Under a Spell

Chapter Nineteen

It only took twenty-four hours for things to go back to normal. Kayleigh was back to reigning with Fallon, the other girls were in counseling, and no one, conveniently, wanted to know where Heddy Gaines or Miranda Shepperd were. I had my shoulder bag hiked up and was ready to go back to work at the Underworld Detection Agency when I opened my front door and caught Will standing there, mid-knock.

“Good morning,” I said with a smile. “Did you forget we’re not working at the school anymore?”

“No,” he said, handing me a paper cup that percolated with the aroma of hazelnuts and whipped cream. “But I thought I could walk you, just for old time’s sake. And also because you totaled my car.”

I bit my bottom lip. “Yeah, Will, I’m really, really sorry about that. The thing is—”

“You don’t have insurance?”

“I have insurance. Not American insurance.”

He rolled his eyes, but there was still a hint of playful smile behind his coffee cup. “The thing is, I actually want to talk to you about something.”

He stepped aside and opened the vestibule door for me. I tugged my jacket tighter around my shoulders. “Let me guess—you’re really digging the supernatural crime fighting and want to come on board officially? UDA offers great dental.”

Will stopped on the sidewalk and faced me. “Sophie, I’m serious. This whole Guardian thing. It ends, you know?”

I took a step back. “No, I don’t know. Aren’t you going to be here, guarding me?”

“As long as you’re the Vessel of Souls.”

I frowned. “And if I’m not?”

He shrugged. “Then I get reassigned.”

I had never wanted Will in my life, but now I couldn’t imagine my life without him.

“Why are you telling me this, Will? Why are you telling me this now?”

He sucked in a deep breath and looked down at me, his eyes the color of honey and warm. “Look, I know you’ve got a thing with Alex—”

“No.” I held up a hand. “I don’t have a thing with Alex.”

At least I was pretty sure I didn’t.

Will looked at his feet, then up at me again. “Well, that’s good, because I lov—”

His voice was drowned out by the sound of horns honking as a woman zigzagged her way across the street, making a direct path through the cars for Will and me. She grinned when she crested the curb in front of me, a wide, thrilled smile that cut across her wrinkled face and pushed up her ruddy cheeks. She reached out and wound her fingers through my hair, still smiling.

Everything inside me told me to bolt, to put distance between this crazy woman and me, but I couldn’t. My legs were leaden and I was rooted. Her eyes raked over me and finally locked on mine—hers a filmy, water blue.

“He’s been looking for you for a long time, Sophie. He’s been looking and he’s so happy that he’s finally found you. It’s only a matter of time, now.”

I pulled back, stunned. “Who’s found me? Who are you?”

Immediately, the smile dropped from the woman’s lips and they went to a tight purse. She stepped back from me as if I had burned her and yanked her hand out of my hair, breaking a few strands as she did so.

“Get away from me,” she said, her voice sour, her eyes frightened. “I don’t know you. Get away from me!”

She reeled backward, then was swallowed up by the crowd. She was gone, but her voice kept swirling in my head: He’s been looking for you for a long time, Sophie. He’s been looking and he’s so happy that he’s finally found you. It’s only a matter of time, now. Only a matter of time . . .