by Dana Davis
“I wouldn’t go around trying to turn invisible if I were you,” Bridgette said. “Won’t happen.”
“Yeah, I figured as much. Any other powers associated with my ancient clan?”
“None that I know of. Daisy?”
She delved into those fay lessons from childhood. “Well, they were pretty resilient out in the elements. Which could explain why you hardly ever get sick. I can do some research. But Grogochs have intermarried with humans for so many centuries, I doubt there was anything more written on them. The original clan, that is.”
Noah gave her a thoughtful gaze. “How does this explain that symbol I saw on your magick book?”
“Paranormal blood, no matter how strong or where it originated, can enhance human abilities. That’s not to say there wasn’t some other paranormal in your ancestral line. There could be. But the strongest comes through in a reveal vision.”
Noah nodded. “I was looking at this picture when the visions came.”
“Which means that woman is descended from your Grogoch line. She stuck out to you because of the spell and the blood you share. Since your strongest ancestor was Grogoch, I would bet this woman had few, if any, powers. The reason Bridgette and I have powers is because our ancestors mostly married other paranormals, not mortals, so our magickal bloodline is still very strong. We have many ancestors who might come through in a reveal spell.”
Noah studied Bridgette. “And your dad was a troll?”
Bridgette sniffed. “Half troll, half mortal. But he was still a paranormal. He could manipulate water. That’s how he caught so many fish out on the lake. I didn’t get any of his powers. I can only manipulate water with spells, like Daisy.”
“You got one of his powers,” Daisy said with a smirk. “You curse like a troll.”
Green eyes narrowed on her followed by a chuckle. “You got that right, sister.”
“So,” Noah said with a thoughtful look. He seemed to ignore Daisy and Bridgette’s bantering. “My paranormal blood enhances my natural linguistic abilities, or else I never would’ve noticed that symbol on the book?”
“Pretty much.” Bridgette said.
Daisy smiled at him. “Guess I didn’t marry a mortal after all. Welcome to the family of paranormals, honey.”
“Thanks. Do I get an award?”
Daisy gave him a smoldering look and he offered a half-smile in return.
“If you two are going to do that, I’m leaving. I haven’t had a good lay in months.”
“Bridgette. Really. You’re manners have gone downhill, even for the daughter of a half troll.”
The woman threw her head back and bellowed a laugh that startled Perky. The dog bounced around her knees yipping until she settled down. “Oh, hush, you. Crazy mutt.” One long arm reached down and she scratched behind his ear.
Noah studied the photo of the mysterious woman and Daisy said, “Any idea who she is?”
“No. Trevor might know. I’ll scan and email this to him. He can show it to Jake.”
Daisy saw Bridgette’s confusion and said, “Trevor and Jake are Noah’s older brothers.” Her attention went back to her husband. “Speaking of Jake....”
“Yeah. I haven’t forgotten. I’ll call him tonight.”
Bridgette gave a sigh. “I guess I should give my mother a call too. She’ll be wondering why she hasn’t heard from me in over a month.”
“Shame on you, Bridge. You really should talk to her more often. She won’t be around forever.”
“We’re not as close as you and your mom were. Besides, if that old witch has her way, she’ll outlive us both. Mind if I use your phone. My cell’s registered in Canada. Damn roaming fees are already draining my wallet.”
“Go ahead.” Though that was hardly the truth. Bridgette had inherited enough money from her father that a few roaming fees wouldn’t make a dent in her finances.
After Bridgette left the room, Noah leaned over to plant a kiss on Daisy’s mouth. “Wanna have sex?” he said playfully as one hand took a quick stroke of her breast.
“Now?”
“Don’t have much of our long weekend left.”
She giggled. “I think we should at least wait until Bridgette’s out of the house. I can send her on some errand.”
“I’ll go after I call my mother!” Bridgette called. “I’ll be gone at least two hours!” She peered in from the hallway. “Will that be long enough?” She laughed and disappeared before Daisy could get in a good retort.
“Maybe I’ll help her look for an apartment,” Daisy uttered.
They cleaned up the spell items while Bridgette yelled into the phone in the guestroom.
After a while, her cousin came out, red-faced and purse in hand. “That woman’ll be the death of me,” she said. “Can you believe she wants me to visit?”
“Well, she is your mom.”
“For a month!”
“Ouch.”
“Ouch is right. She said if I don’t come there, she’ll buy me a nice, big house just so she can vacation here.”
Daisy chuckled. “She know anything about this shape-shifter?”
“No. But she was thoroughly pissed when I told her about the séance.”
“Like there’s a surprise.”
“She’s agreed to talk to some of the relatives. See if anyone knows anything. I gave her your number. Hope you don’t mind.”
“No. But I thought she had my number.”
“Guess she was testing me. Well, I’m off to the magick shop. Need anything?”
“I’m good for now.”
“All right. Go have sex with your husband. I’ll stay away until you’re done.”
“You’re hopeless.”
“Yeah, well, at least one of us is getting some.” Bridgette pushed her toward the master suite and took off.
Noah was waiting when she came into their bedroom. A smirk danced on his lips. Daisy tossed one of Perky’s toys down the hall then shut the door before the dog could get back to her. He fell for that trick every time. Noah beckoned her with a seductive finger and she went to him.
“See, I do have magickal powers,” he said.
“Yes, you do.”
They undressed each other, tongues finding erotic places as they went, and got under the sheets.
“Damn it’s cold,” Daisy said.
“I’ll warm you up.”
She moaned as his lips and tongue made her nipples hard. She reached down, gripped him with her fingers, and gently stroked. Thoughts of her attacker popped into her head and she fought hard to push them away. Noah’s hands roamed her body, stroking her inner thighs, teasing her more delicate parts in the familiar way only he could do, and she relaxed. This was the real Noah. Her Noah. She gave in to the pleasure he provided. He moved down and aroused her even more with his tongue. Once she was wet and panting, he entered her with gentle and loving movements. She grasped his back and pulled him close, smelling him, tasting him, wanting him.
They got into a familiar rhythm and Daisy reveled in the muscles she felt contracting beneath her fingers. Noah was no body builder but he kept in shape more than most computer jockeys. She felt safe with him, loved. After he climaxed, he tended to her needs until she was fully satisfied.
“I needed that,” she uttered in a breathless tone.
Noah answered with a kiss to her forehead. They lay in each other’s arms, both a bit sweaty, and dozed.
Daisy woke suddenly, her head on Noah’s arm, and gazed around the room, half expecting that shape-shifter thing to be watching her. Nothing. No one except the two of them. She dozed again.
The bedroom door rattled and Perky barked, startling Daisy and Noah from their nap. Daisy bolted upright with a trussing spell on her lips.
Chapter 11
Magick Shop Blues
“It’s just me!” Bridgette called.
Daisy relaxed and Perky was quiet after a minute or two. “I wonder what goodies she raked at the magick shop,” she said as she traced Noah’s appendecto
my scar with her finger. He’d had that surgery as a boy, long before Daisy met him. “Old Mrs. Ferdinand’s been a scrooge lately with the good stuff. Or else she charges way too much and blames it on inflation.”
Noah took her hand, moving it away from the scar, and kissed her fingertips. “I doubt your cousin has trouble getting much of anything if she wants it bad enough.”
“You’re right about that.” She chuckled but her thoughts turned to Bridgette’s siren. “I’m worried about her. She’s never been forgetful. Especially when it comes to money. When she forgot to transfer her bank balance, that was totally out of character.”
“She’s been through a lot lately. Maybe she wants to stay with us a while. I don’t mind, really. It’s not like she’ll interfere with anything. And it might be good for you too. To have another witch around. Despite my new found bloodline, I’m not much good with the hocus-pocus.” He wiggled his fingers.
That got a laugh from Daisy and she smacked his hand. “We don’t do hocus-pocus.”
His chest vibrated with a chuckle and he reached down to give her a smack on her bare butt. “You sure have some hocus-pocus in bed, wench.” He rolled over on top of her and the feel of his naked flesh caused her to get aroused again. “Round two?”
“You’re full of it,” she said. He wasn’t hard against her and she giggled. “Or not.”
“Yeah. This old body can only do it once.” He grunted as he pulled from the warm sheets and started to dress. “I’m hungry. Whatta you say we take your cousin out for dinner tonight?”
“Sounds good.” Daisy forced herself up and stumbled toward her clothes, sleep not quite gone despite the renewed desire that had lit between her legs. That went away as quickly as it appeared and she said, “This old body could use some comfort food.”
She’d stepped into her sweatpants and nothing else when Noah snagged her around the waist. She squealed.
He planted a kiss on her bare shoulder. “You’re not old, my little vixen.”
“Maybe not. But I sure feel it some days. I know we agreed to grow old together at our handfasting. I’d just hoped we would stay younger longer.”
They had opted for a traditional witch’s handfasting just before the more modern and very modest wedding. Noah didn’t care either way. He’d told her they could elope to Vegas if she wanted. She’d thought about that, but her relatives would have skinned her, especially Bridgette’s mother, so she stayed with family tradition. It had been a wonderful ceremony and she was glad she hadn’t eloped.
Noah, who stood with his chest pressed to her back, cupped her ample bare breasts and said, “See, you’re not old. They still stand up.”
She let out a hardy laugh and pushed him away so she could finish dressing. When Noah opened the door, Perky wasn’t waiting in the hall. Daisy was surprised to see her pup sitting by the patio slider, until she noticed the latch was unlocked.
“Bridgette must be outside.”
They grabbed flip-flops and sunglasses and went out, avoiding getting shocked this time. Humidity must’ve risen. Is there rain in the forecast? Daisy couldn’t remember.
Perky barked at quail that trailed along in the wash. Bridgette lounged in the spa in a one-piece bathing suit, designer by the look of it, drink in one hand, chocolate bar in the other, sunglasses resting on her nose, and those bright red locks piled on top of her head. She reminded Daisy of a movie star from decades past.
“Comfy, Miss Thang?” Daisy quipped. She wrapped arms about herself as a chilled breeze swept through the yard.
Bridgette grinned. “Canada’s so damn cold.” She made a sweeping motion with her chocolate bar. “I missed this. There’s diet soda and chocolate in the kitchen. Help yourself.”
“Thanks.” But Daisy stayed put.
Bridgette set her drink on the flagstone, lowered her sunglasses and winked at Noah. “Chocolate’s an aphrodisiac, you know.”
Daisy smirked. “You bagged a man while out shopping?”
“Oh, honey, I wish. Unfortunately, Mrs. Ferdinand doesn’t stock any. I did see a handsome specimen at the grocery store but his wife was with him. Now if he’d been alone....”
Daisy sat in the chair Noah pulled up for her and waggled a finger at her cousin. “Don’t you go breaking up any marriages. I have to live in this city.”
Noah sat beside her in another chair. He looked amused.
Bridgette pushed her sunglasses back into place. “I have no desire to coax a married man to my bed. Too much baggage.”
“You calling me baggage, Cousin?” Daisy said with mock severity. Perky trotted up and she scooped him onto her lap.
“Most of those walking penises want kids. That’s why many of them marry in the first place. Looking for a womb to rent.”
“You’re terrible.” Several neighborhood dogs began barking and Perky joined in. “Hush.” He quieted and licked her hand and she stroked his brown fur. He could use a brushing.
“Not as terrible as I can be with the right man.” Bridgette made a purring sound.
Noah laughed. “Is this how girls talk? If I’d only known as a teenager, I would have listened in more often.”
Bridgette jerked up, head flipped to the wash. Daisy followed her gaze. Two coyotes slinked by just the other side of the view fence, and Daisy got a good grip on Perky to keep him from jumping down. The coyotes seemed to ignore him. However, one turned its gaze toward her. She wondered if this was the same pair she and Noah spotted on the trail yesterday. For an instant, something, like a warm whisper, caressed her cheek. The coyotes moved on toward the mountain, making no sound that she could hear.
“What?” she said, when Bridgette studied her. “It’s not like you haven’t seen coyotes before.”
“That one’s different. I got a definite vibe from him. He’s interested in you for some reason.”
That sent chills racing up Daisy’s spine and she fought a shiver. “Since when did you become a coyote whisperer?” She smirked and stroked Perky, who’d all but forgotten about the other animals.
Bridgette pulled her sunglasses off and focused eyes on Daisy. “I felt something. Some urgency from him. I can’t explain it. And it was directed at you.”
“I think I felt it too,” Daisy admitted.
“You did?” Noah said. “Are you a coyote whisperer?”
Bridgette let out a hardy laugh and Daisy narrowed eyes on her. “Don’t laugh at my husband. He’s new at this.” She turned to Noah. “I was joking, honey. There’s no such thing as a coyote whisperer.”
“Oh.” If he was embarrassed, he didn’t show it.
“But I felt something. Like warm breath touch my cheek. When he looked at me.”
“Wonder what he wants,” Bridgette said. “Communication spells don’t work on animals. Except to get one to come or go.”
Noah studied Daisy and said, “You think he’s a skinwalker? They do appear as animals.”
She thought about that a moment but dismissed it and gave him a reassuring smile. “I think he’s just a coyote. Skinwalkers wear animal skins. They don’t actually turn into them. And I didn’t sense anything malicious towards me.”
“I hope not. Perky’s not exactly a guard dog.”
The terrier perked his ears and wagged his tail at the sound of his name.
“You’re my little guard dog, Perky-poo,” Daisy crooned with her lips pursed. “Yes you are.”
Bridgette clicked her tongue. “You’ve gone and lost your fucking mind, cousin. That’s a dog, not an infant.”
“He responds to tone just like a baby. Don’t you, my little Perky-poo?” She held his brown furry head in her hands, kissed his snout, and managed to pull away just before his tongue licked out.
“That’s disgusting.”
“You’re just a critic, Bridge. Anyway, a dog’s mouth is cleaner than a human’s.”
“I’ll have to take your word on that one. Why don’t you two get into your suits and join me?” That red head nodded toward their be
droom window as she slipped her sunglasses back on. “I’m sure you could use a dip after all that exertion. But leave the dog inside. I’m not going to spa with a mutt.”
“You be nice. He’s family too.”
Bridgette let out a laugh.
They got a table quicker than anticipated at Daisy’s favorite Chinese restaurant. The hostess, a small Asian woman with a frozen smile, led them to a table near the window. Afterwards, a young Hispanic man, looking no older than high school age, set water in front of them. His eyes lingered on Bridgette a moment. She didn’t seem to notice.
Daisy didn’t ever remember Bridgette going out with boys, even in high school. The redhead preferred her men a few years older. Paranormal or not. And the more money they had, the better. Daisy planned to grill her cousin on that siren of hers as soon as she could get the woman alone again.
“Smells good in here,” Bridgette said. “I’m famished. Thanks for inviting me.”
“Sure,” Noah said.
Three tables over, two well-dressed men, both middle-aged, noticed Bridgette. She seemed oblivious to them just as she’d been to the boy, and said, “So what’re we ordering? I think I want chicken something. And veggies.”
They decided on which dishes to share and ordered once the waitress came by the table. The two men kept glancing over.
When the waitress left, Daisy leaned toward her cousin and said, “You’ve got a couple of admirers, Bridge.”
“Yeah, I know. One’s married. The other’s single and trolling for sex. My type, but he’s got herpes.”
Noah shook his head. “Guess that gift of yours comes in real handy sometimes.”
“Better believe it, cousin-in-law.”
They chatted about benign and unimportant things throughout the meal. Nothing that would get them noticed in a room full of mortals. There very well could be other paranormals in the place. Daisy didn’t know every one in Scottsdale, much less the entire Phoenix metro area, and without distinguishing features, she had no way of telling a paranormal from a mortal just by looking. Bridgette might spot one, though. Her cousin had a bad habit of eavesdropping in public places, especially with strangers.