Wiccan Owen Rhys inherits a house outside a small town, where he hopes the solitude will help with his music. But a zealously religious neighbor is convinced he’s a devil worshiper, and her gossip causes the townspeople to view Owen with suspicion. A series of pranks ensues, including dead animals left on his porch, threatening the feral cats living on Owen’s property. Though a bit out of practice, Owen casts a spell to summon a protector -- someone to convince the town the gossip is false and prevent the pranks from escalating. He confidently waits for his champion to arrive. Marc Elias is the town’s animal control officer and veterinarian. He considers himself a rational man who trusts in science and most certainly does not believe in magic. So when he receives a complaint that Owen is bewitching and torturing cats, he dismisses it as her imagination but goes to investigate. Owen is certain Marc is the protector summoned by the spell. But Marc sees Owen’s altar and hears desperate howling, and he has to put aside any attraction he may feel towards the young Wiccan to do his job. Will a little magic be all it takes for both men to get what they want?

Just a Little Magic

After the longest minute Owen had ever known, Marc leveled a cold, hard stare at him and quietly announced, “I don’t believe you.”


Owen could almost hear the crackle of ice building on his heart, layer upon layer sealing him in. From behind a frozen shield, he looked at Marc and nodded. “Then you should go.”


Owen wondered why he didn’t feel anger. Why he wasn’t defending himself against that absurd accusation and railing at Marc’s pigheadedness. But somehow he just couldn’t breach the cold empty silence that seemed to stretch around him. Instead he turned away from Marc, carried the dishes to the sink, and began to wash them.


He hardly even flinched at the sound of the screen door slamming shut.


His odd state of numbness continued for another week until Samhain, the Wiccan holiday celebrated on Halloween. The morning dawned bright, brisk, and welcoming.


Owen closed the kitchen blinds to drink his tea in shadow.


Chapter 25