Candy Conniptions (Arbor Vitae Coven Book 1) Read online

  About the Author

  Lexie Winston has been an astronaut, rock star, princess, and time traveler. In her dreams. But none of the dreams have lived up to what becoming an author has been like. She gets to live in a world of pure imagination, and her heroines get to do the things she’s always wished she could.

  When not writing books, Lexie is a mother of two gorgeous teenagers and the wife to a patient and understanding man. They live in Western Australia and are lorded over by a black toy poodle. She loves camping, reading, and if her iPad were stolen, her world would explode. (It has the kindle app on.)

  Follow Lexie on

  https://www.facebook.com/lexie.winston.925

  https://instagram.com/lexiewinston77/

  Also by Lexie Winston

  The Collectors Division

  Guardian

  Anthology

  Leaving Eden

  Candy Conniptions

  Arbor Vitae Coven

  Lexie Winston

  First published by Neighpalm in 2019

  Copyright © Lexie Winston 2019

  The moral right of the author has been asserted.

  All rights reserved. This publication (or any part of it) may not be reproduced or transmitted, copied, stored, distributed or otherwise made available by any person or entity, in any form (electronic, digital, optical, mechanical) or by any means (photocopying, recording, scanning or otherwise) without prior written permission from the publisher.

  This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

  Candy Conniptions

  Mobi format: 978-0-6487006-1-6

  Cover design by Dazed Designs

  Edited by Dazed Designs

  icon made by Freepik from www.flaticon.com

  Contents

  Prologue

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Chapter Thirteen

  Chapter Fourteen

  Chapter Fifteen

  Chapter Sixteen

  Epilogue

  For my very understanding family.

  Thank you for having patience and believing in me. I couldn’t have done it without you.

  Prologue

  “This meeting of the Matrons of Morbank Island may come to order.” Prudence Miller announces as she bangs her gravel on the podium in front of her. She peers out at the rest of the ladies in the large room of the town hall. “Come now, settle down.” The noise of the room slowly quietens, the other nine women look up with curiosity.

  “Prudence, what’s this meeting about?” Victoria Digby questions. “You know I love meeting with you ladies, but usually drinks and nibbles are involved.”

  “Town affairs are better solved with a Mojito in hand.” Glenda La Croix adds with a laugh and a wave of her hand. A tittering of giggles explodes from the ladies, but when they see that Prudence is not laughing and has a very somber look on her face, they all quieten down quickly.

  “Ladies, I think we all know why we are meeting here. The portal is fading, and there’s not enough power generation to hold it open anymore. We are failing the realms. Action needs to be taken. If not, the council could very well appoint another coven in charge of Morbank, and we’ll get kicked off our ancestral island.” Prudence says with a look of sadness on her face. “It’s time for the next generation to step up and take their rightful place at the head of the family businesses. We’re all ready to retire, and the creative ideas just aren’t flowing like they used to.” The women all nod their heads in agreement. Prudence continues with a hitch in her voice, “There’s also something else that I have to tell you.”

  “Oh, Prudence dear, what’s wrong?” Lucille Crane asks as she gets up and puts her arm around Prudence. “What’s making you so sad?”

  “Don’t you think it’s strange that all of our oldest daughters have left town? Even though every single one of them is following in the family business.” She asks, looking at the ladies. The ladies start talking amongst themselves.

  “I did think it strange that they all decided to leave town and learn from other artists, but they’re young and independent,” Laura Woods exclaims, shrugging.

  “Yes.” adds in Fiona Blackwood, looking down at her hands, “I understand why Tia went to China. But I always thought she’d come back when she finished learning what he wanted. Instead, she stays.” Fiona's face is covered in sadness. “I keep trying to get her to come home, but she avoids the topic.”

  “I have similar conversations with Tatiana,” Lucille adds. “She’s so busy with that boyfriend of hers.” The sneer on her face when she says this makes it visible she isn’t too keen on him.

  “Ladies, Ladies,” Prudence says, hugging Lucille and encouraging her to sit back down. She straightens her shoulders and takes a big breath. “When Susan the slut ran off and left Regan,” she starts, looking very sad.

  “May she suffer pox on her pussy.” The other nine ladies chime in unison—one of them spitting to the side.

  A small smile appears on Prudence’s face. “Amen, my loyal ladies. When this happened, and Ruby didn’t come home to help her brother and his babies out, I knew there was something very wrong. Not only that. When I hired someone else to run the shop, she didn’t even bat an eyelid. Once upon a time, that would have made her come home on the warpath. Nobody was allowed to run her shop except her. So, I conducted some research. What I have discovered may surprise you.”

  The women look on eagerly, waiting for her to continue.

  “Well, don’t make us wait, what have you found out?” questions Laura

  “The girls are under a powerful repulsion spell.” She announces. Gasps and shocked chatter erupt. She talks over them, and they calm down to listen. “The signs were all there; we didn't acknowledge them. One, they all suddenly left town around the same time. Two, none have shown any interest in coming home. I know for sure; it was Ruby’s dream to take over the candy store. For her to up and leave all of a sudden, it was suspicious. She's been gone for eighteen months now and has shown no interest in coming home.” She says, wringing her hands together.

  “I think part of the dwindling power problem is we are all getting older, and the businesses need a new influx of power. With the lack of new creative inspiration, the tourists have lost interest. All of us are looking to retire, if the girls don’t come home and take over, we will have to sell the businesses or close them down. An artisan village with no artisans has no draw. So, with my suspicions, I cast a detection spell. I have discovered that this town and, in particular our places of business and homes, have a repelling spell on them specifically aimed at the girls.”

  More gasps and outrageous cries fill the hall.

  “Who could have done such a thing, and why?” Marie Payne questions out loud; a look of sadness haunts her eyes; her skin is sallow, and she looks like she has lost weight. Prue makes a note to visit her soon.

  “Well, that’s the all-important question, isn’t it?” Prudence says with a glare in her gray eyes and steel in her voice. “I will be informing Sheriff Crimson of my findings, but that is not going to solve our problem.”

  “I see by the look on your face you have a plan.” Victoria says with a smile
on her face, “Don’t be coy, share.”

  “You bet your ass I have a plan.” Prudence says with a determined look on her face, “I have found a spell to counteract it, but there may be some negative side effects. I need all of you ladies to think about this quite carefully, because once done, there’s no going back. The negative impacts could affect you directly.”

  “I don’t know about everyone else, but if someone is messing with my girl and that’s why she won’t come home to visit her Mama, then I’m in!” shouts Beatrix Shadowsoul getting to her feet.

  “That’s right,” agrees Marie also getting to her feet, “Nobody messes with our kids or town and gets away with it.”

  By this time, all the ladies are on their feet and agreeing to the spell. A tear appears in the corner of Prudence’s eye. She smiles, looking around at the other women in the room.

  “My sisters, I knew I could count on you, just as we have been counting on each other since we first formed this coven so many years ago.”

  “That’s right, witches for life,” shouts Denise.

  “Or bitches as the case may be, Hey Denise,” Lucille says cheekily, bumping her hip against Denise’s.

  “Well, you would know,” Denise says back with a grin.

  “Ok, ladies settle down. We will meet in the clearing behind the Manor at midnight tomorrow night. It is a full moon and the best time to fulfill the spell. Please bring something from your girls with you to go into the spell. It must be something that means a lot to them.” Prudence announces with a satisfied smile. “I don’t know who did this, but the backlash when we break the spell will let them know we are onto them. We must prepare to ward off a takeover.”

  “We will have to be more vigilant. We have grown complacent. Although we know most people in town, there are always people coming and going.” Minerva Crowe muses out loud. “Someone is trying to start trouble, maybe a coven from another town.”

  “Let keep this to ourselves for now or at least until I can speak to Sheriff Crimson. Now go, and don’t forget to perform your purification rituals, and I will see you all tomorrow night.” Prudence shoos the ladies away.

  The ladies all make their way out of the hall, go back to their business’s or go on with their daily routines. Prudence collapses in a chair. She rubs her head to ward off the pounding behind her eyes. The counter-spell could have some far-flung and dire consequences, but it is needed to break such a strong aversion. But saying that, there isn’t much these ladies wouldn’t do for their oldest daughters. Picking up her handbag, she places it over her shoulder. She straightens her shirt and smooths down her skirt before reaching to do the same with her hair. Then with a deep breath and head held high, she strides out of the hall towards the Sheriff's office to have a quiet and confidential conversation with Sheriff Crimson.

  The moon is high and round in the sky, the night has a bite of cold to it, with that sharp smell of the coming fall. The trees are losing their leaves, and the leaf litter is scattered all over the floor of the clearing. Back through the trees, a single light in the manor can be seen, left on for late-night visitors and portal users.

  The Manor Bed and Breakfast is the location of the supernatural portal linking all the realms to Earth for the US region. All kinds of creatures pass through. That being said, it doesn’t mean you won’t find humans staying there; the supernatural world is a new curiosity.

  One by one, the ladies drift out from amongst the trees from different directions. All ten of them are wearing their coven robes. Scarlett red with gold thread woven throughout in intricate designs. Hoods pulled up to cover their heads, hands clasping lit white candles. They make a circle in the clearing. Prudence reaches under her robe and pulls out a satchel from over her shoulder; the other ladies follow suit.

  Out of the bag, she pulls an athame and her spell book. She places them next to her, then walks to the center of the clearing. There is a fire pit with a cauldron, filled with salt and water, sitting over the top. With one word and gesture from Pru, the fire burst to life and starts crackling, the blue and red flames flickering, casting an eerie light around the clearing. The ladies blow out their candles and place them into their bags, putting them to the side. Prudence grabs the athame and moves back to the cauldron.

  “Please move forward, bring the object precious to your daughter, and place it into the cauldron. We will need a few drops of your blood as well. Then let us join hands for the incantation.”

  Each lady places the object into the cauldron. Using the athame, they drip a couple of drops of their blood into the water. The steam drifting off the top takes on a red hue. They all step back and join hands. Prudence adds a handful of bay and sage leaves to the water and moves back to join hands, starting the chant

  “Oh Hecate, hear us now, I call upon thee to hear our pleas. Come forth and cleanse our first-born daughters of all evil and alien magics intending harm, and restore them to balance, health, and home. We thank you and by our wills combined, so mote it be.”

  “So mote it be” repeats the rest of the coven.

  With a loud boom, a flash of purple bursts outwards from the cauldron, flowing through all the women in the circle and continuing outward. When the light has disappeared, the flame has gone out of the fire, and the spell is complete.

  “Now all we can do is wait,” announces Prudence.

  “Well, I don’t know about anyone else, but that was thirsty work. Who’s up for a drink?” Asks Marie as she walks back to where she has left her bag. Pulling out a couple of bottles of wine, she hands them out before opening one and taking a swig.

  Once the tense atmosphere breaks, the ladies laugh. They all take seats around the cauldron, more bottles of wine appear, as do a couple of joints. Smoke drifts on the breeze, pungent and pervasive. They are all talking quite loudly and joyously when a rustle through the trees causes them to drop into silence.

  “What was that?” asks Lucille.

  Victoria jumps, grabbing the athame from near the cauldron and brandishing it in front of herself. “I don’t know, but they are going to have to go through me to get to you!” she says ferociously.

  The ladies all look at each other and burst into laughter. Out of the trees walks Regan, Prudence’s son, the man who lives in and runs the Manor bed-and-breakfast, and polices the beings that come and go.

  He has a wry look on his face, “Evening ladies, mother,” he nods his head at them all. “I could hear you all from inside and felt the pressure wave from the spell.” He raises an eyebrow at Victoria. “Did you forget you could use magic to defend yourself?” He laughs, gesturing to the athame.

  She blushes and puts the athame back where she grabbed it from before retaking a seat, as he continues.

  “That’s what you get for addling your brains with wine and herbs, aren’t you all a little old for partying hard?” He chuckles, as they all squirm like teenagers caught out. Looking around he asks, “I notice there are no men from the coven at this little ceremony? You certainly didn’t send me the invite.” Prue sputters at the question.

  “This spell needed a purely maternal energy to it.” He raises his eyebrow skeptically.

  “Did it, Mom? Or did you ladies want to have a little full moon party without the old ball and chains? Keys are to go into the bowl.” He gestures to them, holding out a fruit bowl. “Your loved ones will thank me in the morning. Beds are all made up for you in the manor. Try to not wake my children or the few guests I do have when you come in. Also, make sure you magic those room clean, I don’t have enough staff at the moment to be picking up after grown-ass women.”

  The ladies sheepishly pull their keys out and drop them in the bowl.

  He walks back towards the manor. “Have a good evening ladies; I really hope the spell worked.”

  “So do we, Regan, so do we,” his mother says as he walks away.

  Chapter One

  Ruby

  The bitter smell of burned fudge wafts its way through the store as I slowly fo
llow my new boss. He’s prattling on about the changes he’s making to the store. Great, that pan can go in the trash now that the batch I was making has gone up in smoke. Even soaking it won’t remove the burned sugar from the bottom. Asshole wouldn’t wait for me to finish the new recipe I was trying out.

  His hands are flying around as he articulates, but all I hear is Blah blah blah. Mr. Whitmore Jr is nothing like his father. His father was a great old-fashioned man who had a particular set of morals and standards. He was always impeccably dressed; his gray hair, beard, and round lensed glasses gave him a Santa Claus quality that everyone just adored. Not to mention his jolly disposition and the sweet samples he was always handing out.

  No, Junior is a very pale example of a Whitmore. Junior is the epitome of Greedy Man Syndrome. He is wearing a cheap, ill-fitting polyester suit with a pinched look on his face. Where Senior had a jolly, rounded Santa body; Junior is just fat. Great big jowls that wobble when he talks and huge sweat stains around his armpits. The stench wafting off him is unhygienic and unappealing.

  It seems like the bottom line is the only thing of importance to him. He has abandoned samples and interacting with customers. The way he sees it, the store will become like any other chain store, with efficiency and non-personalized service the wave of the future—not things such as tradition and family.

  “And from now on, we won’t be making any of that damn candy in-store. It’s more economical to buy in bulk from suppliers.” Chatters the asshole in front of me. My ears tune back in and prick up as he says this.

  “I’m sorry, did you just say we wouldn’t be making candy anymore Mr. Whitmore?” ‘Asshole.’ I query him a frown on my face. He turns to me with an exasperated look.