Southern Karma Read online

  “But why did he come to us?”

  Axel raked his knuckles down his jaw. “Because he has a crush on you.”

  “What?” I pushed the cup away. “That’s disgusting.”

  Axel laughed. “But he does.”

  “Don’t make me barf.”

  With a twinkle in his eye he said, “I’m not sure that means he doesn’t want your power, though. I think that’s too tempting even for Rufus. Access to that much magic would be too much to ignore, especially for him.”

  “I’m going to ignore what you’re saying.” I drummed my fingers on the table. “Should we tell anyone? Garrick, maybe?”

  Axel brushed dust from his shirt. “He’ll lock Rufus up. No doubt about it. And we need Rufus. As much as I hate to say it, we need him to meet Mythica, give her what she wants and then leave.”

  I frowned. “Why’d he tell us about it to begin with? Why not just meet her and let me have the bats I ordered?”

  Axel shot me a knowing look. “You really have to ask?”

  “I’m seriously going to retch all over you if you suggest one more time that he has a thing for me.”

  Axel pushed himself up and sat on top of the table. “I have a thing for you.”

  My stomach coiled. “That’s more like it.”

  He dipped down and kissed me until my toes curled. “Come on. Let’s get you home.”

  When I reached the house I shared with my grandmother and two cousins, I found Amelia and Betty at the hearth. My grandmother kept an everlasting fire going. There was usually a cauldron on top with something bubbling inside—which was the case now.

  “How long until it’s ready?” Amelia said, lifting a spoon to her lips.

  Betty, my grandmother and witch maven, slapped the spoon from her hand. “What’re you trying to do, kill yourself? It takes all day to cook poke salad.”

  Amelia tugged at her pixie cut. “I thought you were kidding.”

  “Kid, if I’m lying, you can call me Saint Betty. And I ain’t no saint, so I don’t want to hear it.”

  I hooked my purse on a peg. “What are y’all doing? Or should I ask?”

  Betty huffed. “Your cousin decided she wanted to learn some medicinal cooking, so we went out looking for poke salad. We found some down by the lake and came back here and are cooking it.”

  “What’s the big deal about it?” I said.

  “Poisonous,” Amelia said proudly. “Unless you’ve handled it correctly and cooked it for a while, it can make you really sick. Maybe even kill you.”

  I glanced in the cauldron. Leafy greens swirled around. “Sounds like I’ll be skipping dinner.”

  Betty pulled off a pair of thick rubber gloves. “You’ll be fine.”

  I quirked a brow. “Is that why you look like you’re preparing for battle?”

  “This is how I always dress when I cook.”

  “Is not.”

  “Is too,” she shot back. She then pulled off her goggles and sat them on her head. “What’s wrong with you, kid? You need me to shoot a load of buckshot into someone’s butt?”

  I bit back a laugh. “No. Nothing’s wrong.”

  She squinted. “I don’t believe it. Why don’t you have some tea and tell us?”

  I twisted my fingers. I wanted to tell them, I really did. But I couldn’t. The less people who knew about Rufus, the better it would be for all of us.

  I was about to make up a lame excuse about having a toe cramp that was really giving me problems when the doorbell rang.

  “I’ll get it.” I opened the door to a short old lady with curly pink hair shaped like a triangle above her head, big round black-framed glasses and large pearl earrings. She wore a red cardigan and a necklace with large enamel petals. She was literally a walking Aunty Acid. She even had the smirk to prove it.

  “Hello,” I said.

  “Oh, hello dear. My name is Wilma Chesterton. I just moved in a couple of doors down.”

  Her accent was heavy, Northern. Not Midwest, more Atlantic coast, but I couldn’t place where. She sounded like a snowbird.

  “How do you do? I’m Pepper Dunn.”

  “Pleased to meet you.”

  Betty boobed her way into the doorframe. Her gaze washed Wilma from head to toe. “I’m Betty Craple. I run this town. Not officially, but unofficially.”

  Wilma nodded. “That’s what I heard. I used to run my town, so I thought I’d come over and introduce myself.”

  “Oh?” Betty said, interest clearly piqued. “Where’re you from?”

  Wilma fluffed her curls. “Originally Hoboken, but I moved to Starlight Barrow.”

  “Starlight Barrow? Never heard of it,” Betty said. “Where is it?”

  “North of Moonstone Hollow.”

  “Oh, around Brimstone Bay?”

  “East of there.”

  Betty frowned. “I didn’t realize there was another magical town in that area.”

  Wilma shrugged. “I got tired of the cold and decided to move South, so here I am.”

  Betty pulled her corncob pipe from her pocket and shoved it between her teeth. “Would you care to join us for some tea?”

  Wilma pulled a pack of cards from her own pocket. “Care for a game of gin?”

  Betty smiled. “Haven’t played in years.”

  “Don’t worry, I’ll go easy on you,” Wilma said, waddling in.

  Amelia strode over. “Hello. I’m Amelia.”

  Wilma pulled a face. “Oh dear, your hair is so short. What sort of man do you think you’ll get with a haircut like that?”

  Amelia’s eyes nearly popped from her head. “What? I mean. I’ve had boyfriends. Guys like this haircut.”

  Wilma and Betty exchanged a look that said otherwise. Who were these two? New best friends?

  I hooked a hand around Amelia’s arm and dragged her away. “Come on, I think I’ve got something upstairs for you to do. The poke salad won’t be done for a while anyway.”

  “But guys like my hair,” Amelia whimpered as we climbed the stairs.

  I patted her shoulder. “I know they will—I mean, do. They do. Listen, you don’t need a guy who judges you by your hair.”

  Amelia’s delicate features twisted in anguish. “Who is that woman, anyway?”

  “From the looks of it, Betty’s new best friend.”

  Amelia stopped in front of her bedroom door. “I don’t like her. Shows up with a pack of cards, kissing Betty’s behind.”

  I cocked my head. “Why don’t you get some rest? We’ve got a big day tomorrow with the town Halloween festivities and everything. Huge day.”

  The vacant gaze in Amelia’s eyes cleared. “You’re right. I’m in charge of the haunted house…along with other things. I’ve got my work cut out for me. The giant spiders we ordered have been giving us a hard time.”

  I cringed. “Giant spiders?”

  She nodded. “Yeah, they run around, hang from the walls, that sort of thing. This year they’re not wanting to stay where we place them.”

  “Giant spiders?” I couldn’t get over those two words. I had to repeat it to make sure I’d heard correctly because the very idea plucked a vein of fear in my body. I did not like spiders, and the idea of huge ones made me want to jump out a window and run screaming through the town.

  No, I was not being ridiculous. I was doing what I call self-preserving.

  Amelia waved dismissively. “Yeah, they’re big and hairy with six large eyes, but they’re harmless. I’m not kidding. Completely harmless. Like puppy dogs, really and about the size of a grown dog.”

  I shuddered. “Remind me not to go in the haunted house.”

  “Will do.”

  I escaped to my room where Mattie the Cat lay curled up on the window seat and Hugo, my pet baby dragon, lay on the floor. He thumped his tail in greeting.

  I patted Hugo’s head. “You’re not going to be a baby for much longer, are you?”

  The beautiful purple, green and blue scaled dragon was growing. Had grow
n since he first arrived a couple of months ago. Since hatching from an egg, he’d become about the size of a large toy box or hope chest. He was big, and so was his appetite.

  “Hey, sugar,” Mattie said.

  I patted her head and then sank to the bed. “Rufus is back.”

  Her green eyes flared. “What’s that no-good sucker doing here?”

  I raked my fingers through my hair. “That’s exactly how I felt. What is that jerk doing here? But he has a reason.”

  Mattie stretched her back to an arch. “And that is?”

  “He just so happened to tell a gorgon with snakes for hair who can turn people into stone with one glance that Magnolia Cove is the proud keeper of the time watch. Said gorgon wants the time watch and is coming here tomorrow night.”

  Mattie blinked at me. “On Halloween, when Magnolia Cove is open to anyone and everyone.”

  I deflated onto the mattress. “That’s exactly right.”

  “And is Rufus supposed to deliver the watch to her?”

  “A duplicate. But Axel and I are on guard in case the gorgon tries anything. You know, in case she looks at me and turns me to stone. Of course I have no clue how I can avoid that.”

  “Hmm, and are you telling the sheriff?”

  “Who? Garrick? No, because then Rufus will be imprisoned for breaking into Magnolia Cove—again—and we won’t know who the gorgon is. All I know is her name is Mythica.”

  Mattie jumped on the bed, landing softly. “Well, I don’t know about you, sugar bear, but if it was me trying to keep the peace, I would make sure I stayed one step ahead of Rufus.”

  “How’s that?” She kneaded her paws into my stomach. I flinched at the pain but let her work.

  “I would march right on over to the Vault, where I’m assumin’ they keep this charming little time watch. You know what I would do?”

  “No.”

  Mattie’s eyes sparkled. “I’d steal it.”

  THREE

  “What are we supposed to be doing again?”

  Axel and I sat in his Mustang outside the Vault, which was nestled behind a large weeping willow. It made it look formidable and totally Southern. With a circular stone face like a rounded arch, the place itself looked like the Justice League from the old Super Friends cartoon.

  I squared my shoulders. “We’re going in there and asking Erasmus Everlasting for the time watch.”

  “And you think the keeper is going to give it to us, why?”

  “Because we’re going to ask nicely?”

  “He’s not going to give it up. Good luck. I’ll be in the car.”

  I grabbed Axel’s arm. “Please. Will you help me?”

  He sighed as if I was asking him to walk through fire. “I’ll help. Come on.”

  “The worst he can say is no, right?” I said.

  “No,” Erasmus said when we got inside.

  I fisted my hands. We had to have that time watch. If nothing else, to make sure it wasn’t where Rufus Mayes could get ahold of it.

  “Look, we have reason to believe there’s going to be an alien attack on Magnolia Cove. An intergalactic message was intercepted, and in it, aliens knew about the watch and were traveling here to attack on Halloween”—I took what I thought to be a menacing step toward Erasmus—“when you’re going to be off.”

  Beside me, Axel tensed. I couldn’t tell if he was about to start laughing or if he was ticked at my blatant lie.

  I hated lying, I did. But I couldn’t tell the vault keeper what was really going on. If he knew the truth, he definitely wouldn’t give me the time watch.

  Erasmus Everlasting was a tall man with gray dreadlocks that tumbled down his back. His dark, creamy skin held no lines, even though I had a feeling that like his last name, Erasmus was old if not ancient.

  His deep voice rumbled when he spoke. “As you said, I’ll be off tomorrow, so if aliens from another planet do attack, there’s nothing I can do about it. I will be off, and the keys will be with the person I’ve put in charge.”

  I started to speak, but he raised a hand. “Who I hand the keys to is confidential. No one must know except for me and that person. Those are the Vault’s rules.”

  I grumbled something that wasn’t very nice.

  Erasmus opened his arms to escort us back to the door. “Now, now. As much as I’d love to help you, my loyalty is to the Vault and all the contents that lie in here. Not to a single person. Besides, if aliens do attack, I doubt they have magic. Technology, maybe. But not the magic required to penetrate this place. Don’t worry, our secrets are safe. If there’s nothing else, I bid you good day.”

  He’d used his entire speech to guide us to the front doors so that by the time he’d finished speaking, Axel and I were standing outside.

  I turned around to protest, but Erasmus had the doors nearly shut. He nodded toward the lions that guarded the place. “They look hungry. If I were you, I’d hurry past them before they decide you’re their next meal.”

  The doors shut with a thwump.

  Axel grabbed my hand. “You heard the man. I’ve got more living to do. The last thing I want is for either of us to become a meal for a magical lion.”

  With that we edged past the shimmering beasts. Though they were made of magic, they were as real as I was. One of them sniffed me. His lips peeled back in a snarl.

  “Nice kitty,” I said.

  Its mouth opened in a roar.

  That was all I needed. I hightailed it out of there like greased lightning. When we reached Axel’s car, he opened the door for me and I slid inside.

  He dashed around the nose and climbed in. He sat silently for a moment and then fired up the engine. “Are you trying to get us killed?”

  “No. No!”

  He shot me a dark look.

  “I’m trying to keep Rufus from getting that time watch. I don’t care what that sorcerer says. He’s up to something. He might be here to save us, but he’s here to save his own skin more. You know that as well as I do.”

  Axel gnashed his teeth. “I’m trying to just focus on tomorrow. On what we have to do. Then I’ll escort Rufus to the edge of town and tell Betty they’ve got to add another layer to the spell that’s supposed to keep him out.”

  “What good’s a spell when it doesn’t work?”

  “I know,” he said, throwing up his hands. “I hear you. I’ve said it before. The town will have to figure something else out.” His gaze flickered to me. Axel’s eyes smoldered.

  I swallowed an egg nesting in the very pit of my throat.

  “You know,” he said, his voice thick and smoky. “We could go back to my place for a little while.” His finger traced a line of fire down my arm. “Learn more about each other.”

  I wedged into my seat. I didn’t pull my arm away, but the look in his eyes changed. It became measured, as if he was shielding himself.

  I nibbled my bottom lip. I didn’t want Axel to be hurt, but I wasn’t ready to completely give myself over to him—and I don’t mean physically. I wasn’t mentally ready. So I had to deflect the situation. “We could do that…or we could sit in the car and chat. Learn each other’s deepest, darkest secrets.”

  “You know mine.”

  “That you’re secretly a sociopath?”

  He barked a laugh. “Right. No. Werewolf. That’s mine.” Axel turned to me and eased his seat back. My heart thundered in my chest. Blood rushed to my ears. He was getting comfortable. Seriously comfortable. Too comfortable.

  It wasn’t that I didn’t want private time with Axel. My palms sweated when I was around him. My heart raced; my girlie parts throbbed. It was the exact opposite.

  I licked my lips as I met his gaze. His blue eyes drilled into me. I wanted nothing more than to jump out of my seat, straddle Axel and kiss him until I drank every ounce he had to give.

  To feel his fingers graze my stomach! I would die. Really, I just might.

  It’s not that I didn’t want it. I wanted it terribly, it was just…


  “You’re afraid I’m going to dump you,” Axel said.

  “No.” I shook my head. “That’s not it.”

  “You’re afraid once you get to know me, really get to know me, you’ll find out I’m as bad as that last guy you dated. You’ll give me your heart; I’ll cut it out with a spoon and eat it for breakfast.”

  A giggle bubbled on my lips. “Well, you are a werewolf. You eat flesh.”

  Axel sighed. He grazed the back of his hand down my cheek. I caught a glimpse of my honey and crimson colored hair in the mirror. My brown eyes peeked out from underneath a fringe of bangs.

  His gaze washed over me. “I can wait. If that’s what you need. I can wait as long as I have to.”

  I took his hand and squeezed. “Thanks.”

  “But at some point you’ll have to trust me.”

  I shot him a dirty look. “I trust you.”

  “No, you don’t. You do. But you don’t. You trust me to save you if I can, but you don’t trust me enough to strip your clothes off piece by piece.”

  I scoffed. “Such language.”

  “You can strip mine off piece by piece,” he said.

  My heart thundered while sweat beaded my upper lip. Heck yes, I wanted to yank his clothes off. But I didn’t need Axel knowing that.

  So instead, I rolled my eyes. “Betty’s probably got dinner ready.”

  He adjusted his chair and fired up the engine. “Let’s get you home then.”

  Thoughts boiled in my head as he drove me home. Axel was right. I was terrified. But why? He’d never given me any reason not to trust him.

  I sighed. I guess old wounds died a slow, bleeding death. I’d been dumped too many times. I didn’t want to screw things up with Axel. We got each other. Laughed. Shared secrets. But the truth was, deep down in the center of my gut, fear gripped me. I was scared that once I completely gave myself to him, he’d leave me cold and dead on the side of the road.

  Okay, maybe I was being melodramatic.

  Maybe.

  Yes, yes, I was.

  By the time I had plotted the rest of my relationship with Axel—one road led to grandchildren and the other led to me dying an old maid—we had reached Betty’s house.

  I stared at the front porch for a moment, remembering something Amelia had said.