Witching Moon Read online

  I pulled another couple cards from the deck, but they indicated home life, and this time I got the king of athames. “Yeah, I think you’re right. I think Darrell told her to quit her job. Men like this like to control every aspect of their partners’ lives. I’ve seen it in straight relationships and I’ve seen it in gay relationships. I’ve seen it in marriages, affairs, and dating. When you visit them, or when they come visit you, does he seem uneasy, like he’s trying to keep secrets?”

  She nodded. “Actually, yes. My daughter used to come over at least twice a week. We had dinner together one night every week. But since Darrell came into the picture, we’ve only gotten together twice. Last time they were supposed to come over she called and made the excuse that she had a cold and wanted to stay home. I offered to come over and look after her, but she said Darrell would take care of her. I tried once more, but she blew me off again. Am I imagining things, or is he interfering in our relationship?”

  I nodded, pulling yet another card. The Hermit came up. “He’s trying to cut off her connections, and yes, that’s very common in abusive relationships. She needs to get rid of him or he’s going to drain her bank account and probably worse. She’s already questioning her self-esteem and her place in this world. And if she’s sick, chances are he’s not taking care of her the way she needs to be.”

  Maxine hung her head, shaking it lightly. “All right, I believe everything you’re saying. It fits the pattern. What can I do? How can I help my daughter escape from the situation?”

  “Unfortunately, your daughter is an adult. She has to make her own decisions and this is one of those life journeys that will be a crossroads for her. If she doesn’t get rid of him, her life’s going to go downhill from here. But if you try to force him out, she’ll resent you because he’s already got her under some semblance of control.” I paused, thinking over what advice I should give her. Then it occurred to me that we were in a magic shop, and surely Llew had something that might help the situation.

  “As soon as Llew gets back from the coffee shop, I want you to tell him about the situation and ask him if there’s anything he can recommend. Meanwhile, let me pull an advice card.” I focused on the cards, tapping the back of the deck three times before cutting it in half. As I turned the top card over, the magician appeared.

  I smiled. “Yes, that’s the best thing you can do. The magician is not only communication and quick thought, but he represents the magical arts. Talk to Llew. I think he can help you better than I can.”

  “Oh, don’t worry about helping. You already have. Now I know what I’m facing. And you can’t fight an enemy that you don’t understand.”

  That moment Llew entered the shop again, a tray of coffee cups in one hand and a bag of what I assumed were pastries in the other. He had bought a cup of coffee for Maxine as well, and she gratefully accepted it. I set my caramel latte to the side, then took the bag of pastries from him.

  “Let me put these on a plate while you talk to Maxine. She needs magical advice.” I carried the pastries back into the break room, where I found a tray and arranged them neatly. I had to admit, Llew had been correct. Coming down to the shop had made me feel better, and even though I hadn’t been able to solve Maxine’s problem, the fact that I had managed to make inroads on it sparked a feeling I hadn’t felt in a while. I actually felt useful.

  I carried the pastries out to the counter and set the tray next to the cash register. Llew was deep in conversation with Maxine, showing her several herbs and a couple of potions. I wandered back over to my table, carrying a maple bar with me, and sat down to eat. As I sipped my latte and watched the flurry of passersby outside the window, I realized that I was breathing easier. I had just finished my maple bar and was licking my fingers when Moira Ness entered the shop. She waved at me, looking lighter than she had in ages.

  Moira had been coming to me for a long time, but it had only been recently that I had helped her sort out a trauma that she hadn’t wanted to face. For a long time she had continually asked for information on her late sister’s spirit, but I had a feeling that she’d been able to finally let it go by the look in her eyes.

  I motioned to the chair and she sat down. “It’s good to see you.”

  She smiled and glanced over at the pastries. “Are those free for the taking?”

  “Of course. I don’t know if Llew has made the coffee for the shop yet or not, though.”

  “I’ve already had three cups this morning, I’d better take it easy for now.” Moira headed over to the pastry tray and selected one, setting it on a paper plate. She picked up a napkin and returned to my table. As she stared at her plate, I had the feeling she wanted to say something.

  “Is everything all right? Is there something you need to tell me?”

  “I don’t want you to be mad, but I pestered Llew until he told me why you’ve been out.” She reached across the table and took my hands in hers. “My dear, I’m so sorry.”

  I knew she was just expressing sympathy, but I cringed and pulled my hands away. I didn’t want to talk about Pandora. I didn’t want to talk about what had happened to me. But at the hurt look on her face, I had to say something.

  “I’m all right. Thank you for your concern. But truly, I’m okay. Now, what can the cards answer for you today?” I picked them up, forcing a smile to my face.

  Moira stared at me for another moment, then relented, leaning back in her chair. “Why don’t we go with something easy this time? I’m entering a flower arranging show and I joined a gardening club. Can you give me any idea of how that’s going to go?”

  And so I read the cards for her, and after she left three more people came in who had been waiting for me to return. By the end of the day I was exhausted, but for the first time in weeks I felt more like myself. Llew had been correct. I needed to get out of the house more. I sucked in a deep breath, then stood and began loading my backpack. When I was ready to go, I texted Kipa and asked him to come over for the evening. Maybe, just maybe, I would be able to get my relationship back on track too.

  Chapter Three

  When I texted Kipa, asking if he could come over, he texted me back saying that he would be held up until at least nine p.m. I told him I’d see him then, and headed back to my car. I had gotten rid of my Toyota Camry because every time I saw it, I couldn’t get rid of the memory of Pandora flagging me down for help. For some reason, I had thought nothing of seeing her on the side of the road, and had slowed down on my way home from Ember’s. She got in the car, saying very little. All the way to my house I had felt like something was wrong, but I couldn’t seem to frame the question of why. And then, as we pulled into my driveway, everything had become a blur. I didn’t remember anything else until I woke up in the cavern under Mount Bracken.

  So I had traded in my Camry, which I had loved, for a Subaru. It wasn’t exactly my style, but it was a sturdy car, with plenty of room for Raj in the back, and the best thing about it was that it didn’t send me into a flashback when I saw it.

  I arrived home, holding my breath until I made it into the foyer. Locking the door behind me, I was relieved to see the alarms were still functioning and hadn’t been triggered. Raj was sitting on the sofa, watching TV, and he bounded over to greet me.

  “Raven have a good day? Raj watch TV and eat cookies.” He beamed at me.

  Gargoyles were incredibly intelligent, but in a vastly different way than humans, and Raj’s interactions with me often made me wonder if he had been stunted developmentally. Given that a demon had owned him from birth, there was a good chance that he had experimented on my poor Raj, but whether Raj was normal for a gargoyle or not didn’t matter. I loved him because he was my buddy and friend. And I’d take care of him until the end.

  I gave him a hug, kissing him on the forehead. “Raven had a good day. Raven enjoyed seeing Llew in the shop again. Did everything go okay here? Raj was all right today?”

  Raj nodded, his head bouncing like a bobble-head toy. “Nobody came
. The ferrets made a racket.” He wandered back to the TV. Raj was a couch potato, and he loved TV with a passion. He’d watch anything and everything, just so long as it was happy and upbeat. I had recently found him watching Musical Weddings, a show where four couples spent twelve weeks in trial marriages with each other—much like musical chairs. Every two weeks they changed spouses. The cat fighting and jealousy were over the top, but Raj watched happily, hoping for a happy ending for everyone. I didn’t bother telling him it was probably rigged. He enjoyed rooting for the couples he thought were the underdogs.

  I wasn’t particularly hungry, but I wandered into the kitchen anyway, finding a bag of chips that I had hidden behind some canned beets. Raj hated canned beets, and I knew he would never look there even if he managed to get the cupboards open. I poured the chips into a bowl and carried them into the living room to share with him.

  Raj began to describe who the different couples were, along with a few odd comments that led me to wonder if he’d been watching Runway Divas, a virtual fashion show, lately.

  “Piper’s dress looks like she found it in a thrift store,” he said offhandedly, doing his best imitation of RuPaul. “And honey, that ain’t good.”

  I swiveled, staring at him. “Um…okay. What makes you say that?”

  “Dennis said it, and Raj likes Dennis. Raj wants Dennis and Piper to get married.” Then he shushed me, and went back to watching intently.

  A chime sounded, announcing that someone was texting me. I glanced at my phone, wiping my hands on a paper towel to get the oil off of them. It was from Trinity.

  hey raven, do you want to catch a drink at the burlesque a go-go?

  I glanced at the clock. It was barely six. Kipa wouldn’t be over for three hours. i can meet you for a couple of hours. see you there in twenty minutes.

  I stood, turning to Raj. “Raven has to go out for a couple hours. She’ll be home by eight-thirty. Kipa is coming over later tonight to spend some time with Raven and Raj. Raj will be okay?” I handed him the bowl of potato chips.

  He nodded, still staring at the TV. I touched up my makeup and made sure that my hair was brushed, then slung my purse over my shoulder. Placing my foot on a chair, I tested my dagger sheath that was firmly buckled around my thigh, sliding Venom back into it. Venom was my blade, and she had a poisonous bite. We worked well together, and I never went out without her now, although I caved when it came to the Sun & Moon Apothecary. Llew had specifically asked me not to wear weapons in the shop, and I respected him enough to abide by his ruling. When I got there, I took Venom off, stowing her in my purse, peace-bound. When I left, I made sure she was firmly against my thigh again.

  I checked to be certain the wards were activated, and I also double-checked the magical security system. Then, waving to Raj, I locked the door behind me and headed to my car. The motion sensors flashed on the moment I set foot on the porch. It cast a bright light across the driveway, and as I headed for my car, I saw Trefoil and Meadow sitting outside in their yard. I wandered across the street to say hello.

  “Hey, what’s hanging?” I had come to like them, and I actually felt more secure with their presence in the neighborhood. They belonged to the paramilitary branch of LOCK, the Library of Cryptic Knowledge. I had recently discovered that LOCK was secretly run by the Force Majeure, the most powerful magical organization in the world. That Trefoil and Meadow O’Ceallaigh were in the military branch gave me more of a feeling of security.

  Meadow looked up, red hair sparkling under the evening sunlight. She and Trefoil were brother and sister, members of the magic-born, and although I had never seen them in action, I knew just how powerful they could be.

  Standing, Meadow stretched and yawned. “Hey, we’re fine. How are you?” She frowned, and once again I felt like I was in the spotlight. I was beginning to hate the fact that so many people knew what had happened to me. It wasn’t that I wanted to keep it a secret, it was just that everywhere I turned, somebody either wanted to help me or tiptoe around me.

  “Fine. I went down to read at the shop today. I’m going to be gone for a couple hours right now, so if you’re around, would you mind keeping an eye on the house? I have the wards set and I also have the security system set, but I’d still feel better if I knew someone was paying attention. I should be back around eight-thirty.”

  She nodded, her expression grave. “We’ll be around. We decided we wanted to do some star watching tonight, so we should be out here all evening. Have fun and we’ll see you in a while.”

  Trefoil waved at me as I murmured “Bye” and headed back to my car. As I drove out of the neighborhood, everything felt so normal, and yet so different. And I knew we wouldn’t be back to normal for a long time, if ever.

  The Burlesque A Go-Go was jumping, and I waved at the bouncer as he motioned me through. I was a regular, friends with the owner, and everybody who frequented the nightclub knew me. As I entered the bar, the lights fell away and a dark ambience glittered over the room. The Vulture Sisters were up on stage dancing, a Gothic belly dance that made me think of birds of prey—which they actually were. They were Ante-Fae, like me, but they were much more predatory and they made no move to hide the fact.

  I glanced around, looking for Vixen. Vixen was the owner of the club, and they were sitting over in a corner chair as usual with Apollo—their Golden Boy—by their side. Tonight, Vixen was wearing a top hat, a pair of leather pants, and a slinky shirt open to their waist. Gender-fluid in the truest sense of the word, Vixen shifted form each day, depending on what they felt like being.

  I headed over to the table, motioning to the waitress as I did so. “A Blueberry Warble, please.” The milkshake was fortified with blueberry liqueur, and it was the newest thing on the menu. It came quickly.

  “Raven, my love. Sit down.” Vixen pushed the chair out from the table with their foot. They never flirted with me unless they were in male form, which I found interesting.

  “I can only stay for a couple of hours. Trinity’s meeting me here.”

  A shadow passed across Vixen’s face. “Are you still hanging out with the Keeper of the Keys? He’s not healthy for you, Raven. While he may have saved your life, he’s still a form of Mesmer, and you shouldn’t trust him.”

  I let out a sigh. Lately, every time I got together with Vixen and Apollo, they tried to talk me out of hanging out with Trinity. They didn’t like him, and Vixen only tolerated his presence in the bar because of me.

  “I don’t see what’s wrong with him. And if you don’t tell me, I’ll never know what it is you have against him. Trinity’s in a class on his own, I grant you that. But aren’t we all? All of the Ante-Fae and the Exosan?”

  The Exosan were members of the Ante-Fae who liked to interact with humans. I was one of them.

  “It’s not that I don’t like him, but chaos follows him as sure as frost follows the autumn. And Trinity can’t control his chaos. And sometimes I think he revels in the fact that it goes awry.” Vixen narrowed their eyes, leaning forward. They lifted their drink and took a slow sip from it, then deliberately set it down and held out their hand to me. I placed my fingers in their palm and they wrapped my hand with their warm one. “You should talk to Herne about Trinity. I’m sure he’ll have more information that he’s willing to share, but let it be known that I go on record as saying I don’t like that you hang out with him. I imagine that your lover isn’t exactly thrilled with the idea either?”

  While Vixen was polyamorous, they knew that I wasn’t. And they knew Kipa well enough to know that he didn’t like sharing his partners.

  “I’ll deal with it in my own way. We’re fine. Kipa understands that I’m going through something that you can’t possibly know anything about. I’m dealing with memories that—”

  “Don’t start with me, girl,” Vixen said, lowering their voice. “You know very little about my history. Don’t spout off at the mouth until you know more. I’ll stop pressing you about Trinity, but don’t say I didn’t warn
you.”

  I was about to answer back when I noticed the door open and Trinity entered the nightclub. I stood. “Since Trinity’s presence causes you so much concern, I’ll talk to him at a different table. See you later, Vixen. You too, Apollo.”

  Apollo merely nodded, but Vixen shook their head, scowling.

  As I headed across the dance floor, weaving through the throng of dancers and partiers, I couldn’t help but wonder if Vixen was right. Was Trinity dangerous? Could I trust him? I still knew very little about him, even though he had saved my life and we’d started hanging out together more. But there was something about him—something unfettered and free that made me want to run by his side. I wasn’t that attracted to him, not on a physical level, but his fearless attitude did appeal to me, and for now, it felt just what the doctor ordered.

  Trinity leaned against the bar, waiting for me.

  “Raven,” he said, motioning to me, and I slid into his embrace, giving him a peck on the cheek before I sat on the bar stool next to him. We had only known each other for a short time, but it felt like forever. Trinity was carefree, and he wasn’t attached to anyone, although he did seem to care for a number of people. Unfettered, Trinity came and went as he pleased.

  “Hey Trin.” I sighed, glancing back at Vixen and Apollo, who were both watching us. “They’re not happy about you being here.”

  “Not my circus, not my monkeys. I pay my tab, and I don’t cause any brawls. If Vixen doesn’t like me, they can toss me out on my ass, but I’m not going willingly just to save them some trouble.”

  He arched one eyebrow and I grinned. The dark liner around his eyes was natural and gave him a roguish, Goth look, not quite the raccoon-mask look, but close. He had black hair that fell down his back in a braid, and he was wearing a pair of black leather pants and a black velvet jacket with ruffled sleeves and gold military buttons. Formfitting to the waist, the lower part of the coat flared out, and there were gold and blue stripes on the shoulders. Trinity was like a combination rock star–pirate in his style, flamboyant as hell but it came naturally to him, so it didn’t seem affected.