Read Online Grave Attraction by Lori Sjoberg - Free Book Online

“What’s wrong, honey?”
    â€œStupid spell didn’t work.” Irritation showed on the witch’s face as she poured her latest concoction down the drain. “On the bright side, I think it’s safe to say this guy wasn’t targeted by anyone local.”
    The kitchen counter was littered with ingredients commonly employed for defensive magic. Some Marlena recognized: basil, agrimony, pawpaw, cayenne, patchouli, vetivert, and wormwood. A few she didn’t. From the looks of it, Cassie was attempting to remove the negative magic from Dmitri’s associate and turn the evil back on its rightful owner.
    With a sigh, Cassie set the empty pot in the sink and twisted the faucet, testing the water with her finger every few seconds to see if the temperature had warmed. “So far, I’ve only used half of the hair, but I called Dmitri for more just in case.”
    â€œGreat.” She so didn’t want to see Dmitri again. She’d known the reaper for about forty years, but until yesterday, she hadn’t seen him since the time he’d helped her and Cassie deal with a troublesome warlock. Technically, they still owed him a favor, but that didn’t mean she had to like it.
    â€œYou need to wipe that look off your face,” Cassie warned.
    â€œWhat look?”
    â€œThe one you get when you want to rip someone’s lungs out. You know as well as I do it wasn’t his fault.”
    Marlena’s jaw tightened, her mama bear instincts bubbling to the surface. “You were young and naïve.”
    â€œI was thirty-two, and I damn well knew what I was doing.” Cassie squared her shoulders, a bottle of dishwashing detergent in her right hand and an expression that brooked no argument. “We were both consenting adults, and he tried his best not to hurt me. It’s not your business to judge.”
    â€œFair enough.” No, it wasn’t. Cassie meant the world to her, which meant she had every right to judge the bastard. He should have known that Cassie would fall in love with him and that he was incapable of returning the sentiment. If given the chance, Marlena wouldn’t think twice about making him pay for hurting her baby girl.
    â€œI don’t have enough pawpaw to make the next batch,” Cassie said as she put the pot in the sink to soak. “Think you could get me some?”
    Deciding it was best to let Cassie change the subject, Marlena jammed her hands in her pockets. “It shouldn’t be a problem.” Last time she checked, the cow pasture out by the expressway still had a small patch of the native shrubs. Once you knew what to look for, they were easy to find; just look for lots of flies and a slight carrion odor. “Flowers or fruit?”
    â€œBoth, and as much as you can find. I can always freeze what I don’t use.” She turned off the spigot before tugging on a pair of yellow rubber gloves. “That new reaper—what was his name? Oh wait, I remember. It was Adam. Anyway, he should be by any time now with the hair.”
    Marlena blew out a heavy sigh. She wasn’t in the mood for her daughter’s matchmaking. “Cassie . . .”
    â€œWhat?” The witch shot her a wide-eyed, innocent look. “I called Dmitri, and he said he’d send Adam.”
    â€œWas that before or after you asked him to?”
    Cassie chuckled. “Just trying to help you out, Mama.”
    Before she could argue the merits of Cassie’s “help,” the front doorbell chimed.
    â€œDon’t even think about slinking out the garage door,” Cassie said as she grabbed a sponge and started scrubbing the pot. Glancing up, she flashed a sweet smile. “Now be a dear and answer the door, will you?”
    â€œMeddling witch,” Marlena muttered under her breath. She should have known better than to tell Cassie about her connection to the reaper. Because now that she knew, the woman would do