Chapter 1

It was Halloween Eve and it was a dark and stormy night. The wind rustled through the trees making eerie sounds. I could hear it as it whistled through the power lines. My wind chimes were going crazy as the wind blew through them. I looked out the front window at the dark clouds passing overhead. When the moon peeked through the clouds I could see it was a full moon.

I was waiting for the rain to come pouring down any minute, but we were just getting a lot of heavy winds. I'm John Baker and I was waiting for my girlfriend Marcie to call and tell me she had changed her mind and wasn't going to her company's Halloween party. She was supposed to attend it tonight and had asked me to go, but Halloween parties weren't my thing any more.

I received a call from Marcie saying she was just leaving for the party and she would see me the next morning. She did say I didn't need to wait up because she would be late. The party was being held at Shuck's Farms which was only a mile or so away from our place. I've been out there numerous times for graduations, weddings and other affairs.

They have a pavilion at the back of the lot and the Shuck's always had it set up for different occasions and holidays.

During the fall and Halloween time they had hay rides through a pumpkin patch which was adjacent to a very old cemetery. Tonight's party was for adults only and costumes were encouraged. At the pavilion it was always lively with drinks, food and music. I have to say it was extremely eerie, scary and even spooky when taking the hayride. Especially, when you rode past the graveyard.

They also have a maze made up of stacked hay bales with scary dressed up monsters, ghosts, witches, etc ... the kids go in and can't find their way out. It's a lot of family fun, but at night it could be very eerie.

A lot of stories were told about the cemetery and the people that were buried there. As kids, we were told that people were dying to get in, that's why they put a fence around it.

Needless to say that was a joke but there were a lot of scary stories surrounding that cemetery. Many were even said to be true.

I met Marcie six months ago at a friends wedding. I knew the groom and he worked at the same company as Marcie. We began to hit it off pretty good. My friend, Brad told me to be careful, that Marcie was a wild one and has been around the block a few times. I didn't know Brad all that well, other than I had met him at the Elks lodge, on occasion. One day we were talking and he invited me to his upcoming wedding.

I was thirty-one and a manager at a parts plant. I was single and lived in a nice condo complex. It has a nice indoor pool and even a workout gym. I spend at least an hour a day getting my exercise. I've lived here for a few years, now.

Financially, I was in good shape. I had great benefits at work, including health and life insurance, a savings account and a nice retirement package for when the time came. I had recently won some big money when my friend Serena and I went to Atlantic City, our last weekend together. Altogether, I won over a half million dollars.

It was a little over six months ago when I lost my girlfriend, Serena. We were together for just over three months. We met at a Halloween party last year. I really thought she was the one, but things didn't work out that way. I figure that's why I didn't care to go with Marcie this year to the Halloween party. I hadn't totally gotten Serena out of my mind.

I have to admit I thought about her a lot over the last couple of months. I'll tell you more about her later. I guess I was on the rebound when I met Marcie. She is a good looking woman. She had a nice body, which she seemed to like to show, more than I cared for. She had graduated from college and got a job at this advertising firm as a secretary.

She was what a lot of guys might be looking for. A woman who dressed very sexy most of the time, and she had an outgoing personality and liked to flirt. She came up to me at the wedding and asked me to dance. I have to admit that I was surprised. Marcie was twenty-four and she said she recently had broken up with her boyfriend. She never did tell me why.

After the wedding, we began dating pretty hot and heavy. The sex was great and there was nothing she wouldn't do. We had only dated for a couple of months before she asked me if she could move in with me. She said her lease was up on her apartment and seeing as she spent so much time at my house why shouldn't she just move in.

I let her move in, against my better judgment, but I did stipulate to her that if she ever cheated on me, it would be over. I don't like couples who cheat on each other. She told me she loved me and had sowed her wild oats and wanted to spend the rest of her life with me. I guess I was a pushover.

The sex with Marcie was great but she wasn't much of a housekeeper and couldn't cook worth a damn. I liked her but I couldn't say that I loved her even though during sex, I had told her so. We ate out or ordered in almost every night. Looking back, even though the sex was great, it was about all we really had going for us in our relationship.

I was still a pretty lucky guy. I had a girlfriend that would fuck at the drop of a hat and didn't complain about giving blowjobs. I had plenty of money and a good job. I was luckier than most guys. Still something was missing, I just wasn't in love with Marcie and at times I wondered if she really loved me.

She's had it pretty good since she moved in with me. She didn't pay for anything and used her money to buy whatever she wanted. Lately she has been talking "marriage." I told her, "we'll see." I wasn't sure about our relationship. Sometimes things just didn't seem right. I was in no hurry to tie the knot.

I did ask Brad if he noticed anything different at work about Marcie and he told me she still acted the way she always had. There was one guy she seemed to talk to a lot; his name was Leo. Brad told me she had dated him before she met me. He did say, she didn't seem at all intimate with him while he was around.

I received a call about an hour after I had talked to Marcie. It was a female voice and all she said was, "You should go to the Halloween party. Your lady friend is cheating on you. You'll find her at one of the mausoleums in the old cemetery dressed as a prostitute," was all the voice said, before hanging up.

I wasn't sure if I should worry or if Marcie was playing a trick on me with her workmates; after all it was Halloween. I checked, and Marcie's Indian costume was still on the bed. She must have decided to wear something else, but what? Could the voice on the phone be telling me the truth?

I decided to head over to the party. I didn't want to be seen by many people. Most of the people wouldn't know me anyway but I walked along the hayride trail and headed toward the cemetery.

About Serena:

I mentioned that I had met Serena at a Halloween party a year ago. She was dressed as a witch, but she was the prettiest witch I have ever seen. Her dimples and smile could melt ice, she was that pretty.

I noticed she was sitting at a table with six other people, all were dressed in costumes. I wore a cowboy hat, vest and boots. That was about as far as I would go in the costume department.

When I first noticed Serena, I couldn't take my eyes off of her. One guy at their table got up to get a round of drinks. I approached him at the bar and asked him about Serena. I didn't even know her name at the time.

He told me she had opened a store recently, just south of town. I asked if she was with someone and he told me that the people at the table with her were customers of hers. She had invited all of them to the local Halloween party.

"She is one beautiful woman," I told the man.

"Yes, she is beautiful but she is real quirky. To be honest with you she might be a little psycho. She believes she's a witch. I'm a little afraid of her. She is friendly, but yet distant. She just opened up her store less than a month ago."

I thanked Ted for the information and made my way over to the lady in the witch's costume. "May I have this dance?" I asked her. The people at the table stared at me. "I'm John Baker."

"Pleased to me you John Baker. I'm Serena and I would love to dance with you," she replied.

As we danced, I held her close. She smelled intoxicating and I told her so.

"Thank you, that's one of my notions. It's called 'Allure', I guess it works. Ted told you I was a witch, didn't he?"

"Yes he did, but I can't say for sure that I believe in witches, but I do believe in beautiful women. It is Halloween after all," I said with a smile. "Besides, why would you tell everyone you're a witch?"

"I don't tell everyone. I've only told a few people when I first opened the store. I guess they have told others. Ted came into my store and started hitting on me and I told him so he would stop, and I wouldn't have to hurt him. He's a good customer and still comes into my store. Since then I don't tell people unless they ask me."

"What kind of store is it? What do you sell there?"

"It's called 'Potions and Pharmaceuticals'. We sell prescription drugs, notions, lotions and potions. Also, I am a licensed pharmacist."

"You don't look old enough to have gone to college and gotten a degree to become a pharmacist. May I ask how old are you?"

"I'm twenty-eight; we witches don't age quickly. I know what lotions to take to keep my young appearance. I shouldn't be telling you these things but I feel I can trust you. I'm a very good judge of people."

"Are any of your friends at the table witches also?"

"No, they're just customers that I help out. They see their doctors for what ails them and then come to see me. Sometimes I fill their prescriptions and other times I sell them an alternative medication. I leave the choice up to them."

I was really intrigued with Serena and decided to continue going along with her. Witch or crazy, I was really beginning to like her. I don't know why I did it but I leaned over and kissed her gently on the lips.

She stopped dancing and stared at me. "Why did you do that? I'm a witch and am not suppose to kiss mortal men. I could get in trouble for that."

"Then turn me into a frog? It was worth it," I replied. "If you don't kiss men, then who can you kiss?

"Warlocks, I can kiss warlocks. Witches marry warlocks, they are basically male witches."

"Then make me a warlock because I'm about to kiss you again." I did kiss her and she returned the kiss.

"I can't make you a warlock, you're a mortal. Witches and mortals don't mix."

"I think we mix quite well together," as I kissed her once again. I didn't know what was happening but I knew I was infatuated with this woman.

I've dated a lot of women in my life, but have never fallen for a woman this quickly. I knew at the moment that we kissed, that I wanted to be with her. I didn't believe she was a witch, but I did ask her if she cast a spell on me.

"You've seen too many movies. I can't turn you into a frog or anything else. I can make potions and if people take them they will feel changes in their body, but they have to take the medication.

"Remember Snow White and the poisoned apple? That was a spell. Since Snow White took a bite of the apple she was affected. Now do you under stand?" She was trying very hard to explain it to me.

"I understand I am falling for you and want to see you again?"

"No, we can talk but nothing physical. I don't want us to get in trouble."

"What kind of trouble? We're two grown adults. Can I come to your store?"

"Of course you can, all customers can. I'm just saying we can't be physical." I think I was affecting her a little.

We went back to the table and everyone was surprised that Serena let me kiss her and they smiled at me. As we sat down I mentioned to Serena that I thought Sabrina was the name for a witch.

"It is but my parents named my older sister Sabrina so I was named Serena."

"Any other siblings?" I asked.

"I have an older brother Thor, and lots of cousins."

I had to ask, "Is Thor a warlock?"

"Yes he is," said Serena as she got up to use the ladies room. Her friend Angie got up and went with her. I guess witches are like other women and can't go to the restroom alone.

While she was gone I asked Ted why he went to Serena's store. He said he had bouts of depression and his doctor gave him a prescription that didn't seem to work as well as it should. Serena made him up a potion and he takes it once a day and feels great.

I asked Ginny what Serena did for her. She said her husband has been cheating on her for a few years. They have three kids together and she didn't know if she could make ends meet if she divorced him.

"Serena made me a potion to put in his morning coffee. It included something personal of mine. I won't say what it was, but he wasn't able to get a hard-on with any woman but me. In two weeks time he has been coming home and we make love at least three times a week now. Serena said that as long as he takes the potion, I will be the only women he can have sex with."

Jim's story was even different. He couldn't get hard, even when he took Viagra or Cialis. Serena made up a lotion that he could rub on his member and then he could have normal sex for up to an hour, with one application.

When Serena came back to the table she said she had to leave. I walked her to her car. She turned around to say goodbye and I kissed her again. This time more passionately. "Why are you doing this?" she asked.

"You have put a spell on me and I want to be with you," I replied.

"I most certainly did not. Remember, I'm a witch and you're a mortal. It's like mixing oil and water." She almost looked sad as she drove away.

I couldn't get her out of my mind. Yes, she was a bit quirky but I have never met anyone like her. I was completely infatuated with her. If there really was 'love at first site' I had it with her.

All the next day, I thought about her at work. I looked up witches and warlocks on the internet. It just seemed like fantasy and fallacies. She was a beautiful young woman who pretended she was a witch. That's what I kept telling myself.

I went to her potions store after work. It was just about closing time and she was waiting on a customer. She even looked pretty in her white smock. She looked surprised to see me.

"John, what on earth are you doing here?"

"I think you put a spell on me yesterday and I'm supposed to take you to dinner." It was hard to keep a straight face.

"I did no such thing," she said before realizing I was joking. "John ... I ... we..."

"Stop right there! You do eat, don't you? Is there something in your book that says you can't eat with mortals?"

"Of course not. Ok, we can have dinner together. Give me a few minutes to close up the store."

We went out to dinner and the more I looked at her, the more I began falling in love with her. Of all the women I've dated over the years, she is the only one who has ever affected me this way.

After dinner we went to a club to have an after dinner drink. Actually I didn't want to let her go. I wanted to be with her. It was getting late and she told me she had to get home; she had to open the store in the morning.

She lived above her store and after I opened her car door to let her out, she stood up and I kissed her again. It wasn't a peck, but a very passionate kiss. At first she somewhat hesitated, but then kissed me back. After we separated she seemed a bit nervous when looking at me.

"John, I must go. Thank you for a wonderful evening." She turned and quickly went up the stairs and into her apartment. I waited, looking up at her windows as she stood there staring down at me for a good five minutes. After she walked away from the window, I drove home.

The next day, again I couldn't get her out of my mind. I sent her an orange and black balloon bouquet. I called her in the afternoon and she told me she was busy and couldn't talk right then but did thank me for the balloons. I asked her out for dinner again and she said she couldn't make it.

I tossed and turned all night. What was it about this woman that made me half crazy? I felt like a stalker. After work I showed up at her store again. She had the balloons I had sent her the day before, in the window in the front of the store.

I asked her if she was allowed to eat that day and she laughed. I invited her out to dinner and she accepted. "Do you have a bathing suit? Are you allowed to get wet?" I asked.

She laughed. "Of course I can get wet, I'm a witch, I don't melt. You've seen too many movies. At what restaurant do I need a bathing suit?"

"My apartment, we have an indoor pool. I want to make you dinner and then go swimming." I could tell she was very hesitant, but she went along with me.

I made us salad, spaghetti and we had garlic bread. "Can you have garlic bread," I asked.

"John, you need to forget this stuff you see in the movies. I can have anything, and do anything you do. I'm just able to do a few special things. Now pass me the garlic bread."

As we ate we talked. I asked her if she was afraid of being alone with me.

"Of course not! I know how to take care of myself. Besides, I always carry mace in my purse and keep a stun gun under the counter at work."

After we ate, she reached in her purse and sprayed something into her mouth. I was staring at her and she laughed. "John, it's for my breath, we just ate garlic. Do you want a squirt?"

I did take a squirt and it was flavored like a breath mint. She then excused herself and put on her bathing suit. She was so beautiful. She had a hour glass body, medium sized breasts and great hips. I noticed the light fuzz just below her navel. I love kissing that part of a woman.

We grabbed some towels and went to the swimming pool. It was cold out, but the pool was inside and the water felt great. We swam for an hour and then headed back to my apartment. As soon as we walked in the door I kissed her. Not once or twice but over and over. She was kissing me back. I walked her to my bedroom and she said, "John! We can't! I'm a witch and you're a mortal. We don't go together."

She was sitting on the edge of the bed and I pushed her back lightly while kissing her. "You look like a beautiful woman to me and I want to make love to the woman part of you."

She gave in, "I shouldn't be doing this. I've never been with a mortal before."

We kissed and I undid the top of her bathing suit. It was still wet and I tossed it onto the floor and began sucking on her nipples. They were already hard. I could tell she wanted this as much as I did.

She moved to the middle of the bed and I got between her legs and took hold of the bottom of her suit and slowly pulled it off, over her thighs and calves. She looked so beautiful, as she lay there naked. I began kissing down her midsection, rubbing and kissing her whole body.

I stopped at her navel and tongued it lightly before rubbing my face on her lightly fuzzy lower belly and worked my way down to her trimmed muff. "John, it feels so good. I know we shouldn't be doing this, but it feels wonderful."

I began to lick her clit and she opened her legs wider as I pushed my tongue into her wet pussy. I felt her shake a little as I pushed my tongue in deeper. She reached down and held my head against her while moaning how good it felt.

I sat up and quickly removed my swim suit. My cock stuck out hard and proud. I began rubbing it against her opening. I would push the head into her and watch her pussy open and then pull back. It was so erotic watching her pussy open and close.

"Stop teasing me John and push it in. I want to feel you in me."

I slowly pushed my cock into her as she kept saying how good it felt. I pumped in and out and we had a good rhythm going when she yelled out, "John, I'm coming! Oh God, I'm coming, oh it's so good. Don't stop, please don't stop."

I did my best to hold back as long as I could. I tightened up and pushed my cock as deep into her as I could get and felt my cock exploding it's juices. I don't ever remember coming that hard in my entire life.

"I can feel you John, I feel you filling me up with your hot cum." We were both sweating and I felt her pussy tightening around my cock and squeezing it. She was having another organism. "This is so wrong, but feels so good." As her organism subsided I felt her pussy loosen up, releasing it's tight grip around my cock.

I lay down across her with my cock still buried in her. I was holding my weight up on my arms. She reached up and pulled my head down and kissed me. "I've never felt anything like that before," she said softly to me.

I got off of her and we watched as I slowly pulled my semi hard cock out of her. We got out of the bed and into the shower together and ended up having sex again in the shower. We dressed and I took her home.

"John, we should never have done that but I want you to know I loved it."

"You are the best woman I've ever been with. I'm totally infatuated with you. In fact I think I'm falling in love with you," I replied.

"Please don't say that John. I can't fall in love with a mortal."

We kissed and she ran into her apartment. I knew I would never get her out of my mind. I stopped by her place at least three nights a week and we made love. She told me it was just sex and that she would get into big trouble, if her parents knew about me.

One day, I stopped at the store and Serena introduced me to two employees that worked for her. They helped fill orders and stocked the shelves. While Serena was busy with a customer, I asked them if they thought Serena was a witch and they told me that they thought she believed she was and they went along with her.

They did say that she knew a lot about witchcraft and potions. She helped a lot of people. Some were in bad marriages and relationships while others were depressed for a number of reasons. They said she didn't talk about her family much other than, they owned the store.

I remember them saying that Serena once told them that the stereo typed image of an old witch with warts casting curses, is merely negative propaganda. Just wishing for someone's death or health won't make it happen. The real magic lies within the person and their intent.

Strong emotional thoughts are capable of manifesting the thought-of-desire. Many of the potions make these desires stronger and heighten their effects. She told her customers, "You do not have to be a witch or practice magic to produce changes in the actions of people."

Serena considered herself a "good" witch, even though some of her notions and potions may cause problems. She was one of the people that said, "The end result justifies the means." She never told me about any specific customers or what the negative results might have been.

One day, I looked at her shelf of books and did see a number of books on casting "spells" for a number of reasons. Here are a few that I saw:

Love Spells vol. 1, Love Spells vol. 2, Protection Spells Healing Spells, Revenge Spells, Beauty Spells Money Spells, Family Spells, Success Spells and Skill Spells

There were dozens more books on Spells, Hexes and God knows what else. It did bother me a little. I loved her but, what if she really was a witch?

Serena asked me not to tell anyone about our relationship other than we were good friends. She didn't want it to get out that we dated and had sex. The only two people who knew anything, were her employees and they didn't know we had sex. Serena told them we were just good friends.

I mentioned to Serena that I wanted to tell my parents and my sisters that she was my girlfriend. I wanted the world to know that I loved her and it hurt not being able to tell anyone about us.

"Please John, for now don't tell anyone. If you do and my parents find out, they'll send me away." I promised her I would keep it a secret for the time being.

I'll have to admit, it was hard keeping it from my family and friends especially through the holidays. I was in love with Serena even though she thought she was a witch. She almost had me believing her.

It was after Christmas and New Years when I asked Serena if she would go to Atlantic City with me. I didn't tell her, but I was going to propose to her. I know we didn't know each other that long but she was my life now. I was tired of not being able to tell everyone about the love of my life. So she thought she was a witch, big deal, I loved her.

When we arrived in Atlantic City she seemed a bit nervous, like she wanted to tell me something. We were sitting at the bar having a drink when she poured something into my drink.

"Serena, what did you put in my drink? Was it some kind of a potion or something?" It was the first time she has ever done something like that, that I was aware of.

"Yes, it was a 'WIN AT SLOTS' potion. Please don't get mad at me. I have never made it before and I wanted to see if it worked."

"Do you have the book with you? I'd like to look at it," I asked.

She handed me the book. It was titled, 'WIN AT SLOTS' Spell'. On the first page it said, slots are the most popular casino game. They are also the easiest to manipulate with magic! This spell simply – but very effectively – guarantees you will have the advantage at the slots. They'll literally be spitting out money with this magic potion helping you!

"Is there anything in the potion that would harm me, even a little?" I asked.

"No, I would never hurt you. I love you John and I have something to tell you before we go home this weekend." It was the first time she had ever came right out and told me she loved me. I knew she did, but she was always afraid to say it. Now I was just wondering what she had to tell me. I guess it could wait as we headed to the slots. Time to find out if the potion my witch of a girlfriend gave me would do anything.

I started on the slot machines, first the quarter ones. I began to win and I worked my way up to the big five dollars slots. Whenever I won a large amount on a slot machine I moved to another one. I couldn't believe my luck, or was it the potion that Serena gave me?

Serena was happy for me, but nowhere near overjoyed. I was so busy winning that I forgot about her wanting to talk to me later. She smiled at me every time I won a lot of money, but I could tell something was bothering her.

After I won the jackpot for a quarter of a million dollars I was taken to their security office and checked for any kind of electronic devices. After finding nothing they gave me my winnings in a check and asked me to leave their casino.

We left for two other casinos, where I won over four hundred thousand dollars more. By then, the word got around and the casinos wouldn't let me play even though they didn't find me doing anything illegal.

Needless to say, I was overjoyed with winning so much money. When we got back to our motel room we made love. After I climaxed, I noticed Serena had tears running down her face.

"What's the matter? Are you okay?" I asked. I didn't hurt you, did I?"

"No, you didn't hurt me. I love you John and just wanted you to know it."

Before she could say anything else, I reached for my jacket and took out the engagement ring. She knew what was about to happen and started crying. She hurriedly got up and ran into the bathroom and closed the door. I didn't know what to do. I waited for a few minutes and asked her if she was okay.

She said she would be right out. When she came out of the bathroom she had on a robe and said she needed to talk to me, right now.

"What is it Serena? Did I do something wrong?"

"No, it's my fault. I went out with you, when I knew better. John, my parents have called me back to Salem. They found out about us being together. I'm so sorry."

"What? No! I want to marry you; you can't leave." I was becoming a wreck. "Let me talk to your parents. Maybe I can convince them of how much I love you."

"I'm so sorry John. That's why I gave you the gambling potion. Hopefully you can get on with your life. My brother Thor will be here to pick me up in a few minutes. I just want you to know, that I really do love you John." She was crying.

"I'll give up the money! I'll give it back or to charity or anywhere, it's you I want."

She quickly got dressed and said, "John, please don't follow me. I don't want to see you get hurt." With that said she walked out the door. I couldn't follow her, since I wasn't even dressed.

I sat on the bed and cried. I had no idea what I was going to do or what I even could do. I packed up my clothes and drove home, alone. All the while I thought about Serena.