literal leigh 05.7 - mission impawsible Read online

  “Ezzy would be a big help, but she doesn’t have a phone. I can never reach her, she usually just shows up. As far as the spell goes, we have no idea, and we won’t know for sure until we hear if something crazy happens.”

  We both thought quietly, hoping to come up with a plan. “I’ve got a plan. Listen, Randy, we have to do this. Go back to the Plantation, ask Gertie if she knows of any spell that can keep us off the Union’s radar.”

  “I’ll be sure to tell her to keep an ear open for any news as well.” Randy cocked his head and stared. I knew he was perplexed. “Hold on a sec. You’re talking like I’m going to the Plantation. Aren’t you coming with me? I know Gertie can keep us hidden. She hid herself before. Remember?”

  “No, I lied. You’re right. It is my fault, only mine. I was the one waving that wand around like it was a damn sparkler on the Fourth of July. If the Union comes after me, I don’t want you guys around because they’ll charge you with aiding and abetting or something. I’m going to see Gabe first. I have to let him know I’m going into hiding for a while. Anyway, I won’t stay with Gabe for the same reasons I won’t stay with you and Gertie. If I’m lucky, I’ll find a way to get in touch with Esmeralda. She might be able to help.”

  There was no need to wait. I threw my arms around my brother and literally begged him to take care of himself. It was time for me to fly.

  Chapter Three

  “One, call in work excuse. Two, make up a story about a family issue. Three, load the dog and cat supplies in car. Four, pack a bag, get you two and the cat in car. Five, leave. Six, go to bank, take everything out.” The lead of my pencil tapped thoughtfully on the notepad. “I guess that’s about it. I’d leave by broom travel, but I know for sure the Union would be able to track me if I zapped us out of here.” The Chihuahuas yelped their approval. I’d have to wait until morning to leave, and I knew it would be a long, anxious night. I talked myself into believing I had enough time before they were hot on my trail for improper use of magic or whatever charges they cooked up this time.

  The next morning I stood in the bank lobby. It was my last stop on my way out of town. I didn’t like the idea of writing a check or using my ATM card while I was on the run. I wanted to at least make an attempt to hide from the Union, even if it was an exercise in futility. Incidentally, I had no idea the bank could limit how much cash I could withdraw. I snapped! Who the hell were they to tell me I couldn’t take my money and do whatever the hell I wanted with it?

  “What do you mean I can’t take all of my money in cash? It’s my money… ” I’m pretty sure I actually winced when I realized I was about to repeat a catch phrase from some damn TV commercial, “… and I want it now!”

  But what do I know about money? Before Karma Inc., my checking account balance hovered somewhere between flat broke and how-am-I-going-to-cover-that-check broke. In any case, I expected to see enough cash to stuff a small duffle bag. When the teller handed me a neat little bundle of fifty dollar bills, I asked, “Where’s the rest of it?”

  The teller politely forced out a tiny laugh at what she thought was a lousy joke. I was serious and so was the bank.

  With a measly five thousand dollars in my bag and my tail between my legs, I slinked out of the bank before I drew any more attention to myself. With my luck, I’d not only have the Witches Union looking for me, but the FBI as well. This was so not how I imagined my day going.

  As I drove north, away from Chicago, I felt sick to my stomach. I was more nervous with every mile I traveled, and I started questioning myself out loud. “Kelly, what the hell are you doing? You can’t just skip out of town like this. It’s ridiculous. You’re jumping to conclusions. You should just turn around.”

  I even slumped down in the driver’s seat when I spotted several squad cars racing down the oncoming traffic lane. “Now I’m really being paranoid. It’s not cops I need to hide from, it’s the Witches Union I need to be worried about.” I continued my drive, speculating on the Union’s actions. Would I suddenly be transported away with a flash of magic? Would I be cornered and accused on the spot?

  Randy was back at the Plantation, probably not even trying to hide. I made up my mind to call him, once I reached Caldron Falls, to see if he found out how bad I screwed up. I tried to convince myself the odds were good it was a very insignificant spell.

  When I crossed the state line into Wisconsin, my excitement pushed aside my anxiety. Gabe consumed my every last thought. I couldn’t wait to see him again. The only problem, I didn’t call to let him know I was on my way. I didn’t want to leave any clues to my destination. It never occurred to me there was a chance I could have been wrong about him wanting to see me as much as I wanted to see him. What if I got there and Gabe wasn’t alone? That ugly thought didn’t creep into my mind until it was too late and I was driving down Caldron Falls’ main street.

  Let’s face it. Showing up unannounced on your relatively new, long distance lover’s doorstep isn’t really a pro move. Even if said lover isn’t messing around with someone else, it still makes you come off as the suspicious, crazy, stalker type.

  By the time I passed through Caldron Falls and made my turn onto Gabe’s woodsy trail, my excitement once again beat back my worries. After all, this is Gabe I was going to see, a real man. Okay, he’s technically part man and part bear, but so completely different than anyone else I’d been with. I mean, not different because he’s a werebear either, but because he actually has his shit together.

  Realizing my car wasn’t suited for off-road adventures, I parked it and walked the rest of the way. With my cat in my arms and my two Chihuahuas excitedly dancing around me, “walked” may not be the best word to describe it. You see, fall was in its glorious zenith. I was surrounded by a vivid cloud of nature’s finest art. The downside, I had one hell of a time walking upright on the slick multicolored carpet of wet leaves that filled muddy puddles. My feet went down into every one of them. The little dogs barked a greeting when we finally spotted Gabe’s log home. Gemma leapt from my arms and joined in the dog’s excitement.

  “Kelly?” Gabe stepped down from his porch and jogged out to meet me. “Wow! This is a real surprise!”

  “A good one? I hope.”

  “A great one!” Gabe’s muscular arms wrapped around me, and he plucked me out of the latest puddle I had been struggling to get out of. “It is so good to see you.”

  With my face nuzzled into his flannel covered chest, I reveled in his woodsy scent, soaking in his warmth. I turned my head to answer him. “It’s great to see you, too. I just… ” I watched my words drift away in the crisp fall air. It was apparent that I didn’t know exactly what I should say about my unexpected arrival, so I quietly buried my face back into his comforting chest.

  “Seems like you’ve got a lot on your mind. Let’s get you out of this damp cold air.” Gabe took my hand, and with my four legged entourage trailing behind, we headed into his cabin.

  Gemma wasted no time in making herself at home. She curled up next to the hearth and basked in the heat radiating from the fireplace. The dogs took a little longer, but eventually they found a quiet spot. Gabe picked up a blanket and before he began to place it on my shoulders, I took off my coat and revealed my low cut camisole top. I knew he was trying to be the perfect gentleman host, but I had no desire for such well-mannered behavior. Strands of my long hair fell on my bare shoulders and clung tantalizingly to the cleavage of my sumptuously large breasts. Now, I used to struggle with being a curvy girl, but in time, I grew more confident about myself. I had the boobs and I wasn’t afraid to use them.

  Gabe didn’t need another hint. He flung the blanket over his shoulders and it landed on the floor, creating a perfect place for us to share ourselves. With one hand buried in the hair on the back of my head, he kissed me. Thankfully, he didn’t hold back. We were instantly wild for each other. His other hand tugged the straps of my camisole off my shoulders, and in no time, he had my bra unfastened, all the while our tongues
danced together, our mouths moved frantically as if we couldn’t get enough of each other. My fingers found their way to his chest, trying my hardest to unbutton his shirt. I didn’t get one button loose before he picked me up and laid me down on the blanket.

  Watching him undress in the flickering firelight was a complete turn on. I immediately pulled the rest of my clothes off. Gabe came down on me with a bear’s hunger. At first, he held my hands down, my arms over my head, while he kissed me just as wildly as before. His body writhed on top of mine, teasing me with his hardness.

  “Not… fair,” I managed to get out.

  Gabe lifted his head up and smiled a very mischievous smile. “I’ve been thinking about you. A lot. And there is something I could hardly wait for.”

  “Oh, really? Maybe you should just go ahead and get that something.”

  Gabe laughed. His head moved down to my breasts, his tongue teased, his mouth devoured them. He let go of my arms as he slowly worked his way down between my legs, transporting me to heaven. Something wasn’t right. I smelled smoke, but not the campfire sort of smoke from an open fireplace. This was different, like burning hair. I felt an unusual rush of extra heat coming from the fireplace.

  I suppose I was still lost in the incredible feeling when I tried to articulate an alarm. It sure didn’t come out very well. “Gabe, Gabe. It’s… it’s so… so hot. It’s getting hotter... ”

  “Um, hmm,” he mumbled. Not allowing himself to be distracted by what he thought was just another one of the nonsensical accolades I normally heaped on him during one of his truly expert oral performances.

  Then I really felt the heat. “Ah! I’m… ” I sat straight up by grabbing the first thing I could get my hands on, Gabe’s head. I physically pulled myself upright. Poor Gabe had no idea what I was doing. When I looked behind me, my mouth froze open in a silent scream. The end of our blanket had fallen into the fireplace. Gabe saw it, too, and leapt to his feet. He stood there for a few seconds, trying to comprehend what was happening.

  Looking back now, I probably should have just pushed the rest of it into the fireplace. Instead, I snatched up the blanket and instinctively ran out of the room, out the front door, and right off the porch. It had to be quite a sight to see, a naked woman running through a house, dragging a burning blanket like a fiery comet’s tail. Plus, the naked woman was being chased by a naked man spraying a fire extinguisher. One would think it couldn’t have gotten any weirder, yet it did.

  When I jumped off the porch, I landed in a rolling heap. The blazing fabric floated down over me. Just in the nick of time, Gabe knocked it aside with a sweeping karate kick and finished it off with the fire extinguisher. It was such an amazing sight, applause broke out from beyond the smoke. It scared the hell out of me, and it definitely caught Gabe’s attention.

  “Who’s out there?” he roared, in all his naked glory.

  A shadowy figure emerged from the woods. It was none other than Esmeralda.

  Chapter Four

  Esmeralda’s applause tapered away slowly. “You never cease to amaze me, Kelly. I’ve seen some interesting ways to greet a visitor. But I must say, I’ve never been greeted before by a naked couple that came screaming out of their house, performing a Chinese circus act. On fire no less.”

  I was shocked. “What are you doing here?”

  “I’ve been staying up at the old millhouse with Morgan. We were enjoying a very decadent, and slightly romantic, getaway. Remember her? She’s the delicious little waitress from Dutch’s Diner. Anyway, I knew you must have arrived when I saw black smoke billowing from this direction. I said to myself, ‘there’s only a handful of witches I know that would burn down a house’. And only you would be the one to burn down Gabe’s cozy cabin. He must have really pissed you off.”

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Good. Now, would you please invite me inside? Or would you like to continue acting like you’ve both just escaped from the local nuthouse?”

  “Come on in.” Gabe turned around and we followed. His bare backside leading the way.

  Esmeralda walked directly behind Gabe, and she looked at his ass thoughtfully, like she was a USDA meat inspector grading beef. “Hmm. Bear ass naked. I like. Gertie was right, he does have a really nice ass.”

  “Oh, really? I didn’t realize my boyfriend’s ass was a regular topic of conversation among my friends.”

  “Guys with nice asses are always a good topic for conversation.” Her pinching hand inched its way to Gabe’s left cheek. “He wouldn’t mind if I gave it a squeeze.”

  “But I would,” I chided her, so she pinched my bare butt cheek instead.

  Once we got back inside, I was happy to see the house didn’t look bad at all, considering the dangerous way I dragged the burning blanket through it. Gabe and I quickly dressed. I figured it was the best time to spill the beans about my surprise visit.

  “Gabe, I didn’t get a chance to tell you why I came. I’m hiding out because I may have accidentally cast a spell… I have no idea what it was. It could have been an attack on other witches, it could have been anything. The Witches Union is going to be coming after me. That’s why I didn’t call.”

  “I’m glad you came here to hide out. I can protect you.”

  “No. I can’t stay here. You’d get in huge trouble for hiding me.”

  “Don’t worry about me, I can handle them. You have to stay with me, Kelly.”

  Esmeralda patted Gabe’s arm. “That’s the spirit! Anyway, it’s foolish to think you can hide from the Union. At least here you have Gabe. A witch could be intimidated by a,” Esmeralda moved her hand onto Gabe’s chest and she patted it emphatically with each word, “big… wild… bear.” Esmeralda drew a small wand from her pocket. “Then of course, you have little ole me to lend a helping wand.”

  “I suppose you have a point. I really appreciate your help, Ezzy. Plus, Gabe could do some real damage in bear form. If you both really think it’s better for me to stay here, I will.”

  “Good, now tell me all about this wayward spell.”

  “It was an accident. I had that old spell book open to a random page in the French language section. Without even thinking about it, I touched the open page with my wand and pulled the spell off the book, like I’ve seen you do. I tried to smash it back into the book, but it exploded. Now the spell book is nothing but a useless lump of charcoal.”

  “Is there any way to find out if she actually cast a spell? And what kind of spell it was? Maybe reverse it?” Gabe asked.

  “First of all, let me say that I’ve never heard of anyone putting a spell back into a book in such a careless way.” Esmeralda stretched out her arm. “All you had to do was drop your wand.” Her hand opened as she theatrically simulated how simple it would have been to avoid my predicament. “But from what you’ve told me, I’d say you cast a spell. To answer your question, yes. The spell is in the wand, not the book.”

  “What do you mean? The wand?”

  “You’re in luck. It’s not common knowledge, but every magic wand has a memory of the spells it cast. There’s a catch, every wand comes with a secret phrase to unlock its history. I know your wand’s phrase. After all, it used to be mine. I reset the phrase a few years ago. Where is the wand now?”

  “In the trunk of my car,” I replied. Ezzy slipped her miniature broom from her pocket and with a quick utterance of a spell, she disappeared amid a green cloud.

  “So, what is the deal with Esmeralda? You know, I thought she was only into girls.”

  “Esmeralda rejects labels of any kind. She thinks society should discard labels like straight, gay, or bi. She describes herself as sexual, no hang-ups.”

  It only took her a minute to return with my wand.

  The wand rolled gracefully in Esmeralda’s fingers, and she beamed with the joy of being reunited with an old friend. “I’ve got a lot of memories here.”

  “Come on already, Ezzy. You’re killing me. I really need to know what stupid s
pell I cast.”

  “Let’s hope not.” She held the wand up. “Like sands through the hour glass, so are the days of our lives!” The cheesy passcode was made even more cringe worthy because she shouted it.

  “What? Quit fooling around, Ezzy.” She gave me her most serious eyes. “Really, Ezzy? You’re joking, right?”

  “Why would you say that? I heard it somewhere. I liked it. Deal with it. Gabe? Could you please scrounge up some blank paper? A notebook perhaps?”

  Gabe walked over to a small computer desk and grabbed a few sheets of printer paper. Esmeralda carefully arranged them on the table. “Now that the wand is unlocked, I simply say a couple of Latin words.” She pointed the tip of the wand at the paper. “Memoria transduco!” Red ink slowly bled out of the wand, forming handwritten text on the paper. Before long, a complete French spell was legible. “There you go, kids. That’s how it’s done.”

  Gabe leaned over both of our shoulders. “What kind of spell is it? Can you tell?”

  It was in French all right, a very old French beyond my limits. The handwriting was also a very unfamiliar and hard to read style. “Okay, I’m out. It’s up to you, Ezzy.”

  “Interesting.” Her glossy black nail traced the ornate handwriting. “This spell is very old. From what I can tell, it’s what we used to call a jailbreak spell. Those spells were typically used to help a prisoner break free.”

  “Great. So what kind of maniac did I just put back on the streets?”

  “Not just a maniac, an entire group of… I’m not sure of what, though. Whatever it is, the spell refers to it as a circus act. It mentions dancers, but much of this spell is written in riddle and code. Only the witch that wrote it could use it.”