Easy Bake Coven: Book One of the Vivienne Finch Magical Mysteries (31 page)

Missy
stepped away from her. “I don’t want your pity, you stupid cow.” She hissed. “I
eventually had to move back to a cramped apartment in Elmira with my Mother and
take a job in the grocery deli.” She whirled around in the alley, swept up in
sweet nostalgia. “Remember when I was voted most likely to succeed in the year
book?” She posed against the brick wall of the bakery. “Prettiest smile, best
body, class flirt and where did it all get me?” She frowned. “A menial job at
the local grocery deli wearing one of those tacky store uniforms and a stupid
name tag, that’s what I got. Weighing and slicing ham and turkey for bored
housewives who accused me of giving pieces with too much fat or forgetting to
charge the sale price.”

“Missy,
I don’t know what you want from me.” Mona shrugged. “Life is what we make it
out to be, for better or for worse.”

“Why
did you get the better? How is that fair?” Missy sneered. “Even back in high
school, all you wanted was to steal my head cheerleader position”, Missy
retorted, “Because that’s all you can do lacking any sort of real talent. Things
never change and you’re living proof.”

Mona
shook her head. “Yes they do. My God, Missy, it’s like someone waved a magic
wand and changed everything about you.”

“Funny
you should mention magic, really.” Missy smiled. “Did I mention the part about
being a witch and being able to use magic?

“What?”

Missy
nodded. “Of course, if I played by the rules of magic I’d still be an ordinary
mortal. You see, I was the generation that was supposed to be skipped. Mother
had told me the truth and how she couldn’t violate the rules of magic to alter
my life. I begged her, pleaded with her, but she just wouldn’t budge. So one
night, her brakes mysteriously failed and she ran head on into a tree. Magic
couldn’t save her after all.”

Mona
gasped. “You murdered your own Mother?”

Missy
grinned. “The magic passed to me, the moment she died. I vowed then and there
to get back the life that should have rightfully been mine all along. With some
carefully crafted spell work, Missy Collins became the fabulous Victoria
Clemens. I gave myself a head of hair with the perfect texture and color,
flawlessly toned skin that tanned and never burned, and a body with no
unsightly sags or cellulite. When I looked in the mirror I didn’t even
recognize myself and neither did you.”

Mona
recoiled in horror. “But you’ve got a fabulous life here. Look at you, you’re
Victoria Clemens now.” Mona gave her a little smile. “You’ve created a brand
new life that is far from that grocery store.”

“You
mean having a little winery out in the sticks with a dead husband?” Missy put
her hands on her hips. “I don’t think so.”

“Stephen
is dead? When did that happen?” Mona backed up toward the dumpster.

“He
had a heart attack a few days ago.” Missy revealed. “Before I could finish my
plan to get back the life you stole from me.”

“I
didn’t steal your life.” Mona fired back. “I made it with a little bit of luck
and a lot of hard work.”

Missy
paced back and forth in short circles. “It was all so simple but you had to
start poking around and mess it up.” She rubbed her hands together nervously.
“The magazine scandal was supposed to create enough chaos that Richard would
step down and leave a vacancy for a new mayor, my husband.”

“But
he’s dead.” Mona pointed out.

“But
still under my control.” Missy replied. “I created a spell that made him appear
alive and quite healthy to mortal eyes. Then, all I would have to do was work a
little magic on the city council, have Stephen drop dead of a heart attack when
I chose, and take over as Mayor in his place. It would be my small start to a
bigger picture in politics. State Senator, Governor, maybe even President
someday?”

“You’re
insane.” Mona turned to leave. “I think you really need some serious
psychiatric help.”

Missy
clapped her hands together. “Stephen, grab her.”

Mona
whirled around as the reanimated corpse of Stephen leapt out from behind the
dumpsters and seized her in his grip. His cold hand wrapped across her mouth
and muffled her started scream.

Missy
walked up to her with a grin. “That’s right, babe. You’ve tangled with the wrong
witch and now you’re going to pay for it.”

Mona
tried to wiggle her way free but it was no use.

Missy
picked up the giant scissors and held them to Mona’s chest. “Playing by the
rules with magic wasn’t working fast enough so I found a short cut. A little
detour to the darker side of magic gave me the answer I was looking for.” Missy
pressed the scissors harder against Mona’s chest. “In order to get closer to
Richard, you had to die and someone else had to take the blame.”

Mona
shook her head in response. Her eyes watered.

“Suzette
Powell always has a way of getting on my nerves. I really can’t stand the
woman. Always biting her nails and acting so mousy, she reminds me of how I
used to be back in New York. She’s a dull, average nobody who never gets noticed.”
Missy grinned. “Pinning it all on her just sort of makes this a two-for-one
deal.”

Mona
cried out once more and kicked Missy in the shin.

Missy
started to fall backwards, which caused Stephen to lurch forward to save her in
response. Unable to move away, Mona fell onto the scissors which impaled her
through the chest. She crumpled in his grip.

“You
stupid idiot, I almost got stabbed myself.”

Stephen
let Mona drop to the ground with a thud. She moaned and then went still.

Missy
reached into her charm bag and produced Suzette’s fingernail. “Stephen, press
this into her wrist and be quick about it.”

He
did as she asked, jabbing the fingernail into her soft pink flesh. The sound of
the sanitation truck roaring down the alley interrupted them. “It’s time to
leave. Stick her in the dumpster and let’s get out of here.”

Stephen
did as she asked and picked Mona up from the ground. He placed her gently on
her back in the dumpster and then disappeared into the alley just as the truck
approached and everything went dark.

Vivienne
awoke to the smell of natural gas. She was still trapped in the
Glen Harvest
Winery
cellar, in the dark, only now she had full knowledge of what
had happened to Mona Clarke.

As
she pulled herself up from the floor, she heard the hissing sound coming from
the far end of the room. The pipe that served as the main line had been severed
and the space was filling up fast with flammable gas. The wine cask where
Stephen’s body had been encased was shattered on the floor once more, with no
sign of him anywhere. She bolted toward the door leading out of the cellar when
the door opened and Stephen stood at the threshold. In his lifeless hand, there
was a single book of matches. He pulled one free and prepared to strike it and
start the conflagration that would kill them all.

“No.”
Vivienne screamed in horror just as something gray leapt from behind the door
and snagged the matches from his hand. Vivienne watched in shock as Joshua, in
wolf form, scampered over to her and dropped the matches at her feet.

She
quickly grabbed them and looked at the reanimated form of Stephen with a
mixture of pity and disgust. “It wasn’t your fault. You need to let us go.”

Stephen
stared at her with his cold, dead eyes. He started to shamble toward her.
“Light the match.” He repeated over and over with his new orders.

The
werewolf growled at him and leapt into the air in a vicious attack. Vivienne,
taking advantage of the distraction, made for the door to escape. When she
reached the threshold, she ran right into Victoria, who she now knew to be
Missy Collins.

“You’re
not going anywhere.” Missy smacked Vivienne across the head with the
grimoire
she had stolen.

Vivienne
recoiled for a moment. “You’re a murderer and you’ve violated the magical
laws.”

Missy
sneered. “There’s only room for one big witch in town and that’s me.” She
slammed the door shut and locked it from the other side.

Vivienne
furiously yanked and pulled at the handle but it wouldn’t budge.

“Light
the match, Stephen.” Missy yelled from the other side. “Do as I command.”

Stephen
picked up the wolf with both arms and hurled him against the wall of casks. The
wolf yelped in pain and rolled to the ground, transforming back into the naked
form of Joshua.

Vivienne
rushed over to him. “We have to get out of here. The gas is going to blow this
place sky high any minute.” She grabbed some stained towels that were used to
clean up drips from the casks and draped it across his lower half to cover his
nakedness.

Joshua
shook his head and moaned. “Vivienne, I’ve been tracking your scent for hours.
When I came out of the station both you and my car were gone.” He wrapped the
towel around his waist and knotted it.

Stephen
clumsily picked up the book of matches.

“There’s
no time to explain.” Vivienne looked around in desperation and then focused on
the taps which allowed the wine to be drawn from the barrels. She rushed over
to the one directly across from Stephen and started to yank on the spigot with
all her might. “Joshua, help me pull this out.”

Joshua
jumped up from the floor and limped over to the spigot. Together, they managed
to yank it out. A river of red wine poured out, but the pressure wasn’t nearly
strong enough to reach Stephen.

“Back
up.” Joshua ordered.

Vivienne
side stepped. “Whatever it is you’re planning to do, you better hurry.”

Stephen
ripped a single match from the book and prepared to strike it across the coarse
surface.

With
a primal growl, he threw his arms back and then forward at the cask. The wood
splintered and shattered as a wave of red wine blew outward, knocking Joshua
and Vivienne to the floor.

The
wave of red wine crashed over Stephen, drenching him and the matches in one
fell swoop.

Joshua
quickly got to his feet and pulled Vivienne up from the floor. “Let’s get out
of here.”

“Lead
the way.” She spit out a mouthful of wine.

Stephen,
now soaking wet, tried to strike the matches but they wouldn’t light. The soggy
cardboard just disintegrated in his featureless hands. He stared at them like a
lost child.

Vivienne’s
attention turned to the locked door. “Can you smash that open too?”

Joshua
nodded and with a ferocious growl slammed into the door with all his might. It
fell forward into a stairwell. Joshua grabbed the door by the handle and tossed
it inside the cellar. “Follow me.” He ordered.

As
they both raced up the stairs into the tasting room, a flash of lightning and a
clap of thunder shook the structure.

Vivienne
pointed to the lit exit sign above a set of double doors. “That way.” She
sprinted out the front door as a vicious thunderstorm swirled overhead.

“What
now?” Joshua asked as he followed behind her into the gravel parking lot of the
winery.

Vivienne
caught a glimpse of Missy standing near the vineyard with her hands in the air.
Oblivious to their escape, she had her back to them chanting something that
seemed to make the storm grow worse.

“Run
like the wind.” She said and pulled him with her.

They
had only a minute to spare as a large bolt of lightning erupted from the storm
and struck the winery tasting room. It exploded in a huge fireball, knocking
them both to the ground with the concussive pressure as a clap of thunder stung
their ears.

When
they looked up a few seconds later, there was only a flaming pile of rubble
that burned like a great bonfire. The orange and yellow flames reached up
toward the clouds in angry defiance.

“No.”
Missy screamed furiously having noticed their escape. She picked up the
grimoire
and began chanting another spell.

The
thunderstorm flared with a strange greenish light as Vivienne held tight to
Joshua. Whatever spell was about to hit them, she was certain it was going to
end with their mutual demise. “I love you.” She yelled tearfully at him.

He
was about to speak when his eyes widened in surprise. “Vivienne, what is that?”

She
turned around to see several spikes of lightning arching to the ground and
creating a grid of electrical energy around Missy. “I don’t know.”

Five
cloaked figures slid down the lightning bolts, each taking a place apart from
the other. They raised their arms and shaped the electrical energy into the
shape of a pentagram.

A
shrill scream from Missy pierced the air. The pentagram flashed like a strobe
as a whooshing sound, much like the air escaping from a balloon, erupted and
flung Missy and the figures up into the swirling storm clouds. There was one
final crack of thunder and then the clouds began to dissipate allowing the
stars to shine once again.