Lucky Charm (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 4)

by Annabel Chase

  He circled me. “Can Sedgwick see you?”

  “Yes, but no one else seems able to hear me or see me.”

  “Lucky them.”

  “Yes, you and Sedgwick are on the same page with that one.” I sat at my desk and composed a note to Althea. “I need to figure out who did this to me and how to turn visible again. The remedial witches and Professor Holmes are looking into it.”

  “So what will you do?”

  “Eavesdropping seems to be my best bet. I’ve picked up a few nuggets already. Now I’m going to head over to the sheriff’s office and see what progress he’s made.”

  Gareth sighed dramatically. “Oh, I’m so jealous. Haunting the sheriff would be a dream come true.”

  “Have you tried to materialize over there?”

  “No, I didn’t spend a significant amount of time there. It seems I need a closer connection to a place.” He gave me a naughty grin. “You should drop in on Daniel while you’re out of sight.”

  I gasped. “Never. Why would I do such a thing?”

  “Why wouldn’t you?”

  “And what do you think that will achieve? You think he’ll happen to be talking to himself about me when I’m there?”

  He shrugged. “Worth a try. Maybe scribble your name in the foggy bathroom mirror with a heart around it and see how he reacts.”

  “That’s creepy.”

  He warmed to the suggestion. “Aye, it is. Please do that and report back.”

  “I’ll do no such thing. Besides, I don’t think I want to know what Daniel says about me when I’m not around. What if it isn’t what I hope?”

  “Then at least you know,” he said, more softly now. “Then you can accept it and move on.”

  I hated when Gareth made sense. “I’ll think about it. I have more important matters to attend to right now,” I said, and headed for the door.

  “I expect a full briefing this evening,” he called after me.

  “Dream on, vampire ghost.”

  I waited a good fifteen minutes for the door to the sheriff’s office to open before I could slip inside. Too bad I wasn’t a ghost, then I wouldn’t need an open door.

  Astrid was standing at the desk, engaged in conversation with the centaur. Her tense expression contrasted sharply with the sheriff’s bored one.

  “We need to get to the bottom of the spell,” Astrid said. “The town council can’t stay like this forever. It’s causing too many problems. Some young werewolf ripped up a parking ticket in front of me this morning.”

  “The coven doesn’t seem able to reverse it,” Sheriff Hugo replied. “Lady Weatherby is our best chance and she’s too busy playing with dolls to do anything.”

  “What about one of the older witches?” Astrid asked. “Have you considered asking Agnes?”

  Sheriff Hugo’s dark eyes glinted. “I do not need the help of that senile old witch.”

  “You need help, though,” Astrid said. “You admit that much, right?”

  “Tread carefully, Astrid,” he said. A warning tone.

  The Valkyrie threw up her hands in frustration. “Lord Gilder apparently showed up at the blood bank and demanded his share like a spoiled brat. Mayor Knightsbridge wants the outside of her mansion painted hot pink. With sparkles. Things are only going to get worse if we don’t do something.”

  The sheriff grabbed his wallet from the desk and shoved it in his back pocket. “Fine. I’ll ask around at the country club.”

  Astrid gaped in disbelief. “Are you seriously going to the club now?”

  “My tee time was already scheduled. The club has a twenty-four hour cancellation policy.”

  “And this crisis has been going on longer than twenty-four hours.”

  “I thought the spell would only last a day,” he argued. “That it would wear off by itself. I didn’t realize it was one that had to be reversed.”

  Astrid’s voice softened. “Sheriff, the mayor is your friend. She’d want you to be doing everything in your power to help her.”

  “I am helping her,” he said. “Do you know how many power brokers in this town hang out at the country club? Someone there will have information.”

  Astrid’s jaw stiffened. “Tell me, sir. How many solid leads have you ever gotten on the golf course?”

  The centaur pointed a finger at her. “Remember your place. You’re my deputy, not the other way around.”

  “Yes, sir.” Astrid watched as he left the office. The second the door clicked behind him, she mumbled, “Jackass.”

  I suspected he was lazy and incompetent, but this moment proved it.

  “Oh, Astrid,” I said, sighing deeply. “You really have your work cut out for you.”

  As much as I knew it was wrong to follow Daniel when he didn't know I was there, I couldn't help myself. I blamed Gareth for planting the seed in my mind. He was right, though. I had a rare opportunity to observe him and I didn't want to waste it. It was unlikely I’d ever get a chance like this again.

  I was relieved when he walked northeast, past the library and the Mayor's Mansion. If he'd flown, there would have been no way for me to follow inconspicuously. I had no interest in getting on a broomstick when I was visible, let alone invisible. I had to admit, it was fun to watch him. I loved the way he admired the façade of the candle shop as he walked by and how he whistled back to a bird that had made a nest on top of a nearby fey lantern. He may not have been in tune with my feelings, but he certainly was in tune with his environment. He loved this town. That much was clear. For all of his tragic misery—and I certainly understood his depression—he harbored a love for this place greater than he probably knew.

  He finally made his way to a sweet Craftsman-style home about three blocks north of the Mayor's Mansion. As he hopped up the front porch steps, I stood behind a nearby tree. I wasn't sure why I was hiding since no one could see me. Stupid instinct.

  The front door opened to reveal Elsa Knightsbridge. I sucked in a breath. Was he taking my advice? Was he finally going to apologize in person?

  I hurried to the front porch to hear what he was going to say. Although I felt guilty about it, I figured I could offer constructive criticism in the event that it didn't go as planned. If he was going to be making apologies to dozens of women in Spellbound, he might need a few pointers.

  "What are you doing here?" she demanded. Her full red lips formed a straight line. Even without her bitter tone, her body language said it all. Her lean frame still managed to fill the doorway, blocking any possible passage by Daniel.

  "I'm here to talk to you, if that's okay," he said. "There are a few things I’d like to say that are long overdue."

  She crossed her arms and glared at him. "Jasper isn't here. He won't like it if he learns that I spoke to you alone.” Her eyes glittered like stones. Daniel had more groveling to do.

  "Listen. You have every right not to let me speak," he said. "To be perfectly honest, this apology is for my benefit. I only hope it helps you too.”

  Did he really think it was selfish to apologize? I didn't see it that way at all. To my complete surprise, she relented.

  "Come in, but be quick," she said. "I don't need tongues wagging. We all know how the gossip mill operates around here."

  He crossed the threshold and I hurried in right behind him. The interior was as cool and stylish as Elsa herself. Sparkling silver walls and metal objets d’art were everywhere I turned. It didn’t match the exterior of the house at all, yet somehow it worked.

  Elsa fluttered toward the kitchen. "Can I offer you anything? Do you still like gossamer tea?”

  He gave her a small smile. "You remember."

  "How could I forget? I had dozens of canisters of it left over after you dumped me." Her expression clouded over, remembering.

  "Technically, I didn't dump you. You dumped me."

  She whirled around, her eyes flashing angrily. "Only because you cheated on me. You forced my hand. What did you expect me to do?"

  "Forgive me," he
said quietly. "I expected you to forgive me. And that was wrong. And what I did to you was wrong."

  Although she busied herself in the kitchen, I could tell she was listening intently. Her hand shook slightly as she took a mug from the cupboard and set it on the counter. There was no need to boil a kettle. She simply poured water from a jug into the mug and tapped it with her finger. Voilà. Boiled water. She sprinkled in what I assumed was gossamer tea and let it steep.

  "And it's only taken you how long to admit this?” she said finally.

  “Better late than never, right?”

  “What on earth has prompted this transformation?" She tapped her elegant fingernails against her chin. "Oh yes, let me hazard a guess. That sweet little witch you've been hanging around with. What's her name? Gemma?"

  He stood across from her at the counter. I was surprised to see him grinning. "Her name is Emma and you know it.” He shook his head. “Same old jealous Elsa.“

  Elsa bristled. "Jealous? Why should I be jealous of someone with such bad luck in life and such poor choice in friends?" She gave him a pointed look.

  "I’m here to ask your forgiveness," he said. "Obviously, you’re under no obligation to give it, but that’s the reason I’m here. I hope you’ll consider it. I know we parted on bad terms, but I know your heart, Elsa, and it’s a good one.”

  She handed him the mug. "You are as handsome and charming as ever, Daniel Starr. However do you manage it?"

  "And I bet you still make the best gossamer tea in town." He took a tentative sip of the tea. “Yep. Still do. I’m glad that hasn’t changed.”

  Elsa tilted her head. “Jasper and I are engaged. It’s a big secret.”

  “Why a secret?” Daniel asked. “I can’t imagine Jasper is ashamed of marrying the most beautiful fairy in all of Spellbound.”

  A blush crept into her chiseled cheekbones. “Mother isn’t a fan of his family, you see.”

  “Your mother isn’t a fan of anyone except her reflection in the mirror.”

  Elsa laughed. “Oh, Daniel. You know us so well.”

  A chill sliced through my veins. What was happening here? Were they…flirting? He was supposed to be here to apologize. To turn over a new leaf, not to retread old ground.

  "It is difficult for Jasper, I admit," she said, coming around to Daniel's side of the counter. "You are such a hard act to follow, after all."

  He took another sip of tea and peered down at her. "Am I? I seem to recall you wishing me dead a thousand different ways. Surely Jasper has done better than that."

  She smiled up at him. "He is very sweet and he dotes on me. Rather like you once did." She ran a hand down his arm and a knot formed in my stomach. "I think I chose him because he reminded me of you, except without the misery.”

  "Only a fool would betray you," he said.

  She laughed, lightly this time. "You were always willing to admit your shortcomings. It just didn't stop you from having them."

  I really didn't like the way he looked at her now. It was the way I wanted him to look at me. The way he looked at me at the Spellbound High School prom after we’d kissed. A fleeting look, but one I’d never forget.

  "Do you think your mother will ever forgive me?” he asked. “I suppose she should be next on my list."

  Elsa shook her head. "Poor Mother. Perhaps you should apologize now while she's in her toddler state. She might be more likely to forgive you. Or kick you in the shins and run away.“

  "I hear you've been helping out while she's been…incapacitated."

  Elsa nodded. "Lucy has as well. It takes a village, as you well know. This whole thing has reminded me how thankless Mother's job is. The woman is a saint."

  Daniel chuckled. "I do believe that is the nicest thing I've ever heard you say about her."

  "Seeing her like this has reminded me of my own behavior. I see what she's had to deal with all these years. I can't have been an easy fairy to raise." She lowered her gaze. "Nor an easy fairy to love.”

  Daniel set down his mug and placed his hands on her shoulders. "Elsa Knightsbridge, I am here to apologize to you. Don't you dare apologize to me. You’re not to blame for what happened."

  Her gaze traveled to his hand on her shoulder. "But I am to blame, Daniel. I was controlling and needy. I pushed you away. I didn't trust you because of your history."

  "And with good reason," he exclaimed. "I deserved every bit of your mistrust. And I proved exactly why."

  She reached up and curled her fingers around his. Nausea rolled over me.

  "Have you thought about me since our breakup?" she asked. "Because I have thought a lot about you. To be honest, I still think about you now."

  "What about Jasper?" he asked.

  She inched closer to him. "I told you. He’s nothing more than a lesser version of you. He will never be the man that you are. It’s called settling. Perhaps you’ve heard of it.”

  Daniel gazed into her eyes. "But I’m not a man at all, remember? I’m an angel, and a fallen one at that. You should hold on to Jasper. I'm sure he's a better match for you.”

  She slid her hands down his chest and my pulse quickened. This was not going at all the way I thought it would.

  "Tell me, Daniel. Do you feel anything for me? Have you missed me at all?”

  He covered her hands with his. “I’ve thought often about those I’ve wronged, you first and foremost. You were, after all, my last and final relationship.”

  Elsa allowed herself a tiny smile. "So no one has managed to follow in my esteemed footsteps then?"

  Me, I wanted to shout. I am the next phase of his life. Even if I had shouted, they wouldn’t have heard me. Nor would it have mattered. I couldn't control Daniel any more then Elsa could. He didn't love me. He was my friend and the sooner I accepted that fact, the easier it would be for me to move on.

  I couldn't stay and watch another second of the happy reunion. I knew what was coming next and I didn’t want the image burned in my brain for eternity. It was my own fault for sneaking around. I deserved what I’d seen.

  I returned to the front door and opened it as quietly as I could. They were so engrossed in each other, I knew they wouldn't hear the gentle click of the door as it closed behind me. It was a long walk home, and I cried every step of the way. The good thing about being invisible was that no one noticed.

  Chapter 16

  I left Elsa's house, not sure where to go next. My head was spinning and I couldn't quite grasp what I’d just witnessed. Maybe this was all a bad dream. Maybe I was like Freddie, the dwarf trapped in an enchanted sleep. Instead of pleasant dreams, though, I was in a walking nightmare.

  Tears blinded me and I bumped into passersby left and right, but they only saw empty air. I didn't want to go home. Gareth would want to know what was wrong and I couldn’t talk about it. Up ahead, the church spire loomed above all of the other buildings. It hypnotized me, drawing me to it. Although I wasn't a religious person, I found the gorgeous church to be a soothing refuge. I attended heart therapy in the basement, but I loved everything about the church—its stained-glass windows, statues, and intricate woodwork.

  The door was open when I arrived so I took it as a sign. I walked down the aisle to the first pew and sat. Was I supposed to kneel? There was a little running board in front of my feet and I wasn't sure whether to use it for my feet or my knees.

  I needed to clear my head. Although I felt betrayed by Daniel, I knew that wasn't fair. He never promised me anything more than friendship. True, he told me he would swear off the opposite sex and devote himself to philanthropy, but if Elsa was his true love, then maybe she would be the one to lead him to redemption. Just because she was a spoiled brat didn't mean she wasn't capable of kindness and compassion, right?

  I only enjoyed the quiet for a few minutes. I heard footsteps and turned around to see Dante enter. Instinctively, I ducked behind the pew, forgetting my invisibility once again. To my dismay, he took the seat behind me. I remained sprawled across the pew, debati
ng whether to leave. It really shouldn’t have been a surprise that the Scripture-spouting vampire attended church.

  “God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change,” Dante said, and I recognized the beginning of the Serenity Prayer. My college roommate had a plaque on her desk bearing the quote. “Courage to change the things I can and the wisdom to know the difference.”

  I remembered Gareth’s petition to have holy water removed from the church. He must have been thinking of vampires like Dante when he’d drafted it.

  "God forgive me for the following,” Dante began. “Number one. I used Samson's toothbrush without his knowledge after eating a garlic and onion bagel. I couldn't find mine and I know that's no excuse, but I really needed to brush my teeth because you know what garlic does to my breath. I should have confessed to him when he noticed his toothbrush was two inches further to the right than normal, but I blamed the cleaning service for moving it."

  I hoped Myra was taking notes because if he was leading off with this one, I had the feeling he had a lot of minor confessions to get through.

  "Number two. I went to sleep last night without saying my prayers. I was tired and enjoyed one too many cocktails. Number three. I was envious of my friends. Demetrius because I covet his good looks and the ease with which he attracts women. And Gareth…"

  My ears perked up. Gareth? Gareth was dead. How could he possibly envy him?

  "And Gareth because, even in death, his life is more fulfilling than mine. He was always the heart of the vampire community through his good deeds and his bravery. I wish I could be more like him."

  I knew I shouldn't eavesdrop on such a private conversation, but I was riveted. In his confession, Dante had just demonstrated that he had more heart than he even recognized.

  "Number four. I used several swear words after noticing another five pounds on the scale. I shall do ten Hail Marys in penance."

  As he began to recite the prayer, I slipped out of the pew and made my way to the exit. Thankfully, the door was still open. I didn't want Dante to know anyone had been listening. Well, I wanted him to believe someone was listening, just not me. I was pretty sure the whole point of talking to God was that he hoped He was listening. It was a nice thought. I only wished I believed it.