Twisted Magic (Book 2 of the Ink Series)

Magic and Mayhem

I stood in the sordid looking shop at the end of Hutch's neighborhood. I wondered what I got myself into. I crossed my arms not moving from my spot at the front door. The dusty windows barely let sunlight shine through and made it drearier than it already was.

"Are you sure about this place?" I asked Hutch as he looked past the wooden counter at the array of herbs, and concoctions bottled and on display. The jars were neatly lined on one long shelf after another covering the entire back wall.

"I swear it. Anything you want to do there is something here to help you." He waited, while I counted to thirty and if someone didn't appear soon I was out of there. I had been through a previous incident with places of the sorts, and I wasn't about to have another one.

The beaded curtains rattled and shook and out came a red-haired woman, her long skirt swaying in the breeze as she came to the counter.

"Hutch so nice to see you again," she said, a small smile on her face, the creases in her forehead proved she was old. I just wasn't sure how old. She looked past Hutch to me, pushing a strand of fiery red hair from her shoulder, her silver bracelets chiming against her tan arm.

Hutch turned toward me. "This is Hope." He motioned me forward. I reluctantly moved beside Hutch at the counter.

"Jane," she didn't offer a smile.

Hutch ignored the awkwardness between the two of us and brought the matter at hand to the surface.

"I need some things for a binding spell and for a connection spell."

Her eyes grew large. "What is it you're trying to unite, Hutch?" Her gaze dropped to my tattoo. I covered it with my hand feeling judged and unwelcome.

"I'm not getting into the details. But yes, it seems foolish I'm sure."

"More than foolish, I can sense the darkness just looking at her. You don't want to mess with that connection." She turned her back on us.

My mouth was dry. I looked at Hutch. "What is she saying?"

Hutch sighed. "She's afraid of what you are and what is connected to you."

I rolled my eyes. "Just like the rest of Cherry. She doesn't know what she's talking about. He's not like them." I wasn't about to battle this weird woman over Slade and whether or not he was some lost soul.

She turned back around dropping a rope, and some sort of sage on the counter pushing it toward me. She acted like I was covered in germs, and I was growing rather sick of it.

"What good is a rope?" I lifted it off the counter.

"The rope is part of the spell you will do to ward off your little problem," he said, raising an eyebrow. I scanned my wits trying to make sense of it.

"Her," I said, referring to Audrey. If I strangled her with the rope it would be easier getting rid of her. I didn't get it.

"A binding spell is very powerful. It will keep whoever you cast it on from hurting others and themselves." She explained. "But this could all well be a mistake." Her eyes dropped to my wrist again. I dropped the rope and dropped my arm below the counter, so she wouldn't stare at it anymore.

I knew a few people this could work on. I wondered if I should ask her for more ropes. And wondered why nobody else was doing this. The world would be a better place.

"That sounds simple enough," I said to myself looking at the rest of the stuff on the wall.

"Not hardly, on a human maybe, on someone with their own power it can prove difficult." Hutch handed over the rope and dropped his hands on the counter. "Jane, I know you're concerned, but I really could use your help."

Jane's penciled eyebrows lifted; she drew in her bottom lip, and with a soft exhale spun on her heels. She looked around the shelves and settled on a couple of different herbs. She put them in a small black bag and secured the string.

"This should do it," she pushed it across the counter, her rings catching my eye. Black stones and shiny silver gleamed in the rather dank environment. It was odd.

Hutch pocketed it, and pointed past her to something else. "What's that?"

Jane turned, taking the feather off the shelf. She ran it across her fingers. "This is the feather of a very old crow said to have been around for hundreds of years. They say it only came around when evil was near and those who carried the feathers were protected."

Hutch extended his hand; she placed it in his palm. He turned to me, his fingers slipping through my damp hair. "A gift for you."

I smiled, accepting the large feather. Smiling at Hutch's thoughtful gift, he ignored Jane's gaping stare at our forbidden attraction—it was something similar to West side story or Romeo and Juliet the way this woman was making me feel.

Jane raised a hand stopping us from leaving. "Hutch, I hope you think wisely about taking what is not yours." She warned, pocketing the bills he threw on the counter.

I spun around. "Look lady, I know you don't like me, but you have no idea. This guy is not my keeper." I crossed my arms offended for the third time since I entered the place.

She blinked, unruffled by me. "It is not you I dislike."

I scoffed, that was amusing.

"It follows you and what you are; you are new to power, to magic. It will eat you alive if you let it." She looked at Hutch. He touched my arm. "I see her aura. It's blue, but it's being blotted out by black."

I raised an eyebrow startled. Hutch tugged me toward the exit; it seemed he heard enough to. He pushed into the door taking us from darkness back to light and fresh air again. I already felt a million times better.

"What was she talking about my aura is blue?" Like my mood, I thought to myself.

"Don't listen to her. She's an old witch; she believes some lines should never be crossed. She's old school like many others, but I'm not, and I said I would help you."

"But what exactly is a blue aura?" I asked, following him through the sand. I wondered what color Karsen's was, maybe Zebra striped or leopard.

"A blue aura, one that is spiritual, loyal, creative, sensitive, kind and moody. All things you are," Hutch teased.

I wasn't laughing. "If I was loyal I wouldn't have almost slept with you last night."

Hutch stopped walking and turned at my remorse. "If you weren't loyal you wouldn't be beating yourself up over it. It's human nature, Doll. You can't help who you're attracted to and who is attracted to you." He dropped down in the sand close to the water.

"It doesn't bother you. That you almost slept with me, the queen of the dark side. The girl promised to the devil himself?" I raised an eyebrow; it was funny yes, but true in ways.

Hutch grinned; I dropped down on my knees watching him sort through the contents of the small pouch.

"What we are about to do, yet cool, may be a little disturbing. Are you up for it?" He shot me a crooked grin, waiting for an answer. "And to answer your question, it doesn't bother me one bit, because I think you would be worth it."

My cheeks warmed.