Page 28 of Midlife Witch Unexpected

In a split second, he was standing inches away from me, my arms clasped in his vice-like grip. At least the fast motion and steel clutched were accurate. Dammit.

“There is nothing you will try that I don’t know how to counterbalance. There is nothing you will do I cannot defeat. There is no way on earth in the battle to come you have any chance of winning.” His breath was cold against my face.

“The battle to come?”

“The dead will rise. The monsters will rampage. And you, little bug, will be powerless to stop them.” Joachim hissed.

His sneer made me want to punch him in the face.

“You don’t get to dictate to me,” I growled.

"The Hayes will go down and burn in flames with you at the helm, my dear." He cooed the words at me. "For you, my dear, ignorant witch, are by far the weakest link in the chain of defense of this cemetery."

“Fuck off!” I exclaimed, throwing my fist towards him because I wanted to slug him so bad. A cracking large green light flew from my hand and hit him in the chest. He seemed to freeze, glowing green and floating in the air momentarily before he shrank and turned black and fell at my feet. I grabbed the bat and threw it out the door. Tearing my phone from my pocket I stared at it.

Who the hell was I going to call?

Branson.

Not only would he know what to do, but he was the only phone number I had from the crazies.

Chapter 17

“Don’t come closer. I still don’t trust you,” I said to Branson, staring him down. Hilda, Trina, and her kids stood behind him. All the crazies had come the minute I reached out to Branson.

Great.

“You gave a vampire permission to enter your house, but you won’t let us in?” Branson asked.

“Well, I didn’t know he was a vampire at the time!” I exclaimed. “Why would I think Joachim the Locksmith was a vampire? I mean he looked a little suspect, but he didn’t look like he was going to suck my blood or anything like that. He just looked like he might go to a goth nightclub periodically.”

“Can we come in?” Drake asked, looking around They were standing outside of the house even though there was nobody nearby who was going to hear a conversation. But I understood. It was a little odd that I was looking down on them anyhow.

“Fine,” I said, stepping back to the door and opening it. I nodded toward Branson. “Even though I don’t trust you.”

“I’m not the one inviting vampires into my home.” He winked at me.

“That’s why you guys need to show me how to set up…what are they called, wards?” I asked.

Hilda started laughing. "Wards. What you really mean as a spell you just want to spell. The only way we can do a spell is if you help us make the spell because you were The Hayes. You're supposed to lead our coven."

My fingers buzzed with light, and a shiver went through my back as I thought of Joachim. “You tell me what to say and do, I will do it,” I said, and instantly my hands begin to warm up and crackle radiantly. I couldn’t hide from it. I couldn’t deny it. My hands had magic in them and whatever these guys were or were not, they definitely knew more about why my hands were glowing than I did. “Whatever this is, I need to know how to control it. I will not be the weakest link.”

“I told you she was different,” Branson said to Hilda.

“You’ve been talking about me behind my back?” I raised an eyebrow at him.

“What I say about you is none of your business,” Branson said with a shrug.

“Are you part of the Wiccan circle?” I asked.

“No, I’m a Guardian,” Branson said. “My job is to protect The Hayes.”

“Well, you aren’t doing a very good job.” I glared at him.

“You invited the vampire in,” he countered.

“How was I supposed to know he was a vampire?” My voice squeaked. I still had to get used to the idea that vampires were real and definitely not hunky hotties. They were killers. “I barely survived last night. Maybe you can get a different job since I’m going to be The Hayes now.”

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