And here the angel sat, in his own kitchen.
He turned off the stove and plated the food, serving it to them at the counter. He took a seat next to Charlie.
She smelled delicious, some version of vanilla and almond that tickled his nose. She smelled better than the waffles.
But he’d have to settle for the waffles.
She tasted them. “Ummm.” She looked up at him, amazement in her eyes. After she swallowed, she said, “These are amazing.”
Pleased at her praise, he shrugged. “I’ve had lots of practice.”
Jake said, “He likes to cook.”
“Shhh, kid. Cooking’s not manly.”
She shook her head. “You could open a diner. You’d make a million bucks.”
“I don’t need a million bucks.”
“Then you could hire someone to make your bids on your guitars,” Jake said.
Elvis turned to the kid and ruffled his hair. “Remind me why you’re still here?”
Jake and Charlie exchanged a laugh. Charlie touched Elvis’s arm. “Seriously, you are one of the best cooks I’ve ever met.”
He blushed. “Aw, you’re just teasing me now.”
“Honest truth,” she claimed and held up her right hand. “And you could call your place Elvis Sightings and have an Elvis menu with all the foods you liked before you were turned — your peanut butter and banana sandwich and the Fool’s Gold Loaf.”
“Do it.” Jake nodded. “I dare you.”
The idea did appeal to him. “Elvis Sightings, huh?”
“I love it. People would come in to see you — or at least what they think is an Elvis impersonator, not singing, but serving Elvis food.”
Her admiration set his heart racing while the scent of her sent shivers up his spine. He wanted nothing so much as to take hold of her and kiss her — but that would be full of dangerous consequences. Luckily — or unluckily — for him, the kid was there so he really couldn’t.
He’d successfully avoided temptation for decades. Why here? Why now? Why her?
He needed to remember his new life motto: What would Gene say?
He wanted to thank her for saving him, but he didn’t want to risk having her lose that soft look in her eyes toward him.
Plus the kid was still there. Go away, kid, you bother me.
He couldn’t tell her. And he definitely couldn’t kiss her.
What. Would. Gene. Say?
The Scent Of Lemon And Honeysuckle
“YOUR HIGHNESS,” THE SERVER SAID, bowing her head to Dixie Murphy.
The people in the photography shop had done that, too.
As Charlie and Amber trailed behind, Charlie asked Amber, “Why is everyone treating Dixie like she’s royalty?”
Amber smiled. “Because she’s the daughter of the fae king, the king of the garden pixies. She’s a long-lost princess.”
“Wow.” Charlie looked at Dixie with new respect.
Dixie turned back to them. “I wasn’t raised around here, so you can imagine my confusion when I came to town and everyone mistook me for my twin sister, the princess they did know about.”
“I bet,” Charlie said as they slid into a booth. “That sounds like some story.”
“Believe me, if you think the story sounds like something, you should have lived it. Bizarre. It worked out, though. I got a sister, a dad, and the man of my dreams all at the same time. Oh, and I found out I’m a princess. Go figure!”
The three of them had started their girls’ day out by having a funky picture taken in Dorian Gray Photography, where she met Herb Tobolowsky and Marigold Connolly. They’d opted for a photo of themselves dressed as three witches stirring something in a cauldron. It had turned out really cute. The photography store was next door to the Woo-Woo Revue, where she’d be working in a couple of hours.
Then they’d decided to have lunch at Blue Moon, apparently a new werewolf sports bar and restaurant that had just opened.
Dixie said, “How’d you get out on the town without Henry following behind?”
“I got Samuel to convince him I would be safe now that I’ve been turned, and he could ease off his Guardian job. He’s vacationing in the Troll Lands in Europe.” Amber turned to Charlie. “Henry Scorchbottom is a big, ugly, stinky troll with a heart of gold — but he got assigned as my Guardian. I couldn’t go anywhere without him trailing behind me for a long time. It got to be quite inconvenient.”
“A troll? I’ve never met one.”
“You’ll smell them coming before you see them.” Amber looked around the room. “I really like this place. How did they get a full moon in here?” She laughed.
The full moon in question, tinged blue, hung in the corner of the ceiling, looking as though it was just suspended there.
Charlie knew a blue moon wasn’t actually blue, but was simply the term used for the second full moon in the same month or the third full moon in a season. Werewolves were all about full moons.
“I suspect the witches had something to do with it,” Dixie said. “It looks kind of witchy to me.”
The menu had names like Full Moon Pancakes with Lycanberry Syrup, Howling Hot Dogs, Shifter Burritos, Wolfsbane Cheesecake, and one of the drinks was called Hair of the Dog. Charlie smiled at the werewolf humor.
When the server returned, Charlie ordered the special of the day, the Swifter Shifter — a chicken breast stuffed with guacamole, and then wrapped in crispy bacon — and the other ladies followed her lead.
She looked back and forth between the two girls, from Amber’s vivid green eyes to Dixie’s less intense ones. She liked them both quite a bit. They weren’t the type to create drama, and they made her feel welcome, like she belonged.
Dixie leaned closer and lowered her voice. “I hope you don’t mind, but Gene told us you’re worried about harming humans.”
Charlie nodded. “I’m glad both of you are paranormals.”
Amber smiled. “I couldn’t have come to lunch with you last month, then. I just got turned. Since my husband and adopted son are both growlers, it just seemed like the thing to do. No growing older and all that.”
Charlie tipped her head. “Will your little boy stay little?”
Amber shook her head. “No. He’s growing up like a normal human kid does, but apparently will stop aging when he reaches his prime, in his mid-twenties or so, and then age very slowly like the rest of us.”
“That’s how it is with—” Charlie almost said sirens, but caught herself, “—lots of supernaturals.”
She still worried about revealing too much about herself. Just because these women wanted to befriend her didn’t mean she didn’t need to be on guard around them. She didn’t want to see their faces when they learned she was a siren.
Nobody liked sirens.
Except other sirens. And even they didn’t like her right now.
That was okay, as she didn’t much like the other sirens, either. Even her sisters. Maybe especially her sisters.
After lunch, they’d grabbed a copy of the local newspaper, the Carpe Noctem News, as they left the Blue Moon, to check for upcoming activities in town.
“Next stop is Wild Things Gift Shop,” Dixie said. “I love that shop.”
She led the way across the street and through Town Square.
“You just love the cute guy behind the counter,” Amber teased. “The one who fawns over you more than anyone else in town does.”
“How is that even possible?” Charlie chuckled. “Everyone has fawned over you.”
“I don’t actually enjoy the fawning, guys,” Dixie said.
Amber put an arm around her shoulder. “I know. We just like to tease you, Your Highness.”
Dixie swatted at her. “Just because you’re a big bad werewolf now doesn’t mean I can’t use some of my cool new pixie magic on you.”
“What will you do? Grow flowers out of my head?”
Charlie laughed as Dixie explained, “Garden pixies take a lot of guff from big, tough supernat
urals who think they’re cool because they just got turned.”
Amber nodded. “That’s me.”
Dixie said, “Hey, there’s Jingle. We should take Charlie to get a snow cone.”
The other two women exchanged a look and a smile, and Charlie asked, “Why? What’s wrong with the snow cones?”
“Absolutely nothing,” Amber assured her.
Dixie said, “They’re delicious. Jingle has a gift for giving you exactly the snow cone flavor you need.”
They passed several food booths and drew closer to one with a sign saying Craved Ice.
A cute snow pixie stood behind the counter, a smile on her face.
Dixie made the introductions, and they exchanged greetings. Jingle said, “I think I know exactly what flavor you ought to have today.”
Amused, Charlie said, “Which one?”
“Give me just a moment, and I’ll have the perfect snow cone for you.”
Jingle started the ice shaving and Charlie smiled at her two new friends.
When the cone had a nice full curved top, Jingle studied the flavorings. Finally, she pulled out two bottles. “I’m mixing cheery cherry with a hint of blue raspberry. You’ll need some cheer to help deal with the one who wore blue suede shoes.”
Skeptical, Charlie laughed. “So you’ve heard I’m staying with Elvis?”
Jingle shook her head. “No. I just get these impressions when I’m making snow cones.” She held out the snow cone, now a beautiful purple color.
“Thank you,” Charlie said, and took a bite. The flavor was unlike anything she’d ever tasted. It was delicious, and had undertones of sadness covered by a ripple of laughter on her tongue. “This is amazing.”
Jingle looked pleased at her words. “Thanks.”
Amber asked Jingle, “Can you close up for a few minutes and go into Wild Things with us?”
“Wish I could,” Jingle said, “but I sense someone coming close who’s going to need me. But let me fix you two a snow cone, too.”
She did and, as a family of humans walked up, they said their goodbyes and chose a bench to sit on while they ate their snow cones.
Amber pushed inside the store. “Hey, Armond, I brought your favorite person in to see you.”
A tall, slender man turned to them and when he caught sight of Dixie, a huge grin broke out over his face. He jumped from behind the counter, caught hold of her hand, and bowed low over it, kissing her knuckles as she rolled her eyes.
He stood and released her hand. “Princess, how may I be of help today?”
Dixie smiled graciously at him. “Good afternoon, Armond. We’re here to browse your store and introduce our new friend to some of the better shops in town.”
He beamed. “I’ll leave you alone, then, as you browse, but I’m right here if you need anything at all.”
“Thank you,” Dixie said, smiling at her friends.
Charlie had to give her points for being gracious to the man, even though she so obviously didn’t like the attention.
The shop was adorable. There were copies of Maurice Sendak’s Where the Wild Things Are arranged on a table ten feet inside the door, with a cardboard standup of some of those wild things.
Then there were wonderful souvenirs for tourists to take home from a town with monster movie roots and lore, including a wide variety of monster movie posters, both classics and more current movies made by the local Moonchuckle Bay Studio.
Action figures of werewolves, vampires, and other creatures lined the shelves and there was even a section with monster-building kits. And, of course, there were key chains, name tags, and other town memorabilia.
A section with monster-prevention items like Monster-B-Gone Spray, and games like Monster Stomp caught her eye. There was even an entire section devoted to zombies and the zombie apocalypse, with books like Patient Zero and The Zombie Survival Guide and numerous movies.
And then Charlie found the wearable stuff. Amber pulled out a pixie costume, complete with wings. “Dixie, you need this.”
In turn, Dixie found a hairy werewolf mask and lifted her eyebrows at Amber.
Then both women turned to her, obviously wondering what kind of creature Charlie was. They could sense that she wasn’t human, but they didn’t know what, exactly, she was. She shrugged. “You’ll just have to guess for a while longer.”
“Spoilsport.” Dixie shook her head.
Amber touched Charlie’s arm. “It’s okay. You can tell us when you’re ready.”
“Thank you,” Charlie said, more touched than she would have guessed.
They took their purchases to the counter and Armond found a coupon that gave them twenty-five percent off their purchases. Charlie was pretty sure he was offering them the “princess” discount.
She glanced at her watch. “I’ve got to be at the theater in ten minutes.”
Amber offered, “We’ll take your packages home. You can pick them up tomorrow.”
Dixie hugged her. “I’m so glad I got to play with you today. And that you didn’t fawn over me after you found out I was a princess.”
Amber nodded. “We like you, Charlie Melodi. We hope you stick around town.”
Not sure how long she’d be here, she said, “I enjoyed the day, too. Thanks for spending time with me.”
The two of them loaded up with the shopping bags and waved at Armond, walking off toward the Town Square parking lot.
Charlie headed toward the Woo-Woo Revue, a block away.
A few minutes later, she pushed her way through the heavy, ornate theater doors.
She saw that Elvis had beaten her there and was already behind the concession stand, charming the women standing in line with his crooked grin.
That was the good news.
The bad news? Her heart leapt within her chest. Corny, but true.
She couldn’t believe how happy she was to see him — and to feel his calming waves wash over her.
This was the first time she’d had feelings for a man, and it scared her. It also excited her, made her twitterpated, and made her heart sing.
She was going to enjoy working with him again. She’d had fun last night, and she expected tonight to be the same.
Toward the end of his shift, Elvis grinned at the tourist as he handed her a popcorn. “Enjoy the movie, darlin’.”
She giggled and went off with her girlfriends, each of them glancing back at him. He gave a little wave, and they all tittered.
He still had it, apparently. For what it was worth.
“That’s weird.” Charlie pointed toward the large windows. “There’s a woman out there who’s motioning to us.”
“I’ll go see what’s going on,” he said, and walked around the counter to check.
Through the window, he could see the woman — and the blood froze in his veins, his heart stopping in his chest for one long moment.
Virginia?
After all this time, Virginia had found him?
Horrified, he stared at her, frozen to the spot.
He sniffed and, even through the glass, a whiff of lemon and honeysuckle tickled his nostrils.
Virginia had found him!
One Delicious Elvis Burrito
VIRGINIA SMILED AT HIM AS SHE took a few steps toward the street, tossed something into the air — and flames burst from beneath the hood of his Cadillac!
She knew which vehicle was his. She probably knew where he lived.
“A car’s on fire!” cried one of the customers, and people joined him by the windows. Their movement finally jolted him from his fear-induced haze.
He dialed Gene’s number as he pushed through the crowd toward the doors. When his alpha answered, he said, “Virginia’s here at the theater and just set my car on fire. I’m going out.”
“Stay inside!” Gene commanded, and Elvis stopped.
“I have to—”
“Stay inside!” Gene repeated, his voice a bass growl.
Elvis had to obey. “All right. I’m staying inside.�
�
“Good.”
A fire truck pulled up in front and firefighters jumped out. He recognized the dragon and the were-owl and several of the others, all in human form, as they pulled out their equipment.
Elvis pulled out his key fob, pointed through the window, and pushed UNLOCK. When the lights on his Cadillac flickered, one of the firefighters opened the door and unlatched the hood, then they started aiming chemical foam all over his previously pristine engine.
He scanned the crowd again, but Virginia was gone. She’d done her dirty work and escaped from the scene.
His heart was still pounding from the adrenaline.
She’d kept him in a cage for five years — and he still hadn’t recovered from it fully. Obviously. A fanatical fan who had happened to be a werewolf and wanted to keep him for her very own. Only she wasn’t alpha enough to help him gain control over his wolf. It was only when Gene had stepped in that Elvis had begun to gain control, to be more human again.
And Charlie had helped save him.
He looked back at her just as she stepped beside him and took his arm. “Are you okay?”
He nodded.
“Are you sure? You’re really pale.” She searched his face, concerned.
He couldn’t tell her the story, not now, maybe not ever. He’d never told anyone but Gene. “I’ll be all right, except for the fact that, you know, some crazy lady set my car on fire.”
A firefighter — the dragon, Tyberius Thrakos — came inside. “Does anyone know whose car that was?”
Elvis raised his hand. “Mine.”
“You’re lucky we were just coming from another fire or it would have been longer before we got here. The fire’s out, though your car will need some work before it’s driveable. Lots of melted wires.” He narrowed his eyes at Elvis. “Do you need a ride home?”
“After our shift, yes.”
“How much longer do you have?” Ty asked.
Charlie said, “Only fifteen minutes longer.”
Elvis Gets His Groove Back (Moonchuckle Bay Romantic Comedy #5 Page 6
