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“You’re in luck. She’s here.”
Pulling up next to her friend’s car, Anabel parked and got out. As she headed toward the yoga-studio door, she glanced at Tyler’s strikingly handsome form, floating a few feet off the ground. “Remember, Juliet won’t be able to see you.”
“You never know,” he said agreeably. “She might have a few secrets from you, the same way you keep things from her.”
Resisting the urge to grumble under her breath, she inhaled deeply and opened the door. The set of tiny bells chirped and chimed their usual muted happy sound. The air smelled like spearmint and rosemary. This never failed to make Anabel smile.
At the sound, Juliet glided from the back room, her unlined face serene. “Anabel!” Moving forward, she hugged Anabel and kissed her cheek. “Class was over an hour ago.”
“I know. We came because...” Crap. Not only had she said we, as in plural, but she really didn’t have a good reason for being there.
“We?” Juliet’s perfectly arched eyebrows rose. She peered behind Anabel. “Is someone else with you?”
“No. Sorry.” Ignoring Tyler, who now hovered over Anabel with a look of intense concentration on his face, she swallowed.
“What’s wrong?” Juliet placed a soothing hand on Anabel’s shoulder. “Something is troubling you. I can sense it.”
“Aha!” Tyler crowed. “See? She has powers. I knew it.”
Anabel could have sworn Juliet glanced at Tyler, though she didn’t acknowledge his presence. Of course she didn’t. She wasn’t crazy, like Anabel.
Doing her best to ignore Tyler’s outburst, Anabel nodded. “Do you have a moment to talk?”
“Of course.” Turning, Juliet pushed through the row of beads making a curtain in the doorway and led the way back to her office.
Once inside, Anabel took the second chair, since Tyler had materialized in the first one.
“Now tell me what’s bothering you.” Juliet’s dulcet tones were, as far as Anabel was concerned, one of her best assets.
“Um, okay.” Might as well just blurt it out. “I hope I’m not being offensive, but as a Wiccan, do you happen to practice...magic?”
To Anabel’s relief, Juliet smiled. “We do practice some small, white magic.” She leaned closer. “Anabel, have you come because of your power?”
Stunned, Anabel gaped at her friend and tried to ignore Tyler’s smug smile. “Power?”
“Yes. You have an aura of power surrounding you. More than just your shifter aura. I thought perhaps something had happened to make you realize this, so you’d come to me for help.”
“Power.” Aware she was repeating the word yet again, Anabel shook her head. “You do realize my life is already strange enough, don’t you?”
Smile widening, Juliet leaned over and patted her arm. “No rush. When the time is right and you have questions, please come to me. I’m not an expert by any means, but I can enlist the help of my coven to teach you. It’s far better to use such power for light rather than dark.”
Despite herself, Anabel shivered. “Dark magic.” Her throat felt dry. “You’re telling me that such a thing is real?”
“Unfortunately, very real.” And then, while Anabel was trying to digest all this, she swore her friend cut her eyes and looked right at Tyler. As if she too could see him.
“I think she can see me,” Tyler said, confirming her thought.
“I can,” Juliet admitted, making Anabel gasp. “And hear you too. However, I only see a blaze of energy, not a physical body. Is that what you see, Anabel?”
“No.” Still in shock, Anabel looked from Juliet to Tyler and back again. “I see him like he must have looked when he was alive.”
Tyler flashed a cocky grin. “Of course you do,” he said. “You have way more power than she does.”
“I need to go home.” Anabel stood, suppressing a flash of panic. “I need to go home right now.”
Knowing her friend would understand, Anabel rushed outside and got into her car. She managed to get the key in the ignition, start the engine and put the car in Drive before she realized Tyler wasn’t there.
Fine. He was a ghost. He’d show up eventually. Right now she needed to be alone.
* * *
Tyler remained seated, though with every fiber of his being he wanted to rush after Anabel. Instead he studied Anabel’s friend, taking comfort in the aura of peace and tranquility radiating from her.
“Why are you here?” Juliet asked, apparently having no issues with conversing with a ghost. “Many others have tried to contact her and she’s sent every single entity away. What’s different about you?”
“I don’t know. Maybe it’s because I really need Anabel’s help,” he answered. “I was drawn to her, by her power.”
“A lot of spirits are. I get the odd few myself, every now and then, but not nearly as many as she.” She leaned forward, her faded blue eyes twinkling. “She thinks I don’t know.”
“Why?” he asked. “What is it about her? Is she a witch? How is it possible she isn’t aware of her power?”
“Anabel is descended from a long line of powerful witches. Unfortunately, her mother died when she was young. There was no one else to teach her. My coven and I have been waiting for the right time.” Cocking her head, she studied him. “It would appear your arrival has signaled that the time has come.”
“Why wouldn’t you have taught her before now? It seems to me she could have used an advantage.”
The other woman shook her head. “Anabel has been very unsettled since losing her husband. There were instances when she might have chosen to use her power for bad rather than good.”
“How do you know all this?”
“I’ve been tasked with helping guide her. My coven has long been aware of her and her family, and we watch to make certain she continues to walk within the light.” Juliet looked pensive. “Of course, she’s given me a few scares a couple of times. Like when she almost caused that poor girl, Lilly McGraw, to get recaptured by that cult. You might know the McGraws, if you’re from around here. They own and operate Wolf Hollow Motor Court Resort.”
“I know the McGraws, but I don’t know Lilly.”
Juliet nodded. “Lilly was here with Kane McGraw. She’d been held captive by some crazy cult, and they were hunting her down even after she was freed,” she continued. “For whatever reason, Anabel helped this cult. Maybe out of jealousy, as she apparently once had a thing for Kane.”
“Helped them?” Tyler wasn’t sure he understood. “Anabel helped cult members locate Lilly?”
“Yes. She led Lilly into a trap. Both Lilly and Anabel almost lost their lives with that one.”
“Why? Why would she do such a thing?”
“She was confused.” Juliet sighed. “And hurting. After David died, Anabel became convinced that Kane McGraw was her mate. She wrote him letters. He never responded. When Anabel learned Kane and Lilly were true mates, she went a little...crazy.”
Now everything fell into place. “That explains the way everyone at the—” about to say police station, he caught himself “—in town treated her. Like she was dirt.”
Expression sad, Juliet nodded. “Folks have long memories around here.”
He shook his head. “I’m sure she had her reasons. Anabel’s energy shows she’s a good person. Did she say why?”
“Maybe if you ask her, she’ll tell you,” Juliet said gently. “It’s her story to share or not. Meanwhile, I’d like to know what you need someone with power for.”
Eyeing her, he made a split-second decision and decided to trust her. “A powerful warlock has taken my sister—and maybe a couple of others—captive. I need power to locate them.”
“And fight him,” she finished. “I see. I’m not sure Anabel is your best bet. She’s powerful but completely untrained.”
“What about you?” he asked.
But the older woman had already begun shaking her head. “I am not nearly powerful enough. In fact, Anabel is the most powerful witch I’ve ever known. It’s in her blood.”
“Then I have no choice,” he said. “Maybe you can train her, if you can do it quickly. There’s not a lot of time. My sister’s life is in danger.”
She blinked up at him. “You’re a ghost. You should be able to find your sister.”
“Yes, that would be true. If a powerful warlock wasn’t shielding himself and her.”
“Oh.” Juliet still sounded stunned. Shell-shocked, even. “Do you know who this warlock is?”
“No.” Tyler glided toward the doorway. “Thank you for visiting with me,” he said.
“You’re welcome.” Her wide smile attested to the truth of her words. “If there’s anything I can do to help you and Anabel, let me know.”
“I will.” And he winked out, reappearing in Anabel’s living room. She hadn’t arrived home yet, which was probably a good thing. She’d seemed pretty freaked out, and the last thing he needed was for her to make a panic-fueled decision to try to send him away again.
Her cat hissed and puffed up his fur immediately upon seeing Tyler. The long-haired black beast had been enjoying a sunny spot on the carpet near the front window. As cats went, this one was large and appeared powerful.
“It’s okay, cat,” Tyler said, lowering his voice and trying to sound friendly. “I’m not here to do any harm.”
Apparently, the feline believed him, as he settled back down, turning his head and pretending to ignore Tyler while grooming his fur and stretching, all at the same time.
Tyler guessed this was a good thing. He’d never had much to do with cats, like most shifters. The two species—wolf and feline—were natural enemies. Tyler supposed it was a measure of Anabel’s uniqueness—or maybe her power—that she had a cat as a pet.
The sound of a car pulling into the driveway heralded Anabel’s arrival. She slammed into the house, looking around wildly until she saw him.
“You are trouble. Nothing but trouble,” she cried. “My life was already messed up before you arrived, but you’re making it even worse.”
He grimaced. “I’m sorry. I have no choice.”
“How?” she demanded. “How do you even know your sister’s in danger? You’re dead. How the heck would she be able to contact you?”
“Her energy reached out to me. She asked me to save her from him. She’s pretty desperate. Who wouldn’t be, in her situation?”
“I want no part of it. I’m done.” Straightening, she waved her hand, giving him a flat, cold stare. “I want you to leave.”
Though he knew she couldn’t see it, her power flared, radiating from the edges of her fingertips as she pointed at him.
This time, he had no choice but to do as she commanded. As the compulsion filled him, he felt himself being pulled away, as if a giant vortex had opened to suck him right back out of this world.
“Wait,” he shouted, desperation fueling his words. “You can’t let my sister die. This is your chance to atone for what you did to that Lilly girl.”
Instantly, the energy sending him away faltered and then dissipated. Relieved, he wiped his hands down the front of his pants.
Anabel sighed, looking down before meeting his gaze. “Juliet told you about that?”
Glad now that he’d stayed and talked to the other woman, Tyler nodded. “She did.” Impulsively, he moved forward and put his hand on her shoulder. Of course, she couldn’t feel his ghostly touch—heck, he could see through his own fingers—but the gesture made him feel better. “My sister is only twenty-five years old. She doesn’t deserve to suffer like this.”
After a moment, she nodded. “I’ll try my best. I can promise you that. As to this mysterious power I supposedly have, I don’t know what to tell you about that.”
He took a deep breath, deciding to bulldoze ahead since he really had no choice. “Juliet said she could train you.”
Her beautiful bronze eyes narrowed. “Oh, she did, did she?”
Might as well tell her the rest of it. “She told me you’re descended from a long line of powerful witches. Your mother died before she could train you.”
“Or even tell me.” Moving away from him, she sighed. “My mom was killed in a fire when I was three. My dad got me out and went back for her. He died too.”
“I’m sorry.” He considered and then decided, why not? “If you’d like, when this is over, I can try to find their spirits too.”
“We’ll see.” Spinning around, sending her gauzy black skirt flaring out around her like a flamenco dancer’s, she headed into the kitchen. “I’m starving. It’s long past the time I normally eat lunch. I hope you don’t mind if I eat.”
“Why would I mind?” he asked, genuinely curious.
“I guess I assumed eating was something you missed,” she said, flashing a tentative smile. The power of that smile almost brought him to his knees.
Stunned, chest tight, he wondered if all the men in Leaning Tree were blind. Anabel was the most beautiful woman he’d ever met. And eighteen months of being a widow was long enough for every red-blooded man to make a move. How was it that they weren’t beating a path to her door? That was something he’d never understand.
If he’d been alive... As soon as he had the thought, he pushed it away. He wasn’t alive, hadn’t been for a long time. No point in tormenting himself with what-might-have-beens.
Oblivious, she’d turned away and had already started sautéing something in a cast-iron skillet. Curious, he moved closer, frowning slightly when he realized the thing was full of vegetables.
“Where’s the meat?” he asked. “That’s the one thing I do miss. As a carnivore, I liked a nice rare steak.”
“Eww.” She actually shuddered. “I’m a vegetarian.” Then she watched him, apparently waiting for him to react to her joke.
Laughing, he obliged her. “Good one.”
She shook her head, turning back to the skillet. “I’m serious. When I need protein, I turn to other sources like beans, nuts, soy and grains.”
Horrified, he eyed her. “It’s a wonder you’re not sick. Shifters need meat. End of story.”
“Really? You’re entitled to your opinion, but I haven’t had meat in over a year. And I’ve never felt better.”
Her black cat leaped up onto the counter, eyeing the sizzling food. Anabel shooed him off. “Get down, Leroy.”
Immediately, the feline obeyed, twining around her ankles and mewing.
“He’s hungry,” she said. “Just a minute, baby.”
Eyeing the cat, Tyler shook his head. “Please tell me he’s not a vegetarian too.”
