Prelude to a Witch by Amanda Lee (free novel reading sites TXT) 📕

Did it? Did the shades bring it?

Another flash of lightning lit the room, and as the thunder rolled, the power went out.

I jumped to my feet.

“It’s okay,” Mom intoned. “The generator will kick on in a minute.”

“Oh, that’s good.” Hannah sounded relieved.

I sensed the shades moving even though the darkness wouldn’t allow me to see them.

“Stop,” I ordered when the shadows began encroaching on Hannah.

The shades froze.

“Stop what?” Hannah asked, confused.

Next to me, Landon’s hand landed on my hip. “What is it?” he asked in a low voice. “Is it them?”

“What’s happening down there?” Hannah asked. “I can’t make out what you’re saying.”

“You’re not supposed to be here,” I warned the shades. I felt them filling the room. Whatever was going on, whatever spell they were under, the darkness made them bolder. “You can’t be here.”

“Are you talking to me?” Hannah sounded upset. “I’m not trying to make you uncomfortable. Honestly, I find this town fascinating.”

“She’s not talking to you,” Landon said.

“The lights should be back on any second.” Mom’s voice was laced with nerves. “Bay ... .”

She didn’t get a chance to finish what she was going to say. The lights flared to life at the exact moment the shades attacked. I didn’t have time to react.

The nearest two, the ones I’d seen every time they appeared in the glass, had their ghostly hands on me a split-second before the lights flared. They threw me into the wall on the opposite side of the room with enough force that my bones rattled.

“Bay!” Landon raced to me, his face flushed.

The blow knocked the wind out of me, but the return of the lights had the shades retreating. They were gone in an instant.

“What was that?” Hannah asked, her eyes wide. “Is that more of your dinner theater?”

“Yes,” Mom automatically answered as she scurried from her spot at the table to kneel next to me. “We’re nothing if not diligent about our theater.”

“Bay.” Landon drew my eyes to him. “Are you okay?”

I nodded because I still hadn’t caught my breath.

“Apparently Bay is the one spoiling for attention this evening,” Aunt Tillie said around a mouth full of food. She’d snagged my plate when the room went dark. “It’s because Clove isn’t here. She would be the kvetch if she were here.”

“What are you doing?” Mom demanded when she realized Aunt Tillie was eating. “What did I say?”

Thwack!

“Stop that!” Aunt Tillie was irate. “I’ll put you all on my list if you don’t stop that right now!”

Landon ignored the hoopla behind him and kept his eyes on me. “Shades?” he asked under his breath.

I nodded.

“Bay, this is serious,” he whispered. “We have to deal with them as a group whether you like it or not. We need the entire team.”

14

Fourteen

“Tell me what hurts.”

Landon gave the appearance of calm as he looked me over, but it was obvious he felt anything but calm. There was a storm brewing in the depths of his eyes and he looked as if he wanted to fight.

“I’m okay.” I grunted as I tried to stand. His arms were around me almost instantly. “I’m not hurt ... mostly.”

His expression was dubious. “I’m getting you home.” He lifted me from the floor, his gaze immediately snapping to the door at the sound of footsteps. If I thought he was in a bad mood before, it was nothing compared to the expression on his face when Aunt Willa appeared. “What are you doing here?” he snarled.

Willa barely blinked at his greeting. She was used to people hating her — or at least that’s how I rationalized it — so she wasn’t surprised at Landon’s vitriol. “I’m here to discuss how things are going to be moving forward.”

Aunt Tillie, still smarting from Mom stealing the tacos from her, glared at her half-sister. “You want to discuss how things are going to be?” She was incredulous.

“That’s right.” Willa bobbed her head. “I’m living in this town, too, at least for now. I won’t be leaving anytime soon, so you’re going to have to adjust.”

“Yeah, I don’t adjust.” Aunt Tillie glared at Mom. “Give me those tacos.”

“No.” Mom’s eyes flashed with annoyance, but even though she wasn’t in the mood to deal with Aunt Tillie she looked anything but thrilled by Willa’s appearance. “As for you, Aunt Willa, I don’t believe we invited you into our home.”

“I don’t have to be invited. This is a business.”

“That’s not true,” Landon countered as he pulled me against him. He was shielding me, protecting me from Willa. “It doesn’t matter if this is a place of business or not. It’s not a public building. We can refuse service to anyone we want, including you.”

Mom’s grin was wide until it landed on Landon, and then she looked conflicted. “I’m with Landon.” She shuffled closer, giving him a wary look, and then pressed her hand to my forehead. “How do you feel?”

“I’m confused,” Hannah said from the other side of the table. “I thought this was all part of the dinner theater.”

“It was,” Landon replied. “Bay just hurt herself because she was too enthusiastic with the performance.”

“Yes,” I agreed dryly. “I love good dinner theater. Sometimes I love it so much I get overenthusiastic.” Aches and pains were beginning to make themselves known but I held it together. “I’m fine.”

Hannah didn’t look convinced, but she said nothing.

“I’m taking Bay home,” Landon insisted to Mom. “I’m going to get her in a warm bath and ... just talk to her about how she doesn’t need to get so enthusiastic with her performances.”

Mom could read between the lines. “I think that’s a fine idea. I can send some food home with you.”

Landon hesitated and then glanced at me. He wasn’t one to turn up his nose at food. “I’m not all that hungry,” he said.

I made a face. “I killed your appetite. I always thought that was impossible.”

He shot me an amused look. “You