A Charmed Cauldron

by Rose Pressey

  “Did you call Nicolas and ask him about the cauldron?” Liam asked.

  “I did last night. He said it wasn’t him.”

  “Then your spell must’ve not worked.” Liam ran his hand through his hair.

  “Maybe it means something else but figuring it out seems difficult at the moment. I think I’m getting a headache.” I massaged my temples as I moved over to the stool and sat down.

  The pull from the other cauldron and was still there… beckoning me. Should I mention that to Liam?

  “Maybe we should try…,” I said.

  Liam held his hands up. “Before you say it, no, we are not using the other cauldron. You must resist, Halle. You must resist.”

  “How did you know that was what I was going to say?” I asked.

  “I know you better than you think.” He winked.

  I stared at his handsome face for a moment. Maybe he did know me better than I thought. That was kind of a scary thing.

  “You know I’m here for you, Hallie. I won’t let you do something that I think is wrong, not if it’s going to hurt you.”

  “I appreciate that very much,” I said.

  Liam smiled. “Think nothing of it.”

  “What would I do without you?” I asked.

  “You’d be lost,” he said.

  I truly did appreciate what Liam said, but just the same, I still felt the pull from that cauldron. I needed to get rid of the thing and get it out of the house so that I could concentrate on the task at hand. I suppose this headache caused me to take my mind off the werewolves for a short time though. Nevertheless, I had to find a way to resist the cauldron.

  “I think we should move the cauldron outside,” I said.

  Liam nodded. “I think that might be a good idea, then again, what if someone takes it?”

  “What if it’s not bad and it’s really mine? What if I need it? Oh, I’m so confused. I don’t know what to do.”

  Try to resist, Hallie, I told myself.

  I got up from the stool. “Come on, let’s go take a look at the thing again and figure out what we should do.”

  Liam followed me out of the kitchen. “All right, but as long as you don’t try to do a spell.”

  “I promise,” I said.

  Liam and I stood in front of the cauldron, studying it like it was a fine piece of art. Like we were trying to figure out the meaning of the abstract painting. I leaned closer and studied the intricate scrollwork that was around it. I wanted to see if there were any hidden messages. It was a longshot, but I might get lucky. After a couple minutes of nothing, I gave up on finding a hidden message. Liam and I sat on the sofa staring at the thing for a few more minutes.

  “I think I’ll get a glass of water,” Liam said, pushing to his feet.

  I nodded as he walked away toward the kitchen. He looked back and smiled. As soon as he was out of the room the idea hit me. I could just try a spell while Liam wasn’t in the room. He wouldn’t be the wiser.

  I jumped up from the sofa and stood next to the cauldron. Listening for Liam in the kitchen, I’d have to hurry. Unfortunately, I had nothing to put in the cauldron—like water or spell ingredients. I’d have to cast a spell with nothing other than a cauldron and words. That seemed kind of pointless. Yet I couldn’t stop myself. This was a bit of a problem. I couldn’t collect items from the kitchen, but I didn’t care. I wouldn’t let that stop me. Instead I used my energy. That would have to be enough for the spell. I didn’t even know exactly what I was doing.

  Furthermore, I wasn’t sure that casting a spell over the empty cauldron would even work. Though I wanted to see what would happen. My curiosity won. I ran my hand along the edge of the cauldron. Instantly a spark zinged through my hand and arm. Of course this excited me.

  Just as I raised my arms and began to wave them over the top of the cauldron, Liam called out, “Halloween LaVeau, what do you think you’re doing?”

  I froze with my arms mid-air. “Nothing.”

  “I can’t leave you alone for two seconds around that cauldron,” he said.

  Heat rushed to my cheeks. “You’re right. I’m weak.”

  I’ll take care of this.” Liam said walking toward the foyer.

  “Where are you going?” I asked.

  “To get something to cover that cauldron. If you don’t see it maybe you won’t be tempted.”

  Liam walked out of the room. I hoped he was right and by covering the cauldron I wouldn’t be tempted.

  When my cell rang I looked at the screen. It was my Great-great grandpa Edwin. I just called him Gramps. He’d recently been reanimated. That may or may not have been my fault. That was a topic I tried to avoid.

  “Hi, Gramps, how are you? It’s so nice to hear from you.”

  “Did you get the gift?” The sound of waves crashed in the background as he asked, “And do you like it?”

  “You sent the cauldron?” I asked.

  He chuckled. “Guilty.”

  “Well, of course I like it, but you didn’t have to do that. I didn’t know you sent it.”

  “Did you get the card?” Grandpa Edwin asked.

  “No, I didn’t get a card. I’ve been trying to figure out who sent it. Thank you. It’s beautiful, but why did you send it?”

  “Because it’s supposed to be yours,” he said after another wave crashed.

  He’d been in Florida for a while now and since he was having such a good time I figured he wasn’t coming back to Enchantment Pointe anytime soon.

  “How do you know it was supposed to be mine?” I asked.

  “Well, it’s meant for the leader of the Underworld.”

  “How do you know that? You have to be specific about everything with me, you know.”

  “I happened to find it in an old house years ago and I forgot about it. It’s been at my place for a long time.”

  Great-great-grandpa Edwin was once the leader of the Underworld.

  “So the spell did work,” I said under my breath.

  “What do you mean, dear?” Gramps asked.

  “I cast a spell to find out who sent the cauldron and it gave me a vision of an old house and a young man. I thought it was Nicolas, but I only saw him from behind. That must’ve been you when you found the cauldron.”

  He laughed. “Yes, I suppose it was me that you saw. So you really do like it?”

  “Of course I do,” I said. “But I still don’t know why it’s supposed to be mine.”

  “The Book of Mystics said so when I found the cauldron. The thing is meant for the leader of the Underworld.”

  “So why didn’t I have it before now?”

  “The leader who took over after me didn’t want the cauldron, but I don’t know why,” he said.

  “I never heard anything about this, Gramps,” I said. “Why wouldn’t they use the thing? Where has it been all these years?”

  “I hide it away in a building I owned in New Orleans. When I remembered I had someone track down the address to see if it was still there. Sure enough it was in the same spot where I left it. All those years and no one knew it was there.”

  “What else do you have up your sleeve? Magic brooches, familiars, and cauldrons…”

  “I think that’s about it.” Gramps paused to order a daiquiri. “Do you promise you’ll use the cauldron?”

  “I promise I will,” I said.

  “Oh, here comes my friends. Gotta go.”

  “Talk to you soon, gramps,” I said.

  Wait until I told Liam that my magic had worked after all. He wouldn’t believe it. As if on cue he walked back into the room. I finally found the sheets. I draped the white cloth over the cauldron.

  “No need for that,” I said.

  “Hallie, I thought we discussed this,” Liam said.

  “You’re not going to believe this,” I said.

  “I think I’ll believe pretty much anything you tell me,” Liam said.

  “That’s true.” I laughed. “Gramps sent the cauldron, so it’s oka
y for me to use it.”

  Liam quirked an eyebrow. “Are you sure? You’re just telling me that so you can use the thing?”

  “I know you’re suspicious and so was I, but I believe him when he says he found it years ago. He was the man we saw in the spell. Of course it was when he was younger.”

  “So where did he find this thing?” Liam crossed his arms in front of his chest.

  I shrugged. “Some old abandoned house.”

  “Don’t you think you should find out more about this cauldron before you use it? I know how drawn you are to it, but better safe than sorry.”

  “It’s just so pretty,” I said.

  “Pretty can get you into trouble. Just promise me that you’ll check it out before you do anything.”

  “I promise I’ll check it out. We can look into it together if you’d like. That way you know I’m being honest with you,” I said.

  “I trust you, Hallie, but if you want me to help you I’d be happy to.”

  The sound of the front door opening caught our attention. I hoped it was just Thomas coming back. After a couple seconds Thomas stepped into the room.

  “Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Liam said. “Oh wait…”

  “Hilarious,” Thomas said drily.

  “What’s going on in here? What’s with the sheet. I leave for twelve hours and this is what I come back to?

  I rolled my eyes. “Maybe if you didn’t leave I wouldn’t have to explain.”

  I explained the situation to Thomas. He was just as skeptical as Liam. I thought he’d be on my side. Why were they still suspicious? It was just a cauldron.

  Chapter 26

  I was at Bewitching Bath and Body shop with Annabelle and my mother. Annabelle wore a spaghetti-strap black dress. Her black heels had jewels along the ankle strap. Her blonde hair was pulled up with little ringlets flanking her face.

  “It looks as if you have a date,” I said with a quirked eyebrow.

  My mother had been mixing up a spell for her new overnight sleeping mask, but she stopped once I pointed out Annabelle’s attire.

  “I guess I was so engrossed in my spell I didn’t notice how dressed up you are, Annabelle,” my mother said.

  We stared at Annabelle, waiting for her response. Why hadn’t she mentioned anything about this before? This was news to me. Usually she kept nothing a secret. This must be good. I couldn’t wait for the details. The fact that she was taking a moment to answer meant that there was something about her date that she didn’t want me to know. Maybe I wouldn’t like him, but could it be that I knew him already? The suspense was getting to me. I couldn’t handle it any longer.

  “You have to tell me. I can’t handle the suspense,” I said.

  She released a heavy sigh. “Okay, I have a date.”

  “And you’re just now telling me about this?” I asked.

  “Well, there really isn’t anything to tell.”

  “I’m your best friend and you didn’t tell me you have a date?”

  “You don’t tell me every time you go out with Nicolas.” She picked at the edge of her dress.

  “That’s because we’ve been dating for a while. Who is this guy? Do I know him? Why don’t you want to tell me about him?”

  “It’s just that I don’t know much about him and I figured you wouldn’t like that.”

  My mother shook her head. “This is not good.”

  “You’re right, Annabelle, I don’t like it,” I said.

  “How can you go out with a stranger?” my mother asked.

  “We have to know details about him. He could be a serial killer,” I said.

  “You think everyone’s a serial killer,” Annabelle said.

  “And then when they prove me wrong we’re all relieved, right? What time is he supposed to be here?” I asked.

  “Five minutes ago. It’s okay though. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” She pulled out her lip gloss and rubbed the shiny pink makeup across her full lips.

  Just then the bell above the door jingled, capturing our attention. When I looked over, I saw a handsome man walking our way. He looked straight at Annabelle. She smiled.

  “This must be the date,” my mother said.

  So far in the looks department he got a plus, but that counted for very little. Actually it counted for nothing. This guy had better be nice. His long legs allowed him to close the distance between us in just a few steps. He had a muscular build with broad shoulders and slim waist. His dark hair went well with the smoldering dark eyes. He flashed a wide smile at Annabelle.

  “I hope I’m not late,” he said. “I ran into some traffic.”

  Traffic in Enchantment Pointe? That didn’t happen often. Was he telling the truth? Already I had suspicions about this guy after just one comment.

  “You’re just on time,” Annabelle said with a smile.

  Had she just batted her eyelashes at him? He must have sensed me staring at him because he turned his attention to me.

  “Hello,” he said in a sweet voice.

  He might have tried to be nice, but I sensed something wasn’t right. I knew Annabelle would think I was just being protective of her, but this was serious. When I glanced at my mother she had a strange expression on her face too. She must’ve sensed this guy’s shadiness as well. Nonetheless, I couldn’t say anything right now in front of the guy. I mean, what if I was wrong? I would just have to let Annabelle go out with him and hope for the best. Maybe I could text her later. No that would be rude to do that while she was on a date. She would be mad at me. I was so confused. I didn’t know what to do. It wasn’t an option to stop her from going out with him. Though I would definitely talk to her later about him. There was no denying it … I didn’t like him.

  “Carter, this is my best friend, Hallie LaVeau. I told you about her.”

  “Nice to meet you,” he said, sticking out his hand.

  A surge of bad energy ran through my body as I shook his hand. I tried not to grimace, but I knew I’d probably made a face.

  “And this is Hallie’s mother, my boss,” Annabelle said.

  As he shook my mother’s hand she had the same reaction, but she didn’t hide her grimace. I didn’t think Annabelle noticed. She was too busy looking at Carter.

  “Should we go?” Carter asked.

  “Sure,” Annabelle said with a big smile.

  She hurried around the counter and he took her by the hand. It was a bit too early in the dating stage to hold hands, I thought. Back off, buddy. Sure, I was protective of my best friend, but I couldn’t stop myself.

  “See you later,” Annabelle said as she tossed her hand up in a wave.

  I watched as they walked across the shop. When they stepped out the door I looked down and noticed Carter’s shoes. They were just like the loafers that the guy from the Bubbling Cauldron had been wearing. As far as I knew that guy had never called Annabelle. What were the odds they would have the same shoes? Something wasn’t right.

  “I don’t like that guy,” my mother said.

  “Me neither,” I said.

  “He just puts off a bad vibe,” she added.

  “There’s something strange about him and I don’t know what it is, but I can guarantee I will get to the bottom of it.”

  I walked across the room over to the window to take a look and see what kind of car he was driving. Plus, see which way they were headed. Perhaps I should get the license plate number as well. I prayed that it wouldn’t be necessary, but better safe than sorry. I spotted them just a couple of cars down. He had parked along on the curb. He held the door open for her and she slid inside. After closing the door for her, he turned to go to the front to the driver seat, but he looked back toward the shop. I couldn’t believe my eyes. It was the mystery man.

  How is that possible? I saw his face in plain view and I knew it was the mystery man. It wasn’t the same guy who had stepped into the shop. This sent a chill down my spine. My mother had stepped over beside me.

  “Carter
is the mystery man,” I said frantically.

  “What do you mean?” my mother asked.

  “When he turned to look at me I saw his face and it wasn’t the guy we saw standing in here just a moment ago. It was the mystery man. I have to stop them.”

  “Oh, Halloween, what are you going to do?”

  “I’ll just chase them in my car, I guess. I don’t know. I have to do something. I’ll be back soon,” I said as I dashed out the door.

  “Please be safe,” my mother yelled after me.

  I would try my best to be safe, but in this situation, I wasn’t sure what would happen next. I knew there had been a reason I hadn’t liked the guy. All I could think now was that I had to stop them. The man from the Bubbling Cauldron had been the demon too. When Jay didn’t get a date with Annabelle the demon switched to his new identity of Carter. Did the demon have a stylist? The least he could have done was wear different shoes.

  I ran so fast toward my car that I almost stumbled over my own feet. Thank goodness I managed to remain upright. I tried to keep my eyes on the street so that I wouldn’t lose track of which way they went. It would be difficult to cast a spell to track them while I was driving at the same time. I scrambled for the car and got behind the wheel. After cranking the engine and shifting into gear, I peeled away from the curb.

  Thank goodness they had stopped at a red light. I hoped this guy didn’t realize I was behind him. If he kept a reasonable speed I might be able to keep up with him. If he started acting crazy then things would get wild. I had to text Annabelle and let her know that she was in danger. How would I do that while driving at the same time? I touched my phone and spoke into it so the microphone would catch my words.

  “You’re in danger,” I said.

  When I glanced at the screen it had captured my accent.

  You’re a ranger.

  “No, not ranger… danger. Danger!”

  Chapter 27

  I was pretty sure I couldn’t call the police and have them pull over the car. What would I tell them? My best friend is out on a date that I don’t like, can you make them stop? No, I had to handle this on my own. So far, I hadn’t gotten a response from Annabelle from the text that I’d sent. That made me panic even more. I could speed around the vehicle, get in front of them and slam on my brakes, making us crash. But then that could cause injuries so that wasn’t a viable plan.