Witchin' Stix - Lissa Matthews Read online

  Witchin' Stix: Magic and Mayhem Universe

  Lissa Matthews

  Published by Lissa Matthews, 2018.

  Copyright

  Copyright © 2018 by Lissa Matthews

  All rights reserved.

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, businesses, companies, events, or locales is coincidental.

  This book contains content that may not be suitable for young readers 17 and under.

  The Author of this Book has been granted permission by Robyn Peterman to use the copyrighted characters and/or worlds created by Robyn Peterman in this book. All copyright protection to the original characters and/or worlds of the Magic and Mayhem series is retained by Robyn Peterman.

  Table of Contents

  Title Page

  Copyright Page

  Forward

  Blue Balls Falls Happenings...

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Chapter Nine

  Chapter Ten

  Chapter Eleven

  Chapter Twelve

  Epilogue

  About the Author

  Sign up for Lissa Matthews's Mailing List

  Forward

  Blast Off with us into the Magic and Mayhem Universe!

  I’m Robyn Peterman, the creator of the Magic and Mayhem Series and I’d like to invite you to my Magic and Mayhem Universe.

  What is the Magic and Mayhem Universe, you may ask?

  Well, let me explain...

  It’s basically authorized fan fiction written by some amazing authors that I stalked and blackmailed! KIDDING! I was lucky and blessed to have some brilliant authors say yes! They have written brand new stories using my world and some of my characters. And let me tell you...the results are hilarious!

  So here it is! Blast off with us into the hilarious Magic and Mayhem Universe. Side splitting books by fantabulous authors! Check out each and every one. You will laugh your way to a magical HEA!

  For all the stories, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/. Grab your copy today!

  Blue Balls Falls Happenings...

  A lot has gone on since you last visited Blue Balls Falls, Virginia.

  Witchin’ Spice Bakery has been built and blown up and built and blown up and... Well you get the idea.

  Amir, the Warlock Prince, is still trying to get Broo to understand they are meant to be together. But honestly, all Broo is interested in is how much pasta she can eat without gaining any weight. Since acknowledging her magic and since she’s been practicing, her witch’s metabolism has taken effect and she’s testing its limits daily. She never stops eating. It’s kind of cute, though.

  She’s stopped blowing things up and she’s been able to harness some of her magic as long as she doesn’t write any spells.

  And well, you’re being invited into my life now, so grab your brooms and hold on tight...

  Chapter One

  “What’s the meaning of this? What are you trying to do? What are you up to?”

  The screech that escaped my throat was enough to wake the dead. “What’s wrong with you, woman? Don’t you know better than to poof in on unsuspecting witches?”

  “No. But if you wouldn’t listen to that racket at such an alarming volume...”

  “Of course you don’t. Why are you here? And my music isn’t racket and the volume isn’t alarming.” Why did everyone always say hard rock was racket? It was very poetic in a lot of ways if people would only give it more of a chance.

  “You should be nicer to me. Have you had your espresso yet?”

  “You don’t care if anyone is ever nice to you. And how do you know I drink espresso?”

  “Everyone knows,” she said offhandedly. “Everyone knows that’s the key to your perkiness.”

  She had a point. I did run on espresso. I sometimes wondered if I cut myself would I bleed it instead of blood. I didn’t want to find out. Pain was not my thing. “Why are you here?” I asked again. “I’m busy.” Not really. I just hadn’t had caffeine yet and was not fit for company. Especially of the Baba Yaga variety.

  A handful of my famous Witchin’ Stix landed in a pile on the counter in front of me. “Explain this, please.”

  “Explain what? It’s candy. You flip the top off and pour the powder in your mouth or sprinkle it on ice cream.”

  Baba Yaga sighed. “I know it’s candy and I know how to eat it, even though I don’t. But I know how. It’s sour. Fabio doesn’t like sour candy and that’s not what I ordered from you. He likes sweet candy. He likes—”

  “Well, that kind of rules your candy out doesn’t it?”

  “I am not in the mood.”

  Shrugging, I picked through the wrappers on the counter. “Makes two of us. I don’t make sour Stix, B.Y.”

  “Don’t call me that. I have a name. Use it.”

  “You’re pretty testy today. Maybe you need some coffee.”

  “I have a busy schedule and I’m going to be late for my new tutu yoga class if you don’t hurry up.”

  “And do what?”

  “Replace the wrong order with the correct one.”

  “Witchin’ Stix are not sour. They’re always sweet. They’re always matched perfectly to the one who opens them.”

  “They’re sour.”

  There was only one way to settle the argument. With a swipe of my finger through the powdered candy that had slid from the opened wrappers, I dabbed a bit on my tongue. “Ick!”

  “There.” Her voice was triumphant. “That’s the face Fabio made when he opened them. Every single one is sour.”

  Water. I needed water. I took a healthy swig to wash the remnants away. “I don’t understand.” I ripped the top off a freshly made just an hour ago stick of candy and poured the powder in the palm of my hand.

  I sniffed it and it smelled like sweet orange with a hint of cinnamon. My favorite.

  The taste, though, was not. It was sour. Not even as a prelude to sweet. Just...

  I shivered as it seeped into my taste buds. “This makes no sense.” And when the pounding on the door started moments later, I still had no answers. Every bit of candy I’d made earlier in the day was wrong. This had never happened before.

  “I’m coming,” I yelled, hoping it was loud enough to be heard over the racket coming from the front of the house.

  My familiar, Larry the Cat met me at the door and wound around my ankles as I opened it before whoever was on the other side broke it down. The most gorgeous man I’d ever seen stood on the other side. Dark skin. Dark eyes. Impeccably dressed in black from head to toe. Devastating smile. “Kandace?”

  “Nope.” I slammed the door and with a flick of my wrist, threw the lock, just to be on the safe side.

  “Who was that?”

  “A demon, B.Y.”

  “A demon? Why would a demon be at your door? And how many times do I have to tell you that my name is not B.Y.?”

  “I know what your name is and I don’t know why a demon is at my door. I don’t know why the candy is sour. I don’t know. I don’t know. I. Don’t. Know.” I had never yelled at Baba Yaga. I rarely yelled at anyone at all. Ever. But boy howdy, it felt good.

&nb
sp; “Kandace?”

  I spun so fast my head spun and I lost my balance. I tipped over and straight into the demon’s arms. His strong, muscled, very secure arms. “H-how did you get in?” I questioned, bemused and bewildered and slightly out of breath.

  He only smiled and set me to rights on my feet again. I didn’t like that one little bit. I’d rather his arms be around me. Me, who had never... And never... Nope, not that either. “Nothing can keep me out,” he replied.

  A grumble and a jerk of my thumb in Baba Yaga’s direction indicated otherwise, but to confirm... “She can.”

  “No, I can’t.”

  “You can’t?” Color me shocked. “I thought being the most powerful witch you could do anything. Especially when it comes to keeping the bad and the riff raff out.”

  “I’m not riff raff,” Demon Man said. “I’m not bad, either. Unless...”

  “Nope. There is no unless. You’re a demon. And bad kind of goes with the territory.”

  “I can’t keep them out without a spell and even then, it would have to be a pretty...” B.Y. shook her head. “That doesn’t matter. What does is why you’re in a witch’s house uninvited,” she said to the demon, her arms crossed over her chest, looking for all the world like a really out of place 80’s fashion disaster.

  “I need some new Witchin’ Stix.”

  My eyes widened and I focused on him. “Witchin’ Stix? How did you get any?”

  “I have a... source.”

  “A source?” I let myself get carried away for a few seconds, imagining my treats being distributed in all corners of Hades, bringing pleasure to all the dark and grumpy demons and devils and evil creatures of the underworld. This made me somewhat happy and I didn’t want to examine why that might be. “Do you mean... Oh. Is my candy sold on the black market?” This was nothing to be excited about. I was a good witch. I didn’t associate with anything illegal, nefarious, or evil. And that included any and all demons. Especially the one currently standing in my kitchen.

  At the same time...

  “No, dear witch. It just happens to be my favorite.”

  Damnation. He was smooth as butter. “Oh, that’s so sweet. Thank you.”

  Behind me, B.Y. groaned. “Can we get back to the issue at hand? Sour. Witchin’ Stix.” She tapped her perfectly manicured, neon orange nails on my counter. “I need some sweet ones.”

  “You had sour ones, too?” Demon Man asked Baba Yaga. He appeared as perplexed as I was. What I’d tasted hadn’t even come close to tart. No, it was out and out sour. There was no sweet then sour. Or sweet then tart. It was sour from start to finish.

  “Not me.”

  Their voices faded as my confusion won out. A demon in my house. Baba Yaga, too. Multiple batches of sour candy. This was not what I signed up for when I woke up this morning. I had plans. I had a meeting with my sisters in less than an hour.

  “Okay. You two need to go. I have things to do today.”

  “What are you going to do about Fabio’s candy?”

  Just let it go, K... “Nothing right now. I don’t know what happened or what is happening. Maybe it’s something to do with my magic, a change in the seasons, or the current climate crisis. Maybe I’m just tired and need to start my day over again. You know, with positive intention. But either way, that requires the two of you to leave and me to go back to bed.”

  “I think I should stay and help you figure things out.”

  “I don’t think you should. That would be bad.”

  “Yes,” Baba Yaga added. “That would be bad. Time to go.”

  Well, she agreed way too quickly. And as I stood by, she squinted her eyes and tilted her head to the side, but Demon Man shook his head and didn’t budge. What was going on between them?

  The clock on the wall chimed and I bit back and annoyed grunt. I had only fifteen minutes before my sisters arrived and I really didn’t want to have to explain a demon and Baba Yaga and sour candy to them. Not yet, at least. I wanted some cookies and cakes and yummy caramel apple ciders with mounds of whipped cream and dusting of cinnamon. If my two unwanted guests didn’t leave, I was not going to get what I wanted.

  But before I could plead again, Demon Man smiled in my direction and blew me a kiss. “Until next time, sweet witch.”

  “I have to go, too. I’ll be back later, but maybe don’t use your magic while I’m gone.”

  Purple and black smoke mingled together as they vanished into thin air. Great! My elation was short lived, however, as I pondered the demon’s parting words... What did he mean, until next time?

  I snapped my fingers and the dust from the Witchin’ Stix swept itself up and into the trash. There. My sisters wouldn’t know anything at all was amiss and I would have a little more time to figure out what the heck was going on.

  Chapter Two

  “What are you doing?”

  “Making candy.”

  “Why are you making candy again? You’re not allowed to make candy right now.”

  “You’re not allowed on the counter, but that doesn’t stop you.”

  “Kandy...”

  “She merely suggested that perhaps I shouldn’t do it, but there’s something wrong and I’m going to figure out what it is.”

  “I still don’t think you should be doing it.”

  “Thank you for your input.” Side-eye was lost on Larry the Cat, but I adored him. To a point.

  He’d been left on my doorstep when he was just days old and when I realized hours later that his mother wasn’t coming back for him, I took over for her. I didn’t do such a bad job, either, if I do say so myself.

  Larry may disagree.

  “I just... I care.”

  “Okay, what’s going on with you? It’s enough that my candy is all whacked out, but you’re acting stranger than usual.”

  “Nothing is going on with me.”

  “Ah, there it is... That haughty tone I love so much from the cat I took in and...”

  “Yes, yes, yes. We’ve all heard it a million times,” he quipped.

  “What is wrong with you? I’m the one who’s having a minor crisis.”

  “You’re right. I’m sorry. We had a demon in the house.”

  “I know we had a demon in the house. You were there when I opened the door.”

  “Oh. Right.”

  Something was up with my cat. Strange wasn’t entirely unusual for him, but this... I couldn’t put my finger on it.

  But... I could put my finger in the still cooling liquid candy to make sure it was exactly as it was supposed to be. Sticky sweet.

  And if I could have spit it out, I would have. It should have tasted like sugar. I hadn’t added flavor yet, but it still should have tasted sweet like sugar. Instead, it was quite the opposite. I didn’t think it could be sour...

  “Still didn’t work?” Larry asked.

  “Nope.”

  “See? Maybe you should’ve listened to Baba Yaga about not using your magic.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Mine still works.”

  I couldn’t help but look at him as though he’d lost his mind. I barely refrained from a Bless Your Cold Black Heart falling from my lips. I settled for a hand gesture.

  “Don’t be like that.”

  “Then don’t be mean.”

  “I’m sorry. I shouldn’t be. I know.”

  “I don’t like being a witch whose magic has gone haywire. It doesn’t make any sense. I know I keep saying that, but I don’t know what else to say.”

  My eyes strayed to the jar where the magic handed down from women in my family for generations sat swirling. Because there are three of us, triplets, the original jar had been divided into three smaller jars. One for each of us.

  We were a family of bakers and treat makers. The swirling, colorful magic allowed us to create one of a kind treats that would match the one who received it, perfectly. It only took a drop, a very small amount to activate the pastry or the cake or the candy, giving it that magical touch.


  But now something was wrong with mine. Was something wrong with my sisters’ magic, too? At least their baker’s magic? I didn’t want to alert them that there was anything wrong with mine, but unless I asked them, I wouldn’t know.

  Dropping my head to the counter, but not before cushioning the drop with folded arms, I groaned. “I don’t want to be a magic-less witch.” And then another thought struck me. “Do you think whatever is happening with my candy magic will affect the cheesecakes for the bakery, too?”

  My job at Witchin’ Spice Bakery was secure, at least once we have a bakery again. Broo continued to blow up each new one Amir reconstructed.

  “I mean, if I’m not using any of my own magic and I’m not making any candy... Everything else should be okay, shouldn’t it?”

  “Do you think all the candy is affected?”

  “I don’t know.” And I didn’t. I hadn’t made any of my other specialties yet...

  Cinnamon Drops that would help spice up someone’s love life.

  Lemon Drops to turn a gloomy day into a bright one.

  Mint Drops to relieve a cold.

  I usually started the season with my personal creation, Witchin’ Stix. They were the best. They were like the human world’s Pixi Sticks, but mine were rainbow flavored and not at all tart.

  Most people didn’t realize that colors had flavors or that flavors had colors and that with the right mix, they could make a rainbow.

  What was the use of being a treat witch if I couldn’t use my own magic to make said treats? Well, I could make them, they just didn’t turn out right.

  “Remember when we used to have the Autumn Solstice celebrations and I made Witchin’ Stix and made all the colors of Autumn taste like pumpkin and caramel and maple?”

  “I didn’t eat your candy, but yes, I remember what others used to say about it.”

  “Why would anyone want to mess that up? Why would anyone see that as a threat of some kind and want to take it away?”

  “I don’t know, K. I just don’t know.”

  “Neither do I.” But part of my day was supposed to consist of Broo and Amir and the Staff coming over for a baking party. Bethilda prohibited us from using the kitchen at the inn as she didn’t trust Broo. So, I’d agreed to enchant mine so that we’d all fit.