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)
“Tell me about it!” Willow shivered. “Listen if you want to cast a spell to bring someone to you instead of going out to hunt for him, I’ll bring you some of the Lust Tea I just mixed yesterday. It’s got all the ingredients for a love or lust potion—depending on how long you steep it—and all you do is drink it and speak the cantrip to bring your lover to you.”
“I’ve never tried anything like that,” I said, instantly intrigued. “Can it weed out any weirdos or serial killers? Oh, and mama’s boys—I don’t want any of those either.”
“You can customize it to exclude undesirable men,” Willow promised. “I’ll bring some over on my lunch break. Try it tonight before you trek all the way to the Human World.” She made a face. “Now that I’m settled in Hidden Hollow, I never want to go back there!”
“I wish I didn’t have to go back either,” I admitted. “It’s getting crazier there every time I go!”
“It really is—Goody Albright says that’s why Hidden Hollow is growing so much,” Willow agreed. “Everyone with any magic is desperate to get away from the craziness so they’re being drawn here.”
“Sounds about right,” I remarked. I looked up at Kael. “Anything for you, big guy?”
He nodded.
“Thank you—I’ll have some hot chocolate if you have some.”
I didn’t but it was easy to magic some up. As a kitchen witch, feeding and nourishing people is second nature to me. I poured some water into a to-go cup, muttering a ‘chocolate spell’ over it as I did.
“Warm and creamy
Sweet and dreamy.
Chocolate that is good to sip
Or into it, a donut dip,” I murmured as I poured.
The plain water changed in midair, turning into a stream of creamy, foamy, hot chocolate that filled the air with its magical fragrance.
“Mmm,” Willow inhaled deeply. “That’s amazing! I wish I had magic like yours.”
“Yes, but you can speak to people who have passed on,” I reminded her. “That’s a much bigger gift than turning water into hot chocolate. You want whipped cream or marshmallows?” I added, looking up at Kael.
“Whipped cream, please,” he rumbled.
“I don’t really use my ‘gift’ though,” Willow pointed out. “Well, except to talk to my grandfather once in a while,” she added. “It’s just not practical—yours is.”
“Being a kitchen witch is nice,” I admitted as I reached into the fridge for a can of whipped cream and sprayed a generous amount on top of the chocolate. “I like feeding people.” I passed the hot chocolate to Kael who took a sip and murmured in obvious delight.
In fact, my magical talent in the kitchen was the whole reason the Town Council of Hidden Hollow was willing to overlook my Succubus half and let me set up a diner here in the first place—provided I promised not to “feed” on any of the male residents of the town—which was why I was constantly having to go to the Human World when my lust meter ran low.
Which reminded me, if I used Willow’s tea, I’d have to be sure to exclude anyone from the town along with the weirdos, creeps, and mama’s boys.
“Let me try that,” Willow said and Kael obligingly handed her his cup. She took a sip and gave a little moan of pure ecstasy. “And I thought your coffee was good!”
“I’ll give you all the free coffee and hot chocolate you can handle if that tea of yours works,” I promised her. Imagine having my lovers come to me instead of going out hunting for them! How useful. I could stay in the Magical Realm and forget about the Human World entirely if it really did the job.
“I’ll bring it over on my lunch break,” Willow promised. She gave Kael back his cup. “We’d better get going if we’re going to get some bear claws before it’s time to open the shop.”
They paid and thanked me for the coffee and chocolate again before leaving the diner. But no sooner had the bell in the door quieted, than it started jingling again.
I looked up to see a burly Minotaur and a muscular centaur clip-clopping through the door. I directed them to one of my standing booths—it’s much too difficult for Centaurs to get up and down, so they prefer to eat standing up—and took their orders. Both of them wanted my hay pancakes—the extra, extra, extra-large Creature-sized ones which are about as big around as a hubcap—as well as a dozen eggs scrambled with plenty of hot peppers and a few handfuls of fresh grass.
I hustled back to the kitchen and had barely gotten my stove and griddle going, (both are magic and spelled to make the recipes I developed myself,) before I heard the door again.
From then on it was busy pretty much all the time. The breakfast rush had begun and it barely slacked off before the lunch crowd came in.