Witch's Diary: A Paranormal Urban Fantasy Tale (Lost Library Book 4) (30 page)

Twenty-something guy said, “I’m providing an escort to your van. If your friends would like to come out?”

“Are you guaranteeing our safety?” Kenna asked. She wasn’t sure what else to say, because…what the fuck? What the hell was happening?

This guy wasn’t Bill Bentley, and he wasn’t Raymond Gage. How was she leaving, with her mom and her mom’s crew? The only rational answer was that she wasn’t. She was going to die in the next five seconds. A horrible death, probably. She was still standing in the doorway, and she suddenly noticed a warmth at her back—that was how close the crew were standing behind her. She revised her earlier conclusion. They were all going to die in about five seconds. How was it that she’d she beat Harry out the door?

“I received a call from IPPC with an offer. I accepted and you’re leaving. Now.” He was a young guy, but he was kind of a scary guy. And that looked to be the closest to an answer she was getting out of him.

Without taking her eyes off the man she was starting to suspect was the Coven’s national leader, she said over her shoulder, “We’re coming out now, guys.”

Her mom was the only one brave enough to say anything. Gwen very quietly instructed, “Don’t say a word to Peterson unless he speaks directly to you.”

Kenna felt a firm nudge in her back. “Got it,” she whispered back.

Kenna led the whole gang out of the house. Max and Jack were directed to join them. And what followed was a bizarre parody of an Emily Post article.

Everyone was ushered to the van, clearly the van they’d come in, that had been retrieved from its hiding spot and parked about fifty feet away from the holding cell house. The doors were opened and closed for them. They received an escort car in front and behind that took them off the property and that was it.

All quite polite. No dead bodies.

“At least two dead bodies. William Bentley and Raymond Gage are no longer with us.” Max was driving, and he didn’t take his eyes off the road.

“Sorry. I didn’t realize I said that out loud.” Kenna wasn’t sure how she felt. Big magic adventure ends in…polite exit. It was creepy. “It’s just weird, right? No blood, no fight. No shooting.”

Jack was sitting in the front passenger seat. He also kept his eyes forward. “There was blood. You missed it. I’m pretty sure Margot is going to have a hard time finding support in the Coven in future.”

Kenna looked at Jack, then Max, then back at Jack. “Was it really that bad?”

They both nodded.

Kenna shifted in her seat. “Oh.” She shifted again, trying to find a comfortable position, one where the candle wasn’t poking her in the butt. “Mom! Good Lord, how are you?” Kenna turned around in her seat to examine her mom. They’d filed into the van in no particular order and her mom had ended up behind her.

“Tired. Thrilled to be out of that room. Sore.”

“I can help with that last one.” Harry was sitting next to her mom. “I’m a healer.”

“Oh.” Gwen looked fascinated. “I’ve never been healed by a healer. If you’re sure you’re not too tired?”

“I’m exhausted.” Harry gave her a charming smile. “But I didn’t actually use that much of my own magic. I’d be happy to help.” He reached out a hand. “If I may?”

Gwen said, “What do I do?”

“You’re doing it.”

“That was truly fine craftsmanship on your part, Harry. It was thrilling to actually see the magic and how you worked through the weave like it was a complex puzzle…fascinating to watch, and very well done.”

“Thank you, Gwen. So, how do you feel?”

She patted her face. “I’ll be damned. Look at that.” She leaned forward and kissed him on the cheek. “Thank you.”

“Since when do you curse, Mom?” Kenna asked.

“Routinely,” Walter said. Looking at Gwen, he added, “You must self-censor a lot at home.”

“I have no clue why,” Kenna said. “I already cuss like a sailor. It’s not for my benefit.”

And so they chatted all the way to the airstrip.

As soon as there was a lull, Kenna remembered to text Harrington: Everyone safe. Headed home. Max gave Clark a call so he’d know about the potential fallout from their mission. Clark had mixed emotions about the deaths of Bill and Raymond, since it meant the arrival of new management. But he’d been happy to hear they’d made it out with their team intact.

Harrington’s reply was worrisome: Call for more info once home. “More information” had an ominous ring, but Kenna was always suspicious when it came to Harrington.

And no one told her what to do with that damn candle.

Chapter 27

Kenna had mixed feelings about Skype. It was convenient, sure. Especially for group calls. She stared back at the uncompromising features of a slightly peeved Harrington. And then there was that. She had to actually look at Harrington. Whoopee. She’d managed to go an entire twenty-four hours without speaking to the man. But she’d finally caved and agreed to this debrief meeting.

Her mom seemed much less impressed by Harrington’s stern demeanor.

“No more active pursuit of the Coven,” Harrington said. “That was the agreement. Cessation of your anti-Coven activities, and in exchange you live to fight for another cause. Live. You and your motley crew were not executed on the spot.”

If they weren’t hundreds of miles apart, Kenna was pretty sure her mom would be committing some act of violence against Harrington.

“Unsatisfactory.” Gwen’s arms were crossed.

Kenna couldn’t even believe it. Was her mother nuts? “You’d rather be dead? Or hounded to the ends of the earth? Because I’m pretty sure Peterson is the kind of guy who would totally hound you. And according to Max and Jack, he is nasty, ugly when he kills people. It’s been less than twenty-four hours, Mom. Have you already forgotten your near-death experience?”

“No, Kenna, I have not forgotten. And not unlike yourself, it’s not my first such experience.” She turned her full attention back to the laptop on the kitchen table. “And you, Harrington, making agreements you can’t uphold.” The toe of her red tennis shoe tapping away, she said, “This is ridiculous. You don’t have the right to speak on my behalf.”

“Death was the alternative.”

“Mom, you’ll never win this argument. He did the right thing.” Kenna glared at the screen, hoping her nasty look would penetrate through the screen and manage to make it all the way to Prague.

Gwen just pursed her lips.

“You’ve headed a small grass-roots cause to inhibit Coven acts against non-magical humans for over ten years now. You’ve made a dent, but it’s time to move on.” From the pinched look on his face, it must be hard for Harrington to compliment her mother. Kenna couldn’t help but be entertained. Harrington continued, “Pass the baton, Gwen. The agreement doesn’t restrict your team, just you. And I have another job for you, if you’re interested.”

Any amusement Kenna had been feeling fled.

“Oh my God. Are you kidding me?” Kenna said. “First Lizzie and now my mom. Harrington, you know I’m grateful for your help escaping certain death—but can you leave my mom out of your sneaky machinations? Please?” Kenna couldn’t believe the man’s gall.

And then she saw her mom’s face. Kenna dropped down into a chair at the kitchen table. “You’re totally doing it, aren’t you?”

Her mom looked bright-eyed. “I think I might. All right, Harrington, but we have to hash out some details. And I’m only working on a per-project contract basis.”

“You don’t even know what he wants you to do.” Kenna threw her hands up.

But her mom ignored her and Harrington said, “I might be able to accommodate that. In fact, I have a project right now…”

Kenna let Harrington’s voice wash over her. Who was this woman negotiating like a demon for jobs most people half her age would find too adventuresome? That was her mom.

Chapter 28

Max got a call from Kenna earlier in the day, right after she’d gotten off a Skype call with Harrington. She’d vacillated between being thrilled, exasperated, and exhausted. He supposed pregnancy was in part responsible for the wide gamut of emotions, but there was also a lot of change happening in her life. Gwen’s decision to sign on with Harrington was an especially polarizing topic. So he’d offered to pick her up for dinner and a chance to decompress with someone who knew all the details. He figured Jack was off fighting dragons, or whatever he did in his day job, and unavailable. Lizzie was definitely still tied up in Prague. The list of people in the know was pretty short.

“We’re friends, aren’t we?” Kenna asked Max from the passenger seat of his car. They’d been on the road a few minutes, traveling in what he’d thought was a comfortable silence when she popped that bizarre question. Before he could recover and come up with a response, she added, “We’ve moved past the weird awkwardness. The uncomfortable post-breakup moment. Hell, I’ve officially joined the ranks of the friendly exes.”

Max hesitated a moment, debating: truth or fiction? “First, the awkwardness was all yours. No matter how many times you try to rewrite history, that won’t change. And second? We never dated. We fucked like—what’s that thing Lizzie says?—like wild monkeys; we did not date. So you can’t join my vast army of friendly exes. Because you’re not my ex.”

Truth. It had to be truth. Because he wasn’t going to let dishonesty get in the way of their friendship.

“Hmm. Ex-girlfriend or ex-partner, ex-lover. At our age, aren’t they all the same thing?”

“No.” If she didn’t know the difference, he’d have to show her. Even if it took a few months…or years. It occurred to him suddenly that her favorite Tex-Mex restaurant might not be the best option…tequila, hot sauce, lots of cheese. Was that really okay for a pregnant woman? “You did still want to eat at Trudy’s, right?”

“Hope so, since we’re almost there. Oh, God. What I wouldn’t give for a Mexican martini or three, chips and salsa till I can’t feel my taste buds, and enough coffee to sink a small boat.” Kenna sighed in ecstasy. He hid a smile. He remembered that sound, and not from the short, steamy affair. Kenna liked her food.

Biting back a grin, he said. “Aren’t you being a little melodramatic?”

“Bullshit. You go nine months without booze, a severely restricted caffeine intake, and indigestion every time you eat spicy food—normally something I consider a gift from the gods, by the way. Then we’ll talk.”

He pulled into the parking lot, parked, and then held out his hand.

Kenna looked at his outstretched hand. “What?”

He looked at his hand and shrugged. “I’ll take you up on that: no alcohol, caffeine, or spicy food. Nine months isn’t that long.” If it made her feel better, maybe a little less alone in her pregnancy, he could give up whiskey and Thai food. Caffeine was no great loss.

She laughed and shook his hand. “Deal. You silly, silly man. And, fortunately for you, it’s more like seven-ish months.”

She’d hopped out of the car ahead of him, but stopped now and turned around. “Wait, what do I get if you renege?”

Whatever you want. But he just pressed his lips together, shrugged again, and followed behind her.

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Other Works by Kate Baray

LOST LIBRARY NOVELS

Lost Library

Spirited Legacy

Defensive Magic

Lost Library Shorts Collection

Glossary of Some Things Magical

Alpha:
Titular head of a group of Lycan. The level of authority and function of an Alpha varies by pack, with some Alphas acting as politicians, others as military commanders. The Texas Pack is less traditional and is governed by both a council and an Alpha. Idaho’s Alpha governs more as a benevolent dictator, utilizing a military-like structure.

Alpha Mate:
A political position within a Lycan pack. The title is assigned to the woman mated to the pack’s Alpha. The duties attached to the position vary by pack.

Dragon:
A magical being. Compare dragons to magic-users, who are humans with some magical ability. Dragons simultaneously share a human and dragon form, choosing at any given time, which interacts with the physical world.

Enforcer:
A traditional role in a Lycan pack. Similar to a bodyguard, enforcers are frequently used as both protection and status symbols by Alphas when traveling on foreign pack soil. The Texas Pack enforcers were assigned to protect the Alpha foremost, then the Council of Elders, both within pack boundaries and abroad.

Ghost:
Remnant energy, left after a magic-user dies. Also described as the energy that persists beyond the existence of the living physical body. Occurs only in rare cases. It is believed that energy assumes an ability to think and act consciously.

Healer:
A type of magic-user whose talents allow him/her to magically heal. Healing abilities vary between individuals, but the most common abilities found are helping injuries to heal faster. Healing illness is a very rare talent. Healers are the only talent group to have commonly held ethical guidelines by which most abide, crossing cultural and geographic boundaries.