Demon Read Free Page A

out the door.
    Rebecca’s mother Mary cleared her throat. “We got you something as well.” She at least made an effort to give Justyn a friendly smile, which was better than what her father was doing. “I know my daughter is horrendous in the kitchen—well, you are”, she added when Rebecca narrowed her eyes, “so we thought a microwave might come in handy.” She gestured to a large box that sat in the corner of the kitchen, ready to be unpacked and placed on the bare countertop. Then she handed Rebecca a little envelope. “We also grabbed a few gift cards for the convenience store down the street, just in case you need something and are a little short on cash.”
    “That’s awesome, Mom!” Rebecca gave her mother a hug as she accepted the gift. “Thanks so much! I’m sure there’ll be many late-night study sessions when this will come in handy.”
    Mr. Hope folded his arms across his chest. “I certainly hope you plan to spend your time studying.”
    Justyn was used to her father’s snide comments. He barely raised an eyebrow and went right on unpacking, completely unfazed. But Rebecca felt her smile freeze on her lips. Her father’s miserable attitude put a damper on what should have been an exciting day. She had to struggle to keep her voice pleasant when she replied, “Don’t worry, Dad. Schoolwork is my first priority.”
    “If you can call singing and acting schoolwork,” Mr. Hope grumbled. “I don’t know how you ever expect to make a living with all that nonsense.”
    Rebecca gritted her teeth, but still managed to keep her voice civil. “I’m also getting my teaching degree,” she reminded him. “I have a backup plan if the Broadway thing doesn’t pan out.”
    Her father still didn’t seem satisfied, and Rebecca could feel her eyes starting to burn. Darlene could sense the tension growing and put her arm around Rebecca. “Since we’re all exchanging gifts, I should give you mine.”
    Darlene grabbed an elaborate gift basket from one of the boxes she had carried in. The basket was actually a foldable carry bag, in black of course, with a silver pentacle hand stitched into the center. It was filled with a variety of antique glass bottles, each labeled and filled with different herbs. In the center was a ceramic teapot set complete with cups and diffusers. Intermingled with the jars were smaller vials of oils, scented sachets, colored candles, and smudge sticks.
    “These are the most commonly used varieties of herbs,” Darlene explained. “I’ve already taught you about most of them, Becca, but Justyn will know how to use the rest. There’s lavender, spearmint, feverfew, St. John’s Wart, willow bark, dandelion, stevia, and oh my … so many more.
    “I could stand here jabbering about them all day, but there’s a little recipe book in there to tell you how to mix teas and whatnot. I also threw in some oils, just the essentials like lavender and tea tree…great for all-natural bug repellents, which you’ll need out in those woods. And of course, eucalyptus in case one of you comes down with a cold. And well … you’ll see. There’s just about everything you could need in the way of healing and magic. And that little basket will be the perfect way to carry your groceries back from that store down the street.
    “Really, Mary, we couldn’t have planned it any better if we tried!”
    She flashed Rebecca’s mother one of her brilliant smiles, and immediately the little bit of tension that had survived her speed talk evaporated. Somehow Darlene’s upbeat and carefree personality always managed to calm everyone down, even Rebecca’s overprotective father. The discomfort in the room settled into comradeship, and they were about to start unpacking a few of the boxes when Matt emerged from the bedroom and shoved his gift bag back under Justyn’s nose.
    “Hey, you forgot about my other gift.” He pouted. He shook the bag to emphasize it wasn’t empty yet.
    “You’ve already