Flipping the Bird (Shift Creek #1) - Carrie Pulkinen Page 0,44

on the creek, I’ve never seen him use his powers.” She laughed. “Did I tell you we attempted skinny dipping at the springs?”

Megan’s mouth dropped open. “What? No, you did not!”

“We did. Well…I did. Donovan still had his pants on when the mundy game warden showed up, but I was buck naked.”

“Nice!” Megan laughed.

“I shifted and flew away, and Donovan talked his way out of trouble. He made up some story about how he was a warlock born without magic. The officer got a good laugh out of it. So did I. Can you imagine?”

“What if it were true?”

“As if.” She paused, chewing her lip. “If it were, I hope he’d tell me. He ought to trust me by now. But he’s got a familiar, so it’s obviously not.”

“Yeah, and look at his aura,” Megan said. “It practically crackles with power.”

“He’s got more magic than a stray dog has fleas.”

Megan picked up a rusted spade and sprayed it with disinfectant. “The fact that he doesn’t use his gift much is more proof of his power. The really strong ones are like that. When they’ve got nothing to prove, they don’t flaunt their magic. You don’t go around showing everyone your crow, right? It’s always been part of you, so it’s no big deal.”

Alice smiled. That was one of the things she loved about Donovan. His wealth and power hadn’t corrupted him in the slightest. He was guarded, sure, and he had his secrets. But who didn’t? She enjoyed unraveling the mystery of Donovan Drake.

“Faking the creek’s flow is a good idea, actually. I’ll talk to him about it tomorrow.” She finished cleaning the pieces and washed her hands. “I’m heading up to bed. I haven’t had a lot of sleep the past couple of weeks, so I’m going to take advantage tonight.”

Megan grinned. “I bet. I’ll lock up on my way out. See you tomorrow.”

Alice climbed the stairs to her apartment and padded into the bedroom. As she hung the amulet on her jewelry tree, a pang of guilt flashed in her chest. She needed to tell Donovan about the amulet. Either that or throw it out for real. Things were going so well between them; the last thing she needed was to splash turpentine on the beautiful painting of their relationship.

But it was so much fun to swap magic with Megan…

She would tell him. He knew she was a salvage artist, and it was no secret how she and Megan found their supplies. There was no reason to be embarrassed anymore. Yes, Donovan was sophisticated, wealthy…even proper. But he was also kind, patient, and accepting. He would understand.

After a quick shower, Alice cracked a window to let in the cool spring breeze and climbed into bed, snuggling under her fluffy yellow duvet. She’d grown accustomed to falling asleep next to Donovan’s scrumptiously warm body, and she ached to feel his strong arms wrapped around her.

The pillow she clutched to her chest was a sorry replacement, but it would have to do. She closed her eyes, her lips curving into a smile as she recalled their most recent romp between the sheets. The man knew how to keep a girl satisfied, that was for sure. And wanting more. And more, and more. She couldn’t get enough of her sexy warlock.

Before she could make the descent into sleep, something thudded on the floor near the window. She froze, slowly opening her eyes and half-expecting to find a burglar or a murderer—or both—standing above her with a knife.

But she was on the second floor for goodness’ sake. It wasn’t like someone would scale the side of the building to slip in through the cracked window. Unless they were an animal…

“Who’s there?” She sat upright, squinting against the darkness, but she couldn’t see the culprit.

Claws skittered on the hardwood, and a drawer slid open before thudding shut.

“Megan? Is that you?” Alice scrambled out of bed and flipped on a light. “Marty?!”

Donovan’s familiar sat atop her dresser, his beady eyes widening as he gasped. “Crap.” He snatched a handful of necklaces from her jewelry tree and darted toward the window.

Alice had fast reflexes, though—thanks to her animal side—and she grabbed him around his little body, necklaces scattering across the floor as she lifted him in front of her. “You little thief!”

“I’m not the thief.”

Alice closed her window and dropped Marty into an antique birdcage, latching the door shut. Yes, it might have been weird for a crow to keep a birdcage in her bedroom,