Read spies and spells 02 - betting off dead for Free Online Page B

tried to speak, but she lifted a hand.
    “I was so upset that I couldn’t even work on my gardens and barely got the house in order with all the fall decorations.” She glared at me. “I had to use magic to prepare this meal and that is not acceptable.”
    “Mom, Mick showed up this morning.” I grabbed a piece of bread and ripped it in half before sopping up some of the casserole. “I had no idea he was coming by. He wanted to meet with me and discuss what has been going on in his life.”
    “His life? You mean your life’s journey?” Mom wasn’t buying it. “I can accept that you have an attraction to this man.”
    “Who wouldn’t.” Lilith grinned. “He is hot.”
    Mom shot her a look.
    “What?” Lilith shrugged and took a bite of her bread. “He is,” she muttered around a mouthful.
    “Regardless of his outward appearance, there is danger that surrounds him and I’m sure that’s not your life’s journey.” Mom lifted her chin. “Auntie’s Spell Circle has graciously accepted my offer for them to come tonight to do a special ceremony for you.”
    “But…,” I protested, only to be shushed again.
    The back screen door flung open. Pixie, Flora, Charmary, and Glinda walked through the back door in a single file line. Each of them had a leather handled oversized cloth bag with a zipper across the top. Pixie stood four feet tall and four feet wide. I was never sure of her hair color because she kept it in a buzz cut so close to her head, it shimmered different colors depending on the light.
    Flora stood five feet, five inches, but five-foot-seven if you included her hair that was long, brown and uncombed. It was how she always wore her hair, so I assumed it was her style. She was average and if I saw her on the streets, I’d probably think she was homeless.
    Charmary was altogether different. She was a little freakier than the rest. She was six feet tall and very thin. Like two-dimensional thin. She had grey hair, a long face, and wrinkly neck. Her arms were longer than the average woman and her hands were built like a man. She was kind and nice, but out of all of Auntie’s friends, she scared me a little.
    Lastly, there was Glinda. She was the grandmother type of the group. She had the middle age spread, caring eyes, and kept her hair cut nice and neat above her shoulders. She kept it parted down the middle and every time I saw her I wondered what it would look like if she parted it to the side.
    All of them had on long black cloaks, pointy laced-up boots, and a pointy hat. They were, after all, witches that didn’t live in the mortal world. They still lived in covens. Auntie rounded out the Spell Circle of five.
    “Maggie,” Pixie spoke in a soft tone. “We have a very bad feeling about this man and the positions we feel you are going to be in if you choose him as your mate.”
    “But I. . .” For a second I was about to come clean, but then there was a knock on the door.
    All of us turned.
    “Blondie,” my stomach dropped. Not because I’d forgotten she was coming over to meet the fam, but because she was as white as a ghost, mouth nearly scraping the floor, eyes blank as she took in the Spell Circle in their full regalia.
    “Who shall you be?” Charmary flung a finger at Sherry.
    I jumped up and pushed her hand to the ground. A collective gasp filled the room. No one touched the Spell Circle women, including me.
    “Sherry,” I ignored the major boo-boo. “Everyone,” I grabbed Sherry by the shoulders. Her appearance still a shell of who she really was. “This is my friend Sherry. She is going to be taking my job at The Brew starting tomorrow because I have a new job at Churchill Downs.”
    Auntie Meme levitated above the chair. She lifted her arms.
    “Oh, shit.” I hung my head in fear of what was going to happen. I took my hands off of Sherry’s shoulders and let my arms fall to my side.
    “Virook, dremdee, jinxiel.” Auntie chanted as the sparks left her fingers.