RoadBlock (8 page)

Back inside Dagger’s house, they realized that over two hours had passed while they were in their circle. Luckily, Wade’s mother hadn’t given them an actual
time
to meet her, but she was expecting them soon. Calderon was ready to leave, but Betony stopped him. “Wait, guys. I want to make a few charms first. In case anything happens.”

“What kind of charms?”

“Well, the circle, and what just happened to us out there, just gave me an idea. I think I can make a charm for each of us, to help us stay more connected in case we get separated.”

Calderon tossed his wallet and phone back down on the counter. “Do it, Bet, That’s a great idea.”

“Can I help?” Wade had a little experience with charms, and would enjoy watching Betony work.

“Sure, that would be really nice, Wade.” She turned to Dagger and Cal. “I need some hair from each of you. Plucked out, not cut.”

The men groaned, but complied, wrenching a few strands from their heads and placing them in Betony and Wade’s palms. Betony checked that there were at least three of each, then nodded her approval. “Thanks. We’ll be back.”

Calderon sat down to wait, and opened his arms in invitation to Dagger, who snuggled into his embrace gratefully. Cal clasped Dagger to his chest and kissed the top of his head. He had already felt close to him, but after the circle he felt as if Dagger was his hand-fasted mate.

“That was kind of freaky, out there.”

“Yeah, I guess so. I didn’t realize how close you and Wade were.”

Dagger heard the question in Cal’s voice and turned to look at his face. “Are you wondering if we dated?”

“Sorry. I…That came out wrong. It’s not my business if you dated, I just didn’t think you were that close, that’s all.”

“We
were
close. As kids, we were almost like brothers. All through elementary school we were best friends, and then in middle school we kind of…just, grew apart I guess. We still hung out at coven meetings and when our parents did ritual stuff, and at holidays, but at school we had different friends. Then for a while we were close again. When his mom stopped going to coven, but Wade still wanted to, he came with my family. My dad sponsored him at his induction ceremony, and we trained together for our first tests. But after that, we didn’t see each other much. He started hanging with different people, and we only saw each other at coven meetings and holidays. Nothing ever happened, we never got into a fight or anything, and I always considered him my friend…we just haven’t been close for a long time. And we
never
dated, he’s totally straight.”

“Okay.”

Dagger could see little spots of red starting to bloom on Calderon’s cheeks, and knew he was embarrassed about having shown some jealousy. “Would it bother you if I
had
slept with him?”

Cal looked away, his blush deepening. “
Yes
.”

“I think I like that, actually. You’re cute when you’re jealous.”

Cal snorted at that and shook his head. “Just, if we happen to meet anyone that you…Its probably best if you don’t tell me who you’ve dated, okay?”

Dagger slid his leg over Cal and sat on his lap, straddling him, then leaned down and whispered in his ear, “I’ve slept with my share, Calderon. But
no one
has ever fucked me the way you did last night. Man, I’ve been half hard all day just thinking about it, it was so fucking hot.”

Cal gasped at hearing that, and his cock responded with a strong twitch. “Dagger. Don’t do this to me now.”

Dagger smiled. He’d learned that first night how responsive Cal was to his dirty talk, how it shocked and excited him. But he was right, now wasn’t the time. “All right, Cal. But later, when you’re in my bed again? Then we’ll talk some more.” He gave Cal’s ear a little bite and climbed off his lap, snuggling innocently next to him again.

Cal rested his cheek on top of Dagger’s head and breathed slowly, trying to diffuse the mixture of embarrassment and arousal Dagger had stoked in him. How did Dagger know exactly what to say to make him lose control? Or would he lose control with Dagger no matter what he said? The urge to throw him down on the sofa and rip off his pants was so strong it was frightening. Calderon had never been this aroused by anyone before. He found himself constantly having to reign in his lust, and it unsettled him.

Wade opened the front door just enough to put his head through and call out “All set guys,” then turned around to go wait in the car with Betony. Cal and Dagger gathered their phones and keys and hopped in the car as well. If they made good time, they’d be at Wade’s mother’s house by three.

In the car, Betony presented them with their charms. Wade had his around his neck already, a small cloth bag with three wavy lines drawn on the front, hanging from a leather cord. Betony’s was similar, except it was light green and had a stylized leaf for a symbol. Dagger slipped his over his neck, a red bag with a simple flame design. Calderon sniffed his first, and smiled at the familiar herb scents emanating from the little white bag decorated with three spirals. “Keep them under your shirts, near your skin.” Betony instructed.

“Do you feel anything?”

Each of them closed their eyes, trying to find that connection they’d shared in the circle. “No, Bet. Sorry.”

“It’s okay. I think they’ll work if we make an incomplete circle. We can try it later, though.”

Dagger started the car and headed for Wade’s mother’s. “Do you think Barbara will corroborate Adelaide’s story?” Dagger asked.

Wade answered, looking out the window, “I think she’ll tell us whatever she remembers. She’s got no one to protect in the coven. And I felt like Adelaide was honest with us, so we’ll probably get the same story.”

“She might have a detail Adelaide left out.” Calderon was hoping she would, anyway. He couldn’t see how this was going to play out, and the uncertainty was making him nervous.

Betony watched Wade, who sat next to her in the back seat and stared out the window, lost in his own thoughts. The corners of his mouth were turned down and his forehead was creased. Was he nervous? Sad? Betony didn’t know him well enough to tell. Over the last day she’d warmed to him, he’d been kind and funny and easy to talk to. Then, after the bond they had shared in the circle, she somehow felt as if she’d known him for years. The secrets they had all revealed, the feelings they had shared, made her look at him with new eyes. When they had all been connected, all their souls laid bare, Wade’s pain had been the sharpest.

Betony spent some time looking over his body.
Again
. He
was
extremely handsome, she had never denied that. His body was strong, and his face was just perfect. Square chin, soft brown eyes, and dimples that showed up when he smirked. And now, something was bothering him. She reached her hand out and laid it atop his, startling him. He snapped his head around and looked at her questioningly.

“Are you okay?” She asked quietly.

“Yeah. I am now.” Wade answered, turning his hand into hers and twining their fingers together. Betony smiled, a little thrill going through her as his thumb stroked her wrist. He was facing her now, watching her reaction to his touch. When her smile didn’t fade he relaxed, his mouth going soft and his brow smoothing.

They pulled into the crushed-shell driveway and Wade stepped ahead, walking up the three wooden steps to open the door of his mother’s little ranch house. Before he reached the handle, though, the door opened inwards and his mother clasped him to her in a tight hug. “Wade, baby. I’ve missed you.”

“I missed you, too, Ma.”

She released him and held him at arm’s length, looking him over. “You’ve been taking care of yourself? Heard you’d spent some days down at the bar. You’re under control?”

“Yeah, Ma, I’m fine. I got fired, again. Just let off a little steam this week. It’s all good, now.”

“Hmm. It better be.” She gave him a rough pat on the cheek and then turned her attention to Dagger.

“Dagger! Oh,
sweetie
, come in! I haven’t seen you in…well, in too long!” She hugged him as well, but it was obvious her embrace with Dagger was more gentle, her eyes softer, her voice sweeter than with her son. Dagger smiled warmly and returned her hug. “Hi, Barbara, I’ve missed you.”

“Ma, this is Betony, and Calderon, our friends. This is my mother, Barbara.”

“Nice to meet you both. Come on in and sit. Shut the door, Wade, I’ve got the air on.”

Barbara turned to walk into the living room, still clasping Dagger’s hand. Betony noticed, and saw Wade’s eyes on his mother’s hand as well. They all sat, and Barbara offered them iced tea. Betony knew Calderon was eager to ask questions, but probably too shy to begin. She usually opened conversations for him, and did so now as well. “Barbara, it is so nice to meet you. Wade told you why we’re here?”

“Yes. I wish I’d never have to think about that gods damned prophecy again. But yes, I know what’s going on. You want the story, I assume?”

Betony exhaled, relieved. “Yes, that would be so helpful.” At least they didn’t have to pry the information out of her.

“Well, It was Diana’s vision,” She began, with a little wave towards Dagger, “and she was rightly nervous because it involved her son. I was nervous, too, but also pissed off. Because not only did it also involve my son, but the plan they all made took my best friend from me.” She took a long sip of iced tea before she continued.

“Diana saw this super-witch coming, and knew we would be in danger. The really scary part was how seriously she took it all. Now, you two don’t know Diana, I assume, but I will tell you, she doesn’t scare easily. When she had this vision, she was
scared
. We all met to discuss what to do, and how to help. We knew there would be two new witches coming, and we knew Wade and Dagger would have to be involved. But we also knew you all would need help. Calvin was the only one who could weave the protection and invisibility spells, but he was already into his crone years. He had the power, but his body wouldn’t hold up. These spells, they take
years
to do right. Layer upon layer, worked moon after moon, that’s the only way the weave will hold.

“My best friend, Melody, offered to make a charm to help his body last. You know the cost of that. She knew it, too, but she did it anyway. For Dagger, for Wade, for her own daughters, for the future of our whole coven. I didn’t want her to do it, I wanted to leave, just take the kids and go somewhere far away. I know it sounds weak, but… I loved her. We were more than friends, you know? But she felt it was her destiny, or some nonsense. I think Adelaide convinced her. So, she did it. And a few months later, she died in an ‘accident’.”

“Mom, is there anything else you can remember? About the plan that the coven made, or anything Mel told you?”

“I remember Diana struggling, trying to see what to do, what would help. The vision just wouldn’t
complete
for her, she got pieces, hints, never the whole story. We did what we thought was best, but even that was half-guesswork. Which was why I wanted Mel to reconsider that charm. I’m sorry, baby, I wish I had more to tell you.”

“That’s all right, Ma. Thanks for talking about it, I know you don’t like to.”

“Anything for you boys.” She reached over and patted Dagger’s knee affectionately. “I’m going to be worried sick, now, anyway, knowing it’s started. Been dreading this day for years.”

Betony’s eyes roamed the little house, and she got up to take a closer look at some framed photos of Wade as a child. There were several school pictures, and a few group shots of what must have been the whole coven when the boys were babies, a maypole in the background of one and an unlit bonfire visible in another. There was a large one in a beautiful frame, of Barbara and Wade with another woman, whom Betony assumed was Melody, and two older girls.

One photo was larger than the all others, and in it two shirtless boys stood under an oak tree, arms around each other’s shoulders, faces smiling, hair mussed. It was Wade and Dagger, probably age ten or eleven. They were skinny and gawky, with mischief in their eyes. Dagger held a coiled rope and Wade a stick, as if they’d been caught in the middle of some game or adventure. Betony swallowed hard, remembering what she’d learned about their bond. They were like brothers, really.

She turned back to see the others standing, saying their good-byes to Barbara. Once again, Barbara embraced Dagger as if he were her favored son, holding him just a little longer, speaking to him just a little sweeter. Wade’s mouth had turned down again as he watched them, and now Betony knew why. She walked up to say good-bye as well, but before she got there, the doorbell rang.

All five of them started, then Barbara smiled and walked towards the door. “Let me just see who this is, and I’ll see you out properly. Sit tight.” They heard her open the door and start talking to what sounded like a salesperson, or someone doing some kind of fundraiser.

As soon as she was out of sight, Dagger walked up to Wade and drew him into a hug. “I’m so sorry, Wade. I never saw it before.”

“Shut-up, man. Just don’t.” Wade squirmed out of Dagger’s arms, but stayed close.

Dagger shook his head, ignoring his friend’s protest. “No. I should have noticed. Is that why…why you stopped hanging out with me?” The pain he’d felt from his old friend in the circle today had shocked him, but it wasn’t until he came here and noticed how overly affectionate Barbara was to him, and how cold she was to Wade, that he put it together.