All the Pretty Witches (A Hannah Hickok Witchy Mystery Book 6) Read online

  “Bettina.” Cooper kept his expression neutral, although it took effort. Being around the woman left him feeling anxious and uneasy. He was never happy to see her. Still, she was technically on their side. They couldn’t risk alienating her. “We have more than enough for breakfast if you would like to join us.”

  “That would be fine,” Bettina replied briskly, her gaze bouncing between faces. “My mother always said breakfast was the most important meal of the day.”

  “I think mothers the world over have been spouting that line since the beginning of time,” Tyler offered, grabbing a container out of the box and sitting in a chair on the opposite side of the table from where Bettina settled. “Apparently some things never change.”

  “Oh, I don’t know about that.” Bettina, as always, acted as if she was above the conversation and had to force herself to participate. It was a facet of her personality that Cooper absolutely loathed. “In some ways, this world is largely the same as the one I lived in even though centuries have passed. The technology is markedly different. Emotions, mankind, magic even ... well ... they’re largely the same.”

  “Actually, I can see how that’s true.” Cooper waited at the edge of the bar for Hannah to finish with her flowers and then ushered her to the table. He made sure to position her between Tyler and himself so she wouldn’t be forced to sit next to Bettina. That meant he would have to take that spot, but he was willing to swallow his unhappiness at the prospect if it meant shielding his already overloaded girlfriend.

  “I heard you talking as I was crossing the street,” Bettina started.

  “You could hear us from the street?” Boone asked blankly, surprise evident. “That’s quite the feat.”

  “I hear better than most.” Bettina accepted the container of food Tyler handed her, opening it and digging in without bothering to look inside. She never commented on the food. There was no way of telling if she liked or disliked the meals she’d been provided with. She ate to fuel Angel’s body and that was it. Otherwise she didn’t care. “Can you describe the demon you saw?”

  “Hannah saw him best,” Boone replied. “I just saw his eyes. They glowed red.”

  “That’s all I saw, too,” Hannah admitted. “He just looked like a man otherwise.”

  “Hmm.” Bettina shoveled pancakes into her mouth — not bothering with butter or syrup — and chewed methodically.

  Hannah watched her, irritation bubbling up when the woman didn’t immediately speak again. “Does that mean anything to you?” she prodded after a few moments.

  Bettina held out her hands and shrugged. “It could mean a great many things. There are many different demons on this plane. As humans, you might not even realize when you cross paths with them. They’re plentiful, though.”

  “Do you think this specific demon is something we have to worry about?” Boone asked. “It’s taken over a man. When I talked to the wife last night — she fled out the back door right before I showed up — she said her husband had never been violent before then. She believes he has some sort of brain injury or something.”

  Hannah shifted so she could better study Boone. “Is that possible? I mean ... can demons overtake people who have brain injuries?”

  “I can’t answer that.”

  “It’s possible,” Bettina replied. “Most humans are strong enough to fight off a demon if they don’t want to let it in. Brain injuries create paths for demons to use to force the issue.”

  “The wife said he’d been acting out of sorts for a few days, although she wasn’t certain what caused it, and wanted him to be checked out,” Boone volunteered. “He said he didn’t want to go to the hospital, and they had a fight. Ultimately, he won. They went to bed and then he woke up and started screaming at them, calling her names and threatening the children. She managed to get her family out of the house, but she’s obviously concerned.”

  “Obviously,” Hannah echoed, thoughtful. “Where is his family now?”

  “We put them in a safe house after he escaped. We’ll keep them there until we track him down. He carjacked a woman fleeing the scene. Luckily she was alone and only got a dislocated shoulder out of the deal. She’s upset but alive.”

  “So, he’s out there and he has a vehicle,” Cooper mused. “What could he want beyond that?”

  “He could want almost anything,” Bettina replied. “If he’s somehow working for my sister, that could complicate things even further.”

  “Is it possible that Amelia is using him to distract us?” Cooper queried. “I mean ... the demon did go after one of our people.”

  “Anything is possible. My sister will have come up with a plan by now. It wouldn’t surprise me if demons are part of that plan.”

  “Is there a way for us to find out?”

  “Not until she makes a move.”

  “And do you have any guesses when that might be?”

  Bettina held her palms out. “Your guess is as good as mine. Amelia is in control of a powerful body. Stormy could be influencing her decisions.”

  “So, you’re saying that Stormy might be calling the shots?” Cooper furrowed his brow. “Can we use that to our advantage?”

  “Again, anything is possible.” Bettina polished off her pancakes and spoke before she was finished chewing. “We need to figure out what sort of demon we’re dealing with. At least then we’ll have a direction to look.”

  “That sounds easier said than done,” Hannah noted.

  “Nevertheless, we have to do it. I’ll leave that in your capable hands.” She stood abruptly. “I have more research to do.”

  “Are you getting anywhere?” Cooper asked.

  “No, but the day isn’t over.” With those words, Bettina turned on her heel and strolled out the door as if she didn’t have a care in the world.

  “Is it just me, or does she get weirder and weirder with each passing day?” Tyler asked once he was certain she was gone.

  “It’s not just you,” Cooper replied. “She’s right, though. We don’t have enough to go on regarding the demon. That’s what we need to focus on.”

  “Great.” Hannah pasted a grim smile on her face. “Where do we start?”

  “I honestly have no idea.”

  4

  Four

  Because she was antsy, Hannah decided to head down to the creek, to where the door between planes was located. She couldn’t see it but knew it existed thanks to Bettina’s stories and the history she’d been reading up on regarding Casper Creek. She planned to go alone but found Cooper resting against the fence at the animal paddock, his arms folded over his chest. He looked to be waiting ... and Hannah had no doubt that she was the one he was waiting for.

  “What are you doing?” she asked as she slowed her pace.

  “What are you doing?” he replied amiably. “Going out for a stroll perhaps?”

  She made a face. “You say I’m the one who is magical and yet you can apparently read minds.”

  He flashed a charming grin. “Just your mind ... and you’re magical in about fifty different ways.”

  She bit back a sigh, but it took effort. “It’s hard for me to be annoyed with you when you say things like that.”

  “That’s my ultimate goal.” He pushed himself away from the fence. “You want to look for the gate, to see if you can sense a fresh presence down there. I already asked Tyler to watch Jinx. I think it’s best if we keep him from the creek for a little bit ... just to be on the safe side.”

  Hannah frowned. “Do you think he’s in danger?” She immediately started running possibilities for keeping Jinx clear of danger through her head before he could respond. “Maybe I should see if Jackie can take him to her place in town or something. He won’t like it, but if it keeps him safe ... .”

  Cooper reached out and snagged her hand. “I just don’t think he should go down to the creek,” he reassured her. “Amelia knows what Stormy knows. I believe that’s the way it works. That means Amelia understands that Jinx can be used as
a weapon against you. I think it’s unlikely that Amelia will be able to make it across the wards you guys set on the property and cross into town to get Jinx. If he wanders too far past the creek, though, she could nab him.”

  Hannah rubbed her cheek and nodded. “You’re right. He loves the creek so much, though.”

  “He does,” Cooper agreed. “He won’t be away from it for long. Then we’ll be back to normal and he’ll be able to play down there to his heart’s content.”

  Hannah hoped that was true. “So, I guess that means you’re heading down to the creek with me.”

  “Yup.” He extended his hand. “We’re a team, right? That means we need to do this stuff together.”

  Hannah recognized what he wasn’t saying. “I don’t want you throwing yourself in front of magic to protect me if we do find Amelia down there,” she warned. “That’s going to make me really angry if you try it.”

  He smirked. “Right back at you.”

  “It’s not a fair comparison.” Hannah slipped her hand into his and fell into step with him as they hit the rutted trail that led out of town. “I have magic. I’m supposed to be the one putting myself in danger.”

  “I don’t happen to agree.”

  “That’s only because you’re a dude and dudes think they should do all the saving. History — and movies and television for that matter — have taught you that it’s important for you to be an alpha.”

  His lips quirked, but he managed to maintain a straight face. “I see. What movies do you think I’ve been watching?”

  “I’ve seen your movie collection. It’s all toxic stuff from the action hero genre.”

  “You’re going to have to be more specific.”

  “Die Hard.”

  “That is a classic. And, it’s not an action movie. It’s a Christmas movie.”

  She snorted, genuinely amused. “How is that a Christmas movie?”

  “Everybody knows that’s a Christmas movie.”

  She was quiet a beat. “Does that mean we’re going to watch it during the run-up to Christmas? I’m not going to lie. I’m a sap for Christmas movies.”

  “I am, too. We’ll definitely watch Die Hard.”

  She considered it for a moment and then shrugged. “Okay, but I’m going to want to watch A Christmas Story and Elf, too.”

  “Both classics. What other action movies do you think have warped my brain?”

  He was trying to distract her during the walk to the creek, Hannah realized. It was a sweet attempt, but nothing could completely eradicate the worry coursing through her. Still, she opted to play the game for his benefit. “Rambo.”

  “I’m not a fan of Rambo movies.”

  “You don’t like Sylvester Stallone? I would’ve thought he was a favorite.”

  “I like him ... in Rocky movies. Oh, and I’m a big fan of that movie he did with Kurt Russell where they were falsely accused cops and went to jail. I love that movie.”

  Hannah smirked. She liked talking about movies with him because it gave her insight into his busy brain. “Predator,” she said. “That’s stuffed to the gills with toxic masculinity.”

  Cooper cocked his head. “I guess I can see that. I still like it.”

  “I actually like it, too. That doesn’t mean it hasn’t informed your need to stand as my shield.”

  “I want to stand as your shield because I love you, not because movies taught me it’s the thing to do.” He was matter-of-fact. “If I can sacrifice myself to keep you safe, I’m going to do it. That’s not toxic masculinity. It’s adoration.”

  She went warm all over, which was a very female reaction. She couldn’t help herself, though. “I happen to adore you, too. I don’t want anything to happen to you either. I would prefer it if we worked together and didn’t throw ourselves on top of grenades as a form of protection unless it’s absolutely necessary.”

  “I don’t have a problem with that.” He flashed her a smile. “I happen to think we make the best team.”

  She let out a breath, relieved he didn’t want to argue the point with her. “I think we’re a great team, too.”

  “Even though you willingly put yourself in harm’s way to protect Boone without considering how I might feel about it,” he added.

  Her smile faded. “I should’ve known you wouldn’t simply forget that.”

  “Nothing in this world will make me forget how I felt watching you jump out of a moving truck and racing away from me.”

  Hannah made a protesting sound. “I had to save him. I knew I had limited time.”

  “Ah. So you threw yourself on a potential grenade to protect Boone.”

  “Oh, whatever.” Hannah was morose. “I couldn’t stop myself. It wasn’t something I gave a lot of thought to.”

  “And that right there is the problem,” Cooper acknowledged. “This situation is ... fraught.”

  “Fraught?”

  “I can’t think of a better word.” He wouldn’t allow her to derail the conversation with a vocabulary discussion and his expression told her exactly that. “Losing the thing I love most in this world isn’t an option, Hannah, so we need to work together.”

  She studied his profile for a long time and then nodded. “I feel the same way. The thing with Boone was just ... weird. I couldn’t ignore the dream. Even if I’d taken a moment to think I don’t believe I would’ve changed anything that happened.”

  “I know.” He squeezed her hand as they crested the final hill that overlooked the creek. “You’re strong and brave. That’s who you are, and I don’t want to change you. I simply want you to be who you are without getting hurt.”

  “That would be nice, huh? I ... .” Hannah trailed off when she got a gander at the scene at the creek, her stomach clenching when she registered that two individuals seemed to be staring each other down from opposite sides of the water.

  “Well, great,” Cooper huffed out, shaking his head. He’d obviously realized it wasn’t going to be a quiet visit at the same time she’d come to the same conclusion. “This doesn’t look good.”

  Hannah squared her shoulders as she regarded Bettina and Astra. Neither of them looked away from the other to greet the newcomers. “I hope this doesn’t turn into some sort of magical battle.”

  “I wouldn’t worry about that.” Cooper gripped her hand tighter as they began their descent. “Astra isn’t stupid. She realizes Bettina is stronger.”

  Since Astra was Cooper’s ex-girlfriend, as well as being a dark witch who had caused more trouble than Hannah could even begin to list, she had a few choice thoughts where the white-haired witch was concerned. Now, however, wasn’t the time to express them.

  In the two minutes it took Hannah and Cooper to join the fray, the two witches didn’t make a single move. They merely stared one another down, glaring, and remained absolutely silent.

  “Well, this is a happy meeting of the minds first thing in the morning,” Cooper drawled, drawing Astra’s attention. “It’s nice to find you up and active so early in the morning.”

  Astra’s eye roll was pronounced. “It’s after ten o’clock. Since when is that the crack of dawn?”

  Cooper hesitated. He’d forgotten that it was later than his internal body clock would normally register because they’d slept in. “We had a late night.”

  “Oh?” Astra was haughty as she flicked her eyes to Hannah. “As much as I would love to hear about whatever vanilla romance games the two of you played last night, I’m here for another reason.” She gestured toward the creek. “I can’t cross.”

  Hannah’s eyebrows migrated toward her hairline. “That’s hardly a new development.”

  “No, but we’re on the same side now. I assumed that meant we were hunky-dory in the friendship department.”

  Hannah practically choked on her snort. “Yeah, we’re not friends.”

  “And I don’t know that it’s fair to say we’re on the same side,” Cooper added. “I hate to break it to you, but just because we all view Amelia
as an enemy, that doesn’t mean we’re willing to trust you. Quite frankly, it would be just like you to make a move on us when we’re distracted with a powerful adversary. You know, take advantage of the situation for your own benefit and to hell with everybody else. That’s your style.”

  “Oh, don’t be a crybaby,” Astra drawled. “I have no intention of moving on you. That would suggest you have something going that I care about ... when you don’t.”

  “She’s lying,” Bettina drawled, speaking for the first time. She almost looked bored by the conversation. “She’s desperate to tap into the nexus beneath us before we close it forever.”

  Astra’s expression remained neutral, but Hannah didn’t miss the way the other witch stiffened at the words. “You can’t close a nexus. You can only seal it, and that doesn’t stop someone else from opening it again.”

  “And who told you that?” Bettina queried.

  “Um ... common sense.”

  “Well, if you believe it, then I guess it must be true.” Bettina shook her head and moved a few feet away, her gaze drifting to the water. “The land doesn’t look the same as when I was here as a child. Inherently I know this is where my mother died and yet it’s hard for me to grasp because my memories and the landscape don’t line up.”

  Hannah debated how to respond. “Do you miss your mother?” she asked finally.

  Bettina shrugged. “It’s been a long time since my emotions were something I had to grapple with. My mother has been gone for much longer than I knew her.”

  “That doesn’t really answer my question,” Hannah pointed out.

  “And I’m not sure I have an answer to your question.” Bettina was bland. “I know that I loved my mother when I was a child. I understand what the word ‘love’ means. And yet I no longer feel as I once did.”