by Dana Davis
The old man laughed. “You’re a feisty one. I like my women feisty.” He winked.
“And I like my men younger than dirt.”
Wil slapped his thigh and laughed until he began coughing.
“You really should quit smoking,” Bridgette said with a smirk. “Might kill you.”
“You remind me of my first wife. Sure do miss her. Married me for my good looks.”
“She must’ve been nearsighted.”
Daisy cut in. “Bridge.” She shifted her gaze to Wil. “Can you help us or not?”
“Maybe. Let’s take a ride.” He got up and motioned them to follow.
When they realized their ride was going to be on a wagon, Bridgette cursed. Daisy chuckled and shook her head.
They didn’t learn much of any value from Wil, except that he knew of another original Buffalo Kachina from his grandfather’s stories. Unfortunately, he didn’t know if it still existed. And he had no idea where it might be located. The Superstitions held amazing power though. Daisy could feel it when they got close. That power wasn’t something she wanted to invoke unless she had protection. No telling what they could let through if they were careless. A plague certainly didn’t sit well with her. And the Kachina was the only thing any of them could think of just now that could provide defense for such ancient power.
She had no intention of having a magickal shootout with Wil for access to the mountains either. Guardians dated back to prehistoric times. And the old man had been explicit that he wouldn’t allow them to perform magick there. At least, not yet.
They found a newer Kachina in the gift shop, compared it to Bridgette’s photo of the one in the museum, and agreed that the two looked similar. Bridgette decided to purchase it. They would have to come back here once they got their hands on an original.
Wil agreed to let them use magick on the mountain, provided they could get the right Kachina. Otherwise, he was against any spell casting, even to get rid of a skinwalker. She couldn’t blame him. No telling what horrors those old mountains kept locked inside.
Perhaps they could hike the McDowells and try the spells there. Daisy shook her head. Though mountains everywhere held power, she’d never felt it from the McDowells. And no matter where they decided to try the spells, she had no doubts they needed that Kachina.
“We’re shit out of luck again,” Bridgette said as they left Superstition Park.
“Don’t remind me,” Daisy uttered. Her mood had turned from hopeful to foul, matching the arid dirt Noah’s car kicked up behind them.
“You know what this means.”
“I don’t want to break into the museum, Bridge.” She glanced over the seat when her cousin said nothing. “I’m serious.”
The Kachina Bridgette had purchased lay on the backseat and Daisy stared at it. She’d known exactly why her cousin had wanted it, as a replacement for the original. Even as they stood at the checkout counter, Daisy hadn’t wanted to think about that. They were running out of time. And options. The skinwalker would no doubt find another paranormal to suck magick from if he couldn’t get to Daisy again soon. Or worse, he’d simply start attacking others, maybe even killing, until Daisy let down her guard. She wasn’t sure he could do that but she didn’t want innocent deaths on her conscience.
She started to mention her worries to her cousin but the redhead held up a hand and said, “I already thought of that.” Bridgette pulled a Rowan tree charm from beneath her shirt. “I made one for me, just in case. And I warned Abby and Jay. They’ll get the word out about this bastard.”
“Good. But I don’t like you eavesdropping.”
“Sue me. I’ll break a few etiquette rules if it keeps us alive.”
Daisy thought about that. There wasn’t much her cousin didn’t already know about her, even her most embarrassing secrets. She nodded. Her stomach tightened as she thought about the museum again.
Chapter 18
Ashes to Ashes
They had tried several spells outside the museum’s emergency door but nothing worked. So now, Daisy stood behind Bridgette in the darkness, shifted her backpack that held the fake Kachina, and waited for her cousin’s signal that the museum was empty. They had invoked several glamour spells to make themselves look like college women. Pretty and voluptuous. A nice distraction if they got caught.
They discussed using glamours to appear as Paul Manny and some of the museum staff, but if anyone saw them or the cameras caught them, Paul would know for certain they’d been here and might send the cops after them before they could get rid of the skinwalker.
Noah had grumbled about his disguise. He stood next to her with his legs wide and hands shoved into his designer jeans’ pockets. A very masculine pose, despite his magickal disguise. Blonde curls and large boobs added to his comical appearance.
“Stand like a girl, will you?” Daisy uttered. She hid a smile.
Bridgette’s convertible, suitable for three spoiled college women, was parked in a dark area at the end of the lot, away from street view. No use putting a cloaking spell on it. That kind of spell needed recharging every twenty minutes or so, depending on the caster’s strength. So they had opted for a glamour to change the body color and Bridgette’s license plate in case anyone got suspicious and decided to check out the car.
Noah adjusted his stature but still looked like a man in a woman’s skin. “Better?” he said in the high-pitched co-ed voice Bridgette had chosen for him.
Daisy stifled a laugh and nodded. “Yes.” She turned back to her cousin. Nearby street sounds mixed with crickets, and the waiting that seemed to take forever made her anxious. Moments later, she jumped when Noah’s hand rested on her shoulder.
“Sorry, Ashley,” he uttered. The name she’d chosen in case things didn’t go the way they expected. She couldn’t think about that now.
“No problem, Natalie.” He grimaced and that made her smile again.
Bridgette’s name was now Bunny. The woman looked like she belonged between the pages of a men’s magazine. Blonde hair, pouty lips, large boobs, long legs. And sex eyes, as Noah called them. Daisy was buxom as well, more than normal, something she wished she could turn on and off as it suited her needs. Especially since she’d caught Noah staring at her enhanced boobs more than a few times tonight and wondered if he would become distracted. Unlike the other two, her hair was dark, almost black, and her skin the color of cappuccino. She opted for looking like a woman just two inches taller than her normal appearance, which still made her the shortest of the three.
“All clear,” Bridgette said. “Except for one guard. And he’s pissed he can’t carry a gun.” She grinned. “Seems he flunked officer testing three times and got stuck with this job.”
Daisy’s heart flipped and her hands grew sweaty despite her cousin’s assurance. “Let’s get this over with,” she uttered. She fished gloves from her pocket and put them on.
Noah and Bridgette did the same.
Daisy and Bridgette alternated casting a series of spells, stirring up quite a zing in the atmosphere around them, until they were certain they’d disabled the alarm system and any cameras connected to the entrance. Well, as certain as they could be considering they had no idea what kind of security system the museum used. Hopefully, their spells had temporarily shorted out any entrance alarms. Bridgette uttered another spell and the lock snicked open. No alarm. At least not that they could hear. Daisy had been holding her breath and she let it out quietly.
Once inside, they let Bridgette lead. Her telepathic abilities would warn them of the guard’s approach, so no need to waste a spell on that. Security lights gave them enough illumination to find their way down a hall, past a storage closet, a break room, an employee bathroom and several offices, including Paul Manny’s. They passed by the workshop. Despite still missing a tooth, the saber tooth tiger looked more menacing in the dim light. She stepped quickly toward the doorway that led into the main part of the museum.
When Bridgette suddenly stopped, Da
isy bumped into her. Her cousin’s hand reached back and wrapped protectively on her waist. Daisy fought the urge to smack the woman.
Instead, she thought, I’m not a child, Bridge.
Her cousin must have been listening because she offered an apologetic glance and removed her hand. Daisy stayed close, keeping Noah behind them both. He wasn’t a child, either, but without any active powers, he might as well be if they ran into trouble. Daisy couldn’t hear anything except the soft hum of something electrical. Lights, perhaps. She adjusted the backpack, which seemed to be getting heavier by the minute. It caused her to sweat where it rested against her back.
She and Bridgette uttered several cover and interrupt spells to keep any cameras from detecting them. The cover spells caused them to appear “invisible” by distorting the air around their bodies. Anyone who knew what to look for would be able to find them by the faint ripple surrounding the objects of the spell. Interrupt spells created static until they were out of camera range, just in case the cover spells faded too soon. Many spells needed constant recharging for them to work for long periods. Blood spells were an exception. An image of Grandpa Owen’s missing thumb popped into Daisy’s head and she shoved it away with irritation.
They waited for Bridgette’s signal and moved ahead again. Much to Daisy’s relief, they made it to the correct display room without running into the guard. Soft lights cast long shadows on the carpet and made the Buffalo Kachina seem larger, more menacing than she remembered.
Immediately, she and Bridgette began uttering spells to disable any alarms set around the casing. Another spell unlocked the glass. Unfortunately, they hadn’t cast a silence spell and the lock clicked. With the silence of the room, the sound seemed deafening. Daisy’s heart sprinted.
Steps echoed on the concrete floor down the hall.
Bridgette cursed, grabbed Daisy by the arm and yanked her, none too gently, to the nearest wall. She hissed at Noah to follow and ordered him to stand completely still. Daisy joined in on another cover spell, speaking so softly she barely made a sound. They stood as still as possible, backs pressed against the wall, Daisy sandwiched between Noah and Bridgette. They could see everything. The spell changed nothing from their perspective. There was only one way they would know for sure if the spell worked.
Daisy’s legs trembled and she wiggled her toes to keep from passing out, like she’d been taught in a speech class. She didn’t feel faint, yet, but no sense in taking chances. Noah pressed his fingers against hers and she pressed back, grateful for the reassurance of his touch. He had to be as terrified as she was right now. Bridgette seemed calm and Daisy admired her for it.
She watched the guard slip into the room, flashlight in one hand, nightstick in the other. He waved the light around. Daisy’s eyes rested on the Kachina case. It was unlocked but he wouldn’t notice unless he tried to open the glass. Luckily, she hadn’t opened it, yet. She, Noah and Bridgette were another problem. To the guard, they would appear as the wall behind them, but on close inspection, even a mortal would see the rippling of air that kept them hidden. They might be invisible but they were in no way untouchable. The guard drew closer and Daisy’s heart slammed into her throat. She felt lightheaded. She also felt Bridgette press a hand over hers. The woman’s palm was sweaty. So she wasn’t as calm as she seemed.
The guard inspected the emergency door just a few feet from Bridgette. Daisy fought the urge to curse and close her eyes. She swallowed and was certain the guard would hear her every move. He stepped closer to Bridgette and Daisy pressed against the wall so hard the back of her head throbbed from the pressure.
Suddenly, the guard turned and strode across the room, swinging his flashlight onto the various display cases. Another cursory wave of light swept over the entire room and he left. Daisy let out a breath she had been holding and heard Noah and Bridgette do the same. Bridgette gave a nod that the guard was out of the way and they released the cover spell.
Daisy’s hands trembled and her knees felt like Jell-o. Get a grip. You can do this. You have to do this.
The internal pep talk seemed to work, and without a word to the others, she moved quickly to the Kachina. Noah slid the case open enough for her to get her arm inside. No nonsense, just three co-workers concentrating on the task. She handed the backpack to Bridgette and beckoned.
Once Bridgette gave her the fake Kachina, she took up the original, cradling it under her other arm, and replaced it with the enhanced version. She had to admit, it looked pretty damn close to the real one. In this light, anyway. For the first time, she felt confident this would work. After all, they were only borrowing the real one.
After she pulled back from the case, she knew something was terribly wrong. The Kachina began to soften in her grasp. She started a preservation spell but wasn’t quick enough. To her horror, the Kachina turned to powder and scattered all over the carpet.
“Shit,” Bridgette and Daisy uttered in unison.
“What happened?” Noah said.
“How the hell should I know?” Daisy said without thinking. She dropped to the carpet in shock and fingered the powder. It reminded her of her mother’s ashes. Panic rose and she forced her mind to work. “Bridgette, do you have anything we can put this into?”
“What do I look like, a fucking store?” Before Daisy could answer, Bridgette uttered, “Wait. I remember something from Manny’s office. Be right back.” She left.
Noah slid the glass case shut and knelt beside Daisy. “What caused this? It can’t have been that fragile.”
“Not sure. A spell maybe.”
“Will it still work?”
“I don’t know.” She couldn’t hide her nervousness any longer and said, “Where the hell is Bridgette?” She gave a frantic look around when an alarm went off. After a few seconds, it grew silent. Daisy was certain her heart had stopped. She saw Bridgette running softly from the next exhibit room. “What—”
“We have to hurry,” Bridgette said. “I set off a hidden alarm in Manny’s office.”
“Fuck.” They’d been so careful.
They scrambled to get as much powder as they could into the glass jar Bridgette had found, an old pasta sauce container.
“The case,” Daisy said as she stood.
Her cousin uttered a lock spell, while Daisy cast one to blow the remaining ashes together. The particles began to swirl upward, like a tiny tornado. With another spell, she held the tornado several inches above the floor. A final desist spell and the tiny wind tunnel ceased motion. Daisy caught the ashes in the jar as they fell back toward the floor.
When she was certain she had as much as she could possibly get short of using a vacuum cleaner, she twisted the lid on and shoved the jar into the backpack. Noah slung it on his shoulder. They headed back the way they’d come in, but just before they got to the hallway that led to the outside, Bridgette stopped them. They stood in complete silence and listened while the guard spoke to someone on a cell phone.
“I don’t see anything’s been disturbed, sir. Your door is locked. I think the alarm might’ve malfunctioned. It turned off right after it sounded. I’ve been here since before closing and there’s not a soul around but me.”
Daisy caught herself before she let out a noisy breath.
“Yes, sir. I’ll let the cops look around when they get here.” He headed toward the back door.
Great, she thought, knowing Bridgette would have her senses wide open right now. Now what?
“The front,” Bridgette mouthed.
They headed toward the front of the museum. Sirens whirred in the distance.
“We’d better hurry,” Noah said, in his girly voice. He seemed much calmer than Daisy and she admired him for that. She felt like wetting herself.
She and Bridgette cast as many spells as they could manage and hoped that no more alarms went off. So many spells in fact, that sweat trickled down Daisy’s temples. Cover spells weren’t difficult, but they still used energy from the witch who cast them, as m
ost spells did. When the three got the front door unlocked, they slipped outside and ran as fast as they could around the side of the building, feet pounding on the cement. Daisy tripped and almost took a header but she managed to steady herself on the stucco wall of the museum. Her heart thudded in her ears.
The car sat across the parking lot just where they’d left it. The sirens grew closer. So much for cover. They bolted across the small, grassy yard and into the parking lot. By the time they got into the car, two police cruisers pulled up. One aimed a spotlight at them. Two officers got out, flashlights pointed in their direction.
“Shit, shit, shit,” Daisy uttered. We’re screwed.
Chapter 19
Cops and Robbers
“Stay calm,” Bridgette uttered. “I have a plan. Just follow.”
One of the officers said, “License and registration.”
“Sure, officer,” Bridgette said.
She faked looking in the backpack for her license long enough to cast a glamour spell on it. No point taking chances. Daisy recast another glamour so the car’s plate would come up with the same name and a single paid parking ticket. They’d decided their new identities would at least have that much on record.
Bridgette started crying and Daisy gave her a troubled look. Until she saw her cousin pick up the jar with the Kachina powder.
Ah, she thought. Okay. I sure as hell hope this works.
“Can you step over here, please, ladies.” He directed them with his flashlight.
Noah offered a troubled look but Daisy nodded. She stepped toward the other officer, who looked like a shadow just now. She could hear the officer punching in the fake license plate number onto a keypad.
“We’re so sorry,” she said, careful not to spook him. “Is it illegal to spread ashes here? We didn’t know. Honestly.” She wondered if her wiles would work on him, even with the help of the glamour. When she got closer, the officer turned to her and she realized it was a woman. Shit. Will nothing go right tonight?