Page 20 of Tricky Magic
“We saw your father recently; he seems to think you are still sowing your seed and enjoying life before it is time to come home. Yet, it seems you have actually made this place your home?” Cara asked, looking him up and down. She let her lip curl at his rugged appearance. Where they were crisp and clean, he was every bit the backwoods male. Thick, dark hair hung to his chin, almost blending in with his rugged beard. His outfit was his usual dark Levi’s, a faded t-shirt, and a flannel, now dirty and discarded. Ros only raised his eyebrows in reply. He would not give them anything to bring home.
“You would think five hundred years in this place would be enough,” they said together, both letting their heads cock to the left.
Ros just bared his teeth in response. Damn, they were creepy—and they got such a kick out of it, too. Ros was sure any of the creepy twins in movies were based on these two.
“I’m sorry if I’m not ready to let our legacy and curse ruin my life.” He didn’t like many people, but forever was a long time to be alone.
“It seems like you’re avoiding the curse pretty well since I don’t smell a male or female on you. How much time do you think you have left before your father comes calling?” Carver asked. Cara left her twin’s side to examine the pile of ash still smoking behind Ros.
Of course, he didn’t have someone’s scent linked to him; it was hard to remember the last time he’d bedded anyone, and he would never grow attached. He would never let someone get hurt because of a curse that took anyone who loved the rulers of his family.
“I wonder who sent this lovely creature to say hello to our favorite cousin?” Cara asked, breaking him from his thoughts.
“I wouldn’t put it past the two of you,” Ros said, raising his chin.
“This wasn’t us,” they said together. “But someone is clearly trying to get your attention.”
“I’ve heard this has been the fourth demon topside this season,” Cara stated with a cock of her head.
“I’ve heard it was six,” her brother replied with the same tilt of his head.
“I have really missed our chats, wonder twins, but I have to finish what I was doing. Please go creep someone else out.” Ros walked away from them, heading back to the trees he’d been chopping down.
“Check on Belias,” Carver said.
Then together, “we hear he’s been topside for a few months now.”
Ros’ only reply was a middle finger held high over his shoulder.
* * *
The sun seemedto drift slowly in the sky as Ros left the one hundred and fifty trees behind. His feet led him up the old path to his home while his mind continued to plan out how many trees would need to be cleared over the next few days. He tried to think about anything other than the visit from his cousins and that demon. The forest parted, and fifty feet in front of him stood his home.
As he approached the deep green structure, his thoughts quickly switched to work he could do on it. He had lived here for the past five hundred years, and it was constant work to keep the old property livable. It wasn’t massive like some of the other cabins in the area, but it was perfect for him. One bedroom and one bath were all he and Garm needed. The living area looked over the vast lake through floor-to-ceiling windows he’d installed almost fifty years ago. Not one part of the house was unused; shelves covered every wall, filled with his collections of books and trinkets. Only a few people stepped into his home, and they all said the same thing: “This looks like a hoarder’s home.”
Ros felt the magic zing around him as he crossed the protection line around his home. Nothing got in without him knowing about it. He headed straight for the fire pit to discard his clothes; there was no need to try and save them with the amount of demon blood caked into the fabric. He stripped down completely and placed his clothes on top of the waiting logs. Fire roared to life with a swipe of his hand, and the heat of the flames blanketed his naked body as if it had been lit for hours.
He looked up at his waiting home, contemplating a shower, then glanced at the lake and thought about a swim. Bringing his hands overhead, he stretched his tall, muscled body. He was slightly sore from chopping trees, but not sore or tired enough to kill the restlessness in him. Swim first and then shower.
Ros left the fire and headed to his long dock. It was a regular occurrence to take laps up and down the lake, no matter the weather; he would be in here until the dead of winter when it would freeze over. The nudity didn’t bother him either. There were only three houses on this lake, and even if the residents were home, it still wouldn’t stop him.
He glanced at the house to the right of the lake. It had been abandoned for about two hundred years now. Maybe he should check to make sure the structure was still sound, especially since some of the kid gangs in town loved searching through old, abandoned properties. He shook his head, and a small smile graced his lips. Looking at the cabin directly across from him, he wondered if anyone would ever live there again. It had been about fifteen years since the seer and her son had visited the old cabin. His mother would have enjoyed the house to his right. It was higher on the hill and had a massive greenhouse. He had been thinking about her a lot lately. She visited him in his dreams, and he’d started seeing her everywhere, especially in the late summer storms.
As he neared the end of the dock, he shook the memories of his mother from his mind. He was a few flashbacks away from getting to the sad stuff. The demon from earlier had washed away those sad memories, and he was thankful the houses near him were empty. Not only did he hate company, he hated having to explain things even more. Hopefully, Garm would come back with useful news. Ros knew it wouldn’t be good news, but at least they could work out a plan.
With a heavy sigh, he pressed off the dock to dive into the chilly lake. The cool water washed over his body as he continued moving underwater. He didn’t break to the surface until his lungs screamed so loudly that his mind couldn’t focus on anything else.
The lake was about a half-mile wide, and he continued circling it for an hour. He didn’t worry about any of the creatures in the water, supernatural or not; he was the scariest thing in the lake. He tried to chase away the concerns in his mind—his cousins’ visit, the demons that kept cropping up, and more—while pushing his body. It didn’t work as well as he wanted, but he came up with a start to a plan. He would have to call his other cousin and see if he, in fact, was topside. If he was, he would answer some of Ros’ questions whether or not he wanted to.
The sun was getting closer to the horizon, and he needed to shower and eat before getting in touch with Belias. Grabbing on to the ledge of his dock, he pulled himself up high enough to place a foot on the wood. He stood, running his hands through his hair to rid it of the lake water.
When the crisp air hit his backside, he wanted to hurry inside, but he also didn’t want the forest creatures thinking he was going soft. He settled for a quick walk, refusing to show any discomfort until he was inside his entryway. With a shake of his large body, he allowed his powers to warm the house and made his way to the bathroom. Even the shelves in his mudroom had books tucked between his shoes and gear. “I am not a hoarder,” he mumbled for no one to hear as he made his way through the kitchen.
“Oh, I don’t know about that, cousin.”
Ros paused and then cursed himself.
How did he get in here?he thought while he looked for something to wear. There was nothing, of course. Luckily for him, he wasn’t in the habit of being embarrassed. Ros strode naked into the living room and glared at his least favorite cousin.
