A Witch in Time (9 page)

T
he soft sand
felt wonderful after having been dragged along hard-packed ground covered with all kinds of sharp debris for so long. She would have relaxed her battered and bruised body if she weren’t so terrified of touching the water while the ghouls still held her. Rafe’s warning echoed through her mind.

Saltwater is binding. The door will stay open if you touch it.

“Let me go!” Enid jerked back and forth in an attempt to shake off the ghouls.

Bony fingers dug deeper into her flesh as they pulled harder. Ghoul laughter filled the air.

She reached out for a large piece of driftwood she’d seen out of the corner of her eye. Digging her own fingers into water-smoothed wood, she held on as tight as she could, her arms quivering with the strain.

The wood shifted as the ghouls gave a mighty tug.

“You’re not getting me into that water.” Enid gritted her teeth.

Heh, heh, heh.
The ghouls chortled.

“I said to let me go!” She balled on hand into a fist and punched the eyeball nearest her. “You’d better pay attention before I do something that really hurts!”

The creature fell back with a howl.

Enid’s brief feeling of satisfaction disappeared as two other ghouls replaced the one.

A brilliant flash of light lit the scene.

“Hephaestus!”

The spirit rushed into the fray without a second thought.

Once again, Enid felt the unnerving sensation of the world shifting around her. The ghouls continued to claw at her even as they reached out toward her savior. She couldn’t allow them to touch him take his life-force.

“Watch out!”

Her warning came too late. Hephaestus had already reached out to pull her free.

Bony hands grabbed his arms.

Enid flinched.

The world shifted again.

She closed her eyes.

The repeated sounds of flesh connecting with bone filled her ears. Drool dripped onto her face and the fetid breath of a ghoul filled her nostrils as one of the creatures fell right onto her head. She pushed the disgusting thing away, repulsed by the slick feeling of the taut flesh stretched over the bony skeleton.

She didn’t dare open her eyes again throughout the long minutes of battle. Grunts of exertion indicated Hephaestus seemed to be tiring as the ghouls continued to tear at her clothing and rip her flesh. Yet fewer and fewer of them seemed to attack her as time passed. Before long, she didn’t feel them on her at all.

The roar of the waves almost masked the sound of heavy breathing.

Enid took a deep breath and appreciated the sensation of the cool fresh air filling her lungs. She looked up at a sky sprinkled with glittering starlight. The waves crashing against the shore no longer terrified her now that none of the ghouls seemed to be around. Saltwater wouldn’t bind the spell if she and the creatures didn’t enter at the same time.

A head came into view.

Her eyes focused on the familiar face of Hephaestus smiling down at her.

She took the hand he extended and felt a pleasant surge of electricity at his touch.

After taking in his battered appearance, she realized he looked solid to her once more. She scanned her surroundings, taking in the normalcy of the view, and felt reassured that she remained in the Living World. So the fact that she could touch Hephaestus meant…

“You’re here.” Enid threw her arms around him. “You’ve crossed over!”

Hephaestus’s arms went around her. She felt his muscles against her back as gave her a squeeze. Nestling her face into the side of his neck, she took in the familiar aroma of bay rum he exuded. The throbbing of the pulse in his neck fascinated her. He was here, with her, alive and well. Nothing else mattered to her in that moment.

The hug went on for what seemed an eternity. She reveled in the feel of being held by him, the sound of his heartbeat in her ear, the steady in-and-out motion of his chest as his breath slowed to a more normal rhythm. Enid enjoyed the situation much more than she should.

She lifted her head and looked up into his face.

He smiled down at her as his head lowered.

Her eyelids fluttered closed and her lips quivered.

The rapid cooling of her body warned her she’d been released before she opened her eyes to find Hephaestus standing several feet away. Disappointed at having been denied the kiss she’d hoped for, she looked out of the water. Moonlight danced on the waves as whitecaps crawled up the beach toward them.

He reached out to touch her shoulder. “I am glad you are not harmed.” The cold formality of his tone hurt her already-bruised pride. Hephaestus turned and began to walk up the beach in the opposite direction. “I will bid you good night and return home now.”

“No…wait.” Enid slipped her damp feet back into her shoes and ran after him. “I’m sorry.”

“You need not apologize. In fact, I believe should make amends for my earlier treatment of you. My long banishment to the Spirit World made me a bitter and ungrateful man. I had no right to take that out on you when you tried to show me kindness.”

Enid shook her head. “You don’t need to apologize, either. I understand.”

They walked along together in silence before Hephaestus spoke up again. “How did you manage to open the veil before Samhain?”

She looked out over the ocean once more, unable to meet his questioning stare. “Rafe.”

He stopped and turned her to face him. “How could you trust that man? While I am sure he must not be evil, he is still an elemental, and those with that power tend to court chaos. They are not to be trusted.”

“I didn’t mean…”

Hephaestus interrupted before she could finish her sentence. “Once again you showed a decided lack of forethought in your decision-making. You seem to make a habit of acting before you think.”

She couldn’t argue with him. Not after all the trouble she’d caused. “You’re right.” In an attempt to explain her reasoning, she decided to tell him the truth. Enid met his eyes. “I wanted to get away before I caused you any more pain. You didn’t seem happy to have me around and I couldn’t stand to see you that way.”

“I cannot deny that your resemblance to Emilia dredged up unpleasant memories. That does not excuse my actions any more than your explanation excuses yours.”

Enid turned away. “I won’t bother you again then. Thank you for all you’ve done.”

Warm tears tracked down her cheeks as she left the beach for the pathway leading into the village. She needed to get this out of her system before she returned home. Gemma didn’t need to see her this way. She’d already caused her sister and everyone else enough trouble. Time to act like a mature adult and figure out how to fix her mistakes without causing any more. Keeping busy might also help keep her mind off Hephaestus.

“Hold up, young Miss Enid.”

She scrubbed away her tears with the back of her and took several deep breaths.

“Please do not believe I do not want you around me.” He reached out to her. “That may have been how I felt in the beginning, but I no longer wish to avoid you. Quite the contrary. I hope we can become true friends.”

“I’d like that.” Enid chanced a look up at him and felt a wave of emotion from him so strong her breath caught. This time, she extended a hand. “Truce?”

He took her hand in both of his. “I would like that very much.” Bending his head, he placed a gentle kiss upon her warm flesh. The contrast between the paleness of his skin and the darkness of hers struck her as interesting. Could a feisty, bald, modern witch and a courtly old warlock get along?

She hoped they had time to find out.

“
G
emma
! Fox! I’m home.” Enid took the porch steps at a run, shoved open the front door, and stormed into the front parlor before stopping. She took in all the little details of the room that she’d long ago stopped noticing. The way the colors in the Tiffany lamps reflected on the walls. The soft sheen of the polished wood tables. How the cushioned seating called her to sit down to rest her weary body.

She dropped into an overstuffed chair and leaned her head back as she heaved a sigh of relief.

“Sis!” Gemma’s voice preceded her as she thundered down the stairs. She appeared in the doorway to the hall and stood with her arms open wide.

Enid jumped to her feet and rushed into her sister’s embrace.

She’d come home.

“Good to see you back on this side,” said Fox. “Though I can’t agree with how you got here.”

“Fox…”

Raising a hand to stop her sister from admonishing Fox, Enid gave the two women a rueful smile. “She’s right. I made another mistake.”

Gemma laughed. “That’s an understatement, Sis. This one’s a disaster.”

“Can’t help being who I am, can I?” Enid couldn’t help but feel giddy at being back in her own house. “I’m not thrilled with the idea of all the others I brought staying here with me, though. The ghouls are creepy. And the spirits need to go back.” The image of one spirit in particular popped into her mind. “Well…all of the spirits but one. I’d like to keep Hephaestus over here with me now that he’s come through.”

Fox and Gemma shared a look.

“He’s quite the gentleman. That’s a hard quality to find these days.”

“Enid…”

The tone of her sister’s voice caused her veins to feel as though they’d been filled with ice water. She’d been so happy to have Hephaestus here that she hadn’t considered others might not be quite as pleased. He was, after all, a spirit who belonged on the other side of the veil. He might not have passed over due to death, but that didn’t mean he should stay here in the modern world after all this time. His presence might create problems. Yet, she wanted more than anything to be able to spend time with him. Gemma must understand that. “I know he’s a spirit, but he didn’t die. Not really. The ghouls dragged him through the veil.”

Fox guided her to a chair and pushed her down. “We need to talk.”

She looked up at her sister’s significant other and felt an unreasonable surge of anger. “Can’t I be happy, too? You’ve both shown me what I’ve been missing and I want what you’ve got. Hephaestus is a good candidate.”

Gemma settled on the arm of the chair and stroked the top of her head. “We understand.”

“We truly do,” said Fox. “And we both want to see you happy. Really.”

“But we’ve been reading The Book of Shadows to find a way to reseal the veil between worlds. The ghouls and spirits can’t be allowed to remain on this side. They’d not only wreak havoc on Secret Hallow, but would eventually leak out into the wider world. Can you imagine how the reactions of the mundane?”

Enid sighed again. “I know they need to go back.”

“Hephaestus can pop back and forth between worlds as long as the veil is down.”

“I know that, too.” Enid looked up at Gemma. “But he’s on this side now.”

“The veil will close at the end of Samhain unless you seal the spell that opened it. Once that happens, Hephaestus will be drawn back into the Spirit World with everything else, where he’ll remain.” Gemma continued to stroke Enid’s head. “So you shouldn’t consider the idea of having a relationship with him. You’ll only be hurt in the end.”

Fox settled on the other arm of the chair. “We don’t want to see that. We both love you.”

“And I love you both, too,” Enid said.

Enid thought about how lonely she’d felt before all this happened. She remembered how she’d wandered around the house like one of the soul-drained spirits on the other side of the veil. The feeling hadn’t been a pleasant one then. Now she’d not only be alone and lonely, but she’d have the memory of how whole she’d felt with Hephaestus by her side. She’d be filled with a dark center of despair at having lost something so precious.

She needed to figure out a way to keep him with her.

Seal the spell.

The little voice in the back of her mind sounded out loud and strong.

“Excuse me.” Enid got to her feet and gave her sister an apologetic look. “I need to get some air.” She patted Fox’s hand as she passed. “Please don’t be offended. I’ve just got a lot to think about.”

“I’m sure you do,” said Fox.

Gemma hurried out onto the front porch. Enid turned to look at her, trying her best to keep her thoughts from showing on her face.

“Please don’t get any ideas, Sis.”

“Of course not. I’ve learned my lesson.” Enid hid her crossed fingers in the fold of her skirt. She leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on Gemma’s cheek. “Be back soon.”

“You’d better.”

The screen creaked and slammed as Fox came outside.

Enid gave them both a little wave as she left the front yard and turned toward the castle.

“I’m worried,” she heard Gemma say to Fox.

“I know.”

As she passed a nearby house, the occupant ran outside. “Get away from me you little beast.”

A ghoul ran hard on her heels, cackling.

Four spirits stood on the next street corner with their backs to each other. Their empty eyes stared out in all directions.

She hurried past. While she knew they’d cause her no harm, their presence depressed her.

Her cousin Eddy fought to serve a customer out in front of Java by Candlelight as ghouls danced around his feet. He waved at her as she passed. “Good to see you on this side, cuz.” Eddy kicked them away as he struggled to hold onto his tray.

“Good to be back.”

She turned when she heard a crash and a curse behind her. Eddy lay on the ground, covered in coffee and cream. “Blast you little cretins.” He struggled to separate his shoes. The ghouls seemed to have tied his laces together.

“Need help?”

Eddy waved again. “No, thanks. I can handle this.”

“If you’re sure…” Enid waited for him to wave her off before hurrying on. She needed to get to the castle without the ghouls catching her because they could still seal the spell by dragging her into the sea. Avoiding them turned out to be more difficult than she’d expected since they not only swarmed Secret Hallow, but also all the houses along the pathway leading up to Castle Hallow.

She stepped through a spirit standing in the center of the road. Staring. Just staring.

Enid shivered.

“Give that back!” She caught sight of a woman in her bathroom through an open window. A ghoul hopped up and down on the nearby counter holding the tube of lipstick it had used to draw pictures on the mirror. Seconds later she heard the tell-tale plop of something dropping into water and the sound of a flush. “That was my favorite shade, you little beast! Get out of here!”

A woman in another house shrieked. “That’s the third time. Stop mussing my hair.”

“Put down the razor and walk away,” said the deep male voice of another of her male Ash cousins. “You better listen to me…or else.”

Other houses emitted crashing sounds as the ghouls tossed dishes across the room. She saw drapes ripped down from their rods and family portraits defaced and destroyed. In one beautiful garden, the ghouls uprooted beautiful flowerbeds, tore large chunks out of the lawn, and hung from the low branches of a sapling until the vulnerable wood splintered.

More than one spirit blocked her path until she got tired of dodging them.

The longer she walked, the more she realized she couldn’t allow this to continue. The ghouls would destroy Secret Hallow if they remained too long. And once they tired of her village they’d head out into the mundane world to wreak more havoc upon the unsuspecting populace. Her desire to keep Hephaestus carried no weight against the pressing need for the veil to close.

As much as she wished otherwise, she couldn’t keep him with her.

Enid wondered just how long she’d feel like her heart were shattering into a million pieces.

She finally reached Castle Hallow and pushed open the front door to find Hephaestus trying to clean up the mess left by the ghouls. A few of the creatures remained in the place and overturned everything he righted.

“Hephaestus?”

His eyes lit up when he saw her standing in the doorway. Dropping the candle he’d been struggling to take away from a ghoul, he came to join her. “I am so glad you came here, Enid.” When he saw her eyes, he frowned. “Are you well?”

“Just tired.” She looked away with a renewed sense that she couldn’t ask him to help her keep the veil open. As much as she wanted to keep him, everyone needed the ghouls and spirits to go away. She echoed Gemma’s comment about her actions. “This is a disaster.”

“Yes.” He ran a hand through his unkempt hair. “Samhain cannot come soon enough.”

“Speaking of the holiday…”

“Yes?” Hephaestus prompted when she fell silent. “What of the celebration?”

“I thought we might practice the wedding ceremony. We can’t do anything else while we wait and that might help pass the time.” She winced as a ghoul destroyed another crystal goblet.

“I admit I would not mind a distraction.” He held his arm out to her. “Come along.”

“Where are we going?”

He smiled, but did not answer as he led her out into the grassy square in the open center of the structure. The stars twinkled overhead with an intensity she’d never before noticed and the sweet perfume of the flowers through the open door of the hothouse filled her with a deep longing. She needed romance in her life. She might not be able to keep this one alive, but she intended to enjoy the few precious moments she had with the man at her side.

They entered a set of double doors on the opposite side of the castle.

Light bathed the room when Hephaestus flicked a switch, the polished wood floor reflecting the glow. A few plain benches stood lined against the bare stone walls and tall-backed chairs with seats upholstered in a rich green brocade mixed in with them at irregular intervals. Plate glass took up most of one wall, the window looking out over a small valley opposite the one in which the residents of Secret Hallow lived.

“What do you think?”

Enid couldn’t express how beautiful she found the space.

“I first thought this might be where we could hold the ceremony, but not everyone will fit.”

“This is gorgeous.”

Hephaestus moved to stand before the window and motioned for her to take a seat. He cleared his throat, raised his hands, and turned his face to the heavens. “We have come here tonight, on this sacred celebration of the two worlds, to join these two couples together. As your hands are joined, so are your lives. Hold each other. Caress each other. Love each other.”

Tears welled in her eyes as Hephaestus spoke the sacred words of their coven ceremony.

“In life you may laugh and cry. Support each other through good times and bad. Share respect for one another. Be a companion and friend to your beloved partner on this journey through life. To remind everyone of the two lives we now join together into a single union, we will bind the hands of the couples, and light a candle in their name. May the flame of love burn bright until the two of you pass through the veil to the next world.”

No longer able to contain her tears, Enid got up and ran from the room.

Hephaestus called out after her. “Young Miss Enid!”

She couldn’t give in to the pull of the voice that had become so dear to her. Not now, not ever.

Enid ran all the way back into Secret Hallow with tears streaming down her cheeks.

Caught up in the fight against the raging ghouls, none of her neighbors noticed.