Gypsy Magic - J.R. Rain Page 0,78

or I’d break a blood contract, but that hadn’t seemed to soothe his anger. He still felt like I should be able to tell him anything, owing to the fact that he was my son. And while I agreed with him, I also had given my word and my thumb print in blood. There had to be ramifications for breaking my promise, and I didn’t want to find out what those ramifications were.

“Penny for your thoughts?” Roy asked, nudging my shoulder, once I grew quiet. This was our first time alone since everything went down.

“So... you’re a bigfoot?”

“Sasquatch,” he corrected me mildly. “Or Gigantopithecus if you want to be scientific.” He shrugged. I laughed.

“I can’t believe I’m out on a date with Sasquatch,” I laughed. “I feel like I should be committed or something.” I cleared my throat, realizing how that sounded. “I mean to an insane asylum… not like committed in a relationshippy sort of way.”

“I got what you mean. And that’s natural to feel a little… nervous about the whole thing. Janet felt that way too, when she first met Stanley. Now she’s married to a centaur.”

“She’s human? Or mundane, as Ophelia calls us.”

“Them not you,” he corrected me.

“What do you mean?” I asked, frowning at him.

“Well, you’re hardly a mundane. You possess magic.” He took a deep breath. “Everyone is still in shock by what you were able to do with Barbra—turning her back into her human form. That was… impressive magic, Poppy.”

I shrugged. “I’m still human.”

He cocked his head to the side and then took a swig of his cider. “Anyway, yes, Janet is human.”

“I bet Ophelia had a field day with that one.”

“What do you mean?”

“I can’t imagine she likes the idea of humans marrying monsters?” I asked.

“Yeah, well, Ophelia is old school and doesn’t like a lot of things.”

We were silent for a little while, watching a moving van and an expensive Benz pull into the house across the way. I’d heard I’d be getting a new neighbor from Ophelia. Wanda something or other. She’d be running the clothing shop across the street from my store.

“Am I crazy?” I whispered.

“Aren’t we all a little bit crazy,” he answered with a grin. “But, why do you ask?”

I faux elbowed him in the chest, but not enough to cause him any pain. I did, however, get to feel his muscles which were like trying to elbow a brick wall.

“Because I don’t mind,” I said, sipping my cider as I thought about it and was amazed by the dawning realization overcoming me.

“Don’t mind what?”

I shrugged. “All of it! Any of it! I moved to a town full of monsters... erm... supernatural creatures, and I’m not thinking about moving away.” Then something occurred to me. “Is Finn safe here?”

Roy nodded immediately. “We have strict rules where humans are concerned. We don’t hurt them. And, regardless, all of us know who you are and if anything, your boy is safer here than he would be in any other town. He’s got… monsters looking out for him.”

I smiled broadly. I liked hearing that. “I think Haven Hollow may be the best decision I ever made.”

Roy reached out and patted the top of my hand. This was our first date, and we hadn’t so much as hugged. It had just been pretty… platonic, actually. And that felt good to me. I needed to move slowly with this dating stuff. Not just owing to everything I’d been through lately.

“I think you’re going to do just fine here,” Roy said, his voice deep and soft.

“I think so too.”

My smile withered as I turned my head and spied a shape moving through the headstones of the cemetery in the rear of my yard. A closer look revealed a pale, lithe woman weaving in and out of the graves, dancing around the mausoleums, trilling a high laugh.

A witch’s cackle echoed across the cemetery as ancient, heady power rode the air.

And a witch’s cackle meant one thing…

A witch.

The End

~~~~~

Coming Soon:

Cashmere Curses

Wanda’s Wands #1

~~~~~

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Poppy’s Potion Recipes Referenced In This Book:

From ‘The Complete Formulary Of Magical Oils’ by Celeste Rayne Heldstab

Gypsy Magic Oil:

¾ part Peppermint Oil

¼ part Thyme Oil

½ ounce Borage Seed carrier oil

This is a simple, yet effective divination oil. Use this oil to anoint your third eye prior to any divination or spellwork.

Calming Oil:

Equal parts: Lavender Oil, Geranium Oil, Mandarin Orange Oil, Cypress Oil

Use for relaxing and calming