Witch Risen: A Paranormal Adventure (Bad Tom Series Book 2) (23 page)

No way, not the old tractor beam trick. I leap as a tiny but confident panther, saying my shift words as I go, and land as Tom. I beat the beam by seconds. I open the box, snatch the heart, and fling the box away. As it flies, I tear at the dried out clump of nasty goddess gristle with both hands. It deteriorates quickly as I rip and rend.

Anat howls as she fades to a mass of smoke, her keening turning into the sound of the wind. At the side of the clearing, a dog howls in sympathy.

The smoke-thing swirls, orienting itself toward the edge of the clearing, where the large, black dog stands, muzzle in the air. It whooshes toward the howl, dead leaves swirling after. I brush my hands together rapidly. The powdery remnants of the heart that allowed her to move from body to body are picked up by the wind and dispersed.

If she made it to that dog, she better be stuck there.

The Goddess goes when the demon does. Gillian slumps to the ground, then sits up, looking shaken, but she appears to be okay other than that. I cradle the still unconscious Cassie as I call to her. "I can't go after her. I'm sorry. I can't leave Cass."

"She's not hurting us now. No reason to follow her."

I press my lips to Cassie's forehead and smooth her hair with one hand, willing her to come all the way back to me.

I address Gilly but I don't take my eyes off Cassie's face. "Is the Goddess…"

"Yes, she's gone. She doesn't like to directly interfere, but she's been watching Anat for a long time…"

Gillian stands up and takes off her black robe, handing it to me. She wears a flowing white cotton dress beneath. "Cover yourself, and let's see about our girl."

I put the robe on, and it barely covers my knees.

Gillian holds Cassie's wrist for a moment. "Strong pulse. That's a good sign." She pulls the athame from behind her back where it had been shoved into her belt. "I hate to ask it, but you do need to leave her now. Take this to the others. Cut the circle so they can exit safely and not set loose any more negative magic today. Nat needs to take a look at Cass as soon as possible so we can get her to the house or the hospital, one of the two. I'd do it myself so you could stay, but the Goddess asked something of me before she left. I think we owe her, don't you?"

I take the knife reluctantly, press my forehead against Cassie's as a promise, and I'm on my way. I don't want to leave her like this, but Natalie can help her more than I can now.

I come back from the twilight: I no longer feel the pressure of that other soul thrusting me into the farthest corner of my own body. Did they put Anat to sleep again? Where's Tom? I try to sit up, but I'm too weak to move much of anything. My body feels heavy, weighed down.

Then I see Gillian through a field of dark, shifting spots. She reaches her hand out tentatively to touch the lid of a box. Omigod! No! I want to yell, stop her from being taken.

She opens the lid. Through the spots, I see the shuddering lump inside it. No way. Disembodied hearts don't beat. She raises it over her head, looking up to the sky and holding it at the end of her outstretched arms, speaking quietly. "Thank you, Goddess, for your strength. I will always come to you in perfect love and perfect trust." At least my ears are working okay even though my eyes are wonky.

She continues talking, something about release and freedom from earthly bonds. Then, sparks leap from the heart into the night, twisting and breaking into smaller particles until they disperse and she's holding just a dried lump of gristle. She pulls one hand into a fist around it. When she opens her hand to the breeze, the particles blow away.

Whatever that was? Ick.

I'm starting to feel in control of myself again. There's not a trace of that evil nutjob in here. I try my voice.

"Gillian?" It's weak and unsure, but it's totally my voice again, not someone else's.

Gillian wipes her hands on her dress, leaving long dirty trails, before she scrambles to me across the grass and pulls me into a giant hug. "Oh Goddess, I wish I hadn't sent Tom to get the others. He should be here."

"What was that? What you did?"

"Tying up loose ends, sweetheart. Putting a god back where he belongs. I think it's clear that gods and goddesses should never inhabit the same world with mortals."

She folds me into her arms for a long time.

I rush along as fast as I can go in a long robe with bare feet. I need to start planning my wardrobe better. Maybe I could tuck a pair of jockey shorts around my collar in preparation for an unanticipated need to shift. Shoes would still be a problem, though. And underpants hanging from a cat's neck? No, nobody will think that's strange, I'm sure.

I'm at the old ritual grounds within minutes.

"Where's north?" I ask.

"Natalie points in a line from the altar to a tree.

I sight on the tree and walk in toward the circle until Nat says, "There. The outside radius."

I cut the first circle with the athame, then walk in two paces and cut the next, then another two steps to cut the third.

"So, what just ran past here? Big dog, red eyes? Stopped and growled? I think it was trying to bully us into leaving the circle." Natalie holds out her hand for the knife.

I hand it to her as I reply. "Glowing red eyes?"

"I'd definitely say they were glowing," Robert answers.

Oh hell. It can't just be over. Of course not. "I'm not sure. It could be Anat. I mean, oh hell, obviously, it's Anat. But we got her out of Cassie, and I destroyed the heart. The plan worked."

Nat motions with her head to the crystal ball sitting on the altar. "We saw a lot of it in there, courtesy of the Goddess. Must have missed the part where you unleashed a doggy-demon on Giles."

"We'll deal with it when we deal with it. But both Cassie and Gillian are safe."

Robert claps me on the back. "Good to hear. Yes, very, very good to hear."

I relax when I realize it really is over. "I don't know how to repay all of you," I say, as I look around at the small group of witches.

"Give us a striptease at my next birthday celebration, and we'll call it even," Nat says, grinning. The other lady witches titter.

"If that's what it takes, Nat, you got it."

I'm impatient to get back to Cassie, but the oldsters can't move at my pace. I think about ditching them to dash back to be with her, but after all they've done for me, leaving them in the middle of the woods with what might be a possessed demon dog doesn't sit right with me. The conscience I've gotten back since I started spending more time as a man than as a cat can be a real bear. I hold myself back, but inside I'm hyped to break into a run to be with Cassie.

It feels like forever before I get a glimpse through the thinning trees of Cassie sitting up in the grass with Gillian, Gillian's arms wrapped around her, her head on Gillian's shoulder.

I can't hold back any longer. The trailing witches will still be within shouting distance if I take off. I break into a run, ignoring the sticks and stones that tear at my bare feet. I'll worry about them later. That's my girl over there. She's back. It's time to take her home.

Cassie must have heard me pounding toward her. Her head lifts from Gillian's comforting shoulder, swiveling toward me, an expression of alarm on her face. She laughs and cries all at once when she sees it's only me.

She stands to come to meet me, and I catch her just as her knees give out beneath her. I support her with my enfolding hug as our lips meet and the world goes away around us. She smells of Eunice's perfume, but I know the gentle touch of her mouth on mine. Eunice had no concept of gentle. This is my loving Cassie.

Reluctantly, I leave her lips to whisper in her ear, "I love you. Goddess knows, I love you."

Then we're both crying and laughing, and we suddenly remember we have an audience when Robert clears his throat. "It's awkward breaking this up, but we need to head home. Hell of a night." He shakes his head and turns away, repeating, "Hell of a night."

"You don't have to carry me. I'm still weak, but I can walk," Cassie says with a yawn.

I kiss her on the top of the head as blue sparks leap from Gillian's fingers to unlock the front door of the shop. "Do you really think I would let go of you right now?"

Gillian says, "Night, you two," then walks back to Robert's waiting SUV. I nod to her, and then flash an eyebrow-lift, chin-thrust goodbye to Robert and Natalie. I get nods back. Cassie's head crashes against my shoulder. She's only semi-conscious now.

There's no way I'm sleeping tonight. I'll just stay up and watch her breathe.

Three days after I carried Cassie up to our bed, I lean across the counter to plant a kiss on the tip of the world's cutest nose. "Swept, stocked, and ready to open, Miss Proprietor."

Cassie giggles. "That's Ms. Proprietor to you, Mr. I-Need-To-Get-With-The-Times. So, get that door unlocked, minion. Don't just stand around wasting time kissing people's noses."

I unlock and prop the door to let the perfect summer day find its way inside. It isn't long before Natalie bustles in. Right on time to pick up her facial treatment. We lean into each other for a hug, and Cassie beams at her.

"One Magic Youth Masque coming up, Nat." She reaches under the counter where the day's stock of perishable items is stored in the small fridge, then sets the jar of cream on the counter.

"You know, Nat, before you go with that…well, Tom and I have discussed this…" She looks to me, and I realize she's going to tell Natalie what's in the masque. I look around, trying to figure out the safest place to duck out of the way. "Well, some of the ingredients in your masque are kind of…kind of…"

"Ground fetal pig, that kind of thing, you mean?" She waves her hand, dismissive. "I analyzed the very first batch and sorted that out years ago. But you see my skin, don't you? Smooth as a fetal pig's behind. If I could make it myself, I would. But the magic Eunice added, that's something else entirely. I've tried, but I can't replicate it. It's just not one I have a talent for. I am more than glad that you do."

"Oh. In that case, no problem. Same time next week?"

"Of course, dear." She picks up her bag and says, "And the two of you, you're still coming to our little adventurer's club at Robert's tonight?"

"Wouldn't miss it for the world," I reply. "Gillian would hex the both of us. And anyway, I'm doing the cooking."

"Excellent. See you there. And Tom, my birthday's coming up next month. I expect you to be at your fittest."

I roll my eyes in acknowledgment.

"What was that about?" Cassie asks after Nat leaves.

"Just a private joke. At least, I hope it's a joke." She couldn't possibly hold me to the promise to strip, could she? I slip behind the counter and give Cassie's perfect backside a pat. "About time you got out of here for work, isn't it?"

"Yep." She gives me a quick peck on the mouth and heads for the door. "Dash gets his panties in a bundle when I'm late."

I walk to the door and watch her walk down the street to the Gallery.

Yes, that is definitely one perfect backside. No wonder it got assigned to follow behind the world's most perfect girl.