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We were fucking done.
Had I gone to Blackstone Mountain to seek justice… sure. Had I found pleasure in destroying the house of my enemy… yes. But nothing would take away the pain from all I had lost. Nothing would repair my or my brothers’ broken souls. It was time to get the fuck out before we stepped any further over the line, or one of us joined the other dead.
I was so over this fucking shitty life. The Blackstones could keep the opium and drug trade for all I cared. It was definitely time to get out of this darkness. It was time to start over on our land free of farming for an illegal profit. It was time to head back to our mountain where I made the goddamn rules instead of following those of the drug underworld. It was time to rebuild, renew, and start fresh. It was time to live off our land as our ancestors did before us. Before we let the poppy and marijuana leaf take over.
2
Goldie Winters
I made my living, as small and pathetic as it may be, convincing people I was a modern-day witch. I had grown a pretty decent reputation and had a fairly large client base. It wasn’t that I truly knew any witchcraft; I had just mastered the illusion. It was all image, staging, make-believe. But for the sake of my pocketbook… I’d created the atmosphere of magic.
I took a match and lit several candles to help set the mood. A puff of smoky aroma danced its way upward in small spirals. A fusion of vanilla, cinnamon, and rose mixed to scent the room. My loving Granny G had taught me evoking every sense helped sales. I could hear her now. “Goldie, you must consider something as elusive as a faint smell as a possible sale. If people like the aroma, they will seek to purchase the same scent for their homes.”
I looked aroundGigi’s Garden. My granny, Guinevere, whom I had called Gigi or Granny G, had put her heart and soul into this place. She’d breathed life into what had once been an old, tired, out-of-date electronics store, turning it into a quaint shop offering far more than tea, tiny finger sandwiches, clotted cream, and scones. It was a pretty and peaceful place. One that welcomed a customer to browse among the many offerings either before or after they enjoyed a light repast. A dining alcove sat to one side. Large bay windows on two of the walls were filled with plants. Shimmering orbs and hanging crystals reflected the sunlight streaming through the panes of glass.
Stepping from the eating space, a customer encountered attractive displays. Tins of various teas were stacked in appealing arrangements, pretty bottles filled with different colored lotions begged to be sampled, and potted plants softened hard edges of shelves as well as offered their very leaves or roots to be steeped into a healing, natural remedy for many ailments. Nature had been providing plants since time began, and healers had been guiding people to improve their lives. Granny G had taught me, and we both were firm believers in the power of holistic medicine.
Although sadly, neither holistic nor pharmaceutical medicine had been able to help my grandmother. Cancer claimed her after a long battle. But as hard as it had been losing my only family, I knew her spirit would always be with me. I think that was why I still ran the shop… for her. It wasn’t truly my passion. But from the number of people currently browsing, it was the passion of manybill-payingpeople.
Forget the fact I held degrees in both botany and biology. People who entered our shop weren’t interested in the science. They wanted the magic. And I’d learned to give them exactly what they wanted. It was time to get to work and try to make my daily quota in sales. I ran my hand through the haphazard brown curls cascading down my back, adjusted my cleavage in the tight-fitting leather bustier, and smoothed my ankle-length skirt. I was also a firm believer in dressing the part.
Taking a deep breath, I held it for a long moment before releasing it slowly. With a huge smile, I announced, “If there is anything I can help you with, just let me know.” I knew it would only be moments before people who wanted to be ‘cured’ surrounded me.
I offered my clients my diagnosis, my witchy insight, and my advice as to what would fix all their problems. Whatever reason brought them to me, I tried my best to give them their money’s worth. I didn’t see it as a con. In this crazy world where everything moved too fast and demanded so much, I saw it as a way to possibly give them hope and positive thought. If a few minutes of my time, a suggestion to switch from some pharmaceutical concoction to one Mother Nature provided eased their fear, anxiety, and pain, then I felt I’d more than fulfilled my job requirements.
A frail woman was the first to approach. She began to spew her entire medical history before I could even open my mouth. Clients like these, made my job easy. I wouldn’t have to be as vague or open with my so-called supernatural powers. Getting this woman to buy any tea, potion, or crystal of my choosing would be a walk in the park. If I really tried, I knew I could manage the sale of all of the above.
As the woman continued to talk, something had me turning my head over my shoulder, my gaze going instantly to three men standing in the corner of the store. A quick glance showed the curve of their lips lifted in amusement. Could they see through my guise? I could have ignored them, but people like these assholes were bad for business. They needed to be addressed and kicked out of my store.
Turning back to the frail woman, I quickly guided her in the direction of the most expensive herbs in the store and snapped my fingers, causing my many bracelets to jingle. With Granny G now dead, I turned my customer over to the shop assistant I’d recently hired to help me.
“Don’t you fret. Julie here is going to make sure you have everything you need. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you’ll be feeling better.”
The woman seemed a little bewildered, but after I gave her a soft pat on the arm, she smiled and thanked me. Yup, my assistant could handle this one blindfolded. I had to deal with skeptical non-believers who just wanted to fuck with me.
Gliding as seductively as I could—for it was time for me to truly fuck with them—I made my way to the back of the store. One of the men was running his fingers over a glass orb, with what appeared to be amusement in his expression. Without a word, I lifted his rough-callused hand in mine as the other two watched. It wasn’t the fact that the size and strength of his hand made my own seem elfish in comparison, but the zap I felt with the connection that had me forgetting my purpose for a moment.
He seemed startled as well, his brow quirking. I honestly didn’t know if he was questioning the fact that a spark had leapt between us or was wondering at my audacity in reaching for his hand. Remembering my intent, I decided it didn’t really matter. I had dealt with men and women like this group before. I had found facing them head-on usually caused them to back away and ultimately leave the store. I prided myself on my ability to appear unflappable, exuding a level of confidence that would prove too much for the poor, unbelieving souls to bear.
Releasing the man’s hand, I took advantage of that spark and acted as if I’d been burnt. “Oh… ahhhh… there is a fire within you.” Keeping the drama was crucial.
I swayed my hips and slowly closed my eyes, trying to ignore the way the man looked at me, and blocking out the snickers from the other two.
“I can feel the burn. I can almost taste the liquid heat that is melting your soul.”
I had to bite back a giggle as the sentence left my mouth. I knew I was laying it on thick, but I needed to make these skeptical fools uncomfortable as quickly as possible so they would leave the store. I had clients anxiously waiting for my attention and money to be made. The last thing I needed was to have these men mess with the mystical vibe I worked so hard to keep.
The jerk chuckled brashly enough to be heard by all. The others turned their snickers into full-on belly laughs. I opened my eyes and swallowed down the anger building inside. Damn, this wasn’t going to be as easy as I thought. I could see that customers were watching my every move. I couldn’t let these arrogant pricks win.
This required me to dig a bit deeper. I turned to one of the other men and grabbed his hand as well. Letting out a soft moan as if affected by the power entering me, I said, “The pain… the pain is in your back.” It was a good guess on my part, considering it was obvious he was a working man. The muscles in his frame, his rough hands, and the wear on his jeans were a real giveaway.
“No. The pain is in my ass,” his husky voice abruptly cut in.
I tried not to let the hint of intimidation win over. Over six feet of rugged, tightly muscled man with dark wavy hair set against sun-kissed skin was not going to do me in. Although his piercing blue eyes that looked more dangerous than welcoming, might just do so.
My reputation was on the line. I had no choice but to continue on, pretending he hadn’t even spoken. I reached for the hand of another and repeated my actions by taking a deep breath. “And for you… an old injury is being made worse by your daily living.”
I could feel the gazes from all three men burning right through me. Well, what’s that saying? In for a penny, in for a pound? I avoided any eye contact as a shiver worked its way through me that made that spark inconsequential. They were throwing me off, and that wouldn’t do at all.
