CHAPTER 9
REMMIE
“See, witches!” Shade exclaims. “Damn. That means I do have a type.” He grins at me, making my heart flutter. I really have to get my horny body under control before I embarrass myself in front of him. I snatch the photo, turning it to see an address on the back.
“We should google this. Maybe it will lead us to more clues.” I laugh to myself. Who am I, Scooby Doo! Shade grins, jumping to his big booted feet.
“Sounds good, my little detective. Let’s go, gang.” Shade claps his hands together, playing along with me. Hells! I’m so into him.
The address on the back of the photo belongs to a Tarot card reader.
A quick ride-share later and we are there.
The small cottage is tucked away off the main road.
Overgrown vines crawl up the aged orange walls and lavender plants line the uneven stone path leading up to the front door.
Helena The Divine, the sign reads. Shade shivers next to me.
“Powerful magic here.” He whispers, his tail swishing in agitation.
I still can’t see it but I’m starting to sense it. Like tingles or whisps of air on my skin. The fact that I seem to be surrounded by magic, yet can’t experience it fully, is a pretty big downer.
I knock on the worn powder blue door, waiting. Shuffling noises let me know someone is coming. The door creaks open and a lovely tall woman with long black hair and warm brown eyes greets me. She smiles and I am hit with a longing deep in my soul. She has the same air as my Gran.
“My goodness girl. You look just like Melda.” The woman stares at my face for a long moment, whipping tears from her eyes.
“Forgive me. Where are my manners. I’m Helena.
And we have been waiting for you. Come in.
Come in. But not you.” The woman, Helena, holds her hand up, stopping Shade at the door.
Shade pouts like a puppy who’s had his nose popped. Just adorable.
“What we have to say, it is for your ears only.”
I am slightly nervous to go in alone. Shade has been with me during this journey. To leave him out now seems wrong. But I have to know more. I sigh. “Shade, I will be ok. Can you please stay here?”
“If I must. I’ll be right here, Sweetness. If you need me, just call out my name. I’ll hear you.” His stare is serious, so unlike his normally playful nature.
“I will.” I nod.
Helena steps aside and I walk past her into the dark space. The door closes behind me and I find myself in a narrow hallway.
“This way.” She says passing by me and I fall in line behind her.
Old photos and even older décor cover the walls.
The dim overhead light casting shadows over the intricate pieces.
Light chanting fills the space and Helena pulls the curtain in the doorway back, reveling a small room full of melted candles, mismatched furnishings, lamps and rugs.
A large round table sits in the very center of the room; four chairs surround it. Two are occupied by two elderly women already, their sing song voices smooth in the space.
I recognize one woman as Sharina’s Grandmother, Margot. She gives me a small smile and a nod of acknowledgement. Helena takes the third seat and gestures for me to take the fourth. My body hums with an unknown energy the moment my bum hits the seat. A familiar warmth spreading through me.
“That was Melda’s’ seat. Her lingering magic has recognized you.” Helena hums.
“This is Olivia and you know Margot. We are friends of your grandmother, Remelda. She’s told us so much about you.”
“How is it I’ve never heard of either of you?” I ask Olivia and Helena. The women all look at each other. Margot, a lovely plump woman with salt and pepper hair speaks first.
“Well. Melda made it clear we were not to interfere in your life. Your mother never wanted to practice witch craft and wanted to keep you as far from it as possible. As her coven, we honored her decision.”
“So, it is true. My gran was a witch!” I squeal.
“She was. As well as your mother, and you. It will always be a part of you. Even if you never learn to use your power.” Helena answers.
“Wow. We really are witches!” I laugh. Damn. That means I do have a type. Shade’s words from earlier roll around in my head. I stifle a giggle and cough behind my hand.
“So. Why did you summon him?” Olivia asks.
“Who? Shade? I didn’t. He got trapped in my bakery two weeks ago. He’s been helping me figure out the spell someone put on my place.”
“That would explain the dark aura around the both of you.” Margot stated, plainly.
“Umm. Dark aura?” I ask, waiting for an explanation. The women all look between themselves. A silent conversation happening that I’m not privy to. Rude. Helena looked like she was gathering her thoughts before she spoke.
“We have been tracking dark energy for a few months now. When you showed up with the demon,” “His name is Shade.” I interrupt.
“Yes. Shade. We thought it was his. But we can tell it’s not his aura. There was an orange hue of magic mixed in, which we believe belongs to him.” She finishes.
“We just got here. You could tell all of that in a few minutes?” I ask, skeptical.
“We are very old, honey. Been here for a hot minute. We know how to read Auras.” Margot huffs, annoyance lacing every word.
Don’t piss off the powerful witches, Remmie.
“I’m sorry. I’m just trying to understand.” I respond. Helena puts a hand on my shoulder and a buzz of something passes between us. She hums in approval.
“There is definitely magic in you. The deal wouldn’t have worked otherwise.”
“Deal? What deal?” I ask. But I already know I won’t like the answer.
“The demon. Of course. Shade!” Helena turns my hand over in hers and mutters something under her breath.
My hand burns, actually burns. And I try to pull it away.
Helena holds on tight, a hidden strength her age certainly hides.
Once she stops her chanting and pulls her hand away, the sensation just ends, like it never happened.
“See, a deal.” She sighs.
I look at my palm and gasp. A small, thin black line coiled like a spiral, rests in the center of my hand. I did not have that before. I wash my hand a million times a day so I totally would have noticed. What did she do? What deal is she talking about?
“Okay. I am trying not to panic here, but what the hell is this? And what deal are you talking about?” I think I asked respectfully. My gran would pop my hand if I raised my voice to my elders.
“Why is Shade attached to you? What deal did you make with him to bind you two together? You may think he’s helping you of his own free will but if you both shook on some sort of deal, it’s his binding magic that’s at play here.” Olivia answers.
“Demons are normally summoned for assistance or use of their powers. That’s what that huge gaudy building downtown is for.
Demo Global. They make contracts with other paranormal beings.
That’s literally their whole reason for existing.
” Margot doesn’t seem to like demons very much.
I take a deep breath. I really haven’t had one moment to process any of this information.
And none of it is as clear as these old women make it seem.
“Okay. Is the deal why only I can let him out of my bakery? Only when I touch him?” I ask.
“That’s probably because of your pendant.
Your grandmother put a protection spell on it when she gave it to your mother.
It’s still as strong today as it was then.
It nullifies any spell that might be placed on you or around you.
It’s not very far reaching. Which is why you can get in and out of your bakery and why you can let the demon out.
Beautiful magic.” Olivia sighs, dreamily.
Well, that explains, something, I guess. It’s amazing I’ve had something filled with magic on me for so long and never knew. I miss my gran a bit more in this moment. She was always my protector. I’m gutted I never got to know this side of her.
“So, putting Shade’s involvement aside, do you ladies have any idea how to lift the spell on my bakery?” I ask.
Helena hums. “Hmm. Well, we are trying to track down where the dark magic is coming from. Hard to undo a spell if you don’t know it’s origin. We will look into it more for you and let you know what we find.” I guess that’s as good as I can get for now.
Still, I’m finding it hard to leave. There’s so much I want to know.
So many questions about my gran I want answers to.
Sensing my thoughts, Helena adds, “Soon. We will talk about everything. First, let us see what we can do to help you while doing what we can for the city” Helena pats me on the arm in polite dismissal.
I nod to the other two woman and head back the way I came.
At the door, Helena pulls me into a tight hug.
“I watched you grow through Melda’s eyes.
I know she’s still with you. And that she’s proud of you.
I will help you in any way I can. If you need me, just ask.
” I nod, holding back tears. Knowing Shade and now Helena cared and have my back, it was hard to contain my emotions.
Shade is standing right where I left him when I step out of the front door of Helena’s cottage.
His tail doing the cutest back and forth motion when he sees me.
The words the witches told me swim in my braid, making me feel off kilter.
Is it true? Is Shade just bound to me because of that damn deal we made for him to help me? That’s how demons work, right?
“What did they say to you, Sweetness? I don’t like that look.” Shade’s eyes fill with concern.
“Well, we both have a dark aura around us. They think it’s due to the spell on the bakery. I told them we were trying to figure it out. I guess they were worried about me.” How do I bring up the deal? I admit, I’m scared to face the possibility that Shade is only here because of it.
He scoffs. “What do they think I’m here for if not to help you solve this magical mystery. Free desserts for life are on the line.”
“For life? Now I don’t remember agreeing to that.” Shade starts to laugh, clearly joking. But the sound of his laughter hurts.
He tucks a stray curl behind my ear. The touch is so damn gentle that i.t makes my heart squeeze.
He moves in closer and there is no way he isn’t going to try and kiss me.
Gods, I have wanted my lips on his. But I still pull away, breaking our contact.
Shade stands up straight, the rejection undeniable on his handsome face.
I hate that I have to fight against whatever this is between us, but if he’s only here because of the deal we made, I would feel like I’m taking advantage of him.
I would never do that. It’s probably best if we never cross that line, at least not until we solve this mystery, right?
“Well, the bakery is closed for the rest of the day. I’ll see you tomorrow.” I say and turn to leave. Gods, why does it feel like I’m running away?
“Remmie, Wait!” Shade appears in front of me in a flash, arms outstretched in front of him, stopping my retreat.
“It’s ok. I’m ok. I just need-” What? What do I need? Shade to wrap his arms around me, only for me to push him away again? Definitely not. My emotions are all over the place and I feel my anxiety rising.
With a look of defeat, Shade stepped back.
“Ok Sweetness. I’ll see you in the morning.” And then he’s gone. Poof.
I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to that.