I had to leap!
“Magick business,” I said, opening Pandora’s box.
“There’s something no one’s ever said to me before. Does this have anything to do with the dead birds?” he asked.
I nodded.
“And your backyard?”
Another nod. Aaron had heard about the dead birds. It was on the news, in fact. Natural changes in the atmosphere is what the authorities said, but I knew better now. And I had a suspicion before. But I wasn’t about to correct anyone. Better to let the people in town think the birds dying was a natural thing.
Aaron took a deep breath, likely proud of his correct assessment of the situation. “So, since I already know half of the truth, why don’t you fill me in on the other half?”
So I did, and Aaron remained hooked on my every word. He was like a child learning about dinosaurs for the first time, and the world became a little scarier for him after that day. He would never admit it, of course. Aaron? Scared? Never. But it was. Werewolf or not, all the brawn in the world couldn’t match up to the power of magick.
“I don’t fully get what you’re saying,” Aaron said, “But then again, I can transform into a beast and a wolf, and you can set fires with your mind.”
“So, you believe my story?”
“Why would I think you would lie about something like this?”
“I don’t know. Because it sounds crazy?”
“It does, but this clearly matters to you. So it matters to me too. I want to help.”
“No,” I said, “You can’t. I know this probably goes against every fiber of your being, but you can’t come with me tonight.”
Aaron’s jaw clenched tightly. “I want to.”
“I know you do,” I said, squeezing his hand, “But the Underworld is not a place for you. It feeds off life it doesn’t have and you’re… you’re life incarnate.”
“What do you mean?”
“Look at you! You’re tall, strong, healthy, and in the prime of your life. But you’re not a witch, and for all I know, even stepping into the Underworld could kill you outright.”
“Or I may last longer in there than you will.”
“Maybe, but I don’t gamble with anyone but myself. I won’t risk it. Besides, this is my business. You had yours already, remember?”
“Maybe, but what if you don’t make it back out?”
I stared into Aaron’s eyes and smiled. “I will,” I said, “But until then, you don’t need to worry. I’ve got this.”
Aaron didn’t respond. Maybe he was contemplating, like I was, the ridiculousness of what I had just said. I will? I said it like that was a promise I could keep. Like it was mine to give away. I had no idea what was waiting for me down there or even if I would make it back out. But I had to say it because, well, you just have to in a situation like this—don’t you?
Isn’t that what the hero says to the love interest before he—or she—embarks on a dangerous quest from which he may not return? Every hope for a safe return is there, but none is guaranteed. It’s never guaranteed.
Aaron squeezed my hand and I squeezed it back twice, reassuring him that everything was going to be okay. It was a lie that only part of me believed, sure, but it was a small part; the part that spoke for insecurity and fear—that asshole. Squashing it would be a simple thing, trivial almost. All I had to do was take that little white lie with me to the Underworld tonight.
And bury it there.
CHAPTER 12
The next couple of hours whizzed past like the landscape outside of a moving car. When our bellies were full we retreated to the comfort of my home and the darkness of my bedroom. We talked, there, in the dark, and the more we talked the sleepier we got. And for the first time since Aaron had returned, we spent a long while in a bed without tearing into each other.
A hard knocking on the front door broke the spell that had kept my bedroom wrapped in darkness and silence, and I snapped up. I checked my phone. It was ten PM—which meant that this was Frank, come to whisk me away from this world and into an even darker and quieter place. But there would be no warm, comforting magick there; only the cold and the dead.
I shot out of bed, slipped into a pair of skinny black jeans and crossed toward the front door, opened it, and Frank walked in. He was wearing a black turtleneck and, also, a pair of skinny black jeans. He eyed me up and down, but focused on the down.
“Guess we both shop in the women’s section at GAP,” Frank said.
“Yeah, but I make them work better than you do.”
“I know of at least three boys who would disagree with you there, honey.” He paused, scanned the room, and even sniffed the air. “You look like sex. Where is he?”
“What? Who?”
“Don’t play, witch. Now isn’t the time for games. I just want to say hi.”
“Hi?”
Frank tried to move past me toward the open door to my bedroom but I planted my hands on his chest and shot him an angry glare. “Hey,” I said, “Where do you think you’re going?”
“Let me just see him?” he asked.
“He’s asleep!” I said in a harsh whisper. “Now be quiet, sit down, and let me make you some coffee.”
Frank sat down at my kitchen table while I prepared the coffee maker. In truth, I needed a little coffee. We had woken up pretty early that morning and had already been through a lot. Now it was ten PM and I had no idea when my next appointment with my bed would be.
Soon, I hoped.
“How are you?” I asked. I had my back propped up against the kitchen counter and my arms folded at my chest.
“Fine, all things considered.”
I hadn’t noticed the backpack over his shoulder until now. “All packed?” I asked.
Frank nodded. “Only the essentials.”
“Which includes?”
“Beeswax, as in none of ya.”
“Childish.”
“But effective.”
When it was ready, I poured two steaming hot measures of coffee into two mugs, dropped two sugar cubes and circled a spoon inside each a few times, and then dribbled a little milk into them before handing one to Frank. He thanked me and we drank in silence for a minute or so. I could tell he was contemplating the same things I was. Would we succeed? Would Collette live or die? Would we even make it out alive?
I pushed the thoughts to the back of my mind, as I often did, and bid them to stay there for the duration of the night. The thoughts were like vultures, ready to peck at my composure as soon as it showed signs of weakening, ready to tear holes in my mental fortitude until there was nothing left but a broken mess.
Not today.
Suddenly, footsteps. Aaron. I clocked Frank with a look that would have said cool it if looks could talk, and placed my mug on the kitchen counter before rushing to intercept Aaron on his way out of the bedroom. I had forgotten that he wasn’t wearing any pants. Oh Gods. Why wasn’t he wearing any pants? He was wearing boxers, at least. Phew.
Frank perked up like a dog at feeding time and glided across the room.
“Aaron, this is—”
“Well hello,” Frank said, cutting me off and thrusting his hand toward Aaron. “I’m Frank, which makes you Aaron.”
Aaron didn’t seem bothered about being half-exposed in front of another man and smiled. “That’s right,” he said, “Frank. I’ve heard of you. Good things, only.”
“Good, because I’ve heard of you too. Good and bad,” Frank said with a playful wink.
“Bad? Care to let me know just what’s been said about me?”
“No,” I said, interrupting. “He won’t. Frank? A word?”
Frank nodded and Aaron excused himself to go put on some pants.
It was hard to tell in the dark, but I got the impression that Aaron’s cheeks had begun to rosy up. Was he flattered? Embarrassed? Reaching out with my mind and tasting Aaron’s aura would have been handy right about now, but I had to keep my promise and decided to keep my mind’s eye
shut. I hadn’t read Aaron’s aura since he came home and I wasn’t about to start now.
Aaron disappeared and Frank smiled like a child in a candy store. “God dammit, witch,” he said, “Why couldn’t I land a guy like that?”
“Maybe because you’re thin and creepy?”
Frank feigned dismay by pulling his neck back and grimacing. “Oh, I would be hurt if someone else had said that to me—but coming from you it’s pretty hilarious.”
“Well played.”
“He’s seriously pretty dreamy, though.”
We crossed back into the kitchen and resumed sipping our coffees. “He is,” I said, “And he’s all mine.”
“Yes, all yours. We know. Congratulations. Anyway, when were you going to tell me he was a werewolf?”
I almost choked on my coffee. I hadn’t said that to anyone, least of all Frank. And with good reason, too! Frank would have wanted to touch and meddle and dissect, to figure out what made Aaron tick, what happened to the world around him when he shapeshifted, or to learn whether there’s truth in the rumor that a werewolf’s tail holds magick power. And all it took was one casual meeting of the two for Frank to figure it out.
I should have known.
“Under no circumstances can you repeat what you’ve just said,” I hissed.
“I’m not going to. I’m just curious as to why you hadn’t told me. You must have known I would learn the truth eventually.”
“Yes, well, I was hoping to avoid an awkward conversation.”
“Yes, awkward. I think we’re passed that, now.”
“Passed that?”
“Amber,” his look turned grave, “I don’t have to remind you about the danger of—”
The bedroom door opened and Aaron stepped out, forcing Frank to shut up. Aaron navigated the awkwardness of the kitchen without sensing it—at least, that was my hope—and stood next to me by the counter.
“Hi,” I said.
Aaron smiled and wrapped a hand around my waist. “So Frank,” he said, “I assume you’re going to be going with Amber tonight?”
“Going…?”
I stared at the ground. “Its okay, Frank. He knows.”
Frank pursed his lips. “Does he, now?”
Aaron nodded.
“Well,” said Frank, finishing his coffee and crossing his long, lanky legs. “I’m sure whatever this crazy witch has said about me is mostly true.”
“She’s told me some things,” Aaron said. “I don’t understand a lot of them, though not for lack of her trying to explain things to me. I guess I’m just a simple guy.”
“From what I’ve heard there’s little simple about you. But yes, I will be going with Amber tonight.”
“To the… Underworld…”
“That’s where we’re going.”
“It sounds like a dangerous place,” Aaron said.
“And it is, if what I’ve learned about it is even half true. Do you know much about Greek mythology?”
“A little, but not much.”
“Well, from what I’ve heard the stories are pretty accurate. It’ll be a dark, dank place where the dead go. It’ll be dangerous. Labyrinthine. Treacherous.”
“So then you’ll keep my girl safe?”
I looked up at Aaron and he looked back at me. I was starting to learn a lot about his facial expressions, like how his eyebrows would furl when worried, or how his jaw would clench when he was annoyed. They were mild emotions, but he put so much intensity into them. He wasn’t annoyed now, though, or worried. In fact, his face seemed somewhat plain; lips flat, eyes wide. I couldn’t read it.
“Oh, trust me,” Frank said, “The red witch will have no trouble keeping herself safe. She’s feisty. I, on the other hand, may need some protection.”
I smiled. I could feel my cheeks flushing. “C’mon,” I said, “You’ve been doing this way longer than I have.”
“Yes, witch, but you’re different. You think things and they happen. Do you know how long it’s taken me to get good at what I do? Years. You’ve been at it for months and you can already compete for Gold in the Olympics.”
“Now you’re just being ridiculous, and I think that’s our cue to leave.”
Frank shrugged and stood. Aaron didn’t know what to do with himself, but Frank helped. “I’ll leave you two a moment,” he said, and he grabbed his backpack and made for the front door.
I looked up at Aaron. My resolve had been rock solid, until now. My hands were starting to shake, pressure was building inside my throat and my eyes were starting to glisten. The vultures could come, for all I cared.
“Let me help you with your stuff,” Aaron said.
“Really? You aren’t going to try and convince me to not go?”
“I don’t want to. You’re a big girl. I have to let you do the things you need to do.”
I reached for his cheek and stroked it. “Why are you so understanding?”
“Because you let me leave. And you didn’t know when I would be coming back. I know when you’re coming back. And besides, from what I’ve just heard whatever is waiting for you in the Underworld has the Red Witch to deal with.”
That made me smile. I turned my face away while my cheeks flushed. “Twelve hours,” I said, looking back at him.
Meanwhile, Aaron walked over to the coat rack on the back of my closet door and pulled out my leather jacket. I hadn’t needed to wear it in a few weeks, but I figured it would be cold where I was going to go, so I slipped into it. Aaron then helped me sling my backpack over my shoulder and stood before me by the front door.
“Twelve hours,” he said, pulling me close to him by the waist.
“What are you going to do?” I asked.
“I’m going to wait for you.”
Aaron pulled me close to him by my hips, tipped my neck toward his lips, and kissed me. I ran my hands through his hair and joined in, searching for his tongue, savoring him like a piece of chocolate cake. Gods, he was so rich. I could barely contain myself. Our foreheads pressed together when the kiss was over.
“You better come back to me,” he said.
I nodded, pecked him on the lips once more and made my exit. Frank was waiting outside in the cold, dead of night with only the crickets for company.
“I bet that was tough,” he said.
“It was, but he’ll be okay.”
“You sure he won’t wet the rug? Rip up your upholstery?”
I couldn’t take offence to the words that came out of Frank’s mouth. The laugh fell out of my mouth so fast I wouldn’t have caught it even if I wanted to! I was laughing so hard my sides were starting to hurt and the key in my hand had trouble finding the lock it belonged to.
Seconds later Frank broke out too. It wasn’t like him to laugh like that, certainly not at his own jokes. Frank had a thing about people who enjoy themselves a little too much. But here he was, laugh like a seagull’s caw. It felt good to laugh.
Despite everything that was going on, we were laughing.
CHAPTER 13
If I thought the forest where Collette had been staying was creepy during the day, at night the place was downright ghastly. Crooked trees which should have been alive and blooming but were instead black and withered were jutting out of the ground, their leafless branches reaching for the sky. The air was cold and chilly, but no wind was blowing. And around our feet, tendrils of mist were writhing around, parting at our approach and quickly joining at our backs as if to trap us in the woods.
When we reached Collette she was already waiting by the door to her broken cottage, but her visage mirrored that of the dilapidated building at her back. She was sunken, supporting herself against the stone with both hands to keep from falling over. Collette looked about ready to pass out, so I dashed the last couple of yards toward her and grabbed her by the waist.
“I’ve got you,” I said, and she held onto me.
“I am sorry,” she said, “I am weak.”
“It’s alright. Damien, go ins
ide and grab the bag of food I brought for her. We might need it.”
Damien did as I asked and Frank helped me straighten Collette out.
“Are you sure you can do this?” I asked, “You look like you need to rest.”
“I have rested enough,” she said, “And I fear that if I close my eyes, I may never open them again.”
“Then we have to get this started,” Frank said, “Before it’s too late.”
Collette was in no position to argue.
When Damien returned Collette led us away from the cottage, through the woods, and toward a cold, still lake. The lake couldn’t have been that deep, but the ambient darkness made it seem endless. The water was silent, lapping inaudibly at the rocks by its bank while a mantle of mist floated eerily above it.
“Here?” I asked.
Collette nodded. “Yes,” she said, “I cannot open a gate for us to enter without a body of water now, not in my condition.”
“What do you need us to do?” I asked.
“Nothing. Stand back, and be ready to enter the pond when I say.”
“Enter?” Frank asked. “In there?”
I was also worried about the idea of stepping into the lake. Not because it was the middle of the night—I had gone skinny dipping before—but I didn’t think that being soaked through would help us one bit in the Underworld. I shuddered at the thought of how cold it would be in there. But Damien stepped in.
He placed a hand on my shoulder and uttered a few silent words. In seconds, my body temperature shot up. It was as if I had a fever but I wasn’t shaking or ill. After a few moments I got used to the heat to the point that I didn’t notice it.
“What did you just do to me?” I asked.
Damien repeated the process with Frank and then Collette. “It’ll take less time for us to dry off this way.”
“That’s one way to do it,” Frank said.
“Thank you, Damien,” Collette said, “Now, midnight approaches and I must concentrate.”