Page 31 of Last Witch Attempt
“Is she being obnoxious?” he hissed, the question likely directed to Landon. “I can’t tell.”
“She’s just being Bay.” Landon followed me through the door. “This is her world, Steve. You’re going to have to learn to defer to her on certain things. She knows best.”
That was only a bit of an exaggeration.
I was barely out of the cabin when the locator spell returned, vibrating wildly as it tried to force me back inside the cabin. I reacted without thinking, throwing magic outward just as two black creatures with huge white eyes landed on either side of me.
The magic caught the first arachnid by the throat and slammed it into the wooden porch, knocking it senseless. The second managed to evade the full force of the blow and was on me before I could adjust.
“Bay!” Landon threw himself at the creature, tackling it off me. They both tumbled down the stairs.
I was on my knees quickly and aiming, blowing the spider off Landon before it could bite him … or worse. The creature reared up, going ramrod straight. A thin scream escaped as it died. When it toppled, all dead weight, it landed on my husband.
“Oh, gross!” Landon shoved at the arachnid’s body, making a face as he looked down at his ruined shirt. It was covered in the same oily grease from inside the cabin. “You just had to show off, didn’t you?” he complained to me. “I had it.”
“It could’ve turned you into one of them if it bit you,” I explained. That wasn’t entirely true. Arachnids had multiple capabilities, depending on the family. Just like there were different types of witches, there were also different types of arachnids. “I didn’t think you wanted a side of flies with your breakfast tomorrow morning.”
Landon glared at me. “You’re making that up.”
I smirked, then turned to the other arachnid. When I moved closer, I realized that it wasn’t staring into nothing out of fear. It was dead. I poked the creature’s side, frowning when I felt how thin it was.
“Don’t touch it!” Steve looked horrified. “You could catch a disease.”
“They don’t spread plague or anything,” I assured him, cocking my head. “This was a minion.”
“Is that a good or bad thing?” Chief Terry asked.
I lifted one shoulder. “It’s malnourished. Not dehydrated, but underfed.”
“They’re starving?” Steve asked. He almost looked hopeful. “If they’re hungry, why didn’t they eat our victims?”
“They don’t eat people. If they’re responsible for what happened in the woods—and it’s possible they were part of it—I’m guessing it’s because they made a deal with whatever this other creature is.”
“Why would they be starving?” Chief Terry was all business. “It’s spring. If they eat animals, there are plenty available.”
“Things went poorly for them in Hawthorne Hollow,” I replied. “Most of the arachnids fled when they were warned to get out of town. If these stayed behind, it’s probably because they got an offer they couldn’t refuse.”
I straightened. “You should probably get these bodies out of here before the cabin owner comes calling. I would also get a cleanup team here. You don’t want rumors spreading.”
“Okay.” Steve looked momentarily perplexed. “Are there more of these things?”
“In the woods? Maybe.” I held out my hands. “They won’t come back to this cabin.”
“Because they know their friends died here?”
“Yup. There are more. I’m sure of it. They’re not the big threat, though. Whatever is commanding them is the real threat.”
“And that’s what killed our victims in the woods?”
“I think so. We need those autopsy results.”
A muscle worked in Steve’s cheek, but he nodded. “The medical examiner’s office is on the list. I’ll get a cleanup team here. What are you going to do? You can’t go to the medical examiner’s office with us. I can’t explain your presence.”
That was hardly surprising. “I’m going to my office. I have a bit of work to do. And I have a source I wouldn’t mind questioning.”
Steve’s eyebrows moved toward one another. “What kind of source?”
“Someone who knows things.” I forced a smile as I pictured the ghost I was going to ruthlessly question when I found her. “Don’t worry about that. You handle the cleanup and the medical examiner’s office. I’ll handle the rest.”
