Spell Disaster (Silver Hollow Paranormal Cozy Mystery Series Book 2) Read online

  “I’m insulted.” Ember gave Issy a hurt look. “I would never bespell an unsuspecting person, let alone one of my own family. That’s bad luck. Besides, it’s not necessary anyway.”

  “Really?” Issy stepped back and crossed her arms, feeling unaccountably vulnerable. “And why’s that?”

  “C’mon, cuz.” Raine scoffed. “It’s obvious from the way you and Dex make googly eyes at each other that there’s a spark.”

  “There is no spark, okay?” She turned away from the counter to straighten the already perfect items on a nearby shelf. “And I do not make googly eyes at him.”

  “Sure you don’t.” Raine walked over to talk to a tank full of toads.

  “What happened when you went to Charmed?” Ember asked, changing the subject.

  “Starla’s the same as we remembered. A Knight prankster through and through. She tripped me on my way back out to my truck then laughed.” Issy finished fussing with her merchandise before facing Ember once more. “Gray acted weird, though.”

  “Weird how?” Raine asked from across the room.

  “It was like he was frozen in place or something right after we entered. He took one look at Starla and then… boom!” Issy shook her head. “If I didn’t know better, I’d think he had a crush on her. Talk about googly eyes.”

  “Seriously?” Ember frowned. “I can’t believe he’d fall for someone from the south side. You know we don’t mix with Southies. Maybe she whammied him with a hex.”

  “Must have.” Raine returned to the counter, her expression dark. “The Knight Coven’s like our archenemy. Gray wouldn’t even consider hooking up with one of them. That’s a little too Romeo and Juliet.”

  “That’s what I thought—probably another one of her pranks or something.” Issy shrugged.

  “I don’t think Gray is interested in any kind of serious relationship anyway," Ember said.

  "Oh, I wouldn’t be too sure.” Raine lifted the lid of a goldfish tank, pinched a large fish flake between her index finger and thumb, and held it over the water. An orange fantail she’d nicknamed Oscar raced to the top of the tank, puckered his fish lips, and took the food right out of her hand. "He’s had a certain aura about him lately.”

  "I noticed that," Issy said. "He seems kind of lonely.”

  Ember’s brows shot up. "Gray? No way. He’s a ladies’ man. Likes to play the field too much.”

  "Even guys like him need to settle down eventually,” Issy said. “But not with one of the Knights.”

  “No, that would not do. Not at all.” Ember pursed her lips, then her eyes lit up. “You know who I’d like to see him with? DeeDee.”

  "Yeah, they’d be perfect together. And I noticed them exchanging a few looks.”

  "After that full-moon ritual, they seem to have bonded somehow.” Raine shut the lid on the goldfish tank and screwed the cap back onto the fish flakes. “I’ve heard that when a witch performs that ritual for someone, sometimes it enables you to see straight into each other’s hearts. So maybe those looks are because DeeDee and Gray know a lot more about each other than we think they do. But I don’t think there is anything romantic between them. I don’t sense that kind of chemistry. It’s more like they are old friends.”

  Ember’s face fell. “Oh well. Anyway, we all heard her say that she’s promised to someone else.”

  Raine made a face. “Blech. That would be the day I’d let someone promise me to some guy I didn’t even know.”

  Ember shrugged. “It’s their culture. Seems like she’s resigned to it.”

  “Well, I hope he’s at least hot looking.” Raine sighed. “But we have more important things to deal with than Gray’s and DeeDee’s love lives. Did you find any of those charms at Charmed?”

  “Yes. She has them there. Too bad, as Gray pointed out, we have no way of getting ahold of her customer list to find out who bought the particular charm in question.”

  “Hmm.” Raine pulled out her phone and thumbed in a message. “Done.”

  “Done what?” Issy asked.

  “Sent a message to DeeDee. Owen’s bound to get that customer list at some point, and maybe she can let us know what’s on it before Owen starts tracking people down.” Raine slid the phone back into the front pocket of her overalls. “Was the shop busy?”

  “It was pretty crowded. A lot of tourists shopping. Didn’t see anyone buying those charms, though, so maybe that will help us. If they aren’t very popular, there will be fewer people on the list. Maybe we can figure out who it is fast before the demon does something else. Speaking of which…” Issy turned to Raine. “Did you look through your class notes on demon possessions? Might help if we knew exactly what this thing was up to.”

  “Yes, I did, and I don’t think you’re going to like it.”

  “Why not?”

  “Well, as we suspected, the demon is looking for a permanent human host. But in order for it to inhabit a human body forever, it needs to make certain concessions. Sacrifices, if you will. You can’t just take a soul out of Hades and bring it up to earth without giving something in return.”

  “Sacrifices? That sounds so old-fashioned. What kind of sacrifices?”

  Raine scrunched up her nose. “That’s where my notes got a little messy. I wrote down something about how it had to trade three lives for its freedom. But you were right about it using the power of the full moon. In fact, it has a time limit—it has to deliver all the souls before the new moon, or it doesn’t get to keep the body.”

  “So it has to kill three people.” Issy’s heart sank. “One down, two to go.”

  “And they have to have something in common. In the book, it said something about virgins. You know, virgin sacrifices.”

  “So the dishwasher was a virgin?”

  “I’m not sure about that. I think the whole virgins thing goes back a few hundred years. Might be something different now.” Raine smirked. “Otherwise, the demon might have a hard time finding two more virgins in this day and age.” Then her face turned serious again. “Sorry, that wasn’t funny. Anyway, the three dead just have to have some similarity.”

  “If we could figure out what that might be, maybe we could figure out who it intends to kill next and stop it before someone else dies,” Ember suggested.

  Raine nodded. “Right. So, dishwasher… umm, maybe it will go for a sous chef next.”

  Issy made a face. “Really? What, you think Lucifer is down there starting a restaurant?”

  Raine shrugged. “It was just a suggestion.”

  Issy sighed. “This is worse than I thought. Now we know the demon is going to kill again and it needs two more people in four days. Since none of us knows the first victim, we don’t have much of a chance of figuring out the common thread he might be after. That leaves one option. We need to find the demon or, more precisely, who the demon is inhabiting.”

  “So we’re right back where we started. With no clues, unless DeeDee can come up with that list fast,” Raine said.

  “Not exactly. We know one thing. Whoever the demon has taken up residence in wore that charm. That’s the kind of charm that people like to collect. You know, different ones that have meaning to them. Then they load them up on a bracelet piece by piece,” Issy said. “So it’s likely our demon is still wearing the bracelet but with just one less charm.”

  “You know what we could do.” Ember scooped up Bellatrix and cuddled her under her chin, the activity causing Endora to immediately halt playing with the catnip mouse she’d torn from the display rack and scamper over to Ember’s feet, seeking her own attention.

  “What?” Issy and Raine asked in unison.

  “We could conjure a finding spell and cast it on all the charms sold from that shop in this vicinity. That way, we can observe the wearers for any strange activity.”

  “I don’t know.” Issy gave her cousin a skeptical look. “I thought you said you didn’t bewitch anyone without their knowledge.”

  “It’s not bewitching, and those c
harms aren’t people. It’ll be a piece of cake.” She opened the box of candy she’d brought and popped one of the caramels into her mouth. “Or chocolate.”

  “Cool.” Raine took a piece of candy too. “What should Issy and I do?”

  “Once the spell is cast, we’ll just need to sit and wait for the charm’s owner to pass by.” Ember smiled. “Anyone know a good spot?”

  “How about The Main Squeeze?” Issy said. “We can sit on the outdoor patio.”

  “Perfect.” Ember gathered her kittens from the floor and patted Bella’s head before heading for the front door again with Raine in tow. “See you guys later.”

  11

  The Main Squeeze was as busy as always when Issy arrived. Bella pranced along beside her, her new silver-and-rhinestone leash sparkling in the sun. They waited at the back of the short line to order, and Issy pulled her buzzing phone from her purse.

  “Oh darn,” she said to Bella, who looked up at her, panting, her little pink tongue sticking out. “Raine and Ember are both going to be late.”

  Bella yipped then stood on her back legs, begging to be picked up.

  It was humid this afternoon. Issy gathered her little dog into her arms. She’d need to get a bottle of water for Bella as well as a juice for herself when they got to the counter.

  “Welcome to The Main Squeeze. May I recommend our Pomegranate Pleasure today, Issy?”

  Issy glanced up to find Karen Dixon, the juice bar’s owner, watching her closely. They’d had a bit of a rocky patch over the whole Louella Drummond thing, but both women had agreed to put that behind them and start fresh. Issy gave her a small smile. “Hi, Karen. Looks like business is good.”

  “Business is great, thanks.” She tossed her long straight black hair over her shoulder. “So how about it? The Pomegranate Pleasure is today’s special and guaranteed to spice up your love life.”

  With Dex hanging around Silver Hollow again, she didn’t need any more trouble in the love-life department. “Actually, I think I’ll try your Pineapple Express with Celery, please. Oh, and a water for Bella.”

  “Sure thing.” Karen rang up her purchase then handed Issy her change. “Should be ready for you at the other end of the counter.”

  “Thanks.” Issy grabbed her order then chose an umbrella-shaded table near the edge of the patio. Even without her cousins present, it would be best to cast Ember’s spell now, before the after-work rush began. That way she could start watching for anyone wearing one of Charmed’s bracelets.

  She sat Bella down and poured water into the paper bowl Karen had provided, then leaned back in the chair and admired the little dog. She thought she felt a little flutter of appreciation and wondered if it was a telepathic thought from the pup. Good, she was coming along just fine.

  Water. Good.

  “Yes, it is good!” Issy said, and Bella fixed her luminescent brown eyes on her and thumped her tail happily as if she, too, recognized that they were making progress in the witch-familiar bonding process.

  Tall. Dark. Handsome. Good.

  Wait. What? Issy narrowed her eyes at the dog, who was still looking pleased with herself. Had she just communicated… No. Must have been Issy’s imagination.

  Remembering the task at hand, she pulled out her phone to scan the spell Ember had texted. Looked simple enough. Now all she had to do was cast it without drawing too much attention.

  Bella turned back to lapping up her water, apparently done with telepathic communications for the moment. Issy closed her eyes and took a deep breath then clenched her fists—focusing on Ember’s enchantment over and over in her mind, building the energy levels within her then…

  “Invenieto!” She whispered the magic word and released her fists. Tiny iridescent sparks flew from her fingertips.

  Nervous, Issy glanced around to make sure no one had witnessed her little magic show. Tourists milled about along with other paranormals, but none of them gave her a second look. A couple strode by eating matching ice cream cones, a tiny toddler between them.

  All right, then. Good.

  Issy settled back in her chair to charm-watch and spotted Enid Pettywood coming out of the hat store across the green, Becky trailing along on a leash beside her. Enid raised her hand and waved. Issy waved back then watched the two continue on down the street.

  Bella finished her water then circled around three times before lying down on the ground near Issy’s feet, only to jump up again and bark wildly as an orange-striped tabby slinked by. Brimstone followed close behind the strange feline, as if tailing it.

  The cat stopped near Issy’s table and looked behind to where Brimstone had been, just seconds before, but there was no sign of the large charcoal-colored familiar now. The cat looked up at Issy and held her gaze for a moment, its green eyes narrowed, then continued on down the block.

  Something niggled at the back of Issy’s memory. There was something familiar about that cat. But she was distracted when Brimstone emerged from a nearby doorway, as if he’d been hiding, and followed after the tabby. He winked at Issy as he passed her table.

  That was odd.

  Issy glanced to her left again and then realized why the orange tabby seemed familiar. It was the tabby she’d seen at Charmed, and her owner was not far behind.

  Starla Knight’s gaze darted around nervously, and her steps were uncertain as she hurried down the street across from the juice bar. A charm bracelet jangled on her wrist.

  Starla raced forward, head down and expression grim—as though she couldn’t wait to escape this side of town—and, once again, Issy couldn’t help wondering if Starla was the one possessed by the demon. She was wearing a bracelet with charms, for sure, but were they the fancy enamel charms found on the murder victim, and was one of them missing?

  There was only one way to find out, and now seemed as good a time as any to ask.

  Except before Issy could get up, Gray ran out of Sheer Magic and headed straight for Starla. They stood about fifty feet from where Issy sat… and newt shizzle. It was too far for Issy to hear what they were saying. She contemplated a lip-enunciation spell, but they’d both know she’d bewitched them and would move out of range.

  What in the world is going on with them?

  “Hey, Gordon. Look who’s here!”

  Issy swiveled fast to see Dex smiling down at her, his new pet waving at Issy like always. She glanced back at her cousin and Starla before grinning up at Gordon and his owner. “Hi, guys. How are you today?”

  “Great, thanks.” Dex rambled on about getting settled in his house and making Gordon feel comfortable, but Issy was only paying half attention because Gray and Starla were still heavily into their conversation, and in the distance, Raine and Ember approached from across the green. So she nodded and made noncommittal noises while she tried to figure out what Gray was up to and hoped her cousins would not notice that Dex was standing at her table.

  The next time she glanced at Dex, he was watching her expectantly, as though he needed an answer and… and… and…

  Oh, darn.

  If her cousins caught her and Dex talking, they’d question him endlessly, and Issy would never hear the end of it. So her first order of business was to get him out of here. Fast.

  “What do you say?” he asked, his hazel eyes hopeful. Gordon waved to her again, and between the cute lizard and the gorgeous guy, Issy figured whatever he’d asked her couldn’t be that bad, right?

  So she nodded. “Sure. Okay.”

  “Fantastic!” Dex took a step back. “I’ll call you later, then, to set up dinner. And maybe we can discuss whether I should take my main lizard man here in the shower with me and what treats are best to feed him too, eh?”

  “What?” Issy frowned, looking from Dex to her cousins, who were now just across the street. Had she agreed to have dinner with him? Dinner with Dex, alone, hadn’t been on her radar, but she needed to get rid of him. Now. “Sounds awesome.”

  “Cool!” Dex backed away from her, his hand ra
ised in direct imitation of Gordon. “Talk to you later, then.”

  “Yep.” Issy waved, exhaling as he finally left just as her cousins approached. Luckily, Raine and Ember were intercepted by Enid Pettywood mid-street, which gave Issy a moment to compose herself. What had she done? Dinner with Dex? She covered her face, and Bella licked her ankle in sympathy.

  “What did Mr. Hottie want?” Ember asked as soon as they sat down.

  “Got yourself a date, cuz?” Raine gave her a knowing smile as she took the place across from Issy.

  Yes. “No.” Issy took a sip of her surprisingly yummy juice drink. No wonder Karen’s business was booming. “Dex wanted pet advice, that’s all. Are Gray and Starla still behind me?”

  Ember leaned to the side then shook her head. “Starla Knight? What would she be doing on this side of town?”

  “No idea.” Issy gulped down more of her juice. “She was headed toward me, then Gray came running out of Sheer Magic and stopped her. They stood back there for quite a while, talking. Then Dex came and—”

  “And you got distracted,” Raine finished for her. “Hormones. It’s okay, cuz. We all have them.”

  “Speaking of hormones.” Ember pointed toward Gray’s hair salon. “Here he comes now.”

  Gray charged out of Sheer Magic once more, Brimstone at his heels, and headed for their table. He took a seat beside Issy, looking oddly frazzled for a guy who prided himself on his perfect appearance.

  Issy leaned closer to him, suspicious. After what had happened to him in that charm store and now this, she was even more worried that Starla had hit him with some sort of damaging hex or charm. “What was up with you two back there, huh?”

  “Nothing.” Gray scowled down at his hands on the table. “She contacted me and said she wanted to meet. It was weird. I thought she might be up to something, but she said she heard about the murder and got the strongest urge to talk to me about it. Said she wanted to help and figured that’s why we were in her store looking at the charms. Asked all kinds of questions about the charm and how it was connected to the murder.”