The Rhinestone Witches Omnibus: Books 1-3

by Addison Creek

  They already hated me. I didn’t need to add it to. Besides, walking out into the night was a risk I was unwilling to take.

  Right before I stepped back inside, I noticed a cold bite in the air. Glancing up, I saw that the clouds were starting to obscure the stars. In the deep darkness I couldn’t be sure, but there seemed to be a strange tinge to their coloring. Quickly, I went inside and shut the door.

  Lowe was still out back with the cats, but Michael was calmly munching on a breadstick. “How’s the weather?” he asked.

  “Didn’t you just eat?” said Kelly.

  “That was a long time ago,” he said.

  Kelly shook her head. “You eat like my brothers.”

  “Please don’t compare me to your siblings,” said Michael quickly, his pale face quirking. But Kelly was too busy trying to fill green pouches with herbs to notice his distress.

  “This is stuff Michael found in Bethel’s cupboard,” Kelley explained. “He says she’s brewed the herbs in a cauldron and dried them. They’ll be good to fend off Vixen vapor.”

  “We each hang one around our necks,” Michael put in. “I’ve added a couple of my feathers just to be certain. The pouches should make the vapor less dangerous.”

  “I want to get these Vixens. They’ve killed enough. They’ve caused my family enough grief,” I said angrily. I was looking around the kitchen, trying to continue with preparations, but my mind was on the dark figures marching toward us.

  “It’s important that we’re prepared,” said Kelly. “They wouldn’t be showing themselves unless whatever Sammy hid was desperately important,” her hands shaking a little as she handed me a pouch.

  I took a deep breath and then took the pouch. The herbs were an unusual mix, but I liked the smell. Maybe it was tinged with a hint of owl; I wasn’t quite sure. Michael was busy going through the bag he had slung over his shoulder.

  “What’s all that then?” I asked him.

  He glanced up and shrugged. “My parents told me that the world is a dangerous place and that I must protect myself and the owls at all costs.”

  “My parents told me not to eat ice cream for dinner and not to beat up my brothers,” said Kelly.

  “You beat up your brothers?” Michael was fascinated.

  “Yeah, well, only a couple of times. We were little. Now we’re on better terms,” said Kelly.

  Michael looked like he had a million questions that I couldn’t begin to imagine, but I cleared my throat and forced him to focus.

  “Sorry,” he said. “Right, so whenever I leave the house I carry this bag with me. It’s filled with enough gadgets and defenses that I shouldn’t have to worry too much about the owls’ safety, or my own.”

  “Can I see inside?” I asked.

  He slid away from me. “Certainly not! There are precious treasures in here!”

  “Oh, very well,” I grumbled.

  I tried to get a glimpse into the bag anyway, but Michael moved his shoulder to block my view. I grinned at him and moved on. “I’m going to close all the curtains and turn off the lights. I’ll leave the fire going, but that’s it. I don’t want the Vixens to see inside the cottage.”

  “Don’t you want them to think we’re home?” Kelly asked.

  “They know exactly where we are,” I said grimly.

  Then Lowe came in and said, “Talked to the cats. They’ve been preparing for this for years. I asked them why and they said that if the queens are going to be toppled, there’s only one way to do it.”

  “What way?” Kelly asked.

  But I already knew. “They need unicorns, don’t they? The Vixens were always going to come after us. Now, with Bethel gone, is the perfect time.”

  “On top of the fact that whatever Sammy stole is missing,” said Lowe.

  “Did the cats say anything about that?” I asked.

  Lowe shook her head. “I was afraid Sammy might have hidden the goods in . . . dung, and we’d have to dig them out. Turns out she didn’t. The cats saw her nearby but she didn’t have a chance to come outside,” said Lowe.

  “I’m going to shut the lights off. I’ll be back. We don’t have much time,” I said. “Call the sheriff’s office. Tell them to get to Misdirect as quickly as possible.”

  Michael frowned. “Telephones are annoying. People can use them to get in touch with you.”

  “And vice versa. Call, please,” I said, and with that I left the cottage.

  Bethel had left town. She must have known we were in danger from the Vixens. What was the woman thinking? That we could handle ourselves? Sure we could! At, like, the farmers market! But not in the face of an attack from a dark organization!

  This was ridiculous.

  I wondered again who exactly Sammy had stolen from. If it hadn’t been Michael, maybe it was the Vixens themselves? That was hard to believe, but Sammy became a train conductor to transport goods around town for someone. She must have known that if the Vixens were her clients, she surely shouldn’t steal from them.

  Then again, maybe Sammy knew everything and it didn’t matter. We knew plenty and the Vixens were still coming for us. Having Michael Fieldcorn and the unicorns all concentrated in one place would be a black marketeer’s dream. We were sitting with a pile of gold and the Vixens were coming right for us.

  Chapter Thirty-One

  Once the lights were off I returned to the kitchen. I scanned the room, and when my eyes passed over the window I nearly screamed. There was a great black owl sitting outside looking in.

  Michael clucked his tongue at my foolishness. “Don’t worry. That’s just Cracker,” he said.

  “Where’d he get that name, anyhow?” I asked. The owl stared at me unblinking, his eyes the color of sour milk.

  “He likes crackers, so I named him that a long time ago. When I was a kid I used to love feeding him,” Michael explained.

  We continued to work for a few more minutes. Cracker stayed in the window. For a while there was no sign of the cats, then Spunk came trotting in. There was a weight and a seriousness about his manner that I hadn’t seen before.

  I quickly looked at Cracker to see how he was taking the appearance of the cat.

  “He’s pretty unfazed, although if he were less well trained he’d definitely want to eat him,” Michael explained.

  Spunk clearly understood that statement, because he hissed and ran between Lowe’s legs.

  “Tell Spunk that if he listens in on my phone conversations again I’d consider it,” I grumbled. “Judgy.”

  “You know very well you love Spunk and wouldn’t know what to do without him,” said Lowe, picking up the cat and stroking him.

  “They’re here,” said Michael.

  Cracker was now looking over his shoulder. The only light left on in the cottage came from the fire. Light from the orange flames flickered and burned over our faces, casting an ominous glow. Kelly hurried to pass out the green pouches she had made. Lowe and Michael quickly slid them over their necks.

  “How are we going to handle this?” Lowe asked.

  “I don’t want them getting to the unicorns, let alone the cottage. We go confront them. Outside. In the snow. The cats will be there, not to mention the owls. We have to help the animals. If you have a problem, come inside. Don’t stay out there and put yourself at risk.” I took a deep breath. Kelly went to peer out the window. Cracker had flown away.

  “I can’t see anything,” said Kelly. “Even the moon is obscured. Isn’t that strange?”

  “It is and it isn’t,” I said. “I’m pretty sure the entire valley is covered in Vixen vapor at this point.”

  “Hopefully everyone stays indoors,” said Lowe.

  “Hopefully,” I said. “Let’s go.”

  At the back door I threw on my coat and hat. We’d had a little warning to prepare for the onslaught of magic, but that was all. We were on our own now.

  I stepped out into the freezing night. A blast of air hit my face, so cold it hurt. The darkness was so thic
k and dark I couldn’t see anything but the unicorns. They were in the barn, but the door was open.

  “Why’s the door open?” I asked.

  Lowe was right behind me. “They insisted. I couldn’t close it,” said Lowe.

  The unicorns were a daring bunch. I wasn’t at all surprised that they wanted to watch the action unfold. They knew something was coming.

  “To the barn we go!” I said.

  The four of us made our way to the doorway, the unicorns gathering behind us. Some were watching curiously, others clearly didn’t care. When I tried to tell the nearest unicorn not to worry, he interrupted me with a loud nickering.

  “Okay, worry then,” I said. “We’ll protect you either way.”

  There was still no sign of a single cat. When I glanced up at the night sky I could see that Kelly was right. There was nothing to see.

  “Where are the owls?” I asked Michael.

  “Don’t worry about them,” he said. “When we need them they’ll be here.”

  Before I could say anything else, I looked toward the cottage and saw flashes of light spewing into the dark sky from the front of our home.

  “The pixies and fairies are fighting he Vixens!” I called out.

  Something brushed against my face and I looked up again. A swirling thread of vapor crept toward us, and suddenly I knew that it had been hanging in the sky for days. I had thought it was merely fog, but instead it was a trap.

  “I got it!” Kelly yelled. She twisted and flicked her wrist, whispering something under her breath. Michael made a hooting call. Not that I knew anything about how owls communicate, but if I hadn’t seen him do it I would have thought it came from the creatures themselves. Phoenix appeared, soaring through the air, his speckled body diving for the front of the cottage.

  Just as suddenly as the Vixen vapor had started to brush my cheeks, it disappeared. I craned my neck upward to see it retreating. In its place was a rainbow.

  I looked at Kelly. My friend shrugged. “I mean, it’s not as if I know complicated spells for battle. But rainbows I can do.”

  “We’re doomed,” groaned Lowe. “But remind me that I want to see that rainbow spell later. Might work well in my hair.”

  “I’m uncomfortable with this conversation,” said Michael. He had ranged a little out in front of us and started to bury owl feathers in the ground. No, I hadn’t seen anything stranger. And in Twinkleford everything was strange. The bar was high.

  “Are the fairies and pixies okay?” I whispered.

  The speckled owl was making his way back.

  “We’ll know soon enough,” said Kelly.

  The owl landed on Michael’s shoulder and fluffed his owner’s hair.

  “The fairies and pixies are in shock, but alive,” said Michael. “Get ready.”

  Over the windswept lawn and the dark expanse between us and the house the first Vixens appeared. I had seen a grouping of three at a time several times, but now there were at least five. I swallowed hard.

  They came from both sides of the house. As usual, they were dressed all in black. The same dark cloth covered their faces.

  “Twist, and flick, twist and flick, bring your fingers perfectly together,” I muttered to myself over and over. Now was not the time to forget how to spellcast.

  There was still a rainbow above my head. The colorful bands turned those of us standing beneath them funny colors. Behind me the unicorns whinnied softly. Now even they were being serious. I had a feeling they were doing it reluctantly.

  I strode forward. Lowe let out a gasp and ordered me to come back. I was careful to miss Michael’s small piles, while not making it look as if I had done so.

  The Vixens kept coming. My hands were sweaty and my ears started to ring.

  What was I doing?

  I was challenging murderous Vixens! I really must be crazy.

  “We don’t want any trouble. We just want whoever killed Sammy to go to jail, and we want to be left alone,” I said.

  The five Vixens came to a halt. Now they stood between me and my home. None of them said a word.

  “Who killed Sammy?” I demanded. “You aren’t going to find whatever you’re looking for here.”

  One of the Vixens raised her hand and pointed. Without glancing behind me I knew that she was pointing toward the barn.

  “There are so many important things in a small area that you’re going to have to be more specific,” I told the Vixen.

  Somehow I had the impression that I was slightly exasperating her.

  She pointed again.

  “Unicorns? Owl trader? Brilliant witches? Like I said, there’s a lot going on,” I said.

  The Vixens turned to look at each other. Maybe they were considering leaving. With all of us there, surely it wasn’t a fight they wanted to have.

  “WATCH OUT!” Kelly screamed.

  All five Vixens spun to face me at once. The next instant, Vixen vapor was blasting at me and I was forced to dive sidelong.

  vapor also rained down from above. Kelly must have sent a rainbow my way, because the multicolored lights quickly came to shield me. I was now buried in a cocoon of color that I couldn’t see out of.

  The fact that the Vixens had come more prepared than usual concerned me.

  Then again, we were more than ready.

  “Take that! And that!” Michael was shouting. Owls were dive bombing low and then skirting away. The Vixens had no time to defend themselves, let alone attack back. Michael was tossing feathers into the air. They appeared to be thrown willy-nilly, but then they took on a life of their own.

  Meanwhile, I was trying to get up onto my elbow so that I could at least perform a spellcast.

  Big spells would be the order of the night. What they were likely to accomplish I had no idea, but there was no time to attempt small spells and fail.

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The first Vixen marched past me, her cape billowing in the icy wind. Her body suit must be heated, I thought jealously.

  Who were these evil witches?

  The same witch who had pointed into the barn now turned back to me. With a flick of a spellcast the earth around me shattered. I spun away from the spewing dirt and rolled. In an effort to move quickly, I hit my elbow against a rock. My cry of pain drowned out the yells from Kelly, who was using multiple rainbows to defend herself and the rest of us. The owls continued to swirl. The air was now filled with deadly Vixen vapor and owl feathers.

  I managed to get into a seated position. Without thinking twice, I twisted my wrist and flicked. Snow broke into a million pieces and shot in every which direction. Mostly the cold white stuff hit the four Vixens who were still in front of me. I heard Michael yelling at the fifth one, but I didn’t have time to hear what he said.

  Lowe wasn’t a coven witch yet, so she didn’t have the same powers that Kelly and I did. Instead she had gathered several of our smaller crystal balls, awakened their magic, and was now hurling them at Vixens. Flying glass balls of color flew and bounced through the air, forcing the Vixens to dive out of the way. I hoped none of the small crystal balls would shatter, but meanwhile Lowe’s attack gave me a moment to perform another spellcast.

  Before I could finish it, though, a Vixen shot her vapor right into my face. The instant before the vapor slammed into my nostrils, something small and hard hit my shoulder and knocked me out of the way.

  I sprang to my feet as Tiger bounded away. All around me there were cats battling back against the other Vixens. Vixens were circling both Lowe and Kelly, but the cats were dodging and weaving, confusing them. Cats appeared out of the darkness to bite and scratch at ankles, then disappeared again. Sleek was a particularly adept attacker, while Spunk was a bit more hectic and free-range.

  The unicorns watched quietly. I had the sense that they were ready to step in – if the worst came. Never having seen the might of unicorn magic, part of me wanted that to happen. That part was dwarfed by my more sensible self, who simply wanted to defeat thes
e Vixens without any of us having to pay too high a price.

  My attention was forced back to my own safety.

  The vapor was getting thicker. With five witches casting it, that was bound to happen. I checked the pouch that was supposed to protect me. It was still hanging around my neck.

  “Here goes nothing,” I muttered. Then I charged.

  As I ran, I twisted and flicked like crazy. Explosions happened to my right as the earth shook to my left; it turned out that performing so many big spells one after another was a terrible idea. Large swaths of earth were likely to be destroyed. As was I, when Bethel found out.

  I would tell her that I merely wanted the Vixens to know I was serious.

  The four remaining Vixens hadn’t thought I would engage them.

  I knew that somewhere behind me Michael was fighting the fifth one.

  Vixen vapor thickened as the rainbows started to fade. I glanced behind me to see how Kelly was doing, but she was invisible. The four Vixens spread out in front of me, making it harder for me to attack.

  Suddenly a Vixen appeared next to me and tried to grab my arm; I jumped away just in time to avoid her. Lowe had given me some dried herbs that Bethel used in a cauldron brewing months before I arrived. I tossed them at the Vixen’s feet.

  She cried out and tried to jump away, but the tiny packets had already melted into molten heat. They burned through the earth just as she managed to step out of the powerful magical spellcast.

  “You were prepared,” she said harshly. “Just give us the goods that Sammy stole and we’ll be on our way.”

  “We don’t have them,” I told her.

  “She said she left them with the unicorns. I know perfectly well you have them. This is the only place in town with unicorns,” she said. Her voice rippled. She was trying to obscure it, but something about it was familiar. Did I know this Vixen? Or was it simply that the dangerous vapor coating the air was making me hear things that weren’t there?