The Queen of Witches Read online

  As he stood, I said, “What if I don’t want these—powers? What if I wanted to make them go away?”

  “Then I could help you with that, too. It would be a shame to let your powers go to waste, but if you decide that this is not the life that you want, then I can make your powers go away. You will be as normal as your friend here.”

  Tandi threw her long, blonde hair behind her shoulder. “There is nothing about me that is normal.”

  He gave her smile as he tipped an imaginary hat to both of us. “I’ll be waiting on your call, Charlie.”

  We watched in fascination as the bubble around us disappeared. Tandi waited until Talon had left the diner before she started talking ninety miles per minute.

  “Whoa. What are you thinking? Because I’m thinking that this is all just too easy.”

  I was about to ask her what she meant, but I understood. I had a flaw. You could dress it up and call it powers or even a gift, but at the end of the day, it was still a flaw in my book, and someone just happened to show up and say they could help me solve all my problems. No, I was calling B.S. on that, too.

  “You’re right; it’s too easy.”

  “I know you’re looking for answers but we have to be careful on how we get them.”

  She was right. I had to be careful that I didn’t let the excitement of finding someone—someone like me—be the deciding factor of my future. One that could very well be a bad decision. Like joining a group I knew nothing about, just to feel like I belonged.

  Tandi tapped her nails on the table as she mused. “Oh, but that face of his. Yum.” She looked around the diner. “Since we’re here, we’re going to eat, right?”

  How she could think about food at a time like this, I had no clue. “Sure. I have nothing else better to do.” Other than sitting here and stressing over my life and how some organization apparently has a file on me. They now know enough about me to track me down. That can’t be good. The pit in my stomach grew because I wasn’t entirely sure that Talon and his organization were the good guys. “I’m going to seriously think about what he said. Maybe there are others out there just like me that could also help.” Maybe Talon wasn’t my only option.

  Tandi’s legs shook under the table. She was worried about me. As she sat there gazing out the window, her carefree attitude gone, and in its place was a girl that was afraid. Afraid for her friend. Finally, she spoke. “Charlie, I know you, and I know that whatever is happening to you…” Her voice almost broke. “I know that it’s serious. I know that you want—no, need—answers, but I’m asking that you really think about going off alone with some stranger just because he says he can help you.”

  I knew what she was saying. I needed to do my own research on Talon and who I am. Create my own file. How people could know more about me than I do was unacceptable. I was worried too, but I was out of time. Every morning I woke up, I heard the same thing.

  Tick. Tock.

  It was just a matter of time before I hurt someone, and what if it was Tandi? I could never live with myself.

  “Tandi, everything will be all right.” That sounded false, even to my ears.

  “We need to talk about this. None of this feels right. Something about Face is just making my Spidey Sense go off.”

  “I know.” A group of football players sat in the booth behind us. I was scared they would overhear our conversation, and that’s all I needed. “We can talk about this later, but I know what you mean. I’m not buying what he’s selling.”

  Obviously, Tandi wasn’t buying it either. As she signaled the waitress over, she mumbled out of the side of her mouth, “All of this anxiety you’ve given me is making me extra hungry.” Giving me a hopeful look, she added, “We should just run away to some exotic island. Get us a couple of cabana boys to rub hot oil all over us while we watch every show we can find on Netflix.”

  Before I could tell her that plan couldn’t happen for more than one reason, Jenny, one of the two waitresses employed at Ma’s Diner, sashayed over to our table, popping her bubble gum. Jenny had a long-standing feud with Tandi. They had hated each other since kindergarten. Jenny was captain of the cheerleading team, and she was also the homecoming queen at our high school. One thing she had perfected over the years was her phony smile, not to mention her knack of putting down others while making it sound like it was just a harmless little joke. Unfortunately, Tandi was usually the butt of Jenny’s jokes. The truth was Jenny was jealous of Tandi. Not just because Tandi was prettier, but because Tandi was richer, and that was the one thing Jenny never had. Money. She went to our school on a scholarship and she seemed to be the only one that had a problem with that.

  With one last pop of her bubble gum, Jenny took out her pad and pen. “Y’all ready to order?”

  There was no need to look at the menu. I had it memorized since I was twelve. “I’ll have the special without lettuce, please, and a sweet tea.”

  Tandi gathered both of our menus and handed them to Jenny. “I’ll have the exact same, but with a side order of fried okra, mashed potatoes with gravy, and a hash brown casserole.”

  Jenny gave Tandi a body scan. “You know, hon, all that extra food will make you fatter.”

  Tandi gave Jenny the stank eye. “I am a full-figured gal. I. Have. To. Eat. In order to keep my full figure. That’s how it works, hon.”

  “Well, you are what you eat,” Jenny said.

  Tandi crossed her legs, murmuring, “You must eat a lot of Hot Pockets because they’re cheap and easy.”

  I coughed into my hand to hide my smile. “I think that’s it, Jenny. Thanks.”

  With a little huff, she muttered, “Freaks,” under her breath, turning around and heading back to the kitchen where we could hear her calling our order out.

  “Did she just call us freaks? Finally, hanging out with you has given me the bad reputation I always wanted.” I laughed, and she asked, “Do you believe the nerve of some people? Maybe you should go to training. Learn how to wield these so-called powers that Talon said you have. What are the freaky things you’ve said you can do so far?” She held up her hand and started listing things on her fingers. “You made fog swirl around us that one time you fell asleep at my house. Then there was the time you turned your coffee to ice. You found that lost kid pretty quickly. But none of those are going to work for me. Oh! I know, you set fire to a photo album. That one. I’ll take that one.” She pointed a finger to Jenny. “Make her catch on fire.”

  Smiling, I shook my head. Out of all the best friends in the world and I landed this one. I was one lucky girl. “Ever since my eighteenth birthday three months ago, you have been handling all of these incidents so well. Way better than me. I’m impressed.”

  Her green eyes rolled. “So, I’m guessing that you’re not going to make a bonfire out of Jenny?”

  “Stop! Here she comes.”

  Jenny came back over with our sweet teas, putting them down on the table a little harder than she should have and walked off to another table.

  Tandi took a sip of tea, then leaned in close to me. “Have you told your brother yet about your little secret?”

  I looked around the diner to make sure no one was paying attention to us. “No, I haven’t. I think that’s a discussion for down the road. When he’s rich and famous and has fulfilled his dreams of becoming a successful painter.”

  Tandi smirked. “That boy could make millions being a model. I used to have the hots for him until I saw him in his Captain America underwear.”

  “Tandi! He was seven.” I was laughing as I excused myself. “I’m going to the ladies’ room. Be back in a sec. Don’t you dare get into it with Jenny before I get back, all right?”

  Tandi fluffed her hair. “You scared I’ll hurt the little trollop?”

  Sliding out of the booth, I grinned over my shoulder. “No, I’m scared I’ll miss out on the action.”

  I said a little prayer that Jenny wouldn’t purposely drop our food on the floor before serving it to us, as
I weaved my way to the back of the crowded diner before turning left down the narrow hallway. My stomach clenched at the thought of leaving my home, Tandi, and not finishing out my senior year of high-school. What else was I supposed to do? Head down and lost in thought, I smacked into some poor soul. Ugh! How many people could I possibly run over in one day? I was on a roll. I was already offering up apologies as warm hands grabbed me by my shoulders, helping me to stay on my feet. My teeth clenched as I felt sharp jolts go up my arms, almost leaving a numbing sensation in their wake. Shocked, I jerked back, breaking contact with the energy pumping into my body. I gazed into the face of my discomfort.

  He was an angel. I mean, there were no wings or halo, but hot damn boy! He had blond, shaggy hair, electric blue eyes, and stubble that couldn’t hide his perfect cheekbones. More than six feet tall, he was built like a running back. He stood in front of me, shaking his head like he was confused, so I started to reach out and touch him, but thought better of it. I didn’t want to get another shock.

  The silence in the hallway bordered on awkward, and I was slightly embarrassed I hadn’t watched where I was going when I plowed right into this stranger. He stared at me like I had two heads. Probably because I had all but drooled over him. A little unnerved, I mumbled, “Excuse me,” and went to sidestep him.

  Like it was a dance, he stepped with me, so he was right back in front of me, blocking me from the bathrooms. He cleared his throat. “I’m sorry. You’re not hurt, are you?”

  “No.” I peered up into his blue eyes and almost lost my train of thought, causing my next words to come out in a rush. “It’s my fault. I was lost in thought and not paying attention to where I was going, and, well, then you happened.”

  “Then I happened.” He gave me a wolfish smile. “Are you from here?”

  “Yes. Born and raised. But if you were from here, you would know that because there’s a population of around eight thousand.” My eyes causally roamed over his body. “We don’t get many visitors out this way, and most people would never intentionally move to this small town, because it is super expensive to live in.” I put a strand of hair behind my ear, a nervous habit of mine. “Not that this isn’t a nice town or the people aren’t friendly, ’cause we are, it’s just that there isn’t enough work here in our small town. It’s mostly a retirement community.” It took everything I had not to cringe. Never in my life had I ever been so rattled. “So, are you visiting someone or lost?”

  “Neither.” His smile was brief. “It’s more like business brought me here.”

  Narrowing my eyes in disbelief, I asked, “Business brought you to this town?”

  “Yes, and it looks as if it’s not as cut and dry as I’d initially hoped for, so I guess I’ll be staying for a while. Can you tell me where the nearest hotel is?”

  “There’s a bed-and-breakfast one road over from main street.” Almost apologetic, I added, “Since we don’t get many out-of-towners this way, it’s the only place in town we have to offer visitors.”

  “As long as it has warm water and a phone, it’ll be perfect. I lost my cell phone somewhere in South America and haven't had a chance to get a new one yet. I have an older brother who I’m sure is probably panicking, because I haven’t checked in with him in about four weeks.”

  I gave him a small smile. “Well, my best friend would have died without her cell phone for four weeks, so I commend you.” I reached into my back pocket and pulled out my cell and handed it to him, careful not to touch him in the process. “Gretchen, the owner of the bed-and-breakfast, will charge you an arm and a leg if your call isn’t local, so if you want, you can use my cell phone while I’m in the bathroom.”

  His smile was so bright it made me feel like I just gave him a kidney transplant instead of my phone. “That must be a Southern thing? Usually, people aren’t so trusting.”

  My eyebrows rose. “Are you planning on stealing my phone?”

  “I can swear to you that no harm will come to your phone while in my possession.” He tapped my phone on his palm. “Thanks. I’ll stay right here, and I’ll be done by the time you get out.”

  I stepped around him, and this time he let me pass. “You don’t have to hurry. I’ve got an older brother myself, and I know how they can be.”

  I had one hand on the bathroom doorknob when he said, “Hey, I’m Jamison by the way. What’s your name?”

  “Charlize.” Turning back, I grinned. “But my friends call me Charlie.”

  As I entered the bathroom, I heard the mysterious Jamison say, “Pleasure to meet you, beautiful.”

  Chapter Three

  Rolling my eyes as the door closed behind me, I let out a girly sigh. Of course, something that hot had a book full of pretty lines for the ladies. With compliments like that, I bet he had tons of girls falling at his feet. But not this girl. No, sir. After dating a controlling boyfriend for the better part of a year, I’d decided to keep boys at an arm’s length. If Tandi thought Talon was hot, I couldn’t wait for her to catch a glimpse of the angel.

  I stared at my reflection above the tiny, grungy sink. Dark, brown hair grazed the tops of my shoulders and dazed, long-lashed violet eyes stared back at me. Tandi said I had an uncanny resemblance to Vivien Leigh, which was what made her befriend me in Miss Jones’s class. She had an obsession with Southern movies, and Gone with the Wind was like the Holy Grail to her. That and Steel Magnolias, with Fried Green Tomatoes coming in third.

  I washed my hands and headed out of the restroom. Jamison was still in the dark hallway, talking quietly into the phone. I overheard him say, “Yes, that’s exactly what I said. It’s not my fault that you went all the way to South America. If my phone hadn’t been destroyed, I would have called you and told you not to waste your time.” He started pacing then he sighed into the phone. “Define ‘demolished.’ Listen, not to change the subject, but you know how Ariana said I should take off by myself? It’s because South America led me to this little town in Louisiana, where I can find the key. But get this, it’s also where my—” The door to the girls’ bathroom shut and Jamison swiveled around. “Hey, bro, gotta go. I have to return this cell phone to the beautiful girl I borrowed it from.”

  I could hear someone on the other line still talking, but Jamison hung up and handed the phone back to me.

  “You didn’t have to hurry on my account.”

  He smiled at me. “That’s all right. I was done talking.”

  There were a thousand questions going through my mind like, What key? and What the heck got demolished? But I decided to bite my tongue. Just because he was using my phone, it didn’t make it my business.

  I needed to get back to my table, but my Southern roots wouldn’t allow me just to stroll off without a proper goodbye, so I heard myself spitting out, “Well, it was so nice meeting you, Jamison. I hope you enjoy your stay here in our small town.”

  He gave me a predatory smile, making me shiver all the way down my spine. Yep, definitely a bad boy. “Oh, I’m sure I’ll more than enjoy my stay here.”

  I turned on my heel and walked as quickly as possible back to the booth.

  Tandi was scrolling through her text messages on her phone. Without looking up, she asked, “What in the world took you so long? I told you to quit eating all that fiber. I thought about coming to find you, but someone has to stay out here to make sure Jenny doesn’t spit in our food, that un-classy trollop.”

  Looking over my shoulder, I saw Jamison hop up on a barstool not too far away with his back to me, and I released a little sigh. Tandi drew my attention by making a gurgling sound. There she sat with her jaw open like a bigmouth bass.

  I whispered, “You better close that before you catch flies.”

  Tandi looked at Jamison, then me, and whispered, “Who is that hunk of burning love?”

  I explained to her about me literally running into him and our small talk before and after the use of my cell phone.

  Her beautiful pouty lips came together in a classic Tand
i smirk. “Well, if that’s not a sign from God, I don’t know what is.”

  At this point, we were leaning so close to each other our noses were almost touching. “What in the heck are you talking about, Tandi?”

  Tandi sighed like I was an idiot. “Duh. You’re sitting here contemplating whether you should join some kind of X-Men training camp or not, then that stud muffin comes strolling into town, and the way he keeps glancing over here every once in a while means that the attraction is mutual.”

  “Listen, first of all, I am not attracted to him, so there is nothing mutual about it.” Maybe I was attracted to him, but I wasn’t admitting it. “And last but not least, I’m pretty sure he has ties with the mafia. Or maybe he’s CIA, FBI, or some other acronym for badasses.”

  Her eyebrows rose.

  “It’s true. I heard him on the phone talking about demolishing things in South America.”

  “Maybe he’s a building contractor, and that’s his job.” She shrugged. “I don’t care if he’s the head honcho of the largest cartel in the world. It still doesn’t cancel his hotness, and you should tag that.”

  My jaw dropped. “You are a slut, my friend. There will be no tagging of anything. He is not a deer, and my opinion differs from yours, so hush.”

  Tandi huffed. “Well, that settles it, then. You are an idiot and you’re blind. Remind me why we’re friends again because I don't do stupid very well.”

  Before I could get in an elementary argument with Tandi, I saw a shadow fall over our table. We both looked up slowly to see Jamison standing there with his arms crossed and a huge grin on his face. The expression on Tandi’s face was triumphant. Mine was disbelieving.

  His deep voice rumbled. “Listen, ladies, if both of you are going to talk about me where I can hear it, do you mind if I just join you for lunch?”

  I felt my eyebrows scrunch together. There was no way he could have heard us.

  As I sat there baffled, Tandi answered for us both. “Well, it wouldn’t be very Southern of us if we said no, now would it? Pull you up a chair, hon. And I'm Tandi, by the way.”