Moonshine & Mischief: Moonshine Hollow #4 Read online

  Magnus was voted as new Grand Master when Slade cast the final vote.

  “On such a day, I am both saddened and honored by this gift.” Magnus said to his people. “This goes against history, but as Grand Master Linus told us in his last words, we are forging a new future. As such, I name Slade as my Vice Master. He will be second-in-command and upon your vote of approval today will automatically fill the role of grand master should I not be able to until a vote can be held.”

  “I second!” Samuel called out loudly.

  “Then we vote on the new position of Vice Master.”

  In short order, not only was Slade now second-in-command, Grand Mistress Lauren surprised everyone by holding her own vote naming Zoey her Vice Mistress.

  After the cheers of support for Slade and Zoey quieted, Grand Master Magnus continued. “I will do everything in my power to carry out Grand Master Linus’s last wishes. At the solstice, you are all invited here for the first witch marriage in four hundred years. For here we will hold the ceremony of my daughter’s wedding to the man I have just named as my second-in-charge, but now get to call son. A human ceremony and reception will follow immediately after in Moonshine Hollow. I hope you will join Grand Mistress Lauren and me at that as well.”

  “We look forward to attending many more such love unions between our people,” Grand Mistress Lauren told the crowd. “To honor such a blessing as the true love bond, Grand Master Magnus and I will attend every wedding as we prepare schools all over the witch communities in the hopes of a very prosperous future of little witchlings and the next generation of Tenebris and Claritase. A generation who will heed the Goddess’s call to help all those in need.”

  Slade leaned down to his love’s ear. “We could start on that if you’d like.”

  “You want little witchlings running around accidently spelling you?” Zoey asked with the first smile he’d seen on her face recently.

  “I’d love nothing more.”

  “It’s a good thing you’re getting married soon then.”

  “Dad!” Zoey said full of embarrassment.

  “I’ll make you a special drink,” Agnes said, joining them.

  “Oh, your famous fertility drink. I’ll make a special batch of moonshine to go with it,” Vilma said with a nod of her head.

  Slade smiled as he felt Zoey trying not to laugh. “You have fertility moonshine?”

  “No, the normal moonshine does enough to get you frisky.”

  “Frisky, huh?” Polly asked and Slade saw her eyes go to Samuel.

  “I think we might want to rethink the champagne at the wedding, Grand Mistress Lauren,” Vilma said with a smile full of mischief. “My moonshine might really aid in togetherness. After all, it’s what Grand Master Linus wanted.”

  Even with the shine of unshed tears in her eyes, Grand Mistress Lauren laughed and nodded. “I think that’s a wonderful idea. I was so focused on it being a royal wedding. What it needs to be is a celebration—a celebration of life, love, and togetherness.”

  “Thank Goddess,” Zoey called out. “Polly, we need to grab Jane and Maribelle and start wedding planning from scratch!” Zoey spun and kissed Slade before reaching out to grab Polly’s hand. “We don’t have a moment to lose.”

  As they poofed away, Slade turned to Grand Mistress Lauren. “Thank you.”

  “Don’t thank me yet. My women have been in hiding for centuries. Your men have been too. We’re going to move past this shyness in a big way. Vilma, I hope you can make a whole heap of that moonshine because I want some weddings and witchlings soon.”

  “No pressure, son.” Slade’s soon-to-be father-in-law laughed as he slapped Slade’s back. “But I expect many a little witchling, too.”

  Slade shook his head as he stood by the council’s side and watched joy and hope begin to fill the stones. With death came life. And with Linus’s death, new life was breathed into the Claritase and Tenebris. He listened as the witches began talks of healing once again. Talk of sharing love and compassion. Talks of helping the humans when they needed it most. It was truly magical.

  Epilogue

  Zoey walked through the standing stones, escorted by her mother and stepfather as the sun began to set. In the center her true love stood waiting for her. While the wedding planning had taken on a party atmosphere, there were still some parts Zoey knew were important to her parents and to Grand Mistress Lauren—like Slade in a tuxedo.

  Thank Goddess Lauren had insisted on it because Zoey had never seen such a sexy sight before. He stood tall and strong and with so much love in his eyes that she could see the lavender bond that connected their hearts together.

  With Polly by her side and Samuel by Slade’s, they stood in front of her father and Grand Mistress Lauren and pledged their love to each other.

  Her father wrapped a cloth with Slade and Zoey’s new family crest upon it around their joined hands. It was the first she’d seen it. It was a mix of the Rode family crest and Slade’s mother’s crest. Slade sucked in a breath as he looked down at it while her father spoke.

  “I felt as if Linus would approve,” Grand Mistress Lauren whispered.

  Zoey looked to where Slade ran a finger over the bird flying with a laurel in his beak and knew that must be part of Linus’s family crest.

  Zoey smiled up at her love and then they were kissing. One hand slid against her cheek as the other wrapped around her waist and dipped her back. The kiss was far more than a peck. It was a promise of a lifetime of love.

  Slade dipped his wife back for a second time and kissed her. If she’d thought the first kiss at the stones was something, the second one in Moonshine had her seeing stars. At least that’s what Slade hoped as all of Moonshine Hollow, the Tenebris, and the Claritase cheered.

  Slade took his wife’s hand, and after they were announced husband and wife, he stepped down and kissed his mother-in-law’s cheek before shaking her husband’s hand. In this ceremony, Magnus had escorted Zoey down the aisle as father of the bride. Slade shook his hand as Zoey hugged her father. Then they ran down the corridor of their cheering friends. Behind them, his best man, Samuel, held out his arm for Polly, who was the maid of honor. Former Moonshine sheriff, Luke Tanner escorted Maribelle. Galen escorted Jane as the wedding party joined the new husband and wife in the receiving line.

  The barn, decorated with white and lavender, glowed. As Zoey and Slade walked hand in hand to join the reception, all they could hear, see, and feel was happiness.

  “It’s so nice to hear that,” Zoey said with a happy smile.

  “I wonder if the humans have any idea they’re surrounded by witches,” Slade joked.

  “They might get an idea if Lauren keeps handing out that moonshine.”

  “Then we better not keep them waiting. Let’s celebrate, sweetness.”

  “While we can.”

  Slade shook his head. “No, let’s always celebrate our love. I know the worst is to come, but this . . . this is what we’re fighting for.”

  Slade laced his hand with hers and together they walked into the reception. The band started up a slow song as Holt Everett, a country singer from Keeneston, Kentucky who was making a name for himself in the Nashville country scene, sang about love as Zoey and Slade shared their first dance.

  As the song progressed, Zoey’s mother and stepfather joined them. Magnus and Lauren stepped out next, followed by Galen and Jane, Maribelle and Dale, Luke and his girlfriend Ava from Keeneston, and all the other couples in Moonshine. The song ended and Slade kissed his wife to the cheers of their friends and family.

  “A toast to the happy couple!” Grand Mistress called out as shot glasses of moonshine were passed around. “To Slade and Zoey.”

  “To Slade and Zoey!”

  “A toast!” Grand Master Magnus called out as more rounds of shots were passed out. “May my beloved daughter live happily ever after with her true love.”

  “To happily ever after!” the crowd cheered and then drank.

  The b
and picked a fast song and the dance floor filled with human couples.

  “Come on, someone make a move,” Grand Mistress Lauren muttered under her breath. Samuel stepped from one side of the dance floor and walked over to Polly. He held out his hand. When she took it, Grand Mistress Lauren gave Magnus a high five.

  “It’s starting something, look!” Magnus said excitedly as Raiden asked Fern to dance. Soon the dance floor was filled with human partners, witch partners, and even some human and witch dance partners.

  Zoey laughed and shook her head at her father and Lauren. “You two are so bad.”

  Lauren suddenly looked every inch the grand mistress she was. “I am simply ensuring my people’s happiness.”

  “And making sure you’ll be invited to plenty of weddings and filling schools with witchlings,” Slade mentioned.

  “Oh look,” Grand Mistress Lauren said. “I need to talk to Vilma and Agnes.”

  Zoey and Slade laughed as the grand mistress hurried off. With a flick of her hand, the back table was filled with more moonshine.

  “My dear, you’re beautiful. Go enjoy your reception,” her father said to Zoey while he hugged her tight.

  “You feel it, right? The disruption in the magic?” Zoey asked, her voice low so she wasn’t overheard.

  “Yes. But we are safe for now. Enjoy your honeymoon. I have a very special grandchild to meet.”

  “Not you, too,” Zoey groaned.

  Her father simply laughed and walked to join the others.

  “Would my bride like a drink?” Slade asked.

  “I’d love one. Then I’m going to make you dance all night long.”

  “I remember the last time I saw you dancing. It was the night we met. You were half-naked up on that stage shaking what the Goddess gave you. The night fate made her first move to making me the happiest man alive.”

  Zoey gasped and pretended to smack his arm. “I was not dancing on that stage! I was trying to rescue my client from strippers.”

  “As I recall, I rescued you from the strippers.”

  Zoey tried not to laugh as she looked at her husband. “I can’t wait until I rescue you.”

  “You already have. Everyday you’re with me. You rescue my heart from the lonely existence that was my life before you were in it.”

  “I love you.” Zoey rose up on her toes and placed a kiss on his lips.

  “I love you too.”

  Zoey wrapped her arms around Slade’s neck as they danced to the music. For tonight they were happy, and for tonight the town of Moonshine Hollow was filled with nothing but love, happiness, and hope for the future.

  THE END

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  About the Author

  Kathleen Brooks is a New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and USA Today bestselling author. Kathleen’s stories are romantic suspense featuring strong female heroines, humor, and happily-ever-afters. Her Bluegrass Series and follow-up Bluegrass Brothers Series feature small town charm with quirky characters that have captured the hearts of readers around the world.

  Kathleen is an animal lover who supports rescue organizations and other non-profit organizations such as Friends and Vets Helping Pets whose goals are to protect and save our four-legged family members.

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