Mathilda, SuperWitch (Mathilda's Book of Shadows #1)(84)

The coven and Lucy left, the Honeycutts and Josie remained.

I asked for a report on the intelligence ops we were performing. Not much going on and surprisingly nothing from Mom about Douglas Addison (although she glanced at Ash after her report which I thought strange).

We assessed the protection spells and did a little planning and plotting and arranged our next meet to discuss The Gathering.

Ash disappeared after everyone was dismissed.

I walked Aidan to the Merc.

He turned to me before getting in the car and I caught his hand. “Stay,” I urged on a heartfelt whisper. “Go get some of your things and move to The Gables. You’ll be safer here.”

He laughed like what I said was amusing, cupped the side of my face and ran his thumb down my cheekbone then his hand dipped to my jaw so his thumb could glide over my bottom lip.

“Matty, you know that won’t work. Don’t worry about me. I can take care of myself.”

Then he kissed me softly and, after I slid my arms around his waist, very, very deeply.

Oh my.

After I watched him drive away, I was walking back to The Gables when I saw a shadow move.

Holy crap.

It was Ash.

Holy crap, part deux.

He was walking purposefully toward me while speaking in a growl. “Mathilda, I’m going to warn you I’m not particularly keen on sharing my women.”

Great.

“Thanks, Ash, that helps things a lot, like I’m not already confused enough.”

Then he arrived at me and before I knew what he was about, he grabbed me, pulled me to him and kissed me, not softly, but hard, hot and yes, also deep.

Holy crap.

“I find there’s a hint of him left on you,” he murmured after he was done, “I’m going to erase it. Do you understand what I’m saying to you?”

I nodded, my knees were weak.

He let me go. “Don’t say you weren’t warned.”

Holy crap.

I needed a drink and luckily, when I arrived in the kitchen, Mom was there.

“Martini or mojito?” she asked.

“Margarita,” I answered.

It was a tequila night.

I sat at the kitchen window staring at the sun setting across the water.

Mom sat behind me and started twirling my hair like she used to when I was a little girl.

“Do you know which one it is? Which one is going to die?” I asked the Bristol Channel quietly.

She knew exactly what I was talking about.

“Oh, baby, I wish I did, so I could guard your heart like they guard your life.”

I sighed.

She sighed too.

Then I turned to my mother. “What’s the deal with Addison, Mom? Why’d you look at Ash when –?”

“Don’t ask, Matty, it’s our secret, Sebastian’s and mine. Keeping it from you is protecting you.”

I nodded and I did this without hesitation.

In Mom we trust.

* * * * *

The next morning I knocked on Mavis’s Magic Room door.

She was crystal gazing when I walked in.

“We’ve got an unwelcome houseguest,” I told her.

“Don’t let your emotion override your intuition, diddums,” she warned.

Diddums.

Mavis.

Yeesh.

Even with the warning, she got up and we went together to find Althea who was reclining on the couch in the Plush Parlor watching 50 First Dates.

“That Adam Sandler,” she said when we walked in, “he’s a charmer.”

Oh for goddess’s sakes.

Obviously she hadn’t seen The Longest Yard.

“Althea, you have a choice,” I launched right in, “either Ash can escort you back to your cottage today or you can sober up and start to work for your keep in The Dozen.”

She stared at me, her eyes narrowed.

“Your choice,” I said.

Mavis stood next to me, her arms crossed on her ample bosoms.

“I didn’t ask to come here,” Althea pointed out.

“No, you didn’t. My bad. I’m sorry. Now you can go home.”

I left, went to the door of The Dungeons and pounded.

Althea joined me in the hall, Mavis trailing her.

“Girl, you’re a nutter, you know that?” Althea said to me.

I banged on the doors louder.

“Ash!” I shouted.

“Don’t!” Althea stopped me. “Okay, I’ll work for my keep.”

That surprised me.

“But, you have to get some of my things, clothes, shoes… I’m tired of this borrowed stuff.” She pointed to Octavia’s castoff sundress that she was wearing, which was, quite rightly, not very attractive.

“You make a list, we’ll send someone to get it,” I told her. “False alarm!” I shouted at The Dungeon door.

“Why don’t you want to go back, Althea?” Mavis asked softly.

See? Good cop, bad cop.

Or in this case, good witch, bad witch.

I put my hands on my h*ps and waited.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know,” Althea replied, resignation in her voice. “That one may be a nutter,” she jerked a thumb at me (nice), “but Agatha Darling is far loonier.”

“And, how exactly is Agatha loonier?” Mavis asked.