Catching hell demon unco.., p.1
Catching Hell: Demon Uncovered (Witch's Brew Book 2), page 1
Catching Hell
Demon Uncovered
Witch’s Brew Series Book Two
N.L. Hoffmann
Catching Hell
Copyright © 2017 by N.L. Hoffmann
This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would to share this book with another person please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to your favorite eBook retailer and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author. This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents are the product of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously.
All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1979, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior express, written consent of the author.
To learn more about N.L. Hoffmann, visit www.nlhoffmann.com
Cover Art: Y. Nikolova: Ammonia Book Covers
Editing: Kim from Kim’s Fiction Proofreading and Editing Services
To my husband…
AKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I have so many people that I wish to thank. Without everyone’s help, I wouldn’t have come this far. It’s hard to believe this is my ninth book! My readers are all amazing people. You have been nonstop supportive. I love that so many of you enjoy the worlds that I’ve created.
Then there’s my amazing beta readers. You guys are so amazing! Without your help… who knows what my writing would look like. Amy, Ruth, Amanda, Pamela, Maria, Christy and Tanner, you are amazing in so many ways I can’t just name a few. I love you guys!!
Thanks to Ammonia Nikolova for making my series book covers so beautiful! Your talent is a wonderful gift and I feel blessed that you are willing to create such amazing art for my books.
Kim, my editor, you are great at what you do. I appreciate every red mark that you’ve left in my manuscripts. I’m so glad that I’ve found you and hope to continue to work with you in the future.
Amy, your support has been REALLY amazing. You help me walk through any of my writer’s blocks and more. Thanks for being my Book BFF!
My husband, your continuous support has been amazing. You tolerate my constant book talk and even encourage me to continue to do so. Thanks for what you do. I love you.
Chapter One
It wasn’t every day you got to meet the love of your life’s wife. I had no idea she even existed, which made this situation a hell of a lot worse than it normally would have been. Had he told me about her, things could have been different. Instead, I saw them embracing, a radiant smile on her face. I was not amused.
Drake Jacobi was mine. He was supposed to be anyway. But here I was, standing off to the side, watching him with a woman who was legally his. What did that make me? The other woman, of course. Did that mean I wasn’t as important to him as I thought? Was what we had just a game? Why hadn’t he mentioned her? Sure, he seemed surprised and somewhat thrown off balance when she walked in as if she owned the place, put out her delicate hand, and introduced herself as his wife. Shocked, I automatically grasped her hand, glancing down at the giant ring on her finger.
“Who is this? Your assistant?” the woman, Heather, asked Drake.
My loving boyfriend shook his head slowly, dark hair gleaming under the lights of the room. “No…”
The woman dismissed me, draping an arm around Drake’s shoulder as she looked into his eyes. “I know it has been a while, lover, but I’m back permanently.”
“You have got to be kidding,” I growled. “What the fuck is going on, Drake?”
Heather raised her eyebrows in what I assumed was amusement. “Good help is hard to find, huh?”
“She doesn’t work here. She’s the High Mistress of the Witches,” he informed her, taking her arm from around his neck. “It’s been years, Heather. Why are you showing up now?”
Her expression changing to a pout, Heather gave him her puppy-dog eyes. “I’ve missed you.”
“I’ve sent you divorce papers…many times.”
“But I want to stay married. Until death do us part, Drake. Plus, you can easily get divorced without me. I wasn’t the hold-up. You want to stay married as much as I do.” Her gaze shot to me and she smiled, reminding me of the Cheshire Cat.
I wanted to wring her neck. I also wanted to hurt him for not telling me this little tidbit of information.
Deciding I had enough of the drama, I turned on my heel. He didn’t even introduce me as his girlfriend. Could he? Other than pissing off his wife, would there be any reason to? Why didn’t he push for the divorce? Why did I have to be the other woman?
“Wait, Sophie. Please. I can explain.” Drake grabbed my hand, turning me toward him.
“Drake, this was information you should have told me a long time ago. To find out like this… I hope you two are happy together.” As I said the words, my voice cracked, my heart breaking into a million pieces.
Jerking my hand away, I hurried to the elevator. As I ran in and turned to press the button, Heather threw herself into Drake’s arms, and I was forgotten.
*
Sitting in the car, I debated calling my best friend, Jenna Taylor. She probably wouldn’t understand what I was going through. She didn’t care about relationships, especially after she found out she’d been put under a love spell that ended up with her getting married in Vegas. The woman was completely against love, so calling her would probably make me feel worse.
I put the phone down, then gripped the steering wheel. Drake and I were meant to be. I knew it in my heart. We were so full of lust and uncontrollable desire, anyone would wonder if we’d been put under a spell. I was easily attracted to men, considering my hormones constantly raged, but Drake made my heart feel whole. At least until his wife showed up. Wife. I couldn’t believe he would betray me. That was one piece of information he should have told me, no matter what.
My phone rang, making me groan. Becoming High Mistress of the Witches was a huge pain. People always needed me. There were tedious meetings I had to attend, which were hard on my attention span. Jenna had to bring my focus back constantly. It was a good thing I made her my second-in-command because I’d be in a horrible position without her. People would probably try to overthrow me, things spiraling out of control like in the movies. Buildings on fire, cars tipped over, people throwing Molotov cocktails through windows. Of course, that was how I saw it in my head. In reality, they’d probably have a party.
I picked up the phone. “Hello?” I asked, drawing out the word.
“Where have you been? I’ve been trying to reach you for an hour. You know you are always on call, right? We have an emergency and need you to meet with the Council A.S.A.P.” Jenna sounded irritated and full of her usual rage. She lacked patience, especially hating when people didn’t answer their phones.
“I’ll be at the house in three hours.”
“Three hours?! Are you fucking kidding me? We don’t have three hours. There’s been a leak in the human world.”
“I’m at Drake’s business in Riverdale.”
“Then poof your ass over here.”
“I took my car. I’m not leaving it behind.” After graduating from a beat-up Toyota, I was very protective of my new car…a gorgeous black Charger that still had the brand new smell.
Jenna sighed. She knew I wouldn’t budge. Plus, I was the boss. Whatever the problem was, it could wait. I had to think. Drake and I were in a bad spot. I didn’t know if I could ever forgive him. Did I want to hear the story? Would I even believe him? Wasn’t being married something you immediately told the person you were dating? Sure, we fell in love fast and without hesitation, but that didn’t mean he shouldn’t tell me about Heather.
“Sophie? Hello?”
I’d forgotten Jenna was on the phone. Starting the car, I waited for the Bluetooth to connect so I could be hands-free. “I’m here. I’ll see you in a few hours.”
“Fine…I guess. What do you want me to do in the meantime?”
“Investigate. I want answers when I get back.”
After hanging up, I took off out of the parking lot. I couldn’t believe Drake. He didn’t even try to come after me. Didn’t even try to call. Despite my determination to be strong, my heart hurt. Rejection was hard to accept, but I had no choice. He was married. After all the changes he’d made, including moving in with me, I thought we were official. I was sure we would have married. Then I realized he never brought up marriage, just said we would be together forever.
Well, it looked like plans changed. I had to accept that we couldn’t continue on as we were. Even if Heather weren’t around, could I forgive him for not telling me about the marriage? I wanted to, but did that mean I’d let him walk all over me?
I didn’t want to think about it anymore, but how could I not on a three-hour drive? Maybe leaving the car behind was a better idea. It would suck, but I could send two of my people to retrieve it.
Sighing, I parked at a local grocery store. It was far enough away that no one would accidentally smash their door into the side of it. I knew I cared too much about the car, but it was a representation of making something of myself. I didn’t have to depend on Drake to sur vive. My chest tightened. Guess I couldn’t depend on him for anything.
Thinking about the High Mistress’ home, I felt the magic take hold of my body, a warm, comforting sensation that reminded me of drinking hot chocolate after being outside in the snow too long.
As soon as I appeared in the library of the mansion where the Council would meet, Jenna blinked, surprise on her face. “I thought you were driving here?”
“Thought I’d better act on the issue, whatever it is.”
Jenna stared at me suspiciously. “What happened? You never willingly return to work. You push it off until I drag your ass in.”
Telling her about Drake was almost too much for me right now. I didn’t want to explain what happened. Instead, I sat down in my chair, staring at the empty seats. “Call the Council members in. Let’s hear about the problem.”
“Sophie, what’s bothering you?”
I sent her a hard glare. “I don’t want to talk about it. Get the members in here, Jenna.”
My phone started to buzz. When I glanced down at the screen, Drake’s name popped up. I pressed ignore and set it on the table. Jenna glanced over at me, confusion on her face as she disappeared through the doors. I’d have to throw myself into work to be able to cope with the news I learned today. It became hard to breathe, knowing I wouldn’t be going home to him.
Fighting tears, I gripped the edges of the table, trying to refocus. I wasn’t about to let a man break me.
Chapter Two
“Hold up. Are you telling me a Witch has been streaking through downtown screaming spells?” I stared at the Council member who took the complaint, which was one of my old jobs before becoming High Mistress.
Tabby Withers nodded, her expression serious. I wouldn’t have been able to maintain a straight face. How the hell is she doing it? Maybe that just showed my level of maturity. I found a lot of things amusing. Even with my current problems, I wanted to burst into a fit of laughter. We brought the Council together because of this? A naked Witch in town?
Jenna sighed, clasping her hands together as she raised an eyebrow. “He’s giving away Witch secrets. We aren’t ready to come out to the humans yet, so this will destroy any credibility we have.”
She was right. The only reason this would be a problem was if people already questioned the possibility of our existence. When I raised my eyebrows for the girls to continue, Jenna and Tabby looked at each other, as if debating whether or not to tell me something else.
Jenna sighed. “When the media caught up to him, he named you the High Mistress, then proceeded to do magic in front of the camera.” She sat back in her chair as the rest of the Council began to murmur amongst themselves.
“Has he been caught?” I asked, no longer seeing the humor in the situation. Naming me was a huge problem. People would start asking questions and I would have to come up with something, hoping to make them think the guy was delusional.
Shaking her head, Tabby tapped her pen against the table. The sound grating on my nerves, I almost yelled at her, but Jenna slapped a hand over it, making Tabby jump. The room went silent, everyone staring in our direction. Tabby ripped her pen away from Jenna.
“The Magicteers tried to secure him, but the fool got away. We do have a name, though.”
“I bet it was Merlin. That would be something he’d do,” someone snickered.
My gaze shot in the direction of the voice, trying to identify the one who dared make fun of my father. Sure, he was crazy about eighty percent of the time, but he had his sane moments. I didn’t know him that well, but it was irritating that some of the Council members still viewed me as the lowest person on the totem pole.
Considering my current mood, I wanted to snap at the person. Did they not realize I could hear them? Did they care? The longer I dwelled on it, the angrier I got. Hearing snickers, I couldn’t take any more. Thinking about zippers covering their mouths, I snapped my fingers. Squeals went through the room, earning surprised looks from Tabby and Jenna.
Jenna widened her eyes at me. “This is not a good idea, Sophie.”
“I’m tired of being disrespected in my own house.” I stood up, slamming my hands down on the table so everyone’s head jerked up. “I know you’re used to me being the one who slacks off on the job and jokes around. Sure, I’m never serious and can be somewhat of an airhead, but I’m the High Mistress now. I demand respect. Do you hear me?”
Everyone nodded vigorously. I snapped my fingers again, the zippers disappearing. They all touched their lips, stretching their mouths, relieved expressions on their faces.
“Now, back to the problem. We need to catch this lunatic. We can’t have Witch secrets out in the human world. There is a reason we choose to stay in hiding. Anyone who dares compromise the lives of our people will suffer the worst of consequences.”
They all gasped. Maybe I was being a little brutal, considering the worst punishment was death. I needed to evaluate the man myself. From there, I would decide his fate. Jenna grabbed my arm. I was losing patience. I know I trusted her to help guide me in the right direction, but I was already angry about Drake. Add in the Council’s disrespect and her now trying to control my actions, and my anger was through the roof.
I began to pace. “Assign more Magicteers to the case.” Our Witch police would have to go on double duty until the man was captured. I had my people to think about. No one was going to take advantage of me again. They would think twice after this.
“We have a video.” Tabby reached into her coat pocket and took out her phone. When I raised my eyebrows, waiting, she held the screen in my direction and hit the play button.
I saw people lining the streets, watching a naked man run down the center of the road. He screamed some kind of spell, chanting it over and over again.
I gasped. “Is that… Is he chanting what I think he is?”
“Yeah. He’s trying to make his penis bigger,” Jenna sighed, reaching over to pause the video. “It didn’t work right away, but it eventually grew in size and, well… He was turned on.” Her face was filled with disgust.
I pressed play again. The man was handsome in a way, but far too thin for my taste. The spectators talked, screamed, and covered their children’s eyes. When a news crew called him over, he stopped, immediately interested.
Tabby pulled the phone back, pressing on the screen. “Here is the news.”
The video played, only showing him from the chest up. He was breathing heavily, hair drenched in sweat. Bags showed under his eyes, as if he hadn’t slept in days.
“My name is Mathis Carmichael! I’m a Witch and I’ve come to tell the world!” he shouted with a grin.
“Sir, Witches aren’t real. Do you have any proof of this?” the reporter asked, placing her microphone in front of him. She grinned, as if she had just gotten the best news in her career.
“Must be a new reporter,” Jenna said, shaking her head.
Mathis spread his arms. “I have proof now. Watch it as it grows!”
The reporter stepped back in surprise. The camera shot down in the direction of his private area, but the image had been blurred. “Are you sure this isn’t due to pills?”
“Lady, pills can’t do this.” He laughed, throwing his head back. “Suck it, High Mistress Sophie Dexter!”
“Sir, who is Sophie Dexter?”
“She leads the Witches.” He said it as if she should have already known.
“Can you show us more magic?”
“Stand back!” Mathis shouted, stepping away from the camera. He began chanting, a white smoke appearing around him. People started crying out in surprise, stepping back. Some started running as his body suddenly began to change. His face became longer, ears larger and changing shape, hair sprouting all over his body.
“Oh, my god. Are you getting this, James?” the reporter asked. The camera shook as they started to run backwards.
Mathis had changed into something that reminded me of the large werewolves you saw in movies.
People screamed, running into stores and down the street. Mathis roared, his head back.
This was bad. Really, really bad. I didn’t know how we could come back from this.
