“Since Jasper’s unable to protect himself, I suggest that he stays with me,” Claire said, silencing everyone in the room.
“That’s nice of you Claire, but you’re a Seer. How do you plan on protecting Jasper? He thinks he’s a dog for Goddess’s sake, so he won’t be of any help to you,” Alec countered, a little harsher than he had intended. He wasn’t upset with Claire and didn’t mean to take his frustrations out on her, but his wolf wanted to rip someone apart. Running his hands through his hair, and sighing heavily, he finally said, “I’m sorry, Claire. I didn’t mean to yell, but I think it would be better if Jasper stayed with Sophie and me at the farmhouse. We’re better equipped to protect him.”
Claire knew Alec was right, but it stung that he didn’t think she was capable of taking care of Jasper. It didn’t matter that she would be willing to die for him, the same way he was willing to die for her. Or, that they were mates and destined to be together. She would concede this time, but she wasn’t leaving his side. If Jasper stayed, then so would she. “Fine. You have a point, but I’m staying with him,” she said in a nonsense voice that said don’t challenge me on this because you will lose.
“Fair enough,” Alec conceded.
“Great. Now that that’s settled, Zoe, Zara, Phoebe, Sophie and I will set up wards around the farmhouse to protect all of you,” Zeva said. Nicolai and Stefano, if you could take Roger back to Assjacket that would be wonderful.
“What about us?” Armand asked.
“Since we still need to break the spell on the house, you, Iggy and Little Lola will remain here with Alec, Sophie, Claire and Jasper. Phoebe and I will do some research on Chez Parée Deux and the witch who originally cast the spell to see what we can come up with,” Zeva replied.
“Sounds good to me,” Little Lola said. “Me too,” as Iggy wrapped his arm around her waist and kissed her forehead.
“Cole and I will keep watch over the house from the sky,” Sarah said, as she gave her sister and mother a hug before leaving.
“Dillen and I will see if Brittney is dumb enough to show herself around town. If she is, we’ll keep an eye on her,” Ariel announced to everyone in the room. It was obvious the lioness wanted to rip Brittney apart, but was doing her best to maintain her composure.
“It seems as though we have a plan. So, let’s get to it. We’ll meet back here tomorrow morning for breakfast with updates,” Zeva said, as she gave Claire a hug and rubbed Jasper’s head.
Claire had never been more grateful for the older woman taking control. The visions had finally taken their toll. Her head was pounding and she really needed to lay down for a bit. A good night’s sleep would help her refocus and prepare for the battle that was to come.
Chapter 6
When Claire’s head hit the pillow, she was eternally grateful for Sophie and Alec’s hospitality. As she snuggled into the covers and closed her eyes, she heard Jasper whimpering on the floor. “Do you want to get up here with me?” she finally asked through their connection.
“Yes. I’m not quite feeling myself today and for some reason, you’re the only one I trust,” Jasper replied.
When Claire patted the empty space beside her, Jasper didn’t hesitate to jump on the bed and snuggle into her side. He sighed in relief and began to relax when she started stroking his fur. There was something comforting, yet familiar about the beautiful woman he had grown attached to, but he couldn’t quite put his finger on it. There were so many questions he wanted to ask her, but wasn’t sure if now was the right time.
Closing his eyes and enjoying the moment, he sighed with pleasure once more and decided to wait. He had to agree that it had been a long day. Maybe if they both got a good night’s sleep, they would feel better in the morning. Then, he’d ask his questions.
An hour later, Jasper wasn’t sure if he was dreaming, or if the witch wielding a lightning bolt of Dark Magic toward Claire was real. All he knew was that it was imperative that he save his owner. She wouldn’t die on his watch, not today. Letting out a shout even Underdog would have been proud of, he yelled, “Here I come to save the day!” A few minutes later, he was airborne and Claire was screaming his name, but it was too late. He was already on a collision course with a lightning bolt of Dark Magic. He just hoped and prayed that his death would be quick.
The moment the lightning bolt hit Jasper, Claire sat straight up in the bed and gasped for air. Unsure of her surroundings, she quickly turned on the light and frantically began searching his body for wounds.
Doing his best not to sigh with pleasure, Jasper closed his eyes, cleared his throat and finally said, “Um… Claire. While I’m enjoying the sudden rub down, it’s getting me a little excited if you know what I mean.”
“What?” Claire exclaimed, shoving him off the bed. “I wasn’t trying to give you a boner you idiot. I was trying to make sure you weren’t hurt.”
“Don’t hate me because The Beast likes your touch and wanted to come out and play,” Jasper replied.
Claire looked down at Jasper and realized he really did have a Beast between his legs. Gasping in horror, she said, “Put that thing away before you hurt someone with it.”
“It’s not a water hose. I can’t just shut it off at will.”
“If you want to get back in this bed with me, then you better figure out a way to make it shrink and fast, Bucko” Claire demanded, still amazed at how large his Beast had become with such little rubbing. Not only was it large and in charge, but one might contend that it had taken on a life of its own. No wonder the damn man had been so cocky when they had first met. He had a rocket launcher in his pants. She’d bet he had no problem offering women a trip to the moon. It was obvious she’d have to make it clear that she preferred to remain right here on Earth. Besides, the moon was overrated anyway.
Horrified by her demand, Jasper looked Claire in the eyes and said, “Please don’t use the word shrink and The Beast in the same sentence ever again.”
“Then get your Beast under control, or you’re sleeping on the cold, hardwood floor for the rest of the night. Got it!”
“Got it!” Jasper sighed in defeat. A few minutes later, he was on the floor counting goats in an effort to tame The Beast. Once Claire’s breathing had returned to normal, he threw caution to the wind and asked one of his questions. “I know you like to meditate, but have you ever thought about doing goat yoga? I thought maybe we could try it together. I hear it’s all the rave these days. You could loosen up a little and I could chase the goats. Doesn’t that sound like fun?”
Goat Yoga? What the hell? Claire thought. Had the man lost his ever-loving mind? Yes, gypsies were free-spirited, but having a goat climb all over her while she was trying to do yoga was not her idea of fun.
“Claire, did you hear with I said?”
“Yes, and no. Yes, I heard what you said, and no I haven’t tried goat yoga. In fact, the idea of a goat climbing on my back isn’t very appealing under any circumstances,” she finally replied in a calm voice, which was truly amazing because she was feeling anything but calm at the moment.
“Oh. Okay. I just thought it would be nice if we could do something together,” Jasper replied in a solemn voice.
Claire’s intent wasn’t to hurt Jasper’s feelings, she just didn’t want to roll around in the dirt with goats for Goddess’s sake. Maybe she could come up with a compromise that would make them both happy. “Jasper.”
“Yeah.”
“I’m willing to try goat yoga as long as they’re baby goats and we’re inside. I have no desire to roll around in the dirt with a bunch of goats, or hippies.”
“Really? I’ll see if the angry guy could help me set it up. I promise, it will all be inside. The baby goats won’t hurt anyone. I also promise not to break anything or knock you down when I’m chasing them. Deal?”
“Deal?”
“Um… Claire. What do hippies have to do with goat yoga?”
“To be honest, I’m not sure. It just seemed to me that goat
yoga would be something hippies would enjoy, especially since they believe in free love and all.”
“You’re dressed like a gypsy and most people consider them thieves, but I’m not judging you,” Jasper murmured.
“You’re right. I apologize for stereotyping,” Claire replied.
“Do you mind if I ask you another question?”
“Why not? It's not like I’m going back to sleep anytime soon. If you’ve put your Beast away, you can get back in the bed.”
Excited that he had been given permission to get back in the bed, Jasper finished counting goats and then snuggled into Claire once again. When he was settled, he said, “I was dreaming earlier, but it seemed so real. Was it?”
His question caught her off guard. She assumed he would ask more about the goats, not the terrifying dream from earlier. How did she tell him he’d been cursed by his ex-fiancée who professed to love him? Just tell him the truth, Claire. He’s a big boy. He can handle it.
“Claire, did you hear my question?”
“I did. I’m just not sure where to start,” she replied with a heavy sigh.
“The beginning is always a good place,” he encouraged.
“True. From what I understand, you and Brittney were engaged to be married and then she cheated on you,” Claire said. The poor guy didn’t need to know that she did the dirty deed with his best friend. It was bad enough the cow cheated on him, best not add insult to injury. “When you discovered them in the act, literally, you broke up and went your separate ways. For some reason she’s returned and wants you back, but you don’t feel the same.”
“If it were that simple, then why was the scary, Edward Scissorhands witch trying to kill you?” Jasper asked.
“She was in love with Alec. I think she was trying to hurt anyone who had the potential to spoil her plans with him,” Claire replied.
“Sounds like Alec and I have horrible taste in women. I’m sorry for dragging you into this mess. I promise to protect you with my life, if and when she comes back. No one will ever hurt you on my watch,” Jasper insisted.
“Speaking of protecting me, did you really yell out the Underdog battle cry before jumping in front of the lightning bolt of Dark Magic to save me?” Claire asked with a smirk.
“Maybe. Maybe not. So, what if I did? I have you to know that Underdog was an awesome hero. I loved watching him when I was a kid,” Jasper said with all the pride he could muster up.
Chuckling, Claire caressed his fur before finally letting him off the hook. “No worries, your secret is safe with me. I also loved Underdog as a kid. He rocked that cape.”
“True dat,” Jasper quickly replied. He was excited that he and the beautiful woman stroking his fur had more in common than he could have ever imagined. But there were still several questions he wanted to ask. Sighing in exasperation or defeat, the verdict was still out, he finally asked the one thing he really wanted to know. “Am I going to remain this way forever?”
“No,” Clare responded vehemently. “We’re going to figure out how to break Brittney’s spell, the same way we broke Serena’s. I promise you’ll be back to normal before you know it and this whole ordeal will be just a horrible blip in your memory bank.”
“I don’t understand why she wants me back, especially if she cheated on me,” Jasper asked, genuinely confused by the predicament he found himself in at the moment.
Maybe it has something to do with your Beast, Claire thought, as she turned her face away from Jasper to hide her blush.
“Um… Claire. You do realize I heard that… right?” Jasper snickered.
“Are you kidding me? Get out of my brain, wiener boy,” she demanded with as much indignation as possible given the topic, but it was no use. It took less than thirty seconds before they were both laughing hysterically.
“What a mess?” Jasper said. “Leave it to me to get involved with a sociopath. Goddess only knows I’ve had my fair share of women, but none of them have given me as much grief as this one. I’ve always been upfront with women, even though you think I’m a womanizer. I’m not. I respect women. Hell, I love women. All women, regardless of shape, size, ethnicity, or nationality. It’s just my luck the instant I find the woman who rocks all my bells, especially The Beast, all hell breaks loose.”
“I don’t understand, Jasper. If you’re still in love with Brittney, then why won’t you take her back?” Claire asked, struggling to maintain her composure. It would figure the one guy she had fallen for was in love with someone else. Fate could be a cruel bitch at times. She knew better to get involved because it always ended with her and a broken heart. She’d learned a long time ago, there was no such thing as Happily Ever After… at least for her. When would she learn?
“Claire, did you hear what I said?” Jasper asked in almost a whisper.
“Sorry for zoning out on you. What did you say?” she finally asked.
Clearing his throat and sitting a little taller, Jasper looked her straight in the eyes and said, “I wasn’t talking about Brittney. I was talking about you. You ring all of my bells, especially The Beast.”
Stunned by his confession, the only word that came out of Claire’s mouth was, “Oh!” If she were being honest, he rocked all of her bells as well. The man and his Beast gave a whole new meaning to the words' doggy style. But, was she brave enough to put her heart out there again, knowing that it could be trampled on if things didn’t work out?
“Is that all you have to say after a man professes his love for you?” Jasper inquired, almost afraid of the answer. He wasn’t sure he could take another rejection, especially from Claire. He may have lost his memory, but his instincts were telling him that she’s the one. She’s his one, true love and he wasn’t about to let her get away. So, he waited for a response and the longer it took, the antsier he became. Men were supposed to be gun shy with their hearts not women. Unless… unless someone had hurt Claire and if that was the case, when he found the guy, he’d kill him.
It took her several minutes to wade through the barrage of doubt and questions floating through her mind, but once she had, it was a no brainer. She was in love with the goofball and his Beast, no matter how much she wanted to deny it. Now, she just needed to must up enough courage to tell him. In for a penny, in for a pound, she thought. “You ring all of my bells too, Jasper,” she quickly blurted out. There was no need to mention The Beast.
Letting out a sigh of relief he hadn’t realized he’d been holding in, he said, “Good, because you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever seen, and I’d love to get to know you better.”
“Me too,” Claire said shyly. Now, let’s get some sleep. Tomorrow promises to be a long day.
“Sounds good to me,” Jasper said with a smile as big as the Grand Canyon. He snuggled closer into the woman of his heart and counted goats in an effort to keep The Beast at bay.
Chapter 7
The next morning arrived with a flurry of activity and Jasper had to admit that he missed the quiet time with Claire. Although things had settled down from the night before, the tension in the air was palpable. It seemed as though everyone had an opinion about the situation and they were all determined to voice it… at the same time.
Claire had reached the end of her patience. They would never be able to help Jasper if everyone kept talking over one another. Exhausted from lack of sleep and worry for their safety, she put two fingers between her lips and let out a whistle loud enough to wake up the dead. When everyone quieted and turned her way, she said “All this bickering is getting us nowhere. Time is of the essence. Trust me when I tell you Brittney will be coming for us, so we need to come up with a plan and fast.”
"Why don't we beat Brittney at her own game," Ariel suggested.
"How do you mean?" Claire asked, intrigued by the young woman's suggestion.
"On Valentine's night, she glamoured herself and tricked Jasper into believing she was someone else. Had he not picked up on her scent, they would have definitely slept togeth
er. Even Dillen and I didn't recognize her," Ariel explained.
"She's right. Hell, I was the one who pointed Jasper out to her and had no clue I was setting him up with his maniacal ex-fiancée. The woman is cunning and has no remorse about it, as long as she gets what she wants. In this case, it would be Jasper," Dillen contended.
"Okay, but how does Brittney glamouring herself help us?" Sophie asked, looking as confused as everyone else seemed to be at the table.
"I was thinking one us of could glamour ourselves to look like Jasper and Claire. We'd lure her to Don Juan's and if Zara could freeze everyone in the room, it would give us time to capture Brittney. Once we had her in our possession, Zoe, Zara, Phoebe, Sophie and Zeva could cast a truth spell on her. She'd tell us how to fix Jasper, Baba Yaga would put her in the pokey and everyone could get back to their lives without worrying what she's up to next," Ariel said.
"You know, that's not a bad idea. Sophie and I are willing to be the bait since we feel partly responsible for this mess," Alec chimed in. He had to do something to fix the situation because standing around and waiting was going to drive him crazy. His best friend almost died and now he's lost his memory. The more he thought about all of the chaos and danger Serena and Brittney had put his friends and family in, the more he wanted to strangle the defiant witch. What in the Hades was wrong with these cousins?
"I agree with Alec. It's the least we could do. Besides, we have no idea what Brittney is up to, so the sooner we contain this situation the better," Sophie replied.
Running the scenario through her head, Zoe finally spoke. "I think the plan will work, especially if I glamour myself as well and show up at the bar."
"Why do you need to glamour yourself," Nicolai asked. "I'd rather you not be in the thick of things. What if she goes crazy on all of us?"
"That's exactly why I need to be a patron in the bar before she arrives. My powers as an Empath will be able to gauge her mood. If she suspects something, I'll know about it and can warn everyone else," Zoe explained to her protective mate.
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