Page 335 of Castings & Curses

Maybe she could nab the asshole and get the reward the cops had offered. That would shut her mother and the rest of the coven up. She totally knew how to handle herself, thank you very much.

Her stomach growled and she flipped her long black hair out of her eyes impatiently. This guy had kept her here twenty minutes already. She should have stopped by the drive-in on her way, but she wanted to grab some Chinese take-out after work with Cybelle. Or hell, even some pancakes would be good.

The wind cut through her thin outfit, and she let out a curse. She had to dress the part, but jeez. The temperature was dropping and she really wanted to get back in her car and leave.

“Damn, I should have brought a coat.” Kendall ground out. Her long black dress and clunky shoes did little to stave off the chill. She rubbed her hands along her arms to try and gather some warmth.

“Okay. Anytime now.” Kendall scanned the growing darkness.

So beautiful.

So quiet.

She missed coming here. Used to be, she’d come every weekend with her posse. But since graduation everyone had spun off into the four winds.

Everyone but her.

Kendall sighed. She would get the money she needed to move to New York with Cybelle. It was all they talked about. Freedom. A life without people telling them what to do.

Goddess, she couldn’t wait to tell the coven to suck her big toe and like it. But until then, she had to go along to get along. And that meant not getting caught sneaking out here.

The timing was pretty much right on with her needing costume money. At least, it would have been if the guy had been on time and she wasn’t starving. The newly full moon hung bright in the sky and she sensed the pull deep in her bones. Tomorrow night was the coven get together.

So, she should be safe. From what she remembered; the maniac liked to play slasher under the second night of the full moon.

So, yeah.

She’d be fine.

A crackle in the brush to her left startled her, and a warm flush crept over her cheeks. Uh. Probably some rando raccoon digging around for candy wrappers. No more caffeine for her tonight.

Rubbing her arms, Kendall rolled her eyes and checked her phone.

The blare of a Tiktok video jolted her, but she quickly switched over to her account and checked for new followers.

She had three.

Score.

More followers meant more sales and, praise the goddess, she was tired of working retail. More customers buying spells would bring her the freedom she needed to have her own life.

And she was going to do it, too.

Something shifted in the air, and the scent of sulfur made her wrinkle her nose. “Ewww.”

In the darkness to her left a light flickered. Kendall turned her gaze and found the dark form of a large canine bounding out of the tree line.

Night time at the swamp was freaky.

No doubt about it.

She started and backed up a step, and the creature faltered, its eyes narrowing in on her.

Okayyyy.

Maybe it was somebody’s dog that snapped his chain. If that was the case, maybe she could get a reward.

The idea appealed.

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