by M. L. Briers
Two sets of feet thumped against the outside decking, and I could breathe again. Family could be a pain in the backside at times, but Ross’ was on another level. There was a low, deep hearty growl that I had to assume came from Ross, and then his footsteps faded away as well, and I started to relax. I still wanted to kick Lachlan’s furry butt back where he came from, but at least I could loosen the magic that I held tightly around me.
The one question that was front and center in my mind was a kick in the backside. Did I tell Moira what I’d overheard?
~
“Well, look if it isn’t my girlfriend.”
I tossed a death glare over my shoulder at the annoyance that was Malachi, but I kept on walking. I wasn’t going to give him the satisfaction of rising to the bait that he so obviously threw out there to hook me in.
“Wouldn’t it be great if sunlight really did make you go puff into ashes?” Epic fail. I snapped at the hook, and I could wriggle all I liked, but the man seemed to know how to push my buttons.
“You know, you can act as if you don’t like me, but you forget I can read minds and body language.”
“I’ll make it easy for you.” I offered him my middle finger and heard his deep chuckle fill the air around me. It sounded like he was everywhere all at once.
How did he do that? Projection spell? No, vampires didn’t have magic. Perhaps that was all part of their spider web effect to lure you in.
“Come on, why fight the inevitable? You’re going to end up giving in before long…”
“Am I now?” I hit my internal brakes and spun back towards him, but even that didn’t catch him by surprise. He was already standing still, his arms folded over his chest, and a small smug smile of victory on his lips. “And what would I be waving the white flag for?”
“Me…” he spread his arms like he was a catch.
“Yeah!” I chuckled at the irony of that statement. Snuggle up with a vampire, that was Eileen’s thing. I’d rather someone cut my heart out with a spoon.
“Ouch,” he tried to look hurt, and he wasn’t a bad actor, but I could see that there was a great showman beneath his façade.
“Live with it. Oh, that’s right…” I grimaced, and he wagged a finger at me as he shook his head.
“Be nice…”
“Already dead,” I shrugged, turned, and kept walking until I reached my car.
“We always seem to be parting ways,” he sighed.
“And you say that like it’s a bad thing.” I yanked open the door and dropped inside, physically and mentally tired after the day I’d had.
“You know, my blood will perk you right up if…”
“Someone was to spill it on the street right now,” I offered back, trying, and failing to yank the car door closed because Satan Claws had a hold on it. “You’re probably right, but I don’t need the hassle of cleaning up the body.” I gave him my best, sweetly innocent look, and hoped that he could see the lightly veiled daggers in my eyes.
“You really are just like your grandmother,” he chuckled.
“Thank you,” I yanked the door, and yet it stayed firmly in place.
“That might have sounded like a compliment, but it really wasn’t,” he whispered as if telling me a secret, and there was that projection, and a pull on my psyche at the same time that made my witchy alarm bells go off.
“You might think you’re alive, but you really aren’t,” I whispered back, zapped him hard, and yanked the door closed when he let go.
“Parlour tricks,” he called after me as I drove away.
“Right back at ya!”
~
“You!” I pointed at Duncan the moment that I found him and Eileen all cozy in the sunroom, not that there was any sun out today, but we lived in hope of seeing it for five minutes here and there.
“What did he do?” Duncan asked, sitting back on the love seat and resting his arms against the back like you would if you felt all good and settled in. That still annoyed me.
“Who?” Eileen asked, rushing to catch up with the conversation. I was guessing that she had all things bat-boy on her mind. She was blushing red like a traffic light.
“My cousin,” Duncan said. “Only he can get under someone’s skin like that.” He nodded in my direction, and I tried not to frown, but it was there anyway.
“He didn’t get under my skin,” I lied. Of course, he did, the man was just plain annoying.
“So, what did he do?” Duncan asked, ignoring the fact that I’d lied, but there was a small smirk on his lips.
“Projection? Is that a vamp thing?”
“As in?”
“Mind control, like I can hear you more vividly than I should…”
“Yep, that’s a thing…”
“Scummy little toad,” I bit out, turned on my heels, and stomped off to find Gran.
I needed a spell, a good one to absolutely stop that happening again. I wasn’t going to play spider and fly with a vampire. Even, or maybe that should be, especially, when he looked like Malachi.
Oh, I was sure the man could charm the panties off any woman in the world, he wasn’t without his charms, but not this witch. I wasn’t falling for his parlor tricks and vampire shenanigans. If he thought I was an easy mark for whatever evil plan he had going on, then he could think again.
I am woman hear me roar. I’m a witch, and there’s so much more!
I was headed towards the greenhouse when the front door opened and Aunt Kenzie walked in. She stopped in her tracks when she saw me, and Isla almost ran into the back of her mother.
“I told her what you said,” Isla offered those words like a playground taunt. My dad’s bigger than your dad, silly little witch.
“Did ye now?” I folded my arms and looked down my nose at her.
“Where’s my mother?” Kenzie demanded, looking about as pleased to see me as I was to see Isla in gossip mode.
“Follow your instincts; you’re a witch for Goddess sake!” Gran yelled from inside the greenhouse, that told her, and Aunt Kenzie’s face was a joy to behold. It was another picture perfect moment.
If they were here to rain on Ross’ parade, then I’d have something more to say on that subject myself. Moira was happy, and nobody, not even kin was going to get in the way of that.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
~
“Oh, calm down, Kenzie. You’d think the world was coming to an end and the zombie apocalypse was upon us,” Gran said.
I always like how she didn’t bother to sugarcoat anything for anyone. She told it how it was, or how it should be, and the truth of the matter was that they were making a mountain out of a molehill where Ross was concerned. I hope.
“And then when it’s mentioned Maggie threatens Isla.” A drama queen like her daughter, Aunt Kenzie tossed up her hands, and huffed, and then dropped them back down to her sides with a slap and a second huff to boot. She was either really tired or playing it for all it was worth.
My money would be on the second one.
She might be slapping her thighs like a cowgirl from Annie get your Gun, but I know who I’d like to slap, the little tittle-tattle was standing there all wide-eyed and innocent at her side like butter wouldn’t melt in her big gossipy mouth. The nerve of some people.
“Maggie?” Gran looked to me for confirmation.
“I implied there might be a punishment to be had if she went around gossiping about Moira and Ross.” I wasn’t going to lie. I didn’t see why I needed to. “If she wants to go around flapping her jaws, that’s fine by me, as long as she doesn’t do it about Moira.”
“That sounds fair,” Gran said, offering Kenzie a steely gaze.
“And what about Ross’ werewolf?” Aunt Kenzie asked.
“What about it?” I said. I was ready to defend Ross to the hilt. It’s not like I was going against family, Ross was family.
“If you’re looking for a pet, Kenzie, you might want to think again,” Gran mocked her and I had to snigger at that one.<
br />
“I don’t think it’s a laughing matter,” Aunt Kenzie said. “Not when people are dying.”
“And you really think that Ross is doing it?” I asked. “Because as far as I’m aware, Ross might have a werewolf within him — but they can’t separate and be two places at once.”
“And he was with Moira?” Aunt Kenzie asked.
“Yes.” I shot back without hesitation. Aunt Kenzie was one of those women, like Gran, that pounced on any sign of weakness or hesitation.
“All night?”
“Yes.” I preferred keeping my lies to one word or a nod, that way my voice stood less chance of giving me away.
“Then it’s obvious,” Aunt Kenzie replied.
“Oh, do tell,” Gran sounded bored.
“It’s the dark magic,” Kenzie said.
“You felt it?” Gran asked.
“Well, no,” Kenzie said, looking a little sheepish.
“And yet you’re going to go around screaming the sky is falling — the sky is falling?” Gran snorted her contempt for that idea.
“Then what do you suggest?” Kenzie asked.
“Perhaps watching less horror movies?” I couldn’t help myself, but when Aunt Kenzie turned her death glare onto me, I thought I should try.
“We put that one to bed,” Gran said. “It wasn’t dark magic — it was a vengeful, devious, mean-spirited witch. And while some would say there are still some of those around the Isle, I like to hold my tongue, and hope they keep their stupidity to themselves.” Gran offered her a steely glare, and I think we all got the meaning behind that little gem of wisdom.
“There are – other beasts on the Isle, and I’d have to wonder why you’d given permission for that.”
“Two vampires and two werewolves,” Isla piped up, and I found myself in the unlikely position of wanting to defend bat-boy.
“Vampires aren’t exactly known for cattle mutilation…” I offered.
“They are if they can’t find a human victim,” Isla shot back.
“Someone’s been watching too much TV. I hardly think they are going to waste their time drinking sheep when there are so many more palatable offerings within easy reach – like witches,” I said, narrowing my eyes on her as she shivered at the thought.
“All the more reason they shouldn’t be here,” she shot back.
“Isla, you’re a witch – use your powers to defend yourself when threatened – which leads me to point two – have you been threatened by one of them?”
“Not yet…”
“There you go then,” I said, tossing up a shoulder and dismissing her argument.
“The Isle should be as it was, home to none of a dark nature,” Aunt Kenzie said, and Gran snorted.
“We’d best start the clearances all over again then; perhaps we should start with the gossips and move on to the uncharitable,” she wasn’t holding back.
I knew Gran was fond of bat-boy, and Eileen certainly was. I had to begrudgingly accept that he’d been good for my youngest sibling, bringing her out of her shell a little more each day, and she didn’t constantly have her nose pressed in a book. So, in my mind – bat-boy could stay as long as he wanted, but Malachi was a different entity altogether.
“Well,” Aunt Kenzie prickled at the veiled threat, and I had to hold back the sniggering. “I should be getting home.”
“Nice visit,” Gran’s acidic tone left no doubt in anyone’s mind exactly what she meant by that.
I was on Gran’s side of the fence. It was all well and good screaming — Werewolf there! Werewolf there! — But when that werewolf was part of the family then you had to draw the line somewhere.
We’d all but adopted Ross and Duncan into our lives, much to the disgust of the family cat, but that was how it was for now, and probably until Duncan’s youthful looks made him stand out in an aging crowd.
“Let me show you out,” I offered, only too pleased to be rid of them so I could talk to Gran. Although, my Malachi problem didn’t really seem half as important anymore.
“I think I know my way,” Aunt Kenzie snapped back. Testy.
She took off like a woman on a mission, or someone who had a werewolf hard on their heels. Who needed to be bitten by a werewolf when Gran’s crocodile jaws could do the trick?
“You’re having problems with Malachi,” Gran said, turning her attention to me once we heard the thump of the front door being slammed shut.
“Not big ones. The man just has this way of projecting his words and presence…”
“That’s an easy fix,” Gran said, strolling across the room and totally bewitching me as she used her magic to pull a brick from the wall that backed onto the house. It slid towards her like it was on gliders until it showed itself enough for her to get a hand around it.
I wasn’t a nosy witch – much – but, even my interest was piqued. I didn’t know that my canny granny had a hide-hole in the house, literally, and I was eager to know what was in it, and how many more there were, and what were in those, and how to unlock them, was it a simple uncloaking, unlocking spell, could anyone do it?
And that’s the vicious circle of being nosy.
Holy Hell’s Bells! It looked like Gran had a Grimoire all her own. Why would a witch have a separate Grimoire from the family one? Ooo, good idea, hello skinny Mary.
“These aren’t spells to be taken lightly,” Gran said, angling her chin down and looking back at me with raised eyebrows.
“I’m frankly hurt, shocked, and dismayed that you would think that I would…”
“Laying it on a little too thick,” Gran said, and I gave a small roll of my eyes as I fidgeted on the spot, eager to see inside.
It felt like I was five and this was Christmas, and yes, we did celebrate with a tree and presents because we had to keep up that whole – being a normal family lie. Sometimes religion did have a plus side to it.
“Open it – open it – open it!” I jumped on the spot and clapped my hands with excitement like my inner five year old told me to do. Gran chuckled in much the same way that she had when I was young.
The moment of anticipation as her hand reached for the book flooded through me. My heart was racing, skipping happily, and my palms were actually sweaty. It was the good stuff…imagine my disappointment when she opened the book to reveal – nothing.
I practically elbowed her out of the way. Turning the pages faster and faster, each one as blank as the last, until my happy five-year-old wanted to kick the can down the road and slope off in an Aunt Kenzie style huffy fit of epic proportion.
“Look, deeper, Maggie,” Gran said, and splat! My heart hit my ribs as I clocked onto her reasoning. Cloaking the book in magic was the ultimate lock and key.
Canny granny indeed.
I pulled on my magic and swept my hand above the page – there it was – a beautifully written spell for banishing a lust demon…? What the f…?
“Lust demon?” I shot her a look.
“Shakespeare wasn’t wrong when he said; there are more things in Heaven and Earth, than are dreamt of in your philosophy,” Gran warned me, and I took heed.
“Wasn’t there a Horatio in there somewhere?”
“Don’t get smart…”
“Get even! Got it,” I shot back to the sound of her gentle chuckle. “But, Lust Demon? Seriously?”
“If you think those vampires are good-lookers, wait until you lay eyes on a Lust Demon…”
“You’ve seen one?” Now I was excited. I wanted all the juicy details, kind of.
“Unfortunately, no…”
“Unfortunately?” I curled my lip. But it was for the best because I didn’t want to even have a sliver of thought of Gran bumping hips with anyone, even Gramps. Yuck.
“I hear they would give you a happily ever afterglow that lasts for hours,” she whispered.
“Well, I’m sold,” I shot back, then remembered who I was talking to. The woman who wouldn’t allow swearing at the dinner table. “Geez, Gran…” I mutt
ered, turning my attention back to the book and reaching out to turn a page.
It was a huge book, and this could take forever, but I was game. I’d already learned of Lust Demons.
“Here,” Gran said, slapping my hand away and sweeping her hand over the page – I was wondering why; when the pages started to flick over on their own.
“Nice, and a time-saving way of doing it. So, how’d you do it?” I snapped that question a bit too eagerly. I was a spell lush, what can I say?
“Just ask the book, and it will show you the answer if it has it,” she said, pleased with herself.
“You know, I could have used that helpful hint back in school.”
“If you weren’t so busy getting up to mischief with your sisters, Ross, and Jamie, you might have actually learned something at school.” She berated me, and I grinned at a few snapshots of memories that clicked in my mind.
“Now that would have been a waste of a few good years,” I snorted a chuckle and turned my attention back to the page as the spell started to appear. “Ooo, good one.”
It seemed that I could guard against Malachi’s little vampire tricks. He was going down.
“So, what else are you hiding from us?” I said, turning my steely gaze on her.
“I suppose it is time you were brought into the loop, just in case something happens to me.”
“Planning on being abducted by aliens?” I made light of a dark subject because I didn’t want to think of my life without Gran in it. She had a twinkle of amusement in her eyes as she looked back at me.
“You never know, but there is a spell in there should that happen…”
“Really?” My five-year-old did a Highland jig.
“No.”
And then that five-year-old fell flat on her face.
CHAPTER FIFTEEN
~
I wandered lonely as a cloud, ha! Clouds on Skye were never lonely and thought nothing of crashing into the mountains and creeping down to offer an eerie blue fog-like haze at sunset, which really freaked some tourists out. We also had a habit of experiencing all four seasons in one day, which was confusing for the poor dears not knowing which way to dress which was another reason why we layered our clothes.