Page 25 of Haunted Eclipse

The Pacific was a wild ocean, she was, and I could feel her energy as I sat there, watching her froth and spit as her waves rolled past. My matchmaking magic and love magic connected me to the ocean. To all water, actually, for the element represented emotion and the hidden depths of the psyche. While I wasn’t a water witch, my energies were perhaps most similar when it came to the elements.

Seek inside your heart, ask yourself why you’re here.Again the voice whispered in my ear. This time, it took on a distinctly female since, low and sultry — the voice of seduction.

A thought crossed my mind, but it seemed ridiculous at first thought. Still…

“Are you Aphrodite? Are you speaking to me?”

A faint hint of laughter peeled in the wind, almost delighted, and then it faded away. A cold mist hit me, seeping through the layers of my coat. The skies were glistening silver as the snowfall thickened. When I turned back to the ocean, she had become tumultuous, rolling dark waves that rushed toward the shore. I darted up the stairs as the first wave of breakers hit the cliff and began to rise.

Finally, I was standing on the trail again, leaning on the railing as I looked down at the waters swirling beneath me. It was hard to imagine there was a beach down there, and that I had been sitting on a log an hour before.

I glanced up at the sky, shivering as a bright flash jumped from cloud to cloud and a roll of thunder echoed through the air.

Thunder snow, I thought.

The hairs on my neck stood on end as the icy hot flash of lightning seared against the snowflakes. Electricity and water didn’t mix well, and so I turned, jogging back to the parking lot and to my car.

I reached the lot and turned toward the water once more. For a moment I thought I could see elementals playing in the waves, rising up to clash against each other, or perhaps they were playing chase or tag. Shivering, I slipped in my car and slammed the door, then turned on the heat. As I pulled away from the parking, I glanced at the clock. It was almost time for my aunt to arrive. I headed home, longing to get out of the wild weather, back to someplace safe and secure.

CHAPTER NINE

By the timeAstra arrived home, I was settled at the table with a cup of hot cocoa and some cookies. I was still shaken by my experience at the beach. I had a feeling it was Aphrodite talking to me, but even though I honored her and occasionally called on her for spell work, I had never had direct dealings with her. So why would she push me with those questions? And if I hadn’t come back to Midnight Point because I wasn’t sure where else to go, thenwhywas I here?

Miss P. jumped up on the table, letting out a long purr. I pushed aside my plate of cookies and pulled her to me, burying my head in her fur. She smelled warm and comforting and safe, and as I held her against me, she purred and let out little squeaks.

“You’re such good medicine for when I need reassurance,” I said. I sat back and stared at her. She gazed into my eyes and gave me a slow blink, and I returned it. In cat language, it meantI love you and I feel safe with you.

I took a sip of my cocoa, wiping the whipped cream off my lips.

The front door opened. “I’m home,” Astra called. “Are you here?”

“I’m in the kitchen,” I shouted back.

A moment later, she joined me. “How are you doing, my dear?” She wrapped her arms around me from the back, squeezing me tightly, and placed a kiss on my cheek.

“That cocoa smells good. Is there more?”

I nodded. “In the pan. You may have to heat it up if you want superhot.”

Astra heated up the cocoa and carried it over to the table. Dahlia came bouncing into the kitchen, yapping her head off. Miss P jumped down, giving her side eye. The two bounced away together, racing back into the living room.

“I swear, they act like best friends who haven’t seen each other for years,” Astra said.

“Yeah, it sure seems that way. So…So much as happened in the past couple days it’s hard to keep track.”

“Why don’t you start from the beginning?”

I nodded, thinking back. I told her about Brenda and her dreams, the snake creature, and about Devon’s predicament. After that, I told her what happened with me down at the beach.

“Well, it seems like you’ve been busy while I’ve been gone. Let’s take these things one at time. First, from what you say you heard at the beach, I think you need to meditate and ask Aphrodite if she’s trying to contact you. Itcouldbe a spirit guide, or it could be your own subconscious talking to you. Regardless, it sounds like you have issues to think through.”

I nodded. “That’s what I was thinking. I’ll do a ritual tonight and meditate on it.”

“As far as the snake creature, I asked January to text me if she had any information. So far she’s come up with nothing. I also called Ona Sera, but she’s on vacation, her husband says. So she won’t be available for another week. I’ll check the wards tonight, and reinforce the patch that you and Crystal created.”

“What about Brenda’s dreams?”

“There’s something to them. I can’t tell you what, but I can sense it. Now, with regards to your friend Devon. Psychic vampires areextremelydangerous. Let me talk to Nightshade, the high priestess of the Dark Moon Society, and see what I can find out. Meanwhile, it sounds like the women shelter’s the best place for her.”

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