“Emma should do it,” Melvin said. “She’s the one who brought her.” I didn’t miss his accusatory tone.
“I don’t have a weapon,” I objected.
“Oh, for Nature’s sake, I’ll do it,” Phoebe said, rising to her feet. As she reached to shake Britta’s shoulder, the Valkyrie’s eyes popped open and she shot up out of her seat. Britta grabbed the harpy’s arm, twisting it backward.
“Ouch,” Phoebe cried. “Let go of me, you demented Viking. I have brittle bird bones.”
Britta released her grip on the harpy and blinked. “Did I fall asleep?”
Phoebe rubbed her arm. “You snore like a pirate. Trust me, I know what that sounds like.” She shuddered. “I miss the hulk of a man, but not the snoring.”
“I fell asleep?” Britta repeated. “In the daytime? Like a nap?”
“Technically, it’s evening,” Sheena said. “But yes, dear. You fell asleep.”
Britta stretched her arms over her head and grinned like a lunatic. “I took a nap and my dreams were pleasant. No bloodshed. That’s incredible.” She clapped me hard between the shoulder blades. “Thanks, Emma. This has been great. How often does this class meet?”
“Twice a week,” I said.
Britta nodded. “Awesome. It’s going on my calendar.”
“You want to come here so you can nap?” Phoebe queried.
“You want to come here so you can gripe about people,” Britta said. “Why is my reason any worse?”
Phoebe regarded the deputy with a newfound respect. “Welcome to harp therapy, Valkyrie.”
“I don’t know how I’m going from this to a raging nightclub later,” Paisley commented. “I should really reverse the order.”
“Big night out?” I asked.
“Usually we go to Olympus, but I heard Elsa's having her bachelorette party there tonight, so we’re going to Decadence instead.”
I perked up at the mention of the bachelorette party. “I haven’t heard of Olympus," I said.
"You haven't been there yet?" Paisley asked, stunned. "It's the nightclub where all the young people hang out. I would have thought your friends would've taken you there by now."
"To be honest, they’re not really the nightclub types." But Gareth was. I’d have to see if Olympus was one of the places he liked to frequent before his death.
"When you say young people,” Phoebe began, "you mean hot slabs of man meat, right?"
Paisley nodded. "Definitely young hot guys. They seem to flock there. That's probably why Elsa chose it for her bachelorette party. She likes the attention.”
No doubt.
“This is a party for Elsa to let loose and go nuts before her lifetime commitment,” Melvin said. “When you live as long as most of us do, a lifetime commitment is a scary prospect.”
Not for me. If I lived a million years, Daniel was still the one I wanted by my side. The gears began turning in my mind. Since I failed to find the right Anti-Obsession potion, maybe I could use the bachelorette party to gather evidence of Elsa having a little too much fun at Olympus. Would Daniel be upset enough to call off the wedding? If I couldn't fight the Obsession potion, then maybe I could work with it instead. Exploit his obsession.
"What's the dress code for Olympus?" I asked.
Paisley cocked an eyebrow. "Are you sure this is a good idea?"
"Of course not," I said. "But that never seems to serve as a roadblock.”
“Okay then. The less material on your body, the better," Paisley said. "I think maybe I should go with you and make sure things don't get out of hand. I wouldn't want the coven to have any issues with the fairies as a result of your exploits.”
"Exploits?" I asked, blinking innocently. "I have no interest in exploits of my own." Only Elsa’s.
"You go to Decadence. I'll pick Emma up at eight," Phoebe Minor interjected.
Paisley laughed. "It doesn't even open that early.”
Phoebe’s brow furrowed. “Eight o'clock is early? When did that happen?"
"When you got old," Sheena said. "I want to come too. I haven’t been to a nightclub in ages.”
I smacked my forehead. "I don't know. You two tend to wreak havoc when you go out drinking."
Phoebe and Sheena high-fived each other.
"Damn straight," Phoebe said. "And I’ve got the perfect outfit in mind. It’s hanging in Calliope’s closet right now.”
My stomach churned. The less material, the better? Somehow I doubted that this would be the bachelorette party that Elsa had envisioned for herself.
Chapter 17
"You cannot possibly expect to show up at Olympus wearing that," Gareth said, scrutinizing me.
I glanced down at the faux leather skirt and sparkly halter top. "What's wrong with this?" It seemed right up his alley. I looked like a combination of his disco ball and his own pair of leather trousers hidden in his closet.
"You need to show as much flesh as possible. This covers all the good stuff." Magpie hopped up on the bed and hissed in agreement.
"Well, I'm not going to show up naked," I objected.
"You want to blend, don't you?"
My eyes bulged. "People don't actually turn up naked, do they?" Because that was out of the question. Not to mention Elsa seemed far too uptight for that kind of thing.
“A gallon of body glitter would do the trick,” Gareth said.
“A gallon? How big do you think I am?” I folded my arms. “Forget it. I’m not demeaning myself in front of Elsa.”
Gareth clucked his tongue. “You’re showing up at her bachelorette party to try and weasel her fiancé out from under her. I’d say you’re demeaning yourself just fine without the glitter.”
“I’m not wearing body glitter, but I don’t have the type of outfit you think I need.”
The sound of wind chimes interrupted us. Gareth inclined his head. “Your ride is early.”
“Very.” Phoebe wasn’t due for another half an hour. “See who it is.”
Gareth returned a moment later. “It’s Phoebe Minor all right. I’d recognize that scowl anywhere. And she’s come bearing gifts.”
I raced to the front door. Sure enough, Phoebe stood on the front porch, her arm draped with clothes.
“Phoebe, do you need help choosing an outfit?” I asked.
“No, dimwit. I’m here to help you. I already look awesome.” She brushed past me and thrust a pile of clothes into my arms. “Now hurry up. We don’t want to stand at the end of the line. My arthritic hip will start acting up.”
I took one look at her outfit and my eyes widened. I’d never seen so much wrinkled cleavage in my life. It looked like two Shar-Peis fighting under a blanket.
“You look so…youthful,” I said.
“That’s the goal,” she replied. “Now you need to change out of those schoolmarm clothes and find something suitable in here.”
I held up a shiny rainbow tube top. “Where did you get these?”
“The vintage closet in the attic,” she said. “Everything comes back in style eventually so we keep it all. When you have six harpies under one roof, you tend to have a lot of clothes.” She yanked the remnants of a dress from my arm. “Try this.”
I stared at the flimsy fabric. The silver dress was thigh-high and sheer with cutouts in the abdominal area and the back.
“You’ve absolutely got to wear that,” Gareth said, floating downstairs.
“Are you serious?”
“As an enchantress with a grudge,” Phoebe said, mistakenly thinking my response was to her. “Don’t be shy. You’ve got the body for this.”
I glanced down at myself. “I guess I can try it on.”
“Hurry up. I’m thirsty.”
“I have plenty to drink here,” I said.
“For booze, you silly witch. Now get changed and let’s go.”
“She’s feisty,” Gareth said with an air of approval. “If Elsa gives you any trouble, just toss Phoebe between you. That’ll nip it in the bud.”
The club was jam-packed. I’d never seen so many wings and horns in one place since my arrival in Spellbound. And here I thought I'd met every attractive member of the community. It seemed that a large portion of them were hiding out at nightclubs like Olympus.
Phoebe made a beeline for the bar where Sheena awaited her and I located Begonia cowering near the restrooms.
Begonia gripped my arm nervously. “Where did all these good-looking paranormals come from?”
I gave her a curious look. “You’re just as pretty as any of these girls. You know that, right?”
She nudged me with her elbow. “You’re such a good friend. Anyway, it isn't that," she said, hesitating. “Claude and I have been getting along really well. Looking around here makes me question my willingness to commit though.”
"You’re still young, Begonia. You don't have to make big decisions like that yet, unless you’re absolutely sure."
"I'm sure that Claude is lovely and we have a great time together," she admitted.
"But you're not sure if you see him sticking around long-term?"
"Oh, I think he would stick around. I'm not sure whether I would. To be honest, I haven't given it much thought."
"Don't stress about it. You're not here tonight to find a new boyfriend anyway. We’re here to keep an eye on Elsa and see if we can get any information that stops the wedding."
Begonia surveyed the crowd. "There are so many bodies crammed in the room. She won't even know we’re here."
I felt a sharp tap on my shoulder and craned my neck to see who was behind me.
"Who had the poor taste to invite you to my bachelorette party?" Elsa stood behind me, her arms folded, accentuating her ample cleavage. She looked ready for nightclub action with her hair pulled up in a high ponytail and her exposed skin dusted with golden glitter.
"It's not a closed event," I said. "The nightclub is open to the public in case you haven't noticed."
Elsa glared at me. "It just so happens that I’m good friends with the owner's daughter. Watch your step or I’ll have you thrown out of here and humiliated."
“What will you do? Slip a potion into my drink?” I challenged her.
Her blue eyes narrowed. “Stay out of my way, witch." She elbowed me hard as she passed by and her friends sashayed behind her, looking exactly like the mean girls they were.
"Maybe we should leave," Begonia suggested. "I don't want her making trouble for you."
"Are you nuts?” I asked. “Now I'm more determined than ever to stick around and see what she gets up to. I don't trust her for a second."
"Do you really think she’ll step far enough out of line that Daniel will change his mind about the wedding?"
I pondered the question. "I don’t know, but it’s my last chance, Begonia. I have to try."
She nodded mutely.
"Emma Hart. I don't think I’ve ever seen you look as delicious as you do right now."
I turned to see Demetrius beside me. "You’d better be careful, Dem. The last thing you want is to tell a human she looks delicious."
He laughed softly. "I do appreciate your sense of humor. It’s one of your most attractive qualities."
“I didn’t realize you frequented the nightclubs.”
“I like to dance.” He paused, his gaze traveling over my sheer silver not-quite-a-dress. “A pity we never got that far.”
“Begonia likes to dance,” I said, nudging her forward.
Begonia’s cheeks burned scarlet. “I…do.”
His fangs popped out at the sight of Begonia’s deep V-neck top. I didn’t blame him. I’d never seen Begonia look sexy before. Her nightclub outfit was the equivalent of Sandy’s transformation from ponytailed sweetheart to leather-clad hot girl in Grease.
“There’s a good song playing right now,” Demetrius said, extending a hand toward her.
Begonia cast a wary look at me and I waved her off. She’d had a crush on Demetrius forever. There was no way I’d discourage her.
“I’ll be fine,” I insisted. “Plenty here to keep me occupied.” Like keeping track of Elsa.
“If you’re sure,” Begonia said.
I gave her a gentle push toward Demetrius and I watched until they were swallowed by the pulsating crowd on the dance floor.
Poor Claude. He didn’t stand a chance against the charms of Demetrius Hunt.
I scanned the club for any sign of Elsa and her friends. Her location wasn’t difficult to pinpoint. I saw her perched on the balcony of the second floor, prancing around like she owned the place. Her friends mimicked her actions, copying her every gyration. It was nauseating to watch. If I didn’t stop this wedding, Daniel was going to marry the Ultimate Mean Girl. Ugh.
Someone bumped into me, spilling liquid all over my legs and feet. The apology barely registered. I was fixated on Elsa, determined not to miss a single piece of damnable evidence.
“Most people come here to drink and dance,” a voice said. “You don’t seem to be doing either one.”
“Huh?” I glanced over to see a heart-stoppingly handsome man. Wavy, brown hair and celadon eyes. Broad shoulders and a body with more definitions than the dictionary. No sign of horns, wings, or a tail though. When he grinned, I immediately developed a new appreciation for the term ‘instant panty remover.’
“You’re an incubus,” I said, the realization hitting me.
“And you’re very pretty,” he replied.
The sexual vibes surrounded him in a haze, threatening to drown me in a sea of pheromones. “Emma.”
“Jackson.” He inclined his head toward the dance floor. “Care to join me?”
Holy Hotness. How did anyone turn down his advances? It felt like a superpower. “I’d love to, but I can’t.”
He blinked, the words not quite registering. “Sorry?”
“I’m here on a mission and that doesn’t include dancing, even with someone as tempting as you.”
The compliment seemed to placate him. “My loss. If you change your mind, I’ll be out there, bumping and grinding all by my lonesome.”
I had a feeling he wouldn’t be all by his lonesome for more than two seconds. Jackson seemed like a black hole of sex—he sucked you in and swallowed you whole.
His attention was suddenly drawn to the second floor, where Elsa was swinging around a pole and laughing.
“Elsa Knightsbridge,” he said.
“It’s her bachelorette party,” I said.
“Is that right?” He flashed a crooked grin.
“You haven’t heard about the wedding?” I queried. I figured everyone in town knew about Daniel and Elsa.
“Oh, I’ve heard, but I’m less interested in weddings than I am in bachelorette parties.” He winked at me. “If you’ll excuse me, it’s my turn to make a bride-to-be blush.”
A perfect storm was brewing and I had no way of capturing the moment. I didn’t miss my cell phone often, but my phone camera would have come in very handy right now. A nice video of Elsa coiled around Mr. Sex On A Stick.
My dream died before Jackson made it to the bachelorette. Phoebe Minor intercepted him, her long, bony arms wrapping around his muscular frame. To his credit, he didn’t shudder.
“Phoebe,” I whispered. “You’re supposed to be on my team.”
I watched as the older harpy encouraged the incubus to dance with her. He humored her without so much as a backward glance at Elsa. He was either a gentlemanly incubus or he truly didn’t care as long as he had a female body to rub against.
“We finally got in,” Sophie said, squeezing my shoulders.
“Hey.” I twisted my neck to greet Millie and Sophie. “You were in the line all that time?”
“We apparently aren
’t scantily clad enough,” Millie said. “The bouncers kept letting mostly naked people in ahead of us.”
She wasn’t wrong. Both Millie and Sophie wore normal dresses—cute for a party but not on trend for Olympus.
“This place is super popular,” Sophie said.
Millie seemed disinterested in the ambience. “Where’s Elsa and what’s the plan?”
“I want to catch her doing something inappropriate,” I said. “Then Daniel will get so upset that he cancels the wedding.”
Millie frowned. “How will you prove it?”
I bit my lip. “Not sure. Magic?”
“Where’s Begonia?” Sophie asked.
“Dancing with Demetrius Hunt,” I replied.
Sophie’s eyes grew round. “Seriously? That’s been her dream forever.”
“Well, it’s coming true right now, while I’m standing on the threshold of a nightmare.” Not that I begrudged Begonia her happiness. I wanted everyone I cared about to find happiness. Otherwise, what was the point of living?
“There’s someone who may help you,” Millie said, pointing across the crowded room. Jasper, Elsa’s former fiancé, pushed his way through the partygoers toward the spiral staircase that led to the second floor.
“He’s heading straight for Elsa,” Sophie said.
“What do you think he’s going to do?” Millie asked. “She’s already publicly humiliated him by dumping him for Daniel. He’s nuts to pursue her now.”
“He loves her,” I said simply. “He’s willing to endure anything she throws at him.”
“He should have some self-respect,” Millie snapped, oblivious to my similar situation.
I watched with interest, hoping to see her kiss him, or at the very least, flirt heavily. Unfortunately, I only witnessed her reject him all over again. Although I couldn’t hear her actual words, I got the gist of them based on Jasper’s crestfallen expression. He seemed confident that he could win her over. Poor Jasper. I empathized.
“That was a bust,” Millie observed.
I sighed deeply. “I don’t think we’re going to catch Elsa doing anything in public. She’s not that stupid.” Unfortunately for me. Why couldn’t she channel her intelligence into a worthwhile project like animal rescue?
Cast Away Page 11
