The old witch was a tentative ally, only because our interests were the same. Saul insisted that we couldn’t trust her, and up until today, I was fine with that. Witches could be as vicious as wolves when they wanted to be. Witches could also be useful, and right about now, I needed her talents.
The trouble was that she would want something in exchange, and it wouldn’t be cash.
Celine wasn’t usually open during the slow season. From time to time she flicked her lights on for the snowbirds that parked their RVs in the fancy lot near Pelican Bay, but I couldn’t imagine she was busy this early in the day. Still, it wasn’t the best idea to barge through her back door without knowing she was alone.
I was about to come around front when the back door swung open and the choking scent of incense hit me. Celine stood in the narrow doorway, her dark eyes wrinkled in a wicked kind of amusement.
“I know youwereraised in a barn, but you Barbeaux boys have had plenty of time to learn manners. Yet, here you are, breaking into my private space.”
I stooped to pick a handful of fuzzy dandelions growing out of a cracked cinderblock and offered them like a bouquet of roses, flashing my most dazzling smile. “I didn’t realize it was considered rude for an admirer to bring a lady flowers.”
Celine blew the seeds from the puffy flowers into my face. “Isaac, you are my favorite Barbeaux, but you still need to use the front door.” She turned and headed for the table in her reading room, flowery scarf floating behind her. I took the open door as an invitation and followed her inside.
As soon as I stepped through the doorway, I stiffened. Hairs danced at the base of my neck and my nostrils flared. For a heartbeat I almost caught a familiar scent. It was lost under incense and stale perfume before I could identify it.
Celine slid into her chair and said, “At least you came when the sun was up.”
I propped my hands on the table and loomed over her. Intimidation wasn’t my intent, but I needed her to know I didn’t trust her enough to sit.
Most witches had long abandoned solitary life to live among humans in big cities. It was easier for them to blend in and they were often very successful in whatever they did.
I couldn’t make sense of why Celine was still slumming it in a town like Port O’Henry. That was why Saul didn’t trust her, and he knew a lot more about witches than I did.
I chewed the inside of my cheek, trying to decide how to word my request so that I wasn’t giving too much away. Just as I opened my mouth, Celine said, “You’re not going to kill her.”
I frowned. “I wasn’t planning to kill anyone.”
“Ah, you already figured that part out.” She smirked. “You aren’t as clueless as your brother.”
“Who’s my brother killing?” I guess it really depended on which brother she meant. Saul would killmeif I caught him in a bad mood.
“No one. That’s the point.” She spread her hands out. “Would you like your reading or are you really here for my company?” She winked and I cringed internally.
“No reading. I need to find someone.”
“Don’t we all,” she sighed dramatically. “Have you considered looking online?”
“I’m looking for someone specific.”
“You’ll pay the same price as your brother.”
Alarm bells went off. She was playing the brother card on purpose, trying to rile me. “Which brother?”
“He hasn’t told you?” Celine looked genuinely surprised.
I slammed my palms on the table with a snarl, protectiveness surging inside me. “What did you do?”
“Elijah had a problem. I helped him.” She rose from the table and disappeared into her kitchen. A moment later she returned with an ornate knife and a small copper bowl. “One drop for one answer.”
“Nope.” I was dumb, but I wasn’tthatdumb. I moved to leave.
“No? You don’t want to know where Tara is?”
I whipped around, the beast showing on my face. Celine’s eyes were beady and red. Sneaky, conniving witch.
Tara. Even hearing her name gave me chills. The memory of her mouth on me was pure ecstasy. I couldn’t eat, couldn’t sleep, could scarcely keep from shifting and roaming the whole town insearch of her. When I did manage to doze, it was on the couch in my office. I didn’t dare go home and face my brothers in this state.
Only because she ran from me. It felt like unfinished business. I was the one who was supposed to walk away.