Witch's Bell Book One

with the dragon. But I had no idea where you'd gotten to. Then you just popped back. Where on Earth did you get to?'
    Ebony smiled back at him. 'I'm not even sure it was on Earth,' she chewed at her lip, holding her own cup of tea close to her chest. 'It felt like I was in a pocket of... some other reality. Like it was a world occupied by just that man and me.'
    Nate shrugged his shoulders and took a breath. Then he looked up above Ebony, at the sizable hole in his ceiling. 'It's been a wild couple of days.'
    She laughed gently. 'Yeah. Wild.'
    'Harry really managed to go-to-town on my house,' Nate sighed, scratching his hair. 'Lucky it's still standing. Mostly.'
    'Now you listened to me,' Harry said from somewhere on the floor, the traveling case giving an ominous rattle, 'I had to fight off a hoard of wizards. A hoard, mind you.'
    Nate's eyes continued to survey the damage. 'And I'm going to have to fight off a hoard of bills before I get this place back to normal.'
    'Won't your Round Table pay for the repairs?' Ebony tapped her finger against the rim of her mug. 'Or at least give you a noble loan?'
    Nate raised an eyebrow and frowned. 'They're too busy saving the planet. Plus, I kind of feel you should help out – considering you caused this whole mess.'
    Ebony faked a shocked expression. 'I caused all of this? You were the one you used me as bait, Mr Knight. Which is hardly very chivalrous, I'd like to point out.'
    Nate put his hands up, pretending to surrender. 'You make a fair point, my lady,' he offered her a devilish grin.
    'Now don't you go getting any ideas. I,' she said haughtily, 'am not a damsel.'
    'Nothing would have given me that idea. I know you, Ebony.'
    'Not as well as you'd like to think. There's a lot you need to learn about me,' she pointed at him, and shook her finger.
    'Well, I might just have the time to learn it. We have a lead, but I certainly haven't solved the Portal case yet.'
    Ebony clutched tighter at her mug. 'So it wasn't the man, then? He was powerful, Nate, really powerful. All this time he was playing us...'
    'No, Eb, I checked with the Round Table. It wasn't him. I mean, I'd definitely say he was involved.'
    'It certainly seemed as if he wanted me to surrender to some force,' Ebony gave a shiver, 'or some creature.'
    Nate nodded. 'It's over now. The Knights have him; he's not going to bother you anymore. And we have our lead.'
    'The Treasure? What does that even mean?' Ebony blinked at him.
    'I don't know,' Nate ran a hand over his face, 'but I think we should find out.'
    'We?'
    'What do you say? The spell over you has been completely reversed. Your life should return to normal. Which means you are still the witch consultant to the Vale Police. I'm on the police force,' Nate patted at his chest, 'and you are obligated to help me solve magical crime. And this, Ebony,' he smiled as he said her name, 'is a magical crime.'
    Ebony pushed her hair behind her ears, and thought for a moment. 'Fine. I'll help you find out who's manipulating the portal, Nathan Wall.'
    'At what cost?' he laughed.
    'Oh, I think we can negotiate that later.'
    THE END
    This story is continued in Witch's Bell Book Two, which is currently available.
    Other books by Odette C. Bell
    Sci-Fi Romance:
    The Betwixt Books One and Two
    A Plain Jane Series
    Urban Fantasy:
    The Witch's Bell Series
    Mythology:
    The Modern Gods Series
    Other Sci-Fi:
    Now Summon (Galactic Summoners, #1)
    Zero (The Adventures of Oatmeal, #1)
    Super heroes:
    Electric Wonder Girl
    Action Adventure:
    Trouble and Treasure (Trouble and Treasure, # 1)
    Supernatural:
    The Agent
    Gladys the Guard
    What is Released
    Fantasy:
    Abby the Witch