Page 74 of Forever Touched

Everett abruptly squeezed the paperweight, so hard that it exploded in a poof of sparkly dust.

Listening to the tiny shards ping off the kitchen tiles, I groaned, “Great. Another mess for me to clean up.”

As I stepped forward to do just that, Everett said, “Don’t. Show me where the broom and dustpan are, and I’ll do it.”

I stopped dead in my tracks to gape at him. “You?The crown vampire prince is going to clean up a mess in the kitchen? NowthisI gotta see.”

In a flash, I grabbed the broom and dustpan, then thrust them at him, grinning like a fiend.

Ten bucks says he doesn’t know how to use a broom, Pepper said, clearly eavesdropping on our conversation.

Everett gave me an odd look as I replied out loud, “You’re on. But if you win, don’t you dare turn that money into a new nest.”

No promises, she sang back.

When he continued to stare at me like I’d lost my mind, I waved a hand and explained, “It’s just Pepper. She thinks you don’t know how to use a broom.”

Because he’s a spoiled little prince who lives in a pretty castle run by human servants, she chortled.I bet he’s never washed a dish or folded laundry in his life.

When I snickered, Everett’s green eyes narrowed. “Oh, really? Whatelsedoes she think?”

I blinked at him innocently. “Nothing interesting.”

“Mmm,” he grunted, then became a whirlwind. Literally. My hair flew every which way as he moved at lightning speed. A second later,he was standing before me again.

“Done,” he said, handing me the broom and dustpan. A dustpan that was now filled with little shards of glass.

My mouth fell open. As I wordlessly took the tools, Everett slowly smirked.

“So, when do I get to meet your familiar?”

“Uh . . .”

Now, Pepper excitedly said.I want to meet the magical, broom-wielding prince you have the hots for.

“Pepper,” I hissed, giving Everett a nervous little smile when he raised a brow in question. “Look, this really isn’t a good idea. Mistress will know you were here if you come inside.”

“Then we’ll go outside.”

“I can’t. She forbade me from stepping foot outside this house.”

His jaw hardened. “What does she expect you to do, then?”

I shrugged. “Mostly clean.”

Anger sparked in his eyes. “So you’re her servant.”

I didn’t respond, choosing to empty the dustpan and put the cleaning tools away instead. When I returned with a shirt on, he barely seemed to notice. He was too busy being angry, so angry that I wouldn’t be surprised if he started tearing down the house with his own two hands. He probably would too, which made me nervous.

To distract him, I said, “Look, Everett. It was nice of you to check on me, but I’m perfectly safe here. I think you should—”

A soft scratching noise suddenly came from the basement door.

Let me up, Ada. If you’re going outside with the hunky prince, then so am I.

I hurried to the door and opened it, bending to scoop Pepper into my hands. “You shouldn’t have come up here,” I quietly scolded her, trapping her between my palms when she tried to race up myarm.

Don’t make me bite you, Adalyn, she warned with a perturbed squeak.I’m super hangry, and witch tartare sounds mighty tasty right about now.

---