Witch for Hire (19 page)

I was stuffing the straw in my drink when the bell chimed as the door opened. The wizard sauntered in, as handsome as before, but he was wearing jeans and a long sleeved sweater rather than a uniform. He paused, looked around before spotting me. A slow smile spread across his lips. He stopped in front of me, and held out a hand, clearly offering a traditional greeting. Once I was on my feet I set my hand in his, letting him raise my hand just enough for him to lean over and plant a soft kiss. I watched him, just as he watched me, even after releasing my hand.
 

"I'm Andrew Wright. I know we haven't been introduced. Thank you for agreeing to meet with me."
 

"As you know, I'm Michelle Oaks. If witches never greeted another without introduction, it would be nearly impossible to meet people. Please, get some food and sit. I don't hold with much formality."

His smile returned. "I'll be right back."
 

It had been a long time since I'd been formerly greeted by another witch. It wasn't common outside of courting and formal events. In this case it was a sign of respect; odd though, no one worried about formal introductions and greeting these days.

"What did you get?" I wanted this to be casual.

"A cranberry muffin and pumpkin tea." He slid into the chair.

"That's the biggest muffin I've ever seen." The thing was huge, softball sized.

"I know." He winked. "They're really tasty."

"How's the tea? I've never had pumpkin tea before."

"I don't know, I just thought it sounded good." He took a sip. "Hot, good, but it'll be better when I can drink it without burning myself. What did you get?"

"The Shamrock Frappuccino and gingerbread cake."
 

"What's the shamrock thing?"

"Oh, it's this amazing blend of white chocolate and mint in soy milk. It's my favorite drink."

"Sounds great. I'll trade you a sip of tea for Frappuccino." He picked a cranberry off his muffin, popping it into his mouth.
 

"No thanks, I'll get it next time I'm here." I didn't think he'd done anything to the food, but I wasn't willing to risk it.

"What clan are you from?" He sounded curious, but the question always worried me.

"I don't associate with any clans. Why?" He looked surprised, but not upset or whatever else I was looking for, not that I was sure what I was looking for.

"Just curious. If you care, I'm part of the Galinns." He watched to see my reaction.

"I don't know very much about the clans. You could be from the clan of the talking snail and I wouldn't care." I'd been more honest than I should have, and more blunt. If I was lucky, I'd still have a date after this.
 

He chuckled. "I've never heard of a talking snail clan. My clan isn't very traditional." The small smile he was wearing relieved me.
 

"Odd, since you gave me a traditional greeting." I had expected a bigger reaction to my clanless state. I'd tried very hard to avoid the topic in school, but it had caused problems. His lack of reaction was something I'd only seen a handful of times from the few witches I now counted as friends.
 

"I was taught to make a good first impression."

"Is that all?"
 

"No." He leaned forward. "I didn't want to chance offending you, and it cost me nothing to give a witch her due."

"Thank you." I ate a bit of gingerbread while deciding how to phrase my next question. "I wasn't expecting your call, and I find myself curious as to why you called a witch you'd hardly met."

"If you don't take a chance on people, risk hearing no, you can't gain anything. What you did to help that mermaid was impressive."

I didn't want compliments. "I can barely heal. I could never have kept her alive."

His brow furrowed, "So?"

"Magical walls, shielding, and levitation are nothing. I can make healing charms, and do a healing spell or two, but I could never have kept her water and salt levels balanced for an hour." I hated being praised for things that weren't that difficult, or impressive. I could never have healed Liso enough to keep her alive, and nothing else would have saved her when her tank exploded.

"Why does that matter? I couldn't have done the wall spell without hours of prep work. You can't heal, but I've never shielded for more than a minute." His intent stare was intimidating, and I couldn't look away.
 

"What could be better than saving a life?"

"Kesha and I could have drained ourselves down to the dregs and not kept her alive until that truck came. I wasn't far from being drained when you arrived, and Kesha was nearly tapped out."
 

"Everyone has limits. I couldn't have saved her life."

"If you hadn't come, we couldn't have saved her either." He shrugged. "This is far too serious for the first time we're meeting. I think what you did was impressive, and I know witches twice your age that couldn't have done that. Anyway, I know you work with the Fannin police, but what exactly do you do?"

"I work with several police departments, helping them when they need a bit more magic than their on-staff hedge-practitioners can muster. I do a little bit of everything. I saw Liso today."

"How's she doing?"
 

"Good, she's at the aquarium. They're moving her back to the ocean tomorrow. They found her tribe and several of them will be waiting for her."

"Good. I'm glad she'll have a happy ending."
 

"Me too. How long have you been working for emergency services?" What I really wanted to ask was how old he was, but that was a rude question.
 

"I don't actually work for emergency services. Kesha called me out of the hospital when she realized the problem. I've worked with the hospital for five years. How long have you been working with the police?"

"Not long, less than two years. I worked a few different jobs after graduating, but they didn't fit."
 

"I had a similar problem. It took time for my clan to agree to my chosen profession."

"Huh?" His words registered. "Oh, I've heard that can be rough."

"It was worth it. I like helping people." Most of his muffin was gone and he was finally drinking his tea without wincing. "What's your favorite spell?"

I blushed. "It's a little bit embarrassing. When I'm in the shower I do a spell to project a field, surrounded by mountains, with a rainbow over it. The ends of the rainbow sit in pots of gold. I change the light when it hits the water so I shower in a rainbow of different colors." I slurped up every remaining bit of my drink.

"I've never done those spells. I would love to see them, it sounds breathtaking." His eyes were sparkling, and he sounded cheerfully serious. He wanted to see the show, not just me.

"You have to tell me your favorite spell." I was still blushing.

"Could I show you? I need your hand." I slid my hand across the table, watching him closely. "This is my favorite." His fingers brushed my palm as my hand warmed and tingled, sending a warm tingle rippling through me.
 

I peeled my eyes open, "That's your favorite?"

He gazed at his tea. "Yes, but I think I should have lied and said something else, like hurling illusions of baseballs at my younger bother to watch him duck. Granted, I had to throw an energy ball once in a while or he'd stop ducking."

"No," I said, while cradling my right hand to keep the last of the warmth from drifting away. "That was cool, even if it startled me. Did you really torment your little brother with fake baseballs?"

"Yes, but he was annoying and earned it."
 

Conversation felt easier, less strained, like we'd broken some invisible barrier keeping us on edge. Sometime later his watch beeped, drawing his gaze.
 

"I'm sorry; I didn't realize it was so late. I need to get going or I won't be able to get up for work."
 

Peeking at my watch, I noticed it was nine, and we'd spent two hours chatting. "You're right. I need to head out too."
 

Just outside the door he scooped up my hand, planting kiss on my palm.

"I had a lovely time. Call me if you'd like to do this again."

"Your number?" His car door closed before he had a chance to answer. Disappointed, I slid into my car. He backed out, and paused before leaving the parking lot. Sparkling red numbers wrote themselves in the air, before fading. I heard his car pull away as I quickly added to my phone.
 

I didn't think much on the drive home. Humming along to music, I pictured those glowing numbers over and over. I'd never dated a guy with that much flair. I wouldn't call him tonight, or even tomorrow. I'd let him stew a bit; rehash every move, thinking he might have pushed too hard.
 

I was silly, a guy like that didn't think about his moves after he'd done them. He knew they worked; it was only a matter of time. He hadn't struck me as a player, just a nice guy who knew how to leave a girl asking for more, but I'd been fooled before. I'd call him back, agree to take it slow, and see what he was made of.

Elron

I strode through the woods, feeling the strength of the trees. Elves my age weren't supposed to go through so many changes, it wasn't good for us. At my age, any sensible elf would have settled down, had a child or two, and be in the midst of a very long happy life.
 

I'd left sensible behind long ago, and I was seriously considering doing everything elves my age shouldn't do. After all, I hadn't done any of the things I should've been doing. It was relaxing to leave the rules of the forest folk and start over.

I'd spent a long time grieving after Sylvia died. Now, I believed I'd spent too much time in mourning and not enough time doing things. With all the time on my hands, I hadn't accomplished much, other than dwelling on the unchangeable. Humans had a few things right. Keeping busy might be one of the ways to be happy. Mother earth knew I hadn't been happy for the many years I'd spent idle.
 

I didn't want to spend the rest of my long life wishing my time on this beloved place was over. I wanted to sing, dance, and feel the joy my people were known for. I wanted to remember the Elron who was known for his skill with a harp, not his sorrow over love lost.
 

"Elron, greetings brother," Salaron called out, interrupting my thoughts.

"Greetings."

"I was surprised to hear that you'd left the forest."

"Nothing lasts forever, my friend, not even for ones as long lived as ourselves."

"You speak truth. I see more change in you than I'd expected."

"You see truly, a gift to be cherished."

"You have my thanks. I have heard you seek my company, and perhaps knowledge?" Salaron leaned against a pine tree, with his arms folded across his chest.
 

"Yes. I'm looking for information regarding a young witch."

"There are many that could be described thusly."
 

"But only one was bearing the name Michelle Oaks." I watched him closely, noticing his eyes widen.

"I stand corrected. There's only one with a history such as hers."
 

"My friend, what can you tell me of her history or her parents?"

"Sit, brother, we have much to discuss." Salaron patted the log next to him. "It began, oh, thirty years prior to this day. It is a story of much love, hate, and betrayal. A mother had a child she was greatly disappointed in. She'd had high hopes for this child, and to her this child would never do."

"At the same time there was a boy, nearing manhood, who wanted more than he had. Years passed and he found one of the things he'd been looking for, but finding it was far easier than keeping it would be. The woman he wanted was from. . ."

Michelle

I called Amber as soon as I parked the car, knowing I wouldn't be able to contain myself. "Come on, pick up, pick up." I skipped and danced through the hallways, heading back to my room.

"Hi, Michelle."

"Amber, I just had the best date."

"You had a date?"

"Yes."

"Tell me everything. You haven't had a date since you started the business. I want every detail. Who is he?"

"He's a medical warlock, working at the hospital up in Fannin County. His name is Andrew, and he's really cute."

"How'd you meet him?"

"I have a lot to tell you and Tiffany at dinner, but I was working a case up there that he was working too. I gave him my card, and he called to ask me out."

"Wow, you must have made some impression."

"I guess so. Amber, he gave me a formal greeting."

"I didn't think that was common."

"It's not."

"When's the second date?"

"We didn't set one up; he wants me to call him. Get this, when we were leaving he kissed my hand, like he would for a formal occasion. After I was in my car, he wrote his phone number in red sparkling letters in the air."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"He went to a lot of effort didn't he?"

"Why? What are you thinking?"

"Go on another date, call him in a few days, let him suffer some first, but be careful. I don't want you to get hurt."

I drifted down from the giddy high I'd been riding. "Was it too much?"

"No, but trust is earned. He may heal people every day, save hundreds of lives, but he hasn't earned your trust yet."

"Warning received." I heard an odd beep from her end.

"Michelle, I need to go. I've got another call I need to take."

"Sure thing, we're still on for Friday right?"

"Oh, yah, see you then, hon."
 

I flopped onto the sofa, not as thrilled as I'd been before, but still happy. I flipped on the television, surfing through channels. I passed two hours with a box of chocolate mint cookies and a documentary on incubi.
 

By the time the documentary was over, I'd finished the cookies, now knowing more about incubi than I had ever wanted to know. I'd known incubi were created, but I hadn't known that anyone could become an incubi from sex addiction, and a bit of magic. An incubus was a male, who fed off the sexual energy around him, regardless of his participation. A female who ate sexual energy was a succubus, differing from an incubus only in gender. They could indeed kill with sex, but it was difficult and required a fair amount of energy on their part. Another key fact I hadn't known was incubi could be born from a union between a succubus and an incubus.