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FREE READS By Lizzie T. Leaf CHAPTER ONE Randall McAllister pulled his car into the driveway and leaned back against the headrest letting sounds of Barry Manilow’s Mandy wash over him as he studied the house. Goddess only knows what he would find waiting for him on the other side of the red double doors. The havoc his twin sisters created during the course of a few hours alone made him wince, but a whole day left to their own devices…he shuddered as he imagined the possibilities of what the two fifteen year olds could get into. Usually, Granna Lila stayed with the Demon Duo when their mother traveled. This time his luck didn’t hold and Jorgia, their mother, made a frantic call to him last night asking for his help. Jorgia held the position of High Priestess of the witches’ council. She intended to put a new proposal to a vote before the general membership at convention this year to add a Member at Large to the council. Anticipating objections from some of the council members who felt this diluted their power, she’d her asked her mother to come prior to the two week conference and lobby the more liberal individuals for support. Lila had retired from the governing body several years earlier, but still carried considerable influence with the council as well as the general membership. Sighing, Rand flipped the lock release and climbed out of the car. Opening the back door, he lifted the pizza box from the back seat and felt his stomach respond with a rumble when the scent of pepperoni tickled his nose. He’d missed lunch because of a conference call and survived the afternoon on a pack of stale crackers he kept in his desk and coffee strong enough to eat the plating off a spoon. Silence greeted him when he entered the house. “I’m home.” His announcement received no response and he cast his eyes around in nervous anticipation. The hairs on the back of his neck tickled, a sure indication that Charmela and Charisma were up to something. Muted voices drew him toward the back of the house and the kitchen. “Mel? Riz?” Still no answer, just the sounds of an argument in progress which was their normal way of communication. “Mom should have named them Imp and Spawn,” he mumbled as he neared the entrance to the kitchen. Sadly, even Simma the giant black cat that was the family’s familiar had more common sense than his sisters. Standing in the door, he ran the fingers of his free hand though his short black hair as he watched the dual mops of carrot curls bent over a book spread out on the counter. By the powers, they had dragged their mother’s Book of Enhancements out of the cabinet above the refrigerator. The trouble the two could create from that book would be anything but enchanting. How could the three of them come from the same mother? He shook his head in wonder as the thought drifted through his mind. Granted they had different fathers, but both male parents had been human. Maybe it was a good thing their mother fell in love with non-magical beings. The thought of the potential powers that could be brought into play if the twins weren’t half human was terrifying. Even so, they seemed to have inherited not only their share of their mother’s abilities, but his also. His limited magic abilities, which he didn’t consider magic, consisted of the occasional feelings of problems or doom when the hairs on the back of his neck stood up and unfortunately, that usually happened when he was around his half sisters. “Look, stupid. I told you, that’s wrong. You didn’t pronounce the last word correctly.” Green eyes glared at the mirror image standing beside her. “Did too. You don’t know what you’re talking about. Just because you’re two minutes older doesn’t make you the boss.” Riz’s resentment of being the younger of the duo had always been a sore point and she brought it up often. Rand rubbed a hand across his brown eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose between them. A migraine threatened to erupt. Maybe he could distract them with the pizza and then they’d discuss why they had the book out in the first place. Both girls knew this particular guide to magic was off limits to them unless their mother or grandmother used the enormous volume in their training of the ever curious pair. “Here, I’ll show you.” Rand knew the superior tone used by Mel, the elder of the two, would set off another heated argument, but watched in fascination as she raised her hand and pointed her index finger toward a plant in the corner to the left of the door. Words spilled out. “You will breathe the air as animal. Come alive as I direct. Shamba-Ha…” “What the hell do you think you’re doing?” Rand bellowed and watched in horror as Mel’s finger turned toward him. “Loh.” Mel’s head followed the direction her finger pointed at the sound of her brother’s shouted question. Rand felt a jolt of power flow through his body similar to an electrical surge and the box containing dinner fell to the floor. When the pain and shocks subsided, he realized he was lying on the floor with his nose pressed against the cardboard. The fall must have heightened his sense of smell because he had never detected such a strong aroma from food. His saliva glands kicked in and he could have controlled the weather easier than the drool pooling from his mouth. Why did his head feel so strange? He pushed up with his arms and paused for a moment to let the dizziness pass. Okay, I made it to my hands and knees. Time to stand up. A push with his knees and he went nowhere. Looking up from his lower position, he saw two pairs of emerald orbs staring down at him in horror. “What’s wrong?” Damn, his voice sounded more like a growl. He looked down and jumped at the sight that greeted him. Holy shit. The vision of black, curly fur covering a small paw where his long fingers should have been, sent his heart racing. What the hell was going on here? “Mirror. Mirror, get me a mirror. Quick!” He looked up at the freckled faces hovering above him. “Get me a damn mirror. Have you gone deaf?” Getting no answer to his question, he turned to search for the needed object himself, but fell flat on his stomach with a thud. “Oh dear. What have you done?” Riz demanded of her sibling. “Me?” Mel glared at her twin. “You’re the one who wanted to get the book down. I know better than to listen to you. We always get in trouble with your brilliant ideas.” Damn it all, couldn’t they see he had some kind of problem here from their foolishness? There was no time for another of their stupid arguments. A growl and sharp bark startled Rand with how menacing it sounded. Both sisters jumped and stopped their verbal battle. “Oh dear, I don’t think he knows.” Riz chewed on her bottom lip. “What? What don’t I know?” “You tell him.” Mel pushed her twin forward. “No. You.” Riz stepped back. “Somebody damn well better tell me something and fast or I’m going to gnaw their ankle off.” Rand felt his brow furrow at the thought. Now where did that come from? Simma, his mother’s black cat, walked by and shot a look of disgust in Rand’s direction. “Probably from the fact you’re a dog and thinking like one.” “I’m a what?” “I don’t believe I stuttered my friend. A dog. A black Scottie dog to be more precise. Sort of cute if one likes dogs.” Simma sat down and inspected a paw before he licked the fur and proceeded to wash his face. “It appears your sisters have once again blundered in their magical efforts.” The cat’s tone dripped with boredom and he followed his comment with a loud yawn. “Oh well, not my problem.” He ambled out of the room leaving Rand to wonder what his mother saw in the snooty, conceited creature. The urge to chase reared its ugly head, but he resisted. A more important issue needed his attention. The trouble-making witches in front of him were the priority of the moment. If he could get this walking thing coordinated, he’d show them a thing or two. The twins held a whispered argument by the sliding glass door to the patio while he struggled in synchronizing the movement of four legs. After several attempts, he finally succeeded in achieving the desired standing position and all four legs working together instead of against each other. Baring his teeth he advanced toward them in a stalking crouch, a growl rumbled low in his throat. “Oh, crap. I need to pee.” The urge hit suddenly and he rushed toward the door. “Open the door. He’s going to bite us.” Rand wasn’t clear on which girl screamed the command or who opened the door, and didn’t care as he rushed out into the evening dusk looking for the nearest bush or tree. I can’t believe I’m peeing on a tree trunk with my hind leg in the air before any and everyone. Oh well, better get used to it until you can figure out a way to communicate with the two brain trusts and get them to find a way to undo the damage they’ve done. What was that? Something moved by the fence. Damn, it’s the Henderson’s cat. I hate that big yellow tom. Can’t understand why Simma hangs out with him. Well, I’ll just show him who’s boss. No, wait. I’m not a dog. I’m just temporarily under a spell and I will not lower myself to act like the animal whose body I inhabit. Oh, but it’s a cat and a cat I hate. What the hell. May as well have some fun. Screaming Rand’s name, the twins chased after him as he bounded across the yard in pursuit of his natural enemy. He wasn’t sure at what point their voices faded until he could no longer hear them. The only certainty was he wanted to do major damage to the beast that zigzagged in front of him. Man, I’m tired. Doesn’t that jerk ever slow down? His sides ached from running so hard. Wait. He’s cutting across the street and there’s a concrete barrier there. If I cut over here maybe, I can catch him when he doubles back. He heard the sound of screeching tires and had the sensation of flying through the air before everything went black. |