“Let’s just hope he doesn’t decide to breathe on Igor, or he’s toast,” Armand whispered.
“No joke. Maladour’s breath could knock out an entire enemy camp if given half a chance,” Alec replied with repulsion.
“What in the Goddess’s name is going on?” Sophie exclaimed. She was tired, agitated, and wasn’t in the mood for any of Tom’s games.
Looking around the room, she finally realized why her temperamental cat had suddenly lost his ever-loving mind. It seemed as though one of the party mongers had come out to play, or be eaten alive if Tom had his way.
When Sophie realized that it was only a matter of time before Tom captured his cute, yet chubby little prey, she yelled, “Tom. Stop.” When he ignored her command, she cursed under her breath and tried again. Afraid of karma coming back and biting her in the proverbial ass if her stubborn cat ate one of the Goddess’s creations, she yelled in a more commanding voice, “Tom. Stop. Now.”
Alec watched as everything in the room came to a dead halt. Literally. It was like a bad scene from Tom and Jerry. Igor was two steps from the entrance of Chez Parée Deux, but Tom’s claws were pointed and ready to attack. He had the longest reach Alec had ever scene and if those claws sliced into Igor, that would be all she wrote.
He couldn’t let that happen. Unfortunately, when he tried to move, nothing happened. It was as though Sophie’s command had frozen everyone into stone. He was aware of his surroundings and could move his eyes from side-to-side, but his body, not so much. From the corner of his left eye, he could see that Armand was in the same predicament. He needed to think and come up with a plan fast, or Igor was going to be Tom’s 3:00 AM snack.
Praying to the Goddess that his bond with Sophie was alive and operational, even though they hadn’t officially mated, he took in a deep breath and started speaking.
“Sophie. It’s Alec Stone. You need to help my friend Igor before Mal.. I mean your cat rips him apart.”
“Who said that and why can’t I see you?”
“I told you. It’s Alec Stone. If you want to see me, just look on the floor by your bed posts.”
“What? Is this some kind of a joke?”
“I assure you, this is not a joke. If you could help Armand and me up on the bed, I’ll explain everything… after you save Igor, of course.”
“I’m hallucinating from lack of sleep. Things will be better in the morning. I just need to turn off the lights, go back to bed, and wake up to a brand new day,” Sophie mumbled to herself.
“Sophie. Listen to me. You’re not hallucinating. Earlier this evening, you and I were supposed to have dinner with your sister and Cole. However, Serena paid me a visit before you arrived. When she realized that we were truly over, she chanted a spell that involved me being a rat bastard and suddenly, I was turned into a mouse and teleported to your closet.”
“Why is everyone so enamored with my closet?” Sophie hissed in frustration.
“Probably because that’s where the second, most prestigious gentleman’s club in the world resides,” Armand said with a sense of pride.
“Wait! A gentleman’s club? Who said that anyway?” Sophie asked in disgust.
“Wait! You could hear Armand?” Alec asked, a little shocked by this new revelation.
“Of course. Quit trying to change the subject. Why did he say a gentleman’s club resides in my closet?” Sophie demanded.
“Uh. Because it does,” Alec replied, unsure of his response for the first time since this whole mess began. It was obvious his mate was not impressed that a gentleman’s club resided in her closet. Let alone that it’s considered the second, most prestigious gentleman’s club in all the world.
“That’s it! I’ve had enough of your charades. Show yourself now or there will be hell to pay. Karma or no karma,” Sophie growled. She was tired, obviously delusional, and just wanted some sleep for Goddess’s sake.
“Sophie. Honey. Calm down,” Alec encouraged in a soothing voice. It was abundantly clear that if he didn’t act fast, the train was about to derail from the tracks. “Go to the foot of your bed, lift up the comforter, and you’ll see us. Armand is dressed in an outfit straight from the 19th century, while I’m… Well, I’m in a pair of Fab-a-tards, otherwise known as men’s yoga pants, and look like a reject from the Chippendales,” he said with a defeated sigh.
“Okay. I’ll play along. It’s not like I’m going to sleep any time soon,” Sophie admitted with a huff, as she got up, walked toward the foot of the bed, and lifted the comforter.
It took her eyes a few minutes to adjust without her contacts in, but sure enough, there were two party mongers under her bed just like the voice in her head and indicated. He was also correct about their outfits. The closer she looked, the more she realized that Armand looked a little like Antonio Banderas in his cravat, cream colored frock coat and black top hat. The other truly did look like a bad imitation of a Chippendale dancer only he leaned more toward the Patrick Swayze side than Chris Farley in regards to body type, which made her laugh hysterically since they were both mice.
“What in the Hades have I gotten myself into?” she asked to no one in particular, especially when she started wondering if the Patrick Swayze look-a-like had his moves.
“The shit storm known as Serena, the evil witch with a black heart and vengeful sense of humor,” Alec replied.
Deciding they were harmless and looked more like hamsters than mice, Sophie scooped them up and sat them on the bed. Then, she unfroze Igor so that he could make his great escape back into her closet. Although he was moving much faster than when she had seen him in her kitchen yesterday afternoon, she knew Tom would have eventually had him for a snack and she couldn’t have that on her conscious.
When she left Tom frozen in place and turned to speak with the men, she watched them visibly relax. Did they really think she would unfreeze Tom? That would have be ridiculous on her part because once her cat saw them, once again, chaos would have ensued. She didn’t have the time nor the patience to endure such a scene.
Not one to mix words, Sophie looked at the two men in front of her and said, “Someone please tell me what is going on.”
Sighing in relief that she was willing to listen, Alec started at the beginning. He explained how Serena was a former lover, but he had broken things off with her way before they had ever met. Unfortunately, he quickly learned that his ex-lover didn’t take rejection well. She would pop-up from out of nowhere and he would not so gently tell her they were over.
When her sister, Sarah, showed up and needed help, he thought they were finally in a good place because Serena assured him that they would always be friends and she harbored no ill-will towards him the day of the battle her father. In fact, she offered to help. Being a guy, he was so grateful for her reprieve that he didn’t think about anymore, which turned out to be a grave mistake on his part.
“You were duped by the oldest trick in the book, my friend,” Armand said, shaking his head in disgust.
“Unfortunately, I realize that now.”
“Okay. I get that you were thinking with the wrong head and fell under Serena’s spell. What I don’t understand is how I ended up in your torrid affair,” Sophie snapped, bringing both men out of the reverie.
“The moment I saw you bound and laid out on a damn pedestal for Goddess’s sake like some sacrifice, I wanted to rip your deranged father to pieces with my teeth. It was also the moment I realized that my emotions were so strong for someone I had never met because you were my mate.”
“What?” Sophie gasped.
Lost in the memories of that dreadful day, Alec continued telling the story as if Sophie had never spoken. “A red haze clouded my vision when I saw the woman raise the silver dagger above her head and turn to Jacob for her next command. All I could think was that I wouldn’t let her stab you in the heart. You were mine to love and protect, but you didn’t know that because we hadn’t officially met yet. When Sarah starting running toward you, the Al
pha in me wanted to join her, but Jasper held me back. It turns out that was a good thing because the force field surrounding you had stopped everyone in their tracks.”
“I had no idea you had experienced such pain and agony, my friend,” Armand murmured.
“Me neither,” Sophie whispered, as her heart shattered into little pieces for all the pain and anguish the man before her had suffered because of her psychotic father. She couldn’t help but wonder how many more lives would he have destroyed, if her sister and her friends hadn’t been able to stop him? It was a question that haunted her at night, especially when she couldn’t sleep.
“How did you finally rescue Ms. Sophie?” Armand asked.
“Zelda created a bolt of bluish-white lightning that collided with the force field, temporarily lifting his Dark Enchantment and allowing Jasper and me to pass through in our wolf form. Once Zara distracted him with fireballs, we were able to shift and carry Sophie and her mother out of harms-way. Cole created a barrier of fire between us and the force field, which made it difficult for Sophie’s father to pinpoint our location. The moment I held you in my arms, I knew right then and there that I would protect you with my life. That hasn’t changed.”
Sophie couldn’t hold back the tears any longer. No one, especially her father, had ever made her feel safe the way Alec did, which was ironic since she barely knew the man. There was no doubt in her mind that he was telling the truth about Serena. She just wasn’t sure how she’d be able to help. It was bad enough that he had been cursed by another witch, but when you take into consideration that the same vindictive witch used Dark Magic on him, things became exponentially complicated.
“What do you need me to do, Alec? Jasper’s already aware that you’re missing and plans to inform the magical community of the situation in the morning. We haven’t seen or heard from Serena.”
“I need you to bring Jasper here and tell him what you’ve discovered. Would you do that for me Sweet Sophie?”
Sighing heavily, she said, “Sure, but it will have to wait until tomorrow. I haven’t had a decent night’s sleep in months because of your friends. What in the Hades is going on in my closet anyway? Why does it seem the hot place to be?”
Before Alec could respond, Armand stepped forward and said with all the pride he could muster, “My dear Sophie. I can see why my friend, Alec, is all torn up in knots. You are truly a vision beauty.”
“Um. Thank you, Armand. However, you didn’t answer my question.”
“Ah! Beautiful and smart. How could Alec go wrong?”
“While I appreciate your compliments, I’m still waiting for you to answer my question, Armand.”
“But of course, Sweet Sophie. While you see a mere closet, our clientele sees Chez Parée Deux, only the second, most prestigious gentleman’s club in all the world,” Armand replied. His Spanish accent getting thicker and thicker by the minute.
“Wait! Let me get this straight. You’re telling me that the reason I can’t sleep at night is because you have a Den of Sin going on in my closet. How in the Hades did my closet become The Red Light District for your clientele?”
Affronted by Sophie’s depiction of Chez Parée Deux, Armand suddenly stiffened his back and rose to his full Aristocratic height. Tom Cruise would have been proud in Interview with a Vampire. “I beg your pardon, Sweet Sophie. Chez Parée Deux is much more upscale than The Red Light District, or a Den of Sin,” he said with disgust in his voice.
“Oh-kay. Who are you, the gatekeeper?” Sophie sneered.
“No. I’m Armand Romero Gutierrez Serrano Martin, the manager of Chez Parée Deux and Alec’s friend.”
Sophie suddenly lost some of her bluster and quickly apologized for her insensitivity. She was still trying to wrap her mind around the fact that a gentleman’s club resided in her closet. While Armand seemed nice, she needed to explain how disturbing their presence was to her sleep patterns. A girl could only take so much, and it was obvious she had reached her limit. Hell, if truth be told, she had reached a whole new stratosphere, which is how her new plan formulated.
“Listen Armand. I’m sure Chez Parée Deux is an amazing establishment, but we have a little problem,” Sophie said.
“Problem. I see no problem,” Armand quickly replied.
“Trust me, Armand. We have a problem. You see, your gentleman’s club keeps me awake all night, which makes me a little grouchy for a lack of better words. Your friend Alec needs help with the peculiar predicament he’s in, and I need you to move your club so that I can sleep at night. So, if you help me, I’ll help Alec and you, of course.”
“I’m very sorry that you suffer from lack of sleep, but Alec’s problems are not mine,” Armand said, matter of fact.
Understanding that she would need to play hardball, Sophie finally said, “You are correct, Armand. Alec’s problem is not yours. Tom is your problem. Should I let him reign free at the front gate of your gentleman’s club? I’m assuming that wouldn’t be so good for business. No?” she said with a raised eyebrow.
“No. That would be very, very bad,” Armand sighed in defeat. “Fine. I’ll work on soundproofing the club while you help Alec. Deal.”
“For now, Armand. However, when this is all over, I’ll expect you and your clientele to have moved Chez Parée Deux to a new location. Get my drift.”
“Yes, Sweet Sophie,” Armand replied, knowing he had been outsmarted. A few minutes later, he turned to Alec and said with a wink, “Good luck with this one, my friend. You’re going to need it.”
“I heard that Armand,” Sophie said with a smirk.
“I intended for you to, Sweet Sophie. I have just one more request. When we return later on this morning to speak with Jasper, please make sure your pussay is under wraps. ¿Comprende?” Armand countered, his accent almost unintelligible.
Alec couldn’t help but laugh at Armand’s last comment. Of course, he made sure Sophie didn’t hear him. The last thing he wanted to do was piss off his mate to the point she’d change her mind about helping him. Yet, he had to give it to his new friend. The man had balls of steel.
Chapter 7
Sophie kept her word and telephoned Jasper the next morning. She explained Alec’s situation and how Serena had cursed him. After the beta finished laughing, he assured her that not only would the magical community be informed of the situation, but also he would be over with reinforcements afterwards.
Before Jasper and the others arrived, Sophie thought it would be best if she locked Tom in another room. Once Alec, Armand and Iggy showed up, she didn’t need a repeat of last night. Today was not the day for all hell to break loose. Besides, there was enough magical chaos surrounding her house to last her a lifetime. She didn’t need any extra bad juju being added to her karma.
Several hours later, Jasper knocked on her door with a man who looked oddly like a rabbit in a suit. Literally. He was as pale as an albino and had whiskers longer than any she had ever seen. His ears were rather disproportionate to his face, and his eyes were hidden behind a pair of Maui Jim sunglasses with red trim. His outfit was immaculate. The purple in his Oxford sweater matched the purple in his tweed jacket and complimented his navy slacks. The thin tie he wore added a bit of sophistication, but the aura surrounding him, told Sophie that he also had a dirty side.
“Hey Sophie. It’s good to see you again. Thanks for calling me this morning,” Jasper quickly said.
The man always seemed to be in a hurry. He hadn’t even bothered to introduce his friend, Sophie thought with a smile. Finally, she said, “Hello Jasper. It’s good to see you as well. Who’s your friend?”
“Oh! Sorry. Believe it or not, my mother did raise me better. Sophie, I’d like for you to meet Roger. He’s a sex therapist.”
“Oh-kay. It’s nice to meet you Roger,” she replied, trying to hide the confused look that was probably plastered all over her face.
How in the Goddess’s name was a sex therapist going to help Alec was beyond her? Unfortunately, that was
the least of her problems. She just needed to make sure that once Alec was returned to his true shifter form, that he and Armand moved the gentleman’s club out of her closet. Before she could say more, she heard Alec, Armand and Iggy’s arrival.
“We’re here Sophie. Have you put away Maladour? I mean…”
Before Alec could correct himself, Armand interrupted and said, “My friend wants to know if you’ve put away your pussay?”
“Thanks for the help, Armand,” Alec countered in a dry, humorless voice.
“You’re welcome, my friend,” Armand replied with such sincerity that it was obvious he was oblivious to Alec’s sarcasm.
“I’m here too, Sophie. Thanks for inviting me into your beautiful home,” Iggy said with a smile that would have warmed anyone’s heart.
“You’re welcome, Iggy. Glad you could make it,” Sophie replied without thinking.
“Who are you talking to?” Jasper asked. Confusion evident on his face.
“Um. Alec, Armand and Iggy. They’re upstairs at the entrance to my closet. Give me a second and let me run up and get them.”
“Oh-kay,” Jasper responded with a shrug of his shoulders to Roger.
When Sophie returned and placed three little mice on the table, Jasper could no longer contain his laughter, especially when he realized that Alec was dressed in a black frock coat with cream colored trousers, a silky, golden cravat, a cream vest with gold trim, a black top hat, and black riding boots. He looked like a method actor from the 19th century. Armand, the stuffy guy next to him was wearing Fab-a-tards that looked a lot like Alec’s with a form fitting shirt, and the one they called Iggy wore a Yosemite Sam hat with a purple band, a red bandana wrapped around his neck, and purple cowboy boots. To say they made an odd trio was an understatement. He would have gone for the Three Mouseketeers, but only Iggy was dressed for the part. Alec’s voice finally brought him out of his musings. Or rather, Alec’s yelling brought him out of his musings.
Magic and Mayhem: Witch With An Axe To Grind (Kindle Worlds Novella) (Magick & Chaos Book 4) Page 5