Pawsitively Cursed

by Melissa Erin Jackson

  “Hey, Will?” Amber said, letting her dad go. “Come give Dad a hug.”

  Willow shrugged and bounded over and gave her father a tight squeeze. He kissed Willow on the forehead.

  It was then that Amber noticed her mom standing at the base of the steps, her arms folded and gripping her elbows. She looked just as pained as her father.

  “Geez! What’s wrong with you guys tonight?”

  Her mom walked over and pulled Amber into a hug, too. “I love you so much,” she whispered in Amber’s ear as she smoothed down her hair with one hand. Then she pulled back, cupping Amber’s face in her hands. “You know that, don’t you?”

  “Yeah, of course,” Amber said, eyebrow cocked. “Is this because we haven’t been to a sleepover in a long time?”

  Her mom laughed, a tear slipping free before she quickly wiped it away. “Something like that.”

  Amber had wanted clarity—had craved it for fourteen years—but she suddenly knew that clarity was going to break her heart. Her parents’ actions that night made so much more sense now. Had they known?

  After her mother tearfully hugged Willow goodbye too, Amber and her little sister called one final goodbye and bolted out the door, slamming the door behind them.

  By the time Theo—his vision blurry due to his tears—had turned around, Belle was on the ground on her knees, forehead pressed to the floor as she sobbed. He rushed to her side, wrapping an arm around her. “Come here, baby. Come here.”

  Belle threw her arms around him, the two now hugging each other while on their knees, both openly weeping.

  Amber had never, in all her sixteen years of being around her parents, seen or heard either one cry as hard as she did now. It was hard to experience, this very private moment between two people who had now been gone almost as long as they’d been in her life. People who had a whole world of experiences and emotions that Amber and her sister had no clue about. People who had taken on a saint-like place in her mind for years, and who were now stripped down to two very human near-strangers.

  The only good thing—if one could label any of this good—about being trapped in this memory was that she was still seeing the memory from her father’s point of view; she didn’t have to see them crying their eyes out. But hearing it undid her anyway.

  What felt like centuries later, the two broke away from each other and stood. Theo cupped Belle’s face with one hand and swiped his thumb under her eye, wiping away a remaining tear. “I love you more than I can ever possibly say, Annabelle.”

  Belle closed her eyes, leaning her face into his palm. When she opened them again, she said, “You and the girls are the best things that have ever happened to me. He was a dumb mistake I made when I was young. Once I met you?” She shrugged, smiling despite her red, puffy eyes. “He didn’t stand a chance once I met you. I have no regrets. Every choice I’ve made, no matter how flawed, gave me you and the girls. I love you just as much now as I did the day we got married.”

  Theo let out a choked sound. “They’ll be okay?”

  Belle’s bottom lip shook, and she trapped it between her teeth to stop it. “The visions point to this being the best option.”

  “That doesn’t answer my question.”

  Belle let out a shaky sigh. “No, they won’t be okay. Not really. But they’ll adjust. What child would ever truly be okay after their parents disappeared without a trace?”

  Amber couldn’t react the way she would normally, since she was stuck in someone else’s body, in a different time, but the realization that her parents had planned to abandon them was almost as shocking to her as the fact that whatever they’d planned, it hadn’t worked. What had gone wrong?

  “When is Edgar supposed to be here?” Theo finally asked.

  “Any minute now,” Belle said.

  “And you’re sure he’ll show?” he asked, starting to pace. “This all hinges on him getting the—”

  “He’ll be here.” Belle watched him as he walked the length of the foyer and back again. “He knows it’s important.”

  Theo turned to her. “You didn’t … I mean, he doesn’t know …”

  Belle shook her head. “He’s got no idea about the spell in question, and the book is warded so he can’t open it. Only Amber or Willow can. Though, given what Penhallows are capable of, they might be able to break the ward if they got their hands on it. The cloaking spell has been reinforced three times over. As long as he gets it out of here and does what he’s supposed to do, the book and the girls will be safe.”

  Theo blew out a breath and started to pace again. Belle chewed on a thumbnail.

  Within minutes, a knock on the door sounded. Theo rushed to answer it. An eighteen-year-old Edgar stood on the other side of the door, his hands shoved into the pockets of his jeans. His wild mop of black hair was no less wild now than it was in the present, but currently it flopped over one eye. He swiped it out of his face, then shoved his hand back in his pocket.

  “Hey,” he said. “Hope I’m not late.”

  Theo’s gaze shifted over Edgar’s shoulder and he eyed the shiny white pickup truck idling at the curb. A pickup that now sat rusting and abandoned in front of Edgar’s house. “Right on time.” He ushered Edgar in.

  Theo led Edgar to the breakfast nook where Belle stood before two books lying on the round kitchen table. Both books were two inches thick and leather-bound, the covers a rich black. Stamped across the front of both was the name HENBANE, the letters depressed into the leather as if they’d been burned there with a branding iron. The pages looked to be made of sturdy parchment. Amber was desperate to flip their covers open.

  “Why do you have two?” Edgar asked. “Didn’t you only want me to hold onto one?”

  Belle nodded. “Can you tell the difference?”

  Edgar took a step toward the books and placed a hand on either one. After a few seconds, he tapped the one on the right twice with an index finger and stepped back. “That one has a cloak on it? I can’t feel the magic in it.”

  Belle grinned at him. “Your mother would be so proud.” She placed a hand on the back of his neck and pulled him toward her so she could kiss his temple. He flushed. Edgar had always seemed a little uncomfortable with affection.

  Theo slung an arm around Belle and pulled her to his side. Theo and Belle stared at Edgar. Amber wondered if they’d looked at him with the same tear-rimmed eyes as they had with herself and Willow.

  “You guys in trouble or something?” he suddenly asked, eyeing them. He crossed his arms and leaned a hip on the table. “I mean, maybe you guys got into a fight before I got here or whatever, but it looks like you both have been crying. Anything I need to be worried about? I’ll do whatever you guys need for whatever reason, you know that. But if you need help, you can be honest with me. I can handle it, whatever it is. Dad’s a space case, but he’s still your brother, Aunt B. He can help too.”

  Belle sighed, and she almost—almost—sounded like she was going to confess something, but stopped herself. “You’re a sweet boy. But we’re okay. We just need help with this one thing. Can you take the cloaked one?”

  Edgar frowned. Amber could tell he was hurt. Hurt that they’d shut him out when something was very clearly wrong. “Yeah, okay.” He grabbed the book off the table and hugged it to his chest. “It’s safe with me.”

  After a quick hug from both Belle and Theo, Edgar headed to the front door. He stepped over the threshold, glanced over his shoulder, looking at them both in turn, offered a sad smile, and closed the door.

  Once they saw the sweep of his headlights as he made a three-point turn to get out of their makeshift cul-de-sac, Theo let out a long sigh. “That boy is never going to forgive us.”

  Belle hooked a hand around one of Theo’s arms and rested her cheek on his shoulder. “If the spell works as it should, he won’t remember enough to know he’s upset with us in the first place.”

  The scene peeled away again, this time showing Theo and Belle in their bedroom. They ea
ch had an open suitcase on the bed and were frantically running from closet to dresser and back as they filled their bags.

  “How much longer do we have?” Theo asked as he tossed a handful of folded socks into his suitcase.

  Belle checked the clock on her nightstand. “The cloaking spell on the book downstairs faded about five minutes ago. Neil, assuming he’s still nearby, would have sensed it immediately. Just depends on how long it takes him to get here.”

  “Your uncertainty isn’t helping my nerves, babe,” Theo said.

  “It’s not an exact science,” she said, throwing several pairs of folded jeans into her bag. “But he’ll be here. I’d say a good ten—”

  Something heavy thumped against the door several times in rapid succession. Theo and Belle froze, then looked at each other.

  “Not an exact science, indeed,” Theo said, then immediately headed out of the bedroom and down the stairs.

  Thud, thud, thud.

  Belle was right behind him. “Let him lead the conversation as much as possible. He likes the sound of his own voice. We need to get him out of here as fast as possible, so we have time to get the heck out of Dodge. We can do this.”

  “I know, I know,” Theo said, but she knew he appreciated the pep talk. Theo Blackwood always loved a good pep talk.

  Thud, thud, thud.

  Just before Theo reached the door, it flew open with such force, it was knocked off its hinges and onto the floor. Theo stumbled back in time to avoid getting hit in the face.

  A man stood in the doorway. He was handsome in an unnerving kind of way—close-cropped black hair, cunning hazel eyes, and a half-smile that was somewhere between dangerous and sexy. Amber recoiled mentally, knowing this was Neil Penhallow. Even without the knowledge these memories had given her, Amber had a feeling she’d have known he was a Penhallow on sight. He sauntered into the house. Theo, with Belle behind him, took several steps back.

  “I knew you still had it, Anna,” Neil said, gaze scanning the foyer. He sniffed the air a few times, like a bloodhound scenting a fox. “I’ve been waiting and waiting in this little hellhole of a town. Waiting for you to give up the book. Waiting for you to leave your pathetic husband when you realized you made the wrong choice all those years ago.”

  Before Theo could reply, Belle said, “How long have you been in Edgehill?”

  “Oh, I don’t know,” he said, stepping farther into the foyer. He had his hands clasped behind his back and surveyed the room without looking at either Blackwood. “Three years now? Sinfully boring place, this.”

  “How did you find me?”

  “All those magical bursts from Kathleen Caraway tipped me off,” he said. “It was luck, really. I had been nearby hunting down a lead on you, Anna, and stumbled upon Kathleen’s signature all over her town. Her signature eventually led me to you.”

  Belle muttered a curse under her breath.

  “But I would have found you eventually. I’ve always been drawn to you and your magic. One cannot simply run away from a bond like ours,” Neil said, his tone almost a purr. Then his gaze finally settled on Belle and Theo. He gave Theo a disapproving glance from head to toe, then shifted to a spot behind him, presumably to where Belle stood.

  “I knew I’d find you, and the book,” Neil said. “You’re too powerful to slum it with someone as lowly as a Blackwood, Anna. You and I, we could have taken the world by storm. You could have been a Penhallow.”

  “Never,” Belle snapped. “Theo is who I choose. It will always be him.”

  A vein in Neil’s temple pulsed as he clenched his jaw. Then he sniffed the air again, letting out a low moan. “Where is it?”

  “What makes you think—” Theo started to say, but Neil’s snarl in his direction made the rest of the words die in his throat.

  Neil’s hand shot out, quick as a snake, and a hole opened up beneath Theo. He had enough of his wits about him to grab the edge of the opening on either side before he fell in. Then, just as quickly, he was yanked out and set back on his feet. He glanced over at Belle just as she lowered her hand; she’d moved him with her magic with ease, as if he hadn’t weighed more than a feather.

  “Leave him out of this, Neil! This is between you and me.” Though her voice was strong, even Amber could recognize the incredulous look on her face.

  “Oh, don’t look so shocked, Anna,” Neil said. “Your father should have buried my powers further. He should have killed me when he had the chance. You two made my thirst for power even stronger. If anyone is to blame for your current predicament, it’s you.”

  Belle’s brows pulled together. She allowed herself only a moment more of confusion, then straightened her posture and stalked up to the cursed witch, tipping her head back to look up at him. “I don’t know how you found the book so fast. The cloaking spell wasn’t down for long. But … I don’t want trouble, Neil. I never have. I left Delin Springs to get away from trouble. I have a family now. That’s where my priorities are. If we—”

  Belle pressed a fist to her mouth. Amber wasn’t sure if this show of emotion was real or staged for Neil’s benefit. Then she turned to look at Theo, her eyes wide and pleading.

  Theo nodded.

  Focusing on Neil again, Belle lowered her fist and sniffed loudly. “If we … if we give the book … to you, will you leave? Will you promise never to contact us again?”

  Neil waved a dismissive hand. “Yes, yes. The book is all I want. It’s a good thing your little brats seem to have the magical prowess of rocks, otherwise I would have gone to them for the book.”

  Theo watched as Belle’s jaw clenched, the tearful display of emotion having dried up almost instantly. “They have nearly no affinity to speak of.”

  Neil scoffed. “That doesn’t surprise me. Even magic as powerful as yours would be diluted by a Blackwood as weak as this pathetic creature.” He sneered at Theo as if he were a piece of gum stuck to his shoe.

  Somehow, Amber could tell her father was holding back. She wondered if his magic pulsed and tingled beneath his skin in instances of high emotions, as it did with her.

  “You and I would have created formidable heirs, Anna,” Neil said, his tone sultry as he stepped forward and slowly circled Belle as if she were a shiny new car on the showroom floor. “But even you aren’t perfect. It took three decades, but you finally slipped. That book of yours produced a beacon the moment the cloak dropped. We can sense it. We all want it. We can practically taste it.” He stopped in front of her. “It’s in better hands with me than with my brother, wouldn’t you say? He wants the book even more than I do, after what you did to our father.”

  Belle recoiled.

  “Give it to me, and I’ll be on my merry way. Then the Penhallows will be after me, not you,” he said. “It’s safer for your weak little husband and your even weaker spawn. Wouldn’t it be nice to no longer be in hiding?”

  Belle stared at him for a long moment before she shot another quick glance at Theo. He nodded again.

  After blowing out a slow breath, she stepped away from Neil and walked to a small closet built into the stairs—the same one she’d eyed during the first memory Amber witnessed. Belle opened the door, pulled out a small black suitcase, and brought it to Neil. She held it out to him by the handle.

  Neil practically salivated at the sight and took the case from her. He gripped it in both hands and gave the seams a thorough sniff before he opened it. The shuddering sigh he unleashed was mildly obscene. Propping the case on one hand, he popped it open and pulled out the book. The case dropped to the ground with a thud that caused both Blackwoods to flinch.

  “You’ll … you’ll be careful with it?” Belle asked. “There are very powerful spells in there, Neil. They require practice and careful—”

  He waved her off. “You’ve made a wise choice, Anna.” Clutching the book against his chest, he doffed his imaginary cap and headed for the door. With a flick of his wrist, the door refastened on its hinges. “My clan thanks you. We’ll see you on
the other side of history.”

  The moment the door slammed closed behind him, Belle and Theo bolted up the stairs. Their packing was more frantic now.

  “What we have is enough!” Theo finally said, jerking the thick zipper along the edge of his suitcase, sealing it shut. “We’ve got to go. Who knows how long we have before he starts experimenting. We’ve got enough cash to last us a while.”

  “It should take him at least an hour to realize the book is fake,” said Belle. “He’ll try the smaller spells first to make sure they work.”

  “And we need at least an hour’s head start.”

  Seconds later, they were pounding back down the steps, each with a suitcase in hand.

  But they came up short just as they reached the base of the stairs, thanks to a crazed scream from outside. It was an animalistic scream. The scream from someone who had just received devastating news. Something slammed to the ground outside with a thunderous crash.

  “Do you think me a fool, Anna?” Neil bellowed from outside. “I will not be fooled!”

  Theo raised his hands, muttering the words Amber recognized now as a protection spell. Something similar had been used to ward the Quirky Whisker. But no sooner had he finished the spell, the house itself seemed to give a shudder. A great, groaning rumble. Amber wondered if the floorboards vibrated beneath their soles.

  “Your wards won’t work now, you traitorous mongrels!”

  They dropped their suitcases and ran to the back of the house to the door that led to the garage, but the second Theo touched the knob, he was thrown backward and slammed into a wall.

  “Theo!” Belle screamed, rushing to his side.

  He shook his head, trying to unscramble his brain, then waved her off. “Try the kitchen door.”

  That one had been warded too. They tried windows, only to be zapped with an electrical current when they tried to open them. Every spell they tried fizzled out when it hit the wards, or bounced back. One particularly potent air spell bounced off a window and knocked both Belle and Theo off their feet.