Minions and Magic: Accidental Witches Book 5

by Dunbar, Debra

  He opened the container of cookies and popped one in his mouth. “Okay, Glenda. But only because I trust you and your sisters to keep me safe.”

  The nurse smiled at me and I took over, guiding the wheelchair through the hallways. “You need a lift, Stanley? Who’s taking you home?”

  “Bart.”

  The one word sent a flood of emotion through me. Stanley and Bart had been best friends before Stanley’s exile, and I knew they’d been meeting clandestinely to chat and go on a few fishing expeditions. This was big, though. Bart had always been nervous about being seen with Stanley after his exile. That he’d roll up to the hospital and give his friend a ride home, meant that the other werewolf had finally realized their friendship was more important than what anyone in his pack might say if they were seen together.

  Of course, it helped that Dallas and Clinton had both agreed that lone wolves did not have to be shunned as part of their recent peace treaty, but this was still incredibly brave on Bart’s behalf.

  “You said last night that someone kicked the jack out from under your car,” I mentioned once we were alone in the elevator.

  Stanley nodded. “I made a statement to Sheriff Oakes. I’m not surprised, honestly. Been getting subtle threats at work and around town. Even had notes stuck on my car or in my door at home telling me to get out of town.”

  “Does Cassie know about this?” My voice trembled with anger at the thought that Stanley was being harassed, that he’d been attacked—all while under our protection.

  “It’s an ongoing thing,” the werewolf waved a hand in the air. “No sense in bothering your sister about vague threats.”

  “It’s not vague threats anymore, Stanley.”

  He nodded. “I know. But I’m not sure what anyone can do about it, even you Perkins witches. I’ll show up at the barbeque because you asked, but after that, I’m gonna keep my head down and hope whoever dropped my car on me leaves me alone.”

  This had to stop. If someone was disregarding our town’s laws as well as the werewolf alphas’ peace treaty, then that someone needed to be brought to justice. As much faith as I had in Sheriff Oakes to get things done, the barbeque was Saturday. That event needed to go off smoothly, to set the tone for what the future held for both the werewolf packs as well as the other beings who lived within the wards of Accident. Our sheriff was a dryad, but even a dryad and head of our law enforcement community would welcome help from seven witches.

  I wheeled Stanley through the lobby where a middle-aged male werewolf fidgeted. There was an old model Ford pick-up idling just outside the hospital doors.

  “Bart.” Stanley smiled at the other werewolf. “Thanks for giving me a lift. Sheriff Oakes said I won’t get my car back for another day or two.”

  “Hope they put a new tire on it before they drop it off,” Bart drawled. He looked up at me and nodded in recognition. “You gonna catch the guy that did this? Don’t like anyone messing with my friend here.”

  “We will.” I passed the wheelchair off to Bart and watched as the two werewolves headed through the hospital doors. Bart helped Stanley get settled in the truck, then came back in to return the wheelchair.

  “Gonna stay with him a bit, just to keep an eye on him. Make sure he’s doin’ okay. Make sure he gets some food in him beyond this hospital stuff.” Bart fixed me with a steady gaze. “It’s what friends do. Don’t care what others in the pack might say. Don’t care if it makes me a target too. It’s what friends do.”

  I watched him go back through the doors, climb into the driver’s side of the truck, and head down the road. He was right. And for the first time in my adult life, I wished I had a friend like that, wished I had someone making sure I was doing okay, wished I had someone to come home to.

  Chapter 6

  Glenda

  I pulled up to Cassie’s house early, eager to see my family and recapture that comfort, that sense of order and routine that had governed my life so far. But within the comfort of family dinner, I knew there would be some serious issues to discuss. The werewolves. Stanley. Shelby.

  But those were conversations for later. I parked my van, got my bags from the back seat, and walked right on in the house. Early as I was, I wasn’t the first one here. In fact, it looked like everyone had arrived early except for Babylon, who lived outside the wards of Accident, and had a habit of being fashionably late.

  “I’m ready for some pot roast,” I announced as I walked into the kitchen.

  “Well, too bad because I changed my mind and we’re having enchiladas instead.” Cassie walked over to give me a kiss, and suddenly I was surrounded, six sisters all hugging and greeting me.

  Well. Good thing cornbread went just as well with enchiladas as it did with pot roast, although I was wishing I’d made the spicy one with jalapeños rather than the sweet kind.

  “Hi Glenda.” Lucien shot me a friendly grin, and even though they looked nothing alike, his smile reminded me of another—one that was naughty and suggestive, one that had made my heart beat faster.

  It might not be the right time to talk about Stanley and the werewolves, but it was definitely the right time to talk about that mysterious crossroads demon who’d haunted my dreams last night.

  “So…” I tried to keep my voice casual as I pulled the warm cornbread from my insulated carrier and sat it on the counter. “I met a demon yesterday, and I’ve got questions.”

  The entire population of the kitchen froze for a brief second, then everyone spoke at once.

  Cassie waved her hand to silence the crowd. “Who? What’s his name? How did you meet him?”

  I figured that probably summed up most everyone’s questions, but I took a second to check the temperature of the cornbread before answering.

  “I met him at the Allen engagement party but didn’t get his name.” I went on to tell them all about the party as well as the very sexy demon I’d encountered.

  “Sounds hot,” Adrienne announced.

  “Sounds dangerous,” Cassie countered.

  Ophelia shrugged. “I’m not getting any warning vibes. I’ll do a reading later to double check, but I say go for it.”

  “It’s been too long since you’ve gone out, either on a date or with a friend,” Sylvie said. “I respect that your magic and your career bring you great joy, but if this demon attracts you, then I agree with Ophelia. Go for it.”

  “Kinda hard to go for it when I don’t know this demon’s name, and I’m hardly likely to ever see him again,” I drawled.

  Bronwyn laughed. “Are you kidding? He’s tasted your food. He’ll be back. You’ll probably find him begging at your door tomorrow morning, hoping you’ll toss him a muffin or a piece of that ginger cake.”

  “Mmm, ginger cake,” Ophelia said. “That’s my favorite.”

  “I’m thinking if shows up at your door, you should tell him to take a hike. Crossroads demons are bad news,” Lucien warned me. “When you met him at the party, he didn’t offer you a deal? Challenge you to a contest? Did he try to make you a bargain? To take your soul?”

  “No. He was too busy eating to do any bargaining. Or even to make Mr. Allen’s life miserable.” I couldn’t help a smug smile at that. “One bite of my food, and he was captivated. He tried all the different foods, parked himself right beside the buffet table. And there he stayed until the party ended, when he disappeared.”

  “Left fat and happy.” Adrienne nodded. “I agree with Bronwyn. He’ll show up within the next few days, wanting more of your goodies.”

  I flushed. “Hopefully the goodies he’s interested in aren’t just the kind I create in my kitchen.”

  “Well, I still think you’re better off without him,” Lucien told me.

  “Not me.” Eshu grinned. “Personally I like crossroads demons. They’re fun.”

  Lucien gestured toward Eshu. “See? That’s even more reason to stay away from this guy.”

  I doubted I’d see the demon again anyway, but I did take note of both opinions.
And I turned to the other two males in the room. “Thoughts?”

  Hadur shrugged. “I’ve not had much dealings with crossroads demons.”

  “I have,” Nash chimed in. “I see them when they’re collecting a soul I’m releasing. They’re tricky, but they abide by the rules of their contracts. Of course, it seems their contracts are often worded to allow them lots of flexibility in interpretation.”

  “Well, I don’t have a contract or a bargain with this guy. I just wondered if I should give him a tentative green light in case I see him again.”

  “Do you think you’ll see him again?” Cassie shot me a worried look.

  I shrugged. “Maybe. He really liked that ginger cake. He might show up and ask me for the recipe.” I pursed my lips in thought. “What kind of bargain could I strike for that? Do you think I can get a demon soul for a recipe?”

  Adrienne snorted. “Demons don’t have souls.”

  Hadur scowled. “Yes we do. And I don’t think anyone would give up their soul for a recipe.”

  “You clearly haven’t had Glenda’s ginger cake,” Cassie told him. “It’s totally worth selling your soul. Totally.”

  “It is,” Lucien agreed.

  “Heaven pales in comparison,” Eshu added. “And I should know because I’ve been there. Glenda’s ginger cake is one of the seven wonders of the world as far as I’m concerned.”

  I blushed, but still felt a surge of pride. Of everything in my life, I was most proud of my cooking. Which was odd given that I could create magical potions that accelerated healing.

  “Well, hopefully the cornbread passes everyone’s scrutiny.” I laughed and slid the pan onto the stovetop to stay warm while the enchiladas cooked.

  Babylon showed up with two cases of beer and a container of guacamole that she said her neighbor had made. We all ate chips with salsa, queso, and guac, drank beer and laughed, reminiscing about our childhood. Even the demons chimed in with stories of hell. By the time we all sat down for enchiladas, black beans, and my cornbread, I was feeling a happy buzz that had nothing to do with the beer Babylon had brought.

  My family. As much as I loved my solitude and my kitchen, these Sundays with my sisters were the highlight of my week. And the addition of four men to our weekly family event only made it better. I enjoyed watching them interact with everyone, as if they’d been part of our family forever. I loved seeing Cassie and Lucien’s public displays of affection, Bronwyn and Hadur exchanging adoring glances, Ophelia and Nash’s easy rapport, and the way Sylvie and Eshu bantered back and forth.

  I wanted that. I want all that. It shocked me a little, because before yesterday I’d never thought twice about having another in my life. A long-term boyfriend. Love. Companionship. Maybe even marriage and kids. Suddenly that appealed to me and it scared me because I truly didn’t think that was at all feasible given the way I’d organized my life to date.

  Somehow Hadur’s raccoon ended up inside the house, eating scraps as well as tortilla chips from Bronwyn’s hand. After dinner we all cleared the table, the guys shooing us out of the kitchen to relax and drink another beer while they washed up.

  Before I could turn the conversation, Ophelia took charge and steered the topic where I had wanted it to go.

  “Stanley’s doing well, by the way. He was released from the hospital this morning.”

  I nodded. “I know. I stopped by and wheeled him downstairs. Bart was there to drive him home. He’s staying there a bit just to make sure he’s okay.”

  “I was so pissed off that I nearly set my house on fire when I heard,” Cassie said. “Didn’t help that Sheriff Oakes told me this morning that Petunia found evidence of tampering with Stanley’s car.”

  Bronwyn caught her breath at that. One of the werewolves had tampered with her truck and she’d gone off a cliff and nearly died. The parallels were disturbing.

  “Does Sheriff Oakes think it’s the same werewolf that messed with Bronwyn’s truck?” I asked.

  Cassie shook her head. “I doubt it. That werewolf knows he’s banished from Accident the next time he pulls something like that. No, the sheriff and I think this is someone who has a personal grudge against Stanley—or feels his betrayal of Dallas or Clinton was a crime worthy of severe injury or death.”

  “He’s gotten threats,” I told the others. “The sort of threats that flat out say he needs to leave town or else.”

  “He’s under our protection.” Ophelia’s eyes narrowed in anger. “Whoever is doing this is disrespecting our authority.”

  “Respect our authority!” Babylon said in a weird voice that made me think she was quoting something or someone. Adrienne laughed, but the rest of us looked at her and Babylon cringed. “Sorry. I couldn’t help it.”

  “He’s not just dissing us,” Adrienne added. “He’s going directly against the treaty that Sylvie brokered, against the treaty both alphas agreed to.”

  “So a renegade,” Sylvie mused. “I’m thinking maybe one of the traditionalists Dallas spoke about that might not be happy about the treaty.”

  “Whoever he is, he’s determined,” Bronwyn added. “Sheriff Oakes brought by that jack for me to look at, and someone had taken a rasp to it. They wanted it to fail, but clearly followed just in case it didn’t.”

  I caught my breath. “We’ve got to stop whoever this is. Stanley did the right thing in blowing the whistle on what happened with Bronwyn’s car. We need to protect him and send a strong message that this kind of thing won’t be tolerated in Accident.”

  “I’m thinking we need to work this at both ends.” Cassie took a swig of her beer and leaned forward. “Sheriff Oakes is investigating. I’m putting some additional protections around Stanley. Bronwyn is making an amulet. Ophelia is going to do a divination at midnight tonight. Sylvie is creating a luck charm. Adrienne is sending some of her animal friends to both watch over Stanley and to spy on the packs.”

  I exchanged a knowing glance with Babylon. My youngest sister sighed and shrugged.

  “What should Babylon and I do?” I asked.

  Cassie blinked. “Umm. Maybe you could make a healing potion, just in case? And Babylon can…be ready in case we need an army of undead?”

  Babylon and I exchanged another glance. This was such bullshit. True, my healing powers weren’t much when it came to offensive magic, but I had a brain and could still work to investigate stuff at my end. Babylon too. I hated how she was always shuffled off to the side, her magic too icky for any of us to really think of using.

  Instead I just nodded, realizing that Cassie was probably right. I didn’t have the sort of magic to take care of this situation. I was in the right place at the right time last night and was able to help Stanley out. I’d prepare potions and do my best to deal with any issue my sisters couldn’t prevent. I guess that was my role in all this.

  “There is one more thing.” I looked over at Cassie. “This peace might work out between Dallas and Clinton, but it’s not going to deliver what was negotiated for the lone wolves unless those alphas make it a point of welcoming Stanley and Shelby.”

  Sylvie nodded. “I agree. I think there are many werewolves who think the alphas, especially Dallas, didn’t truly mean that part of the negotiation. That might be why Stanley is being attacked.”

  “Stanley has agreed to come to the barbeque,” I said. “Even with the risk. I told him we’d protect him, but we need to get Dallas and Clinton to agree to personally welcome both Stanley and Shelby. Alberta, too. I know it will be a hard pill for them to swallow, but just by making a point of greeting them and spending a few moments talking to them, it will prove to both packs that all the terms of the peace treaty are to be abided by.”

  Cassie let out a long breath and exchanged a glance with Sylvie. “We’ll work on getting the alphas to agree to that. Ophelia, can you do a divination to give us an idea of what we might encounter at the barbeque? Bronwyn, can you put together some non-violence charms for us to spread around? Adrienne, can you have woodland
creatures and insects at the ready in case we need to subdue a werewolf? Glenda, I’d like you to have a few of your smoothies available in case someone is injured. And work your magic in your food so everyone is too busy enjoying the party to bother with any feud they may have.”

  I opened my mouth to protest that my magic had nothing to do with my food, only to pause. An image flickered from my memories of a sexy demon, so busy eating my food that he completely forgot about torturing Mr. Allen.

  “I’ll do it,” I promised.

  “What about me?” Babylon asked.

  Cassie frowned. “Um, just be ready to…I don’t know, frighten the werewolves into submission with an army of undead somethings?”

  “What kind of dead should I raise? There might not be any fresh animal carcasses nearby. How about the werewolf graveyard? That would freak them out. Or maybe I should bring my own corpses to raise?”

  Cassie squirmed. “No, that’s okay. We probably won’t need to raise any dead, but just be ready, okay?”

  Babylon slumped, and I felt a bit sorry for her. Yeah, animated dead were really freaky, but it wasn’t her fault she’d been gifted with a magic that made the rest of us uneasy.

  “Bring some dead rabbits,” I whispered to her. The werewolves would either chase them, or run away, depending on how fresh they smelled.

  My youngest sister smiled at me and lifted her hand for a fist bump. “Got it. You cook and make those horrible smoothies, and I’ll take care of the zombie bunnies.”

  Chapter 7

  Glenda

  I made a detour on my way home, unable to shake my persistent worry that something else might happen to Stanley. Seeing Bart’s car in the driveway was a relief, but I still parked and headed up to the door, just to make sure all was okay. This was one of the times that it sucked to be a witch with only one magical ability. Healing was great, but when it came to defending someone, protecting someone, or fighting, I was pretty useless.