Phantom Quartz: A Stacy Justice Witch Mystery Book 6 (Stacy Justice Magical Mysteries) by Barbra Annino Read Free Book Online Page B

took cover behind a pine tree between the driveway and the front yard to assess the threat. There was an athame in my boot, the locket around my neck, but aside from that I was unarmed.
    The person was taller than me, but not by much. A bit bulkier too, although that could have been attributed to the heavy winter gear. Wearing a thick black wool coat and black snow boots, although there wasn’t much snow to warrant them, the figure paused and straightened its black knit hat with gloved hands.
    There was no weapon that I could see, but weapons could be discreetly hidden. People themselves could be weapons. A hand liberated something from the right coat pocket. The person tilted toward the lock again. Whoever it was seemed determined to break in.
    That’s when I made my move.
    Athame in hand, I charged as fast and stealthily as I could. The porch was beneath my feet in seconds, but before I could secure the blade to the trespasser’s throat, two strong arms clamped onto mine. With a double twist of my limbs, and a lightning-fast pivot, I found myself airborne as the attacker claimed my athame and swept my legs out from under me. I landed on the cold hard ground with an “ oof! ” as the wind rushed out of my lungs for a second.
    The intruder came at me again—wearing a ski mask no less—and I scrambled to get up. My foot caught one of Thor’s squeaky toys and I slipped, landing on my ass again. The attacker lunged and I reached for a rock behind me, but I was too far away to grip it.
    The shiny steel of my own damn knife came rushing at me. So this is how it ends. The great Seeker of Justice is about to be snuffed out by a common criminal and a rubber hedgehog. Badb will never let me hear the end of it.
    Badb is a goddess who took great pleasure in torturing me. Funny how it’s only women who make my life a living hell. Well, and this guy.
    I latched onto the right wrist in a last ditch effort to prevent the lunatic from filleting my face. As I struggled with that, my other arm reached up and tore off the ski mask.
    “I knew I hadn’t lost my touch.” She smiled wickedly at me. “I thought you had been trained better than that. Some Seeker.”
    I sighed, releasing my hold. “Hi Mom.”
    She stood and held a gloved hand out to me, I accepted it. She hoisted me to my feet, dusting the snow off my backside. For good measure and to show off, my mother twirled the knife a few times between her fingers before offering it to me by its grip.
    I took the athame and tucked it back inside the sheath in my boot shaking my head. It was always a test with these people. “You know, most mothers set up spa days to spend time with their daughters. Maybe go out to lunch. Play tennis. You don’t usually find a B&E on the agenda.”
    She tilted her head, and her crimson locks fell into a bob. “Now, kiddo, you and I both know we’re not like most mothers and daughters. Besides, I was cold.”
    “You would have been a lot colder with a knife to your throat.”
    “I would have, but that didn’t seem to be an issue.” She passed a critical eye over me. “Which reminds me. I’ll have to speak to your grandmother about who she’s appointed to train you. You shouldn’t be so slow. People could get killed.”
    I brushed passed her and unlocked the keypad on my front door. “ You shouldn’t be sneaking around my house in a ski mask dressed like a lumberjack. You could get killed.”
    She scoffed. “Not the way you move.”
    Oh, she could be as infuriating as Birdie! I angled toward her while I punched in the combination. “It’s been a long day and my arm is sore from Cinnamon crushing it like a walnut. Besides this coat is cumbersome.” I looked down at my clothes, then at hers. “Why are you dressed like you’re taking a trip to the North Pole anyway?”
    “Being locked up in a castle in Ireland for fifteen years thins the blood. It’s freaking freezing here.” She held up her arms, the coat-sleeves impossibly long.