Charmed & Dangerous (7 page)

He reached out and touched my arm. Not magic but energy so pure it balled into white light and streamed into my body.

“Thank you.”

I walked around the garden for a while longer to clear my mind. When stressed, I actually need to be close to plants, because I do so much earth magic. What was with that ball of energy he passed to me? I’m certain he had no idea he did it.

Azir is one contradiction after another. In a country known for its oil-rich bounty and mistreatment of women, he pushed for the development of solar power and rights for all.

It’s a good thing I don’t date clients because he’s totally doable. Don’t even go there, Bronwyn. You can’t even handle Sam.

Time for dinner. That sheik will tell me the truth or I’ll make him do it. You know I can be a very wily witch.

Monday, 5
P.M
.

Waxing moon

Dubai

Witches with wicked friends: 1

S
imone called. She’s already in Dallas and Caleb’s going to drive her to Sweet. Explained my situation here. After everything I learned last night there’s no way I’m leaving.

The sheik is in a truckload of trouble up to his pretty brown eyes. Someone in his family, besides his cousin, wants him dead. He’s received several letters with threats against him and the women’s shelters. Showed me everything and even my jaded brain had a hard time accepting the facts.

What kind of creep picks on battered women? Bet it’s a regular Joe human. I know some wicked warlocks and demons, but the nastiest beings I’ve ever come across have been of the human variety. No magical powers necessary.

Didn’t get much from the letters, except I know it’s someone close to the sheik. He received five of them over the last two months. All of them have pleasant sayings like:
You have betrayed your people. You must die. The blood of your family is upon your head
. Sweet, tender things that make the heart grow warm. Not.

But Simone also needed my assistance, so I did what I could from ten thousand miles away. That Worgh demon she killed had one pissed-off family. They ganged up on her and messed her up kind of bad. Takes a lot to bring Simone down, and she ended up killing the whole family. But not without some injury to herself. Like most slayers, she heals quickly, but it’ll take a thorough cleansing to get all of the demon poison out of her system.

“I need a fucking break.” Her usually upbeat voice sounded flat on the phone. “Haven’t had a vacation in four years. Every day, same old crap, and I feel like I’m losing my edge.” The poison had worked its way into her bloodstream, and her speech slurred at the end of some of the words.

“You and Caleb have the run of the house. I’ll e-mail you exactly what you need to cleanse your system. Right when you get there, go to the fridge. You’ll find a blue bottle. The stuff tastes like shit but drink a cup of it. That’ll start the process.”

“Bron, what’s wrong with me? I love my job, but right now I don’t care if I ever see another demon.”

“You’re burned out. But part of that is the poison in your system. Causes a severe depression. Give yourself a couple of weeks. Lay around and read. Play with Casper if you can find her. Watch TV and eat lots of food from Lulu’s. That’s my prescription for you.” I didn’t mention that I’d already sent her a healing spell.

“If I forget to say it later, thanks.”

“Not a problem, girlfriend. Just play nice with the boys while you’re in Sweet. They’re a tender-hearted bunch and there’s a coven that will rock your clock if you try any funny stuff.”

“I always play nice with the boys; you know better than that.”

She made me laugh. “Simone, just try to pick the ones who aren’t already attached.” She had a problem with the boys, no matter what their marital status, following her around and throwing themselves in front of her. For the most part she ignored them, but when she felt the least bit horny no man was safe from her charms.

“That’s no fun. Where’s the drama if I only pick on the single ones?” She coughed and I could tell her body was fighting against the infection. The healing spell would take a few days, but she’d be fine.

“What’s the demon situation in Sweet?” Simone’s throat sounded hoarse.

“As far as I’ve been able to tell it’s fairly demon-free, so no worries there. Oh, and I’ve asked Dr. Sam to look in on you. For a doctor he’s a nice guy and you’ll like him.”

“You sleeping with him?”

Damn her perceptive little mind. “What in the hell makes you say that?”

“Your voice got higher when you said his name.”

“I’ve only known him a couple weeks.” I didn’t want to tell her anything. Too new.

“Maybe so, but you’re sleeping with him. Don’t worry. Hands off the good doc.”

Wish I could believe her. We hung up and I called and left Sam a message to look in on Simone. Just hearing him talk on the voice mail made my insides melt. Also let him know that I’m stuck here a couple more weeks.

I keep replaying that last night together and the morning after. Can’t remember when I’ve thought about a man so much. It’s so stupid. We made mad, passionate, totally lost-my-mind kind of love, but that doesn’t make a relationship. Maybe it bothers me so much because I haven’t been able to talk to him since then. We keep missing each other and played several rounds of phone tag.

This boy-girl stuff is the pits.

11
P.M
.

Spells: 1

Used a locator spell on the letters so I could see how close the threat is. Turns out the culprit is tied to someone here at the palace. Problem is, this is a friggin’ castle. And the sheik has about thirty people living here and that doesn’t include the staff.

There are women who he’s protecting, all of whom live in a special wing with guards. Well, there are guards everywhere, but the ones protecting that part of the castle have great big guns.

His family lives in another part of the house. His sister and mother have been traveling, so I haven’t met them yet, but his brother is okay. Not the friendliest guy. Get the feeling Alkazir’s more old school. He doesn’t approve of my wardrobe, that’s for sure. My jeans and cotton blouses would be considered downright proper in Sweet, Texas, but not here. Every time he looks at me he shakes his head and mutters something under his breath. He should be grateful he’s the sheik’s brother or I might have to hurt him.

Started reading minds of those I come into contact with, but if the person is working with a witch or warlock they may have learned how to put up shields. Doesn’t deter me, though, because if someone tries to block a mind probe that’s a big clue.

May take a couple of days but I’ll figure it out.

Tuesday, noon

Spells: 2

Charms: 20

Hungry witches: 1

I need a big ole fat juicy hamburger. The sheik eats way too healthy. Fish and veggies for every meal. I’m craving beef, a milkshake, and French fries, which is strange because I don’t eat fries. Heard a rumor that there was fast food in Dubai. Hopefully I’ll be in town tomorrow and can check it out.

Thought I had a lead but no such luck. Did another locator spell and came up with nothing. Haven’t sensed any other witches or warlocks on the premises, so the person who’s after the sheik may have left before I could get a lock on.

Did get a lead on the cousin and know he’s close. I could take care of him from here, but the sheik wants to wait until we find this other person who is after him. Thinks the cousin will lead us to him. We’ll see. Still say we should just fry the guy and worry about the new threat later.

I’ve got a lot of respect for the sheik but the guy’s as hardheaded as I am. Spent most of the evening with him yesterday working on protection spells for the shelters. Explained how it all worked and he seemed genuinely interested in the process.

Most of my clients just want me to magic things away and could care less how I do it.

“There is magic and mysticism in my culture, but I have little experience with people who are witches and warlocks,” Azir explained in his study last night. “But I studied the history of magic when in school and the subject has always intrigued me.” Seated behind his desk, he pointed to shelves of books to his left. “I’ve read volumes on the subject.”

I walked over to check out his selection and was impressed. From Andrea Sikes’s
Witch Way
to Slovak’s
Witches and Warlocks
, he had a wall full of books on the occult and mysticism.

“The prime minister tells me that you are a high witch, one of the most powerful in the world.”

“Yes, I was born a high witch.”

He shook his head. “I’ve never met anyone like you. I don’t understand why you don’t sit at home amassing great wealth or live on an island somewhere basking in the sun. With all that power, you needn’t work.”

“You have great power and you don’t sit at home or take vacations.” Men, I swear.

“True, but it isn’t the same.”

I turned to him. “Yes it is. Power, whether it’s magical or otherwise, must be used carefully and for the greater good. I took an oath as a protector. There are others of my kind who are hunters. They search out the evil. It always seems to find me no matter where I am, and I felt I could be more use helping to keep people like you and the prime minister alive.”

Crossing his arms in front of his chest, he cocked his head to the side. “It fascinates me. The idea of magic.”

I understood his interest. It fascinates me too and, knowledgeable as I am about the craft, it still manages to surprise me.

He asked if he could stay and watch as I invoked the Blue Flame Spell. Only had to change a few of the words to protect all of the shelters until I could make charms for each one. Placed the blue candles on a pentagram and lit each one with my fingertips. While doing this I chanted:

O flaming pentagram of protection,
hinder harm from all directions.
By dancing flames wild and free
protect these women my mind sees.
As I will, so mote it be.

We also overnighted temporary charms I made to place above all of the entrances of every shelter. Whenever trouble arrives on the doorstep, the charm rings the small bell attached. It’s effective and something everyone can hear except the person bringing the evil. I found it in a text from the old Celtic Book of Shadows. I’ll make more charms to cover all the windows to the shelters. We’ll set the same system up here but there are so many doors to the place the sheik’s going to have to buy stock in a bell company.

I’ve been one busy witch, but the sheik has been with me all the way.

The man constantly surprises me. He’s so far from what I thought when I first saw him at the hotel in Oslo. I’ve listened in on some of his meetings and he’s shrewd in the business department. At the same time he has a huge heart and cares for so many. Not just the small army living in his house but all those women around the world. I get a sense from him that he feels he must save the world. Wanted to tell him that’s my job.

He’s worried about something we have to do in town tomorrow. Didn’t read his mind but can feel his hesitance about it.

Alkazir left this morning and Azir didn’t seem happy about the situation. Tapped into Alkazir’s mind for just a bit but it was all about business. He has some concerns about a situation in Paris, but everything in his brain had to do with boardrooms and oil derricks.

Another attempt was made on the prime minister’s life yesterday, but my protection spell held. It works off of a charm I did that glows whenever danger is near. The PM noticed his pocket glowing red with a warning. The bomb under the car never detonated and his security people found it soon after.

There’s a connection between the PM’s troubles and Azir’s. We’ve just got to figure out what it is and we’ll have our bad guy.

Azir’s mother and sister come in tomorrow and we’re taking a trip into town. Better get my bag of tricks together in case we come in contact with the bad guys. From the look on the sheik’s face today, I’d say that’s a distinct possibility.

That reminds me: need to make a list of supplies. With all the charms and spells I’ve worked on the last few days I need to replenish. Wonder if I can find mulberry, lavender, and poxy seeds in Dubai. Oh, and a large quantity of bells. This may take some planning.

Midnight

Confused witches: 1

Sam called while I dined with the sheik. Kind of rude to take the call but the sheik told me to go ahead. Sam said Simone would heal but he thought she needed some kind of energy boost in the next few days. I’m emailing him a potion to give her once the poison is out of her system.

His voice sounded strained. Maybe since Simone and Caleb were in the same room, that had something to do with it. I said something stupid like, “I’m thinking of you.”

He replied, “Hey, that’s great.”

What the hell is that supposed to mean?

Simone said something and he laughed. We talked about Mr. Gunther and some of the other folks at the nursing home, who are responding well to the memory potion. It’s one of those conversations where a lot of words come out but nothing is actually said.

Caleb, Sam, and Simone were getting ready to eat some of Lulu’s chicken-fried steak. I’m so jealous. I just want a damn hamburger. Is that too much to ask?

Sam told me to be safe and hung up. Everything seemed so stilted and awkward. I don’t get it.

Have I mentioned lately how much I hate this boy-girl crap? And men are jerks and if they didn’t have dicks they’d be totally worthless. And—oh, hell, go to bed, Bronwyn.

Wednesday, 4
P.M
.

Dubai

Spells: 3

Dead guys: Almost 2

T
he trip into the city of Dubai turned out to be an interesting adventure and changed my mind about a few things. The city was very modern and clean, with monolithic skyscrapers.

I’d dressed conservatively for me, wearing lightweight slacks and a long-sleeve blue cotton top. I still garnered some curious stares from some of the people on the street. The occasional catcall was yelled from a passing car but one look from the sheik, or his bodyguard, and the perpetrator quickly went on his way.

For the first two hours I followed Azir around like a good little witch. Most of that time was spent at Duban Industries, which is owned by the sheik and his family.

The blue-glassed building houses a variety of businesses, from oil and gourmet foods to clothing and golf ball manufacturing. The men here are as obsessed with golf as their American counterparts. There were a lot more women in management positions than I’d expected. I’d heard stories that women had a tough time doing business anywhere in the Middle East. The sheik admitted that Duban was more progressive than most organizations in Dubai.

During his private meeting with government officials about land rights, I decided to take a couple of the guards and visit the bazaar two blocks away. I had to refurbish my supplies immediately or I couldn’t finish the work for the sheik.

Through his company he’d already taken care of several ingredients, including the mulberry, the lavender, and some others that we knew I couldn’t find here in Dubai. The shipper promised to overnight everything to us for early-morning delivery.

The people in the market were kinder than I expected; of course, they were trying to sell me things. The guards and I hit stall after stall and I couldn’t resist picking up some souvenirs. I travel so much that I seldom succumb to the urge for knickknacks, but I got a brass hashish pipe for Caleb, purely for decoration. And a beautiful woven blanket in a variety of gold and red threads for Kira.

The entire place smelled of incense and exotic spices. At times my senses were in overload from the pungent aroma.

Found candles in every color, which is good. The black and red ones increase the power of the protection spells and the white and blue help with the purification process.

At a display of gold bracelets I sensed a magical presence. Didn’t turn to look right away, but knew it had to be a warlock. Tried to tap into his brain and send a warning, but he totally blocked me. It takes a powerful warlock or witch to do that.

I wondered if this might be one of the warlocks working for Azir’s cousin. I had to get a good look but didn’t want to be obvious.

I bought a few of the gold bracelets and shifted so I could get a good glance. Our eyes met and he dissipated before me. I don’t mean ran and hid somewhere. He, like, went, poof! It was only a blur, but he was incredibly thin with long black hair. He disappeared before I could get a good visual.

There are only a few witches and warlocks who can dissipate like that and I’m not one of them. The last time I tried I passed out for two days and woke up with Casper sitting on my stomach staring at me with a strange look in her eyes.

The great wizard Garnout told me long ago that if I were to receive the gift it would come to me when the time was right. Patience isn’t one of my strong suits, but I don’t have a choice.

Have had some luck with astral projection, but that’s pretty useless unless you need to spy on someone. And truth is, I can do it awake and a lot more easily by probing minds.

Anyway, I stood there dumbfounded for a minute in the middle of the tiny shops. What kind of warlock had the cousin hooked up with? I knew of maybe five or six who had that kind of talent, but they were all on the good guys’ side.

My pocket burned and the small tiger’s eye I keep in there glowed through the cloth. The sheik was in immediate danger. The guards and I ran the two blocks back to the office building. Tapping into the sheik’s mind I saw nothing but blackness. He was still alive but unconscious.

In his office we didn’t find anything that looked like it had been disturbed. A small groan from behind the closed door made us turn and investigate. Azir’s executive assistant, Maridad, lay on the floor with a huge gash on her head.

I yelled:

He who disappears I seek

Open ears and eyes for me

Find him now, so mote it be.

A flash of light and I saw the sheik in the stairwell, two floors below. I barked orders to the guards. How the hell had the kidnappers found their way past all the staff and security?

The two guards who had come with me took the stairs and I ran for the elevator to head the bad guys off at the pass.

As I moved I realized that damn skinny warlock at the bazaar had been sent to spy on me. To make certain I was out of the way so they could kidnap Azir. I reached the second floor and ran for the stairwell.

I heard them before I saw them and prepared to do battle. With my feet apart and arms raised I waited. Two huge men around six feet five inches and about six hundred pounds between them rounded the corner carrying the sheik. One at his head, the other at his feet.

“Put him down!” I screamed.

The pair didn’t look like they had the IQ of a squirrel between them so I said it again. “Put him down!”

I heard the footsteps of the other guards coming and so did the bad guys. Afraid they’d drop the sheik and cause him further injury, I threw my right hand out to stop any action they might take with a stunning blow. The men were frozen like stone. With my left I levitated the sheik and put him down on the steps beside me.

My energy lagged. Doing two spells at once drains me fast. They started to move so I threw both hands out and pinned the two giants into the wall. The guards came just as my power was about to give out completely. My knees were shaking and I was afraid I might soon end up in a pile on the floor, much like the sheik.

The authorities were called and the two lugs taken into custody. I hear they do nasty things to bad guys in prison here. Good.

The sheik woke up on the way to the hospital. He said his head hurt from the blow but his private physician released him an hour and a half after we got there.

“My assistant, Maridad, and I thought they were guards with one of the officials,” Azir told me in the car as we returned to his home. “Before we could move they pulled guns and ordered Maridad into the bathroom. She resisted, but they shoved her in. If I didn’t go with the other one they threatened to kill her. Just as we stepped into the stairwell he must have hit me with the gun.

“Once again I owe my life to you, Bronwyn. It’s quite disconcerting being saved all the time by such a beautiful woman.” He leaned his head back against the plush leather seat and closed his eyes.

“Hey, now stop with the compliments. That crap goes straight to my head.” Flipped my hair back Farrah Fawcett–style to prove my point. “It’s my job to protect you and those goons weren’t going to get away with my sheik.”

That made him laugh. But his joy didn’t last long when I explained that his cousin had been involved in the attempt.

“In less than twenty-four hours I can resolve this problem for you.” I shifted in my seat so I could touch his arm. I wanted to make sure he listened. “I don’t mind protecting you, but it’s difficult when I know the threat and can’t extinguish it.”

“I appreciate your candor, but we need a few more days to find out who else might be involved. Have you discovered anything by reading the minds of those living in the castle?”

“No, but I know that someone within those walls spies for your cousin. How else would he know your every move?”

“I’ve had enemies for years but it’s difficult for me to believe that someone in my home might wish me harm.” He sounded truly disappointed by the news and I felt sorry for him.

His mood lightened considerably when we walked through the front door and his mother ran to hug him. Dressed in the traditional chador with jeans underneath, she looked more like an older sister than his mom.

Her straight black hair fell down her back and the same long lashes Azir has framed liquid brown eyes. Easy to see where his good looks came from. Except that she was short, five foot at the most, with a round belly and hips.

Azir, on the other hand, is more than six foot with a chest, abs, and ass you could bounce quarters off. Um, not that I’ve noticed or anything. But give me some change and I could have a whole lot of fun with the sheik.

“My dear son, I worried so much for you.”

“Mother, I’m all right. I am.” He gathered her in his arms and pulled her to his chest.

Dressed in button-fly low-riding jeans and cowboy boots, topped with a white cotton shirt tied at the waist, the woman I assumed was his sister came down the hall to her brother.

“Why do you let this continue?” she admonished him harshly, her voice filled with disgust. “You know what you must do!” A tear slid down her cheek, softening the hardened edge of her words, and her brother hugged her to his chest.

“Soon, Shera, soon.”

“He could have killed you. How many times are you going to let him try?” she cried between sobs.

“He can’t kill me, because I have a grand protector.” He moved the two women to his side and pointed to me. The look of incredulity on their faces was priceless.

They stared at me, then back at him. Then looked at me again.

“Hi, I’m Bronwyn.” I extended a hand and walked toward the small group.

“This is my mother, Kazamar Alhid Azir, and my sister, Shera Alhid Azir.” The sheik smiled. Both women grabbed my hand in a sturdy grip.

“This is Bronwyn, a very powerful witch who has blessed our home with her presence. I trust both of you will do whatever necessary to make her feel welcome and comfortable.” He raised an eyebrow to accentuate his point.

“Oh, don’t be such a bully. If she is your friend we will treat her with kindness, but we would do so no matter what because she has saved your life more than once,” his mother chided. “Bronwyn, you are welcome in our home, and please let me know if there is anything you need. I trust you will dine with us tonight.”

Food. I never did get my burger. I nodded in acceptance.

“Shera and I have brought back two freezers’ worth of beef and plan on sirloin strips tonight.” She smiled as if she could read my mind.

Hot damn! Meat! “I wouldn’t miss it.”

I excused myself to set up shop in my suite. Along with a bedroom that would fit two small homes, the sheik had given me another room to work in. I found a computer, and several shelves already stocked with the ingredients I needed to build charms.

But before I do anything else I need to rest. My strength lags and I have a feeling I’m going to need all of my powers over the next few weeks.

Hopefully, I can get a zombielike nap in before dinner.

11
P.M
.

Witch’s assistants: 2

Dinner was nothing short of a hoot. Azir’s mother and sister are quite the storytellers.

“We were in London and Mother had to try on a pair of these—”

“Shera, if you tell that story I’ll tell them what happened in Rome,” Kazamar warned. The young girl appeared to think about it for a moment, then shrugged and went on with the tale.

“We were in this hot trendy clothing shop where they only have these small screens for you to change behind and they’re set up in the middle of the store.” Shera laughed so hard she almost couldn’t go on.

“Mother had picked up a pair of pants and they were too small.”

“They were sized incorrectly, I tell you. I wear a size 10 and that’s what the tag said,” Kazamar, who was clearly a size 14, stated firmly.

“Anyway”—the young girl waved her mother’s comments away—“she took forever and then I saw her hopping up and down behind the screen trying to get these pants on. She tripped on the leg and knocked not only her screen down, but also four others surrounding shoppers trying on clothes. Naked people ran screaming all over the store. She just stood a minute. Then put on her own clothes and walked out of the store like nothing had happened.”

“Well, there’s no reason to make a scene.” Kazamar laughed. “It was funny though.”

“So what did my sister do in Rome?” Azir joined in the fun.

“Well, it’s not so much what she did, but what happened to her. Twice. We were throwing coins into a fountain and pigeons pooped on her head. Not one or two but a whole flock. She was covered in waste and cried all the way back to the hotel.” Kazamar tried not to smile. Azir laughed harder than I’d ever seen him.

“I wasn’t upset about the poop—that’s supposed to be a lucky sign. I cried because they ruined my brand-new Carolina Herrera sweater,” Shera explained.

The younger woman shook her head. “Then we were on a train, minding our own business, and this man opened the door of our car and flashed us. Wiggling it around so proud. Mother looked up from her paper and told him, ‘Really you should put that away. It’s absolutely nothing worth showing off in public.’ I could have died, I laughed so hard.”

The stories continued until just a few minutes ago. Before I left the dining hall both women made me promise that they could help make some of the charms tomorrow. It should be an interesting day.

Sat for a few minutes and did a locator spell on the cousin. Don’t know if he’s doing drugs or just delusional but I had to pull out of his brain. Psychotic pictures of bodies bathed in blood and ripped limbs.

He had better watch out or those pictures in his head will be his death sentence.