Kick The Candle (Knight Games) (31 page)
“Good.”
“You may take it now,” she said. “I will hold it open for you.”
I stood, shaking my head and stepped back. “It needs to stay here.”
Her eyes flared and the marble tile dropped noisily back into position. “No, no, no. You can not leave this here!”
“It’s the safest place, Soleil. The vampires wouldn’t dare search here for this and my home isn’t safe, not when Naill, Bathory, and Julius are still walking the streets of Carlton City. Not to mention, there could be relatives of the nekomata clan out there who still know its original burial place.
“But Bathory and Julius will suspect I have it.”
I stepped forward and took her hands. “You promised me a favor.”
Calm washed over her, and she searched my eyes. “Are you sure? The wish could be used for your own personal gain, material things, relationships…children.”
The last hit me hard. I couldn’t have children with Rick. For a moment I was tempted to save the wish for myself. Then I thought about Bathory getting her hands on the book.
I squared my shoulders. “I have everything I want or need, except for this.”
She nodded.
“I ask that the
Book of Flesh and Bone
be bound here forever, unable to be reached by anyone who might use it for evil.”
Soleil nodded her head and then clapped her hands in front of her chest. A ripple coursed out from those joined palms, passing through me and echoing off the walls before plowing back into her like a strong wind.
“It is done. Be forewarned, the results will only last for my lifetime.”
“Would it be rude for me to ask how long your kind typically live?”
“A few thousand years.”
“And you are…”
“A few months from my nine hundredth birthday.”
I smiled. “Good enough.”
Digging through my bags, I pulled out a small package I’d wrapped for the occasion and presented it to her. “It’s a few days early but Merry Christmas.”
“You shouldn’t have.” Her actions didn’t match her words as she ripped into the plaid paper.
She laughed when she saw what was inside. “Sunglasses?”
“I thought they might be a cool accessory for you to wear when you’re a bridesmaid at my wedding?” I raised an eyebrow in question.
She gasped, then reached forward and drew me into a hug. “You do have everything you want.”
I nodded.
“And yes, I would be happy to be your attendant. Rick must be so happy.”
Lifting my packages, I smiled and moved for the door. “You know, I think he is.”
I
should have known something was up when Rick said he would meet me at my father’s on Christmas morning. We’d spent every minute possible together since our engagement, unless I was working at the hospital. It seemed odd to arrive at Dad’s brownstone alone.
Rick met me at the door wearing dark washed jeans and a holiday sweater with a reindeer on the front.
“Nice. Where’d you get that one?”
“The salesperson at Macy’s said they were, and I quote, ‘all the rage.’”
“I can honestly say that sweater has never been sexier.” He kissed me and ushered me inside, his hand finding the small of my back.
After a meal of roast lamb and red potatoes (my favorite) we gathered around a professionally decorated artificial tree in my father’s living room. The place still looked like a museum, not so much as a grain of dust to disrupt the sterile ambiance. Thank goodness the cabinet was open. The Christmas parade was playing on mute in the background.
Something was missing though. Dad was distracted. As expected, no one had called him about a service for Seraphina. My guess was all of her clothes were still hanging in his closet. My heart drooped into my stomach. I’d never seen him this down.
“Here, Dad. Open mine first.” I handed him the gold wrapped box I’d brought, hoping to cheer him up. He tore off the paper and smiled. “Scotch! The good stuff. Jeez, Grateful, thank you.”
I smiled. I’d splurged a little to buy a high-end label. After the taste Julius had given me of the good stuff, it felt wrong to get stingy on Dad. It wasn’t as pricey as the vampire’s but the purveyor had sworn my father would enjoy it. I figured the extra money Julius had sent my way should be put to good use since I couldn’t get a loan with it to buy my house, a problem I swore I’d solve after Christmas. In the meantime, I’d left the
Book of Light
at Logan’s, not knowing whether I’d be evicted again any time soon. He’d agreed to keep it there, even after he’d learned of my engagement to Rick.
“And now you.” I handed a smaller box to my caretaker.
After an elaborate spectacle of opening it, he dangled my gift between his thumb and forefinger as if it smelled. “A cell phone?”
I nodded. “It’s time.”
Rick grimaced and looked inside the box as if the phone might be a joke and the real gift still inside. I’d suspected he wouldn’t love it; a more than hundred year habit was hard to break. Still, he
needed
it.
“He doesn’t have a cell phone?” Dad asked incredulously.
I glanced at Rick, who quickly masked his disappointment. “Long story,” we said at the same time.
There was only one gift left under the tree, the size of a thick manila envelope. My father presented it to me ceremoniously. “From Rick and me.”
“Both of you?” I asked. Odd, considering I wasn’t aware they’d ever spoken before today.
I tore into it, curiosity making short work of the wrappings. Inside was a thick stack of documents.
“I have to be honest, Grateful, this isn’t just a Christmas present,” Dad said.
I looked at him and then at Rick who pulled a small silver box from his pocket. He flipped open the lid and I saw the blue shine of the antique oval diamond ring that had once been mine.
“I asked your father’s permission.” Rick smiled nervously. “Will you marry me?”
I wasn’t sure why he was so nervous, or why he felt the need to ask me again. I’d already said yes. But then, it was like Rick to want to do things the old-fashioned way. He’d want to make it official.
“Yes. Of course.” I gave a breathy laugh and held out my hand so he could slip the ring on my finger. It fit perfectly. Glancing up at my dad, I saw a happy tear slide halfway down his face before he wiped it away. “So the paperwork?” My heart beat harder as I finished pulling it from the envelope.
“The deed to the house,” Dad said, beaming. “An engagement present from Rick and me. To be fair, he was going to buy it for you himself, but when I learned why, I gave him a very good deal.”
My hand went to my heart. “It’s mine? The house is mine?” The two most important men in my life nodded their heads.
When you are the Monk’s Hill witch, there’s a lot of uncertainty in life. I wasn’t sure who might try to kill me next. Bathory and Naill were still out there. I owed them justice and they’d be difficult opponents. So much about my existence was dangerous, even brutal.
But as I held out my hand, watching the blue diamonds reflect the Christmas lights glowing red, green, and gold from the tree, I had my house, I had my family, and I had my man. I hadn’t cast a spell, or made a wish, but somehow, after everything, tonight was
magic
.
Genevieve Jack grew up in a suburb of Chicago and attended a high school rumored to be haunted. She loves old cemeteries and enjoys a good ghost tour. Genevieve specializes in original, cross-genre stories with surprising twists and writes a best-selling young adult series under a different name. She lives in central Illinois with her husband, two children, and a Brittany named Riptide who holds down her feet while she writes.
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I am indebted to the following people for their help, support, and inspiration:
To my husband, A, thank you for your support and encouragement.
To my friend MM, who survived nursing school with me and is always willing to share her experiences, thank you for the inspiration.
To the women of Random Moon books: Laurie Larsen, Laurie Bradach, Katy Lewis, and Leta Gail Doerr, thank you for your friendship, constant support, and helpful advice.
To Brenda Rothert, thank you for your helpful eye when I needed it most.