He reached for her hand and gave it a soft squeeze. “I like being with you. Once the hoodoo’s gone and you’re free to do as you like, would you consider… could you picture… with a Lycan?”
“Are you asking if I would date a Lycan? Yes, I would.”
Relief flooded his face. “Fredi, I was asking more than that.”
“I thought so, but I’m a witch. I’m choosy as hell, and I like to take my time coming to obvious conclusions. I want to get to know you, and we can start with breakfast. I don’t have to work today.”
A big smile burst across his face. “Fair enough. I have an extra set of work clothes in my truck. Would you mind if I jumped in your shower?”
She took a long sip of water. The thought of warm soapy water flowing over his chest was too irresistible. “Would you mind if I joined you?”
His eyes sparkled. “Sounds like breakfast might turn into brunch, or lunch.”
“If you’re lucky.”
Gus laughed. “I think I am pretty damn lucky. I’m going to get my clothes.” He stood and walked out the front door.
“Wait.” She pointed the wand at him. “Purgo, declarare.”
“What does that mean?”
“Purgo, declarare is a standard spell breaker; it means to cleanse and clarify. If there’s anything left of the hoodoo affecting your behavior or judgment, it’s gone now.”
The morning light warmed his hazel eyes. “I don’t feel any different. I still want to take a shower with you. I’ll be right back.” He turned and darted toward his truck.
Fredi reached for her phone and saw a bunch of messages from Estele that had silently rolled in while they weren’t paying attention. She hit Play.
“10:04. Beep. Fredi, pick up. I remembered part of the spell.”
“10:09. Beep. Why aren’t you answering? I thought you were desperate? I’ve got good news. I need to tell you something.”
“10:23. Beep. What’s with you? I’m just going to say it. It’s a miracle! I reversed the hoodoo all by myself. I finally think I got something right. It feels great! I can’t wait to tell Madame Dahlia about my little victory. She’ll be shocked all the way down to her purple pantaloons. You and Gus should be out of danger now. You can send him home if you like. Again, I’m so sorry about this. I hope everyone is okay. Call me when you get this message. Bye.”
“10:58. Beep. I forgot to tell you that, after I removed the hoodoo, there might be some mild side effects that could leave you drowsy. No one should drive. Hopefully, you are sleeping right now and not driving in your sleep. Call me when you get this message.”
Gus walked inside and made a beeline for the bed. “Who are you talking to?”
“I was listening. These were messages from Estele. I’ll call her later.”
He winked. “Be sure to tell her I say thank you.”
She shook her head. “It will only encourage her to cause more trouble in the future.”
“I’m in trouble now.” He took the phone from her hand and set it on the nightstand. With a glint of mischief on his face, he took hold of her hand and pressed it hard against the bulge in his pants. “I think I need another dose of blonde witch. Would you prefer a lazy roll in the sheets or a sudsy stand-up in the shower? Lady’s choice.”
She laughed. “I won’t be tricked into choosing. I want both!”
Epilogue
Six months later
A mild December evening swiftly faded into night. Fredi stood on the patio of Gus’s condo, looking out on the scruffy canyon forest and watched the first stars appear.
Gus wrapped his arms around her and kissed her nape. “You smell nice.”
“It’s a new shampoo. You notice everything.” A chill in the evening air encouraged her to nestle closer to his chest. Being around a Lycan had honed her sense of smell and appreciation of all things earthy. Scents were more intriguing, and forest trails had become favorite haunts. A hint of hickory smoke from the barbecue clung to his plaid flannel shirt, creating a wonderful aroma. “Dinner was good. Your steaks were perfect; they always are. Do you have time for dessert?”
“Sure. I have at least an hour until moonrise.”
“Are you taking a wolf romp tonight?”
“Yeah, I need to wolf-shift. It’s good for me. I’ll only be out for an hour or so.”
“So little? Every month you seem to go out less.”
“I don’t seem to need more than that, now that I’ve got a mate. Actually, I want to get back to you as soon as possible. You’ll be here when I return, won’t you?”
She nodded.
“And spend the night with me?”
“Of course.” She spent most weekends at his place to avoid the weekend crowds at the beach, but she loved that he didn’t take her for granted and still asked. Gus was good company, and a big help at the animal shelter, too. The animals sensed he was a kindred soul paired with a gentle human heart and loved him for it. Scared dogs gave him their trust, and kittens melted in his hands. In many subtle ways, he’d charmed her, too. To her delight, she now also enjoyed long walks in the wooded canyon behind his condo and had a well-broken-in pair of hiking boots to prove it. “I have a surprise to show you.”
“I have a something to show you too, but I want to see your surprise first.”
A warming tray had been set on the sturdy patio table. She lifted the steel cover to reveal two ceramic dishes. “I made crème brulée.”
Without hesitation, he reached toward one of the dishes. “It looks great, Fredi.”
She gently brought his hand to a halt. “Wait, that’s not the surprise.”
“What’s the surprise?”
Pursing her lips, she drew a rough breath. “I’ve been toying around a little with the Wiccan fire.”
Alarm registered on his face. “Is that wise? I thought that was over with?”
“Every now and then it returns, but I’m learning to control it. Watch.” She rubbed her hands together and pointed her fingertips at the crème brulées. A soft, glowing green light crackled from her fingertips, heated the sugar sprinkled on top of the desserts, and turned it a perfect golden brown. The rich scent of caramel wafted in the air. “Isn’t that cool?!” she squealed. “I’m learning to make toast that way, too, but it's tough. The other day, I burned so many slices of bread I managed to set off the smoke detector on Mr. Plotkin’s front porch.”
He laughed. “Poor Mr. Plotkin will be so happy when you move away.”
“Why would I move?”
Gus pulled a velvet ring box from his pocket. “Because hopefully you’ll be marrying me.” He opened the box and displayed a vintage engagement ring with a delicate, square-cut diamond. “I love you, Fredi. I knew you were the one for me since that first night we got hoodooed. I want to make plans.”
“You want to live on the edge of a state park or wilderness corridor, right?”
“Yes, and I want to have a family, too—when you’re ready.”
“You sound like you’re ready now.”
“I sort of am. I’m Lycan; I can’t help it.”
“Well?”
“Well, what?”
“Are you going to keep talking, or will you to put that damn ring on my finger before you wolf-shift and leap over the patio rail?”
The End
Author’s Note:
Did you enjoy meeting Fredi and Gus and getting hoodooed? Want a little more Sorcery By The Sea in San Buena? Guess what’s coming next—Estele’s story. Estele is trying to graduate from the Master Mage Magic Academy, and the seaside town of San Buena will never be the same. Yep, Estele has been a bad girl, and she’s going to meet her match in a handsome Brujo who drives an enchanted food truck. I’m going to mix Estele’s brand of loopy spellcasting with a priceless gem of infinite power, malicious demons bent on world domination, and thousands of innocent people at a county fair—what could go wrong?
Also look for Wild Cards, coming May 30th 2016. Wild Cards will be part of a shared worl
d series with lots of magic and mayhem set in Las Vegas.
And there’s more coming this autumn….
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