It was where the petty thieves and other lowlifes lived. One of my friends actually lived in the Balefrost district. Garret James was a snake shifter, and he was a Dirt Witch. He was highly skilled with root work and Dirt Magic, and he was a member of the Blue Diamond Copperhead Clan in the Blue Ridge Mountains of Kentucky. He was also one of the most reliable friends I had.
As we wound through the streets, the houses became more dilapidated, the yards more overgrown. The energy was shadier and it always made me shiver as we entered the district. A number of ghosts congregated here, drawn by the chaotic magic.
We were headed toward Garret’s house, and I wondered if he had had anything to do with reporting Jenna and her friends. He certainly wouldn’t enable their behavior. But as we pulled up, I realized we were at the graveyard directly adjacent to his house.
From the street, his house look like a broken-down shanty, but when you got close enough to break through the glamour, it was actually a prim, well-tended cottage. Garrett kept the glamour up to ward off burglars.
As we headed toward the graveyard, I spotted a patrol car down the street. It had to be Derek’s. Sandy was glowering, a scowl replacing the worry.
Delia opened the gate to the sidewalk leading through the graveyard, and we entered. I shivered. This area wasn’t just haunted, it was haunted by the ghosts that didn’t want to leave the physical plane. The spirits who were problem causers.
“I will beat her butt raw,” Sandy muttered.
“No, you won’t, and you know it.” I shook my head, giving her a faint grin. “Remember, she sees us partying hard, and she may just want to follow in your footsteps.”
There was no way Sandy and I could get around it. We were party girls, and Jenna had seen us tie one on more than once. I had the feeling that it might be her way of trying to get closer to Sandy. I could be wrong, but I was also pretty astute.
“She knows she’s not allowed to drink.” Sandy stopped, freezing in her tracks. “I just realized something. The levels on several bottles in the liquor cabinet have been going down, even though I haven’t been drinking from them. I asked Max but he hasn’t either, so I just assumed it was my imagination. I wonder if she’s been getting into the booze at home.”
“Well, you can ask her.” I nodded to the others, who were still walking ahead of us. “Come on, let’s catch up.”
Another two minutes saw us around a curve and into a widespread clearing of snow-covered grass, dotted by tombstones. There, standing with heads down, were Jenna and three of her classmates. Derek Lindsey was standing over them, scowling. I sensed some sort of magic surrounding the kids, and realized he had put up a Boundary spell, a common hex used among police officers who worked magic. It prevented people from running away. He must have used it on the kids before they managed to scatter.
Derek looked up as we approached. “I got a call about activity in the graveyard, and this is what I found.”
Jenna was there, along with two boys and another girl. A few scattered bottles were on the ground next to them, and from here I could see there were two wine bottles and a vodka bottle. The wine bottles looked empty, but the vodka bottle still was about half full. The kids all looked a little loopy. They were wavering back and forth, their eyes glassy.
Sandy marched over to Jenna as Derek let down the Boundary spell. “What the hell are you doing out here? And why didn’t you answer your phone? You had me worried sick!”
Jenna just stared at the ground, biting her lip. “I’m sorry, okay? I won’t do it again, all right?” Although her voice was sullen, I could see the worry in her eyes that she had fucked things up for good.
“No, it’s not all right. And I’m pretty sure you’re just sorry because you got caught.” Sandy turned to Delia. “What’s the procedure? Are you going to run them in?”
“Well, they were drinking and they shouldn’t have been. I don’t see any signs of vandalism, but I don’t want them running off scot-free.” She glanced at the two boys and the other girl. “The three of you I’ve seen before. This isn’t your first go-around with law enforcement, is it?”
One of the boys sullenly shook his head. “No, ma’am.”
“All right, here’s what we’re going to do. Derek, we’ll take these three back to the station and call their parents. I happen to know they’re all from out of town. We’ll also call the headmaster, and I’m afraid we’re going to have to tell him Jenna was with them. But Jenna can go with you, Sandy. You make sure to impress on her just what a tightrope she’s walking.” She turned to Jenna. “Listen, little miss, you’re damned lucky your mother lives here on the island. This sort of thing can get you expelled from Neverfall. Do you want that?”
Jenna shook her head, fighting back tears. “No. I don’t want that.”
“This one will be on your record. This is your first strike. Two more and you’re done there. Do you understand?”
“Yeah, I get it.” Jenna raised her head, tears streaking her face. “I’m sorry, okay? I’m really sorry.”
“I’m sure the headmaster will be talking to you as well.” Delia turned to Max and Sandy. “Okay, get her out of here. Derek, help me get these kids back to the cars.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow,” I told Sandy. This was a family situation for them to work out on their own. Aegis and I returned to our car and headed home.
By the time we got home, we had thoroughly dissected the situation, along with speculating about a dozen different ways that Sandy and Max might react. As I opened the sliding glass door to the kitchen, Kelson was rinsing the dishes and putting them into the dishwasher. She looked up from the sink as we entered the room.
“Did you find Jenna?”
I nodded. “Yeah. Or rather, the police did. Drunk, in a graveyard, with a group of friends. I have a feeling somebody’s going to be facing a long timeout.” The air hung heavy with the scent of popcorn, and I glanced around, but didn’t see anything. “The guests asked for popcorn?”
“Actually, they asked if they could help make popcorn balls. I didn’t think it would hurt, so I said yes. We spent the last hour making popcorn balls and fudge. There’s some on the table, if you like.”
I glanced at the table, spotting the platter of fudge and popcorn balls. “By any chance is that peppermint fudge?”
“There might be a good chance, so why don’t you try a piece and find out?” Kelson laughed, waiting for us to sit down. “Do you want some coffee to go with that? Or hot cocoa?”
“You know I never turn down coffee,” I said, sliding into a chair. “But a mocha might be nice, the best of both worlds.” I leaned back in my chair, biting into the fudge. It was still slightly warm, and soft enough to melt in my mouth. The warm flavors of chocolate and peppermint flooded onto my tongue. I closed my eyes, savoring the moment. “This is so good. You outdid yourself on this one.”
“I have to admit, I’m not the one who made it. Henry made it. He’s got talents I never dreamed he did. I just oversaw the production line. Three of the other guests—the Douglas couple and Annie Wood—made the popcorn balls. I told them I would clean up. I believe they’re in the guest parlor if you’d like to say good night to them.”
I let out a sigh. I didn’t feel like getting up, but it would be the polite thing to do. I looked at Aegis. “We should, you know. We are the hosts.”
“Come on, woman. Let’s go.” He held out his hand, and I took it. We strolled hand-in-hand toward the room that used to be the grand ballroom, and he slid his arm around my waist. “How are you feeling tonight?”
“Still bruised, like an overripe peach. I wish my rib would just hurry up and heal. But Jordan tells me it’s going to be another two or three weeks till I can breathe normally. Craig sure did a number on me.”
“In some ways, I wish he had lived, because if I had gotten to him before Franny did, I would have torn him limb from limb.” Aegis lowered, shaking his head. “I will always feel like I failed in protecting you.”
&nbs
p; “Stop that,” I said as we approached the double doors leading into the guest parlor. “We can only do what we can. Trust me, he was afraid before he died. You should have seen his face when he saw Franny.”
Aegis opened the doors, escorting me in. All of our guests were in the parlor, gathered around the piano. Nancy Douglas was playing carols, and they were all singing together. It was a picture-perfect moment, so I flipped out my phone.
“Don’t stop! Do you mind if I take a picture for our website?”
No one objected, so I took several pictures of them gathered around the piano with fudge, mugs of hot cocoa, and popcorn balls, with the tree in back of them. It would be perfect for advertising.
“We wanted to come wish you a good evening, and a restful night,” Aegis said.
The Douglases were human, and they still weren’t sure what to make of Aegis being a vampire. But the way Nancy Douglas looked at him told me that his glamour went a long way in making them friendly.
“Thank you,” Henry said, finishing off his cocoa. “If everybody’s done, I’ll just carry this tray of dishes back into the kitchen. I don’t want Kelson to have to go to any trouble for us.”
“You don’t have to do that,” I said. “It’s her job, and ours, to make your stay here comfortable.”
He let out a laugh, his glasses sliding down his nose. Pushing them back up, he said, “This is my home away from home. I don’t mind helping out.” He stacked the mugs and dessert plates on a tray, and carried them out of the room.
“I hope you’re all enjoying your stay here,” I said to the other guests.
There was a murmur of assent, and Carol Radcliffe, Annie Wood’s roommate, said, “Bedlam is one of the most beautiful places I’ve ever seen. I’ve heard a lot about it from my cousin, who is a rat-shifter. Her father is my uncle. He married a rat-shifter and Lori inherited her mother’s abilities.”
“Do they live here on the island?” I asked.
Carol shook her head. “No, but they’ve come here before to visit. Apparently, my aunt has relatives who live here.” She paused, then asked, “Do you mind if I ask you a question?”
“Go right ahead.”
“I’m not sure how it all works. If a shifter marries a human, wouldn’t the children be half shifter, half human?”
I bit my lip for a moment, trying to think about what I knew about shifter heritages. “I don’t think so. I believe that the children of a mixed marriage involving shifters either inherit their mother’s heritage or their father’s. I think it’s sort of all or nothing.”
“That would make sense,” Carol said. “My cousin has two brothers who have no abilities whatsoever in terms of shifting form.”
“It’s snowing up a gale outside,” Aegis said, peeking out the window. “I’m afraid we might be snowed in during the morning, so I’ll go out early and dig out the cars as best as I can. But I urge you to take caution on the roads.”
With that, we made our good nights and headed back to our own parlor. It was cozier than the living room, and we spent a lot of time there. Aegis stoked the fire as I settled into a rocking chair and put my feet up on an ottoman. I shivered and spread a throw over my legs. The Bewitching Bedlam was a drafty old mansion, even though we had plugged up as many of the holes as we could find. But all houses this size were large and chilly during the winter, no matter how well-built they were. I loved the place, though. In a little over a year it had become my home and my haven.
“Are you tired?” Aegis asked. “I thought you might help me with a jigsaw puzzle before I start my baking.”
“Actually, I’m exhausted. I thought I might go up to bed early, if you don’t mind.” I hated taking time away from us, but our schedules were on opposite cycles, and it was just a fact we had to adapt to.
“I’ll come up and say good night to you, then. What would you like me to bake tonight?” Aegis swept me up in his arms and I draped one arm around his shoulders. I had long ago given up objecting to him carrying me up to bed. He liked it, and it was a comfortable routine.
“Gingerbread cookies, peppermint brownies, and a couple of spiced peach pies.”
“I think I’ll also make scones and teacakes. It’s breadmaking time again too, so I’m going to whip up a couple loaves of sourdough.”
“Say, weren’t you guys supposed to rehearse tonight?”
“Yeah, but Sid called while we was over at Sandy and Max’s. His wife is sick, so we’re calling off rehearsal for this week. We don’t have a gig until January, so we’re good for now.” He sounded worried.
“Sick? What do you mean sick? Like the flu or cold?”
He shook his head. “I think it’s worse than that. Sid didn’t say very much, but I could hear the concern in his voice. He was far more abrupt than usual.”
Sid was a bassist with the Boys of Bedlam, Aegis’s Celtic rock band. He and his wife, Sylvia, were Fae. They had five children: two sets of twins and a baby who still wasn’t into the toddler stage yet.
“You should go visit and see how she is.”
Aegis shook his head. “Not until Sid is ready to open up. As I said, I get the feeling this is something major. He’ll talk when he’s ready, and until then I don’t want to push him. Meanwhile, Jorge is spending the holidays with his family in Seattle, and Keth and his girlfriend went on a ski trip to Crystal Mountain.”
The thought of a half satyr on skis made me giggle.
We reached the top of the stairs, and Aegis let me down. I opened the door to my bedroom, and he followed me in. Bubba and Luna came racing in behind us. They bounced on the bed, Luna rolling over on her back for belly rubs. Bubba just sat. He knew better than that.
Aegis sat down as I stripped off my clothes and tossed them in the laundry basket. The bruises on my hip were starting to fade. They had passed the black and blue stage, and were now a nauseating yellow and purple. Aegis unhooked my bra, since I couldn’t reach it without pain, and handed me the lingerie bra I wore at night.
“I am so ready to drop.” I crawled into bed.
“Then sleep well, my love.” Aegis leaned over, planting his lips on mine. He gave me a long, slow kiss, but it was delicate and gentle. He tucked me into bed, and as he turned to leave, Bubba and Luna curled up on my feet.
“Good night,” I said.
“Sleep until morning,” he whispered, leaving the door ajar just enough so that the cats could get out.
Barely five minutes passed before I started to drift off. Luna lay down, pressing her body against my back. Her body warmth comforted me as Bubba warmed my feet, and I finally drifted off, falling into a dreamless slumber until morning.
Chapter Nine
I slept late the next morning, and when I woke up, I realized that my alarm hadn’t gone off. Groggy, I eased myself into a sitting position and glanced at the clock. It was almost nine. Outside, I saw that it was still snowing, big thick flakes coming down to shroud the island. I shivered as I threw back the covers, the chill of the morning hitting me. I glanced at my nightstand and there was a note from Aegis, along with a delicious-looking brownie.
My sweet, I hope you slept well. Everything went smoothly during the night, and all the baked goods are on the counter, waiting for Kelson. I shoveled out all the cars, and since we were running low on groceries, I made a quick trip to the Shop Mart and stocked up on eggs, milk, sausage, and a few other things to tide us over. I also turned off your alarm so you could get some more sleep. I’ll see you tonight, and take care of yourself. Love, -A-
I smiled as I set the note aside.
Every night, Aegis left me a note on my nightstand and I kept them all, tucking them into a velvet box. I bit into the brownie, sighing happily as the tastes of peppermint and chocolate filled my senses. It might not be a proper breakfast, but it sure helped wake me up.
After eating some more of the brownie, I took a shower and then dried my hair. I chose a wraparound skirt and a V-neck sweater that was easy enough to put on. My bra was problema
tic, but I could fasten it in front and then gently slide it around and ease my arms through the straps. It took me twice as long as normal, but it worked.
I fastened a corset belt around my waist, strapping it snugly but not too tight. It helped ease the ache in my rib cage. Finally, I slipped on a pair of ballet flats and, after fixing my makeup, I finished off the last of the brownie and headed downstairs.
Kelson was in the kitchen. She glanced up as I came in and she pointed to the table. “Breakfast is on. Sit down and eat up, and I’ll get your mocha.”
Breakfast consisted of toast and sausage, and a couple hard-boiled eggs. Kelson handed me my mocha and I thanked her, carrying it to the office with me. As I unlocked the door and clipped my keys to my belt, a voice tinkled out from the room.
“I’m here,” Franny said. “I didn’t want to startle you.”
“Thank you, especially considering I’m carrying a cup of hot mocha.” I shut the door behind me and turned to see her sitting in the side chair next to my desk. “And how are you on this snowy morning?”
She laughed again. “It’s so beautiful. And it’s so nice to get out of the house and be able to walk in the snow. I don’t mind admitting that it’s nice to not feel the chill while I’m out there. One of the few benefits of being dead, I guess.”
“So what are you up to?” I asked as I sat down at my desk and carefully placed my mocha on a coaster.
“I’ve been talking to Franz, that stray ghost who is out in the yard. We’re working on trying to pinpoint how he died.” She leaned one elbow on my desk, and the tip of it sank through the surface.
“So you know his name?”
She shook her head. “No, I just think he looks like a Franz. We’ve been going all over the island, trying to find places that look familiar to him.”
“Why don’t you talk to Delia? She can have you look through the missing-persons photos. Maybe you’ll recognize him.”
Demon's Delight: A Bewitching Bedlam Novella Page 6