Spellcasting with a Chance of Spirits: A Paranormal Women's Fiction Romance Novel (Grimm Cove Book 3)

by Mandy M. Roth

  “His mother is still near him?” asked Bram.

  “She’s not left his side in a month,” returned Elis. “His father and uncles check in daily. His cousins were checking in while I was there. Pretty much the entire Harker pack is in and out of that place nonstop, getting underfoot. Doc is being good about it, though. That’s a plus. When is Jonathan due back in? Kellan has always idolized him. Might do him good to have Jonathan close.”

  With a sigh, Bram spoke. “Jonathan is aware of the matter. He is tracking down leads on a friend of ours whom we’ve lost contact with. Jonathan is my eyes and ears out there, and I’m his here.”

  Bram didn’t want to get into the fact that Seward had not only never responded to Bram’s attempts to reach him, he’d gone off the grid. The teams in New York couldn’t locate him either.

  Tension filled the room. “He should be here checking on Kellan. You should make sure of it.”

  “Tread carefully, Elis,” warned Bram. “You may wear the hat of head of the slayers to the public, but behind closed doors, you’re not the man in charge.”

  “I know,” said Elis. “Sorry. I didn’t mean it the way it came out and I get that you’re in charge. Honestly, I wouldn’t want your job. It must suck.”

  Bram chuckled softly. “Funny.”

  “Wasn’t even trying to be,” Elis responded. “Just worked out that way.”

  Bram knew Elis was upset about Kellan and blamed himself for some reason. The blame lay squarely with Dragos, who had left Kellan in his current state. “Morris is searching for something that may help Kellan.”

  “He is?” asked Elis, sounding surprised.

  “Yes, while also hunting for our missing friend,” confessed Bram.

  Seward, Holmwood, Morris, and Jonathan Harker had all been part of the group that went after Dracula years ago. Each had paid the price for it as well.

  “This missing friend wouldn’t happen to be Seward, would it?” asked Elis.

  Bram lifted a brow. “Good guess. How did you come by it?”

  “I may have been college age when he was last around, but I remember how all of you were tight,” said Elis. “I also remember all the shouting the two of you did about Dana. Then he didn’t come around anymore. But I know for a fact you have the teams in New York keep an eye on him to be sure he’s safe. They report back to me too, remember?”

  “And they informed you Seward is missing?” asked Bram.

  Elis nodded, cracking his knuckles as he did. “You don’t think Dracula is making good on his threats, do you?”

  “To end each of us who made a play against him long ago?” asked Bram with a slight grin. “He has not been successful yet. I suppose there is always a first time.”

  “You talk about your friends like you don’t care if they die,” said Elis.

  “Point of fact, Jonathan is the only one of us who counts as being alive,” corrected Bram.

  Elis grunted. “You know what I mean. Kellan is laid up, and he’s all I can think about.”

  “You are young still, Elis,” Bram said evenly. “I have seen many I care for die. Sooner or later, Death comes for us all. Making peace with that when you have a chance is key. They know they are important to me. They know I would mourn them. That I would avenge them.”

  “By Grabthar’s Hammer?” asked Elis with a snort.

  Bram quirked a brow. “I know not what you speak of.”

  “Not a shock,” Elis replied. “Can you ask Jonathan to come back to Grimm Cove for Kellan?”

  Bram sighed. “Elis, he is the head of the Harker shifter line. He is keenly aware of Kellan’s state. He is connected to him much like I am. He has his reasons for staying away. Respect them, and be there for Kellan’s parents. His mother needs support from those close to Kellan.”

  Elis swallowed hard, and the crease in his forehead deepened. “You’ve seen a lot in your lifetime. What do you think his chances are of pulling through this?”

  “Worrying over what may or may not happen helps no one,” said Bram, his gaze returning to the sunset. “Your time and energy are better spent on something else.”

  “So, what you’re saying is, Kellan’s chances aren’t great?” asked Elis.

  As much as Bram wanted to give the man hope, lying to him on the matter was wrong. Instead of answering outright, Bram merely inclined his head slightly.

  Elis’s pain was nearly palpable.

  Bram gave Elis the courtesy of continuing to look out the window, rather than at him while he processed his feelings. After a few minutes, Bram sensed less of the young man’s pain, meaning Elis was controlling his emotions. Bram had been raised in a time when men weren’t overly open to sharing how they felt. Elis’s father had much the same outlook on life, and it was clear the slayer took after the man.

  Bram glanced at the reflection in the window, seeing Elis there near the entrance of the study, watching him. He caught his own reflection as well, instantly noticing the flecks of black in his eyes, reminding him once again of what he was and what lived within him.

  Evil.

  Elis forced a smile to his face. “Waiting until dark to go lurk in the bushes outside Jeffrey’s place to make sure he’s not having any hanky-panky with your daughter? I’m game to help. I think he’s a prick and would love to put a damper on the alpha wolf-shifter’s sex life.”

  It was a poorly veiled attempt at burying his concern for Kellan. Bram went with it all the same. “No. That hadn’t crossed my mind.”

  “Uh-huh, sure it hasn’t,” Elis said with a snort.

  Elis was in his early forties, very young compared to Bram, and was the face most saw when they wanted to deal with the head of the Van Helsing slayers. He was Bram’s point person in the real world, permitting Bram to run things from afar. Elis and a number of other slayers knew the truth—that Bram was the man behind the curtain, and that he was a vampire. Others were kept out of the loop for good reason.

  Bram kept the slayers who knew who and what he was close to him at what he considered his home base—Grimm Cove. Some traveled with him to his various properties around the world but, for the most part, they remained stationed out of the South Carolina town.

  He had a large pack of wolf-shifters whom he classified as slayers as well, who served him. They consisted of the Harker family of shifters that was bound to him. They accompanied him the most whenever he was abroad.

  Kellan Harker had been injured a month ago trying to protect Bram’s daughter, Dana. Kellan had faithfully served Bram all his life, as did his family. They were some of the most trusted people he surrounded himself with. Even if they were only loyal to him because they were his animals to control.

  As a master vampire, one of his line’s powers was the ability to call animals. Specifically, wolves. Bram could summon them with both his dark power and his mind. They were forever bound to his line—wrapped up in the same curse.

  While he’d never admit as much out loud, Bram had always had something of a soft spot for Kellan. He, like Elis, was close in age to Dana. But unlike Elis, Kellan had known the truth of Dana’s existence for years. He’d been tasked with protecting her while she was at school.

  The fool had fallen for her, developing what Bram liked to term as puppy love for Dana. That was unacceptable, especially at the ages they’d been, so Bram had put a stop to it.

  Now, over twenty years later, everything had changed. Dana was mated and expecting, but to Bram’s knowledge had not yet figured out she was to be a mother. And that meant he was going to be a grandfather.

  He didn’t want to be the one to tell Dana she was indeed pregnant. She seemed to have a rather firm aversion to small children. That would prove interesting down the road.

  He already knew she’d be a far better parent than he was, even with her knee-jerk reaction to the idea of motherhood.

  “You know, the strong, brooding, mysterious thing you have going may work for the ladies, but it just pretty much annoys me,” said Elis, reminding
Bram he was present. “Ready to head out and cramp Jeffrey’s style so he can’t get laid?”

  Bram blew out an incensed breath, his gaze hardening on the young slayer. He didn’t want to think about his daughter having anything close to intercourse, ever, let alone with Jeffrey Farkas, the head of the local wolf-shifter pack. Dana may be forty, but to Bram, that was a blink of an eye and she wasn’t old enough to know cardinal sin. “Hardly.”

  Elis’s attention slid to the sound system that was artfully blended to look as if it were part of the décor, rather than separate from it. “‘Friend of the Devil’? Uh, since when do you listen to the Grateful Dead? I mean, it’s irony at its finest with the song and band name there, but so not your thing.”

  “And what,” Bram glanced over his shoulder at the man, “exactly is my thing?”

  Elis stiffened. “Erm, opera and other boring shit?”

  He is not wrong, said the demon. You bore me to tears.

  Part of Bram found Elis amusing. The other part found him tiring, as he found most humans to be. There were a few exceptions though, like Marcy. He found her to be anything but tiring.

  Confusing, somewhat out of touch with reality, and breathtakingly beautiful, but not tiring. Maybe if he actually spoke with her rather than simply watching over her from afar, his viewpoint might change.

  He doubted it, though.

  “Admit it, I’m right,” said Elis with a smirk. “The band name and the song name are kind of hilarious when you think about the fact a vampire is listening to them. You should start a tribute band called the Thankful Undead. Could become all the rage. Of course, you’ll want to avoid doing any daylight shows unless you want to save money on pyrotechnics to wow the fans.”

  Groaning, Bram simply arched an imperious brow. “Careful, you are tap-dancing on my last nerve.”

  Elis put his hands up, looking as if he was being held at gunpoint. “Don’t drain me dry. I surrender. To be clear, you’re not interested in skulking in the bushes at Farkas’s cabin then, and you don’t find your music choice amusing?”

  Rolling his eyes, Bram went back to staring out the window. “I do not skulk in the bushes outside of the cabin my daughter shares with her new husband.”

  “Have you been practicing that line of bull as you stared out the window all day? Because no one is buying it,” Elis said before clearing his throat.

  I like him, said the demon.

  Bram regarded the man closely, knowing Elis could see as much in the reflection on the window.

  “Did my inside voice just become an outside voice?” asked Elis with a rather large gulp.

  “I believe so,” returned Bram, amused but hiding it because torturing Elis gave him more joy than it should.

  “What I meant to say is that you’re right. You don’t skulk outside in the bushes at Jeffrey’s place. Can I also add, please don’t drain me? Wait, I already said that. Seemed like an important point to drive home though, especially considering I’m your favorite blood type—red. Oh no. I said point and drive. Totally wasn’t hinting at stakes and driving one through your chest or anything. I’d never do that—I mean not while warning you first.”

  “Are you finished?” asked Bram.

  “I think so. I’m out of material at the moment. Can I revisit the mocking if I think of something new?”

  “Only if you have a death wish,” Bram stressed.

  “You know, you’re not the warmest of individuals. Ha, get it? I’m on a roll.” Elis snorted and moved up alongside Bram. The two stared silently out the window for several minutes before Elis spoke once more. “It’s been quiet now for a month. No big issues have come up.”

  Bram offered the male a sideways glance. “And you just jinxed it.”

  Cringing, Elis gave a curt nod. “Regretted it the second I uttered the words. While I’m taking my life in my own hands, I’d like to point out you’ve been heading out every night and doing something that’s keeping you away until nearly dawn. Hell, you only just got in before daybreak this morning. Cutting it a little close, don’t you think?”

  “I was fine,” said Bram, although Elis was right. Bram had cut it too close. “And I was not at Dana’s new home.”

  “Really? We just assumed you were watching over your daughter. You’re not draining nearby villagers of their blood or anything, are you? That’s so sixteenth century.”

  Ha! He is funny, said the demon.

  The door to the study burst open. Bram caught the scent of Austin Van Helsing. “All right, the cook has the menu you picked all set for tonight. He’s got meat and cheese boards ready, and I brought up the wine you selected. There is a bottle of fruit juice crap that looks like wine but isn’t. Yuck. Who are we making drink that?”

  “We’re expecting company?” questioned Elis.

  “I am. The rest of you are to make yourselves scarce,” responded Bram, already tired of dealing with the living. He preferred to keep to himself. It was a good deal quieter that way. Plus, people in general tended to get on his nerves.

  Austin was one of the youngest slayers currently on staff. He’d been forced to split his time between hunting demons and managing a local bar and grill owned by Jeffrey. The Council of Elders had stuck their noses in matters they truly had no real business in, insisting the various species in Grimm Cove learn to coexist. One of their solutions was to have Austin work for Jeffrey. So far, it had gone about as well as expected.

  “Oh, and there is a message from Dana on my phone,” said Austin. “Something about her being busy with something at the office…”

  Elis sighed. “Seems to be busy a lot.”

  “Yes,” said Bram, understanding where Dana was coming from. Staying busy meant she didn’t have to sit down with Bram and have a talk. One that was long overdue.

  As much as Bram didn’t care for Jeffrey, he made Dana happy. Something Bram had never done.

  “You didn’t let me finish,” added Austin. “She said she’s busy but wrapping up as fast as she can. Then she needs to stop and get Marcy. They’ll be out then.”

  Elis perked. “The hot blonde is coming here?”

  Bram stiffened.

  “Yes,” said Austin, sounding just as eager. “Seriously, I can stare at her all day. I’m wearing her down. I know she’s going to agree to go out with me soon. I can feel it.”

  Elis was quiet a second, and Bram knew he was being stared at. “Hmm, maybe someone is already spending his nights staring at her.”

  “I’m rethinking draining you dry and forgoing any deliveries of donors,” said Bram.

  “Why is he listening to this stuff?” asked Austin, his attention on the sound system. “And what is it?”

  Elis rolled his eyes. “Youth is totally misspent on the young.”

  “I’m not that young,” argued Austin. “I’m twenty-eight.”

  “Yeah, ancient,” returned Elis with a grunt. “Talk to me when you’re forty-two and your shoulder and your knee can forecast rain.”

  Austin appeared horrified at the idea. “Gah. Hard pass.”

  “Anyone under thirty can’t speak,” said Elis with a devious grin.

  Bram exhaled loudly. “Anyone under one hundred needs to be silent.”

  Austin snorted.

  Bram stared at him.

  Austin’s eyes crinkled with mirth. “About Marcy. Admit it, she’s smoking hot.”

  Elis laughed. “She is. Dana is hot too, but we should probably not mention that too much around Bram. His fuse is short enough as is.”

  The demon laughed.

  Bram grunted. “You do realize Dana is related to you both?”

  They cringed.

  It was Bram’s turn to laugh.

  “Well, now I feel dirty. Let’s talk about Marcy,” said Austin. “She is super weird and super sexy.”

  “Oh, gee, perfect for our boss who talks to himself,” Elis interjected with a chuckle.

  Bram narrowed his gaze on him. “Have you had enough fun yet?”


  “Almost,” said Elis.

  Austin’s smile grew. “Boss, you always have the hottest women around you.”

  Elis nodded to Austin. “You’re right. He does.”

  Austin grinned. “It’s like he gives off some vibe women can’t resist. We should totally see about bottling it. We’d get laid all the time.”

  “I do get laid all the time,” said Elis, shaking his head at his younger cousin. “You don’t get laid because you have zero game.”

  “I’ve got game,” argued Austin, bumping into a small statue Bram had picked up in Egypt sixty years prior. The young slayer barely caught it before it would have hit the floor.

  “You were saying?” asked Elis smugly.

  Austin cradled the statue close to his chest, his eyes wide. “Uh, please tell me that I didn’t almost unleash a curse with a mummy that wants to end mankind.”

  Elis groaned. “Yeah, because that’s a real thing and not just something Hollywood cooked up.”

  Bram stared between the men as they continued to argue about whether killer mummies were a thing. Finally, their attention swung to him.

  “Please tell him cursed mummies are the stuff of fiction,” said Elis.

  Bram snorted. “If only that were true.”

  Austin rubbed the statue absently, as if it were a pet that he wanted to soothe. “There, there, possible cursed object. How about we not unleash a plague upon mankind or swarms of locusts or anything?”

  Bram turned away from them both, wondering how it was they could possibly be related to him.

  Chapter Seven

  Marcy

  “So, was that you up last night?” Poppy asked.

  “Yes, that was me. I couldn’t sleep.”

  “Everything all right?” she asked.

  I forced another smile to my face. Things had finally settled down since our arrival in Grimm Cove, and I didn’t want to worry her. Our first forty-eight hours had been nothing short of chaotic, even by my standards. The last month had been quiet, for the most part, despite my disturbing dreams, and the nagging feeling that something was very off. “Right as rain.”