by Theda Vallee
He looked between us, his lips turning down into a frown. “I don’t know. Maybe it’s gone because of your injuries?”
“No, I’ve been hurt before, and the magic was still there. What if it was part of the spells we broke?” I asked peering at him to see if he’d expected this. He seemed confused, but I wasn’t confident that meant anything. “Why would someone put that kind of spell on you or us?”
“I’ll talk to my father to see if he has any ideas. It doesn’t seem like there would be a purpose for it.”
Pietro was the last person I wanted involved, but I nodded, anyway. After everything, my distrust of the Osservatori was off the charts. Finding out Easton was from a family known for their anti-human views made me think the Osservatori had some major house cleaning to do. Until they did, I needed to be very wary of everyone.
“Bob got home safely,” he said.
“My Aunt told me. Did you wipe his memory?”
“Yeah, he won’t ever remember being here.” He took my hand, gently kissing my knuckles. “Etta, you know Easton sent that kill order, right? It wasn’t from anyone in the Osservatori. That’s something they would never sanction.”
“That makes me feel better,” I said, keeping my face blank. I wanted to ask him why Easton would send a kill order if it weren’t something that the Osservatori did. You don’t ask someone to kill unless they’ve done it before. I was positive he’d received similar messages in the past, even if this one hadn’t been real.
“Cariad, you look a little glassy-eyed. You should sit.”
I was feeling a little woozy. Nerina had kept me from my nap, and I was feeling the effects. “I’m fine, but I think I will sit.”
“You know I love you, right?” he asked, running a finger down my cheek. “When you went missing, I was lost. Terrible things keep happening to you, and I feel helpless every time, but more than that it drives home how much you mean to me. I don’t want to live in this world without you.”
I sat in the chair, mutely staring at him, unable to return the sentiment. Since we’d been dating, some days I liked him, other days I just tolerated him, but never anything close to love.
“I will never forgive myself for hurting you. I know it was the spell, but it makes me sick when I think about it. All I want to do is spend the rest of my life making it up to you,” he said, gracefully getting down on one knee. Pulling a velvet box from his pocket, he opened it and held it out to me. “Etta, will you do me the honor of becoming my wife? Will you let me spend the rest of my life trying to make you happy?”
I sat there, staring at the diamond as it glittered in the sun. Looking at him, I could see the adoration in his face. Whatever the past had brought, I needed to focus on the future. A future that was uncertain and more dangerous than I’d ever imagined. No one in my family would understand, but I knew there was only one answer.
“Yes, I’ll marry you.”
“Etta!” Nerina’s scream pierced the serenity, as Luc’s shaking hand tried to place the ring on my finger.
I laughed as my sister continued to scream for me in the background. “You realize marrying me means you get them, too.”
“I am one hundred percent aware of that,” he said, leaning forward to kiss me.
“What the hell are you doing? Etta! You need to come here quick!” Nerina screamed again, this time from the backdoor.
I turned around, ready to explode on her. For fuck’s sake couldn’t a girl get engaged in this house without someone interrupting? “I will be there in a minute. Whatever it is, it can wait!”
“Etta, it can’t wait. It’s the agents Luc hired. They’ve found Red.”
I stood up, my body trembling. “I have to go. I’m sorry.”
I took off running towards the house, leaving Luc kneeling in the garden.
I was going to get my daughter.
Zeppole
Ingredients:
2 eggs
Vegetable oil
1tsp. vanilla
1 c. unsifted flour
2 tsps. baking powder
Pinch of salt
1/4 c. sugar
1 c. ricotta
Confectioner’s sugar
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Batter:
Crack two eggs into the mixing bowl and beat until foamy. Add all of your dry ingredients into the eggs in the mixing bowl on slow speed and then add your ricotta and vanilla . Continue to mix on a slow speed till it is all combined.
Heat oil in frying pan, there should be about two inches of oil in the pan. Drop spoonfuls of batter into the oil, turning until all sides are brown. About 3 minutes. Place on paper towel to cool. Once cooled, sprinkle lightly with confectioner’s sugar.
Acknowledgments
As I have learned, publishing a book takes a tiny army. No author can navigate the waters alone, unless they want to get lost on an endless sea of doom. Doom!
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For this book I want to give a special thanks to Maxine Factor aka Mike Ginnetti, for allowing me to use his drag persona. When I decided to include the queens, I knew no one would do but Maxine. Thank you for having a personality so big, I had to use it in a novel. Best witches for life!
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To my husband and sons: Thank you once again for dealing with my insane schedules. I promise we’ll all go somewhere glorious one day when these damn books sell. I won’t even bring my laptop. I swear.
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To my coven: there are a few of you witches that have hung in there while I got my shit together. Thank you Joann Stearns, April Bock, and Tracy Hoyt. My first readers and never-ending supporters. What would I do without you witches?
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Lastly, thank you once again Michelle Hoffman for being an editing goddess.
About the Author
Theda Vallee is an author, of Urban Fantasy and Fantasy, with occasional forays into Sci-Fi. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband, two sons, three cats, and two yappy pups.
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Living in a place where the sun never shines, she channels rain-induced delirium into creating fierce independent heroines that kick-ass and take names. Her obsession with mythology, and folklore can be seen as she often interweaves known legends into her vibrant worlds, but always with a distinctly Theda twist.
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When she's not writing, you can find her hiking, reading everything she can get her hands on, and traveling to distant locales in search of snacks.
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Theda is currently working on the third book in her Violetta Massoni Series, a novel about a foul and feisty genie, and a few other surprises.
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You can follow Theda to find out how to nab her other works and receive updates for everything that’s coming!
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Thedavallee.com
Also by Theda Vallee
Stir Until Petrified
Jeany Jones and the Cave of Nope
Dragons Within: Guarding Her Own
