Desert Magick: Phoenix Lights Read online

  Bridgette closed her eyes for a moment. Grandpa Owen, you old idiot. You started this whole fucking mess. She wondered if he would pay them another visit now that Daisy had medium powers. Her cousin hadn’t mentioned seeing him. He’s probably more of a chicken-shit than me. Probably afraid to face her now. Come to think of it, she hasn’t mentioned seeing any of our relatives. Wonder what that shit’s about?

  She took in a long breath and brought her thoughts back to the current situation. “I’m impressed you could even find this place, Kali, much less Charlotte’s name. Guess owning a cemetery has advantages.”

  Kali chuckled. “Yeah well, I do have a few connections.”

  Alive and dead, no doubt. “Thankfully for us.” Bridgette’s phone vibrated and she pulled it from her jeans’ pocket.

  “What is it?”

  She studied the text and looked at Daisy. “Mario checking in. Still no sign of Rebecca.” She’d bribed him to spy for them and he wouldn’t get the rest of the money she promised if he missed even one day of checking in with them.

  Bridgette pressed the camera icon and took several photos Charlotte Miller’s grave and also of the headstones in this area, any she thought might be related to Rebecca and Wil. Daisy did the same. When they were finished, Bridgette turned back to Kali. “Okay, get your grave dirt and let’s get out of here.” There’s something I never thought I’d hear myself say.

  “Wait,” Daisy said. “I want to try a disclosure spell first. That’s why I came.”

  Bridgette stepped to her cousin. “It won’t work if Rebecca hasn’t been here recently. And we already know it’s her who started all this.”

  “I know. But we might get a hit on her family. She could be hiding with one of them. And I need to try something.” Daisy sounded so desperate, Bridgette didn’t dare argue. “You mind waiting, Kali?”

  “No, Daisy. Go ahead.”

  Bridgette watched as her cousin pulled a small blanket from her purse, the kind one might see in a baby’s crib, spread it on the ground in front of Charlotte’s grave, and sat, her short hair moving in the breeze. “Damn, woman.” She took a seat next to Daisy. “What the hell do you have in that purse?”

  “As our mothers told us, a good witch always comes prepared.”

  “I don’t think this is exactly what they meant.”

  “Yeah, well, sue me.”

  Noah stepped to his wife and squatted, pushing his sunglasses to the top of his head. “We didn’t bring any of your spell books, honey.”

  “Don’t need one. Bridgette and I can do disclosure spells in our sleep. We just need some quiet.” After the rest settled, Daisy put one hand on the dirt and the other on Charlotte’s headstone. Brown eyes found Bridgette’s gaze. “You can take Wil’s.” She smirked but a tinge of fear touched those familiar eyes.

  Keep it light. For her sake. “Coward.” Bridgette reached over and put a hand on Wil Miller’s headstone. I’d like to get out of this fucking graveyard before dark, especially now that Daisy’s a medium. Two witches could get the spell done more efficiently, anyway.

  Daisy recited in English and Bridgette repeated each line in Irish Gaelic. Afterward, they waited, eyes closed, for any visions the spell might bring. And they waited some more. A slight breeze lifted Bridgette’s long hair so that it tickled her cheek.

  After another moment, Daisy said, “You getting anything?”

  “Nada.” She opened her eyes.

  “Damnit.” Daisy pulled her hand back from the headstone as though the thing had shocked her.

  “What is it?”

  Her cousin waved a hand in the air. “Guess.”

  More ghosts? “You’re like a spook lightning rod.”

  “Tell me about it.”

  A shadow moved over them and they both looked up at Scarlet. “If you two are done playing in the dirt, I’d like to get Daisy out of here.” Funny how the medium didn’t seem the least bit intimidated by a couple of inherent witches who could make her miserable with a single spell.

  And Daisy’s even stronger than me now. She still wasn’t sure how she felt about that. Bridgette stood and saluted. “Yes, ma’am.”

  “That’s more like it. Come on, Daisy. We stay here much longer and this place’ll be as crowded as a bar at happy hour.”

  Daisy studied the medium as she got to her feet with Noah’s help. “Is there something about this cemetery that attracts them? I mean besides me.”

  Scarlet said nothing. She simply motioned to Kali. The necro pulled a tiny jar from her purse then bent to Charlotte Miller’s grave.

  Bridgette shook her head. “And to think I carry stuff like money and lipstick in my purse.”

  Kali grinned up at her. “Amateur.” She pushed some dirt into the jar, replaced the lid, and stuffed it back into her purse. She pulled another jar out, along with a pocket knife.

  “What’re you going to do with that?” Daisy said. Her brows knitted and Bridgette guessed she was thinking about the recent blood spells she’d performed. One to get rid of the skinwalker and the other to cross over to the afterlife.

  She’s afraid of blood spells, yet she’s done them twice to save others. Yep, she’s way braver than chicken-shit Bridgette McDougal here.

  Kali reached down to the base of the headstone and pushed away dirt. “Just a few flakes.” Then she used the knife blade to scrape off a bit of stone into the tiny jar. Not enough too defile the headstone. In fact, if Bridgette hadn’t watched her do it, she never would’ve noticed anything missing. Kali then pushed dirt back into place, tucked everything into her purse, and stood.

  “What the fuck kind of ritual uses grave dirt and headstone flakes?” Bridgette waved a hand. “On second thought, don’t tell me.” See, chicken-shit is a perfect title for me. While Scarlet could call the dead to her, a necro like Kali had to go to them, putting part of herself into the afterlife. Gray at her temples was evidence of her last visit, though she’d colored her hair since then.

  Scarlet scratched at one arm beneath her long sleeve. “You need anything from the other graves, Kali?”

  “No. Direct ancestry is strongest. If I can get anything at all, Charlotte’s is the best one.”

  Daisy looked shocked as she obviously caught on. “You’re not going to use your necro powers again, are you?”

  The Asian dancer shrugged. “If I have to.”

  “Kali, no. We can get information some other way.”

  “I’ll be fine.” But Daisy didn’t look like she believed the woman. “Really, I will.”

  The wind picked up, whistling through the headstones, and Bridgette opened her mouth to urge them to leave.

  “Daisy, look out!” Scarlet cried.

  Bridgette spun around. Daisy jerked as though something knocked into her. Just before Noah could get to her, she pitched to the ground, her entire body trembling with some kind of seizure.

  Shit!

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  * * * *

  Chapter 8

  Building a Mystery

  Bridgette scooped up Daisy’s sunglasses from the ground and followed Noah as he carried his wife to a nearby palo verde tree, where an old, fat headstone had broken in half to create a perfect seat. Scarlet and Kali went the other direction, chasing after something unseen. Noah sat on the headstone and held Daisy in his lap, her head limp against his shoulder. At least the seizures had stopped.

  “What happened?” Bridgette tried very hard to concentrate on not panicking as she released a chink of her mental wall and opened her telepathic senses. Noah’s intense worry hit her first and made her nauseous for a second.

  He shook his head. “I don’t know. We should get her to a hospital. I have Dr. Varma’s phone number on my cell.”

  At first, Bridgette got a wave of disorderly thoughts, like her cousin was asleep and dreaming. Then the thoughts began to coalesce into something more coherent. Daisy moaned.

  “Wait. She’s coming to. Daisy? Can you hear me?”

  Noah shifte
d her weight on his lap. “Daisy, honey? Please wake up.” The desperation in his voice and mind caused a knot in Bridgette’s stomach.

  Scarlet cursed as she and Kali made their way to the tree and Bridgette turned on them. “What the hell happened, Scarlet? Was it the hitchhiker again?” The medium didn’t answer. “Scarlet? What happened?” She only received surface thoughts from the medium, but beneath Scarlet’s calm demeanor, the woman was freaked out. Kali, a weak telepath, had learned long ago to put up a mental wall against intruders like Bridgette so she got nothing there. “Damnit, Scarlet. What – the – hell – happened?”

  Scarlet swallowed and licked her lips. “A shadow spirit. I’ve never seen anything like it. Looked like it went through her.”

  “What? Shit.” Bridgette studied her cousin. Daisy’s eyes fluttered open. “How can the dead pass through a living person?”

  “They can’t. Usually.” A cappuccino-colored hand pushed through dark hair and Scarlet pursed her lips. Her fingers trembled slightly. “I thought it was just a fairytale.”

  “What’s a fairytale?” Bridgette wanted to smack Scarlet when she didn’t answer right away but forced herself to wait. This has got to be bad. She’s a medium for fuck’s sake. She doesn’t freak out like this, especially with the dead.

  Scarlet removed her sunglasses and rubbed at one of her eyes. Then that intrusive gaze moved to Bridgette. “Daisy’s no ordinary paranormal. I don’t know all the changes she’s been through lately but something extraordinary has happened to her.”

  Noah gazed up. “What do you mean by that fairytale remark? What’s happened to her?”

  Bridgette stood to her full height and crossed her arms beneath her breasts. At five-foot-eight, she towered over the short medium. “Extraordinary good or extraordinary bad, Scarlet?”

  “I don’t know. Exactly. But there’s a myth – at least I thought it was – that tells of a medium centuries ago who died and came back to life. When he returned, he was still connected to the afterlife somehow. He became one of the most powerful mediums in our history. At least, that’s how the tale goes.”

  “Powerful how?” Noah said.

  His panic nearly blinded Bridgette and she shoved a plug into her mental wall to keep from staggering. She swallowed back nausea and focused on Daisy again, her own worry bubbling to the surface. When Scarlet just stood there staring down at Daisy, Bridgette gave a sharp look to Kali and motioned for her input.

  The Asian woman shrugged, her loose black hair moving in the breeze. “I don’t know what could’ve happened. I felt her come back to her body when we did the crossing over ritual during Samhain. I didn’t sense anything unusual. But I didn’t realize a hitchhiker had followed her back, either, until she told me. And I can’t connect with spirits in the living world like a medium can, so I guess I’m not much use.”

  “You’re plenty useful,” Noah said. “My wife needs all the support she can get right now.”

  “So nice of you to talk about me when I’m right here.” Daisy sat up and leaned against her husband for support. He pulled her closer, arms closing around her in a protective manner. “Did I pass out? What happened?”

  Scarlet leaned down and peered into Daisy’s eyes. “That’s what we’re trying to figure out. You looked like you had a seizure. What do you remember?”

  Daisy took in a long breath and frowned. “I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. A shadow. It came at me fast. I heard you yell at me but I couldn’t get out of the way. Then it bumped into me. I felt cold, like someone had dunked me in icy water. Next thing I know, I’m here.”

  “Kali and I saw that shadow spirit. We tried to catch up to it but it disappeared.” Bridgette noticed she didn’t mention the thing going through Daisy. Probably didn’t want to freak her out any more than necessary. At least until they knew more.

  Daisy glanced at the gravestone where she’d had her encounter as she rubbed at her arms. “Did you get what you needed, Kali?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then let’s get out of here. I need some coffee.” She pulled from Noah’s lap, ignoring his protests. “I’m okay, babe. Really. Just tired and hungry. I could go for a pastry. A really big one.”

  Bridgette didn’t need her telepathy to know that they all wanted to get away from this cemetery. “We should get you to the doctor first.”

  “I’m fine, Bridge. And I can handle stopping for a bite.”

  She crossed her arms as she gazed down on her shorter cousin. “Daisy Rhiannon, you’re going to see a doctor. You had some kind of seizure. We all saw it.” The wind blew a lock of hair across one eye and she shoved it away.

  Noah pulled his wife around to face him. “We should let Dr. Varma take a look at you.”

  “But I feel fine. Really. I’m just a little tired.”

  Bridgette huffed. “Yeah, you said that shit before.”

  Noah had a more subtle way with his wife. “At least let me call her once we get to the car. See what she says.” Daisy opened her mouth, probably to argue, but Noah held up a hand. “I mean it, Daisy. You scared the shit out of me. Out of all of us. And you promised Dr. Varma you’d call if you had any symptoms.”

  So much for his subtle ways. He must really be freaked. “I agree with your husband. A seizure is one fucking mountain of a symptom.”

  Daisy held her palms up. “Okay, okay. I give. Call her. But if she says I’m fine, I get coffee and two pastries.”

  A small grin spread over Noah’s lips. “Deal.”

  As they headed for the car, Bridgette exchanged worried glances with Scarlet and Kali. She motioned the two to stay a short distance back, while Noah and Daisy got in to call the doctor.

  Kali eyed her, slim arms hugging her purse. “Something else wrong, Bridgette?”

  “You two have some time later? There’s someone I want you to meet.”

  “Sure.”

  Scarlet pursed her lips. “This have anything to do with Daisy?”

  “Yes.” I’m fucking certain it does now.

  “Then she should come with us. I can’t leave her alone.”

  Bridgette let a string of curses flow in her head then forced herself to calm. I have to tell her sometime. And I need Scarlet’s knowledge of the afterlife. “Okay, but don’t say anything to her. I’ll tell all of you in a little while.”

  “Where are we going when we meet this – someone?”

  “A mental hospital.” Scarlet’s dark brows climbed above her sunglasses and Bridgette gave a sharp hand wave. “I’ll explain later. Just don’t say anything to Daisy. Either of you.”

  Thankfully, they both agreed. Noah was off the phone now so Bridgette strode to the car. What the hell happened to you on the other side, Daisy? And what the hell did you do to bring Liam back?

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  * * * *

  Chapter 9

  Say You'll Be There

  “Dr. Varma says I’m in excellent health, especially considering what I’ve been through. Even she was shocked.” Daisy nudged her husband. “Right, babe?”

  Noah gave a small smile. “Yeah.”

  Bridgette almost sighed out loud in relief to that news.

  Daisy stood in front of her, arms crossed beneath her breasts, a huge grin lighting her face. “I know I said I wanted coffee and pastries.” She tapped the face of her watch. “But it’s almost three now. You made me miss lunch so I want go out. Making me come here and wait when I told you I was hungry, you guys owe me.”

  Bridgette chuckled at her cousin’s challenging look and shrugged. Can’t hurt to placate her. Especially since she’s okay. “I’m hungry.”

  Daisy’s brown eyes turned on Scarlet and Kali then softened when both agreed. “Good.”

  Bridgette hid a smile. She’s getting good at manipulating us. Or maybe we’re all too hungry to say no. “So, where do you want to go?”

  “Desert Peaks Mall.”

  Where the first body was found. Naturally. I should have known she was up to
something. Well, played, Cousin.

  “It won’t return there, Daisy,” Scarlet said.

  “Doesn’t matter. I want to go there. I need to go there.” Daisy held out her right palm to her husband and wiggled her fingers, faint scars still noticeable from her encounter with the skinwalker a few months ago. “I’ll drive myself if you don’t want to come.”

  Bridgette fought the urge to shake her head. What was it Scarlet once said? That Daisy had big brass balls? That medium is fucking right. Daisy had internal and external scars from her recent encounters. She latches onto a problem like a rattlesnake to prey. And now she even sees ghosts everywhere. Being a medium isn’t exactly my idea of a healthy life. Though Bridgette would never say that in front of Daisy or Scarlet.

  Noah shook his head and held tight to the keys in his hand. “No way. I’m driving.”

  “Fine.” Daisy grinned as she hooked an arm in Noah’s. “Then let’s go. I’m starved.” She steered him out of the doctor’s office.

  Bridgette followed, with Scarlet and Kali right behind. Just as they crossed the threshold and stepped outside into the cool late afternoon, Daisy turned and gave a flash of her tongue.

  “Oh, real mature.” But Bridgette didn’t see any harm in playing an old game that dated back to their childhood. In fact, she hoped to keep things light. At least for now. Soon, she’d be telling Daisy about Liam. I’m so not looking forward to that shit.

  * * * *

  Bridgette got out and waited at the curb with the others, while Noah parked his Camry Hybrid. Several cars, trucks and SUVs sat in the parking lot of this open-air mall with stucco walls and flat roofs. In summer, misters mounted in the eves would keep customers cool but this time of year they were dormant. Large planters with flowers and desert shrubs decorated the walkways, giving the place a cheerful appearance. Some shoppers headed toward the food court or the movie theater as others came and went from various stores.