Witch Unleashed Page 5

“Okay, so tell me about your job. How many murderers have you caught?”

  “Five in total over the last five years. The Council sends me to a case, and I pick up the trail, similar to what brought me here, and I follow it until I’m sure I know who the perp is, and I arrest them. Once I get them locked down, I take them back to the Council, and it’s out of my hands.”

  “Kind of like a cop and the courts?” she asked.

  “Similar enough, although the punishment they dole is a bit different depending on the crime. They can strip a witch of her magic, they can ban her, they can even incarcerate her. The only thing they don’t do is kill; that goes against their code.”

  “How did you happen into your job? I’m sure there wasn’t a listing in the paper.”

  His lips twisted into a grin. “I’m unique. They found me.”

  “Well, I’m a really good researcher if you ever find the need for me to look into someone’s background.”

  “Is that right?”

  “The island’s best.” She grinned and nodded.

  They stayed longer than they should have. The moon had risen into the night sky before he paid the check and they walked out. “I think we should call it a night and pick up things in the morning. I’ll make sure you get settled and safe at home, and then I’ll walk back into town.”

  “Or you could stay,” she said, staring up at him with doe eyes.

  “Tess Venture, is that an attempt to hit on me?”

  She rolled her eyes. “I have a couch, moron. I just thought you’d be closer so we could get an early start. Besides, you don’t have any transportation.”

  He cupped her cheek and stared into her eyes, making sure she could see that the desire was there. “I’d love to stay with you, but I don’t think it’s wise.”

  Her cheeks tinted pink, and she dropped her gaze. “Oh, you’re right. I don’t know what I was thinking.”

  He lifted her gaze with the crook of his finger. “Don’t misunderstand me. I never said I was wise.”

  A smile blossomed on her lips.

  ****

  The moon glistened over the ocean, creating waves of light on a darkened night. He followed her through the checkerboard and to her door. With key in hand, she paused, and the color drained from her face.

  She pointed. That was all it took. She needn’t tell him why.

  The door sat slightly ajar. He moved her out of the way and pulled a gun from beneath his shirt. Holding his finger to his lip.

  Inching the door the rest of the way with his boot, he found a man sitting on the couch eating a bowl of popcorn. The sight made him pause. He gestured for her to look, and she peeked around the corner before letting out a sigh.

  “It’s just my brother,” she said, bounding into the house. “Noah, what are you doing here?”

  He dropped his feet from the coffee table and clicked the remote to turn the TV off. “I heard what happened today with Dad, and I’m checking on you.”

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Did you know about all of that?”

  He shrugged. “I asked him once why it was that I could perform magic and you couldn’t.”

  “What did he say?” She raised her brow.

  “That it was better that way, but he didn’t elaborate.”

  “How long have you been tweaking the food with your magic?”

  His gaze shifted from hers to Ryder and back. “No one knows that. Who told you?”

  “Does it matter?” Her words were clipped. “Why were you doing it?”

  He shrugged. “I was just trying to do something nice for you since Dad is an ass and keeps canceling your trips. I wanted you to have something special.”

  Her shoulders relaxed.

  “Do you do it to all the food?” Ryder asked.

  “I’m sorry, who are you?” Noah asked, the fine lines of his face deepening, as he only now sensed that Ryder might be a threat.

  “Ryder Shields, officer of the Witch’s Council,” Ryder answered.

  “What’s he doing here, Tess?” Noah ignored Ryder and turned his attention back to his sister.

  “Working a case.”

  “No, I mean, here at night in your cabana,” Noah said, running his hand through his hair. “I don’t see any criminals here. Are you in danger?”

  When she didn’t answer, he finally glanced back to Ryder. “She is, isn’t she?”

  “She might be, but that’s not why I’m here with her.”

  Noah tilted his head. “Then why?”

  Neither Tess nor Ryder answered, but he didn’t have to. Noah took that exact moment to zoom in on Ryder’s hand resting on Tess’s back.

  “Tess, that’s a bad idea,” Noah growled.

  “I’m not discussing my personal life with you, Noah,” Tess answered back, from the kitchen as she fiddled with the coffee maker.

  “He’s bad news. No offense,” Noah said, holding out his hand. “He isn’t a local, and he’ll be leaving after his case, not to mention he probably has a target on his back since he’s hunting a killer.” Noah shook his head. “Nope, this isn’t happening. If you want to date him if he sticks around after finding the murderer, great, but you deserve better than a one-night stand.”

  “You’re right,” Ryder agreed. “She does deserve better, but it’s her choice.”

  Noah lunged for Ryder, but Tess stepped between them. “I’m not doing this with either of you. I’m tired. I’ve had a long day, and I just want to go to sleep. So you two can figure things out, sleep on the couch, sleep on the porch”—she turned her gaze to Ryder—“sleep wherever you want, but I’m exhausted. Those little magic tricks and those horrible Halliwells wore me out.”

  Ryder kissed her forehead. “Go get some sleep. I think I’m going to keep your brother company.”

  “Don’t break anything, no fighting, and don’t even think about eating the rest of my chocolate cake.”

  Chapter 11

  The sounds of their voices had lowered a notch after I got out of the shower. Any fighting they might have done, I hadn’t heard. I climbed beneath my covers and rested my head on the pillow. Breathing my first relaxed sigh of the day.

  I closed my eyes and let the hard sleep pull me under.

  I knew I was dreaming just from the colors alone. They were always more vivid in my imagination than I saw them in the real world.

  I stood by the shoreline watching how a shimmering pink mixed with the ocean-blue waves. A slight breeze ruffled my hair. It would have been a beautiful day if not for the huge dark cloud off the shoreline.

  “That’s an omen,” Vinette Halliwell said, appearing beside me.

  “Maybe it just means we’ll be getting rain.”

  “Don’t be daft, girl. My abilities wouldn’t have transferred into a moron. Your subconscious knows that a storm is brewing. That’s why I’m here.”

  “Why me? I don’t want your abilities. How do I get rid of them?” I asked, not sure I wanted to know.

  “You’ll need them now more than you ever did before.”

  “You think your family will try and get them back?”

  She shrugged. “My family aren’t the only ones you need to worry about.”

  “Who killed you?”

  Vinette pressed her lips together, and the lines around her lips deepened with distaste.

  “A threat I never saw coming, and if you don’t get a grip on my abilities, you won’t see it coming either.” She turned to face me. “So I’m going to teach you.”

  I held up my hands. “And if I don’t want to learn?”

  Vinette crowded me, her gaze penetrating. “You will if you want to survive. The world is a mean place, Tess.”

  I rested my hands on my hips. “You can’t make me learn.”

  She turned to walk up the beach, stopping about ten yards away. She spun around to face me and held out her hand. A floating fireball danced above her hand.

  “Deflect with a wave of your hand.” She yelled the words between us secon
ds before she launched the fireball at my chest.

  I dove out the way, and the fireball singed my arm. I grabbed the burn, fighting through the pain as I rose again.

  “Are you insane? You could have killed me,” I screamed.

  “Fine, I’ll show you how. Conjure a ball and throw it at me. Watch my movements.”

  I held out my hand, and nothing happened.

  Vinette sighed. “Imagine it, the color, the shape, the density.”

  Slowly a purple slimy blob started to form. The color made me grin. It was the least scary-looking thing I think I’d ever seen. Still, with a shrug, I threw it at her, hoping to add a little color to her face. When she easily batted that one away, I did it again with the other hand behind my back and tossed that.

  It landed smack-dab in her angry, surprised face.

  Two fireballs lit in her palms, and she threw them at me, following with more in quick succession.

  I screamed.

  My eyes flew open as my heart raced. My brother was standing over my bed while Ryder had his hand on my forehead, his eyes clenched closed as he chanted words beneath his breath.

  “What the hell, Tess?”

  Ryder opened his eyes. His worried gaze met mine. “Why was Vinette throwing fireballs at you?”

  “She was mad I didn’t want her magic and didn’t want to learn.”

  Noah crossed the room and returned holding up his finger covered in purple goo. “What the heck is this?”

  “How?” I asked, leaning up. I winced at the pain in my arm, and all questions of the purple goo vanished from my thoughts.

  Ryder eased onto the bed and gently lifted the sleeve of my shirt. “She hit you in the dream?”

  When I didn’t answer as he was inspecting the wound, he stopped to look up at me.

  “Only once, but I retaliated and smacking her in the face with purple goo.”

  Ryder held his hand over my arm and closed his eyes again, whispering gibberish I couldn’t understand. The heat beneath his palm hovered over my arm, easing the pain until it was completely gone.

  He opened his eyes and removed his hand. There was no evidence of the burn that had just been there.

  “How did you do that?” I asked.

  “Part of my charm,” he said, meeting my gaze. “Where’s the coin I gave you?”

  She pointed to the bedside dresser. “Over there.”

  He frowned.

  “What? It’s not like I’m wearing pockets.”

  He slipped a necklace from around his neck and grabbed the coin on the dresser. Slipping the pendant open, he tapped the stone out and placed the coin inside. After laying the stone over top, he snapped it closed.

  “For now, never take this off.” He held my gaze as he slid the necklace over my head. “Any more hands-on dream witch training, and you’ll be protected and your abilities stifled from burning down your house.” He glanced at the dresser. “Or throwing goo all over your room.”

  “You’re saying Tess was attacked in her dream and she got physically hurt?”

  “You saw it with your own eyes, Chef.”

  I glanced toward the window where light was streaming in. “What time is it?”

  “Six,” Noah answered. “I was just about to leave to start breakfast for the guests when we heard you scream.”

  “I’m sorry,” Tess said, sliding from beneath her covers. “Let me get dressed, and we can drive back together so you don’t have to walk.”

  I grabbed a sundress hanging in my closet and gave one last look at the purple goo that would most likely ruin the stain on my dresser.

  Ryder and Noah were speaking in hushed tones that ceased when I stepped out onto the porch and made my way down the steps in search of the coconut I’d thrown the day before.

  “Glad you two have learned to get along.”

  “We have a mutual goal,” Ryder answered as I picked up a coconut and tossed it back to the other side of the checkerboard, leading them both out.

  We climbed into the golf buggy and started down the beach.

  “Looks like a storm is coming,” Noah announced.

  I turned to the horizon and spotted the same ominous cloud that I’d seen in my dream and swallowed around the lump in my throat. Storm indeed.

  We pulled up at the hotel and parked at the employee entrance. It wasn’t that I was trying to hide our arrival and bypass my dad…okay, so maybe it was. Still, the back entrance was closer to the security room and kitchen. I was saving time.

  “When you’re done talking to Watson, come find me, and I’ll make you both something to eat.”

  My lip twisted at the corner. “I want real Noah food, no enhancements.”

  He sighed. “If you insist.”

  “I do,” I said, nudging his shoulder as I walked past him.

  “Last night, Noah implied Watson was your boyfriend.” Ryder said as we made our way down the hall.

  “He’s my brother’s best friend and head of security. Watson and I have danced around the issue of dating, but we never seem to be on the same page.” I glanced up at him to find him frowning before I shoved open the security room door.

  Watson was seated behind the monitors, his eyes bloodshot and tired.

  “You look like crap.”

  “For someone who got in late, I’m surprised you’re here early today,” he said, motioning to a still screen of me, Noah, and Ryder getting off the golf cart.

  “Watson, this is Ryder. He’s an officer…” I snapped my mouth closed unsure if I should explain. For all I knew, Watson wasn’t aware of witches.

  “Of the Witches Council,” Watson answered for me.

  “You knew too?” I asked.

  He shrugged. “I wouldn’t be good at my job if I didn’t notice the strange stuff going on at the resort, and of course, there is the fact that I am your brother’s best friend. I knew the court existed but had no clue they had officers until your dad told me yesterday.”

  My dad. The thought of him sat sour in my stomach. “So did Dad tell you to review the tapes?”

  “He didn’t, but the Chief called to ask if we found anything on the Halliwells, so I took the liberty of reviewing them.”

  “And anything?” Ryder asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

  Watson rose and gestured to the seat. “I stayed up all night splicing the films together for each of them so you can watch the entirety of their movements like a movie for each person. I didn’t see anything unusual, but you can watch for yourself.”

  Ryder sat down, and Watson pulled up a chair for me to sit next to him. When I sat, he rested his palm on my shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. I patted his hold in acknowledgment. He was a good man, always had been. Nothing would ever change that. Not Ryder’s presence, not my brother. Watson and I would always have a special bond.

  We watched each of the Halliwells, and I froze the minute I saw my dad and Vinette in the lobby. They had exchanged words all right, but there was nothing remarkably friendly about it. Dad’s face were red, his face pinched when Vinette first approached him. They spoke for about five minutes before he gestured to the hotel’s front door and followed her out. I made a mental note of the time and paused the tape. “When did my dad return?”

  Watson shrugged. “I wasn’t asked to follow his movements. Should I?”

  I nodded. “If we want to prove his alibi, I think it would be smart if we can take him off the suspect board.”

  “Tess, this isn’t one of your murder games.” Watson chuckled. “There is no board.”

  “The board is in my head, kind of like a game of chess. Two steps forward, one step back. Like us.”

  Watson’s cheeks tinted, and Ryder frowned, pressing Play again on the monitors and moving to Penny’s recording from the time she entered to dinner with her mother and retiring to her room, not re-emerging until the Chief knocked on her door

  “I told you she didn’t do it.” I nudged Ryder’s arm.

  “She could have climbed
down the balcony,” Ryder said.

  “Right, because her boney arms could hold her weight as she tried to climb back up.”

  “I’ll sideline her for now,” Ryder finally agreed and moved on to Pippy’s tape. The most aggressive of the three siblings. We watched as she left with Peter out the hotel lobby at eight and she returned at eleven.

  “What time did Birdie hear the fight?” Ryder asked.

  “Midnight,” I answered. “So unless Pippy has a secret to killing her mother without being present, she’s accounted for if she didn’t leave her room again.

  We watched the tapes again, which verified our conclusion. Pippy didn’t leave her room until the Chief showed up.

  “That leaves Peter unaccounted for,” I said, leaning back in the chair. “And we have no way of verifying where he was.”

  I started to play Peter’s video and grinned, slowing it down when the employee passed Peter the key and he passed it back. I was about to fast forward when Ryder stopped me. He rewound the tape and played it again in slow motion. He stopped it when Peter turned his gaze to another woman. The woman on the screen was staring back at him.

  “He might not have liked the employee, but whoever she is, he’s been watching her, and she’s been watching him back,” Ryder announced, replaying the entire lobby scene. This time it wasn’t Peter we were watching; it was the blonde woman across the lobby. Ryder was right. She was watching him, and Peter was stealing glances in her direction.

  “That’s Creely Kimbrel,” I said. “She’s here on a family vacation with her parents, Sue and Richard Kimbrel, of the New York Kimbrels. If I remember correctly from my research, they are high society, old money, and involved in all kinds of charity events. Their daughter, Creely, is an up-and-coming attorney.”

  Ryder pulled out his phone and typed the names into his little directory of witches. “They don’t hail from any magical lines.”

  “So why is a warlock locking gazes with an attorney?” I asked.

  “Maybe he’s suing someone, or maybe he was trying to deem his mother unfit to take her seat as head of the Clan at the Council table. It could be anything.” Ryder sighed and crossed his arms over his chest. “She’s an attorney, so we’ll be hard-pressed to get answers from her if we try to interrogate her.”