Chapter 1

Vanilla extract.  A slice of lemon.  Tapioca pudding.  Minced garlic.

The common household kitchen items were spread across a long folding table.  A pot of boiling water sat on an electric hot-plate to the side, its bubbling the only sound in the basement.  Each item was treated with the utmost care and respect, separated and organized, as if they were the components to a bomb.

From the eye of the young man staring at them, that was a real possibility.

Kevin Mishnar let out a deep sigh, one of many over the past twenty minutes.  He stood and paced.  This was the part of magic that he hated the most.

The waiting.

It took three weeks for the four items to come to him.  The lemon was first.  It popped in his head while at work, as he fixed a computer for the boss’s daughter.   The pudding and garlic came when he was cooking dinner.  Only the vanilla extract had an amusing story behind it.

It popped while he was with his girlfriend, Leese, in the early hours of the morning.  They were together, doing what young couples did, when the ingredient came to him.  If Leese wasn’t a wonderful girlfriend, Kevin’s muttering of vanilla extract while she ground her hips into his might have been a mood killer.

But Leese knew Kevin was a witch, and knew about the strangeness that came with it.

Like sometimes obsessing over half completed potions.

He glared at the folding table.  It had been another three weeks since the extract came to him.  He didn’t understand how magic worked, at least with new potions.  They just happened.  Sometimes a single potion came to him, or a flurry came at once.  Sometimes they were quick and easy, others took months.  Kevin kept a notepad to jot down every ingredient.  He wouldn’t know what the potion did until it was completed.  Magic, if nothing else, was a tease.

He turned on some music and sat on the couch.  He tried to take his mind off magic.  Sometimes focusing on a potion helped it along.  But there were times that distraction was the best thing.  There was no magic formula.

Kevin admired the basement he called home.  He still lived in the house his friend Victoria gifted him.  Legally, it belonged to Kristin, his sister.  But he was more than happy to claim the basement as his own.  A bed, couch, TV, computer, bathroom, he didn’t need more than that.

There were a few other witch’s touches as well.

Kicking his feet up on the couch, he surfed through the channels.  The allure of seven o’clock television on a Friday night didn’t exactly grab him, and he found himself staring at the table once again.  Frustrated, he stood up and turned off the hot-plate.  It was another trick he often went to.  Sometimes being near boiling water, a catalyst for many potions, would get the magical juices flowing.

But, for the moment, he was impotent.

“Some witch you are,” he muttered.

He approached his witch’s touch, the shelves that took up an entire wall of the basement.  The shelves were lined with potions and ingredients.  Most came from the kitchen.  Kristin would never realize they were missing, since he did all the cooking.  Others were more exotic.  Flowers from a tomb, preserved owl eyes, bones of a sparrow, bat wings.  Kevin didn’t even want to think about what witches in the past used, all while hovering over a cauldron.

His gaze drifted back and forth between his vast array of ingredients and his work table.  He wondered if a guess was in order.  Some of his favorite potions came from simply guessing at an ingredient or two.  Maybe nothing would happen.  But that nothing could turn into inspiration for another ingredient, or even another potion.  Sometimes just the act of brewing a potion led to more.

Or something crazy could happen, but he tried not to think about that.

He went to his go-to ingredient.  Sugar.  He poured a pinch into his palm and went to work.  Turning the hot-plate back on, he mixed the ingredients.  Vanilla extract.  A slice of lemon.  Tapioca pudding.  Minced garlic.  A pinch of sugar.  All in boiling water.  The garlic threw a mouth-watering aroma through the basement, making him hungry.  His finger hovered over the bubbling mixture.  Every magical potion needed the touch of a witch.  With a quick stir, he would either have something new to write in his witch’s journal, or a blistered finger.

“Let’s see what we got.”

He stirred the mixture quickly.  It didn’t change color, nor did his finger burn.

“Hmm, wow.  I wonder—”

A loud popping sound interrupted, followed by a cloud of smoke attacking him.  He stepped back and waved frantically, trying to clear the air.  The smoke refused to give in.  A coughing fit seized Kevin, and a moment later the basement was full of smoke.  He could see nothing.  He almost tripped over the couch trying to put distance between himself and the ruined potion.

The smoke alarm went off.

“Shit.”

“Kevin!”  It was Kristin, shouting from upstairs.  Kevin heard the basement door open.  “What’s going on?  Is there a fire?”

He peered through the smoke.  He felt no heat, saw no flames dancing from his work table.  No fire, it was just another potion gone bad.

“No, everything is cool.  It’s just, uh….”

“Damnit, Kev,” she said.  He heard her moving down the stairs.  “You’ve got to stop doing this.  Last month, you almost burned the house down.”

“I did not.”  He stumbled to the corner and felt for his reading glasses on the desk.  With another sigh, he slipped them on.  “It’s just a little smoke.  Not that big a deal.  I’ve seen worse when you try to cook—”

His eyes went wide as he trailed off.  Wearing a simple pair of reading glasses allowed him to see through anything, and that included smoke.  Kristen was three feet away from the hot-plate, waving her hand in front of her.

“Watch out—!”

It was too late.  She wore a black dress, and slammed into the table with her leg.  The failed, boiling potion spilled all over the carpet, and her bare skin.  Kristin screamed as she fell to one knee.  Kevin heard the sick sound of her thigh and hand sizzling.

She called his name.  Kevin sprang into action.  He jumped over the cord to the hot-plate and landed at Kristin’s side.  She trembled as the pain locked every muscle.  He gripped her arm and urgently pulled Kristin to her feet.

“Ow!” she hissed, sucking in a breath of air.  “Shit!”

Kevin urged her up the stairs, keeping a hand on her back.  Kristin half walked, half stumbled.  The smoke filled the stairwell, making both of them cough.  She nearly fell forward once, but Kevin caught her.  He helped her out of the basement and into the hallway.  The kitchen was just ahead.  He set her at the dining table and opened the fridge.  Her burns were already starting to blister.

Kristin cried quietly behind him.

“Hold on,” he said.

He had fought vampires, werewolves, demons.  Retrieving a bottle of water should have been easy.  Hearing his sister fight pain made his hand shake.

“I am holding on,” she said.  Her voice dripped with sarcasm.  “Just take your time.”

He created the first potion he ever discovered, long before he knew he was a witch.  All he needed was water and the touch of a finger.  The bottle of water turned bright blue before losing its color.

Kristin took a deep drink.

Kevin watched her and waited for the magic to happen.  The blisters on her thigh slowly vanished.  She flexed her hand, but it was still a deep shade of red.

“Drink a little more.”

“I am.  Just wait.”

One more drink.  Kristin rubbed her leg with her injured hand.  Her color returned to normal.  She turned her palm over in front of her and wiggled her fingers.

She stared at her brother.  They were adopted, not biologically related, but that didn’t matter.  They loved and looked out for each other.  If it wasn’t for Kristin, Kevin wouldn’t be the person he was.  She worked hard to take care of them after their parents died.

But like any brother and sister, they fought.  He knew just from a look when she was angry with him.

As she sat in silence, Kristin gave him that look.

To add more fuel to her fire, the smoke alarms throughout the rest of the house went off as well.  Kevin winced as Kristin covered her ears.  Smoke made its way to the kitchen.  He ran to the cabinets and started gathering ingredients.  Flour, vinegar, sugar, an empty Cool-Whip bowl to contain the smoke.  A few drops of water from the sink.

He quickly mixed the potion in the bowl and gave it a stir.  Standing in the thick of the smoke, near the basement door, he held the bowl over his head.  The smoke pulled in on itself, growing smaller and smaller.  It flowed across the couch, the stairs, the carpet, making its way toward Kevin and the magical container.  It flowed up his body, and he had to cover his mouth to keep from gagging.  When the house was finally clear, he slapped the lid shut.

Everything was eerily quiet.  The alarms went dead.  The only sound was from Kevin’s TV, still on in the basement.  Kristin kept giving that look.

As if the tension wasn’t thick enough, Kristin jumped when Oscar leapt across the table.  She squealed and balled up her fists in shock.  Kevin’s cat was always either at his side, or waiting in the shadows to frighten someone.  Being an all-black feline gave Oscar an advantage.

“Oscar!  Go away!” Kristin shouted.

Kevin regarded her for the first time since he heard her come home from work.  Confusion set in as he looked her up and down.  The black dress she wore stopped just above the knee and showed off her slender shoulders.  Heels and makeup, which was ruined due to tears.  A light bulb went off in his head, not unlike when he discovered new magic.

“Ah,” he said.  “You’re going on that date with Todd.”

“No.  I was going on that date with Todd.”

“What?  Why are you canceling?”

“I don’t know.  Maybe because I just got burned to a crisp.”

Kevin felt awful.  He didn’t want to be the cause of her not going out on a Friday night.  Kristin’s social life was improving, but she needed to get out more often.

“But you’re fine now.”

Her voice softened a touch as she stood and looked herself over once again, feeling her leg and hand.

“Yeah, thanks.”  Her hard edge returned.  “Look at me.  My dress is ruined.  And my makeup, I don’t even want to know—”

He laughed, drawing a glare.

“You’re right.  You don’t want to know.”

He took the bottle from her and set it on the table.

“Just change,” he said.  “Fix your makeup and go out.”

Finally, she managed a smile.

“I don’t know.  I’m afraid you’ll blow the house up.”

“I won’t.”

“Let me guess.  Your latest potion isn’t quite done.”

“I’ll figure it out.”

“Well, stop.”  She paused as she passed the basement doorway.  Her nose wrinkled as she sniffed.  “Is that garlic?”

He ushered her away, toward the stairs by the front door.

“Don’t worry about it.  Get ready for your date.”

“I already did.  Once.”

“Get ready again.  You’ve got other dresses.  I’ll clean up the basement.  Don’t worry.”

“Okay, okay.  I’m going.”

Kristin was halfway upstairs when she stopped to turn around.  She gave him a long look.

“Kev,” she said.  “You don’t have to be a witch all the time.  It’s okay to just be a stupid, regular guy.”

He wasn’t sure of her point, or what she was trying to say.  He was a regular guy.  He was an assistant IT specialist.  He didn’t own a ghost business.  Or manage vampire affairs out of a mansion.  Or whatever it was Jack Kursed did.

He didn’t know what to say, so just went with humor.

“Well, I’ve got the stupid part down.  Go get ready.”

“I’ll do that,” she said, turning on the stairs.  Her voice went quiet as she disappeared to the second floor.  “And don’t burn the house down!”

*****

Kevin eyed the carpet with disdain.  He’d already said his goodbyes with Kristin, wished her luck, and heard the front door open and close above him.  The carpet just behind the couch was sopping wet, and the scent of garlic, while wonderful, wasn’t a good smell for a basement.  He put away all his ingredients.  Witchcraft was over for the night.

He still carried the container of magically trapped smoke.  He’d have to dispose of it later.  Setting it on a shelf, a smile crossed his face as he thought of potential uses.  It would be a fun prank to play in the bathroom at work.

He grabbed an enchanted sponge off the shelf.  Wiping it a single time across the carpet, it absorbed all the moisture, leaving the fabric dry and fresh.  He used magic of a different sort for the scent of garlic.  A liberal spraying of Febreze.

Satisfied with the cleanup, he turned his attention to the rumbling in his stomach.  He wasn’t sure what he enjoyed more.  Cooking up potions, or cooking up food.

It didn’t take long to get the kitchen rolling.  Kevin was deep in his version of a Friday night out.  He liked going out, liked spending time with his friends and family.  But he equally enjoyed a night on the couch, with his spell-book in his lap and a black cat on the cushion next to him.

He made plenty of food, in case Kristin’s date went badly.  Steak smothered in mushrooms, steamed green beans, and baked potatoes.  He sampled a mushroom while enjoying the scent of the steak.

“One day, Jack,” he said.  “You’ll cook like me.”

He was shooing Oscar off the counter when his phone lit up.  After giving up his phone, and using magical stones to communicate, Kevin finally relented and purchased a phone once again.  Kevin and Leese both endured too many embarrassing incidents, with Leese even getting in trouble at work, because of their magical communication.  Voices booming mysteriously, or Leese hunched over a rock in a corner.  Kevin communicated with text, like every other person over eight years old.  They saved magic stones for emergencies.

Which, thankfully, there had been none.

He unlocked the phone to see it was a text message from Leese.  He smiled as he read the single sentence, what had turned into a private joke between them.

Can I come over and play?

There was no accompanying topless photo.  Although he had plenty, Kevin hung his head in disappointment.  He could always use more.

He went downstairs to his desk, where he stored countless pictures of places important to him.  Victoria’s kitchen, an alley close to work, Alex’s house, and Leese’s bedroom.

Some magic was simple, like trapping smoke or cleaning a carpet.  Then there was magic that was life-changing.  Like granting a human immortality.  Or using a picture to travel across the world.

The process had almost become rote.  Kevin grabbed a photo of Leese’s bedroom in her apartment, then headed to his shelves.  He plucked an already-prepared glass vial from a neatly labeled rack.  He drew two circles, or rather portals, using the potion.  One on the picture, and another on his basement wall.

Placing the photo inside the drawn portal completed the ritual.

The portal came into being, taking the picture with it.  He always kept multiple copies of every picture, for that reason.  On one side was Walton, Maryland, Kevin’s hometown-tiny-corner-of-paradise.  On the other side was Baltimore, home to most of Kevin’s friends.

Including his beautiful girlfriend.

Even after a hard day at the veterinarian’s office, Leese was radiant.  Kevin realized he was biased, but she never had trouble turning heads.  She still wore her scrubs.  Her blond hair was short, only barely long enough to make a ponytail.  Her skin was flawless.  He always wondered what magic she possessed to have a tan throughout the year.

Her smile was genuine, but weary.  Fresh clothes and a purse were slung over her shoulder.  A pair of jeans and a blouse.  He couldn’t help but notice the lacy underwear.

“Hi, sexy.”

“Hey, yourself.”

He stepped aside for her to cross the portal.  He took her hand so she wouldn’t trip.  Leese was gorgeous, smart, sweet, and kind.  She was equally as clumsy.

Her nose wrinkled as Kevin closed the portal behind her.

“What is that?”

He laughed.

“Garlic and Febreze.”  The thought of garlic made him think of dinner, still on the stove.  “Shit.”

He ran up the stairs.  Leese followed, smiling and laughing.  He turned the stove off and quickly shuffled food around.  Despite the hurried panic, nothing burned.

Leese dropped her clothes on the couch and joined Kevin in the kitchen, sitting at the table.

“Is Kristin out?”

“Yeah.  On a date.”  He looked her up and down.  “Don’t you have that dinner with Cindy’s parents tonight?”

She rolled her eyes as she slouched in the chair.

“Don’t remind me.  I love them, but I’m so tired.  I’m sleeping in till noon tomorrow.  You mind if I shower here?  Tracy beat me to the bathroom.”

Kevin laughed.  Tracy was Leese’s roommate, and loved her hot showers.

“Sure.  You want something to eat?  There’s plenty here.”

“No, but thanks.  I’ll eat at the restaurant.”  She had one foot on the basement stairs, and enough energy to blow a flirty kiss.  “Don’t peek.”

“I’ll try not to.”

He enjoyed dinner while listening to Leese shower in the basement.  She sang, badly, and it took effort not to choke on his steak with laughter.  The bathroom in the basement didn’t have a door.  He completely lost it when he heard Leese shouting at Oscar.  The cat strolled into the bathroom and scared Leese when he jumped at the curtain.

“Kevin!” she shouted.  “Come and get your cat!”

He set his dirty dishes in the sink and peered into the basement.  He hoped Leese couldn’t sense his smile.

“What?” he said.  “He thinks you’re hot.”

“You’re supposed to be spying on me.  Not Oscar.”

The slinky cat trotted up the stairs.  He stopped at Kevin’s feet, just long enough for a quick mew and a scratch behind the ears.

“Good boy, Oscar.”

*****

Kevin was on the couch watching television when the shower stopped.  Leese stepped out wearing only a towel.  He’d brought her clothes from upstairs, but she didn’t bother reaching for them.  Instead, she joined him.  Stretching her lean legs out, she shifted a few times before getting comfortable.  He rested a hand on her side as she snuggled her head in his lap.

“Sorry if I’m getting you wet.”

“You can get me wet whenever you want.”

“What are you doing tonight?”

“Just what I’m doing now.”

“You’re not going to visit Tiffany?”

He laughed.  They both had grown close to Jack’s adopted daughter, much to Jack’s dismay.

“Not tonight.  Jack’s been in a bad mood.  More than usual.”

Leese winced at the thought.  Jack wasn’t known for his pleasant demeanor.  For him to be in an active, noticeable bad mood spoke volumes.

“Is he still mad?” Leese asked.  “About Oscar?”

Kevin cringed as the memory came back.  Oscar was a well-behaved cat, but there times he liked to run.  He ripped through Jack’s home one evening during a visit, while he was cooking dinner.  He crashed into a lamp, sprinted over the breakfast bar, knocked plates of food to the floor.  Tiffany thought it was hilarious.  Jack didn’t.

It was no more damage than Tiffany’s young friends did when they had a sleepover.  But Jack always had more patience when it came to Tiffany.

“Uh, yeah, he’s still mad.  He said I should start playing with kids my own age.”

Leese chuckled so much her towel nearly came undone.  She turned on her knees and leaned on Kevin.  Her laughter was infectious, and he couldn’t help but join in.

“Jack’s such an asshole,” she said.

“I can’t argue that.”

“But he is right.  You need to play with kids your own age.”  She swung her leg over his and straddled him.  She nearly fell, but he grabbed her hips to steady her.  “I’m your age.  What do you want to play?”

He gently tugged at her towel and shifted under her.

“That depends.  How much time do you have before dinner?”

Leese smiled and leaned closer.  She wasted no time in pulling off his shirt.

Their lips had barely touched when the phone in Leese’s purse rang.

They laughed together as she gently cupped his face.  He kissed her neck, drawing a squeal, before she bounded off the couch.

“I’d better see what’s going on.”

Kevin stood with her and reached for his shirt on the floor.  Leese was too quick, scooping it in one finger as she teased him.  She danced across the basement to her purse.  Hands on his hips, he admired the peek-a-boo her body was playing with the towel.

Leese checked the phone before answering.  Unlike vampires and werewolves, Kevin could only hear her side of the conversation.

“Hey, Cindy.  What’s up?”  Kevin tried to snatch his shirt, only for Leese to hold it behind her.  “I’m over Kevin’s.  You want to say hi?”

Before Cindy could object, Leese was already tapping at her phone.

“No.  Don’t put it on….”  She sighed.  “Hi, Kevin.”

He laughed.  Like Cindy, he didn’t like group talk over a speaker-phone.  That was a big reason Leese always turned it on.

Kevin liked Cindy, Leese’s sister-in-law.  She was probably smarter than any of them, a large part of why Alex’s business was so successful.  Leese and Cindy were sisters long before Cindy’s marriage to Alex made it official.

“Hi, Cindy.  How’s it going?”

“Good, good.”  The awkward conversation continued.  “What are you up to?”

“Well, right now I’m trying to get my shirt back from Leese.”

“Oh, Jesus.  Sorry I asked.  Leese, are you there?  Are you even listening?”

Leese set the phone down to engage Kevin with both hands.  They continued to play like children.  She stuck her tongue out while pushing him away, moving his shirt about.

“Yeah, I’m listening.”

“I’ve been texting you for twenty minutes.”

“Sorry.  I just got out of the shower.”

“Can you make it to dinner earlier?  Alex might have a job tonight, and my dad was hoping to make it an early night.”

Leese adorably pouted, sticking out her lower lip with exaggeration.

“But I want to play with my boyfriend.”

“Play with him tomorrow.”

“Oh, alright.”  She shifted to serious as she picked up the phone.  “How early is too early?”  She checked the time and ran through routes in her head.  “I can be there in twenty minutes.”

“Perfect.  I’ll see you soon.”

Leese hung up and smiled apologetically.  She tucked her phone away as she moved to her clothes.  He wasn’t happy their time was cut short, but enjoyed watching her drop her towel, slip into her lacy panties and a pair of jeans.

“Aww,” he joked.  “I guess playtime is over.”

She fastened her bra and approached to take his hand.

“I’ll make it up to you.  Promise.  Hey,” she said, struck by a thought.  “Do you want to come?”

He smirked at her phrasing.  Her cheeks turned red.

“I meant to dinner.  Food.  Eat.  Drink.  You know.”

A touchy subject he’d been carefully avoiding.  Alex, Cindy, and Leese had known each other all their lives.  They were a tight group.  Even as close as Kevin liked to think Leese and he had become, there were still things only the Teagues did together.  Dinner with Cindy’s parents was an example.  Cindy put those plans together, and she didn’t invite him.  It would have been rude and awkward to invade the Teague family’s space.

“No, thanks.”  He gestured upstairs.  “I’m going to put food away for Kris, cleanup the kitchen.”

“Okay.”  She leaned in for a quick kiss, but quick turned into a thirty-second embrace.  She pulled away just enough to give him that smile of hers.  “You know, an early night means I can come back over.  We can continue that game.”

He slapped her butt.

“My joystick will be ready.”  He winced and shook his head.  Smooth was never a word used to describe him.  “Holy shit, that sounded terrible.”

Leese laughed, not deterred in the least.  She put on her blouse and straightened it.

“Yes, it did.  Do I look okay?”

“Beautiful.”

He’d told her that countless times, and Leese blushed every single time.  She approached the wall and gave it a tap.

“Could you hook me up?”

“Sure.”  He retrieved the potion and went to his desk.  “Do you know where you’re going?  Maybe I can get a picture from the web.  Save you a few minutes.”

“That’s okay.  I’d rather drive there.  Then I can leave whenever.”

He plucked out another picture of Leese’s bedroom.

“You got it.”

A potion, two portals, and one picture later, Leese kissed Kevin goodbye and approached her bedroom.

She stopped at the mouth of the portal.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” she said, turning to face him.  “We have to talk about something real quick.  Something serious.”

He fought panic.  They didn’t normally make small talk around a portal.  It would stay open for several minutes, unless he closed it himself.  But Leese’s roommate didn’t know about magic, didn’t know about the supernatural world, and she didn’t need to.  They were always careful in how they went about getting Leese in and out of her apartment.  There was no need to change Tracy’s life with a misplaced or mistimed portal.

“Okay,” Kevin said, leaning toward her bedroom.  The door was open leading to the hall, and he could hear the shower still running.  “What’s going on?”

“Listen, uh….”

Her struggle for words was surprising.  She always took the lead in their relationship, always made the first move.  If it wasn’t for her approaching him at Alex and Cindy’s wedding, they might never have talked.

“My mom’s coming to town next week.”

He’d heard a little about Leese’s mother.  She was a lawyer, and a single mother.  Always busy, always away.

Kevin waited for the rest, but it didn’t come.  He listened once again for Tracy, getting nervous.

“Okay, cool,” he said.  “Uh, that’s a good thing, right?  I know you haven’t seen her in a while.”

“Yeah.  So, do you want to meet her?”

He didn’t hesitate.

“Sure.”

“I was thinking…maybe we could do dinner or something like that.”

“Great,” he said, smiling as inspiration struck.  “I can cook for you guys.”

“Really?”

“Yeah.”  He took her hand.  “Are you alright?”

“Me?  Oh, I’m fine.  It’s just…you know, the meeting-the-parents thing.  Some guys run away from that.”

He laughed at the idea.  After everything they both had been through, dinner with Leese’s mother didn’t sound that dangerous.

“Just let me know when.”

“Good.  Awesome.”  She backed through the portal, nearly tripping.  Kevin caught her.  Her smile was bright, energetic, nervous.  “It’ll be just us.  No Alex or Cindy.”

“It’ll be fun.”  The shower stopped.  Kevin approached the portal and placed his palm near the edge.  “You’d better get going.  Before Tracy gets nosy.”

She gestured for one more kiss, across the portal.

“If dinner gets done early, I’ll send you a text.”

“Tell everybody I said hi.”

Kevin closed the portal with a drag of his hand.  He was alone once again, with only Oscar to keep him company.  Oscar settled on the back of the couch, curling into a ball.  Kevin scratched behind his ears as he joined him.  Goodbyes still felt strange when it came to portals, even after so many of them.  There was no driving away, no watching someone leave from a doorway with a wave.  There was only a bare wall.  The basement felt empty without Leese’s warmth and energy.

He stored the leftovers for Kristin, although she didn’t come home early.  He hoped her date was going well, and texted her for confirmation.  The simple reply brought a chuckle as he loaded the dishwasher.

Don’t wait up.

He sprawled out on the couch and mindlessly watched television.  Oscar curled up at his feet.  The hours passed, and he slowly drifted to sleep.

Chapter 2

“Kevin.”

The voice was familiar.  Male.  It sounded close by.  He cracked one eye open to see the television still on, although he’d muted it sometime in his journey of sleep.

“Kevin?  Are you there?”  The tone was urgent, worried.

“Huh?  What?”

He sat up to see Oscar still at the foot of the couch.  In his sleep-induced confusion, he wondered if Oscar had somehow found the ability to talk.  Maybe he sipped at one of his potions.  The clock on the nightstand informed him it was after two in the morning.

“Kevin.  Answer, damnit.”

The voice finally came to him.  He hadn’t heard it in a while.

Alex Teague.

Every burner on the stove was on. Three of them had various foods. Ground beef, vegetables, macaroni and cheese. The fourth was reserved for magic. Kevin brewed potion after potion, capturing each in glass vials. He placed them carefully in the rack on the table, making sure to be quick. Dinner didn’t need to suffer on account of magic. He stirred the vegetables and went back to brewing another potion. Martha was nearly out of cinnamon, a key ingredient for invisibility. He’d have to chip in more money to replenish her spice cabinet.

Dinner cooled as he turned on her old radio in the corner. Music, magic, and food. The night couldn’t get any more boring. Sitting at the table, he closed his eyes to enjoy the moment. Boring was exactly what he needed.

But he missed Leese.

He wondered what she was doing. Did she miss him? How was work going? Were nights out with the group the same without him? Had she met anyone new?

His thoughts were shaken when a black cat jumped on the table and nearly knocked over the vial rack.

“Oscar!” he said. “Be careful.”

Oscar spun several times. Before curling into a ball, he shot Kevin a penetrating, green-eyed glare. He collapsed away from Kevin, giving him his back to pet. Kevin understood the meaning clearly.

“Yeah, I miss her, too.” He searched the kitchen. “Where’s Sebastian? Did you beat his ass?”

Upon hearing his name, Sebastian strolled past and aimed for the water bowl. He paid Kevin no mind. Sebastian liked Kevin, but he made it clear he knew who his master was.

Kevin was in the middle of changing the pot for more magic when the phone rang. He whirled in place, having never heard it ring before. Martha was relatively up to date with technology, but still had a land-line phone on the wall. He felt silly for a moment as he struggled with what to do. Should he answer it? Would an ancient answering machine somewhere else in the house take over?

Maybe it was Leese, trying to get a hold of him?

He tentatively approached and picked up the receiver.

“Hello? This is Martha’s house.”

“I’d hope so. You haven’t taken it over yet.”

He laughed.

“Hey, Martha.”

“You know, I had to look up my own number. I haven’t had to call it in years.”

“Are you at the store?”

“No. That’s why I’m calling. What are you doing right now?”

“Making dinner.” He glanced at the vial rack, and his eyes went large. He’d been making potions at such a pace, he didn’t notice how many he’d finished. A few more, and he’d fill up a one-hundred vial rack. “And a couple of potions.”

“So, no plans? No hot dates or anything?”

That made him think of Leese. A lovely image of her popped in his mind, and he shoved it away quickly, before he became a bundle of nerves.

“I’m still on break from dating.”

“Good. Because I need someone to work the store tonight.”

Kevin laughed, but it was short-lived when Martha didn’t join in.

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah. Meghan’s still there, but she’ll be late to her boy’s play if you don’t hurry.”

“You said you were working tonight.”

“Something came up. Come on, Kevin. Help me here.”

“But I don’t know what I’m doing! I’ve never worked at a store before.”

“It’s a cash register.” Her amused tone wasn’t lost on him. “You used to work at the mall, right?”

“Well, yeah. But it’s different.”

“It’s not that different. Meghan can give you a quick walk-through before she leaves. She’s waiting for me to call her back. What do you want me to tell her?”

He sighed and held the receiver against his forehead. Frustration poked at him. He tried to focus on the positive. Martha was letting him stay with her rent free. Meghan truly was a nice woman, and it would be a pleasure to help her. Working at the store for a few hours would keep his mind off Leese. It was also simple compared to other favors asked of him. If only Victoria’s requests were that simple.

He could also stock up on ingredients.

“Tell her I’ll be there in five minutes.”

“Thank you. You’re really pulling me out of a jam.”

“No problem. I’ll put dinner in the fridge.”

Kevin hung up and immediately got to work. He put fresh food down for the cats, cleaned up the kitchen. Moving slowly and cautiously, he carried the rack of various magical potions to the basement and gingerly set them on a shelf. His coat hung on the arm of the couch. He gave it a smile, realizing it’d been a while since he’d actually went out, except for a simple trip or two.

His coat was special. A gift from Victoria, he’d soaked it in various magic. It was fireproof, would mend from simple tears, had multiple pockets and compartments. It had served him well.

But it was bulky, heavy. Movement wasn’t always easy, and despite his best efforts, organization of vials and ingredients were difficult.

He patted it gently, almost feeling like a farewell. He slung a simple backpack, a work-in-progress, over his shoulder.

One quick goodbye and ear-scratch for Oscar and Sebastian, and Kevin was walking down the street.

The trek to the store was quick. He nodded and greeted several people on the way. The town of Sanders was small, and he’d gotten to know quite a few people. Renee and Douglas always jogged together, and gave him a friendly wave as they moved across the road. Mrs. Simone was walking her poodle.

Meghan was already packing up as Kevin stepped into the store. She’d spotted him in the parking lot and decided to get a head start. There were no customers, which Kevin was thankful for. Meghan lit up the store with a smile as he awkwardly stood at the counter.

“Martha roped you in?” she asked.

“Yeah.”

“I figured it was only a matter of time. What are you standing over there for? Come back over here.”

He lifted the hinged counter and leaned against the wall. Setting his backpack on the floor, he watched Meghan continue to gather her belongings.

“Thank you so much, Kevin,” she said. “If you didn’t show up, I don’t know what I’d do. I can’t just leave the store, but I’ve missed enough of Tommy’s stuff.”

“No problem at all.” He looked at the space around him. A cash register he wasn’t familiar with. An old dot matrix printer, which he didn’t know still existed. Mysterious black and white monitors. There would indeed be problems. “I can handle this.”

“Thank you so much,” she gave him a quick hug, catching him by surprise. Meghan began pointing at various objects and talking. It took a few seconds for Kevin to realize she was training him. “The security cameras are there, there, and there. The monitors are here. Pretty much everything is covered, but you should watch out for the back right corner. Not that many people try to steal, but it happens. Don’t forget to take the trash out before you lock up. Did Martha give you a key?”

“Uh, no.”

“Really? Hmm, I guess she’ll stop by before the night’s over.”

He felt more and more like he was falling into a trap he couldn’t climb out of. He didn’t even know where Martha was.

“Yeah, one can hope.”

“Don’t forget to count out the drawer. The safe’s in the back, near Martha’s office.”

He was at least familiar with the safe. He’d seen it before. But counting out a drawer was another mystery.

“Got it.”

Meghan was still talking as she headed for the door. Kevin laughed and shook his head, giving her a wave. He heard nothing she said. He watched her slide into her car and drive away.

The store was eerily quiet. All he could do was hope for not too many customers and not to make himself look like an idiot.

After more than an hour, his hopes were coming true. It was a slow night. He had the store all to himself. The biggest challenge was battling boredom. He decided to do a little light shopping himself, and browsed the aisles to pick out things he needed. There was still a lot of magic to brew, much work to be done. He spent some nights in Martha’s basement making potions, the ones that didn’t need heat. Mix, touch, and pour into a vial. Sometimes, he thought the routine would overwhelm him.

He hoped all the work was worth it.

It wasn’t until almost nine o’clock when the first customer walked in. The bell jingled, and Kevin tried to peer over the shelves to get a glimpse. He caught a head of light red hair, more like strawberry blonde, just above the cans of dog food. Kevin put back the bag of sugar and walked quickly to the front.

“I’m here,” he announced. “Don’t want you to think the store is empty. How are—?”

He froze when he saw her. The woman was picking through the shelves for a bottle of water. An overwhelming sense of familiarity struck again. It was the same woman he saw when he first arrived at Martha’s house. She was dressed very casual, in a pair of gray sweatpants and a white tee shirt. Her shape was fit and trim, a runner’s body. As beautiful as she was, it wasn’t her looks that tied his tongue and locked his gaze.

Kevin knew he’d met her somewhere before.

“I’m fine, thanks,” she said, guessing the rest of his question. “Do you have any ice? I don’t see it up here.”

“Yeah,” he said, nodding. “In the back.”

He watched her as she retrieved a bag and approached the counter. Her inventory was simple. A bottle of water, a bag of ice, and a candy bar.

“Do I know you?”

She paused a moment before setting down the rest of her items. A sly smile crossed her face.

“Not the best line. And I might be a little old for you. But I’m flattered.”

“Line?” He shook his head. “No. No, no. I’m not hitting on you.”

“That’s what they say when the line fails.”

“I’m not, I swear. I just thought….” He decided there was no point. “Let’s just get you going, here.”

He grabbed the scanner and waved it over the bar-code. Nothing happened. Staring at the register, nothing jumped out that seemed useful. He scanned once again. No price came up on the register, there was no noise. He wasn’t even sure what was supposed to happen. Despite the circumstances, he tried not to smile. All the powerful magic in the world couldn’t help him figure out a cash register.

“What’s wrong?” she asked.

He repeated the question with a sarcastic laugh.

“What’s wrong. What’s wrong is I got talked into helping someone, and I couldn’t be more lost.”

She laughed.

“I can relate to that.” She moved around the counter. “Let’s see what we can do.”

Kevin’s jaw dropped as she joined him behind the register. He glanced at the monitors, to see if one was pointed at him. He didn’t read the company handbook, but was sure it was against the rules for customers to make themselves at home behind the counter.

“Oh, wow,” she said, eyeing the cash register. “This is an old system. Haven’t seen one of these in a long time. Hit that button there to get the scanner working.”

He followed her instructions. She reached for the scanner and rung up her own items.

“Okay. This button here marks the end of sale.”

The register popped open. Kevin had a terrible thought of her grabbing the money and running, but she didn’t. She pulled a ten-dollar bill from her sock, counted out her change, and shut the register.

“See? Not that hard.”

“Wow. Thanks.”

“Sure.”

She circled the counter and retrieved her items. Flashing a smile, she moved to the door.

“Oh, hey.” She turned. “Do I know you?”

Kevin laughed at the joke, and the stranger left without another word. She didn’t get in a car, but walked down the street. She drew second glances from all sides as she disappeared into the distance.

If only all the customers were that pleasant.

Not long after, two men stopped in, and Kevin was almost sure he’d have to call the police. They were loud and obnoxious, playing catch with a roll of toilet paper across the aisles. Twenty minutes passed without them buying anything, and Kevin wondered what their goal was, besides killing time. He watched the monitors closely, but they made no move to steal anything.

It was only when they harassed an elderly customer did he lose his patience.

A woman with a cane was buying medicine when the two men approached her from behind. One placed his head on her shoulder, nearly making her fall.

“Hey there, Grandma. You looking for a date?”

“Are you kidding me? She needs a pacemaker, not a date.”

One of them bumped into her as she reached into her purse. It was only a quick grab from Kevin across the counter that kept her from tumbling.

“Are you okay?” he asked.

The woman managed a nod, but held onto the counter with both hands. Kevin’s anger boiled over as he looked up.

“Why don’t you two get the fuck out of here?”

The smiles turned into snarls.

“Or what? We kind of like it here.”

Kevin reached behind him and plucked a vial from one of the pockets of his backpack. By the time he turned around, the men were already nearly to the door. They thought he had a gun. While the potion he picked was non-lethal, two hours of intense hallucinations caused by the deepest fears could certainly rival a flesh wound. They were halfway across the parking lot when he opened the door and cocked his arm. Rational thought took over, and he thought it best not to chuck magic at two morons for all to see.

He turned to check on the elderly woman.

“Are you okay?”

She nodded with a deep breath and shook her head sadly.

“The world’s just not a safe place anymore.”

“Was it ever safe?”

She gestured to the door.

“Danny and Matt. You’ll never find one without the other.”

“You know those two dickheads?”

“My granddaughter used to date one of the dickheads.”

Kevin laughed and looked her over. She didn’t seem hurt, only frustrated.

“You want me to walk you to your car?”

“No, thank you. Forget what Danny said. I really don’t need a date.”

He walked her to her car anyway.

*****

Kevin groaned in frustration as he called Martha for the fourth time, only to listen to her voicemail. It was ten minutes after eleven. He’d flipped the sign on the door to announce they were closed. He also locked the door from the inside.

That was all.

He had no idea what to do. He didn’t have a key to truly lock up. Unlocking anything was easy for a witch, but he still needed a key if he wanted to lock the door from the outside. There was an alarm panel near Martha’s desk in the back, which he didn’t know how to activate. All he could do was call Martha, and she wasn’t answering the phone.

He did find a sheet of emergency contact numbers under the counter. He didn’t know how long it’d been since it was updated. Martha’s name and number was on top. Meghan was listed, but her number had been changed. Another number was from an employee Kevin recognized as being fired over a year ago. Apparently, he was stealing from the register.

Pacing back and forth, he tried to think of options. He could lock the store from the inside, then simply create a portal leading to the back alley. But the alarm wouldn’t be set. There was also the matter of the drawer. Was he supposed to leave all the money inside?

He called for a fifth time, and nearly slammed the store phone down when she didn’t answer. Her voicemail greeted him once again.

“Martha, it’s Kevin.” It was a challenge to watch his tone. “I’m still here at the store. I’d like to get out of here sometime tonight, so please, call me back. Tell me what to do, what the alarm code is, whatever you want me to do. Thanks.”

Sighing, he made a round through the store and gathered the trash. He dragged the three bags behind him into the back, past Martha’s office, to the rear door. His nose wrinkled as the scent struck him. The back alley behind the store didn’t smell good. The scent of garbage was strong, making him hold his breath a moment. Holding the door open with one hand, he tossed one bag into the garbage bin, not wanting to get any closer than necessary. He grabbed the second bag and prepared for the light throw.

From around the back side of the door, someone grabbed his arm.

The breath rushed out of him in shock as he was thrown off balance. He dropped the bag, stumbling. Just when he thought he’d regained his footing, someone shoved him from behind. He tumbled into the garbage bin. He got his hands up, but still took a nasty hit to his head. Turning onto his back, his vision cleared up just enough to see the shoe bury in his stomach.

“Get the door!”

“It’s shut, man! It’s locked.”

“I told you to grab it.”

“No. You told me you’d get it, while I beat the shit out of this asshole.”

“That’s not what I said!”

Kevin wiped his eyes and peered above him. Danny and Matt argued near the back door. Matt yanked on the handle a few times, then screamed in frustration and kicked the wall.

“I told you we should have hit it when we were in there!”

They turned their attention to Kevin. Danny’s brow furrowed in anger. He lashed out with another kick, this one catching Kevin in the chest. They hoisted him to his feet and slammed him against the wall.

“Unlock the door.”

A trickle of blood ran down Kevin’s cheek. His chest hurt, and it was difficult to breathe. Despite everything, he laughed. The entirety of his bad night revolved around a door and a lock.

“I don’t have a key.”

“Bullshit. Don’t fuck with me.”

“I’m serious. No key. Anyway, look at the door. There’s no keyhole. There’s no way to get in from out here. You two aren’t very smart, are you?”

The insult made him feel like Jack Kursed, but only for a moment. Unlike Jack, Kevin felt pain. Another punch to the stomach, and another to the face. They threw him to the ground again. Matt pulled a knife from his waistband, and for the first time, Kevin was afraid. Pushing around old women was one thing, but were they capable of stabbing someone? Murdering someone?

He left his backpack in the store. His confidence returned when he felt the stone in his pocket. His eyes fell on the trash next to him. Some magical quartz and random garbage was more than enough to deal with two humans.

“You’re going to let us in through the front. Or I’ll cut you open.”

Kevin clutched his stone and prepared for a fight. It turned out he didn’t need to.

The growl froze everyone in the alley, including Kevin. It came from the shadows behind Danny and Matt, low and deep. The two thugs turned. Kevin pulled himself to one knee, but the pain in his chest wouldn’t let him stand any further. The growl went on an uncomfortably long time. Any thoughts that it was a stray dog were already gone.

“What is that?” Matt asked.

“Go over there and find out.”

“Fuck you.”

Danny grabbed a rock from the ground and tossed it into the darkness.

“Get out of here!”

The growl shifted, the cadence changed. It was unlike anything Kevin had ever heard before. He finally realized what it was.

The animal was laughing.

Slowly, the creature emerged from the shadows. Massive, powerful legs. Dark fur. Saliva dripped from a pair of deadly fangs. Terrible memories rushed back. Kevin hadn’t seen one since first learning he was a witch.

The werewolf searched the faces of Danny and Matt. That simple gesture brought a sense of dread. There was intelligence behind its eyes. He knew how dangerous werewolves were when they didn’t know they could think. One that could plot and plan was terrifying.

“What the fuck—?”

That was all Matt could say before the beast was on top of him. It closed the distance and ripped a claw across his chest before he could say four words. Matt stumbled against the wall. He tried to fight back with his knife, but the wolf caught his wrist in its jaws and clamped down. Matt shouted as muscle and tendon were shredded.

Danny jumped on its back, but that helped very little. The wolf shook violently, throwing the small man through the air. Danny and Matt stumbled as they scurried away, not looking behind them. The wolf didn’t chase.

It turned its attention to Kevin.

He stood defensively, his hand still on his stone. The other hand clutched at his throbbing ribs. Without more magic, he was defenseless, but didn’t worry. The werewolf wasn’t there to hurt him, or it would have already ripped his throat out.

“Thank you,” he said. “Do I…know you?”

The werewolf let out a tiny yelp and fell on its side. Kevin thought it was hurt for a moment, until it began to change. He winced as he heard the sound of bones breaking. Fur shriveled into skin, and the tone turned lighter. He recognized a pair of female legs, and it finally clicked. Embarrassment settled in from not recognizing her earlier. He’d only met her once, and she’d worn a blanket with her face covered in blood. But he heard enough about her that he felt like he knew her well.

The woman rested on one knee, keeping her head low. She was adjusting to her new shape and catching her breath.

“Marie.”

Marie Johnson lifted her chin and smiled. Standing upright, she stretched her arms, and more bones cracked and popped. She was completely naked, her figure exposed for all the world to see. Kevin’s cheeks turned red as he caught an inadvertent eyeful. He dropped his gaze to the ground, only keeping her bare feet in view.

“Do I know you,” she repeated. “That’s the second time you asked that tonight.”