CALL OF THE WITCHES is Book Three in my “The Witchery Series” trilogy. It’s another very sweet, very sexy love story. Actually, this novel is SMOKING hot! As many of you know, I also write erotica. So the sex scenes in this novel are very erotic. That means I pushed the sex/heat level in this novel as far as I could, and still remain within the genre of paranormal romance. Take my advice. Keep a cold drink handy when you read this one. Or better yet, a fire extinguisher. You’ll need it! Okay, you’ve been warned (grin). Here’s what it’s about…..
“Maylene Whitmire is a Wiccan Witch plagued with bad-news boyfriends. They flock to her like bees to honey. Each one seems different in the beginning, but they all end up the same. Bad news. And she’s fed up. When Artemis, her Patron Goddess, suggests a two-year vow of celibacy, Maylene jumps at the chance. Three months before her celibacy vow ends she runs into Blaine Rutledge, a Wiccan Green Witch and the sweetest, sexiest man she’s ever met. Sparks fly, and her libido sizzles. My, oh my! The last few months of her celibacy vow are about to become not only an erotic adventure but also the greatest challenge of her life.”
Everyone who read the first two novels in this trilogy, THE WITCHES OF DIXIE and WHAT WITCHES WANT, has already met the heroine of this novel, Maylene. Here are the first three chapters for your enjoyment. Happy reading and magickal blessings!
CHAPTER ONE: COLUMBIA
) O (
“I can’t believe you’re moving tomorrow!” Sara groans, as she and Maylene lounge in wooden beach chairs, drinking Ravenmoon’s herbal tea, while watching the moon rise on the marsh west of the Ashley River in Charleston. Insects buzz and moan, their paper wings slicing through the thick heat and humidity of an August night in South Carolina.
“You know what Ravenmoon always says?” Maylene takes another sip of tea, allowing an ice cube to linger on her lips, welcoming its cooling touch before it slides back to the bottom of the glass. “Change is good.”
“But you’re leaving our coven, too.”
Maylene sets her glass on the table, freeing her hands to liberate a moth tangled in her long scarlet hair.
“I’ve never been a solitary before. It’ll be fun.” Maylene gently tosses the moth into the air and watches it glide away. “Besides, I already know several solitary Witches living on Peppermill Road. Noelle and Wynn, of course. And Noelle’s friend, Savannah, lives next door with her boyfriend, Donnie. So I won’t be alone up there.”
“I’m really going to miss you,” Sara moans, looking as wilted as a November annual in her garden.
“Me, too.” Maylene lovingly takes her friend’s hand and squeezes it. “You and Ravenmoon are my family.”
Maylene looks toward the marsh. “I don’t know. I never thought about leaving Charleston until I went to Columbia for the blog seminar in June. I sensed a call up there. Then I went to Noelle’s Litha party, and I knew. Columbia is where I belong now.”
“And you checked it out in the tarot?”
“Of course.”
“And it said you should go?” Sara swallows a sip of tea, her thick blonde hair woven into a long braid falling over her shoulder.
“It did.”
The spicy scents of garlic and oregano tumble through the darkening night, a sure sign the new recipe Ravenmoon has been perfecting in the kitchen is almost ready.
“It makes sense, really,” Maylene continues. “I’m bringing in enough money from my online catalog business now to live anywhere I please. Plus, if business slows down Noelle said I could help out part-time at the import store she manages.”
Maylene shrugs. “I don’t believe in coincidences. I think Artemis meant for me to rent that house on Peppermill Road. And that’s why Noelle found out about it and mentioned it to me at her party in June.”
“Okay, I can’t argue with fate. Or the will of Artemis.”
The waxing moon continues to rise over the treeline, while Sara turns toward Maylene and tries to pinch her arm. “Hey, maybe you’ll meet a gorgeous Pagan man up there and fall in love. You said Wynn and Donnie are knockouts. Maybe they have a good-looking friend?”
Maylene swats Sara’s fingers away and gives her a warning look. “Quit. You know very well I took a two-year vow of celibacy, and I still have three months to go on that.”
“Bummer.”
“Not at all. I’m glad Artemis told me to do it. Celibacy is one of the best things that ever happened to me.” Maylene shudders. “Bless my parents, but the fact that one is an alcoholic and the other is mentally ill just guaranteed my entire love life would be plagued by bad-news boyfriends. I was programmed for it from the beginning.” She shakes her head. “Those guys knew it too, flocking to me like bees to honey. Ugh!”
Sara wrinkles her nose. “That last one, Jerry, was really bad news.”
“No kidding. To tell you the truth I scared myself. Every time I fell for a guy, no matter how different he seemed at first, he always turned out the same. Bad news.”
Maylene drains her tea glass. “I finally realized I’m just not attracted to good guys. That’s scary.”
“I know.” Sara sets her empty glass on the plastic table between them. “How are your empowerment studies going?”
“Great,” Maylene replies, crunching a piece of ice. “When this two-year vow ends, I’ll have completely reprogrammed myself. Maylene Whitmire’s days as a Bad-News-Boyfriend-Magnet are over.”
“Yay!” Sara cheers and claps, her long blonde braid slipping off her shoulder.
A humid breeze blows across the marsh, ripe with the fertile fragrance of the coast. It tickles Maylene’s nose as she sets her empty glass on the table.
“In the meantime, it can’t hurt to look.” Sara giggles. “Eye-candy is a wonderful thing, and you’re only thirty-five. No need to deny yourself that pleasure, too.”
“You’re such a romantic.”
Sara waggles her eyebrows suggestively, illuminated by the candle flame from the bug lamp on the table.
Maylene snickers. “You’ve been reading those vampire romance novels again, haven’t you?”
“Hey, don’t knock it until you try it.”
“Forget it.” Maylene snorts. “I’m not interested in paranormal romance novels or tall, dark, and handsome blood vamps.”
“You have no idea,” Sara protests slyly. “They come in every type. Blondes, redheads, brunettes. You name it. All gorgeous and yummy!”
Maylene laughs, hearing the kitchen door open and close to the house they rent from Ravenmoon. The scent of patchouli oil travels through the night, as the High Priestess of their coven steps lightly across the grass behind Sara and Maylene.
“What are you two talking about?” Ravenmoon asks, sliding into an empty chair next to Sara.
“Sexy vampires,” Maylene replies, smirking at Sara.
“Oh, no.” Ravenmoon rolls her eyes. “Not again!”
Maylene pulls her taupe van into the driveway of the furnished rental house on Peppermill Road. She sits for a moment, staring at the brick, ranch-style home.
Green bushes bursting with pale flowers frame both sides of the front porch, but she has no idea what they are or how to care for them. Hopefully, Sara will know when she comes up to visit in a few weeks.
She glances at the hedge of red tips separating her yard from her neighbor’s on the right. When she looks to the left, Maylene sees Noelle’s black Honda parked in her driveway five houses down. A green pickup truck sits in the driveway of Noelle’s neighbor, Savannah Monroe.
Maylene met Savannah at Noelle’s Litha party in June. A Wiccan Faery Witch, Savannah seemed quiet and shy that night, and more than a little nervous, as if she might bolt from the party at any moment like a feral cat. A striking woman with long chestnut hair, Savannah possessed an aura of warmth that made Maylene feel instantly comfortable around her.
Later that night Maylene learned Savannah is an Empath who had just started dating again after a nasty divorce. That certainly explained Savannah’s nervousness.
Maylene has no idea how nervous she’ll be when her vow of celibacy ends. It’s certainly not something she likes to think about.
But Noelle introduced Donnie to Savannah that night at the party, and the rest is dating history, according to Noelle. Maylene only hopes she’ll be that lucky when her vow ends.
She opens the door of the van, and a wave of oppressive heat rushes in, capturing her breath. Apollo howls in protest, weary from spending over two hours confined in a pet taxi.
“I’m with you, big boy,” Maylene replies to the gray tabby. “I don’t care what they say on the coast. Columbia is much hotter than Charleston.”
She climbs out of the van and walks around to the passenger side, lifting the pet taxi and carrying it to the porch.
“I haven’t unloaded a single box yet,” she grumbles, “and my shirt is already soaked.”
When Maylene unlocks the front door more heat greets her.
“Ugh! Let’s get you inside, cutie pie, and turn on the air.”
She sets the pet taxi on the carpet next to a vent in the floor, locates the thermostat for the air conditioner, and moves it down.
Apollo yowls with impatience.
Wiping perspiration from her forehead with the hem of her sleeve, Maylene walks back to the floor vent next to the cat and lifts her waist-length red hair, allowing cool air to bathe the back of her neck.
Feeling better, she wanders around, admiring the sturdy quality of the furniture in each room, grateful the owners decided to rent the house furnished and in a price range she could afford.
“Another sign from the Goddess,” she murmurs, pushing open the door to a small bathroom in the hallway. Cool air brushes past her as it escapes into the hot house.
“Okay, Apollo, I’ve found a good place for you,” she calls over her shoulder.
Maylene hurries back to the van, grabs the bag containing the cat’s litter box and food bowls, and carries it into the bathroom. She sets Apollo’s pet taxi on the floor and opens the little wire door. The large gray tabby scrambles out, sniffing every inch of the tiny room.
“I’ll let you out of here soon, big boy.”
She pets his head, but he barely notices, the space under the sink claiming all of his attention.
Walking back through the living room, she mentally notes where each box she unloads should go. Fortunately, the house looks as though it was professionally cleaned before she arrived. Even so, once the van is empty Maylene plans to perform a magickal cleansing ritual throughout the house to banish any negative energy lingering from its previous occupants. Then she’ll set up her altar and begin filling the house with positive energy from her Patron Goddess, Artemis.
“Thank the Goddess, I don’t have any furniture to unload in this heat,” she sighs. Ravenmoon owns the house in Charleston and rents furnished rooms to coven members. Maylene offers a silent prayer of gratitude for that, since it meant she could pack all her possessions in the van and make the move to Columbia in one trip.
“After I call Noelle to let her know we’ve arrived, I’ll start on those boxes,” she plans, fishing her cell phone from her pocket.
Before she can speed-dial Noelle’s number, the doorbell rings.
When she opens the front door, two handsome men stand on the porch, grinning back at her. One leans against the porch railing, dressed in a black t-shirt and jeans, his dark hair pulled back in a ponytail at the nape of his neck. The other relaxes next to him, hands in his pockets, his flaxen hair loose and hanging halfway down his back.
“Hey, Donnie.” Maylene slips the cell phone back in the pocket of her jeans. “Hey, Wynn. No need to call Noelle, I guess.”
“No,” Wynn replies, chuckling as he pushes away from the porch railing. “Noelle saw you drive up.”
“She sent us here to help you unload,” Donnie adds, smiling warmly.
“Thanks. I need all the help I can get in this heat.” Maylene leaves the front door open, walks down the porch steps, and slides open the door of the van.
Wynn reaches in and grabs a heavy box. “Noelle is whipping up one of her vegan dinners tonight. She’d love for you to come.”
“Sure. Sounds great.” Maylene waves her hand, shooing away a cloud of gnats swarming around them in the heat. “What time?”
Donnie grabs a box and looks at Wynn. “Around seven. Isn’t that what she said?”
“Yeah,” Wynn responds.
“Perfect. Tell her I’ll be there.” Maylene watches Wynn and Donnie disappear into the house. She grabs two plastic shopping bags full of kitchen items, and thinks about the conversation she had with Sara last night in Charleston as they lounged in beach chairs under the glow of the moon.
“Who needs vampires?” Maylene whispers. “I’d forgotten how easy Wynn and Donnie are on the eyes. Maybe they do have a good-looking friend or two.”
She walks toward the porch.
“Sara’s right. There’s a lot to be said for eye-candy,” she muses.
Maylene catches a glimpse of the kitchen statue of Artemis laying near the top of one bag.
“Don’t worry, Artemis. I’m just looking.” She stops and sets the heavy bags on the concrete walkway, adjusting her grip on the handles. “I have no intention of breaking my vow. I promise.”
When she picks up the bags, the contents shift. Beneath the bright paw of afternoon haze, sunlight bathes the face of Artemis, and for a moment Maylene swears the Goddess looks as though she’s laughing.
CHAPTER TWO: THE CLEANSING RITUAL
)O(
“Thanks, guys!” Maylene shouts to Donnie and Wynn as they walk down the driveway. “Tell Noelle I’ll be there at seven!”
Wynn waves, a warm grin curling the corners of his mouth. Turning around, he slips the band from his long, dark hair, finger-combs it, and ties it back again, his head tilted toward Donnie, listening to something the Green Witch is telling him.
Maylene stands in the doorway for a moment, watching the two handsome Pagans turn down the street toward the house Wynn shares with Noelle. Insects moan in the late afternoon heat, creating a lazy buzz rolling back and forth across the neighborhood, slicing through the humid haze.
She closes the front door and leans against it, inhaling the cool currents of air circulating throughout the house.
“I can’t believe they unloaded my van in just thirty minutes,” she mutters, shaking her head as she starts down the hall to inspect the boxes Donnie and Wynn deposited in each room of the house. “It took me at least two hours to get it all in there.”
She stops in front of the tiny bathroom and opens the door. “Okay, big boy, you can come out now.”
The gray tabby sticks his head out, his eyes wide with fright, cautiously sniffing unfamiliar scents.
“Relax, Apollo,” she soothes. “It’s just you and me now.”
Maylene kisses the cat’s head, allowing him to timidly explore the house while she unpacks a few boxes for tonight.
An hour later she walks into the living room with her hands full of ritual tools. Before she can put them on the table, Apollo rushes up and bumps his head against her legs.
“Someone’s feeling better.” She reaches down and strokes his back, a loud purr vibrating his muscular body. When she straightens up, she checks her watch. “Let me get to work, cutie pie. I’ve only got two hours to cleanse this house, take a shower, and get ready for dinner at Noelle’s.”
The house gleams, professionally cleaned before she arrived. The walls in the den are paneled in polished oak, while floral wallpaper cheers the kitchen. The bathrooms have been scrubbed, and every appliance and fixture in the house shines. The walls are freshly painted, the carpet cleaned, and the windows washed. Each room contains comfortable furniture in good condition.
“Thank you, Artemis, for telling Noelle about this house,” Maylene whispers, looking around. “It’s just perfect.”
She picks up Apollo and sets him on the sofa. “Okay, I’m cleansing the house of negative energy now.” She points her finger at the cat. “Be a good boy and stay here.”
Apollo narrows his eyes.
“No swatting at my broom either,” she warns.
After Maylene casts a magickal circle, she lifts her ritual Witch’s broom and slowly moves through the house, sweeping the air as she chants:
“Blessed Artemis, I call forth your power
to charge my broom with a cleansing aura.
Clockwise I move from room to room,
Sweeping away the bad with my broom.
Out of this house negative energy flies.
The positive remains where I abide.”
Maylene sweeps the air in every corner and closet until she returns to the living room. Placing the broom on the table, she prepares to bless the house with the positive energy of the four elements, welcoming their magickal presence.
Calling forth the element of air, she lights a stick of lavender incense, a fragrance charged with the energy of purification. Walking through each room in the house, she chants:
“I walk the circle three times clockwise,
blessing this house with magick and light.
By air, earth, water, and fire, I move.
Allow your presence to bless this room.”
When Maylene returns to the living room for the third time, she inserts the incense in a ritual burner on the coffee table. After mixing water and salt in a small bowl, she dips her fingers in the sacred fluid and flicks a few drops at every corner, closet, window, and door, blessing the house with the elements of earth and water, slowly walking through the house three times as she chants.
Afterwards, she pours the remaining salt water down the kitchen sink to bless the plumbing in the house.
Next Maylene lights a red candle and walks through the house in a clockwise direction, blessing each room with the positive energy of the element of fire. Then she pinches out the candle to avoid blowing away its magick.
Closing her eyes, she breathes deeply, inhaling the cleansing scent of lavender incense while grounding her energy and opening the circle.
Maylene picks up Apollo and hugs him tightly. “Welcome to our new home,” she says, nuzzling the soft hair behind his ear.
* * *
Emerging from the shower twenty minutes later, she walks to the mirror in the bedroom and unrolls the bath towel wrapped around her head. She brushes her scarlet hair and pulls it up into a long ponytail cascading down to her tiny waist. Dressing quickly in a light cotton shirt and jeans, she sprays perfume behind her ears and rummages through the backpack on the bed for her keys.
Maylene slips her feet into a pair of canvas shoes and walks down the hallway, searching for Apollo. She finds the gray tabby in the living room, sleeping beneath a pile of pillows on the sofa.
“I’ll be back in a few hours, big boy,” she whispers, scratching the soft fur on top of his head.
Humid heat steals her breath when she opens the front door and hurries down the street to Noelle’s house.
Before she can ring the bell, Noelle flings opens the front door.
“Maylene!” Noelle squeals, hugging her best friend. She drags Maylene into the house and slams the door. “I’m so happy you’re finally here!”
“I can tell,” Maylene replies, laughing at her Noelle’s enthusiastic greeting. “Hey, it smells fantastic. What are you making?”
“A surprise,” Noelle responds, a mischievous grin etching her face. “All I can say is Willow and I worked it out through email. It’s Italian with penne pasta and a bunch of other stuff.” Noelle winks, leading Maylene toward the dining room. “That means we don’t have a name for it yet.”
Savannah and Donnie stand near the kitchen door, talking to Wynn who glances at Noelle and whispers in Savannah’s ear.
“Sit, everyone,” Noelle commands. “I’m ready to serve.”
“Hey, Maylene,” Savannah says, moving away from Donnie and embracing Maylene warmly. “It’s so nice to see you again.”
“Thanks.” Maylene hugs Savannah, instantly reminded of how comfortable she feels in the presence of the Faery Witch. She and Noelle are the same age as Savannah, yet this attractive Witch always seems much younger. There is a childlike, otherworldliness to her that soothes Maylene’s soul, and she wonders if this is a common response to Savannah.
“You’re positively glowing tonight,” Maylene observes, affectionately squeezing the Witch’s hand. Savannah is dressed simply in jeans and a lavender t-shirt. But when Maylene narrows her eyes, she catches a glimpse of pink sparkles glittering throughout Savannah’s aura, evidence of the faeries who accompany the Wiccan Faery Witch wherever she goes.
Noelle tugs Wynn into the kitchen, and Donnie steps around the big dining room table, casually wrapping his arm around Savannah’s waist. “I’m glad you could make it, Maylene.”
“Thanks for your help today. You and Wynn saved me.” Maylene grimaces. “It’s so hot and humid in Columbia. Whew!”
Savannah laughs. “I moved down here almost a year ago from Asheville, and I’m still not used to it.”
Maylene moans. “Oh, no.”
“Don’t worry,” Donnie assures her, his eyes twinkling. “The heat grows on you after a few years.”
“Sit, people.” Noelle reappears with two baskets of hot wheat rolls, and herds her guests toward the table. Donnie gently turns Savannah and steers her toward the chairs Noelle pats for them before she disappears into the kitchen again.
Maylene follows, studying Donnie. She doesn’t think she’s ever seen a man more comfortable in his body than Donnie. Peace seems to flow from every cell of this incredibly handsome Green Witch. His straight, ash blonde hair hangs halfway down his back. The t-shirt and faded jeans he’s wearing tonight only emphasize his tall, lean body.
Maylene shakes her head. “Savannah is a lucky woman,” she mutters.
Noelle returns with a large bowl of penne pasta, which she sets on the table, while Wynn follows with a tray of glasses filled with ice and distilled water. Dashing back to the kitchen, Noelle reappears with a huge pot of tomato sauce thick with sliced vegetables. She lifts her hands to bless the food and glasses, drawing rune sigils over them before Wynn moves everything to the center of the table.
“Thanks, sweetie,” Noelle chirps. Wynn grins and bends down, allowing her to playfully tug his black hair gathered at the nape of his neck in a ponytail. He gracefully slides into the chair next to Noelle.
Noelle kisses his cheek and then turns toward the table. “Dig in, everyone!”
“This looks fantastic,” Savannah says, spooning the tomato sauce mixture over the pasta on Donnie’s plate. “What’s in it?”
“Hmm. Willow and I kept changing the mix. But we finally decided on peas, corn, asparagus, yellow squash, green beans, Vidalia onions, and black olives. I added garlic and oregano to the tomato sauce and let it simmer for an hour so all the veggies would be soft and mushy. Just like I like them.” She licks tomato sauce off her finger. “We’ll probably tweak it some more. Let me know what you think when you finish.” An impish grin lifts the corners of her mouth. “You’re my guinea pigs tonight.”
Maylene’s stomach growls when the food arrives, and she realizes she’s not only famished from the move and but also from skipping lunch. She piles Noelle’s creation on her plate, blows on a big forkful of the pasta mixture to cool it, and then plops it in her mouth. “Yummy!”
Noelle waves her fork at Maylene. “People, this is why Maylene has been my best friend since college.”
Everyone laughs, and then Donnie leans toward Savannah, whispering in her ear. Savannah giggles, and Donnie nuzzles her neck.
“Whoa, Donnie,” Noelle warns, giving him a stern look. “You have food on your plate. Don’t eat Savannah.”
Wynn tries to hide a grin and winks at Donnie, while tantalizing fragrances swirl around the table from the steaming meal.
Savannah giggles again, and Donnie straightens up, giving Noelle a crooked smile.
“Sheesh,” Noelle snorts, looking at Wynn. “The pheromones are so thick in this room I could jump your bones right now, cat-man.”
Wynn’s eyes widen, and he leans forward in his chair, holding up his fork. “Okay, people,” he announces. “We have a new rule in this house. Donnie and Savannah eat supper with us every night.”
Noelle snickers and pokes Wynn with her elbow, while he waggles his eyebrows at her suggestively.
“Noelle, I think Donnie has something to say,” Maylene interrupts, delighted with the way Noelle and Wynn flirt with each other. Living in Charleston, she had no idea. But it thrills her to see her best friend so happy.
“Thank you, Maylene.” Donnie slides his chair back, stands up, and takes Savannah’s hand in his, leaning down to kiss her fingers. “Savannah and I have an announcement to make.”
Noelle whirls around and looks at Savannah. “Oh, no!” she shouts. “You’re pregnant, aren’t you? I knew it!” She shakes her head, scowling. “Girlfriend, I told you that bathtub of yours would get you in trouble sooner or later.”
Maylene tries to hide a smile. “Noelle, please….”
“Hush, Noelle!” Savannah blushes. “You’re embarrassing me.” She rolls her eyes. “Relax. I’m not pregnant yet.”
“Then what?” Noelle turns to Donnie.
Donnie smiles and clears his throat. “Savannah and I would like to invite all of you to our handfasting on September seventeenth, the night of the Harvest Moon.” He looks down at Savannah and squeezes her hand. “This bewitching woman has agreed to marry me.”
Noelle shrieks and leaps from her chair. “Oh, my Goddess!” She grabs Savannah and hugs her tightly, pulling her from her chair. “I’m so happy for you!” She and Savannah hop around in a happy dance, laughing at each other.
Grinning mischievously, Wynn reaches across the table and shakes Donnie’s hand. “Congratulations, Green Witch.”
When Noelle finally releases Savannah, she plops down in her chair and glares at Wynn. “You knew about this, didn’t you?”
Wynn inclines his head, his eyes twinkling.
“Why didn’t you tell me?” she accuses, pinching him.
“What, darlin’?” he responds, pulling her into his arms and kissing her cheek. “And miss you freaking out and doing one of your happy dances? No way.”
Noelle pinches him again, and he releases her, laughing.
“Congratulations,” Maylene says to Savannah and Donnie. “This is so romantic.”
“Thanks.” Savannah squeezes Donnie’s arm and leans toward Maylene. “Can you come by my house tomorrow afternoon?” She looks at her earnestly. “The Harvest Moon is only six weeks away, and I have no idea what kind of ritual items we’ll need. Do you carry handfasting tools in your catalog? I was hoping I could order everything through you.”
“Absolutely.” Maylene pats Savannah’s hand to comfort her. “Don’t worry. I’ll do some research tonight, and we’ll take care of everything tomorrow.” Maylene lifts her fork. “I can come by around two. Is that a good time?”
“Perfect,” Savannah replies, looking relieved.
Wynn whispers to Noelle, stands up, and disappears into the kitchen.
“Where’s he going?” Maylene asks, taking another bite of pasta.
Noelle taps her fork on her glass. “Eat up, people. Then we’re celebrating with some of Wynn’s famous party punch.
“Oh, my.” Savannah giggles, looking at Donnie. “That’s how all this started!”
CHAPTER THREE: THE KISS
)O(
Early the next morning Apollo entertains himself by jumping into five open boxes of books on the living room floor, scattering bits and pieces of packing material across the carpet. Every time the cat hops out he bats a piece of plastic beneath the sofa or gleefully shreds a sheet of crumpled newspaper.
“Quit that!” Maylene scolds, glancing back at Apollo. She stands on a small stepladder, arranging a large collection of Pagan books on bookshelves built into the wall next to the sliding glass door.
An hour later two shelves hold her empowerment books. The shelves beneath those are packed with books about Wicca, rituals, and spellcasting.
Stepping down from the ladder, she bends over the last box and sighs when she opens it. This is the one Sara brought to the van at the last minute, telling Maylene it was a housewarming gift.
Since Sara scribbled the word BOOKS on the outside of the box, Maylene assumed it was full of empowerment books from the used bookstore Sara works at part-time. Instead she discovers the box is stuffed with paperback novels.
“I can’t believe she did this.” Maylene shakes her head, pulling out a vampire romance novel with a sticky note attached.
Maylene, these are some of my fav paranormal romance novels. Yummy, sexy vampires…love them! Just the thing to keep you warm at night. Ha! One day you’ll thank me for this. Really! Love, Sara
“Hardly,” Maylene snorts, picking up the box and climbing the ladder to arrange the novels on the shelf above the empowerment books. “One thing you can say about Sara. She’s persistent.”
Climbing down the ladder, she folds it up and stores it in the kitchen closet. When Maylene returns to the living room, she begins collecting the newspaper and mutilated plastic Apollo scattered throughout the room.
“Eew! Cat slobber,” she mumbles making a face as she wipes her fingers on her shorts after picking up a particularly wet piece of plastic.
Apollo dives into one of the boxes, and she swats at him, sending the large tabby galloping down the hall to safety. Stacking up all the empty boxes, she stuffs the shredded newspaper and plastic in the top, and then staggers toward the garage with her awkward load.
“I’ll put these on the street later,” Maylene mumbles, opening the door to the garage and tossing them onto the concrete floor.
When she closes the door, she hears a loud crash in the living room.
“Apollo, you’re in trouble now!” Rushing through the kitchen, she finds the cat lounging on the bookshelf where she arranged Sara’s vampire novels. His tail lazily sweeps the empty shelf as if he were a leopard draped across a tree limb in the jungle. All the novels are scattered across the floor beneath him.
“Apollo, what have you done?” She picks up one of the novels and whacks the side of the bookcase. “No!”
The gray tabby skitters off the shelf, leaps to the floor, and scurries down the hall.
Maylene looks at the title of the novel in her hand. “Hmm. This one sounds interesting.” She tosses it on the sofa, before walking back to the kitchen for the stepladder, mumbling about silly kitties.
* * *
Three hours later all the empty boxes are piled in the garage, and the closets and rooms are neatly organized.
“Nice to be back in business again,” Maylene says, placing her hands on her hips, looking around her new office.
She slides into the chair in front of her computer and clicks the mouse, opening the document containing the notes from her empowerment studies. Tonight she intends to review this material and edit the key points into a list of empowering guidelines for dating. Then she’ll print it out and tape it to the mirror over the vanity in the bathroom. Her plan is to review it every day for the next three months, hoping this information will sink into her subconscious.
“Set your standards higher for the men you allow into your life,” Maylene reads. “Hmm. That’s a good place to start.”
She closes the file and reaches beneath the desk to pull several Pagan catalogs from a big box. Slipping them into her lavender backpack, she stands, turns off the light in her office, and closes the door. Apollo darts out of the bedroom and races past her down the hall, stopping to sniff the backpack when she drops it next to the front door
“Good. I’ve got thirty minutes,” she says, checking her watch. “Just enough time to get ready to head to Savannah’s.”
After a quick shower, Maylene stands in front of the mirror in her bedroom, dressed in a t-shirt and shorts. She grabs a hair band threaded with ribbons, beads, and dried flowers, and quickly pulls her waist-length scarlet hair up into a long ponytail.
She sprays perfume behind her ears, slips into a pair of sandals, and walks down the hallway, hoping she’s remembered to bring everything Savannah needs to plan her handfasting. Picking up the backpack, she rummages through it, checking one last time before slinging it over her shoulder.
She moves toward Apollo, who meows loudly, rolling around on the sofa next to the romance novel.
“Behave,” Maylene scolds, scratching his ears.
Walking to the door, she turns around before opening it and points her finger at the large tabby. “No knocking books out of the bookcase while I’m gone. And no chewing on the cover of Sara’s novel.”
Apollo stares at her with wide eyes, his tail twitching.
“Mr. Innocent,” Maylene snickers, shaking her head. “I’ll be back in a little while, big boy. Do a cat thing and sleep, okay?”
When she opens the front door, heat and high humidity assault her lungs, and she gasps for air.
“Dear Goddess, this city is hot,” she mumbles.
Maylene trudges down the driveway, shifting the backpack on her shoulder. She turns right on Peppermill Road, studying the six houses between hers and Savannah’s, admiring the different designs. All are a mix of clapboard and brick. Some ranch style homes sprawl across the property like the house she rents, while two-story homes, like Savannah’s and Noelle’s, rise toward the sky. All were built at least fifty years ago and sit serenely on their lots, embraced by huge trees and thick foliage.
When Maylene arrives, she sees Savannah’s blue van in the driveway, as well as a green pickup truck and a black Jeep. Happy to leave the sizzling asphalt of the street, she scampers up the concrete driveway to Savannah’s front porch, where she finds a note taped to the door directing her to the backyard.
“Maylene!” Savannah shouts, jumping up from a plastic chair on the deck. She rushes down the steps to hug her new neighbor.
Maylene allows the Faery Witch’s comforting aura to wash over her and absorb the fatigue caused from walking on sizzling asphalt in this heat. Following Savannah, she climbs the steps to the deck and drops her backpack in an empty plastic chair.
“What’s all this?” Maylene waves to Donnie, who stops shoveling dirt. Four raised beds span half of Savannah’s backyard. Another man bends over a finished bed, planting something green and leafy.
“Hey, Maylene,” Donnie says, leaning on his shovel to wipe perspiration from his forehead with his t-shirt.
Maylene notices Donnie’s thick blonde hair is woven into a long braid hanging down his back. “Your hair looks good like that.”
“It’s Savannah’s idea,” Donnie replies, grinning. “Keeps me from getting as much dirt in my hair as I usually do when I’m working in the garden.” He looks at Savannah and winks.
Savannah smiles and squeezes Maylene’s hand. “I don’t think you’ve met Donnie’s cousin, Blaine Rutledge.”
Blaine straightens up and turns around, smiling warmly, his eyes twinkling with mirth. “Hey, Maylene. Nice to meet you.”
“Nice to meet you, too.” Before she can stop herself, Maylene sighs with appreciation for Blaine’s earthy good looks. Thick eyelashes frame hazel eyes, and a grin tugs at his sensuous lips. High cheekbones give him an exotic look. Sudden tremors sizzle down Maylene’s legs when his hot gaze caresses her body before he turns back around to look at the garden. “Oh, boy,” she murmurs.
Dressed simply in faded blue jeans, a green t-shirt, and work boots, Blaine stands about six feet tall, a few inches shorter than Donnie. Lean and tan, he seems comfortable working with earth and plants. His honey-brown hair hangs past his shoulders, tied in a ponytail at the nape of his neck like Wynn’s.
“Be careful what you wish for,” Maylene mumbles, noticing how well Blaine’s jeans hang on his narrow hips. Sara’s eye-candy comment comes immediately to mind, and she smiles.
“Excuse me?” Savannah asks.
“Sorry.” Maylene giggles. “I have a bad habit of talking to myself.”
Savannah gives Maylene a knowing look and pats her hand. “Blaine works at a nursery out in the country. He took off early today to help Donnie plant a winter vegetable garden in my neglected backyard.”
She motions for Maylene to sit in an empty chair and pours a glass of tea for her from a pitcher packed with ice. “Blaine’s a real sweetheart for helping us out like this.”
“My pleasure.” Blaine grins, turning toward the two Witches. “You know me, Savannah. I’m a happy man when I can spend an afternoon working in a garden.”
Donnie chuckles, and they both turn around and resume shoveling.
Maylene takes a big gulp from the glass of cold tea Savannah hands her. She sighs with relief and sets it on a plastic table next to her. Reaching for her backpack, she unzips the main compartment and pulls out the catalogs, stacking them in her lap. “Okay, tell me what you have in mind for your handfasting,” she begins, looking at Savannah.
“We’re both Wiccans,” Savannah replies, sitting back in her chair, fanning her face with a small notepad. “I’m a Faery Witch, and Donnie is a Green Witch. We’d like to have a traditional Wiccan ceremony, but with a few changes. I’m thinking a Faery theme for the handfasting. Can we do that?”
“Sure.” Maylene takes out a pen and scribbles a few notes in a small notebook. “Your handfasting should be as unique as your Pagan path.” She pulls a catalog out of the stack in her lap and places it on top. “First tell me why you want to hold it on the night of the Harvest Moon rather than on a New Moon, which is traditional?”
Donnie steps up on the deck, pulls off his dirty garden gloves, and pours a glass of tea for himself and one for Blaine. “Savannah celebrates the Esbats, so we thought it would be more meaningful for us to hold it on a full moon Esbat.” He dips his head to kiss Savannah’s cheek. “Didn’t mean to interrupt.”
Savannah turns toward Donnie and smiles, running her fingers along his lower lip. He captures her hand and kisses her fingers affectionately before returning to the garden with the tea glasses.
Maylene smiles at the couple, thinking about how Noelle had once told her Donnie and Savannah have a hard time keeping their hands off each other. Noelle explained that it’s a Fey thing, since they’re both two-natured Fey. Of course, Maylene doubts any woman could resist Donnie. He seems like such a gentle man. And he’s certainly easy on the eyes.
“Sounds good,” Maylene responds. She flips open the catalog. “Here are some traditional robes with Fey embellishments. What do you think?”
Savannah scoots her chair next to Maylene’s and begins flipping through the catalog. “It would be great if we could also incorporate a nature theme for Donnie in the design of the robes. Is that hoping for too much?”
“I’ve got just what you’re looking for.” Maylene pulls another catalog from the stack in her lap and flips to a page showing a stunning handfasting robe for men and women embroidered with faeries and flowering vines. “How about this?”
Savannah squeals when she sees it, and Donnie turns around, a concerned look on his face.
“Sweetheart, come and look at this!” Savannah exclaims, beckoning Donnie with her hand. “It’s perfect.”
Donnie steps up to the deck and looks over Savannah’s shoulder at the robe in the catalog. “Faeries, flowers, and vines. I like it.”
“Okay,” Maylene says, scribbling in her notebook and pulling a pad of sticky notes from the backpack. “I can order these with no problem.” She places a sticky note on that page. “Savannah, you look like you would wear a medium in this robe. Does that sound right?”
Savannah nods. “Donnie is so tall, I think we should order an extra large for him in the men’s robe just to be safe. I can alter it later if I need to.”
Maylene writes the sizes down on the sticky note. “Now, what about rings? Do you have them yet?”
“No,” Savannah replies. “We were hoping you could order those for us too. We’re thinking of yellow gold bands with faeries and leaves or flowers. Is that possible?”
“Absolutely.” Maylene pulls a Pagan jewelry catalog from the stack on her lap. “Here are the faery rings.” She opens the catalog, flips a few pages, folds it flat, and hands it to Savannah. “Each design comes in yellow gold, white gold, or sterling silver. See if you like any of these.”
Savannah moves the catalog near Donnie, and he kneels down next to her chair, casually wrapping his arm around the back of it. “That’s a nice one, sweetheart.” He points to a wedding set in the middle of the page. “What do you think?” Savannah kisses his cheek and nods.
Donnie grins, his eyes sparkling. “I guess this is the one we want.” He looks at Maylene. “And we can order it in yellow gold?”
“No problem,” Maylene responds. “What sizes should I order?”
“Since it’s a thick band you can order a size five for me,” Savannah answers, “and a size ten for Donnie.” She kisses his cheek again and blushes. “We measured his ring finger at the mall the other day.”
He stands up and leans over to brush his lips across the top of Savannah’s head. “I need to get back, or we’ll never finish this garden by supper.” He winks at Savannah, and she blushes again.
Maylene smiles, thinking it’s been a long time since she’s seen a couple as smitten as they are. She places a sticky note on the catalog page and jots down the ring sizes. “Do you have a willow wand?”
“I thought Donnie might, but his is ash, so we’ll have to order one of those, too.”
Maylene scribbles in the notebook. “You’ll also need two white candles and incense.”
“We thought we would use gardenia candles and patchouli incense.” Savannah blushes again. “I know it’s not traditional, but those fragrances have a sentimental meaning for us.”
Maylene smiles and reaches over, patting Savannah’s arm. “A handfasting should be as meaningful to you as possible, so there is no right or wrong when you’re creating it.”
“Thanks. This is all new for me. I was Wiccan when I married Greer, but he wasn’t Pagan. He grew up in the Lutheran Church and insisted on a church wedding. I went along with it to please him.”
Maylene winks at her. “Things have changed since then, haven’t they?”
“Yes, they have,” Savannah replies confidently. “Everything has changed for the better.” She smiles broadly. “Including me.”
“I think we’re going to be very good friends,” Maylene says, squeezing Savannah’s hand, surprised how much she likes this Faery Witch. They’ve only met three times, yet Maylene feels as if she’s known Savannah for years. There’s something very comforting about her. Maylene can’t quite figure it out, but she plans to ask Noelle the next time she sees her.
“Me, too,” Savannah agrees, smiling warmly.
“Okay, almost finished.” Maylene pulls a correspondence catalog out of the stack and opens it. “What color do you want the cords to be? And how many?”
Savannah glances at the tiny notepad she’s been using as a fan. “We want to use five cords. Red for passion.” She blushes. “Yellow for joy. Green to symbolize Donnie, the Green Witch. Pink for the faeries and for me, a Faery Witch. And gold for the Harvest Moon.”
“Perfect. Are you going to provide the cords or do I need to order them?”
“I can get those at Michael’s in Harbison,” Savannah replies. “I want to braid them into one big cord.”
“I like that.” Maylene flips a page in her notebook. “About the flowers.”
Savannah holds up her hand. “Donnie is going to make a bouquet for me out of seasonal flowers from both of our gardens. He’s thinking about a mix of roses, daisies, zinnias, marigolds, and carnations.”
“Very pretty.” Maylene pulls her calculator out of the backpack. “That’s it then. Anything else you can think of?”
“My friend Mirabella is going to help me write my vows. And my best friend Ravena is going to perform the ceremony.” Savannah taps her finger on her chin. “So that should be it, right?” She pulls her checkbook from her pocket. “How much do I owe you?”
Maylene’s fingers fly over the buttons on the calculator, adding up the numbers she jotted down in her notebook. She hands the calculator to Savannah, showing her the total price for all the items she’s ordered.
“Do I make this out to you or to your company?” Savannah asks.
“Make it out to The Pentacle Cat Collection.”
Savannah writes the check and hands it to Maylene.
“I can order all of this online tonight. Usually, it takes three or four weeks for delivery by UPS.” Maylene stands up and slips the catalogs, notebook, and calculator into her backpack. “You should have them in plenty of time for the handfasting.”
Savannah jumps up and hugs Maylene. “Thanks so much for helping us. Who knows how long it would’ve taken me to do this myself? Noelle was right. Your service is a gift from the Goddess!”
“Thanks.” Maylene suddenly feels energized by the joy saturating the Faery Witch’s aura. “You’re very welcome.”
Savannah hops and twirls, looking just like a faery, her long chestnut hair whirling around her body. She stops and claps her hands. “This is so exciting, isn’t it?”
She reaches into her pocket and pulls out a business card, handing it to Maylene. “This is my email address. After you order everything could you let me know the shipping dates?”
“Absolutely,” Maylene responds, sticking the card in her backpack.
Donnie steps up behind Savannah, lays his garden gloves on the table, and nuzzles her neck. “My little cat faery,” he murmurs.
Savannah melts into him, smiling from ear to ear.
“If there was an award for Pagan Couple of the Year, you two would win hands down,” Maylene says, chuckling.
Donnie gives her a crooked grin, wrapping Savannah in his arms. “Thanks, Maylene. We really appreciate your help.”
Savannah turns in his arms and looks at the garden. “You’re finished already?”
Blaine walks up the steps and sets his empty glass on the table. “That’s it.” He rests his hand on Donnie’s back for a moment. “I need to head out.”
“Thanks for everything.” Donnie shakes Blaine’s hand. “I’ll be by tomorrow to pick up the rest of the vegetables.”
“Sounds good.” Blaine walks down the steps and looks back at Maylene. “I know you only live down the street, but would you like a lift since I’m going that way?”
“Sure.” Maylene slips the strap of her backpack over her shoulder, grateful to avoid walking on hot asphalt again. “Thanks.”
Standing in the grass beneath the scorching afternoon sun, Blaine waits for Maylene to say goodbye to Savannah and Donnie. When she hurries down the steps he leads her around the sideyard to his black Jeep.
As Maylene follows him across the driveway, she watches him walk. He moves at a leisurely pace like many Southern men, but his hips are what draw her attention. They churn gracefully to a sensual rhythm. She shivers unexpectedly, thinking about what an awesome lover he must be. The thought of his hips rocking over her, thrusting deep inside her to that same rhythm makes her sex clench, and she hiccups.
“The door’s not locked,” Blaine says, jumping into the Jeep and starting the engine. He presses two buttons on the door, rolling their windows down to allow the heat trapped in the Jeep to escape. Adjusting a dial on the dash, he flips on the air conditioner.
“You’re a trusting soul, leaving your car unlocked like that,” Maylene teases, climbing into the passenger seat and dropping her backpack on the floor. Once again she thinks about the sexy way his hips move when he walks, and she presses her thighs together. Sitting next to him is going to be much harder than she thought.
“Yeah. But it’s easy when you use good magick,” he replies, turning toward her and winking.
Maylene smiles at the comfortable aura swirling around him like faery dust. “So you must be Pagan, too. Wiccan?”
Blaine loops his arm over the seat, turns around, and backs down the driveway. “Eclectic Wiccan. I’m a Green Witch mixed with a healthy dose of Taoism.”
“Ah,” she replies. “That explains it.”
“Oh?” He turns down Peppermill Road toward her house. “How so?”
She points to her driveway, and he pulls in. “Your soothing, uncomplicated aura. Very earthy and Tao Te Ching.”
“You’ve read it?”
She nods. “Several translations.”
“My favorite is the one by Stephen Mitchell.”
“That is a good one. I read it a long time ago. I don’t own a copy, but I remember it seemed more balanced between the sexes than some of the others.”
“True.” Blaine smiles. “So what are you? A handfasting planner?”
Maylene laughs. “No, I own an online Pagan catalog business called The Pentacle Cat Collection. Noelle told Savannah she should order all her handfasting items from me. That’s what we were doing this afternoon.”
“Really?” Blaine parks the Jeep. “Interesting.”
“Why?”
“I have a confession to make.” He turns toward her, smiling sheepishly. “I’ve never used a wand for spellcasting.”
“I use my finger, too.” Maylene chuckles, shifting in her seat.
“Then you know what I mean. Anyway, Donnie has a nice one, and it made me realize it’s time I had one, too.” Blaine grins and reaches back, pulling the band from his hair. It falls across his shoulders in thick, silky waves.
Maylene watches, noticing his hair is sun-streaked with blonde highlights. She swallows, suddenly aware of how close she’s sitting to this scrumptious man, who moves with the comfortable ease of a willow tree in a warm breeze. Another ripple of desire zips through her sex, and her thoughts wander to his sensuous lips and how good they must taste.
Reminding herself of her celibacy vow, Maylene quickly wiggles away from him and leans against the door.
“My Patron God is the Green Man,” he continues, seemingly unaware of her inner struggle. “But you’d be surprised how hard it is to find a wand depicting the Green Man or even Cernunnos.” He turns and looks at her. “Or maybe you wouldn’t.”
Maylene clears her throat and tries to ignore the heat pooling between her thighs. “Not really, if you know where to look.” For some aggravating reason her hormones are revolting this afternoon, and she hopes her voice won’t betray her. “Did you want metal or wood?”
“Metal.”
She reaches for her backpack and shuffles through several catalogs, pulling one out and turning the page down. “Here. What do you think of this one?” She hands it to him, and his fingers brush hers, causing her core to throb again, and she grits her teeth.
Blaine looks down at the catalog. “I can’t believe it.” He rakes his hand through his hair and tucks a strand behind his ear. “This is exactly what I’ve been looking for. Why couldn’t I find it? I’ve been searching the web for months.”
“It’s only sold wholesale to stores. You can’t find it online unless a store advertises it, or you have a wholesale account with this distributor.”
“That makes sense.” Blaine nods thoughtfully, looking at the wand. “How much do I owe you? I want to order it.”
Maylene points to the chart stapled to the back of the catalog. “That’s my charge, which includes shipping.”
He runs his finger across several figures on the page. “Which one?”
Maylene leans closer and points. “Sorry. This one here.”
Blaine turns to look at Maylene, his mouth only inches from hers. Slowly reaching up from the catalog, he touches her cheek. When she doesn’t pull away, he dips his head, gently brushing his lips across hers.
“You’re so soft,” he whispers.
Maylene ignores her protesting mind and leans toward him, melting into his mouth. The spicy fragrance of his skin, a combination of earth and soap and warm man, fills her head.
Blaine hesitates, and when Maylene returns his kiss he shifts in his seat. His hands move to cup her face, and his tongue traces her lips.
“I’ve been wanting to do this all afternoon,” he murmurs.
Maylene weaves her fingers through his hair, pulling him toward her to deepen the kiss, anxious to taste him. His tongue meets hers, claiming her mouth, and a delightful sensation of lust tickles her clit, one she hasn’t experienced for almost two years.
Blaine’s sensuous lips travel to the corner of her mouth, caressing her cheek with light kisses. “Gardenia,” he whispers, nuzzling her neck and inhaling deeply. “My favorite flowering bush.”
“It’s White Shoulders,” Maylene murmurs, capturing his mouth again, losing herself in the wonderful feelings this gorgeous man is reawakening in her body. Kissing him hungrily, she’s delighted with his tongue as it licks and teases hers to distraction.
His kiss grows more intense, and Blaine slides his hands across her shoulders and down her arms, pulling her to him. Maylene inhales sharply, while waterfalls of pleasure flow through her body.
But she forces herself to pull away.
She swallows and clears her throat. “I can’t do this,” she squeaks. “There’s something you should know.”
“What?” Blaine straightens up, his hazel eyes piercing hers, a look of concern on his face.
“I hope you don’t think I’m a tease, but I took a two-year vow of celibacy, and I have three months left,” she blurts out before she loses her nerve. “Dear Goddess, I haven’t even kissed anyone in almost two years. But for some reason my hormones are going crazy around you.” She covers her face with her hands. “This is not a good thing. Ugh! I’m so embarrassed.”
“Really?” Blaine asks, a slow grin spreading across his face. He moves away and reaches into his back pocket, pulling out his checkbook. After writing a check for the wand, he presses it into Maylene’s hand. “Interesting.”
“You’re joking, right?” She takes the check and stuffs it into her backpack.
“Not at all.” He turns to her, his eyes warm with sincerity, and he takes her hand. “Will you have lunch with me tomorrow, Maylene? I want to hear about your vow. You can tell me more then. Okay?”
“I guess so,” Maylene answers, confused by his interest.
“I’ll come by at noon and pick you up.” He squeezes her hand and releases it.
Maylene opens the door, steps out on her driveway, and turns around, wondering what she thinks she’s doing. “Blaine, celibate women don’t date.”
He smiles. “Don’t think of it as a date, Maylene. Think of it as lunch between two people who might become friends. How’s that?”
Maylene closes the door. “Better.” She sighs with relief, thinking if she’s going to set higher standards for the men she allows into her life this intriguing man would certainly qualify. “See you at noon.”
Blaine waves and backs the Jeep down the driveway.
“Whew,” she sighs, turning toward the house. “That was close.”
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(c) Laura Stamps
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CALL OF THE WITCHES: Book Three of the Witchery Series
by Laura Stamps
Trytium Publishing, paperback, 281 pages, (ISBN: 978-0-9798413-5-4)………………$13.99
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Maylene Whitmire is a Wiccan Witch plagued with bad-news boyfriends. They flock to her like bees to honey. Each one seems different in the beginning, but they all end up the same. Bad news. And she’s fed up. When Artemis, her Patron Goddess, suggests a two-year vow of celibacy, Maylene jumps at the chance. Three months before her celibacy vow ends she runs into Blaine Rutledge, a Wiccan Green Witch and the sweetest, sexiest man she’s ever met. Sparks fly, and her libido sizzles. My, oh my! The last few months of her celibacy vow are about to become not only an erotic adventure but also the greatest challenge of her life.
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This novel can be purchased from:
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1.) Barnes and Noble:
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2.) Borders/Waldenbooks:
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3.) Amazon US:
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4.) Powell’s Books:
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5.) Amazon UK:
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6.) This novel can be ordered through your local chain or independent bookstore. Just give them the ISBN number, and they can easily order it for you!
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~~TO ORDER A SIGNED & PERSONALIZED COPY FROM THE AUTHOR~~
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* Make check or money order for $13.99 per copy, payable to: Laura Stamps (U.S. Funds only).
* Mail to: Laura Stamps, P.O. Box 212534, Columbia, SC 29221-2534
* If you are ordering copies to give as gifts be sure to include the names of those people so I can personalize them for you!
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~~COMMENTS FROM READERS~~
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`“I LOVED this book! Laura Stamps has outdone herself in
CALL OF THE WITCHES. The storytelling was perfectly paced, and the sex was smokin’ hot due to the awesome chemistry between the h/h, and I totally fell for the sweet & very sensuous Blaine Rutledge. Maylene is a Wiccan Witch that has just relocated to Columbia, South Carolina. Maylene’s had more than her fair share of toxic men, so she has taken a 2-year vow of celibacy at the urging of her Patron Goddess, Artemis. With only 3 months to the finish line on her vow, Maylene meets Blaine, a Wiccan Green Witch and also the cousin of Donnie from
WHAT WITCHES WANT (Book 2 in the series). Maylene and Blaine’s attraction for each other was instant and hot. With Blaine’s long hair and lean body, Maylene begins a daily struggle with her vow. She can’t have sex, but she can date, right? *wink* While Blaine is completely respectful of Maylene’s vow, he still believes in “kissing” friends and starts a slow sensual seduction with a woman he recognizes as special and worth the wait. Along their journey, there are lots of romantic dates, close calls, and erotic dream encounters to keep even erotica-lovers very satisfied. My God, let me say Blaine has a wicked, wicked tongue – hot damn!
This book definitely wasn’t a tease; the entire ride was fulfilling. Like when Blaine comes from his kitchen with a strawberry in his mouth, as a reader, you get jittery with anticipation! Because of the writing style, you live vicariously through Maylene and it’s a hot, wonderful place to be. She’s a mess around Blaine, and you will be, too! Blaine, like Donnie, is so sensual and confident, but not overbearing with his confidence. I love Laura’s men! God, even when Blaine’s just flirting, I can’t help but crack a hard grin! This book teeters on the edge of PNR & erotica – definitely Laura’s hottest book yet. It’s a stand alone, but I loved catching up with the characters I met in WHAT WITCHES WANT. There’s some great news for your old friends, but I won’t spoil it here
I had a great time with this one. Enjoy this satisfying read!” (Mahlet. OH)
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“CALL OF THE WITCHES is a sweet romance between Maylene Whitmire, a beautiful red-haired Wiccan Witch prone to attracting bad-news boyfriends, and sexy Green Witch Blaine Rutledge–possibly one of the nicest, sweetest Beta heroes ever created, and about as far from a bad-news boyfriend as you’re ever going to get. Maylene and her frisky cat, Apollo, are recent arrivals to steamy Columbia, S.C., and Maylene runs her own online business selling Pagan merchandise. She’s fed up with her love life, and all the loser boyfriends she’s had in the past, so she follows the advice of her patron Goddess, Artemis, and takes a two year vow of celibacy to get her act together. She decides to live by her rules of empowerment when she’s ready to get involved with a man again. Besides being Pagan, any man she dates must now: listen to her and care about her feelings and opinions; have high self-esteem; not be needy or encourage co-dependency; not lie or be verbally abusive; be able to commit; not need fixing or changing. Sounds good–now where can she find a man like this? How about right down the street? Imagine Maylene’s surprise when what looks like the perfect man unexpectedly walks into her life, helping her friends Savannah and Donnie plant their backyard garden. Blaine is Donnie’s cousin; he works at a nursery, loves to garden and cook, and lives in a beautifully restored house. And he’s just Maylene’s type–tall, long-haired, lean, and sexy. They find they have a lot in common– coming from similar backgrounds, and are instantly smitten, but darn, Maylene’s got two months to go on that pesky vow of celibacy! Will Maylene be able to keep her vow, or will sweet, sexy Blaine be too much to resist? This is what I would call a feel-good romance. There’s no real conflict or misunderstandings between the H/H. They are two really nice people who you wouldn’t mind having as friends. This book shows a slice of every day life of a Wiccan Witch who’s trying to make some positive changes in her life, and how she goes about it. And in the process she learns that she can now trust her judgment when it comes to men. Don’t worry that you have to be up on all the Wiccan lingo or Paganism to enjoy this book, because it is basically a hot romance, whose characters just happen to be Pagan. And speaking of hot romance, it was very surprising. What started out as a PG-rated romance suddenly morphed into R-rated territory, especially when Maylene started having erotic dreams about Blaine! And when Maylene and Blaine FINALLY got together for real, the sex scenes were smokin’ hot! Who knew mild-mannered Blaine could be that hot?! I looooved Blaine–what a prince! And Maylene was a hoot, too! I did love how she blurted things out, and then blushed! And wow, the things Noelle said. Loved the handfasting ceremony too! And yes, the cover is beautiful, and I like how all the elements of the story are tied into it–very clever!There is also a preview of the next book in a spin-off series, when we meet the characters of Sara and Dray at the big Samhain (Halloween) party near the end of the book. Looks very promising! If you like a feel-good romance, where the characters genuinely like and respect each other as well as have some hot romantic encounters, then this is a book that you’d enjoy. It left me with a warm, satisfied feeling, and most importantly, I wanted to read more!” (Cheryl, PA)
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“I LOVE this book. I have to say that by far,
CALL OF THE WITCHES is my favorite book in the Witchery Series. There is so much to love about this book, the positivity, the empowering messages, the passion! and the love stories! This book just rocked my socks off. I hated putting it down for even a few minutes at a time and at the end all I could think was “Noooooo! I want more!!!” Maylene Whitmire, a Wiccan Witch, moves to Columbia, SC from Charleston. She has been a magnet for loser boyfriends for quite awhile. Each of the men in her past seemed different but the relationships all ended badly. Her Patron Goddess, Artemis, suggests a two-year long celibacy vow so that she can empower herself and begin attracting the type of men she deserves. When Maylene arrives in Columbia, she has a little over 2 months until the end of her vow. Blaine Rutledge is a super nice and hot Wiccan Green Witch that Maylene meets at her neighbor’s house. Sparks sizzle between them but Maylene’s vow is not complete. She must wait out the end of her vow before she can begin dating so that she will be empowered and will attract the right type of man. Maylene and Blaine become friends and spend time together. This is quite difficult for both of them because their sex desire for one another just keeps building. There is lots and lots of passion in this book!! The love scenes are smoking hot…you’ll need a glass of ice water to pour on yourself to cool down! And then maybe a cold shower to follow up
Unless of course, you are able to act on the passions it ignites in you…then by all means take a break and then come back for more
We see several of the characters that have already been introduced in the series and we get a glimpse of a couple of the characters that will appear in the Manigault Vampires series. I love the way Laura writes her characters. They all seem like people you know or have known. Her dialogues are always fun and her writing is always poetic. If you are fan of paranormal romance and don’t mind lots of smokin’ hot sex in your books, this is definitely one to try it out! I LOVE it!! Her books are awesome. They have such positive and empowering messages. Definitely an enjoyable read, and it has me waiting for the next book
” (Melissa, SC)
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“Hi Laura. I just finished CALL OF THE WITCHES. Loved it! I especially like the way you ended it. I also realized I want a cat like Apollo! That was definitely the most erotic of your novels!!! Blaine, yummy.” (John, Florida)
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“I loved
CALL OF THE WITCHES just as much as
WHAT WITCHES WANT. A great read! Quick reading and likeable characters who in the end feel more like your friends than people in a story.
The story is written in the present tense, which I really enjoyed because it puts you in the place of the characters. Another thing I enjoyed were the descriptions throughout the story, which are phenomenal … so many times I read something and could see it clearly in my mind. The writing style and vivid descriptions let you feel you are living the life of the main character, Maylene Whitmire. How she copes with meeting a great guy and a celibacy vow that will not allow her to get closer to said hunky guy.
For those looking for a book with limited amount of sex scenes like WHAT WITCHES WANT, this one has quite a bit more, but it does not distract from the storyline. The scenes are hot and steamy, as well as well written. Now if I were Maylene I would have stocked up on panty shields when Blaine was around or at least carry a couple extra pairs of panties… things got a bit juicy between them.
There are spells, invocations/incantations, rituals sprinkled throughout the book. These things are part of Maylene’s Wiccan faith, so they enhance the storyline, and are interesting to those of us who do not know a lot about the faith. There’s a Handfasting ritual in the story which was quite beautiful. I felt as if I were there witnessing it along with the characters in the book.
Even if you have not read the first two books of the trilogy, you will have no problem picking up this book and reading it. Although the same characters show up, you pick up their relationship quite easy. Look forward to reading Ms. Stamps new series THE MANIGAULT VAMPIRES next year!” (Debi, Michigan)
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“This book made it to the Keeper Shelf! I really loved CALL OF THE WITCHES, this was the third book in the series, and by far the HOTTEST. I liked that the romance started early in the book, and that the people felt like real people. I would love to live in the same neighborhood as all these people. I love how Ms. Stamps twines Wicca throughout so it becomes part of the story. Overall this was a great fast read I had a hard time putting down, I think I read it in two afternoons, after work. Give this series a try, you will not be sorry!” (Dawn, Alabama)
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“Laura has done it in style with this book. CALL OF THE WITCHES was entertaining, romantic, and erotic with excellent taste, reuniting the witches from the other books to celebrate the handfasting of Savannah and Donnie, while introducing characters that could be in future books. It was a fun, imaginative read. Maylene and Blaine bring to it their own combination of magic. It also shows how those that have been in abusive situations can turn their lives around and find peace, joy, and happiness. I could relate to the witches in this one because I am recovering for an abusive relationship. So I found a lot of hope from this book. It is hard to say much more without spoiling it for others who have not had a chance to read this book. Will be recommending this one to others for sure!” (Toni, Utah)
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“Although this is #3 in the Series, you can read any of the books as a stand alone. But I am so lucky to have gotten in on the “ground floor,” so to speak. I have read all 3 of these gems, and have to say this is truly the best of the bunch. The way the romance is drawn out, simply wonderful. I love reading books that visit with old friends. Why spend 200 or more pages getting to know someone, then it’s over? But not in this lovely and warm series. There is not only a romance, but it also focuses on strong, independent women, who come together as a group. Not just to men bash, but to help each other and to celebrate life.” (Tammy, New Jersey)
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“Just got Book Three (CALL OF THE WITCHES). About to read it and warm up the cold wet winter here in the UK!! Love your LJ blog!! You are SO funny! Have a bright Yule!” (Yvonne, England)
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“I was excited when I went to the mailbox and saw a package from Laura Stamps. I was not disappointed. I turned to the first page of CALL OF THE WITCHES and that was it. I could not put the book down! In this book Ms. Stamps brings back THE WITCHES OF DIXIE characters from her first two books in the trilogy. The main character is this third and last novel in the series is Maylene. When we first met Maylene she felt as if she was disappearing. She returned at the end of the second book and rents a house on the same street as Savannah and Noelle. We see a peak of Mirabella and Ravena from the first two books which is a nice way to round out the series. The emotions in this book run deeper than the two previous books. The word that best described it is erotic. Ms. Stamps writes in a very comfortable way that makes me feel as if I know the characters. And it makes me sad when I get to the last line because I know that I will miss reading about their lives.” (Belladonna, Book Reviewer for Global Goddess Oracle)
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