by Susan Hayes
Could this day get any worse?
“All my life I’ve been waiting to be summoned by the tears of a bonny lass. I’ve got to say, this was not at all how I saw this moment unfolding.”
She rolled onto her back and found herself staring up at a man too perfect to be human. Scratch that. He was too perfect to be real.
He was standing off to one side, with the sun shining down on him, lighting up his curly red hair like a fiery halo. The pixies filled the air behind him, peeking around his broad shoulders like shy toddlers instead of the kamikaze sky commandos they’d been just a few minutes before.
She managed to dredge a few semi-coherent words out of her waterlogged brain. “Sorry. No bonny lasses here. Just a wet witch.”
“Ah, so that’s what the little folk are babbling about.” The man’s brogue was as beautiful as the rest of him. He crouched beside her, storm-blue eyes full of concern and badly concealed amusement. “Not much of a welcome, then?”
“No welcome at all. They attacked me without so much as saying hello first.”
She sat up and flipped the sodden mess of her hair off her still-swollen face. She was covered in sand, there was seaweed in her hair, and her clothes were a soaking wet mess—so of course she was face to face with the sexiest man she’d ever seen in her life. The Goddess clearly hates me.
“She messed with the magics. We felt it!”
“The squirrels started it!”
“The pixies said to attack!”
Squirrels? She’d been attacked by squirrel Shifters? Well, that explained the pinecones. She touched a sore spot on her forehead and her fingers came away sticky. Pinecones and sap. Ugh.
The sexy stranger raised a hand for silence, and she watched the play of muscle beneath his grey T-shirt with a focus she usually reserved for baked goods and ice cream. “Stop it, all of you. You’re giving me a blasted headache.”
He offered his hand to Breeze. “I’m Connell McLeod. I’m a newcomer to this place, too, but I’d like to apologize for the way you were welcomed. They’re usually nicer than this.”
She took his hand and tried to ignore the flash of heat that sizzled up her arm the moment they touched. “Breeze Blackstone.”
The piping voices all went silent except for one. “Did she say Blackstone?”
A short figure with an unfortunate overbite bounded into view, her nose and lips twitching. She came right up to Breeze, leaned in, inhaled loudly, jumped back, and bounced in a circle, her hands waving wildly. “It’s her! It’s her it’s her it’s her! Oh, my Goddess, you’re back! Where have you been?”
Before Breeze could answer, she was mobbed by a bunch of short, chattering Shifters while the pixies streaked back and forth above her, sprinkling everyone in pixie dust and sending Breeze into another fit of sneezing.
“Dust. Allergic. Help!’ She wheezed and tried to hide her face in her sodden coat.
“Everyone, be still! I don’t know what’s got your tails in a twist, but you all need to back off and let her breathe!” Connell bellowed, then lifted her into his arms, cradling her against a chest that should probably be designated one of the wonders of the world. “I’ve got you. Hold on and I’ll get you somewhere pixie-free.”
She buried her face in the crook of his neck and held on, sniffling in a desperate attempt to keep her snot to herself. She was painfully aware that this was probably the closest she’d ever be to perfection, and all she could do was hope she didn’t get seaweed on his shirt.
Chapter Four
He was going to have to talk with the pixies about staying away from the witch, or the woman he presumed was his Goddess-sent partner for this mission would be wheezing and sneezing too much to be helpful. First though, he needed to get her inside and warmed up enough she could magic herself back together again. Females of every species had some traits in common, and at the top of the list was the need to make a good first impression. Somehow, he didn’t think soggy, sneezing, and sandy was the look she was hoping for. Right now, he couldn’t really tell much about the new arrival other than the fact she was female, freezing cold, and smelled of seaweed and…pine sap?
“I’m taking you to my place. It’s not far from here. A cup of tea and some time by the fire and you’ll feel better.”
“Pretty sure it would take a couple of shots of tequila and a dozen cupcakes to make me feel better right now. This is not how I imagined my homecoming.”
“Homecoming? So Sassy actually did recognize you from somewhere?” Better and better. The Goddess had sent him a witch who already knew the lay of the land.
“Is that the squirrel Shifter’s name? I don’t remember her, but yes, I’m from here, originally.” The bedraggled witch sighed. “I don’t recall very much about this place. In fact, until last night, I barely thought about it at all.”
Well, damn. He needed a witch with her head in the game, someone who already knew the score and could help him wrap things up, maybe hit the sack for a night of mutual pleasure, and then he’d be on to the next mission. “So the Goddess sent you to help me out on this mission, but you don’t even remember your time here?”
She lifted her head and shot him a confused look. “The Goddess didn’t send me here. Baba Yaga did, and she didn’t mention you at all.”
He bit back a frustrated groan and carried her into his cottage. It looked like a shanty from the outside, but inside it was snug, cozy and comfortable. It wasn’t his usual, but he was coming to like the rustic wood furniture with their array of colourful quilts, the polished hardwood floors that creaked no matter where you stepped, and the view of the bay was amazing.
He set her in a rocking chair near the fire, and handed her one of the quilts before kneeling by the hearth. Some fresh wood and a quick stir of the embers had the fire blazing again. Only then did he turn to face her and ask the question he’d been holding back since she’d mentioned why she was here. “Baba Yaga sent you here. Can I ask why?”
“Honestly? I’m not really sure. Something about a dark threat and protecting this town.”
“You’re the town’s protector?”
“Apparently. Believe me, I was as surprised as you are. I’m nothing special.”
Which might explain why he’d been sent here. The little witch was going to need his help. He didn’t have magic, but he was good at his job. T.G.I.F agents who weren’t didn’t have much of a lifespan.
He rose, giving her a gentle pat on the shoulder as he moved past her to the kitchen. She needed tea and a bit of encouragement. And a chance to dry off. No one could be optimistic when they were cold and soaked to the skin. “The Goddess told me she was sending a witch to help me deal with some trouble in this town. Baba Yaga sent you here to protect this place. You might not think you’re anything special, but those two seem to have a different opinion. I’d say you’re right where you’re supposed to be.”
“Maybe.” She sounded dubious. “I’m not one to doubt the Goddess, but…”
“I don’t recommend finishing that sentence. The last time I annoyed her Gloriousness, she zapped me a good one. My pelt still has a scorch mark.” He put the kettle on and set out the makings for tea. He added a couple of cookies from his stash in the cupboard in case she was hungry.
“What kind of Shifter are you, anyway?”
“I’m a selkie.” He’d discovered that outside his native Scotland, not a lot of people had heard of them. There weren’t many of them in the world, and most lived quiet lives far away from humans.
“Selkie? As in the gigolos of the sea?” She gasped. “Goddess, when you said I’d summoned you by shedding tears into the sea, you meant it!”
He grinned. “Aye, I meant it. The legend is real. All of it.”
He turned, intending to lay on the charm, and stopped dead in his tracks. While he’d had his back turned, Breeze had magicked herself into dry clothes and put herself to rights. And holy Goddess in scuba gear, she looked good.
Her long legs were clad in black je
ans, and she wore a pair of thigh-high black boots that clung to her calves like a jealous lover. Her oversized parka was gone, and she was wearing a simple fisherman’s sweater of chunky, dark grey wool. Her hair was dry and free of seaweed, tumbling over her shoulders in a mass of dark waves streaked with white. His little witch was beautiful.
Whoa. He slapped that thought aside like it was a mosquito looking for its next meal. She wasn’t his anything. Possessive thoughts were not his thing. Nope. Those led to mating thoughts, which led to monogamy and a safe, settled life. Safe and settled were not part of his plans. Hell, they were barely part of his vocabulary.
Breeze fried a few more of his brain cells when she offered him a shy smile. “I’d apologize for summoning you under false pretenses, but I’m grateful you rescued me. I’m not sure I would have survived another bout with the pixie patrol.”
He managed to get his brain back into gear, locked his libido in a closet, and smiled back. “They’re not a bad bunch, just a little…fluttery.”
“That cursed dust they shed gets everywhere. I hope I got it all off your quilt.” She nodded to the now neatly folded patchwork blanket on his couch.
“I’ll shake it out again later, once the little folk have left.” He checked outside. “Which they haven’t done, yet. In fact, I think half the town is outside. Since I ceased to be of interest after my first week in residence, I believe they’re all here for you.”
“Word travels fast. I thought I’d have more time before anyone learned I was here.”
“Wyrding is a small place, and the people here watch out for one another.”
“I’ve been a city witch since I moved out of the orphanage. I’d forgotten what smaller towns were like.”
“Orphanage?” Another piece fell into place. He’d read the file on this place and its history. Hell’s bells, he should have recognized her last name when she’d introduced himself. “Your parents were the former protectors of this town, right? The ones lost in the storm?”
She nodded sadly and he felt a pang of regret for reminding her of her loss. “They were. At least, I think they were. It’s all still very fuzzy.” She pinched the bridge of her nose and sighed in obvious frustration. “I wish I could remember!”
He was by her side before he had time to consider what he was doing. “Give yourself a little time. I imagine being here will bring back all sorts of memories.”
She lifted her head and smiled at him, and it was like being in the water when lightning struck nearby. Every part of him started to tingle, and without thinking he leaned down to press a kiss to her forehead, but he never finished the move. The moment he got close, the scent of her filled his lungs, and he staggered back in shock.
She smelled like sun-warmed strawberries, good Scotch, and the woods after a spring rain. Goddess help him, all of his favourite things. But that wasn’t possible. The only one who could smell that good to him was his… nope. He wasn’t even going to think the word.
Mate. His Shifter side whispered the word with glee.
This wasn’t happening.
“Tea. I was making you tea. Then, I think you should probably head out and meet the neighbours.” He shot across the room and pulled the kettle off the stove before it even finished boiling. The sooner she finished her tea, the sooner she’d be gone, and he could think this through. It had to be a mistake. Maybe it was a side effect of her summoning him with her tears. Goddess knew that had been a powerful pull. One second he’d been running down leads on where the gulls were getting the trash they kept dumping in the area, and the next he’d been out the door, looking for the source of the summons.
She gave the door an uneasy glance. “I guess I should. They’re really all out there, still?”
He looked out the kitchen window because it seemed safer than doing what he really wanted, which was to wrap her in his arms and comfort her for an hour or ten. He was losing his damned mind, which wasn’t a good thing. He needed to be on point for this mission.
He poured the tea and brought it over to her even though it hadn’t had time to steep. He brought the biscuits, too.
“Oh! Lovely. Hobnobs are my favourite.” She took one of the biscuits with a delighted smile that put more steel in his rod than was comfortable, considering he’d opted for jeans today.
“A woman of impeccable taste, then. Feeling better?”
“Dryer, certainly.” She nibbled on the biscuit, then looked toward the door again. “I know I haven’t finished my tea, yet, but I think I should go talk to them. It seems rude to leave them waiting.”
“They drove you into the bloody ocean by way of a welcome. They can wait a few minutes more.” He listened to the words coming out of his mouth and briefly wondered if he was being possessed by an idiot. He didn’t want her to stay. He wanted her gone so he could pour himself something a lot stronger than tea and figure out what the hell he was going to do. As much as he wanted to go with the theory this was all part of the selkie legend, he’d never heard of it happening like this. Mind-blowing sex? Yes. And he’d been all for that. But this… was something different.
Breeze bowed her head so her face was hidden behind her hair, but he saw the look in her eyes as she did it. She wasn’t ready to face them, yet.
“Stay here.” He walked to the door and opened it, stepping out onto the porch so everyone could hear.
“Breeze is having a cup of tea and taking a few minutes to compose herself. She’ll be out soon. And for the love of the briny deeps, will whoever put the pixies on patrol please take them off it again? And that goes for the squirrel Shifters, too.”
“Tell her we’re sorry!” Sassy called to him from her spot near the front of the group.
“You can tell her yourself in a few minutes.” He rolled his shoulders and fell into a relaxed pose more in keeping with the easygoing eco-tourist he was claiming to be. Tourists didn’t normally bark orders at the locals, at least, not if they wanted an enjoyable stay. “And that’s all the adulting I’m doing today. I’m supposed to be on vacation. This keeps up I might as well head back to the office and start wearing ties again.”
“We’ll know you’re ready to go back to work when you stop wearing skirts,” Someone, shouted as everyone else laughed.
“It’s not a bloody skirt. It’s a kilt. And just for that, I’ll be wearing mine for the rest of the week.”
He turned and commented over his shoulder. “She’ll be out soon. Go easy on her, please?”
He re-entered the cabin and found Breeze watching him intently. “What was that?”
“What?”
“You told them you were on vacation, but you told me the Goddess sent you here on some kind of mission. Which is it?”
Busted. Then again, he hadn’t been trying to hide the truth from her. She was the one person who needed to know who he was and why he was here.
Because she’s our mate.
He gritted his teeth. Not because of that. Because she was his work partner. That’s all. He reached back and locked the door, came as close as he dared, and lowered his voice enough not even Shifter hearing could pick up what he said. “I was sent here to help the town, but they don’t know that.”
Her dark brows winged up. “Why not?”
“Because it’s easier to find troublemakers if they don’t know you’re looking for them.”
“So, you’re a secret helper?” Breeze cocked her head and frowned. “How does that work?”
He touched a finger to his lips and winked. “It’s a secret.”
She rewarded him with another little smile that reminded him to start wearing a kilt around her before his jeans started doing damage to his favourite body part. “I can keep a secret.”
“I hope so, because you need to know this one. I work for T.G.I.F. We’re a secret organization that helps protect the magical communities of the world. I’m here because there’s a threat to this town. Maybe more than one. There are gull Shifters messing up the ocean and corrupting the land and
sea around here, but there’s more going on, too. The spells that protect this place are unravelling.”
“T.G.I.F? You work for a restaurant?”
He sighed. Goddess on high, they really needed a new name. “Not the restaurant. The Goddess’ Investigation Forces. And believe me, it’s better than the last acronym they tried to use. G.U.P.P.I.E.S was universally hated.”
“I bet it was. Sorry, I’m still trying to wrap my head around the idea that the Goddess has secret agents working for her.”
He grinned. “Her Gloriousness works in mysterious ways.”
“Like teaming up with Baba Yaga to send me back here after thirteen years to solve the mystery of my parents’ death and protect a town that is apparently about to be magically vulnerable?”
“Exactly like that. She keeps things interesting.”
“I’m not an interesting person, though. Until a few days ago, I was happy serving cappuccinos and conjuring up the occasional batch of cupcakes. Then there’s a glitter explosion in my living room, my birthday feast went splat, and I’m on my way back to a place I don’t remember, to protect it from some dark threat no one bothered to actually describe.”
“That’s her Gloriousness for you. And believe me, you’re among friends. The whole town is out there right now, and while you might not remember them, it’s pretty clear that they remember you and can’t wait to see you again.”
A commotion started up outside. There was an annoyed chitter, and then a piercing voice rang out. “Move aside! Familiar coming through. Come on, everyone, out of my way. Official witch business!”
Someone scrambled up the stairs to the porch and knocked on the door. “Breeze, is that really you? It’s me! Your familiar!”
Breeze set her mug down with unsteady hands. “I don’t have a familiar.”
“The hell you don’t! I swear, I’m going to braid Baba Yaga’s backcombed bangs the next time I see her. Did she really make you forget about me? I’m your Snuffy!”