A Wicked Good Witches Paranormal Romance Books 1-7 (Wicked Good Witches Seasons) (50 page)

CHAPTER 12

William and Emily arrived at the graveyard. Not a very unique place to hide a body, but it would certainly blend in with the surroundings.

“Wait here,” advised William. He dashed off to make sure the graveyard was empty of late night visitors and scouted for the location of the mausoleum they needed to access. He appeared at Emily’s side just seconds later.

She let out a start. “It still amazes me to see you do that. Not that I can really
see
you do that… you know what I mean.”

William bowed his head, taking it as a compliment. “The graveyard is clear, and the mausoleum is this way.” He walked at normal human speed allowing Emily to walk alongside him.

“William, can I ask you something?”

“Of course.”

“I’m assuming you’ve figured out at this point that Melinda is dating someone and that someone is Riley Deane?”

“Yes.” His voice dropped. “I have gathered as much.”

“I think that’s why she’s been so upset. I knew she was dating someone. I feel terrible I didn’t tell anyone, but she asked me not to. And I thought it was all going great anyway. I should have known it was guy trouble. But I would have never guessed it was
this
type of guy trouble.”

“Nor I. And knowing Melinda, she’s overwrought with guilt.” 

“The type of guilt she should be asking forgiveness for?” asked Emily apprehensively. “It’s clear what you all think of the Deanes... you especially,” she added cautiously. 

William stopped. His gaze intense.

“My actions were…” he shook his head, unsure what to say. When he’d found a man, this Riley, with Melinda, and smelled his blood, marking him as a Deane, his normally controlled defenses had shattered yet again. His emotions raging out of him like a pathetic lovesick schoolboy. One with super strength, a set of fangs and a hunger to suck something, anything, dry.

The thought of a Deane so close to her… touching her… defiling her… he let the picture ravaging his mind go with a low rumble in his chest. 

“Melinda did nothing wrong. I do have a sneaking suspicion she was not aware, and once she discovered he was a Deane…”

“That’s when she locked herself in her room,” finished Emily, putting together the final piece of the puzzle. “Poor Melinda. It’s so hard for her to put herself out there. And she gave it a try and look what happened. I wish there was a way to make it easier for her to tell people how she feels. To not be so afraid. It’s like she thinks everyone is just going to hate her, or abandon her if she makes a mistake.”

William’s thoughts stalled for a moment. It’s what he had just done. He hadn’t known what to say to her. How to act. So he’d just ignored her.
I’m not angry with her, so why did I do that?

William knew Melinda feared abandonment, she had ever since her parent’s deaths.
She used to talk to me,
his thoughts droned.
But she doesn’t any longer. She’s not comfortable doing so…
he had hoped, seriously hoped, they could put the awkwardness behind them. Forget the dreams. The shared moments. Move forward as if none of it had happened.

It appeared he was wrong.

It also appeared he was… dare he admit
jealous…

And I abandoned her, when what she needed from me was acceptance and understanding.
It was such a human thing to do.

“
Hearts
are such a fickle thing.” William realized he said it aloud and his face contorted into a tight frown.

Emily looked up at him, her gaze understanding.

“Even with all my years on this earth I still do not understand them.” He continued toward the mausoleum. The way he spoke made Emily believe he was speaking of his own heart, more than just
hearts
in general.

“It’s because hearts can’t be controlled.”

William stopped, listening to her intently.

“After spending years waiting for Michael to come around, telling myself daily, sometimes hourly, that he might never come around and I needed to move on and forget about him… my heart just refused to listen.
Love
is not something any of us can control. Even vampires I’d wager… we can control a lot of things, William.” She let out a huff and shook her head. “But we cannot control who we love.”

Emily pitched him an inquisitive side-glance, but he said nothing and wore a blank stare. She didn’t know why she thought he would admit anything to her. But she couldn’t help the curiosity on the subject of whether he did have feelings for Melinda. 

If she had to bet, she’d put her money on yes.

It seemed like a hopeless situation, even to Emily.

They continued in silence to the mausoleum, and Lizzy Deane’s body.

Gaining entrance was easy.

Lizzy had explained to Emily that the key for opening the gate was hidden nearby, inside a hollowed out section of a tree. It was overgrown now, and Emily could not get her hand inside the tree, so William shoved his strong hand inside and a second later removed a long iron key.

They opened the gate and stepped inside. In the center of the room was a stone coffin. William gently pushed the heavy lid, which moved easily with his vampire strength.

“I definitely could not have done this myself!” Emily watched him move the cumbersome stone as if it were mere paper. “Thank God you’re super strong.”

“Even with my
super
strength,” noted William, “we will not be able to bring the entire coffin.”

“I hadn’t thought about that. Definitely won’t fit in my car… so we’ll just be bringing her body?” she realized.

“Yes. Are you ready?”

“Think so,” said Emily. What was waiting inside? A rotting corpse? Bones? Dust? Worms or other creepy crawlies? She gasped as William removed the stone lid.

Lizzy’s body lay inside and as she had stated, perfectly preserved. Her skin was porcelain with a hint of pink, her long light brown locks perfectly in place, flowing around her body. She looked as though she were simply sleeping. She wore a full-length black dress, with lace that ran down her arms and rose high around her neck.

“Incredible,” Emily exhaled, stunned. 

“Yes. Quite. This is extremely advanced magic.”

“So what will happen once she’s back in her body? I mean, does she stay the same age? Will she age suddenly like in those fright movies, turning to dust? Will she really be able to live the rest of her life?”

“If the magic was performed correctly, which appears to be the case, Lizzy should return to her body continuing the human life she should have lived. Her body has been in perfect stasis, and it will be as if she never left it.”

“So no weeks or months of therapy to teach her body how to work again?”

William chuckled. “No, my dear Emily. Not at all. Magic like this works differently. It’s not like a human illness or accident that requires time to recover.”

“Ah, well. Okay then. Let’s get her to the car and get on our way. You’ve got some research to do and I have a body to deliver.” She shuddered. “This is the most bizarro thing I have ever done.”

William lifted an eyebrow. “Definitely not an everyday experience.”

He gently lifted Lizzy’s body out of the coffin and swiftly arrived at Emily’s car. He took care with his movements as he slid her into the backseat and buckled her in. Her head dropped to the side, he allowed it to lean on the inside of the car door. He grabbed a jacket Emily had stashed in the trunk and slid it between her head and the glass, to cushion her from knocking blows, caused by driving and bouncing around.

Emily got back to the car and stared, wide-eyed at the brown haired beauty
sleeping
in her back seat. “Have to admit, it’s sort of creepy.”

William opened the driver’s side door for Emily. She slid into the seat and strapped the seatbelt around her. “Thanks, William. Geez, hope I don’t get pulled over. What would I say? Oh, dang, never mind. We know the sheriff.” She giggled and rolled her eyes.

“On nights like these it’s good to have friends in high places.” William grinned. “Still, drive carefully. Eyes on the road, and not gazing into the mirror, staring into your backseat.”

Emily laughed. “I’ll try. I can’t make any promises.”

He nodded. “I’m off to the Deane library. And will meet up with everyone at the rendezvous location.”

“See you then,” mouthed Emily as she pulled away. By the time she glanced into her driver’s side mirror, William had vanished into the night.

CHAPTER 13

Charlie handed Michael half of the list. “I’ll get the other half. Eva, you can come with me.”

Michael sped away to various locations inside their home, gathering the necessary items.

Charlie motioned for Eva to follow him toward the back of the mansion. He led them to some stairs at the back of the house that brought them down into the basement. He opened the door and switched on a light. It was a storeroom. There was another door on the opposite wall, which led into the rest of the basement.

It was a cool, dry place to keep supplies for magical potions and spells. The walls were lined with shelves, each shelf filled with baskets, jars and boxes. Drying herbs hung from the ceiling. There was a long wooden workbench in the center of the room.

Charlie started collecting the items on his list.

“Eva, would you grab me that basket?” he pointed with his head to an empty one near the entrance.

“Sorry, I’m not much help,” she said, handing it to him.

“You collected that basket like a pro,” he insisted dramatically.

She let out a peevish huff. 

“Don’t worry about it, Eva. This is my job. It’s what I do. At least we found out what happened to your dad, and know we can get him back safely.”

“You’re right. I just wish I could be more help. I’m not used to… not being of any use.” She shook her head.
Why did I just say that?
It was far too personal. And more than he needed to know. She and her father were here for a very specific reason, and it needed to end there.

Just keep it together.

Get your father home so you can rip him a new one.

And somehow, not owe Charlie fucking Howard any favors when this is done.

Keep it light.

“We are going to get him back.” Charlie’s determination and misjudgment of her quietness brought her mind back into the basement.

“You’re right. Sorry. Mind was wandering, to way too many places all at once.”

“Yours does that to?” he jeered. “Let me know if you ever find a way to stop that.”

“Sorry, Charlie. I don’t think it’s humanly possible.”

“Damn. Too bad. Regardless Eva, just leave this to us. It’s what we do. And before the day is through we’ll have your dad back. Safe and sound.”

“Until I get my hands on him,” she let slip out in a growl.

Charlie laughed.

“Sorry. That was supposed to stay in my head.” She changed the subject. “How do you handle this job? It seems to me it is rather exhausting. I’ve only known you for what, just over a week, and your schedule tires me out just thinking about it.”

“It has its moments,” he conceded. “These last couple weeks have been much more active than normal. You’ve decided to visit the Isle at an unusually busy time.”

“So it’s not always like this?” she posed innocently, leaving out the part where she was already quite aware that much of what had kept the Howards busy was mostly her doing.

Part of her ongoing attempts to force Charlie’s wolf into obeying her, or to steal the ring gifted to him by the Guardian, Nina, whom Eva was responsible for killing.

“No. This summer is particularly busy for some reason,” Charlie returned. 

“Lucky me. Lucky Dad.” She breathed out a long, shaky breath, turning away from him.
Damn it. What the hell is wrong with me?
A wave of emotion threatened to surface. Tears stung at her eyes.
Crying? Are you fucking kidding me?
This place is turning me into a simpering idiot.

Charlie reached out and stroked her arm. “Your dad’s fine and you’re going to have him back very soon.”

She surprised him by spinning around with tears streaming down her face. “Sorry,” she whispered. “I’m not normally so… like this.”

“What? Relieved? I’m not going to judge you for that,” Charlie told her.

“I guess I just didn’t realize how much my dad meant to me before today,” she explained. “We’ve always been close, but the thought of losing him… it really scares me. In a way I’ve never been scared before.”

“Speaking from personal experience, Eva, once you get him back, tell him that. Don’t regret not saying it.”

“Oh, God. I’m so insensitive,” she cried. “Here I am making a blithering idiot of myself because of my dad, and you don’t even know what’s happened to yours.”

“I have hope though. More hope than I should probably allow myself to have,” he admitted.

Eva unexpectedly leaned forward, resting her head on Charlie’s chest. He wrapped his arms around her as much for his own comfort, as hers.

A calm came over her. She didn’t fight it.
Why am I not fighting this?
More than not fighting it, she wanted it. Craved the closeness. Stupid hormones. Not just the human ones, but her wolf too. She needed to find a way to dampen those, it was making her weak. Putting her in a compromising situation that her body was enjoying far too much. And muddled her mind into a fake sense of security.

Eva lifted her head but didn’t back away. Even with all the conversation playing out in her mind her body acted on its own accord.

“Thank you, Charlie. I couldn’t have gotten through this day without your help. I wouldn’t be getting my dad back...”

He moved his hands up to her face, cupping it, and used his thumbs to clear away the tears still falling. “It will be over soon. This time tomorrow you’ll know your dad’s where he should be.” He didn’t remove his hands and Eva did not pull away.

Charlie’s brain ordered his hands to let go of her, but they refused.
I should let go of her.
His fingers didn’t budge. A surge of electric pulses kept him glued to her. Unconsciously, he rested his forehead against hers, praying for the strength to let go. Ring or no ring, he did not trust himself. Or rather his wolf, to play nice. He’d promised not to hurt her again.

Eva grabbed onto his shirt, pulling him closer. Her breath, her body, her eyes begged him to kiss her, but instead, he dropped his hands allowing them to slide down her arms and forced himself to back away. “Eva… I…”

“Am being the respectful gentlemen, not wanting to take advantage of a damsel in distress. Still afraid you might hurt me?”

His facial expression agreed with her sentiment.

Eva’s expression spoke something else. Something Charlie recognized. Hunger. Need. A thirst nearly impossible to quench.

Perhaps he had been wrong in thinking it was the wolf he was always trying to control. Perhaps it was just human nature wanting to take over, and the wolf inside him just made it harder to subdue that nature. He and the wolf had been one for so long, maybe he had lost sight of what made him human.

He closed his eyes, a hazy dullness clouding his mind. He opened them to see Eva had pulled him back to her. He didn’t even remember moving. He breathed in, intoxicated by her familiar aroma, although lessened by the ring. Bearable and yet not bearable.

Eva’s life was not in danger. He could have stopped. He could have walked away. But he was weak. Almost too weak to stand. He pushed her back until her body was pinned against the edge of the workbench grasping the far edge to steady himself, keeping his other hand splayed around her waist.

“I can’t explain what you do to me,” he told her. “Do you have any idea how intoxicating you are?” Literally so. He’d gone from sober to drunk in seconds.

“It’s not me, Charlie, it’s you,” Eva mumbled in a dreamy tone, as if not quite coherent.

“You smell it too?” Breathing her in left a light buzz tickling at his nerves.

“It’s like…” she trailed off, unable to finish. “Your eyes. God, they’re so beautiful, Charlie.”

The silver of his wolf had come out to play. And
fuck,
did it want to play.

Kissing her is a bad idea.
His body ignored the warning.

His lips brushed against hers, lightly. He could taste it. It wasn’t just a smell. His tongue licked out at her lips trailing across her jaw and down her neck. It was there too. Her skin, drenched in a delectable lust that heightened the intoxication. His tongue lapped at her throat unable to get enough of it in his mouth. He lost all thought except he needed more.

Charlie pushed Eva down onto the workbench, pinning her body there. She pulled at his lips with her mouth, feeding him. He ate hungrily. His tongue foraging and plundering deep inside.

Eva shuddered underneath him. Her legs wrapping around him.

A deep growl rumbled in his chest. He left her on the bench tearing off his shirt.

“Your eyes…” He shook his head, squeezing them shut tight. Her eyes didn’t look right. But nothing looked right. There was a hazy film blurring and discoloring everything.

“Are we floating?” Eva exhaled in a drunken haze. She closed her eyes as if reliving a pleasant dream. “Come back to me, Charlie.” Eva reached out splaying her fingers against his chest. Her fingers trailed downward.

He groaned and gasped. Something sharp dug into his skin. He looked down to see Eva’s nails jabbing into him. His wolf snarled, enticed by the pain. Pain he wanted to return. He leaned down over her and grabbed her ass, pulling her into him forcefully.

She arched, meeting him. His hardness attacked, throbbing against her jeans. “Too many clothes,” she got out in a rushed exhale. She needed skin on skin. Her clothes were dampening the feel of him. And she was hot. Her skin burning up. She wasn’t quite sure why, but touching Charlie was the only way to put out the fire.

His hands fumbled at the bottom of her shirt, yanking it upward. Her black laced bra remained in place as he used her shirt to imprison her hands over her head. Teeth scraped across the thin cloth, nipping and plucking at the skin curving out of the thin dark cups. He could so easily sink his teeth in. Taste her. Claim her.

A growl vibrated against her chest.

Eva lost all control. Her body encouraged him, daring him to sink in his teeth. She lost all ability to have a coherent thought or concern. No question as to why she wanted this. Why she had suddenly gone into this needy haze. Or why she wanted him to bite her.

Charlie pinched, threatening.

A cool breeze wafted into the room, sending a rush of cool air swirling at them.

Charlie’s head popped up and flicked to the side a low snarl stuck at the back of his tongue. Eva moaned underneath him at the loss of contact.

“I’ve got all the stuff on my list,” announced Michael, entering. “How about…
oh
,” he choked out. He turned around, his empathy drawing in the emotion still hanging in the room. “Jesus. Fucking. Christ.” He shook his head. “I’ll be out here, remembering how to breathe.” He grumbled his way out into the yard.

Charlie stood up, the fresh air catching him. The intoxicating smell engulfing them dissipating. He took a few dizzy steps back, putting a hand to his forehead.
What the hell just happened?
His silver eyes morphed back into bright blue. His wolf teeth receded. He gazed down at Eva, uncertainty pounding at his chest.

Eva stared, her breath heavy, her gaze confused.

He held out his hand, which she grabbed, and he pulled her up. She sat on the edge and pulled her shirt back down, getting her bearings. She avoided looking at Charlie.

He just stared in silence his mind still clouded by whatever had just happened. His memory of it falling away, almost like he’d just awakened from a dream and none of it had actually happened. 

Charlie stepped back, grabbing his shirt.

Eva got to her feet, needing a second to find her balance.

“I, uh. I think I need some air.” She slipped past Charlie running into Michael just outside. Emotions poured out of her rampantly. Confusion. Fear. Excitement. Desire. Anger. Guilt. Until…
nothing
. They just stopped as if a switch had been turned off.

“I’ll be waiting by the jeep.” Her tone was even and emotionless as she walked away.

“Huh. Just gets freakier and freakier,” mumbled Michael. He’d never had someone just flip off their emotions like that. He wandered back into the storage room.

Charlie didn’t even look at him. He was holding himself up at the edge of the workbench after putting his shirt back on.

“You okay there, Bro? You need a minute to, you know, cool down?”

Charlie ignored the jeering tone in Michael’s tone and stood up straight, a dazed look on his face.

“The ring didn’t fail did it?” his brother barraged him. “Please tell me you didn’t try to kill her again.”

“The ring didn’t fail. I-I really have no idea what just happened. It’s like I was in a dream or trance or something. But awake.”

“Okay,” replied Michael, beginning to worry. “She really does a number on you, doesn’t she? I wonder what makes her different. Maybe William was right before…”

“About what?” asked Charlie, the haze lifting, brainwaves firing to life again.

“Maybe your wolfy side sees her as a potential mate, or
something
.”