Reaper (27 page)

I got out of bed and looked around in the dark for my pajamas. Why did Ethan have to throw my clothes after he took them off? I found my pants and stuffed my feet through the legs. I picked up one of Ethan’s hoodies and pulled it over my head. I grabbed the BOS and silently slipped down the stairs, set on whipping up a pot of sleepy-time tea.

I lit several candles and placed them around the kitchen table to provide enough light for reading. I flipped through the pages of the old book. Though they were few and far between, the BOS did contain curses. Last year, I decided I never wanted to curse someone. I didn’t want to cross into the shadowy darkness of black magic. I was afraid it would be like a drug; hard to stop once I started.

I flipped back to the section that listed spells for tea. I dumped the herbs I would need into a metal tea sieve, filled a mug with water and hesitated. If I drank this, I would be guaranteed a goodnight’s sleep. As much as I wanted that, it should wait.
Just a few more minutes
, I told myself.

Thinking it practical, I had stashed the magical herb book in the cabinet with the herbs. I retrieved it and strode back to the table. I jotted down herbs with protective properties and then cross referenced them in the BOS. I then spent a half hour grinding and mixing the herbs into a powder. I took a spoonful of the mixture and added to a small jar of Full Moon water. I sniffed the water and was tempted to go so far as taste it.

I believed in its power, but it still looked like a fancy jar filled with ordinary water. During the last full moon, I had done what the BOS instructed and filled the jar with water, placed a quartz crystal inside and left it out all night long during the full moon. The crystal would retain the power of the moon until used, holding the power of the full moon indefinitely and charging the water.

The clear stone clinked against the sides of the jar as I shook the potion. As the particles settled, I held up the jar and invoked the powers of the herbs as well as calling on the stored moon powers. I always felt hokey when I did that, but, since it always worked, I didn’t see the point in finding a new method.

I was so tired by the time I was done dividing the powder into jars, putting my herbs away, and cleaning the kitchen that I didn’t need the tea anymore. I carried the book and went back to bed. Hunter jumped up next to me and I wrapped my arms around him. It didn’t take long to fall asleep.

~*~

I was shocked when I woke up at ten-thirty. I got out of bed in a bit of a panic, thinking I was uber late in feeding the horses. Not bothering to change out of my pajamas, I yanked on socks and flew down the stairs. Hunter was snoozing on the family room couch. He let me know that Ethan had already taken care of the horses.

“Good,” I said out loud. I turned around and went back to my room to shower. After I was clean and dressed, I found Ethan, Harrison, and Luke playing video games in the family room.

“Morning sunshine,” Ethan teased.

“Shut up,” I shot back. “Can I talk to you for a sec?” I asked him.

“Yeah, hang on,” Ethan said without looking away from the TV. “Can’t stop the game.”

I smiled and rolled my eyes. I went into the kitchen to find something to eat. I was done making my grilled cheese sandwich by the time Ethan walked in.

“I talked to your brother,” he said in a low voice. “He and his friends are going to get dinner and see a movie tonight. They shouldn’t be back until ten-thirty at the earliest.”

“Ok, good,” I told him. “And thanks for taking care of the horses and talking to Harry.”

“You can pay me back later,” he joked. “We just have to entertain them until tonight.”

“Great,” I said sarcastically. “Any idea what to do?”

“Not at all,” he sighed. “Harrison is your brother; I’m sure you can think of something.”

“If it were just Harry, this wouldn’t be a problem. I’ve known Luke but I don’t
know
him. And I’ve never spoke to Ashley or Kaylin before. It’s really awkward being around them.”

“It’s just one week,” he reminded me. “We could go to the Dunes,” he suggested.

“Where?” I asked took a bite of my sandwich.

“The beach,” he explained. “There’s a really big sand dune somewhere along Lake Michigan. I’ve been there before as a kid. I know it’s not a far drive from here.”

“Alright,” I agreed. “Hunter’s coming.”

“I assumed he would,” Ethan said with a smile. “Do you want to call René or Keith and see if they want to come?”

“She’s working today,” I told him. “And Keith has class. As much as l like not having a job or being in school, it doesn’t make for a good social life.”

Ethan chuckled. “I can see that.”

I took another bite and looked at the clock; I still had several hours until it was time to meet Mindy…and I still had several hours to entertain my brother’s friends. I finished my food, put my plate in the sink, and put on a fake smile, already counting down the minutes until the unexpected visitors left.

~*~

The temperature that night had dipped down enough for me to be bundled up in my favorite down Northface jacket, and I was forced to put my gloves on after only a few minutes of turning the engine off. René and Ethan sat waiting in the Xterra on the opposite side of the parking lot from Keith and me in my car. Hunter and Will waited in the back of the parking lot, concealed in the shadows of two dumpsters.

Mindy was gorgeous; I could see why so many men had tried to buy her a drink. Her long legs looked even longer in her sky high heels, her curves filled out the skimpy dress perfectly and the security lights sparkled off her impeccably styled hair.
 
There was something familiar about her beautiful face…I couldn’t place it. Maybe she did just look like a young Pam Anderson.

She’s coming
, I thought to Hunter. My phone buzzed in my pocket. I tapped the screen to read the text from René.
 
Ready?
she asked.
Yes.
I typed back, thinking we should get walkie talkies; the glow from the phones could give us away. Silently, Keith and I slipped out of the Camaro. My black Pumas barely made a sound as my feet moved closer and closer to my Guardian. My heart raced. I could see Hunter’s silhouette; still and calm. William had nervously wrapped the leash around his hand and was struggling to unwind it as Mindy confidently drew nearer.

Hunter’s head turned quickly to me; something was wrong. He looked back at the lady called Mindy. Through his eyes she was fuzzy at the edges. I held my hand up to stop Keith. Still far enough from her to speak without being heard I asked, “Does she look weird to you?”

“If you consider that cheap dress and hooker heels weird, then yes,” Keith said. He cocked his head. “Something doesn’t
feel
right about her.”

“Yeah, I agreed. The energy coming from her is…manic.” I stared, thinking a demon’s aura probably would appear that way.

Mindy came to a halt. “William,” she said seductively, her voice low and sexy. “I must say, I am impressed.” She looked at Hunter. He raised his lips to show off his very sharp fangs. Her harlot expression disappeared. She reached for the leash and he snapped. With a shriek, she jumped back.

Ethan nodded to me from across the parking lot. I took a deep breath and calmly walked toward the dumpsters.

“Not as easy as you thought?” My voice startled Mindy. She jumped again, looking dumbfounded. She opened her mouth to talk but only an incoherent sound came out. “Hey boy,” I said to Hunter. “You are such a good actor.” He wagged his tail in a very dog-like way and trotted over to me. I unclipped his leash and smiled. He walked away from me and stood protectively by René, as planned. I inched closer to Mindy. “What were you going to do with him?”

She backed up, luckily away from the dumpsters. With her distracted, Keith rushed to William, and the plan was to get him in the car as unnoticed as possible. I stepped closer, and Mindy retreated, again, and again, until she literally bumped into Ethan. She screamed and bolted. Ethan grabbed her arms, pulling them back and looping his through her bent elbows. She was stuck.

“What were you going to do with him?” I repeated through clenched teeth.

“I’d rather die than tell you!” she cried, though the fear on her face said otherwise.

“I have no problem with that,” Ethan said coldly, jerking her to make her stop struggling.

I hovered the dagger in between her large breasts (which were fake, I was sure). “Listen, you better start talking,” I jeered.

“I won’t!” she shouted and tried to jab her stiletto heel into Ethan’s leg. He of course blocked it, but it pissed me off.

“What did you want with Hunter?” I raised my voice with each word.

“Nothing!” she screamed.

Would it be awful if I cut her, just a little? “Don’t lie!” I pressed the tip of the dagger into her skin. If she moved and it cut her, it wasn’t my fault, right? Headlights shone into the parking lot. Crap. Ethan dragged Mindy behind the dumpster. Feeling concealed from the public, I pressed the dagger above her collarbone and repeated, “What did you want with Hunter?”

René and Hunter were behind me. Hunter growled and René raised the crossbow. Mindy trembled. “OK!” she bellowed. “I was going to give him to someone.” She looked behind me. I could hear a car.

“To whom?”

“I can’t tell you,” she said, fearfully. She closed her eyes and regained her bitchiness. “I won’t tell you!”

Several male voices chattered on the other side of the dumpster. Just keep walking and go into the bar and everything will be—

Mindy screamed. “HELP!” She screamed again. “He’s trying to rob me! HELP!”

I could hear their shoes skidding on the pavement as the men turned to run in the direction of the distress calls. I looked at Keith and Will. “Go!” I instructed. I turned to René. “And Hunter too! Go!” Ethan still had a strong hold on Mindy, who continued to shriek and yell.

“HEY!” one of the guys shouted. He stopped short, seeing me with the outstretched dagger. “What the hell?” He looked at me curiously. There were four of them, and they looked young, probably around Ethan’s age, like the type of guys he would hang out with from the gym. This was reason we couldn’t have normal friends…

“Let her go!” another chimed in.

“I’m calling the cops!” yet another threatened, his phone already in his hand.

Shit. My hands shook. I hadn’t thought this far ahead. I wished I could communicate with Ethan the way I could Hunter. I looked away from the four men and into Ethan’s eyes. He nodded slightly. I jumped to the side and he threw Mindy forward. She stumbled into one of the guy’s arms. I grabbed Ethan’s hand. “Close your eyes,” I whispered. The security lights grew brighter and brighter, humming loudly with the added electricity. With a loud pop, the glass shattered, raining tiny shards down on the parking lot. It was enough of a distraction for Ethan and me to get away unnoticed.

~*~

“Do you think she’s gonna call the police?” Keith asked as he pulled the dining room curtain back to look at the street.

“No,” Ethan answered. “She’d have to give her real name.”

I sank heavily into a chair and sighed. Hunter rested his head in my lap, looking up at me encouragingly. “I know,” I told him quietly. “But we still don’t know much more than before.” He thought about Mindy. “I almost forgot! Did you sense anything else?” He remembered her being fuzzy at the edges. He knew something wasn’t right, but she smelled human. “Are you sure?” Yes, he was. She smelled like food and perfume and burned herbs.

Everyone was staring at us, waiting for an explanation. “Mindy didn’t look normal to Hunter,” I explained. “She was fuzzy.”

“Fuzzy?” Ethan asked.

“Yeah, like the edges of her body blurred, like looking at someone through an unfocused lens. But Hunter swears she’s not a demon.”

“I don’t think so either,” Ethan agreed. “She was too weak.”

William looked at the clock for the tenth time. Ethan sighed. “Time to go?” I asked.

“Yeah.” He fished his keys from his pocket. I walked him and William to the door.

“Anora,” William said with a little bit of unease.

“Yeah?”

“Uh, thanks, for saving me, I think.”

“You’re welcome. Thanks for coming with us and not giving us away,” I said sincerely; William had no idea he was magically forced to obey.

He nodded. “Good luck with everything,” he said, though his words confused him. He faked a smile and briskly walked to the X-terra. I followed Ethan to the driveway. He stopped a few feet from the SUV, put his arms around my waist and pulled me in.

“I love you,” he told me.

“I love you too.”

 
“I’ll be back in about an hour,” he said after another kiss.

“Hurry home.”

“I will,” he promised and kissed me again. The plan was to take William to the train station. From there, he’d go to the airport, get on a plane and visit his parents in Florida. He would be far away from Mindy. My breath clouded around me as I exhaled and I went back into the house.

“So,” René said as soon as I was inside. “Are we thinking Mindy is behind the curse?”

“Yes,” I answered confidently. “Though I can’t say why. It’s just a feeling.”