Read Online Witch's Bell Book One by Odette C. Bell - Free Book Online

fingernails with a steady beat. 'Don't you call me dear.'
    Flora looked up with a fake, meek, little smile. 'Oh sorry, darling.'
    Ebony snorted. 'Look here, we know what you're doing. It's got to stop. If you have some strange fetish about furniture that hugs you to death, keep it to yourself, for crying out loud!'
    Ben drew up beside Ebony, Nate taking position on her other side. She suddenly felt hemmed in – or contained, maybe.
    'Officer Tate,' Flora smiled drearily up at Ben.
    'It's Detective Tate.'
    'You have a new friend,' the old woman's voice was soft and deceptively friendly.
    'I have a new partner,' Ben corrected, 'and you, apparently, need a new warning.' Ben produced a folded-up piece of parchment from his pocket. 'And here it is.'
    'Oh, but Detective Tate,' the old woman teetered on the edge of her dirty white wicker-chair, 'but I didn't know, honestly, it was just another accident.'
    'Yeah okay,' Ben's voice was strained, but even, 'don't let it happen again, Flora.'
    Ebony's palms curled, her fingernails digging ceaselessly into her flesh. They were just going to let the fool get away with it again, weren't they? So a couple of weeks down the track she'd sell yet another cursed chair and some poor old grandfather would get quite a shock while nodding off in front of the news. Sure, Flora hadn't killed anyone yet, but it was precisely misuse of magic like this that annoyed Ebony more than anything. It was just so pointless.
    'Now you listen to me,' Ebony's voice became darker. In fact, the clouds outside began to block out the sun, casting long shadows into the store. 'You may not be a witch, Flora, so you won't have to deal with the Coven. But there are worse things, Flora, much worse.'
    'Eb,' Ben hissed sharply in her ear, 'don't do anything stupid.'
    Ebony ignored him. 'You keep practicing magic, especially magic like this – magic without a purpose, magic without a story – and you'll attract things, Flora, horrible things.'
    Ebony was satisfied to see Flora's bottom-lip quiver a touch.
    'But I'm not practicing magic, dear,' she said quaintly, but a little unsure.
    'Oh, of course you aren't, I'm just saying, hypothetically, if you were – then I'd watch out. You can curse all the chairs you want, getting whatever bizarre kick you get from it. But sooner or later something stronger is going to sniff out your magic, pet, and latch onto it like a tentacle in the dark.'
    Ben now hooked a hand over Ebony and pulled her back.
    Flora's face was growing as off-color as the chair she sat on. 'You get out of here, witch. You can't touch me.'
    As Ben pulled the fuming Ebony back, Nate stood in front of her, right between Ebony and the counter. He set himself down with the finality and weight of an anchor. 'You have your warning, ma'am. Be sure it doesn't happen again.'
    Flora's aged and inexpertly lipstick-clad lips beamed out a smile. 'Oh thank you, dear. Aren't you a sweet one?'
    'Thank you, ma'am,' Nate said expressionlessly. 'But I suggest you take this warning seriously. It's an official document-'
    'Of course it is. I'll take it very seriously.'
    'Be sure you do.' Nate turned and gave Ebony what could only be called a devastating look. It said clearly that he couldn't believe she'd just had an outburst like that. 'I see what you mean,' he whispered to Ben, 'she does need controlling.'
    Ben, hand still latched around Ebony's elbow, tried to head for the door.
    'That's it, Detective Tate,' Flora rocked on the edge of her chair, grin showing her teeth, 'you get rid of that little witch. Horrible, warty little hag!'
    Ebony's face paled. 'Why you little-' she began to shriek.
    'Alright,' Ben practically picked Ebony up and wrestled her out of the door, 'I really wouldn't go saying things like that, Flora, not if you want to stay this side of the law,' while Ben's tone wasn't overtly threatening, it had the weight of a judges gavel.
    When Ben finally managed to get the erupting Ebony through the door, he swore like