License to Ensorcell by Katharine Kerr Read Free Book Online

vampires.”
    “There certainly aren’t any like the ones in those books. For a change Mom is right about something.”
    “So that leaves werewolves. I know that’s possible.”
    “Yeah, sure, but what makes you think you can turn yourself into one? It takes more than just wanting to.”
    “Yeah, I know.” He looked up. “I’ve got Pat’s journals. He like writes about it a lot.”
    I nearly choked on my own breath. The Collective Data Stream had scored a hit.
    “I thought Mom burned those,” I said.
    “She thought she did.” He looked up with a grin. “I gave her a pile of my old school papers from Latin class. She never even looked at them. Just threw them in the fire.”
    It never occurs to our mother that anyone would disobey her, an annoying trait but at times useful.
    “Good for you,” I said. “Mike, you’ve got to give those journals to me.”
    “I don’t want to.”
    “There are better ways to impress pretty girls than turning yourself into a werewolf.”
    “But she—”
    “Do you want to end up like that poor girl on the news?”
    He shook his head no and returned to staring at the kitchen table.
    “I’ll bet they’re in your room,” I said. “I’ll bet I can find them.”
    “You wouldn’t dare!” He shoved his chair back. “I won’t let you.”
    “Oh, yeah?” Being his older sister was the only psychic ability I needed at that point. “What else do you have stashed up there? Something you don’t want Aunt Eileen to know about, I bet. Something green and flakey—”
    “Oh, shut up! You can have the damn journals!”
    “Thank you,” I said. “Go get them.”
    Michael got up and started for the door on the opposite side of the kitchen, which led to the rear stairway up to the second floor.
    “All of them,” I called after him. “I know how Pat numbered them, and I’ll be able to tell if some are missing. Unlike our dear mother, I’ll look at them.”
    “Oh, shut up!” He slammed out of the room.
    I heard his footsteps pounding up the stairs. I figured I was in for more charming conversation, but when Michael came back, he looked reasonably unsullen. He handed me a dirty green book bag bulging with sharp corners. I opened it and looked inside: twelve spiral-bound school notebooks, all well-used. I pulled out one at random and flipped it open: Pat’s tiny scrawl, sure enough.
    “Thanks.” I put the notebook back in the bag. “You’ve done the right thing.”
    He spent a minute staring at the floor.
    “You know what?” He looked up. “I’m kind of glad to get rid of them.”
    “I kind of thought you would be. Mike, consider your place on the family tree. You don’t need to force a talent on yourself. Yours is bound to come along any day now, and it’s going to be really strong when it does.”
    “Yeah?”
    “Yeah. You’re the seventh child of a seventh child, aren’t you? Well, there you are. In the meantime, do you want to know how to impress that girl? Read one of those books she likes and then talk to her about it.”
    He gave me a Christmas present of a grin. “Jeez,” he said. “I never thought of that! I bet it would work.”
    “Yeah, so do I.”
    “And you won’t tell Aunt Eileen about—well, like, y’know?
    “Of course not. But if you don’t wash your hair every day, she’ll figure it out on her own.”
    “You mean—” He gaped at me. “Shit! I thought you sensed it.”
    “I did. With my nose.”
    He blushed a full scarlet.
    “And your language these days is awful,” I said.
    “All the guys talk like that.”
    “Yeah? But I’m not a guy.” I pointed at the plate. “Grab those cookies. I need to go rescue Morrison from our aunt.”
    “Yeah, we better.” The blush receded. “So you’ve got a boyfriend now, huh?”
    “No. He’s my boss, and he kindly gave me a lift over here.”
    “Oh, yeah, sure.” He smirked at me. “I saw the way he looks at you.”
    “That’s his problem, not mine. Now go get the cookies.”
    We