Frog Hollow (Witches of Sanctuary Book 1) Read online

  “I want to try!”

  I open my mouth to answer, but the older girl in the blue dress appears by her side and pulls her backward. “Stop it, Lizzy,” the girl says. “We don’t talk to strangers.”

  The small girl, Lizzy, lets out a disappointed sigh.

  “I am not a stranger,” I say quickly. “I’m a neighbor. I live here in Frog Hollow, just over that hill.”

  The girl stops walking, but she still holds tight to her sister. “I’ve never seen you here before.”

  “We saw them earlier, Tessie,” Lizzy says, trying to pull away from her sister. “She was crying, remember?”

  The girl ignores her younger sister, keeping a watchful eye on me, but I notice she continues to glance at Julien to my left. “Have you seen him before?”

  She nods, but Lizzy answers for her. “He cries too.”

  I look to Julien, and he steps forward. “I always knew I wasn’t alone.”

  “Why do you cry?” Lizzy asks, but Tessie only pulls her arm again, signaling for her to keep quiet.

  “It’s okay.” Julien holds up his hands, assuring them both it’s safe. He passes by me with only a glance. He stops in front of the girls, and I can tell by Tessie’s stance that she is ready to run again. Julien kneels before them and looks Lizzy in the eyes.

  “I cry because I miss my mother.” His face is tight and solemn. “I come here when I need her advice and to remind myself that the biggest part of me is still human.”

  She ignores Tessie tugging on her arm. “How come you’ve never waved before?”

  “I couldn’t see you before now.” He turns around and points in my direction. “You see, my girlfriend performed a trick earlier that lets us see you.”

  Lizzy’s eyes widen, obviously remembering the dancing rocks. She leans around Julien to look at me and blushes. “She’s his girlfriend.”

  I give Julien an exasperated scowl, but he winks at me before turning back to Lizzy. “She is looking for someone, and we were hoping you could tell us if you’ve seen her. Do you know anyone else like you?”

  Lizzy glances toward the weeping soldier who is now crying out the name of his lost love. “No,” Tessie says, answering for her. “It’s only us, and him.”

  I didn’t realize how much hope I was building up until it broke. Julien doesn’t dare let his disappointment show, because Lizzy is staring intently at him. “Will you always be able to see me?”

  Julien sighs. “I’m sorry, sweetheart, but Wilhelmina’s magic will only last for so long.”

  “Oh.” She frowns.

  “But you can always join me when I visit. I may not be able to see you, but I’ll know you’re there. Okay?”

  Lizzy smiles as Tessie reaches for her hand. “It’s time to go.”

  Julien gives the little girl a friendly wave. “I’ll be back.”

  “Bring your girlfriend too. I like her.”

  The girls disappear through the trees with a round of giggles.

  Julien frowns as he walks back toward me. “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have gotten your hopes up.”

  “It’s fine.” He pulls me into a hug anyway. “There are other places we can look for her.”

  His arms feel nice around me, holding me firm against him. “I thought the spell was permanent,” I say, remembering how he mentioned visiting Priscilla on various occasions.

  “A permanent spell would require a lot more blood than I’d be willing to let you give.” He squeezes me tightly. “Which reminds me, we need to clean you up.”

  I agree without hesitation. It has been a long day, and the past couple hours have been emotionally draining. We walk back to my house in relative silence. He pauses at the front door. I try desperately not to look at him. Then he touches my elbow, and I look up.

  He grins. “May I?”

  I frown at him. Something is different between us now that I’ve seen a hint of the other person he can be. It’s fear.

  His grin widens. “Just me.” He holds up his hand in a salute. “Scout’s honor.”

  I roll my eyes and throw him my keys. “You were never a scout. And they don’t salute.”

  He shrugs because he knows he’s won.

  Once inside, we go straight to the kitchen. I hop up on the counter next to the sink, leaning over to let him wash the blood from my hands. He examines the healing wounds again and sighs, running his fingers over the healing scar.

  “I’m not proficient at my craft yet.” I turn my hand over. “Someone more skilled, like Sera, wouldn’t have left any evidence.”

  He doesn’t say anything. The lines on his forehead become more pronounced. I don’t know what to say, so I nudge him. “Was it good for you?” I try to sound playful.

  His head shoots up. “What?”

  “Was it good for you?” I repeat, gesturing at the cut on my hand. “Did you enjoy it?”

  “I hurt you.” He’s angry now. “I would never enjoy that.”

  I smile bigger. “I meant did the other side of you enjoy it?”

  His brow furrows at that.

  “I’m curious. It looked as if you were having difficulty with him after you cut me. I’m still trying to figure out how this all works.”

  “It was different,” he says stiffly. “Scary.”

  “Scary?”

  “I could have enjoyed it—causing you pain.”

  “I don’t particularly like your alter ego.”

  His beautiful, piercing eyes are sad but thoughtful. “Neither do I.”

  “He’s kind of an asshole.”

  Now he laughs. “Trust me, he can be worse.”

  “Will that happen every time you—” I pause, uncomfortable.

  “Every time I try to be intimate with someone?” He laughs but touches my knee gently. “No. I told you, I’m still in complete control. You saw that part of me tonight because I allowed it.”

  I sit there a moment trying to make myself understand. “So if I lost my mind and kissed you, then—”

  His eyes widen, but he quickly recovers. “I’d still be just me.”

  I jump down from the counter. “Good to know.”

  He snorts. “Good to know?”

  I shrug. “Yeah, you know—for future reference.”

  “In case you lose your mind.”

  “Exactly.”

  He sticks his hands in the pockets of jeans. He seems to do that when he’s uncomfortable or nervous. “I guess that means I should go?” He bites his lip, knowing I’m aware he is actually asking permission to stay.

  “You should go.” I say it more to myself than him. “That is the right thing to do. I should tell you to go home.”

  “Is that what you want?”

  I laugh. It sounds foreign. “What I want? My life has never been about what I wanted.”

  “It should be,” he says. “You deserve your own happiness. Being responsible and fulfilling your obligations can make you a reliable person, but it won’t necessarily make you happy.”

  I eye him teasingly. “Let me guess—allowing you to stay will?”

  “Naturally.” He eases closer. “But that isn’t my point. I’m not talking about right now. I’m talking about tomorrow.” He runs his fingers casually along my wrist. “I want to spend time with you. However, I don’t want to sneak around behind your family’s back. I don’t want to be another complication in your life. I want to be part of the solution.”

  “They don’t trust you.”

  “They’ve never tried to trust me.” His voice is deep, huskier than before. “Not from the moment I stepped foot in this town. They didn’t bother to even give me a chance. That is all I’m asking for, a chance to prove them wrong about me.”

  My resistance dwindles. He reminds me too much of myself, the loneliness too prominent in his features.

  “They would want me to tell you to go,” I say, looking at the floor.

  “Good thing I only care about what you want, then.” He’s in front of me now, his hand blocking me
against the counter. “Tell me what you want me to do.”

  My eyes close in frustration. I grit my teeth to keep myself from spouting out my natural response.

  “I already know the answer, Wilhelmina.” His breath is on my cheek. My neck. Did the tip of his fingers just touch my hip? “I just need you to say it.”

  I bite my lip, because the words are right at the tip of my tongue. His lips brush my skin. “Tell me.”

  All rationality and responsibility escape me once his lips touch my skin a second time. In that moment, I can’t even recall the sound of Reid’s voice, let alone his words. I’m a teenager again, thriving on dreams of what can be. It is so easy to give in, too easy to let the dreams blind me. “Stay.”

  He wraps his arms around me, picking me up off the floor. “That’s all I needed to hear.” He leans in, but I stop him short.

  He looks at me, surprised when I wriggle free of his hold. “I said you could stay,” I say, backing up.

  “I know.”

  Disappointment. I had no idea disappoint could be sexy.

  I walk into the living room, pick up the remote from the back of the couch, and flip on the television. I look back at him intently.

  “Ah,” he laughs. “That kind of stay.”

  I twirl the remote suggestively around in my palm. “Still interested?”

  He rolls his eyes as he walks by me and plops down on the couch. He looks back over his shoulder at me, his grin brighter than ever. “Of course.”

  I return his smile as I join him, considering maybe Julien Cote isn’t as bad as everyone thinks. At least not this version of him, anyway.

  Chapter 11

  THE TRAGIC TRUTH

  The sun is especially bright through the window the next morning, so much so that no alarm clock is needed. I rub my eyes sleepily, peeking over the edge of the bed to watch Romeo yawn from atop his pillow on the floor. My mind moves slowly, and I don’t realize the lump I roll into is Julien until I hear him groan and shift under the covers next to me. He faces me on the pillow, our noses touching. “Hi.” He smirks. “Did you forget I was here?”

  I hum, trying to clear the foggy memories of the previous night, because I had, in fact, forgotten I wasn’t alone. I remember walking to the graveyard, visiting my mother’s gravestone, casting a spell, but the rest of the night is a blur in my sleepy state. I feel my skin warm at the thought of waking up in bed with Julien and quickly do an assessment to make sure I am still wearing my clothes.

  Score one for panties.

  He snorts next to me. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  “What?”

  “I spent the night in your bed,” he says, laughing. “In the most literal interpretation.”

  “I fell asleep, didn’t I?”

  “Halfway through the second movie. I carried you up here, but I didn’t want to leave and not say goodbye. Sorry.”

  “S’okay.” I yawn and inadvertently snuggle against him. “This is nice too.”

  “It is,” he agrees, scooting closer. I attempt lay my cheek on his shoulder when a loud noise erupts from downstairs. I shoot straight up in the bed, twirling around in the covers in search of a place to hide, though from what hasn’t even entered my mind. Julien is quickly at my side, pulling me back against his chest. “Calm down. It’s just your friend.”

  “My friend?” I question as he slides off the edge of the bed and shuts the door to my bedroom.

  He isn’t wearing a shirt. Jeans, unfortunately, yes. But no shirt.

  I involuntarily check for my panties a second time.

  “It’s Sadie,” he says quietly. “I heard her come in a little while ago, but I was too comfy to actually care.”

  My mouth falls open. “Sadie is downstairs?”

  He nods. “I heard her cursing all the way of up here. I guess she noticed my car in the driveway.”

  I slap my hands over my eyes, falling back onto the bed. “Great.” I groan at the ceiling. “Family or not, I’m taking back their keys.”

  Julien tugs on the end of my toes. I lean up to find him dragging me down the bed. “We could just sneak out the window,” he says, smiling wryly at me, “and run away together.”

  I try to unravel the sheet from around me as I sit up on the edge of the bed. “Tempting.” I share his grin. “But I’m pretty sure they’d hunt us down out of spite.”

  He purses his lips. “So facing the consequences of our actions like adults it is, then?” He pulls on his shirt. “This would be so much easier if I didn’t look like I was ready for the walk of shame.”

  I laugh, combing a hand through my wild hair. “Touché.”

  After tidying ourselves up the best we can manage, we very quietly walk downstairs together. I peek around the corner, making sure Julien’s assessment is correct, because if he is wrong and Reid is waiting for me, I’m opting for the window.

  Luckily, I find Sadie sitting at the table with her arms crossed. She scowls at me and stands. “Where is he? Is he too scared to look me in the face?”

  Julien steps out from behind me in all his unkempt glory. “No,” he says casually, running his fingers down my arm. “I’m right here. Good morning to you too, by the way.”

  Sadie completely ignores him and continues to stare at me. “So you’ve made your choice?”

  “Between what?” Julien is at my side again with his arm around my shoulder, making the choice she was referring to obvious.

  She gives Julien a loathsome look before stalking over to me. “I took up for you at the festival, but coming to Frog Hollow? Spending the night?” She grabs my chin, jerking my head from side to side and then checking me as if she might find a knife in my back. “You’re pushing your luck.” She makes a disgruntled snort when she comes up empty.

  “Satisfied?” Julien asks beside me. “Or would you like to do an entire strip search?”

  Sadie turns her head only slightly and speaks in the same agitated voice. “I’ll just take your word for it.”

  “That would be a first.”

  Sadie continues to glare at him. “You can leave,” she says, “at any time.”

  “Don’t be rude.”

  She pays me no attention. Instead, Julien turns to me, cupping his hand around my cheek. “It’s fine. I’m going to leave you ladies to chat, but I will see you later, okay?”

  “Sure.” I watch as his eyes do that weird dancing thing again. The blue pigments seem to lighten at my words and swirl happily. I start to comment about it, but I’m distracted by his undeniable smile.

  “Good.” He kisses my cheek. “See you soon.”

  He turns to Sadie and gives a half wave. “Well, I would say it’s been a pleasure seeing you again, but that would be a lie.”

  She grimaces, her hand resting on her hip as if his goodbye is taking too long. Julien takes the hint, squeezes my hand, and vanishes through the living room and out the front door. As soon as it clicks shut, Sadie lets out her frustration in a long, agonized groan.

  “That boy,” she says, pointing at the door, “is a problem. Albeit, a very good-looking, sweet-talking problem, but a problem nonetheless.”

  “I’m not going to apologize.” My chin reflexively juts out.

  She laughs, smiling for the first time as she approaches me. “Apologize to the girl who dates a Prescott? That won’t be necessary.”

  She places her hand on my shoulder as if she is attempting to comfort me. I stare suspiciously at her hand and then back at her, waiting for the screaming lecture about how I must have lost my mind. However, it doesn’t come. She just continues to stand there, all anger gone now that Julien is absent. “Am I missing something?”

  She squeezes my shoulder. “Did he hurt you?” she asks solemnly.

  I step back, my breath suddenly escaping me in a quick burst. “What?”

  “Did he hurt you?” she asks again, in the same serene voice.

  I begin to stutter, my hands reflexively grabbing the ends of my hair to twist in
to knots. Her eyes shoot to my wrist as I tug a curl around my finger. She leaps forward, snatching my hand from my hair, pulling it down. I know there is no use trying to stop her as she pries back my fingers to reveal the pink mark on my hand. She sighs heavily, closing her eyes.

  “It’s not what you think.”

  “Maybe not this time.” She looks up at me, her face grave. “You didn’t notice the way he touched you? Every time I spoke to you, or even looked at you, he touched you.”

  “So?”

  “He was staking his claim on you, Wilhelmina.”

  “No.” I shake my head. “You’re just overreacting.”

  “I’m not judging you,” she says, holding her wrist out to display a shiny silver bracelet that looks insanely expensive. “Dating a Prescott, remember? Ezekiel staked his claim on me a long time ago.”

  “Then what are you doing, exactly?”

  She sighs, scooting close enough to me to wrap her arm around my shoulder. “I just want you to realize what you’re getting yourself into before you’re too involved to change your mind.”

  Before I can say anything, she is pulling me toward the stairs. “But first, we need to get you dressed. Then I’ll call for backup while you’re in the shower.”

  I pause on the steps, not allowing her to push me any further. “I’m telling you right now, Sadie Lawson, if your so-called backup is Reid Thomas…”

  “It’s not Reid,” she says and stifles a laugh. “Reid is far too biased for this particular mission.”

  “Mission? Okay, you’re taking this too far.”

  She pushes me up the stairs again, and I let her only because I really do need to take a shower. “Maybe I am.” She shoves me through my bedroom door. “But we’ll leave that up to Zeke to decide.”

  “Zeke?”

  “My boyfriend may be one of the Haunted, but he’s also the only unbiased supernatural human I know.”

  I start to open my mouth, but she closes the door in my face. “Take a shower,” she says through the door. “You can whine on the way there.”

  ***

  I’ve never been a fan of unsweetened tea, but I drink mine anyway, because I feel the need to be polite. Apparently, the southern charm is starting to rub off on me. I squeeze lemon into the tea, hoping to somehow mask the flavor. Sadie gives me a wry smile as she sips her tea with such elegance it makes me jealous. I try not to let her silent teasing distract me from Mrs. Prescott, who, with her perfectly placed blonde hair and easy smile, could pass as a former Miss America contestant. She gallantly discusses an upcoming Sanctuary event, a cotillion, which Sadie and I are expected to attend. I silently frown into my tea, because from her explanation, I suspect frilly dresses are involved.