The Doctor Witch (The Ward Witches)

  The Doctor Witch

  Lauren McMinn

  Copyright © 2012 Lauren McMinn

  All rights reserved.

  ISBN-10: 1478131802

  ISBN-13: 978-1478131809

  DEDICATION

  To Jonathan McMinn

  For his infinite support

  CHAPTER ONE

  Selby Kincaid strapped himself into his hot rod convertible, or as he liked to call it, his baby. He adjusted the mirrors and put the top down, running his fingers through his short brown hair to prepare it for the wind.

  “Don’t you think I’m gorgeous, Skylar?” He asked his younger sister, who was currently propping her elbows up on the side of his door. Her blond hair, which normally reached her lower back, was currently whipping around her in the wind, making it difficult to see her face. But he knew she disapproved, especially from her tone of voice.

  “You’re going to a damn funeral, Selby! This isn’t the time or the place to be worried about your looks!”

  “There’s sure to be some woman who needs consoling.” He laughed merrily.

  1

  THE DOCTOR WITCH

  “You’re incorrigible,” she said, but there was a smile in her voice.

  “In all seriousness, come with me. Linda was your aunt too.”

  “Yes, and she hated me, in case you’ve forgotten. I'm not even sure why you're going.”

  “You didn’t ask to be born the way you are, and she could never understand that. But she’s dead now, and isn’t it time to let it go?”

  “I’m not budging on this one. Not even for you will I go to that woman’s funeral. Now do you have everything? Your cell phone? Wallet?”

  “Yes, I do. See you later, sis.”

  “Yeah. Try not to seduce any women at the funeral.”

  “Can’t promise that.” He winked and was off.

  Skylar rolled her eyes and headed back inside the little two bedroom apartment they rented together. She loved her brother dearly, but there were some things they just couldn’t agree upon. Yet ever since their parents died, he was all she had. Their father died in a car accident when she was seven and Selby was eleven. Then their mother died in a mugging gone wrong. Selby had been eighteen, just out of high school, and he took custody of his fourteen year old sister. She shook off the memories. They had each other, and that was what mattered. Especially after Jeremy’s betrayal.

  The night before, she had been plagued with bad dreams, mostly memories of her Aunt Linda. Skylar grabbed her pillows from her bed and positioned her body on their silly neon green sofa. Selby had seen the thing, fallen in love with it, and brought it home despite, or perhaps because of, the color. However, it was a very comfortable piece of furniture. She put on an old movie, and within minutes, she fell asleep.

  Not thirty minutes later, her cell phone started chiming loudly. Grumbling sleepily, she picked it up without even looking at the caller ID.

  “Hello?”

  “May I speak to Skylar Kincaid?”

  “This is she.”

  “Ma’am, there’s been an accident.” She sat up straight, all thoughts of sleepiness gone.

  “Excuse me? Was it Selby?”

  “Yes, ma’am. Mr. Kincaid’s convertible took a corner too fast, as best we can figure, and hit a tree.”

  “Oh my god. Is he alright?”

  “He is in critical condition. But ma’am, the car burst into flames, and while our Good Samaritan was able to rescue him, he is badly burned.”

  “Can I see him?”

  “Of course. He is at Massachusetts General.” The nurse gave her the building and room number, and as soon as she scribbled it down, she was out the door.

  Heart thumping and blood racing, Skylar’s sedan took too long to get to the hospital, as far as she was concerned. Once there, she hustled up to the floor her brother was on.

  “Excuse me, I’m here to see Selby Kincaid,” she told the nurse at the station.

  “He’s still in surgery. I’ll have them page you here if you’d like to wait.” The nurse gave Skylar a pitying look, which disturbed her stomach a great deal.

  “Yes, please. Thank you.”

  The nurse smiled. “Of course.”

  Skylar had barely sat down in one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs when a man sat down next to her. He was very attractive, from the strong lines of his face to his startlingly blue eyes to his golden hair. Skylar criticized herself for thinking of a man like that while her dearest brother was in surgery.

  “Skylar Kincaid?”

  “How do you know my name?”

  “I’m Seb Ward. I was the one who found your brother.” For the one who rescued her brother, he didn't seem to have a burn on him.

  “You rescued him?” She perked up at the news.

  “I suppose you could put it like that,” he grinned. Then he really looked at her and did a double take. “I don’t believe I’ve met you before.”

  “Well of course not. There’s how many billions of people on the planet?”

  He wasn’t amused. “Are you one of the Dark Order?” He asked in a whisper.

  “What’s the Dark Order?” This was no time to be playing mind games.

  He sighed. “So it’s going to be like that, hmm? I suppose I shouldn’t have thought you’d admit it.”

  “Like what? I’m so confused, and my brother is possibly dying. The one man who I’m trying to thank is looking at me like I’m a specimen to be examined.” She also whispered, figuring that there was some reason behind it.

  He looked like he made a decision. “Hey, Sophie! Is there an empty exam room we can talk in?”

  “Sure. Room 5, right over there,” the nurse responded as if she knew him well.

  “Thanks. Page Leo and tell him to meet us there stat. And let us know if there is any update on her brother’s condition.”

  “Will do.”

  “What’s going on?” Skylar asked timidly.

  “You’ve got a long wait ahead of you as you wait on your brother’s condition. Might as well come and talk to me and Leo.”

  “Will you explain why you’re acting so weird?”

  “Yes. Now come with me. We can’t talk here.”

  “I suppose I owe it to you for saving my brother.”

  “If that will get you to come talk to me, I'll take it.”

  She got up and followed him into a stark exam room. She sat down on the bed. She was still tired.

  “Now that we’re alone, what is it that you’re so desperate to talk to me about?”

  He considered her for a minute. “Now tell me truthfully-have you ever heard of the Coven or the Order?”

  “No, never. Why?”

  “Now look,” he began pacing, “I have ways of knowing whether you’re telling the truth. So don’t lie to me!”

  “Why would I lie? I’m in a hospital exam room with a man calling me a liar when I could be waiting peacefully for my brother’s condition. Don’t you think I’d want to tell you the truth so that I could go back and panic on my own terms? I mean, do you have a brother?”

  He softened a little. “Yeah, two of them and a sister.”

  “Then why don’t you let me assure you that I know nothing of your Coven or your Order and let me get back to the waiting room.”

  Before he could answer, someone knocked on the door then pushed his way in without waiting for a response. This newcomer was tall and even more handsome. His green eyes sparkled and a dimple appeared in his cheek when he smiled. He had very light longish blond hair, tied back with a leather band. She felt the immediate need to run her hands over his muscles, and again shook herself for thinking of a man while her brother was in sur
gery. Since he was wearing a white lab coat, she ran to him and grabbed his hand, no matter how much she wanted to touch other parts of him.

  “How is my brother?”

  “Your brother?”

  “Yes, Selby Kincaid. He was in an accident, and I’m waiting to hear back on his condition.”

  The stranger looked askance at the first man, Seb, who said simply “Close the damned door.” Once done, the new man took up a casual position on the hospital bed while Skylar sat in the room’s chair and Seb paced.

  “She says she knows nothing about the Coven or the Order.”

  “You always do get straight to the point, don’t you?”

  “Tell me if she’s lying for god’s sake, man!”

  “Calm down, Seb.” He looked at Skylar, who was entranced by his scrutinizing eyes. “What has he told you?”

  “Nothing! He just started acting like he should have seen me before, which is unlikely if not improbable, and then started demanding to know what I know about some Coven and Order. I’m clueless!”

  “OK then, let’s back up. Seb, I expected better from you.”

  “She could be a threat!”

  “Chill.” He held up a hand against Seb’s fuming. “Now ma’am, have you ever heard of witches?”

  Her eyes got wide. “Yes,” she whispered. How did they know? Were they here to lock her up like Linda always threatened they would? Should she run?

  “Calm down. I’m trying very hard to give you your privacy, but you’ve got to restrain your emotions for me to do that. No, don’t ask questions yet. Do you know that you’re a fire witch?”

  “Yes.” She started looking for an escape route.

  “Fine. No privacy. See if I care! I’m not going to lock you up, and you really shouldn’t run. We’re not here to hurt you. Besides, if you go out that door, Sophie will just send you back in. And no, there are no sharp objects in that top drawer.”

  “Are you reading my mind?” She was outraged and stunned and confused.

  “I told you to keep your emotions under control.” He sighed. “Look, Seb and I are air witches. We want to help you and your brother. Honestly. So yes, I was reading your mind. I’m a strong telepath, and when a person gets really emotional, it’s like they’re shouting at me. Same thing’s happening to Seb, but after all that happened, he is too emotional to get to his powers. Now, to calm down that jerk over there,” he indicated the still-pacing Seb, “I’m going to ask if I can read your mind just enough to confirm that you know nothing of the Coven or the Order. He is right in that if you’re lying, you could be a danger to us all.”

  He was calm and patient, and after everything that Skylar had been going through, she was ready to just give in. It was a lot to take in after the news of her brother, and she was just riding the wave, trying to soak it up.

  “Fine. But please be quick. I really don’t want to miss any updates on my brother.”

  “I’ll be quick and gentle.”

  She closed her eyes, and felt a small tickle in her head, like someone was brushing her mind with a feather. Then it withdrew, and she opened her eyes.

  “She’s telling the truth, Seb. She doesn’t even know how to use her magic.”

  She blushed. Seb calmed down instantly though.

  “I’m sorry. I overreacted.”

  “It’s alright. But you believe me now?”

  “Yes, and that’s the problem.”

  “What now?” She turned to the other man, the air witch wearing a lab coat. “You guys are making my head hurt with all this talk of witches and I still don’t even know your name.”

  “You can call me Leo Ward. I’m this jerk’s brother. And if Seb says one more rude thing, I’m going to tell you his whole name.”

  Seb almost made a rude gesture before thinking better of it. Still in some kind of emotional shock, there was nothing Skylar could do but laugh. “Well Sebastian, you’re in trouble now.”

  “I wish that were my name.” He grinned. “But if Leo tells you my name, I’ll tell you his!” They looked challengingly at each other then laughed.

  “Fair enough. Now, ma’am, can I know your name?”

  “Certainly. I’m Skylar Kincaid.”

  “Nice to meet you, Skylar.”

  “So what’s going on?”

  “We can’t tell you all of it here. It’ll take too long and I know you want to hear about your brother. So here’s the deal: I’ll tell you the basics today if you’ll promise to come by our headquarters tomorrow so I can tell you the rest.”

  “I won’t promise. It depends on if my brother needs me. He’s not a witch. But if I can come, I will come as soon as I can.”

  “That’s fair. Look, Seb, can you take it from here? I’ll be back in a few minutes.”

  “Sure. I’m calmed down now.”

  “Thank you.” Leo got up and left the room.

  Seb sat down next to her on the bed instead. “I’m sorry for suspecting you.”

  “Like I said, it’s fine. I’m not one to hold a grudge.”

  “Thank you. Anyway, the Coven and the Order are two separate coalitions of witches like us.”

  “There are groups of witches?”

  “Yes. Wait, what do you know about being a witch?”

  “I know that my father was one. But I don’t remember him very well. My mother would never speak of magic, nor allow me to speak of it. She and my Aunt Linda were both terrified of what I could do if I ever learned to use my magic. So they told me that if I’d just never access it or think about it, I could still live with them.”

  He laughed. “I’m sorry, but that’s not true. My own mother thought that magic was the sign of the devil in us, but she’s not right either. It’s not evil. Besides, it’s actually more dangerous when you don’t use it because it can seep out and cause problems if you can’t control it. How old are you?”

  “Twenty six.”

  “Then you’re very lucky that you haven’t hurt something or someone. I can feel your magic, and you’re a strong witch.”

  “Really?” She was pleased. Perhaps she could do justice to her father’s legacy after all. “So then what is the difference between the Coven and the Order?”

  “There are many. But the biggest difference is that the Dark Order believes that witches are superior to humans and therefore, human life is somehow less than witch life. Think of black people in the Antebellum South, where they only counted as three fifths of a person. They also use blood magic, which can result in the death of the blood donor.”

  “Oh.” She was startled and horrified.

  “The Coven, on the other hand, believes that witches are like humans with extraordinary powers. Witches have a responsibility to help humanity at large and to protect them from becoming slaves to the Order.”

  “I assume you’re in the Coven.”

  “I’m actually the leader, or the Duke, of the Coven. Now look, I know that people will all think a little differently, and I won’t force you to choose the Coven. I am going to say that you need to choose one or the other so that you can get some training. Even if you decide not to use your magic, the longer you let it go untrained, the more likely it is that there will be an accidental use of your powers and that people will get hurt.”

  “I can understand that.”

  “So, while I’d love to have you in the Coven, the choice is ultimately yours. All I ask is that you come by the Coven House as soon as you are able and let us show you who we are and what we do.”

  “I’ll do that. Thank you, Mr. Ward, for talking to me. And especially thank you for saving my brother.”

  “I couldn’t have done it without my air magic. That is the only way I was able to protect myself so I could get through the flames to your brother and to protect him from any further damage on the way out of the flames.”

  She closed her eyes. “Then thank you even more. I certainly owe you a visit to the Coven House.”

  “Here’s the address. And here’s my phone numb
er.”

  She didn’t recognize the address, but she could easily plug it into her GPS later.

  Leo let himself back into the room.

  “She’s agreed to come see the Coven House as soon as she can.”

  “Excellent. And by the way, good work on that save, brother. He would have died if you hadn’t gotten there as fast as you did and shielded him from the worst of it.”

  “So he’s going to be alright?” Skylar asked, hopeful.

  “He’s expected to make it. They just gone done with the skin grafts, so we’ll have to monitor them to make sure everything goes alright. He has severe burns, though, and he’ll have to stay at the hospital and possibly undergo some other procedures.”

  “Oh thank you!” She ran and wrapped her arms tightly around him. And it felt good. Just hugging him made all of her worries dissipate a little more. He was strong, but gentle enough with her. She knew she couldn’t just stay there though, so she moved away with a little sigh. Besides, she shouldn’t start thinking about kissing him at a time like this. Though he did have marvelous lips.

  The two brothers exchanged a series of inscrutable looks. Skylar thought they were probably communicating telepathically, if Leo was to be believed. Finally, Seb lost, based on his long-suffering sigh.

  “Go ahead, Leo, but for the record, I think it’s unfair if not downright cruel. She should have a choice.”

  “She does.”

  “Yeah, sure.”

  “Excuse me?” Skylar ventured. “What kind of choice am I making?”

  “I hate for it to be like this. I really do, Seb, so you know,” Leo began, looking grim.

  “Just spit it out.”

  “Your brother survived, but he’s going to be marked from the burns. We’re not sure just how badly, but his face and chest in particular suffered a lot of damage. The skin grafts will help, but to regain his looks, he’ll likely need plastic surgery.”

  “Oh god! How will I find a plastic surgeon? Plus, we don’t have much money to pay for one.” She started to panic a little more. Selby was always so proud of being a handsome man.