Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The next morning, I stayed in bed for a full hour after waking up. My dreams had been unusually active. They’d kicked off with a recurring nightmare involving the three-headed beast that guarded the underworld, no doubt triggered by the appearance of the Erinyes. That familiar frightfest was followed by the image of Chief Garcia and Officer Leo getting sucked into the crossroads like it was a black hole. The chief’s fingernails had scraped the bark off the oak tree in her desperate effort to remain in this world. They’d screamed my name, but I hadn’t answered. I’d simply watched them disappear.

I kicked off the covers and forced myself out of bed. I knew telling the police about the supernatural world would have consequences, but I didn’t think those consequences would involve my subconscious. People were supposed to feel better after sharing secrets, not worse. It had to be guilt that I’d popped their human bubbles and endangered them in the process.

Claude turned off the faucet as I ambled into the kitchen.

Rough night ? Claude signed .

“Too much brain activity and not enough deep sleep.”

The hand nodded, as though he could relate.

“I think it’s going to be a two-coffee morning,” I said.

Claude pointed a disfigured finger at the pot, which was already a quarter full. Fresh , he signed.

“How did you know?” I asked.

“You were noisy,” Nana Pratt interrupted, floating into the kitchen. “Grunting and groaning. I think you might’ve even fallen out of bed once. There was a loud thump.”

I didn’t recall any of that, but my knee now sported a bruise that wasn’t there yesterday.

I poured the coffee into my favorite mug and inhaled the nutty aroma. “Thank you for this.”

“How did the meeting go last night?” Nana Pratt asked.

“It was hard,” I admitted. “I don’t regret telling them, but it’s a heavy responsibility, rocking someone’s world.”

“Between you and West, I’m sure you did a good job.”

“I appreciate that.” I paused to sip the coffee. The caffeine seeped straight into my veins. “They asked for the Sight.”

“Is that possible?” the ghost asked.

“I don’t know. I’m going to speak to Phaedra as soon as I can motivate myself to move faster.”

Nana Pratt lit up. “Will Ashley be there?”

“I assume so.” Nana Pratt’s granddaughter was now employed by Phaedra Bridger and training to become a Witch’s Assistant. The news had unsettled Nana Pratt, but the elderly ghost put on a brave face.

“Can I go with you? I’d like to see her.”

“It isn’t a social call.”

Nana Pratt jutted out her lower lip, a sign of her extreme disappointment.

“But I’ll ask Ashley to stop by and see you soon,” I quickly added. The young woman didn’t visit her grandmother nearly as frequently as Alicia visited Ray. Then again, Ashley was an adult with an active social life, whereas Alicia was a young, lonely teen.

Her face relaxed. “Oh, thank you. That would be wonderful.”

I drove my pickup truck along the dirt path that cut through the woods. I slowed down when I arrived at the section where the tree roots created natural speed bumps. A few more bounces and Bridger Farm came into view. I pulled over and parked.

There was no denying that I was becoming a regular visitor. If anyone had told me years ago that I’d be the frequent guest of a witch, I’d have laughed in their face. I was grateful, however, that my poor track record with witches didn’t prevent me from enjoying a fruitful friendship with Phaedra.

The interior door was open, so I knocked twice on the screen door and entered the house. “Honey, I’m home,” I joked.

“We’re in the kitchen,” Phaedra yelled.

I cut straight through the center of the old farmhouse to its heart. Phaedra and Ashley stood at the counter, which was covered in jars, bowls, and bottles of varying sizes. Each one contained a different herb or liquid.

“Am I interrupting a lesson?” I asked.

“Actually, we’re working on your upgraded ward. I’m experimenting with a few options before I decide which is best.”

That was good news in light of Posy’s recent arrival. “Any progress?”

“Only if you want your visitors to explode on entry,” Ashley blurted.

Phaedra gave her a sharp look. “It isn’t your standard ward. It involves finesse, especially when I have to weave in loopholes for known entities.”

“I know you’ll get there,” I said. I only hoped she ‘got there’ before Posy got to me. “If you can craft something basic now that stops strangers at the gate and add the nuances later, that would be great.”

Ashley snickered. “If it works, can I use it at my house? It would be hilarious if Steven couldn’t make it past the driveway.”

“Magic isn’t to be used for pranking your brother,” Phaedra said, “no matter how funny you think it would be.”

Ashley rested her cheek on the heel of her hand. “Bummer. I was already picturing the video I could post.”

“No videos of magic ever,” Phaedra emphasized. “That’s rule number two.”

“What’s rule number one?”

“Do no harm.”

Ashley blew a dismissive raspberry. “Somebody should’ve reminded your family about that one before they kidnapped me and tried to sacrifice me for money.”

Ignoring her, Phaedra wiped her hands on her apron. “Does your urgency have anything to do with the flying monsters spotted in town this week?”

“One of multiple incidents.”

Phaedra raised her eyebrows. “I see. Were the monsters here for you?”

“Yes.”

“What were they?”

“The Erinyes.”

Phaedra stiffened. “Shit. As in the Furies?”

I nodded. “They attacked me and left. Never changed shape. I don’t know why.”

Concern flickered in Ashley’s blue eyes. “Is Nana Pratt okay? ”

“Absolutely fine. She missed the whole thing.”

Ashley snorted. “Typical. Nana was just as clueless when I was younger. I used to sneak multiple cupcakes from the cooling rack so Steven and I could scarf them down before supper and she never noticed.”

“Speaking of Nana Pratt, she’d love a visit from you when you have time.”

Ashley groaned. “Do I have to?”

I was taken aback. I thought Steven and Ashley adored their grandmother.

Ashley noticed my reaction. “It isn’t that I don’t want to visit her. It’s just that I can’t see or hear her, so it doesn’t seem real. I feel like I’m talking to you about her, like she isn’t even there. It’s bizarre.”

I felt a pang of guilt. I hadn’t considered that I might seem like more of a wall than a bridge.

“I can help you with that later,” Phaedra told Ashley.

“Actually, while we’re on the subject,” I began, “do you have a spell that can give humans the Sight?”

“I only know of a temporary one offhand. It lasts for a few hours before it wears off.”

Ashley perked up. “Can I have it?”

Phaedra nodded. “You can be my lab rat.”

Ashley scrunched her nose. “No, thanks. Not a fan of rodents. I’d much rather be a test monkey.”

Phaedra shifted her focus back to me. “I take it this spell is for someone other than Ashley.”

I told her about the meeting with the police.

“Wow. I wasn’t expecting that.” Phaedra braced herself against the counter. “All these years…”

“It was a big step,” I agreed, “but a necessary one.”

“Do they need the Sight? Can’t they just contact you or West if they encounter what they think is a supernatural issue? ”

“That’s the current plan, but it would be helpful to them if they could see an imminent threat. Officer Lindley…”

Phaedra cut me off. “Officer Lindley was alone in the forest. Even if she’d understood what she was up against, she wouldn’t have been able to defend herself.”

“Officer Leo was at my house when the Erinyes attacked me. He couldn’t see them. If they had attacked him, he wouldn’t have stood a chance.”

“What exactly are the Erinyes?” Ashley asked, so I enlightened her. The young woman’s eyes grew wider and rounder with each new tidbit of information. “Why would a woman want to shift into an ugly dog with bat wings? Most women try to get rid of those.” She extended an arm and pinched the excess skin, not that she had much in the way of flab. Ashley still had youth and muscle tone on her side.

“If you want to be terrifying, you can’t exactly make yourself cute and fluffy,” I replied. “Nobody’s scared of adorable.”

“The Hounds of Hades,” Phaedra mused. “Do you think they’ll be back?”

“It’s likely.”

“You said earlier there were multiple incidents.”

“The Corporation made another move.”

Ashley glanced from me to Phaedra. “What does a company have to do with supernatural threats?”

“The Corporation isn’t an ordinary company,” Phaedra explained. “They specialize in avatars.”

Ashley’s face brightened. “Like The Last Airbender ? I dated a guy who was obsessed with that show.”

“I don’t think it’s like the show,” Phaedra replied. “The Corporation turns humans into gods and uses their powers for their own greedy purposes.”

“The Corporation is obsessed with power and control,” I added. “And I’m fairly confident that, right now, there’s a group of executives in a boardroom developing a plan to bring me in against my will.”

Ashley released a quiet, “Whoa. That’s intense.” Her eyebrows drew together. “What would happen to Nana Pratt if the company took you away?”

“She’d stay tethered to the property forever.”

“Even if someone else bought it and tore it down?”

I bristled. “Why would somebody choose to tear it down after all the hard work we’ve put into it? There’s a working moat.”

Ashley shrugged. “Just a hypothetical.”

“The building itself is immaterial. She and Ray would roam the property until the end of time.”

Ashley appeared panic-stricken. “We can’t let The Corporation take you.”

“I have no intention of letting them.”

“But you’re concerned that they’ll put people in danger,” Phaedra said.

I nodded. “They’re smart. They’ve already started identifying my weaknesses to exploit them.”

Phaedra observed me. “And those weaknesses are the people of Fairhaven?”

Ashley flinched. “So, should I act like I don’t know you if anyone asks?”

I wanted to laugh, except it was actually a good idea. “Unless it’s someone you recognize from town, then yes.” Although I wasn’t sure it would matter to The Corporation. They’d likely picked up on the fact that if I was willing to risk myself to protect Aite, who’d put me in harm’s way, then I’d be willing to risk myself to protect innocent strangers.

“How imminent is this particular threat?” Phaedra asked.

“This week they had a foiled kidnapping plot and sent a recruiter. She tried to woo me first, which didn’t work, then she flexed her powers, but I don’t think she was authorized to do any more than that.”

“Authorized?” Ashley queried.

“They’re a bureaucracy. They have meetings and proposals, and then decide whether they have funding in the budget for the project.”

Phaedra snorted. “Their red tape is your chance to come up with a plan of your own.”

“Yes, except I think my most recent visitor has a bit of an ego, as well as ambition. Rejection isn’t in her vocabulary.”

Phaedra’s expression turned serious. “In other words, you think she’ll be back sooner rather than later, no matter how slowly decisions get made over there.”

“I think she’d love to be the one to hand-deliver me to her bosses.”

“Why not leave town?” Ashley asked.

“I’ve spent years hiding. I like my life here. I don’t want to give it up.”

Phaedra smiled. “I’m sure there’s a certain demon prince of hell who doesn’t want that either.”

Ashley sucked in a breath, hollowing out her cheeks. “Wait, who?”

“You’ve met him,” I said. “Custom suit. A jawline that could cut through diamonds.”

“And a flaming sword,” Phaedra added. “Kind of hard to forget.”

Ashley looked at me. “He’s your guy?”

“He is, indeed.”

Her face grew wistful. “What’s that like?”

“So far, so good.” It felt scary to admit it, as though the simple fact of acknowledging it out loud would tempt the universe to reverse course.

“I’m so insanely jealous of you right now. An actual goddess who gets to bone a morally grey hottie.” She fanned herself.

“Good grief. Don’t let Nana Pratt hear you talk like that.”

“Does he have an equally scorching son?” She paused. “Or maybe a much younger brother?”

“Stay away from demons,” Phaedra advised. “Kane Sullivan is reformed, but I can’t say the same for most of them.”

The irony wasn’t lost on me that she talked about demons the way I talked about witches.

“Dantalion is another good one,” I said, “but he’s too old for you.”

“But does he look too old for me?” Ashley asked. “That’s the relevant question.”

Phaedra motioned to the bottles and jars. “You should be concentrating on your training now that you’ve decided to become a Witch’s Assistant. A romantic relationship would only serve as a distraction.”

“Maybe, but they’re the best kind of distraction.” She smiled dreamily.

Phaedra rested her hand on top of the nearest jar. “I’ll keep working on this today until I get a basic formula down. Anything else?”

Although I was tempted to ask for assistance with Alessandro’s case, I didn’t want to burden Phaedra with any more than I already had.

“No, thank you. I appreciate it.” I opened my purse. “I brought enough money for a deposit.” It seemed appropriate to use part of the money Aite left behind to protect me from the trouble she’d brought to my doorstep.

“Put your money away, Lorelei.”

“I can’t ask you to work for free.”

“It isn’t work and you’re not asking. I’m your friend, Lorelei. I’m not going to let some freak of nature kidnap you if it’s in my power to stop her.”

“Although,” Ashley began, “the freak of nature might just kidnap you from somewhere else and not even bother coming to your house, in which case the ward is useless anyway.”

Phaedra and I looked at her.

“What? It’s the truth,” Ashley said in protest.

“I’ll let you two get back to business,” I said. My continued presence at the farm wouldn’t get me an upgraded ward or a Sight spell any faster.

“I’ll text you as soon as I have something for you,” Phaedra said. “Good luck with everything.”

“Thanks,” I said, knowing it would take a lot more than luck to help me dodge all the bullets headed in my direction.

I was halfway to my truck when the earth moved. It wasn’t a tremor or a quake; the ground actually moved, rising and shaping the way liquid metal rose to form the T-1000 in Terminator 2 .

It was the Terrafirmanator.

Stones piled on top of rocks and clung to mud and grass until they formed a humanoid shape. Six-six. Bulky and broad.

Fear urged me to run. Instead, I stood motionless and waited.

Two black eyes opened to stare at me. I stared right back, unblinking. If this was a game, I was determined to win.

“Is this Fairhaven?” His slight lisp caught me off guard.

“You’re a long way from home, cherufe.”

The creature balked. “You recognize me?”

“Even without your liquid armor. How’s that for a good eye?” I understood his surprise. Typically, a cherufe was composed primarily of rock crystals and magma from the volcanoes in Chile, not the forest floor of Wild Acres.

He looked me up and down. “Are you the guardian?”

“Depends. Why do you want to know?”

“I was told this was a safe space.”

“A safe space from you or for you?”

His laughter rumbled through him, knocking a few stones to the ground in the process. “For me.”

Interesting. The cherufe were known to be evil. Then again, so was my demon prince. If Kane could change, then maybe this cherufe could too.

“Just to be clear, you’ve come to Fairhaven to … seek asylum?”

“Yes.”

I stared again. This was new. “What’s your name?”

“Maximiliano. Friends call me Max.”

“Nice to meet you, Max. I’m Lorelei. Do you mind if I ask what or who you’re running from?”

“Where’s the office? We can talk over all that paperwork I’m sure I need to complete.”

Paperwork? The creature didn’t even have opposable thumbs. “Um. Give me a minute, would you?” I stepped behind a tree to call West.

“Davies speaking.”

“Hi, it’s Lorelei. Listen, I have a situation and could use your help.” I told him about the cherufe.

“Where am I supposed to put a walking mound of earth? Does it need to eat and sleep?”

“His name is Max, and I don’t know. We can hammer out the details later.”

“You’re the one with all the empty rooms. Why not bring him to the Castle?”

I lowered my voice. “Because I don’t know if I can trust him. What if this is a setup? ”

“All the more reason not to put the cat among the pigeons.”

“You’re an entire werewolf pack, hardly pigeons. And I’m one person.”

“One goddess .”

“You can post guards at his quarters until we’re satisfied he’s telling the truth.”

“Then what? He moves into the trailer park? What’s the long-term plan?”

I felt my frustration rising. “I don’t know. It isn’t like I had advanced warning to figure it out. He just showed up.”

“I don’t like this,” West said, more to himself.

“I don’t either, but we play the hand we’re dealt.”

“You could send him away. No one’s forcing you to help him.”

“You wouldn’t have that attitude if this was someone from your pack.”

“Because my pack is my responsibility. A cherufe from the pit of a Chilean volcano isn’t.”

I sighed. “Okay, I’ll figure something out. Thanks anyway.”

“Problem?” Max asked, still standing in the spot where I’d left him.

“No, no. I need to finalize a few details. I’ll be right with you.” I disappeared behind the tree and made another call; this one to Kane.

“Hey, I was just thinking about you.”

“Hold that thought. I have a situation.” I told him the story and hoped for a more helpful response than the one I got from West.

“Since when is Fairhaven an asylum?”

“No idea.”

“Bring him here. I’ll deal with him.”

“And by ‘deal with him,’ you mean… ”

He chuckled. “I won’t kill him, if that’s what you’re worried about.”

“If you’re sure.”

“The Devil’s Playground is accustomed to catering to all variety of supernatural. I have every confidence we can find a place where Max will be comfortable.”

“Thank you. I knew I should’ve called you first.” Silence followed my remark. “Kane, are you still there?”

“I’m here. I’m still processing the fact that I wasn’t your first call.”

Uh-oh. “Sorry. I assumed West…”

He cut me off with a barking laugh. “Max is a stranger from a strange land. Did you really think Davies would be willing to host him? Your rose-colored glasses frame your face beautifully, but it’s time to swap them for a clearer pair.”

I bristled at the remark. “You know what? Never mind.”

“Never mind?”

“Max can stay with me until we figure out our next steps.”

“It isn’t safe…”

“Be the change you want to see in the world, right? If I expected West to open his doors to strangers, then I should be willing to do the same. I’m a goddess. I can handle it.”

“Lorelei, wait.”

The more I considered it, the more I wanted to do it. West was right; I had plenty of space and it wasn’t as though the cherufe required a comfy bed. For all I knew, he’d be perfectly happy in the cemetery among the headstones.

“I’ll call you later,” I said and hung up before he could try to dissuade me.

I returned to Max. “It’s your lucky day, friend. It appears I have availability at the Castle.”

“A castle? Wow, I wasn’t expecting anything fancy.”

I smiled. “Good. Keep those expectations low.” I studied his rocky build. “How fast can you move? ”

“I’m slower than I’d usually be. Magma is lighter than you’d think.” He spread his arms, dropping a few stones as he moved. “Lower density than rocks.”

“We’ll take my truck. Follow me.” I tried not to worry about Max’s weight breaking the truck’s suspension, or the mess he’d leave behind. The latter was what hand vacuums were for—if only I owned one. I’d have to rely on the old dustpan and brush to clean the flatbed.

I drove slowly and avoided potholes. To anyone without the Sight, the cherufe would simply look like a pile of rocks. Given all the landscaping my yard required, it was a believable deception.

I helped Max out of the truck and escorted him through the gate. “Wait here,” I said. “I need to update my roommates on the situation.”

“Roommates? Nice. The more, the merrier.”

“You won’t be able to see or hear them.”

He nodded. “Got it. Imaginary friends. I grew out of those as a kid, but I don’t judge.”

“They aren’t imaginary. They’re ghosts.”

His gaze skated to the Castle. “That makes sense. This place screams haunted house.”

I ignored the unintended insult and hurried across the bridge to update Ray and Nana Pratt. They’d already zeroed in on Max and were watching him with concerned expressions.

“I know what you’re thinking,” I said. “But let me explain.”

“It looks like one of Steven’s art projects from elementary school has come to life,” Nana Pratt commented.

“His name is Max. He’s a cherufe.”

“A sheriff?” Nana Pratt asked. “Of what? Red Rock Canyon?”

Ray nudged her, chuckling. “Good one, Ingrid.”

“Not a sheriff. A cherufe is a Chilean creature, usually formed from rock crystals and the magma pools of a volcano. Also, usually evil. In Max’s case, he isn’t evil and he’s hiding, so he’s currently made of rocks and mud from Wild Acres.”

Nana Pratt glanced at Ray. “Did you understand any of that?”

“Enough,” Ray said. “Why is he here?”

“Because he needs a place to stay until he can figure out his next steps.”

Nana Pratt frowned in dismay. “First a zombie hand and now this?”

“Claude isn’t a zombie. He’s a revenant. Besides, you like Claude.”

“He’s helpful around the house,” she replied. “I don’t think Max will be as useful. He looks messy.”

“I didn’t invite him here to be useful. I invited him to keep him safe.”

Ray appeared unconvinced. “What if he’s a Trojan evil humanoid magma monster?”

“We had a good talk in the truck. Max is on the level.”

“Max looks capable of leveling the whole house if you’re not careful.”

“Don’t judge a monster by its magma, Ray. Max seems to have a gentle spirit.”

Nana Pratt’s lip curled in disapproval. “Keep it up and this place will become the halfway house for wayward souls.”

I gave her a pointed look. “I think it already is.”

Nana Pratt huddled closer to Ray. “He’s coming!”

I turned as Max meandered across the bridge. He seemed more interested in his surroundings than the conversation, not that he could hear the objections.

“Real nice place you’ve got here,” Max said. “A-plus on the moat. ”

“Thank you. We’re just discussing which room is best for you.” I turned to the ghosts. “Ray, Nana Pratt—this is Max.”

“I’d prefer to stay outside if it’s all the same to you. I’m not the indoor type.”

Relief rippled through me. “If you’re sure.”

“Oh, yeah. Definitely. This yard is great.” His gaze shifted left. “Is that a cemetery?”

“It is.”

“I think I’ll wander over there and find a good spot to hunker down for the night.”

“Can I get you anything? A warm blanket?” I had no idea what a cherufe required. A warm blanket seemed unnecessary for a walking pile of rocks, unless he wanted one simply for comfort.

“Nothing at all. I’m easy,” he said.

“We’ll see about that,” Nana Pratt muttered.

“If you change your mind, I’ll be inside. Just knock.” I paused. “And if you see a hand wandering around, don’t hurt it. That’s Claude. He’s our resident revenant.”

“A revenant? Excellent. I thought they were extinct.”

“Claude’s a survivor.”

Max grinned. “Like me. Cool, cool, cool. Listen, Lorelei. I really appreciate you looking out for me. I wasn’t sure about coming through the crossroads, but now I’m glad I took the chance.”

A wave of warmth rushed through me. “Me too, Max. Me too.”