by Amy Boyles
My mouth quirked in sympathy. “It’s okay. We’re together now.”
Axel laced his fingers through mine and tugged me toward him. His fingers slipped away to slide over my waist and up my back to the zipper.
“Now, Mrs. Reign, would you like to see what werewolf bonding is like?”
My stomach fluttered, a tornado of butterflies whirling inside. I nibbled my bottom lip before saying, “Mr. Reign, I would love to.”
The next morning I felt different indeed. Axel brought me a tray of croissants, ham, cheese and fruit, slipping it over the duvet before I woke.
My eyelids fluttered open to find my brand-new husband dressed in only loose-fitting sweatpants, doting over the tray.
I stretched and yawned. “Is that for me?”
He grinned. “It is.” Axel offered me a blackberry. I opened my mouth and let him drop it on my tongue. The tangy sweetness awoke my senses. I inhaled deeply and smiled.
At him.
At my husband.
I loved him fiercely. I did before last night, but now we were more; we were truly joined. The tether of magic that connected us was a rope of fire that would burn anyone who dared try to sever it.
And how are you this morning? he said in my head.
My eyes widened with glee.
Axel smiled. I thought you would like it. We can hear each other now. We’ve done this before, when I was the wolf, but now it’s part of who we are. How we work.
He smiled wider, the edges of his eyes crinkling in delight. It’s deeper. This. I can feel your happiness. It’s like your heart has opened to me.
I leaned over and kissed him, tasting the coffee on his lips. And what else is new? I asked.
Axel gently scooped up the tray of food and put it to the side. He shoveled his hands under me and dragged me to him.
Why don’t we find out? he said.
I giggled out loud before sighing into his kiss as his lips touched mine.
Yes, I said. Why don’t we?
We spent the entire rest of the weekend in our house. It wasn’t until I surfaced to see Betty and my cousins a couple of days later that I remembered what the sun looked like.
“Pepper,” Betty said when I entered, “I’ve got news.”
I pegged my purse on the wall. “Oh?”
“Are you alive?” Amelia said, apparating into the living room. “I thought you’d caught a case of Axel and were going to be under the weather forever.”
I chucked a pillow at her, which my cousin easily caught. “Very funny.” I plopped onto the couch. “But Betty, what’s the news you have?”
“It’s about Blake Calhoun,” she said grimly.
My stomach coiled. “What is it? Should Axel be here?”
“Garrick will inform him,” Betty said. She tapped a wooden spoon against the cauldron and let go. The spoon hovered in the air.
“Are you going to tell me?” I said.
She hiked up the skirt of her housedress before sitting on the recliner. “Blake is coming back. For the heart. And he’s bringing more vampires.”
My blood pooled in my stomach. “This is bad.”
Betty’s mouth tightened. “It’s worse than bad. It’s horrible.”
“But how can they get through the shields?” I said.
“They won’t if we can help it, but we must be prepared,” she said. “There’s only one way to do that.”
My pulse fluttered in my neck. I flexed my hands, trying to tamp down the worry filtering through me. “I need to take the heart.”
She nodded.
“When?”
“Tomorrow night. As soon as possible,” Betty said.
Well, what was I doing sitting around for? I rose. “All right. I’ll tell Axel and we’ll prepare. Tomorrow night I’ll take the heart fire so that Blake Calhoun won’t be able to find it ever again.”
Betty nodded. “We’ll be ready when he returns.”
My stomach folded in half. Fear ripped through me like adrenaline burning in my veins. This was it. My destiny awaited me.
I set my mouth tightly. “We’ll be ready. All of us. If it’s a fight Blake Calhoun wants, it’s a fight he’ll get.”
Betty rose and stared into the fire. “Come.”
I rolled up my sleeves and readied myself for whatever was to come.
THANK Y’ALL!
Thank you so much for reading SOUTHERN MAGIC WEDDING. If you enjoyed it, please consider leaving a review.
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Pepper and Axel’s adventures continue in THE GOLD TOUCH THAT WENT CATTYWAMPUS.
The town of Magnolia Cove has lost its magic. It's up to Pepper Reign to reclaim it.
When vampire Blake Calhoun sets out to steal the heart fire, the object that makes the town of Magnolia Cove, Alabama, magical, his plan backfires. The heart isn't stolen, instead it breaks into four pieces and scatters across the state. Now, newly married Pepper and Axel Reign must work to track down each piece. Click HERE to purchase.
While you’re waiting for Pepper and Axel’s next adventure—and boy, do they have some crazy stuff coming their way—consider picking up SPELLS AND SPIRITS, a cozy mystery sampler. It’s full of laughs and zany characters that you’re going to love! You can order it HERE.
And…I love to hear from you! Please feel free to drop me a line anytime. You can email me [email protected].
Also by Amy Boyles
SERIES READING ORDER
* * *
BELLES AND SPELLS MATCHMAKER MYSTERY
DEADLY SPELLS AND A SOUTHERN BELLE
CURSED BRIDES AND ALIBIS
MAGICAL DAMES AND DATING GAMES
SOME PIG AND A MUMMY DIG
* * *
SWEET TEA WITCH MYSTERIES
SOUTHERN MAGIC
SOUTHERN SPELLS
SOUTHERN MYTHS
SOUTHERN SORCERY
SOUTHERN CURSES
SOUTHERN KARMA
SOUTHERN MAGIC THANKSGIVING
SOUTHERN MAGIC CHRISTMAS
SOUTHERN POTIONS
SOUTHERN FORTUNES
SOUTHERN HAUNTINGS
SOUTHERN WANDS
SOUTHERN CONJURING
SOUTHERN WISHES
SOUTHERN DREAMS
SOUTHERN MAGIC WEDDING
* * *
SOUTHERN GHOST WRANGLER MYSTERIES
SOUL FOOD SPIRITS
HONEYSUCKLE HAUNTING
THE GHOST WHO ATE GRITS (Crossover with Pepper and Axel from Sweet Tea Witches)
BACKWOODS BANSHEE
* * *
BLESS YOUR WITCH SERIES
SCARED WITCHLESS
KISS MY WITCH
QUEEN WITCH
QUIT YOUR WITCHIN'
FOR WITCH'S SAKE
DON'T GIVE A WITCH
WITCH MY GRITS
FRIED GREEN WITCH
SOUTHERN WITCHING
Y’ALL WITCHES
HOLD YOUR WITCHES
* * *
SOUTHERN SINGLE MOM PARANORMAL MYSTERIES
The Witch’s Handbook to Hunting Vampires
The Witch’s Handbook to Catching Werewolves
The Witch’s Handbook to Trapping Demons
About the Author
Hey, I’m Amy,
I write books for folks who crave laugh-out-loud paranormal mysteries. I help bring humor into readers’ lives. I’ve got a Pharm D in pharmacy, a BA in Creative Writing and a Masters in Life.
And when I’m not writing or chasing around two small children (one of which is four going on thirteen), I can be found antique shopping for a great deal, getting my roots touched up (because that’s an every four week job) and figuring out when I can get back to Disney World.
If you’re dying to know more about my wacky life, here are three things you don’t know about me.
—In college I spent a semester at Marvel Comics working in the X-Men office.
—I worked at Carnegie Hall.
If you want to reach out to me—and I love to hear from readers—you can email me at [email protected].
Happy reading!