My Evil Valentine Elixir Page 2

  One of the techs said something to Hazel and she shouted, “Cut!”

  Sera couldn’t agree more. She needed to cut these thoughts out. Sparks flew every time he was around—and not just her witchy magical powers. Chemistry, they had chemistry. Sera was sure of it. She felt flushed just thinking about earlier when he’d lifted her hand to his mouth, his five-o’clock shadow brushing against her skin. Stop it, Popescu. She scolded herself. The man was here to date one of the contestants for goodness sakes. This infatuation was only going to get her a broken heart.

  “Why am I doing this?” Sera overheard Daemon ask Madeline, his sister—the wardrobe person. The show was a cross between the elimination-styled reality competition like Bachelor in Paradise and the old dating game series made popular in the 70s. The difference was this show was not for the average person. In this show, nine men and nine women were given supernatural DNA tests to access their ideal magical mate. Every week there were competitions, games and dates that allowed the men and women to figure out which person was their magical counterpoint. Each week, the person at the bottom was forced to make their guess. After writing down the name, they and the person they’d chosen drank the love potion and if they both glowed the same color, then it was a match and they won ten thousand dollars. If they lost, only the guesser went home.

  Sera hoped Daemon realized that his mic was on. Though she was close enough to hear, regardless. She still pretended she wasn’t eavesdropping even though she totally was.

  “You’re doing this to find your dream girl, little brother,” Madeline chided.

  Daemon who at almost six four was much bigger than his big sister rolled his eyes. “On a television show about freaks finding love. I think not.”

  Ariel appeared at his elbow and applied powder to his nose.

  “Oh, Daemon. Can you stop being so negative? Nobody is calling anyone a freak. You’re all…” Madeline paused, “gifted.”

  Gifted. Sera had to agree. Daemon was just about the most gifted looking man to have ever existed—at least in her opinion. He towered over almost everyone by at least half a foot. It was still hard for her to believe that her friend Mallory Vianu had broken it off with him.

  “Honey, you okay?” Sera’s friend, Eve Banter questioned from her side. Eve was what they called a normie. Normal as in no magical powers. Although Sera suspected the woman was anything but normal, possibly she was even part witch.

  “Oh, yes, of course,” Sera apologized. “Were you talking to me?”

  Eve chuckled. She’d scored the role of one of the extras on set so her eyes were extra sparkly in contrast to her bright red pout. “Well now, I think you’re a little young for a hot flash but if I didn’t know better, I’d say you were hotter than a pepper patch right about now.” Sera felt herself blush. “I think Nana’s right on the money about the two of you.”

  “The two of us? Huh?” Sera questioned Eve’s comment but Eve had already turned her attention elsewhere.

  “It’s Phil, right?” Eve leaned in to the contestant at her side and whispered.

  He smiled brightly and nodded.

  “I know who you are,” she said.

  “Excuse me?” He sounded put off, which Sera couldn’t fault. The way Eve had said it was a little odd, like she was angling at something.

  “Why, you’re Philip Prinns,” she said. “Hot dog! You’re that Canadian who almost went to the Olympics.”

  He nodded pensively. Sera wasn’t sure why.

  “Now, you are supposedly gifted at every sport. What about romantic sports? Do those apply? I mean just how is your stamina, Mr. Prinns?”

  “Eve!” Sera gave the older woman a nudge.

  “What? A girl’s gotta ask, now doesn’t she?”

  “I don’t think your boyfriend would appreciate you asking.”

  “He wouldn’t mind a bit. He knows I’m just asking on behalf of Bohemian Lake’s eligible women.”

  Philip smiled.

  Eve pulled a nail file out of her coat pocket and sawed at one of her long red talons. “I don’t mean to pry or anything, sugar pie, but didn’t you think it would be cheating to compete in the Olympics given your supernatural powers and all?” she hedged. “Or is that why you got the boot?”

  Philip frowned. Eve was really pushing it now. Sera wondered if she should intervene. “Why don’t you go somewhere else, lady, before I show you my boot.” He sniped.

  “The name’s Eve,” she drawled. “And I ain’t no lady.”

  “Eve, then. How ‘bout you beat it?” he said.

  “Hmm. Touched a nerve, did I? I am always doin’ that. So sorry. Anyway, there’s no need to get a burr in your saddle.” Eve put her file away and smiled. “I think I just forgot to take my pleasant pills this morning. I’ll go take ‘em now. Course, I’ll need a drink to wash ‘em down.” She turned and disappeared in the direction of the potions counter, which also happened to be where they kept the booze.

  Sera turned back in Daemon’s direction, forgetting about Eve and the hot-headed jock-turned-bachelor. Daemon was still in deep conversation with his sister.

  “Anyway, Daemon. If you don’t find the perfect woman on the show,” Madeline continued, “You can think of it as free advertising for that ghost busting biz.”

  Sera smirked. From what she knew of Daemon, he hardly needed help getting business. The man was always traveling from one all-expenses paid dream destination to the next. That was after all why he and Mallory had broken up. Not that Sera was much different. Since she’d taken the job with Nelle, she’d been to Germany, Scotland and France—though France had been unplanned.

  Aurora, the bachelorette she’d seen earlier being mauled by the host, made her way over arm-in-arm with another pink haired girl Sera believed was named Annette.

  “Hey, Daemon, we didn’t see you at breakfast this morning. Are you not staying at Caravan Manor with the rest of us?” Aurora asked, reaching out tentatively and running a long pink nail over his bulging pec muscle.

  Daemon adjusted the hand-made crystal necklace he wore, knocking Aurora’s hand away as he did. Sera wondered if it was his own personal jewelry—a gift perhaps from one of his relatives back home in Hawaii.

  “You aren’t avoiding us, are you?” Annette smiled.

  “No. I’m staying at the Gothic Inn.”

  “How come?”

  Daemon glanced in Sera’s direction, seemingly aware that she was eavesdropping and lowered his voice. “Just because—”

  “Time to take your seats, everyone. And.... rolling,” the director shouted.

  The contestants circled the room, searching for their chair. One by one, each person found their designated seat. There were eighteen contestants total. Nine men and nine women. Sera could only remember half their names and not everyone’s talents had been exposed yet. That was part of the point of the show.

  One remaining seat stood empty.

  Moments later one of the techs dimmed the room lights, leaving the room in a soft, shadowy glow. The front door opened and Nana Vianu entered with a swish of her skirt.

  “I am Madam Vianu,” Nana began in a heavily accented voice, “the Love Witch.” The guests grinned in anticipation. “We’re here tonight to find out if one of you has found your supernatural equal.”

  Nana lit a match and touched it to the wick of one of the candles in front of her. An eerie glow from the candlelight danced on the contestants’ eager faces.

  “Now, open your hearts and join hands.” Nana closed her eyes, tilted her head back. “Before, we announce the scores for this week and one of you is forced to choose. Is there anyone who wants to volunteer to go instead? It’s a very special day after all and my spirit guide is telling me that one of you has indeed found love already. If you so choose, you may share your feelings with us.”

  Suddenly, Aurora picked up her elixir. “It’s me. I believe I’ve figured out who my love match is.”

  Half the table smiled.

  The other half l
ooked pensive. Especially Javier, the so-called painter who’d been staring at her earlier. Did he think that he was her match?

  “Excellent. If you guess right, child, you will get $10,000 and an all-expenses paid trip to the romantic island of Bora Bora, but if you’re wrong, then you must leave tonight, and your love match will be left behind. Are you sure you want to take the love potion already?”

  “I am.”

  “All right, then write down the name of your supernatural soul mate on the card in front of you. Once you’re done, everyone may go to your booths to drink your elixir. Both you and your soul mate will glow the same color. Of course, only our viewers at home will see the colors as not to ruin the experience for everyone else.”

  The girl took a minute and scribbled on the tablet in front of her. After that they all stood and walked to a wall of booths where red curtains separated each of them like a voting station.

  “To falling in love?” Cupid proposed.

  “Indeed.” It came out as barely a whisper as Aurora lifted the small pink potion bottle to her lips. Then she closed her eyes, threw back her head and downed the shot in a single gulp.

  Sera smiled in anticipation as she watched the woman’s eyelashes flutter then she closed the curtain and one by one the rest of the group did the same. Only the cameras would catch the glow.

  When the last bottle was drained, and curtain closed, there was a thud from the first booth.

  Sera turned to check out the commotion and saw Aurora’s feet sticking out from under the curtain.

  Two

  The next few minutes felt endless. Sera’s eyes were glued to the girl on the floor who was still alive—but barely. One of the cast members had jumped in and was performing CPR.

  “Guess Nana didn’t see that one coming,” Eve whispered.

  Sera just shook her head. Not that it phased Eve.

  But seriously, what had happened?

  Had Aurora reacted to something in the elixir?

  Would more people get sick? That would be terrible, not to mention the ramifications it would have on Nelle’s potion business.

  “Stay put, everyone. Help is on the way,” Nelle said.

  Sera, feeling helpless with the commotion around her, ran downstairs to get Nelle’s grimoire to see if she could find any sort of magical intervention they could offer up. She flipped through it with a ferocious intensity and only paused to look up when she overheard Hazel yell into her walkie-talkie that the ambulance had arrived.

  Daemon approached a couple minutes later and much to Sera’s surprise wrapped her in a big bear hug. Only then did she realize she’d been trembling. His chest felt strong and solid, and safe.

  When he finally let her go, she saw two police officers had stepped inside. Sera recognized the one in the lead. It was Cody Lumos.

  “Wow, they sent the big dog in, huh?” Daemon whispered.

  Sera nodded. Cody was a Captain of the BLPD and not usually the first on scene.

  After interviewing several people, Cody approached Sera and asked to speak to her alone. Daemon nodded and wandered away.

  “I’ve been told she drank one of the elixirs,” Cody said. “Can you tell me, Sera, who made them?”

  Sera frowned. “Me, Nelle? Maybe a few of the other employees tonight. We made them in batches and then set the potion bottles on the counter for anyone to take. The waiters also collected them from the bar area.”

  Cody looked down at his notebook. “Is there a brewing line-up or maybe a schedule posted somewhere?”

  “What do you mean?” Sera asked.

  “Who would have made the last batch?” Cody asked. “Would it be safe to assume that’s where Aurora’s potion came from?”

  Sera shrugged. “I can’t say. I wasn’t paying attention. I wasn’t last, but that doesn’t mean it wasn’t me. The production team might have even put some aside earlier. You should check with Hazel or her assistant, Ariel.”

  Cody made a note then tapped her arm. “Hey, you sure you’re okay?”

  Sera shrugged.

  “Daemon!” Cody shouted.

  Daemon approached, looking rather exhausted himself. “Can you take Sera downstairs to the book club area and maybe sit with her? We’re not letting anyone leave yet until we know the potions weren’t tampered with.”

  Especially the main suspects, Sera thought to herself.

  Sera’s eyelids felt heavy, but she managed a nod and followed Daemon down the circular staircase. At least there were no cameras down here—for now. They moved past the two worn leather reading chairs and sat side by side on the couch. Sera figured they’d only been resting for about a half an hour when she heard someone shout, “Oh, there you are, my sleeping beauties!”

  Sera swallowed past the dryness in her throat and looked up, startled to realize she’d passed out in Daemon’s arms—all snuggled into his chest like a teddy bear to a child. “What time is it?”

  Two women hovered above them. One of them being the boss lady, Hazel, who ignored Sera and gave Daemon’s arm a nudge since he didn’t seem to be waking. “Daemon. You need to wake up. Cupid Zalure is going to make an announcement.” She eyed them and then walked away, mumbling to her assistant, Ariel. “Too bad there’s not time for hair and makeup!”

  Sera gave Daemon a once over and shook her head. He looked perfectly fine just the way he was.

  “Is it just me?” Daemon questioned, “or does every woman on this show wear too much perfume?”

  “Ugh, I know,” Sera said. “That’s probably what knocked us out.”

  Daemon laughed. “I wonder what’s going on.”

  Sera nodded. She was wondering too. Why would they need her upstairs or did it have to do with the investigation? Before she could contemplate things further, Madeline approached and pulled them both up by the wrists. “Come on. Come on. Are you trying to get me fired?”

  Daemon moaned as he got to his feet. “Oh, I am never letting you talk me into anything again.”

  “Spare me.” She pushed them both up the stairs to the main floor of the bookshop.

  What was Cupid Zalure going to say? Maybe they were canceling the show. The Bohemian Festival Committee would be heartbroken, the town was making a mint off this deal. Not to mention, the fact that it would put Bohemian Lake on the map.

  Sera’s thoughts turned to Aurora. Oh, god. What if she’d died? What if they wanted everyone altogether to announce it?

  Daemon was motioned to stand near the fireplace mantel. The men were all seated or hanging around the couches in front of it. Sera stood on the top step of the circular staircase unsure where to go to stay off camera.

  Hazel entered, but instead of addressing anyone, she put on a headset and motioned for cameras to start rolling.

  Cue Cupid Zalure, who tapped a silver spoon against his glass.

  “Ladies and gentlemen!” He smiled widely, his teeth practically glinting they were so white. “It is with much sadness that I tell you, our dear sweet Roe is in the hospital.”

  Philip raised a hand as though he were a child in a classroom, “How long ‘til she’s back?”

  “I can’t disclose her medical information.” Cupid cleared his throat. “And since we can’t continue with Aurora absent, I’d like to announce that we have her replacement here and ready to go.”

  Sera noticed the cameraman panned to Daemon who now sat on the arm of the chair in front of the fireplace.

  “Replacement?” One of the other girls expressed exactly what Sera was thinking. “But how? Weren’t we all DNA matched? This will skew everything.”

  Cupid pivoted in his black alligator skin boots and motioned to the left side of the bookshop. “Not to worry. We always have back-up matches ready and close at hand for just such a scenario.” Sera could hear the catty comments being whispered about the room and she couldn’t disagree. Of course, the show must go on but she was sure it was disappointing to hear how replaceable you were on a show about ‘once in a lifetime’ soul matching
. “Now, it’s my pleasure,” Cupid went on, “to introduce our newest bachelorette.”

  He paused a moment and whistled. Daemon’s sister materialized before Sera. “That’s our cue, honey. What do you think? Red or Gold?”

  Sera looked at Madeline, feeling a little more than confused. “Gold? What are you talking about?” Sera whispered.

  “Yes, gold! Good call. A slinky gold gown.”

  She then pointed her index finger up into the air and gave it a twirl like some sort of magical fairy godmother. Glitter shot from the end and fell over Sera.

  And with that, two cameras panned to where Sera stood at the top of the stairs.

  Three

  Sera fought the urge to turn and run. Now that she was in a shiny, tight dress, she’d probably twist an ankle, fall, and start an electrical fire—all the while being taped for television.

  Cupid clapped and introduced her as the electrifying new witch in town and then read a bio on her that made her sound like Belle from Beauty and the Beast.

  She cleared her thoughts as he walked toward her, hand outstretched. “Thank you for joining us, Ms. Popescu.”

  “I didn’t know I had a choice,” Sera whispered through clenched teeth as she gripped his hand, accidently—or maybe not so accidently—sending out a magical zing.

  Cupid was jolted into silence—rightfully so as the zing was about 110 volts.

  “Sorry.” Sera mouthed.

  Once the man caught his breath, he forced a laugh and said, “You really are electrifying, aren’t you?”

  Sera bit her lip sheepishly and searched the room. There was just something about this guy that repulsed her on every level. As if his pheromones did not agree with her.

  He was like rotting garbage to the senses.

  Thankfully, her gaze landed on Daemon, who was smiling back at her. She could feel her cheeks burst with heat. He definitely had the opposite effect on her. Was her being on the show his doing? Nah, it couldn’t have been. He’d been with her downstairs asleep the whole time. Still, Sera smiled back. A girl could dream.