Chapter 11
“It can’t be Darcy.” I don’t know why those were the first words out of my mouth.
Lydia looked at me. “Why can’t it be him? Doesn’t he hate you?”
We’d been enemies long enough. It very well might be him. But after our somewhat reconciliation, I didn’t want it to be him. Maybe it was John Rittle after all.
I shook my head to clear it, running my hand through my hair. In a lot of ways, this was bigger than a vampire setting me up. Fae held most of the power in our society. “This is bad.”
Lydia took my hand. “We can figure this out.”
“We? I don’t think so.” I pulled from her grasp. “We’re going right now to get that annulment, per our agreement.”
Her hands clenched, and she lifted her jaw in that defiant way of hers. “Fine, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to stop searching.”
“You agreed, Lydia.”
“I agreed to the annulment. I didn’t agree to quit searching until we found the killer.”
Frustration filled me. I wanted her by my side. I even wanted her help in solving this, but I wanted her safe more than any of that. “Fine. Let’s go get our annulment.”
She turned and marched toward the basement stairs.
I followed, wishing deep down there was some way to postpone the inevitable.
Yet if the murderer was a fae and organizing my downfall, a bigger event was happening.
Fae, especially high fae, had more power than anybody in this town and in the magical world.
As we entered the main room, Lydia slipped on her shoes and turned to me. “I left my purse in the shop behind the counter. It has the papers you gave me,” she said, her voice clipped. “We’ll have to go through Cupid’s Confections.”
I followed her through the kitchen. We passed Kitty, still working on the bundt cakes, but she said nothing as we passed.
We headed into the shop, where Lizzy and Jane were both there helping run things.
The store was slow at the moment. The scent of cinnamon and freshly-baked bread filled the air like a spell of comfort, curling into every corner and drawing sighs of contentment from the furniture itself.
Jars of enchanted jam winked from the shelves, their contents swirling as if stirred by invisible spoons.
The sisters fell silent as Lydia and I passed, Lydia marching forward, her fists clenched at her sides.
I recalled Mary’s words. Convince her it’s over and let us be there for her.
The Bennet sisters would have their work cut out for them. Although I wondered if they’d gathered today because they suspected I’d stop by and press the annulment issue since none of the sisters offered me cheerful looks.
Three men entered the shop and headed straight for the counter. One man’s coat resembled my leather jacket that I often wore.
“What can we help you with?” Jane asked.
The first man glanced up, and I froze. Not only did he wear clothes just like mine, but he had the same olive-toned skin, chin-length hair, and brown eyes. He could be my twin. What was going on?
He smiled, showing elongated incisors. “We’d like a bite out of that pretty neck.”
My stomach turned to stone, sinking fast. The two companions moved to surge around the counter. Their gazes widened when they saw me, but that didn’t slow their advance.
Lizzy reached under the counter and hit a button, and suddenly the men fell back as if they’d hit a wall.
“What is that?” I asked, my heart racing at the sudden attack.
“A magical protective barrier. After someone lit Cupid’s Confections on fire, I figured this place could use a few more protections,” Lizzy said.
“What are vampires doing here?” Jane asked. “And in the open?”
“And why does one look just like Wickham?” Lydia said.
Something skeptical twisted inside me. Their scent was all wrong. Vampires had the distinct smell of death. These most certainly didn’t give off that aroma. Plus, their movements were too slow.
They bared their teeth and hissed.
In fact, they looked and acted almost comically like vampires.
“You think this little barrier spell will keep us out?” This so-called “vampire” was obviously also fae. He let his magic flow into it.
“Sisters?” Lizzy stuck out her hands, and Jane and Lydia both took them. Together they chanted, a white light flowing into the barrier.
The other two ‘vampires’ had risen, and they also sent their magic into the barrier. It began to weaken.
I focused my power and put it into the barrier as well.
But three fae were more powerful than one fae and three half-witches. The barrier weakened. I tried to put more power into it, but I was already drained from earlier with Lydia.
The Wickham copy of me eased around the counter and reached for Lydia. “Come here, little witch.”
I moved forward, faster than a thought, putting myself between Lydia and her attacker. “Don’t touch my wife.”
I blasted him back into the wall with my powers.
Kitty came out of the kitchen, her eyes wide. “What’s going on here?”
“Kitty, help us,” Lydia said, reaching out her hand. Kitty took Lydia’s hand and joined in the chant. I refocused on my powers.
The barrier strengthened.
The three fae backed off, disengaging. I hated how they all looked at Lydia, and I knew they’d come here for her. With one more threatening look, they turned to go.
Once they were gone, the four sisters dropped their protective spell.
“What was that? Why were vampires attacking us?” Jane asked.
“They weren’t vampires,” I said. “They were fae pretending to be vampires, using a glamour so nobody could identify them. No real vampire would expose themselves like this.”
Lizzy turned on me. “And why did one look exactly like you?”
“I don’t know…” I paused, putting the pieces together. “My Jeep wasn’t working this morning.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” Lydia asked.
“I borrowed Mr. Rothschild’s car. I think whoever is trying to frame me must have made it so my Jeep wouldn’t work, thinking it would keep me at home while they mounted their attack. Instead, I drove here in a different vehicle. They didn’t realize I was inside.”
“So they pretended to be you… to attack your own wife?” Kitty said. “But why?”
Lizzy’s jaw clenched. “You need to leave.”
Lydia frowned. “No he doesn’t, Lizzy.”
“Yes he does. They were here for Lydia, but they came because of something to do with Wickham.” Lizzy motioned toward me. “Besides, now that they’re gone, we’ll extend the barrier on Cupid’s Confections at night to during the day. Nobody, not even those fae, will be able to get in.”
“We’ll have to shut down the shop,” Lydia said.
“This is an emergency,” Lizzy countered.
Jane hesitated but then said, “I agree. Wickham is putting Lydia in danger, he should go.”
Kitty finally nodded in agreement. “You should leave. I’m going to call the police.”
Lydia turned on her sisters. “You can’t kick out my husband.”
“Something is going on with him, and it's putting you and all of us in danger,” Lizzy said. “Whatever is happening, he needs to figure it out. For your sake.”
“No, they’re right. I’ll go,” I said quietly. I pivoted to walk out the front doors of Cupid’s Confections.
“What? No, Wickham! You’re one of us. You’re family.” Lydia watched me with wide eyes.
“I’m not, Lydia. And it’s time we stopped pretending.”
“Wickham—”
“I’m sorry, Lydia. Please, stay here and be safe.” I turned to Lizzy. “Take care of her.”
The harshness in Lizzy’s gaze softened. “I will.”
I left Cupid’s Confections and grabbed my phone, pulling up Darcy’s number. Things were getting dangerous. I needed to find a way to put an end to this for good.