Maudlin's Mayhem (Bewitching Bedlam Book 2)

  My heart began to race. “Stasis? What about the curse?”

  “I’ll start researching to figure out just what kind of hex he’s under. Until I know more, I don’t want to try random curse-breakers. It could make things worse.” Dr. Farrows glanced over his shoulder at the kitchen. “Ms. Gallowglass, do you know anybody who could want to cause him harm? Or you?”

  I froze. “Me? You think somebody hurt Bubba because they’re mad at me?”

  He shrugged. “It’s a distinct possibility. But if I’m going to put him in stasis, I need to do so now. The sooner we get him into a calm state, the better. And I don’t want to leave him here. If I keep him at my clinic, he’ll be safer.”

  “Safer than here at home?” I was starting to feel frantic. A sick feeling raced through my stomach. Had I inadvertently caused this? Who could be mean enough to target Bubba if they were mad at me? “Wouldn’t it be better to keep him in familiar surroundings?”

  “He won’t know the difference, and if somebody is mad at you, then they won’t be able to hurt him any more than they have. Have you noticed anything else going on that’s odd? Anything that might lead you to believe that somebody has a gripe against you?”

  I pressed my hand against my lips. “Oh great gods, the money.”

  “Money?”

  “Somebody stole fifty-four thousand dollars from me. They skimmed my account. But they’re in Dubai.”

  “A person doesn’t have to live overseas to send money to an account there.” He patted my arm. “Ms. Gallowglass—”

  “Maddy, please.”

  “Maddy, I think you might want to talk to the police. It seems somebody is intent on making your life miserable. Meanwhile, let’s get Bubba squared away. I can keep him in stasis for two weeks without it affecting him in any negative way. I can give him a sedative until we get him to the office, where I can put him in stasis. I want you to convince him that it’s just a shot to help him relax, because I don’t want to scare him any further.”

  We returned to the kitchen. I sat by Bubba and began to stroke his hair back from his face. “Listen, Bubs, the doctor is going to give you a shot to help you relax. I promise, it will help you feel better. Please let him?”

  Bubba looked up at me, and his gaze was so trusting that it just about broke my heart. “Okay, Maddy. If you say so.”

  “I do, Bubs. Remember, we love you, little guy. No matter what form you’re in.”

  The doctor prepared the shot. “Bubba, this may sting a little but it won’t for long, and you’ll feel just fine after a few minutes. It will help you sleep for a little bit, all right?”

  Bubba nodded. “Sleep’s good. I like to sleep.”

  As Dr. Farrows injected him with the medication, I held his hand. I swore to all the gods that once I figured out who the hell had messed with Bubba, I was going to have a field day on their ass.

  Chapter 7

  BUBBA SLUMPED IN the chair within seconds after the shot.

  “I’ll call my assistant to bring the ambulance around. He’ll help me take Bubba back to the clinic and get him situated. He’ll be in a magic-proof chamber, which is also sealed against vampires.” Dr. Farrows stopped, glancing at Aegis. “No offense meant.”

  “None taken. Just take care of him.” Aegis looked as worried as I felt.

  “I’ll start tomorrow morning trying to figure out just how he was hexed. Meanwhile, as I told Maddy here, she’d better start looking around for somebody who means her harm. They could be targeting her friends and loved ones, so I suggest you take care and be alert. All of you.” With that, Farrows took out his phone and put in a call to his assistant.

  I explained to Sandy and Aegis what the doctor was going to do. “He thinks I’m being targeted.” I turned to Aegis, who had rearranged the sleeping Bubba so that he wasn’t sliding off the chair. “I have a thought, but I want to wait until he’s gone to talk about it. Meanwhile, I also want to get Snow and her dwarves out of here. I don’t for a minute think she did anything, but if I’m a target, it could put my guests in danger too. And Mr. Mosswood, for that matter.”

  Aegis nodded. “Better safe than sorry. I’ll make arrangements at another hotel for them. If I have to, I’ll bunk them with friends. Sandy, can you stay awhile?”

  She sat down next to Bubba. “Of course. Jenna’s staying at the school this weekend. Neverfall is having its spring fling and she’s actually taking part in it.”

  We waited another fifteen minutes before Farrows’s assistant arrived, and I watched morosely as they strapped Bubba in a stretcher and carted him out to the ambulance.

  “Should I go with you?” I asked, anxiously patting Bubba’s forehead. He was asleep—actually far deeper than sleep—but I still wanted to feel like I was doing something.

  “Really, there’s not much you can do. I suggest you get some rest. Come see me tomorrow and I’ll show you where we’re keeping him so you can reassure yourself that he’ll be all right. Around ten a.m.?”

  I stood back, letting the doctor and his assistant do their jobs. “All right. Tomorrow.”

  As they drove off, all I could think about was how Bubba, regardless of his shape and the fact that he was a powerful spellcrafter, was just a scared little tabby inside.

  SANDY STAYED WITH me as Aegis ferried Snow, the dwarves, and Mr. Mosswood to a hotel, and she agreed to stay the night. When he returned, we gathered around the fireplace in the parlor, drinking wine and eating cheese and crackers. I let out a long breath, and then asked Aegis the question that had been haunting me since Dr. Farrows first suggested that someone might be targeting me.

  “Do you think the Arcānus Nocturni are after me? We took out Luke, but that doesn’t mean the rest of them don’t know who I am. He certainly had a grudge against me.”

  Sandy straightened up. “What are you talking about?”

  I swallowed. Hard. I hadn’t told her much about the vacation Aegis and I had taken shortly after the New Year, and I didn’t want to reveal too much even now, but she had to know at some point. “Sandy, during the trip to the chateau? I discovered that there’s a secret society of vampires called the Arcānus Nocturni. I didn’t tell you because the less you know about them, the better. But now…”

  “Who are they and what should I know?” Sandy understood the concept of a need-to-know basis.

  Aegis spoke up. “The Arcānus Nocturni is an organization of ancient vampires. They’re all old—usually far older than me. They can walk abroad in the sunlight. Vampirism is a disease that was originally brought to Earth by those who walk among the stars.”

  Sandy let out a soft breath. “Vampires who can walk under the sun?” She pressed her hand to her chest. “I just felt my heart stop. Do you know what this could mean for vampire–human relations?”

  “It would bring the fang-haters out in full force. As long as humans feel they have an upper hand, and the only one they have over vamps is the ability to go out in the sun, then there’s a chance a treaty can be reached. But the moment that they feel like they have no safe harbor, then all peaceful talks will go out the door.” I licked my lips. “The vampire I fought during our trip was after me because of my past. It was a personal vendetta. But given the worry we have over Essie, and then what I found out about the Arcānus Nocturni, I’m not sure what to think.”

  Sandy turned to Aegis. “What’s your opinion on this? Do you think that some vampire from this society hexed Maddy?”

  “I don’t know.” He darkened. “I did some more research into them, but they’re hard to pinpoint. I can barely find a mention of them in the library—and I’m talking the private section of the library, where you can look at books but not check them out. All I found out is that some of the members walk about in the highest business circles today, but as to who they are? There’s no telling. There are no member rosters listed. The few mentions of them on the internet are brief and listed as rumors. I found one reference to a writer who was wr
iting a book on obscure societies but he vanished and they never found his body.”

  “What do you know about them personally?” Sandy asked.

  “Just what I’ve told Maddy. I’ve heard of them. Most old vampires have. But they’ve never approached me and I’ve never attempted to approach them. I’m not old enough to belong to their cult.” He shrugged. “They’re dangerous, though.”

  “It sounds like it. So let’s stretch this a bit. It might not be them. Who else would want revenge on you?” Sandy asked. “Rachel is dead.”

  “Rachel’s dead. Who else have I pissed off in the recent past, besides Ralph? I don’t think even he would hurt Bubba.” Then I paused. “Craig. My ex. He was pissed out of his mind when I bought the mansion and sold his condo. Doesn’t matter that I was the legal owner, he loved that beige cubicle, precisely because I was awarded it during the divorce settlement. Could he have hired somebody to throw a hex on Bubba? He never liked him, even though he thought Bubba was just a cat.”

  Aegis let out a little growl. “Want me to pay a visit to him?”

  Quickly, I shook my head. If Aegis paid a visit to Craig, chances were, Craig would turn up in a cemetery. “No, let’s think about this for a while. Meanwhile, the doctor is right. We should get some sleep.”

  “I’ll keep watch till sunrise. No sense taking any chances.” Aegis motioned toward the stairs. “Go to bed, and rest easy.”

  But even though I tried to sleep, I couldn’t help but think about Bubba. Finally, around two a.m., I fell asleep from exhaustion.

  MORNING ARRIVED TOO soon. I managed about five hours of sleep, but at seven, I was awake. I automatically looked for Bubba, but then remembered what had gone down. My heart sinking, I dragged myself over to the closet and dressed in jeans and a V-neck T-shirt. As I zipped up my ankle boots and applied my makeup, once again, a flare of anger ran through me. I wanted to find whoever it was that had been messing with me. I wanted to hurt them bad.

  I headed downstairs to find Thornton making breakfast. Sandy was sitting at the kitchen table, blurry-eyed. I glanced up at the clock. Seven-twelve.

  “Aegis must have just gone to bed. Sunrise in three minutes,” I said.

  “He actually went downstairs at six. Left me here. Said he had some things he wanted to do.” Thornton set a plate of pancakes in front of us, along with bacon and orange juice. “Given what went down last night, I figured you’d be up early and would need a good start.”

  I yawned, stretching. “I’m still exhausted, but I want to get a start on today. I need to talk to Delia. See if any odd vamps have been spotted around Bedlam.” I paused. We were expecting a guest tomorrow. “I also need to cancel tomorrow’s guest. I don’t want anybody staying here until we figure out what the hell’s going on.”

  “That blows.” Sandy speared a pancake with her fork, spreading butter and syrup on it like they were going out of style. “Thanks, Thornton. You really can handle a spatula.”

  “I learned at…yeah, I can.” He smiled, then headed out of the room. “I’m going to clean all the rooms and get them done, just in case you’re able to take in guests again before the end of the day. Think positive, and all that.”

  “So how do I go about this? I’m sick over Bubba.” I followed Sandy’s suit, even though I wasn’t that hungry. As I bit into a piece of bacon, I felt just how tired I was. “I’m so exhausted. I need more sleep.”

  “Take care of business and then take a nap this afternoon.” She pursed her lips. “Since you’re the coven’s High Priestess, we can’t very well go consult her about the issue. What about talking to Auntie Tautau? She might be able to give you some advice.”

  Auntie Tautau…that made sense. If anybody would be able to help, it would be her.

  The Aunties were a group of incredibly powerful witches. They were aligned to no coven, no circle or group. They were, in fact, often regarded as harbingers of fate. Nobody quite knew what made a witch an Auntie, or how they came to be, but Auntie Tautau knew how to arrange things. The question was, would she agree to help? If she didn’t, no force on Earth could push her into offering a hand.

  “I’ll go see her after I talk to Delia. You want to come with me?”

  Sandy frowned. “I wish I could, but I have a board meeting this morning that I can’t miss. My ex will be there, and you know Bart. He’s a by-the-book type of guy. At least when it comes to business. And I need to check on Mr. Peabody. But I think you should go talk to her, at least. The worst she can do is say no.”

  “True that.” I stabbed half-heartedly at my pancake. “All right, I’ll go talk to Delia, then stop off at Dr. Farrows, and then go see Auntie Tautau. I also need to put Aegis’s check in the bank. As much as I hate borrowing money, I want a cushion in there.”

  We finished breakfast, and then, leaving the Bewitching Bedlam in Thornton’s capable hands, were off for the day.

  MY MEETING WITH Delia went all right—she was even more concerned after hearing about Bubba, and she promised to check around to see if any strange vamps had been spotted in the area. I didn’t tell her why. I didn’t want to tell anybody about the Arcānus Nocturni yet. But I warned her to be cautious if she did find any new vampire activity around town. In turn, she cautioned me to leave Essie alone and let her check in with the vampire queen.

  Essie Vanderbilt was the Queen of the Pacific Northwest Vampires. She had started out as a Voudou priestess, born in 1844, and when she was turned, she retained some of her powers.

  The vampire nation was divided into regions, and each region was ruled autonomously. We weren’t sure if there were any shadow puppets governing the vamps, other than the distant influence of the Arcānus Nocturni. But Essie didn’t like anybody dipping their fingers in her pie, so I rather doubted she’d be willing to allow any outside elements into her rule.

  What we knew about Essie wasn’t a lot, but we did suspect her of attempting to gain traction in Bedlam, outside of the Moonrise Coven’s influence. The coven dictated how vampires could interact on the island, but Essie was always seeking ways around our rules. Any new vamps in the area were supposed to check in with her, and she was supposed to cooperate with us, but we had learned the hard way that was only for show.

  After leaving the sheriff’s office, I headed over to see Dr. Farrows and Bubba. All the way, I fretted about what to do if something had gone wrong, but as his receptionist guided me back to his office and he came out, smiling, I tried to relax.

  “Bubba. Is he okay?”

  “Yes, Bubba is fine. I’m doing my best to figure out what kind of hex he’s under. Here, let me take you to see him. He won’t know you’re here, but it will put your mind at ease.”

  He led me to a back room that could only be entered via a code-lock. He punched in the code and, as we entered the room, I felt the hush descend over my magic. The doctor was right—there would be no magical use here.

  “Why doesn’t the cloaking shield negate the curse?”

  “Oh, it does, but only in here. Look.” He led me over to a bed where a big orange tabby was curled up asleep.

  “Bubba! He’s back to his normal form.”

  “Only in here. Unless I can figure out what hexed him and how to break it, in two weeks we’ll have to bring him out of stasis and the moment he walks out of this room, he’ll be back in human form.” Dr. Farrows frowned, leaning against the bed. “I’ve been testing his blood and so far I’ve ruled out standard transmogrification spells. So we know that over-the-counter hex-breakers won’t take care of this. I’ll have another go this afternoon after I see patients.”

  I stroked Bubba’s fur, burying my nose in his side. He was breathing rhythmically, and I wished for all the world that I could just scoop him up and take him home. After one last kiss on his tummy, I turned to the doctor.

  “Find out what’s wrong with him, please? He’s been with me over three hundred years. I can’t…” As tears filled my throat, I stopped talking.


  “I know, Maddy. I know. Come on, let’s leave him be.” He escorted me out of the room. “I’ve only had the pleasure of treating one other cjinn, but they are lovely beings. And they’re loyal, you know. You win the trust of a cjinn and they’ll stick by you forever.”

  That didn’t help any, and the waterworks really did start to flow. I hung my head. As he handed me a tissue, I blew my nose and dried my tears. Thank gods for waterproof eye makeup.

  “Thank you, Doctor.”

  “Jordan, please.” He paused, then said, “I don’t mean to be forward and this isn’t the right place or time, but…the vampire who was in your kitchen. Are you and he…”

  “Dating? Yes, we are.” I smiled at him.

  He flashed me a rueful smile. “I thought as much, but it never hurts to ask. All right, Maddy, I have patients to see. But I’ll take care of Bubba and do my best to figure out what’s wrong.”

  “Thank you. He’s my sweetie and I can’t bear to think of what might…” I stopped as the tears threatened again. “Thank you. I’ll call you later today.”

  As I headed out the door, I thought that Jordan Farrows was one heck of a nice guy.

  I STOPPED BY Auntie Tautau’s but she wasn’t at home. Or she wasn’t answering her door. Either way, I left a note for her and then sat in my car, trying to figure out what I wanted to do next. Finally, I headed to the credit union.

  “Have you figured out who stole my money and when you’re going to replace it?” I asked Emily Chambers as soon as I walked through the door. She happened to be standing by a teller’s station.

  She jumped—apparently she hadn’t seen me enter—and turned around. Her face fell as soon as she saw who was talking. “Ms. Gallowglass, I’m sorry. I didn’t see you enter. Please, follow me.” With a swish of her pencil skirt, she led me back to her office.

  I slumped in the chair across from hers and rested my hands on the arms, crossing my legs. I wasn’t in any mood to be brushed off. “Did the sheriff visit you this morning?”