for any number of things." He said eying me more closely.

  I stuck my hands out as if for him to cuff me. "Do your worst." I bluffed.

  A slow smile crept across his face, "I'm going to like you."

  "The feeling is not mutual!" I replied but the blush coating my checks said otherwise.

  "Come have some tea... err, what was your name officer?" Nana asked as if she were hosting a party and not getting arrested.

  "Ryan, Mam, my name is Ryan Ruttledge." At his confirmation of his name all three women froze. The tea cup Nana had been holding crashed into a million pieces.

  She quickly shook her head and regained her composure, but not before a look of fear had laced her eyes.

  "What is going on?" I demanded. All of this was so very confusing to me.

  "You best sit down Apple," Jess whispered to me.

  "No, I don't feel like sitting. Would someone please tell me what is going on?" I pleaded.

  "I think what the ladies are getting to. I'm..." Ryan was interrupted by Aunt Sally.

  "He's your match." She stated plainly.

  "My match what? I'm not an odd sock. I don't need a match, and why the hell does he think he's arresting Nana?"

  "Well this is obviously a complicated situation," Ryan stood and stretched his hand out to me.

  I ignored it.

  With a twinkle, he winked at me and turned to Nana and the Aunts. "I will fill out the necessary paperwork and alert the council that you have been living out of the magical world. I don't know if that will get you off the hook, but I certainly don't want to see any of my wife's family locked up. You had better plan on getting registered tomorrow."

  "Your wife, you have to be joking?" It was like I had entered an alternate universe.

  "I do hope you were not referring to me. I'm just 18! And there is no way I will be shacking up with the likes of you!"

  Before I could get another word out he grabbed me by the waist and lifted me clean off the floor and planted a quick kiss on my protesting lips.

  Setting me down in front of my now silent family he waved cheerfully and walked out the cabin door whistling, “Until tomorrow then.”

  For a moment I stood there, shocked at his audacity! My lips tingled where his kiss had just been. My skin burned where his fingers had touched.

  Then I slammed the door and turned back to the three women who held all the answers to this hell forsaken day.

  "Spill it," I demanded.

  CHAPTER 7 - Ryan

  Walking away from that cabin was one of the hardest things I've ever done. I can't believe I found the Rouge I've been searching for and am walking away without her in tow.

  There is no way I would let a perp go free, except for the grandmother of my match. I've waited centuries for this girl.

  When I was a child, the Oracle made a prophecy that the Ruttledge line would be strengthened by an Apple.

  But there was also a warning that if a match was not made during the childbearing years our line would die out forever.

  You can imagine my enthusiasm as a child being promised to a fruit.

&n
bsp; As soon as her name was spoken today, I knew that she was the one spoken of. My magic flared within my stomach, no doubt shining through my eyes.

  She is an Applebottom. They are earth witches, meaning they get their magic from the earth, usually passed down from mother to daughter.

  The Ruttledge lines are air warlocks, the magic going from father to son.

  Magic can be drawn from the four elements. Usually witches are earth and fire, and warlocks are air and water. It's a balancing system given to magical beings from the earth mother.

  I couldn't help but touch Apple, to kiss her. I'm tempted to go back for her still. But obviously, she knows nothing of her destiny.

  The women had mentioned that she had been raised without magic, why would they choose that? There are too many questions and not near enough answers.

  By the time, I got back to my crew, I'd decided to lay low on the information of finding my mate. I had brought two men with me, Patrick and James.

  They were loyal warlocks, COW's in training, and some of my best mates. Patrick was an air warlock like me and James was a water warlock.

  "Did you find the Rouge?" Patrick asked from his perch on a red rock boulder.

  He was manipulating the air to create enough of a breeze to cool the uncharitably hot day.

  James was lying on his back with his cowboy hat covering his face.

  "Of course, he found her," his deep rumble coming from underneath the hat.

  "I appreciate the confidence, but what makes you say that?" I asked kicking his hiking boot with my own.

  "You smell like a woman, you either were standing close enough to pick up the scent or have taken to putting on women's perfume." he replied lazily not removing the hat.

  I couldn't help but laugh, "You are, of course, right. I did find her, but she has a valid reason for not registering. I'm going to request for a variance and extension."

  This did cause James to remove his hat and sit up, "You've never asked for a variance for all the Rogues we've picked up over the years, regardless of reason. What's different about her?"