Chapter 19

“Where are we supposed to meet him?” Kasey squirmed in her seat again. “I can’t wait to speak to her.”

Chris reached over and picked up her hand. He gave it a gentle squeeze before bringing it to his mouth to suck gently on a finger. She stopped and sat still, looking at him. He smiled. At least he’d found the secret to getting her to sit still. “We’re about ten minutes away. Relax.”

She smiled and let out a huffed breath. “Is everyone else going to be there by then?”

Chris nodded and checked his rearview mirror again to make sure no one was following them. “Yes, we’ll pull the cars into a little barn and leave in the van with Patrick.”

She leaned back. “I hope everyone else is okay.”

“I’m sure they are.”

The eight sat silently in the windowless van as Patrick drove them to the house, only Chris knew the location of. Kasey was so nervous, she clung to Chris’s hand.

When they walked into the little house, they saw a dark-haired nurse sitting at the table reading a book. “Back so soon, Mr. Blaine?” She smiled at everyone. “Rhonda is in the sitting room in the La-Z-Boy.”

Patrick raised his eyebrows. The woman shrugged. “She refused to see anyone lying flat on her back.”

She turned and studied them. “It’s good to see her looking forward to something. It’s been very frustrating for her with all the therapy. Of course, she still can’t bend a great deal. The wounds on her back are still too tender.” She sighed and sat back down. “I keep telling her it’s going to take hard work. But she acts like she’ll magically heal overnight.” Tsking to herself, she picked up the book. “Call if you need me.”

Steven nodded. “Of course.” He turned his back to her and wiggled his eyebrows at everyone else. “Let’s go see if we can boost her spirits.”

The woman half reclined in the puffy chair did not look like the scared woman in the hospital room a few weeks earlier. Her strawberry blonde hair was neatly combed down and spread out to her shoulders. The scars on her face weren’t as angry-looking. Her brown eyes weren’t as wide and frightened. Kasey looked around at everyone else for a moment and then looked back at Rhonda.

Rhonda smiled a tiny smile. “Hi. I’m so glad you came.” Her voice was soft and raspy.

Patrick frowned at her. “Why aren’t you in bed?”

She turned annoyed eyes towards him. “You go lie in bed, Patrick.”

Everyone turned to Patrick.

He shrugged. “She’s been going a bit stir-crazy. It makes her a little snappy now and then.” He went over and sat near the window.

Rhonda smiled. “Sit, everyone. I’d sit up a bit, but it’s still a little difficult.”

Cora smiled. “Just seeing you almost upright and breathing is enough for us. How are you feeling otherwise?”

Kasey nodded to no one in particular as she sat down.

Rhonda smiled briefly. “Pissed off mostly, as you well know, Coralee.”

Everyone turned to look at Cora.

Cora laughed. “Rhonda is able to send me thoughts or images from time to time, after us being so closely connected.” Then she grinned at Rhonda. “Yes, I got those messages loud and clear.”

Rhonda nodded slowly. “Good. And you’re all right with that?”

Cora nodded but didn’t say anything.

Kasey looked all around the room, and Rachel began picking invisible lint off her skirt. Leena just smiled and leaned into Owen.

Kasey nervously watched Patrick glance at each woman, and then he glared at Rhonda.

She ignored him. “Owen, I was wondering if you would hold my hands again. My back I can be patient with, but not being able to pick up anything is getting a little frustrating.”

Owen smiled and stood up. “Be happy to.”

“Whoa.” Rhonda smiled, “You really are as big as I thought I’d remembered.”

Owen knelt beside her. “But gentle as a lamb. Isn’t that right, baby?” He winked at Leena.

“If you say so,” Leena said with a smirk as she watched him hold Rhonda’s hand for a moment. “Oh, I’ve brought more tea for you. Have they been helping?”

Rhonda nodded. “They’re wonderful. Of course, Mr. Blaine wants me to only drink the ones that put me to sleep.” She threw him a cold look.

Patrick turned and looked out the window again.

Steven stood up. “I’m sorry, but the doctor in me has to look.” He waited for Owen to move around to the other hand, then picked up the one Owen had just released. He turned it over and checked both sides and flexed her fingers. “They’ve done a great job here.”

Rhonda nodded. “Yes. I’ll just go Goth and wear some sexy gloves when I go out.”

Everyone laughed.

Kasey sat to the edge of the chair. “Have Leena design you some outfits. She has a knack for flaunting the good and hiding the bad.”

Chris snorted. “Sweetheart, there isn’t a bad anything on you.”

Kasey blushed and turned back to Rhonda. “Have the stones been helping? I brought a few new ones so you could switch them from time to time.”

Rhonda reached with the hand as Owen released it and pulled the chain out of her shirt. She stopped. “Oh!” Turning her teary eyes to Owen, she whispered, “I can pick up the chain now. Thank you!”

Owen looked bashful as he went and sat back down. “I’ll have a go with your back before we leave if you like.”

Rhonda nodded. “We’ll see how I feel. I go from awake to drained very quickly.” Trying to adjust her position, she hissed out a breath. “To be truthful, my back is really starting to ache being in this position.”

Dade stood up. “We can help you go stretch out.”

Rhonda smiled. “Please.” Chris was on her other side before Dade could nod. Slowly they helped her get to her feet. She grinned. “Don’t let me fall on my face, but let me walk on my own, please.” Each placed a gentle hand on her arm.

Rhonda winked at Cora as she moved slowly towards the door. “I think you girls are the luckiest I’ve ever known. To have all these...” she looked at Chris and then Dade up and down slowly. “...big, sexy men looking after you all the time.”

Cora held the door and laughed. “Oh, they have their moments.”

Dade whispered close to Rhonda’s ear. “So do they. It’s all fair in the end.”

“I think it’s amazing the way she is now compared to a few weeks ago,” Kasey said, barely able to contain her excitement as they stood in the small barn.

Patrick leaned back against Dade’s van and smiled at Cora. “You lovelies wouldn’t be planning something, would you now?

Cora smiled sweetly at him. “A woman must have some secrets, Detective Blaine, or fantasies.”

Patrick almost blushed at her tone. “Let me know when all of you are back safely.” Then he got into the van.

Dade nodded and gave Coralee a curious look. She smiled sweetly and got into the van. He glanced over at the other men. Each one clearly caught that, just as they had back at the house. They now had five sexy witches in their lives who were definitely up to something.

The women were out of the vehicles and into Leena’s house before they had them in park. Chris got out and leaned against the car waiting for the others to come over. “Is it just me, or is there something going on we haven’t been apprised of?”

Steven nodded. “I have never heard Rachel talk so much, ever. I couldn’t get a word in edgewise all the way home.”

Dade stuck his hands in his pockets. “Coralee had me talk about work and the maintenance I do at the retirement homes. Which is definitely a first.”

Owen scowled. “Leena went to sleep, or I think she was.”

They turned to Chris. He shrugged. “Kasey was silent and sat still all the way home.”

Something was going on.

Dade ran his hand through his long hair. “Do we risk asking?” He smirked. “If we piss them off, well, we saw what Kase can do. The four of them together could be a little more than we can handle. Do we take the chance?”

Chris nodded. “Oh, yes we do. After Kasey’s stunt earlier this week, I don’t think I’d survive another one.”

They walked into the house, and not one of the women was present. “Lee?” Chris stood in the living room.

“We’ll be down in a second, just showing them something.”

Chris’s eyebrows went up as he looked at the other men.

“They know,” Cora whispered.

Rachel bit her lip. “How?”

Kasey shrugged, even though she wasn’t feeling very calm about it. “I’m not about to say something. I’ll get locked up until after Lammas.” Then she looked at them. “I still can’t believe what we’re planning. The guys are not going to be happy at all.”

Cora licked lips. “I don’t think we really have a choice, do we? I can’t go through what I did at Solstice. If Rhonda hadn’t been able to project to me... we may not have found her until it was too late.”

Rachel lowered her head. “It’s sad she didn’t even get to go to her friend’s funeral.”

Kasey frowned. “We can take her to the grave as soon as she’s well enough.”

Cora sat on the edge of the sewing table. “If we don’t go through with our plans for Lammas, Rhonda is never going to be able to go out again. Not with the killer being so mad that she lived.”

Rachel sighed. “So, back to the men, how do we prevent them from asking too many questions? If they even suspect, we’ll all be in serious trouble.”

Leena grabbed some material. “I’ll try to distract them from it, I hope.”

They walked in to find the men were sprawled in the living room. “What were you showing them, baby?” Owen asked her quietly.

Leena smiled and walked over to Chris. “Designs for new outfits, for Lammas.”

Owen grinned.

Leena stopped in front of Chris and held up a sheer dark green material. “Chris, maybe you can help. I can’t decide whether to dress Kasey in this.” She held up a bright pink see-through lace. “Or this.”

Chris looked over at Kasey and then back to the materials. “Either one instills many pleasing thoughts in my mind.” He smirked. “I’ll leave it up to you. Anything you’ve ever made is...perfect for her.”

Kasey came over and sat on his lap. “You’re so sweet.” She snuggled into his arms. He kissed the top of her head while looking over at Dade.

“Coralee, Rhonda hasn’t been sending you any more images that would help, has she?” Dade watched her carefully.

Cora shook her head and looked down at her hands for a moment before answering him. “No. I can’t explain all of it, a woman’s confidences and everything, but most are just from frustration. She and Patrick are rubbing each other the wrong way.”

“Last question.” Steven looked over at Rachel, who was playing with her lip, causing her tongue ring to pop in and out of her mouth. “Are you ladies planning some secret spells or such for Lammas?”

Leena sat down beside Owen. “Of course not. What we’re planning, I’m sure you gentlemen will enjoy very, very much.”

Owen pulled her against him. “Yeah, baby?”

“Of course,” she whispered against his mouth.

Dade cleared his throat. “Well, that’s what I need, more fantasies. Thanks, ladies.” He stood up and looked at Cora. “Do you want a ride home?” Dade stood without moving as she got up and started to walk by him, then stopped and kissed him on the mouth.

“Let me know if you need fuel for those fantasies, Dade Jones.”

Watching her walk to the door, he grinned. “Honey, just watching you fuels more than you’ll ever know.”

Steven watched the two walk out and turned to Rachel with a grin. “I need refueling too.” She turned and looked at him, then walked over and picked up his hand. His eyes watched her as she licked his palm slowly. “That should help.” She winked at him, then walked to the door.

Steven silently sat there until she had left. “Yep, that’ll do it.” He sighed. “I’ll see everyone Wednesday.” Getting up slowly, he glanced at Chris. “You’ll have the results of the lists?”

Chris nodded without looking away from Kasey. “Yes. Although none of them match either Beltane or Solstice’s attendance, but we still might get lucky.”

Kasey pouted. “Does everyone use their real names at gatherings, though?”

Steven paused near the door. “They do, Kase, for emergency purposes. You can’t phone someone and say your daughter Moonbeam Fluffy Bunny has fallen drunk in the river and hurt herself when their daughter’s name is actually Tiffany.”

Kasey sighed. “Well, there has to be something on them that will match an address, or something.”

Steven shrugged at her and walked out the front door.

Chris ran a soothing hand down her arm. “We’re still checking, sweetheart.” He didn’t want the risk she’d put herself in to be for nothing either. Kasey smiled at him. “Let’s go home.” Biting her bottom lip, she grinned at him again and leaned closer to him. “Take me to your lair, Christopher.”

Chris grinned as he stood with her still in his arms. “We’ll see you Wednesday at Cora’s.”

Owen sat for a silent moment. “What are you four up to?” He stroked a hand down Leena’s long hair. “I don’t have to read minds to know there’s something going on.”

She leaned into him and nuzzled against his neck. “We were discussing the possibilities for a handfast date.”

His eyebrows went up. “I told you, you decide, and I’ll be there.” He rubbed his jaw. “And also letting me know how this happens might be good too.”

She smiled. “I was thinking New Year’s Day. Pagan New Year’s, that is. November first.” She kissed him. “A new year, a new life together...”

Owen pulled her into his lap. “If that’s what you want, baby, then November first it is.”

She hugged his wandering lips to her. “Would be nice if Kasey and Chris decided to get married too, then it could be a double. Wouldn’t that be nice?”

He didn’t reply, couldn’t for a moment, and then he grinned at her with his boyish smile. “Let’s go to bed.”

She smiled. “I’ll be there in two minutes.” She had to send a message to the girls and tell them she was getting married on New Year’s Day.