Red Witch: Book Two of the Wizard Born Series (37 page)

Fred laid there, body contorted, unable to find relief, her breath shuddering in shallow gasps, for what seemed like hours. Somehow the room had gone completely dark, no light showed from the edges of the curtains, and she realized that she must’ve passed out.
I’m going to die soon. I can’t take it.

Then as swiftly as the pain had come, it vanished, leaving Fred panting, lying on her side.
She finally pulled the pin out
. Fred rubbed her lower back and sighed.
That was the worst one yet.

At least she didn’t ask me to do the blood bond. I probably would’ve given in.

Chapter 36

Rita sat with one elbow leaning on the big table, massaging the bridge of her nose with the heel of her hand, her back turned to the late-morning sun glaring through the window.

“You too, huh?” Cassandra said, slumped against the doorway to the kitchen.

“Uunnhhh,” Rita moaned. “Didn’t sleep at all last night.” She tilted her head back and rolled it around slowly. “Bad, bad dreams.”

“This is getting out of hand. Even Fred’s getting’ ’em.’ Cassandra rubbed one eye with the knuckle of her index finger. “You don’t suppose Momma Sue has anything to do with this, do you? You think she knows we’re misusin’ the doll?”

Rita blew out a long gust of air. “Maybe. I thought all the wards I put around the house would shield us, but now I’m not so sure.”

“Remember? Momma Sue said if we used the doll to hurt Fred, she was gonna punish us. She was real specific about that.”

“Then why would Fred have bad dreams, too?”

Cassandra shrugged. “Maybe Momma Sue can’t single us out. Maybe your wards make it so she had to hex the whole house.”

“Well, I’m hexed all right.” She closed her eyes and sighed. “Last night was the worst. I’ve
never
had nightmares like that.”

“Me too. I probably shouldn’t a’ hurt Fred for so long yesterday. I left the pin in the doll for a long time.” She crossed her arms and leaned her head back against the doorjamb. “Maybe we shouldn’t use the doll on her today.”

Rita nodded. “If I don’t get a good night’s sleep soon, I’m gonna die. And tonight’s New Year’s Eve, too. I gotta get a nap or I won’t make it.”

“It’s your turn to stay home with Fred.”

“Oh, no. I’m not missing New Year’s.”

“I’m not staying home two nights in a row!” Cassandra put her fingers to her temples and grimaced. “Let’s argue about this later, after a nap.” She took a long, deep breath with her eyes closed. “Right now I gotta run to the store. We’re out of food.”

“Get something for Fred, too. Something better than peanut butter. We gotta be nice to her today.”

* * *

The two witches had been ignoring Fred all day, which was fine, except that she was out of food. She had her finger in the bottom of the peanut butter jar, trying to scoop out the last bit, when Cassandra came into her room.

She stopped at the foot of the bed and tossed a plastic grocery bag to Fred.

Fred caught it and said, “What’s this?”

“A sub sandwich. Thought you might like something different. It’s ham and cheese, from the deli at the store.” Her mouth twitched as if she were attempting a smile. “Hope that’s okay.”

“Yeah…thanks.”

Cassandra dug into her pants pocket and pulled out a little plastic tube. She dropped it on the end of the bed. “Thought you might want some healing jelly in case you cut your legs shavin’.” Her mouth twitched again. “And you helped make it and everything.” She looked like she wanted to say more, but after standing there for an awkward moment, she turned and left without a word.

As soon as the door closed, Fred pulled the sandwich from the bag, tore the wrapper off, and took a big bite.
Oh, that’s so good!
Her stomach rumbled its appreciation as she closed her eyes in ecstasy. Then she wolfed the rest of it down.

* * *

Jamie stood in Rollie’s driveway, hands in his coat pockets, and watched Rollie take another shot. The ball swished through the net and Rollie picked it up. He started to pass it to Jamie, but Jamie only shook his head.

“You going to Bryce’s New Year’s Eve party tonight?” Jamie said.

“Don’t want to. I feel bad goin’ with Fred still gone and all.” Rollie held the ball on his hip. “But Tanisha had a fit when I told her, ’cause we haven’t been out since Fred got snatched.” Rollie grimaced. “She gave me an ultimatum.”

“Oh man. You’d better go, then.”

“Why don’t you go too, so I don’t feel so guilty?”

Jamie looked at his feet for a moment. “I dunno. What if Fred tries to get hold of me in a dream and I’m not asleep? I mean, what if she had something really important to tell me?”

“You’ll still go to sleep, eventually. She can tell you then. Go to the party, Dude.”

“I’ll think about it.”

* * *

They don’t realize how well their voices carry in this house
, Fred thought as she listened to the two witches arguing again. They’d argued about many things over the course of the day, but mostly they’d argued about Fred.

“For the tenth time,” Fred heard Cassandra say, “I am not, repeat, NOT staying home with her tonight!”

“And I am NOT missing the New Year’s Eve party,” Rita yelled. “Repeat,
NOT
.”

There was a moment of silence before Cassandra said, “Then let’s both go.”

“Who’s gonna look after Fred?”

“Just give her the knockout powder. She’ll be fine. Nobody’s gonna mess with the house, and if they do, you got your wards out, right? You can wear your special bracelet so you can tell if somebody does. Then we can run back here pronto if we have to.”

Knockout powder?
Fred thought.
Oh, no they don’t. Not again
. She grabbed the boom box and fumbled with the latch to the battery compartment as she heard Rita say, “Do you remember where we put the powder?”

Come on, come on!
Fred jabbed her thumbnail into the balky latch, pressing as hard as she could, until the latch broke with a sickening crack. “No!” She looked closely and saw only a little stump of what remained it, and she heard footsteps at the end of the hall. She stuck the long nail of her little finger into the cavity, pushing it in as deeply as she could, painfully, teeth gritted in concentration. “Come on! Open!” The lid popped free and clattered to the floor.

She yanked out the bag with the counter charm in it and snatched it open.
How do I take this? Eat it?
Instead, she stuck her nose into the bag and inhaled sharply through her nostrils. “Ow!” Her sinuses stung and her eyes immediately watered.

She stuffed the nearly empty bag under her pillow just as her door opened. Rita entered, holding one fist closed. “Did you get enough to eat?”

“Yeah, I’m good.” Fred forced a smile.

“Well, I brought you a little something.” She held her hand out toward Fred.

I bet you did
. Fred played along, and as she leaned forward to look, Rita opened her fist and blew powder into Fred’s face.

Fred coughed and said, “What was that?” even though she already knew.

“Just a little something to help you sleep.”

Fred put one hand to her face and groaned theatrically, “Oh, my head…it’s….” and she collapsed on the bed.

Rita waited a moment before pinching Fred on the arm.
Ouch!
Fred thought, but didn’t flinch.

“Okay, Cass,” Rita called. “She’s out.”

“Woo hoo!” Cassandra said from some other room. “Time for Cass and Rita to make the scene.”

“Oh yeah. Hottest New Year’s Eve party in Thibodaux!” As Rita walked out, closing the door behind her, she said, “Make sure you bring plenty of love powder and whatever else we can sell.”

Fred’s heart raced as she listened to Rita’s footsteps fade away
. I’m in Thibodaux!
Fred thought triumphantly.
Thibodaux. I can’t wait to tell Jamie
.

She lay perfectly still until she heard the front door slam and the house turn silent.
They’re gone. The counter charm worked
. She turned on her bedside light, went to the washstand, brushed her teeth and washed her face. “Time to go home,” she said to her reflection in the tiny mirror above the water bowl. “If I can just fall asleep in time.”

Chapter 37

Jamie slouched on the sofa beside his parents. He wore khaki pants and a long-sleeve dark blue dress shirt. He reached down with one hand, undid the laces to his leather shoes and kicked them off.

Carl pressed the mute button on the remote control and looked at his watch. “It’s ten-fifteen. Aren’t you supposed to be at Bryce’s party?”

Jamie shrugged, but didn’t take his eyes from the television. “Don’t feel like going.”

“But it’s New Year’s Eve,” Rachel said. “All your friends will be there.”

“Fred won’t.”

“But don’t you think she’d want you to go?”

“Dunno.” He stood and picked up his shoes. “Think I’ll just go to bed. Maybe she’ll spend more time with me tonight in a dream.” He shuffled to the stairs without another word.

He turned on his bedside lamp and flopped on the bed without taking his clothes off.
What a terrible New Year’s Eve. Wish Fred was here
. He put his hands behind his head and closed his eyes.
Maybe I’ll just rest for a minute before I put on my pajamas.

* * *

“Jamie!” He heard Fred say. “Jamie, can you hear me?”

He materialized in Fred’s dream-room at the witches’ house. She was beside him, eyes wide, exploding with excitement. “I’m in Thibodaux! They finally said it.”

Jamie’s heart leapt. “Yes!” He threw his arms around her and gasped, “Finally!” No news could’ve sounded sweeter to his ears. Not if he’d been informed he was the secret heir to the throne of England. Not if he’d won the Mega Zillions Lottery. He now knew where she was, and that was the greatest jackpot of all. He squeezed her, then put his hands on her shoulders. “I’ve never heard of Thibodaux, but my dad will know where it is. Well find it. We’re coming to get you right now!”

“When you get here, there are a couple of things you need to watch out for. Rita’s got wards around the house, and if she shows up, watch out for the little jade pendant she wears around her neck. It’s powerful.”

“What’s it do?”

“It makes people kinda stupid and forgetful when she spins it. It’s what she used when they kidnapped me, so you gotta take care of that.” She put her hand on his upper arm. “And the doll! It’s got one of my hairs sewn into the head, and that’s why it hurts me when they stick it, and it really hurts
bad
. They can probably kill me with it.”

Jamie narrowed his eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll take care of that, too. They’ve hurt you for the last time.”

She kissed him quickly. “Now, wake yourself up, and hurry, before they come back.”

* * *

Jamie eyes popped open and he was in his own bed; he looked at the alarm clock as he pulled on his shoes.
Almost eleven o’clock. Gotta hurry and rescue Fred before the witches get back.
He ran out of his room and flew down the stairs, yelling as he went, “Dad! Dad, she’s in Thibodaux!” He skidded to a halt in the family room and his mother clicked off the television as his father stood.

“Thibodaux?” Carl said. “That’s in Louisiana.”

“Let’s go get her.”

“Can you make a doorway there?”

Jamie dashed to the computer in the corner and powered it on. “I gotta see it on satellite view.”

“We should take my truck. Can you make a doorway that big?”

“Yeah, but why?”

Carl picked up his cellphone from the end table and began tapping numbers on it. “We don’t know where in Thibodaux those witches live, but I bet I can find somebody who does. We might have to do some driving when we get there.”

Come on,
Jamie thought impatiently as he watched the computer screen, waiting for it to boot up. He heard his father ask for the phone number to the Thibodaux Police Department, then he heard him talking to someone named Sergeant Lambeau.

The computer finished loading and Jamie clicked on
maps
, found Louisiana, and zoomed in on Thibodaux. He closed his eyes, put his hand on the modem for a moment and focused on the location, burning it into his magic sense of space. He stood and said, “Okay. I got it.”

Carl put his phone in his pocket and grabbed his keys from his coat. “My gun’s in the garage. We’ll get it on the way out.”

“Gun?” Rachel said with a touch of alarm in her voice.

“You never know, Honey.” He kissed her quickly and headed for the door with Jamie.

“Call me when you get Fred,” Rachel said as they vanished into the kitchen. “I’ll tell Lisa and Larry.”

They dashed through the kitchen door that led to the garage. Carl grabbed his gun and jumped in the driver’s seat as Jamie made a small doorway.

Jamie stepped through the glowing portal and found himself in a parking lot; a few police cruisers with
Thibodaux Police
painted on their sides were parked nearby.
This is it
. Jamie looked around to see if no one was looking, expanded the doorway and yelled, “Okay, Dad.”

Carl backed the red pickup truck through the portal and it winked out. He leapt from his seat, slammed the door, and he and Jamie sprinted to the entrance of the brick building. Once inside, Carl flashed his badge and they were directed to Sergeant John Paul Lambeau’s tiny office. They knocked and he let them in.

The medium-built, serious-faced officer shook their hands as they introduced themselves. “Didn’t I just talk to you on the phone, Detective Sikes? Something about a kidnapping?” One eyebrow drew down. “The caller ID said it was from Hendersonville, North Carolina.”

“Please, it’s Carl, and I’ll explain the caller ID in a minute. But first we have to do something and we you need to trust us. We need you to swear an oath.”

“Is this some kind of joke?”

“No. It’s hard to explain, but we’re kinda in a hurry. Jamie?”

Jamie smacked his forehead. “I forgot the Bible! I gotta go back and get it.”

“I got one on here,” John Paul said, gesturing to a shelf behind him. “But why?”