Witch Trippin' Read online

  She stood up and said, still clutching the place over her heart, “It just dawned on me! Your familiar is a Fae Hallow! This Hallow responds to you.”

  I beamed. “Yes, Boney and I are friends. He is my familiar, and we have been friends since I was a kid.”

  “Bennie, do you know how powerful your familiar is? I think he can Boney help us find where Taggard is hiding Nathan.” Clara was now clutching me.

  I gasped with pleasure. “Boney...can you?”

  “Taggard, by blood,” Boney said. “Taggard, my Bennie’s great-grandfather, shares her blood. Yes, I can try,” Boney said. “But...I will need to use your blood, beloved one, and that distresses me. You will need to cut yourself and bleed all over that which I am. Indeed, how can I ask you to do such a thing? No. I don’t like it. Bennie must not cut herself.”

  “No worries. What is a cut? Boney, I heal within minutes.”

  “But the process will hurt. When you drip your blood on me, I will have to send out a charge of energy that will return some of your essence back into me. It will hurt, my dear Bennie. I am not pleased with this mission.”

  “What is a moment of pain, Boney, when we can help Clara by doing this for her?” I said, and petted my orb.

  “Very well, proceed! If it is your wish, how can I refuse?”

  * * * * *

  I took a small kitchen knife, and damn, but the pain I felt when I cut my finger was nothing, I mean nothing, to what followed. I allowed my blood from the open wound to drip all over the orb, and heard Boney in my head wailing.

  All at once, bam, a shot of blue energy zig-zagged through my veins with a force that had me shaking at an incredible speed. Agony filled every muscle, every nerve as I stood frozen and in the worst pain I have ever experienced.

  I heard Clara behind me crying and asking Boney to make it stop.

  Boney was in my head, tearfully apologizing that he couldn’t make it stop, it had to move toward completion.

  Suddenly, it was over. The pain was gone and my hand was free.

  I nearly collapsed, and am not sure how I remained on my feet. Clara shoved a chair under me and I sank onto it. Clara sat beside me and stroked my arm and said some soothing words over and over—a spell, I think, to help me recover. It worked.

  Boney’s voice was grief stricken as he said, “I am sorry, my Bennie, my dear beloved one. That something I did caused you such discomfort shames me. Now, I will make it up to you by helping your friend and you. I will try and locate your great-grandfather.”

  “Boney, not your fault, and now it’s over, so yup, let’s get this going. Let’s find Taggard Wey. You can do it, Boney. You were made for excellence, and I know you can get this done,” I said.

  “As always, you are most kind to acknowledge it. I will begin.” Boney stopped talking, but a whirl of different colors began spinning inside the orb.

  The next thing I knew, however, Boney pulled up the skull around himself, and said in my mind, This will take time. Many dimensions out there, and your great-grandfather doesn’t want to be found. Take me to our room, and then leave me to it.

  Okay, Boney. How long do you think?

  I don’t know. Leave me to it.

  I took him to my nightstand and set him down, went downstairs, gulped down a bottle of water, ate a large slice of strawberry shortcake, and called out to Clara, who was in her study. A cozy room in the back.

  “Boney is working on it, and I am going to take some fresh air. Be back in an hour or so.”

  Clara stuck her head out and waved me off nervously. I have never seen her nervous before and wondered at it.

  “What is it, Clara? What is wrong?”

  “I am not sure. I have a bad feeling...and between Boney saying you are in danger, and this awful feeling I have...don’t go far,” she said, and shook her head. “In fact, why don’t you forego the walk for now, and we can work on step three and four?”

  I shrugged, willing enough.

  Those steps, which I already had learned during White Magic training with my father’s coven, were easy peasy. Controlling fire and water. What was different was Dark Magic would allow me to control both elements simultaneously. Cool! I threw myself into this training session, and if my mind wondered a few times and thought of Jace’s kiss, well, red-blooded, ya know.

  When we were done, I went upstairs to check on Bone-Apart, stroked the top of his skull and felt a humming inside the orb. He was busy.

  Time for a hike. I called to Clara to let her know. She came running at me and said, “Be careful, be alert, and at the first sign of trouble, come home.”

  “What? Don’t think I can handle trouble?” I grinned. “You are forgetting, I am trouble.”

  * * * * *

  The sun was setting and looked exquisite, as it seemed to meet the earth. I smiled at it, thinking it was taking its last peep of the day through the Tomlin Piney Woods.

  I stayed on Clara’s land, and walked a footpath through the open field. Was I hoping to bump into Mr. Jace, the wolf? Yeah, if I am honest with myself, I so was.

  I stuck to the path that ran parallel to his deep forest.

  I had thought I might hear from him after last evening, and sighed as I recalled our kiss for the zillionth time. If one kiss had me swooning, imagine what would happen if he kissed me again...like that. Imagine if he took me to his bed? Oh, it was a sure thing, somehow he had managed to get under my skin and into my head.

  Not good. Not good at all, because...he hadn’t called. Why would he? He was a player. Players played and that was that.

  I knew it was getting late and I shouldn’t go far, but I just kept walking. I love strolling, hiking, and anything outdoors. It must be the wolf in me.

  And it certainly was the wolf in me who tensed and warned me that another paranormal creature was near. I shrugged it off. No need for concern, as I thought it was probably just one of Jace’s pack. I knew it wasn’t Jace. I was in tune to him. I would have picked up on his aura had it been him. At least, I think I would.

  I kept walking, but a creepy sensation took over and I told myself to be smart and head back, so I turned around and did just that.

  That ‘feeling’ of being watched got stronger. All my instincts told me Boney was right, danger lurked and had become a living, breathing thing.

  I decided to let ‘whoever’ know that I knew he/she was out there watching me.

  I stood my ground and looked into the dimly lit woods.

  Even most humans get a sense of being watched when they are. I didn’t like the sensation I had. I should have just teleported home, but damn, I wasn’t going to let some curious wolf scare me off. I wasn’t on their frigging land, and though I am not generally confrontational, I started feeling that way all the same.

  I scanned the woods with my eyes, and saw absolutely nothing more than earthly creatures, birds, squirrels, and one turtle coming my way.

  I scanned the same section of woods with my ears on high alert, and that proved fruitful. I definitely heard the breaking of twigs, the rustle of leaves, and something else, a low threatening growl. Wolf shifter on the prowl.

  Whoever it was moved stealthily, and was definitely stalking me, but was still a fair distance away. I put my nose into the air and considered shifting into wolf.

  Then my wolf hearing picked up on the stalking wolf padding through the woods toward me, and I thought I would be better protected as a witch...wait, no, not just a witch, a wizard.

  I have never been stalked, attacked, or the subject of such interest. What had I done to cause this wolf to come after me?

  I stood perfectly still and scanned the woods as I waited for the attack.

  The musky wolf scent was getting stronger, wafting my way on the breeze. I needed to maintain my control. I needed to be something I’m not, patient, but I had no choice, I needed to wait.

  Matters suddenly came to a head. The wolf boldly stepped forward and allowed me to have a good look. A she-wolf. Gray with some whit
e markings and amber eyes!

  We locked gazes. Hers was filled with animosity and purpose. I have never felt or seen such hatred directed toward me until this moment. What to do? The truth is that while Clara says my powers are extraordinary, I have never used them in battle, and this she-wolf looked like she was about to pounce. What to do? Diplomacy? Would that work?

  I couldn’t help but think, from the look she was giving me, that diplomacy was a waste of time. However, I had to give it a try because I knew this she-wolf was Sophie.

  I also knew, from her stance, she wanted me dead. Holy shit, could jealously so twist a person? Wolves are pack driven, and when they choose a mate, they are possessive, and this one believed I was an interloper.

  “Hi, Sophie,” I said. “Here for a talk?”

  She growled and made a menacing move in my direction. I don’t think she felt like a conversation.

  I tried again. “You don’t want to attack me, Sophie. Jace will know and won’t take kindly to it, as I am his dear Clara’s friend. Besides that, you don’t know me. You don’t know what I am capable of, and you could get really hurt.”

  Evidently, good, sound reasoning wasn’t her style. She lunged into the air, gracefully through the trees, and brought herself even closer. We were now only about twenty feet apart, though she was on a footpath on the edge of her own territory.

  I stood my ground.

  “I know what this is about,” I told her. “Think about it. I can’t believe you want to take it this far. It won’t help your cause, and like I said, you could get hurt.” This time, I gave her a threat in my words and a low wolf’s growl. It had been a long time since I had shifted into my wolf.

  She wasn’t deterred and attacked the earth with both front paws, pouncing in place and growling low, and there was no doubt she was getting ready to lunge for me.

  Through history, wolf shifters generally get along with witches. The common enemy of both shifters and werewolves happens to be vampires. However, from time to time, there have been wolves who have killed witches, and vice versa. I wasn’t looking to kill. I needed to stay alive without killing her. Staying alive was the ticket.

  Here is the thing—although there are a couple of different ways to kill a witch...and as Clara has advised me, an immortal wizard, the only way a wolf can kill a wizard is by tearing off her/his head with their canines. Couldn’t let her do that, now, could I? So, although I am no killer, I had to be ready to take her down, and I knew I could.

  She didn’t know who she was dealing with, so I tried again.

  “Come on, Sophie, you don’t want to do this. Seriously, how will it further your cause? It won’t.”

  She gave a low throttled growl—the kind a wolf gives just before it pounces on its prey.

  I wasn’t prey, and so I meant to show her, one way or another, that this was not going to work.

  She started to move into action. I knew the next thing she would do was lunge high into the air and come down as close to me as she could, and go for my throat.

  “Don’t,” I told her. “It won’t end well for you.”

  She didn’t seem to care.

  Sophie leaped high.

  There was only one thing to do. I stopped the pretty wolf in mid-air.

  This wizard doesn’t kill if she doesn’t have to. I froze her in the air with a flick of my wrist, and stood there smiling at her.

  “You see, Sophie, I am a...” Clara has said it was best to only identify myself as a witch hybrid for the time being. “A witch and wolf hybrid. You don’t want to mess with me. I can do what you can do and more, so much more. If I let you go, go home and forget this ever happened, and I’ll do the same. Deal?”

  As I held her in the air, unable to do anything but glare pure hatred at me, I felt my power ripple through me. The Dark Mana inside wanted to kill. It wanted to take Sophie and tear her apart for her audacity. Apparently, my inner wizard has a bit too much pride. I brought myself under control. I called my Dark Magic to order. I won’t be a killer...unless there is no other option. I am also not an idiot. I kept her frozen in the air.

  She hung there, high and unable to move. I could have sent her hurtling through space and given her a hard landing, which would have given her injuries that would have taken her weeks to recover from. I am also not mean. Instead, I set her down nice and easy.

  Did I say I am not an idiot? Wrong. So wrong.

  Sophie wasn’t working alone.

  Too late, I heard him behind me!

  ~ Six ~

  IN A FLASH OF MAGIC, Dark Magic, I was thrown to the ground. Damn, but that hurt. I jumped up and stared with disbelief.

  Marvin stood there, sneering at me.

  “What the hell?” I snapped, more than angry now. “What are you doing here? You haven’t been invited. Zelda will feel the presence of your Dark Magic and she’ll be here any moment.” I hoped.

  “No, your precious witch friends won’t know I am here. I got a New Orleans witch to give me an aura before I transported here. The aura surrounds me. White Magic. No one in Assjacket will know I am here.”

  If that was true, I was going to have to work alone. While I concentrated on what to do to get rid of Marvin, I unwittingly unfroze Sophie the wolf. She came charging at me.

  “No!” Marvin said. “We agreed. She is mine!”

  “I don’t think so, Marvin, and not hers either,” I said, and froze her in place as I lifted my hand to teleport the hell out of there. I don’t like a two front battle. However, Marvin had arrived with a few safeguards in place.

  He threw spelled gold dust at me. That particular potion has the ability to immobilize a witch, and as I felt my body stiffen, I realized the gold dust worked on my inner wizard as well.

  For a moment, I was in shock.

  Not only had he followed me to Assjacket, but he had managed to locate the one enemy I had unwittingly made, and the two of them had joined forces.

  Boney had said two!

  In addition to that, he had come prepared with a few tricks.

  Sophie apparently wasn’t about to hold up her end of the deal. Unable to do much in my frozen state, I was helpless to keep Sophie stuck in place.

  She got loose again.

  She wanted me dead and gone. I could feel her fury, and this time when she lunged, she landed nose to nose with me.

  Here it comes. She was about to rip off my head.

  Marvin’s magic sent her flying back a few feet. Only a few feet. However, he had seen me use the ‘freezing’ trick and did the same.

  How did I ever think he was hot?

  I knew he liked to think he was powerful, but the truth—he wasn’t even as powerful as the average warlock. He liked shortcuts too much. He never learned the Art of Magic as he should have.

  I expected her to break out of his spell any moment. Damn, sometimes it doesn’t pay to be right.

  She broke out of it a bit unsteadily, and came at me again.

  Marvin put up his palm and Sophie was again frozen in place, warlock style. “We had a deal. I get rid of her for you. She is mine. You need to back up and back off.” He rounded on me. “I should have let her tear into you. I should have let her make you bleed, but that isn’t her job. That’s my job. You belong to me!”

  The part about being his made me feel like spitting at him. The part about her backing off, yeah, that was okay with me. The dark in me was already spinning on its way to the top of my head. It wanted out. It wanted to take down my enemies.

  That was when everything around me filled with the colors of my Dark Magic. Shades of gray, blacks of various tone, reds, and pinks all swirled, and took form—tentacles started to reach out of me.

  Sophie broke free again, and true to form, her jaws snapped too close to my tender throat. My dark directed its tentacles to form fingers, and those fingers were tightly wrapped around Sophie’s wolfen neck.

  That was on me. If my darkness killed her, it would be on me.

  I had to stop, and
was amazed when I was, in fact, able to control those fingers before it choked her to death, which seemed to be its intent.

  I couldn’t believe my mastery as I made it stop. I breathed with relief when the dark tentacles dropped from her throat and Sophie sank to the ground unconscious!

  Things had looked dire, sorta. Now, not so much.

  Right, so who was in control of Dark Magic? I prompted in my head. I was.

  I managed to shake off the effects of the gold dust and told Marvin, “You were saying something about letting Sophie bleed me? Well, I am not inclined to submit. You, on the other hand, you will need weeks to recover from what I am about to do to you!”

  “How...how did you do that?” Marvin stuttered. “How did you...”

  “You have no idea, do you?” I answered.

  Things were now looking so much better!

  Sophie was still unconscious on the ground, as much from fear trauma as not being able to breathe for a moment or two. Good, she wouldn’t be attacking at my back.

  “Don’t think this is over because you put down a shifter, Bennie. You will come with me. We will be married and rule New Orleans together.”

  “You are delusional,” I told him.

  “The first thing I will do, when you are my prisoner, is make you get on your knees so I can shove my cock down your throat, and when I’m done, you’ll tell me you loved it!”

  “Did I say delusional?” I shook my head. “Nope, stark raving loony tunes.” He had just made me very angry.

  He screeched out a bellow of fury and came at me. He managed to grab hold of my arms.

  Again, Dark Magic came unbidden.

  It filled me, and although I wasn’t quite out of control, I knew I was filled with enough anger, and that anger was growing as it created an open bloom of power.

  In a blast of loathing, I hauled off and slapped Marvin, then I punched him and knocked him to the ground. Wolf shifters, even in human form, are very strong.

  I needed to send him to perdition, but just then, and in a flash, I turned and saw Sophie was on the move toward me. What is with this she-wolf? She wasn’t giving up.