"Believe me, boring is good."
"True. It can be." Still holding the blanket around her, she stood up and leaned against the wall. "So, what's her name?"
"Who?"
"The lady you broke up with."
Kevin lowered his eyes and sighed.
"Did Jack tell you about that, too?"
"No, but it's all over your clothes."
He was speechless for a moment as he studied a random shirt.
"Seriously?"
"Yeah. There's your scent, and that cat of yours. But there's someone else, a female, that slowly fades away."
"Her name was Leese."
"Leese?"
"Short for Alicia."
"I like that name. Pretty." She cinched the blanket tighter. "Do you think Martha would mind if I borrowed some of her clothes?"
"Probably," he said, smiling. "But let's borrow them anyway."
He led her upstairs, through the first floor. Marie stayed a step behind, watching everything. Her nose worked overtime as they made their way through the house. They were halfway up the stairs when the front door opened. Martha stepped into the living room and shut the door behind her.
"Hey," she said. "Are you both behaving?"
"No," Marie teased. "And we filmed it. Would you like to see?"
The elder witch huffed.
"You're worse than a vampire."
"Do you mind if Marie borrows some of your clothes?"
She waved them away.
"Sure, sure. Does anyone want something to drink?"
"Water would be great, please," Marie said.
"Is a glass okay? I don't have any bowls right now."
Marie smiled, but there was a hint of danger in it. Kevin frowned at Martha as he shot her a questioning look. He'd never seen her so hostile before.
"Ah, dog jokes. Original. But no, a glass will be fine."
Martha disappeared into the kitchen. Kevin watched her go before resuming his march up the stairs. He turned the light on in Martha's room, gesturing toward the dresser. Marie let the blanket fall to the floor as she opened drawer after drawer. He turned in place to avoid seeing more of the nude werewolf.
"I thought I might be older than Martha," she said, holding up a dress. "But now, I'm not sure. I think this here is older than me."
Kevin let out a quick laugh, then peered out the hall to make sure Martha wasn't listening. He didn't want her more irritated than she already was.
"Do you see anything in there?"
Marie sighed.
"I think so. These sweats here I think will fit. Is Martha some kind of werewolf-hater?"
He turned to face her, caught an eyeful of fleshy curves, and snapped his head back quickly.
"I really don't know. I'm still learning the rules, but she tells me everything out there hates witches, and we're not supposed to trust anyone. I wish I would have known this before I became friends with every supernatural monster out there."
He heard clothes being slipped on.
"So, why did you and Leese break up?"
He turned again at the sudden question. Marie wore gray sweatpants and a white tee shirt that stopped two inches above her navel. He frowned, not at the sight of Marie, but at the thought of Martha owning such a shirt.
"That's…Martha's?"
"The shirt isn't. This belongs to a man. Maybe someone she had over one night—"
"No. No, no," he said, covering his ears. "I don't need to hear that."
Marie smiled.
"Anyway. Leese?"
He wasn't sure he wanted to answer. He knew Marie, but not well enough for those types of questions. Sitting on the edge of the bed, he struggled for words.
"People tried to kill me, and it's not the first time. Now, they're going after my sister, Leese, people close to me." He glanced at Marie, and felt a sudden kinship. They were both unusual creatures, even with their own kind. A full-blooded witch, a werewolf without a pack.
She sat next to him on the bed.
"So, you're hiding? Away from everyone?"
"Yeah. I didn't want to leave Leese, my home. But I had to."
"Hmmm."
Kevin waited for more, and was irritated when it didn't come.
"And?" he said. "What would you do if you were me?"
"There's no shame in hiding. I do it myself. But when the hunters come, I kill them."
He shook his head.
"You sound like Jack."
"No. He would kill them, their families, burn their houses down, eat their food."
They shared a laugh at Jack's expense.
"I don't think I'm a killer," he said.
"You don't smell like one."
"Can we do it? Can we have normal relationships? You've had boyfriends other than Jack, right?"
"Jack's not my man. We're business partners. And yes, we can have relationships. What did Leese say when you talked to her about all this?"
He shifted uncomfortably.
"Well, I didn't…I sort of lied."
Marie laughed and stood up, shaking her head.
"What?" Kevin said.
"You've got bigger problems than hunters," she said. "Let's go downstairs. Martha's getting impatient, with all her sighing and tapping her fingers on the table."
*****
Marie wasn't wrong. Martha glared at Kevin and the werewolf as they stepped into the kitchen. She sat at the table, mindlessly swiping through her Kindle. The meal Kevin cooked earlier was on the stove, having been reheated in the microwave.
She laughed at the sight of Marie.
"You look like a teenager," she said.
"I feel like one. Can I sleep over?"
Martha snickered in response. Marie sat in front of her water as Kevin made his way to the stove. She picked up the glass and sniffed it carefully.
"It's just water," Martha said. "There's nothing else in there."
Marie took a drink. Kevin watched them both as he prepared a plate. The tension was thick, awkward. He could feel the dislike coming from Martha, but Marie didn't seem to care.
"Are you hungry?" he said. "There's plenty here."
"No, thank you," Marie said. "I ate earlier."
Martha still barely looked above her Kindle.
"Probably a squirrel."
Before Kevin could chastise, Marie was already speaking.
"A rabbit, actually. Your little town has some amazing woods. A great place to run."
"A great place to hide, too. Maybe even an entire pack of werewolves."
"Martha," Kevin said. "She already told you. What is wrong? Why—?"
"It's okay, Kevin." She took another drink of water and leaned across the table. Martha finally looked her in the eye. "Werewolves killed my family almost eighty years ago. They made me into one of them. Now, I don't hate them. I've come to like what I am. But, I don't need a pack. I protect my own self. I don't need anyone else. So, whatever you think I am…I'm not."
Martha was quiet a moment. Kevin took a bite of mac and beef as he watched carefully. He tried to push the worry away as they stared at one another. Would they actually fight? The thought hadn't occurred to him until that moment. Martha, as sweet as she was, was very defensive of witches. He couldn't begin to imagine the struggles she had during her life.
Marie, he'd already seen the aftermath of what she could do.
Martha blinked and leaned away.
"When people find out about witches, about what we can do, they hunt us. Even vampires, and—" She gestured to Marie. "Werewolves. I've seen parties call a truce to kill us. So, if I seem distrusting, believe me, I have my reasons."
"Well, all I can say is…I don't give a shit. I watched Kevin there turn a guy into a frog. And guess what? I still don't want to kill him."
Martha's eyes went wide as she looked at him.
"You…did what?"
Kevin normally would have cowered under Martha's stare, but not that time. His face twisted in anger at the memory.
"Some
people went after a friend of mine, a nine-year-old girl."
"That doesn't mean you have to—"
"Yes, it does."
Martha sighed, and gave Kevin her best we'll talk about this later look. She turned her attention back to Marie.
"Kevin obviously trusts you. I'm still trying to teach him, but he knows good people. So…I'm sorry for my attitude earlier."
Marie nodded.
"Apology accepted."
Martha stood up from the table.
"Well, this old woman's heart has had enough excitement for one night. I'm going to bed. Marie, you're welcome to stay. And Kevin is a single man now, but I don't want any rebounds happening in my house."
She nearly laughed in the middle of a drink.
"I'll…try to contain my excitement around Kevin."
"Good. Goodnight, you two."
Martha left and headed up the stairs. Marie watched her walk away, shaking her head.
"First, Jack. And now, her. You definitely have an unusual group."
CHAPTER 16
Leese left the vet's office and slid behind the wheel of her car. She didn't leave the parking lot right away. Grabbing her phone from her purse, she launched Pandora and closed her eyes as music filled the car. The phone wasn't connected to her car's speakers. Something had happened to the Bluetooth connection, which she didn't know how to fix. Kevin had set it up for her.
A knock came at the window.
Her body immediately stiffened. Her thoughts drifted to the doors, and she remembered they were locked. She reached for her purse, feeling for the pepper-spray inside. Only then did she feel safe enough to glance to her left.
It was Mrs. Bailey, standing there with a smile. She waved and gestured to the office behind her.
"Hi, Alicia," she said. "Is Dr. Keeth still in?"
Everyone knew Mrs. Bailey had butterflies for Dr. Keeth. But the blossoming romance didn't soothe Leese's nerves. She wanted to shout at the woman for scaring her, tell her to go look inside for herself. She held in her frustration, masking it with her own smile.
"Yeah, he is."
"Thank you, dear."
Leese watched her walk away as she wrestled with her own emotions. She was mad at herself for being so jumpy. Not everyone that tapped at her window was trying to kidnap her. Watching her nearly dance across the parking lot toward her sweet veterinarian made her think of Kevin, whom she still was not yet over.
Pushing her mood aside, she pulled onto the street. One job was over for the day, with another on the horizon.
She parked behind Alex's truck outside their home. Gathering her purse and spare shoes, she made a mental checklist of her evening. Take a shower, gather any last-minute notes from Cindy. She always kept a collection of clothes at her family's house. Hopefully, Cindy had washed her favorite jeans, like she'd asked. She'd eat dinner after the meeting with Demons LLC's latest prospective client. Maybe she'd grab a snack and coffee at Starbuck's, where they'd planned to meet.
She opened the front door to see an empty living room. In what was becoming a standard sight, papers, folders, and two empty soda cans were scattered across the coffee table. An empty bag of chips sat in the middle. She kicked her shoes off and set them in the corner.
"Hey, guys," she called. "It's me."
No response. Her first guess steered to where it always did concerning Alex and Cindy.
"You guys aren't banging, are you? If you are, keep the bedroom door closed, please. I'm going to take a shower."
As she walked down the hall toward the bathroom, she finally heard them. Their bedroom door was closed, although there were no sexual noises. Leese was disturbed that she knew what their sex life sounded like. There was hushed whispering, an occasional raised voice. She neared the bathroom, and leaned toward the bedroom, ever so slightly. She wasn't above eavesdropping.
The door opened, drawing a jump from Leese. Cindy wore a charcoal skirt and white top, her work clothes. Alex stood behind her near the dresser, a stern look on his face. He poked at his phone with frustration. Whether his anger was at Cindy or his lack of knowledge with technology, Leese didn't know.
"Hey," Leese said. "Is everything okay?"
"Yeah, yeah." Cindy rolled her eyes and shook her head. "It's just Alex. You know, being stupid."
"I've known him longer than you. Believe me, I know."
"Hey," Alex said. "I'm right here. I can hear you."
Cindy let out a small smile. Leese gestured to the bathroom next to her.
"Shower time. Then I'll head out."
"Okay. You want something to eat before you go?"
"No, thanks. I'll grab something after."
Leese stripped her scrubs off and climbed into the hot shower. The spare bedroom they used for the odd guest had basically become her room. She was still trying to talk Cindy into adding a second bathroom to the guest room, but she wasn't budging.
After her shower, Leese crossed the hall wearing only a towel around her and one covering her hair. She caught a glimpse of Alex and Cindy before disappearing into her room. Alex stood against the kitchen wall, arms crossed, while Cindy sat on the couch glaring at him.
They were still fighting.
She giggled quietly to herself as she dressed. She could only imagine what Alex had done this time.
They talked in the same urgent, hushed tones. Leese heard them through the wall. Her curiosity got the better of her. She slipped into her favorite pair of jeans and a turquoise blouse. Nothing too fancy, nothing too sloppy. She remembered the last time she dressed up for a client. One day, she hoped to wear a Demons LLC shirt, but that was another idea she had yet to sell to Cindy.
She stepped into a pair of sandals and walked directly into their fight.
"Hey, guys." She opened the refrigerator and searched for a bottle of water. "Alex, what did you do? Whatever it is, just say you're sorry, and move on."
Silence, which Leese didn't expect. No jokes, no laughter, nothing. She turned and regarded the two of them. Whatever was going on was very serious. Did Alex cheat on Cindy? She dismissed the idea as quickly as it came. They were both stupidly, obnoxiously in love with each other. Her brother wasn't capable of such a thing, and neither was Cindy.
"Guys?"
They both looked at her, and suddenly she had a clue. Knowing them both her entire life gave her certain insights to their moods and body language.
"This is about me?"
They turned their attention to each other, and she could see their debate in their eyes. Which would one talk?
It turned out to be Alex.
"I don't like you going out to meet a client."
Leese was stunned at the admission.
"Well, uh, I've done it before."
"Yeah, but no one's requested you before."
"Hey, I told you this would happen. After you hired me and put my picture on the website. People would want to meet me." She playfully flipped her hair and thrust her hip out. "Who wouldn't?"
"Maybe we should just turn this one down."
She shook her head before casting a look to Cindy.
"And how do you feel?"
Cindy sighed and leaned forward on the couch.
"You're part of the company now. You're an adult. You're already helping us grow the business. If someone wants to talk to me or you first before meeting Alex, I think that's great. It takes pressure off him." She gestured to her husband angrily. "He's just mad that not everything is funneling through him anymore."
"No," he said, shaking his finger. "That's not it at all."
"Well, then you're afraid someone will come after Leese again."
Leese stiffened, and the room went quiet. Cindy wasn't unkind, but direct and stern. Leese looked to Alex for his reaction, who floundered for ten seconds.
"I—that's…yeah. That's part of it."
Leese was angry at Alex's overprotection. She was flattered at Alex's overprotection. He was her big brother. He was always there for her. But ther
e were times, even with his demonic powers, that she'd be on her own. It was not his place to hold her hand throughout life. Sometimes, he drove her absolutely crazy.
"Alex," she said carefully. "I'm okay."
"Yeah, but—"
"The client is the one that said they wanted to meet in public. I picked Starbuck's. We're going to meet, drink a cup of coffee. I'm going to get a feel for this guy, and he'll do the same for me. We'll talk about you, what you can do for him. This isn't the first time I've done this. You can't put me on the payroll, then tell me who I can and can't meet with."
Alex leaned away, taken aback.
"Actually, that's exactly what a boss does."
"Alex, stop," Cindy said, rolling her eyes. "You're right, whatever. But your reasons—"
"Yeah, yeah. I know," Alex said. "My reasons."
He paced a moment, while Leese and Cindy watched. She already knew what he'd say, but she waited patiently.
"Take your phone with you."
"I always do. I'm not like you."
"Remember to record everything."
"I always do. Again, I'm—"
"Alicia."
She froze, deciding not to press her luck.
"Your purse," he went on. "Do you have your—?"
"I have my pepper-spray. Shit, Alex, no one is out to get me." She tried to convince herself as much as him. "It's not like I'm dating a witch anymore, anyway."
Another awkward moment. Alex's face turned white. Cindy shifted on the couch, crossing her legs, before looking up at Alex. Leese felt her stomach drop, as her powers of sibling communication kicked in.
She wasn't going to enjoy the next few minutes.
"Oh, Jesus Christ," she said. "What now?"
"Kevin…."
Alex paused. Leese put a hand on her hip, waiting impatiently. She'd be late if he didn't untie his tongue.
"What about him?"
"I—"
"We," Cindy interrupted. "I'm a part of this, too."
"We…had a fight with Kevin. Right before you woke up at the hospital."
Leese felt her muscles tightening.
"About what?"
"About you. About you getting taken right outside your apartment."
"And what exactly did you say?"
"God, Alicia, I don't know. I don't remember every word."
"Why don't you try to remember a few?"
Damned and Cursed (Book 9): Witch Trial Page 19