Page 73 of The Witching Hours

Fear seized my heart when I began to feel the pull. It was like a giant vacuum in my former bedroom floor helping Ace drag me closer. Though I wasn’t being gulped down whole in seconds like the rabbit who’d flown past and disappeared waving his watch and screaming, “I’M LATE!”, my feet were inching toward the edge. I was leaning backward with all my might, but my weight wasn’t enough.

“NICK!”I hoped sound had actually come out of my mouth. I couldn’t be sure.

As if the portal was strengthened and made hungry by every new addition, the pull strengthened. I’m not ashamed to say I’d moved past panic to full blown hysteria.

“NICK!”I shouted again.

Just before my feet reached the edge of the hole, I felt Nick grab me from behind. He encircled my waist with one strong arm and grabbed the closet doorknob with the other hand. While he was using all his strength to keep Ace from taking me down with him, I was trying to pry the card’s fingers away from the hem of my hoodie. With no luck.

“JUST TAKE IT OFF!” Nick yelled in my ear so he could be heard above the din. The noise had increased to the level of a single-engine propeller at close range.

I tried pulling the thin knit away from under Nick’s arm. His grip was tight, but I was still able to get the garment loose. I didn’t have a chance to pull it over my head. As soon as it was free of Nick’s grip, Ace pulled it off me and took it with him to perdition where he belonged. I was okay with Ace taking a souvenir hoodie as long as I didn’t go with it.

Just as suddenly as it had opened, the portal closed, and the noise stopped.

Nick and I both collapsed onto the old oak floor, both of us breathless.

After a few minutes of trying to catch my breath and process that we’d done it, I turned to Nick and grabbed his hand.

He grinned. “That’s my girl.”

All I could think to say was, “Thank the gods.”

He pulled me in so we could give each other the kind of bear hug that threatens breathing.

“It’s over,” I said. Nick took a deep breath. “It’sreallyover. Right?”

“It’s really over.” He agreed. “I’m thinking cheeseburger from Beck’s.”

I stared at him for a few seconds before saying, “All the way with those huge onion rings on the side. And hickory sauce.”

He shook his head. “Sweet potato fries.”

“To each their own.” As I pushed myself up, I realized I was wearing a bra and yoga pants. “Rats. I’m undressed. I can’t go like this.”

“Sure you can. I see people show up to the gym like that all the time.”

I was dubious. “Maybe. But we’re not going to the gym.”

“It’s jogger chic,” he said. “And you’ve got the body to pull it off.” He wiggled his eyebrows.

“Hmmm.” I still wasn’t sold.

“Okay. How about if we eat out on the patio?”

I smiled. “Sold.”

As we got in the car I said, “It’s going to take some getting used to. Knowing I’m free. I meanwe’refree. Nothing unusual is going to happen in my peripheral vision.”

“Well, can’t promise that. You’re an unusual person. You may attract unusual stuff. But I’ve signed on for whatever.”

“That’s the best news.” As we closed the front door and replaced the key where we found it, I said, “We’re going to owethe owners for the desk and whatever was in those papers that are now floating around Wonderland.”

He put his arm around my shoulders. “Gotcha covered.”

Few things are harder to explain than what seems to be an unjustified burst of tears. It sent my husband’s mood from celebratory to concerned.

“What’s wrong?” he asked as he turned me to face him.

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