Page 21 of Delivered to My Serpents

I really did intend to finish the cover coming due in a few days, but it was such a nice morning, I took a second cup of coffee out to the patio to enjoy nature. The yard backed up on open woodlands, and birds, butterflies, and small animas provided me with entertainment until out of nowhere, dark clouds rolled in to hide the blue sky and a cold wind kicked up. I picked up my coffee cup and hurried inside, pausing to rearm the alarm just as I’d been shown.

Congratulating myself on my responsibility, I set up my laptop at the breakfast counter and settled in to finish the cover. It was almost done and one of my favorites so far. The author and publisher had already approved the concept and mockup, and now was all about adding the fancy stuff I enjoyed most. Layers and layers to create my modest artwork. Outside, the wind howled, and rain began, battering the windows. A crack of lightning, followed by the rumble of nearby thunder had me hoping that wherever the guys were, they would stay put until this storm passed. As quickly as it came on, it would likely move on through soon. At least I hoped so.

Especially when the next crack of lightning was followed by dimness in the kitchen. The electronic water on the refrigerator door blinked out, and I was very glad I hadn’t been working plugged in because the pop when it all went off indicated a possible power surge. Not that I was an expert, but my last laptop died that way despite the surge suppressor it was plugged into.

I hopped off my stool and set out to find a flashlight. Even though it was the middle of the day, the clouds made it almost as dark as night. I felt my way around the kitchen under the assumption that most people kept a flashlight there somewhere, as did I at home. And, in the third drawer I opened, I learned that these serpent shifters also did. I tested it and, of course, it shone brightly, so I turned it off and went into the family room to wait out the storm.

Rain turned to hail, bouncing off the green metal roof of the wooden structure and the ground outside the large windows. But then, just as suddenly as it arrived, it all stopped, quiet louder than the racket, and the wind blew the clouds on to another place, bringing daylight back, but not the electricity.

I considered sitting outside to work where it was brighter, but the chairs on the patio were soaked through and had small piles of hail on them, so I went back inside, rearmed the alarm, again, and decided to take a nap.

But then, in the hallway outside the kitchen, I passed the door to the basement. Its keypad was dark, like all the other electronics. What did that mean? Nothing. It meant absolutely nothing to me because I didn’t have any business with their workspace, which they had been clear was 100 percent private.

How would it look if I tried to break in the very first time they left me alone in the house? Bad. It would look bad. But…if the lock wasn’t working, not that I knew that of course, but if it wasn’t, how was it breaking in? I could just take a peek, not at their screens or any paper files. Just see what was down there. They’d never know a thing, and I would feel better.

The story of Bluebeard had always intrigued me. Also, Pandora’s Box. Both of those had involved curiosity ending in disaster. But wouldn’t I rather know if they had their last mate dead down there? Or some sort of nightmare like Pandora found? Serpent shifters were mysterious in the extreme.

I would just test the door, and if it opened, step inside long enough to see what was what, and then leave again, no harm done. My heart was pounding as I closed my hand around the knob, my throat tickling from nerves. But there was no turning back now, and the knob turned. Just as planned, I opened it and took a step, then another, the door closing behind me. But, of course, it was pitch dark down there below ground level, and there was no power whatsoever. I was turning back to go get the flashlight when the door clicked, the panel next to it on this side came to life, and the door locked. I didn’t even need to check it to see—although, of course I did.

I was trapped. And, from below me, I heard the sounds of electronics kicking on. Slowly turning, I surveyed a scene out of a movie. Every kind of gadget, multiple screens flared to life, and voices were asking me questions seemingly out of thin air.

But any danger here was irrelevant. The shifters were going to kill me when they found me in here anyway. Why did I do it?

I set to work trying to find a way out, guessing former military with security as their specialty would have another exit. I was going to have to find it and fast because the number of flashing red lights in here told me that some sort of alarm had been triggered, and soon I’d be facing two very tall, very strong, very angry serpent shifters. Who were, from all the screens flashing different languages, odd gizmos, and clocks with times set to all over the world, among other things, most likely spies.

I broke into a coughing fit with no honey drops in sight.

Chapter Nineteen

Drake

“Do you think Jasmine suspects what we’re up to?” Naga asked, a broad smile creasing his face. My friend had not looked this happy and relaxed in all the years I’d known him. “I really want to surprise her.”

I found parking right in front of our destination. “Not at all. In fact, she looked pretty upset when we wouldn’t tell her where we were going.”

“Oh no.” His smile disappeared. “I didn’t want that.”

“Just think about how happy she’s going to be when she sees what we’ve been up to.” I held the door of the florist/candy store open and followed Naga inside. “Has she said what kind of flowers she likes?”

“Not that I heard, so we’ll have to get the florist, what was his name?”

“Peter.”

“Right, we’ll ask Peter to make something special for us.” The front of the shop, the flower section was run by Peter, the candy store in the back by his wife who made everything right there in front of the customers. Like most of the places in town, they also had a thriving online business, but those who ordered on their website missed out on the incredible scents of both the flowers and the chocolate.

“Did I hear my name?” Peter, a deer shifter, appeared from the back, a heap of assorted blossoms in his arms. “Oh, Naga and Drake, right? Jasmine said you guys have lived here for three years. Funny how we never met before.”

“Yeah.” Memories of how our mate had greeted and gotten to know everyone so quickly then mentioned supporting local businesses rose in my mind. “But we plan to change that. In fact, we’re here to buy some gifts for our girl.”

“See? I knew she was your mate. Mildred, come up here and help me put together presents for Jasmine. Didn’t she say she likes the flower she’s named after?”

I never even thought of the fact she was named after a flower. I just thought her name was pretty, and so was she…what a dolt.

“Yes, and she pointed out a few others. Here, let me grab them and then you can make an arrangement.” She laid out her selections on the counter and faced us. “Did you also want candy?”

“I don’t suppose you know what she prefers?” Naga asked dryly. We’d been right here—how had we not heard all the things she said? Were we so hung up on shame for our own neglect to meet our neighbors we just didn’t listen?

“I do in fact. Two pounds enough?” Mildred didn’t wait for our answer, just headed for the back, humming under her breath.

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