Till Demon Do Us Part (Paranormal Wedding Planners Book 6)

by Jones, AE

“I think McHenry and Andrew are lucky to be alive. I can’t believe Andrew got away with only a couple scratches.”

  “If McHenry hadn’t pushed Andrew out the door first, he would have been hurt. What else is this”—Tim’s hand swept in a circle as he stood in the doorway—“telling you?”

  She couldn’t stop the shiver that ran along her spine and the tingle at the back of her neck. “That it wasn’t an accident. If it had been an explosion, the metal would be embedded in all the walls. This looks like an attack.”

  “Bingo. But who would do this?”

  “I’m sure with McHenry’s sparkling personality he’s made some enemies over the years.”

  Tim smiled. “True, but he doesn’t leave the Burrow. Hell, I don’t think he even leaves his land.”

  He was right. McHenry was practically a hermit. Why would someone attack him? Unless… “What if McHenry wasn’t the target?”

  Tim’s eyes tightened on her. “What do you mean?”

  “When we first got here, I asked Andrew what happened. He wouldn’t tell me much, but he did mumble that it was his fault. At first I thought maybe he had caused the explosion, but after seeing this…” She shook her head. “Andrew didn’t do this.”

  “You think someone tried to attack Andrew?”

  “Anything is possible. The question is why.”

  Tim entered the workshop. “And if they were attacked, why aren’t they telling us the truth?”

  Darcinda walked closer to where Tim stood to get a better look at the metal shards impaled in the wall. “To stop us from knowing who attacked them.”

  “Because they want to handle it themselves?” Tim asked.

  “Possibly. McHenry isn’t exactly open to outside help on the best of days. And if someone’s after his nephews, I believe he’d stop at nothing to protect them.”

  Tim frowned. “Then he should let us know what the hell’s going on.”

  Darcinda agreed with him, but since they didn’t know what truly happened, she couldn’t argue that McHenry’s logic wasn’t sound either.

  “Devin is not going to like hearing this. He’s having a hard enough time keeping Alex from traipsing into the Burrow to check on McHenry herself.”

  Darcinda smiled. “Yes, she probably will, and Devin will not want her or JT anywhere near this place. Is he heading home?”

  “He and Charlie are going home for a day, and then they’ll come back and relieve me and the twins.”

  “Well, I’m not going anywhere right now.”

  Tim chuckled. “Oh boy. McHenry won’t like that.”

  “Tough. He’s not ready to be on his own.”

  “Right. Hopefully the twins can convince McHenry or his nephews to spill the beans.”

  “And also make sure McHenry and I don’t come to blows.”

  Tim chuckled. “I wouldn’t put it that way exactly, but Connor mentioned you might need a referee.”

  “Of course he did. You guys don’t need to worry. I spent too much time patching McHenry up just to hurt him again. Now let’s try and figure out what happened here.”

  Darcinda held her hands above the metal embedded in the wall. There was still a slight magical residue, almost a buzzing vibration along her fingertips. But it wasn’t strong enough to tell her who or what had caused it.

  She dropped her hands.

  “It’s got me stumped too,” Tim said. “Even when the magic was still strong, I wasn’t able to recognize it. I’m still pretty sure it wasn’t a witch. But other than that, I couldn’t pinpoint it. It’s too bad we don’t have a magical forensic kit.”

  Darcinda smiled. “Funny you should mention that. We might. I’ve been working on a little something.”

  * * *

  McHenry sat up straighter in the bed when Andrew appeared in the doorway. He’d sent his nephew to find out why the house was so quiet. “What’s goin’ on, Andrew?”

  His nephew came closer to the bed, and the worried look on his face ratcheted up McHenry’s nerves.

  “They’re all out in the workshop. I’m not sure what they’re doing, but the twins just came in and grabbed Darcinda’s healing bag along with some other ingredients.”

  The faerie must be casting a spell. In his workshop. Damnation. Why couldn’t she leave well enough alone? His breathing sped up. Well, two could play this game.

  “Get the hand mirror out of my bathroom and bring it to me.”

  Andrew’s eyebrows rose for a second in question, but he didn’t argue, walking out quickly and returning with the mirror.

  McHenry recited a spell, and the mirror’s surface swirled before forming the image of his workshop. A workshop full of the Tribunal team and the nosy faerie. From the look of the metal bowl and ingredients on the workbench, she was indeed casting a spell.

  Andrew gasped. “How…”

  “Remember the mirror I just finished, the one with the intricate metal frame? It’s hangin’ on the far wall. It must not have been broken in the explosion. I’ve linked this mirror to that one so we can see what they’re up to.”

  McHenry watched her add ingredients while smoke curled up from the bowl. His heart thumped as he took in the focused determination on her face and the faces of the team standing around her. Why was she casting a spell in his workshop? He hadn’t given her permission to enter his space, let alone practice her magic there.

  The explosion had been an accident. One that he was to blame for, but an accident, nonetheless. She—they— needed to go home and leave him and his nephews alone.

  A spell is like a snowflake…

  Chapter 5

  Darcinda rubbed the bloodroot between her fingers to release the oils needed for her spell before dropping it into the bowl in front of her. An anemic-looking tendril of smoke wafted up from the pile of ingredients sitting in the center of the bowl. This whole exercise was a bit of a long shot since she hadn’t tried this sort of spell before, but if you don’t try, you don’t succeed, right?

  Tim stood next to her, ready to help if needed, while the rest of the team gave them room.

  “What are you hoping to do?” Devin asked.

  “A spell is like a snowflake, each one unique. I’m hoping to be able to identify the spells that have been cast here recently to determine what actually happened.”

  Darcinda nodded to Tim, who handed her the vial of potion from her bag. This would be the catalyst to release the spell. The liquid swirled with opalescent bits of color. She uncorked the small bottle and poured it into the bowl while she recited an awakening spell.

  The ingredients in the bowl pulsed, as if coming to life, before a rainbow of colors shot out in all directions.

  “Whoa,” Tim exclaimed as the rest of the team covered their eyes.

  Darcinda spoke a quick protection spell to shield their eyes so the team could watch dozens of colors float around the space in various levels of brightness.

  There were colors hovering over the workbenches and partially completed projects, as well as swirls of color wrapping themselves around the metals on the tables and those stuck into the wall.

  “Well this isn’t going to work,” she mumbled.

  “Why not?” the twins asked at the same time.

  “Because it’s showing us all the spells cast in the workshop. And since McHenry bespells most of his projects, there are too many spells to sift through.”

  “Maybe we need to look at this a different way,” Tim said.

  “What do you have in mind?” Darcinda asked.

  “Instead of tracking the individual spells, maybe we should track the casters.”

  Darcinda gave Tim a thumbs-up. “Of course!”

  Devin interrupted them. “Explanation, please.”

  Darcinda nodded to Tim to continue while she pulled some more ingredients out of her bag.

  “Like Darcinda said, we don’t have the time to look at all these different spells, and we really shouldn’t need to. If we look at who cast the spells instead, we can hopefully see
who was responsible for the so-called accident.”

  Darcinda dropped dandelion powder into the bowl along with several other items before reciting a new spell. The barrage of colors hovering around the metals and workbenches coalesced into the center of the workshop, a kaleidoscope of spinning hues. The various colors melted away and only a handful remained and spread throughout the room.

  Bright green must represent her magic, since it circled the bowl she’d placed on the workbench.

  Orange was the predominant hue throughout the workshop, varying from dim to bright. The older the spell, the dimmer the light. It wrapped itself around the projects on the workbenches and shone like a beacon around the mirror hanging on the wall. “The orange must be McHenry’s spells.”

  Darcinda concentrated on the bright orange around the mirror before shaking her head. That was an active spell. That sneaky demon was spying on them. Why?

  Tim interrupted her thoughts. “This is much more manageable.”

  “And more interesting.”

  Charlie pointed to the shards of metal embedded around the door where lavender light encased them. “What does it tell us?”

  “That it wasn’t McHenry who caused the accident.”

  “So it was Andrew,” Devin said.

  Darcinda shook her head. “I think the light blue swirling around that corner workbench is Andrew’s. He’s still learning about infusing metal with magic and doesn’t wield that much power yet.”

  “So are you saying McHenry’s lying to us?” Tim asked.

  “Yeah, faerie, are you sayin’ I’m a liar?” a voice growled from the doorway.

  Darcinda turned to the burly man whose presence filled the space…and he hadn’t even stepped inside yet. He really was a power to be reckoned with. Tall, with auburn hair and beard and copper-colored eyes, he was intimidating, but she had dealt with her share of intimidating over the years.

  She took a breath before responding. “I’m not saying anything. We’re trying to figure out what happened here, because what you and Andrew told us just isn’t adding up.”

  McHenry scowled at her as he entered the workshop and Andrew followed him through the door.

  “We’re not lyin’ to you.”

  Before Darcinda could respond, deep purple light burst from her spell bowl and shot across the room before circling McHenry’s and Andrew’s heads.

  “Damnation. What’s goin’ on?” McHenry bellowed.

  “Well, based on that, I don’t think you’re lying.”

  “Spit out what you do think.”

  Darcinda exchanged glances with Tim, who had a worried expression. “I think you’re telling us the truth as you know it.”

  Tim continued her train of thought. “Someone changed your memories.”

  “Why?” Jack asked.

  Darcinda watched the purple light ebb and flow. “To hide the attacker.”

  “That doesn’t make much sense. What’s the point of attacking someone and then making them forget about it?” Connor asked.

  Darcinda shrugged. “I didn’t say any of this made sense. But in our world, things don’t always follow a logical path.”

  Devin chimed in. “Maybe whoever did this wants to cover it up since they failed to kill you.”

  McHenry grimaced. “Not sure if that theory makes me feel any better.” He took another step into the room and stumbled a bit.

  Connor brought a stool over to McHenry and glared at him until he agreed to sit down. The demon was stubborn, but still shaky on his feet. Darcinda wanted to send him back to bed, but she knew he would fight her on it.

  Before she could say anything to him, he held up his hand.

  “I’m stayin’. If what you say is true, someone messed with our heads and made us believe this was our fault. I’ll be havin’ a heart-to-heart with the bastard once I know who it is.”

  Devin sighed. “So this has turned into an investigation. Let’s start with the obvious question. Who would want to attack you, McHenry?”

  “I don’t know of anyone who would be mad enough to do this.” He waved his hand toward the metal shards.

  “Have you had anyone unsatisfied with your work?” Devin pressed.

  McHenry focused his attention on Jack. “The only person who questioned my work is your mate, but I don’t think Julia would shish kabob me for it.”

  “No. For some unknown reason she likes you.” Jack frowned. “Do we think the supernatural supremacists could be behind this?”

  The team exchanged worried looks before Devin spoke up. “I think we arrested most of them, but there could still be some hiding out.”

  “I don’t know why they would be wastin’ their time and limited resources comin’ after me,” McHenry said. “I didn’t do anythin’ to them. They’re the ones who used Jamie for their asinine agenda.”

  McHenry’s accent got thicker when he was angry. Her next question might bring out his brogue even more.

  “You’re not exactly the easiest person to get along with, McHenry. You can’t think of anyone who might hold a grudge?”

  His eyes locked on her. She stared back at him, even though something tightened in her belly at his look.

  “If speakin’ my mind makes others dislike me, then aye, I could have made a few enemies.”

  She couldn’t keep the grin from her face. “A few?”

  She would have sworn his eyes lit up for a moment with a golden-brown hue.

  Andrew interrupted their staredown. “Are you saying someone in the Burrow attacked us?”

  Devin answered him. “Possibly, but what about someone from outside the Burrow? Which brings us back to business transactions.”

  “Normally Jamie and Andrew handle the direct contact with our customers,” McHenry said.

  “What about you, Andrew? Have you had any run-ins with people lately?” Darcinda asked.

  “Andrew didn’t do anythin’.” McHenry started to stand—until the twins each clamped onto a shoulder and pushed him back down.

  Darcinda held up her hands. “We’re not saying he did, but you were both in the workshop when the attack happened. Maybe you weren’t the target, McHenry.”

  McHenry did stand up then, and wobbled like a toddler before turning to her. “Enough with the questions. We’re wastin’ time. Use your magic to reverse the spell on Andrew and me so we remember what really happened.”

  Darcinda gritted her teeth before responding. She was usually a pretty laid-back faerie, but something about this burly demon made her want to scream.

  “It’s not that easy.”

  He opened his mouth, but she held up her hand, continuing. “And you blustering at me isn’t going to make it easier. This spell is powerful. So powerful that I didn’t sense it on either of you.”

  “Me either,” Tim interjected.

  “So I will need to do some research to see if it can be reversed at all.”

  McHenry’s eyes tightened on her for a moment before he nodded once. Was he actually agreeing with her? Being rational?

  “Figure it out soon, faerie. Whoever did this is goin’ to pay.”

  Maybe rational had been too much to hope for.

  A multifaceted demon—who’da thunk it?

  Chapter 6

  McHenry wanted to level something. Anger raged, burning under his skin like lava. If he weren’t so damn weak right now, he would have trouble controlling his magic.

  Who in the hell wanted him dead?

  He hated to admit the faerie was right, because he could be an ornery bastard when he wanted to be. But this? This attack wasn’t what he would have expected.

  It was one thing to strike at him, but it was another to endanger his nephews.

  And the bastard hadn’t stopped there. He’d messed with their minds. Why? McHenry barely held back a groan as he sat down on the porch chair. The faerie wanted him to go back upstairs, but he wasn’t going to hide out in his bedroom. Not when they needed to figure out what was going on.

  Even now,
she watched him from her spot across the courtyard where she discussed something with Tim. Her frown told him she was seriously considering coming over and telling him again to go upstairs. She wasn’t shy with her opinions, which he grudgingly respected.

  The front door slammed open and Jamie rushed out of the house, hell-bent on going somewhere. He jogged down the stairs and McHenry leaned forward.

  “Jamie, where are you goin’?”

  His youngest nephew shook his head and kept walking.

  “James. Stop! Don’t make me get up and chase you. I’m not up to it right now.”

  He stopped, his shoulders sagging as he turned around to face McHenry. Fear shone from his eyes, making McHenry’s chest hurt.

  “What’s wrong, son?”

  “You were attacked. Andrew told me.”

  “We’ll be fine. There’s nothin’ to worry about.”

  Jamie took a step closer to him. “You don’t know that. They attacked your mind, made you forget. What if it’s my fault? What if it’s the supremacists again?”

  McHenry pulled himself up by sheer will alone, since his body screamed in protest. “This is not your fault.” He bit back another groan as he moved carefully down the porch steps to meet his nephew. “You were not to blame for the supremacists. They attacked you . If anyone is to blame, it’s me. I should have taken better care of you.”

  “You’ve taken great care of me.”

  McHenry’s chest tightened again. “We’ll figure out what happened. You’ll be fine. We’ll all be fine.”

  Jamie looked at the ground. “You can’t protect me forever.”

  McHenry lifted his hand and gripped the back of Jamie’s neck so his nephew would look him in the eye. “You will always be mine to protect. I don’t care how old you get. Got that?”

  Jamie nodded. McHenry pulled him close into an awkward half hug since his back couldn’t take a full embrace right now, and looked over Jamie’s shoulder to see the faerie watching him. He didn’t know for sure what the puzzled expression on her face meant, but he would probably hear her opinion later.

  He whispered in his nephew’s ear. “Why don’t you help your old uncle up onto the porch so he doesn’t take a header in front of everyone. But don’t make it too obvious, now.”