~ Unexpected House Guests ~

An unfamiliar black Lexus sat in my parking spot when I pulled Gran's little blue Bug into the driveway. The front door to the house stood open, several suitcases on the porch. Gran's big tabby cat, Bob, did not look happy. Gran hadn't said a word last night about having company over. Who was here? I dreaded getting out of the car. Why did it have to be so cold?

"Thank you so much, Elizabeth. I can't tell you how much I appreciate this."

The guy speaking was off to the left of the doorway. He was tall and broad, with a mane of chocolaty brown hair. Delicious was the word that came to mind when I looked at him, but I didn't go all gaga over him like I had Xavier. At least I could assure myself I hadn't completely lost my mind.

"It's not a problem, Ethan. I'm just so sorry about your house. Did the fire marshal tell you what started the fire?"

"He said he should have an answer in a few days, but most likely it was the wiring. It's pretty old, and I'd planned on replacing it this year anyway. I'm just glad I called ahead and had the heat and power turned on before we got here. I'd hate to have had that fire happen while we were sleeping."

"My word, yes, that was luck." Gran stopped when she spotted me in the doorway. A smile broke out, and she ushered me in. "Close the door, Meli. All of the heat is getting out."

My eyebrows rose. The door had been standing open for who knows how long before I got home. I wasn't the one who'd left it open.

"Let me introduce you to an old friend," she continued, unabashed at my expression. "This is Ethan Warren. He lives a few streets over from us. Ethan, this is Melinda."

He turned those smoky gray eyes on me. They were full of warmth and more than a little surprise. "Hello, Melinda. Your grandmother has told me quite a bit about you." Ah, that accounted for the surprise. Gran never hid the fact that I liked to dress Goth. I'm sure he was a little shocked I was blonde and wearing a pink headband.

"Hey." I nodded to him.

"Ethan had a house fire, so he'll be staying with us for a bit."

I frowned. He might get in the way of my plan. Gran I could get around, but someone I didn't know? Definitely could be an issue.

"Cassie just needed to get away and hide for a bit..." Ethan began.

"Hide?" Laughter followed the statement. "She's not hiding, or I wouldn't be here."

I swiveled to see another boy lounging in the doorway to the dining room. Cute was the first word that came to mind, but cute was an understatement. He was just as gorgeous as the guy standing in front of me. I had to look at him to see it. Ethan sort of took your breath away, and next to him, the newcomer paled, but only for a minute. There was something about his face, something that just wanted to make you smile. And those eyes, ohmygosh, I'd never seen eyes so blue in my life. Nor had I seen eyes so full of rage. Cute he might be, but it was the rage in those eyes that held and caught my attention.

Wait. They had to be witches. No way did I find this many extra cute guys all in one place. Sure, you always had at least one or two gorgeous guys and a couple cute ones in every high school, but not this many. So, witches.

Ethan glared at the newcomer. "You are here because she's too soft-hearted."

"Will you both just shut the hell up?"

A petite redhead came bounding down the stairs. She was about my age. Honey gold eyes, spitting fire, glared at them both. This, I assumed, was the before-mentioned Cassie. I almost took a step backward. The utter power rolling off her was enough to send most people to their knees. She was definitely a witch, a very gifted one, who at the moment was pissed beyond all words and measures.

"I swear by all that is holy, if you two don't stop snarling at each other, I am going to beat you both bloody."

Now here was a girl with some grit. She might be too cute and fashionably trendy for her own good, but underneath it all, she was tough. I could get along with her. Maybe.

"Cassie..."

"CJ..."

"I said shut up!" she interrupted them both. "I have had enough of this bickering. Yes, Ethan, I know you are not happy with Jeff being here, but his parents are out of town for the next three weeks, and he has to have someone to look after him. It was my fault he got shot, and I'll be damned if I run off and leave him there with no one."

Jeff smirked.

"And you can just wipe that smirk off your face," she said and rounded on Jeff, who instantly straightened up. "You are my friend and I love you, but only as a friend."

"So you say," he replied, grinning from ear to ear.

What did Gran do? Our house was going to turn into an episode of Days of Our Lives.

Cassie threw her hands up in the air. "Why do I bother?"

"'Cause you love me."

Ethan growled and took a step toward him. The little bit of fluff put herself directly in front of him. His expression softened in a heartbeat, and he smiled down at her. Then he leaned down and kissed her.

Jeff made a choking sound and then took himself off through the dining room door.

"Did you have to do that?" Cassie asked a little breathlessly.

"Yup, you betcha."

She laughed softly. "Can't you try to be nice to him? For me? Please?"

Ah, there was that doe eyed look most men couldn't resist, and Ethan proved himself sappy. "I'll try."

"Thank you," she said and then turned to my grandmother. "I am so sorry, Mrs. James. They are like two dogs fighting over the same bone."

"Don't worry about it, dear." Gran smiled at her. Gag. A lovers' triangle I did not need right now. This was so going to interfere with my plans. How was I supposed to plot and craft the potions I needed with another witch in the house? And one as powerful as this girl? Hmm, this could get tricky. I didn't want to hurt her, but I would if she forced me to.

"I'll talk to Jeff, and I promise he and Ethan will be on their best behavior." She turned curious eyes to me.

"Cassie, this is Elizabeth's granddaughter, Melinda," Ethan introduced us. "She's staying with Lizzy for a while."

Lizzy? Okay, something really bizarre was going on. Ethan couldn't be much older than me, but he was calling my Gran Lizzy? No one called her that, especially not a teenage boy.

"Hi," the redhead said and gave me a small smile. "Sorry if we are intruding on the time with your grandmother."

"Don't worry about it." At least not unless you get in my way.

"I'm Cassie Bishop, by the way. Everyone calls me CJ."

Small talk. Maybe we wouldn't be getting along after all. I hated people with the need to fill up a perfectly good silence with nonsense chit chat. They irritated me more than old reruns of 90210, the revamped edition.

"Well, Ethan has told me a lot about you, dear," Gran continued. "It nice to finally meet you. Melinda, CJ is the Coven Mistress of her Coven."

My eyebrows did shoot up at this. The girl was my age. Now how in the world did she manage that one?

"No, I'm not," CJ denied.

Gran frowned.

"Just because everyone tells me I am doesn't mean I have to do it."

Ethan sighed, and Gran just looked confused. "You have plenty of time to think about it, Cassie. Why don't we get you settled in our room? You look tired."

Cassie nodded and let Ethan pull her up the stairs. As soon as they were out of sight I rounded on my grandmother. "What's going on?"

"I told you, Melinda. Ethan's house caught on fire, and he needed a place to stay for a bit."

"And just why does he call you Lizzy?"

Gran winced. "It's a long story, Meli, and not mine to tell. If he wants you to know, he'll tell you. Now, how was your first day of school?"

"Fine," I lied. I'd been bored out of my mind outside of my Chemistry class. Well, at least I'd gotten the attention of the seniors, and people were buzzing about my statement of being a witch. Just what I wanted. Well, it hadn't been all bad, there was the guy from the airport. Just thinking about him caused me to stop breathing momentarily. So not me. What was wrong with me today?

"She's really a Coven Mistress?" I asked Gran. Why would she deny it? That was one of the most respected and sought after roles in a Coven, and for her to achieve it so young? Unheard of. Why didn't she want it?

"Yes, Ethan said she was, but I'm not sure why she's denying it either. It's odd."

"How long are they staying?"

"I'm not sure, Meli. Ethan didn't say, but he's welcome here as long as he wants to stay."

Hmm. Who was this Ethan to Gran? And why did Cassie not wish to be a Coven Mistress, and how did Jeff play into the mix? All very good questions I'd get the answers to while I worked around them. Maybe playing Nancy Drew would keep them so busy protecting their own secrets they wouldn't have time to pry into mine.

I smiled quite evilly.