Steam Union
Page 22
Tricksy, Sass sent. Spaft is probably thralling her.
Maybe. She’d done so before, controlling those around her to do her bidding with the glamor of Sidhe magic. But Sonja’s pain felt genuine to me. “I promise,” I said, standing with Sass in my arms, ending the visit with that simple act. The pair on the sofa reluctantly stood to join me. “I’ll ask him tonight and let you know what he says.”
Spaft nodded stiffly to me, while Sonja came toward me, grasping my wrist, kissing my cheek. She smelled of perfume and desperation, her high heels digging holes in the thick carpet.
“Thank you,” she whispered against my skin before leaning back and stepping away.
Okay then.
“We’re staying at the Hilltop Hotel.” Spaft handed me a card, which Tippy swiftly intercepted.
“Wonderful!” She gestured toward the hall and the formal front door, still beaming. “We’ll be in touch.”
She guided our two guests out, leaving me to flop into my chair again, Sass hissing at me as he landed hard on my stomach.
“Am I really going to let him near her?” I shook my head at my oldest friend.
“Not without supervision,” Sass said. “Or his permission. With both?” He sighed, leaned in and licked the tip of my nose. “We’ll see.”
The front door slammed firmly about a heartbeat before Tippy stormed into the room. Her happy-go-lucky charisma bubbled with irritation.
“Tell me,” she said, “the next time that woman,” I knew she was talking about Spaft, “shows up at this door,” Tippy jabbed at the exit so hard her generous breasts bounced up and down like enthusiastic melons in a sack, “I get to tell her where she can take her freaking attitude.”
I grinned at her. “You can,” I said. “The minute one of you agrees to be my second.”
Tippy grinned back, though with sadness. She sat down beside me one more time, touching my hair.
“Syd,” she said. “The girls and I are here for you. But none of us are taking the damned job permanently.” She snorted as she transferred her attention to Sassafras who rewarded her enthusiastic scratches with his deep, rumbling purr. “We love you, but none of us are that stupid.”
I rolled my eyes at her, but smiled back. “I’m that hard to get along with, am I?”
Tippy kissed the top of Sass’s head. “Should I be straight with her, my handsome prince?” He loved it when she called him that. His purr grew in volume. “Or kind?”
“Hit her with it.” His amber eyes sparked before he settled into the scratching once again. Long, red nails dug into his mane as Tippy laughed.
“We love you,” she said, going serious at last. “And the four of us are happy to take turns keeping you going. But Syd, Shenka is your second. And she’ll come to her senses. I know it. You just have to have a little patience.”
They’d all come from the very coven Shenka left me for and all of them said the same thing. I allowed hope to win.
“Thank you,” I said. “For taking care of me.”
Tippy winked, leaning forward so far I feared her ample bosom would burst out of the top of her low-cut t-shirt. “Someone has to,” she said.
I didn’t get a chance to comment. A surge of familiar magic pushed me to my feet, Sass dumped into Tippy’s arms as I hurried to the kitchen to find out what kind of mood my husband was in now that he was finally home.
***
About the Author
Everything you need to know about me is in this one statement: I’ve wanted to be a writer since I was a little girl, and now I’m doing it. How cool is that, being able to follow your dream and make it reality? I’ve tried everything from university to college, graduating the second with a journalism diploma (I sucked at telling real stories), was in an all-girl improv troupe for five glorious years (if you’ve never tried it, I highly recommend making things up as you go along as often as possible). I’ve even been in a Celtic girl band (some of our stuff is on YouTube!) and was an independent film maker. My life has been one creative thing after another—all leading me here, to writing books for a living.
Now with multiple series in happy publication, I live on beautiful and magical Prince Edward Island (I know you’ve heard of Anne of Green Gables) with my very patient husband and six massive cats.
I love-love-love hearing from you! You can reach me (and I promise I’ll message back) at patti@pattilarsen.com. And if you’re eager for your next dose of Patti Larsen books (usually about one release a month) come join my mailing list! All the best up and coming, giveaways, contests and, of course, my observations on the world (aren’t you just dying to know what I think about everything?) all in one place: http://smarturl.it/PattiLarsenEmail.
Last—but not least!—I hope you enjoyed what you read! Your happiness is my happiness. And I’d love to hear just what you thought. A review where you found this book would mean the world to me—reviews feed writers more than you will ever know. So, loved it (or not so much), your honest review would make my day. Thank you!