Chapter 6

As the first light of dawn began to break over the mountains, Holly woke to the soft sound of purring. Hexi was curled around her head on her pillow, his face buried in her hair. She reached up to pet him, his soft fur comforting.

“You make a great hat,” she whispered, smiling.

Through the window, she could see the faint glow of sunlight touching the snow outside. She’d slept all night, apparently. Longer than she’d expected to.

She disentangled Hexi from her hair and sat up slowly, stretching out the stiffness in her muscles. The cabin was quiet, and for a moment, Holly allowed herself to believe that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay.

But deep down, she knew the quiet was temporary. Something was coming—something that threatened not just the cabin but the magic her family had protected for generations.

And with Demetrius by her side, she was ready to face it.

Whatever it took.

She put her robe and slippers on and went out to the living room, thoughts of Demetrius and coffee on her mind.

She glanced at the empty armchair by the fire where Demetrius had kept watch through the night. He wasn’t there, and the fire had burned down to glowing embers. Even so, the cabin was plenty warm.

Her stomach rumbled, ready for breakfast, but her appetite was dampened by the uneasy feeling that had clung to her since the barrier had been tampered with. Whoever had tested the magic would be back, and they would likely be more aggressive next time.

She’d feel better when she had some breakfast and knew where Demetrius was. Didn’t take long. Just as he had the previous morning, he came in through the back kitchen door, arms full of firewood, just as she was scrambling eggs and reheating some bacon.

He nodded at her. “Morning. You’re up early.”

“So are you. Or didn’t you sleep?” Holly’s voice was still scratchy from sleep. Toast popped up, ready to be buttered. She made her way past him to pour herself a cup of coffee, hoping the caffeine would help shake off the lingering tension from the night before.

“I didn’t sleep, and before you tell me I should have, I didn’t need to. Vampires don’t work that way. I’m fine. Watching the cabin was more important.” He stacked the firewood by the fire, hung his coat up, then came back to add a few logs to the fire, which kicked the flames up.

She had no intentions of arguing. “I appreciate that you did that. It’s probably why I slept so soundly, knowing you were keeping watch. Breakfast will be ready soon, by the way. Anything happen while I was out?”

Demetrius had gone to the front windows again and didn’t look back, just shook his head. “Nothing so far. The barrier’s holding as best I can tell, but it almost feels like it’s straining. Like it knows it’s being watched.”

“I felt that too.” Holly got plates out and started serving up the food. “Any thoughts on who’s behind this yet?”

At last Demetrius turned to face her, his expression troubled in a way she’d never seen. “That’s the problem. I don’t know. But there is a presence out there—something waiting for us to let our guard down.”

Holly frowned as she put the plates on the table. She’d gotten that same thing, too, during the spell, that strange tugging, as if something—or someone—was trying to pull her magic away from her. “If someone’s watching, they’re probably waiting for the right moment to strike again.”

Demetrius nodded, his eyes darkening. “I agree. Which is why we need to be ready.”

She took a breath, pouring herself a second cup of coffee. She held it in both hands. The warmth spread through her, chasing away the cold that seemed to have suddenly settled in her bones. “I don’t suppose you have any experience with magical barriers, do you?”

“Not personally,” he said, coming back into the kitchen, “but I’ve seen enough to know that whoever’s messing with this one is no amateur. They have some sense of what they’re doing.”

Holly sipped her coffee, the rich, bitter taste erasing the last bit of sleepiness. She took a seat at the table. “Great. So we’re dealing with someone who’s both powerful and smart. Perfect combination for the holidays.”

His mouth quirked into a faint, almost imperceptible smile as he joined her. “Not exactly the Christmas spirit, is it?”

She shook her head, grinning despite the weight of the situation. “No, not exactly. But hey, at least I’ve got you to help with the supernatural defense strategy.”

“Lucky you,” he said dryly, though there was a glint of amusement in his eyes.

They ate without a lot of conversation, both of them seemingly intent on getting the meal done.

She ate her last bite of bacon, then took her plate to the sink to deal with later. Curious suddenly, she went into the living room, to the coffee table, where she’d left the crystals she hadn’t used in her spell the night before.

She picked one up. It shimmered faintly, its surface warm to the touch, but the energy inherent to it had grown thinner. Almost as if all magic were being affected. “I can reinforce the barrier again later, but I can’t keep doing that forever. We need to figure out who’s behind this.”

Demetrius nodded, moving to stand beside her, a cup of coffee in his hands, too, now. “We can start by asking around in town. Someone must’ve noticed something unusual. And if not … we’ll just have to dig deeper.”

Holly bit her lip, thinking. Nocturne Falls was a small town, and news—especially strange, magical news—traveled fast among the locals. If someone had been tampering with the Winters family magic, there was a good chance someone knew something.

“Right,” Holly said, nodding to herself. “We’ll go back to Flavia. If anyone knows about magical disturbances, it’s her.”

Demetrius glanced at her, his gray eyes gleaming with quiet resolve and maybe a little resignation. “I’ll go with you.”

Despite his past help, Holly was still surprised that he’d offer to do this. “You’re willing to help with asking around? You know that involves people, right? Talking to them. Being nice to them. It’s a lot of interaction.”

He gave her a look. “I can talk to people.”

“Without scaring them off?” She did her best not to smile, but she was enjoying this.

“Yes.” He frowned, then shrugged, his expression turning as stoic as ever. “I’m already involved, aren’t I? And I’m not letting you face this alone.”

Warmth blossomed in Holly’s chest at his words, and she let her smile come through. “Thanks, Demetrius.”

They bundled up again. The walk into town was brisk, the air biting at them as they trudged through the snow. The crunch of it underfoot created a sort of rhythm. At least this time they could use the path they’d carved out on the last walk.

Demetrius stayed close beside her, silent but alert, his gaze scanning the horizon as if expecting trouble to emerge from the forest at any moment.

She really hoped that wasn’t going to happen.

The town of Nocturne Falls still looked like a winter wonderland, with snow blanketing the rooftops and icicles hanging from the eaves. The streets were lined with festive lights and garlands of pine and holly. A happy snowman had appeared near the gargoyle fountain in the center of town, no doubt thanks to the talents of some local children.

But the big thing was the main roads were now plowed. It was a good sign that the road up the mountain would be too, soon. Even though it was essentially a private road, she knew Demetrius’s family had a contract with the town to take care of such things like plowing and tree removal, should that become necessary.

As they approached The Enchanted Apothecary, Holly felt a surge of hope. Flavia always had her ear to the ground when it came to magical occurrences, and if anyone knew what was going on, it would be her. Just last month, she’d become the Nocturne Falls coven’s membership liaison, further extending her personal network.

The woman was connected.

The bell above the shop door jingled as they entered, and the familiar scent of sage and lavender greeted them. Flavia was organizing shelves of potions and herbs, her braids tied back with festive red and green ribbons.

“Holly, Demetrius,” she greeted them, glancing between them with a curious smile. “Back again so soon?”

Holly didn’t waste time with small talk. “We are because we need your help, Flavia. Now someone is not only tampering with the Winters-Voss family barrier, but my own magic has been affected. And we still don’t have any idea who it is. Have you heard anything? Seen anything weird going on around town? Had anyone in shopping for questionable items?”

Flavia’s brow furrowed, and she set down the jar of bay laurel she’d been holding. “Now you’re having issues? This is getting serious.” She paused, her expression turning thoughtful. “I haven’t heard anything specific, but there have been some odd disturbances. People have mentioned strange flashes of light near the edge of the forest, and there was talk on the coven loop that several people felt a weird energy shift in the air a few nights ago.”

Holly exchanged a glance with Demetrius, her stomach dropping at the news. “That sounds like it could be connected.”

Flavia nodded slowly. “It totally does. But whoever’s behind it is keeping a low profile. With good reason, obviously. I wonder what they’re up to?”

“No idea.” Demetrius’s voice was low but firm. “But we need to find out who’s responsible before they make another move.”

Flavia pursed her lips, her eyes narrowing in thought. “There’s a few new witches who’ve moved to town recently, but there’s one who comes to mind right away. She’s a reclusive one. Name’s Morgana, although that sounds made-up to me. She keeps to herself, but she’s been in here asking about ancient magic—family magic, specifically. If anyone’s meddling with your family’s barrier, she’d be worth looking into.”

Holly frowned, the name unfamiliar. “Morgana? I haven’t heard of her.”

“She stays out of sight,” Flavia said, lowering her voice. “Lives in a bungalow on the outskirts of town, near the woods that surround the lake. She’s powerful, from what I’ve heard. Not the friendly type either. I went to welcome her to town and invite her to the next coven meeting, even took a jar of Mattie Sharpe’s honey.” Flavia cocked one hip out as she crossed her arms. “Witch wouldn’t even open the door. I don’t think she had a clue I was the one she’d dissed when she came in here looking for information.”

Demetrius straightened, a keen look in his eyes. “Sounds like we should pay her a visit.”

Holly nodded, her mind already churning through the possibilities. Whoever Morgana was, she seemed like the best lead they had. If she was interested in ancient family magic, there was a good chance she knew about the Winters family’s barrier.

“Thanks, Flavia,” Holly said, giving her a grateful smile.

Flavia waved a hand. “You bet, but be careful, Holly. Like I told you, Morgana’s not the type to welcome visitors.” Her gaze shifted to Demetrius. “Not sure what she’ll do if she sees a vampire on her porch.”

Holly gave a small, determined nod. “We’ll be careful. Can you write down her address?”

“Sure.” Flavia scribbled it on a scrap of paper and handed it over.

As Holly and Demetrius stepped out of the shop and back into the cold, crisp air, she turned to him, her resolve firming up. “Looks like we’ve got a lead.”

Demetrius nodded, looking less convinced. “Let’s hope it’s the right one.” He glanced toward the direction of the lake. “It’s too far to walk. We’ll have to take my SUV, but once we get off the mountain, we should be okay on the main road now that it’s plowed.”

“All right.”

They walked back to her cabin, then Demetrius took his time pushing the vehicle out of the snow and into her driveway so he could back out and turn around. When he was satisfied he could handle the drive, he came back inside and got Holly.

He drove cautiously, taking things slowly as they made their way toward the plowed roads. Once there, he picked up speed a little as they headed for the outskirts of Nocturne Falls, past the beautiful frozen lake that held half a dozen ice skaters today, out to where the trees were thick and the snow lay undisturbed by human footsteps. The air was colder here, as if the woods were holding their breath. Holly couldn’t shake the feeling that they were walking into something dangerous, but there was no turning back now.

It was probably nothing. She was just on edge from everything that had been going on. Morgana was a sister witch. She had no reason to do Holly any harm.

At least that’s what Holly kept telling herself.

Demetrius stayed by her side, his presence both reassuring and a reminder of the stakes. Whoever Morgana was, she might hold the key to solving the mystery of the barrier. But she might also be the one responsible for the attack.

In that case, Holly had no idea what to expect.

He parked, and as they approached a small, single-story bungalow nestled at the edge of the forest, Holly felt a chill that had nothing to do with the weather. The air around the cottage was thick with magic—dark, aged magic that made the hairs on the back of her neck stand on end.

Demetrius’s eyes narrowed, and he glanced at Holly. “You feel that?”

“I was just about to ask you the same thing.” Holly nodded, her pulse quickening. “This is definitely the place.”

They stepped closer, and as they reached the front of the bungalow, the door creaked open slowly, as if inviting them inside.

“Well,” Holly muttered, her muscles tight with stress, “that doesn’t scream ‘danger’ at all.”

Demetrius’s hand moved toward the door, his eyes scanning the shadows inside. “Stay close.”

She didn’t need to be told twice.

And with that, they stepped into the cottage. The door closed behind them with a soft click, making Holly tense up even further.

The air inside was redolent with the scent of earth and incense, but beneath it, Holly could sense something darker—a simmering magic that sizzled against her skin. The room was sparsely furnished and dimly lit, with candles casting flickering shadows across the walls.

“Morgana?” Holly called out, her voice a little unsteady.

A soft, chilling voice floated out of the darkness. “I’ve been expecting you.”

Holly’s breath caught in her throat as a figure stepped into the light, her silhouette tall and slender, her eyes gleaming with a knowing expression.

“Well, this just got interesting,” Holly muttered under her breath.

Demetrius’s posture changed, as if he was readying himself for any possibility. Holly appreciated his preparedness.

The witch known as Morgana regarded them with a curious, calculating gaze, leading Holly to believe they were in for much more than they had bargained for.