Page 11 of Jabba's Journey

Chapter Six

Electra

Despite not being home,I find myself growing comfortable staying at the Iron Howler’s clubhouse. It might have more to do with what Jabba told me than anything, but after being on my own for so long, there’s something soothing about being around others. As I meander to the kitchen, Sprinkles following alongside meowing as though we’re having an intellectual conversation, I hear his deep rumbling voice and smile.

While witches may not have the draw of the mating pull like shifters experience upon finding their mates, ever since I was alert enough to see him, I’ve felt the underlying attraction deep in my soul. Once we breach the kitchen, I find him standing behind Jazzy, his hands in her hair twisting it into complex braids with his tongue out wetting his lips while Harmony looks on and laughs.

“What are you doing?” I ask as I fill a bowl full of food for Sprinkles and set it down on the placemat Jazzy brought from my house. There’s already some fresh water, which tickles at mysenses and makes me realize I need to connect with a larger source to finish healing the last of my wounds I suffered at the hands of the Red Caps.

“Uncle Jabba is trying out a new hairstyle on me,” Jazzy replies. “I don’t know why Momma is laughing though.”

“Because the braids are so tiny and his fingers aren’t,” Harmony says. “It’s funny to me that a man of his size is capable of doing something so intricate.”

“Hey now, we’re not all Neanderthals,” Jabba admonishes before winking at me. “Some of us are more… cultured.”

Harmony’s scoff has me giggling behind my hand as I watch how comfortable they all are with each other. “Keep telling yourself that, Jabba,” Harmony teases.

I decide to fix a cup of coffee, the heady brew calling to the part of me that’s under-caffeinated. It’s not my preferred beverage, but I’m not in the mood to boil water for some tea, so it’ll do for now. Once I’m happy with the amount of creamer and sugar I added, I take my mug and sit down next to Harmony, before I ask, “Is there a large water source nearby?”

“We’ve got several that aren’t too far,” Jabba replies. “Depends on what you’re wanting because there’s a hot spring about five miles or so from here, but we also have a few lakes, including a man-made one that’s just outside of the wards for our territory.”

“You have wards?” I ask, my heart rate increasing for some inexplicable reason.

“Karsyn and I put them in place,” Harmony says, her hand reaching out to touch mine. “It’s more so that the humans wholive in the area don’t stumble upon us, although we do have a few that serve as an early warning system of sorts.”

“Didn’t help much when the Red Caps snatched the club girls,” Jabba grumbles.

“They were in town, remember? Shopping or something like that,” Harmony states. “Speaking of, maybe I need to talk to Cyrus to see if he’d like us to put some new ones in place, especially now.”

She doesn’t elaborate, but looking closer, I can see something’s different about her, but I can’t put my finger on it. Deciding to push it to the back of my thoughts, I ask, “Can you take me to the hot spring, Jabba? Once you’re done, that is.”

“Absolutely. If you want, I’ll let you ride my wolf.” The shiver that courses through me at his words has me clenching my thighs and I watch as his nostrils flare.

Great, being around shifters means I’m going to have to watch my erotogenic reactions, although desire and arousal aren’t easy to hide. I feel my face redden as I avert my eyes from his knowing ones. Thankfully, Jazzy is too young to miss the innuendos that are flying around, because I wouldn’t want to face Cyrus’s wrath if his daughter decided to ask him about what something meant.

“That sounds interesting,” I finally manage to say.

“It could be,” he replies, shooting me a wink that has my cheeks pinkening.

“Anyway. Do you have a wolfie saddle or something we could tie onto you, or do I simply clutch your wolf between my thighs?” Do not ask me where this brazen part of me came from, buthis wink did something to encourage it. My core clenches at the thought and I watch him take a deep breath in before his eyes widen, and I see the carnal want blazing in his eyes.

“Yeah, I think this conversation needs to hold off until little ears aren’t around,” Harmony says, laughing.

“I want a wolfie saddle,” Jazzy pouts. “I’d like to ride Daddy’s wolf. That’d be fun.” I swear that behind the cup of her hand, Harmony says it is. Even without superb hearing, I can make the words out with crystal clarity. It takes every bit of my self-control to not bowl over in laughter.

“Do not say that to your father,” Jabba barks, mirth shining in his eyes. “Never mind, just make sure I’m there when you do.”

“You’re bad, Jabba,” I jokingly criticize, but secretly hoping I’m there too if she asks Cyrus that particular question.

“Uncle Jabba is good,” Jazzy says, trying to refute what I said. Defending her uncle is an honorable trait. One I can get behind. “He protects us, especially me!”

“And how are you getting out of that one?” Harmony whispers to me. “You’ll learn with little ears around that you have to think before you say anything. Trust me, I’ve learned the hard way.”

“Jazzy, I was teasing.” Okay, that is definitely lame as far as excuses go, but hopefully, she’ll understand what it means.

“But it wasn’t funny, Electra,” Jazzy replies, giving me a little girl’s version of a scolding look. “Teasing should be funny, not hurtful.”

Now I feel truly reprimanded and put in my place. Ouch.

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