Page 77 of Bewicched

My alarm went off, making us both jump. I added the brown butter to brown sugar, granulated sugar, and honey in the large bowl of the stand mixer and set it to mixing on medium.

“Did the wolf stay with you last night?”

Damn. She waited until I was facing her for that one. Luckily, I’d spent my life schooling my expression when I saw things I really wished I hadn’t. “Yeah, he did. Poor guy. He maybe got an hour of sleep before I was waking him up with a nightmare.” Always stick as close to the truth as you can when telling a believable lie or, in this case, omission. “I’d spelled the windows and doors so I could be safe while airing it out. The problem is I have no idea what demons are capable of. I wasn’t going to leave Declan down here on his own to deal with whatever walked through that door.” I turned around and began adding eggs, one at a time.

“I see.” She gave a long, suspicious pause and then said, “Well, it’s good you had backup, if you needed it.”

I added vanilla to the mixer and then poured flour and baking soda into a bowl and whisked them together. Footsteps sounded above in the loft. Oh, so that was where Declan had got off to.

“Darling, is someone here?” Mom wasn’t fooling me. She thought naughty things were happening with Declan. Granted, if she hadn’t shown up so early, that probably would have been true, but as it hadn’t, I didn’t enjoy getting the vocal equivalent of a side-eye when I hadn’t done anything. Not that it was any of her business!

“Arwyn?”

Oh, right. I was too busy arguing with her in my head to answer her. “Yeah, Declan. I just told you he stayed to help me guard the windows and doors. He jumped in the ocean last night to fish out the burned boards. I washed his clothes while he slept, so he could get cleaned up before work.”

“So he slept here naked while you cleaned his clothes?” The shock and horror in her voice were over the top.

I scrunched up my face. “Don’t be ridiculous. Like I’d have anyone’s naked ass on my couch. That’s my napping spot.”

“I had another set of clothes in my truck,” Declan said, coming down the stairs. When he got to the bottom, he watched me for a moment. “Thanks for letting me use your shower. It feels great to finally wash the sand and grit away.” He had the clothes he’d slept in under his arm.

“Oh, go put those in my washing machine. I’ll do another load today. You don’t have to take dirty clothes home with you.”

“Thanks. I appreciate that.” He turned and jogged back up.

When Mom thought Declan was out of earshot, she said, “Not today, but soon, the Council needs to meet and cast as one. We must try to find the sorcerer.”

“Okay.” I looked longingly at the giant tentacles. It looked like they’d be put off a bit longer. “When I’m done with the cookies, I’ll start on the key lime tartlets for this afternoon.”

“Good.” She came and gave me a kiss on the cheek, just as Declan was descending again. “Mr. Quinn, would you escort me out?”

“Of course.” He went to her and offered his arm.

“That won’t be necessary,” she said, striding past him through the door to the gallery.

Eyes rolling, I slowly mixed the dry ingredients into the mixer, definitely not wondering why she’d waylaid him. I was pretty sure I knew why. She blamed Michael Quinn for her sister’s death, even though that was obviously untrue. The Coreys were to blame for Bridget. We’d produced yet another sorcerer.

We had a reputation for it. We were one of the most powerful wicche lines in the world and were, quite tragically, one of the most interested in black magic and sorcery. Coreys had been killing each other off for millennia. In fact, it became so bad, a Corey Council ages ago created a curse.

Be warned. If hand is raised and Corey slew

Powers, born and learned, shall be stripped from you

Treachery, like a poison, has weakened our clan

We, the three, have enacted a plan

Once great, we are too few

Slaughter and you will be unmade. We spake true.

As children, we memorized it. We had it drilled into us that we should never turn from the light and that we must never endanger one of our own. Yet, here we were. With another damned sorcerer doing whatever it took to gain more power.

When Declan returned, I asked, “Everything okay?”

“Sure,” he said, crossing to me and leaning against the counter, watching me mix in extra honey—I had a feeling I’d be seeing Detective Osso today. “She hates my guts and wants me to leave town now, but other than that, all good.”

I turned to go get into a hell of a fight with my mom, but Declan grabbed me around the waist, spun me around, and kissed me instead. Oh, all right. I’d leave off for now. He really was an excellent kisser.

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