“My clothes are dirty.” They were worse than dirty. They were contaminated by Harvey’s touch and the stench of his burning flesh, may he rot in hell.
“I bought you some more.” Josh’s grin drove the darkness out of Channie’s mind. He nodded towards the fancy department store bags on the floor.
Everything was too expensive—over a hundred dollars for a pair of jeans? Eighty dollars for a simple t-shirt? Good grief.
“Josh, this stuff is too—”
“Quit obsessing over the price tags and just say thanks.”
“I appreciate your thoughtfulness, but—”
“You’re welcome.” Josh kissed her again then said, “I’m going to jump in the shower while you change, then we can get on the road to go see your aunt.”
Channie blushed when she pictured Josh buying the matching bra and panty sets. All three sets were see-through lace, one red, one black and one white. Not something she would have picked out for herself, but at least they weren’t those nasty thongs that were so popular at school.
She’d just gotten the underwear on when Josh knocked on the bathroom door. “You decent?”
“WAIT!” Josh saw her naked last night, but this was different. She grabbed a green, long-sleeved t-shirt and yanked in on over her head then wiggled into the over-priced jeans, bouncing in place as she forced the zipper closed.
“Okay, I’m dressed.”
Josh cracked the door open. He was wearing nothing but a towel and a grin. “Can you toss me that bag?”
Channie had to forcefully tear her gaze away from his bare torso to find the sack of clothes Josh was pointing at near the nightstand.
It only took him a few minutes to get dressed. He opened the door, rubbing his hair dry with a towel.
Channie’s hair was a disaster. She tried to comb it with her fingers but it was like trying to untangle a Brillo pad.
Josh said, “There’s a hair brush, some toothpaste and a couple of toothbrushes in one of the grocery sacks.”
“Thanks. But it’s going to take more than a hairbrush to fix this mess.” She pushed her hair off her face with both hands.
“Can I brush it for you?”
“Sure, if you want to.”
After they both brushed their teeth, Josh pulled the metal chair closer to the bed and sat down behind it, his knees on either side of the chair.
“Is there a certain way to do this?”
Channie held her hair up as she sat down, then let it fall over the back of the chair. “Start at the bottom, brush out the ends then work your way to the top.”
Josh was gentle, to the point of hesitancy. At this rate they’d be here all day.
“You can use a little more force, I have a hard head.”
He chuckled and leaned forward to kiss her cheek. “You can say that again.” He paused, then resumed brushing her hair, even slower than before. “Why did you get in the car with that guy? Couldn’t you tell he was a mage?”
“He was a tracker. And not a very good one, but he knew how to mask his energy field. I had no idea he was a mage.” She took the brush from his hand and attacked her hair.
“I wish you hadn’t killed him.”
“What?” Channie twisted around in the chair to study Josh’s face. She’d opened her heart and bared her soul—just like the Book of the Dead demanded. She’d held nothing back as she described her fear of being raped, the pain of her injuries and the courage it took to re-enter her body after she’d nearly died. How could he chastise her for killing that monster?
He said, “I wish you hadn’t killed him, so I could do it.”
Even without magic, Channie felt the waves of rage and hatred rolling off Josh as he spoke through gritted teeth.
“… With my bare hands.”
Chapter Ten
A ROYAL MAGE
The sun was setting when Josh pulled into Aunt Wisdom’s drive. Gravel crunched and popped under their wheels. This place had seemed like a palace just four months ago. Aunt Wisdom had added electricity and indoor plumbing to her cabin before Channie was born, but it was primitive compared to Josh’s home.
He had more lightbulbs over his bathroom sink than Aunt Wisdom had in her entire house. All she had was a single bare bulb in each room that required a pull chain to turn off and on, and right now, all the lights were off. The gasoline generator was silent. Fallen leaves were piled into the corner of her front porch, like a snow drift, blocking the door. Aunt Wisdom wasn’t home. And from the looks of things, she’d been gone a long time.
The hair on the back of Channie’s neck stood on end. “Something’s wrong.”
“Yeah. I feel it too.” Josh restarted his car and twisted around to look over his shoulder as he backed up.
Channie said, “Where are we going?”
“Your house.”
“Why?” The thought of Josh seeing the tiny log cabin where she was raised embarrassed Channie.
“It’s a part of your history.”
“It’s nothing but a shack.”
“I want to know everything about you. Besides, I have a feeling—”
“You and your feelings!” Channie rubbed her temples with her fingertips and said, “Whatever. Head up the mountain and take the first right. The next left is a switchback. Be sure you back into it, or you’ll end up driving backwards for three quarters of a mile. And drive slow. There’s pot holes bigger than this car.”
“That might be fun. This baby’s built for off road adventures.” Josh grinned and stroked the dash as if his car were a pet instead of a machine.
“Go left at the Y.”
“Are you sure?” Josh stopped the car and leaned towards the windshield, squinting his eyes, as if peering into the darkness would show him the way.
“I know how to get to my own house.”
“I don’t know, I have a feeling we should go to the right.”
Channie had the same feeling, but she knew it was wrong. “It’s a misdirection spell.” It was similar to the spell Momma and Daddy had cast on the cabin, but there was no way it was the same one. They were too far away.
Every time the spell nudged them to take a wrong turn, Channie pushed through it. And every time she did, Josh argued with her. But they finally made it.
The clouds parted, flooding the landscape with moonlight. Smoke curled out of the chimney and flowed down the side of the cabin, spreading over the ground and mingling with the fog instead of rising. Someone was here.
~***~
“Stop the car.” Channie squeezed between the seats to grab her backpack and retrieved the gun.
Josh’s eyes widened. “Where the hell did you get that?” His voice was intense, even though he was whispering.
“It was in Harvey’s trunk.”
“Holy —.”
“I know, I know. But without magic, how else am I going to protect myself?”
“Protecting you is my job. Give me the gun.”
Channie handed it over then pulled the magazine out of her pocket. “Have you even shot a gun before?”
“Eric and I used to play around with paintball guns.” Josh fumbled the magazine into the handle, yanked the top back then shoved it forward again, loading a round into the chamber. “It can’t be all that different.”
“There’s a huge difference between a bullet and a paintball.”
Josh leaned forward and shoved the barrel of the gun into the gap between his waistband and the small of his back.
“Josh!” Channie grabbed his arm. “At least put the safety on.”
“The safety’s built in...sort of. It’s a Glock 26, so it won’t discharge unless someone pulls the trigger.”
Channie shivered. “Don’t go shooting that thing unless I tell you to. It’s probably just some young couple shacking up in there.”
Josh nudged the driver’s side door open and said, “Stay here while I go check things out.”
If Josh walked up to the door, unannounced, the
re was no telling what sort of curse the trespassers would use on him. Channie hopped out before Josh had a chance to do something stupid, like lock her in. She shuddered as she remembered the sick, helpless feeling that twisted her gut when Harvey had trapped her inside his car.
Josh darted across the yard, positioning his body in front of Channie’s. He’d drawn the gun and was holding it with both hands, barrel pointed straight up, at the waxing moon. “Damn it Channie! Get back in the car.”
“No. Not unless you do.” Channie put a hand on Josh’s shoulder. “Let’s just get out of here, okay?”
Josh nodded and stepped back, lowering the gun.
“Channie?” It was too dark to see his face, but Channie recognized the voice.
What the hell was Hunter freaking Feenie doing in her privy?
He ran down the path and swooped Channie off her feet. “My god, girl, ain’t you a sight for sore eyes? Where you been?”
“Put me down!” Channie caught a glimpse of Josh’s face as Hunter spun her around, but a glimpse was all she needed. He was pissed.
Hunter gave her another squeeze then set her on her feet.
Josh cleared his throat.
Channie took Josh’s hand, the one not holding the gun, and said, “Hunter’s a childhood friend.” She glared at Hunter, hoping he wouldn’t elaborate. “Hunter, this is Josh Abrim, my boyfriend.” She gestured with her left hand, giving him a view of her promise ring.
“Boyfriend, huh?” Hunter arched his eyebrows and stared at the gun in Josh’s hand. “You two on the run from Channie’s daddy?”
Josh narrowed his eyes and said, “What do you know about Channie’s Dad?”
“Josh, put the gun away.”
He shoved it back in his waistband, over his left hip this time...easier access.
Channie said, “I don’t know how much you know, but my daddy is in a bit of trouble. That’s why we left.”
“I know all about it.” Hunter’s face hardened. He flicked his gaze to Josh’s face then back to Channie’s. “Is he …?”
Channie shook her head, remembering what Daddy had said about the clans’ remedy for Empties that learned about magic. She didn’t think Hunter would turn them in, but she wasn’t willing to bet Josh’s life on it.
Hunter said, “Come on inside and get warmed up. It’s too cold to stand out here jabbering at each other. I’ve got a pot of stew on the stove and a pan of cornbread in the oven.”
Channie remembered the last time Hunter had suggested they get “warmed up” and hoped he’d keep that story to himself.
He bounded up the steps onto the porch and held the door open, ushering Channie and Josh inside as if he owned the place.
Josh did a complete three hundred and sixty degree inspection, tilting his head up and down as he turned. “So...this is your home.”
Channie’s cheeks and ears burned. “I told you it was a shack.”
Josh slid his fingers across the polished surface of the knotty pine support beam that divided the kitchen from the front room. “It’s so...authentic.”
Channie rolled her eyes.
“No, I mean it. My dad spent a fortune on the log cabin he bought in Breckenridge and it’s not anywhere near as cool as this place.” He inhaled deeply, expanding his chest. “It feels...alive.”
Hunter’s eyebrows pulled together as he glanced at Channie. “Are you sure he’s not...you know …?”
Josh said, “I’m not a mage, but I know about magic.”
Hunter folded his arms across his chest and said, “I wouldn’t go advertising that fact if I were you.”
The color drained from Josh’s panic stricken face. He said, “Channie didn’t have anything to do with me finding out. Her dad told me about magic.”
“Josh. That’s not true.”
Hunter said, “Your secret’s safe with me, just don’t tell anyone else. Not that there’s anyone left to tell.”
“Where is everyone?”
“In hiding. When the Cumberland mages couldn’t find your Daddy, they declared war on all of us.”
Josh grabbed Channie’s hand and headed for the door.
Hunter cast a mild be-calm spell and said, “You’ll be safe here for another couple of weeks. Cumberland trackers stop by to check on things about once a month. They were here yesterday.”
Josh said, “Why aren’t you in hiding?”
Hunter blushed and looked at his feet. “Miss Wisdom talked me into contacting my momma’s kin and telling them that I wanted to switch sides. That’s why I’m living here. I’m sort of a spy. She’ll come by here later tonight to see if I’ve learned anything new.”
Channie grabbed the support beam to keep from falling over as everything clicked into place.
Josh grabbed her arms and pulled her against his chest. “Channie? What’s wrong, babe?”
“Hunter...is a royal mage.”
~***~
Josh led Channie into the kitchen then held her on his lap while she told Hunter about the Book of the Dead and the curse she and Josh were under.
Hunter put his elbows on the kitchen table and leaned forward. “So...you want me to marry you?”
No. Channie did not want to marry Hunter, but it wasn’t just her life on the line. She closed her eyes and shattered all her dreams with a single word. “Yes.”
Josh placed his palm on her cheek, pressing her head against his chest and said, “It will be alright, Channie. Nothing has to change. Marry him to break the curse, but stay with me.”
Hunter said, “I never had any plans of being faithful to just one woman anyway, no matter who I married. I won’t hold it against you if you want to see him on the side. As long as you don’t rub it in my face.”
Josh’s grip around Channie’s waist tightened. “She won’t be seeing anyone on the side. All you have to do is marry her. It’s a simple contract, sign the paper, say ‘I do,’ and then we’ll leave. I’ll have my Dad fax you the divorce papers. You’ll never see us again.”
Hunter shook his head. “There’s no divorce in our world and a marriage ain’t real until after the couple do the deed. It completes the binding spell, linking their heart-of-hearts.”
Josh’s entire body stiffened. His heart hammered beneath Channie’s hand.
“Is that true?”
Channie couldn’t bear to look at him. She nodded. She didn’t know everything about marriage binding spells, but she knew that much.
“Fine …” Josh’s voice broke. He swallowed three times before continuing and when he did, it sounded as if he’d swallowed broken glass. “If that’s how it has to be …I guess...I’ll just have to deal with it. But the minute you’re done, I want you out of her bed and I don’t ever want you to touch her again.”
Hunter folded his arms across his chest and leaned back in his chair. “That’s not how it works. Once our heart-of-hearts are bound together, we’ll have to do it at least once a month. Since Channie’s lost her powers, she’s going to be a drain on mine. We’ll probably have to do it more often. Maybe even once a week.”
By now Josh was trembling with rage. Channie said, “Hunter! A little help, please?”
He smirked at her then cast a be-calm spell at Josh. His trembling stopped, but Channie could tell he was still angry.
Hunter leaned forward and said, “Look, I know this is hard for you. It’s hard for all of us. Channie doesn’t want to marry me, and I don’t really want to marry her either. But if we don’t work this out, Channie could die. And I know you don’t want that.”
“No.” Josh went limp, his hand slid from Channie’s waist to her hip. “I don’t.”
Hunter said, “Look, if it will make it any easier, after the wedding, I’ll leave as soon as I’m done, like you suggested. You can take over and do all that cuddly stuff women seem to need after sex. And if you don’t mind sloppy seconds—”
Josh stood up so fast he nearly dumped Channie on the floor. He took one step towards Hunter but then seemed
to change his mind. For a second, Channie was afraid he might try to draw the gun and shoot him. He didn’t. He spun around and punched the wall, leaving behind a smear of blood on the curved surface of the log.
Channie’s eyes filled with tears. “Josh, don’t.”
He hit the log again and screamed, “I hate this! I hate magic! And I hate that goddamned book!”
~***~
The front door burst open and Aunt Wisdom flew across the room. She cast a be-calm spell on Josh that knocked him out cold then magically lowered him to the floor.
Hunter whistled, low and long. “Wow. I’d heard you could levitate people, but I never believed it until now.”
Aunt Wisdom swayed on her feet then collapsed onto the pine bench under the window. A spell like that would have drained even the strongest mage. It was a wonder she was still conscious.
She nodded at Josh’s limp body and said, “Who is that and what’s he doing here?”
Channie knelt beside Josh and brushed the curls off his forehead. He smiled, but did not open his eyes. She sat cross-legged on the floor and cradled his head in her lap then looked up at Aunt Wisdom. “His name’s Josh Abrim and he’s my …” boyfriend didn’t even begin to describe what Josh meant to her. “He’s the love of my life.”
Aunt Wisdom arched her eyebrows and said, “Why was he so angry?”
Channie told her an abbreviated version of the story.
Aunt Wisdom shook her head and sighed. “I swear, this family is cursed when it comes to love.” She stood up and said, “I need to go lie down for a bit. Hunter, do you think you can carry Josh up to the loft and put him in Channie’s bed? It’s going to be a while before that spell wears off.”
~***~
Channie followed Hunter up the ladder and tucked Josh into her bed. She knew Hunter was watching, but she didn’t care. She leaned over and kissed Josh’s forehead then brushed her lips across his softly parted mouth. He sighed and kissed her back. It was sweet, but without passion. He was still asleep.
She smoothed his brow with her fingers.
Hunter squatted beside Channie and cleared his throat. “Look, I know right now, you don’t want me in your bed, but this won’t be my first time. I know what I’m doing. If you just relax a little, I can open your eyes to a whole world of pleasure.”
He tried to tuck a strand of Channie’s hair behind her ear, but as soon as she felt his fingers brush her cheek, she recoiled as if he’d slapped her.