Where A Witch Goeth

Chapter Seven: In Which Certain Decisions Are Made

Standing on the rise above the pond, staring out at the Jazz Age, I decided right then and there.

If I had truly traveled back in time, the thing was to keep it secret. Very, very secret. Especially from all vampires, werewolves and definitely any black witches I might run across.

All three of those types of monsters lived a long time. Any of them living today might reasonably expect to be hale and hearty a hundred years from now. Which meant a person from the future like me could be a valuable asset for them to exploit. They might want to keep me around, to keep them abreast of important events before the happened, so that they could use that knowledge for their personal advantage.

It might be very important to this wealthy resort owner beside me to know that the stock market was going to crash in five years and likely bring this great big party in Sanguine Springs to a hushed, shocked end. And the black witches? Their concerns were always power, death, and torture, so it stands to reason they might want to know all the details I could tell of the upcoming wars of the twentieth century.

I had no idea what the werewolves were into, but if Winston Straup were currently running around these parts, and he found out I was from the future, I could easily see him keeping me in a cage for a hundred years just so I could predict who would win the SuperBowl, the NBA finals, and the World Series in 2021, to ensure bets with his bookie would make him one rich redneck son of a bitch.

That wasn't going to work for me— becoming a captive in time. If I had come here through that hot spring at the bottom of the pond, I would just go home the same way. As soon as possible. Probably not tonight. Tonight I needed a bath and a bed and possibly some food.

"Miss Dunne?" Evander was regarding me with a ruthless, narrow stare. "You look as if you hadn't see the resort before, yet it's visible from every part of this valley, except the pond."

"It's just impressive, that's all."

Good goddess, I had to avoid his direct gaze at all costs. If he did enthrall me, I'd be spilling secrets I could not afford for him to have.

He snorted. "If I take you up to the resort, do I have your word you'll harm none with your craft?"

"I give my word. If I go with you, can you promise my safety as well?"

"No one will harm you. I swear."

"Shall we make a blood oath?"

"No," he said firmly. "Do not cast your magic upon me or any of mine."

I held up my hands. "Without a binding spell, it's just words."

"A man's oath is more than mere words, woman."

"But you're a vampire, and I'm a witch. For us, it always comes down to blood, doesn't it?"

"There will be no blood between us, neither for violence, sustenance, nor oath-making."

I had to admit, Evander seemed much more in control of his blood-lust than Abraham. I was bleeding all over, and it didn't bother him at all. Then again, maybe that was only because my blood smelled so foul.

"Then I suppose I am safe, after all," I murmured.

"You keep your word, you keep you safety."

He gestured me forward, refusing to walk ahead of me. I wondered if he meant it as a mannerly gesture, or if he was afraid I might hex him from behind.

He walked with his hands behind his back, and I walked with all the power that was left to me, because I was fading fast. So far today, I'd been stripped of power by my father, mauled by werewolves,scared witless by a vampire whom I thought was going to kill me, fallen off a waterfall, and time traveled.