“Why?” she asked, staring down at the whistle.
Rebecca nodded toward it. “Well, the noise will not hurt the person using it, but everyone else within one hundred yards will probably bleed out of their ears if you blow it loud enough.”
“Oh crap,” she replied, shoving back into her bag. “I’m so sorry. I had no idea.”
“No harm done,” said Rebecca, the color coming back into her face. “Good thing I came out when I did, though.”
“Exactly,” replied Tyler, looking slightly irritated.
“I can’t believe your mom didn’t explain that thing to you,” I said, remembering how she’d warned me about magical potions. It definitely didn’t sound like her.
“She might have. I wasn’t paying enough attention at the time she gave it to me, I guess,” she replied.
“Enchanted objects are both wonderful and dangerous,” said Rebecca. “I’d advise you to never make that mistake again. The next time someone gives you something magical, you need to know exactly what it is you’re accepting and how to use it.”
“For sure,” she said, looking embarrassed. “I’ll never make that mistake again.”
“Good,” answered Rebecca. She folded her arms under her chest. “Speaking of which, where’s your mom?”
“She isn’t coming,” she answered.
Rebecca’s eyebrows shot up. “What do you mean, not coming? Why are you here then?”
“Yes, what’s going on?” asked Adrianne, walking toward us from the stock room.
Megan went over it again, explaining that Adele’s coven just wasn’t interested in getting involved.
“That’s the same thing she told me,” said Adrianne. “Seeing you here, I was hoping that she’d changed her mind.”
“No,” said Megan. “Not yet, anyway.”
“So, her coven is really just going to sit back and let Vivian do what she wants?” said Rebecca, astonished.
“I guess they don’t think it’s their problem,” said Megan. “Which, I personally don’t agree with. I think stopping Vivian before she hurts anyone else should be a top priority.”
Adrianne sighed. “Yes, well, unfortunately, your mom and her coven do not agree. I guess we’re really on our own then.”
“No, you’re not,” answered Megan, raising her chin. “I’m here now and I’m helping you guys, I don’t care what she says. It isn’t right to sit back and do nothing.”
“Honey, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that,” said Adrianne, smiling sincerely.
Megan’s eyes widened “What do you mean? I want to help.”
“Your mother would kill me if we took you with us,” she replied. “And I wouldn’t blame her.”
“She’s right,” said Rebecca. “You’re a minor and we’d have another fight on our hands if we allowed you join us.”
“I’m almost eighteen,” protested Megan.
“Almost,” said Adrianne. She sighed. “Look, I’m grateful that you want to help, but you can’t join us in this fight, especially without your mom’s permission. I’m sorry.”
Megan scowled. “Well, then I guess I’m just going to have to talk some sense into her.”
“Good luck with that,” I answered, not thinking she’d have a chance. “I don’t know how you’re going to get her to go against her coven, though.”
Megan raised her wand. “Oh, I think I do. I’m going to threaten her.”
Adrianne sucked in her breath. “Threaten? Don’t threaten your mother, Megan. That’s not right either.”
“She wants me to go to prom with this guy who,” she grimaced, “smells like he never showers and I swear to God, sometimes eats his own boogers.”
I stared at her in horror.
She held up her hand. “Seriously. True story,” she said. “I saw him doing it when mom invited him over for dinner a couple of weeks ago. I guess he didn’t like what she was serving.”
Tyler snorted.
“That’s disgusting,” I replied, trying to get the image out of my mind. I’d watched some of mom’s daycare children do it and that had been bad enough. But, a teenager?
I shuddered.
She nodded. “I know. Well, she’s really good friends with his mom and begged me to go to prom with him, since he can’t seem to get a date. What a surprise, huh? I finally agreed after she promised to take me to Mexico as a graduation present. Ten days in Cancun. Anyway, now, I’m going to have to let her know that I’m having second thoughts.”
“You’d risk giving up your trip for us?” I asked, astonished.
She looked at Tyler. “Of course. I really didn’t want to go to the prom with Pete anyway. He’s not my type.”
Tyler nodded. “Then you shouldn’t settle for someone you’re not happy with. Trip or not. You only have one prom.”
“Exactly,” she said, smiling flirtatiously. “I’m sure I can find another date to the prom if I have to. What do you think, Tyler?”
“You? Of course,” he replied.
I clenched my jaw at the way she kept staring at him and reminded myself that we’d just gotten done kissing and to not be jealous of other girls. But, it wasn’t easy. Enchanter or not, he was definitely a good looking guy and it had nothing to do with magic.
“Anyway,” she raised her wand. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“Sounds good,” replied Adrianne. “We’re leaving here around nine-thirty. So, if she changes her mind…”
“She will when I’m done with her,” she replied, smirking. Then she disappeared.
“That’s one determined girl,” said Rebecca.
I looked at Tyler and part of me hoped she was wrong.
Chapter Eighteen
Meredith
Meredith stared down at the picture of her daughter and took another sip of whiskey. It burned as it slid down her throat but the warmth in her belly was worth it. After the visit from Vivian, she needed something to comfort the revival of her pain.
“You were so beautiful,” she whispered, ignoring the tears that slid down her cheeks. “Too beautiful for someone like David. He didn’t deserve you, my lovely, lovely, girl.”
An image of his arrogantly loathsome smile flashed through her head and her lips tightened. Even now she could feel the hatred for him curdle her stomach. She thought about the visit she’d paid him shortly before he’d died.
“My daughter killed herself. Doesn’t that mean anything to you?” she asked, standing in his office, holding Anna’s necklace in the palm of her hand. For some reason, she found comfort in the crystal, which Anna had been so intrigued with.
He stared at her from the other side of the desk with disdain. “What am I supposed to do? Say that I’m the one responsible for someone with a twisted sense of reality? She killed herself – yeah, I am aware of that. But, what does that have to do with me? Hell, I hardly knew your daughter.”
“You knew her enough to take her virginity.”
He laughed coldly. “Virginity? If she was a virgin, then I’m a monk. Your daughter jumped me like I was a loaf of bread and she hadn’t eaten in weeks. That’s not the actions of a virgin.”
“You’re a cold-hearted snake,” she hissed, wanting to throttle him with her bare hands. It was a struggle to even stand in the same room with such a vile man. “Without a conscious or an ounce of dignity.”
He waved his hand. “Whatever. Look, I think you should leave. I have a lot of work to do and a lunch date that I really can’t miss.”
“I’m sure you do,” she said, her eyes narrowing. “A lunch date with another girl you want to ruin.”
“Ruin? Look,” he sighed. “I’m sorry for your loss. Anna – she was a beautiful young woman, and from what I hear, your only daughter. It must be very lonely for you now that she’s gone and I can understand why you’re upset.”
“Was my only daughter,” corrected Meredith. “No thanks to you.”
He rubbed a hand over his face. “Ma’am, there is no way you’re going to make me feel like
I’m responsible for her death. Like I said before – I hardly knew her, for Christ’s sake.”
“Then you shouldn’t have slept with her,” she snapped. “You used her and threw her away when you were done. Do you have any idea how much I despise you for breaking my daughter’s heart? For making her so unhappy that she’d take her own life?”
His face turned red. “Lady, you need to get off of your high horse and look in the mirror, if you want someone to blame. Maybe if you would have been there for her, she wouldn’t have committed suicide.”
“How dare you! You don’t know anything about our relationship. I was always there for Anna!”
“Right. The rumors say otherwise, and I happen to know for a fact that you’re involved in some kind of cult.”
“A cult?”
“Yes, a cult. One that you probably pushed Anna into. No wonder she’d lost her mind. Hell, killing herself was probably the only escape she had from you.”
His words enraged her past the breaking point. Determined to silence him, she clenched her fists and began chanting.
David shook his head. “Unbelievable,” he said, getting up from his desk. “You need to leave my office. Now.”
She backed away from him, whispering the last part of the spell.
He moved around her and opened the door. “Leave now. Please.”
Instead, she took a breath and began the chant a second time. Just to be sure.
“For crying out loud,” he muttered, grabbing her by the arm.
“Don’t you touch me!” she gasped, trying to break free from his grasp
David pulled her to the door and pushed her through it.
“You’re going to pay,” she said hoarsely.
“Whatever.” He pointed at her. “Listen, if I ever catch you here again, I’ll call my attorney and sue you for harassment.”
“Don’t worry,” she answered, pulling her shawl tighter. “You’ll never have to worry about me again. And we won’t have to worry about you. In fact, your days of debauchery and sin are near the end. Mark my words.”
Rolling his eyes, he slammed the door. As he turned to walk back to his desk, something sparkled on the rug. Bending down, he picked it up and studied the necklace, which looked familiar. Then it hit him.
It was Anna’s.
Meredith must have dropped it.
Well, Anna won’t need it now, he thought, shoving it into his pocket. And the hell if he was going to do her mother any favors. Instead, he decided to give it as a gift to the tasty young woman he was meeting later that night.
***
Chapter Nineteen
Clarice appeared on Meredith’s porch and walked quietly to the front door. She raised her hand to knock, but then hesitated.
Had her old friend gone off the deep end? Was she being foolish to confront her alone?
Obviously, losing her daughter, Anna, had almost destroyed her. But that was twenty years ago and they had a history together. She couldn’t even fathom the possibility that Meredith would do her any harm. Not when they’d been such good friends as teenagers. She could still remember the oath they’d made on Clarice’s thirteenth birthday.
“Friends forever,” they’d promised, tying their bloodied hands together. “Blood sisters. Through thick and thin.”
“Nothing will ever come between us,” Meredith had declared.
“Not even our coven sisters,” she’d replied, as their blood mixed. Even now she could still feel the sting of Meredith’s hand pressing against the cut.
She took a deep breath and knocked.
When the door opened, Meredith’s face looked grim, her eyes haunted. “Clarice.”
“Hi, Meredith.” Clarice noticed the picture of Anna clutched in her hand and gave her a sympathetic smile. “Having a rough day, huh?”
She nodded and stepped back. “You know me well. Would you like to come in?”
“Yes. Thank you,” she replied, stepping into the foyer. The familiar scent of incense greeted her. Meredith usually used it when she was feeling exceptionally down.
“Would you like some tea? I was just about to brew some.”
“That would be wonderful,” she replied, following her down the hallways toward the kitchen.
Meredith chuckled. “To be honest, I was drinking something a little harder earlier, but it’s making me a little too nostalgic.”
“Ah, yes. I understand that. I try to avoid alcohol unless it’s right before bed. Then it usually puts me right to sleep. But then again, so does warm milk.”
Meredith laughed. “That’s what happens when you’re old, like us. Living alone here, I nod off without any help. At night. During the day. Doesn’t matter. Now, I have an alarm that goes off several times a day. Just in case I have to be somewhere and have fallen asleep.”
“Good idea,” she replied as they entered the kitchen. “It’s tough getting old. Even magic can’t stop that process.”
“Not the kind that I’ve run into at least.” Meredith waved toward the small oak dinette next to the window. “Why don’t you sit down and I’ll fix us that tea. Would you care for a muffin? I made some blueberry ones yesterday, and still have plenty left. They are my one true weakness.”
“A muffin sounds lovely. I haven’t eaten much today and my stomach sounds like an angry bear,” she replied, patting it.
“Yes, I suppose you haven’t had time to eat much today,” she answered, grabbing a kettle from under the sink. She turned on the water. “So, did you ever find Willow? We gave up after a couple of hours. The girl is cunning, that’s for sure.”
“Yes, actually, we did.”
Meredith’s eyes widened. “And the wand?”
“I am very happy to say that we now have the wand in our possession, Willow is being compliant, and Adrianne has made a full recovery.”
“Good. I’m glad. I always liked Adrianne. I’m sure her daughters are relieved?” she asked, turning on the stove.
“We all are. Although there are other problems at hand.”
“Other problems? Like what?”
Clarice sighed. “We believe that Vivian is holding two of our friends hostage. Two shape-shifters.”
“Oh dear.”
“Yes. Oh dear.”
“Vivian has always baffled me. The path that she’s chosen… her coldness. But, what really puzzles me is how Vivian and Adrianne, who were once very close, could hate each other so.”
“The hate only goes one way. Vivian has always been obsessed with trying to hurt Adrianne and the girls. It’s heartbreaking, really.”
“I agree. As a mother, I can’t imagine giving up my daughters, let alone try to take away the one person who gave them love and raised them. Vivian is not only a loose cannon, but also a woman completely unhinged, and might I even say – dangerous to her own coven.”
“I couldn’t agree with you more, Meredith.”
“You must also agree that someone needs to stop her.”
“We’ve tried, but she is not an easy force to take down.”
“So, I’ve heard. I wonder if Adrianne will be able to do it. Has she recovered?”
“Yes, thankfully.” Clarice studied her closely. “Meredith, the last time we spoke, we’d mentioned that Vivian was already dead. How in the world did you know that she’s still breathing?”
Meredith sighed. “She came to me. Earlier today. Wanted me to help her get the other two bonding wands.”
Clarice grunted. “What did you tell her?”
“I told her ‘no’, obviously.”
“And, how did she respond?”
Meredith smirked. “She wasn’t too happy about it, but as you can see, I’m still breathing.”
“That must have been an interesting conversation. I’m surprised that you’re okay, considering how crazy that woman is.”
“Yes, crazy, but I think she’s also smart enough to know that she’d have quite a war on her hands, if anything happened to me. My girls are devoted.”
“You’re a good teacher and leader,” agreed Clarice. “They really look up to you. I can tell.”
“Thank you,” she said, her eyes softening. She smiled. “They are basically my only family now, and I hope they feel the same.”
“I’m sure they do.”
Clarice watched as Meredith grabbed a small plate from the cupboard. She then picked up a platter of muffins from the counter and removed the plastic covering them.
“Would you like some butter?” asked Meredith.
“No, thank you. Say, Meredith, you haven’t asked about your necklace.” noted Clarice.
She shrugged. “I guess it must have slipped my mind. Does Willow have it?”
“She does. Interestingly enough, her story about the necklace is very different than yours.”
Meredith rolled her eyes. “I’m sure it is. She’s a little thief. I told you that before.”
Clarice folded her arms under her chest and studied her face, trying to read Meredith. She wanted to believe her. She really did. “I believe you there. She stole a couple of other things from us. One, being my purse.”
Meredith’s eyes moved to the bottom of her chair, where the purse now sat. “I see you’ve since gotten it back. That’s good.”
“Indeed.”
Meredith brought the muffins over and set one in front of Clarice. She then sat down across from her and sighed. “I can assure you, the necklace was handed down in my family. It’s ours. I might even have a picture of it somewhere.”
Clarice reached forward and touched her hand. “I believe you, Meredith. I know that you wouldn’t lie to me.”
She smiled again, her eyes growing misty. “I wouldn’t. We are too good of friends.”
Clarice squeezed her hand and then released it. “I feel the same way. I’d trust you with my life, Meredith. And I hope that you feel the same way about me.”
Meredith stared at her for a few seconds and then let out a ragged breath. “There is something that I need to tell you. About the necklace.”
Clarice’s stomach tightened. “Okay. What is it?”
She stared down at her muffin. “I guess that you could say at one point, it did belong to Willow’s mother, Opal. But, it was given to her by someone else, who shouldn’t have had it in the first place.”
Enchanted Objects: (Witches Of Bayport) Page 12