One in particular caught my eye. Charlie was tall, but his companion was even taller, and I would have been totally into him if it weren’t for the permanent scowl glued to his face. Still, that wouldn’t matter one bit if he were nice, because the wizard was hot—like smoldering hot. My keen gaze feasted on his broad shoulders, tanned complexion, and strong but manicured hands. I hoped to Gaia that scowl was only temporary.
Charlie headed straight for the bar as his friends surveyed the place.
“I heard this place was supposed to be happening,” said the more sophisticated of the two women.
“Clearly we were misinformed,” the tallest man said. He had a deep, commanding voice that made my skin tingle in the best possible way. I could hear him from our table in the corner and watched as he surveyed the place, like a lord overseeing his minions.
One of the werewolves walked by. The taller woman pulled the shorter one close and stuck her nose in the air, as if some nasty smell had irritated her. I always liked the musky werewolf aroma myself, but this lady had issues, and from the stiff gait of the others, I figured none of them liked the place. Not my type of crowd at all.
“We could go back to Charlie’s place,” the shortest man suggested. “At least there’s free liquor there.”
At that moment, the taller woman managed to catch my eye. I smiled, seeing no reason not to, but my smile was not returned.
“Too late now,” said the taller man with the scowl. “Charlie already ordered the drinks. We’re going to have to stay for one at least.” It was his turn to stare directly at me. “You’re going to have to put up with the local riffraff for one round.”
I could feel the color rise within me. Riffraff indeed. “Anyone would think their poop didn’t stink.”
Charlotte laughed. “Or if it does, it smells of roses.”
I snorted into my drink.
“This place does somewhat remind me of one of my late father’s stables,” the shorter woman said.
“Yes, or the pigsty. I’m definitely getting eau de swine.” The other girl giggled.
“You’re not wrong. The resemblance is remarkable.” As he said this, the tall man glanced directly at me. I would have said something smart to Charlotte; however, I was so taken aback that for the moment I was struck dumb.
“Did he just say that? Did he just call us pigs?” Charlotte leaned into me, and her acknowledgement brought me to my senses.
“Just me, I think. Or maybe not. They’re probably think they’re being amusing. Stupid asses. Thank Gaia we don’t have to talk to them.”
Resigned to their fate, the group at the door moved over to the bar as Charlie handed back their drinks. They talked among themselves for a while but were now too far away for me to catch what they were saying.
Charlie glanced over at our table. Seeing Charlotte, he grinned warmly.
“Shit,” I said in horror. “They’re heading this way.”
Charlotte kicked me under the table as, indeed, the group of five moved in our direction. Charlie was the first to arrive on the scene.
“Well, hello!” he said, his tone friendly as he leaned in to hug my friend. “I didn’t realize you would be here tonight, or I’d have invited you along. This is a great place. I’m so glad you recommended it last night.”
Charlotte’s grin betrayed her delight. “I’m glad you found it. I honestly didn’t think you’d be coming so soon.”
“Ah, well,” Charlie continued, “I have the urban family with me, checking out my new digs. I had to take them out somewhere, or they’d be driving me up the wall. They’d all just hang around and do nothing, given the chance.”
Charlie and Charlotte chuckled, but I could clearly see his friends weren’t impressed. Judging by their faces, one would think they’d all just trod in pig shit. I thought that kind of fitting under the circumstances. I fixed my gaze on Charlotte and tried to pretend the others weren’t there.
“Everyone,” Charlie said, “this is my new friend, Charlotte. Her dad is Bill Lucas, the man who runs the local real estate office and who fixed me up with Dark Coven.”
His companions all nodded at once.
“Nice to meet you all,” Charlotte said. “This is my friend, Izzy. Izzy Bennet.”
I managed a polite enough smile, although I didn’t feel it. I was surprised Charlotte could be so nonchalant under the circumstances, but then I supposed they hadn’t just called her a pig. Satisfied, Charlie continued, “These are my sisters, Caroline and Louisa, Louisa’s husband, old Hursty, and my best friend in the world, Fitz Darcy.”
“Fitz? Is that German?” I asked with more politeness than I felt.
“I was born in Maine, but my mother was Pennsylvania Dutch,” he replied in a clipped tone.
I spotted an intricately carved silver skull ring on his finger, which looked expensive, curious about its meaning. I also had a funny feeling I’d seen one like it before, but right now I just couldn’t remember where.
“Have you lived here long?” Fitz asked.
“My whole life.”
“I see,” he said. “And it’s the best place to be, you think?”
“Yeah, why not?” I said. “In fact, we love it down here. The Cauldron’s the best paranormal hangout in the county. They have the best bands, the best people, in fact, the best of everything in my opinion.”
“I suppose it rather depends on what you’re used to,” Caroline said. “I guess it’s, um, what would you call it, Louisa?”
Louisa was the shorter of the two women. She glanced around the bar, taking it all in. “It’s very, err, rustic, maybe?”
“And happening,” I continued. “It might not be the most sophisticated place in the world, but it has a great atmosphere when there’s a bigger crowd, and the people you meet here are great.”
“I’m sure they are,” Caroline said. She’d finished her drink quickly and looked anxious for the others to do the same. Her friends were at least taking their time, and I smiled on the inside.
“Did Charlotte say your last name was Bennet?” Charlie asked. He rubbed his chin thoughtfully.
“Yes. Yes, it is. Why?”
“I believe I may have bumped into your dad earlier this evening.”
“You did?” I stared at Charlie with more than my usual curiosity. “Are you sure it was my dad?”
“Yes, I think so. He’s a retired professor, no?”
“Why, yes, he is. How did you meet him?”
“I saw him at the bank, just as it was closing. We have the same financial advisor, and he introduced us. Nice man, your father. He seems to know a lot.”
I laughed despite myself. “I suppose he does, but then he was a literary professor at Yule.”
“That’s so cool,” Charlie said. “I sort of ran into him at the bank. He mentioned he had five daughters—are they all as pretty as you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh out loud at that, and when I was done, I noticed Fitz staring at me intently. I had no idea what the man was thinking and, quite frankly, cared even less. “Shit no, my sisters are much prettier. I’m the ugly one.” I half expected some kind of reaction from Fitz, but he didn’t respond at all.
“You’re a witch, right?” Fitz asked. “Only…”
He was looking at my clothes. “Yeah, totally a witch. Not a vamp. I’m just into goth. I get that a lot.”
“I see.”
“We’re all witches and warlocks, and proud of it,” Caroline said, her tone sharp. “I never see the need to display anything other than what I am.”
“So am I,” I said. “It’s just a fashion thing.”
“And it suits you,” Fitz said. “I meant no offense.”
“None taken.”
Under the table, Caroline pulled on Charlie’s shirt.
“Um, well, I guess we’d better be off then,” Charlie said. “Lots of places to go and visit before the night is done. I’m running down the list you gave me, Charlotte. Can I buy you both a drink before we head off?”
“Err, no, it’s okay,” I said, not wanting the others to think we were sponges.
“Thanks for the offer, though,” Charlotte added. “Maybe some other time?”
I glanced at Charlotte, realizing she had the hots for him. She probably wanted to get him all on his own, so he’d have the chance to molest her with his magical dating app. Fair enough.
“Right then, well, I suppose I’ll be seeing you all soon.”
“Good-bye.”
They deposited their half-full glasses on the table in front of them, and I sighed with relief as, at last, they made to leave.
Charlotte still looked starry-eyed, as if they’d done us a great favor by noticing us at all. But I couldn’t share her good feelings, I was still too upset by that great brute of a man and the pig comment he’d made the second he’d walked in the door. I smiled to myself. Like he was anything to talk about. Twit.
I was quiet as they left the bar, organizing my thoughts and thinking about everything they’d just said to us, especially that Fitz. The second they were gone, I turned in my seat, and for the rest of the night, we did nothing but talk about the town’s newest arrivals.
Charlotte, who was a darling, couldn’t stop singing their praises, whereas I, part witch, and clearly part demon, couldn’t stop laughing at their nonsense. On the upside, the two of us had nothing but praise for Charlie. He wasn’t just smart, he was nice. But Charlotte and I had mixed views on his friends, and though she tried to persuade me to see the good in each of them, all I could think about was the snarky comments they’d made and was well on the road to disliking them.
Don’t stop now. Keep reading with your copy of PRIDE AND PARANORMAL by City Owl Author, Adrienne Blake.
* * *
And find more from Linda J. Parisi at www.lindajparisi.com
Want even more paranormal romance? Try PRIDE AND PARANORMAL by City Owl Author, Adrienne Blake, and find more from Linda J. Parisi at www.lindajparisi.com
What do love potions and banshee karaoke have to do with one of the greatest enemies-to-lovers tales of all time?
Izzy may be the only responsible witch in her poor family of misfits, and as such, she has duties to uphold. Only a hot, mysterious, and infuriating warlock is determined to get in the way.
When the rich and handsome Fitz Darcy blows into town, sparks fly.
The wrong kind...
He has earned her ire as much as her eye with his constant harsh words and acts, but what will happen when a bit of magic goes awry, and Izzy needs the help of this powerful man she claims to hate?
Will Izzy's pride get in the way of saving her family's welfare and reputation? Find out in this witty, funny, fantasy retelling of Pride & Prejudice.
GET IT NOW!
Want More City Owl Press Books?
Click here to sign up for the City Owl Press newsletter and be the first to find out about special offers, including FREE book days, contents, giveaways, cover reveals, and more!
* * *
Sign up now and become a City Owl Reader today! And join our City Owl Reader-Author group here for even more deals and a whole lot of community and fun!
Acknowledgments
Thank you one hundred times over to my agent extraordinaire, Eva Scalzo of Speilburg Literary, who saved me from a massive overhaul before this book ever became a book.
A colossal thank you to my editor at City Owl Press, Tee Tate. You ‘got’ this book from the very beginning. As Hunter would say, “Gratus.”
As always, a HUGE shout out and thank you to my bestie MaryAnn Johnson for loving my vampires and making sure my science was correct.
So many thank-you’s. To my CP’s, Chris, Gwen, and Gretchen. To my Amiga’s, Nancy, Roni, Shari, Karen, Maria, Kristina and Chris. And in memorium, MaryKate. Every author will tell you they can’t do it alone.
About the Author
As a major in biochemistry with a minor in English literature, LINDA J. PARISI has always tried to mesh her love of science with her love of the written word. A clinical research scientist by day and NJRW Golden Leaf award winning author by night, she creates unforgettable characters and puts them in untenable situations, much to their dismay. Choices always matter and love conquers all, so a happy-ever-after is a must. Linda is the current Treasurer of Liberty States Fiction Writers, a past board member of New Jersey Romance Writers, and long time member of Romance Writers of America. She lives in New Jersey with her husband John, son Chris, daughter-in-law Sara, and Audi, a Cocker Spaniel mix who had her at woof!
www.lindajparisi.com
About the Publisher
City Owl Press is a cutting edge indie publishing company, bringing the world of romance and speculative fiction to discerning readers.
* * *
Escape Your World. Get Lost in Ours!
www.cityowlpress.com
Additional Titles
BLOOD ROGUE
By: Linda J. Parisi
There is the blood and can only ever be the blood. So, how will love survive in a world of pain?
* * *
A TOUCH OF DARKNESS
By: Yelena Casale & Tina Moss
USA Today Bestselling Authors
Cassie Durrett dreams of the darkness. And lives the nightmare.
Award Winning Urban Fantasy
* * *
BLOOD AND MAGIC
By: Melissa Sercia
Gray is a Dhampir—a woman alive, but also dead. With supernatural powers and an insatiable need for blood, her existence is cursed.
* * *
BLOOD KING
By: Amber K. Bryant
While Sybille’s ability to summon and guide spirits of the undead to the afterlife pays the bills, it comes with colossal risks, including becoming undead herself.
* * *
BLOODLACED
By: Courtney Maguire
Kanjin hardly view their servants as human. Even less so when they are different. Asagi is different.
* * *
CINDERS OF YESTERDAY
By: Jen Karner
Paranormal Hunter Dani Black wants nothing more than revenge. Until she meets Emilie.
* * *
CLAWED & CORNERED
By: Heather McCorkle
Sonja Michaelson has a monumental taste for bad men. So, when an alpha male in motorcycle gear walked into her bar, she wasn’t surprised when she fell hard and fast.
* * *
CODE BLACK
By: Tina Moss
USA Today Bestselling Author
Gossip mag reporter Sera Benenati knows a thing or two about unearthing secrets...and burying them.
* * *
EDGE OF THE WOODS
By: Jules Kelley
There’s something lurking in Pine Grove, Montana, and its bite is vicious.
* * *
FORGOTTEN MAGIC
By: Eden Butler
Bane Illes never smiled. He never spoke.
But each day, that brooding wizard gave Janiver Benoit a glance.
* * *
FREYJA’S DAUGHTER
By: Rachel Sullivan
Well behaved women seldom make history, but they still end up as the monsters of folklore.
* * *
GHOST OF A GAMBLE
By: J. E. McDonald
There’s something extraordinary hidden beneath Wickwood’s picturesque façade.
* * *
HEX, LOVE, AND ROCK & ROLL
By: Kat Turner
With a business skidding toward bankruptcy and bone-dry bank account, what will happen when Helen hires a witch to cast a money spell?
* * *
MIDNIGHT DESIRE
By: Shari Nichols
Danger and desire collide to form an unlikely alliance between a witch with a sordid past and a special agent who might be her future.
* * *
MY SONG’S CURSE
By: Poppy Minnix
Ultimate control has its downside, especially when it comes to ro
mance. But will it be enough to keep them together?
* * *
SMOKE AND RITUAL
By: Melissa Sercia
The voices haunt her. Their whispers taunt her with a war she never wanted. But Arya Frost has more to contend with than the cryptic voices disturbing her sleep.
* * *
TIDES OF TIME
By: Luna Joya
A witchy good girl hiding secrets from her family…
A reformed bad boy who doesn’t know his family’s hidden secrets…
* * *
TRUTHSIGHT
By: Miriam Greystone
Rowan and Amy must join forces with the creatures who were once her patients and fight to uncover the one secret that may be powerful enough to save them all.
* * *
WAKING THE DEAD
By: D. B. Sieders
The road to hell begins when the reaper darkens her door.
Don't miss out!
Click the button below and you can sign up to receive emails whenever Linda J. Parisi publishes a new book. There's no charge and no obligation.
Honorable Rogue Page 26
