Spells A Bayou Magic Novel - Kristen Proby Page 0,55

lovesick puppy.

“I wonder what they’re talking about,” Brielle wonders.

“None of your business.” Cash kisses her squarely on the lips.

Lucien leans over and kisses me on my temple.

“What was that for?”

“I have hardly touched you all day,” he says. “Do I need another reason?”

“I suppose not.”

“I wonder if they’re having sex back there,” Brielle questions.

“Ew. Not in my courtyard.”

“That could be fun,” Lucien says as if he’s giving it some thought. It makes me laugh.

“I’m not having sex in the courtyard. There could be bugs, or people watching.”

“Maybe we should give it a try,” Cash adds, glancing in Brielle’s direction, just as Jackson and Daphne return, both looking miserable and angry.

“So, that didn’t go well,” I say.

Suddenly, the room goes dark, as if a huge cloud has covered the sun. We look around the room in confusion as the wind picks up, and lightning flashes against the windows.

“What’s going on?” Brielle asks.

Lucien reaches for my hand as thunder roars. He snaps his fingers, lighting the candles I have set around the space, giving us some light. They flicker under the force of the breeze but don’t extinguish.

“Something doesn’t like that we’re all together,” Cash says as he reaches for Brielle’s hand.

Once more, lightning and thunder flash and crash, the concussion shaking the building.

Jackson instinctively wraps his arm around Daphne’s shoulders.

The wind howls, and thunder booms again, then suddenly stops as if a switch were flipped.

We stare at each other, everyone breathing hard and looking confused.

“Well, that was new,” Daphne says. I see she’s leaning into Jack, his hand rubbing up and down her arm in a soothing gesture.

I wish they could figure their shit out. It’s obvious they belong together.

“Does this mean our fun Halloween staging party is over?” I ask.

“No,” Lucien replies. “He can throw all the temper tantrums he wants, but we’re going to live our lives and enjoy each other. After we set a little protection spell before Jackson leaves.”

I look over at the man my baby sister still loves. He doesn’t seem to be shocked by what just happened in the least.

“I don’t need the spell,” he says.

“You’ll get one all the same,” I reply, my voice leaving no room for argument. “Your magic is stronger with ours rather than alone.”

“My magic is lost to me,” he replies.

“All the more reason for the spell, then.”

Chapter Nineteen

“They bothered me, so I decided to kill them.”

--Della Sorenson

He’s quite pleased with tonight’s search. It was time for a new toy. At first, no one in the bar interested him. Most were too fat or didn’t wear glasses. But just when he was about to call it a night, the perfect specimen walked through the door.

Already a little drunk, this toy was having a good time with his friends. In town for a bachelor party, he’d said.

Slipping the belladonna into the toy’s beer hadn’t been a problem at all. And suggesting that they leave the bar together was met with lusty delight.

For both of them.

Of course, for different reasons, but it’s always easier to take the toy when they’re willing, especially now that Horace is in this new, weaker body. If the toy can walk under his own power, all the better.

This one is strong. More muscles than he usually looks for, but the right height, with brown hair, and even wearing the right glasses. Yes, he’s absolutely perfect.

“We’re going to have so much fun,” he assures the toy as he unlocks the door of his new playhouse and leads him inside. “Just back here.”

“You know, I’m not feeling so good.”

Horace grins as he watches the toy press his hand to his head in confusion.

“Come on now, Lucien, you just need to rest.” Horace leads the toy to his playroom and helps him lie down on the mattress he has on the floor, across from the other toys’ beds.

This one is going to be special.

The toy passes out in just the knick of time, and Horace smiles gleefully.

Yes, everything is going just as planned. He’s feeling more and more like himself, stronger every day—certainly, more confident.

Suddenly, pain sears through him, sending him to his knees. He holds his head and tries to cast a healing spell, but the pain is too incessant to concentrate on the words.

He rests his forehead against the floor, and suddenly, images of the six race through his mind. Together. Holding hands.

They’re together, is his only thought as the pain racks his body from head to toe.

It’s too soon. It’s too fucking soon.

Suddenly, the pain leaves as