Everspell (20 page)

I knew he meant the warlock powers. But, it didn’t matter. I only heard him call me a brother. “So, is there any planning to do, or do you have this thing all wrapped up?”

“No, I still have a couple of loose ends. That’s another reason I need to get the girls together.” He nodded at something over my shoulder. “Here they come now.”

I glanced behind me, and sure enough, coming toward us were Elizabeth, Tabitha, Gypsy, Jade, Echo and Aisling, Libby, Prudence, and Raven. They gathered around us, grabbing chairs and pulling them in close. Elizabeth took the lead.

“Okay, Logan, you’ve got us all here at once, what’s the big announcement? And why did you make Eden take Serena out to the flower shop?”

“I had to make sure she wasn’t around. Eden’s going to make sure to block her mind so she can’t figure this out, too. I’ll need her help. This is pretty big time. I’m going to ask Serena to marry me.”

The girl-noise deafened me. I had to hold my hands over my ears. Logan became buried in their hugs and kisses. I could hear his sister over almost all of their voices.

“Logan, I swear I could kill you! How could you keep this from
me
!”

Elizabeth wasn’t hard to hear either.

“Oh, Logan, this is the best news ever!”

Slowly, Logan extracted himself from the girls surrounding him and stepped back. “So, I take it, everyone is okay with this?”

Prudence reached for Logan’s hand. “Logan, I think I speak for everyone when I say we are thrilled about this. Now, I’m sure we’re here for some reason. What can we do?”

With that, I sat back and watched with admiration while my future brother-in-law delegated assignments in his grand plan to ask Serena to marry him. As I listened, all I could think was, man, this guy was good.

Chapter Thirty-two

SERENA

After I got back from the flower shop with Eden, I had hoped to spend some time with Logan, but he and Skylar were just leaving as we pulled up.

“Hey, stranger. Where are you two off to?”

Logan leaned out his car window. His guardian dog Charlie shoved her nose out the window, too. I gave her a loving pat on the head. “Sully and I got a call from the sports store. The alarm is going off. We need to check it out. Catch you later?” He didn’t wait for an answer, just started backing out of the driveway. I waved and watched him drive off, disappointed, but a bit curious. I wondered who else might be home. Maybe my sister or aunt would be around.

I walked in the front door and they were in the hallway, putting their coats on, too.
What
could be
going on around here?

“Are you guys leaving, too?”

“Yeah, just running to the store to get some things for dinner. We won’t be long.” They were gone before I had a chance to respond.

That left me standing alone in the hallway. Well, this house happened to be full of witches. There had to be someone else around. I wandered down toward the kitchen, looking for some signs of life. I was gratified to see Jade sitting at the kitchen table with her feet propped up on a chair, sipping an herbal tea.

“Hey, Jade. What’s going on?”

“Hey, Serena. Just trying to catch my breath before going upstairs. I am seriously wiped out.”

“Do you need help up?”

“No, I’ll make it. I’m just taking a breather. What are you doing?”

I took a seat next to Jade. “I just got back from a rather strange ride with Eden. We drove all the way over to the flower shop, where she said she needed to get something. Then we get there, and she says she already has it. We just turned around and drove home. Isn’t that strange?”

Jade waved her hand in the air. “Oh, you know Eden. She’s so eccentric, and all. With everything she has on her mind, who can say what’s going on in there?”

“That’s the other strange thing. Her mind seemed completely blocked.”

“Serena! You shouldn’t be trying to mind read Eden. Isn’t that against witch law or something?” Jade stared at me in surprise.

“Don’t be so dramatic, Jade. I didn’t do it on purpose. Sometimes I do it without thinking. It just happened. Except with Eden, I couldn’t. Don’t you find that odd?”

“Not even. That’s
Eden
, for heaven’s sake. I’d be willing to bet
no one
can mind read her.”

I thought about that. Of course, Jade was right. We were talking about the head of the Council, for goodness’ sake.
What
had
I
been
thinking?
“I’m sure you’re right, Jade. I’m just being silly. You should get to bed, now. Can I help you?”

“I’m good. Thanks, Serena. I’ll see you in the morning.”

“Goodnight, Jade. Goodnight babies.”

Jade laughed. “Yeah, right. Like they sleep. The second I lie down, they start jumping jacks. Goodnight, Serena.” Slowly, she strolled out of the room and headed up the stairs.

Still listless, I prowled around the kitchen a few more minutes and then found myself out in the back patio. It, too, appeared deserted. For as many people who lived in this house, it sounded as quiet as a cemetery out here. I lowered myself onto one of the lounge chairs and stared at the sky as it settled over the evening. I could see the stars come out, one by one, and found myself remembering the night Logan took me to the Old Man in the Mountain when he confessed his love for me. It summed up probably the most wonderful night of my life and tears welled in my eyes as I relived the honesty and love in Logan as he told me he loved me for the first time.

I got up from the chair and walked around the back yard, feeling the brisk air of the night, but not being cold at all. I felt wrapped in the warm blanket of remembering the night I realized I wanted to spend the rest of my life with Logan. I hugged my sweater around and me and pretended they were Logan’s arms from that night. I knew Logan loved me and in just that moment, I knew I would never love another the way I loved him. I stood and gazed out into the dark night and remembered everything we had been through that night last year in Tamera’s uncle’s barn when Christophe also made away with me, trying to steal me away from Logan forever. A shiver ran through me when I thought of that evil demon being on the loose again and how innocently it had come to be.

How could Dave and Tamera have known that their newlywed plans of building a dream home would directly result in the release of the most horrible of all demons? After the wicked finish of Christophe by luring him to fall down the black hole to hell created by my coven sisters, how could we have known there would be any way he could ever be let out? How could anyone have known that something so innocent as the digging of a hole for a swimming pool at a new home would release his evil from its fiery doom? The answer was, we couldn’t have. Even Prudence, with her gift of second sight, never saw it coming.

Yet, with even this looming before us, Logan remained resolute in his love for me. I smiled as I realized if something as daunting as the foreboding presence of evil wouldn’t sway him from my side, then nothing would.

Suddenly, I felt relieved. I hadn’t recognized any indecision in myself prior to this, but somehow, I felt as though I had reached a major decision in my life. I felt the familiar warmth again, as though the heat of Logan’s love itself coursed through my veins, warming me from the inside.

“I know you’re with me always.” I told the empty night. “I love you, too.” Hugging my sweater around me tighter, I went inside.

Chapter Thirty-three

LOGAN

I hated running out on Serena like that, but if I stuck around much longer, she would get suspicious and start poking around in my head. We had an unspoken deal that she wouldn’t do that unless I got into trouble. Or I gave her reason to. Acting like a tongue-tied idiot would surely qualify as a reason to.

“How many do you think you’ll need?” Sully and I were at the hardware store, buying supplies for the big night, which went down in just one day. I had the girls, Elizabeth, Gypsy and Tabitha, across town doing the same thing. I’d talked to everyone, and they were all on board. I’d swear I even thought I’d seen Eden crack a smile. My mom and I were going to have dinner tonight and talk about it, just her and me. Plus I wanted to have a reason to keep myself occupied. Elizabeth said she would do the same with Serena.

I went down the aisle Sully hollered from and found him standing in a pile of Chinese lanterns. Scattered all around his feet, the colorful lights were out of their boxes, cords wrapped all around his legs. If he took a step in either direction, he would have fallen over.

“Jeez, Sully, I barely left you here five minutes ago. How did you do all this?” I gestured at the colorful mess at his feet. He looked down and then up at me and just shrugged. That smacked of Sully. “I guess I’ll take all of them, then.” Sully simply leaned down and scooped the whole mess up and piled it into the cart. I shook my head. I hoped the girls were faring better with their assignment. I just wanted to get done as soon as possible. I didn’t like us being out of our protected area.

We loaded my car with the goods and headed back to the house. Happily, we got there just as the girls were arriving, too. We helped them unload their purchases and took everything to the back patio. I started to help unpack things and begin the setup, when Jade shoved me back toward the sliding door.

“Logan, you need to get out of here. Don’t you have another stop to make?”

I checked my watch. Jade was right. I had left the ring at the engravers and had to pick it up before tonight. If I didn’t leave now, I’d never make it.

“Thanks, Jade. With everything going on, I almost forgot.”

“Good thing I didn’t. Now, get out of here. We’ll handle this, big brother. And don’t worry – it’ll be amazing!”

I kissed my little sister and ran out of there. Jumping into my car, I sped off down the street. The plan
was
coming together. I knew that after Elizabeth returned home with Serena, Jade would take her over to Dave and Tamera’s house, supposedly for some baby shower business. They’d keep her busy until the appointed hour when they would bring her back to the house and then everyone else would disappear. I started to think that maybe this would really come together.

I arrived at the engravers and parked the car. Automatically, I reached into the back seat for Charlie, but she wasn’t there. I’d left the house in such a rush, I had forgotten to wait for her. I felt a small amount of fear when I realized that without Charlie, my exposure increased; I had no protection out in town. Entering the store, I noticed myself walking differently, more cautiously. I looked behind me a lot and scanned the faces of the store’s other patrons. I wasn’t sure what I thought I might find, I just knew I would recognize it when I saw it. But, nothing happened. The store clerk remembered me, got my ring and showed me the inscription I’d requested. They had done it perfectly. I knew Serena would love it. They wrapped it up and I left the store, still glancing over my shoulder every two seconds. I’d made it almost to my car when they appeared at the back of the parking lot.

The Hoodies were back.

I had no way of knowing if these three malignant entities were the same demons Gypsy dispatched with her electric light show the other day or not. Regardless, these particular hoodies were clearly up to no good. And being by myself, they outnumbered me, three to one.

Hoodie Number One lurked at one end of the parking aisle; Hoodie Number Two remained down at the other end. Like evil book ends. Then the third one popped up near the hood of my car. They surrounded me. Now, I’d find out just how much my warlock training had stuck.

First, I needed to protect the innocent. Using a spell Eden had taught me, I raised my arm up. Staring hard at my wristwatch, I concentrated as hard as I could. The old fashioned hands on the watch my father gave me slowed, trembled, then stopped altogether. So did everything else; cars, people, everything. I had done it.
I had stopped time!
I glanced up. In the small shopping mall of the engravers, at least, time stood still. I knew if none of the shoppers in the strip mall came outside, they would be safe. Now, I could take care of business. I turned to the Hoodies.
Let’s try
out
some of this new power.

I brought my other arm up and ground my fists into one another, while staring hard at Hoodie Number One. I felt sick gratification when he doubled over in pain.
Hey!
I could do this!
Hoodie Number Two charged me from the right and at the same time Hoodie Number Three scaled the top of my car, both of them intent on taking me down. They both bellowed primitive, banshee wails, but no words.

Quick, almost quicker than I could believe myself capable, I reacted. I spun around and kicked out my leg, catching Hoodie Number Three on the side of the head. He dodged that, but in ducking accidentally head-butted Hoodie Number Two. Not the brightest demons at the company picnic.

I shouldn’t have congratulated myself so soon. Hoodie Number One got to his feet and managed to shoot some kind of fireball at my ankle. It landed near my foot and set fire to my tennis shoe.

“What the….!” I stamped my foot, kicking it to put out the flame and succeeded in punting Number One in the ribs for his efforts. He went down again. Man, lighting my kicks on fire really ticked me off.
Time to take care of this demonic trio once and for all.
Plus, I had plans tonight.

I brought my fists back together and stared hard at Hoodie Number One.
I knew I could do this
. I pressed my fists together hard and suddenly, it happened! I watched Hoodie Number One disintegrate before my eyes. Just–
poof!
Gone! Crushing my fists together for Hoodies Number Two and Number Three, I dispatched them in the same manner. It came so easy, I couldn’t believe it was me doing it. Checking my watch, I realized I needed to jam if I hoped to get back to the house in time. I unfroze time in the strip mall and freighted back home. I chuckled a little to myself. Eden would be so proud!