Believe: The Complete Channie Series (66 page)

Daddy patted her back and said, “You wanna talk about it?”

“Home. Take me home.” They had to leave before Josh got close enough to feel her distress or for Momma and Daddy to notice the difference in his energy field. Channie sobbed so hard she couldn’t breathe.

“All right.” Daddy cast a weak be-calm spell on her that abolished her distress, but it also made her woozy and more than a little drunk.

He chuckled and said, “Let’s get you home.”

Channie sniffed, hiccuped once then sighed. She’d have to deal with her feelings at some point, but if she were lucky, Daddy’s spell would last until after she fell asleep.

Hunter’s mouth fell open when Momma opened the door to the Lexus and got behind the wheel. “What happened to y’all’s VW bus?”

Daddy said, “We traded it in when we got this here vehicle.”

Hunter ran his hands over the creamy-beige leather seat and brushed the side of Channie’s thigh. She jerked away from his touch but not nearly as fast as Hunter yanked his hand away from her leg. He locked his gaze on the rearview mirror and hugged the door on his side of the car.

Daddy said, “Abby told us things was pretty bad back home. She also told us you was spying for your momma’s kinfolk.”

Ah-oh.

Daddy had his seat pushed so far back, it dug into Channie’s knees. She leaned forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “It was Aunt Wisdom’s idea. She told Hunter to pretend to switch sides so he could spy on the Veyjiviks. But when the trackers got close to finding me, Hunter risked his life to save mine. That blew his cover. He had to get outta town fast.”

Daddy turned sideways and shoved his hand between the bucket seats to shake Hunter’s hand. “I’m much obliged, Hunter.” Hunter grimaced as Daddy squeezed his hand. “But saving Channie don’t give you the right to take liberties.”

“Oh, no sir. I’d never disrespect your daughter. You have my word.”

Daddy let go and patted Hunter’s knee then turned back around. “If you think you might like to court Channie, let me know. There’ll be some rules, but as long as you follow ‘em you got nothing to worry about.”

“Daddy! I don’t want Hunter to court me!”

Daddy said, “Beggers can’t be choosers. You ain’t got many prospects. Hunter’s the only eligible mage in the area as far as I can tell.”

Hunter said, “I’d be honored to court your daughter, Mr. Kerns.”

Daddy said, “Don’t ever use that name. We’re going by Belks now. I recommend you change your name as well. You can keep Hunter, but you need something other than Feenie in case them damn trackers start sniffing around. I can get you new papers. How about Hunter Brown?”

“That sounds right nice. Thank you, Mr. Ker … Belks.”

“You’re welcome.”

“And if it ain’t too much trouble, do you mind making me twenty-one? So’s I can get me a decent job. If I’m gonna court Channie, I need to make a good living.”

Channie rolled her eyes then reached over and pinched Hunter’s arm. He just wanted proof that he was old enough to have his way with Carmen.

He jerked away from her but never stopped grinning.

When
they got home, Momma said, “Stay in the car. I want to put a be-calm spell on everyone before we go inside. I don’t want you waking the entire house up.”

Not good.
Daddy was probably going to take his belt to her.

Hunter took her hand and gave it a squeeze. Channie held on and took what courage she could from him.

As soon as Momma went in the house, Hunter said, “Mr. Belks, I don’t want you hurting Channie.”

Daddy said, “I ain’t the one you need to worry about. Prudence is mighty riled up, but it’s best not to interfere. You’ll just make it worse.”

Channie exhaled, not realizing she’d been holding her breath. Momma’s stinging spells were painful, but nothing like getting whipped with a belt.

When the parlor light flared on, Daddy sighed and said, “Come on. We might as well get it over with.”

Daddy’s be-calm spell was already starting to wear off. Channie was tempted to ask him to cast another one, but she’d need a clear mind if they started asking her about Josh. She trembled as she climbed the front porch steps. Daddy held the door open for her, but Hunter darted in ahead of her. Momma was standing in the entryway. Her energy field glowed red, but she didn’t take so much as a step towards Channie. They stared at each other for what felt like an hour. Channie wondered if maybe Momma was going to wait until tomorrow to punish her. The waiting itself was a punishment.

She gave Daddy a quick hug and said, “See you in the morning,” then turned towards the stairs.

Momma said, “Not so fast,” and struck like a snake, clamping her hand around Channie’s arm, digging her nails into her skin. “You took something that belongs to me. I want it back.”

The Book of the Dead.
“It’s at Josh’s house. I left it in my backpack, in his car.”

Momma jerked Channie around so fast it made her head spin then slapped her with her other hand.

Hunter said, “Hey!”

Channie saw him reach for her out of the corner of her eye, but Daddy grabbed him and said, “Don’t.”

Momma slapped Channie again, back handing her this time. “You stupid, ungrateful little whore.”

Daddy said, “Prudence. That’s enough.” He spoke quietly, but Momma let go and stepped back.

Momma’s violence stunned Channie. Usually she was the one that had to stop Daddy when he got carried away with his belt. Not the other way around. What the hell was going on?

Momma said, “What happened to your powers?”

“That book you’re so fond of stole them!” That wasn’t exactly what’d happened. Momma had found the spell to change Channie’s power-name in the Book of the Dead, setting up the events that followed like a row of dominos. But Channie gave up her powers, of her own free will to be with Josh. She didn’t regret her choice. Her only regret was sacrificing Enchantment’s magic to kill Harvey. If she’d known he had a gun in his car, she would have just shot the son of a bitch.

Momma’s magic burned as it swept through Channie, scanning her. That wasn’t necessary. You could scan a body without hurting ‘em.

“Your power-well’s sealed shut. Your heart-of-hearts is still beating, but it’s severely damaged. You have no control over magic at all, do you?” The satisfaction in Momma’s voice cut Channie to the bone.

Her eyes filled with tears. The memory of what she’d lost stung worse than her battered face. “No.”

“Serves you right.” The burn intensified as Momma continued to scan her.

Momma narrowed her eyes and sucked in quick breath, gasping through clenched teeth. She turned on Hunter and said, “How dare you defile my daughter!”

Time to put the lie to the test. “It wasn’t Hunter. It was a tracker.”

Daddy roared like an angry bear and tossed Hunter aside like a rag doll. “What tracker? What’s his name? I’m gonna kill that son of an Empty!”

Hunter said, “He’s already dead.”

Daddy stumbled backwards and collapsed onto a new sofa Channie had never seen. It groaned under the sudden weight then broke in half.

Momma said, “Monroe Belks! How many times do I have to tell you to take it easy on the furniture? And quiet down. There ain’t no be-calm spell in the world gonna keep them babies asleep with you howling like a banshee.”

Daddy pressed a hand over his heart and looked at Hunter. “Did you kill him? The man what ruined my baby girl?”

“No sir. Channie did.” Hunter’s eyes filled with tears as he gazed at Channie. Did he believe the lie? She felt bad for distressing him, but she couldn’t afford to set him straight. “And she ain’t ruined. It wasn’t her fault.”

Daddy swiped at his cheeks then nodded his head for a few minutes before speaking. His voice was rough, but kind. “I’m glad you see it that way, son. Mighty glad. You still willing to court her?”

“Yes sir. I certainly am.”

Channie wanted to punch Hunter. She fisted her hands and said, “I’ve been through hell and back and I don’t want to be courted. All I want is to go to bed.”

Momma said, “Not until I get my book. Now go get your useless hide back in that car.”

Josh should’ve come back by now. Everyone in the room was reading her energy field, but Channie couldn’t keep her mounting panic under control. Hopefully they’d attribute it to her fear of Momma.

She said, “Mr. Abrim was ready to call the police when y’all showed up. I think it’d be better if you just let Hunter go get the book.”

Hunter said, “I ain’t sure I can find my way back. You better go with me.”

Momma said, “How do I know you ain’t gonna steal my book and take off again?”

Channie placed her hand over her throbbing cheek and said, “I learned my lesson, Momma. Besides, maybe you can figure out how to get my powers back once you have the book.”

Momma narrowed her eyes at Channie. “I don’t trust you.”

“I promise to come home before sunrise and bring the book with me. I’ll even swear a death-pledge if you want. ”

Momma nodded and grabbed Channie’s wrist. “But I want you back here with my book in one hour.”

“Now hold on a dang minute.” Daddy yanked Channie out of Momma’s grasp and said, “That’s just plain foolishness. You don’t know what might happen between here and there. What if they git a flat tire or something? Just the fact she was willing to swear a death-pledge proves she’s trustworthy.”

Momma’s face turned beet red but Daddy and Hunter both covered Channie with their shields before Momma could curse her.

Daddy grabbed Momma around the waist with one arm then tossed his keys to Hunter.“You two git back here as fast as you can.”

Hunter grabbed Channie’s hand and said, “Yes sir,” then hauled her out the door without looking back.

As
soon as they got in the car and shut the doors, Hunter said, “Is it true? Did that tracker rape you?”

Channie knew the best way to keep a lie believable was to have as many people believe it as possible, but she could feel Hunter’s distress. “He tried but the drugs he used to subdue my powers wore off in time for me to stop him.”

Hunter sighed as he exhaled icing the windshield with his breath. He started the car then ran his hands over the dash. “Where’s the damn de-fogger?”

Channie pulled the instruction manual out of the glove compartment and programmed the climate controls.

Hunter was quiet until they merged onto highway 36. “I meant what I said.”

“About what?”

He shifted his gaze to her face then back to the road. “I know you ain’t a virgin, but I don’t think you’re ruined. I’m still willing to court ya.”

“I’m
married
.”

“You was willing to carry on with Josh iffen you’d had to marry me.”

“We’re heart-bound!”

“And you don’t feel nothin’ for me?”

“Not since I met Josh.”

“But you did … before?”

“I don’t know, Hunter. It doesn’t matter. There’ll never be another man for me. Josh is it.”

“But things have changed. Y’all cain’t be together.”

“Josh and I will figure something out.”

“Well, just so you know, I’m here if you change your mind.”