by Amy Boyles
“Yes, I want to talk about the heart fire.”
The heart fire was literally a burning heart that sat in the center of the fireplace. It never went out, and it was the thing that powered Magnolia Cove.
Or rather, it was the object that made my town magical. Without it, Magnolia Cove wouldn’t have one iota of power.
Can you imagine how horrible that would be? Even though witches inhabited Magnolia Cove and we had our own power, there were places within the town itself that were magical—the Potion Ponds and the Conjuring Caverns, for instance. Even the Cobweb Forest, for as creepy as the place was, it had its own magic.
So if anything ever happened to that heart fire, Magnolia Cove would cease to exist.
“I’m getting tired of having the fire,” Betty said.
Oh no, I knew where this was going.
“But why? It really looks great on you. I mean, your cheeks are rosy; your eyes have a great glint to them.”
She glared at me with frustration.
“Okay, maybe it’s not a glint of happiness, but you’ve certainly got a lot of life in you.”
Betty smoothed her housedress. “I know all this, but I think it might be time for me to give up being the host for the heart fire. It’s time for you to take over. You keep our town staying magical.”
I hadn’t expected this from Betty, and to be honest, a pang of worry filled me. I studied her, really looked at her, trying to figure out where this was coming from.
Concern filled my voice. Heck, concern filled my entire body. It wasn’t like Betty to suddenly decide not to host the heart fire anymore.
Because that’s what had to happen to keep the magic alive. The heart fire burned in the hearth, but it also had to tether its magic to someone. Betty was the person the heart had tethered itself to, and now she was saying that she no longer wanted that responsibility.
“Are you okay?” I said.
She folded her hands in her lap and sighed. “I’m fine. Just an old woman, is all.”
I smirked. “You’ve told me before that witches live long lives. You might live to be two hundred. You’ve got plenty of time left where you shouldn’t be tired.”
“You don’t know about old lady ailments.”
“Sure I do,” I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. “I know about arthritis and bursitis and all the other itises you might have. I know your joints ache and you can’t cook all day like you used to be able to.”
“Kid, I could outcook you any day.”
I tried not to smile, but it was impossible given the fire in her voice and the spunk in her eyes. “Okay, well, maybe you don’t have any of the aches and pains I was talking about. If that’s the case, I guess this discussion is over with.”
I started to rise and stretch, but Betty pointed her finger back at the couch. “Sit down this instant.”
It felt like a giant hand wrapped around me and forced me to sit. “Hey,” I griped. “No fair. You can’t use magic on me.”
She narrowed her eyes to slitty wedges. “I can and I will. I’m still the boss in this house, and whatever I say goes.”
“Okay,” I whimpered.
“You will sit there and hear me out.”
As if I had a choice. “I’m listening.”
“Now.” Betty pulled out her pipe, lit it and started blowing smoke squares into the air. No, she didn’t blow rings because why blow rings when you could blow squares?
My grandmother was such a show-off.
“I’ve hosted the heart fire for a long time. So long that it’s high time I handed it over to someone else. That someone is you. You’ve hosted it before. When my power was broken last Christmas, you took over being the vessel for the fire. You’ve proved that you are powerful enough to take on its magic, and with your marriage, I feel that you are finally in the right position to accept the responsibility that is not only your duty but your destiny.”
Destiny? In the back of my mind I always knew that I’d have to host the fire one day, but I didn’t think that day would be for a long, long time.
Not that I didn’t want to host it. I mean, I did. Sort of. The power that the heart fire gifted to whoever it lived in was amazing—truly. But I wasn’t power hungry. Or even power greedy. All I wanted was to get married and keep living the quiet life I already had.
“Can’t my destiny happen later?”
Betty scowled. “If you don’t want to take on the heart fire, then don’t do it. If you’re too immature to accept the power I offer, then be that way.
“But…” She leaned forward. Concern burned in her eyes. “Know this—you are one of the few people in this world I trust to host the fire. If that power ever got in the wrong hands—”
“Wait, wait, wait.” I raised my palm to stop her right there. “I thought you once said that if anyone tried to take the heart fire, like someone who wasn’t supposed to, the fire would attack and kill them.”
“There are always ways, Pepper. Even you know that. If a bad element wants something hard enough, they will find the means to make it happen. No matter what.”
I supposed that was true. “Okay, so it boils down to something very simple—you no longer want to host the fire. That’s it, right?”
Betty nodded. “That’s it. It’s time for you to take it and make it your own. For you to hold the magic. Before you say no, promise you’ll do me a favor.”
I could at least do that much. “Sure. What’s the favor?”
Betty tapped the ashes from her pipe into the fire. “Promise that you’ll think about it.”
My stomach turned. I didn’t want to think about it. I wanted to say no. But this wasn’t that simple. In order to appease Betty, I nodded.
“Sure. I’ll think about it.”
Chapter 4
Mattie the Cat woke me up the next day by kneading on my chest. “Get up, sugar. I’m hungry!”
I wiped crusts of sleep from my lashes and stared into Mattie’s twinkling green eyes. “Since when have you needed me to get your food?”
“Since that cousin Molly of y’alls showed up. That lady gives me the willies.”
I picked up Mattie and hugged her to my chest. “Now how could a little old witch make you, a talking cat, feel uncomfortable?”
As soon as I loosened my grasp, she scrambled back onto the billowy comforter. “There are rumors she ain’t too good to her familiars. Been through a string o’ cats like nobody’s business.”
I smirked. “I’m sure it’s just a rumor.”
Mattie arched her back and stretched. “I ain’t takin’ to no rumors about cats missin’. That don’t make me happy at all. Rumor or not, I’m gonna stay far outta her way, which is why”—she poked my cheek with her paw—“I need you to get me my breakfast.”
I scooted out from under the comforter. “As you wish, my lady.”
“Hurry. I been up for hours.”
“You could’ve eaten by now,” I grumbled, “but I’ll be back in a jiffy.”
I threw on a robe and padded downstairs. Sunlight cracked through the blinds of the living room windows, spilling onto the hardwood floors. I peered outside.
A bright blue sky greeted me. It was perfect weather, as folks would start arriving today for the wedding. Axel’s parents and waves of other people would be coming to town. We had the rehearsal dinner tonight and then tomorrow, the wedding itself.
I could barely calm the butterflies that tornadoed in my belly. But I had a duty to do, so I entered the kitchen to nab a can of tuna for Mattie.
I mean, I could just give her plain old crunchy cat food, but I was in the mood to celebrate.
Figuring I would be alone in the kitchen, I was surprised when I nearly bumped into Molly.
I threw my hands in the air. “Ah!”
My heart thundered in my chest.
Molly raised her coffee to me. “Sorry. Didn’t mean to scare you. Seems everyone’s sleeping in today, so I thought I’d get up and make some caffeine.”
I kept my hand flat on my chest until my heart calmed. “Oh, well. Usually Betty’s up by now, but we stayed up late talking.”
She pointed out the window. “Nice dragon you’ve got out there.”
“Thanks.” I watched as Hugo played in the backyard, throwing a ball in the air with his mouth and then catching it. “He’s great.”
“I’ll bet.”
I could feel Molly’s eyes on me as I found a can of tuna in the cabinet. I didn’t look at her while I searched for the can opener and worked the tin lid off.
“Pepper,” she started.
“Yes?”
“All that stuff I said at dinner last night, about Axel—I hope it didn’t make you uncomfortable.”
Why should it have? You basically suggested you’d been intimate with my fiancé.
I blew off her worry, which I didn’t think was true worry anyway. I figured Molly didn’t actually care what I thought.
But maybe I was wrong. Cordelia liked her for some reason. It was just that I hadn’t figured out what that reason was.
But I was sure it was in there somewhere.
“No big deal,” I said. “Nothing to concern yourself with. I mean, it wasn’t as if that was the first time a woman had thrown herself at Axel in front of me.”
I glanced up to see Molly’s eyes narrow. The contempt in her gaze almost made me laugh.
“I wasn’t throwing myself at him,” she said.
I patted her shoulder. “Of course not. He’s very handsome. Amelia explained to me that things didn’t work out between the two of y’all. It’s no big deal. It didn’t work out for y’all, but it’s working out just fine for me.”
I grabbed the tuna and dropped the can opener in the sink to wash it out later. “Okay, well I’m going upstairs now. See you at breakfast.”
Her voice stopped me in my tracks.
“It would have worked out for Axel and me.”
The words were so simple. They could have meant several things if Molly had used different inflection. But the way she said it came out more like a threat than a reflection on her life.
I bristled yet forced a smile on my face. “Oh? How’s that? I thought he was boring.”
She laughed. It was a smoky, almost masculine sound. “That’s what I told my cousins, but that wasn’t the real reason we broke up. Axel wanted more, Pepper. He wanted us to be together. He said I was his…mate.”
It felt like a knife had gone straight through my heart. Axel had told me I was the only woman he wanted to be mated to. That he’d never felt this way before, about anyone.
Molly was only testing me. She was jealous, pushing my buttons, trying for some reason to make me angry. He’d probably broken up with her and this was Molly’s revenge—to make me feel insecure right before the happiest day of my life.
I suddenly realized that no matter how Cordelia and anyone else felt about Molly, I couldn’t stand her.
I sucked in my cheeks and took a menacing step toward her. “Listen, I don’t know what game you’re playing, but you can stop it right now. Axel is not interested in you. He’s marrying me and that’s that. Okay?”
Molly shrank a little. She crossed back to the window and pointed outside. “Such a nice dragon. I wonder what it would be like to ride him?”
Not that she would ever find out. I ground my teeth so hard I swore a filling would pop out. Then I took the tuna and myself out of the kitchen—for good.
Molly had me so heated up I wanted to leave the house. I didn’t even want breakfast here.
I kept telling myself that it was only for a few days. In a few days she’d be gone, I’d be married and all this mess would be over.
I called Axel as soon as I was outside. “Want to meet at Spellin’ Skillet?”
“You know what’s remarkable?” he said.
“What?”
“I was just about to call you and ask the same thing.”
“Let’s meet then. I’m starving.”
“See you in ten.”
I stuck my fingers in my mouth and whistled. A moment later the tree branches rustled as Hugo landed in the front yard.
“How’re you doing, boy?”
Good, Mama.
I hoisted myself onto his back, and we rose into the sky, high above the trees. If there was anything that could make me feel better, it was riding Hugo. All my worries and cares slipped away as the dragon flew through the sky.
I glanced down at the road that led into town. Traffic was heavy today as visitors floated in. I didn’t know everyone who would be attending the wedding, as some were Axel’s family and werewolves, at that, but I was ready to meet them all and call them my family.
We landed in front of Spellin’ Skillet a few minutes later. I patted Hugo and thanked him, telling the dragon that he didn’t need to wait around, that I’d be able to get home on my own.
He disappeared into the trees, and I went inside. Spellin’ Skillet was packed to the gills. I’d never seen the place so busy. It was as busy as a restaurant on Friday night date night.
The hostess’s station was empty, so I stood waiting for someone to return.
“Here by yourself?”
The voice came from over my shoulder. I glanced at a tall man with short chocolate-colored hair that was coiffed at the top and shaved slim on the sides. He had a dark, pointy beard, wore a short-sleeved shirt (in this cold?) and sported bulging muscles with tattoos snaking from his biceps to his forearms. His full lips tipped into a smile.
“No, I’m waiting for someone.”
“I hope it’s a gentleman, because otherwise I’m afraid I may just have to whisk you away to have breakfast with me.”
Confident much?
I displayed the engagement ring on my finger. “In fact, I’m waiting for my fiancé, Axel Reign.”
His eyes widened in surprise. “So you’re the bride-to-be.”
I nodded. “That’s me.”
He extended his hand. “How do you do? I’m Blake Calhoun.”
“Pepper Dunn.”
There was something in his eyes, a spark that suggested more than intelligence. He was magical, but I couldn’t tell how.
Until a tingle started in my scalp and drifted down my head to my neck and shoulders.
That was when I knew what he was—vampire.
Only vampires could make me shiver under the weight of their stare. I didn’t know what it was about them—if it was their very eyes or their demeanor or simply if my response was a reaction to some ancient survival technique that witches had developed in order to stay alive around them.
Because often staying alive was the key when it came to vampires.
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” Blake said.
“You’re here for the wedding? Family of Axel’s?”
He rubbed his beard, fingering the pointed end. He stared at me with amusement, as if my question was a silly one. Which I suppose it was. But I didn’t want to assume that Blake was here for my wedding. Perhaps he’d come to Magnolia Cove for another reason.
“Yes, I’m here for your wedding. And I must say, the bride is certainly going to be beautiful on her wedding day.”
“Oh, well. I mean, you don’t know that.”
He winked and his lips curved into a devilish smile. “Oh, I’m pretty sure I do.”
I cleared my throat to clear my head.
Vampires oozed seduction. There was nothing coy about them; they were simply charismatic and charming without having to give it any effort.
At all.
I could see how easy it was for an evil vampire to ensnare his prey. All he had to do was wink at her.
But hopefully since Blake was here for the wedding, he wasn’t one of those types of vampires.
“Then do you know Axel?”
Blake shook his head. “No, I was invited by…another party.”
The door behind Blake opened, and I caught a glimpse of dark hair, broad shoulders and a muscular chest that could
have been chiseled from marble.
“Axel,” I said, leaning over and brushing my lips against his cheek.
“You beat me here,” he murmured into my ear.
“I took my dragon.”
He threaded his fingers through mine. “You cheated.”
“It wasn’t a contest.” I rolled my eyes. “There’s someone I want you to meet. Blake Calhoun.” I turned to where Blake had been standing only a moment ago.
I frowned. He was gone. The vampire had disappeared. “Well, he was standing there.”
Axel shrugged out of his jacket. “Am I supposed to know him?”
“No, well, I don’t know. Maybe. He’s coming to the wedding.” I leaned into Axel’s ear and whispered, “Vampire.”
Axel narrowed his eyes. “He’d better not try to steal my lady, or we’ll have some serious problems.”
I swatted him playfully. “You don’t need to worry about that. No vampire’s going to steal me.”
Just then the hostess finally arrived. She escorted us to Axel’s favorite table, way in the back where no one could find him.
Just kidding. I’m sure people could find him; it was just more likely that Axel didn’t want to be found.
After we ordered, I told Axel about Betty and the heart fire.
“And let me guess,” he said, “you don’t want it.”
The waiter delivered our plates—I had pancakes topped with strawberries and cream while Axel had a skillet filled with hash browns, sausage and eggs.
The pancakes were going against my diet, but I only had one day left before the wedding. I figured I could risk gaining half a pound.
“It’s not that I don’t want it… Okay, it’s that I don’t want it. It’s a lot of responsibility. I’m not sure I’m ready for it.”
“Well, I’d rather you take it than someone like Amelia.” Axel forked a bite of food into his mouth and chewed before adding, “Not that there’s anything wrong with her, it’s just—”
“It’s just what? She’s my cousin and I love her.”
“She’s also not the most together person I know. She’s a bit scattered.”
I hiked a shoulder to my ear. “I can be scattered too.”
“Not that scattered.”
“Axel!”