Read Change of Fate (The Briar Creek Vampires, #4) by Jayme Morse & Jody Morse for Free Online

realized right away that the humming belonged to Belinda. She
hadn’t heard Belinda sing before, though she knew her voice would
be hypnotizing. Belinda’s voice drifted out of the window as she
said, “I combine these ingredients to keep my Albert safe from the
evil predators who hunt him. Cedar and patchouli oil.” Belinda
paused and although Lexi was too afraid to peek in the window, she
imagined the woman dumping the ingredients into a cauldron. Belinda
continued. “Seven hairs from a black cat.”
    Lexi heard a hissing sound coming from inside
the window. She assumed that it was the sound of the cauldron
rising and not the cat hissing as Belinda plucked the hairs from
it. “Cloves of garlic. And finally, five drops of Hunter blood.”
The hissing sound resumed, and there was a long pause.
    The scent of peppermint filled Lexi’s
nostrils. She quickly realized that the witch had lit incense for
her spell. Belinda began speaking again, this time, her voice loud
and powerful. “Shavings of cedar and oil of patchouli, scents of
the earth, mask Hunter blood from the creatures of the night. Seven
hairs of a feline, black as smoke, gatekeeper of the Afterlife,
provide protection from all evil who tries to cross his path.
Cloves of garlic mix with this blood to repel blood-suckers.
Protect Hunter blood from the vampires who wish to take Albert’s
life!”
    Lexi heard the hissing sound again, but it
was much louder this time. Moments later, she heard a loud
swooshing sound, and Belinda laughed her cackling laugh again.
“This is wonderful, simply wonderful, Winston! It worked! The spell
worked!” There was a soft meow, and Lexi realized that Belinda must
be speaking to her cat.
    “How do I know the spell worked, you ask?”
Belinda said, as though the cat had actually responded to her. “I
can feel it in my bones . . . I can feel it in my veins. There’s a
positive energy in this room!” The woman’s voice was filled with
excitement. “The pendant is going to keep Albert safe, Winston.
Those wretched vampires won’t hurt your father.”
    Lexi felt a pang of sympathy. If only the
witch knew that her spell wasn’t going to work.
     
    *
     
    As it grew dark out, Lexi curled up against the bale
of hay, trying to come up with a plan. It wasn’t like she could
just stay here hiding out on Albert and Belinda’s property.
Eventually, they were going to find her, and what would they do
with her then? Call the police probably.
    Plus, there was also the issue of clothing, bathing,
and eating. Tonight, she had been fortunate enough to sneak into
the garden and grab a tomato and a cucumber to eat, but she had no
idea what she was going to do tomorrow. She didn’t even have money
or know what currencies were and weren’t used in the 1800s. Did
they have pennies or nickels? Twenty dollar bills? Lexi had no
idea.
    She had to figure out a way to get back to the 21st
century, but she was running out of ideas. . . .
    Lexi realized that she was going to have to find Dan
at some point. Even though she didn’t want to be stuck here with
him, she was. And as much as she didn’t trust him – and probably
never would after the night he had attacked her – he was the only
person she had in this strange place. Lexi also knew that if she
figured out how to get out of this time trap before he did, Austin
would be really disappointed in her if she left his best friend
behind.
    Find Dan. That was what she was going to have to do
first thing tomorrow. She would do it for Austin – and because,
hopefully, two minds would work better than one and they’d be able
to find a way out of here.
    Lexi wondered where Dan even was. Had he found
someone who would pity him enough to let him stay the night in
their guest room or was he outside somewhere himself? He, at least,
had one benefit for survival over her; vampires were natural
hunters; he was already used to finding his own food. If Dan did
get stuck here, he could manage on his own.
    Once