Mercy's Magic (12 page)

“Of course,” Javier answered, but he seemed a little disappointed. Although grateful that Mercy had rescued him, he wished she’d take him straight home as he knew every minute that passed by, his wife, Julia, continually grew out of her mind with worry.

“We’re not far from your place.” Mercy read Javier’s mind. “You’ll be home in twenty minutes. I promise.”

Javier nodded, and they got out of the car.

Lily opened the door as soon as Mercy knocked. She hugged Mercy then held her at shoulders’ length. “Where the hell have you been? I’ve been calling and calling. Are you okay? What happened?”

Only then did Mercy step aside so Lily could see Javier. “I got him out,” Mercy said with a grin.

“Oh! Please come in, come in, both of you.” Lily changed her tone immediately. Lily had no idea how much Javier knew of their endeavor to free him from Ariel.

“Can I get you anything? Are you hungry? How about a cup of coffee?”

Javier held a hand up but Mercy spoke. “Lils, I really need a favor from you. I still have some...things to take care of. Can you please take him home for me? It’s not far.”

Lily’s brows drew together with doubt. She assessed her friend and recognized that special glow about her, brimming with energy. Something was wrong or something was definitely right. She took a glance toward Javier who wrung his hat in his hands with polite impatience.

“Please, Lily? I really need to get some things done.”

Then came a gruff and haggard female voice that made Mercy jump. “You have no idea, you fool.”

Mercy turned to face her Aunt Itzel. She paled when she saw the look of anger and disappointment on her aunt’s face. “
Tía
! What are you doing here?”

“I’m saving your ass, young lady. And don’t look at me that way. You and I are going to have a long talk.”

Itzel ignored Mercy’s pleading eyes. “She’s right about one thing,” she said to Lily. “She’s got some work to do here. It would be well, Lily, if you took Javier home, and let me have some time alone with my niece.”

Lily and Javier were stunned into silence by the old woman’s tone. It was more of a command than a request. Lily had met the old woman, and respected her greatly. She’d been surprised when Itzel had shown up on her doorstep a couple of hours ago, and both had been waiting for Mercy to return. Itzel had been angry at first about the potions, but understood that Mercy had asked for them.

Javier crossed to the old woman and bowed. “
Señora
, whatever you have done to help Mercy, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. She is an Angel. I can see that you are a wise woman, and if you are her aunt, she is very blessed.”

Itzel smiled, despite her irritation with Mercy. “Thank you, young man,” she said, as she placed her wrinkled thumb on his forehead and pushed. “All is well now, for you. Be at peace.” She turned toward the girls in a huff. “Lily? Could you please take him home?”

“Of course,” Lily answered. “When do you want me to return?”

“You can just come back. What I have to tell my niece shouldn’t take long. And when you get back I’ll have a chat with you too, my dear.”

No sooner than the door closed and niece and aunt were alone, did Itzel sneer at Mercy. “Sit down. Now.”

Mercy sat. It wasn’t often she’d seen her Aunt Itzy this angry, and she was more than a little nervous. Her aunt looked down at her, disgusted. But Mercy was almost as tall sitting down as Itzel was standing up, and while the old woman put her hands on her hips and frowned at her with that fire in her eyes, Mercy managed to sneak in a smile.

“What?” Itzel asked. “You think this is funny? I don’t know exactly what you’ve gotten yourself into, Mercedes, but I know it’s nothing good. And nothing to take lightly.”

“I’m sorry,
Tía
,” Mercy said. “It’s just that—look, everything is fine. I got Javier back. And without the huge battle I was expecting. You see, Lily made this love potion...”

“I know all about what Lily made for you. And I can tell you it was not the right potion for the occasion. She doesn’t know what she’s doing any more than you do. You’re both fools. What did I ask you to do?”

“You asked me to practice, to study and learn.”

“And what did you do?”

“I, uh...”

“What did you do? Did you study? Did you practice? With a man like that, really? Tell me, Mercy, what did you do?”

“I went to his home along with the potions Lily made, and used them as planned.”

“And, did they work?”

“Well, yes. I got Javier back, didn’t I?”

“And at what price, my niece?”

“I don’t know what you mean. He’s not as bad as I thought. As a matter of fact…”

Itzel dug her hag nails into her niece's shoulders and shook her with intensity. Mercy gasped at her aunt’s strong hold—unbelievably powerful for such an old woman. And she didn’t even see the transformation coming. Lightning quick, Aunt Itzy’s face took on her most merciless and true form; that of an angry saint possessed. Mercy’s eyes bulged with terror, then filled with frightful tears.

Before Mercy could recover from the shock, Itzel’s pleasant, grandmotherly features returned, and she proceeded to cock her baggy eye, placing it an inch away from her niece’s half-opened peeper. The old witch suddenly drew away in disbelief. “
Madre de Dios
, save us!” she cried. “He took you to his bed, didn’t he?”

Mercy lifted her head high, her own eyes blazing with fire. “Yes. Yes! He did. We did. Are you happy to know this? Because everyone’s telling me how I need to date more, and the minute I’m attracted to a man...”

“You are not attracted to him, Mercy. You are under a spell. And your actions tonight might be irreversible. What happened to your anti-potion?”

“I’d had a little too much to drink, and the potion was working. Aunt Itzy, I didn’t take it. But you don’t understand him like I do. He loves me, I know he does.”

“You’re a fool, Mercy,” Itzel’s voice was cold as she turned from her niece. She crossed the room to a large bag she’d brought with her and began digging through it. “I don’t know what can be done now. Maybe something. Maybe nothing. Let me see.”

“But, I don’t want to do anything!” Mercy burst out. “Look at me
Tía
. Do I not look healthy? I can feel my skin glow. I feel better, more alive, than I have in years. He said he wants to be a better man because of me.”

Itzel sighed. “My dear heart,” she repeated. “You are
under a spell
. Do you understand? It’s not real. The potion was amateurish. Lily conned you, it has turned into a spell. The earthly spirits are the only ones who know what will happen to
him
. But I can try to help
you
. You’re not thinking straight.”

Mercy rose from her chair, angry now. “No,
Tía
, it is you who does not understand. I don’t want any help from you. I’m going to him.”

“What about your own daughter?” Itzel asked. “You’d leave her for this man?”

“I’m not leaving her,” Mercy shot back. “I’ll be back. But I have to leave. You cannot help me, nor do I want you to.”

The two women faced each other, each with their own set of powers. Neither smiled. For once in her life, Mercy didn’t quite trust her aunt. It saddened her, but it was the truth.

Just then the door opened, and Lily stepped in. She took in the scene. Mercy grabbed her purse, ready to leave. She couldn’t wait to get back to her lover, Ariel.

Suddenly Itzel yelled, “Get her, Lily!”

Mercy darted for the door, and the blurred candlelight inside Lily’s home suddenly went dark.

Chapter Thirty-Two

Mercy opened her eyes slowly. Everything was hazy and Mercy felt a little sick. As she gained focus, she saw Lily and her aunt staring down at her with concern.

“Oh, Mercy,” Lily whispered.

“What...what happened?” Mercy asked.

“Well, we had to do something,” Itzel answered, frowning again. “How do you feel?”

“Nauseous, thirsty. What did you do?” Everything was coming back to Mercy now, the evening with Ariel, bringing Javier back. She sat up, anger growing inside of her.

“What did you do?” she asked again.

“I tried to remove the spell. I hope it worked. What do you remember, Mercy?”

Lily brought her a glass of water, Mercy drank deeply. “I remember everything. I think.”

Itzel sighed and glanced away. Lily kneeled down in front of Mercy. “What do you mean, you think?”

“I’m sorry, I think…I…I remember,” Mercy said. “I went over to Ariel’s place. We talked, both of us were a little guarded, you know? But we had some drinks, and he went into the kitchen to get some limes, and I mixed the potions together and poured them into the decanter, and then we drank some more.”

Mercy closed her eyes, remembering how close she’d become to him. But she couldn’t lie. Not to Aunt Itzy, and not to Lily. “I went to the restroom to take the anti-potion. But…” She looked from Lily to her aunt. “I didn’t want to take it. Lily, what you gave me was so strong, or maybe it was the liquor. Anyway, I figured it would only last a couple of hours, so I didn’t take it.”

Lily gasped in disbelief. Itzel clucked like a chicken.

“You slept with him, didn’t you?”” her aunt asserted.

Mercy nodded. She wasn’t ashamed of it either, and held her head high. “I did. What’s so wrong about that?”

“What’s wrong is that now it won’t wear off,
pendeja
,” Aunt Itzy snapped. “You don’t realize that when you make potions you have to follow the rules. Especially if you don’t know what you’re doing.” She leered at Lily with disdain, who promptly cringed. “You have to adhere to their folk tradition. The formulas to these potions have been around for centuries, with their own blueprint. Who are you to stray from them?”

“But Aunt Itzy…”

“No
buts
!” Itzel got up and began pacing. “You think you’re in love. And if you think you are, then you are. I did my best to remove the toxic aura while you were out. But how do you feel about him now?”

Mercy looked down at her hands, shook her head and paused. She lifted her head and defiantly said, “I still care for him. Is that such a bad thing? He wants to make me happy.”

“Mercedes, you don’t know who you’re dealing with here,” Itzel said. “I know who he is. If I’d known before, I would have given you harsher warning.” She returned to her niece, gazing deep into her eyes. “Do you feel any different at all?”

“Well, maybe a little,” Mercy admitted. “But I still want to see him. And I’m going to, tonight. You can’t stop me,” she warned.

“And if I can’t stop you, nobody can.” Itzel’s voice rasped with frustration. “But I’m telling you, Mercy, you’ve gotten yourself into some serious trouble.”

“I can handle it,
Tía
. Please don’t be angry with me.”

Itzy began packing her bag. “Child, you must learn that even if I’m angry, I still love you. That is unconditional love. Can you say the same for your Ariel...that...
that warlock?
”

“Don’t leave like this, please,” Mercy begged.

“I cannot do any more for you. When you learn some strength and wisdom, come see me. Not before.” Mercy’s aunt did not look back as she closed the door behind her.

The room went completely silent. Lily looked at Mercy with despair. “I’m so sorry, honey. I…I don’t know what to say,” she said.

“Don’t be. Something’s changing, I can feel it. And I don’t care what my aunt says, I’m strong. I can handle this.”

“God, I hope you’re right. Do you remember how frightened you were of Ariel? Mercy, he could be capable of anything.”

“That’s true,” Mercy answered. “But he won’t hurt me now. I know it in my heart.”

Lily moaned.

“It’s okay, really. Listen, it’s late, almost morning. I want to get a few hours of sleep. I want to be with Terra. Okay? Don’t wake us.”

Lily looked as though she’d been beaten up and torn down. “Alright,” she said. “I won’t wake you when I leave for the shop. But you stay in contact with me, okay? Please?”

Mercy gave her friend a big hug. “I will. As long as you don’t bug me about this. I’ll handle it, in my own way.”

“I’ll try,” Lily said, and the two embraced. “But you’re my best friend. You know that, right?”

Mercy smiled. “I know. And you’re mine. Now let’s get some sleep.”

Mercy crawled into bed quietly so as not to wake Terra. She smiled, and brushed her daughter’s hair from her face. But as she settled in to sleep, Mercy’s thoughts were on Ariel, and only Ariel. Pleasant thoughts, but ones that still tore at her.

Chapter Thirty-Three

“Mommy, Mommy!” Mercy came out of sleep her eyes flying open at her daughter’s pleas. “What, Angel? What’s wrong?”

“Your phone’s ringing again,” Terra said, holding the phone out to her mother.

Mercy grabbed it, thinking immediately of Ariel. “Hello?” She tried sounding awake, energized.

“Mercy?”

“Patterson?” She recognized the voice. “Yeah…yes, what’s up?”

“Yeah…umm, you’ve been incognito for a bit, haven’t you?” he asked. “Everything alright?”

Mercy pulled her daughter toward her chest and leaned back in bed. “Everything’s fine,” she answered, hoping she sounded upbeat. “What’s up?”

“Can you come down to the station?” Joe asked. “I need to discuss some things with you.”

“I’m done with the case,” Mercy stated. “I got my man. On my own, and without your help.” She cursed herself for sounding so harsh. “I mean, I’m sorry, but I’m done with the case, Javier is now safe. He was found far away from the press. He ran away or he was let go. You can question him for details,” she said, knowing full well Javier’s memory of the ordeal was wiped clean. “In all honesty, I can’t offer more than what we’ve already discussed.”

“Well,” Joe countered, “I have some information you might be interested in. That is, if we’re still helping each other out?” he asked, his voice frayed at the possibility of losing touch with Mercy.

“Of course,” Mercy said. “Give me a couple of hours, okay?”