A Risky Potion Read online

  “Don’t worry. I’m exploring, but I don’t want to end up as an otter.”

  “Good to know.”

  When we left the car, the heat hit us. It was a sunny, humid day, completely normal for Georgia. The walk made me sweat. I thought that if I was in my wildform—a fox—I probably would feel cooler.

  When we reached the lake, Genevive stood at the edge of the water and produced a strange animal sound, that I assumed was some sort of Otter call. Because, within a minute, the Otter King surfaced. He didn’t come out of the water, an acknowledgement that there might be someone watching.

  “Hello, Samantha,” the Otter King said. “How are you?”

  “I’m fine. And you?”

  “I have been better and been worse, so I suppose this is not too bad.”

  “That’s good to hear. I understand you wanted to talk to me?”

  “I do. I wanted to talk to you about the vampire.”

  “Mr. Bluth?”

  “Him too, but the new one is the one I want to bring up.”

  “Clarissa?”

  “That’s her. Have you met her?”

  “Yes.”

  “What do you think?”

  “I think she is a very powerful vampire. I would not like to cross her.”

  “No one would. She is indeed a powerful and unpredictable vampire. You know her from where?”

  “From another land, far from here. I’m not going to give you all the details. Let’s just say that she produced a reign of terror I have never seen before or since. I can’t describe the weeping I heard on a nightly basis.”

  I understood why the Otter King was warning me. Goodsprings was a quiet, unsuspecting town. If a vampire were to unleash attacks on a nightly basis, it would generate retaliation against anyone suspected of magical powers. That meant all the witches would be hounded, along with Phineas, anyone suspected of being part of the attacks.

  “And it was Clarissa?” I asked.

  “It was. I was forced to leave, as the villagers became vigilant. Mr. Bluth left with me.”

  “Mr. Bluth was there?”

  “He was. He was not part of the feeding frenzy, but he was suspected. He had no choice.”

  “I’ve been told that Clarissa has changed, giving up her wild ways.”

  The Otter King shrugged, as much as a giant otter could shrug. “It is said that a leopard cannot change its spots. But people are different. Yet, a vampire gone rogue rarely returns.”

  “I have to ask,” I said, “Do you intend to leave?”

  “I have made no decision,” the Otter King said. “If I decide to leave, I will let you know through Genevive.”

  “We do not wish to see you go,” I said. “You have been helpful.”

  With that, the Otter King slipped under the water, and Genevive turned to me.

  “Clarissa is the Gallaghers’ mother?”

  “She is,” I answered as we started for the car. “And we were aware that she had joined a ruthless group, which is why the Gallaghers’ father took them away.”

  “But you said she’s changed.”

  “That’s what she claims. And I, for one, believe her. But should she decide to go rouge, I’m not sure we have the means to stop her.”

  I was silent on the ride back to town, wondering about Clarissa and the Otter King. Genevive talked, telling me about being an otter and hoping that the Otter King decided to stay. I let her talk. It seemed that the young could always talk.

  When I walked into Happy Blendings, the first person to greet me was Mara. She jumped up from a table, a smoothie in her hand.

  “Allie told me to talk to you,” Mara said. “Something about a job for the coven?”

  “Yes,” I said. “Phineas stopped by and asked for our help.”

  I told Mara about the portal and Phineas’ need to keep it open while he delivered Chuckles to the other world. Mara grinned, as if the job would be some sort of big adventure. I was pretty sure it was going to be hard work, very hard work. But Mara was right in a way. Opening a portal into an alternative universe was an adventure, a grand adventure.

  “Make sure to give me a bit of advance warning,” Mara said.

  “I will,” I said. “Be ready on the equinox.”

  With a wave, Mara left, and I joined David behind the counter.

  “Phineas stopped by with Chuckles,” David said. “I told him I didn’t know when you would be back.”

  “I’m sorry I missed him, but if it’s important, he’ll be back.”

  “I don’t think it was much. He had his usual wheatgrass smoothie.”

  “Then, all is well with the world.”

  I thought that until Bernice entered.

  Actually, I smelled Bernice before I saw her. The thick, cloying scent of garlic filled the room. I looked up, and there she stood, all six feet, two hundred and fifty pounds of her.

  Bernice was all of that, with red hair cut short, and prominent crosses tattooed on either side of her neck. She wore jeans and a leather jacket, which had to be uncomfortable in the heat, but it seemed to complement her thick, leather boots. She looked like a motorcycle rider, except for the holsters she wore. But she wasn’t packing pistols. Wooden stakes filled the holsters. She looked like an escapee from some zombie movie.

  “Where is she?” Bernice asked.

  “Who?” I asked back.

  “The vampire. I know she came here. Where is she?”

  “I think you have the wrong shop and the wrong town,” I said. “There are no vampires around here. In fact, there are no vampires.”

  Bernice scoffed. “Don’t play dumb, sister. Her buddy swore she was coming here, and since he was about to die, I suspect he told the truth.”

  “I can’t help you,” I said. “I have never seen a vampire.”

  “You’ll know her when you see her. In fact, you’ll know her before she steps in the door. Evil surrounds her. You’ll be so scared, you’ll wet your panties.”

  “Then, I certainly hope she doesn’t arrive,” I said.

  She looked around the room. “My name is Bernice, and I’ve been hunting her for five years. I won’t stop till I put a stake her heart and burn her evil body to ashes. Is there a place where I can get a room for a few days?”

  “There’s a motel out by the Interstate,” I offered. I wasn’t about to tell her about the two bed-and-breakfast hotels we had downtown.

  “That will do. Oh, how about a strawberry and hazel nut smoothie?”

  “I’ll get that,” David said. “You ride a bike?”

  Bernice brightened. “I do. Cheap transportation, and I need cheap. Chasing vampires doesn’t pay well.”

  I left Bernice talking to David. I went out the back door and circled the shop. Someone had to warn the Gallaghers, and that someone had to be me.

  I found Ethan in Good Eats. He was sipping coffee and looking fondly at Tessa who was busy with customers. I sat opposite Ethan, who smiled, happy.

  “Samantha, how nice of you to stop by. Did you hear the good news? Tessa has decided to move in with me.”

  “Your place or hers?” I asked.

  “Hers, I believe. She’s working it out with Allie.”

  “If I were you,” I said. “I’d take it slow. A mother and her daughter usually build a very strong bond. It wouldn’t be wise to try and break that.”

  “Oh, I won’t. In fact, I’d like to keep Allie in the house. I think I could provide some ‘fatherly’ advice, if you know what I mean.”

  “She’s a teenager, Ethan. She doesn’t listen to anyone’s advice, not even mine.”

  He chuckled. “I suppose you’re right. But I will try, I will try.”

  “That’s great, but that’s not why I’m here.”

  “Don’t tell me there’s been another murder,” Ethan said. “Not that you wouldn’t solve it for us. You solve all the murders.”

  “I’ve been lucky a few times, nothing more. No, the reason I came was because of the vampire hunter.”
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  He frowned. “A vampire hunter? In Goodsprings?”

  “She’s drinking a smoothie as we speak.” I told Ethan about Bernice, about her size, her holsters, her tattoos, and her garlic odor. I tried to be as succinct and factual as I could be.

  “That’s not good,” Ethan said. “It seems she’s after my mother.”

  “So, it would seem. Now, I don’t doubt your mother could handle this, rather obvious, vampire hunter, but I would rather the two never met.”

  “That seems prudent. Have you told Ada?”

  “Not yet, and it’s not just your mother. You and Ada are half vampires, and I don’t know if you’re affected by garlic or crosses or holy water or wooden stakes or anything. But if you are, or you suspect you are, you should avoid Bernice.”

  “I see what you mean. Ada and I have never really tested ourselves. I mean, we don’t like garlic, but that’s not uncommon. We don’t seem to have a problem with crosses either, although we don’t come into contact with them on a regular basis.”

  “Think of it as allergy testing,” I said. “You try a small bit and see if it causes a problem. I’m sure you already know that you sometimes look pale.”

  “Your ‘detective special’ smoothies help with that,” Ethan said. “And you’re right. It’s high time Ada and I tested ourselves, especially since it seems we’ve acquired some of the vampire sensitivities. It wouldn’t surprise me if we did have a reaction to certain things.”

  I smiled. I knew Ethan and Ada would quickly determine just how vampire-finding things worked on them.

  “By the way,” I said. “How are things working out between you and Clarissa?”

  Ethan’s face soured, and I knew I had struck a nerve.

  “Not too good,” he said. “I thought that after all this time, she would be the mother we didn’t have. But it’s not like that. She won’t really apologize. Oh, she says what she did wasn’t right, but she won’t say that Ada and I could have been better with her around. To her, we’re doing just fine. I can see her point, but Ada is very upset. I suppose Ada misses the connection most daughters have with their mothers.”

  “I’m not surprised,” I said. “It’s difficult to understand how a mother can just walk out. Children generally end up blaming themselves.”

  “Exactly. I know Ada does, and Clarissa isn’t doing anything to change Ada’s mind.”

  “I’ll ask you this,” I said. “How long do you expect Clarissa to be around?”

  “I don’t know. A long time, I think. She seems to think that she’s safe here with her children on the police force, as if she’s going to do something that will require investigation.”

  “I hope not. You’re not here to cover up things. In fact, that will get you fired immediately, and that’s the best that can happen to you.”

  Ethan agreed, and I told him I had to get back to Happy Blendings. He thanked me for the heads-up about Bernice. I told him to go slow with Allie.

  Fortunately, Bernice was gone by the time I returned to the shop. Since it was after lunch, I sent David off to his other job. He was thankful. And he told me that if the business took off, if he made a bunch of money, he would come back to the smoothie shop and work for free—as long as he could experiment. His quest for the perfect smoothie sport drink was truly a quest for him. Of course, if he became that rich, I’d sell him the smoothie shop and retire to my gardens and orchards. I didn’t tell him that, but it made sense to me.

  It wasn’t an hour later before Clarissa walked into the shop. I wanted to curse my bad luck. The last thing I needed was a confrontation between Clarissa and Bernice. I would be honor bound to keep Clarissa from ripping out Bernice’s throat, something I thought Clarissa could do with ease. I wasn’t sure I could stop her.

  “Do you have a minute?” Clarissa asked.

  “Of course,” I answered, as the shop was empty.

  “You know Ethan and Ada well, correct?”

  “I think I do,” I said. “Why?”

  “Well, we’ve talked some, and I don’t think they’re warming to me as I thought they might. I was wondering if you had any insight into that.”

  Clarissa smiled, and she was both beautiful and compelling. I had the feeling that she would make an incredibly good interrogator. She would get more confessions than a priest.

  “I haven’t talked to Ada,” I said. “But I did have a short chat with Ethan. But before we get to that, have you been informed about Bernice?”

  Clarissa’s face soured. Despite her beauty, she looked as dangerous as a cobra.

  “I know of Bernice,” Clarissa said. “She has followed me for a little while.”

  “Five years, according to her.”

  “Five years is nothing for me.”

  “I understand, but for her, it’s quite a while.”

  “Indeed, and when did you see her.”

  “Just a short while ago. She came in looking for you or knowledge of you. I suspect she’s working her way up and down the street, asking questions.”

  “What did you tell her?”

  “That there are no vampires, so, I couldn’t possibly have seen one.”

  “Fair enough. Yet, you believe I should avoid her.”

  “I have no doubt that you could vanquish her in no time, but that should be avoided. Goodsprings doesn’t need the attention. And while you’re here, I should tell you about the Otter King.”

  “He’s here?” Clarissa asked.

  “He is. He lives in Lake Windermere, and he’s aware of you. I take it you two have some history.”

  “We do. Indeed, we do, although I should rephrase that. We had some history. I am not the same as I was back then. I hope you told him.”

  “I did, but he was not prepared to accept my word on that.”

  “Do you think a visit to him would do some good?”

  “I don’t think it can hurt,” I said. “He probably would like to know that you mean no harm.”

  Clarissa studied me, and I knew she was measuring my truthfulness. I let her look. While I could lie with the best of people when I had to, I preferred the truth, which was easier to remember.

  “I find you very truthful, witch,” Clarissa said. “An earth witch, if I’m not mistaken.”

  “You’re not,” I said.

  “So, tell me, earth witch. What do you know about Ethan and Ada?”

  “I know that they find you cold,” I began.

  Clarissa listened as I outlined the chat I had with Ethan. I explained how the twins found her more distant than they had first thought. They had expected a more apologetic mother.

  “I understand,” Clarissa said when I had finished. “From their point of view, I was selfish to the nth degree. I was thinking of no one but myself. But it wasn’t that way. I was mesmerized by a very powerful vampire named Volurn. He had me in some sort of spell. I don’t have to explain spells to you, but at the time, I felt I had no will to do anything but what he said. I know that sounds self-serving, and perhaps, it is. Nevertheless, it’s true. I was in no position to go against his wishes, not for a long time after I decided that I needed to leave.”

  I looked at her, and I found it hard to believe that Clarissa couldn’t do exactly as she pleased. She was the mesmerizer—from my point of view.

  “Do not let looks deceive you, earth witch,” she said. “You have no idea how controlling an ancient vampire can be.”

  “I do not,” I said. “And I’m certain your children cannot fathom the control you were under. Try to understand that and explain it to them.”

  “Do you think an example might be in order?”

  “Example? I don’t follow,” I said.

  “I think I can demonstrate how one might do things at the behest of someone more powerful.”

  “With them?”

  “Yes. I can exert a power that they would be incapable of resisting.”

  “While that would prove the point,” I said. “I think it would be exceedingly dangerous.” br />
  “How so?”

  “If you can establish such control, what stops you from ordering them to treat you the way you wish to be treated? What stops you from turning them into some sort of slaves?”

  Clarissa regarded me for the better part of a minute. Then, she smiled, and that was a good sign.

  “You speak the truth,” she said. They might rebel simply because they think they should.”

  “I have found that if you truly wish someone to like you, you must allow them to come to that conclusion. Trying to force them is the height of folly.”

  She nodded. “I will take your advice. I won’t force them. And I’ll try to explain how difficult it was to leave them. I really didn’t want to. And there wasn’t a day I didn’t think of them and regret what I did.”

  “Then, tell them that. Make them know just how much it hurt you. They won’t understand entirely, but that isn’t necessary. What is necessary is that they see how genuine you are.”

  “And I should avoid Bernice.”

  “For her good and the good of everyone in Goodsprings. If you two don’t meet, I’ll find a way to feed her a clue as to where you might have gone. That will move her away.”

  “Or I could just kill her and be done with it.”

  With a wickedly bright smile, Clarissa turned and walked out. I might have stopped to consider her veiled threat, if a small group of tourists hadn’t walked in. For the next few minutes, I was the busy smoothie maker, using my “smoothie sense” to turn out the exact smoothies the tourists needed. They walked out, promising to tell all their friends about the best smoothie shop in Georgia. I had to agree with them.

  I managed to close down the shop a bit early, as a thunderstorm drove the tourists from the streets. Rain and storms always curtailed business. Luckily, the storm moved on before I started for home. I had never grown accustomed to riding in the rain. All that did was throw up a spray that left my clothes wet and dirty. Often, I walked home in the rain. It was easier. Of course, if the weather was really terrible, I called Tessa and begged for a ride in her Jeep.

  Inside the house, I checked the spells, and to my surprise, I found that someone or something had tried to breach the barrier. That was odd, especially since the attack came from the garden and orchard side of the house. Since Cassandra and Paula weren’t yet home, I went out by myself to see who had been trying to get in.