Page 69 of Upside Down Magic

“Ihate it when you make a good point.”

“Iknow,Itry hard not to.”

Wegrinned at each other.

“Let’sget back down before you hug me again,” she said.

Iagreed becauseIwas this close to launching myself at her again.

Markwas sitting at the counter, talking toLilian, which immediately made me wonder ifDruand he had been together when the calls and texts for the meeting had gone out.Druignored my questioning look, andIdropped the matter to berevisited later.Plentyof time then, afterShaneandBrimstonewere back to normal and my shop was open again.

Iancame over and dropped a kiss on the top of my head. “Everythingokay?”

Ismiled bravely at him. “Itwill be soon.”

Thefront door opened with a slam, the usually soft bell clinking in a panic, andHuttonentered the shop, followed byKeith, one of his seconds in command.

Igaped.

Heglared.

Keithbeamed at everyone. “How’sit going, folks?”

Imade the introductions, then added, “CanItalk to you for a moment,Hutton?”

Huttongave everyone present another menacing glare, then stomped his way into the back of the shop.Ifollowed, grabbed his arm, and dragged him into the kitchen.

Happygurgling sounds reverberated through the wall.

“Notnow,TinyKraken,”Isaid. “Mommyneeds to put some sense into the shifters’ alpha.”

“Youshould exorcise that thing,”Huttonground out through clenched teeth.

Oh, he did not just…! “LeavemyTinyKrakenalone,”Itold him sternly. “Whatare you doing here?Itold you not to come near the witches.”

“Whatelse amIsupposed to do?” he hissed, for once not trying to loom over me.Therewas a slight note of desperation in his voice, andIsuddenly realized he had tamped his alpha aura all the way down. “Theyasked for the local leaders.It’dbe suspicious ifIdidn’t show up.”

“Butwhat if they notice something’s wrong with you?”

Henearly poked my nose with his pointing finger. “Youbetter make sure they don’t.”

I’dusually bristle when he talked like that, but he didn’t sound like his usual sneering self.Withoutthe attitude, he looked like a lost boy, and it made me want to hug him.

Hiseyes widened and he took a step back. “Whyare you looking at me like that?What’sgoing on?”

“Nothing.”Iblinked fast again. “Wanta hug?”

Hisjaw fell open. “No!”Thenhe stomped his way out of the kitchen and back into the shop.

Ipatted the wall. “It’sso nice to see he has human feelings, isn’t it?”

Thepipes rumbled in approval.

“Don’tworry,Iwon’t exorcise you until you want me to.”Happygurgles came from the faucet, andItapped it softly. “Goodkraken.”

WhenIreturned to the shop,Inoticed with approval thatHuttonhad decided to be a cloud of gloom and darkness in the corner by the window, as far as one could get from the two witches sitting at the counter.Keywas now behind the counter, from the looks of it trying to make a coffee toTammy’sstringent specifications.Ianleaned against the wall by the archway into the back, whileDru,Mark, andKeithwere by the entrance, chatting away like this was simply anotherPBOAmeeting.

Andspeaking of the devil,Soniaherself opened the door and walked in,Boskoof all people right behind her.Myinterest piqued immediately.Washe here as a big-name shop owner or as a big-name magic user?

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