Page 29 of Bewitched By the Headless Horseman
As if hearing his name, Gideon opened the door, his shirt missing and his feet bare as he grabbed the mail. His eyes met Stevie’s and he tsked, scratching his hairy stomach. “You should’ve told me you were cozying up with a ghost. And of all the ghosts out here you choose the Headless Horseman. Real winner, baby sister.”
“I amnotcozying up!” Stevie squeezed the bridge of her nose. “If you tell anyone, Gideon, so help me.”
“I know. I know.” His gaze flicked to his wife and he smirked while taking the grocery bags from her. “Lucia already warned me she’d hold back sex if I opened my pretty little mouth to anyone.”
“You’re so gross.” Stevie wrinkled her nose in disgust. “Go back inside. I’m borrowing your wife for a little bit.” She waved Lucia into her house and shut the door behind them. “My brother, really? Of all the guys in Sleepy Hollow you could’ve married?”
“Are you going to say that thirty years from now?” Lucia batted her eyes innocently.
“Um, forever,” she said seriously.
“Just so you know, he doesn’t act like that when it’s just us.”
Stevie couldn’t see her brother as a proper gentleman, but he had to have some sort of buried attractive trait if he’d won Lucia over when she’d been highly sought after by every warlock in town.
Lucia stopped in front of the kitchen table and set her briefcase on its wooden surface. As she popped open the locks, Kit’s boots thumped across the tile flooring and he watched from the corner near the fridge.
The briefcase displayed rows of corked vials and tiny jars filled with a variety of different colored liquids. Small boxes labeled bones, teeth, crystals, hair, and stones rested on another side.
“Kit,” Lucia said, peering up from the briefcase at him in the corner. “You’re already in here, so come have a seat so we can start.”
“She’s got a knack for this,” Kit drawled and lowered himself into one of the chairs.
“He said you’re the best witch he’s ever met, and he’ll owe you whatever you want for helping him.” Stevie smiled as she sat beside Kit.
“I didn’t say that, Pumpkin.”
“But you will,” Stevie sang.
“I need to do something to confirm that Kit’s not a demon, even though we both believe he isn’t. There’s always the small chance a demon slinked out from the Hollow to pretend they’re a ghost. The crucifix may not have worked since he isn’t living, but the holy water will. I just have to make sure before we move on to the next step. It’s for Stevie’s protection. Is this all right, Kit?” Lucia asked as she slipped out a vial labeledBurn Demons.
Kit leaned back in his chair. “It’s fine.”
“The Horseman said it’s A-okay to use it on him.”
Lucia whispered an old prayer while clutching the vial. “This holy water was blessed directly at the Roman Catholic Church, and I can finally test it out!” She passed the contents to Stevie.
Stevie uncorked the lid and took a whiff of the sour flavor. “Smells a bit like lemon.”
“It’s infused with it. Demonshateit,” Lucia said.
Stevie straightened and turned to Kit. “All right. In three. Two. One.” She thrust her hand forward, the water splashing against his chest and invisible face.
For a second nothing happened, then an agonizing shout ripped through the room. “I’m on fire!” He thrashed in his seat before collapsing to the floor and writhing. “End the torment!”
“Cauldron’s teeth, he’s burning! He’s a demon!” Stevie screamed, shoving out of her chair and toppling it over.
“Demon!” Lucia screeched, reaching into her briefcase, then halting her movements. A frown formed on her heart-shaped face. “Hey, there’s no smoke…”
A loud chuckle erupted in the room, and Kit’s shoulders shook with laughter.
“You jackass!” Stevie ground out as he continued to laugh. She rolled her eyes and met Lucia’s gaze. “False alarm. It seems the Headless Horseman has a hidden sense of humor.”
“What did you expect me to do after I already told you I wasn’t a demon?” Kit shrugged and sank back in his chair.
“Notthat!” Stevie’s lips twitched, hating to admit that she did find his stunt somewhat humorous.
“One up for the Headless Horseman,” Lucia said, corking the remainder of the holy water and sliding it back into her briefcase. “I have a couple more things I want to try to see if I can get his real head to appear.” She glanced back at Stevie. “Do you have his bone on you?”
