"Are you talking about the berserkers?" I knew the story from Linsey, the young berserker I defended in a vandalism case. Her father had killed her mother in a murder suicide and a young Linsey had been with them. It was a sad story, but Linsey was doing well, working with children in an after school art program. I was really proud of her.
“Yes, that’s the one.”
“At the risk of insulting you,” I began, “will you recognize me in your animal form? I mean, it’s safe for me, right?”
“One hundred percent,” Fabio assured me.
He removed his shirt and his pecs were as glorious as his mane. To be honest, I'm pretty sure I stopped breathing for a moment. When he began to unbutton his trousers, I waved my hands emphatically.
"Whoa, what do you think you're doing?"
"Typical witch," he said with a laugh. "Each one more prudish than the last. I'm only undressing to make it easier to shift."
With that, he dropped his trousers and that was how I learned that Fabio went commando. It wasn’t information I needed on a first date, especially when I had no intention of moving on to a second date. My conservative mindset faded, however, when he began to shift. So far, I had only seen a werewolf in a half state and it had looked painful and unpleasant. Fabio's shift was effortless, almost graceful. I blinked and the attractive man was replaced by an enormous lion. He silently acknowledged me before racing further up the hill. What a rush.
I thought I'd be nervous on the hillside by myself, but it was actually quite pleasant. There was a light breeze and a wonderful view of the town in the distance. I wanted to ask Daniel if he ever came up here. It seemed like the kind of place he would enjoy. As soon as the thought entered my mind, I berated myself. I had to stop thinking about Daniel. Everywhere I turned, I saw the angel. I wasn't going to be able to exist in this town if I didn't change my mindset.
The sun was warm on my skin and it felt good to be outdoors. Up on the hillside with no paranormals in sight, I could almost pretend I was back in the human world. Nothing around me suggested a magical town hidden from view. My thoughts drifted to my tiny apartment and I wondered what became of it. Did the landlord move my things into storage, what little possessions I owned? I wasn't sure what the legalities were in connection with a missing person, but, since I hadn't paid rent in months, it seemed only fair that he should evict me. I thought about Huey, my stuffed owl, packed away in the storage container under my bed. Truth be told, I'd forgotten about him until recently. Now I missed him like he was a part of me. I ached to hug his soft material to my chest and rub my cheek against the top of his head the way I did when I was a little girl in need of comfort. It was the one thing my grandparents could use as leverage against me. If they wanted me to do something and I refused, they would simply threaten Huey and I would quickly fall into line. Sharp and ruthless negotiators, those two.
I climbed the hill, hoping to catch a glimpse of the human world in the distance. I knew downtown Spellbound was south of here, so I faced the opposite direction. The only view was Mother Nature herself. Peaks and valleys. Blue sky and puffy clouds above. Still, I saw the value in coming here and getting away from it all. In this seemingly borderless landscape, it was easy to forget that I was trapped in a paranormal town forever.
As I reached the peak of the hill, I passed two stone gargoyles. What an odd place for statues. For a split second I thought maybe they were remnants of a previous homestead, but the idea of a house on the edge of a hill this size seemed unlikely.
From this vantage point, I could see downtown Spellbound nestled in the valley below. It was just as appealing from this height as it was from the ground. I could make out the church spire and the clock tower, the two highest points in town. The entire place looked peaceful and inviting. No wonder an enchantress wandered into Ridge Valley seeking hospitality. Who could blame her?
"What are you doing?" Fabio’s voice startled me. I whipped around to see him back in human form, buck-naked and looking at me like I’d just melted down his precious motorcycle and sold it for scrap.
"What's wrong?" His mane was wild and his hands were balled into fists at his side.
"Come down from there right now,” he demanded.
I glanced around me with uncertainty. "It's perfectly safe here. Believe me, I'm the last person who would stand too close to the edge. I’m deathly afraid of heights."
He shook his head and beckoned me forward. "That's not what I mean. Don't you know what this place is?"
“The top of a hill?"
"This is Curse Cliff," he said. "This is the spot where the enchantress cursed the town. It's forbidden to stand there."
So in a town full of red tape, the one place that is strictly forbidden has no sign to alert unsuspecting residents?
"Shouldn't there be a sign here that says ‘Danger. Keep out?’” Replace ‘enchantress’ with ‘alien’ and you had the Spellbound equivalent of Area 51.
“Didn’t you see the gargoyles?” he asked, pointing to the two statues.
Oh. Oops.
Anger flashed in his eyes. “You need to get over here now. Her dark energy will be all over you.”
Before he turned into a lion and mauled my ass, I dutifully complied.
"I'm sorry," I said. "I went for a walk and this is where I ended up. It's the perfect view of Spellbound."
"Why do you think she chose that spot to cast her evil spell?"
"How do you know for certain? No one is even sure of the curse’s origin," I said. "How can anyone possibly know that the cliff is the precise spot where she carried out her revenge?"
"In the werelion pack, we’re told from the time we’re cubs that we’re not allowed on Curse Cliff," Fabio explained. "I can’t speak for the other groups in the town. I know that most shifters believe the land beyond the gargoyles is to be avoided." He gave me a look of disgust and I knew with absolute certainty that there would be no second date. In his mind, I was drenched in malevolent energy. Unclean!
We returned to the spot where he'd left his clothes and he began to dress. "It was a mistake to bring you here. We should've gone to Perky’s like I originally planned."
"I'm glad you brought me here, Fabio," I said. "I stood in the spot where the enchantress allegedly worked her voodoo and I felt nothing but peace and tranquility. I'm sorry you see it differently."
He didn't speak to me during the ride back into town. He deposited me in front of my house, which was more than I expected. The entire drive back I kept waiting for him to leave me on a deserted road so that I could walk my unclean feet home.
"Thank you for…" He was gone before I could finish the sentence.
“That went well, apparently,” Gareth said from his position on the front porch.
I groaned. "You have no idea."
Chapter 16
I went into the library to return the Winnie the Pooh books I’d borrowed for Daniel. I'd wanted to introduce the angel to the sweet bear and his gang of friends, mostly so that Daniel knew he wasn't the only one who liked to wile away the hours thinking in a hundred acre wood.
The library was just as impressive as I remembered it. With its large atrium and multiple levels, it was like a mall for books. I still hadn't figured out the lay of the land, though, so I decided to seek out the librarian. I dropped off the books in the return section and noticed the librarian’s office to the right.
Inside the small room, a woman sat behind a desk, thumbing through what appeared to be an old parchment. She looked middle-aged, her chestnut hair pulled into a severe bun. Her floral blouse was buttoned to the very top. The only thing missing was a thick pair of glasses.
She glanced up when I entered the room. "Welcome to the library," she said brightly. "How can I help you?"
"Hi, I'm looking for books about covens and I was hoping you could direct me to the right section."
The woman squinted at me. "Are you the new witch?"
"Yes, I'm Emma Hart."
It was only wh
en she smiled that I realized the librarian was a vampire. I didn't know it was possible to be a vampire without sex appeal. Even Gareth, as annoying as he was, gave off a certain vibe. The librarian, however, appeared as uptight and pinched-faced as a harpy.
She stood to shake my hand. "Welcome to Spellbound. I’m Karen Duckworth. Town librarian."
"How long have you been the librarian here?" I asked. If she was a vampire, I wondered if she was one of the original members of the town.
"I took over when Harry retired," she said.
"Is Harry a vampire, too?"
Karen shook her head. "A wizard. He took me on as his apprentice several years before his retirement. He knew how much I loved information and he wanted the library in the right hands."
"Well, I’m here for information, so I hope you can help me."
Karen came out from behind the desk and walked with me to the atrium. "Information on witches and wizards can be found on the second floor. Would you like me to show you?"
"This place is so big, I wouldn't mind a little help. At least until I learn my way around."
Karen shuffled ahead of me and I noticed her calf-length pencil skirt paired with loafers. Two fashion styles that should never be on the same body at the same time. I was hardly a fashion guru, but even I knew that.
As we walked to the second floor, she nodded toward the sticker on my cardigan. “What is that?”
I glanced down, completely forgetting that this was the cardigan I’d worn to speed dating. “Oh, it’s from Thursday night speed dating.”
She recoiled slightly. “Why would you do that?”
“If you need to ask, I guess you’re not single.”
Karen pressed her thin lips together. “I am, actually,” she said. She didn’t sound too happy about it.
"If you’re not interested in speed dating, there’s always a matchmaking service. I met with Pandora recently," I said. "She seems to have a lot of satisfied customers."
Karen paused in the stairwell and looked at me. "Didn't I hear that Demetrius Hunt was interested in you? You hardly seem like someone who needs the help of Pandora."
Silly me. I should've known better than to think that gossip didn't make it all the way to the library. I wasn't sure why I even cared about the librarian’s relationship status. I’d been spending too much time thinking about Freddie, it seemed.
The second floor skirted the atrium and we walked halfway around the U-shape before reaching the section marked ‘witches and wizards.’ I immediately noticed a book entitled ‘Covens and Cauldrons’ and reached for it.
Karen laughed softly. "I can't tell you how odd it feels to have someone new to explain things to. You don't need to reach for the book. If you see a title you're interested in, just say it out loud and the book will come to you."
Talk about inspiring laziness. It was as bad as the Wish Market. Or as good, depending on your point of view.
"Covens and Cauldrons,” I said. The heavy book shifted and slid off the shelf, floating into my hands. The cover was entirely black, with the only writing on the spine. "This looks old," I said. "There’s no publication date." I thumbed through the pages. It wasn't like a typical book. There was no copyright page, no table of contents, no dedication, and no index.
“It’s been here a long time,” Karen confirmed. "Have you received your grimoire yet? They’re usually pretty old.“
"My what?" I'd never heard of a grimoire. It sounded like a musical instrument.
"Your book of spells and charms," she explained. "All the witches in the coven have one. It's like the witches’ manual.”
"I guess I don't get a grimoire until I graduate from the academy," I said. "I'm still trying to master basic spells. I only earned my temporary broom license recently."
"Here's another book that might be useful to you," Karen said. "North American Covens." The book drifted from its place on the shelf and into Karen's hands. It was less dense than my book, probably because it only included covens on one continent.
"I don't know anything about my coven," I said. "It's possible the origin is European."
"It's a place to start," Karen said with a shrug. "If I were you, I'd start with the lighter text so you don't get overwhelmed."
Karen obviously didn't realize my background in law. Anyone who'd ever set foot in a law library could tell you how dense the books are. Statutes, regulations, amendments. The internet changed all that, of course. Not so in Spellbound.
"So are you the only librarian?" I asked.
"Yes, I'm the head librarian and I have two assistants. I do tend to be here the most, though. The library is my second home."
No wonder she didn't date much if she spent all her free time at the library.
“I’ve heard a lot of the vampires hang out at the Spellbound Country Club. Do you ever golf? Or play tennis?"
Karen wrinkled her nose. "I'm not really into athletics or sports. I prefer books. Unfortunately, I haven't met many vampires who feel the same way."
"You must've known Gareth," I said. "He's a huge fan of books."
"I always thought Gareth was gay," she said. "Imagine my surprise when he announced his engagement to Alison."
I burst out laughing. "You have to be the only person in Spellbound who figured that out."
"I think it's because I tend to observe more than interact. I notice things more than other residents.” She hesitated. "You speak as though you know Gareth. I know you live in his house, but he died before you came, didn't he?"
"But that doesn't stop his ghost from haunting me," I said.
Her eyes widened. "You can see ghosts?"
"I can see his ghost, nobody else.” Yet.
She tapped her finger against her cheek. "A witch who can see ghosts. How fascinating."
"And I also have an owl as my familiar. Apparently, that's not the done thing."
Karen laughed, and a few loose tendrils fell from her slick bun. "I'm a vampire librarian. I am all too familiar with that."
"I don't mean to overstep," I said, "but what’s your relationship like with the other vampires? You’re the first female I've met since I've been here. Where do the other girls hide?"
Karen leaned against one of the shelves. "To be honest, I don't really socialize much with anyone. I have my fur babies at home and my job here. My life is pretty full."
"But don't you miss companionship, having someone to talk to?" As much as Gareth could be a pain in my butt, I would miss him if he weren't around. Talking to Sedgwick wasn't the same.
"I tried dating a few decades ago,” she said. "It didn't work out."
"Let me get this straight. You tried dating decades ago and you've decided for the rest of your immortal life that you're done with it?"
She laughed. “Well, when you say it like that, it does sound rather ridiculous."
"Listen, there's speed dating every Thursday night at Cupid’s Arrow. You should try it. My friends and I will go with you. If nothing else you'll meet some new friends to hang out with."
Karen frowned. "Is it just witches?"
"Absolutely not. It's everybody under the sun." Or not under the sun, as the case may be.
Karen seemed to consider it. “I’m free on Thursday evenings. Are you sure your friends won't mind?"
"Of course not. It'll be fun." And I had a feeling that Begonia would go nuts for the chance to make over Karen Duckworth. If anyone needed to vamp it up a little more, it was the vampire.
"So tell me the truth," Karen said. "Are you really going to speed dating to meet someone? I would think that if Demetrius Hunt wants to date you, then speed dating is more like low hanging fruit."
"Between you and me, I only went to look into Freddie's case. Apparently, he’d been a regular in the dating pool, so I wanted to speak with some of his former dates."
Karen's head drooped. "Poor Freddie. He's such a nice dwarf. He comes in now and then, usually looking for a new cookbook or something else to impress the ladies." She sm
iled, thinking about it. "The last time he was here…" She paused and her brow creased.
"What is it?"
Karen began walking briskly and I followed behind her. "I need to check something. He borrowed a book from a different section the last time he was here."
Was she really worrying about Freddie's overdue library book? That was the least of his concerns.
"I'm sure Freddie’s sister can return the book for him," I said.
She jerked her head toward me, still walking. "It's not that. It's the type of book he checked out. I only just remembered this very moment. It wasn't his usual type." She arrived at a desk on the second floor and stood in front of a box of cards. "Freddie." A card lifted from the box.
"So what did he check out?"
"A spell book. Advanced Spells and Curses for the Overly Ambitious."
That didn't make any sense. Freddie was a dwarf. They tended not to use magic.
"Do you think Freddie knew that someone was going to curse him and he was trying to learn defensive spells?"
"I don't know," Karen said. "But I think it would be handy to find the book and see if he marked any pages in it."
"I'll go to his place right now," I said. "And I'd like to check out North American Covens, too.”
"And I'll see you on Thursday night?" she asked, and I detected a note of eagerness in her voice.
"Meet us in the town square at eight o'clock."
I took my book and hurried from the library, anxious to get to Freddie's house. I had a strong feeling that the book was going to provide the answers that had been eluding us all.
I sent Sedgwick to Trixie’s house with an urgent message. She arrived at Freddie’s place more quickly than I expected, with her hair in curlers and slippers on her feet.
“I’d just gotten out of the shower,” she said apologetically. “But the note sounded important.”
“Did you bring the key?”
She held up the key to Freddie’s door before unlocking it. “You think there’s something there that will help?”
Spell's Bells (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 3) Page 15