Hedge Witch Diaries Complete Series Boxed Set, page 3
“Argh!” Jim Bob cried, momentarily releasing Charlie from his grip.
Suddenly, Charlie found the strength to deliver a swift blow to Nick Honeycut’s gut. Donnie tried to come to his brother’s aid, but he tripped over his own feet.
I readied my two-by-four as Jim Bob whirled to face me. I took another swing. Jim Bob caught the board in mid-air and threw it aside. “You bitch!” he snarled, his hand flying out in a vicious backhand that connected with my cheek. I released a choked gasp, the force of the blow sending me stumbling backward. My legs buckled beneath me, and I hit the gravel with a sickening thud, pain shooting up my spine.
“Leave her alone, you piece of shit!” Charlie struggled to his feet, hunched over in pain but determined to protect me.
“Or what?” Jim Bob sneered, looming over me like a vulture circling its prey. “You gonna stop me again?”
“Go to hell,” I spat, defiant despite the blood pooling in my mouth from where I’d bitten my tongue. The two-by-four lay discarded next to me, but it felt miles away, too far to help me now.
That was when a blast of violet energy, almost like electricity, struck Jim Bob in the chest. The bastard went flying and struck a tree headfirst. He fell to the ground, unconscious.
I turned to see a figure standing at the edge of the woods, dressed head to toe in black. His hood concealed his face, casting it into a shadow so deep I couldn’t make out any features. The strange magic that blasted Jim Bob away still sparked on his fingertips.
“Who the hell are you?” Charlie demanded, momentarily distracted from his focus on me.
The stranger didn’t answer.
“Are you all right?” the stranger asked, turning toward me, his voice low-pitched, a calming balm in the midst of the chaos. I saw only a hint of his face beneath the shadow of the hood, a pair of intense, piercing eyes that arrested me in their gaze.
“Y-yeah,” I stammered, my breath still ragged from the ordeal. “Thank you.”
The stranger turned to leave.
“Wait!” I called, my voice barely audible above the din of the gathered crowd. I scurried to the edge of the woods, but I was too late. Somehow, in only a second or two, the man had disappeared.
“Who… who was that?” Charlie asked, his voice rough from the fight. He touched his bruised face gingerly, wincing as he prodded an already swelling cut above his eye.
“Damned if I know, but I’m grateful,” I replied, my eyes never leaving the spot where the stranger had disappeared into the woods. “He saved our asses.”
Charlie glanced at Jim Bob, lying sprawled and unconscious on the ground, before turning back to me. “You sure you’re all right, Briar?”
“Yeah,” I whispered, though it felt like a half-truth. Physically, I was fine, but inside I was a whirlwind of emotion. There was something about that stranger…the way he’d appeared as if from nowhere, wielding power unlike anything I’d ever seen.
“We might need to call Jim Bob an ambulance. He hit his head hard.”
Charlie nodded. “I suppose we must. That means the cops won’t be far behind.”
I narrowed my eyes. “Maybe don’t mention that man. He did us a favor. You know how it goes around here. I’d hate to see the police turned loose on him when all he did was show up and help.”
Charlie shook his head. “Too many people saw what happened, Briar. They’ll find out one way or another. Better if it comes from me. Get back inside and clean up. Take your time, as much as you need.”
I drew a deep breath. “I’ll be fine. I’d rather get back to work than stew over those jackasses.”
Charlie smiled and touched my cheek. “You might want to put some ice on that.”
I shrugged. “It doesn’t hurt. Not yet, anyway.”
Charlie’s eyes met mine, but I turned away. “Thanks, Charlie.”
In truth, I wasn’t thinking about Jim Bob and the Honeycuts. I was thinking about the man, the strange magic he wielded, and the look he gave me before he disappeared. Who was he? I had to find out.
CHAPTER THREE
The last patron of the night staggered out of Charlie’s Lakefront Bar and Grill, leaving a trail of spilled beer and slurred apologies in his wake. I sighed, rubbing the sore muscles in my neck as I finished wiping down the bar.
“Great job tonight, Briar,” Charlie pronounced with a swollen smile and a black eye. He ran a hand through his mostly-brown hair, tucking the few stands of gray he always tried to hide behind his ears. “Didn’t know if you’d pull it together, but you sure did. You’re a lifesaver, you know that?”
“Thanks, Charlie, but you were the lifesaver.” I grinned back at him, feeling a familiar warmth blossom in my chest. Charlie Sneed may have been more than a decade my senior, almost forty, but he still had a certain rugged charm about him. Technically, the strange man from the forest was the one who saved me, but Charlie stood up to Jim Bob first. He deserved every bit as much credit as the nameless forest guy.
“Goodnight, sweetheart,” Grace called from the other end of the bar as she counted her tips. Her fiery red hair cascaded around her shoulders like an untamed waterfall. She winked at me, her green eyes twinkling like emeralds. “Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.”
“Which doesn’t leave much,” I teased, sticking my tongue out at her.
“Damn right.” Grace laughed, the sound rich and throaty like a blues singer after one too many cigarettes.
“Night, Grace. Night, Charlie.” I pushed through the door with my keys in my hand. All I wanted was to hit the shower and the sack. At this time of the summer, after the day’s blazing heat struck the lake all day, the air was thick with humidity. I strode across the parking lot toward my rusty old pickup truck.
As I approached the truck, a flicker of movement in the nearby forest caught my eye. The translucent form of a doe emerged from the shadows, her pale eyes locked on mine. I saw the outlines of trees through her ghostly body, proof that she belonged to the world of the dead and not the living.
Not all the animal spirits I saw appeared the same way. Most of them were friendly, appearing in translucent shades of blues, grays, or greens. Once or twice a year, I might encounter a red, yellow, or orange spirit. Those hotter colors tended to be associated with less-than-friendly animal ghosts. Usually reptiles, but not necessarily. One time I encountered a red bunny, and it was pissed. That thing gave me nightmares for a week.
I wasn’t sure if such spirits could hurt me or not. I’d never let any of them get close enough to me to find out. But since I could touch the spirits I saw, I guessed they probably could.
“Hey there,” I whispered. “What are you doing here?”
The spirit doe tilted her head as if considering my question. With a graceful flick of her tail, she turned and walked away, only pausing to glance back at me and make sure I was following.
“All right,” I murmured, closing the door of my truck softly behind me. I was tired, but when the spirits wanted my attention, they usually had a reason. “Let’s see what you’ve got to show me.”
I trailed behind the doe, my white tennis shoes crunching on the gravel as we moved closer to the shoreline. The moonlight shimmered on its surface, casting a mystical glow that illuminated our path. Only a few boats were still out on the water, their red or green lights making it clear which direction they were traveling, and their outboard motors buzzed in the distance. Despite my exhaustion from the long shift at Charlie’s, curiosity and a sense of duty to these spirits fueled me forward.
“Where are you taking me?” I whispered under my breath. The spirit doe glanced back at me, her ethereal eyes meeting mine for a brief moment before she resumed leading me along the lake’s edge.
We reached a steep rocky hill, The darkness and the damp moss covering the stones made ascending treacherous. As I paused, the spirit doe bounded up the hill with ease, disappearing over the crest. I inhaled, steadying myself for the climb.
“All right,” I muttered. “You realize climbing is a lot harder for the living, right?”
I crested the top of the hill and found several other animal spirits waiting patiently for me. Roy, the wolf spirit who had been my frequent companion since I was a child, stood tall and proud, his blue-hued fur glinting in the moonlight. Beside him lounged Smokey, the black bear spirit I’d known as long as Roy. The dark, smoky gray aura I’d nicknamed him after radiated calmness, and he offered me a gentle nod of greeting.
“Hey, guys,” I breathed, my chest heaving from the climb. “What’s going on?”
Roy stepped forward, his ears perked and his eyes locked on mine. He released a low, quiet howl before turning away to face a dense thicket of trees. Smokey followed his lead, and together they walked through the foliage, disappearing from sight.
“All right, all right,” I sighed, wiping the sweat from my brow. Following my spirit companions, I pushed aside branches and ducked under low-hanging limbs, trusting that they were guiding me to something important.
The path led me farther from the cliff’s edge, and as we ventured deeper into the woods, I couldn’t help but feel a sense of unease settling in my chest. Despite this, I trusted Roy and Smokey implicitly. They had never led me astray before.
As we continued along the narrow path, a small clearing emerged. My breath caught in my throat when I saw what awaited us. At the edge of the opening were several objects like the ones I’d seen for the first time earlier in the day. Odd geometric shapes made from lashed-together sticks and twigs dangled from the trees.
“Roy? Smokey?” I asked hesitantly. “What are we doing here?”
The two spirits remained silent, their gazes fixed on the hanging shapes. Reluctantly, I reached out to touch one, my fingers trembling with anticipation. As soon as my skin made contact with the rough texture, I felt the same strange tingle as before shoot up my arm, spreading through my body like a wave of electricity. It was slightly more intense than the first time.
“Damn,” I whispered, snatching my hand back. “What is that?”
Roy released a low whine, his ears flattening against his head. Smokey’s eyes flickered with concern, but he offered no explanation. Frustration bubbled inside me, but I knew it wasn’t fair to take it out on my spirit companions. They were only trying to help.
“All right.” I took a deep breath to steady myself. “Let’s keep going. You wouldn’t have brought me here if it weren’t important.”
With a huff, Roy directed me through the opening in the woods, where several large stones stood in a circle. They towered above me, about twice my height, casting ominous shadows across the forest floor. I hesitated at the entrance to this labyrinth, but Smokey nudged me gently with his snout, urging me forward.
“All right, you guys,” I murmured, allowing them to guide me deeper into the stone circle. “I trust you.”
As we reached the middle of the circle, I spotted the strange man who had helped me before. He was sitting cross-legged by a small fire, his back turned to me. His dark hair hung loose around his shoulders, and I heard him softly chanting strange tones, accompanied by the crackling of the fire as it devoured the twigs beneath it. The scent of roasting vegetables filled the air, making my stomach growl despite the fear and exhaustion weighing on me.
“Um, hello?” I called, approaching the man cautiously. “You might not recognize me, but—”
He stopped chanting immediately, stood, and turned to face me with a knowing smile. He was probably six feet tall, his skin pale but flawless. He still wore all black like when I’d seen him before, but with his hood down, I got a good look at his face. A solid jaw line, a defined brow, and dimples when he smiled at me. “Briar,” he greeted, his voice smooth like dark velvet. “I’m glad you came.”
My heart skipped a beat, and I swallowed hard. How did he know my name? Was it some kind of magic? I glanced down at my shirt and realized that my nametag from Charlie’s was still pinned to the fabric. A sheepish grin spread across my face as I plucked it off and stuffed it into my pocket. So much for mystery and intrigue.
“Right,” I muttered. “Anyway, I wanted to say thank you for helping me earlier. And, well, I guess I owe you an apology too. Charlie had to call an ambulance, and I’m sure the cops probably know a bit about what happened. You should be careful. I didn’t mean to intrude on your…whatever this is.”
I gestured vaguely at the stone circle, feeling foolish.
The man leaned in closer, his dark eyes sparkled with amusement. “There’s no need to apologize, Briar,” he insisted, his tone gentle and reassuring. “I’m not worried about the authorities. You’re exactly where you need to be.”
“Thanks,” I muttered, trying to regain my composure. “So, um, what exactly is this place?”
“Ah, that’s a question with many answers,” he replied cryptically, stoking the fire with a branch. “For now, let’s say it’s a sanctuary.”
I studied him, my curiosity piqued. This man was an enigma, and I couldn’t help but want to unravel his secrets. My spirit companions seemed to trust him, and after what he’d done for me earlier, I was willing to give him a chance.
CHAPTER FOUR
The stone circle sanctuary seemed to hum with power as I stood across from the strange man, my spirit companions watching us closely. Roy, Smokey, and the doe that had led me here were all present, their spectral forms shimmering as they wove between the tall stones. The man didn’t seem to notice them, his gaze fixed squarely on mine.
“Tell me, how did you find me?” He hesitated before adding, “I’m surprised you came to see me, Briar. Most people are frightened after they see what I can do.”
My heart pounded like a wild drumbeat, but I swallowed the instinct to reveal how I’d tracked him down. Instead, I narrowed my eyes. “I’m here to thank you for intervening with Jim Bob. I ain’t scared of you, not even a little.” I paused, realizing how true that was. “Curious as shit, but not frightened.”
The man’s lips quirked into a half-smile, and I couldn’t help but notice how attractive he was, though there was something undeniably strange about him. And it wasn’t only his eerie, almost unnatural good looks. An energy emanating from him. Or maybe it was only my hormones.
“Is that so?” he asked, his dark eyes glinting. “Well, that makes you quite unique, Briar.”
I licked my suddenly dry lips, feeling a flush spread across my cheeks. Hell, why did I have to act like a schoolgirl with a crush around this damn man? Yet something inside me urged me to keep talking, to learn more about who he was and what he could do.
I continued, doing my best to keep my composure. “Like I said, I’m grateful for your help. Jim Bob’s been a thorn in my side for as long as I can remember, and I’ve got no love for him or his hillbilly friends. The Honeycuts aren’t worth the trash they toss out for the collection.”
The man nodded, his expression turning serious. “Those men are more dangerous than you realize,” he commented, his voice low and grave. “They don’t understand what they’re dealing with.”
“Like you?” I asked, curiosity getting the better of me. “Who the hell are you, anyway?”
“Call me Dorian,” he replied, his eyes never leaving mine. The name seemed to echo through the sanctuary, like a whisper carried on the wind.
“Dorian what?” I pressed, feeling my heart race as I awaited his response. There was something undeniably magnetic about this man, yet I couldn’t shake the sense that secrets lurked beneath his calm demeanor.
He shrugged, a rueful smile playing at the corners of his lips. “I don’t remember my last name,” he admitted with genuine frustration in his eyes. It was as if he desperately wanted to share more, but something held him back.
“Okay, Dorian,” I replied, curious about how anyone wouldn’t know their last name. I drew a deep breath, trying not to let my voice waver against the intensity of his gaze. “What’s your deal? Why are you here?”
Dorian sighed, his gaze dropping to the ground briefly before returning to mine. “I apologize for my actions earlier,” he began, raising his hand to touch my bruised cheek gently. A faint glow emanated from his fingertips, and I gasped as the pain seemed to vanish, as if it had never been there. “I couldn’t stand by when I saw what that backwoods redneck did to you.”
“Thank you,” I whispered, reaching up to touch the spot where my bruise had been moments ago. When I pressed on it, there was no lingering pain. “How did you do that?”
“Let’s say that I have certain…abilities,” he explained, his voice hushed as if afraid someone might overhear our conversation.
“Yeah, no shit. You obviously have abilities…”
Dorian shook his head. “Discussing them further could be dangerous for both of us.”
“Who’s gonna hear us?” I asked, glancing around the deserted sanctuary. Roy, Smokey, and the doe watched us from a distance, their spirit forms shimmering in the fading light. Otherwise, we were alone.
“Trust me, Briar,” Dorian murmured. “There are ears everywhere, and some things are better left unsaid.”
I stared at him for a long moment, trying to decide if I should push further or let the subject drop. One thing was for certain. My curiosity about Dorian and his powers had only deepened, and I knew I wouldn’t rest until I uncovered the truth about this enigmatic man who had entered my life.
“All right.” I nodded reluctantly. “I guess I can respect that for now.” I hesitated before introducing myself more formally. “I’m Briar Bloom, by the way. Although, I guess you already knew that from my nametag.”
“Nice to officially meet you, Briar Bloom,” Dorian replied with a small smile.
