Total pages in book: 132
Estimated words: 125083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 125083 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 625(@200wpm)___ 500(@250wpm)___ 417(@300wpm)
“Ooh, we could toss Elias in there, too,” he suggested, his eyes brightening.
“I only dumped Annette and Bowen there because they would otherwise have blabbed my secrets.” Well, that and she’d wanted them to suffer some. “This situation you have with Elias is very different.”
“He ruined my date, Wynter. He told her I’d lied about my name—”
“Well, you did.”
“—that I wasn’t really Italian—”
“Well, you’re not.”
“—and that I was a chronic liar whose word couldn’t be trusted.”
“You honestly disagree with that assessment?”
Xavier’s mouth flattened. “You’re supposed to be on my side.”
She reached across the table and put her hand over his. “I’m always on your side. You’re one of the best people I know, even if you do mix fact and fiction often. But you can’t kill someone just because they annoy you.”
“Why? I used to do it all the time.”
“And that’s why you have a price on your head. Look, I get that growing up practicing the dark arts means you still struggle with ethics at times. But if you truly mean to follow the right-hand path, you can’t take detours from it whenever it suits you. If it’s a life or death situation, fine. But this is not. You have to learn to handle mundane shit without resorting to acts like murder.”
Shuffling past the table, Hattie paused long enough to say, “She’s right, darlin’. Various people will wrong or upset you many times in your life. Killing them isn’t the answer.”
Xavier cast her look of disbelief. “Says the woman who poisoned each of her husbands.”
“What does that have to do with anything?” asked Hattie, her brow wrinkling.
“It has everything to do with it,” he insisted.
Hattie huffed and continued walking toward the living room. “You’re just trying to shift the focus of the conversation onto me. I’m wise to your tricks, boy.”
Cutting his gaze back to Wynter, he jabbed his thumb in the old woman’s direction. “So it’s okay to you that she killed in situations that weren’t matters of self-defense?”
“No, it’s not,” replied Wynter. “But she did all that before becoming part of our crew—”
“Coven.”
“—so I’m not holding her responsible for any of it, much like I don’t hold the rest of you responsible for what you did in the past. It’s the present and the future that count.”
Anabel gave a little clap. “Well said.”
Delilah raised her index finger. “Apart from when you referred to us as a crew. We’re a coven. Get with the program already.”
“Why do you have—?” Wynter cut off on hearing a knock at the front door. Sighing, she got to her feet. “I’ll see who it is.” On the other side of the door, she found one of the local dragon shifters. And he looked the image of devastation. “Jesus, is everything okay?” Wynter asked him.
He sniffled. “No. I need to speak with Delilah.”
Her scalp prickled with unease. Praying this situation wasn’t what she thought it was, Wynter said, “Um, okay. Del, you have a visitor!”
Moments later, Delilah appeared at her side and tipped her chin at the shifter. “Oh, hey.”
“Oh. Hey?” He shook his head. “What did you do to me?”
Delilah blinked. “Excuse me?”
“That potion you gave me … All I wanted was my mate to be a little less butch.”
Wynter closed her eyes. Oh, dear God.
“I did what you said—I swilled it in my mouth and then kissed her. The next thing I know, it’s like I’ve been downing estrogen pills.”
Delilah gave him a haughty look. “I warned you there might be side effects.”
“Side effects? I’ve lost ten pounds, I’m growing boobs, my voice is getting all high, and I can’t stop crying.” His voice broke.
“Sounds rough. How awful for you.”
“It has been rough.” He wafted his hands as his eyes teared up. “I need this to be over.”
Wynter slammed her gaze on Delilah. “I cannot believe you.”
The woman gave her a look that was all innocence.
Anabel appeared and handed Wynter a reversal potion. “Here.”
Taking it gratefully, Wynter held it out to the dragon shifter.
“Thank you,” he all but sobbed. He knocked back the potion and closed his eyes. When he opened them again a few moments later, they were blazing with anger. He pointed a finger at Delilah. “You—”
“Will happily tell your mate that you not only find her ‘too manly’ for you but you actually asked for a potion to change her,” said Delilah. “Would you like that?”
Panic rippled across his face.
Wynter held up a hand. “Look, I’m sorry for what happened to you. I truly am. But if you hadn’t tried using magick on your mate without her knowledge, you wouldn’t have suffered any side effects. Delilah informed you it wouldn’t be a good idea, correct?”
He stiffly and reluctantly inclined his head. “Correct.”
“But you took a chance. You paid the price. It’s truly that simple. Now, I figure you’ve suffered enough, so I see no reason why your mate has to learn about this … so long as you walk away right now without insisting on making Delilah pay.”