Total pages in book: 49
Estimated words: 46787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 46787 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 234(@200wpm)___ 187(@250wpm)___ 156(@300wpm)
Not one fucking bit.
8
GOLDIE
“You’re lucky you caught me during another bout of insomnia.” Goody Albright adjusted her cat-eye glasses on her long, thin nose and gave me a rather severe look. Her curly gray hair was pulled back with a black velvet scrunchy and she was wearing a long pink silk robe trimmed with floating ostrich feathers. It was tied with a sash on the side and she had on a pair of kitten-heeled slippers with matching ostrich feathers at the toes.
“I know it’s late,” I said apologetically. “But these two, well, they live in that cabin I stayed at in the woods. You know, after I had two of Celia’s pear tarts?”
“Oh, that cabin!” Her sharp green eyes went wide with understanding and she nodded. “Well in that case, do come in.”
She stepped aside, nodding the three of us into The Red Lion Inn, which happens to be the oldest still-functioning lodging house in the whole country. It has an old-world charm with antique wooden furniture still sturdy enough to sit on and ancient portraits on the walls of all her long-ago magical ancestors. Goody A never brags about her magical inheritance but she has a pretty impressive pedigree—her people have been witches and warlocks for generations.
We went through the main part of the house, past the main staircase that led up to the guest rooms, and through the long corridor that led off to the bar on the left and the formal dining area on the right.
At last we found ourselves out on her screened in back porch which offers a view of her overflowing garden where flowers and vegetables and fruits are all mixed in together and always thriving. The Albrights have always had green thumbs, for as long as they’ve had magical blood, or so I’ve heard from other Creatures who have lived in Hidden Hollow much longer than I have.
I missed her old Garden Guardian who used to stand in the middle of the rioting mass of vines and plants, but of course that was Kael, Willow’s Gargoyle, who was happily guarding her instead of the garden now. I couldn’t help sighing when I remembered again how happy the two of them were together. I wished I could find a Heartmate—or two—that would make me glow the way Willow did when she was around her guardian Gargoyle.
I didn’t hold out much hope for the two Weres the Lust Tea had brought to me. Finn might be willing to spend some time with me, but Ronan was clearly still extremely distrustful because of my Succubus half. Well, maybe I could change their minds.
“Do have a seat and I’ll get us some tea. Unless you’d prefer coffee or cocoa?” Goody Albright raised her eyebrows at the three of us.
“Tea is fine,” I said nodding.
“Coffee,” Ronan said at the same time Finn blurted out,
“Cocoa, please.”
“Very well, all three then.” Goody Albright snapped her fingers and one of the many Brownies she employs was suddenly there.
“Yes, Goody Albright?” she asked, cocking her head to one side. She had a long, knobbly nose and her arms and legs looked more like branches covered in bark than human appendages. Her hair was like leaves and moss.
Brownies are Fae who are especially good at domestic duties, which is why Goody A hires so many of them. She told the Brownie maid what she wanted and she nodded and whisked quickly away.
She was back almost as fast, carrying a full tray that looked too heavy for the thin, stick-like arms that stuck out of her black and white maid’s uniform. That was an illusion though—Brownies are surprisingly strong. As any of the male guests who tries to mess with them quickly finds out. Goody A doesn’t tolerate anyone abusing her staff and she encourages them to fight back, if necessary.
It’s not usually a problem though. Not many guys are horny enough to go after a Fae who looks like she’s made out of wood. Still, you do get the occasional drunk who can’t keep his hands to himself and winds up with some painful splinters in unmentionable areas…
We all got our cups and sighed in delight—or grunted, in Ronan’s case—when we took a sip. Nobody makes better hot beverages in town than The Red Lion Inn. Well, except for my own diner, of course.
“Now let’s have a few introductions and you can tell me what’s going on,” Goody Albright said.
I introduced the two of them, omitting the fact that it was the lust tea that had called them to me, and she nodded.
“All right, now tell me why you’re here,” she said, looking at Ronan and Finn. “And tell me the truth, too—I’ll know if you don’t,” she added warningly.
Ronan scowled mutely but Finn jumped right in.
“We’re under a curse,” he said quickly, leaning forward to look earnestly at Goody Albright. “A really bad one—it makes it almost impossible to change back to our Human Form once we Shift.”