“Charmin Depraysie!” I seethed.

  My cousin smirked and swung his legs over the side of the driver’s seat, leaping nimbly to the pavement. If he was unnerved by my sudden appearance, it didn’t show.

  “Maverick,” he corrected mildly, extending an arm lazily to one side.

  “Maverick?” I insisted, shaking my head as I fought to release the images of Tom Cruise and fighter jets.

  A barn owl fluttered down onto Charmin’s shoulder and perched there. I recognized the little bastard immediately—I’d seen it flying all over Haven Hollow for the last week. And I remembered the dastardly thing stuffed into a cage in Maverick’s bedroom in the manor house. The owl familiar was sleek and elegant. And it appeared much better behaved than my obnoxious cat.

  “I don’t give a rat’s ass what your stupid name is!” I railed at him. “It’s been you all along!”

  “What’s been me?”

  I narrowed my eyes at him. “You were the reason I couldn’t use my magic on my side of the duplex and you were the reason my fabrics disappeared.”

  He smiled broadly. “Guilty as charged.”

  “I want my fabrics returned at once or I’ll…”

  Charmin’s hands shot out to either side of arms with a suddenness that startled me. Before I realized what he was doing, he’d steered me into the side of one of the busses, caging me in just like Lorcan had earlier in the week. The difference? Lorcan hadn’t made my skin crawl.

  “Or you’ll what?” he murmured, angling his face toward mine.

  “I’ll hex you!”

  He chuckled. “First of all, I burned all your fabrics so there is no getting them back. And, secondly, you’re going to hex me? Do you think that’s wise with the state your magic’s in? There are other cemeteries in town. One up the road from here, in fact. Do you want to bring a hoard of shambling dead out of their graves so near the children?”

  Of course I didn’t, and he knew that. Every spot he’d turned up in had been calculated. He knew I couldn’t risk exposing the mundanes in the Hollow to magic. Any who saw would have to be sworn to silence with a binding magical contract, like what happened to Marty. If too many of them witnessed it and the truth spread, it meant my expulsion at best. And then none of the Hollows would take me if I was that careless. My cousin had many faults, but a lack of cleverness wasn’t one of them.

  Lorcan and Poppy rounded the corner of the bus and stopped shy of us. Poppy cleared her throat awkwardly and appeared embarrassed for the second time this evening.

  “Erm... do you know this person, Wanda?”

  “I do… unfortunately. He’s my cousin,” I said coolly. “This is Charmin Depraysie, and he’s the first warlock in our coven in over seven centuries. He’s also a massive… penis and not in a good way.”

  “Not that you would know,” Lorcan started, giving me a look.

  “Not that I would know,” I answered with a quick nod. “Ew, gross.”

  Poppy’s eyes went round. As a gypsy, she’d know all about witches and warlocks, and that meant she’d understand what an unmitigated disaster this could be.

  “The name is Maverick,” the bastard said, matching my frosty tone. “And this is none of your concern, either of you,” he said, looking from Lorcan to Poppy. “Leave, before I’m forced to expel you.”

  “You can’t expel me,” Poppy started as Charmin turned to her squarely, and I was suddenly afraid I might have to ensure he didn’t hurt her. And that was a strange realization because witches didn’t feel protective towards anyone, least of all gypsies...

  “I am in the process of purchasing a home here, in Haven Hollow, and the sale should finalize very soon, and then I can oust you,” Charmin said, and panic sparked like a pilot light inside me. He was purchasing land in Haven Hollow? Blast and conjuration! If he sealed the deal, he could claim Sanctum, and I’d be beholden to him, just like he’d always wanted.

  “Even if you claim this land, I’m not submitting to you,” I said, spitting the words at him. “I’ll run as far as I have to go.”

  “And I’ll just come after you,” Charmin said as he glared at me.

  “What are you going on about,” Lorcan started to interrupt, but I wasn’t finished so I just spoke over him.

  “You’re insane if you think I’ll marry you, Charmin.”

  “Oh,” Poppy said, sounding surprised.

  “Oh,” Lorcan echoed, also sounding surprised, but I still wasn’t finished so I spoke over them both.

  “I’d sooner tie myself to the vampire.”

  Lorcan frowned at me. “You don’t have to make it sound so unpleasant...”

  I ignored Lorcan’s grumbling and watched as Charmin’s eyes went frosty with dislike. The long ago crush he’d harbored for me had clearly twisted into something hateful. Even if we weren’t cousins, I’d never have agreed to date him. There was something intrinsically dark about him and that wasn’t a surprise because warlocks always went mad in the end. And I wanted no part of that and no part of him.

  Charmin shrugged. “Well, I suppose this is as good a time as any to give you notice. In two weeks I’ll be able to invoke Sanctum, and then I’ll be starting a coven of my own, with rules different than the silly matriarchal ones you’re accustomed to.”

  “What does that mean?” I demanded.

  He glared at me. “It means my coven will operate as the old, patriarchal ones did, with me as High Warlock and you shall be one among a harem of women who tend to my needs.”

  “I’d rather kill myself,” I spat the words at him.

  He just chuckled in that unconcerned way of his. “When the time comes, you’ll either join me, or you’ll be joining the gypsy on the road out of town.”

  “Neither of which will be happening,” Lorcan said.

  Charmin turned to face him. “It’s written in the rules, vampire, which means there’s nothing you can do about it.”

  And he was right. Unfortunately. Charmin could invoke Sanctum as soon as he purchased land in Haven Hollow and then he was free to not only start his own coven, but to run it as he saw fit. Of course, other covens would come down on him, but there wouldn’t be much they could do.

  “Not if I can help it,” I said and took a deep breath.

  Charmin turned to face me and there was disbelief etched in his expression. “What in the world could you possibly do when you have no land and no money?”

  I couldn’t believe what I was about to do, but I had no other options left to me. “I, Wandellmellia Celestine Depraysie, challenge you, Charmin Igixius Depraysie to a witch’s duel on the night of the half moon.”

  “Wanda, what are you,” Lorcan started, but I interrupted.

  “The setting will be determined by a mediator.”

  Charmin’s smirk didn’t falter. If anything, it grew more pronounced. “You cannot be serious.”

  “We need to discuss this, Wanda!” Lorcan insisted. “There are other ways!”

  But I only had eyes for Charmin. “Do I look like I’m joking?”

  He shook his head and laughed. “Your powers are unstable, which means you have no chance against me. It would simply be unsporting to agree to this.”

  As if he cared about being ‘unsporting’.

  “You’ve been challenged,” I insisted.

  “Wanda!” Lorcan yelled, and I turned to glare at him.

  “I’ve already put the challenge out there. I can’t rescind it now!” Then I faced Charmin again. “Either you accept the challenge or you admit your defeat here and now, with these two witnesses,” I said and motioned to Lorcan and Poppy.

  “Wanda, is this a good idea?” Poppy whispered.

  No, of course it wasn’t a good idea! Even without Charmin’s potions unravelling my magic in and around the duplex, my powers were fickle. I’d just magicked myself silly due to my stupid familiar and was remaining upright by sheer will alone. Charmin was a powerful warlock, and he might very well be out of my weight class in my current state.

  But none of that mattered.

  This was my home, and I wasn’t going to allow him to scare me into leaving. He’d have to stomp me into the ground to earn the privilege. And furthermore, the only person who was going to kick Poppy out of Haven Hollow was me. And… I wasn’t even sure I wanted to do that anymore.

  Blast and conjuration… I was going soft.

  “A duel,” I repeated, sounding more confident than I felt. “During the half-moon. If I win, you withdraw your purchase in Haven Hollow and you leave, never to return again. And that means you won’t come after the gypsy either,” I paused to look at Poppy just to make sure Charmin knew which gypsy I was referring to.

  Charmin leaned in, pressing a brief, teasing kiss to my cheek as I jerked away from him. “And if I win, you become mine in any way I see fit.”

  “Wanda,” Poppy started as Lorcan stepped in front of me, facing the bastard.

  “No,” he said. “She is my heir.”

  Charmin turned his ugly expression to Lorcan. “As a Blood Witch, she is not under your protection as she hasn’t fully turned.”

  Another truth. Damn him.

  I tasted bile at the back of my throat. It was hard to believe Charmin and Astrid both came from the same mother.

  “I agree with your demands,” I said.

  Charmin leaned away and shook his familiar loose. The owl took to the sky as I turned my attention back to Charmin, only to find he’d already climbed back into his van. I watched him go, hands tightened into fists, teeth clenched.

  I was going to win this. I had to.

  There was no way I’d submit to that son of a witch. Turning into a vampire was still a kinder existence than submitting to Charmin’s whims.

  Poppy turned to me, wide-eyed. “Do you think you can beat him?”

  For the first time since we’d met, I didn’t have a flippant reply. I could only offer her the truth.

  “I don’t know.”

  Chapter Eighteen

  Ophelia, as moderator, took her sweet time announcing the location of the duel. Presumably, so she could milk as much anxiety out of the experience as possible. Night hags were nasty like that. I only received the summons two hours before the duel was set to take place.

  Though, apparently I wasn’t the only one. When I trekked the mile through the forest behind my home to reach the glen Ophelia indicated, there were already spectators gathered around the dueling area, most of whom I recognized.

  Stanley stomped the ground in greeting when I strolled by.

  “Good luck, Wanda,” he said, reaching down to give me a brief squeeze.

  I smiled up at him as I felt a tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find Marty smiling down at me. He stepped back to reveal he was wearing a black t-shirt with a roll of toilet paper on its front. The text above read; ‘Down with Charmin!’

  I choked on a laugh, and Marty beamed.

  “Do you like it? I had them made for Team Wanda. I could only get a few done on short notice, though.” He held one out to me. “I have one for you too.”

  “It’s great and I’m sure Charmin will hate it, which makes me like it even more.” And with that, I pulled the ridiculous looking thing over my fitted turtleneck and even though it was way too big, it somehow bolstered my courage.

  Marty’s grin widened. “Good luck, Wanda. We’re all rooting for you!”

  Marty turned back around and that was when I saw Roy, Poppy, and Lorcan standing there, each of them wearing a worried expression. A handful of the other supernaturals in Haven Hollow had also turned up. I didn’t recognize most of them, though. Only a few stood out. The man sitting next to the succubus from the realty office radiated a come-hither vibe from almost a mile away. He had to be an incubus. Then there was the wavering outline of a woman who appeared to have died in 1920—she was clearly a ghost.

  And at the opposite end of the clearing stood Charmin, clad in a three-piece suit. He stood to his full height, appearing completely confident.

  “Wanda?”

  I turned around at the sound of Poppy’s voice. She looked nervous.

  “Hi, Poppy.”

  “I just want you to know I lit a special candle for you last night and I’ve anointed myself with as many different potions as I thought might help you,” she said as she reached down and took my hands. I fought my initial reaction, which was to pull away. Even though I was the way I was and always had been, there was a part of me that felt different—that felt appreciative and I was still coming to terms with that part of me.

  “I know you aren’t able to anoint yourself with anything, for the sake of a fair fight,” Poppy continued, “but I want you to know I’ll be sending you as much mojo as I can.”

  I wasn’t sure what that meant, but I thanked her all the same. Then she gave me a sweet smile and squeezing my hands, she turned around, walking into Roy’s open-armed embrace.

  “Sweetling.”

  I didn’t need to turn around at the sound of his voice. But, I did anyway.

  He just stood there for a few seconds, as if he wasn’t sure what to say. “Know that if he harms you… I shall rip him into pieces.”

  I laughed. “Thanks for that, Rowe, but you know that can’t happen. Ophelia won’t allow it.”

  He nodded, but there was something in his eyes—concern. “Wanda,” he started.

  But the bleating of Ophelia’s voice interrupted him as she called for me to join Charmin, where he stood in front of her. I gave Lorcan a quick smile and then turned around, walking towards my adversary.

  I took a deep breath and came to a stop at the edge of the treeline so Charmin and I both stood equidistant from Ophelia, who crouched in the middle of the glen. The bower over our heads allowed the silver moonlight through in streamers. Enough for me to see by, but something that would hamper Charmin. If he wanted to see clearly, he’d have to summon light, giving me a definite advantage.

  Had Ophelia given me an intentional leg-up? It seemed out of character for a night hag. They were typically only motivated by self-interest. Sort of like witches.

  Ophelia held a flashlight against her chest, and the beam threw every wrinkle in her ghastly face into sharp relief. Worse, it illuminated the rainbow-striped blouse, neon-green cardigan, and plaid skirt.

  She flicked her gaze over the crowd. “You’ve all come to witness a witch’s duel between Wanda Depraysie, and Charmin Depraysie.”

  “Flush the TP, Wanda!” Marty and the others chorused. My laugh was drowned beneath laughter from the rest of the crowd. Charmin scowled at me, apparently noticing my T-shirt for the first time. I grinned.

  Ophelia, meanwhile, quieted the crowd. “Enough! The rules are simple. Magic is the only weapon allowed. Any use of mortal weaponry will disqualify the user. The fight continues until one combatant surrenders or is rendered unconscious. Am I clear?”

  “Won’t need weapons,” Charmin said. “I can handle one Blood Witch on my own.”

  “Arrogant ass,” I muttered. Then louder, “I understand.”

  Ophelia stepped to one side of the glen and flicked her flashlight. “Begin!”

  Charmin summoned light to his hand almost at once, providing a clear target for my first spell. All the fear, anger, and sorrow of the last few weeks manifested, and for the second time since arriving in the Hollow, I flung a snake at my hated enemy.

  Unfortunately for me, this enemy was savvy. Though his eyes widened in surprise, he didn’t panic. He sidestepped the snake before catching it mid-air, grasping its head before it could twist around and strike. With a savage twist and a burst of power, he separated the snake’s head from its body and let it fall limply to the ground. It came apart, sparking like embers on the ground, before fading away.

  Charmin then spun and loosed a bolt of force at me. I had to dive to the side to avoid it, almost tumbling to the ground in my haste. It struck a tree where my head had been just moments before. Bark showered the assembled crowd as they gasped. Charmin’s strike left a dent the size of a fist in the tree. If it had hit me as intended, I’d have been done.

  My pulse kicked up a notch. I’d been counting on this to be a non-lethal match, based on the fact that Charmin wanted me alive… or, at least, I’d thought he had. But, now I wondered. Maybe the mockery had pushed him into a rage, and my safety was secondary now.

  I caught myself on a boulder and ducked when another bolt came sailing over my head. It struck another tree, and the explosion of the bark sliced into my back. I dared a peek over the boulder. Charmin still clutched light in one hand, eyes flicking this way and that for any sign of me. He really couldn’t see well in the dark. And I could use that to my advantage.

  I pressed a hand to the earth, willing magic into it. I just had to knock him out, and the match would be over. If I could get him off balance and to the ground, I could summon the snake again and choke him out. It wasn’t a fantastic plan, but it was the only thing I could come up with, so I decided to go with it.

  Dead things in the earth began to stir. Worms, maggots, animal carcasses, dead plant matter, and more. I could taste death on my tongue, the waft of sweet decay rising to meet my sensitive nose.

  The ground beneath Charmin’s shiny black shoes heaved and a half-rotted possum carcass lunged from the earth, sinking yellowing teeth into his ankle. Charmin yelled and tried to kick the possum off. The long forgotten body of a coyote, ribs standing out against the decaying fur, rammed into his other leg, and he staggered, but didn’t go down.

  I launched myself from behind the rock, twisting the air before me, willing the snake to writhe into being. But before I could reach Charmin, he loosed another bolt. And this time, I didn’t dodge quickly enough to avoid being hit.

  “Wanda!” I heard Lorcan and Poppy call out at the same time.

  The bolt hit my sternum, not my head, which was the only thing that kept me from immediately losing the match. But I was definitely hurt. My chest felt like one massive, throbbing bruise. I couldn’t draw in enough air, and black spots danced across my vision.

  It was only a matter of time before I passed out.

  Charmin fell to his knees, weighed down by the rotting vermin. He was cursing, too occupied with trying to blast the dead animals away to notice the advantage he’d gained. If I could just summon something large enough to knock him out...