by Rain Trueax
“What did you major in?”
“English, of course.” He smiled.
“You got a degree.”
“Master’s.”
“I started but quit at the end of my sophomore year. With no interest I wanted to pursue, it seemed a waste of time and money.”
“Do you have such an interest now?”
She had to think about that. “I guess marketing, finding what others want to buy, and then solving mysteries. It doesn’t take a college degree for that, just studying people and trends.”
“And a natural talent.”
She smiled. “Maybe some. Back to you. Did you write the book right after graduating?” She knew it hadn’t come out then.
He shook his head. “Never gave it a thought back then. That came later.”
“It’s been a huge success.”
“Depends on how you define success. The book cost me.”
“By making you a target?”
He studied her before he answered. “It was more than that. My ancestor, Nantan Lupan, had been my spirit guide. He taught me a lot of what I know about the other side, about power, about how to use it.” When he stopped, took a deep breath, she wondered if he’d go on. “He came to me after the book had come out and said I had done wrong by revealing the secrets of the unseen world. He said it will make things worse and for more than me. For the world. He’s not come to me since.”
“That’s a terrible loss.”
“It was. Maybe you understand then why I don’t want to make it worse.”
“And a play might do that?”
“It would add a dimension of reality. To speak of things unseen is asking for loss and attack. I’ve had both since I wrote the damned book.”
“I guess I understand, but you don’t hide what is out there by not writing about it. It’s there. And some use it for their own gain, while others remain sheep and ignorant of how to protect themselves or how to fight it.”
He let out a breath. “I see your point on that, but most won’t believe it anyway. They saw Vislogus as entertainment and not real.”
“You know better than that, as do I.”
“Speaking of I… tell me more about you, about your family.”
“We are natural born witches and shamans. My sisters and I have been trained not only in using what we have for gifts but also in martial arts. Even my grandmothers are still actively working magick, connecting to the other side, doing what they can to make the world better.”
“How about beyond magick.”
“You mean beyond spells and potions,” she said with a laugh. “There is the boutique, of course. We help with Hemstreet Detective Agency when needed. You know I live in Barrio Viejo. I have been involved in protecting it from losing its character and being bulldozed by developers.”
“And romantic interests?”
“You didn’t tell me about yours.” The night was darkening around them, and the sounds shifted to crickets, night birds, and frogs. An owl called from a distant cottonwood tree. She could hear the sound of the river even though it was far below the house. The fragrance of sage and juniper lingered on the night air, maybe even the grapes although she knew she had an enhanced sense of smell due to her training, her own wolf shifting, and her desire to feel all of what was around her. In the city, she lost some of that. She liked it here.
“I haven’t been with a woman in over a year, and even then it was more her using me than me using her. Some think the book or my money is more important than who I am.”
She considered that. “You are a very handsome man. That might’ve been more a factor.”
He smiled. “You think so? I don’t see myself that way.”
“Women do, I would bet.”
“You do?”
It was her turn to smile. “You are looking for compliments.”
He smiled. “Of course.”
“Well, then I find you handsome, but looks aren’t everything, and for me I’d want something more before I became involved with a man on a physical level.”
“Marriage?”
“Not necessarily but certainly commitment.”
“I suppose you could cast a spell on anyone you wanted.” He chuckled.
“There are those who believe that would work.”
“Love potions.” He smiled.
“Recently, when a young woman came asking for that, I tried to explain to her it doesn’t work that way, but she wasn’t able to comprehend—or didn’t want to. It got me to thinking the world would be a better place if more understood magick.”
“I doubt it.”
“So you told me.”
“I think it just brings the dark side to attack. It gives them a target.”
“I guess that’s possible.”
“So, back to what’s important…”
“And that is?” She knew that she was weakening. Maybe commitment wasn’t so important as she had thought, at least in some situations. It was then that she felt the wind coming up. It didn’t feel like a natural wind. “Do you feel that?” she asked.
He turned and looked toward from where it was coming. “This place has always been safe,” he said as the gusts picked up.
“You did say a storm was coming.”
“But this isn’t it, is it?”
“Do you protect this place with wards?”
“I hadn’t. I am not high on witchcraft even though…” He strode into the house and returned with a sword. She saw it glisten in the lawn lights.
“A sword?” she questioned as she rose and faced toward the source of the now gale.
“The metal is effective against demons.” He looked at her then. “I might as well tell you. Your father made me this sword.” He crouched down as something, no, it was someone came out of the darkness and pushed at him, backing off when it saw the sword.
“Not very friendly,” a voice said. She recognized Ornis.
“Nor is raising up a tornado,” Mitch said. “Are you out of your territory?”
“You thought I had limits. Uh, what’s she doing here?” Ornis asked taking on more form and looking toward Elke.
“My guest.”
Ornis laughed. “Is she encouraging you to take up arms against us?” He pointed toward the sword.
“Stop the wind, and we can talk friendly-like. Otherwise…” When Adolph growled, Mitch told the wolf to settle back and not get involved.
“Wise choice. I wouldn’t want him hurt,” Ornis said with a smirk.
“It might not end that way but leave him alone. He’s not in this.”
“By yourself, you want to take on the whole dark side?” Ornis asked with what sounded more like a cackle than a sincere laugh.
“Not particularly, but if required, you would be first.”
“I haven’t hurt you.”
“You have encouraged others to hurt me and mine.”
“Mine?” Again, Ornis looked toward Elke. “Is she now one of yours like your wolf?”
“While she’s my guest.”
It was then that Elke became aware of things falling around them. The table overturned. The glasses they’d been using fell and shattered. Flowers were torn from their stems.
Poltergeist.
She raised her arms and thrust energy toward where she knew the lower level demon was stirring up havoc. She heard it heading into the house and followed hoping that Ornis and Mitch would not fall to battle. That wasn’t usually Ornis’ style, but things were changing.
The lower level of the house had a family room and it was there that the poltergeist was breaking things and throwing them around. “Be gone,” she commanded, putting out her hands and using energy to encircle the spirit, who fought back. Because it was a lower level spirit, it didn’t have the power to stand against her for more than a few moments. Laughter was followed by its disappearance. She looked around the room. Using more of her energy, she restored what had been damaged. Although she’d dealt with poltergeists before, it was unusua
l for them to attack a witch. Ornis had to be reassuring them of his support.
She hurried back outside to see that Ornis had conjured a sword of his own and taken on more of a human shape, a warrior in chain metal as he clashed with Mitch in shorts and a tank top. The sounds of the swords meeting clanged again and again, before Ornis laughed and vanished into the ether, taking the wind with him.
Chapter Nine
“What was that about?” she asked as she righted the overturned table.
“Showing me this place is not safe, I guess, but then why play games?”
“Was it just a game? Did you see the poltergeist?”
“I saw what it did, not it.”
She considered that. What was Ornis up to? She’d thought of him mostly a nuisance, a demon who worked to use humans but had little real interest in direct battles. Now, she wasn’t so sure. They needed to understand the plan. Had she been shepherded to meet Mitch, and it was all part of some larger design? The question of Ornis could not be instantly resolved. She had another one that maybe could. “Only my father could have given you that sword. Tell me about it.”
“My father told me he was thinking of investing in a Tucson development plan. He met with yours about it and took me. When it was over, your father, pulled me aside, said there were things I needed to know that he could teach me. Maybe it’s why my father had brought me although he wasn’t into the supernatural—other than making people want to see his films maybe.” He laughed. “Want a whiskey?”
She shook her head. She needed a clear head. He poured himself a shot from an outdoor cupboard. Returning to her, he sat on the lawn chair again. She moved to sit across from him. “I saw you then,” he said.
“How?”
“You and your sisters came in. You were still a girl from. You haven’t changed a lot.”
“I don’t remember.”
“I imagine your father had many such meetings.”
She laughed. “Not with big movie stars. I remember your father. He was a little older than our main heartthrobs of the time, but we were impressed. Dad shoed us out though. How old were you? I can’t believe we wouldn’t have noticed you.”
“I kept a low profile around my father. I was sitting in a chair listening to the two men talk when you girls burst in.”
“My sisters and I didn’t realize how much of a wizard our father had been until recently. He kept that from us. We saw it as a female business, magick.” She smiled at the memory.
“Well, he was very powerful. That’s why it was such a shock when I heard he had been killed.”
“To us also, but we can be killed, and he was riding a motorcycle, which can be dangerous, except he was skilled and not a risk taker. That night he had chosen to not wear a helmet for whatever his reasons. However it happened, reality is what we have to accept.”
“Sometimes it is hard to tell the difference—between reality and what isn’t.”
She drew in a breath. “Maybe I do need that whiskey.”
He smiled and went over to pour her a shot and refresh his. “So we have two problems,” he said when he returned. “Finding out what Ornis really wants, who he is using, and then there is us.”
“You mean-- whether there should be an us?”
“It’s on my mind.”
“You are plainspoken.”
“Maybe it’s why there’ve been so few women in my life.” He laughed. “Women like flowery words, and I’m no good at them.”
“I’m plainspoken too, so it’s not a bad thing for me. I won’t though get involved with you, beyond friends, until I know it is more than a one-night stand.”
“Agreed.” He smiled then. “How about kissing? Is that off limits too?”
She knew it was a mistake, but she said, “No, we could kiss.” Almost before she’d gotten out the words, he reached for her and pulled her onto his lap. With his right hand, he brought her head to where their lips were a breath apart.
“I want to kiss you,” he said, “but we might not be able to stop with one.”
“Trust me,” she said with a smile as she brushed his lips with hers, “I can.”
He opened his mouth and brought their lips together. She closed her eyes, aware of the powerful surge she felt as his touch. Then his tongue went into her mouth, and her body reacted as his arms tightened around her. She’d never felt this reaction from a kiss, wanted it to last forever, and then knew she better end it.
She pushed back, a little out of breath. “I know what they mean about can’t eat just one,” she said with a teasing smile but moved off his lap and back to her seat. “I also know my limits.”
“All right… for now.” He let out a breath. “I won’t stop trying to change your mind.”
“I know. So let’s talk about what will cool this off.”
“You mean us or them?” He smiled.
“You know what I mean. Ornis and whoever else is involved in what was happening in Tucson and now here. You lied to me the first time I asked you if you knew him. What do you know about him?”
“I had run into him, yes, and when you asked, I didn’t know much about you other than your father and desire to use my book.” He sipped his whiskey. “He’s a demon, of course. Not the highest level, but he influences those below him. Mostly he causes damage by the humans he can use, those who want power, and don’t care from where it comes. All demons are malicious but…”
“You hadn’t seen him as a serious risk.”
“Not particularly, but I hadn’t expected him to leave his normal territory and am not sure what this was about.”
“Me either. I should call my mother tomorrow.”
“To see what happened after you left?”
“Maybe more murders. I hope not, but whoever did that is trying to make it look like the earlier ones. Why would someone do that?”
“Maybe to distract from their own motive.”
If that was the case, the logical one behind it would be Martin Jefferies. She saw by Mitch’s expression that he recognized the possibilities. She worried then that her sisters were going to visit the church, disguised but still, was that safe. If, ironic as it would seem, Ornis was behind the pastor there, then he would see through them. “I need to talk to my family.”
“Phones or psychic connections?”
“There is less chance of misunderstandings if I call tomorrow.”
“Your phone can be traced.”
“So could my psychic vibes. And Ornis knows I’m here anyway.”
“So call and see what they know. I bet it won’t be good news.”
She laughed. “They will wonder why I’m here.”
“Tell them you got kidnapped by a madman. That’d be close anyway.”
><><><
Mitch spent a restless night, sleeping but not well. In the morning, he fed Adolph and was drinking coffee, when Elke entered. “I should call,” she said, “and see what has gone on there.”
He nodded. “Eat first and then for privacy, at least from humans, you can call from outside if you wish.”
Sofia handed over a platter of French toast. Elke ate hers with just butter, but Mitch added syrup. “Did you bring a swimsuit?” he asked as he drank a third cup of coffee.
“No, do I need one?”
He smiled. “Well not that I’d mind but you might—that is unless you’ve changed your mind on our discussion last night.”
He saw her blush. He liked that. “Uh, there is a spot on the river wide enough for swimming?” she asked avoiding his comment.
“I had another place in mind. Call and I’ll tell you more.”
She smiled and went outside with her cell.
Adolph settled at his feet. ‘Am I going with you?’ he asked with thought patterns while Sofia was in the room.
“Not to Jerome,” Mitch answered. He looked up to see the questioning expression on Sofia’s face. “Just letting him know he’s not coming with me today.” He smiled. People talk to their pets-- that’s the
usual. It is pets talking back that was not. Although she knew the home wasn’t exactly normal, she had never experienced how very irregular it was. She’d probably quit if she did, and he had valued her service for too many years to take the risk. He would do what he could to keep her from seeing the worst of it. For that, he was grateful Elke had used her magick to clean up the prior night’s happenings.
When Elke returned, she poured herself another cup of coffee.
“How is your family?” he asked gesturing with his eyes toward Sofia, hopefully to warn her not to get into the witchcraft side of it.
“I talked to Mom, and they are fine. They got the note I left with Luke.” Her gaze met his levelly. “It’s a lovely morning. Shall we take our coffee to the patio?”
He refilled his cup though he’d already drunk more than his usual. Outside, the morning air was warm, had enough breeze to cool it to the feeling of balmy tropics.
“No more murders,” she said. “The demonstrators though have grown in number and are centering all their attention on the bookstore. They have even gotten a story in the newspaper with interviews as to their purpose. They are talking to customers to warn them the place is evil. Naturally, it has impacted sales.”
“No violence though.”
“Not yet, but Mom thinks that will come with this kind of fervor. She put up more wards, but they are intended for demons, not humans, who have lost touch with their spiritual side.”
“Ironic. People believe what they are preconditioned to. Some supernatural abilities are fine. Others are not. My book or your play will change nothing.”
“Not at this point with those people, but at an earlier point, it might. That has been my hope.”
“You are a hopeless dreamer.” He smiled to take the sting from his words.
“It’s the dreamers who have hope.”