Wicked Good Witches Three Book Box Set (Demon Street Blues, Alpha Knows Best, Bye Bye Bloodsucker) (27 page)

He closed his eyes with a silent groan, wondering how he would ever get the memory of her dreams out of his mind. Were all her dreams so vivid, and lifelike? Or had he been a vampire for such a long time he’d forgotten what it was like to dream? This was an extreme possibility. Regardless, forgetting them was not possible unless he found some way to scrape them out of his mind.

He frowned. Intense and lifelike set aside they could not be prophetic dreams. The bed of white surrounded by a vast sea… it made no logical sense. It had to be a regular dream and nothing more.

“William,” Melinda called out.

It sounded distant, his mind far away. He opened his eyes to see her baby blues drenched in too many emotions to capture just one.

“Sorry, Melinda. My mind was… wandering.” That was putting it lightly.

“I didn’t think you were capable of letting your mind wander.” Her mouth twitched into a weak smile.

“It is a rare occurrence.”

Her cheeks flushed. She had no idea what was going on in the vampire’s mind, and he didn’t seem to want to share, other than being vague. 

“Are we okay, William?” Apprehension rained heavy on her lips. “I don’t want there to be any weirdness between us. You’re my best friend. I don’t think I could stand it if we can’t be like we’ve always been.”

William smiled. Not his wide grin. Not his easy going, everything is perfect, grin.

A strained, crooked grin, that claimed, yes, we’re okay.

She didn’t think he believed it any more than she did.

Melinda sighed, more confused than ever. She did not know what his reactions meant. Did he have feelings for her? Did it matter if he did? She was pretty confident that no matter the answer, the outcome was the same.

“Melinda,” William began. “We are fine. I only needed to be clear about where I stand. You’re a beautiful young woman, and I’m certain in time you’ll find the right
man
for you.”
It is not me. It can never be me.
He hoped she understood this silent message as he found the words too difficult to say aloud.

Melinda nodded. Yup. As she expected. The outcome was definitely the same either way. But Melinda still had no idea if William felt anything more for her than just normal friendship, or was speaking purely about her own feelings toward him.   

She toyed with telling him about Riley but held off. Perhaps one awkward and far too serious conversation was enough for one day.
Serious... Deanes…
the reason she’d raced home.

“Oh my God! William, I need to talk to you, Charlie and Michael like, right now! I almost forget. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to shorten our talk, but I just found out something you guys need to know. That’s why I came home actually.”

He motioned for her to go ahead. “I’ll be right down.”

She tossed him a shy smile and headed down to the kitchen.

A mixture of relief and agony stirred in William’s chest. Perhaps he should have left the Isle. He had come close. He’d made up his mind it was the smart decision. The safe decision. But the truth was, he could not bring himself to do it.

The Howards needed him. He had a duty to fulfill.

Yes. You keep telling yourself that little white lie…

He’d simply have to keep his feelings in check. He could never allow another moment like last night to happen. Ever. And one like in her dream… he shuddered.

No. Just… no.
He could be her friend, her confidant as always, but keep an unclimbable wall between them.

He made his way down the stairs to see Charlie and Michael coming in from the yard in the back. They were covered in splotches of dirt from head to toe.

“We were planting and weeding in the garden and greenhouse,” Michael explained.

Emily hopped across the room and planted a kiss on his lips.

“Wants me even when I’m covered in dirt.” He nipped at her nose.

“You’re even more handsome covered in dirt. Planting a garden is totally hot.”

“Seriously! You're playing right to his ego!” Melinda gagged. “More important things to discuss, anyway,” she reminded Emily.

“Right, of course.” She backed away.

“What’s up?” Michael washed up at the sink. He shook his head and sighed before Melinda answered. “You’re drenched in
freaking out
.”

“Is that even a real… never mind?” Melinda shot him a nasty glare for using his empathic ability on her. “Anyway, there’s a good reason I’m in freak out mode.” There were many actually, but only one they needed to know right now.  

“What is it?” urged Charlie, sounding overly eager. “Whatever it is, I can take care of it.”

“It is not exactly a taking-care-of-it type situation, Charlie. More like a something we need to be aware of and watch out for, situation.”

“I can still handle it.” Charlie clapped his hands together. “Just tell me what you need done.”

“What is up with you today?” Melinda put her hands on her hips, amused by her brother's behavior. He looked nearly ready to jump out of his seat.

“He’s been like this all morning,” muttered Michael with an eye roll.

“Sorry.” Charlie cleared his throat, forcing himself to sit down. “Didn’t sleep last night, but I am wired this morning. Ready to try on my new life I guess… speaking of my new life,” he lifted his hand, nodding toward the black ring on his finger, gifted from the Guardian, Nina. “As I said, I didn't sleep last night, so I had plenty of time to think about some things.”

“Um, okay,” shrugged Melinda, now sidetracked.

Charlie gazed at her and Michael. “I have decided that I don't want the two of you on the front lines anymore. I have the ring now. I'm protected. You guys are not.”

“I don't know as that's your decision,” Michael argued. “And sometimes, there is no choice.”

“And how is this new?” Melinda pointed out. “You've sort of always taken lead Charlie.” She glanced at William for back up.

“While I may agree with what Melinda and Michael are saying, I have to agree more with Charlie,” William spoke evenly. Before any argument broke out, William clarified his stance. “If it is a situation Charlie can manage, I suggest we allow this. He has protection, you two do not. There is no need to take unnecessary risks.”

Charlie nodded firmly in agreement.

“Fine. Whatever,” Melinda caved. “Still more important things to discuss anyway.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” said Charlie. “What's up?”

Melinda inhaled deeply and upon exhaling, she revealed, “The Deanes are back on The Demon Isle.”

“Oh,” stammered Charlie.

“What do you mean, back?” It wasn’t sinking into Michael’s head yet.  

“I mean
back.
Like living here again. I don’t know how many of them there are. Grace met two of them this morning when they came into her café for coffee. She said they talked about coming up to the house and meeting us. Face to face.”

“No Deane will step foot inside this house!” determined Charlie. He stood up as if this somehow made his statement more serious.

“What he said.” Michael nodded for added agreement. “Dark magic and Deanes go hand in hand.”

Melinda looked to William for his opinion.

The vampire’s eyes darkened and a look of bitterness flitted across his face, which just as quickly turned blank and emotionless. “I am not certain how to feel about this. The Deanes have been gone for many years.”

Anger rippled through Charlie, his chest heaving with each raspy breath he exhaled. He set his jaw, narrowing his eyes in contempt. How could William not know how to feel? Deanes are evil. Period. It did not matter how many years had passed.

“I admit,” continued William, “it brings up many painful memories. At the same time, I cannot help but wonder if this is what the Guardian, Nina, spoke of? Is this one of the battles to come? Or perhaps... perhaps we are passing judgment too soon. Perhaps they have chosen not to follow in their ancestors' footsteps. The fact that they are willing to show up at the front door of the Howard family to introduce themselves is worth discussing.”

“I’m sorry.” Charlie’s voice fumed with distrust. “I don’t think I can accept the Deanes being back,
or
that they come in peace.” His voice started to shake with anger. “And you of all people, William. You were here when it happened… when they battled the Howards for control of The Demon Isle. They killed three of us that day. Plus a slew of others that came to our aid.” 

A low snarl slipped through the vampire's lips. His eyes tightened in indignant remembrance. “I recall quite clearly what was lost that day.” William spoke sharply as if insulted by the unneeded reminder.

His cutting sharpness caught the siblings off guard. They dared not speak.

William turned to leave spitting out, “I must think on this,” and dashed out of the mansion in a flash.

That’s the second time in twenty-four hours he’s done that
. Melinda felt terrible that she’d been the cause of the first occurrence.

“Good one, Charlie,” rebuked Michael. “Piss off the vampire.”

“William is just upset,” Melinda insisted. “It was a tragic time for him.”

“A time in which the Howard line was almost wiped out!” reminded Charlie. “I will not allow that to happen again.”

“And we all agree with you. But we do need William for this,” Michael argued.

“He'll be back soon,” Charlie said, as if not worried about their mentor. “Even vampires need to blow off steam now and again.”

“Just try to be a bit more sensitive,” Melinda suggested. “Or has that ring suddenly stripped you of that ability?”

“I wasn't trying to be harsh. I just refuse to believe the Deanes being back on the Isle can be a good thing. No matter what William thinks, or has lived through in the past.”

Melinda had no argument to that point.

Emily shook with a sudden chill. Michael whisked to her side, rubbing his hands up and down her bare arms. “We're freaking you out, aren't we? There's no reason to be afraid. It's just such shocking news.”

“But you've told me the stories, Michael, and if the Deanes haven't changed, there is reason to be afraid.”

Melinda scoffed in a huff. “You mean how the Deanes were once the dearest friends and allies of the Howard family, and how they started dabbling in dark magic, which infected them, turning them evil. Then they betrayed their friends by murdering them...”

Michael attempted poorly to ignore the feelings of confusion and anger swirling off his siblings and girlfriend. “We should probably warn Mack. She’ll prefer to hear this news from us.”

“Yeah, will you call her, Michael?” Charlie didn’t wait for a response, bounding off his stool and up the stairs to his bedroom.

His head in a daze, he stripped down, leaning his muscular arms against the bathroom sink, staring into the mirror. He didn’t bother shaving. It would just grow back by the end of the day anyway.

His mind raced with a hundred thoughts, none very coherent but each having to do with the Deanes. He spun around and turned on the shower, waiting until it was steamy hot to slip under the water. The heat would have scalded any normal person. But it was perfect for Charlie’s wolf warmed skin.

It did nothing to relax him though.

Why was it he always thought a hot shower, or cold one, would ever help him with whatever mood he was in? It never did.

He gave up, hopping out, and threw on some shorts and a tank top. He leapt down the stairs and stepped onto the front porch. From this vantage point, he could peer down over the bustling streets of the main town, but also up to the opposite side of town, where dilapidated turrets poked out of the treetops. The Deane Manor.

Could they not get a break? They hadn’t even had time to sit down and have a family meeting to discuss how to find their father. He aimed a snarl toward the Deane Manor, his eyes a fury of silver. Whatever it took, he would not allow another massacre at the hand of the Deanes.

CHAPTER TWO

“Mack was just as surprised as we were,” Michael said upon hanging up the phone after a long chat with the sheriff. “Someone had told her they’d seen movement up at the old Deane place, but she had no idea it was actually Deanes.”

“Well there isn’t a damn thing we can do about it right now.” Melinda decided to put the worry out of her mind for the time being. “Besides, our focus should be on finding Dad. We'll just have to deal with the Deanes, later.” As she spoke, her eyes grazed the clock on the kitchen wall. Another hour until her date with Riley. A ripple of butterflies started in her throat, working their way downward.

Michael frowned, about to question her when Emily sidetracked him. “Do you have time to give me a ride home, Michael? I promised Dad I would have lunch with him today. You could join us,” she urged. 

Stupid empathic ability
Melinda’s mind rambled. Could she keep nothing private?

“Ride, sure, of course. Anything for the woman who loves me covered in dirt.” He sucked in sharply. “Except I can’t do lunch though, sorry.”

“Plans?” asked Emily.

“Yeah. Eva Jordan called me this morning, to see if I’d like to have lunch at her place, to meet her father.” 

“Oh, right. Anthony Jordan.”

“Author of
The Modern Day Guide to the Supernatural
,” finished Michael. “Too bad you have to meet your dad. Why not just come with me, meet a famous author,” he enticed. “Well, more like infamous,” he restated. 

“I hate to disappoint Dad, but I really would love to meet Mr. Jordan.”

“I’d like to see just how much he really knows,” Michael said. “His book is thorough, and with no magical ties that we know of, I'm curious how he gathers his information, and very curious to find out what he knows about the Isle.”

Emily leaned in and kissed him. “Handsome and curious. My kind of man.”

“I’m totally being a geek right now, huh?”

“A very, very handsome one though.”

Melinda helped Emily pick up her bags, handing Michael a few to carry for her.

“Thanks,” she mouthed to Emily.

“Good luck,” Emily mouthed back, trying not to grin. 

“You know what, Michael?” decided Emily. “I'll call Dad. He won’t mind if I miss lunch. I can always have dinner with him instead.”

“That would be perfect. I can join you for dinner, too.”

Emily stopped and looked him in the eye. “Are you trying to keep me in your sight for a reason? Are you afraid I might run into a Deane or something?”

“Nah,” he played it off, waving his hands around as if she were crazy. “Just hate to take away from your time with me.”

“Intriguing theory,” she muttered, as they loaded her packages into the jeep.

It was only in part, the Deane problem. It was much more that every time he let her out of his sight lately, it seemed like she was getting into some kind of supernatural trouble. He wanted to keep her close, and safe, today. An uneventful day, having lunch with an author and paranormal researcher he was excited to meet.

##

Melinda raced up the stairs to her room, dumping the contents of her shopping bags onto her bed. “Which one? Which one?” She stood in front of a full-length mirror, draping dress after dress in front of her body. She finally decided on a light beige one, which she slipped over her head. The dress nearly disappeared against her creamy skin. It was perfectly fitted across her chest, flowing out slightly at the waist, and stopped a couple inches above her knees. A single strap tied it securely around her neck.

She let out a doubtful breath upon seeing her full image in the mirror. “I’m really going to step outside dressed like this? There’s nothing to this thing. I’m so… naked. How did Emily talk me into buying this?”

She grabbed a sweater, just in case she had the sudden urge to cover up.
Ugh. Half naked is kind of the point.
A tease for Riley.

She looked at the sweater.
Security blanket much?
What are you, six years old?

“Whatever… it might get cold,” she argued aloud.

Melinda rushed to brush her teeth, running a comb through the tangled mess she called hair, locking her bangs behind her ears. At the last minute, she decided to try on a little mascara; another item Emily had talked her into buying. She fiddled with the packaging, finally tearing it open. She applied it and gawked at the hideous clumps now lining her lashes.

“Ugh. Terrible!” She snatched a washcloth and rubbed it off. “I’m going to need Emily to show me how to wear this stuff.”

She grabbed the sweater, slipped on her flip-flops and rushed out of the mansion to meet Riley. She stopped on the front porch when she noticed Charlie perched on a stool like he was keeping guard of the house.

“Hey, Kiddo.” He noticed how she was dressed. “New, I take it?”

“Yes. Emily picked it out for me. Not sure I’m digging it yet, but last night I went through my closet and let's just say there's now a very large bag of clothing to donate to the thrift store.”

“It looks nice, Sis. Very… summery. Emily made a good pick.”

“Thanks.”

He really wanted to ask if it had to be so very short. But it wasn’t his choice, and she wasn’t a kid. Most importantly, she was leaving the house, looking excited to do so. His sister could leave dressed in anything as long as she was eager to leave.

However, he knew what thoughts swirled around guy’s heads, and just what they’d be thinking if they got a good look at her walking around in that dress. He grimaced, holding his tongue.
She’s not a kid,
he reminded himself.

She showed him her sweater. “I’m prepared if its gets chilly.”
Yup. Keep telling yourself it’s not a security blanket.
“What are you doing out here anyway? You know that staring at the Deane Manor will not solve anything, right?” 

Charlie shrugged. “Just feel a little… out of sorts at the moment. The Deanes are back and we have no idea what their motives are for being here. I am free to live a normal life, whatever
that
is. However, at this very moment, I am actually thinking about Dad.”

“Oh, okay. What about?”

“Just an idea I want to pass by William, maybe a way to track what direction the blackness monster headed after it took Dad.”

“Blackness monster?”

“No idea what else to call it,” he chuckled. “But if I’m right, we might at least be able to find out what direction it headed when it left the Isle. It’s a long shot though, and a direction doesn’t give us a heck of a lot to go by.”

“It would be more than we have to go on now. Do you need my help?” she asked, hoping he would say no. Instantly, she was guilt ridden. She should be willing to give up a thousand dates to help find her father.

“No. Not right now anyway. Even if my idea works, it will take some time. Just go. Have some fun. You’re obviously headed somewhere.”

“But if you need my help, I can stay.”

“To be honest, it’s nice to see you eager to leave,” he admitted, carefully.

“I did promise to try to get a life.” She stepped down the stairs.

“You got your phone, right?”

She tapped her handbag and nodded. Charlie waved as she disappeared down the street. One bright spot in all the gloom. His sister was leaving the house, voluntarily. And seemed happy about it. He was so thrilled he didn’t think to ask where she was headed.

A few minutes later, he assumed William had returned home as there was a commotion coming from the back of the mansion. His eyes narrowed.
William doesn’t make commotions…

When Charlie stepped into the back he froze, eyes wide with amused delight. It was definitely not the vampire. Rather two beautiful young women with eyes and hair the color of the ocean dancing in the garden, completely bare ass naked. They had knocked over and broken a clay pot the brothers had been planning to use in the garden.

“My dear merladies,” called out Charlie, recognizing their true form at once. “What brings you out of the ocean?”

He approached cautiously. The local mermaids were not typically hostile, but one could never be too careful, as they did have severe tempers known to flare at a moment's notice.

They saw him, squealed and came bouncing over to him. Each grabbing an arm, hanging off his sides. Charlie averted his eyes but there was nowhere to look, or feel, that wasn’t naked woman. Well put together women with mesmerizing curves.  

“You are Howard, yes?” one asked in a wispy, bashful voice.

“Yes, a Howard?” the other emulated similarly.

“Yes. I’m Charlie Howard,” he confirmed. Silky fingers slid across his chest.
Good lord…
  

“Please to help,” one begged.

“Our sister.”

“Needs help.”

“Yes. We go now.”

“Must hurry.” They tugged at him, begging him to follow.

“Only have to sunset.”

“To get back in water.”

Charlie sucked in a breath and kept his ground, forcing them to let go. Attractive or not, he needed to know more before tromping off with the merladies to who knows where, getting into who knows what, kind of trouble.

He held up his arms. “Hold up just a second, ladies. What kind of trouble is this sister in?”

The merladies echoed each other as if speaking with one mind.

“Caught.”

“Cannot get free.”

“Must get back into water.”

“Before sunset.”

“Please.”

“Not much time.”

“We must go.”

One of the merladies grabbed his hand, but before tugging him away lifted his fingers peering at the black ring on his finger, admiring it closely. “So pretty. Shiny.”

And so easily distractible,
noted Charlie, pulling his ring finger out of her grasp. “Sister,” he reminded with a chuckle.

“Oh, yes! Sister.”

“Come, we save now.” They nodded enthusiastically. 

“Okay, I’ll help you,” decided Charlie, grateful for something to keep his mind off the Deanes. Before he asked where they were heading, the merladies squealed again, wrapping themselves around him. He sucked in a lust filled breath, unable to ignore the two shapely woman currently adorning his body. His hands automatically went to their waists, his fingers soaking in their delicious curves.

Het let out a groan. Why did they have to have such tempting full-figured frames? If they’d been little skinny mermaids, he’d barely have cared.
Okay, naked is naked, but my GOD! What did they do? Send the two they knew would drive me mad?

“Huh…” he stared down at the buxom beauties. And wondered. His wolf senses tingled, warning distrust. But they were just innocent mermaids in need of his help. This was part of his job as protector of The Demon Isle.

Still… he did have a bit of a reputation in the supernatural community… it was a well known fact Charlie Howard preferred curvy gals.

But would they actually use this against him? Was this some kind of trick? A distraction?
It would be a pleasant one…

Shit. Charlie…

Shake This. The hell. Off.

Stupid ass paranoid wolf needs to shut up and let me help these lasses free their sister.
It kind of sucked that the ring didn’t rein in the wolf paranoia. He still had so much to learn about the limitations of his new gift.

He shook himself to get back in the moment. “Okay, ladies, if we are going to be traipsing around the Isle in broad daylight, I am afraid we’re going to have to find you some clothes.”

They stepped back looking down at their bodies and back up at Charlie.

“Don’t like clothes,” one of them pouted.

“No. Don’t like,” the other echoed. 

“Hard to wear,” they chimed together.

“Scratchy. Pully. Tight,” the second scowled.

The first one shook her head in agreement.

I can’t believe I’m arguing with mermaids to put clothes on…
“Like them or not, ladies, humans wear clothing. So you’re just going to have to, for today. Give me a minute and I’ll find something from my sister's closet for you. Just… wait right here.” He ran inside the house.

When he came back out a few minutes later, he stopped, gawking wordlessly; the merladies were frolicking through a sprinkler that had just turned on in the garden. His head did a momentary line of bounces, watching them bob up and down in playful delight. “Yeah,” he groaned in strained tones. “This is like my own personal heaven, and hell.” Since there was no salt in the water, their human legs remained. Only salt water from the ocean transformed their legs into flippers.

Charlie could not deny the merladies were built just to his liking. To a dangerously distracting degree. His eyes pinched in suspicion again. The wolf would not relent. It twitched just under his skin as if trying to warn him something was off.