by Mina Carter
“I’m fine,” she said, lifting a hand to stroke against his jaw. “The water’s clean. It’s over. We need to put some cleansing meas—”
She got no further. Brock’s mouth crashed down over hers in a hard, demanding kiss. With a whimper, she gave in to him, clinging to his broad shoulders and not caring they were surrounded by people.
“Now THAT’S what I’m talking about!” Mac grinned as they both came up for air. “Damn, girl, please tell me you got a sister!”
“Funny you should say that...”
Livvy’s answering grin died a death as Agent Moss stepped forward, his expression determined. The new woman was by his side, her expression equally determined. She looked to be the female version of Agent Moss, with her severely cut skirt suit and sensible courts. Now that she wasn’t covered in vines, Livvy could read the badge clipped to the breast pocket of her jacket.
Nigela Webbsbottom, Legal Dept. Baba Yaga’s office.
Oh shit. She should have just let the waterspout eat them. Problem solved.
“Err... Brock, I have something to admit,” she started but was cut off again as the air was filled with rainbow sparkles and music. Still holding her, Brock staggered back. Mac flicked claws free and Livvy called purple fire as they rounded on the new threat.
A blonde woman who looked like a reject from the 1980s stood in the middle of the boathouse, frowning at her nails. They were long and immaculate.
“No damage!” she trilled, beaming as she looked around. Her smile slipped a little as she spotted Moss and Webbsbottom, and her sweater slipped off one shoulder. The big hair matched her ra-ra skirt perfectly. “I have a bone to pick with you two.”
“Baba Yaga!” Webbsbottom murmured in surprise, going pale. “What are you doing here? This is a standard deportation, no need for you to be involved at all.”
Livvy’s eyes widened at the title. The Baba Yaga, AKA leader of the world’s witches... and obviously Webbsbottom’s boss. She wasn’t sure about Moss. He’d said he worked for the crown. But the agent had gone pale as well, so obviously the Baba Yaga had some pull with MI:18 too.
“Standard? Standard?” Baba Yaga’s voice rose in pitch, multi-colored magic swirling around her dangerously. “You try and deport a La Faye and you call that standard?”
She slid a glance sideways at Livvy and winked. “Pleasure to meet you, my dear. Let me just deal with these idiots and we can have a nice chat.”
Moss had recovered and puffed himself up like a peacock wanting attention. “I’m sorry to disillusion you, madam, but this woman is a fraud. She and her family have been using the La Faye name illegally for years. I am here in the name of the crown to take her into custody.”
“The crown?” Baba Yaga’s eyebrow winged upward toward her sequined headband. “That would be Lizzy’s crown, correct? Yeah, I had a lovely chat with her this morning about this situation. You are relieved of duty, immediately.” She clicked her fingers and Moss disappeared in a shower of sparks and bubbles.
Webbsbottom looked at where he had been in horror and backed up. “But she didn’t have the correct paperwork, ma’am. Protocol...”
“Screw protocol!” Baba Yaga snapped her fingers again and Webbsbottom disappeared. She turned to Livvy with a smile, adjusting her headband. “Now, my dear. Let’s get acquainted, shall we?”
Epilogue
“So... Baba Yaga is called Carol and you’re a real La Faye?”
Brock’s voice rang with surprise later that evening when they were finally alone in her bedroom. Fuzzy had gone to bed in his own room, thoroughly fêted and spoiled for having the foresight to drink the sacred water.
Livvy nodded as she slid into bed next to Brock. He lifted an arm and she settled against him gratefully with a sigh. Her very bones ached from the magic she’d used. Fighting a water spout and banishing evil from a lake took it out of a girl.
“Apparently so. I had a vision while I was fighting the water-monster and Baba Yaga confirmed it. Looks like, all La Fayes have been in... well, witness protection I guess... My nanna was charged with keeping me safe.”
She lifted the heart-shaped charm around her neck. “I always thought this was so I could see the magical world around me. But it wasn’t. It was to shield me from unfriendly eyes, so people couldn’t see me for what I was.”
He took it gently from her hand with strong fingers. “And now?”
She shrugged. “A trinket, nothing more. Its magic wore out when I remembered who I was.”
Brock rumbled in the center of his chest as he pulled her closer, placing a kiss against her temple. “I’m glad you did, and that you decided to stay here... in Bottomslick.”
She nodded, a soft sigh of pleasure at the feel of his lips against her skin. Baba Yaga had assured her she could go home if she wanted to, that MI:18 and Moss would no longer be a problem, but...
“Well, I have one or two reasons to stay...” she teased, drawing lazy circles over his chest.
“Uh-huh.” He reached for her hand, tangling his fingers in hers. “Maybe a handsome—”
“Little dog,” she butted in, pretending to misunderstand him. “Fuzzy is a handsome little fella indeed, glad you think so. He’s had a hard life.”
The growl got a little deeper, his grip stilling her movements. “Just the dog?”
She bit her lip, suppressing a giggle. “Maybe not just the dog. There might be this big, sexy bear Shifter who—”
He broke in, hand in her hair as he turned her onto her back and leaned over her. His words were whispered against her lips.
“—will love you until his dying breath.”
To check out all the side splitting books in the Magic and Mayhem Universe, go to https://magicandmayhemuniverse.com/
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Thank you!
Also by Mina Carter
The Dramatic Life of a Demon Princess
1 - Fire, Brimstone and Chocolate Cake
2 - Murder, Death and Frozen Peas
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Project Rebellion
1 - Perfect Mate
2 - Blood Mate
3 - Not Dead Enough
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Kyn Warriors
1 - Blood Vow
2 - Blood Sacrifice
3 - Blood Enemy
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Paranormal Protection Agency
1 - Hearts of Stone
2- The Wolf, the Curse, and the Party
3 - Seduced by Santa
4 - Her Wolf to Command
5 - Dragon’s Honor
6 - Dragon’s Chase
7 - Santa’s Naughty List
8 - What the Sleigh?
9 - Bad Santa
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The Lyric Hounds
1 - Rocked by her Alpha
2 - Wolf Bond
3 - Sex, Wolves and Rock & Roll
About the Author
Mina Carter is a New York Times & USA Today bestselling author of romance in many genres. She lives in the UK with her husband, daughter and a bossy cat.
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Connect with Mina online at:
mina-carter.com