by Robbie Cox
Table of Contents
Credits
Dedication
Other Books
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Shards of Sass
Touch of Sass
About the Author
Robbie's Books
Text copyright ©2018 by the Author.
This work was made possible by a special license through the Kindle Worlds publishing program and has not necessarily been reviewed by LATIN GODDESS PRESS INC.. All characters, scenes, events, plots and related elements appearing in the original Sassy Ever After remain the exclusive copyrighted and/or trademarked property of LATIN GODDESS PRESS INC., or their affiliates or licensors.
For more information on Kindle Worlds: http://www.amazon.com/kindleworlds
Book Cover Graphics & Art: Teri Edney
Editing by CTS Editing & Weis Editing/Proofreading Services
Formatting: Sarah E. Mick (SEA Creations)
www.robbiecox.net
To Robbie’s Rascals, my readers group.
Other Books by Robbie Cox
Warrior of the Way
Reaping the Harvest
Lore Master
The Rutherford Series
Losing Faith
Roll the Dice
Fangirls
Nikki
Lily
Cassie
Olivia
Willow
The Collection
The Harper Twins
Sibling Rivalry
Taming Karla
Halloween Seduction
Come Halloween
Behind the Mask
Life’s Moments
Green is the Grass
Waiting Room
Second Light
Best of Both Worlds
Ribbons & Bows
Under the Wrapping
The Witches of Savannah
Enter the Witch
Short Stories
Circle of Justice
Sanctuary of Bull Creek
Shards of Sass
Blades of Sass
A Confused Life
Contents
Credits
Dedication
Other Books
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Shards of Sass
Touch of Sass
About the Author
Robbie's Books
One
“When are you going to stop dancing around Josh and just give in to him?” Eve Hartlow asked her friend as they wandered the dirt roads of Bull Creek. The Florida sun was high overhead, bringing the stifling heat to the wooded community and a sweat to her brow. Still, Eve would take it over the frozen winters up north any day of the week. “I’m not a shifter and even I can smell how the air changes when you two are around each other. Why keep the poor guy at arm’s length?”
“Arm’s length? Trust me, he’s been a lot closer than that,” Alanna Bradbury said with a wink and a laugh. Then she shrugged. “I’m just not ready for that type of commitment yet. I’m a wolf without a pack, still feeling my way around.”
Eve chuckled. “From the sounds coming from your cabin the other night, sounds like you’re doing a lot more than just feeling around. Besides, that poor boy has been panting to get you into his cabin since before I moved here. You really should cut him some slack.”
Alanna giggled as they walked. “I know, but making him pant is half the fun. He’s so cute when he’s being teased.”
Eve Hartlow rested her hand on the hilt of the knife sheathed at her waist as they walked, the oak handle giving her a sense of calm nothing else did lately. “Is that another shifter thing? Some rite of passage? I’m having a hard time keeping it all straight.”
“Nah.” Alanna gave a shake of her head. “It’s an Alanna thing.” Both ladies laughed, Alanna shoving her hands into her back pockets as they continued walking. The breeze, which did nothing to cool them off, tugged gently at their hair. When the laughter died down, she gazed at the knife at Eve’s side. “Sort of like wearing that blade is an Eve thing. What’s the deal anyway? You trying to pick up a hunter? You’ve worn that thing ever since you arrived in Bull Creek and I’ve barely seen you pull it out of that fancy holster you wear. You do grip it a lot, though, like right now. I know we ladies like to accessorize our outfits, but I think you went the wrong direction for wooing a man.”
Eve took a deep breath through her nose in a vain attempt to calm the jitters that churned in her stomach. As the breath escaped past her lips, she shook her head. “I’m not trying to woo anyone. God, what a weird word.” She laughed, the tension leaving her shoulders. “I’m pretty much over men. I prefer the quiet, unattached life.”
Alanna nodded, as if she understood, but Eve knew there was no way her friend could comprehend what she was talking about. She probably thought Eve was jilted by some lover and pined away over a man. Eve Hartlow didn’t pine away for anyone. She preferred her simple life.
Overhead, mallards flew to the east, heading to some lake Eve had never seen. “Is it because of the bruises that painted your body when you first arrived in Bull Creek?” Alanna asked, her tone cautious, as if she knew how sensitive the subject was for Eve. Alanna was also skirting very close to the unspoken rule of Bull Creek—Don’t ask personal questions.
Yet, Eve didn’t call her on it. She appreciated Alanna’s kid gloves with the topic she didn’t understand. While she knew something lurked behind Eve’s self-imposed spinster-hood, that something would remain a secret as far as Eve was concerned. Needed to remain a secret as a matter of fact. Eve didn’t want someone else knowing how weak she once was, regardless that it was a weakness she was determined never to experience again. “I just think it looks good,” she lied with a feeble shrug, sidestepping the whole issue. “Besides, it’s practical. When you’re in the woods, a knife comes in handy. Bane and his coyotes may be gone, but who knows what else is around the corner?”
“Really? We live in Bull Creek. Bane Kastner was the most excitement this place has seen in decades. That’s why Dimitri chose this area.”
Eve had to admit, it was definitely quiet around here. A couple of weeks ago, Bane, a coyote shifter, brought his pack in and attempted to drive the humans out of Bull Creek. Bane was the leader of a mangy coyote pack, a group of bullies who thought humans didn’t belong in the forests. They believed the wooded areas of the world belonged to shifters who knew how to appreciate and take care of all that dwelt within the woods. Bane was a prejudiced bully who was afraid of anyone who wasn’t like him. However, Adira Brennan, a witch who just moved to Bull Creek, and Dimitri Everest, the Alpha of the community, killed Bane and his second-in-command, driving out the rest of the coyotes. Bull Creek returned to its peaceful existence, the residents going about their routine of minding their own business. Eve glanced out of the corner of her eye at Alanna. Well, not everyone minds their own business. She shrugged �
��I may need to whittle or something.”
Alanna laughed. “You whittle? Really?”
“I can learn,” Eve said, a smile curling her lips upward. As Alanna laughed, Eve couldn’t help but join her, the ridiculousness of her excuse apparent even to her. As they rounded the bend leading to Eve’s cabin, she said, “Let’s just say it’s a security blanket for now.” She took a deep breath. “Let’s head to my place. I could use some tea.”
Alanna nodded. “Sounds good.” Yet, it was obvious she wasn’t ready to drop the subject of the knife. “So, have you even used that knife on anything besides poor defenseless trees? What did those trees ever do to you anyway, you big meanie?”
Eve swiped her sandy-blonde bangs out of her eyes. “The noble trees around my cabin have sacrificed daily in order to help me with my proficiency with this knife. I’m sure they know the worthy cause for which they suffer.”
Alanna shook her head, her dark hair swishing across her back slightly as she did. “Trees are noble like that,” she said with a chuckle. “Of course, the fact that they have no choice…”
Eve shrugged. “What can I say? I’m not ready for a moving target yet.”
“So you have been practicing.” Alanna crossed her arms as they walked. “And just why are you practicing? Bane and his men are gone, the whole pack of mangy coyotes either dead or in hiding.”
Eve nodded, remembering quite well the battle her shifter friends fought just a couple of weeks ago in order to protect the humans in Bull Creek. It was over now, the coyotes gone. That should make Eve feel safe again, but the coyotes weren’t what worried Eve. Her past, however, scared the hell out of her. Eve shrugged, “I like to stay ready. Who knows when something might pop up again?” Her reply was weak, she knew, but she wasn’t exactly ready to spill her guts. Not yet. Maybe not ever.
Alanna nodded, her expression showing that, while she didn’t really believe Eve, she wasn’t going to press it any further. Alanna was one of the few who was around when Eve first arrived in Bull Creek and saw her battered condition. Yet, no one knew the reasons for her appearance and Eve never offered an explanation. That was the great thing about their small community. It was a safe haven for anyone who needed to escape their reality. Bull Creek was full of misfits and vagabonds, each oppressed in one way or another. All kinds of shifters resided here, as well as humans, and even a vampire or two stayed hidden on the outskirts of their community. While everyone knew that everyone else was there, hiding from something, no one asked what that something was. If people wanted to speak about it, there were shoulders to lean on, ears to listen. If they didn’t, then it remained their secret, as long as that secret didn’t spill over onto anyone else in Bull Creek. Eve didn’t think her secret would ever harm anyone else, but she wouldn’t take that chance. Ever.
She also wouldn’t take the chance that her secret would return and hurt her again. Once was enough. More than enough. Only one other person knew she was even in Bull Creek, her mother. As far as the rest of the world was concerned, Eve Hartlow vanished from the face of the earth.
“So, you’re telling me no one is sniffing around your skirts worth talking about?” Alanna asked, obviously ready to change subjects.
Eve shook her head, not really liking the rehash of the dating topic. “I haven’t really made myself accessible. As I said, like you, I’m just not ready. Not yet.” She shrugged.
Alanna glanced over at her, her expression sympathetic. “You know, if you ever need to talk about whatever it is you’re keeping inside, I’m all ears. Sometimes, it pays to talk it out. Get it off your chest. Helps you move on.”
“Thanks,” Eve said with a slow shake of her head. “But I’m not ready for that, either.” She wasn’t sure she’d ever be ready. While it was over six months ago, it was still extremely raw. Nightmares woke her up, screaming, leaving her shaking. She took a deep breath. She was tired of waking up shaking.
They turned down one of the streets leading to Eve’s cabin and the promise of sweet tea to cool them off. “We need another ladies night out. Take the edge off the monotony. The last one kind of ended poorly.”
Eve chuckled. That was an understatement. One of Bane’s goons tried to make a move on Adira and she used her powers to shove him out the door and into the parking lot. “Are you sure we’re even allowed back into Everglades? I figured we’d be non grata there after last time.”
“Yeah, I cleared it with Wes. He knows it wasn’t our fault.” Some rustling in the trees to their left startled Eve for a second, and she chided herself for her nerves being so on edge. “Besides, we haven’t been out in a while. I think we could all use it. I’m sure Lainie will want to get out. I’ll check with Adira and have her join us, if I can get her off Dimitri’s pecker long enough.”
Both women laughed at the truth of that statement. Even with Eve being human and not a shifter, she was around them long enough to know the basics of how the mating of shifters worked. It was a heat that kept them panting after each other, unable to keep their hands and mouths from devouring one another. Adira and Dimitri were going at it nonstop ever since the fight at Bane’s cabin.
“Sounds like fun. What time?”
“Nine sound good? Of course, you might need to leave the knife at home. I’m sure you’ll be safe with a witch and two shifters.” She glanced over and winked at Eve as she said it.
Eve just nodded, choosing not to comment. She’d keep her knife on her. It wasn’t that she didn’t trust her friends to have her back. She just didn’t like being unprotected or depending on others. Not any more. She learned a long time ago that others could disappoint you and that she needed to take care of herself. “Nine works for me. Gives me time to shower and fix dinner. Want to join me?”
“For the shower or the dinner?” Alanna nudged Eve as she waggled her eyebrows at her friend. Eve just rolled her eyes. “Thanks, but I’m meeting Josh for dinner. He’s cooking lasagna or something like that.”
They turned the corner and started to walk into Eve’s front yard, when Alanna grabbed her and brought them both to a stop. “You may need that knife yet.”
The front door of Eve’s cabin was kicked in and, on the front wall, the words, “There’s no escape,” were painted on the wood in bright red. Two of the front windows were broken, glass everywhere, the drapes pulled out and blowing in the breeze. The plants that usually lined Eve’s porch had their pots smashed, the pottery strewn throughout the yard, the plants destroyed and dirt scattered over the porch.
Alanna was already pulling her phone from her back pocket, hitting nine-one-one. Eve just stood there and stared. Not again. Not here. She rested her hand on the hilt of her knife, knowing without needing proof that her past had somehow found her.
Two
Arlin Landry shook his head at the two women who seemed clueless as they walked down the dirt road, blindly going about their business, lost in whatever conversation had them so absorbed that they couldn’t even pay attention to the vehicle coming down the road right at them. He sighed as they turned the corner down the dirt road just before his brother’s cabin and finally out of his way. He wasn’t sure if it was because they were female or the fact that they lived in this backwoods community that had them so negligent about their surroundings, but it would frustrate him to no end if everyone in Bull Creek was the same way. Blue Creek may not be a metropolitan, but people paid attention to what they did and where they walked. He blew out a breath, trying to calm his nerves. Relax, Arlin old boy. This is exactly why Aric Wolfe sent you out here, to chill your over-stressed emotions.
He pulled into the dirt drive of his brother’s cabin with a shake of his head. He knew he needed solitude, but when Nathan said Bull Creek was a quiet, out-of-the-way community, he had definitely kept to himself the full extent of just how quiet and out-of-the-way it was. Arlin sighed as he shifted his car into park and stared at the front of the cabin, taking in the overgrown weeds that lined the front porch and the sides of the structure. Nat
han hadn’t been to the cabin in months and it showed. Well, Arlin wanted solitude after all, and by the looks of it, he would get it. Besides, the manual labor of pulling weeds and cleaning up the place may be just what the doctor ordered, if he had seen a doctor, that is.
Turning the ignition off, he opened the driver’s door and stepped out into the Florida humidity, taking a deep breath as the wave of heat hit him. Arlin, you’re not in Kansas any more. Or Blue Creek for that matter. As much as he needed a vacation from working at the Wolfe’s Den, when Aric Wolfe suggested Arlin use his younger brother’s cabin in Bull Creek, Arlin knew he should have asked for more details. If Nathan Landry hadn’t made the place his homestead, there had to be a reason, and Arlin wished he knew what it was. A little forewarning might keep what happened in Blue Creek from happening here as well. Arlin did not need a repeat of his loss of control, the bloodlust of his tiger consuming him once again. No one needed that.
He closed his eyes as he recalled the last night he worked the door at the Wolfe’s Den, the drunks who ventured in desperate to stir up trouble. They managed to get more than they bargained for that night and it almost cost one of them his life. Arlin took a deep breath, turning his gaze to the sky full of clouds in an attempt to calm his nerves. There was a special place in Hell for men who preyed on women, trying to bully the females into the backseats of their cars, and Arlin did his best to send one of those men there that night. Only Aric’s interference kept Arlin from crossing a line from which he would never recover. Of course, now he was on vacation until the heat died down. It was worth it.
He locked his car after popping the trunk lever, walked around to the back, and pulled his duffel bag out of the trunk. Might as well get settled. He was here now and would make the best of it, whatever that turned out to be, as long as wandering pedestrians paid better attention to moving cars, that is.