Wicked by Any Other Name

by Linda Wisdom

  “What the Fates?” Blair’s jaw dropped as the crowd backed away from the dead Fae lying in the snow. Poppy and Rhetta screamed and abruptly disappeared into thin air when the dog looked their way. Blair looked behind her as the dog climbed up the stacks of wood and began gnawing at the ropes. “Are you saying I’ve been sleeping with Jake all along? Damn it!”

  “They want to burn us at the stake and you’re worried about Jake?” Stasi snapped with a combination of relief and anxiety. She wasn’t going to feel safe until she was free and could make sure Trev wasn’t badly hurt.

  Once Blair was free, the dog raced to the back and pushed at Trev, licking his face until he stirred. The dog chewed on Trev’s bonds until they shredded enough that he could free himself. Stasi cried with relief to see he was all right. She struggled against her bonds until Blair freed her and they ran to the third post to release Jazz.

  Trev staggered to his feet, slugged the dazed-looking man beside Nick, and uttered a spell to break the chains holding Nick prisoner.

  Jazz cried out the vampire’s name and raced toward him, throwing herself onto his chest and holding him tightly.

  “Fuck, Jazz, can’t we ever have a quiet evening at home?” he was heard to mutter as he wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in her hair. “No more almost getting killed, ya hear me?”

  “Loud and clear, fang boy. Loud and clear.” She cupped his face with her hands and kissed him.

  Trev met Stasi halfway. She was so relieved he was all right she literally fell into his arms. She gave in to the fear that had blanketed her and burst into the tears she’d held back.

  “I thought I’d come to and see you dead,” he mumbled against her face.

  “They were going to kill you, too.” She ran her hands down his arms and across his chest, making sure he was still in one piece. She whispered words that allowed her touch to heal the scrapes and bruises on his skin where his shirt had been torn from his torso.

  “What have we done?” Mrs. Benedict sat on a nearby bench and began to cry. Mr. Chalmers sat next to her and handed her his handkerchief before putting an arm around her. Others looked around themselves with a combination of horror and shock.

  Blair and Jazz walked over to Stasi. The three witches moved into a tight group hug they were loath to part from any time soon. Irma did a victory dance around them.

  “How did this happen?” someone else asked, which began a litany of questions and comments punctuated with tears. “What were we doing?”

  “You need to say something to them,” Blair whispered in Stasi’s ear. “They don’t realize what happened. It needs to come from you.”

  Jazz nodded her agreement. “She’s right. It’s your show, babe.”

  Stasi took a deep breath and turned around.

  “We have always loved this town and its people,” she began. “And once you knew what we were, you never made fun of us or tried to capitalize on it.” She dared a brief glance at Agnes, who had the grace to blush and look away. She knew if the mayor’s wife could have found a way to bring in business because of the two local witches, she would have done it with a brass band and banners flying. “Tonight was the culmination of what had been going on for months now. It only took a few to fall under the spell of Reed and his sisters and after that you all fell just as easily.” She paused, searching her mind for the right thing to say. “As a result, it was easy to target the weak minded.” She deliberately aimed her words at Carrie. “To drop a word here and there and start up a hate campaign. I have seen this happen before, and those days were dark and filled with fear. Just as it was now. But we have all been very lucky—the evil was stopped in time.” She stopped, as a warming sensation seemed to fill her. She looked up and saw the sky that had been so dark a moment before, start to glow just the tiniest bit as a sliver of the moon appeared above. The others followed the direction of her gaze.

  The change in the atmosphere was apparent to all the non-humans.

  Stasi closed her eyes and allowed the last of her fear and anger to drain away. When she opened her eyes again, she saw the moon floating gently in the sky and the stars twinkled brightly.

  “Time for the healing to begin,” she whispered, leaning back against Trev’s chest while he stood behind her with his arms wrapped around her.

  They saw the dazed-looking residents slowly turn away and begin to move off.

  “What’s going on?” Trev asked.

  “Pod people,” Jazz insisted. “We’ve been dealing with pod people all along.” A sudden whirl of cold wind wrapped around them. “Oh shit. Someone else at work here.”

  Stasi stumbled and as she righted herself, she found herself along with Blair and Jazz standing before the Witches’ Council. As always, the three wore lilac hooded robes and their feet were bare on the cold stone floor. Before, the sight of Eurydice had scared the wits out of her, but now she found that she could face her former headmistress head-on. What really surprised her was seeing Trev, Nick, and Jake, returned to human form, standing with them.

  “You surprised me this night, young Anastasia,” Eurydice spoke, her voice ringing out in the stone hall as she stood behind the ornate table where the other members of the Witches’ Council sat. “You have always been a somewhat timid witchling, yet, you didn’t hesitate in standing up for yourself when a human dared to go up against you in the Wizards’ Court.” She cast a quick glance in Trev’s direction. Her lips firmed at the sight of the red hearts dancing above his head and the same over Stasi’s. “And in the face of a horrific death you spoke not as a witch who could have cursed a town never to forget the horrors of the night, but as one who didn’t want them to suffer. And that would have happened if they’d managed to burn the three of you.” Her ageless features tightened. A vibrating wave moved through the hall, a display of her matchless power—even the three younger witches together had only a tiny fraction of that kind of power.

  “Their only crime was that they were under a Fae spell made even more powerful because of the eclipse. I couldn’t blame those people for it, even if I wonder whether the spell didn’t bring out what some might truly feel deep inside,” Stasi said.

  Eurydice turned her attention to Jazz. “And you didn’t release one speck of witchflame. I am amazed, Griet of Ardglass. You exhibited great willpower. I didn’t know you had it in you.”

  “No, I just didn’t want to hurt anyone who didn’t deserve to be hurt,” Jazz said candidly, while the others winced.

  “And Eilidh equally kept her temper in check.” She shared a silent conversation with the other members of the council. “We also thank Wizard Barnes and Nikolai Gregorivich for doing all they could to defend our witchlings, and we especially thank Jacob Harrison for destroying the Fae that sought to destroy three of our own. We are indebted to you for your bravery.” She inclined her head in a regal nod.

  “I was glad to be of assistance. I only wish my Were blood was more wolf than canine and I could have done more,” he replied.

  “You did the job, young Were. That is what counts. We have spoken with the Fae, and naturally, they are unhappy with the end results since they feel they were greatly ill-treated when one of their people was killed. They seemed to think it was an unwarranted attack, but after I showed them exactly what happened, they backed off and now apologize for the wrongdoing. The two Fae sisters will be punished. A treaty has been drafted, and they have vowed never to bother your town again. And the Ruling Council has sent out trackers to find the rogue water sprites who tried to defile the lake, so that they may be brought to justice.” She turned back to Stasi. “You have proven yourself in ways many of our kind would not. You have always been known for your generous heart and forgiving nature and this occasion has once again proven those qualities. Therefore, we shall do as you wished. The townspeople will not remember the horror of this night. They will only recall a crippling blizzard that closed the
roads and disabled their power, and that many were ill during this time. As far as anyone is concerned, the bakery never existed. The lake has also been restored to its good health.”

  If Stasi didn’t know better, she would have thought the stern-featured witch’s features had softened just a tiny bit.

  “We can also offer you and your friends the same comfort, Anastasia,” she spoke kindly. “All of you may have this time taken away and replaced with more pleasurable memories. I am sure with the Wizards’ Council permission we can even make the lawsuit disappear, since it should not have been filed to begin with.”

  Stasi’s heart stopped. Did Eurydice mean that Stasi wouldn’t remember Trev, and vice versa? It only took one look at the witch’s face and she knew that was just what the elder meant.

  “Naturally, I can’t speak for the others, but I prefer to keep my memories intact,” Stasi spoke slowly, not to choose her words carefully, but to make a point. “I won’t hold what happened against the people of Moonstone Lake, but if there is a chance this happens again, I want to feel prepared. I don’t want to forget anything.”

  Trev looked at Stasi as he stated, “Nor I.”

  The other four immediately agreed.

  Eurydice nodded. A tiny smile hovered on her lips as if this was the answer she expected.

  “What about the time left on her banishment?” Jazz asked. “Stasi deserves to have time off for what she’s done out there.”

  Stasi shook her head. “Only the town matters. The mortals were no match for the evil powers plotting against them. They shouldn’t suffer with the memories of what happened. Many of them wouldn’t be able to handle what they’d said and done. And I did meddle with Carrie just a wee bit, so let’s call it even.”

  Eurydice nodded. “So be it. As for you, Griet and Eilidh, you threatened an innocent with dire curses…”

  “Carrie’s not that innocent,” Jazz muttered, earning a glare.

  “You each will receive an additional fifty years for your transgression.” A ringing sound in the hall made the pronouncement legal. “Just be grateful we didn’t void your probation, young Griet.”

  Jazz and Blair looked at each other and shrugged.

  “The town’s back to the way it should be,” Blair said. “No one will want to burn us at the stake. Although, for Fates sake, that’s so seventeenth century!”

  “Yes, I guess that should be enough,” Jazz finished. “Still, it wouldn’t have hurt for us to receive something good out of all this.”

  Eurydice turned back to Stasi. “You were the brightest in the class. The one destined to go far,” she said softly. “We saw great things for you, Anastasia.”

  Stasi lifted her chin up another notch. “Perhaps I haven’t done what you saw in my destiny, but I have had adventures that I wouldn’t have had otherwise. I’ve seen and done things that were incredible, and they helped shape the witch I am now. I wouldn’t lose those memories for anything. And I think it’s actually made me a better witch.”

  “Well-spoken. Just remember something, Anastasia.” Eurydice pinned her dark eyes on Stasi. Her emerald pendant winked with brilliant light. “Witches and wizards aren’t meant to be.”

  Stasi flushed, thinking of all she and Trev had done and his confession that he was in love with her.

  If Jazz and Nick can prove that witches and vampires can work it out, so can witches and wizards.

  And just like that, they found themselves back in the middle of the town square. Except now it was empty of people. The posts and scattered kindling for the fires were gone, and the old-fashioned lampposts shone with soft light. The full moon shone brightly down on them, and the decorations on the buildings gave the town the artistically haunted look it normally had this time of year.

  “All is right with the world!” Stasi threw up her hands and spun in a dizzying circle. She laughed as Trev moved forward and caught her up in his arms, continuing the circle.

  “Oooof!” Jake bent over, his arms cradling his stomach where had Blair rounded on him and socked him but good.

  “You couldn’t tell me you’re a Were? You son of a bitch!” She smacked his shoulder as hard as she could.

  “Well, yes, technically, I am,” he wheezed, earning a punch on the other shoulder.

  “You ate us out of house and home, you shed all over the furniture, you snuck into my bed—stealing all the covers, by the way—and we won’t even talk about the fleas last summer!” She continued to pound on him until he straightened up and grabbed her around the waist, hauling her against him and kissing the very breath out of her. She struggled out of his arms and socked him in the shoulder again. “And you saw me naked!”

  “You saw me naked, too,” he argued, ducking and weaving to avoid her fury.

  “You were covered with fur! That doesn’t count. Damn it, you sat in the middle of my bed and licked your balls! Do you think I’ll ever forget that?” Blair was in the middle of a rant she wasn’t about to come down from any time soon, but Jake just grinned from ear to ear.

  Stasi looked into Trev’s eyes, stroking his face with her fingertips. She couldn’t stop smiling and she noticed he was doing the same.

  “You knew he was a Were, didn’t you?”

  He nodded. “Nick did too. I couldn’t rat Jake out. It was a guy bonding thing while we waited for you three to figure it out. Are you going to whale on me too?”

  She shook her head. “No, I’d like to think I’m more a lover than a fighter. Besides, kissing is a lot more fun.” She backed up her statement by doing just that, her tongue dipping into his mouth to sweep up his flavor, while she inhaled the scent that was all his.

  “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me he was the dog!” Jazz had her own discussion going with Nick, who took matters in hand by sweeping her toward him for a lengthy kiss that easily shut her up. And since Nick didn’t have to worry about breathing, he could kiss Jazz for a long time.

  “Hey, you all! Do you know what time it is? Some of us want to sleep. Go party elsewhere!” Grady’s grumble echoed throughout the street. “Damn kids.”

  Stasi looked around and saw Jake steering Blair up the road that led to his cabin while she ranted and raved, berating him for keeping that all-important secret about his furry side. The word neuter even came up a few times until Jake stopped and tossed her over his shoulder and continued on. It didn’t stop Blair from yelling at him and pounding his back with her fists.

  Stasi drew a breath, preparing herself to look at the remains of their building. When she finally turned around to look she almost fell down in shock.

  “All returned to the way it was,” she whispered, staring at the building that stood intact and didn’t show a hint of fire damage. If she hadn’t seen the flames for herself, she would have thought she’d imagined everything. The only difference was the building had been restored to the way it had been before this tiny part of the world had traveled down a darker path.

  Suddenly Fergus and Irene appeared, looking just a little more substantial than last time she’s seen them—for ghosts anyway. “Thank you, ma’am,” Fergus said, nervously rolling the rim of his hat around in his hands. “We’re right grateful to you for you what you have done.”

  “If I do say so myself, you witches do good work,” Irma approved, resting her hand on Sirius’s head. “Now if you all don’t mind I’m going home to watch a movie.” She turned to Fergus and said, “Would you like to join me?” He smiled shyly, and then the three ghosts and the dog winked out of sight. “Great,” sighed Jazz. “A ghostly film festival.”

  Jazz kept her arm around Nick as if he needed her strength even though he showed no sign of injuries from the silver chains. Apparently the visit to the Witches’ Council had also healed him.

  She turned and flashed a smile at Stasi. “But it’s Stasi who deserves all the credit. She figured it all out.”

&nbs
p; “All back to normal.” Stasi grabbed Trev’s hand and pulled him along.

  He held back for a moment. “I bet the road to the resort is cleared now.”

  She stilled, realizing he was right. “So you want to go back to the resort?” She didn’t want to think his admission he loved her was only in the heat of the moment.

  He shook his head. “I want us to head up there. I’m talking big tub, big bed.” He cocked his head toward the other two couples. “Privacy. Chocolate soufflé…”

  She was sorely tempted to give in to Trev’s suggestion, but her energy level was running high, and she realized this was one time when she wanted to be the alpha instead of allowing Trev to take the lead. But something inside her reared up and roared.

  “I can’t believe I’m saying this, but I’m sure I can come up with something even better than their chocolate soufflé. So you come with me, wizard.” She snagged two fingers in the collar of his sweater, which had also been returned whole and pulled him toward her. “They’ll be using Nick’s safe room anyway and besides, remember it only takes the right wards,” she paused to give him a lengthy and deep kiss he’d never forget, “so that no one will hear you scream when I fuck you so thoroughly you’ll forget your own name,” she whispered, dragging her teeth lightly over his lower lip and pulling it into her mouth where she nibbled on it. “And that is exactly what I intend to do.”

  Trev’s eyes glazed over with unrestrained lust until they were a glittery blue.

  “I have to say there’s something very hot about a woman who takes charge.” He made it easy for her to pull him down the street then almost stumbled forward when she abruptly stopped in the middle of the road.