Serendipity (Bayou Magic 3)

“Yes, this is exactly as it should be.” He turns from them and whistles for a moment as he lays his freshly cleaned tools on the brand-new workbench. “It was fun to play through the mirrors, but this is so much more efficient. Especially given how much you’ve disappointed me lately.”

He turns and frowns at the girls.

“Don’t worry. You’ll receive your punishments. Then, all will be well. Millie.” He turns with a bright smile. “Let’s have a little fun, shall we?”

Chapter Eighteen

Jackson

“We’re fighting an evil spirit, not vampires,” Daphne says to Millie, who’s currently coating bread with butter and garlic to go into the oven. “That’s a lot of garlic, Mill.”

“And it’s good for you,” Millie replies, adds just a touch more garlic out of principle, and then slides the pan into the oven. “Besides, it wards off evil, and it’s hard to use in spells, so I’m feeding it to you.”

“Oh, good. Give me extra garlic.” I wink at Millie as I carry the dishes and silverware into the dining room so I can set the table for dinner. I didn’t grow up with a big family, but I always had a lot of people around when I was in the Army, so prepping for big meals hasn’t been that big of an adjustment.

Brielle follows me with napkins.

“Cash is on his way here from the station,” she says. “He got called in this morning, even though his boss gave him the okay to take a couple of weeks of personal time. He wouldn’t tell me what was so important, and I know we’re not supposed to go anywhere alone, but it’s been so quiet for a few days.”

“I don’t trust it,” Daphne says as she joins us, carrying a steaming pot of pasta. “It’s been too quiet. How do we go from constant onslaught of awful to just nothing?”

“Maybe he’s playing with us again,” Millie suggests and smiles at Lucien, who joins us, as well. He’s been in his home office all day. “Anything?”

“No.”

We have close to a hundred witches planning to come to New Orleans to help us during the eclipse in just a few days.

In the meantime, he’s spent many hours on video calls with many other highly experienced witches, trying to come up with the best plan for the eclipse.

He looks damn tired, and I feel guilty. He’s already fought his fight. This one is on Daphne and me. I feel like I should be doing more.

“Where are the others?” Daphne asks as she looks around the table. “Is it just the six of us for dinner tonight?”

“Mama, Miss Sophia, Oliver, and Miss Annabelle had dinner in the garden earlier,” Millie says. “And they went for a long walk. Said they needed to get out for a bit.”

“Cash said to get started eating without him,” Brielle says as she dishes up her plate with spaghetti and bread. “He’s in traffic. He’ll eat when he gets here.”

“It’ll be hot for him,” Millie says as we settle in to eat dinner.

“I don’t trust how quiet it’s been,” I say, at last, breaking the silence and picking up the conversation from earlier. “It’s been three days with nothing. We’re going to work, living our lives, and it’s as if everything is just normal.”

“And you’re complaining?” Brielle asks. “I say enjoy the break while we have it because I’m pretty sure when he decides to start in again, it won’t be simple. And it won’t be easy.”

“I don’t like it, either,” Millie says. “I keep looking over my shoulder, jumping at the littlest things. I’m waiting for the other shoe to drop.”

“It’s another mind game,” Lucien says. “And that’s what he’s been doing this whole time, right? Playing with our heads? Well, this time, after he scared the hell out of everyone, he stops and lets us get comfortable and confident again before starting back in for another round.”

“I know I say this a lot,” I chime in, “but he’s a sick son of a bitch.”

“Well, yeah,” Millie says. “Of course, he is. I guess there’s nothing we can do. Just go about our business unless something happens.”

The frustration is powerful. And constant. I hate that Daphne is always afraid. That she questions herself. I want this over for her.

For all of us.

“I know it’s a lot of garlic,” Brielle says as she takes a bite of bread, “but man, it’s good.”

Headlights cast a glow through the room, and Brielle grins.

“Cash is home.”

“Is it dark out already?” Daphne says with a frown. “And the others are still out walking?”

“They’re fine,” I assure her. “Four witches together, especially those four, is formidable.”

“You’re right.”

Our heads come up when Cash walks into the dining room, his computer gripped under one arm.

His expression looks grim.

His eyes search for Brielle and then soften when he finds her.