Witch's Brew - Spellspinners 1 (Spellspinners of Melas County)

by Heidi R. Kling

  He’d only been out here once.

  Stealthily, he crept around the perimeter of the house, disarming every exterior light sensor with a quick spell. And then he smelled them.

  Witches.

  How could they think they could sneak onto warlock territory and remain undetected?

  The smell of lilies and orchids was so intense, it was as if they were sprouting right there on his lawn. In reality, flowers were strictly forbidden to grow on the grounds. There was nothing Father despised more than the smell of fresh flowers.

  He saw them before they saw him.

  For a second he just watched them, all done up in spy garb: dressed in head to toe black. Lily looked adorable and sexy all at the same time, in her black tank top and tight black pants. Her wacky friend didn’t look so bad herself.

  Why did the warlocks hate the witches so much? To Logan, they were utterly charming.

  Especially now in this stealth mode. Looking for something.

  Him, most likely. And the stolen amulet even likelier.

  Ah, well, he could think of a lot of worse ways to spend an evening.

  Lily

  “HolySevenSistersthereheis.”

  My words and breath caught in my throat.

  He was leaning against the side of the house, dressed in black sweat pants and a tight black T-shirt that showed off his most excellent physique.

  From this far away, even in the dark, I could see his eyes, so so blue, shining in our direction.

  Looking right at me.

  “Hey,” he said, sauntering toward us. “If I didn’t know better, I’d say you ladies were trespassing on private property.”

  Orchid reached into her pocket, scooped up something, and blew its contents into the wind. White grains of sand flickered through the night sky like miniature fireflies. “And I’d say you better give back what you stole from Lily if you’d like us to leave.”

  “We assume you have my amulet and didn’t do something stupid like actually transform it into a shovel’s worth of sand.”

  “Assumption correct,” he said.

  He wasn’t denying it.

  “So give it back to her,” Orchid said.

  “I can’t.”

  “Why not?” she pressed.

  “Because I still haven’t discovered the link between the two stones. And I need to do that. Excuse me, who are you?”

  “I’m Orchid, Lily’s best friend. And protector.”

  “I’m Logan.” He held out his hand to Orchid, but she ignored it.

  “How can you find the link between them, when you only have one?” I asked, sticking to business.

  “Excuse me?”

  “Where is your amulet?”

  “Right here,” he said, pointing to his chest.

  “You sure?”

  “Yes.”

  “We’re going to need a confirmation,” Orchid said.

  “A what? Look, I…”

  “Orchid, take it off of him.”

  He stepped back, eyes narrowing. “My amulet doesn’t come off. I’ve worn it since I was a kid.”

  Orchid stepped forward.

  “Hey. Back off. I don’t want to hurt you, but I will.”

  “We didn’t come for a fight.”

  “Speak for yourself, Lil,” Orchid said.

  The look in Logan’s eyes made Orchid retreat.

  I closed my eyes, and mumbled a chant. The wind picked up, and I felt it lifting my hair around my face. When I opened my eyes, the warlock was standing there with wisps of black sand dusting his neck, clinging to the band of his t-shirt like volcanic ash.

  “Black sand for dark magic. You like? Tit for tat and all that.”

  “What the hell?” The black ash clung to his fingers. “Where is it then?”

  “It’s not here,” I said.

  His eyes flashed. He was not happy.

  “Don’t worry, it’s somewhere safe. And I’ll give it back to you, once you’ve given mine back to me.”

  His lip curled in a half-smile. “And why should I trust you?”

  “Because we both want the same thing. I want my amulet back.”

  “This is about something else, isn’t it, though? I mean, why would you steal my necklace?”

  “Why’d you steal mine?”

  One eyebrow rose, as his eyes ran down my body. Every inch of skin they grazed heated. I returned the torturous favor. When my eyes ran down his sinewy arms, dark ink snaked down them in ropes of Celtic knots. He tucked his hands into his pockets, quickly, trying to hide it.

  “You don’t have to hide that. I already know what you are.”

  But he wasn’t looking at me anymore. He was looking past me, over my shoulder at the sleeping dogs. His expression morphed from happy-curious to ticked off-curious.

  “What did you do to my dogs?”

  “She did it,” Orchid said, poking my shoulder.

  “Orchid!”

  I turned back to Logan, trying to explain that they were fine, but he was storming past me over to the sleeping beasts.

  “Poor Kujo,” he said. Kneeling beside the first one, he stroked the fur on his head and neck affectionately. “I assume, for your sake, he’s just asleep?”

  “Of course! I would never hurt them. She tried to, though,” I narced on Orchid.

  She shrugged. “Those monsters would’ve eaten us alive. I did what I had to.”

  “They are trained to swallow anything that smells even remotely like a walking flower shop, whole.”

  “Oh please,” Orchid said with an eye roll

  “Of course. You do know where you are.”

  “So where is everyone else?” I interjected. “I thought this place would be crawling with skeleton soldiers and dragons, and your wicked master. Where is he, anyway?”

  “The skeleton soldiers have clocked out for the night, and the dragons are already asleep,” he said wryly. “And my master? Is away on business. If he was here, you and your friend there”—he gestured to Orchid—“would already be crushed into perfume.”

  I wrinkled my nose. “That’s not a pleasant thought.”

  “Maybe not for you,” he said, “but I could think of worse things.”

  “I don’t even know how to take that.”

  “Take that as a somewhat insinuating threat from a sometime thief?”

  “Glad to hear you’re focusing your attentions solely on part-time thievery.”

  He leaned back and laughed. He was so gorgeous, it was almost ridiculous. I wanted a rogue fan to try and do its worst, so I could end up in his arms again.

  He looked away from me and stroked the dog’s head.

  I felt bad.

  Of course, that was probably his intention.

  “Here, see?” I pressed Logan’s hand against the dog’s throat, gently, so he could feel its pulse. When our skin touched, heat and electricity throbbed between us like before.

  “Damn,” he said, flinching back from the sleeping dog. He’d felt it, too. “Do that again, and he’ll be awake in no time.”

  “Okay, I’m starting to feel like a third wheel here, so if you guys don’t mind…You! Give her the necklace back. And you. Stop flirting with him, and make him give you your necklace back!”

  When neither of us moved, she rolled her eyes, “Fine. Whatever, Lily. I’ll meet you at the truck.”

  Orchid started climbing the fence, but Logan yanked her back down with his mind. She fell in a heap on the grass, looking none too happy.

  “What was that for?” She sprang up onto her feet, looking like she was about to pounce. Or at least die trying.

  “You aren’t leaving until you wake my dogs up.”

  “I didn’t do it. Lily did. She’s the one that has to wake them up.”

  Logan looked back at me. “How long till the spell wears off?”

  I glanced up at the moon. “Maybe twenty minutes or less.”

  “And they will return absolutely back to normal.”

  “Absolutely
.” I nodded. “They might just feel a little hung over is all.”

  He frowned at me, but I could tell what he really wanted to do was drag me into the bushes so we could be alone.

  I wanted to do the same to him.

  “Logan? You out here?” a deep voice called into the night.

  “Who was that?” I asked.

  “One of the guys.”

  “Oh, crap,” I said.

  “Uh, yeah, actually. You want your amulet back?”

  “LOGAN?!” The same voice again.

  Logan glanced at the house, and then back at me. “Come with me, then.”

  “Lily!” Orchid hissed in the darkness.

  “Orchid, get outta here!” She didn’t budge, so I said, “I’ll be fine. I’ll meet you at the truck.”

  Before I could ensure she made it over the fence in time, Logan grabbed my hand and we were running across the crew-cut style grass and around the side of the building. With his finger against his lips, he nudged my back against the exterior wall, and leaned into me, the whole of his body covering mine.

  To disguise your scent. Stay perfectly still.

  Once again, our hearts were beating against each other.

  And racing, as a group of warlocks thundered past us like a wave of concentrated dark energy.

  My hands were clenched into fists against his chest as I breathed him in. “I already covered our scents with a spell,” I said. “How can you break through it?”

  “I’m not sure, but I can.”

  We waited like that for an exhilarating minute, before he pulled away. They’ll be back. Come on.

  My body felt cold immediately without his warmth pressing against it; but as soon as he grabbed my hand again, the chill subsided. He quietly creaked open a door and led me up three flights of stairs. Inside, the hallways were dark, the walls painted a deep, almost burgundy shade of red. On the top floor, my eyes ran down a long corridor, at the end of which sat a black leather armchair under a single track light.

  This way.

  I followed him briskly, light on my toes, trying to remain as inaudible as possible. We heard a door slam, and wild rustling of male chatter. The energy felt aggressive, hunt-like. Pack behavior.

  Logan’s face was lined with real concern as we turned a corner, and he led me down another hallway, this one was lined with multiple doors. It was an odd sight—a hall with so many closed doors. Quite the opposite of our house, which was full of light, hand-made blankets, and color.

  He stopped at the third door on the left and opened it.

  Is this...?

  My bedroom, yeah.

  I gulped.

  It’s the safest place, he said, by way of explanation.

  I tucked a stray lock of hair behind my ear and followed him into his room. Without my permission my eyes glossed immediately over his bed. A twin bed of a young boy that looked way too small for Logan, with one pillow, and a simple black comforter. His room was neat. Tidy. Minimalist, but with a cool retro feel to it, like the school lockers he used as a dresser and the old-fashioned cream-colored boxing gloves hanging over it. The multiple swords in various shapes and metals hanging over his bed, and the stack of classic novels on a simple black nightstand did not reduce the awe factor of this warlock’s bedroom.

  Then I looked up.

  “Ohmygoddesses,” I blurted out way too loud.

  “What?” He looked alarmed.

  My reflection in the mirror.

  The zebra stripes.

  I’d forgotten.

  “Pretty cute,” he said softly.

  I’m so embarrassed.

  “Don’t be.” He took a step toward me, and when he spoke I could see him approaching in the mirror. “After all, why would a witch possibly want to fall back on something so simple as her powers, when she could use lipstick to camouflage her skin?”

  “Shh,” I whispered, watching my face flush. “They’ll hear us.” I tilted my neck to the side, my hair accidentally brushing his chest. He was directly behind me, his hands cupping my shoulders. “Even cuter.”

  We heard a low scream, almost a howling sound. Logan grabbed my hand and tucked me into a small wooden chair in the corner of his room out of both the window and door’s way. He surprised me by dragging his desk across the room and shoving it against the door.

  When they don’t find me they’ll come here.

  Don’t you have a lock?

  Locks aren’t permitted.

  My eyes darted toward the window. The third-story window.

  He followed my eyes knowing what I was afraid of.

  I was alone in a room with a warlock.

  I was alone in the BEDROOM of a warlock with a warlock.

  Where my only exit was barred.

  What do they want? The other warlocks?

  His forehead wrinkled, and he squatted in front of my chair. They’re probably just messing around. We always get like this when Father’s out of town…

  Father?

  My master. He’s also my father.

  Whoa. Really?

  The last time I checked, yeah.

  Oh. Wow.

  Is it that bad?

  I’ve just…heard not the best things about Jacob.

  You should try living with him.

  I smiled.

  A crash outside, something hitting the side of the house. A garbage can maybe? More yelling. Obviously they were doing more than simply looking for Logan. Or did they always act this way?

  We can’t be too careful. When they are all together like that, even if they don’t mean anything at first, they…well, things can get ugly fast.

  Where are they now?

  Below us. On the second floor.

  We heard doors opening and slamming, calling out his name. They sounded like football players at a rally, only with a wicked edge to their voices. I didn’t doubt they could turn dangerous quickly.

  Orchid.

  What if they find Orchid?

  Looking concerned, he crossed over to the window, and peered out into the darkness.

  I got up to join him, my feet padding lightly on the wood floor.

  “You might want to take those off,” he said, pointing at my Converse. “They’re kind of loud.”

  I untied my shoes and laid them neatly under the foot of his bed, like they belonged there.

  Cute socks.

  “Stripes.” I shrugged, pointing at the matching ones on my cheeks. Then I crossed behind him, and stood so close to him our shoulders were touching. “Do you see her?”

  The moonlight bathed him in its glow, as he pointed into the forest.

  I think I see her, there.

  Our eyes flew to Orchid—or rather, her bright eyes, which were peeking over the fence—who was on her tiptoes, chin on the top of my sweatshirt, looking rather amazingly annoyed.

  She’s safe.

  You better turn those blinding floodlights back on or they’ll see her too,

  Got it.

  He snapped and just like that the lights were back on.

  No chanting? No spell? Just a snap.

  I have mad skills. Can you talk to your friend like this?

  Telepathically? No. Not yet.

  I wonder why the two of us can.

  I’m not sure, but I’m guessing it has something to do with our amulets and the way they react when we’re together.

  Here. I have something for you.

  He gently flipped my hand palm up, reached into his pocket, and placed my amulet into the center.

  “What I don’t get,” he whispered, not letting go of the flipside of my hand while he examined the stone, “is why is yours shaped like a teardrop when mine is shaped like a moon? Wouldn’t it make more sense for yours to be shaped like the sun? That is where you draw your energy, no?”

  “You think it looks like a teardrop?”

  “Yeah, don’t you?”

  “I always thought of it as the Celtic symbol for water, or life. Water and I have a special bond.”


  “I do too.”

  “I guessed that when I saw you after surfing.”

  “Did you?”

  “I did.”

  “Yet another thing we have in common.”

  Our eyes held for a second, soaking it all in.

  “So, can I have mine back now, Lily?”

  “I wasn’t lying down there. I don’t have it with me.”

  He cocked an eyebrow.

  “I don’t! Really. I swear.”

  “It’s…it’s the only thing I have left of my real parents. It’s pretty important to me.”

  “Your parents? I thought Jacob was your father.”

  “He’s my legal guardian. He’s not my father.”

  “Why do you call him that, then?”

  “He’s raised me since I was a little boy. It’s…he’s all I know.”

  “That’s weird,” I blurted out, wishing immediately I could take it back after I saw the hurt look in his eyes.

  “Not any weirder than you guys being named after your flower scents.”

  “I guess. Yeah, totally. We’re a pretty weird bunch too.”

  Clearly I’d hit a sore spot, and I felt terrible about taking his necklace now. I had no idea it was an heirloom left by his real parents.

  “Who are they? Do you know?”

  “My parents? No. Jacob says I was left on his doorstep when I was three or four. I don’t remember much before that, so I suppose it could be true. It just doesn’t make a lot of sense to me, why my natural parents would leave me here with no explanation.”

  “Maybe they noticed how gifted you were and didn’t know what to do about it. How to train you on their own. That happens in our coven from time to time. Powers are difficult to control, especially in young kids. Orchid got herself into a whole lot of trouble with her adopted mom before she came to live with our Mistress, and…”

  He was listening so intently I got flustered and let my words trail off.

  “What?” he asked.

  “Nothing. I …this.” I looked around the room. “I’m in your room on warlock territory, and we’re talking like we’re in a diner or something. Logan, this isn’t safe for me to be in here. What if your warlock friends catch up with us?”

  “I’ll protect you.”

  “That…Logan you can’t defend me against them, they are your allies, I’m the one who’s your enemy remember?”

  “A rose by any other name.”