by Cahoon, Lynn
Ty smiled. He knew Robert had more dirt on The Council members than anyone alive. Or maybe alive or dead. “Just stay inside and be careful. We need you to help Matilda break the forgetting spell she’s placed on herself.”
Robert laughed. “A witch who spelled herself to forget yet still remembers her other spells? She must have been powerful. I once knew a girl who could have done a spell that strong.”
Ty glanced in the rear view mirror. “You did? Maybe…”
Robert waved Ty’s words away with a gnarled hand. “She died, many years ago.”
As Ty pulled the car in front of Casa McCall with the bright purple paint and matching mailbox, Parris stirred. She stretched, looked around, and smiled at catching sight of the house. “Why are we at Grans’?”
“Robert’s going to stay here and try to help her find her clues.” Ty opened the door and stood, stretching. “Come in and say hi?”
Parris slipped from the car and circled around to meet Ty. She glanced at Robert who slowly climbed out of the car. In a low voice, she asked, “Do you think it’s safe for him here?”
“I’ll be fine here.” Robert answered her instead of Ty. “Hasn’t anyone told you warlocks have very good hearing?”
Parris blushed. “I didn’t mean to offend you.”
“No offense taken, my dear. Just a fact. One you need to learn sooner rather than later.” Robert leaned on his cane, inching up the cobble stone walk toward the front porch. When the door opened and Matilda stepped out, Robert stopped like he’d been frozen in stone.
Ty ran up to meet him. “Robert, this is Matilda, your hostess.”
Matilda took the three steps off the porch and stopped in front of Robert.
“Emily?” Robert peered at Matilda, cocking his head.
Parris put her hand on Robert’s arm and repeated Ty’s introduction, slowing the words. “This is my grandmother, Matilda.”
Matilda smiled at Parris and, taking Robert’s arm, led him into the house. “Let’s get you inside before the neighbors start gossiping about my new beau.”
Ty stared at the two elderly people walking arm in arm up the porch steps. Matilda waved it off but Robert thought he’d recognized her. Emily, could that be Matilda’s real name? A thought niggled at his brain as he followed Parris into the vivid purple house. Had Matilda hidden the key, not in her spell books, but in a person? He realized they still stood on the front porch. Parris held the door open for him. A puzzled look on her face told him he’d been quiet too long.
He smiled at her, “Sorry, long drive. My mind always goes back to the list of things I have to check on at the office.”
She shook her head. “No way. If I have to take time away from the bar, you don’t get to call the office and check on things. It’s Saturday anyway. What are you going to do, call people at home? At least the bar’s open today.”
He held the screen door open for her. “I’m not calling until Monday, only thinking about a few things.” She’d bought his lie. Now he watched Matilda and Robert, waiting for more sparks to fly, because he was sure they were there, waiting to be released.
Matilda had a tea service sitting on the coffee table. Ty frowned. The couch wasn’t covered in plastic like the last time he’d visited. In fact, the place looked more like a home than a show room. He shot an inquiring look at Matilda.
“It was time.” Matilda poured a cup and handed it to him. “Now Robert’s here, the truth can come out. I remember now.”
“So you know Robert?” Ty felt like he’d gone down the rabbit hole, not an unusual feeling since meeting Parris and her grandmother. Nothing was what it seemed, everything had a subplot, and Ty knew this story would be a doozy.
“Robert’s my husband.” Matilda lifted the plate of oatmeal raisin cookies toward Parris. “Cookie, dear? Something told me I’d be having visitors today.”
Parris absently reached for a cookie, shock apparent on her facial features. Without taking a bite, she set the treat down on a napkin. Swallowing, she looked at her grandmother, then at Robert, and finally at Ty, who felt as confused as Parris looked. “Wait, what? And I thought my life couldn’t get any weirder. Grans, you said Grandpa died.”
“I believed he did.” Matilda smiled at Robert and patted his hand. The man still looked stunned. “Between the two of us, we concocted a pretty strong forgetting spell. I think it must have been the night your parents died. The details are still fuzzy, but seeing Robert, the spell is starting to fade. Like I woke up from a long sleep.”
“My own Sleeping Beauty. All these years, I’ve been missing something, but never could put my finger on the problem.” Robert reached out and caressed Matilda’s cheek. “I missed you.”
Parris held up her hand. “Wait. Why did Robert have to leave? Why the lies, why the forgetting spells? I don’t understand.”
The reason was suddenly clear and Ty answered, “Because The Council ordered it.” He glanced at Robert for confirmation. “No way would you and Matilda be able to pull this off without The Council’s blessing. That’s when you started teaching at the New Orleans academy, to make a fresh start.”
Robert nodded. “I’m thinking you’re right. Can’t confirm it yet, need to call my handler over at The Council, I’m pretty sure we asked for help that night.” His eyes filled with tears. “When Sarah was killed, we knew Paige would be next, if they knew she existed.”
Parris held up her hand. “I don’t understand. If The Council knew about me, why the big deal last month? Why did they kidnap me if they already knew I existed?”
Ty pondered the question. Angel Florentine and the other council members had seemed honest in their confusion regarding Parris and her grandmother. Maybe this Council didn’t know. He’d heard of black ops before, but except for the occasional off the books searches he did for members, he’d never seen anything this elaborate or this long reaching. Suddenly he looked at Robert for confirmation. “The Knights?”
Robert took a bite of cookie and considered Ty’s question. Wiping his mouth with a napkin, he nodded. “That would explain the depth of the spell. And why this Council didn’t know about Parris. We worked with The Knights.”
“Fairy tale knights in shiny armor or real life medieval knights of the round table lore?” Parris leaned back on the couch, Inky, her favorite of her grandmother’s cats jumped on her lap for attention.
Ty gave her credit, she didn’t even flinch at the mention and her question contained more curiosity than sarcasm. After meeting her personal fairy guardian, and a troll, the girl took the new surprises of the day rather well. Either that or she planned on running screaming into the late afternoon. “Round table knights actually. There’s a group who have gone underground. Even The Council don’t know the names of the members. It’s very hush-hush. The Knights would be the perfect group to pull off something like this. No wonder Derek couldn’t find anything in the archives on your family history.”
The room fell quiet for a minute. Parris sat forward and gently pushed the cat off her lap. Her world had changed so quickly in the last few months, this announcement must have felt like the new normal. “So, now Robert’s here, the forgetting spell will break and we’ll know what happened the night my parents died?”
“It’s a start.” Matilda looked around the room, tears shining in her eyes. “Are you hungry? I could start some dinner. Parris, Ty?”
“We have to check in at the bar.” Parris shot a warning look at Ty.
Ty protested, then stopped, understanding her look. If Robert was Parris’ long lost grandfather, Matilda deserved some time alone with her husband on his first night home. Not cooking dinner for family. Family? Is that what he saw this ragged group as? A family? He stood. “I’ll go get Robert’s bags and meet you in the car.”
He said goodbye to Matilda, kissing her cheek and whispering, “Take it slow, we have time.”
She pulled him into a tight hug, surprising Ty. “Thank you for finding him. For knowing the missing clue.”
“Total accident, I assure you.”
Matilda patted his chest. “Nothing on earth is by accident, my dear boy, and sometimes the path isn’t clear until you’re at your destination.”
Robert stood at Matilda’s side and held his hand out. “Thanks for everything. For finding me and for keeping Paige and Emily safe. I knew you were special, the first time I laid eyes on you. Tonight, I’m looking forward to sleeping in a real bed.”
“We’re not done yet. The Council may have some questions,” Ty warned. “Don’t get complacent. We’re not safe until this other coven is revealed.”
“This is a start. And for today, it’s enough.” Robert smiled. “Derek’s planning on coming over tomorrow and we’ll start digging into the Knights’ connection. Tonight, you two go out, have a nice dinner, some fun.”
Ty turned his head toward Parris. “She wants to stop at the bar, but I might be able to negotiate dinner first.”
“You make me sound like a workaholic.” Parris complained from his side.
“Takes one to know one. Why do you think I have two stressful jobs? That way I don’t have a life.” Ty teased. His words haunted him. Did he want a life now? A life with Parris. He excused himself and went outside for the luggage. He remembered how he’d stayed out of the hotel room last night until he knew she’d be asleep. He’d taken Robert to the storage shed, reclaiming the two bags sitting in middle of the floor in an eight by eight foot locked cabinet. Like the bags waited for the day when Ty would arrive and take them and their owner home.
Somehow, the man showing up at the university had cued Robert to come home. Ty wouldn’t put it past his mentor to have sent Ty a subliminal message. Ty thought the Cincinnati trip was his idea, but looking back, he’d lay odds Robert had called. The connection he’d thought broken during the fight over Rowena, now he knew had been merely dormant.
He sat the bags inside the door. Parris met him and they walked out together. She paused on the porch, looking at the closed door. When he looked at her face, he noticed the tears sliding down her cheeks. He pulled out a white linen handkerchief and dabbed at her face. “You okay?”
“If Robert is my grandfather, I’m happy for her. She’s been lonely. I could tell even as a kid. Sometimes she got a faraway look.” Parris shook her head. “She deserves to be happy. She was a great parent. Especially since she didn’t have to be.”
Ty pulled her into his arms. Parris had been through so much in her life, and he didn’t think her wild ride was over yet. He couldn’t do anything about tomorrow, but tonight he could at least take her mind of the craziness. “Let’s say we stop at the condo, drop off your bags, and grab some dinner. Italian?”
Parris sniffed. “Could we order in? Or pick up something on the way? I want to shower, eat, and walk down to the bar for a quick check. Then we could watch a movie? You know, like a real couple?” Parris pulled back and looked at him. “Play normal for the night?”
Ty reached up and cradled her face with his hand. “Normal it is. I might even fall asleep during the movie, especially if you get one of those chick flicks, like a real guy.”
“I don’t care if we watch a karate kung fu historical. I want to veg.” Parris smiled and watching her, Ty’s heart melted.
“Then let’s go relieve Derek. Dragon’s been giving him a hard time.” Ty put his arm around her shoulders as they walked down the steps. Just like a real couple, he thought.
Chapter 13
The practice of healing is a long honored tradition in our culture. We were the early doctors of the small communities. When the doctors of the time ordered bloodletting, we cured with herbs, teas and poultices. Study your craft well. You may be able to save a life with the practices. – The Academy of Witchcraft Manual, Volume 3, page 1256.
She wasn’t getting better. If anything, April took a turn for the worse during the last hour. He’d called in for her at work, making up some excuse that wouldn’t worry the already suspicious Jake. Alex picked up the phone and called the one person he didn’t want to know that he’d messed up, his mother.
“What?” Her cheerful greeting was barked over the phone.
“I think something’s wrong. I need help.” Alex hadn’t even left the bedroom. April had conked out. She’d never remember the conversation anyway.
“You made your bed, deal with it.” The phone line went dead.
Alex sank into a chair beside April’s bed. The girl looked pale, so pale. She’d thrown up the soup he’d made for lunch, and since then, only took sips of water. He had to do something.
April moaned. “Alex?”
“I’m right here.” He took her hand. Her skin felt cold, clammy. Not a good sign. He should take her to the hospital. He paced the room. Finally, he’d decided. He started to pick her up when he heard the doorbell. He lay her back down on the bed, and headed downstairs.
A young woman dressed in black stood on the step. He opened the door and she shoved a paper bag at him. “Your mother sent this.”
She turned and got halfway down the walk before he looked up and realized she’d stepped away. “Wait, what do I do?”
The girl turned and sighed. She arched an eyebrow and looked at him. “The spell is in the bag. Follow the directions. You have cast a spell before, right?”
“Of course.” He spun back around and slammed the door. “Freaking delivery chick thinks she’s so high and mighty. She needs to remember who I am.”
He went into the living room and swept the bags and half eaten boxes of Chinese food from the coffee table onto the floor. Slowly, he unpacked the bag and glanced at the list of instructions. Blue candles, agate, amber, cooper, chamomile tea, a statue of Isis, and a bag of herbs. He opened the herb bag smelling lavender, Echinacea, rosemary, and thyme. His mother had packed a freaking apothecary into this one bag. He cleaned the workspace. When he finished, he started lighting candles and preparing the spell.
His mom had listened to his cry for help. And for once, she answered.
For some reason, the thought didn’t comfort him.
Chapter 14
All you need is love is a nice story. The truth is harder. You need strength, determination, and willingness to compromise. Love is just the side effect, the attraction that brings two people together, hard work is what keeps them together. – The Academy of Witchcraft Manual, Volume 3, page 1342.
Parris slipped out of the shower and wrapped an oversized bath towel around her. She glanced in the mirror. Dark circles deepened under her eyes. She needed sleep and once she checked on the bar, that’s exactly what she’d be doing, sleeping. Even if Mr. Hottie McHot still camped in her condo. The man could sleep on the couch as far as she cared. She walked into the bedroom and sighed when she saw her sleigh bed. Glancing at the clock, she noted the time. Seven. She could close her eyes for a second, then she’d get dressed. Lying on the quilt, she curled into a ball and promptly fell asleep.
She felt him before she opened her eyes. He lay in behind her, playing with the curls that had escaped from the clip she’d shoved into her hair before jumping into the shower. His hot breath on the skin of her neck had her arching reflexively toward him. When he latched on to her neck, kissing, switching to a slow intoxicating suck, then back to kissing again, she moaned and scooted over to spoon with him.
She felt as if she was under a spell. Parris didn’t know if she responded to the magic they shared or his ultra-maleness. He could be across the room and she still wanted to make love to him. To surrender totally and let him have his way with her. Antiquated ideas she’d never felt for another human in her life. The thought froze her, they weren’t human. They were witches. Hunters of rogue witches for The Council. Hell, she didn’t care if the bond had been forged in the depths of sex or hell. She wanted Ty. Wanted him now, hard and fast. She loved when he reacted to her demands showing the urgency she felt. The couple made love like it might be the last time. Which could be true. Finally, she gave up conscious thought and reacted to h
is hands all over her body, the kisses making her hungry for more and the rock hard erection she’d felt when she arched into his body. Surrendered.
She turned to him and her lips found his, kissing him, binding him. She smelled his scent, the woodsy cinnamon she’d come to know as Ty. And she melted, letting him part her legs to thrust inside her, slowly at first, then gaining speed, faster and faster until she saw stars. He whispered her name over and over, “Parris, oh, my God, Parris.”
With the sound of his words, she fell over the waterfall into the abyss. Her orgasm rocked through her. All she knew was Ty and the touch of his body in her. Nothing, not even the craziness of her life mattered, just the feel of him falling with her.
As they lay, panting in each other’s arms, Ty rolled off her and glanced at the clock. She watched him consider his options and knew he didn’t want to say the words. The fact he did made her love him more. She waited.
“It’s almost ten. If you want to make an appearance at the bar, we probably should get going.”
Parris laughed and jumped up to take a second, albeit, quicker shower. “Thank you.”
She heard Ty call after her, “For what?”
She stuck her head out of the bathroom door. “For going to the bar with me. I know you’d rather stay in bed.” Parris watched Ty, sitting naked in her bed, his face a mask of confusion. “Hell, I’d rather stay in bed. Thank you for supporting me in this.”
“You’re kind of a steam roller when you want something.” Ty smiled and Parris’ heart melted a touch. “Want some company?”
“Only if you can behave.”
“Then I’ll wait for you to finish, because behaving is the last thing on my mind.” Ty drawled, crossing his hands above his head
Parris slipped into the steaming shower and soaped her still tingling body. The man knew his stuff, that was for certain. How’d she get so lucky to have a boyfriend who made her feel this completed? Parris almost dropped the bar of soap. Boyfriend, she’d called Ty her boyfriend. She rinsed off the soap and smiled at the girl in the mirror.