loud bang kept repeating. “The front door’s not locked, but I can’t open it !”
Phoebe threw her head back, cackling. “I told you he can’t help you. You are as good as dead, so be a good girl and die.”
Luke! There are coral snakes everywhere!
Oh, God, listen to me, and listen carefully . I can’t breach her magic to get in there. You have power over the elements, don’t you?
Uh huh.
Burn them.
She took a calming breath, then lifted her chin defiantly. “Serpents, I command you to burn!” They instantly flamed.
“ No !” Phoebe shouted. “I felt that. This doesn’t mean anything, you little brat!
You still have to deal with me!”
What do I do now?
You’re going to have to face her! I can’t get past her magic to help you!
What? I can’t do that! I can’t use my magic to harm someone. I’ve never done that. I might accidentally kill her. Besides, she’s my aunt. Unfortunately, she’s family.
You’re related? Never mind the kinship; you’re going to have to stop her, Vicky. She’s insane. She will kill you!
The tumblers of the lock slowly clicked into the unlocked position. The door crept open. Phoebe stood tall and looming in the doorway. Her hair hung in unruly strands about her face and shoulders. Her blue eyes were glassy. “My dear niece, I see that you managed to kill my babies.” She looked down at the charred snakes, shaking her head and clucking her tongue. She looked up into Vicky’s eyes. Vicky could see the insanity raging behind her overly bright eyes. “How unfortunate for them, and for you,” she remarked calmly. “Now you’re going to have to die a much slower death.
More is the pity. I was hoping that this wouldn’t have to be messy, but you’re not cooperating.”
“Forgive me, Aunt Phoebe, for not cooperating with you,” Vicky took a couple of steps back on the mattress. “I’m not that easy to kill.”
Phoebe shook her head making a “tsking” sound. “Pity . . . pity . . .” She raised her hand. “On your knees!”
“White witches don’t succumb to black magic, Aunt Phoebe. Didn’t my mother ever tell you that?”
Phoebe squealed in frustration, charging at her in a scowling and red-faced rage.
Vicky threw back her head, holding out her hand. “Stop!” she commanded.
Phoebe sailed across the room, slamming against the wall, striking her head. She fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.
I did it! Try the door!
Vicky heard the front door slam against the wall and the frantic thumping as Luke raced up the stairs, skidding to a halt at her bedroom door. “Are you okay?”
She gave him a weak smile. “Yes. Please go downstairs into my father’s study and check on him, but do it quickly. I need you to bring back the duct tape. We need to tie her up and duct tape her mouth. She practices black magic. Her hands need to be bound and she needs to be silenced so that she can’t cast any more spells. Hurry!”
Luke flashed her a grin, and ran back downstairs. He was back in record time with her father in tow.
Ryan grabbed her, pulling her into a fierce hug in relief. “Vicky! Did she hurt you?”
“I’m okay, Dad.” She exhaled wearily, her shoulders slumping. “We really need to have a talk.”
Luke knelt down and secured Phoebe’s hands together behind her back and placing a piece of tape over her mouth. Her head still lolled on the floor.
She gestured toward Phoebe. “What are we going to do with her?”
“I’ll call Father Thomas. The Church will deal with Sister Phoebe.”
“Don’t you mean Aunt Phoebe?”
Her father’s eyes took on a hard gleam. “She was your mother’s sister, but don’t call her your aunt. Phoebe is dead to you. Do you hear me?”
Luke took her into his arms, hugging her close. She relaxed, allowing him to comfort her. “I heard you crystal clear, Dad. This woman is just a bad memory.”
“Good.” Ryan bent down, hoisting Phoebe up, off the floor. He threw her over his shoulder, and
Phoebe threw her head back, cackling. “I told you he can’t help you. You are as good as dead, so be a good girl and die.”
Luke! There are coral snakes everywhere!
Oh, God, listen to me, and listen carefully . I can’t breach her magic to get in there. You have power over the elements, don’t you?
Uh huh.
Burn them.
She took a calming breath, then lifted her chin defiantly. “Serpents, I command you to burn!” They instantly flamed.
“ No !” Phoebe shouted. “I felt that. This doesn’t mean anything, you little brat!
You still have to deal with me!”
What do I do now?
You’re going to have to face her! I can’t get past her magic to help you!
What? I can’t do that! I can’t use my magic to harm someone. I’ve never done that. I might accidentally kill her. Besides, she’s my aunt. Unfortunately, she’s family.
You’re related? Never mind the kinship; you’re going to have to stop her, Vicky. She’s insane. She will kill you!
The tumblers of the lock slowly clicked into the unlocked position. The door crept open. Phoebe stood tall and looming in the doorway. Her hair hung in unruly strands about her face and shoulders. Her blue eyes were glassy. “My dear niece, I see that you managed to kill my babies.” She looked down at the charred snakes, shaking her head and clucking her tongue. She looked up into Vicky’s eyes. Vicky could see the insanity raging behind her overly bright eyes. “How unfortunate for them, and for you,” she remarked calmly. “Now you’re going to have to die a much slower death.
More is the pity. I was hoping that this wouldn’t have to be messy, but you’re not cooperating.”
“Forgive me, Aunt Phoebe, for not cooperating with you,” Vicky took a couple of steps back on the mattress. “I’m not that easy to kill.”
Phoebe shook her head making a “tsking” sound. “Pity . . . pity . . .” She raised her hand. “On your knees!”
“White witches don’t succumb to black magic, Aunt Phoebe. Didn’t my mother ever tell you that?”
Phoebe squealed in frustration, charging at her in a scowling and red-faced rage.
Vicky threw back her head, holding out her hand. “Stop!” she commanded.
Phoebe sailed across the room, slamming against the wall, striking her head. She fell to the floor in an unconscious heap.
I did it! Try the door!
Vicky heard the front door slam against the wall and the frantic thumping as Luke raced up the stairs, skidding to a halt at her bedroom door. “Are you okay?”
She gave him a weak smile. “Yes. Please go downstairs into my father’s study and check on him, but do it quickly. I need you to bring back the duct tape. We need to tie her up and duct tape her mouth. She practices black magic. Her hands need to be bound and she needs to be silenced so that she can’t cast any more spells. Hurry!”
Luke flashed her a grin, and ran back downstairs. He was back in record time with her father in tow.
Ryan grabbed her, pulling her into a fierce hug in relief. “Vicky! Did she hurt you?”
“I’m okay, Dad.” She exhaled wearily, her shoulders slumping. “We really need to have a talk.”
Luke knelt down and secured Phoebe’s hands together behind her back and placing a piece of tape over her mouth. Her head still lolled on the floor.
She gestured toward Phoebe. “What are we going to do with her?”
“I’ll call Father Thomas. The Church will deal with Sister Phoebe.”
“Don’t you mean Aunt Phoebe?”
Her father’s eyes took on a hard gleam. “She was your mother’s sister, but don’t call her your aunt. Phoebe is dead to you. Do you hear me?”
Luke took her into his arms, hugging her close. She relaxed, allowing him to comfort her. “I heard you crystal clear, Dad. This woman is just a bad memory.”
“Good.” Ryan bent down, hoisting Phoebe up, off the floor. He threw her over his shoulder, and
Similar Books
