Chapter One
Astra
This isn’t enough.
Astra fingered the rose quartz necklace around her neck. The small stone had a new crack down the middle. Her nail snagged on it as she kept rubbing it.
The cracked stone would offer very little protection. Actually, it wouldn’t protect her from a friendly ghost, let alone the draining energy that her first client of the day always dragged into the center.
The Healsome Magic Holistic Center was Astra’s pride and joy. Some days were harder, though. And those days were always when Mrs. Gellar came in for a Reiki session.
The appointment hadn’t been in there the previous day when Astra had checked her schedule. It had been added later, which meant she hadn’t come prepared to face her most dreaded client.
There was only one thing to do.
A little bit of shoplifting.
It wasn’t really a crime, though.
Her cousins, Raven and Cerise, owned the store down the block and they sold all sorts of magical paraphernalia. They were used to Astra permanently borrowing some of their stock.
Locking the center door behind her, Astra made her way to Gemstones. It only took a small incantation to stop the bell above the door from announcing her arrival. With any luck, Astra could grab a bigger, more effective rose quartz without her cousins spotting her.
She was busy touching the cold, smooth stones, trying to pick which one would offer more protection from the little old lady when she heard her cousin’s authoritative voice.
“Stop right there,” Raven all but shouted.
Astra plastered a wide grin on her face and turned to face her cousin. The silver chain wrapped around the rose quarts dangled from her fingers, but she didn’t even bother hiding it. There was no point. Raven already knew what was happening, Astra was sure of it.
“Put that back, Astra.” Raven commanded. “You so did not pay for that.”
“Oh, come on,” Astra pleaded. “You know I need the boost the rose quartz gives me. It totally counteracts the negativity Mrs. Gellar brings in during her sessions. You’re basically doing a public service by giving me this. That’s a tax write-off.”
Astra had tried this defense multiple times before. It always worked with Cerise, but it never worked with Raven.
Too bad, she thought to herself, and tied the necklace around her neck. The second the stone touched her neck, Astra took a deep, relieved breath.
Better. Much better.
Raven rolled her eyes dramatically and sighed heavily.
“How are Cerise and I suppose to make any sort of profit if you’re always stealing our shit?”
Astra blew her cousin a kiss, sending over a wave of gratitude as she did.
“I gave you a soul cleansing last week,” Astra said. “I didn’t charge you, so think of this as my payment.”
“Hey, now. You insisted on doing that. As practice. You can’t charge me retroactively because you like the new pieces we have in stock. Besides, I know for a fact that you already have a rose quartz necklace. You took it from that very display case last month.”
“Yes,” Astra headed toward the door. “Because that was the last time Mrs. Gellar was coming in from an appointment. I swear, she is an energy vampire.”
“You know you could just buy the necklace.” Raven was using her bossy voice. But it wouldn’t work on Astra. It never had. “Or I swear, I’ll let it slip to my mother to you’re playing the magpie.”
Astra couldn’t help but to eye her cousin through narrowed eyes. She was too surprised. Raven had never threatened that before. They were practically sisters. Surely Raven could let this slide.
“You wouldn’t,” Astra dared.
“I sure would.” Raven smirked. “My mother called yesterday so I am expecting another call this afternoon. I just have to let it slip that you took a necklace, and next thing you know, Auntie Edith will be calling you so fast…”
Astra couldn’t believe it. She shook her head in disbelief. Her mother would go absolutely bonkers if she knew Astra was using the family businesses for personal gain.
“You’re a traitor, Raven. You wouldn’t.”
“Wouldn’t I? Payback for stealing the necklace and for telling your mom about Arthur.”
Astra was hit by a wave of guilt. “You know I didn’t mean to let it slip that you’d dumped him.” Astra dug a ten dollar bill out of her pocket and placed it near the cash register. It was a gesture. She wasn’t actually going to pay for the necklace. Not because she was mean or devious, but because she really needed it. Besides, the ten bucks was for her mid-morning coffee run, which she would desperately need after her appointment with Mrs. Gellar.
She could steal from family.
Not from the coffee shop down the street.
“It’s better to pay for it, anyway,” Raven pointed out. “You wouldn’t want to mess with the energies by having a stolen crystal protecting you.”
“Ugh. You’re right.” It didn’t change a damn thing, but Astra could pretend for a second then sneak away with the necklace and the cash. “So how are our dear parents, anyway?” Astra asked.
“Well, our mothers seem to be enjoying themselves on the cruise. But apparently at the last port, both of our dads staged a protest. I quote, the damned boat was moving too much.”
“Ah, I told them that being a water witch didn’t necessarily mean they’d be comfortable on a moving ship.” Astra saw the time on the small clock above the register. How long had she been chatting? She was going to be late. “Fuck,” she grumbled. “I’ll be late for Mrs. Gellar. Don’t tell my mom. Bye.” She took the ten-dollar bill and slid it into her pocket.
Astra walked into her center and quickly made her way to the changing room. She slipped off her jeans and blouse to slide on a pair of black scrubs. She was rushing, her eyes glued to the clock that hung over the door.
If she was late for Mrs. Gellar’s appointment, she wouldn’t hear the end of it. Not just from her sister, but from the client herself.
It was bad enough that the crone was mean, demanding, and demeaning. But Astra was adamant that Mrs. Gellar was an energy vampire or something as equally nefarious. Every time the old woman had an appointment, Astra left it feeling completely exhausted. Even Astra’s magic was shy and needed to rest after an hour of performing Reiki.
It wasn’t like that with any of her other clients.
Too bad her twin sister and her cousins didn’t believe her. Astra had done her own research on what could possibly be happening, but nothing of value had turned up. Perhaps if her mother was in town, Astra could have gone to her, but her parents were off on some cruise. They didn’t even live in Salem anymore.
She took a deep breath, her eyes screwed shut, and her fist hovering over the white wooden door.
God help me, she thought as she knocked on the door. From inside, Mrs. Gellar beckoned her in.
“Hello, Astra,” Mrs. Gellar’s voice was like nails on chalkboard. The old lady was lying on the Reiki table, ready for her appointment.
Ever the professional, Astra gave her a warm smile, her hand instinctively going to the quartz necklace she had just nicked from her cousins’ store. She hoped the stone would detract some of Mrs. Gellar’s soul-sucking powers.