Jen sucks in a breath when she enters my room. The last thing she would expect is my bedroom to look like a My Little Pony showroom. I have to admit I still can’t believe Tara’s decorating choice. The pink and purple ponies frolicking on the comforter and pillows make me want to gag. The walls covered with rainbows and glittering star decals are about as tacky as you can get. Jen’s mouth hangs slightly open as she takes it all in.
I walk over and push the door closed. “Sorry. I should have given you a heads up. It’s my mom’s best friend Tara’s little joke on me.” I take Jen’s hand and lead her past Fred quietly roosting on his bright pink perch. Thankfully his wings are tucked tight around his body indicating he’s sound asleep.
Jen nervously eyes Fred as I lead her over to the bed. “Is he sleeping? Are we going to wake him up?”
“Oh, you don’t have to worry about Fred. He sleeps like the dead.”
She stifles a laugh and glances around the room again.
I chuckle. “You should see what I did to her room.”
Actually, I haven’t quite figured out what kind of tacky horror bedroom I’m going to bestow on Tara, but it will surely top her My Little Pony madness.
Jen stuffs back a laugh as she sits down on one of the pony’s enormous eyes. “So, you guys do prank spells?”
Might as well start teaching her our witching ways. I reach for my iPad nestled by one of the pillows. “Sure, all the time. It’s our way of showing how much we like each other.”
“Remind me not to get on your good side.”
I smile and tap an icon on the iPad screen. “Would you like to see what the spell looks like?”
Her brow furrows. “Are you sure it’s okay to show me?”
“Of course. You’ve passed the witches’ screening process.”
She swallows hard. “Really?”
“Just messing with you.” I chuckle as I open the virtual spell book. I scroll through the pages covered in ankhs to protect the book from ever being stolen or corrupted.
Jen rubs her fingertip over one of the symbols. “Why are there ankhs on all the pages?”
“It’s my family’s symbol—our mark of protection, remember?”
“Is that why you put the ankh on my finger?”
“I’m sorry, I should have warned you.” I look deeply into Jen’s eyes. “But I still didn’t know if I could totally trust you yet.”
Her shoulders tighten. “Then why protect me?”
“Because the wrong person might learn of your gift.”
She shivers. “Like who?”
I didn’t mean to scare her. “Don’t worry, I’ve got your back. No one evil will come near you.” I point to the words on a page. “Here’s the prank spell.”
She doesn’t seem impressed. Instead her eyes wander to an image of Ainsley’s painting of a whimsical forest with a wood nymph sitting on a tree stump. “Wow, that painting is amazing. Where did you find it?”
I reach over to the purple nightstand and hand her Ainsley’s gallery opening brochure. “It’s a friend of my mom’s that she met in New York. He has a gallery opening Saturday in LA. A group of us are going. You should come.”
She says nothing, just turns the brochure over in her hands gazing at the pictures of the paintings that will be highlighted at the gallery showing. Then she stops at the picture of Ainsley on the back. Her eyes grow wide as she takes in his handsome face. “Sure, I’ll come.” She runs her finger over the picture as if she is stroking his slick black hair. “Is he one of your supernatural friends?”
I flash her my best crooked smile. “That’s for you to find out.”
9
The Set Up
My phone makes the sound of crickets, announcing a text has arrived. I sneak my hand under Fred’s perch making sure not to wake him. I gaze down at my phone screen surprised to see the message is from Jerome.
Brook—I have some news. Meet me at my apartment in an hour.
Tara wasn't kidding when she warned me werewolves can be aggressive. Yet, I can’t get ticked at Jerome. There is only one reason for him to text me, he's found a shifter teacher for Jen. I race over to my closet, tear off my sweats, and run my hand over the hangers trying to decide what to wear. As much as I hate to admit it, I want to impress Jerome this time. I settle on one of my favorite black jersey tops that hugs my bust in a way I know he’ll notice. Then I squeeze into my sausage-like black skinny jeans and throw on a pair of black leather booties. The outfit is sexy, but in a sporty kind of way.
Fred wakes up from all the commotion. “You are going to Jerome’s dressed in those garments?”
His echolocation hearing strikes again. I gaze at myself in the long mirror hanging on the back of my door. “Yeah, what’s the big deal?”
He huffs. “I am not going to rescue you this time. Obviously, your garments are signaling you are ready to mate.”
I laugh. “I just wanted to wear something more exciting than sweats. You know I dress like this all the time.”
His beady little eyes bore into me. “I think that is a bit of a stretch. Those pants are not familiar to me. They appear to be spray painted on your body.”
I guess Fred has never seen me wear these jeans before. I have to admit it’s been a while since I’ve worn them. My parents nasty divorce caused me to stress eat to the point I gained eight pounds. It would have been impossible for me to wear the pants two months ago. “You are such a buzzkill, Fred.” I tug on the waistband with a half and inch to spare. “I’m excited I can fit in them again!”
He stretches his wings out and then lets them rest against his body. “You can dress as you like. I understand humans need to feel desired before their mating ritual.”
I stuff back a laugh. “You know us well.”
Fred nestles upside down on his perch. “You have chosen Jerome as your mate—duly noted.” He wraps his wings tight against his body like a blanket. “Now leave me be. I need my beauty rest. My mate has yet to make herself known.”
I take a deep breath as I knock on Jerome’s door. He greets me with a smile; his slightly curly hair is tasseled over his brow like he just woke up. His plaid shirt and faded jeans fit close to his body. Once again, he looks ready for the cover of a romance novel. I follow him into the apartment and notice there isn’t one pizza box in sight. His overstuffed leather sofa has actual pillows resting in the corners this time. They are covered in a fake fur that looks like it’s from a coyote. At least I hope they are fake fur. I swallow hard remembering that Jerome is a werewolf and they could be from his kills.
He catches me eyeing the pillows. “Don’t worry, they’re fake.” He gives me a wink taking in every inch of my tight jeans. “Have a seat. I’ll grab us some drinks. Is a Coke okay?”
I nod, not surprised at his limited beverage options. Scanning the room, I notice the dining room table has a real silver candlestick resting in the center—no more improvised Mason jar. The air has the faint fragrance of lavender and roses. My witch senses are on high alert. A woman’s presence is everywhere. A tinge of jealousy hits me. I shake it off as Jerome strolls out of the kitchen holding two Cokes in his hand.
He points to the couch. “Have a seat. I can fill you in on what I found out about a possible shifter teacher for your friend.”
“Great.” I sit down on the far side of the sofa in case he decides to get too friendly. He obviously has a girlfriend.
Jerome laughs as he watches me scoot up against the pillow. “The moon is only in quarter phase. I won’t bite.”
I give him a smile, but don’t laugh realizing that explains why his animal magnetism isn’t quite as strong today. Pushing off the pillow, I move a bit closer to him. “So, what’s the news?”
He takes a swig of his Coke and pushes his hair off his forehead. A quiver runs through my body. Who am I kidding—he’s just as hot as ever.
“Well I have some good news and bad news. Which do you want to hear first?”
“That’s easy—the ba
d.”
He smiles. “I like a girl who knows her mind. Well, the bad news is I asked around and none of my werewolf friends know a shifter who would fit your teaching needs. They were super impressed by your friend’s skills though. She truly is unique in the paranormal world.”
I let out a sigh. “She’s a girl chameleon. I had a feeling she was one of a kind.”
“A girl chameleon. I like that.”
“Jen did too. She wants me to make her a T-shirt.”
He laughs and creeps a bit closer to me leaving his Coke on a long wooden box he’s using as a coffee table. “You should make her one for her birthday.”
Actually, that’s not a bad idea. But I can’t let him get off track. “And the good news?”
“There is a vampire back east that’s rumored to be quite good at shifting. He shifts into far more things than bats.”
I want to leap off the couch, but I play it cool. “Really? That’s awesome. Do you know his name? Do you have a number where I can contact him?”
“No, I’m working on it though.” He inches closer and runs his hand down my leg sending a shiver straight up to my belly. “I should have news in a day or two.”
My breathing speeds up as his hand lingers on my thigh. “Thanks for letting me know.” I jump up off the couch. “I should go. Your girlfriend might come home soon. I wouldn’t want to get you in trouble.”
He looks shocked. “Girlfriend? What are you talking about? I’m not seeing anyone—special—I mean.”
Right, just like I thought. A horn dog like him is not going to turn away all the girls that follow him home. I point to the dining room table. “Your place definitely has a feminine touch now.” I sniff at the air. “It even smells girly.”
He laughs so hard he almost knocks the Coke off the coffee table. “You’re hilarious. I had my sister stay at my place while I was in San Francisco. She always redecorates when she’s here. My sister always complains about my bachelor ways. “
Jerome sounds sincere, but can I trust what a werewolf says? He comes up behind me and pulls me close to him. Pulling my hair off my shoulders, he breathes in the fragrance of my shampoo. My body melts into his.
He runs his strong hands over my belly and pulls me even closer. “You smell so good. Brooklyn…you drive me crazy.”
He drives me crazy too, but my brain is still in control—for now. I gently push him off me. “Thank you for finding out about the vampire. I really appreciate it, but I have to go.” I open the door and stand out on the porch. Derrick’s BMW is parked right in front of the apartment. “My ride is waiting for me.”
Jerome eye’s Derrick as he sits waiting in the car. “Don’t tell me you are dating that wizard?”
“No, he’s just a friend—and my Zoomer driver.”
He laughs. “I heard Derrick had a Zoomer gig, but I didn’t believe it. I’m surprised the Twelfth Order would approve of that kind of job for one of their wizards.”
My mom taught me never underestimate the gossip chain of the supernatural world, and here’s the proof. The last thing I need is to start dating a gossipy werewolf. “Text me when you get the vamp’s info.” I lean over and give him a kiss on the cheek. “Thanks again.”
I saunter down the path to the street, proud of my decision to text Derrick for backup. If he hadn’t shown up, I doubt I’d be leaving Jerome’s apartment tonight.
Derrick opens the door of the BMW for me. “I can see why you wanted me to come to your rescue. You guys seem like you have a pretty strong chemistry.”
I plop down in the passenger seat and close the door. “I had no idea werewolves were so full of pheromones.”
Derrick starts the car and guns the engine. “It looked like you were a bit into him too. Knowing how werewolves truly possess animal magnetism, I think you are just prolonging the inevitable.”
He might be right, but I’m not ready to plunge into another intense relationship with a paranormal. Before my parent’s divorce, I was hot and heavy with a warlock. He made me feel like the only woman in the world. But I never knew if it was because he really cared about me or if he cast a spell to make me fall in love with him. I got my answer when I broke the news that I was moving to California. All he said was it was probably for the best, as the semester started soon at Boston University.
Derrick snapped his fingers in front of my face. “What’s up Brooklyn? I was just kidding around. I didn’t mean to upset you.”
I lean back in the seat unable to even shed one tear for the warlock. “It’s okay. I just had a bout of homesickness. I still miss New York City. Los Angeles has yet to grow on me.”
He turns a corner and then speeds up the on ramp to the 405 freeway. “Well, maybe this will cheer you up. I’ve been asking around about a possible shifter teacher for your friend ever since our meeting. And I’m happy to announce a few of my leads finally paid off. I actually got the call while you were with Jerome.”
I shift toward him thankful for some good news. “Fantastic. So, who have you found?”
“Well, there are two teacher possibilities, actually. One is a werewolf in France who is quite accomplished at shifting into many different types of animals—not just a wolf. A wizard friend at the Paris branch knows him well and has actually witnessed him turn into an eagle.”
“Wow, that is awesome. I bet Jen would love to learn to transform into animals. Far more exciting than her brother’s toys. But I don’t know about getting her to travel all the way to France. I doubt if her parents would approve. Can he come here?”
Derrick sighs. “No, he has commitments there, although he said he would be happy to teach Jen if she came to France. But there’s a catch.”
“Great, what?”
“He doesn’t speak English.”
Ugh. I might be able to cast a spell to give Jen the ability to speak and understand French, but there has to be an easier solution. “Who‘s the second possibility?”
He hesitates a second. “He’s a vampire.”
I shift in my seat. “I don’t want to expose Jen to a vamp. They are too dangerous. Even more so than a werewolf.”
Derrick guns the BMW around a slow driver. “You can teach her how to handle a vampire. And a werewolf is only dangerous at the full moon.”
He would say that. He’s obviously never spent any time with one. They’re almost impossible to resist if they desire you. “All right, you have a point. I supposed my mom could conjure up a powerful control spell. So, tell me more about the vamp. What can he shift into besides a bat?”
“They say he can morph into all kinds of animals as well. I hear he likes to shift into a beautiful Atlas moth at night. He is known to be quite a unique vampire. He does not drink blood.”
I suck in a breath. No, it can’t be someone I know. “Where does he live?”
“He’s British, and has been living in New York, but he’s in Los Angeles now. His name is…”
I put my finger to Derrick’s lips. “His name is Ainsley.”
The house smells amazing as I linger by the kitchen getting my mom up to speed on my conversations with Jerome and Derrick. “Why didn’t you mention Ainsley as a possible teaching candidate?”
She opens the stove to check on the lamb. “I didn’t want to bombard him with a favor as soon as he set foot in California. But as fate would have it, he’s coming here for dinner tonight.”
My mom isn’t the head of the coven for no reason. Her powers surprise me every day. “You are pulling out all the stops.” I breathe in the aroma of lamb rubbed with herbs and spices. “You only make fattah for special guests.”
She smiles. “Don’t you think Ainsley is special?”
I’m hoping he will be a special person for Jen. But before I can say the words out loud, the doorbell rings. Ainsley strides in the entryway dressed in impeccably tailored black trousers and a form-fitting knit pullover. He settles into a floor cushion ready for my mom’s Egyptian feast. The aroma of garlic and roasted lamb fills the air.
I feel a bit guilty about how my mom lured him over. Ainsley thinks he’s here for a great meal and so we can welcome him to LA. Little does he know we have big plans for him.
I stroll out of the kitchen balancing a plate of grape leaves and a large bowl brimming with salad greens on my arm. A trick I picked up from my mother just in case I need to work as a waitress for side money while I’m at college.
Plastering a big smile on my face, I place the salad bowl and the plate of grape leaves on the dining tray table. “We’re going to fatten you up.”
He rubs his tight stomach and laughs. “I’ll do my best.”
My mom dances out of the kitchen, her gold caftan forming a sweeping tail behind her as she moves. She puts a large engraved silver platter on the low table. “Fattah, in honor of your opening.”
My stomach growls as I take in the aroma of lamb smothered in tomato sauce. My mother has artfully framed the bed of rice with precisely cut pita bread triangles. She’s going the extra mile to impress her artist vampire guest.
I dish out a large helping of salad and three grape leaves onto Ainsley’s plate and place it in front of him. “Dig in.”
Sitting next to Ainsley, I load down my plate with grape leaves and salad as well. I take a big bite of the salad, letting the zesty lemon dressing perk up my taste buds along with the cucumber and parsley.
The second Ainsley’s plate is empty, my mom fills it up again with the fattah. It’s a bit overkill as my mom knows Ainsley’s food limitations as she helped create them, but she always likes to put a guest at ease, especially when she has a favor to ask.
Ainsley puts his fork down unable to eat another bite. “Eshe, the fattah is a little slice of Heaven. You’ve out done yourself. It’s delicious. But as you well know, I can only eat so much.”
A smile spreads across my mom’s face. “I’m glad you like it. My mother back home in Egypt doesn’t think I’m a good cook.”
“I beg to differ.” Ainsley takes another bite to please her. “I think she’s just exceedingly jealous.”
How to Snag a Shifter-The Book of Brooklyn Book One: A Young Adult Paranormal Romance Witch Series (The Book of Brooklyn Witch Series 1) Page 8
