Baba often misled, and withheld information when it was in her best interest, but she wasn’t a liar. He was certain the bottle contained Abby’s soul. He’d felt it. “You should suggest Baba take a bath, that way she won’t suspect I’m going to steal the bottle.”
“I could, but she said I’m not to help you awaken Abigail, and I’m not supposed to translate the book for you. If I do, you’ll muck everything up, just like Abigail did that time she didn’t listen.” She stood and nodded at the book he’d been translating. “But if you want to help yourself, you might want to start with the charm on page forty-three.”
He stared at her in astonishment. Kelsie was helping him? He hoped it wasn’t because she secretly was in love with him.
She started back toward the cottage, then stopped. “Just so you know, you don’t have to sleep out here every night. You can be my roommate again. If you want.”
He took that to mean she had forgiven him. Perhaps the bread and biscuits hadn’t been meant as poison practice, but as a peace offering.
Lucifer flipped to page forty-three in the book and nearly choked on his cookie when he saw the spell she had suggested.
CHAPTER TEN
Stolen Luck
Lucifer needed allies, skills, and luck to beat Baba. So far, he only had one potential ally, though Kelsie’s temperament was too unpredictable to make her dependable. He was still developing his skills. And he was certain he’d used up his quota of luck thirty years before.
As Lucifer translated page forty-three in the book of spells written in Old High German, he found a charm that was supposed to bring luck—or more precisely—steal luck. The spell used forbidden magic, and therefore was considered illegal—if one was caught.
It was also dangerous in that it robbed the good fortune that belonged to others. It was a spell that could only be used once a season under a waxing moon. Using the spell too frequently would cause bad luck to all but the wielder of the spell, not something Lucifer wanted to do to others—though he could see how an unscrupulous Witchkin wouldn’t hesitate to perform such magic.
It was easy to work the spell under the light of a nearly full moon without Baba knowing what he was up to. He still didn’t trust Kelsie not to climb into bed with him, so he continued sleeping outside at night, and studying during the day.
The spell used a combination of Celestor magic and the Red affinity. Lucifer first absorbed the starlight, a difficult skill for many Witchkin, but one he’d practiced for becoming a cat. He was supposed to channel his Red affinity into the words of the spell at the precise moment his magic was at its peak. He needed to be near Abigail as he performed the spell in order for it to work on the both of them as he thought about the kind of luck he needed. Allies and skills.
He had mixed feelings about performing this spell so close to Abigail’s bed. For one thing, he still hadn’t forgotten the lavender bush he’d caught on fire when he first attempted a new spell.
The other reason he felt conflicted was that he felt like a sexual deviant, fantasizing about her while he manually expressed himself beside her bed. She slept, unaware she was the object of his lustful thoughts. He told himself it was a necessity for the magical byproducts of his affinity.
But he also enjoyed indulging in thoughts about her.
The book made no mention of spurting out rainbows, and he wondered whether that was normal for the spell. He’d never experienced that side effect before. Always he’d felt energized and full of power, but usually he’d also contained his affinity instead of using it in a spell.
Any moment now he waited for luck to hand him a new skill. Or a new ally. He didn’t feel any different aside from being fatigued. He managed to dress himself before falling asleep at the foot of Abby’s bed.
Perhaps luck would come calling on the morrow.
* * *
The sound of soft murmurs roused Lucifer from his sleep. Two figures loomed above Abigail’s bed, silhouettes in the early morning light. For a moment, Lucifer thought it was Baba and Kelsie come to scold him. Or come to collect fingers.
He leapt to his feet. At once he realized neither woman was hunched. One was tall and lean. Lucifer blinked, taking in the sight of Vega Bloodmire. She wore a long black gown that looked out of place outside of a palace. The beadwork on her tiny purse matched that of her gown.
Her gaze was fixed on Abigail. “At least she has all her fingers and toes. That’s saying something.”
Beside Vega stood the librarian from Womby’s School for Wayward Witches, Gertrude Periwinkle. She was a blonde bombshell and wore her hair pinned up under a witch’s hat covered in flowers. Lucifer’s cheeks flushed taking in the sight of Gertrude, the woman who had cared for him and taught him about being human again after his curse had first been broken.
Or more accurately, she’d taught him about being a man.
She wore a cameo of a skeleton at the nape of her neck, and a small animal skull was nestled among the dried flowers on her hat. She managed to look like she belonged to an era at least a hundred years before, yet she exuded more sexuality than a modern woman with far less clothes.
Lucifer attempted to construct a barrier between his magic and hers before he did something impulsive. Like accidentally have sex with her.
“Well, look what the cat dragged in,” Vega Bloodmire said, flipping her long dark hair over her shoulder.
He couldn’t tear his gaze from Gertrude. Siren magic oozed out her pores. He’d forgotten how addictive her magic was. It called to him. His magic wanted to answer.
“What are you doing here?” Lucifer’s voice came out rough and raw, full of yearning.
“I thought I’d pay my baba a visit,” Vega said. “I hope we haven’t dropped in at an inconvenient time.”
Gertrude Periwinkle stepped toward him. He expected her to slap him for running off without saying goodbye. After all she’d done for him during his transition after being a cat, she would probably hate him for leaving her.
Instead, she flung her arms around him. “Lucifer Thatch, I missed you so much!” She was tall, but still needed to stand on tiptoe to press her lips to his.
One kiss was all it took to fall under her spell again.
This was not the way he’d thought the charm would work. Perhaps he had misunderstood the translation. He’d meant to bring himself luck. Not get lucky.
Now he’d need luck to undo his unexpected turn of fortune.
CHAPTER ELEVEN
Stupid Incubus Good-Luck Charms
Lucifer decided to skip breakfast. He was busy attending to other hungers. Gertrude kissed him greedily, as though her life depended on it.
Carrying her far enough into the forest to be out of sight of the cottage proved to be difficult. He hadn’t made it far before Gertrude began to remove his clothes.
Lucifer trailed his lips over Gertrude’s slender neck. “I don’t want you to think I’m using you.”
She unpinned her cameo and unbuttoned the collar of her blouse. “I don’t want you to think I’m using you. Even though I am.” She panted into his ear. “For my pleasure.”
“As long as we’ve gotten that out of the way.” He lifted her into his arms.
Gertrude was one of the most striking women he’d ever met. Her figure would have made a fifties pinup model jealous. Even so, he couldn’t stop thinking about Abigail. He imagined he was making love to her instead.
They were in the forest for quite a while. The sun was high in the sky, and they’d both had their fill of pleasure by the time Lucifer regained enough of his senses to realize the spell had worked after all. Gertrude was a learned librarian fluent in multiple languages.
She rested her head on his chest, trailing a finger over his jaw.
He forced himself to look away from her ample bosom before he became distracted again. “Do you speak Old High German?”
“Not fluently, but I can read it well enough.” She snuggled closer. �
��Why? Are you trying to give Vega’s do-anything spell a crack?”
“No, I don’t think this is a spell she knows.” If Vega had, she would have used it to restore Abigail. “I performed a spell last night to bring me good luck. Today fortune brought you to me.”
She smoothed a finger down his chest and across his belly. “I’d say we’re both lucky.”
“In my incantation, I was to think of what kind of luck I needed. I asked for allies and skills.” He placed his hand on hers before she stroked him any lower. “I think the charm brought you to me to help me translate a spell since I haven’t mastered that skill myself.”
She shifted against him, pressing closer. “I can’t imagine my understanding of Old High German would be better than Baba Nata’s.”
“I’m sure she’s quite fluent, but she won’t teach me. She said I can teach myself. It’s because she doesn’t want me to learn too much magic from this book.” He brought her hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. “Will you help me translate? Please.”
“Anything for you, pet. What kind of spell is it you need to translate?” She lifted herself up on her elbow, her curtain of golden hair spilling across his chest like sunlight. “Something naughty?”
It was difficult not to get lost in the blue brilliance of her eyes. “The spell isn’t sex magic. It’s a different problem.”
She kissed his jaw. “I enjoy your magical problems.”
He was acutely aware of how she gazed admiringly at him, and he felt ashamed of himself. His magic had accidentally affected Kelsie. He didn’t want to hurt Gertrude. He didn’t know if she would be spiteful with him if he had used incubus magic on her. “I need you to help me translate Old High German. It’s a spell to put Abby’s soul back in her body.”
“Is that what ails her? The poor dear.” Her brows furrowed together in genuine concern.
He swallowed. “I’m still in love with her.”
“Of course you are, dear. I know that.” She kissed his cheek.
“You won’t hold it against me that I still want to be with her?” He’d confided this in Gertrude when she’d first found him, lost and no longer a cat. It hadn’t changed, but he needed to ensure she understood that.
Gertrude sat up, retrieving her corset. “Come now. Would you hold it against me if I told you I was still in love with someone else?”
“Um. I suppose not.” Lucifer hoped she didn’t mean his brother. His relationship with Gertrude was already awkward enough.
“Have we had enough physical indulgences for the day?” She raised an eyebrow, her tone teasing. “Are we ready to stimulate our minds with forbidden . . . knowledge?”
* * *
Lucifer supposed the true feat would be removing the books from the cottage without Baba noticing so that he could show Gertrude the spell outside in the forest. Three large tomes weren’t exactly inconspicuous. Then again, he suspected luck would be on his side today.
The moment Lucifer returned to the cottage with Gertrude, the aroma of savory meats, sweet pies, and rich food greeted his nostrils.
Vega lounged languorously in her chair, her deep-set eyes half closed as she watched them enter the cottage. “I see someone decided to join us for lunch.”
Gertrude smiled demurely. “I was too preoccupied to notice how much time had passed.”
“They have been busy feeding other appetites, da?” Baba nodded with approval. “It is good fuel for magic.”
Kelsie snorted as she refilled Baba’s cup with tea.
The table was covered in an assortment of foods. There was a cake, quiche, jelly tarts, biscuits, and a chocolate mousse that looked like the kind Abigail had once made. A savory aroma rose from a tureen of soup.
Lucifer’s belly grumbled. “Who made all this food?”
“I did,” Vega said.
“Nyet. You are liar. Your cooking is worse than Kelsie’s.” Baba snapped her fingers at the girl and pointed to Vega’s cup. “More tea.”
“I did make it. Or rather, my servants did.” Vega looked to Kelsie. “Some of us prefer to spend our time making poisons. I have a special one I like to use on people who insult me.”
Kelsie tried to hide her smile as she fetched the tea. “I’d like to get my hands on that one.”
Baba shook her head at them.
Lucifer seated himself at the table and heaped food onto his plate. He wanted to dig in at once, but he forced himself to use the spell for checking poisons and hexes. Baba nodded approvingly.
Gertrude strolled around the room, examining the shelves. He hadn’t told her where he kept the books. He hoped she wasn’t searching the cottage for them. Baba’s eyes tracked Gertrude’s movement like a predator watching prey.
Lucifer cleared his throat, attempting to draw attention to himself instead. “What brings you here, Vega?”
“It’s Queen Vega to you,” she said loftily. “Queen Clarissa asked me to check up on you. She was worried her lack of enthusiasm for your lofty plans might have depressed you.” Vega’s gaze raked him up and down, an amused smirk on her lips. “I’ll tell her you’ve somehow managed to crawl out of your pit of despair and found the will to express yourself.”
Lucifer grimaced. Abigail’s daughter was the last person he wanted to know about his affairs with Gertrude Periwinkle. His relationship with Clarissa was already strange enough. He was Clarissa’s husband’s brother and her mother’s lover. It was one of those awkward uncle/dad relationships—or in this case brother-in-law/dad relationships—and he didn’t want to think about.
Gertrude approached the table, pausing as Kelsie took the last chair. There were only four chairs at the table. Etiquette dictated he should give up his chair. Lucifer stood and stepped to the side.
“That isn’t necessary, pet.” Gertrude waved him off.
Reluctantly, he sat again. To his surprise, she seated herself on his lap.
Vega rolled her eyes. “Get a room before you make me vomit.”
Gertrude draped an arm over his shoulder. Lucifer’s face flushed with embarrassment. He hadn’t suspected Gertrude would so openly flaunt their carnal activities in front of Kelsie and Baba. It was one thing to sneak off together for a tryst, another to be so casual in front of others.
Gertrude stole his fork and bit into the quiche he’d been enjoying a moment before. She moaned as she tasted it.
Lucifer could feel the pleasure in Gertrude’s body as she rolled the savory dish around on her tongue. Desire flooded his body, and he was relieved she sat on his lap to hide his arousal.
Kelsie’s eyes narrowed. “Did you just use incubus magic on her?”
“No.” He said quickly.
“Don’t worry, love.” Gertrude winked at Kelsie. “I used my siren magic on him.”
Baba snorted. “The devil has met his match, nyet?”
Gertrude fed him a forkful, her eyes mischievous.
* * *
After they’d eaten their fill, Vega dropped an empty platter into a handbag that looked too small for such a large dish to fit within. Lucifer suspected a bottomless purse spell must have been how she had carried all the food there, as he hadn’t seen any trays or baskets in her hands when he’d woken.
Vega suggested they transfer the food to their own platters so she didn’t clutter up Baba’s cottage with dishes and plates she didn’t have room to store. Lucifer was so full he didn’t want to move. Gertrude leaned against him, warm and cozy. This was the best meal he’d had in ages.
Baba waved a hand at Kelsie and Lucifer. “You heard Queen Vega. It is time to do dishes.”
Kelsie slumped lower in her seat, groaning. “Can’t I just sit here and take a nap instead?”
Lucifer wrapped his arms more securely around Gertrude’s waist. “It’s impossible to move when I have a beautiful woman sitting on my lap, trapping me here.”
Vega sipped her tea. Despite the languorous posture and apathetic pose, there was something
about her eyes that hinted at cunning. Baba must have seen it too.
“I know you, my dorogaya. You did not come here with culinary gifts in order to do favor for friend. You come here seeking favor for yourself.” Baba snapped her fingers at Lucifer. “Evict yourself from chair. You have work.”
He did have work, just not the kind of work she intended.
He stood, holding on to Gertrude so he didn’t topple her over. “Kelsie can get this. I’m going to go up to the loft to show Gertrude . . . my room.”
“Ew.” Kelsie made a face. “I’m sure she’s seen enough of your penis for one day.”
Gertrude giggled.
Baba spoke quietly with Vega, her creaky voice too faint to hear. This was just the luck Lucifer needed. Baba was preoccupied.
“I need a favor,” Vega whispered.
Baba clucked her tongue at her granddaughter. “Don’t you always?”
Lucifer climbed up the ladder to the loft. Gertrude followed him.
“The problem is this insufferable kingdom I inherited,” Vega said. “I was prepared for the other Fae courts contesting a Witchkin queen and them protesting the restoration of the Red Court with Clarissa as their leader. It’s bad enough she has to wear pink all the time, but she’s calling herself a president, not a queen.”
Once upstairs in the loft, Lucifer assisted Gertrude up from the ladder. He stored the books on forbidden magic that Baba had loaned him in his dresser. His bed was far enough from the open edge that overlooked the kitchen that they could remain hidden from view.
Gertrude flipped through the books, occasionally pausing before moving on. After a minute, she found a promising spell. “I think this is the one you want.”
He squinted at the title, trying to put the foreign words together. He thought it said Returning a Soul to a Body. He didn’t dare say the title out loud for fear of Baba hearing. Even if she was preoccupied, it didn’t mean she would remain that way for long.
Son of a Succubus Series Collection Page 26