Believe: The Complete Channie Series (82 page)

Josh considered their options and decided to let Channie drive. “Alright. But wake me up in a couple of hours.”

Channie smiled and kissed his cheek then traded places.

“And Channie?” Josh cranked the passenger seat back as far as it would go.

“Yeah?”

“I think we should stay with my dad for awhile.”

She froze with her hand on the ignition, then cocked her head to the side and said, “I thought you wanted to find your clan.”

“I do. But, I don’t even know where to start looking. And this … situation with your mother is dangerous.”

“How’s living with your father going to help? I don’t want to put him, or Liz in danger. And what about Elijah? He’s there every other weekend.” Channie’s voice rose as her energy field lit up with fear.

“I’ll put the Book of the Dead in a safety deposit box at a bank in Denver. No amount of persuasive magic will get your mother into a safety deposit box without a key.”

“How are you going to use the book, if it's locked up in a bank?”

“I’ll do it inside the bank. They give you a private room to examine the contents of your box.”

“What if Momma finds the book while we’re there?”

“She can’t get past the security guards, but I’ll cast misdirection spells around the bank while we’re there. Just to be safe.”

“Do you honestly think that horrible book wants what’s best for us?”

“No.” Josh laughed, but without humor then took Channie’s hand in his and pressed it against his chest, over his heart. “But I do believe it wants what’s best for all mages. We already know it wants me to reveal myself to my clan and face off with the Wicked Witch of the West next December. Hopefully it’ll show us the next step before then. We can’t just go charging off into enemy territory without a plan.”

Channie’s hand trembled against his chest. “I’m scared.”

“Me too, babe. But it’s going to be okay. I promise.”

A
beam of light startled Josh awake. He bolted upright and threw his shield over Channie.

She gasped and said, “What’s wrong?”

Josh sighed and lowered his shield when he realized it was the rising sun and not the flash of a curse in his eyes.

He blinked and squinted as he lowered his shield and returned his seat back to the upright position. “Sorry. False alarm. You were supposed to wake me after a few hours.”

“You needed the rest. How much magic did you use on those police officers?”

“Enough.” Josh flipped the visor down then pulled his phone out of his pocket. “I need to call my Dad and let him know we’re coming home. Do you want me to put the phone on speaker so you can hear both sides of the conversation?”

“I don’t want to hear either side of that particular conversation.”

“Why not?”

“He’s gonna be madder’n a wet hen when he finds out we got married.”

Josh rolled his eyes and sighed then set his phone in the cup holder. “Pull over at the next gas station so we can fill up and trade places. I’ll wait until then to call him if it makes you feel better.”

“It does.”

When Channie came out of the bathroom, Josh was still on the phone. He grinned at her and waved her over then tried to hand her his phone.

Channie backed away from it but Josh turned the speaker on and said, “It’s okay.”

She glared at him then leaned towards the phone. “Hello?”

“Welcome to the family, Sweetheart.”

EZRA AND LIZ

C
HANNIE
WAS
EXHAUSTED
WHEN
SHE
and Josh finally pulled into the driveway. Ezra and Liz ran outside to meet them. After hugs, kisses and stern warnings of “Don’t you ever do that again,” Ezra draped one arm around Josh, the other around Channie and shepherded them to the front door.

Josh said, “Hang on a second,” then tugged Channie away from Ezra and swept her off her feet, cradling her in his arms. He kissed the top of her head and said, “Better late than never,” then stepped over the threshold.

Channie was afraid he was going to carry her all the way upstairs to his room, but he walked into the kitchen instead and set her down on the counter next to the icebox. He jerked the door open and stuck his head inside. “I’m starving. How come you guys never have any food in the fridge?”

Channie grinned. If it wasn’t one appetite, it was the other. She hopped off the counter and peeked around Josh into the icebox. Two cartons of eggs, a pound of bacon, a gallon of milk, butter and … tofu? “What are you talking about? There’s plenty of food in here.”

Liz said, “Do you enjoy cooking?”

“I don’t mind it, and I’d be happy to stir up some grub for everyone, but I don’t know where you keep your pots and pans or how to use this fancy cookstove.”

Josh said, “Channie’s an amazing cook. You wouldn’t believe what she can do with a rabbit or even a squirrel.”

Liz gasped and turned green. Ezra didn’t look so good either, but he nodded and said, “Is that right?”

Josh laughed and said, “Her cornbread is even better,” then opened a door and stepped into a huge closet with floor to ceiling shelves. “What do you need besides corn meal and flour?”

“Baking soda, sugar and salt.”

Josh set everything on the kitchen table and said, “How hot do you want the oven?”

“Hot enough to cook it all the way through without burning the bottom.”

“Yeah, but how hot is that? 350? 400?”

“I don’t know.” Channie’s cheeks flushed. She’d used the stove top burners at Josh’s momma’s house and at the house over by Heritage Park, but she’d never used either of the modern ovens.

Liz pulled a cookbook out of a drawer and thumbed through it, then put her finger on a recipe and said, “Try 350 degrees for twenty-five minutes.”

Josh explained what he was doing as he tapped the oven’s display screen with his finger. “When you’re ready to put it in the oven, just touch this icon and that’ll start the timer.”

Channie slid the pan into the oven then put Josh to work frying bacon while she chopped onions and red peppers for the scrambled eggs. It took the cornbread thirty minutes instead of twenty-five, and the middle fell when it came out of the oven — Liz said it was something about the higher altitude that affected baked goods. But it was perfectly browned, moist and tender.

Ezra patted his mouth with his napkin and said, “This is amazing,” then grabbed another square.

Liz licked her lips then moaned and said, “I don’t even want to know how many calories or fat grams are in each bite.”

Josh shoved the last square of cornbread in his mouth and somehow managed to swallow it whole without choking. His lips quirked up at the corners as he pushed away from the table and gazed at Channie with lust-filled eyes.

She dropped her gaze to her hands as her cheeks burned.

Josh stretched and yawned then said, “Since Channie and I cooked, how ‘bout you guys do the dishes. We need to catch up on our sleep after that drive.”

Ezra smiled at Channie and said, “Thanks for the meal,” then leveled his gaze at Josh. “Before you head upstairs, why don’t you go get your marriage license out of the car. You shouldn’t leave important documents lying around.”

Josh rolled his eyes and said, “If you want proof that we’re really married, just say so.”

“I want proof.”

Ezra
took their marriage certificate into his office and scrutinized it for several minutes. “How did you manage to talk your parents into signing the permission form?”

Channie swallowed and forced a smile across her face, but it felt stiff and unconvincing, even to her. She couldn’t help but wonder if she’d ever see Daddy or Abby or the trips again. Or … Momma. It didn’t make a lick of sense, but she couldn’t help missing her. Not the way she was now, of course, but the way she’d been before the Book of the Dead cursed her. 

Josh stepped behind Channie and slid his arms around her waist then kissed the top of her head. “Things have changed.”

Ezra’s gaze dropped to Channie’s belly. “What can I do to help?”

“There’s nothing anyone can do.” Josh slid his hands to the front of Channie’s body and rubbed a slow circle just below her navel, as if caressing their unborn child. “Channie and I just have to figure some things out.”

“I understand.”

Well, Channie sure as hell didn’t. Why on earth did Josh want Ezra to think she was pregnant?

Ezra said, “Why don’t you two go on to bed. A good night’s rest can help almost any situation.” He patted Channie’s arm then cupped the back of Josh’s neck with his palm and said, “I love you, son. Everything’s going to be fine.”

As
soon as Josh shut their bedroom door, Channie lit into him. “What the hell, Josh? Why did you do that?”

He ran a hand through his hair, leaving it in total disarray. “Look, you don’t know my dad the way I do. He wasn’t going to stop questioning us until he got some answers that made sense. And it wouldn’t surprise me if he tried to talk us into annulling our marriage. I just don’t want to deal with it. An imaginary pregnancy solved both problems.”

“But now he’s going to worry about a baby that doesn’t even exist. And what are you going to tell him when my belly stays flat?” Channie’s stomach churned. “And what if he wants me to go see a doctor?” She’d heard about the way Empty doctors examined pregnant women from Kassie. No way would she submit to that.

“Hey you, come here.” Josh tugged on Channie’s hands as he sat on the edge of their bed. “I think it’s better he worry about a non-existent baby than the truth. I don’t think he’s ready to hear about magic. And hopefully, the book will show us the next step before we have to worry about you not showing. When this war is over, and we can come home, we’ll just tell him you miscarried.”

“That’s cruel, Josh. Folks have a way of falling in love with just the idea of a baby. You know he’s probably downstairs telling Liz all about it right now.”

Josh groaned and smacked his forehead with his palm. “I forgot about Liz. She’ll probably have one of the guest-rooms converted into a nursery before the end of the week.”

Channie picked up Josh’s back pack and handed it to him. “Let’s just hope the book gives us some answers tonight so we can squelch this whole baby idea before it spirals out of control.”

The book started glowing as soon as Josh touched it. He said, “I don’t suppose I could persuade you to wait in the bathroom while I open it?”

Channie shook her head.

“I didn’t think so. But at least go sit on the bed.”

“Josh, we’re in this together.”

“I’m not arguing with you. There’s still just one name on the cover.”

Even without touching it, the book’s energy lured Channie closer. “But we’ve opened it together before.”

Josh stood up and squared his shoulders, towering over Channie. “This is non-negotiable.” His entire body resonated with power.

Channie sat back on the edge of the bed and slid her hands under her butt to keep from reaching for the book. “Promise you’ll show me what it says.”

Josh nodded then walked to the opposite side of the room, crossed his ankles and sank to the floor. He rested his elbows on his knees, took a deep breath and opened the book.

Gold sparks flickered in Josh’s eyes as flames danced across the page. He drew his eyebrows together and frowned then blinked and said, “That’s it?”

Channie stood up and said, “What did it say?”

Josh set the book on the floor and snapped a picture with his phone.

Channie knelt beside him and read the words out loud.

“The stars and planets are nearly aligned

Blood calls to blood its powers to bind.

Live your life as you did before.

When the time is right, you’ll go to war.”

Josh said, “What does it mean ‘live your life as you did before?’ Are we really supposed to just go back to school and pretend like none of this is real?”

“You opened the book. Those instructions are for you, not me.”

Josh narrowed his eyes. “And?”

“Someone has to warn Aunt Wisdom about Dominance’s plan.”

Josh exhaled, lifting the hair off his brow with his breath. “I agree. But I say we stay here for a couple of days and get rested up before we leave.”

“Josh, you
can’t leave
. Not after the book told you to stay put.”

Josh picked up Channie’s left hand and kissed her ring. “You promised you’d never leave me again.”

“Just the thought of being separated from you is killing me. But what else am I supposed to do?”

“We either stay here and wait until the book tells us to go — or we ignore the book and leave together. Your choice.”

Channie dropped her gaze to her feet. “I could sneak away while you’re asleep.”

Josh lifted her chin with his finger, forcing her to look him in the eyes. “I followed you to Las Vegas without even knowing which direction you were headed. This time I know exactly where you’re going.”

The Book of the Dead was the only hope Josh had of learning how to defeat Dominance. Without its help, they were all doomed. “Fine. We wait.”