Witch for Hire

Everybody wants love spells.

The circumstances are a revolving door of a handful of scenarios.

When will they come back?

It was all this or that person's doing, they really love me!

I can't live without them!

You need to make them come back to me, right now!

But my favorite line is :

You said they would come back!

Today I heard that line for what felt like the thousandth time this week and I had enough.

When Jasmine Rouse had come to me 3 months ago, desperate for her ex to leave the new flame that he had found, I sensed that something was off about her.

I should have turned her away, But I needed the money from the reading that she wanted to help with the rent on my shop, Elsewhere on 6th & Vine.

As with any reading that I do, I included the potential outcomes.

I had said there was a possibility that this overzealous woman's ex would come back, but it was slim. She had asked for suggestions to expedite his return to her, and so I had sold her the requisite return to me: candles, the oils and the incense…and a few crystals to be sure.

Although they had more to do with self-love, which this woman clearly needed.

Like so many others, she was bordering on obsession with an ex-lover that had made it perfectly clear that they wanted no part of her psychotic devotion.

I tried to help where I could in situations like this, most of the time I had to just get out of the way and let nature take its course and pray she wouldn't become a court case.

That first day, she had left my shop determined to win him back. I figured I might see her a time or two more, not every other week for the past two months.

Today felt different though, there was something in her eyes that made me extremely uncomfortable as she sat across my little circular reading table from me (you know, one of the dollar store ones with the legs that wobbled a bit, but with some cloth and a few candles nobody could tell), her eyes had not strayed to the tarot cards that I had laid out even once.

Silently, I said a thank you to the universe that her focus was on her ex and not how worn my cards or the tablecloth was.

Hey, no judging, I was on a budget when I put this shop together and I am still on a budget. It comes with the territory of running a new age shop. It's also the only way I bring my kiddo to work with me and not work three jobs, one of them just to pay for the daycare.

She stared at me over the crystal ball with intensity swimming in her amber eyes “You said he would come back!” Her voice was like broken glass through her gritted teeth and I almost winced. I gave her the driest look I could muster “Jasmine, I said there was a very slim chance of that.“ She gave me an incredulous look, as though she should be able to have whatever she wanted because those were the rules.

I took a long deep breath in through my nose, entitlement was one of my giant pet peeves (incompetence being another) “I gave you what I received, that's all that I have for you, what you do with it is up to you. I cannot conjure up your ex for you, nor can I turn his heart back to you once it has moved on. I'm sorry I wish I could tell you what you want to hear but it would be a lie.” I put aside my growing irritation and added extra sympathy into my words to attempt to blunt the blow. I knew that this was hard to hear no matter who you are, entitled or not. Besides, my grumpy mood wasn't strictly because of Jasmine and her insane fixation, and I didn't really want to take it out on her.

I was tired of being broke and having to do readings and sell spells to keep my shop afloat. I had opened Elsewhere to give the community a place to gather and grow and guide each other. I had thought to purvey crystals, astrology and alternative health needs…not all of this woo-woo stuff. I couldn't deny that it worked , but I was tired of the public fixation on the dark side of witchcraft and to a larger extent the creepy side of the metaphysical in general.

Couple that with rent always being due and trying to take care of my son Max, I was just done with everything most days. Thankfully my mom had him today, I tried to make sure Max was with Mom when I had the more off-color readings and work to do. I didn't want him mixed up in that. Besides, even though Mom worked a lot she loved spending time with Max. Plus Max loved Mom's cooking, so it all worked out.

I began to gather up the cards from the reading when she reached across and grabbed my wrist “Try again, throw them again!!!” she pleaded, it almost looked like she was about to cry.

I was so shocked that I didn’t have time to brace myself before the vision hit me.

As my psychic gifts had grown, so had my adversity to touch. Situations like this being the reason.

I saw images in a series of events.

First was a young teenage Jasmine, rifling a strange purse in a hallway, dressed in goth gear including the heavy makeup and black clothes which she still favored today even though she had to be in her late 30’s. Everything looked so modern though…like it was present day.

Then the same teenage Jasmine at her computer (a current computer no less) looking over some scammer website selling spell work.

Teenage Jasmine asleep in bed at night with a massive black cloud over her bed. The cloud resolved itself into a huge black and yellow spider…and I swear that that thing looked at me, like it could see me through the vision.

Teenage Jasmine waking up and seeing the spider creature , and it is shifting itself into a man of Asian looking descent…a gorgeous man. Far too pretty to be real. They kissed; she apparently wasn’t afraid. She should have feared this creature, and she began to age quickly.

The next image was the most unsettling. Jasmine, now the age that she is currently, pleading with the man to stay even as he transformed back into his spider visage and scuttled away.

The tick tock of my reading room wall clock brought me out of the vision.

It took me a few tries to reorient myself. This time the vision had been so powerful that it almost felt as though I was physically there. I was thankful I couldn't smell or hear anything.

Those aren't part of my skill set anyway, praise sweet baby Jesus! Dear god, I was horrified.

I sat blinking at Jasmine, who's confused frown told me that I needed an explanation, fast and I tried refocusing on our conversation.

Just what the heck had Jasmine gotten herself into and why?

"I'm going to take a short break, but I won't be charging you for your reading today. Please excuse me." I got up from the table and speeded for the shop's only restroom. Jasmine stood up too, she tried to say something, but the door shut on her words. Which I wasn't paying any attention to at that point.

I slid down the closed bathroom door and tried to calm my racing heart. Nausea was building in my gut. I felt sweaty and my long black velvet dress was sticking to my midsection. I was petrified, whatever Jasmine had done was way above my paygrade to reverse.

I needed to get back to the shop, Mrs. Miller would be in soon and she always needed guidance with her purchases, but my legs were shaking too hard to stand. Like clockwork I heard the shop doorbells jangle, Mrs. Miller was a little early today.

I swallowed hard, shut my eyes and counted to ten.

I received a power shut off notice in three days and I needed the money.

I stood slowly ,opened the door and stepped out.

What I saw when I exited the ladies room made me want to go back in and bolt the door.

Thankfully Mrs. Miller seemed oblivious, but Jasmine was beaming up at the growing inky mass that was spreading over the ceiling of my reading area. I was guessing that the mass must have been manifesting on a psychic plane.

“He came back!” Jasmine cried with joy as her eyes lit up. As I watched in horror, the dark mass formed into the unrealistically gorgeous Asian man that I had seen in my vision. “Juju Bean!!” Jasmine rushed with outstretched arms to embrace the tall man who appeared to be draped in black and golden yellow robes, who smiled down at her with widespread arms.

The man or “Juju bean” appeared solid but his shadow was distorted, it almost looked like his shadow had extra appendages. “Jasmine, my little night flower, what have you been up to?” He smiled at her and nuzzled the top of her head as he wrapped his arms around her, which should have seemed sweet, but I kept getting this sickly feeling in my chest and stomach as I watched him touch her.

“I missed you so much, and no matter what I did you wouldn’t come to me. I called and called…where have you been? I saw you with Samantha and with Becky, why them and not me? What did I do wrong? “ Jasmine sounded so forlorn; she looked almost childlike as she stared wide eyed up at the man.

“You haven’t done anything little flower. They were just so tasty.” He cooed at her, stroking her hair and back all the while. It felt like I was going to be violently ill, I wanted no part of whatever this was, this couple needed to leave my shop right now “Well all's well that ends well. Have a nice day, please leave, Brightest blessings.” I gave my best customer service smile and went to usher them out the door.

Jasmine turned to me with a drugged look in her eyes “Oh Mari, isn't it wonderful!! My Juju Bean is back! Plus, he loves me, don’t you Juju?” she smiled up at him.

He grinned beatifically down at her “It was the best contract that I ever made Little Flower”, which had her cooing and snuggling harder. “Excuse me, CONTRACT?!?!??” I pointedly raised my eyebrows while leaning forward. They chorused “Uh Hunh” and nodded!

I knew I was going to hate myself for asking the question, but I had to know.

I sighed “What Contract?”

I had a terrible feeling about what was going to come out of Jasmine’s mouth next.

Unfortunately, I was right.

“The binding contract that I paid for from that witchy lady online for my birthday. Her listing stated that for $199.00 I could get an etheric being bound to me forever. I could choose from multiple different realms and forms that the being would come from. I had to use my grandma’s credit card, but she said I could have anything I wanted for my birthday. The witchy lady was having a sale too, so it was a really good deal!” Jasmine stared at me with wide eyed sincerity.

I felt my eyebrows climb into my hair “So you decided to form a soul binding contract on your birthday…”

“My 18th birthday.” Jasmine perked up, while JuJu Bean stayed draped around her looking like he hadn't a care in the world.

Oh, joy I thought “On your 18th birthday, for what possible reason?” I hoped my incredulity didn’t show on my face.

“I was lonely, and as a now adult woman, I felt it was time for me to have love and a stable relationship in my life." She beamed up at JuJu and batted her lashes "I saw Juju’s picture and I felt this instantaneous connection.” she leaned into him, and he tightened around her.

“I felt the exact same, flower. So much life in you, I was drawn in by your overflowing energy.” He smiled at her and she grinned back.

I felt my guts lurch as a scary thought began to grow in my brain “Jasmine, how old are you?”

“I will be 19 in two weeks, which reminds me…Juju Bean I don’t want Samantha or Becky at my party.” a very 19-year-oldpout came over her face.

“That won’t be a problem” he ran his hand down her shoulder which made her sigh with happiness.

“Little flower, why don’t you go shopping, here have some money” The man handed Jasmine a purse full of 100-dollar bills.

I felt like they were crawling with maggots and had slime on them from across the room “You know, in honor of your birthday, save your money. $1000.00 free merchandise for one of my best customers.” I didn’t want what this guy had anywhere near me or my customers or my bank.

“Oh Mari, Thank you!!” Jasmine squealed, leaned up to give her man a peck on the cheek and ran off to go shop herself silly. Once she was gone and happily distracted, buzzing past Mrs. Miller who was strangely quiet, the man smiled at me and bowed deeply.

“Now please allow me to introduce myself. I am Junichiro Himata, and I am …..” He was cut off by Mrs. Miller who had glided up beside me noiselessly, it always caught me off guard when she did that.

“A Jorōgumo. My my, it’s been a long time since I’ve had the displeasure to meet one of your kind. The last time was in a forest on the outskirts of Kyoto. Now why would one of you be so far from home, hmmm, and in such a nice young lady’s shop?” Mrs. Miller looked like she wanted to eat Jasmine’s man. The aura of brutality exuding from Mrs. Miller disturbed me, she was always such a nice old lady.

“Hmmm, Well I thought all of your kind was long dead. It is such an honor Ancient One.” Junichiro smirked lifting his hand gracefully to curl under his chin, his tone held insults that went unsaid. He folded himself into the seat that Jasmine had vacated upon his arrival, leaning his elbows on my reading table. I would need to do a thorough spiritual space cleansing…Sage, Candles, Bleach!

“Whore Spider Trash!” she spat, and I was rapidly wishing that I hadn’t opened the shop today.

Junichiro’s eyes went very black, and his gaze hardened. I was worried that he would attack her, but something told me that she could handle herself.

“As I was about to say before the most unpleasant interruption, I am bound to Jasmine through our contract via Evelyna’s Enchanted Closet and the conjuror Jane Voss from Massachusetts. Therefore, this situation is not your concern Necromancer!” He pulled himself together and spoke in a non-threatening professional tone to me.

“Necromancer?

“You were not aware of where your gifts came from, my apologies. Proprietress, then?” He inclined his head to me. I opened my mouth to say neither, when Mrs. Miller cut me off “Don’t you mean that the girl is YOURS to suck dry of lifeforce within this soul binding so long as you act like you love her. You are revolting! Making contracts with little girls! “ Mrs. Millers scarlet hair began to turn black at the roots and I could have sworn that I saw fangs for a moment.

Wow she was mad!! I began edging away from both of them.

“Careful crone, your true colors are showing!” Junichiro smirked viciously, his fingernails turning black and growing long. They ended in sharp looking points.

“Ummm, not to break up this love fest, but are you going to kill Jasmine?” I was praying that he said no. I didn’t want to get involved. But if he was going to kill her then I was duty bound to.

“The binding specifically states that I cannot syphon Jasmine’s energy so low as to cause her permanent harm.” He stated matter of factly.

“So, aging her 20 years isn’t harming her?” I was aghast

“I was quite hungry after having no food for a few hundred years and so took more of her energy more quickly than I had intended to. And I can replace it all for her, so no permanent harm was done to Jasmine.” Junichiro looked bored “But the contract never stated that you couldn’t drain those around your contractor dry.” Mrs. Miller looked thoroughly disgusted with him.

“Ah, you are correct crone! I should have known that you would guess that loophole quickly. I have been eating my fill , her friends and her family are such hearty meals. “ Junichiro raised his long and slender right pointer finger & thumb in a chef’s kiss gesture. He smiled maliciously.

Now all the death and disease that had been surrounding Jasmine was starting to make a whole lot more sense, he was HUNGRY! “How many of Jasmines people have you lifeforce syphoned to death…or do you just make them sick and then they die?”

“Hmmm, an odd question, let me see… including her grandmother… 45 people. They are not contracted and refused contracts with others of my kind so i ate and they died.” He tilted his head at me questioningly.

I began sweating more profusely “Why so many? Why would you need so much lifeforce? It’s not to save Jasmine, so why?”

“You’re clever, and it is partially to protect Jasmine for now.” he pulled a card, the empress, he smiled. I silently wished I had managed to gather them up before I went to the bathroom.

“Wait a minute, the empress means a lot of things…but...” he pulled another card, ace of cups, and smiled bigger.

Mrs. Miller gasped and put her hand to her mouth, she looked mortified

“Yes, I intend to have Jasmine be the mother to my offspring. We shall have hundreds of children. They will honor their mother as we all honor human mothers” His eyes multiplied until there were eight of them, the two main eyes and then three around each of the main eyes-all of which became jet black and then began to glow with a reddish-purple light.” Junichiro was smiling in victory.

“I have made all the preparations. On my little night flower’s 19th birthday, I will make her a mother. It will take a year for the eggs to gestate. She will be beautiful , dont you think?” He smiled at Mrs. Miller who looked despondent.

“You made the contract to have children? What about other Jorōgumo? Why half human children?” My curiosity was going to be the end of me one day, but that day was not today.

“Sometimes when our bloodlines get too inbred, we need fresh blood. It is the way of otherkin, the Jorōgumo, the fey, the angels, etc, to breed with a species that is compatible with us to refresh our bloodlines.” Mrs. Miller looked very unhappy

“How is Mr. Miller these days, crone?” Junichiro’s tone held volumes of malicious intent.

Mrs. Miller turned away as tears fell. I reflexively went to hug her. Poor woman, her husband had died of complications from cancer after their kids were born. Mrs. Miller sobbed. And then a horrible thought clicked in my mind, they had a very big family… “Was Mr. Miller a bloodline refresh Gail?”

She sobbed again and nodded “I truly loved Greg, but we had to have babies. My kind have been on the brink of extinction for some time now. And there are only certain humans that we can have children with. It’s like they...” Junichiro cut her off

“It's like they have a light inside of them.” He gazed at Mrs. Miller as though she were being particularly stupid.

"What happens to the humans that your kind breed with?' I blinked a few times as his shadow was starting to merge into his human form. "It’s slightly different for each breed of otherkin, but for the majority of us, the human parent's lifeforce provides sustenance for the offspring. it sustains them while they grow. For my kind, when the young spiderlings hatch, they eat their human parent." Junichiro's form began to stretch and grow. His robes were no longer clothing but markings on his body which was rapidly becoming more spider-like.

"Jasmine will feed my offspring just as your Mr. Miller fed your offspring Crone, or should I call you Arachnie" He began to laugh, the sound was almost a loud rumbly chitter.

"Since you know too much and things have gotten this far, now I get two clutches for the price of one. I think you will make a wonderful mother Mari, what do you think? " He looked at me with a hungry look in his eyes and I felt like cobwebs were brushing me all over, but they were stickier somehow.

I opened my mouth to tell him that I was already a mother and that my little boy needed me when Mrs. Miller's hand shot up over my mouth.

Her eyes went wide and in a split second she leapt across the room, shifting into the form of a huge black widow spider, she was easily twice as big as Junichiro. As though her human form had been a dream and pinned Junichiro's spider form.

She sank her fangs into Junichiro's body, he screamed and struggled but it was over for him before it had begun, he convulsed three times while shrieking " You fat ugly crone, how could you hide your shape so well!!! HAG!!" and then went still.

The black and red spider wrapped him quickly in a cocoon, folding his legs neatly around him, and tucking him in the corner of the room on the ceiling.

"You will need to hold still Mari" the large widow came close to me and i was terrified. but with a few quick slashes she cut away the spider silk threads that i hadn't even realized were building up and encasing my body.

"How did he do that, I didn’t even see him make those '' I flopped to my knees and ran a hand through my hair, accidentally pulling curls free from the bun that I kept it up in.

"It is a trick of spider kin. the strands paralyze any non-spider species, and some of the weaker spider species. He would have kept you in a cocoon and then bred you once he was done impregnating Jasmine. I'm so sorry Mari!" The widow melted back into Mrs. Miller in the blink of an eye. I just gasped at her from where I knelt on the floor.

"That witch will be dealt with severely, have no worries." Mrs. Miller looked deeply ashamed.

I blinked "What about Jasmine?" My god, that girl...that poor stupid girl had gotten 20 years of her life taken from her in a few months. She had lost 45 people from her life, including countless loved ones.

"Alas, I cannot undo what the Jorōgumo brought into her life. I know it is harsh, but she was the one who sought this out. The consequences are horrible, but such is the way when you make contracts with demons , Mari. However, I could not allow this to happen to you. you have served our community, human and Otherkin alike, for 7 years with fairness and empathy. I can only apologize again Mari" Mrs. Miller folded her hands in front of her and looked at me.

"What will happen to the Jorōgumo, Junichiro?" I asked as I stared at the web on my ceiling.

"Him I will eat. May I suggest that you take one week off so as I may dispose of him?" She lifted her eyebrows.

I was so sorely tempted, but one week would mean the end of my business " You know I can't Gail, I can't afford to."

She smiled at me “You can if I pay you for my meal, and for information leading to the capture of a fugitive of the otherkin-Which almost all Jorōgumo are due to their natural proclivities, here” she made a revolted face.

"He said the victims refused contracts with others of his kind. Are there more lurking in the city?" I felt very cold. "Probably, they will be hunted and driven back to their natural habitat." She said it so matter of factly as She pulled her checkbook from her pocket, opened it up and scratched out an amount on a check with her clawed fingertips.

Then handed me the check with a lot more zeroes on it then I would need to run the shop for a year. I stood in the doorway of my little reading room, staring at the check in my hand in shock.

"Have you guys seen my Juju bean?" Jasmine picked right then to saunter up to me with a basket brimming with goodies. A lot more than $1000 worth too.

"He left dear, an urgent call from that witch of his Jane Voss...do you know her? I would just LOVE a Jorōgumo of my own, do you think she could help me get one?" Mrs. Miller smiled at Jasmine

"Oh ok, and of course. Plus, I can get a referral bonus from her too. That witch is just wonderful, you will love her. Come on, my laptop is in the car, lets go have some coffee and check her site out, get you a man!" Jasmine was so excited it made my stomach churn.

"Oh, I picked out around $3000.00 worth for all of the hassle over these months, you don’t mind do you Marie?" Jasmine smiled innocently as though it was her right to rip me off.

I just stood there slack jawed at her gall.

"Oh, Mari You're wonderful, have a great day! Come on Mrs. Miller!" Jasmine wrapped her arm around Gail's and drew her out the door while subtly stealing one of my shopping baskets.

I didn't care, I had come into some much-needed financial relief, I had almost died to get it but I was still alive...and Justice would be served.

Mrs. Miller turned and gave me a wink on the way through my shop door, and as i stared at the two ladies leaving, I was just glad to not have to see this place for a while.

I grabbed my things, checked the web in the corner-it hadn’t moved- and flipped the closed sign.

I locked up and left. I would take a few weeks off, but I would be back.