My mind was whirring with information. My sisters and I had powers or would. We could already move through space and show up in places. But opening portals, altering reality, changing shape, reading minds, controlling others? We couldn’t do any of that.
What Baba Yaga said about us as kitchen witches? I thought about it, realized it on my own as had Kandy, but to have Baba Yaga confirm what it was we did for others through what we made with our hands and the magic we infused our creations with? That meant more than almost anything else.
Shari was sunning herself on the windowsill and had turned the water off herself. I patted her black fur.
I wasn’t quite sure what to do. The house was quiet. My uninvited guests were gone. I hadn’t heard from Merrick in a while.
I’d gotten what I wanted, but what was I supposed to do now?
*
“I’m here to collect,” Merrick said, standing on my doorstep.
“Collect what?”
“You owe me another date, remember?”
I had remembered, but I wondered if he’d forgotten. “Yes. Would you like to come inside?”
Surprise registered on his face. “You’re actually inviting me in this time?”
“I am.”
“Are you okay, love?”
Was I? I’d been wandering my house for the last day. I didn’t feel like baking. I didn’t feel happy or sad. I felt… odd. I’d tried to use some magic, but in all honesty, I didn’t know what I was doing or supposed to do.
I hadn’t even told my sisters that we were going to have more powers and why. I just sat inside my house. I was a little lost now that the excitement, for lack of a better word, was over.
And this was the first time I’d seen or heard from Merrick.
He smiled and reached out to caress my face and brush the hair back from my cheek. “Yes, I’m sorry I was away and out of touch, but since it made you miss me, perhaps I should have done it sooner.”
I closed the door behind him, and he followed me into the living room where I muted the Hallmark Channel Christmas movie and settled in the corner of the couch. “In my head again?”
“Always.”
“Why?”
He sat on the cushion nearest me. “Because I need to know how you are at all times. It’s in my nature.”
“Is it about trust?”
“It is not. I trust you implicitly. Now, would you like to know where I’ve been?”
“I…” I started to say no, that it was none of my business what he did with his time away from me, but that would be a bit of a lie. “Yes.”
“I was putting into motion the transfer of my demon powers and privileges to another.”
“Why?”
“You are my mate and my being a demon seemed to bother you.”
“You not having your job bothers me more. I can’t be your sole purpose.”
“You will not be, and my job is not about you as much as it is about us. You are a good witch, love. I prefer you over any job.”
“What will you do?”
“I will still have some powers, light ones. If you get into a scrape, I won’t be able to do much, but I will always be able to protect you in my own way.”
I thought about what he was saying and at the sincerity in his eyes. “You won’t go back to being ugly and pock marked, right?”
“This will be the form that I remain in from now on.”
“That’s a relief.”
“Yes. You’re too cute a witch to be with anyone ugly.”
“Would you find it odd if I said I kind of missed everything that went on this week? All the chaos and life being upended for a bit?”
“I would, but at the same time, I wouldn’t. You live a quiet life, love, but you like being of use, being needed, being in the middle of things and helping out. You might not have liked the ghosts, but your empathy for their situation allowed you to use a part of yourself that you don’t often. You’re more a social creature than you give yourself credit for.”
He was right. I didn’t like the ghosts, but they deserved compassion. After I was able to forgive them for what they’d done to Shari the Cat, that is.
“So, are you planning to woo me full time now? Is that it?”
“Do I have to still woo you? You seem to be ready to open up to the possibilities of you and me.”
“You will always have to woo me. That doesn’t stop just because we may get together.”
“I see. Well, then… Yes, I will begin wooing you full time.”
I kind of liked that idea. I kind of liked him.
Oh, who was I kidding? I more than kind of liked him.
I smiled at him, at this demon… of mine. “What sort of date did you have mind for us this time?”
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Thank You For Reading!
I fretted over this book, too, just like the previous two in this universe. This is such a different thing for me to write and I’m still trying to find my footing. I get more comfortable with each one, though.
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Lissa Matthews is a Southern writer here for all the coffee, all the food, and all the books!
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Witchin' Sugar Page 9