by Dana Davis
The medium’s face lighted and she smiled. “In the olden days, you would’ve been fostered to me until you were trained.”
“Oh, so I should call you Mama?” Seeing her own mother in the afterlife had helped some of Daisy’s grief. The woman’s soul was safe and happy. Being home herself made her feel much better. Well, except for the ghost thing.
“Call me Mama and I’ll leave you alone with your new friends.” Scarlet motioned to Daisy’s dresser mirror, the pink on her nails matching the lipstick she usually wore.
“No thanks.” Will I have to cover mirrors the rest of my life? Scarlet still kept hers covered and she’d been a medium since puberty. She glanced at Bridgette to see if she caught that thought, but her cousin didn’t seem to have her senses open just now. “So, what do we do first? How do I keep them out of my house?”
Scarlet’s dark eyes seemed to look right into her. “You don’t.”
That’s so not what I want to hear.
Noah strode into the bedroom. “I put your suitcase and car keys in the guestroom, Scarlet. If there’s nothing else we need to do right now, my wife needs a nap.” Daisy would have protested if she hadn’t been so tired.
“No, that’ll do for now. Thanks.” Scarlet pointed a finger at Daisy. “Keep the mirrors covered.” She left with Bridgette following.
When Noah leaned down to kiss Daisy, she wrapped her arms around him and pulled him close. “You don’t have to leave.” She let her hand wander down and gave him a squeeze on one butt cheek.
“Hey, watch it, wench. You’re tired.”
She grinned. “Not that tired.” Then she yawned.
“Liar.” Noah gave her a quick kiss on the lips and pulled back. “Get some sleep.” He began closing the shutters to darken the room. “I’ll wake you when it’s lunchtime.”
“Oh no. You’re not going to try and cook are you?” Daisy loved her husband more than anything and he did okay with the barbecue out back, but a cook he wasn’t. Witches, on the other hand, developed culinary skills early as part of their training. She smirked as she lay back and put her head on her pillow. My soft, fluffy pillow. Not some flat hospital thing that smells like sanitizer.
He stepped back to the bed and flipped the sheet over her head. “Just for that comment, I’ll cook lunch and dinner.”
She pushed the sheet off her face. “In that case, I’m eating out.”
He gave her a tender kiss on the forehead and stroked her cheek. “Sleep now.” He scooped up Perky and shut the door on his way out.
Daisy flipped onto her side, her dresser mirror now in her line of vision. She hugged the stuffed bear, closed her eyes, and tried very hard not to wonder what was happening in the glass behind that sheet.
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* * * *
Chapter 4
Living Dead Girl
Bridgette kept her voice low as she spoke into her phone. “You don’t need to come over, Mom. She’s fine now. I’ll be home later.” She glanced at the clock above Daisy’s fireplace. Just past nine. Her cousin had been asleep for over an hour.
“Brendon wants to know if he can cook something to go with the bagels you bought?” her mother said. He’s really hungry but he won’t cook unless I okay it with you first.” She sounded annoyed at that. Cousin Brendon drove her down from Sedona after Daisy went into a coma, because she couldn’t drive with a broken right leg.
That guy’s stomach is a fucking cavern. “Tell him he can make anything he wants as long as he cleans up.”
Her mother’s voice grew muffled for a moment. “Where are your pots and pans?”
Bridgette rolled her eyes when Noah glanced at her from the kitchen, where he was pouring coffee. “The cabinet next to the stove.” Where the hell else would I keep them? “Gotta go, Mom. I’ll call you later. Bye.” She pressed disconnect before her mother could protest and dropped the phone onto the bar next to her purse. “I don’t know which is worse, my mom hounding me for information about Jay or Cousin Brendon hounding me for food. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a guy in his thirties eat so damn much and stay so thin. I hope he drives Mom home before they both drive me crazy.”
Scarlet gave a tiny smile, the pink lipstick completely gone from her lips now, but worry colored her eyes. Bridgette didn’t need to open her telepathic senses to see that.
Noah chuckled, either not catching the medium’s mood, or maybe just happy his wife was safe and home. He placed a tray on the coffee table, which was actually an antique trunk with a thick sheet of beveled glass covering it. The trunk had once belonged to Aunt Penny, Daisy’s mom. He motioned for Bridgette and Scarlet to help themselves and took his coffee to the dining table.
Bridgette waited for the medium to get a cup then she took the last, added two spoonfuls of sugar, and sat in the overstuffed chair next to the couch, her favorite. She tried to let her worries about Liam drift away as she sipped her coffee, the hot liquid soothing as it went down. Daisy’s mutt trotted to her so she reached down and petted him. The dog rolled onto his back for a belly rub. “Always wanting attention. Just like some men I’ve been with.”
Scarlet chuckled and shook her head.
Noah looked up from one of Daisy’s magick books. “How’s your mom’s leg?”
Either he hadn’t heard Bridgette or he chose to ignore her. She smirked as she studied him. I wonder if Jay would be so thoughtful if I was sick? Oh, stop that, Bridgette McDougal. You don’t need a man fawning over you like Noah does with Daisy. Sex is good enough. For now. She shoved those thoughts away and focused on her cousin-in-law. They’d been looking for something that might reveal why a witch Daisy’s age would suddenly acquire medium powers. So far, nothing.
Bridgette leaned back in her chair and watched Perky trot to the dining table and sit by Noah’s leg. What’d he ask me? Oh, yeah. “I’m sure it hurts but she’ll never admit it.” Her mother had broken her leg the morning of Daisy’s first trip to the afterlife. Falling off a treadmill, no less. “I didn’t mind when she came to see Daisy.” In fact, I was grateful for the company. Especially when we thought Daisy was dead. “But now she’s just a pain in my ass. As usual. You’d think having her leg in a cast and being on crutches would slow that woman down. But no. I had to practically beg her to stay home while I went to the hospital today. I think she’d microchip me if she thought she could get away with it.”
Noah reached down and gave the dog a scratch, looking amused, then went back to reading the book that sat on the table in front of him.
Bridgette took a long sip of coffee and turned her attention to Scarlet, who was chewing on her lip again. “Okay, share. How is Daisy really doing? And don’t lie to me or I’ll pick it from your brain.” She didn’t usually listen in on family unless there was danger but that didn’t mean she wouldn’t. Of course, mediums had a natural immunity to telepaths, to a certain extent, so she could only hear surface thoughts with Scarlet. Daisy’s mind might one day be resistant to her and that made her anxious. Not that I go around eavesdropping on her, but sometimes it’s nice to be able to do that.
Scarlet studied her with penetrating dark eyes. Nothing seemed to frighten the woman, not even a pushy witch, but this thing with Daisy had her frowning more than normal. Scarlet glanced at Noah, who now listened with rapt attention. “Like I said before, she’s in the early stages of medium powers. Normally, this would happen around puberty. You’re the telepath, Bridgette. What do you get from her?”
Turn it right back to me. Way to play it, Scarlet. She didn’t have to look at Noah to know his gaze moved to her. “She seems normal. Not happy about seeing ghosts everywhere. But I don’t sense anything wrong with her.” Not like with Liam. Daisy doesn’t have that darkness I sense with him. I have to tell her about him. But it can wait until she’s stronger. No sense worrying her while she’s still trying to learn about these new powers. I don’t even know what she can do about Liam, if anything. Maybe I should tell Scarlet. Or go to Old Mrs. Ferdinand first. That witc
h has a lot of secret crap in her shop. I’ll call her later. See what she can tell me.
Noah seemed to relax when Bridgette said she didn’t sense anything wrong with his wife. But it doesn’t mean Daisy won’t go mad from being in the afterlife. The living aren’t supposed to go there. Maybe being partly on the other side has made Liam permanently crazy. Maybe that’s the darkness I sense from him. Scarlet might have some advice. I’ll have to get her alone. I don’t want Noah knowing about Liam until I can tell Daisy.
“How long before she can control these new powers?”
Scarlet took a drink, looking deep in thought, and shrugged. “Normally, it takes months to master the simple stuff. But Daisy’s not your average paranormal. As I’m sure you’ll both agree. And I’m bound to her now.”
Noah narrowed his eyes in confusion. “Bound? What does that mean?”
Scarlet pushed manicured fingers through her dark hair, which hung past her shoulders now that she’d taken the ponytail holder out. “I’m the closest medium to her and I was there when her powers manifested. I’m obligated to teach her.”
Noah gave a relieved sigh. “Well, I can’t think of anyone better to help her.”
“You might not say that once we get started. I hope you don’t spook easily, Noah.”
For a moment, Bridgette thought the medium was joking. But the seriousness in Scarlet’s dark eyes annihilated that thought.
What sounded like a cross between a motorcycle and a prop plane grew louder. Bridgette glanced through the kitchen and front room, out the open front door and through the security screen. A figure on a motorized scooter flew past the house. “Damn, that’s loud.”
Noah frowned. “Yeah, he started doing that yesterday. I’m thinking of buying my future kid a scooter and having a boat motor put on it. Let him do donuts in that kid’s driveway.” The boy headed back up the street past the house again.
“Is that all he does? Ride that fucking thing up and down the street?”
Noah frowned. “Yes, and he’s going to wake Daisy. I’ll shut the door.” He started to get up.
“Let me handle it.” Bridgette put her coffee cup on the table and stood.
She crossed through the kitchen and into the front room, past Noah’s vintage pinball machines. Why a grown man would collect toys like that, she didn’t know. But Daisy didn’t seem to mind. Once she reached the security screen door, she waited.
Sure enough, the boy started back down the street again. He looked about seventeen or eighteen years old, tall and lanky. Too fucking old to be riding scooters. And definitely old enough to know when his actions annoyed others. Noah and Scarlet had followed and peered out the front window.
“Can he see us?” Scarlet said.
Bridgette released a chunk in her mental wall to open her telepathic senses. The kid’s thoughts focused on a girl at school and what he could do to impress her. Surprise, surprise. Well, idiot, riding a scooter won’t win you any points. “No, he can’t see us.” Once the boy was in range again, she uttered a cease spell.
The scooter rolled to a stop as the motor sputtered and died. The boy tried to start it a couple of times without luck then squatted to check his motor. His thoughts became frustrated curses. His scooter had been recently repaired.
Perfect.
He tried a few more times to get the motor started, but Bridgette’s spell would last about fifteen minutes unless she cast a counter spell. The frustrated boy walked his scooter up the street and out of view. Bridgette turned to see Noah’s smiling face.
“Thanks for that,” he said.
“No problem. If he does it again, I’ll set the damn thing on fire.” She pressed her lips together in annoyance and Noah chuckled.
A sudden scream rang out from the master bedroom and Perky began to bark like mad. Daisy!
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* * * *
Chapter 5
Breathe
Something heavy pressed down on Daisy. The air became very thick and took her breath. You’re mine, a gravely voice said. Daisy’s eyes flew open and she bolted upright. She screamed when she saw a shadowy figure leaning over her.
The spook moved away from her bed and crossed to the dresser mirror. This guy was no flicker in her corner vision like the ones she’d seen at the hospital. But he wasn’t exactly solid-looking, either. When he stood still, Daisy could see him as a man in what looked like late nineteenth-century clothing, much like a farmer or rancher would’ve worn. But when he moved, he blurred around the edges and she had trouble making out features.
He reached up and pulled the sheet off the mirror then moved in a blur toward the master bathroom. Shadowy figures moved around behind the glass, and a shiver danced up Daisy’s spine. She peeled her eyes from the mirror when Noah pushed the door open. Bridgette and Scarlet rushed in behind him.
“Stop!” Scarlet’s voice stopped them all, like a teacher calling out naughty students. “Don’t get any closer to her.” She scooped up Perky as the dog tried to run past, barking. The dog couldn’t see ghosts but Daisy’s scream would’ve set him off. And he could hear better than any of them. “You all right, Daisy?”
Adrenaline pumped through her body, making her tremble. No. I’m far from okay. I’m seeing ghosts everywhere, even in my own damn house. “Yeah. I think so.”
Scarlet stepped around Bridgette and peered at the dresser mirror. She stroked Perky’s head when he tried to wriggle out of her grip. “Shit. I thought we secured that.”
“We did.” Daisy’s voice quivered and she fought to keep it steady. “He moved it.” She pointed a shaky hand toward the archway that led into the master bathroom.
Since this ghost wasn’t a relative, Bridgette wouldn’t see him. Not being a witch limited Noah further and he could only see a ghost during a séance or when Scarlet called on one.
Which, technically, is also a séance. I guess.
Bridgette could see dead relatives, except for those from the current or previous generation. The Fates had some arcane rule that the living and dead of those generations had to stay away from each other. But even if she couldn’t see ghosts, Bridgette could sense their presence when they manifested.
Daisy studied her cousin. You listening, Bridge? She received a nod.
Scarlet handed Perky to the redhead, who took the dog without protest. “Help me, Noah.” She motioned him to the dresser and they pulled the sheet up over the mirror.
Daisy eased the covers off her body but she didn’t dare move from the bed, yet. “He was standing over me when I woke up. Scared the living shit out of me.” Her fear moved toward anger and frustration. Damnit. I can’t even take a nap without someone interrupting.
The medium turned and crossed her arms as she stared toward the bathroom. “You. Out. I’ll deal with you later.” When the spook didn’t leave right away, her voice grew low and dangerous. “I’ve had a very long week. You really don’t want to piss me off right now.” She strode close to the ghost and uttered something Daisy couldn’t make out.
The ghost disappeared. No wonder people kept their distance from mediums. Even knowing Scarlet’s power and seeing the ghost herself, Daisy found it a bit freaky. She couldn’t imagine what Noah and Bridgette were thinking.
Bridgette must’ve felt the presence lift because she said, “He’s gone.”
Noah made his way to the bed as Daisy was getting out of it. “You okay, honey?”
“Yeah. He startled me. That’s all.” I must’ve scared the hell out of him when I screamed. She smirked. “I screamed like a little girl, didn’t I?”
Scarlet chuckled, the first Daisy had heard from her in a while. “He won’t bother you for now. You have to be firm with them or else they’ll walk all over you. And most won’t listen to you anyway. You’re too new at this. They’ll push to see just how much they can get away with. That’s partly why I’m here.”
Fabulous. She swung her legs over the side of the bed and stood, feet landing on the Navaho rug that covere
d the cold tile beneath their bed. “How long before he comes back?” Bridgette had put Perky down and he pranced around at Daisy’s feet. She picked him up, smiling when he offered frantic licks to her chin. The scent from his last bath had worn off and he smelled more like dog than soap now.
The medium shrugged. “Who knows? Sometimes they’ll wait until we call on them. Other times they’ll return in five or ten minutes. They’re dead, remember? Time doesn’t mean much where they are.”
A memory of the afterlife filled Daisy’s mind. Yeah, I remember something about that when I was there. And time moved differently, didn’t it? She couldn’t get a solid hold on that memory so she shoved it away. “Okay, well, I’m up now.” She glanced over to where the ghost stood just seconds before. And I’m not going to sleep again any time soon. “Let’s start looking into this hitchhiker problem.” She studied her husband, who looked like he had calmed down now. “Anything on that body they found at the mall?”
“I haven’t had the TV on so I don’t know. I wanted to let you sleep.”
“Well, that’s not going to happen now.” She gave him a smile as she grabbed her slippers with her free hand. Noah took them from her, shook them to make sure no scorpion or spider had taken up residence during her nap, and placed them on the floor. “Thanks, babe.” She shoved her feet into her waiting slippers. “Hospital food sucks. I’ll fix us a decent breakfast.”
Noah caught her by the shoulders before she could take a step. “You’re not fixing anything.”
“Well, I’m not letting you cook. I love Bridgette too much.” Her cousin snickered.
Noah studied her with his concern barely covered by a tiny smile. “Fine. You’re going to sit on the couch. And I’ll go pick up bagels for everyone.”
Daisy lifted her brows and looked over at her cousin. “You’re right. He is bossy.” The redhead smirked. Bridgette had called him that when they were looking up ways to help Daisy’s mom in the afterlife.