Bloodlines – A Lawrence and Wells Cleansing Novel

By Rachel Brewer

In the heart of London, Jessamine Lawrence and Cassidy Wells operate a discreet yet thriving magical cleansing business. They’re the go-to duo for banishing magical nuisances and unwelcome ethereal guests. But their quiet existence is shattered when witches across the country begin meeting untimely ends.

Teaming up with Jessamine’s police officer brother, Bryce, and the spirited elf, Perrie, they unearth a dark, demonic conspiracy threatening their world. As the stakes rise, the group must pool their talents, wits, and courage to confront and vanquish this looming malevolence. Dive into a tale of magic, mystery, and a race against time to save a world on the brink.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Austin Macauley Publishers
• Release date: Jan 5, 2024
• ISBN: 9781398490536

Rachel Brewer

Rachel was born and raised in Kent, England. She earned her diploma inscreenwriting from London’s Central Film School in 2012 and has sincebecome a produced screenwriter. During this time, she worked on her first novel.Rachel also plays football for her local women’s side and is a big supporter ofChelsea FC.

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About the Author

Rachel was born and raised in Kent, England. She earned her diploma in screenwriting from London’s Central Film School in 2012 and has since become a produced screenwriter. During this time, she worked on her first novel.

Rachel also plays football for her local women’s side and is a big supporter of Chelsea FC.

Acknowledgement

For Mum and Dad. Just, thanks.

Copyright Information ©

Rachel Brewer 2024

The right of Rachel Brewer to be identified as author of this work has been asserted by the author in accordance with section s 77 and 78 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988.

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior permission of the publishers.

Any person who commits any unauthorised act in relation to this publication may be liable to criminal prosecution and civil claims for damages.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events, locales, and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

A CIP catalogue record for this title is available from the British Library.

ISBN 9781398490529 (Paperback)

ISBN 9781398490536 (ePub e-book)

www.austinmacauley.co.uk

First Published 2024

Austin Macauley Publishers Ltd®

1 Canada Square

Canary Wharf

London

E14 5AA

Acknowledgement

I’d like to thank my family for always encouraging creativity. Without their continued support, this book wouldn’t have been possible. A special thanks to my mum Dawn for reading the very early drafts and pointing out all of my spelling mistakes.

My best friend Lauren wouldn’t let me live it down, if I didn’t mention her so, thanks Lauren! For being my best friend. Also to the Lodge’s, thank you for always making me feel welcome as a part of your family.

To Elijah, my partner in life. Thank you for your constant love and support.

And finally, to all the people at Austin Macauley involved in publishing, thank you for everything.

Prologue

I hate it when they run, or float, in this particular case. This ridiculous Abbey Lubber, or spirit as they’re more commonly known, was doing nothing but pissing me off. Cassidy was trying to contain the mess it had caused in the pub whilst I got the fun job of catching and getting rid of the thing. I managed to follow it to a dead end, but of course it had to be in the creepy cellar. Now I just need to banish it. There. It’s floating around the wine barrels without a care in the world, laughing in its constant state of intoxication. I wish I could feel like that most of the time. I took a sage stick from my bag and lit it. There’s no guarantee smudging will help but it still makes the place smell nice. Next I lit a candle and placed it in the centre of the room and drew a chalk circle around it. I blew out the sage and set it on the floor beside me as I continue the banishing. Next comes the worst bit, the part where I have to offer something to the spirit, my blood. I used my athame to make a small cut on the tip of my finger and drip some blood onto the candle. ‘Daniel, I know that’s you. You need to move on.’ There is a crash from upstairs that catches my attention. I looked to the stairs as the door opened and Cassidy, my colleague, appeared at the top.

‘Jess, I hate to rush you, but his effects aren’t wearing off and people are going a bit crazy up here!’

‘Yeah, just give me a sec, Cass.’ The door closed and I turned back to the room, only to find Daniel in front of me.

‘Jesus Christ!’ I jumped back and looked at him. ‘Are you trying to give me a heart attack?’

‘What…do you…want?’ he mumbled as he swayed in front of me. I looked to the ceremony in front of me and held out my arms.

‘What does it look like I want, for you to leave.’ He looked at me strangely and began to float backwards and forwards.

‘And, what…are you?’ he studied me curiously.

‘This is a white-witch ceremony?’ I nodded.

‘But you feel…different.’

‘I’m none of your concern, Daniel. Now please stop terrorising this pub.’

‘Just this pub? What about the rest of them?’ he grinned, sobering up. Abbey Lubbers can switch from drunk to sober in a matter of seconds.

‘I was paid to get you out of this one, I don’t give a shit what else you do as long as you leave here.’ I crossed my arms as he thought about it for a minute.

‘No problem, honey. You didn’t need to go all theatrical on me, you could have just asked.’ He laughed and began floating up to the ceiling. ‘Toodles.’ He waved and finally disappeared. I sighed and looked down at my hand. There was a small trail of blood dripping down my palm for no good reason, and I wasted a sage stick. The door opened again, and Cassidy walked down to join me.

‘Went okay, then?’

‘Oh yeah, no problem.’ I sarcastically said as I put a plaster on my finger and packed my bag.

‘I know you don’t like the tricksters, but Mark paid well over our normal rate to get us here.’ She hugged me around the waist and whispered in my ear, ‘Think of all the things we can buy…shoes, clothes…weapons?’ I laughed and turned to face her.

‘Come on, let’s go give Mark the all clear.’ I hauled my bag over my shoulder and walked behind Cassidy up the stairs.

As we entered the main bar it looked just like it should. Calm, laid-back and boring. Your typical human pub. Mark was behind the bar pouring a pint for an elderly gentleman as we approached him. ‘Ladies, how is everything? Has my problem been sorted?’

‘Yes, Mark, it has,’ Cassidy answered. ‘Jess, managed to get him to leave.’

‘Great, that’s great.’ He smiled and looked at me nervously.

‘What exactly was he?’ Sometimes humans still have a hard time talking about anything not of their world so to speak.

‘He was an Abbey Lubber; they’re spirits that haunt pubs and bars to create havoc. They’re usually harmless, but very annoying.’

‘Tell me about it, I’ve had more drunk clients thrown out than sober ones in. And they didn’t even have one drink.’ He started to put glasses up on a shelf behind him as Cassidy and I waited for our payment. Cass looked at me when nothing happened. I cleared my throat.

‘Yeah, they can have that effect on people, so about our payment?’

‘Of course, yes.’ He reached into his pocket and pulled out a cheque. He handed it to Cass who looked at it and nodded at me. ‘What we agreed on the phone.’

‘Thank you, Mark. Feel free to call anytime if you have any more cleansing needs.’ Cassidy smiled at him and handed him a card which read; Lawrence and Wells Cleansing and then we turned to leave.

‘Thanks, again.’ He called from behind us. Stepping out into the night was a relief. I let the cool air wash over me as we headed for Cassidy’s car. I really hate Abbey Lubbers.

We’re back at the office in no time because of the lack of traffic. Once we’d written up a report of the cleansing I said goodnight to Cass and started walking back to my flat. I have a car, but I live two minutes from the office, so it hardly seems worth it. I’ve always preferred the night time to the day, not because I’m anti-social or anything, it just makes me feel calmer. Besides, the darkness doesn’t bother me. I kind of have night vision. It’s not perfect because I’m a half-breed, as people like to say. My mother was a white-witch, but my father was a manticore. Some say manticores are almost extinct now because people we’re so afraid of them. They were the creatures of nightmares, which I guess is why I like the dark, and people used to use them as bedtime stories to scare little kids. As far as magical beings and humans are concerned, you do not want to mess with a manticore. I opened the door to my flat and it was even darker. I could make everything out as I weaved around the living room and through to the bedroom. I looked at my clock that read two in the morning, which is actually an early finish, so I decide to have a bath.

Coven Pressure

The phone was ringing, and nothing was making it stop. I crawled up from under my duvet and I was met with blinding sunlight. I forgot to close my curtains. I also wish I had an answering machine. I made it from my bed to the hall table and picked up the phone. ‘Hello, Jessamine.’ I grimaced and held the phone away from my ear as the loud voice of my half-brother continued. ‘Do you know what time it is?’

‘It’s time for me to go back to sleep, Bryce. And don’t call me, Jessamine.’

‘Whoa, was someone up late last night? What happened, you went out, met someone special, are they still there?’

‘Brother, shut up.’ I heard him laughing at me down the phone. ‘I was working.’

‘With, Cassidy?’

‘Yes, with Cass, she is my partner.’ My brother has had a crush on Cassidy since they first met. He was twenty and immature then. Now he’s twenty-three and still, possibly more, immature. He’s full white-witch and works for the police in our home town. He helps Annabeth, the leader of our mother’s coven, to keep magical things as low key as possible. ‘And I’m telling you again, she is not interested.’

‘A fella can dream, can’t he?’

‘He can, and so can a lady, now will you let me go back to sleep?’

‘You forgot about this morning, didn’t you?’

‘Shit.’ I looked at the clock. ‘It’s ten, we were meant to do breakfast.’

‘Bingo.’

‘Are you still at Lunar?’

‘I am and will wait for you if you move your ass. I didn’t come all the way into the city for nothing.’

‘Give me twenty minutes, I’ll be there.’ I hung up the phone and jumped into the shower. I needed to get a diary or something to keep track of where I’m supposed to be. I love my brother, don’t get me wrong, but he’s just always so, on-time. Ten minutes later, I grabbed my bag and headed out to meet him.

I walked across the street and down a side road until I saw a sign for Lunar Café. It’s owned by Mario Phelps, a very attractive half-goblin, who always made me feel welcome. That annoying little bell rang as I pushed through the door and looked for Bryce. The décor is very goblin, green and brown everywhere. There are even vines growing up the walls and table legs. I saw him sitting at a table in the back, that’s not good. My brother is attractive, and he knows it, always sitting where pretty girls would be able to see him clearly. If he’s in the back, something is on his mind. ‘Bryce.’ He looked up and watched me walk over, a nervous smile on his face.

‘Hey, Sis, how are you? You know I only picked this place because it’s around the corner from your flat. No way will she be late here, I thought.’ I slumped down in the seat opposite him, dropping my bag on the table.

‘Cut the crap and tell me what you want.’

‘Can’t I just want to see my sister? We set this up weeks ago so how could I possibly have an agenda?’ I stared him down and watched him give in. ‘Fine, I got a call from Annabeth, last month.’

‘What? Why?’ before he could answer Mario came strutting over. He grinned as his gold eyes sparkled in my direction. He put a steaming cup of coffee down in front of me.

‘For you, Jess.’ He grumbled. I smiled at him gratefully as he slowly walked away, and I could see Bryce grinning to himself.

‘Mario has a thing for you.’

‘Thank you for pointing out the obvious, now back to Annabeth, what does she want?’

‘What she always wants, for you to join the coven.’ I sat back and picked up my coffee, smelling it before taking a sip. Annabeth was second in command when our mother was leading the coven. She was really annoying then and she didn’t have any power; imagine what she’s like with all the power. I shuddered and put my drink down.

‘I’ve told her, oh a thousand times, that I want no part of her coven. She had to know my answer would be the same now.’

‘She’s hoping you’ll think it over, reconsider.’

‘But you’re already in the coven, so is Genevieve. And I’m a half-breed, anyway, why would she want me? Genevieve is our big sister. She’s annoyingly perfect, a housewife with a perfect picket fence house and the perfect husband. Did I mention the two perfect kids?’

‘Don’t call yourself a half-breed.’ Bryce picked up his own cup and sighed. ‘She probably just wants you to feel like a part of the family.’

‘I am part of the family, we’re the Lawrence’s, you, me and Gen. I don’t need her coven.’ Bryce smiled at me before looking to the kitchen.

‘Right, and when is the last time you spoke to our sister?’ I shift nervously.

‘That’s not the point.’ Bryce shook his head, noticing something out of the corner of his eye.

‘Incoming.’ He whispered, looking to me and then down into his coffee. I turn to see Mario walking over carrying a plate. He arrived at the table and sat it down in front of me.

‘Goblin sponge,’ he told me.

‘Thanks, Mario,’ I said unconvincingly. I waited for him to leave before studying the slimy yellow blob on the plate. ‘I’m supposed to eat this?’ I said to Bryce, who was trying to contain his laughter.

‘What you’ve never had goblin sponge before?’

‘So not funny, Bryce.’ The phone in my pocket began to vibrate and I was filled with relief. I took it out and Cassidy’s name is flashing up on the screen.

‘Hang on, I have to get this.’

‘Is it the love of my life? Tell her I miss her!’ I stood, throwing a napkin at him and answering the phone as I walked to the window.

‘Hey, Cass, what’s up?’

‘Hey, I know it’s your day off, but I need you to come into the office.’

‘Sure, is it serious?’ I walked back over to the table and grabbed my bag.

‘Serious enough to call us for arrival as soon as possible. Client doesn’t even know what his problem is.’

‘Is the client human?’

‘Very, if the conversation I just had was anything to go by.’ I laughed, Bryce stood in front of me and interrupted.

‘Can I just say hi to her?’

‘No, you can’t I have work to do, hang on, Cass.’ I said into the phone before pushing him away.

‘We’re not finished talking about this coven thing, clear?’ He nodded and sat back down as I walked out of the door.

‘Sorry, Cass, Bryce is still infatuated with you.’

‘Can you blame him?’

‘How very modest of you, but no, I can’t.’ I crossed the road and walked back past my flat. ‘I’m literally around the corner so I’ll see you in a second.’

‘Okay.’ She hung up before me as I crossed another street before walking through the doors to our office building.

Advanced Warning

I walked past Leon, our human receptionist, as I entered the building. He answers phones, opens the post and makes the best coffee in the world. He’s just out of his teens and has been fascinated with the magical world since he was young. He was so enthusiastic when we interviewed him that we had to have him. Just for the fun factor. ‘Hey Leon, anything good in the post today?’

‘Jess, I thought you had today off?’ He looked up from his screen at me, glasses almost hanging off of his nose. He pushed them up before standing.

‘I did, now I don’t.’ I shrugged, leaning on his desk.

‘Well, you have a few requests but none urgent, oh and this.’ He reached past me to get a lavender coloured envelope. He handed it to me, and I immediately knew who it was from.

‘Thanks, Leon.’ I smiled at him. ‘You know what would be great right about now?’

‘Coffee? Black, two sugars.’

‘How do you do that? Are you sure you aren’t magical?’ I teased, walking past him into the office Cassidy and I share.

‘What do we have, Cass?’ I asked whilst putting my things down and sitting in the chair in front of her desk. She looked up at me just as I put the envelope into my bag.

‘We have Gabriel Hounds running loose in the Lancashire countryside.’ She handed me a folder with some basic information and photographs. It isn’t much but it’s enough.

‘Spirit dogs with the faces of humans? That’s a new one.’ I studied the pictures of the dogs, jet black hair and flat human faces. It was odd, to say the least.

‘Yeah, the farmer who called it in was almost hysterical. Poor guy was scared half to death after watching them rip two of his horses to pieces, and then eat them.’

‘Yum. Wait,’ I looked up at her. ‘They ate the horses?’

‘Uh-huh. That has me worried too.’ She agreed. I closed the file and stood up.

‘When are we going?’

‘Now. I’ve booked us train tickets, should take about four hours.’

‘Wonderful. You know we’re witches, right? Why can’t we just poof ourselves there?’ I protested whilst Cassidy was getting her things ready.

‘You know why coven rules.’

‘Your coven rules, not every coven. And besides, I’m not part of one.’

‘Okay so you work out exactly how to poof yourself there and I’ll meet you.’ Cass smiled and walked out of the room.

‘Now you’re just making fun of me.’ I followed her as we went past Leon who was holding my coffee.

‘Shit, sorry, Leon, no time! Thanks anyway though.’

‘No problem, have a good trip.’ He called as we left.

We were walking back to my place when Cassidy stopped me. She turned me to face her. ‘What, Cass?’ I asked confused.

‘You put a letter in your bag earlier. A purple letter.’

‘It was lavender, actually. And so what?’

She put two hands on my shoulders. ‘Only covens use purple letters, it’s so we know something important is inside.’

‘I know that. And