Mathilda, SuperWitch (9 page)

“
That man, that bloody,
awful
man!” Josie shouted.

Oh no.

Josie was going to go all political again.

Don’t get me wrong, I hated to hear my American Brethren going on and on and on about God and country. I dig God (don’t be surprised, witches are
very
spiritual creatures and respect others of like mind no matter who they worship) and I dig country but never the twain should meet (I was living in a country with hundreds of years of history that proved that sad fact).

But Douglas Addison had something about him.

Sure, he was a scary fascist but then so was Ralph Fiennes in
Shindler’s List
. You wouldn’t piss on them if they were on fire (talking about Ralph Fiennes’s character, of course, I’d definitely piss on Ralph Fiennes if he was on fire, mama mia, that man could be in a Brood Off with Sebastian and have a chance at winning!) but you had to admit they had a certain something.

And anyway, Addison dressed like a dream. He’d graced the cover of
GQ
more than once in his political career. The dude was hot (in a tall, dark, dangerous, slim, fit, macho, scary fascist sort of way) and he knew fashion and I’d sell my soul to the devil for fashion.

“Josie, save it,” Lucy said through a mouthful of biryani. “Tell the Council.”

“Screw the Council,” Josie declared.

Lucy stopped in mid-tear of her naan and I (lamentably) dropped a spoonful of pilau rice on the carpet.

Josie didn’t say things like that.

“
I’m not going to tell them anything,” she stated. “They don’t
do
anything. I’ve been writing letters for years.”

Then came the
big
announcement.

“If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em,” she announced pouring the entire contents of her container of lamb passanda over her rice. “And then beat ‘em.”

Whoa!

Girl Power!

Yee Ha!

A Councillor is Born!

Watch out Glenda Jackson… you got company!

5 February

(Middle of night)

(Little freaked out)

Ran into Aidan at Tescos!

I couldn’t sleep (BecBec has disappeared, maybe mad at me, so now can’t sleep without her whizzing around the room) so went to Tescos to get ingredients for sugar cream pie recipe I looked up on the Internet.

There he was, trying to choose between crunchy or regular chocolate fingers (no contest, crunchy).

I just stood there, staring stupidly at him until he noticed me and his body kinda jerked when he saw me.

Could be two explanations for jerkage: 1) he was caught or 2) sight of me in my pajama bottoms, a sweatshirt that had seen better days, a five foot long scarf Gran sent me for Yule wrapped around my neck, no makeup and my hair twisted into scary, messy knot on top of head.

“Matty,” he greeted and smiled. (Good recovery, dickhead.)

“Aidan,” I greeted back (I’m so cool). “Where ya been?”

“Busy…” Mm, yeah right, busy summoning the forces of evil. “I meant to call…”

Ack!

One of a girl’s most hated phrases.

I waved my hand dismissing his excuses. “Listen Aidan, I don’t know your story but –” I wanted to say, “I’m onto your game,” in a menacing way but it would seem neither of us was going to let the other finish a sentence because he interrupted me by letting out this huge sigh.

“We can’t talk here, but, listen… tomorrow night, midnight, meet me at your tree.”

Wha?!?

What does he know of my tree?

“Excuse me?” I asked, all squinty-eyed.

He looked one way then the other. “I know it sounds strange but just meet me at midnight, tomorrow night.”

Is he nuts?

“Alone,” he went on.

Yes, he’s nuts.

Then he took off, grabbing, I might add, chocolate fingers with caramel (interesting choice, one I must ponder).

I came home without the ingredients I needed for the pie.

And now I don’t know what to do.

6 February

(Morning)

Woke up early mainly because I didn’t sleep.

Mavis was in the kitchen making eggs.

I told her about Aidan.

“Oh, my dear, just go and remember to take your wand. You’ll be quite all right. If anything goes awry, you’ll be able to take on the likes of Aidan.”

Then she sniffed as if the strapping, six foot tall Aidan with six-pack abs (I have not witnessed his abs with own eyes but figure he
must
have a six-pack) couldn’t take me.

Think I need a second opinion (about situation, not abs).

* * * * *

(Mid-morning)

Called Su (was middle of night her time but had first showdown with possible baddie on my hands so obviously an emergency – not to mention knowing Su, she had probably just got home from the local Deadhead bar).

Told her the story and asked her what I should do.

She said call her back when it was a decent hour (was wrong about Deadhead bar) then she called me a name and hung up on me.

Decided again that I’m not talking to Su.

* * * * *

(Afternoon)

Called Viv.

Told her the story and asked her what I should do.

She said, “What are you, nuts? Don’t meet a strange man in the middle of the night.”

Told her about Josie connection and possible bad guy status and he knew about my tree.

She said to go, take my wand and wear my cloak but, “Make sure to take Sebastian.”

No way am I taking Sebastian.

Viv doesn’t know anything.

I’m clearly on my own.

9 February

Am in trouble with Ash.

Though feel I did the right thing.

Maybe in the wrong way.

Still.

* * * * *

It was ten to midnight, had my wand, my cloak and I was off to my tree.

Had been frantically studying freezing spells (Auntie Mavis’s cat Lulubelle was still frozen halfway across my sitting room by the time I got back.)

Note to self: need to research reversal of freezing spells.

Checked on Rory, checked on Josie, checked on Mavis… all sleeping soundly.

Did not check on Sebastian and tried very hard not to think about him.

There wasn’t a cloud in the sky, the moon shone on the channel and the trees were restless.

And I was scared nearly senseless.

Though I could tell it was cold. Freezing cold.

Aidan was standing by my tree.

I knew one thing for certain, if he hurt my tree, I’d zap him.

Walked up to the tree and threw back the hood of my cloak.

“Aidan,” I said.

His body gave a start.

I could have sworn he was watching me walk up to him but I surprised him.

“Jesus,” he muttered, clearly he hadn’t been watching me walk up to him.

Mm. No wonder Viv said to wear the cloak.

Before I could say anything else, he said, “Listen, Matty, I don’t think it’s safe out here, maybe we should go somewhere else to talk.”

Yeah right.

I think not.

I leaned against my tree. It was warm.

Hmm.

“I think we can talk right here,” I countered.

“
I shouldn’t be here. Jesus,” he repeated. “
You
shouldn’t be here.” And he looked over my shoulder. “We should go somewhere else. Now.”

“
Listen, Aidan –” I started then I saw them – the faeries all flew up from their hiding places all at once like hundreds of twinkling lights coming on out of nowhere – and zing, zang,
zoom
– they started whizzing here, there and everywhere.

Holy shit!

It was really cool!

“Let’s go!”

That was Aidan, grabbing my arm and pulling me through the wood towards Poet’s Walk.

“Aidan, stop!”

That was me trying to pull loose. I didn’t know what was going on and I didn’t intend to go anywhere with Aidan.

Then I saw them.

Men.

Three of them lumbering up the Walk, breaking off and heading into the wood… toward us.

A tingle ran up my back when I saw the men – not a good tingle and not a good sign.

Aidan pulled me up to him hard and I slammed against his body (mm – slamming against men’s bodies a lot lately… not bad but would prefer to do it when not on run or in middle of apparent life threatening situation).

“Go,” he whispered in my ear, “go back to The Gables. Now!” Then he pushed me backward and I went flying, stumbled on my cloak and fell on my ass.

As I was scrambling to get my limbs in order, I saw Aidan charge ahead, duck down and hit one of the men in the stomach on a running tackle. I watched the guy going up, flying over Aidan and landing on his back while I got to my feet.

Holy cow.

Then BecBec whizzed in front of me, scaring the bejeezus out of me so I fell back down on my ass.

“BecBec!” I cried.

She stopped, her wings shuddering, and she looked me up and down as if assessing if I was all right, and then whizzed away faster than I ever saw her whiz before, charging one of the other men.

No way was BecBec gonna be able to take that man.

Damn.

I got to my feet again, pulled out my wand to help as BecBec’s whiz became a blur and she disappeared in a rocket of pistachio green pixie dust. The man she was charging came up short, like he’d hit an invisible branch and stumbled backward as she circled him for another pass.

Aidan was grappling with another man while the one he tackled had regained his feet and was charging me.

Ack!

I had to do something.

And fast.

So I pulled out my wand and shouted, “
Freeze!
” and zapped the man coming at me.

Hot pink pixie dust flew out of my wand and slammed him with great velocity right in the gut.

Except it didn’t freeze him, instead, it seemed sort of to shatter and fly off in bits and hit dozens of faeries that were flying toward him and froze them instead.

“Shit!” I shouted as he carried on toward me.

I tried again.

“
Freeze!
”

Zap.

Pixie Dust.

Nothing.

It had worked on Lulubelle!

So I tried again.

“
Freeze!
”

Zap.

Pixie Dust.

Zip.

And again!

“
Freeze, dammit!
”

Zap.

Pixie Dust.

Nada.

There were faeries frozen in mid-air everywhere and the rest were avoiding him, me and my wayward spells.

Shit.

He lunged at me; I ducked, slipped, lost control, fell and rolled under him accidentally taking him down with me.

We wrestled. He seemed huge. He definitely was strong.

I kept hold of my wand and fought as hard as I could and under my breath chanted:

I call the powers of nature, the might of the sea,

Protect all things good and magical in these woods.

As I will, so mote it be.

Over and over again I said it, getting louder and louder as I tried to find an opening to kick the big lout in the balls.

“Shut up, witch!” he hissed at me, his breath smelling of peppermint.

I’m sorry but a bad guy should not have good breath. I don’t know who to complain to about this but I just don’t think it’s fair. They should be balding, heavy, poorly dressed and smelly. This should be a rule.

Anyway.

I ignored him (obviously) and carried on chanting, struggling and holding on to my wand.

Then we rolled, rolled again, I managed to get up and I ran with him after me until he tackled me. We rolled again and then I slammed up against something hard.

“Oof,” I wheezed.

And then I got my chance, a clear shot and I used every bit of leverage and strength I had and kicked him right between the legs.