[Mystic Caravan Mystery 04.0] Freaky Games Read online

  “And you think that starts with a round of golf?”

  I shrugged. “Stranger things have happened. You’re part of a magical circus where shifters and clowns co-exist. Golfing is the least of your worries.”

  “I’m not good at golf.” Kade sounded a bit whiny, and I couldn’t help but smile. “I only learned to play because a few of my high school friends thought it sounded like a good idea. You know how it is … you want to be cool and my friends decided golfing was cool. Of course, that might say something about them.”

  “I didn’t even graduate from high school, so I can’t comment on that.”

  “You didn’t graduate from high school?” Kade looked shocked. “But … why?”

  “Because I ran away from my foster home and spent a few years on the streets.”

  Kade had the grace to be embarrassed. “I’m sorry. That was a terrible thing to say. I didn’t even think … .”

  I waved off his apology. I wasn’t offended. He grew up with a single parent, but in what could only be described as a relatively comfortable world. I didn’t know much about Kade’s mother, but it was clear she wanted him to have a “normal” life despite the fact that Max was anything but normal. I didn’t think it was right that she unilaterally cut Max out of Kade’s life, but I admired her devotion to her child.

  “It’s fine. I got my GED. You didn’t hurt my feelings.”

  “That doesn’t matter.” Kade snagged my hand. “I shouldn’t have said it. I just … didn’t think. You’ve had a hard life.”

  “And yet it all seems worth it now.”

  Kade’s scowl flipped into a smile. “It does.” He squeezed my hand before releasing it. “I’m not keen on leaving you today. Do me a favor and don’t wander around the desert.”

  “Somehow I think I’ll manage that.”

  “You won’t if you get bitten by the curiosity bug,” Kade countered. “Just … be careful.”

  “You know I survived a long time before you joined us,” I reminded him. “I know how to take care of myself.”

  “I know that. Now you’re taking care of both of us, though, because I would be really sad if something happened to you.”

  “Right back at you.” I slipped my arms around his neck and gave him a hug. “It’ll be okay,” I whispered. “I think this will be good for both of you.”

  “What if it’s not?”

  “Then at least you’ll know.”

  “Ugh. I hate it when you’re right.” Kade kissed me on the cheek before letting his mouth migrate to mine. I slid into the kiss, pushing the outside world away, and then jerked my head toward the door when it opened to allow Raven entry.

  “What the … ?”

  “Oh, you guys are so cute,” Raven cooed, sarcasm practically dripping from her tongue. “It almost makes me want to puke.”

  “You wouldn’t have to see it if you knocked,” Kade pointed out.

  “Yeah, but I gave myself a manicure this morning and I don’t want to risk ruining my paint job.” Raven held her fingers up for emphasis. “So, the woman you found was the real deal. Her name is Wendy Roberts, and she’s from Ohio. She took the car because she wanted to go to some art festival about an hour away, leaving her husband at the hotel. They’ve since reunited.”

  “Well, that answers that.” I smoothed the front of my peasant blouse. “I don’t suppose you know why she walked into the storm instead of taking refuge in her car, do you?”

  “She was already walking toward us when the storm hit,” Raven replied. “Her cell phone wasn’t getting reception, and she thought we could help.”

  I should’ve been gladdened by the news, yet I couldn’t help but feel guilty. “So she was innocent.”

  “She was, and she’s not dead, so there’s no reason to get all melancholy,” Raven said. “I thought you’d want to know. Your trailer was dark when I got back, and I didn’t think this was worth waking you for.”

  “No, thanks.”

  Raven shifted her eyes to Kade. “Why are you so dressed up?”

  “I’m golfing with Max today,” Kade replied, grim. “Is this what one wears when golfing?”

  Raven shot him an incredulous look. “How should I know? Do I look like a golfer?”

  “You guys are absolutely no help,” Kade grumbled, turning his attention back to the mirror. “Maybe I should change.”

  I ignored Kade’s wardrobe indecision and focused on Raven. “Where do you think we should look next? I don’t think we can pretend there’s nothing out there given the fact that Wendy was real … and terrorized.”

  “Yeah, I’ve been thinking about that.” Raven dug into her back pocket and handed me a brochure. “I stumbled across that last night. We stopped at a twenty-four-hour diner, and it was in one of those displays by the front door.”

  I flipped over the brochure and furrowed my brow. “They have a paranormal library here?”

  “They do. Whether it’s the real deal or a tourist trap I can’t say, but I’m interested enough to check it out. Do you want to come?”

  I was surprised by the invitation. Raven and I didn’t go on many outings together, but she seemed sincere. I smiled as I locked gazes with Kade. “I guess you’re not the only one going on an outing today.”

  “Weirdly enough, I’m glad you guys are going to be together.” Kade leaned over and gave me a soft kiss on the corner of my mouth. “Be good. Text me if you run into trouble.”

  “You be good, too,” I called to his back. “I still think the short pants are the way to go.”

  “This is going to suck,” Kade complained. “I just know it.”

  “SO … UM … I think I need to tell Percival that I’m not human.”

  Raven waited until we were in the library’s parking lot to spring that tidbit on me. I tilted my head to the side as I considered her statement. “Don’t you think he already knows?”

  “You mean because of the whole possessed scarecrow thing when he got so worked up he dropped his accent?”

  I nodded. “He saw us doing magic that day. He hasn’t mentioned it.”

  “He hasn’t mentioned it to me either,” Raven admitted. “I’m starting to get a little worried.”

  “Maybe he blocked it out.”

  “Or maybe he thinks we’re all monsters and he’s biding his time until he can slip away in the middle of the night.”

  That was an interesting theory. “Do you honestly believe that?”

  “No, but … I am starting to wonder if he has a case of hysterical amnesia,” Raven admitted.

  Hmm. “Is that really a thing?”

  Raven shrugged. “Hysterical blindness is. I figure it can’t be too far of a jump to get to hysterical amnesia.”

  “Do you want to know what I think?”

  “No, I merely arranged it so we could spend the day together because I want to hear about your happy home life with my ex-boyfriend.”

  I arched an eyebrow and inhaled deeply. “He was never your boyfriend.”

  “I think that’s a semantics argument.”

  “No, it’s the truth,” I challenged. “I get that you’re trying to do the whole chick bonding thing, but this is not the way to get what you want.”

  Raven made a hilarious face. “Chick bonding? That sounds nothing like me.”

  “You want advice about how to handle Percival,” I pointed out. “That’s kind of like a chick bonding thing.”

  “Ugh. I hate it when you’re right.” Raven dragged a hand through her long hair. “Fine. He wasn’t my boyfriend.”

  “Thank you.”

  “He wanted to be.”

  “Raven!” This time when I focused on Raven’s face I found her smiling. “You’re such a pain in the ass. You know that, right?”

  “It’s what keeps me young.”

  In truth, I had no idea how old Raven was. Lamia were longer lived than humans, but that didn’t mean she was ancient. My knowledge regarding her past was limited. That’s how she wanted it … and
I honestly didn’t blame her.

  “Okay, back to Percival.” I stretched my fingers and searched my soul for a good bit of advice. “I don’t know Percival well enough to say one way or the other if he’ll accept what you have to tell him. I went through the same thing with Kade. He took it relatively well given the circumstances, but we clearly suffered through a few missteps.”

  “Yes, but that’s because he’s the son of a powerful mage.”

  I stilled, pressure building in my chest. “How do you know that?”

  “Because I keep my ear to the ground and eavesdrop whenever possible,” Raven replied. “I don’t know why you guys are keeping it a secret, but you can rest assured that I won’t spill the magic beans. It’s not my secret to share. I understand about wanting to keep some things private.

  “We live in a fish bowl,” she continued. “We’re on top of each other all of the time. There’s no reason to talk out of turn, and I have no interest in spreading Max’s secret. You don’t have to worry about that.”

  That was a relief … although I couldn’t stop myself from worrying all the same. “How long have you known?”

  Raven held her hands palms up and shrugged. “Since before the incident with the golem. You confirmed my instincts when I connected with your mind when you went missing. I cast a wide net … and it was strong. I’m not going to apologize.”

  “I don’t expect an apology. You saved my life that day.”

  “I guess we’re good then,” Raven said. “As for Percival, I’m not sure he has it in him to understand what we are, what we do. What if he freaks out?”

  “It’s better to know now than to get close to him and watch as he runs away,” I pointed out. “You know him better than I do. All I know is that he likes to dress like a clown. That’s not a ringing endorsement in my book.”

  “Yeah, I know.” Raven shuddered. “I never thought I’d consider having sex with a clown – I mean someone who dressed like an actual clown on purpose … because he liked it and didn’t think it was abnormal. I’ve had sex with different sorts of clowns throughout the years.”

  “We all have.”

  “I like him, though,” Raven said, earnest. “He’s educated and he likes to read a lot. He’s funny. The fake accent thing is weird and yet it’s oddly a turn on. I would like to get to know him better.”

  “And you can’t if you don’t tell him the truth.”

  “Exactly,” Raven confirmed, nodding. “The problem is, I’m terrified to tell him the truth. Did you feel that way with Kade?”

  “Yes.”

  “How did you get over it?”

  “I never got the chance to tell him what we were because he figured it out on his own,” I replied. “In truth, I think Percival already knows some of it. That’s where you come in.

  “If I were you I’d invite him over for a bottle of wine and just do it,” I continued. “Blurt it out, rip off the bandage, and go for it. If he reacts badly … well … at least you’ll know.”

  “I guess that’s good advice.”

  I considered stopping there, but didn’t. “Of course, I think part of you wants him to run away because it might be easier over the long haul if you don’t get too attached to him. I know that fear, too. I had a huge dose of it with Kade. It all worked out in the end for me. I think it will for you, too.”

  Raven pursed her lips, and I thought she was going to agree with me. I should’ve known better. “I’m pretty sure that’s not it. Only a ninny would be afraid of something like that.”

  I blew out a sigh. “I’m so glad we had this bonding exercise.”

  Raven smirked. “Me, too.”

  “I DON’T KNOW anything about a beast with red eyes, but some people claim there’s a dune monster out there that only shows up in the middle of dust storms.”

  Raven and I conducted our own research for a full hour before we gave up trying to find anything in the paranormal library’s messy organizational system and tackled the girl behind the counter together.

  “We’ve heard rumors about different types of monsters,” I said. “We’re looking for anything that might cover that particular monster, the one that is supposedly running around in the desert on the outskirts of town.”

  “We just do the normal stuff, like witches and vampires.” The girl’s nametag read “Rowan,” but I was fairly certain that was made up. “We only deal with the real stuff.”

  I exchanged an annoyed look with Raven but kept a placid smile on my face. “The legends have to come from somewhere. Are you sure you don’t have a book?”

  “No, but I have a great vampire romance that’s selling like crazy,” Rowan replied. “We loan some books, but sell more than we loan. I just got a new shipment in. There’s a lot of great magic stuff in it.”

  “We’re good,” Raven said, wrinkling her nose.

  “There’s a lot of hot sex, too,” Rowan added.

  “Maybe we’ll take one,” Raven corrected. “But what about the sand monster? Can you think of anyone who might have information on it?”

  “Well … .” Rowan screwed up her face in concentration. “You could always talk to the witch.”

  I rubbed the back of my neck as I absorbed the statement. Rowan’s tone was disdainful, but there was something about her expression that gave me hope. “The witch?”

  Rowan bobbed her head. “Her name is Dana Andrews. I know that doesn’t sound like a witch, but she really does have the sight. She gives readings and stuff at her store. It’s on the other side of town.”

  Most of the people I’d run into over the years who claimed to have the sight were really grifters. Still, it couldn’t hurt to check her out. “Do you have an address?”

  Rowan smiled happily.

  “Oh, and add another one of the dirty vampire books,” I added, glaring at Raven when she burst out laughing. “What? I’m out of stimulating reading material.”

  “If that’s your story.”

  11

  Eleven

  “I’ve been expecting you.”

  Raven and I were barely through the front door of The Magic Curio when Dana Andrews gestured toward a table and chairs at the back of the store. She used her hip to edge Raven out of the way, flipped the sign on the door so it read “closed,” and trudged toward the table without uttering another word.

  It was only when she sat in a chair and patted the top of the table in search of a package of cigarettes that I realized she was blind.

  “So you’re sightless but have the sight?” Raven asked. She’d clearly picked up on that little detail at the exact same moment I did. “That’s kind of poetically fun.”

  “If that’s how you want to put it, I guess that’s true,” Dana replied. “Sit.”

  Raven glanced at me, her expression weighted. “How do you know we’re not already sitting?”

  “The same way I know you’re a lamia and the other woman is … something else entirely.”

  I arched an eyebrow, convinced. “Well, that was fairly impressive.” I took the seat next to Raven as she grinned. “I guess you really do have the sight, huh?”

  Dana shrugged as she lit her cigarette. “There are many kinds of sight.”

  “I thought it was illegal to smoke in public places,” Raven complained, waving her hand to stop the smoke from billowing into her face.

  “I knew you were going to say that, and that’s why I say this.” Dana reached under the table and pulled up a small sign that read, “Pardon my smoke, but I don’t care what you like.”

  Raven grinned. “Fair enough. It is your business, after all.”

  “It is,” Dana agreed, blowing a heart-shaped smoke ring for effect and causing me to smirk. “I haven’t crossed paths with a lamia in a very long time. Where did you come from?”

  Raven risked a glance at me, and I could read the question in her eyes: Should I admit what I am? I merely shrugged in response. The woman already knew. I didn’t see how confirming it could possibly hurt


  “I come from all over,” Raven replied finally. “I spent a bit of time in Maine a few years back, but since then I’ve been traveling with the circus.”

  “I didn’t know that?” I scratched at my chin. “What were you doing in Maine?”

  “Eating lobster and hanging out at lighthouses,” Raven drawled.

  “It was just a question.”

  “I see.” Dana stubbed out her cigarette. “You’re with the circus, huh?”

  Raven’s tone shifted to something darker. “Is that a problem?”

  “No. Mystic Caravan?”

  For the second time in as many minutes I couldn’t hide my surprise. “How did you know that?”

  “I’ve heard rumblings about your group for a long time,” Dana replied, unruffled by the suspicion in my tone. “You’re famous in certain circles.”

  “Is that right?”

  Dana nodded, smoothing the long hair she had pulled back into a loose bun. “I didn’t realize you were in the area just yet. It makes sense. You come about this time every year. I hadn’t put it together.”

  “You hadn’t put what together?” Raven asked, leaning back in her chair.

  “I know you two don’t particularly like each other.”

  “If you expect me to be impressed with that you’re going to be sorely disappointed,” Raven shot back. “Anyone who has ever met us knows that we don’t like each other.”

  “And here I thought we were doing that whole chick bonding thing,” I deadpanned.

  “Don’t flatter yourself.” Raven tapped her silver-colored fingernails on the table. “We’re here because we have some questions about the area on the other side of town, the open spot that you use as fairgrounds.”

  “Do you know what we’re talking about?” I asked, briefly wondering if Dana ever saw long enough with her eyes to see that specific parcel of land.

  “I do know what you’re talking about,” Dana confirmed. “And, as to your other question, I’ve been blind since I was five. I don’t believe I ever visited that spot when I had sight, but I was young and can’t remember.”