Better Than Hex (Spellbound Paranormal Cozy Mystery Book 5) Read online

  “Hey there, Emma. You’re here late.”

  A voice startled me and I whipped around to see Karen Duckworth, the vampire librarian. “Hi.” I took a casual step away from the shelf.

  “I didn’t notice you come in. What a wonderful ceremony yesterday. Did you enjoy it?”

  Did I enjoy watching Mayor Knightsbridge use her fairy wand to remove puke from the ceremonial key in front of a hundred spectators? Um, no.

  “I enjoyed it right up until the end,” I said.

  Karen waved me off. “Nobody cared. It was charming. No one else would have had the nerve to throw up within a mile radius of Mayor Knightsbridge. It’s one of the ways you’re different from everyone else here.”

  I wasn’t convinced that was a plus.

  “Can I help you find anything?” she asked, checking her watch. “We’ll be closing soon, so you may want to choose something.”

  “That’s okay. I’m just browsing,” I said. “There’s still so much to learn. I like to see what catches my eye.”

  “You’re in the right section,” she said. “Lots of drama on these shelves. A lot of it reads like fiction.” She leaned against one of the shelves and smiled. “Thanks for the tip about speed dating, by the way. I’ve been there a couple more times since we went together. It’s fun.”

  “I’m glad,” I said. “Any decent prospects?”

  Her gaze drifted to the floor. “Maybe. I don’t want to speak too soon and jinx it.”

  “I totally understand.” Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Gareth materialize near the cooking section. Somehow, I doubted that was a coincidence. He saw me and gave a triumphant wave.

  “I heard Markos asked you out,” Karen said. “Good catch.”

  My cheeks colored. “I’ve agreed to a friendly outing. It’s not a date.” And if I didn’t get home soon, I’d be late for his arrival.

  She patted me on the back. “I know plenty of women who wouldn’t mind a friendly outing with Markos. Maybe we can double date one of these days, if my guy pans out.”

  “I’d like that.” Gareth gestured impatiently, as though I’d kept him waiting all this time. “I’m so sorry, but I need to go. It was nice catching up.”

  I hurried to the cooking section where Gareth was already admiring the books on the shelf. “Once I can touch things again with more regularity, I’m going to check out this entire row of cookbooks and show you how to make a real meal.”

  “I would think an expert like you wouldn’t need a cookbook,” I teased.

  “I want you to be able to learn the steps,” he said. “I know them by heart. It’s not easy to teach that way. A practical guide is better.”

  “I find it boring to cook for one person,” I said. “It feels like a waste of energy.”

  “You need to eat,” he said. “Food gives you energy.”

  He was right. I hadn’t been very good about taking care of myself. I’d been too distracted by Daniel’s engagement. It was like a punch in the gut every time I thought about it and I promptly lost whatever appetite I’d managed to acquire.

  “Speaking of food,” I said. “I really need to get home. You took longer than I expected and I need to get ready for Markos.”

  “Fine,” Gareth said glumly. “Race you back, shall I?”

  “If your arrival here is any indication, I’ll see you tomorrow.”

  He glared at me before disappearing. I hustled out of the library and drove home to change and freshen up. I was already downstairs and ready to go out again by the time Gareth made it home.

  “Are you nervous for your date?” Gareth asked. “Because you look nervous.”

  I folded my arms. “First of all, it is not a date. I have made that very clear. Second of all, I do not look nervous. I look relaxed. Very, very relaxed.”

  “Then how do you explain that vein bulging from your forehead?” he asked. He pointed to a spot above my eyes.

  “Hey, I felt that.” Although I was happy to celebrate his victories, I wasn't too excited at the prospect of him poking me at will.

  “Every day gets a wee bit better,” he said. “By this time next year, who knows what I’ll be capable of?”

  “I know one fella who is extremely happy about your progress,” I said, glancing down at Magpie. The hideous cat was twisting his body between Gareth’s phantom legs. “Maybe one of these days, he’ll actually feel your legs again.”

  The wind chimes sounded and I jumped.

  Gareth laughed. “Oh no, you're not the least bit nervous. Do yourself a favor and try to have a good time.”

  My heart raced. “You'll be here when I get back, won't you? You're not going to try and materialize at the club again tonight?”

  Gareth patted me on the head and I felt a slight breeze. “I promise I’ll be here to listen to all the salacious details.”

  “There will be no salacious details,” I called over my shoulder. I opened the door to greet Markos.

  “No salacious details at all?” he asked good-naturedly. “How disappointing.”

  My cheeks reddened. “Sorry, I didn’t mean for you to hear that.” I forced a smile. “I’m ready when you are.”

  He eyed my sundress. “As much as I’d like to admire your bare shoulders for the duration of the evening, may I suggest a cardigan? We’re going to be outside and it gets a little chilly once the sun goes down.”

  I warmed all over from the compliment and then instantly chastised myself. This is not a date. It didn't matter whether he wanted to admire my bare arms or not. Friendly outing only.

  I turned to run upstairs and nearly ran smack into Sedgwick, my owl familiar, who held a lilac cardigan in his curved beak. “Thanks, Sedgwick.” I took the cardigan and joined Markos on the front porch.

  “You look pretty tonight, Emma,” he said.

  I had to admit, he looked pretty good himself. With his tall frame and muscles that Thor would envy, it was easy to forget he was actually a minotaur.

  I bumped him gently with my elbow. “It's not a date, remember? It's a friendly outing.”

  He gave me a flirtatious wink. “What? Compliments are prohibited during a friendly outing? Forgive me. I didn't have a chance to review the Friendly Outing Rulebook before I left the house.”

  He walked to the driveway where his jalopy was parked, except it wasn't a jalopy at all. It reminded me of an Audi R8—very sleek and even cooler because it was magical.

  “So where's the mystery location?” I asked. He’d refused to divulge the location of our outing when I asked him earlier. In fact, we’d exchanged multiple messages on the subject, which annoyed Sedgwick and Markos's owl to no end. Sedgwick was still convinced that he lost weight this week as a result of our constant communications.

  “Patience, Emma. We’re almost there.”

  We drove past the church and the casino to an area I hadn't seen before. There were fewer trees. I gasped at the sight of a field of colorful flowers. They reminded me of wildflowers—except they sparkled.

  “How beautiful,” I said. “What is this place?”

  Markos glanced out the window and smiled. “You haven’t been to Faraway Field?”

  I shook my head. “I can't believe no one has told me about this place. It's incredible.”

  “Technically, the field belongs to me,” Markos said. “But I don't restrict people. There’s no such thing as trespassing at Faraway Field.”

  “Aren't you worried about people taking all the flowers or trampling them?” As altruistic as Markos sounded, I would still be worried about the destruction of the field over time.

  “They’re magical flowers, Emma,” he said. “They simply grow back.”

  I swatted his arm playfully. “Regular flowers grow back, too. What's so special about that?”

  He pulled the jalopy over to the side of the road. “Allow me to demonstrate.” He got out of the car and walked to the edge of the field, plucking the nearest flower. It was bright purple and glimmered in the fading sunlight. No
sooner had he uprooted the flower than another one appeared in its place.

  My eyes popped. “Amazing.”

  He returned to the jalopy with the flower and handed it to me. “If you think that's amazing, wait until you see what's next.”

  We continued a little bit further down the road until we reached what appeared to be a block of hedges. The sign read ‘South East Labyrinth.’

  “We're going into one of your labyrinths?” I asked. I’d heard a lot about them, but the closest I'd been to one was the inflatable kind for children.

  “We're not just going to walk through it,” he said. “We’re going to have a picnic in it.” He parked the jalopy and proceeded to open the trunk. When he came around to open my door, I noticed the wicker basket in his hand.

  “Wow. A real picnic. I don't think I've ever had a picnic before.”

  His brow lifted in surprise. “No? I thought that was a very human activity.”

  “Our picnics in Pennsylvania consisted of backyard grills and hot dogs,” I said. While I liked those two things very much, the idea of a traditional picnic intrigued me.

  “The entrance is up ahead,” he said. We walked until we arrived at the mouth of the labyrinth, where he reached for my hand.

  I glanced at him. “Friendly outing,” I reminded him.

  He nodded toward the labyrinth. “Labyrinth,” he replied.

  Fair enough. I had no interest in getting lost tonight, so I didn't let go of his hand. If anything, I gripped it more tightly.

  “Is it open to the public?” I asked.

  “Typically, yes,” he said. “But I closed it for tonight. Party of two only.”

  The beginning of the labyrinth seemed to comprise tall hedges. It was only once we started walking deeper into the maze that I realized the hedges behind us were shifting. My heart began to pound.

  “The hedges are moving,” I said. “Is that supposed to happen?”

  Markos glanced calmly over his shoulder. “I hope so since I designed it that way. No need to worry. I know every inch of this place.”

  “I’m glad one of us does.”

  We enter the clearing where the hedges were brightened by tiny fairy lights. The ground was covered in soft, silky grass, the kind you wanted to roll around in. It smelled like lazy spring mornings.

  “I thought we could eat here, if that's okay with you,” Markos said.

  I glanced around the clearing. It was more romantic than I was expecting. Still, it was very pretty and it seemed that Markos had put a lot of thought into our outing.

  “This spot is perfect.” Not to mention I was starving. I’d barely eaten all day thanks to my nerves.

  Markos snapped his fingers and the basket opened. A large blanket floated out and unfolded on the ground beside us.

  “An enchanted picnic basket?” I queried.

  He nodded. “You haven't seen one of these yet?”

  I shook my head. “First time.”

  He snapped his fingers again and a bottle of wine popped out of the basket. “I don't know who's been showing you around town, but they haven't done such a hot job.” He sat on the blanket and patted the spot beside him. “What would be your ideal picnic food?”

  I tried to think. It wasn't a question I’d encountered before, given that I'd never been on a real picnic. “I guess I see fried chicken in movies when people have a picnic.”

  “Never mind what you've seen. I want to know what your ideal picnic is.”

  I touched my cheek thoughtfully. “I have to be honest. As much as I like the idea of a traditional picnic, I really miss hot dogs on the grill in summer.” In fact, it was one of my favorite memories from childhood. The smell of food cooking on a grill. We would occasionally get invited to a barbecue and the smell would stay with me for weeks afterward.

  “Mustard or ketchup?” he asked.

  “What type of heathen do you take me for? Mustard, of course.”

  He snapped his fingers and a jumbo beef hot dog on a bun drifted out of the basket. The streak of mustard across the middle caught my eye. It even had the blackened grill marks, just the way I liked it. I plucked it from the air when it came close enough.

  “Markos, this is fantastic. Thank you so much.” I took a generous bite and moaned gently.

  He gave me a crooked smile. “I like that sound. Can you do it again?”

  I immediately became self-conscious. “What about you? What will you be having?”

  Markos snapped his fingers and the plate came flying out of the basket, complete with a porterhouse steak. A knife and fork quickly followed.

  “Fancy,” I said. “Do you consider premium steak a picnic staple?”

  “It is for me,” he said. “Can I offer you any wine? Or water? I have both.”

  “I wouldn't mind a small glass of wine,” I said.

  He was in the process of uncorking the bottle when his owl appeared. He glanced up in surprise. “Larry, what are you doing here?”

  The owl dropped a message into his lap, narrowly avoiding the steak. Markos scanned the note and his expression darkened. “I'm terribly sorry, Emma, but we need to go. I promise I'll make it up to you.”

  I wolfed down the last bite of my hot dog. “Is something wrong?”

  “It's my new office building. They just discovered a body there. I need to go now.”

  A body? “That’s awful.”

  “I'll drop you home first before I head over there,” he said.

  “Didn't you say your new headquarters is on the eastern edge of town?” I asked. “It's completely out of the way to take me home first. I'll come with you.”

  “Are you sure?” he asked, uncertain.

  “Absolutely.”

  He snapped his fingers and the entire picnic disappeared back into the basket. “It's not much of a date, is it? If I take you to see a dead body.”

  “Doesn't matter since it's not a date anyway,” I reminded him gently.

  He smiled down at me and took my hand. “So you keep telling me. Okay, let's go.”

  Chapter 3

  By the time we arrived, there were several people on the scene. I waved to Boyd, the druid healer. Maybe they thought the person was still alive when they found him. That would be the only reason to call Boyd. A healer was no good to a dead person.

  We entered the lobby of the building where I paused to admire the high ceiling.

  “How tall is this atrium?” I asked. It seemed much taller than the one in the library.

  “It’s ten stories tall,” Markos said proudly. “I wanted to make sure it was the tallest atrium in Spellbound, so I had my guys measure all of the others first and then added another few stories for good measure.”

  Impressive. It wasn’t only tall, but it was designed to look like there was no ceiling at all, as though the building simply ceased to exist and blended into the sky.

  “If I didn't know any better, I'd say you used magic,” I said.

  “Nope,” he said, his hands on his hips. “This is pure, old-fashioned architecture.”

  The body was gone by the time we arrived at the scene, transported to the coroner’s office. Astrid, the new Valkyrie sheriff, was there, her face scrunched up in concentration. She looked surprised to see me.

  “What happened?” Markos asked, frowning. “Who is it?”

  “Ed Doyle,” Astrid replied. I didn't recognize the name.

  Markos choked. “The building inspector?”

  Astrid touched the ladder that leaned against the wall. “It looks like he might have been on his way down when one of the rungs broke. He fell from up there.” She pointed upward, near the top of the ladder. “Boyd thinks he broke his neck when he hit the floor.”

  Markos closed his eyes briefly. “Was anyone here? Did anyone see what happened?”

  Astrid jerked her thumb. “Your janitor found him. He's in the kitchen if you want to speak with him. We asked him to stick around for additional questions.”

  “Yes, I'll speak to him n
ow. Poor Milo. It must've been quite a shock.”

  I followed Markos to the office kitchen. With an enormous stainless steel double sink and sleek countertops, it was more like a chef’s kitchen than any office kitchen I'd ever seen. Milo sat at the table, his head in his hands. Markos clapped him on the shoulder.

  “How are you holding up, Milo?”

  Milo peered up at him, his face ashen. “I was almost finished for the evening, boss. I had just rounded the corner when I heard him yell. I didn't see him fall, but by the time I got there, he was on the floor. I thought maybe he had a pulse, but I wasn't sure.”

  “No one else was here?” Markos asked.

  Milo shook his head. “Just me. I knew someone else was here, though, because I'd seen a jalopy full of equipment out front.”

  “Can I get you a drink, Milo?” I asked. “Have you had any water recently?”

  Milo gave me an appreciative nod. “Water sounds good, thanks.”

  I retrieved a glass from the cabinet and filled it was water from the tap. He gulped it down greedily.

  “If Sheriff Astrid is finished with you, I want you to go home and get a good night’s sleep,” Markos said. “Don't worry about coming in tomorrow.”

  “Are you sure, boss?” Milo asked.

  Markos squeezed his arm gently. “You’re a valued member of the team, Milo. I don't want you coming in here feeling traumatized. Take a break.”

  Milo wiped his mouth with the back of his hand. “I am mighty tired. It was such a shock. I've never seen a dead body before, except at a funeral.”

  “Let me see if Sheriff Astrid has any more questions,” I offered. I went back to the place where the body was found. Astrid was still there, examining the ladder.

  “Milo is pretty tired,” I said. “Can we send him home?”

  “Sure. I think we have everything we need from him for now.” She continued to study the broken rung.

  “What's the matter?” I knew Astrid well enough to recognize her facial expressions. Something wasn't sitting right with her.

  “It's the rung. The marks on it. They don't fit with normal wear and tear.”

  “Ed is a satyr. Could his hooves have broken the rung?”