Excerpt: Mystic Spirits

The powerful gust of wind hit without warning.
One minute, Butternut was batting at the tassel on one of Mary Mae’s throw pillows, and the next, the whole house shook. The curtains billowed against the closed windows. The wind chimes on the back porch went from a gentle clink to a full-on racket in just seconds.
I crossed to the front window, kneeled on the couch, and peered outside toward Nick’s house. The branches of the large juniper in his yard whipped about, while the fierce winds ripped the trumpet-shaped blossoms from his shrubs and sent the yellow bells tumbling down the street with other debris.
My sweet familiar climbed up next to me, sitting on the top of the sofa. I stroked her fluffy orange fur while she watched for a moment before lifting her curious green eyes to me. Should we hide, Kalie?
I shook my head. “We’ll be safe in here.”
The August early evening sky held a greenish-yellow tinge, looking bruised where it met the red rocks in the distance. A thrill of excitement rippled through me, and I was glad I’d closed my shop early and arrived home in time to watch the storm unfold. I loved watching Mother Earth show her power, as long as no one was hurt and the damage was minimal.
I glanced over my shoulder and called out to the woman I claimed as my grandmother. “I think it’s almost here, Mary Mae.”
The short and stout older psychic was in her study, and she didn’t respond. I guessed she was likely checking her crystal ball to see what the storm might bring to our little town of Mystic in the high mountain desert of Arizona.
Butternut crept closer to me before she tucked her paws beneath her chest and settled into a loaf.
Outside, something clattered against the side of the house. Grit hissed against the windows in a low, steady scrape, and I checked my phone for an update. The weather alert I’d dismissed an hour ago now had three follow-up notifications stacked beneath it. Wind gusts up to seventy miles per hour. Flash flooding possible. Avoid travel.
A bigger branch slammed directly into the front window of our house, causing my kitty and me to flinch. I scooped her into my arms and pulled her away from the glass. “Maybe we’d better stay back.”
She nodded in agreement, and I held her against me as I headed toward Mary Mae’s study to check on her. I wished I had a spell that could protect our entire house, but my magic couldn’t compete with Mother Earth’s.
I stopped in the doorway of the room my grandmother used to provide readings for her clients and indeed found her staring into her glass ball. Her thick salt and pepper braid rested over one shoulder, and her warm brown eyes were intent on the swirling mist inside the sphere.
She lifted a hand to stop me from speaking.
Butternut met my gaze with wide eyes, and I gave her a soft smile as I settled into the recliner near the bookshelves filled with ancient books and an array of crystals. We sat quietly for several moments in the cozy study. I scratched behind her ears, and her purrs filled the room as the light from many candles flickered and cast shadows on the walls.
Mary Mae’s voice was low and serious when she finally spoke. “There’s a man.”
My grandmother kept her gaze on the ball. She squinted and nodded, while my kitty and I waited for more information. “He’s in his car. On the road near Soulscape.”
She blinked and focused on me with a look that startled me. “I don’t know if he pulled over because of the storm or if his car broke down, but he can’t stay there. Visibility will worsen soon, and there’s a big truck headed his way. He won’t survive the impact.”
My pulse skyrocketed, and I smashed a hand against my chest. “What can we do?”
Mary Mae shifted her gaze back to her crystal ball and nodded. “Tara can reach him in time and take him to safety. Call her now.”
My fingers shook as I fumbled to pull the phone from my back pocket. I hurried to make the call, and the second Tara answered, I barked out my order as panic colored my voice. “Get in your car right now. Mary Mae had a vision. She said that there’s a man in danger, but you can save him.”
I pictured the surprise on my mentor’s face, her eyes growing wide behind her black glasses. “A man?”
“Yes.” Rustling came from her end of the phone, and I was certain she was moving, which brought me some relief. “Grab your keys and go.”
I turned my gaze to Mary Mae and transferred the call to my speakerphone. “Tell Tara which direction to go.”
She responded in a calm voice that amazed me, but I supposed if I could see the future, I might react the same. “On the main road, turn left toward the edge of town. He’s in a white Cadillac.”
“Got it,” Tara responded, sounding breathless, as though she might be running. “Wow. This is a wild storm. So much stuff is already blowing in the air.”
I sent a silent prayer to the Goddess that she and the man would be okay.
Moments later, the sound of a car door slamming and the purr of her engine echoed through the phone. Mary Mae responded. “Take care, Tara. You have time.”
Her exhale reached us. “He should be facing me, right? Like he’s coming into town?”
My grandmother nodded, though Tara couldn’t see her. “That’s right. He’s maybe a mile from the sanctuary.”
Butternut’s claws pierced my jeans, reminding me she was still on my lap. I eased out a breath, trying to slow my pulse, knowing my emotions affected her. “It’ll be okay,” I said in a soft voice. “Tara will save him.”
My mentor heaved a relieved breath. “I see the car. The hazard lights are on. I’m almost there.”
I met Mary Mae’s gaze with a hopeful look, and she responded with a comforting nod for me and instructions for Tara. “We will hang up now. You should both be safe, but be aware of the flying debris. Let us know when you’ve reached home.”
I tightened my grip on the phone. “Be careful.”
“Always, my darlings.” And she was gone.
I moved to the window to check the storm and found the sky had darkened another full shade. The desert willow trees in the yard were bowed nearly horizontal, their slender branches whipping in long arcs. “This might be worse than I expected.”
I turned back to Mary Mae, and the mischievous smile on her face didn’t match the circumstances. “What is that look for?”
She huffed a small chuckle as she leaned back in her chair. “The way the universe works can be highly entertaining sometimes.”
I shook my head, confused. “I don’t understand.”
A knowing look twinkled in her eyes. “The man Tara is rescuing is none other than Dr. Garry Monroe.”
I sucked in a surprised breath. “Nick’s dad? Oh, Goddess. He might have died if not for Tara?” That thought crashed down on me, knowing Nick would have been gutted.
The grin that slipped across Mary Mae’s lips seemed out of place. I still couldn’t see how what might have happened was funny in the--
Then the realization hit, lighting up my insides. “Ohhh. I see. Not just Nick’s dad, but the one who got away.”
“That’s right.” Mary Mae chuckled. “I wonder how many times Tara has wished for a moment such as this.”
I snorted. “Countless, no doubt.”
I’d met the serious physics professor once before. I didn’t care for the man who discarded the idea of magic with little regard for who he insulted as he did. Especially since I knew that he knew the truth.
Dr. Monroe and Tara had met years earlier at a consciousness retreat in Mystic and had shared a passionate night together afterward. The magic she’d shown him the following morning had sent him running.
Mary Mae shook her head, grinning as she peered into her crystal ball. “Stubborn man. He’s arguing with Tara already.”
I chuckled as I gazed toward the fiercely blowing trees outside the window. “The Fates do have a wicked sense of humor.”
When my grandmother didn’t respond, I shifted my attention back to her. She was still gazing at the future, but now had a distraught look on her face, stealing my brief, lighthearted respite.
She lifted her worried gaze to me. “Dr. Monroe will be fine, but Nick’s house won’t.”
My breath left me in a whoosh.