Witch Risen: A Paranormal Adventure (Bad Tom Series Book 2) by Jill Nojack Page A
Book: Witch Risen: A Paranormal Adventure (Bad Tom Series Book 2) by Jill Nojack
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Authors: Jill Nojack
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out to the shop. The old brass register opens with the sound of metal sliding against metal. The same small stack of bills I always leave for the next day's change is still there. If someone broke in, he wasn't much of a thief. A thief wouldn't have missed such an obvious payoff.
And what's this on the counter? Everyone has a message for me today, it seems. After reading it, I glance to the doorway. The extra set of keys that had gone missing has been returned through the mail slot just like the note says. I walk over and snatch them up, slipping the key ring around a finger so that I don't forget to hang them back in their proper place.
I look over the plastic name badge that was also left on the counter, but I don't recognize this man. And how tacky—really? Cassie has taken to plastic name tags? Ah well, it saves me the trouble of firing this Tom Collins, whoever he is. Since he had the keys, he isn't on the list of suspects, either.
It was probably just some local hooligan who was quickly scared off by the cops. Good. Hopefully he'll try again, and I'll have great fun putting him through his own personal Scared Straight program. There was precious little entertainment in this town when Eunice still exerted her influence. But she doesn't have any influence on me now. And it is—how would these humans say it—time to set the "inner goddess" free.
***
First things first. This box gets hidden. With the possibility of unknown persons pushing themselves into my business, I need to get that taken care of right away. Up to my room I go. I hold the Ab Khr in both hands and tread carefully up the stairs. It's only clay. It can be broken. And until the quickening ceremony, the heart cannot protect itself.
I place it on the bedside table while I make fast work of the vent cover. Then I step down onto the bed and drop the screwdriver on the pillow to grasp the Ab Khr and place it in its resting place. The two hearts are now side by side after all these years. The screws go back in quickly. My hiding place is secure.
Once that's taken care of, it's time to start putting less important things back together again as they were. If Cat had been standing watch over the house while I was gone, I'd know exactly who to punish. It's time he comes home.
He isn't near. I'd feel him. But how far could he have gone? Into the woods, probably, to feed himself on wild creatures until he feels his human side slipping away and needs my help preserving it. Then, he'll be home. His vain hope of being a man again always works in my favor. I suppose I could have left a window open for him before I left, but he deserved to be punished for running away. He'll be glad enough of shelter after spending so much time out in the elements.
Time to sort this out: at least I know where each of the items I'll need is kept after putting them all back in their proper places. I walk quickly through the shop, collecting ingredients. There's plenty of time before midnight to get in a small locating ritual and send out a beacon to force Tom home.
I clear the parlor table and sit on a velvet chair facing it. Oh my, this body loves its sensual pleasures. I never realized how comfortable this chair is.
On a lace mat, I place the brown candle on its golden holder. After lighting it, I sprinkle rosemary, jasmine, and other herbs into the flame by crunching the leaves into small bits between my thumb and forefinger. As the powdered herbs alight in the fire, sparks glow with the color of their magical essences. I stop sprinkling and wave the now-extinguishing orbs toward my face, where I breathe them in. Oh my—it's an exquisite sensation as the magic hits my bloodstream.
The slightly ochre tinge of the questing magic tints my vision. I close my eyes but the image of the room remains. Yellow sparks guide me like fireflies and my mind follows along its path, seeing each item as I pass it in the shadow land of the magic. The trail of light moves into the shop and
And what's this on the counter? Everyone has a message for me today, it seems. After reading it, I glance to the doorway. The extra set of keys that had gone missing has been returned through the mail slot just like the note says. I walk over and snatch them up, slipping the key ring around a finger so that I don't forget to hang them back in their proper place.
I look over the plastic name badge that was also left on the counter, but I don't recognize this man. And how tacky—really? Cassie has taken to plastic name tags? Ah well, it saves me the trouble of firing this Tom Collins, whoever he is. Since he had the keys, he isn't on the list of suspects, either.
It was probably just some local hooligan who was quickly scared off by the cops. Good. Hopefully he'll try again, and I'll have great fun putting him through his own personal Scared Straight program. There was precious little entertainment in this town when Eunice still exerted her influence. But she doesn't have any influence on me now. And it is—how would these humans say it—time to set the "inner goddess" free.
***
First things first. This box gets hidden. With the possibility of unknown persons pushing themselves into my business, I need to get that taken care of right away. Up to my room I go. I hold the Ab Khr in both hands and tread carefully up the stairs. It's only clay. It can be broken. And until the quickening ceremony, the heart cannot protect itself.
I place it on the bedside table while I make fast work of the vent cover. Then I step down onto the bed and drop the screwdriver on the pillow to grasp the Ab Khr and place it in its resting place. The two hearts are now side by side after all these years. The screws go back in quickly. My hiding place is secure.
Once that's taken care of, it's time to start putting less important things back together again as they were. If Cat had been standing watch over the house while I was gone, I'd know exactly who to punish. It's time he comes home.
He isn't near. I'd feel him. But how far could he have gone? Into the woods, probably, to feed himself on wild creatures until he feels his human side slipping away and needs my help preserving it. Then, he'll be home. His vain hope of being a man again always works in my favor. I suppose I could have left a window open for him before I left, but he deserved to be punished for running away. He'll be glad enough of shelter after spending so much time out in the elements.
Time to sort this out: at least I know where each of the items I'll need is kept after putting them all back in their proper places. I walk quickly through the shop, collecting ingredients. There's plenty of time before midnight to get in a small locating ritual and send out a beacon to force Tom home.
I clear the parlor table and sit on a velvet chair facing it. Oh my, this body loves its sensual pleasures. I never realized how comfortable this chair is.
On a lace mat, I place the brown candle on its golden holder. After lighting it, I sprinkle rosemary, jasmine, and other herbs into the flame by crunching the leaves into small bits between my thumb and forefinger. As the powdered herbs alight in the fire, sparks glow with the color of their magical essences. I stop sprinkling and wave the now-extinguishing orbs toward my face, where I breathe them in. Oh my—it's an exquisite sensation as the magic hits my bloodstream.
The slightly ochre tinge of the questing magic tints my vision. I close my eyes but the image of the room remains. Yellow sparks guide me like fireflies and my mind follows along its path, seeing each item as I pass it in the shadow land of the magic. The trail of light moves into the shop and
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