A Barrel of Whiskey - (An Urban Fantasy Whiskey Witches Novel) (5 page)

Now,
that
was news. Merry had been here? Merry knew where they lived? Well, the Yellow Pages would have told her, but still. Shit. “When was this?”

“Right before you got married. Week or so before.”

“How do you know it was the same woman?” Leslie asked. “It could have been her granddaughter.”

“Looked just like her. Besides, Great Grandma shared some stories. Merry Eastwood dabbles in black magick. Found a spell to keep her young. No one knows how old the woman really is.”

“Blood magick?” Paige asked. She’d already guessed, but to have it confirmed? She’d never battled against that before. She didn’t even
know
much about it.

“Yeah. So, Pea, I got more’n just dumb superstition behind
this
fear.”

“That’s good to hear, but why didn’t you say something? Why hide it?”

“Bury it, you mean?” Alma shook out her shoulders. “Maybe it wasn’t the best decision ever, but I’d warned you away from summoning demons, and you ran headlong into that. I tried warning you away from Mark, and you ran into that one, too. I tell you about the shifters, you’d’ve gone straight to them, tryin’ to find a better solution.”

Paige stopped breathing. There it was. Again. Alma’s fear of her gift. And that fear was the reason behind how Alma had handled this situation?

“I was wrong, Peanut.”

Paige breathed shallowly, slowly. Alma had made two decisions for her through a lack of trust. And because of that, Paige had a door to Hell inside her soul and could very well have started a war.

Alma blinked, her white gaze settling on Paige. Her lips were tight, her shoulders bunched. “I was wrong.”

She had been. Was hearing the admission enough?

Only if things changed.

Paige settled her ruffled emotions. Because she had to. She still had one nail left to hammer.

Leslie flinched as the tea kettle whistled. She turned and pulled it from the burner. “Cocoa, anyone?”

“Yes, please,” Dexx said.

Leslie didn’t seem to hear the lack of further requests because she made enough for all the adults. She brought two steaming cups to the table. “So, what kind of threat
is
Merry Eastwood?”

Paige took the blue mug from her sister and gingerly set it on the table, her fingers scalded. “I don’t know. I don’t know anything about her.”

“That can’t be good.” Leslie retrieved her cup from the counter.

“No. But the shifters in Nederland seemed pretty concerned.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”

Leslie sipped her cocoa. “Does it seem silly to anyone else that shifters know more about witches than we do?”

It did to Paige.

Alma turned as the timer dinged. “We know more.”

“No.” Paige pounded the table with her fingertip. “
You
know more. We’re still in the dark.”

Alma narrowed her white eyes at Paige. “Tell me something first.”

That was rich. She wanted information? Great. Paige forced down her anger. In order to keep the family safe, she needed to remain in control of her emotions.

“Why were
you
called to investigate the shifters?”

Paige stilled. She had a feeling she knew where Alma was leading her. “Demons. Sven, specifically. He was trying to harness an animal spirit.”

“Why?”

Paige rolled her head on her neck, popping it twice. “Shifters know how to strip away a witch’s power.”

Leslie went still.

Alma didn’t even flinch.

Leslie blinked. “What?”

“They don’t do it.”

“But,” Alma said, “they can.”

“Yeah, Grandma,” Paige said, exhaling. “They can. You could also be hit by a bus if you left the house. I don’t see you staying inside for the threat of a bus attack.”

“This is different and you know it.”

Paige clucked her tongue. “I know that a person with a gun
can
be scary. But so can a person with a pen. I know that a shifter
can
strip me of my powers. But they’re also people, too. I’ve met these
people
, Grandma. They don’t all suck.”

And,
Paige said inside her head,
not a single one of them did anything like you did. To me.

Alma looked down, clenching her teeth.

“What I don’t know is how many witch families there are.” Paige ticked off these facts with her fingers, needing to get the conversation back on track. Information procurement. Emotions could wait. “I don’t know if they’re gathered together. I don’t know how powerful their coven is.”

Dexx’s gaze settled firmly on Paige’s, giving her silent support.

“And I don’t know,” she continued, “what kind of threat Merry Eastwood poses here in Texas.”

“None,” Alma said, her tone leaving no room for argument. “Portland is a long way from here.”

“She’s here.”

Alma’s startled white gaze daggered Paige’s.

“The Nederland pack warned me.” Paige nodded, terror tangling with anger inside her. “Weird thing is, she’s not here for us.”

“Us?”

Alma wasn’t dumb. She had to know something was going on.

“What did you do?”

Dexx stood, closing his eyes. A calm acceptance smoothed the crow’s feet around his eyes. “I was bitten.”

Alma slashed the air with her hand. “A bite doesn’t turn you.”

“This time, it did.”

Alma stared at him as if seeing a dead man.

Paige couldn’t just let Alma kick him out. Well, she had no control over the matter. Not really. This wasn’t her house. It wasn’t her home. “I can use my gift again.”

“What?” Alma demanded. “That shipped sailed. Your gift’s broken.”

A tremor of terror shook Paige’s voice as she admitted, “The animal spirits chose me.”

“Wait.” Leslie leaned against the island. “You’re a shifter?”

Alarm crashed over Alma’s wrinkled features.

“No,” Paige answered Leslie. “But my animal spirit healed my soul and the door to Hell residing within it.”

“Healed?” Alma asked.

Paige didn’t know how else to describe it.

Leslie straightened, concern washing over her face. “How did the other shifters react?”

“They…” Paige paused, not wanting to see the look of condemnation on Alma’s face when they admitted their big secret. “…didn’t.”

“Why the hell not?”

“Because,” Dexx said, “they were worried more about me.”

“Why?” Alma and pressed her palms against the counter.

Mandy turned, the water from her dishcloth dripping onto the floor.

Tyler seemed unfazed. He continued to hum to himself while drying off the same glass he had been working on for the last three minutes.

Dexx narrowed one eye. “I’m a saber-toothed cat. I’m more powerful than most alphas. So, yeah. They were more concerned with me.”

Alma slammed her spatula against the counter. Her face visibly bottled her rising anger.

Tyler jumped, his brown eyes wide. He looked between everyone. “Sis, you’re dripping wet.”

“Huh? Oh.” She threw the dishcloth in the not-so-soapy water.

“Hey!” Tyler held his hand up to deflect the water.

“You brought a shapeshifter into my house?” Alma demanded.

Tyler’s eyes widened, his lips rounded.

“I brought
Dexx
into your house,” Paige answered.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?”

“No, Grandma, I don’t.” Paige stood. “You know why? Because you’ve kept secrets. Because you never even told us about the paranormal community. We never knew shapeshifters existed.”

“I did so for your protection.”

“Who were you protecting?” Paige demanded. “Yourself?
You
were scared. Just like when I was a kid. Just like when I was an adult. Always scared. Always thinking of yourself.”

“You have no idea what you’re talking about.”

“Oh, really?” Paige advanced. “I’m the one who couldn’t talk to the person raising her about her gifts, her abilities, because everyone was so afraid of what she could do. Including the most powerful witch she’d ever met. You.”

Alma balled her hand into a fist. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Why would I?” Paige threw her hands in the air and slapped them against her thighs. “I’d have to have information first.”

“If the shifters around here find out—”

“They already know,” Paige yelled.

The kitchen went absolutely silent.

Paige blinked, breathing in calm. “Dexx set off their territory wards. They greeted us just outside Fort Worth.”

“Blessed Mother.” Alma tapped her fingers against to her chest. “What have you done?”

Leslie leaned in, her expression carefully blank. “What happened?”

“It was basically a butt sniffing conversation.” Paige walked slowly back to her chair, but she didn’t sit down. “They heard stories about us. They want to meet officially later.”

Alma cringed.

“They asked if they could approach the house.” Paige sat down and scooted her mug in a circle. “I said yes.”

“Why would you do that?” Alma demanded.

“Because
we
broke the treaty.” Paige dipped her head. “Even with the threat of Merry Eastwood, I couldn’t treat them like they were the ones to blame. They’re good people, Grandma.”

“Good people? Girl-child! You’re trying to kill us.”

Paige stared at the ceiling. “We’re only here because the shifters warned us about Merry. We’re here to make sure you’re all safe and then we’re leaving again.”

“Good.”

That single word felt like a slap to the face.

“Not good,” Leslie said with a frown. “This is her home.”

“Not anymore.”

“We
need
her here.”

“No, girl-child,” Alma said quietly. “We don’t.”

Leslie balled her right hand into a fist. “No, Grandma, we do.” She straightened. “I’m not losing my baby sister again because you got scared.”

Alma spun on her, spatula in hand. “The last time the Whiskeys faced the Eastwoods, our entire line was nearly erased, girl. They are more powerful than we are. They are stronger in numbers than we are. And they are ruthless.”

“Mark wasn’t,” Paige said.

Alma’s expression softened. “No. Mark wasn’t.”

“What about Leah?” Paige stared hard at her grandmother. “Does Merry know about her?”

“I certainly hope not.”

“Or what? She’ll go after Leah?”

“As the only direct line descendant who’s female?” Alma leaned against the island, her hands wide. “Yes. Merry will be very interested in her.”

“Great.” Leslie thumped the counter. “So, let’s just scatter the Whiskeys to the four fuckin’ winds.”

“Mom,” Mandy exclaimed.

Leslie held up her hand to silence her child. “Leah’s already across the damned country, unprotected.”

“Rachel has angels.”

“Who only help her when it suits
their
agenda. Let’s not forget about that. Do they even care? About Leah? I doubt it. They cared about hurting Paige because she could pull demons from Hell and she refused to remain within the angels’ control.”

Goddess bless, how Paige loved her sister.

“And, now, you want to send Paige away? When we need numbers?”

Alma gripped her spatula until her pale knuckles went white.

“And let’s not forget the pack.” Leslie leaned forward. “Grandma. Think about it. The damage is done. Paige
is
a part of their world now. So’s Dexx. He
is
family. Not blood, but I’m not giving him up just because he’ll claw my couch. No. Grandma. Think about it.”

Paige swallowed. Leslie’s arguments were good. “We can’t stay. At the end of the day, it’s just too risky.”

“It’s too risky for you to leave. Pea, Grandma’s not getting any younger. Okay? Her magick isn’t as strong as it used to be.”

Alma flinched.

“I’m the Whiskey matriarch. Me, Pea. The weakest witch of the Whiskeys. I have a pre-teen fire-starter. I have a bard, and a telepath. And I have a crone whose power is fading along with her mind.”

“Child,” Alma warned.

“No, Grandma.” Leslie’s eyes lit with real fear. “The danger is here and we need to face reality. Paige is stronger. She has
always
been stronger.”

Leslie didn’t know just how strong Paige had grown.

“And now she’s a shifter, too.”

“I can’t shift.”

“Whatever. The animal spirit helps you.”

She would be worthy of choosing as well.

Oh great. A family of witch-shifters. Awesome.

It is something to consider.

“We need her magick in our circle.”

A flame of hope flared in Paige’s chest. She’d never been offered that before.

“We need the support of the shifters.”

Alma grimaced.

“And we need the demons Paige controls.”

“Control,” Paige said, “isn’t what I would call it.”

Leslie ignored her. “We need to consider it. We’re stronger together.”

Alma ran her tongue along her back teeth.

“Besides,” Leslie said softly. “Your old captain called. He’d like to offer you your old job back.”

Silence. A long, drawn-out, much needed moment of silence. They all had a lot to consider.

Paige cleared her throat and scratched the back of her neck. “You bring up very valid points, Les.”

“I’m scared, Pea. I can’t take over the family from Grandma. I’m not strong enough.”

Paige hadn’t even thought about that. She had always been the youngest, had always been the outcast. She’d always assumed Leslie would take over when Grandma was done. To think of the reins of the family being handed to Paige?

Wasn’t nearly as terrifying as it probably should be. “This isn’t my house.”

“No.” Leslie squared her shoulders. “It’s mine.” She glanced at her grandmother.

Alma’s expression was wrinkled stone.

“You’re both welcome in
my
home.”

The force of magick infused in those simple words washed over Paige. The wards pinged against her soul, changing in pitch until they hummed in tune with her.

She’d never realized before that moment. All those years living in that house, and the wards had never synced with her soul.

She
was
home. Finally. Even though the thought hurt. “I’ll talk to Henry.” Her old boss. “And we’ll consider our options.”