Witch's Bell Book One

he was dogged, was an understatement. Nate was impossible. 'Okay. Time for the three-year-old version,' she sniffed quickly. 'Magic is real. It works. It's regulated. It also can't be understood by thick-headed detectives who ask too many questions, but don't have any insight. The Portal is a doorway between worlds, and serves to increase the incidence of magic within Vale. I'm a witch, you're a detective – and now we have to find a way to work together.' She ended by cocking her head to the side, and smiling sarcastically. 'Got it?'
    Detective Nate, eyes still narrowed, opened his mouth to presumably ask a million more questions, but the mobile in his pocket began to ring. He grabbed it up and snapped it open in a flash. 'Detective Wall here.'
    Ebony could make out the muffled tones of the person on the other end of the line, but found it far more interesting to watch Nate's expression instead. Really, the man obviously grew up on too many movies of knights in shining armor. He simply couldn't puff out his chest any more, or jut out that jaw any further.
    Chevalier. She rolled the term around in her mind. Idiot Chevalier.
    'Ah ha, got it,' he said quickly, tone even. 'Corner of 22nd Street and Matriarch's Place.'
    Ebony looked up. She knew that place – old antique store run by a peevish old woman who always wore too much floral.
    'Yep, don't you worry, I'll go and find our official witch liaison now,' Nate looked over to her and nodded his head, 'we'll be there in 20.'
    Ebony clapped her hands together. 'We have work, don't we?'
    'Apparently.'
    'How lucky for you that you just happened to be here,' her tone could only be described as luscious – dripping with enough chocolate and honey to catch any fly.
    'Lucky,' Nate returned the phone to his pocket and tucked the book under his arm, 'let's go.'
    'I mean, don't you find it strange, 'she fluffed her hair out from her face, 'because I certainly do.'
    'Find what strange?' Nate shifted his feet, half turning to face the door, but still keeping an eye on Ebony.
    'Oh come on. Why didn't you admit that you were already here?'
    He didn't reply.
    'Hmmm,' Ebony made an appreciative sound as if she'd just come across a buffet cram-packed with delicious desserts of every kind. 'You said you'd just go find me, rookie, why didn't you admit that you already happened to be here?' she winked.
    He cleared his throat. 'Does it matter?'
    She looked wistful. 'I think it –' Ebony suddenly looked up. A book had somehow found its way to the edge of the bookcase just behind Nate. In the extended, drawn out time that a witch enjoyed during periods of danger, Ebony saw the thing fall off the edge and angle straight down towards the Detective's head.
    She pushed herself forward, without a moment to lose. She planted a foot right next to his own, pressed a hand onto the shelf just behind his hip to get purchase, and reached up in time to catch the book.
    The thing clunked into her palm, time returning to normal in a snap. 'Oooph,' she said, realizing how heavy the thing was, and tumbled with surprise backwards, right onto the ground.
    She lay there a moment, the considerable tome resting on her chest, a stack of magazines digging into her back, the swirls of her gypsy skirt surrounding her like clouds.
    'What the-' Detective Nate managed, his facial expressions running the full gamut of open-eyed shock to mild amusement. 'What are you doing on the floor?'
    Ebony groaned, quickly righting her skirt, and pushing herself to her feet. 'Harry,' she muttered under her breath, 'that's very rude.'
    'Harry? You mean – you mean your store is still trying to kill me?' Detective Nate hooked a hand onto Ebony's elbow and helped pull her up, taking the heavy book from her hands as she finally righted herself. He glanced at the cover. 'Your store is trying to kill me with this? The Illustrated History of Man Bags? What is a man bag?'
    Ebony chortled, trying to rub the pain from her back. 'Well, I'm glad Harry still has his sense of humor.'
    'Your bookstore just tried to kill me, again,' Nate's words were quick and sharp, his teeth clenched, 'and you're making jokes?'
    'I saved you, what's the big deal? Plus, we have to go to Matriarch place, remember? We have a job to do.'
    As they both walked out of the store, Ebony was somewhat amused to see the extra-careful look on Nate's face as he surveyed each shelf and box. Gone was the arrogant competence, and back was the boy who'd just found out magic was