I shook my head. She sat on the bench across the street most of the day, watching the old building come to life. As the construction crew finished for the day, we went inside. Albert stood in the corner by the original wall, looking confused and nervous. Mrs. Twiggs reached her hand out. “It’ll be as it should be, my love.”
“Yes, my love,” he replied.
I could see her longing to embrace her beloved, to feel his warmth, to taste his kiss. I struggled but knew what I had to do. After centuries in this body I wanted that moment for myself. Agatha Hollows had gifted me that magic, knowing I would use it at the river to stop the lieutenant, knowing that whatever was left of that magic would give me a moment in my old body. I removed the sliver from my paw. I slowly walked up to Albert and stuck it into his foot. He shook. Mrs. Twiggs stood back. “Terra what have you done?”
She watched as the flesh crawled up from his toes to his legs. He stared at his hands as they became flesh once again, not believing it. He touched his chest, feeling his heartbeat and the warmth of his skin. Before us stood Albert Twiggs, the living. I whispered to Mrs. Twiggs, “It’s only for a short time, my dear friend.” She grabbed Albert and pulled him close, kissing him passionately. She wrapped her arms around him.
Pixel bounced into the room. He saw them kissing and covered his eyes with his paws. “Terra, we go now.”
“Yes, Pixel,” I said as we walked into the night. I saw a new twinkle in Pixel’s eyes. The fairy dust had turned Pixel. I looked at him. “Pixel, do you want to learn magic?”
“Me magic, Terra?”
“Yes, you.”
“Me Terra familiar.”
“Not anymore Pixel. You are now a witch’s apprentice.”
Coming soon: Book 3:
THE WITCHES’ APPRENTICE
About the Author
In the middle of a January snowstorm, Vicki Vass fled her native Chicago and landed an hour outside of Asheville, North Carolina and 30 minutes from Greenville, South Carolina in an area known as the Blue Ridge Escarpment but to locals known as Dark Corner, its history steeped in mystery and magic. While gazing out at the ever-changing Appalachian landscape, she finds inspiration in that history, mystery and lore of the area, which led to the continuing adventures of characters created in Bloodline: A Witch Cat Mystery, Book 1.
An award-winning journalist, Vicki Vass is the author of the Antique Hunters Mystery series. The first book in the series, Murder for Sale, was a finalist for the Mystery & Mayhem award. She has written more than 1,400 articles for the Chicago Tribune as well as other commercial publications including Home & Away, the Lutheran and Woman’s World.
She now lives outside of Greenville with her husband, Australian shepherds and the real Terra and Pixel.
Also by Vicki Vass
Witch Cat Mystery
Bloodline, Book 1
Dark Corner, Book 2
Antique Hunters Mystery Series
Murder for Sale (previously published as Murder by the Spoonful)
Pickin’ Murder
Killer Finds
Key to a Murder
Dressed to Kill
Stand-Alone Titles
The Postman is Late: Neighborhood Watch Mystery
Gem Hunter: Alex Kustodia Mystery
Science Fiction
Eleven: 1